The breeze which had been predicted sprang up, but not with such strength as filled our sails; and after waiting anxiously fifteen minutes or more in the hope that it might be increased, Lieutenant Forrest gave the command which all hands were expecting:-- “Boats’ crews to their stations! Clear away, and let fall! Work lively, lads, and we’ll see what effect a white-ash breeze will have on the brigs! Move with a will, for the flag-ship must be the first to tackle yonder enemy!” CHAPTER XV. THE FIRST SHOT. There is a fair excuse for me if I linger long over this battle, when we gave to the English king such a surprise as I’m thinking he never had before, for it was my first real experience in that bloody business known as warfare, and so decided a victory that I can well be pardoned for feeling proud, even though my share therein was the least among all the brave spirits by which I was so fortunate as to be surrounded. I would give to all my shipmates the full meed of praise which they deserve, and yet must I fail in so doing because every man was a hero, and to speak particularly of one seemingly detracts from the others. It is only possible to say that each did his duty, and, perhaps, with the exception of myself, there was never one in all our fleet who did not burn with a desire to show the enemy what could be done when the opportunity offered. It was not until near to ten o’clock in the forenoon that there was sufficient weight in the wind to fill our sails, and during all that time of waiting, when every moment was like an hour, the brave fellows chafed at the delay even as a lion chafes at the bars which confine him. The British squadron was as helpless as we, and lay full in our sight without power of movement. It may be that those on board the enemy’s ships were as eager to come at us as we were to be at their throats, but I questioned it, because they did not have so much at stake. When the breeze was sufficiently strong to belly out the sails, the command was given as I have already set down, and the words were hardly spoken before the boats’ crews were at their stations, every man rejoicing because the moment had arrived when he might do something, however slight, toward hastening the laggard movement. Slowly our vessels moved out on the bosom of the lake, every craft propelled by boats, and as we advanced the breeze freshened until, when the fleet was within two miles of the enemy’s squadron, the sails were filled sufficiently to admit of our depending upon them alone. Alec and I were standing well aft, for we had not been told off as the crew of a boat, when the commodore said to his sailing-master, Mr. Taylor:-- “When the men have been called in you may run to leeward of the islands.” “Then you will be forced to engage the enemy to leeward,” the officer replied, and although I failed to understand the meaning of the nautical terms, my pulse was quickened by the reply:--