It was labelled "T. 14, M. 55."
These expressions expanded meant that it contained extracts from the
_Times_, the 14th volume, for May, 1855.
After referring to an alphabetical index, he quickly turned over the
leaves of the book till he found a certain page.
"Ah! here it is," he said. "'We have commenced another battery just in
front of the quarries, the nearest to the enemy's works. It will be
armed with the heaviest ordnance,' &c. &c. And now it is nearly ready.
That must be passed on without delay."
Mr. Hobson turned to his desk and indited a telegram. It was addressed
to Arrowsmith, Hull, and said--
"New shop, as already indicated, will be opened at once. Let our
Gothenburg correspondent know."
"I will take it over myself. But let me first see whether there is
anything to add."
He resumed his reading, and presently came to the following passage:--
"'Lord Lyons had just returned from a cruise in the Black Sea. This
confirms my impression that some new movement is contemplated.
Regiments have been placed under orders, and there is great stir among
the fleet. A secret expedition is on the point of being despatched
somewhere, but the real destination no one as yet knows. Camp-gossip
is, of course, busy; but I will not repeat the idle and misleading
rumours that are on every lip.
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