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gladly, for once, lay my kingship down and go out as one of the

company to help give the Dutchmen a lesson that will teach them that,

even if caught unexpectedly, the sea-dogs of England can well hold

their own, though they have no longer a Blake to command them."

"I wonder that the King ventures to use Blake's name," Sydney

whispered, as they moved away, "considering the indignities that he

allowed the judges to inflict on the body of the grand old sailor."

"It was scandalous!" Cyril said warmly; "and I burned with

indignation when I heard of it in France. They may call him a traitor

because he sided with the Parliament, but even Royalists should never

have forgotten what great deeds he did for England. However, though

they might have dishonoured his body, they could not touch his fame,

and his name will be known and honoured as long as England is a

nation and when the names of the men who condemned him have been long

forgotten."

After leaving the _levee_, Cyril went back to the City, and the next

morning started on horseback, with the Earl and his son, to the

latter's seat, near Sevenoaks, the ladies having gone down in the

Earl's coach on the previous day. Wholly unaccustomed as Cyril was to

riding, he was so stiff that he had difficulty in dismounting when

they rode up to the mansion. The Earl had provided a quiet and

well-trained horse for his use, and he had therefore found no

difficulty in retaining his seat.

"You must ride every day while you are down here," the Earl said,

"and by the end of the week you will begin to be fairly at home in

the saddle. A good seat is one of the prime necessities of a

gentleman's education, and if it should be that you ever carry out

your idea of taking service abroad it will be essential for you,

because, in most cases, the officers are mounted. You can hardly

expect ever to become a brilliant rider. For that it is necessary to

begin young; but if you can keep your seat under all circumstances,

and be able to use your sword on horseback, as well as on foot, it

will be all that is needful."

The week passed very pleasantly. Cyril rode and fenced daily with

Sydney, who was surprised to find that he was fully his match with

the sword. He walked in the gardens with the girls, who had now quite

recovered from the effects of the fire. Bertha and Beatrice, being

still children, chatted with him as freely and familiarly as they did

with Sydney. Of Lady Dorothy he saw less, as she was in charge of her

_gouvernante_, who always walked beside her, and was occupied in

training her into the habits of preciseness and decorum in vogue at

the time.

"I do believe, Dorothy," Sydney said, one day, "that you are

forgetting how to laugh. You walk like a machine, and seem afraid to

move your hands or your feet except according to rule. I like you

very much better as you were a year ago, when you did not think

yourself too fine for a romp, and could laugh when you were pleased.

That dragon of yours is spoiling you altogether."

"That is a matter of opinion, Sydney," Dorothy said, with a deep

curtsey. "When you first began to fence, I have no doubt you were

stiff and awkward, and I am sure if you had always had someone by

your side, saying, 'Keep your head up!' 'Don't poke your chin

forward!' 'Pray do not swing your arms!' and that sort of thing, you

would be just as awkward as I feel. I am sure I would rather run

about with the others; the process of being turned into a young lady

is not a pleasant one. But perhaps some day, when you see the

finished article, you will be pleased to give your Lordship's august

approval," and she ended with a merry laugh that would have shocked

her _gouvernante_ if she had heard it.

CHAPTER XIII

THE BATTLE OF LOWESTOFT

The Earl returned with his son and Cyril to town, and the latter

spent the night in the City.

"I do not know, Cyril," Captain Dave said, as they talked over his

departure, "that you run much greater risk in going than do we in

staying here. The Plague makes progress, and although it has not

invaded the City, we can hardly hope that it will be long before it

appears here. There are many evil prophecies abroad, and it is the

general opinion that a great misfortune hangs over us, and they say

that many have prepared to leave London. I have talked the matter

over with my wife. We have not as yet thought of going, but should

the Plague come heavily, it may be that we shall for a time go away.

There will be no business to be done, for vessels will not come up

the Thames and risk infection, nor, indeed, would they be admitted

into ports, either in England or abroad, after coming from an

infected place. Therefore I could leave without any loss in the way

of trade. It will, of course, depend upon the heaviness of the

malady, but if it becomes widespread we shall perhaps go for a visit

to my wife's cousin, who lives near Gloucester, and who has many

times written to us urging us to go down with Nellie for a visit to

her. Hitherto, business has prevented my going, but if all trade

ceases, it would be a good occasion for us, and such as may never

occur again. Still, I earnestly desire that it may not arise, for it

cannot do so without sore trouble and pain alighting on the City. Did

the Earl tell you, Cyril, what he has done with regard to John?"

"No; he did not speak to me on the subject."

"His steward came here three days since with a gold watch and chain,

as a gift from the Earl. The watch has an inscription on the case,

saying that it is presented to John Wilkes from the Earl of Wisbech,

as a memorial of his gratitude for the great services rendered to his

daughters. Moreover, he brought a letter from the Earl saying that if

John should at any time leave my service, owing to my death or

retirement from business, or from John himself wishing, either from

age or other reason, to leave me, he would place at his service a

cottage and garden on his estate, and a pension of twenty pounds a

year, to enable him to live in comfort for the remainder of his days.

John is, as you may suppose, mightily pleased, for though I would

assuredly never part with him as long as I live, and have by my will

made provision that will keep him from want in case I die before him,

it was mighty pleasant to receive so handsome a letter and offer of

service from the Earl. Nellie wrote for him a letter in which he

thanked the Earl for the kindness of his offer, for which, although

he hoped he should never be forced to benefit from it, he was none

the less obliged and grateful, seeing that he had done nothing that

any other bystander would not have done, to deserve it."

Early the next morning Sydney Oliphant rode up to the door, followed

by two grooms, one of whom had a led horse, and the other a

sumpter-mule, which was partly laden. Captain Dave went down with

Cyril to the door.

