weapon they
imagined that they were about to be attacked, and poured volley after
volley at the British earthworks. Instantly the sharp crackle of Minie
rifles broke out, and Phil and his friends found themselves in the
awkward position of receiving fire from their friends.

"Down in here for your lives," cried Phil; and within half a minute they
were wedged in the pit, while a perfect hail of bullets swept overhead.
Both sides imagined that a sortie was taking place, and the alarm
spreading, the guns on either side opened fire, and a perfect torrent of
shell hummed in the air and burst with deafening crashes in the
darkness. A loud scuffling was then heard in the British trenches,
there was a sharp order, and a host of dark figures sprang over the
earthworks and dashed at the Russians.

Phil and his friends lay flat upon their faces, while the Russians in
the other pits for the most part fled for their lives. Those who did
not were bayoneted.

"Hallo, come out of it, you skulkers!" a voice cried; and, looking up,
Phil caught sight of the figures of English soldiers at the mouth of the
pit.

"Don't fire," he shouted, "we are friends. We are escaping prisoners."

"Now, then, none of yer sauce," the same voice answered wrathfully.
"Most like you're deserters. Out yer come and let's take a look at
yer."

In a trice they were dragged ignominiously from the pit.

"Why, what's this?" the sergeant, who had charge of the party,
exclaimed. "The light's bad, but blow me if there ain't two British
officers here. Get round 'em, boys, and bring 'em along."

With a rush the group of soldiers returned, bearing Phil and his friends
with them.

"Now, send along that lamp," cried the sergeant, as soon as they were
safely sheltered by the earthworks. "Blow me, but I'm right. They're
Britishers or I'm a wrong 'un," he cried, lifting the lantern to their
faces. "Hi, pass the word to Mr Ellis there."

A moment later an officer came hurrying along.

"What is all this commotion about?" he asked sharply. "The whole camp
is disturbed, and you seem to have made a sortie, Sergeant."

"Quite right, sir! There was a bit of a ruction over in them
rifle-pits, and as I knew you was anxious to teach them Russians a
lesson, and the boys was mad to get at 'em, why, we did a rush and
cleared 'em out like rats. We found these three there. They said they
were escaping prisoners, so we brought 'em along."

"Who are you, then?" a