that well-known anchorage at the east end of
the Isle of Wight, from which they were clear by noon. The weather was
fine, the crews were in good discipline, the ships kept well together,
and the men doubted not that they were able to fight and to conquer any
foe they might encounter.

Never had Paul Pringle felt more proud of his country and his
profession, as, walking the deck of the frigate, with True Blue at his
side, he looked out at the numerous magnificent ships which glided
proudly over the blue ocean.

"Look there, Billy--look there, my boy! Isn't that a sight to make a
sailor's heart swell high with pride?" he exclaimed as he swept his arm
round the horizon.

"It does, godfather--it does!" answered True Blue warmly. "And if I
hadn't loved the sea and the life of a sailor better than anything else,
I should have loved it now, I think."

"Right, boy--right!" exclaimed Paul. "It's the calling for a man--
there's no doubt on't. Look there now at Earl Howe's ship, the _Queen
Charlotte_, called after our own good Queen, with her hundred guns; and
then the _Royal George_, with Admiral Sir Alexander Hood's flag, and the
_Royal Sovereign_, which carries that of Admiral Graves, each with their
hundred bulldogs; and the _Barfleur_, and the _Impregnable_. And the
_Queen_, and the _Glory_, each of them not much smaller; and the
_Gibraltar_, and the _Caesar_, of eighty guns each. And then look at
that hoop of seventy-fours. There's the _Billy Ruffian_, and the
_Tremendous_, and the _Ramillies_, and the _Audacious_, and the
_Leviathan_, and _Majestic_, and the _Orion_, and _Marlborough_, and
_Brunswick_, and _Culloden_--they'll make a noise in the world some day,
and perhaps before long too."

"That's it, Paul," said True Blue, looking up at his godfather's face.
"I like our ship, as you know right well, and every timber and plank in
her; but I should like to be aboard one of those seventy-fours when the
day of battle comes. We aboard the frigates shall see what is going on,
but the fine fellows belonging to them will have the real work."

Paul glanced down approvingly at True Blue. "Never mind that, boy," he
answered. "We have had our turn while the line-of-battle ships were in
harbour doing nothing, and we shall have it again, no fear of that.
Besides, d'ye see, the enemy have frigates, and we may pick out one of
them to lay aboard; or what do you say when the Frenchmen take to
flight, we may then go in c