ere more his proper place than was the forecastle where he now was.

"Father," he said, turning his beaming countenance, "I do long to be in
a battle. Are we likely soon to fall in with an enemy?"

"No hurry for that, boy," answered the boatswain, who had been in many a
desperate fight, and knew what fighting was; "we shall fall in with one
before long, depend on that."

"I hope so, indeed," exclaimed Ronald; "those Frenchmen who have cut off
their king's head deserve to be thrashed round and round the globe till
not a man of them remains alive."

This sentiment was warmly applauded both by the gunner and carpenter.

"I don't say as how I 'zactly hates the Frenchmen," observed Mr
Rammage, the gunner; "but it's my opinion that the sea is not big enough
for both of us, and the sooner we drives them off it, the sooner we
shall be friends again."

Ronald had not long to wait before he saw, though chiefly at a distance,
one of the most important of England's naval battles. The "Thisbe"
formed one of Lord Howe's fleet, when he gained the glorious victory of
the 1st of June which taught the Frenchmen, by a lesson often to be
repeated, that they must expect defeat whenever they might venture to
contend with England's navy on the ocean.

As the "Thisbe" was employed as a look-out frigate, she took but little
part in the action. What she did do, far from damping Ronald's ardour,
only made him the more eager to fight again. He had not long to wait.
The "Thisbe," with the rest of the fleet, returned to Spithead to
receive the marks of honour the sovereign and the nation showered on the
heads of the gallant chiefs, who had led their ships to victory; but
before long she was again on a cruise down channel. Rounding Ushant,
she steered to the southward, boldly standing along the French coast,
and making what the French probably considered a very impertinent
examination of their forts and harbours.

She approached the place to be examined during the night, and at early
dawn the required information having been obtained, she was again
standing off shore, under all sail, before any of the enemy's ships
could get under weigh to pursue her. She proceeded as far south as
Rochelle.

Looking one morning into the harbour of that place, a frigate was
discovered in the outer roads, apparently ready for sea.

"She seems about our size; if we could draw her out, we might take her,"
observed Captain Courtney to his first lieutenant