[Illustration: Cover art] [Frontispiece: "Nelson is struck by a grapeshot and falls bleeding into the boat." _p_ 244.] [Illustration: Title page] _Hearts of Oak._ A STORY OF Nelson and the Navy. By GORDON STABLES, M.D., C.M. (_Surgeon Royal Navy_), AUTHOR OF "FROM SQUIRE TO SQUATTER;" "IN THE DASHING DAYS OF OLD;" "EXILES OF FORTUNE;" "ENGLAND, HOME, AND BEAUTY;" ETC. ETC. "'Hearts of oak!' our captain cried; when each gun From its adamantine lips Spread a death-shade round the ships Like the hurricane eclipse Of the sun." CAMPBELL. NEW EDITION. _LONDON:_ JOHN F. SHAW AND CO., 48, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME. HEARTS OF OAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Dr. GORDON-STABLES. FOR ENGLAND, HOME, AND BEAUTY . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. EXILES OF FORTUNE . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. IN SEARCH OF FORTUNE . . . . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. TWO SAILOR LADS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. IN THE DASHING DAYS OF OLD . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. FACING FEARFUL ODDS . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. GRAHAM'S VICTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . G. STEBBING. THE TWO CASTAWAYS . . . . . . . . . . . . LADY F. DIXIE. HONOURS DIVIDED . . . . . . . . . . . . . W. C. METCALFE. ON TO THE RESCUE . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. BEL-MARJORY. A Tale of Conquest . . . . L. T. MEADE. EUSTACE MARCHMONT . . . . . . . . . . . . E. EVERETT-GREEN. A TRUE GENTLEWOMAN . . . . . . . . . . . EMMA MARSHALL. THE END CROWNS ALL. A Story of Life . . EMMA MARSHALL. BISHOP'S CRANWORTH . . . . . . . . . . . EMMA MARSHALL. FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM . . . . . . . . . . ANDREW REED. CITY SNOWDROPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . M. E. WINCHESTER. COUNTESS MAUD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMILY S. HOLT. HER HUSBAND'S HOME. A Tale . . . . . . . E. EVERETT-GREEN. IDA VANE. A Tale of the Restoration . . ANDREW REED. ONE SNOWY NIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMILY S. HOLT. FOR HONOUR NOT HONOURS . . . . . . . . . Dr. GORDON-STABLES. WINNING AN EMPIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . G. STEBBING. A REAL HERO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G. STEBBING. A TANGLED WEB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EMILY S. HOLT. DOROTHY'S STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . L. T. MEADE. BEATING THE RECORD . . . . . . . . . . . G. STEBBING. BRITAIN'S QUEEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . T. PAUL. THE FOSTER-SISTERS . . . . . . . . . . . L. E. GUERNSEY. A KNIGHT OF TO-DAY . . . . . . . . . . . L. T. MEADE. NEVER GIVE IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G. STEBBING. EDGAR NELTHORPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . ANDREW REED. MARION SCATTERTHWAITE . . . . . . . . . . M. SYMINGTON. LONDON: JOHN F. SHAW & CO., 48, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. PREFACE.