Yet the English fleet, far from keeping in port, was beating seaward against wind and wave. On the quarter deck 10 of the flagship stood Admiral Sir John Narborough--the first seaman in England--who thirty-five years before had been a cabin boy. His daring and dauntless courage had earned for him the name of "Gunpowder Jack," and that dark autumn day was to test how well the bold name fitted him. But he had been tried many a time, and tempest and sea and the fire of the enemy could not make 5 his stout heart quail.
Suddenly his grave face lighted up and his stern gray eyes sparkled with joy. Far away along the eastern sky he saw a bristling line of tall masts with a flag which he knew well floating over them. The shadow of a smile of scorn 10 changed for a moment the expression of the admiral's face. For a moment only. There was no time for smiles. There was mighty work to be done. The floating flag told that the Dutch were coming; and that day must see the enemy of England swept from the sea or England herself 15 forget her ancient glory.
Next to an old friend the British sailor loves an old enemy; and as soon as the men saw the flag of Holland they were eager for battle. On came the enemy in grim silence until their nearest vessels were within musket 20 range of the English. Then, all at once, bang! went the whole broadside from the admiral's vessel, and with a crash that seemed to echo to the sky the deadly struggle began.
The English blood was soon up and the only thought 25 was to fight to the last. Amid the blinding smoke, the reek of gunpowder, the thunder of cannon, and the grinding tear of the shot through the strong timbers, the sailors did noble duty that day in the dogged faith that they would "give as good as they got, anyhow!" 30
Aided by a sudden change of the wind, the Dutch vessels closed around the flagship with a perfect circle of fire. Two guns were disabled, the main and mizzen masts had been shot away, and a long line of wounded and dying men were lying among the shattered rigging. The thunder from the guns on the right showed that there the English were getting the best of it; but even if help should come to the 5 admiral from that quarter, it might come too late.