and sorrow in my heart. To be deserted by my fleet in the presence of
the enemy is a disgrace that is hard, hard to bear, for never could I
have deemed it possible."

That speech settled Jack as far as the flagship was concerned; for
British sailors really have soft, kind hearts. It is as true even to
this hour what Dibdin wrote about Jack as it was in the dashing days of
old:--

"'Longside of an enemy, boldly and brave,
He'll with broadside on broadside regale her;
Yet he'll sigh to the soul o'er that enemy's grave,
So noble's the mind of a sailor.

"Let cannons roar loud, burst their sides let the bombs,
Let the winds a dread hurricane rattle,
The rough and the pleasant he takes as it comes,
And laughs at the storm and battle.

"To rancour unknown, to no passion a slave,
Nor unmanly, nor mean, nor a railer,
He's gentle as mercy, as fortitude brave,
And this is a true British sailor."

President Parker of the "Republic Afloat" formed a cordon across the
mouth of the Thames, and intercepted all traffic. But he did not burn a
long peat stack, to use a Scotticism; for the nation was enraged at him,
and one by one his ships went back to their allegiance. He was seized,
and after a three days' trial was condemned and executed, cool and
intrepid to the very last.

The battle of St. Vincent--by no means a crowning victory--did much to
cheer the drooping hearts of the people of England. It was an earnest of
what was to follow, and probably did more to restrain the crawling demon
Revolution than anything else could have done; for Britain ever loved
her ships and her sailors.

But none knew the state of our country at this time better than Sir John
Jervis, nor how much depended upon the success of our arms at sea. It
was for this reason that he threw himself so thoroughly heart and soul
into the great game of naval warfare, and became the pivot around which
the whole fleet lived and moved.

There were many petty officers, and men too, among the ships who were
fully aware that we were fighting against fearful odds. But a sailor is
so constituted that he never lets care trouble him. Jack Mackenzie was
a very great favourite with his men. He knew the way to their hearts. It
was not his young friend Murray's bedside only that he visited. There
was not a wounded or a sick man in the whole ship who did not see him at
least once a day, and he freely distr