cely restrain a shout of joy, and, quickening their
speed, rode rapidly down the valley. Presently they perceived before
them a small village lying on the sea-shore, to the left of which
stood a large chateau, half hidden among trees.

"Do you think it's safe to ride in?" Mr. Myers asked.

"Most of these villages have been found deserted, sir," Jack said, "by
our fellows when they landed. I'm afraid we are beyond the point to
which they come, for I should think we must be twenty miles from
Balaklava. However, there are not likely to be any troops here, and we
needn't mind the Tartars."

They found, as they expected, that the village was wholly deserted,
and, riding through it, they dismounted at the chateau. The doors were
fastened, but, walking round it, they perceived no signs of life, and,
breaking a window, they soon effected an entrance.

They found that the house, which was of great size and evidently
belonged to a Russian magnate, was splendidly furnished, and that it
had so far not been visited by any parties from the ships. Some fine
pictures hung on the walls, choice pieces of statuary were scattered
here and there, tables of malachite and other rare stones stood about,
and Eastern carpets covered the floors.

"We are in clover now, sir," Jack said, "and if we could but charter a
ship, we should be able to make a rich prize. But as our ponies can
only carry us, I'm afraid that all these valuables are worthless to
us."

"I'd give the whole lot of them," the lieutenant said, "for a good
meal. At any rate, we are sure to find something for the ponies."

In the stables behind the house were great quantities of forage and
the ponies soon had their fill.

The officers, taking some corn, of which also there was an abundance,
hammered a quantity between two flat stones, and moistening the rough
flour so obtained, with water, made two flat cakes, with which, baked
over a wood fire, they satisfied their hunger. A consultation was held
while they ate their meal, and it was agreed that as the place was
evidently beyond the range of boats from Balaklava, they had better
ride along the cliffs till they reached some village, where, as they
would find from the state of the houses, parties were in the habit of
coming.

After a couple of hours' stay to give the horses time to rest, they
again saddled up and took the road along the coast. After riding two
miles along the edge of the cliffs, they simultaneously checked