"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."
"Who is that? A prisoner?"
"One of our own people. McKay, of the headquarter staff. A man whom the Russians took, and whom we have just recovered."
"McKay!" cried the aide-de-camp, joyfully. "Where is he?"
Our hero was speedily surrounded by a group of sympathetic friends, to whom he gave a short account of himself. Then he briefly explained to the general the position in which they were.
"It is as I thought," said the general. "We have pierced the Russian works above the man-of-war harbour, and, if reinforced promptly, can take the whole of the line in reverse. Will you let Lord Raglan know? and the attack might then be renewed on this side."