As he had fought the _Lawrence_, so did he count on fighting her sister ship, and, inspirited by what they had seen, every man aboard our fleet was ready to follow at his beck wherever he might lead. We had seen sharp fighting before; but now was come the time, as it seemed to me, when we were to take part in such an action as would dim all previous efforts, and even amid the noise and confusion of the conflict I found myself wishing that Silas Boyd might be with us, to have a share in the glorious dash which I knew was near at hand. Now, indeed, was gone from my mind all sensations of fear. I ceased to have any thought of self, but lived only with those around me, making their fate as much a part of mine as if we were linked together in body, as in purpose. Having come on board a vessel which had suffered comparatively small loss during the two hours of conflict, and, as has been said, was the best manned in the fleet, there was little Alec and I could do save to jump here or there, wherever a spare hand was needed, and set our shoulders to whatsoever portion of the wheel needed uplifting. Therefore it was we had more of an opportunity to observe the battle. We could see, when the clouds of smoke were not too dense, each particular vessel, and knew, almost as well as did the commodore himself, what was taking place on the bosom of that lake whose waters, it seemed to me, should by this time have been stained crimson by the blood of brave men. If I have made it appear that, up to this time, we two lads had seen the most desperate portion of the conflict, my purpose has been overrun, for once on board the _Niagara_ the action became so fierce and deadly as to make it seem that until now we had been outside the range of the deadliest fire. With the new flag-ship in the lead, and the signals for every craft to use both sails and oars so that they close in more quickly, we went straight forward toward the enemy, passing within half a pistol-shot distance of the _Lady Prevost_ and the _Chippewa_ on the larboard hand, and the _Detroit_, _Queen Charlotte_, and _Hunter_ on the starboard. We broke directly through the enemy’s line, and not until we were come within such short range that I could have tossed my hat aboard either vessel, did we open fire. Then it was that both broadsides were discharged; the _Niagara_ rolled to and fro under the shock of the heavy guns, until it seemed as if every timber would be riven asunder; and from either side poured in upon us a cross firing, until a perfect network of whistling shot and bullets was formed above our heads, but fortunately so high that we suffered comparatively little loss of life. Here and there men fell, pierced by a musket-shot, or literally cut asunder by the heavy cannon-balls; but it was not as we had known it on the deck of the _Lawrence_, when nearly four-fifths of our people were disabled.