e about right there, John Adams."

"Well, then, you can't say they've got no go in 'em. Don't underrate
your enemy, whatever you do, for it's not fair; besides, in so doin' you
underrate your own deeds. Moreover, we don't allow boastin' aboard of
this island; so go ahead, Jack Brace, and tell us what you did do,
without referrin' to what you think you could do. Mind, I'm king here,
and I'll have to clap you in irons if you let your tongue wag too
freely."

"All right, your majesty," replied Brace, with a bow of graceful
humility, which deeply impressed his juvenile audience; "I'll behave
better in futur' if you'll forgive me this time. Well, as I was about
to say, when you sent that round shot across my bows and brought me up,
Nelson he would have fought 'em if they'd had ten times the number o'
ships that we had. As it was, the enemy had thirty-three sail of the
line and seven frigates. We had only twenty-seven sail of the line and
four frigates, so we was outnumbered by nine vessels. Moreover the
enemy had 4000 lobsters on board--"

"Lobsters bein' land sodgers, my dears," remarked Adams, in explanation,
"so-called 'cause of their bein' all red-coated; but the French sodgers
are only red-trousered, coats bein' blue. Axin' your pardon, Brace, go
on."

The seaman, who had availed himself of the interruption to stir up and
stuff down his pipe, resumed.

"Likewise one of their line-o'-battle ships was a huge four-decker,
called the _Santissima Trinidad_, and they had some of the best Tyrolese
riflemen that could be got scattered throughout the fleet, as we
afterwards came to find out to our cost.

"Soon after daylight Nelson came on deck. I see him as plain as if he
was before me at this moment, for, bein' stationed in the mizzen-top o'
the _Victory_--that was Nelson's ship, you know--I could see everything
quite plain. He stood there for a minute or so, with his admiral's
frock-coat covered with orders on the left breast, and his empty right
sleeve fastened up to it; for you must know he had lost his right arm in
action before that, and also his right eye, but the arm and eye that
were left were quite enough for him to work with. After a word or two
with the officers, he signalled to bear down on the enemy in two lines.

"Then it seemed to have occurred to him that the smoke of battle might
render the signals difficult or impossible to make out, for he
immediately made one that would serve for everythi