‘I’ll give yez ship, ye dhirty blackguards,’ cried an Irish trooper of the 8th Hussars, belabouring with the flat of his sword a man who ran past him crying loudly, his frying-pan and pot banging and jangling behind him. Most of the Englishmen, however, only laughed at the flying Turks. One of the last to leave the redoubts was an English artilleryman who had been detailed to show the Turks how to use the guns. He had a narrow escape of his life from the enemy’s cavalry, and as he ran towards a few men of Jack’s troop who had been sent out to cover his retreat he panted, ‘The Bono Johnnies left me in the lurch. Anyhow, the guns of No. 4 Fort won’t be turned against you, for I spiked ’em before I left.’ Had the Turks spiked the other guns before they bolted it would have saved much unnecessary loss of life and have robbed the Russians of much of their vaunted victory when, next day, they paraded the captured guns in Sebastopol. The flight of the Turks was ultimately arrested, and they were persuaded to form up in a wobbly line on the left of the 93rd Highlanders, who under old Sir Colin lined the heights outside Balaclava. Round shot from the forts now began to fall in amongst the Light Brigade, and several horses were hit. ‘This is the part of fighting I don’t like,’ said Jack; ‘this sitting still and being fired at. Why on earth don’t they let us do something?’ ‘Ha, hum! don’t be impatient,’ growled Sergeant Linham, who it was noted looked remarkably smart that morning; ‘you’ll have work to do presently.’ Bullets began to whistle about their ears from the dense battalions in front, and presently the order was given to retire farther down the valley. The battle now appeared to lull; it almost seemed as if the Russians, having captured the forts, did not know what to do next. The order was given for the Light Brigade to dismount, and many men lit their pipes. ‘If the Russians had any go about them,’ said Pearson, ‘with the enormous numbers they’ve got they might advance and sweep us all into the sea before any help could arrive from our fellows before Sebastopol.’ ‘It’s a good thing for us they haven’t any go, then,’ said Jack. ‘Anyway, I wish I had a bit of biscuit, for I’m jolly hungry.’ ‘I’m simply ravenous,’ said Linham, ‘and so are all the regiment; not one of us has had bit or drop this morning.’ Time passed, and the cavalry remained inactive, while enormous masses of Russians crept rather than marched up the valley. Batteries could be seen taking up their position on the Fedioukine Heights, while between three and four thousand cavalry, Lancers, Hussars, and Dragoons, came steadily forward. Then several batteries were seen to be advancing so as to open fire on Sir Colin Campbell and his Highlanders. ‘Good heavens!’ muttered Captain Wintle, who was just by Jack, ‘if they succeed in defeating the Scotsmen--and how can they help it with such numbers--nothing can save Balaclava, and our base and all our stores are gone.’