"I am glad you feel like that, Cyril, for I feel much like it myself,
and began to be afraid that I had, without knowing it, been born a
coward. There goes the first gun."

As he spoke, a puff of white smoke spouted out from the bows of one
of the Dutch ships, and a moment later the whole of their leading
vessels opened fire. There was a rushing sound overhead, and a ball
passed through the main topsail of the _Henrietta_. No reply was
made by the English ships until they passed in between the Dutchmen;
then the _Henrietta_ poured her broadsides into the enemy on either
side of her, receiving theirs in return. There was a rending of wood,
and a quiver through the ship. One of the upper-deck-guns was knocked
off its carriage, crushing two of the men working it as it fell.
Several others were hurt with splinters, and the sails pierced with
holes. Again and again as she passed, did the _Henrietta_ exchange
broadsides with the Dutch vessels, until--the two fleets having
passed through each other--she bore up, and prepared to repeat the
manoeuvre.

"I feel all right now," Cyril said, "but I do wish I had something to
do instead of standing here useless. I quite envy the men there,
stripped to the waist, working the guns. There is that fellow Black
Dick, by the gun forward; he is a scoundrel, no doubt, but what
strength and power he has! I saw him put his shoulder under that gun
just now, and slew it across by sheer strength, so as to bear upon
the stern of the Dutchman. I noticed him and Robert looking up at me
just before the first gun was fired, and speaking together. I have no
doubt he would gladly have pointed the gun at me instead of at the
enemy, for he knows that, if I denounce him, he will get the due