alleviating the misfortune, of
his dearest friend. Adams, after he had drunk, turned his head round,
apparently revived, and said, in a low and catching voice, as if his
powers were fast escaping, "Willy, your father's name was not Peters--I
do not know what it was; but there is a person who does, and who takes
an interest in your welfare--he lives in--"

At this moment another shell bounded through the rigging, and fell
within a few feet of the spot where Willy and old Adams were speaking.
Willy, who was seated on a coil of rope, supporting the head of his
benefactor, no sooner perceived the shell as it rolled towards the side,
with its fuse pouring out a volume of smoke, than, recollecting the
effects of the former explosion, rather than the danger of the attempt;
he ran towards it, and not being able to lift it, sank down on his
knees, and, with astonishing agility, succeeded in rolling it overboard,
out of the larboard entering-port, to which it was near. The shell
plunged into the water, and, before it had descended many feet, exploded
with a concussion that was communicated to the ship fore and aft. Our
hero then resumed his station by the side of Adams, who had witnessed
what had taken place.

"You have begun well, my boy," said the old man, faintly. "There's
ne'er a man in the ship would have done it. Kiss me, boy."

The child leaned over the old man, and kissed his cheek, clammy with the
dews of death. Adams turned a little on one side, uttered a low groan,
and expired.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Now dash'd upon the billow,
Our opening timbers creak,
Each fears a watery pillow.
...
To cling to slippery shrouds
Each breathless seaman crowds,
As she lay
Till the day
In the Bay of Biscay O!
SEA SONG.

As it will only detain the narrative, without being at all necessary for
its development, I shall not dwell upon the results of the engagement,
which was soon after decided, with very indifferent success on our side.
The soldiers were re-embarked, the ships hauled out of reach of the
enemy's guns, and a council of war summoned--on which it was agreed,
_nem con_, that no more was to be done. The despatches were sent home--
they certainly differed a little, but that was of no consequence. The
sum total of killed and wounded was excessively gratifying to the
nation, as it proved that there had been hard fighting. By-the-bye,
John Bull is rather annoying in this respect: he imagines th