Told off to attack the Creek
Battery. We have carried the cemetery, but what else we've done I have
not the least idea."
"Haven't you? Well, I'll tell you. You've taken Sebastopol."
"Not quite, I'm afraid."
"You're well inside the fortress anyway. I can tell you that for
certain. Just above is the place in which I was kept a prisoner."
"Is that a fact? By Jove! what tremendous luck!"
"But can you hold your ground?"
"Eyre will. He'll hold on by his eyelids till reinforcements come up,
never fear. And the French have promised us support."
"Is yours the only attack?"
"Dear no! The French have gone in at the Malakoff, and our people at
the Redan."
"How has it gone--have you any idea?" asked McKay, anxiously.
"No one knows, except the general, perhaps. Here he comes; and he
don't look over pleased."
General Eyre, a tall, fierce-looking soldier, strode up with a long
step, talking excitedly to a staff-officer, whom McKay recognised as
one of Lord Raglan's aides-de-camps.
"Hold our ground!" the general was saying. "Of course we will, to the
last. But if the French could only come up in force we might still
retrieve the day. You see we are well inside, though I cannot say
exactly where."
At this moment the officer who had been speaking to McKay touched his
hat and said to the general--
"There is some one here who can tell you, I think, sir.
Pages:
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382