hose dreadful cannon-balls would not come so close to one,"
sung out poor Harry, half playfully, half in earnest, as a round shot
came crashing through the bulwark close to where we lay, throwing the
splinters about us, ploughing up the deck, and passing out at a port on
the other side.

"I thought you were not going to be frightened, Harry, my boy," said I.

"Nor should I, I tell you, if I could but be firing in return," he
answered. "Besides, it is the first time I was ever in action, and I
have heard that the bravest men are apt to bob their heads on such
occasions. Perhaps when I get accustomed to it I shall care as little
as anyone for it."

"I have no doubt you will, Harry," I replied; and most truly the noble
little fellow did not disappoint my expectations. With proud defiance
the squadron continued its onward course, still desisting from firing,
as if invulnerable to the showers of round shot and bullets which came
whistling about them. The enemy were in general firing too high to do
much injury except to our rigging; the splinters which flew from our
topmasts and yards and came showering down every now and then on deck,
and the strange festoons our rigging began to form, the ends of ropes
hanging here and there, and the numerous holes exhibited in our sails
showed the effect their unremitting fire had caused. Sometimes the wind
was so light that we had little more than steerage way, when instantly
guns were brought round to attack us. Still we had not performed half
our distance. I must own that never, when in chase of an enemy, or when
attacked by gun-boats, or when finding my ship set on shore by a strong
current, have I more earnestly prayed than now for a breeze to carry us
onward. Nothing so much damps the ardour of men as having to sit quiet
and be fired at without having the power of returning the compliment.
Few can stand it except Turks and Englishmen; Turks because they fancy
it is their fate, Englishmen because they know it is their duty. As the
shot came crashing among us and the blocks and splinters from the spars
and other parts of the rigging came tumbling down on our heads, a growl
might every now and then be heard from some of the seamen very like that
given by a savage dog chained up as a stranger approaches his kennel and
he finds after repeated trials that he has come to the length of his
tether. I really felt it a relief when I had to move about the decks on
any duty, as was th