Shovel's was the first English ship to break
through the enemy's line.

It was a gray autumn evening more than two hundred
years ago, in the reign of King Charles II. There was
the moan of a rising storm over the North Sea, and the
lowering sky, the flying streamers of cloud, and the great
leaden waves, heaving sullenly far as the eye could reach, 5
warned even the bravest sailor that it was a day to keep
safe in port. For what ship could live in such a sea as
that?

Yet the English fleet, far from keeping in port, was
beating seaward against wind and wave. On the quarter deck 10
of the flagship stood Admiral Sir John Narborough--the
first seaman in England--who thirty-five years before
had been a cabin boy. His daring and dauntless courage
had earned for him the name of "Gunpowder Jack,"
and that dark autumn day was to test how well the bold
name fitted him. But he had been tried many a time, and
tempest and sea and the fire of the enemy could not make 5
his stout heart quail.

Suddenly his grave face lighted up and his stern gray
eyes sparkled with joy. Far away along the eastern sky he
saw a bristling line of tall masts with a flag which he knew
well floating over them. The shadow of a smile of scorn 10
changed for a moment the expression of the admiral's
face. For a moment only. There was no time for smiles.
There was mighty work to be done. The floating flag told
that the Dutch were coming; and that day must see the
enemy of England swept from the sea or England herself 15
forget her ancient glory.

Next to an old friend the British sailor loves an old
enemy; and as soon as the men saw the flag of Holland
they were eager for battle. On came the enemy in grim
silence until their nearest vessels were within musket 20
range of the English. Then, all at once, bang! went the
whole broadside from the admiral's vessel, and with a
crash that seemed to echo to the sky the deadly struggle
began.

The English blood was soon up and the only thought 25
was to fight to the last. Amid the blinding smoke, the reek
of gunpowder, the thunder of cannon, and the grinding
tear of the shot through the strong timbers, the sailors did
noble duty that day in the dogged faith that they would
"give as good as they got, anyhow!"