lder up the slopes.

A glance at them, however, displayed the curious fact that the advancing
troops were in no regular formation. Compelled to deploy and often make
wide detours in passing through the vineyards on the other bank and in
marching round the village, regiments had been split up into smaller
portions, and in many cases men had lost sight of their comrades
altogether. But still discipline and coolness were second nature to
them. Without orders but of their own initiative they fell in, and
forming a double line--the favoured formation for British attack,--they
pressed up the hill; dark-coated riflemen and red linesmen intermingled,
and were swallowed up in the clouds of eddying smoke.

Up, up they climbed, steadily and with heroic bravery, and, passing
through a storm of hurtling iron and lead, at length flung themselves
upon the deep columns of the Russians.

One moment visible, they were seen surging from side to side,
desperately using their bayonets; and next moment, with an appalling
roar, the batteries would open once more, and clouds of white smoke
would swallow them up, only their excited cries, and the hoarse,
encouraging voices of the officers nobly leading them, showing that they
still survived.

"It's grand to see them," cried Phil, carried away by the excitement of
the moment. "When will our turn come? They will be swept away by those
crowds of Russian soldiers. Look at them, Tony! Now they are at close
quarters, and the enemy is giving back. Hurrah, now we have them!" and,
springing to his feet, he would have broken from the ranks and rushed to
join the fighting-line had not Tony clutched him by the arm and dragged
him to the ground, while a hoarse and well-timed "Steady, youngster,
you're tiring yourself; keep all your gristle till we come up against
them," from a veteran sergeant who sat close at hand, smoking calmly,
served to quieten him again. But Phil was not the only man there who
longed to be up and doing. Not one but was restless and chafing at the
delay, especially at Phil's last shout, for a turn had taken place in
the tide of the battle which indeed gave the British a far better chance
of victory. Awed by the mass of advancing men, the big Russian battery,
which had done such damage in our ranks, suddenly limbered up and
retired over the hill--a disgraceful retreat which proved disastrous to
the enemy.

But though the attacking force had thus gained an important advan