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that it is important that the ship should be filled up by to-night.

See! the other four vessels lying above us are all alike at work, and

may, perhaps, start with us in the morning. The other ships are busy,

too, but not as we are. I suppose they will take them in hand when

they have got rid of us."

"I am not surprised that the captain does not want idlers here, for,

except ourselves, every man seems to have his appointed work."

"I feel half inclined to take off my doublet and to go and help to

roll those big casks up the planks."

"I fancy, Sydney, we should be much more in the way there than here.

There is certainly no lack of men, and your strength and mine

together would not equal that of one of those strong fellows;

besides, we are learning something here. It is good to see how

orderly the work is being carried on, for, in spite of the number

employed, there is no confusion. You see there are three barges on

each side; the upper tiers of barrels and bales are being got on

board through the portholes, while the lower ones are fished up from

the bottom by the ropes from the yards and swung into the waist, and

so passed below; and as fast as one barge is unloaded another drops

alongside to take its place."

They returned to the inn to dinner, after which they paid a visit to

the victualling yard and dockyard, where work was everywhere going

on. After supper they, with the other gentlemen for Prince Rupert's

ship, took boat and went off together. They had learned that, while

they would be victualled on board, they must take with them wine and

other matters they required over and above the ship's fare. They had

had a consultation with the other gentlemen after dinner, and

concluded that it would be best to take but a small quantity of

things, as they knew not how they would be able to stow them away,

and would have opportunities of getting, at Gravesend or at Yarmouth,

further stores, when they saw what things were required. They

therefore took only a cheese, some butter, and a case of wine. As

soon as they got on board they were taken below. They found that a

curtain of sail-cloth had been hung across the main deck, and

hammocks slung between the guns. Three or four lanterns were hung

along the middle.

"This is all we can do for you, gentlemen," the officer who conducted

them down said. "Had we been going on a pleasure trip we could have

knocked up separate cabins, but as we must have room to work the

guns, this cannot be done. In the morning the sailors will take down

these hammocks, and will erect a table along the middle, where you

will take your meals. At present, as you see, we have only slung

hammocks for you, but when you all come on board there will be

twenty. We have, so far, only a list of sixteen, but as the Prince

said that two or three more might come at the last moment we have

railed off space enough for ten hammocks on each side. We will get

the place cleaned for you to-morrow, but the last barge was emptied

but a few minutes since, and we could do naught but just sweep the

deck down. To-morrow everything shall be scrubbed and put in order."

"It will do excellently well," one of the gentlemen said. "We have

not come on board ship to get luxuries, and had we to sleep on the

bare boards you would hear no grumbling."

"Now, gentlemen, as I have shown you your quarters, will you come up

with me to the captain's cabin? He has bade me say that he will be

glad if you will spend an hour with him there before you retire to

rest."

On their entering, the captain shook hands with Lord Oliphant and

Cyril.

"I must apologise, gentlemen, for being short with you when you came

on board this morning; but my hands were full, and I had no time to

be polite. They say you can never get a civil answer from a housewife

on her washing-day, and it is the same thing with an officer on board

a ship when she is taking in her stores. However, that business is

over, and now I am glad to see you all, and will do my best to make

you as comfortable as I can, which indeed will not be much; for as we

shall, I hope, be going into action in the course of another ten

days, the decks must all be kept clear, and as we have the Prince on

board, we have less cabin room than we should have were we not an

admiral's flagship."

Wine was placed on the table, and they had a pleasant chat. They

learnt that the Fleet was now ready for sea.

"Four ships will sail with ours to-morrow," the captain said, "and

the other five will be off the next morning. They have all their

munitions on board, and will take in the rest of their provisions

to-morrow. The Dutch had thought to take us by surprise, but from

what we hear they are not so forward as we, for things have been

pushed on with great zeal at all our ports, the war being generally

popular with the nation, and especially with the merchants, whose

commerce has been greatly injured by the pretensions and violence of

the Dutch. The Portsmouth ships, and those from Plymouth, are already

on their way round to the mouth of the Thames, and in a week we may

be at sea. I only hope the Dutch will not be long before they come

out to fight us. However, we are likely to pick up a great many

prizes, and, next to fighting, you know, sailors like prize-money."

After an hour's talk the five gentlemen went below to their hammocks,

and then to bed, with much laughter at the difficulty they had in

mounting into their swinging cots.

It was scarce daylight when they were aroused by a great stir on

board the ship, and, hastily putting on their clothes, went on deck.

Already a crowd of men were aloft loosening the sails. Others had

taken their places in boats in readiness to tow the ship, for the

wind was, as yet, so light that it was like she would scarce have

steerage way, and there were many sharp angles in the course down the

river to be rounded, and shallows to be avoided. A few minutes later

the moorings were cast off, the sails sheeted home, and the crew gave

a great cheer, which was answered from the dockyard, and from boats

alongside, full of the relations and friends of the sailors, who

stood up and waved their hats and shouted good bye.

The sails still hung idly, but the tide swept the ship along, and the

men in the boats ahead simply lay on their oars until the time should

come to pull her head round in one direction or another. They had not

long to wait, for, as they reached the sharp corner at the end of the

reach, orders were shouted, the men bent to their oars, and the

vessel was taken round the curve until her head pointed east.

Scarcely had they got under way when they heard the cheer from the

ship astern of them, and by the time they had reached the next curve,

off the village of Gillingham, the other four ships had rounded the

point behind them, and were following at a distance of about a

hundred yards apart. Soon afterwards the wind sprang up and the sails

bellied out, and the men in the boats had to row briskly to keep

ahead of the ship. The breeze continued until they passed Sheerness,

and presently they dropped anchor inside the Nore sands. There they

remained until the tide turned, and then sailed up the Thames to the

Hope, where some forty men-of-war were already at anchor.

