From then the men poured on the beach, which literally swarmed with red-coats, and presently the turn of the cavalry and artillery came to land. The sailors were here of the utmost service with the guns and the restive horses, and many accidents must have occurred had it not been for their herculean efforts and extraordinary care. Jack’s troop was the first to get to land, and the men were immediately formed up and sent on as a support to Sir George Brown, who had pushed forward with a few Fusiliers and Riflemen to take possession of a ridge ahead and to reconnoitre the country. Sir George, being mounted, got ahead of the infantry, and with the exception of a sergeant and two men, who had kept up with him, was quite alone. Cornet Leland hurried up his Lancers, and was about a hundred yards from the General when suddenly a Russian officer and a patrol of Cossacks were seen on the ridge ahead. They were only visible for a moment; then they disappeared again behind the ridge. Cornet Leland had, however, seen them, and cried out, ‘The General will be killed or captured! First two sections unsling lances and follow me!’ The horses, cramped with the voyage, could not move very fast, and ere they could reach the General, who was very short-sighted, the Cossacks were seen swooping down on his flank to cut off his retreat. ‘17th, follow me! Charge!’ cried Leland; and, wheeling his horse, he made straight for the Cossacks. The sight of the English Lancers took the Russians by surprise, and, as though by common consent, they reined in their shaggy ponies. The waving pennons and flashing lance-points were too much for them, and they suddenly wheeled and galloped madly away towards Sebastopol, receiving a few shots from the French skirmishers on their right as they passed them. Sir George Brown looked at the Lancer officer as he saluted with his sword. ‘Bless my soul!’ he said in perfectly unconcerned tones; ‘lucky you were here; my bad eyesight will get me into trouble some day. I really must wear glasses!’ The rest of Jack’s troop came up, and then Sir George led them some distance inland, Cornet Leland keeping his eyes well about him. On rounding a sort of promontory they came in sight of a road leading inland, and there, before their very eyes, was a long line of wagons, driven by native drivers and escorted by a number of Cossacks. ‘A convoy, Sir George--a convoy!’ cried Leland excitedly. ‘Wagons,’ murmured the General; ‘the very thing we want.’ ‘Give me permission to charge with my troop and the wagons are yours, General,’ said Leland. The General looked wistfully at the wagons; then said, ‘You haven’t got forty men with you.’ ‘We’re a match for double that number,’ replied Leland; ‘let us go in, Sir George.’ ‘It’s the true spirit of the old Peninsula days,’ said Sir George; ‘go in, my boy, and win. Attack them from each side.’ Cornet Leland turned to his troop, his face beaming with pleasure.