"I pray you to enter, my Lord," he said. "My wife will not be happy

unless you take a cup of posset before you start. Moreover, she and

my daughter desire much to see you, as you are going to sail with Sir

Cyril, whom we regard as a member of our family."

"I will come up right willingly," the young noble said, leaping

lightly from his horse. "If your good dame's posset is as good as the

wine the Earl, my father, tells me you gave him, it must be good

indeed; for he told me he believed he had none in his cellar equal to

it."

He remained for a few minutes upstairs, chatting gaily, vowing that

the posset was the best he had ever drank, and declaring to Nellie

that he regarded as a favourable omen for his expedition that he

should have seen so fair a face the last thing before starting. He

shook hands with John Wilkes heartily when he came up to say that

Cyril's valises were all securely packed on the horses, and then went

off, promising to send Captain Dave a runnet of the finest schiedam

from the Dutch Admiral's ship.

"Truly, I am thankful you came up," Cyril said, as they mounted and

rode off. "Before you came we were all dull, and the Dame and

Mistress Nellie somewhat tearful; Now we have gone off amidst smiles,

which is vastly more pleasant."

Crossing London Bridge, they rode through Southwark, and then out

into the open country. Each had a light valise strapped behind the

saddle, and the servants had saddle-bags containing the smaller

articles of luggage, while the sumpter-mule carried two trunks with

their clothes and sea necessaries. It was late in the evening when

they arrived at Chatham. Here they put up at an hotel which was

crowded with officers of the Fleet, and with Volunteers like

themselves.

"I should grumble at these quarters, Cyril," Sydney said, as the

landlord, with many apologies, showed them into a tiny attic, which

was the only place he had unoccupied, "were it not that we are going

to sea to-morrow, and I suppose that our quarters will be even

rougher there. However, we may have elbow-room for a time, for most

of the Volunteers will not join, I hear, until the last thing before

the Fleet sails, and it may be a fortnight yet before all the ships

are collected. I begged my father to let me do the same, but he goes

back again to-day to Sevenoaks, and he liked not the idea of my

staying in town, seeing that the Plague is spreading so rapidly. I

would even have stayed in the country had he let me, but he was of

opinion that I was best on board--in the first place, because I may

not get news down there in time to join the Fleet before it sails,

and in the second, that I might come to get over this sickness of the

sea, and so be fit and able to do my part when we meet the Dutch.

This was so reasonable that I could urge nothing against it; for, in

truth, it would be a horrible business if I were lying like a sick

dog, unable to lift my head, while our men were fighting the Dutch. I

have never been to sea, and know not how I shall bear it. Are you a

good sailor?"

"Yes; I used to go out very often in a fishing-boat at Dunkirk, and

never was ill from the first. Many people are not ill at all, and it

will certainly be of an advantage to you to be on board for a short

time in quiet waters before setting out for sea."

On going downstairs, Lord Oliphant found several young men of his

acquaintance among those staying in the house. He introduced Cyril to

them. But the room was crowded and noisy; many of those present had

drunk more than was good for them, and it was not long before Cyril

told his friend that he should go up to bed.

"I am not accustomed to noisy parties, Sydney, and feel quite

confused with all this talk."

"You will soon get accustomed to it, Cyril. Still, do as you like. I

dare say I shall not be very long before I follow you."

The next morning after breakfast they went down to the quay, and took

a boat to the ship, which was lying abreast of the dockyard. The

captain, on their giving their names, consulted the list.

"That is right, gentlemen, though indeed I know not why you should

have come down until we are ready to sail, which may not be for a

week or more, though we shall go out from here to-morrow and join

those lying in the Hope; for indeed you can be of no use while we are

fitting, and would but do damage to your clothes and be in the way of

the sailors. It is but little accommodation you will find on board

here, though we will do the best we can for you."

"We do not come about accommodation, captain," Lord Oliphant laughed,

"and we have brought down gear with us that will not soil, or rather,

that cannot be the worse for soiling. There are three or four others

at the inn where we stopped last night who are coming on board, but I

hear that the rest of the Volunteers will probably join when the

Fleet assembles in Yarmouth roads."

"Then they must be fonder of journeying on horseback than I am," the

captain said. "While we are in the Hope, where, indeed, for aught I

know, we may tarry but a day or two, they could come down by boat

conveniently without trouble, whereas to Yarmouth it is a very long

ride, with the risk of losing their purses to the gentlemen of the

road. Moreover, though the orders are at present that the Fleet

gather at Yarmouth, and many are already there 'tis like that it may

be changed in a day for Harwich or the Downs. I pray you get your

meals at your inn to-day, for we are, as you see, full of work taking

on board stores. If it please you to stay and watch what is doing

here you are heartily welcome, but please tell the others that they

had best not come off until late in the evening, by which time I will

do what I can to have a place ready for them to sleep. We shall sail

at the turn of the tide, which will be at three o'clock in the

morning."

Oliphant wrote a few lines to the gentlemen on shore, telling them

that the captain desired that none should come on board until the

evening, and having sent it off by their boatmen, telling them to

return in time to take them back to dinner, he and Cyril mounted to

the poop and surveyed the scene round them. The ship was surrounded

with lighters and boats from the dockyards, and from these casks and

barrels, boxes and cases, were being swung on board by blocks from

the yards, or rolled in at the port-holes. A large number of men were

engaged at the work, and as fast as the stores came on board they

were seized by the sailors and carried down into the hold, the

provisions piled in tiers of barrels, the powder-kegs packed in the

magazine.

"'Tis like an ant-hill," Cyril said. "'Tis just as I have seen when a

nest has been disturbed. Every ant seizes a white egg as big as

itself, and rushes off with it to the passage below."

"They work bravely," his companion said. "Every man seems to know