to you. I will
report the matter to the admiral."

A hundred men speedily took their places in the boats. Lieutenant
Francis was sent ashore to take possession, and a few minutes later
the British flag was flying upon the fort.

Ordering Harry to accompany him, Captain Ball at once took his place
in his gig and rowed to the flagship. The battle was still raging, and
to the practiced eye there was no doubt that the English fleet was
suffering very severely. Captain Ball mounted the quarter-deck, and
saluting the admiral reported that the fort with which he was engaged
had struck, but that the _Caesar_ being aground was unable to render
any assistance to the general attack.

"A good many of us are aground, Ball," Admiral Nelson said, "but I
congratulate you on having caused the fort to haul down its colors.
Several of the Danish men-of-war have struck, but we cannot take
possession, and fresh boat-loads of men came off from shore, and their
fire has reopened. Our position is an unpleasant one. Sir Hyde Parker
has signaled to me to draw off, but so far I have paid no attention. I
fear that we shall have to haul off and leave some four or five ships
to the enemy."

"The fact is," Captain Ball said, "it wasn't I who made the fort haul
down its flag, but this midshipman of mine."

"Ha!" said the admiral, glancing at Harry, who, at Captain Ball's
order, had left the boat and was standing a short distance off. "How
on earth did he do that?"

"When you told him, sir, that you could give us no aid he took upon
himself, instead of returning to the ship, to row straight to the
fort with one of your tablecloths fastened to the boat-hook, and
summoned the commander in my name to surrender at once so as to save
all further effusion of life, seeing that more ships were bearing down
and that he had done all that a brave man could, and should now think
of the lives of his troops."

"An impudent little rascal!" the admiral exclaimed. "Midshipmen were
impudent enough in my days, but this boy beats everything. However,
his idea was an excellent one, and, by Jupiter! I will adopt it
myself. A man should never be above learning, and we are in such a
sore strait that one catches at a straw."

So saying, the admiral, calling to his own captain, entered his cabin,
and at once indited a letter to the King of Denmark begging him to
surrender in order to save the blood of his subjects, expressing
admiration at the way in which they had f