of
violence on his huge honest face, and he was afterwards heard to remark
that some creatures of the tiger species must have been born women by
mistake, and that stout young females who had a tendency to use
crutches, had better be pensioned off--or, "drownded if possible."

Thus was William Bowls impressed into the Royal Navy. On hearing that
his old shipmate had been caught, Tom Riggles at once volunteered into
the service, and they were both sent on board a man-of-war, and carried
off to fight the battles of their country.

CHAPTER THREE.

BILL IS INITIATED INTO THE DUTIES OF HIS NEW STATION.

At the time of which we write, England's battles and troubles were
crowding pretty thick upon one another. About this period, Republican
France, besides subduing and robbing Switzerland, Italy, Sardinia, and
other States, was busily engaged in making preparation for the invasion
of England,--Napoleon Bonaparte being in readiness to take command of
what was styled the "army of England." Of course great preparations had
to be made in this country to meet the invading foe. The British Lion
was awakened, and although not easily alarmed or stirred up, he uttered
a few deep-toned growls, which showed pretty clearly what the Frenchmen
might expect if they should venture to cross the Channel. From John o'
Groats to the Land's End the people rose in arms, and in the course of a
few weeks 150,000 volunteers were embodied and their training begun.

Not satisfied with threatening invasion, the Directory of France sought
by every means to corrupt the Irish. They sent emissaries into the
land, and succeeded so well that in May 1798 the rebellion broke out.
Troops, supplies, and munitions of war were poured into Ireland by
France; but the troops were conquered and the rebellion crushed.

Finding at length that the invasion of England could not be carried out,
this pet projection was abandoned, and Napoleon advised the Directory to
endeavour to cripple her resources in the East. For the accomplishment
of this purpose, he recommended the establishment on the banks of the
Nile of a French colony, which, besides opening a channel for French
commerce with Africa, Arabia, and Syria, might form a grand military
depot, whence an army of 60,000 men could be pushed forward to the
Indus, rouse the Mahrattas to a revolt, and excite against the British
the whole population of those vast countries.

To an expedition on so grand a scale