They did not approach them, but turning to the right, trotted briskly along, skirting the foot of the hills.

They passed through two or three Tartar villages whose inhabitants scarcely glanced at them, so accustomed were they to the sight of small parties of Cossacks riding hither and thither.
In one, which stood just at the mouth of the valley which they had determined to enter, as a road running up it seemed to indicate that it led to some place, perhaps upon the sea-shore, they found several Russian soldiers loitering about.

Lieutenant Myers would have checked his pony, but Jack rode unhesitatingly forward.

An officer came out of one of the cottages.
"Any news ?" he asked.
"None," Jack said.

"The enemy's horse came out yesterday, through the Baida valley, but we beat them back again." "Where are you going ?" the Russian asked.
"Down towards the sea," Jack answered, "to pick up stragglers who land to plunder.