and then plunged over the gun into the depth.

Not so, however, did he cheat the hangman; Nicholas caught him (as a
water-dog catches a worn-out glove), and gave him to any one that would
have him. "Strap him tight," the captain cried; and the men found relief
in doing it. At the next jail-delivery he was tried, and the jury did
their duty. His execution restored good-will, and revived that faith in
justice which subsists upon so little food.

CHAPTER LVI

IN THE THICK OF IT

One of the greatest days in all the history of England, having no sense
of its future fame, and being upon a hostile coast, was shining rather
dismally. And one of England's greatest men, the greatest of all her
sons in battle--though few of them have been small at that--was out of
his usual mood, and full of calm presentiment and gloomy joy. He knew
that he would see the sun no more; yet his fear was not of that, but
only of losing the light of duty. As long as the sun endures, he shall
never see duty done more brilliantly.

The wind was dropping, to give the storm of human fury leisure; and
while a sullen swell was rolling, canvas flapped and timbers creaked.
Like a team of mallards in double column, plunging and lifting buoyant
breasts to right and left alternately, the British fleet bore down upon
the swan-like crescent of the foe. These were doing their best to fly,
but failing of that luck, put helm alee, and shivered in the wind, and
made fine speeches, proving that they must win the day.

"For this I have lived, and for this it would be worth my while to die,
having no one left, I dare say now, in all the world to care for me."

Thus spake the junior lieutenant of that British ship, the Victory--a
young man after the heart of Nelson, and gazing now on Nelson's face.
No smarter sailor could be found in all that noble fleet than this
Lieutenant Blyth, who once had been the captain of all smugglers. He had
fought his way up by skill, and spirit, and patience, and good temper,
and the precious gift of self-reliance, failing of which all merit
fails. He had always thought well of himself, but never destroyed the
good of it by saying so; and whoever praised him had to do it again, to
outspeak his modesty. But without good fortune all these merits would
never have been successes. One of Robin's truest merits was that he
generally earned good luck.

However, his spirits were not in their usual flow of jocundity just now,
and his liv