His great game, however, turned out to be racquets, and even to-day it would be difficult to find a man to equal him on the courts. At tennis he is almost equally good, and he can give points to the average amateur. It was during a game of tennis at home one day that Jellicoe showed his delightful sense of humour and love of fun, peculiar to sailor-men, proving the truth of the old saying that the greatest men can also be the greatest children. Just as a "set" had been finished sounds of a fierce quarrel came from the other side of the shrubbery. Strange oaths rent the air. Obviously tramps fighting over their ill-gotten gains! Sir John immediately disappeared to reconnoitre with one or two friends. They were absent a long time, and just as Lady Jellicoe was beginning to feel anxious, her husband appeared, limping, supported by one of his guests, his head and face swathed in bandages. The tramps had evidently shown fight, and a terrific encounter had taken place. Sir John was overwhelmed with sympathy for his wounds and congratulations for his victory. For quite a long time Jellicoe kept up the illusion that he had been "in action." As a matter of fact, the tramps had bolted without giving the Little Admiral even a sight of their heels. Not so very long after this Jellicoe himself was fooling the "Blue," or defending fleet during Naval manoeuvres by disguising his ships as (sea-going) "tramps" and succeeded in eluding their vigilance and raiding an English port! Probably Sir John learnt a few of his "tricks" during those early days on the _Britannia_. The _Britannia_, with her sister ship the _Hindustani_, are no longer used as Training Ships for the Royal Navy, and though the fine modern College on the hill overlooking the River Dart is doubtless healthier and more suitable in many ways, there was a glamour about the famous old Boat that a College can never possess. Jellicoe was fortunate, therefore, in receiving his training on the seasoned oak timbers of a gallant ship in the midst of the waters, instead of in the modern nicely-arranged and hygienic edifice on shore, which was built a few years ago, and which took the place of the ancient Man-o'-War. Always ready for work or play, he excelled at both, and was popular with everyone. From the very outset of his career he was "marked" as a boy who would achieve something great in the future. CHAPTER III CADET--MIDSHIPMAN--LIEUTENANT Jellicoe's life on H.M.S. _Britannia_ was an interesting and varied one. Probably he looks back on the years spent in what has been aptly called "The Cradle of our Sea Kings" as the best years of his life. He joined at a very interesting period, too, just when the Franco-Prussian War was raging most fiercely.