remember early in January, 1782, a tremendous gale sprang up. My
father and I were standing on the shore, he with his glass in his hand
watching the ships driving here and there, one running foul of another,
when we observed a heavy store-ship drive right down on a frigate.

"`They'll grind each other down to the water's edge,' observed my
father. `Does no one on board know what to do? I'd like to be off to
lend a hand, but that's impossible; few boats could live in such a sea.'

"While we were talking, a lad came running along the beach, saying that
an officer was in a great taking, wanting to get off to his ship, and no
one would go.

"`Who is he?' asked my father.

"`A Captain Nelson,' answered the lad.

"`I'll go, if any man will trust his boat,' exclaimed my father. `Come
along, Ned.'

"We ran along the beach, and there we found our late captain walking up
and down, fuming away, and trying to persuade the boatmen to take him
off.

"`I'll go, sir, if I had a boat,' said my father. `I've long sailed
with you.'

"`Ah! Ned Freeman. Thank you--thank you,' exclaimed the captain. `I'm
sure you'd go with me anywhere.'

"`We'll take the captain off if he'll give us fifteen guineas,' observed
several of the men, owners of a fine boat.

"`Done!' exclaimed the captain. `Off we go at once.'

"My father and I, with the other men, launched the boat. Away we pulled
with the white-topped seas dancing up round us and the dangerous Goodwin
Sands to leeward, towards which the frigate was driving fast. Captain
Nelson, by word and look, urged us on, though more than once I thought
the boat would have been swamped, and all hands lost. We did succeed in
getting alongside. The captain sprang on board, and soon had got the
ships clear with only the loss of the frigate's bowsprit and pennant.

"`Well, Freeman, if you can't sail with me, your boy must,' said the
captain, as the boat was about to shove off for the shore; `I'll look
after him.'

"`Will you go, Ned?' said my father to me.

"There was no time for consideration. I said, `Yes, father.'

"My kind father wrung my hand, and we parted never to meet again.

"The `Albemarle' soon after sailed for Canada and the West Indies. Our
captain had a kind heart. On our first cruise we captured a fishing
vessel belonging to Boston. The master wrung his hands, declaring that
he had no other property, and a large family at home to support, who
would all be broug