And Jack asked anxiously: "Have you any news for us, sir? We heard they were driven back. Are any of our people left?"
"A few; but your loss is very heavy. Ours also; but you bore the brunt of it over there where the work was hottest. They came up out of the town at us, just below here, while you were busy there, and they made a feint also just above Balaclava. It has been a hot day all round. I hope they'll give us time to breathe now."
"I wonder what lies that fellow Menchikoff will stuff into the Tsar this time," said Jim.
"He can hardly claim a victory, anyway," said his father, with a smile.
"I bet he will, sir."
"Did you hear anything as to casualties, sir?" asked Jack, whose mind could not get far away from that grim struggle in the fog.
"Only outstanding ones. Your loss in big men is terrible. Cathcart is dead, and Strangways----"
"Poor old Strangways!"
"A dear old chap!" echoed Jim.
----"and Goldie,--all killed. George Brown and Codrington and Bentinck wounded, and I believe Torrens and Buller and Adams also. Some of your regiments are almost without officers. Our most serious loss is de Lourmel, down in front here, repulsing the sortie. They estimate 15,000 Russians killed and wounded----"