Of our losses the principal were the Resolution and the Essex; the remainder were not important.
And so the great fleet which was to have invaded England was utterly destroyed, Conflans' threats were idle and empty now, France had received another death-blow to her ambitions, and Hawke's peerage was assured.
It was enough.
* * * * * * *
In the darkness of the November night they called the roll on board all the English vessels and wrote down the names of the dead and dying, as well as of the missing.
In the Mignonne they were doing it now, as slowly, with her topmast shot away, she followed in her turn. Two of her lieutenants did not answer to their names--never again would they reply to them!--and her master also was silent.
"Mr. Granger," next called out the quartermaster, himself uninjured.
But neither to his name was any answer given.
"Is he dead or wounded?" asked Sir Geoffrey Barry, pale from his wound.
"Who's seen him?" roared the quartermaster. "Has any one seen the master-gunner?"