u, in your own
coin. There is no man whose orders I obey more willingly or more to my
own advantage; always excepting those of Admiral Oakes, who, being
commander-in-chief, overlays us all with his anchor. We must dowse our
peaks to his signals, though we _can_ maintain, without mutinying, that
the Caesar is as good a boat on or off a wind, as the Plantagenet, the
best day Sir Jarvy ever saw."

"There is no manner of doubt of that. You have all the notions of a true
sailor, I find, Stowel; obey orders before all other things. I am
curious to know how our captains, generally, stand affected to this
claim which the Pretender has set up to the throne."

"Can't tell you, on my soul, sir; though I fancy few of them give
themselves any great anxiety in the matter. When the wind is fair we can
run off large, and when it is foul we must haul upon a bowline, let who
will reign. I was a youngster under Queen Anne, and she was a Stuart, I
believe; and I have served under the German family ever since; and to be
frank with you, Admiral Bluewater, I see but little difference in the
duty, the pay, or the rations. My maxim is to obey orders, and then I
know the blame will fall on them that give them, if any thing goes
wrong."

"We have many Scotchmen in the fleet, Stowel," observed the
rear-admiral, in a musing manner, like one who rather thought aloud than
spoke. "Several of the captains are from the north of Tweed."

"Ay, sir, one is pretty certain of meeting gentlemen from that part of
the island, in almost all situations in life. I never have understood
that Scotland had much of a navy in ancient times, and yet the moment
old England has to pay for it, the lairds are willing enough to send
their children to sea."

"Nevertheless it must be owned that they make gallant and useful
officers, Stowel."

"No doubt they do, sir; but gallant and useful men are not scarce
anywhere. You and I are too old and too experienced, Admiral Bluewater,
to put any faith in the notion that courage belongs to any particular
part of the world, or usefulness either. I never fought a Frenchman yet
that I thought a coward; and, in my judgment, there are brave men enough
in England, to command all her ships, and to fight them too."

"Let this be so, Stowel, still we must take things as they come. What do
you think of the night?"

"Dirty enough before morning, I should think, sir, though it is a little
out of rule, that it does not rain with this win