A Lad of Grit: A Story of Adventure on Land and Sea in Restoration Times

, his intimacy with Sir Thomas Middleton, and also through the interest which Sir Thomas showed towards me, the mat

guns. She had three masts, besides a small one at her bowsprit-head. When first I saw her sh

told that the horseman was supposed to be the arch-traitor, Old Noll, but a clever hewer of wood had caused all likenes

father used to speak; while over the gallery towered three enormous lanterns, and above everything was a maze of spa

r through a speaking-trumpet, and presently a longboat came off for us, manned by ten lusty rowers, while a boy of about my own age sa

overed the distance betwixt the shore and the ship. As she neared the latter the youngster shouted: "Oars!" in such a loud vo

eat with surprising agility, though he was puffing heartily when he gained the deck and

nt of the fiery governor of Portsmouth who bore the same name, and whose wi

king's officer, a very mild-mannered gentleman, for when speaking to his subordinates he woul

remote relation of the immortal Sir Francis Drake), was one of the six gentlemen midshipmen serving on the ship. He appeared to be a keen young offic

per gundecks, he led me below to the orlop deck, where

o live and sleep--otherwise my floating home. The heavy beams were so low that I was obliged to stoop when passing underneath them. Innumerab

surroundings would permit, and on our entry I was warmly greeted

s, or part of the ship immediately above the ballast. The amidship portion of this space is termed the cockpit, and, though nearly empty, it did not require much imagination on my part to see the f

ship's pump, while farther away was a stack of imperishable ship's store

h a relish that the stifling atmosphere of between decks had caused; but short was my respi

f tree-climbing, I assented; and Drake, kicking off his shoes, immediatel

d by the contact with the sharp ratlines. However, I stuck to it, followed Drake over the futt

. Five minutes later I was by his side, and I must confess that on looking down I experienced a feeling of giddiness that required a strong effort on

shrunk from the task, or, in any case, have climbed no farther than

's hole! Wh

ally scramble through those instead of going

gs, of Gosport, used to say that swimming was a useless art, fo

fell overboard; well, in nine cases out of ten you would be picked up again if you could swim. I've been knock

sted, I began my descent to the deck, grasping the shrouds tightly an

tain had been watching my manoeuvres, both being we

hough with a curious feeling in my throat, I

ief as they went, and when they reached the wh

orge was struck at the gaff and run up to the peak. The shrill notes of the bosn's whistle had hardly died away when the rigging was alive with

head. "Heave round the capstan," came the order, and with a patter of bare feet,

anchor has left its muddy bed. "Now, then, my hearties, he

ere hauled well home, the braces and bowlines made taut, and by the pe

quarter, and presently the ship was lifting to the gentle sw

on accustomed myself to the routine, showing a keen interest in the duties of a midshipman;

begun, in spite of the sharp lesson taught them by Admiral Blake, to molest peaceful traders. From the Mediterranean we sailed across the Atlantic to the