When the breeze was sufficiently strong to belly out the sails, the command was given as I have already set down, and the words were hardly spoken before the boats’ crews were at their stations, every man rejoicing because the moment had arrived when he might do something, however slight, toward hastening the laggard movement.
Slowly our vessels moved out on the bosom of the lake, every craft propelled by boats, and as we advanced the breeze freshened until, when the fleet was within two miles of the enemy’s squadron, the sails were filled sufficiently to admit of our depending upon them alone.
Alec and I were standing well aft, for we had not been told off as the crew of a boat, when the commodore said to his sailing-master, Mr. Taylor:—
“When the men have been called in you may run to leeward of the islands.”
“Then you will be forced to engage the enemy to leeward,” the officer replied, and although I failed to understand the meaning of the nautical terms, my pulse was quickened by the reply:—
“I don’t care whether it be to windward or to leeward; they shall fight this day!”
Then the tiny balls of bunting were run up to the masthead, ordering the other craft to “wear ship,” but before this command could be obeyed the wind suddenly shifted until it came out of the southeast, from which point it was possible for us to keep what is called the “weather-gauge.”
“Now we’ve got ’em in proper shape!” I heard old Silas exclaim, and straightway my spirits rose, for it seemed at the moment as if we had secured some great advantage, though I failed to understand what it might be.
The crew cheered when our fleet, the Lawrence leading, stood out toward the enemy, a white foam showing under the stem of every vessel, and we went to our guns, which had long since been loaded with the utmost care.
It must be admitted that the Britishers presented a noble sight as we bore down upon them. Their vessels, newly painted and with colors flying, hove to in order to meet us, and now the timorous among us, I being of the number, could understand that they were not averse to an encounter.