As the light bobs were only advancing at the
trot, I wasn't long before I ranged up alongside
their right flank, and there was old Nosey, as we
used to c.a}l Cardigan, well out to the front, and in
front of him again was young Nolan, of the 15th,
with his sword down at the "right engage" already,
although we were a long way off any enemy. Just
as I came up in line with the flank sergeant of the
froqt ranki who looked sideways at me as if I had
been a ghost, C^digan turned round in hi$ saddle
to say a word to the field trumpeter riding at his
heels, and then with a wave of his svcord went off
at score out to the front. In another si^cond, all
tl^e trumpets of tbe bri|afl§ sgwnded the ^charge,"
and sitting down on our saddles md setting our
t^th hard, off we went peltmell across the valley
as hard as ever hors^ could lay foot to ground*



/ .BUTCIIER jack's STORY. II3

PT^sently ,we got witjiin r^Wge pf the devili^h^i^s-
fifian battery which ^as playipg right . ipto our .teeth,
and I saw Nolan, who w^s a long way out to, the
frpijt, galloping as if for ,a .wager, toss up ,his jariw?,
and with a wild shriek fall from his horse. On, still,
on we went, faster a^nd faster as our horses , got ex-
cited and warmed to their work, heedlesfs of the
torrent of shot that came tearing through us, .aja,d
stopping for ever many a. bold rider. As for myself,
what with the drink in me, a^d.the wild excitement
of. the. headlong charge, I went stark mad, ?ind sept
the plucky Russian horse ahead at a pace which
kept me in line with the very foremost.
