, and a strength beyond his years, enabled him to
maintain a very respectable position among his school-fellows. At
length, having inflicted upon some opponent a more severe punishment
than was usual in juvenile combats, the fact came under the cognizance
of the master, and to escape a threatened flogging, he ran away He told
his elder brother, who had now to act as head of the family, that he
would not return to school to be flogged for fighting, but would go to
sea directly. Happily, his inclinations were indulged, though his
grandfather, who wished him to be placed in a merchant's office,
strongly opposed the step. "So, sir," said the old gentleman, when the
boy came with his brothers to take a farewell dinner with him, "they are
going to send you to sea. Do you know that you may be answerable for
every enemy you kill? and, if I can read your character, you will kill a
great many!" "Well, grandpapa," replied young Pellew, "and if I do not
kill them, they'll kill me!"

He entered the navy towards the end of 1770, in the _Juno_, Captain
Stott, which was sent to the Falkland Islands, in consequence of the
forcible seizure of them by the Spanish squadron. It is remarkable that
this paltry dispute, which might be almost forgotten but for the
virulent invective of "Junius," and the masterly defence of the
Government by Dr. Johnson, should have given to the navy two such
officers as Nelson and Pellew; neither of whom might otherwise have
found an opportunity to join the service until they were too old, in the
five years of peace which followed. After the _Juno_ had been paid off,
Captain Stott was appointed to the _Alarm_, in which Mr. Pellew followed
him to the Mediterranean, where an unpleasant difference with his
commander made him leave the ship. Captain Stott, who had been a
boatswain with Boscawen, was an excellent seaman, but unfortunately
retained some habits not suited to his present rank. He kept a mistress
on board. Among the midshipmen was a boy named Frank Cole, who was three
years younger than Mr. Pellew, but had entered on board the _Juno_ at
the same time. Mr. Pellew was warmly attached to him. The woman had some
pet fowls, which were allowed to fly about; and one day, when the ship
was at Marseilles, and the captain absent, one of them was driven off
the quarter-deck by young Cole, which led to great abuse from the
woman, and a sharp reply from the boy. When the captain returned, he
became so much enraged b