n the
bridge with him and the captain.

Marcy turned about and saw a long line of different-colored streamers
traveling up the _Southfield's_ main-mast. When it reached the top and
the breeze had carried the flags out at full length so that the captain
could distinguish them, he took down the number they represented on a
slip of paper, and turned to the corresponding number in his book to see
what the signal meant. This he wrote upon a separate piece of paper
which he held in his hand.

By the time the vessel was fairly under way several signals had been
made from the commodore's flag-ship, and finally a rattle was sounded
somewhere below; whereupon the blue-jackets came running from all
directions, but without the least noise or disorder, and took their
stand by the side of the big guns to which they belonged. When the
command "cast loose and provide" had been obeyed and every man was in
his place, the roll was called by the commanders of the different
divisions, the sailors responding by giving the names of their stations
thus:

"George Williams."

"First captain and second boarder, sir."

"Walter Dowd."

"Second loader and first boarder, sir."

"James Smith."

"Shotman and pikeman, sir."

When the roll had been called the various division commanders reported
to the executive officer, who always has charge of the gun-deck in
action, and he approached the bridge on which the captain was standing,
saluted with his sword, and said:

"All present or accounted for, sir."

"Very good, sir," answered the captain, giving the officer the paper he
held in his hand. "There is what the commodore had to say to us in one
of his signals. Read it to the men."

Mr. Watkins went back to his station and took off his cap; and instantly
the eye of every sailor on deck was fixed upon him.

"This signal has just been made from the flag-ship," said Mr. Watkins,
holding the paper aloft. "Listen to the reading of it: '_This day our
country expects every man to do his duty!_' What have you men to say to
that? Will you show the commodore that you know what your duty is by
beating those fellows up there?"

The answer was a lusty cheer, in which the officers joined as wildly as
their men. Then cheers began coming from all directions, showing that
the reading of the signal had had the same effect upon other crews. When
the Stars and Stripes, the vessel that was to lead in the attack, went
by to take her station at the head of th