You must go to history for a complete account of the battle. Suffice it for me to say that on coming up with the enemy's fleet on the 11th of October, Duncan broke right through it and got inshore. De Winter could not have got away had he wanted to ever so much. The great battle was fought dangerously near to the coast indeed, for here were shoals and sands that were quite unknown to our fleet. The beach was lined with spectators, who must have been appalled at this terrible conflict of giants. The _Tonneraire_ was splendidly handled. Old Simmons himself took the wheel, and carried her grandly alongside a Dutchman nearly double her size, so close that the guns touched, and seemed to belch fire and destruction down each other's iron throats. But Jack had no intention of stopping there to be blown out of the water by the Dutchman's broadsides. "Away, boarders!" It was Jack's own brave voice sounding through the trumpet, high over the din of battle. Then, ah then! a scene ensued that it may be just as well not to describe too graphically. Our marines and blue-jackets boarded pell-mell and together, and amid the roar of cannon from other ships, the incessant rattle of musketry from the tops, the hand-to-hand fight raged on, with shouts and groans and shrieks of execration. Hitherto no wounded man had been borne below to the cockpit, so that M'Hearty was idle as yet. He was on the rigging with the captain, from which they had a bird's-eye view of the battle. "Look, sir, look, the captain of marines has fallen. Oh, I can't stand this!" Next moment he had leaped below. Off went his coat and waistcoat and hat. He seized a cutlass, and in a minute more was on the Dutchman's deck, flailing away like a perfect Wallace Redivivus. Many a head he broke, for he literally showered his blows like wintry rain. He saved the marine captain's life, although that sailor-soldier was severely wounded. It is almost unnecessary to say that, under the circumstances, Captain Jack Mackenzie forgave the gallant doctor for leaving his ship without permission. But the toughest fight of all raged around Duncan's flagship, the _Venerable_, when she tackled that of the Dutch admiral De Winter--namely, the _Vreyheid_. Just as in days of long, long ago the chiefs of opposing armies used to delight to single each other out and fight hand-to-hand, so did bold Duncan keep his eye on the Dutchman, and as soon as the battle had commenced he went straight for her. As he bore down towards her, however, the _States-General_ presented a target that he could not resist, for she was stern on to the _Venerable_. Murderous indeed was the broadside Duncan poured into her, raking her from aft to fore. This vessel soon after left the battle ranks, with a loss of over two hundred and fifty killed and wounded. [Illustration: "_Bold Jack Crawford nailed the colours to the mast._" Page 169.]