began to move into place.
Three big ships grounded in the narrow, shallow, and crooked channel.
But the rest went on, closing up the dangerous gaps as best they could.
Just, after ten the first gun was fired; but it was another hour and a
half before the two fleets were at it, hard all. At one o'clock a Danish
victory seemed quite as likely as a British one. Very few Danish gnus
had been silenced, while two of the grounded British men-of-war were
flying signals of distress, and the third was signalling to say she could
do nothing. In the meantime the few British men-of-war that were trying
to work into the channel from the other end under Sir Hyde Parker were
being headed off by the wind so much that they could hardly do more than
threaten their own end of the Danish line. Parker was the
Commander-in-chief; though Nelson was making the attack.

[Illustration: THE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN, APRIL 2nd, 1801. (Note the
British line ahead.)]

It was at this time of doubt and danger that Parker, urged by a nervous
staff officer, ordered up signal No. 39, which meant "Discontinue action"
(that is, stop the fight if you think you ought to do so). The story
commonly told about this famous signal is wrong; as most stories of the
kind are pretty sure to be. Signal 39 did not order Nelson to break
away, no matter what he thought, but meant that he could leave off if he
thought that was the right thing to do. As, however, he thought the
chance of winning still held good, he told his signal lieutenant simply
to "acknowledge but not repeat No. 39." Then he added, "and keep mine
flying," his own being the one for "close action." These two signals
then gave Nelson's captains the choice of going on or breaking off,
according to which seemed the better. All went on except "the gallant,
good Riou," a man who, if he had lived today, would certainly have won
the Victoria Cross. Riou was in charge of a few small vessels which were
being terribly mauled by the Trekroner batteries without being able to do
any good themselves. So he quite rightly hauled off, thus saving his
division from useless destruction. Unluckily he was killed before
getting out of range; and no hero's death was ever more deeply mourned by
all who knew his career. Good commanders need cool heads quite as much
as they need brave hearts.

Shortly after Riou had left the scene the Danes began to fire more
slowly, while the British kept up as well as ever. But, th