He looks worn out now; but if his mind was easier, he would
soon be as strong as ever."
"It is a strange story, my dear," said Nelson; "but I see that it has
done you good to tell it, and I have known many still stranger. But how
could he have money, after such a hard escape?"
"That shows as much as anything how brave he is. He had made up his mind
that if he succeeded in knocking down both those sentinels, he would
have the bag of gold which was put for his reward in case of his
steering them successfully. And before he jumped overboard he snatched
it up, and it helped him to dive and to swim under water. He put it
in his flannel shirt by way of ballast, and he sticks to it up to the
present moment."
"My dear," replied Lord Nelson, much impressed, "such a man deserves to
be in my own crew. If he can show me that bag, and stand questions, I
will send him to Portsmouth at my own expense, with a letter to my dear
friend Captain Hardy."
CHAPTER LXV
TRAFALGAR
Lord Nelson sailed from Portsmouth on the 15th of September, in his
favourite ship the Victory, to take his last command. He knew that he
never should come home, except as a corpse for burial, but he fastened
his mind on the work before him, and neglected nothing. "A fair fight,
and no favour," was the only thing he longed for.
And this he did obtain at last. The French commander-in-chief came
forth, with all his mighty armament, not of his own desire, but goaded
by imperious sneers, and stings that made his manhood tingle.
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