The next morning some barges arrived from Tilbury, laden with

soldiers, of whom a hundred and fifty came on board, their quarters

being on the main deck on the other side of the canvas division. A

cutter also brought down a number of impressed men, twenty of whom

were put on board the _Henrietta_ to complete her crew. Cyril was

standing on the poop watching them come on board, when he started as

his eye fell on two of their number. One was Robert Ashford; the

other was Black Dick. They had doubtless returned from Holland when

war was declared. Robert Ashford had assumed the dress of a sailor

the better to disguise himself, and the two had been carried off

together from some haunt of sailors at Wapping. He pointed them out

to his friend Sydney.

"So those are the two scamps? The big one looks a truculent ruffian.

Well, they can do you no harm here, Cyril. I should let them stay and

do their share of the fighting, and then, when the voyage is over, if

they have not met with a better death than they deserve at the hands

of the Dutch, you can, if you like, denounce them, and have them

handed over to the City authorities."

"That I will do, as far as the big ruffian they call Black Dick is

concerned. He is a desperate villain, and for aught I know may have

committed many a murder, and if allowed to go free might commit many

more. Besides, I shall never feel quite safe as long as he is at

large. As to Robert Ashford, he is a knave, but I know no worse of

him, and will therefore let him go his way."

In the evening the other ships from Chatham came up, and the captain

told them later that the Earl of Sandwich, who was in command, would

weigh anchor in the morning, as the contingent from London, Chatham,

and Sheerness was now complete. Cyril thought that he had never seen

a prettier sight, as the Fleet, consisting of fifty men-of-war, of

various sizes, and eight merchant vessels that had been bought and

converted into fire-ships, got under way and sailed down the river.

That night they anchored off Felixstowe, and the next day proceeded,

with a favourable wind, to Yarmouth, where already a great number of

ships were at anchor. So far the five Volunteers had taken their

meals with the captain, but as the others would be coming on board,

they were now to mess below, getting fresh meat and vegetables from

the shore as they required them. As to other stores, they resolved to

do nothing till the whole party arrived.

They had not long to wait, for, on the third day after their arrival,

the Duke of York and Prince Rupert, with a great train of gentlemen,

arrived in the town, and early the next morning embarked on board

their respective ships. A council was held by the Volunteers in their

quarters, three of their number were chosen as caterers, and, a

contribution of three pounds a head being agreed upon, these went

ashore in one of the ship's boats, and returned presently with a

barrel or two of good biscuits, the carcasses of five sheep, two or

three score of ducks and chickens, and several casks of wine,

together with a large quantity of vegetables. The following morning

the signal was hoisted on the mast-head of the _Royal Charles_, the

Duke of York's flagship, for the Fleet to prepare to weigh anchor,

and they presently got under way in three squadrons, the red under

the special orders of the Duke, the white under Prince Rupert, and

the blue under the Earl of Sandwich.

The Fleet consisted of one hundred and nine men-of-war and frigates,

and twenty-eight fire-ships and ketches, manned by 21,006 seamen and

soldiers. They sailed across to the coast of Holland, and cruised,

for a few days, off Texel, capturing ten or twelve merchant vessels

that tried to run in. So far, the weather had been very fine, but

there were now signs of a change of weather. The sky became overcast,

the wind rose rapidly, and the signal was made for the Fleet to

scatter, so that each vessel should have more sea-room, and the

chance of collision be avoided. By nightfall the wind had increased

to the force of a gale, and the vessels were soon labouring heavily.

Cyril and two or three of his comrades who, like himself, did not

suffer from sickness, remained on deck; the rest were prostrate

below.

For forty-eight hours the gale continued, and when it abated and the

ships gradually closed up round the three admirals' flags, it was

found that many had suffered sorely in the gale. Some had lost their

upper spars, others had had their sails blown away, some their

bulwarks smashed in, and two or three had lost their bowsprits. There

was a consultation between the admirals and the principal captains,

and it was agreed that it was best to sail back to England for

repairs, as many of the ships were unfitted to take their place in

line of battle, and as the Dutch Fleet was known to be fully equal to

their own in strength, it would have been hazardous to risk an

engagement. So the ketches and some of the light frigates were at

once sent off to find the ships that had not yet joined, and give

them orders to make for Yarmouth, Lowestoft, or Harwich. All vessels

uninjured were to gather off Lowestoft, while the others were to make

for the other ports, repair their damages as speedily as possible,

and then rejoin at Lowestoft.

No sooner did the Dutch know that the English Fleet had sailed away

than they put their fleet to sea. It consisted of one hundred and

twelve men-of-war, and thirty fire-ships, and small craft manned by

22,365 soldiers and sailors. It was commanded by Admiral Obdam,

having under him Tromp, Evertson, and other Dutch admirals. On their

nearing England they fell in with nine ships from Hamburg, with rich

cargoes, and a convoy of a thirty-four gun frigate. These they

captured, to the great loss of the merchants of London.

The _Henrietta_ had suffered but little in the storm, and speedily

repaired her damages without going into port. With so much haste and

energy did the crews of the injured ships set to work at refitting

them, that in four days after the main body had anchored off

Lowestoft, they were rejoined by all the ships that had made for

Harwich and Yarmouth.

At midnight on June 2nd, a fast-sailing fishing-boat brought in the

news that the Dutch Fleet were but a few miles away, sailing in that

direction, having apparently learnt the position of the English from

some ship or fishing-boat they had captured.

The trumpets on the admiral's ship at once sounded, and Prince Rupert

and the Earl of Sandwich immediately rowed to her. They remained but

a few minutes, and on their return to their respective vessels made

the signals for their captains to come on board. The order, at such