Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England The Battle and the Breeze, by R.M. Ballantyne. ________________________________________________________________________ In this shortish book we have a description of the Battle of the Nile, in which the naval forces of Admiral Nelson fought and defeated the French. The story is made more human by recounting tales of the life of a British seaman, Bill Bowls, along with incidents involving his friends Ben Bolter and Tom Riggles. ________________________________________________________________________ THE BATTLE AND THE BREEZE, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. CHAPTER ONE. TOUCHES ON OUR HERO'S EARLY LIFE, EXPERIENCES, AND ADVENTURES. Bill Bowls was the most amiable, gentle, kindly, and modest fellow that ever trod the deck of a man-of-war. He was also one of the most lion-hearted men in the Navy. When Bill was a baby--a round-faced, large-eyed, fat-legged baby, as unlike to the bronzed, whiskered, strapping seaman who went by the name of "Fighting Bill" as a jackdaw is to a marlinespike--when Bill was a baby, his father used to say he was just cut out for a sailor; and he was right, for the urchin was overflowing with vigour and muscular energy. He was utterly reckless, and very earnest--we might almost say _desperately_ earnest. Whatever he undertook to do he did "with a will." He spoke with a will, listened with a will, laughed, yelled, ate, slept, wrought, and fought with a will. In short, he was a splendid little fellow, and therefore, as his father wisely said, was just cut out for a sailor. Bill seemed to hold the same opinion, for he took to the water quite naturally from the very commencement of life. He laughed with glee when his mother used to put him into the washtub, and howled with rage when she took him out. Dancing bareheaded under heavy rain was his delight, wading in ponds and rivers was his common practice, and tumbling into deep pools was his most ordinary mishap. No wonder, then, that Bill learned at an early age to swim, and also to fear nothing whatever, except a blowing-up from his father. He feared that, but he did not often get it, because, although full of mischief as an egg is full of meat, he was good-humoured and bidable, and, like all lion-hearted fellows, he had little or no malice in him. He began his professional career very early in life. When in after years he talked to his comrades on this subject, he used to say--