The main body of the British army bivouacked that night on the Katcha; but the cavalry pushed on five miles farther, to the Belbeck, where they passed the night more or less uncomfortably, having to stand to their horses for two hours owing to a false alarm. In the morning it was found that several of the Hussars’ horses had broken away from their lines, and these had doubtless been the cause of the alarm. Soon after daylight an officer arrived from Lord Raglan, and he and Lord Lucan remained some time in conversation. Then the cavalry started upon that daring ‘flank march’ which the ineptitude of the dying French commander-in-chief had almost forced Lord Raglan to adopt. The advance was led by an experienced officer said to know the country. A horse-battery and a battalion of Rifles accompanied the cavalry, who marched with flankers thrown out. On account of having to keep pace with the Rifles the advance was very slow, the road, which was bad and often exceedingly steep, leading through a dense forest. A narrow lane was supposed to lead to a spot known as Mackenzie’s Farm, and this lane was to be left for the artillery and cavalry, the infantry forcing their way in any sort of order through the forest. The men were in high spirits and laughed and chatted gaily as they rode along, chaffing the sturdy Rifles and bidding them ‘put their best leg foremost.’ After a march of some miles a halt was made, and Jack, who with his troop was near the head of the column, saw a staff-officer and several of the 8th Hussars busy talking together. The lane branched into two parts, one going straight on, the other going to the right. ‘Ha, hum!’ snorted Sergeant Linham, ‘come to a stop I suppose. I’ll bet they don’t know which road to take.’ This seemed to be the case, for the staff-officer was seen to gallop along one branch, being absent some time. When he returned more talk ensued, and then the troops were put in motion again, going straight on. The horse artillery, however, being some distance in the rear, did not advance along the same lane as the cavalry, but followed the other, and, as it turned out, the correct one. The road the cavalry was pursuing got narrower and more rutty as they advanced through densely wooded country, and presently a trumpet rang out the halt. ‘What’s up, I wonder?’ said Jack to Pearson. ‘We can’t have lost our way, can we?’ ‘We can do anything,’ said Sergeant Linham, riding up. ‘I shouldn’t wonder if we were to come plump upon the Russian cavalry just by accident like--ha, hum! Now, I want to know what’s the use of’---- ‘D Troop, prepare to dismount! Dismount!’ cried Cornet Leland; and the men gladly availed themselves of the opportunity of stretching their legs. Larry, whose troop of the 8th was not far behind Jack’s, came up to seek his friend. ‘Bedad, we seem to be playing a game of hide-and-seek,’ he said. ‘It’s thinking I am that a bite and a sup would be welcome now.’