somewhat
coldly. He bade Wenlock farewell with a sigh.

"Thou hast been led to act as thou art doing by thy father, and I cannot
blame thee," he said. "I had hoped better things of thee, and I would
now pray that thy heart may be turned to the right way."

Mary was very sad after Wenlock had gone. He was frank and artless,
good-looking, and of agreeable manners; and believing that he was about
to join her sect, she had given her heart to him without reserve. He
had come frequently to the house after he had taken service under Lord
Ossory, though his duties had of late prevented his visits being as
frequent as at first. Several months had thus passed away, his father
having in the meantime joined the fleet under the Earl of Sandwich, one
of the bravest of England's admirals at that time. He would have taken
Wenlock with him, had not Lord Ossory desired that the young man should
remain in his service. The morning after parting from Mary, Wenlock
accompanied Lord Ossory to Portsmouth. Here a ship of sixty guns, the
_Resolution_, was waiting to receive the earl as her captain.

Not till Wenlock was on board, and sailing out from Spithead past Saint
Helen's, had he any notion whither the fleet was bound. He, with
several other young men and boys, were occupants of part of the
captain's cabin, which was devoted to them.

"You will see some service, Christison," said the earl. "I wish it were
of a more worthy character than it is likely to prove. King Charles's
exchequer is low, and we have been sent out here to capture a
homeward-bound fleet of Dutch merchantmen expected shortly in the
Channel. You heard the other day of the Dutch refusing to strike their
flag when the _Merlin_ yacht passed through their fleet with Lady Temple
on board. Her captain fired in return, and was rewarded with a gold
chain on his arrival at home. This is our pretence, a sorry one, I
confess, for war."

The _Resolution_ formed one of the fleet under Sir Robert Holmes,
consisting altogether of some thirty-six men-of-war. Eight only had,
however, been got ready for sea, and with these Sir Robert was about to
take a short cruise outside the Isle of Wight, for practising the crews.
Scarcely, however, had they lost sight of land before the _Resolution_,
being to the westward, descried a fleet standing up Channel. She
communicated the intelligence to the rest of the squadron. They were
soon made out to be Dutch. The sea officers, aft