“Was it not of some service when we reported the number of men on the North Foreland?”
“If such was the case neither your father nor my brother gave us any credit. It strikes me they treated our adventures as childish pranks, rather than the work of men; but now the case will be different, for we are to help man the gunboat.”
I might have reminded him that we probably would not remain long on board, once the enemy came within range, for the three small craft with which Captain Perry proposed to meet the British squadron were not calculated to make much of a fight against heavily armed, well-manned vessels of war; but I held my peace, for this was not the time to say what might possibly dampen his enthusiasm.
We gained the water’s edge at the same moment as did my father, who had come from the barracks, and leaped into the boat close at his heels, I rejoicing that chance had thrown us in his company, since now we must serve under him rather than one of the other commanders.
“How many of the Britishers are in sight?” he asked of the man in charge of the boat, and the latter replied, as his crew pushed the light craft off from the shore:—
“I have not seen the fleet, sir; but it was said by those on Hospital Point, who had a full view of the lake, that there were six sail bearing directly down upon us.”
“Is Captain Perry on board the Tigress?”
(This was the name of the gunboat on which it had been decided Captain Perry, as commodore of the fleet, should remain, and she was to be commanded by my father.)
“Ay, sir; but so weak from the fever as to be fitted for the hospital rather than to go into an action where we’re like to be sunk offhand.”
“He was feeling better last night.”