While they were taking up their positions, and had the best part of their ships' companies engaged in navigating the ships, they should have been very severely handled by the French. But the Admiral's instinct was, as ever, correct: the larboard guns which trained on the land were neither manned nor ready. The French, of course, did all they could in the time to reply to the English fire; but their hurried attempts were unavailing, and in three minutes' time every mast of the _Guerrier_ and _Conquérant_ was overboard, though they were bare sticks without a sail set. We were the sixth ship--you must bear in mind that our fleet at this moment only consisted of ten ships, because the _Alexander_ and _Swiftsure_ were away to leeward, and the _Culloden_ away to windward, and the _Leander_, which was but a fifty-gun ship, was a long way behind. I suppose the Admiral had chosen this place, sixth in the line, because it was doubtful whether the vessel in this place should follow the other five or lead on the outside. You can imagine that we, who had never seen a shot fired from the ship, were in a fine state of excitement. I suppose I must have winced as a round shot went through the mizzen-stay close to where I was in attendance on the Admiral, for he patted me on the shoulder and said to me, "How do you like that music?" he having on his own face his fighting smile of serene superiority. Indeed, he had not long since come up from his dinner, which was being served when we came into range of the French guns. We did not reply for some time: we had to pay so much attention to navigating; and I own that, though I became as indifferent to fire as becomes an English sailor, I was a little startled at finding the shot whizzing over us steadily when I followed the Admiral up on deck. He had been good-naturedly allowing me to eat at his table. "Never you mind, youngster," he said, as he patted me. "D'ye know that Charles XII. ran away from the first shot he heard, though afterwards called the Great because of his bravery. I therefore hope much of you in future." This put me on my mettle, especially as Will was there with his proud fair face flushed with the fighting fever, and helping to carry a man, who was pouring out blood, to the companion; for, mind you, it is one thing to have round shot coming close enough to hear them whistle, and another thing to see a man, who has been your shipmate for months, bleeding to death in your arms in the first quarter of an hour of your first battle. "Where shall I lay the ship, sir?" asked the Captain. "Alongside of the first ship that has any fight in her." "There is no one engaged with number three, sir, though she is getting a few shot from the _Goliath_ and the _Theseus_. She's in line with them, sir: I'm afraid some of our shot may hit them." "Not if you lay her at the right distance, Berry. Half a pistol shot is a very good distance for fighting; you can be sure of your shot not going wild then."