in his eyes.
Phil returned the pressure earnestly, and then they leant on their
rifles and waited for the word to advance.

Between nine and ten it came, and the Allies trudged forward over a wide
sweeping plain leading to a ridge, beyond which lay the valley of the
Alma, the valley--fair though it looked on that grand morning--of the
shadow of death. And now guns in front boomed out, answering the shots
of the Russian batteries, and each man grasped his rifle more firmly at
the sound, while a keen, strained look came over his face, as though he
had braced himself for the trial which was coming.

Trudge, trudge, trudge! On moved the mass of men, looking grand in
their varied uniforms, and all seeming anxious to get more quickly to
that ridge in front and look upon the enemy.

"Ah! there they are," exclaimed Phil with a sigh of relief as his
company topped the rise and came in full view of the Russian position.
"See, they are right in front of us if we only march in the direction we
are taking now, so there will be plenty of work for us, you fellows!
Hurrah for the fight!" and in the excitement of the moment, he snatched
his bearskin from his head, and, tossing it into the air, caught it on
his bayonet with the skill of a juggler. Instantly a wave of cheering
spread along the British lines, and a forest of bearskins and head-gear
of every description was thrust aloft on the gleaming bayonets, soon--
very soon--to be used in deadly and desperate earnest for another
purpose. A minute later the answering cheers of the French came echoing
along the lines, their "Vive l'Empereur!" piercing the morning air with
a shrill note, showing that they too were roused to the highest pitch of
enthusiasm.

"Look, Tony!" exclaimed Phil a few minutes later, having calmed down
sufficiently to be able to make a good examination of the Russian
position, "those beggars have chosen a splendid spot on which to
manoeuvre. You can see them massed on the slope of the hill close upon
the other side of the river, and to reach them we must cross the open
and plunge through the water. That makes it pretty well impossible for
our cavalry to help us by a flank attack. But we'll go for them tooth
and nail, in the regular old bull-dog way, and if we don't rout them out
of their position, well, I'll--I'll never speak to you again."

"Yer won't, won't yer?" answered Tony, with a curious grin, staring at
his friend with no small amount of astonis