‘As far as I know, we are not,’ replied Cornet Leland.
‘H’m!’ said Sergeant Linham; ‘seems rather a muddled-up affair to start with; who knows what it’ll be in six months’ time?’
The sergeant’s words were prophetic.
The voyage was fairly uneventful. Jack was greatly struck with the appearance of Gibraltar, and he caught a glimpse of Malta. In the Mediterranean bad weather was experienced, and after passing the Dardanelles on the 19th of May the Eveline arrived off Constantinople. The men cheered loudly as they caught their first glimpse of the enchanting-looking city of mosques and minarets. They proceeded to Kulali, and there they disembarked and went under canvas. The troops arrived, and the regiment was all together again, having lost only twenty-six horses during the passage. On the last day of May they were marched off to Scutari and inspected by his Imperial Majesty the Sultan of Turkey, accompanied by a large and glittering staff.
Tired with a long day in the saddle, under a broiling sun, Jack was preparing to turn in when he saw Will looking for him.
‘Hurrah, Jack! Heard the news?’ cried his chum.
‘No. What is it?’
‘We’re to embark at once for Varna and join the troops there. We shall be in the thick of it soon, or my name’s not Hodson.’
‘And the sooner the better,’ said Jack; ‘there doesn’t seem to be much doing here, and it’s hardly worth while coming a thousand or so miles to be reviewed by an old effigy who hardly seems able to sit a horse.’
Sergeant Linham had much to say about this second embarkation. ‘Seems to me we’re like a lot of blessed pilgrims wandering about to try and find a resting-place,’ he said when they were again aboard. ‘Why the dickens don’t we go somewhere and do something?’