eased to fight till the
last." Saying this, he again cheered his men. Never did a crew fight
with more fierce desperation than did that of the _Royal James_. Even
the wounded refused to quit their guns, till they dropped at their
quarters. A cheer at length arose from their decks. The _Great
Holland_ had been beaten off, and was retiring in a disabled state. De
Ruyter, his person conspicuous on the deck of his ship, still assailed
her however. At length a shot was seen to strike him, and he sank,
apparently slain, to the deck.

For a short time the hard-pressed ship of the gallant admiral enjoyed a
respite; but by this time she was reduced almost to a wreck, while six
hundred of her brave crew lay dead or dying about her decks, with many
of her officers, and several gallant gentlemen who had volunteered on
board. Night was coming on, the constant flashes from the guns,
however, showing the fury with which the fight was continued. Still the
earl refused to retire from the combat. Christison and his son had
hitherto escaped. "I have seen many fierce battles, Wenlock, but never
one like this," said the old officer; "and our fighting is not over
to-day. See here come more foes!" As he spoke, several ships were seen
bearing down upon the _Royal James_, and now, opening their fire, they
surrounded her with smoke. The four hundred survivors of her crew
fought their guns with the same desperation as at first; but in the
midst of the smoke a ship, approaching unperceived, grappled closely
with her. Directly afterwards there was a cry of fire!

Flames were seen bursting forth from the enemy, now, when too late,
known to be a fire-ship. In vain the crew endeavoured to free
themselves from her, but the Dutch sent such showers of shot among them
that many were killed in the attempt. Wenlock had been keeping near his
father, who, for the first time since the commencement of the fight,
acknowledged that they were in desperate circumstances. Scarcely had he
spoken, when Wenlock heard a sharp cry by his side, and turning round,
he saw his father falling to the deck. He lifted him up; but as he
gazed in his countenance, he saw that those eyes which had always looked
at him with affection were glazing in death.

"Father! father! speak to me," said Wenlock; but there was no answer.
He laid him down on the deck. And now on every side the flames were
bursting forth through the ports. Already the fore part of the ship w