only
escaping.

Little True Blue had, therefore, at a very early age, to encounter "the
battle and the breeze."

"He was just beginning to get the use of his sea-legs," as Paul
observed; and it was his great amusement and that of the boy's other
guardians, as well as of Sam Smatch, and occasionally of the other men,
to teach him to employ them. They would sit on the deck in a circle,
and, stretching out their arms, let him run about between them. First
he began by merely crawling, and that he did at a very rapid rate; then
he got up by degrees and worked his way along their legs, and in a week
or two afterwards he could move about between them; but great was the
delight of the honest Jacks when he discarded even this support, and
toddled boldly from one to the other with a true nautical roll. What
shouts of laughter--what applause was elicited at his performances! and
Billy was almost smothered by their beards as they kissed him as a
reward for his success. Even at this early age, Billy showed, as most
children do, a strong inclination to have his own way; but, loving him
heartily as they did, they had been too well disciplined themselves to
allow him to have it, and no one kept him more strictly in order than
did Paul Pringle himself.

Sam Smatch would have done his best to spoil him; but he got for his
pains several severe pulls by the ears, boxes on the cheek, and kicks on
the shins, so at last he fortunately was compelled to exert his
authority and to report him to his head guardians. Billy was a noble
little fellow; but he no more nearly approached perfection than does any
child of Adam. Billy was destined to experience, before long, more of
the ups and downs of a naval career.

It was on the 25th of August 1781, that the _Terrible_, forming one of
Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood's squadron, arrived off the Chesapeake, and
then proceeded to Sandy Hook, where they joined Rear-Admiral Graves,
who, being senior officer, became commander-in-chief and sailed in quest
of the enemy. Paul Pringle and the rest of the crew of the _Terrible_
were eager once more to meet the foe.

"Here we've been a-cruising up and down these two years, and never once
been able to get alongside them Frenchmen, to have a regular-built
stand-up fight!" exclaimed Paul as he and Abel Bush and one or two
others were stretching their legs on the forecastle.

"I should just like to show a Monsieur to Billy, and tell him all about
them,"