He himself considered Prince Rupert's order to be
beyond all reason, and given only in the heat of his anger at De
Ruyter having thus escaped him, and felt that it was very likely to
cost the lives of all on board the _Fan Fan_. However, there was
nothing to do but to carry it out. It seemed to him that the
boatswain's simile was a very apt one, and that, although the
spectacle of the _Fan Fan_ worrying the great Dutch battle-ship
might be an amusing one to the English spectators, it was likely to
be a very serious adventure for her.
De Ruyter's ship, which was in the rear of all the other Dutch
vessels, was but a mile distant when the _Fan Fan_ started, and as
the wind was so light that it scarce filled her sails, the yacht
approached her rapidly.
"We are within half a mile now, your honour," the boatswain said. "I
should say we had better go no nearer if we don't want to be blown
out of the water."
"Yes; I think we may as well stop rowing now, and get the guns to
work. There are only those two cannon in her stern ports which can
touch us here. She will scarcely come up in the wind to give us a
broadside. She is moving so slowly through the water that it would
take her a long time to come round, and De Ruyter would feel ashamed
to bring his great flag-ship round to crush such a tiny foe."
The boatswain went forward to the guns, round which the men, after
laying in their oars, clustered in great glee.
"Now," he said, "you have got to make those two guns in the stern
your mark.
Pages:
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449