nued increasing, till the squadron could with difficulty
hold their position before the town. Still the English persevered. A
large portion of the town was burnt down, and a considerable amount of
shipping was destroyed. Such would have been the fate of the whole, had
not the gale at length compelled Sir Cloudesley Shovel to throw out a
signal for retiring. This was done in good order, and the squadron
returned to the Downs.

Soon after this, a squadron of which the "Weymouth" formed one of the
ships, was sent to cruise off Dunkirk, where it was understood that Jean
Bart, with several ships of war, was still lying ready for sea.
Rear-Admiral Benbow was placed in command of this squadron; but on his
arrival before the place, he found the number of ships he had with him
too small to guard both channels; the weather, also, proving extremely
foggy, Du Bart slipped out, and, steering to the north-east, fell in
with the Dutch Baltic fleet of about a hundred sail, escorted by five
frigates, all of which he took, and above half the merchantmen. In the
midst of Du Bart's victory, he was surprised by the appearance of the
Dutch outward-bound Baltic fleet, under the convoy of thirteen
men-of-war, which so closely pursued him that he was obliged to abandon
most of his prizes. He burned four of the frigates, and putting their
crews on board the fifth, turned her adrift, which, with thirty-five of
the merchant-ships, were retaken. A fast galley brought this news to
Admiral Benbow, who immediately steered in pursuit of the French
squadron. The "Weymouth" was one of the leading ships.

Jack Deane, who was now rated as an able seaman, was constantly at the
mast-head looking out for the enemy, eager as any on board to come up
with them.

"Several sail ahead!" he shouted out one morning at daybreak.

There was no doubt that this was the enemy. The signal was thrown out
accordingly, and the English crowded all sail in chase. The wind,
however, which was in their favour, began to fall, and, greatly to their
disappointment, it became almost a calm. The Frenchmen, however,
retained the breeze, and were soon again out of sight.

In vain the English seamen whistled for a wind. Noon passed by, and
still they remained becalmed. Whether it was their whistling or not
produced the breeze, one sprung up towards evening, and the brave Benbow
steered after the French. Again they were discovered, and again lost
sight of. Once more th