The fifteenth of October was a big and a busy day with the fleets, for a great naval conference assembled, and boats were flying from ship to ship, busily enough, with officers in cocked hats, and in their "war-paint," as Dr. Reikie called it.
Sturdy and his friend Jack Mackenzie watched the scene with great interest from the deck of the saucy Gurnet.
"What do you think of it, sir?" said Jack.
"Think of it! think of what?"
"Why, our chance of success against the forts?"
"Humph!" said Sturdy. "What would you think of a man who tried to break a cocoa-nut by shying rotten pears at it?"
"Why, I'd think him a fool."
"Well, our admiral is—ahem!"
I am not going to say whether it was Dundas or Lyons that Sturdy referred to, though I think I know. Anyhow this honest sailor had a habit of saying just exactly what he thought.
"Ah, well," said Jack, somewhat dolefully, "I suppose there won't be much chance of my winning my epaulettes during the bombardment."