arms would place Louis Napoleon more firmly
on a throne at present in a decidedly shaky condition. Also, if she
took Russia's part, she would have England and her fleet to cope with,
an item that I can assure you, my young friends, is not to be lightly
thought of.

"And now for England. Ever the mainstay of justice and right, and the
protector of the oppressed, she has, considerably to the astonishment of
everyone, and particularly of Russia, awakened from that long peace
enjoyed since Waterloo, and, shaking herself free for the moment from
her absorbing interest in trade, has thrown herself heart and soul into
the cause of Turkey. With the French, some of our ships sailed to the
Bosphorus; and as Russia refused to withdraw her troops from the Danube,
the combined fleets entered the Dardanelles and anchored before
Constantinople.

"And now comes the crux of the whole thing," said Mr Shelton, with
emphasis. "We are not at war, but our interests are aroused, and our
sympathy with Turkey is deep. It wanted only a match to set us flaring,
and cause us to engage in a war of what magnitude no one can say, and
that match has been applied. On the last day of November a small fleet
of Turkish ships, which had anchored at Sinope, close above
Constantinople, was destroyed, together with 4000 men, by a fleet of
Russian war-vessels. It was a cruel and unnecessary act. Capture would
have sufficed. But the fatal deed is done, and now I fancy both England
and France are launched into the struggle, for their peoples are
clamouring for the punishment of the Czar and his subjects. In any case
a few days will determine the matter, and then, my lads, your country
will have need of you, and thousands more like you."

"Then I for one, sir, shall fight all the better and all the harder now
that I know exactly what the trouble is!" exclaimed Phil; while Tony
gave a grunt of marked approval, showing that if he had failed to grasp
exactly the real reason for war, he had at any rate a decided grudge
against the Czar and his people, which he would endeavour to satisfy at
the earliest opportunity.

"And where do you think the fighting will take place?" continued Phil.
"Shall we invade Russia, or will our fleets go in chase of the Russian
ships? In that case we soldiers would have precious little to do, and
the sailors would come in for all the honour and glory."

"Rest easy, my young friend," replied Mr Shelton, with a smile. "Both