ion: "Jack worked with a will."]

[Illustration: GOOD NEWS OF THE BOY.]

[Illustration: October 21st, 1805.]

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

True Tales of the Year 1805.

VI.--THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR, OCT. 21, 1805.

'And since that day St. George's Cross
Has ruled the dark blue sea,
For Nelson led the windward line,
And Collingwood the lee.'

E. H. MITCHELL.

It was in the early dawn of October 21st, 1805, when Nelson, pacing the
quarter-deck of the _Victory_, could distinctly make out the enemy--the
combined fleets of France and Spain. Villeneuve, the French Admiral, a
skilful seaman, had placed his ships so as to leave the port of Cadiz
open for himself, whilst bringing the British ships close to the shoals
of Trafalgar.

Nelson, however, was confident of success, and asked Captain Blackwood
'what he should consider as a victory?'

Blackwood, knowing the enemy to be superior both in the number of ships
and weight of guns, said he thought it would be a glorious victory if
fourteen vessels were captured.

'I shall not, Blackwood, be satisfied with less than twenty,' was
Nelson's reply, and he ordered the fleet to anchor, and prepare for
battle.

Then he retired to his cabin, and calmly wrote a prayer, commending
himself to God and begging for 'a glorious victory, and may no
misconduct in any one tarnish it, and may humanity after victory be a
prominent feature in the British fleet.'

About 11 a.m. he was again on deck, and turning to Captain Blackwood he
asked him 'if there was not still a signal wanting?' Then, almost before
the captain could answer that 'he thought the whole fleet seemed
thoroughly to understand what was required of them,' Nelson had ordered
his lieutenant, Mr. Pascoe, to hoist the memorable signal:

'_England expects that every man will do his duty._'

This signal--Nelson's last signal--was received with hearty cheering
throughout the fleet.

'Now,' said Nelson, 'I can do no more. We must trust to the Great
Disposer of all events, and the justice of our cause. I thank God for
this great opportunity of doing my duty.'

There was one matter which was causing great anxiety to the officers on
board the _Victory_, and that was the conspicuousness of Nelson's dress.
He wore on the left breast of his Admiral's frock-coat, the four stars
of the different Orders with which he had been invested, and these
shining ornaments at once singled him out from his office