‘We must not be out of this,’ cried Jack, turning round to where Barrymore had been a few minutes before; but the sergeant had disappeared. ‘17th, follow me!’ cried Jack, waving his sword, and the troopers trotted off.
They formed up on the left of the Hussars just as the colonel gave the word to charge, and away they went at the foe. These did not stand to receive the shock, but turned and fled, Lancers and Hussars pursuing them and sabring a good many.
Maddened by the terrible charge they had made down that long valley, on which they had left the greater part of their comrades, the English went on till they had driven the Russians right back to the aqueduct against the Tractir Bridge. Then, overwhelming masses advancing on both flanks, they gave up the pursuit and halted. Officers shouted commands, and the trumpets sounded threes about, when the 11th wheeled and retired.
Jack and his comrades had become separated from the Hussars in the charge and pursuit, and had gone on farther than any of the rest, having no officer to restrain them. Jack suddenly noticed that they were isolated, and that the other regiments had retreated.
‘What are we going to do now, youngster?’ asked a voice behind him, and turning he saw Veigh, the butcher, still smoking his black clay-pipe.
‘We must retire,’ said Jack; and seizing his bugle he sounded ‘threes about.’
The handful of Lancers had not gone far, however, when a whole cloud of Cossacks came charging down upon them.
‘Keep together!’ cried Jack, spurring out to the front; ‘knee to knee, we must cut our way through!’
This they endeavoured to do; but the enemy surrounding the little group was too strong, and, circling round, cut and hacked as though determined that not a solitary man should escape. They were indeed in a tight corner, and Jack was thinking that not one of them would get away when he heard a shout from the flank, and on the slope above the Russians saw the well-known uniform of the 8th Hussars.
‘Hurrah! the busby-bags are coming,’ he cried; and in another minute the 8th were cutting their way through to their comrades.