Daisy looked on; it was better than
a fairy tale.
"Now Daisy, we are ready for action. This is the battle of Balaklava;
and these are part of the lines. An order was brought to an officer
commanding a body of cavalry stationed up here--you know what cavalry
is?"
"Yes, I know."
"The order was brought to him to charge upon the enemy down _there_,--in
a place where he could do no good and must be cut to pieces;--the enemy
had so many guns in that place and he had so few men to attack them
with. The order was a mistake. He knew it was a mistake, but his General
had sent it--there was nothing for him to do but to obey. So he
charged."
"And his men?"
"Every one. They knew they were going to their death--and everybody else
knew it that saw them go--but they charged!"
"Did you see it, Capt. Drummond?"
"I saw it."
"And did they go to their death?" said Daisy, awe-stricken, for Captain
Drummond's look said that he was thinking of something it had been grave
to see.
"Why yes. Look here, Daisy--here were cannon; there were cannon; there
were more cannon; cannon on every side of them but one.
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