CONTENTS CHAP. Page I. AN ORPHAN 11 II. IN THE KING'S SERVICE 32 III. A SEA-FIGHT 53 IV. PROMOTED 75 V. A PIRATE HOLD 96 VI. A NARROW ESCAPE 119 VII. AN INDEPENDENT COMMAND 137 VIII. A SPLENDID HAUL 157 IX. A SPELL ASHORE 178 X. BACK AT SCARCOMBE 197 XI. CAPTIVES AMONG THE MOORS 212 XII. BACK ON THE "TARTAR" 234 XIII. WITH NELSON 250 XIV. THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE 264 XV. ESCAPED 284 XVI. A DARING EXPLOIT 300 XVII. ON BOARD THE "JASON" 321 XVIII. ST. VINCENT AND CAMPERDOWN 342 XIX. CONCLUSION 362 AN ORPHANA wandering musician was a rarity in the village of Scarcombe. In fact,such a thing had not been known in the memory of the oldest inhabitant.What could have brought him here? men and women asked themselves. Therewas surely nobody who could dance in the village, and the few coppers hewould gain by performing on his violin would not repay him for histrouble. Moreover, Scarcombe was a bleak place, and the man looked sorelyshaken with the storm of life. He seemed, indeed, almost unable to holdout much longer; his breath was short, and he had a hacking cough.To the surprise of the people, he did not attempt to play for theiramusement or to ask, in any way, for alms. He had taken a lodging in thecottage of one of the fishermen, and on fine days he would wander out withhis boy, a child some five years old, and, lying down on the moorland,would play soft tunes to himself. So he lived for three weeks; and thenthe end came suddenly. The child ran out one morning from his room cryingand saying that daddy was asleep and he could not wake him, and on thefisherman going in he saw that life had been extinct for some hours.Probably it had come suddenly to the musician himself, for there was foundamong his scanty effects no note or memorandum giving a clue to theresidence of the child's friends, or leaving any direction concerning him.The clergyman was, of course, called in to advise as to what should bedone. He was a kind-hearted man, and volunteered to bury the dead musicianwithout charging any fees.After the funeral another question arose. What was to be done with thechild?He was a fine-looking, frank boy, who had grown and hardened beyond hisyears by the life he had led with his father. Fifteen pounds had beenfound in the dead man's kit. This, however, would fall to the share of theworkhouse authorities if they took charge of him. A sort of informalcouncil was held by the elder fishermen."It is hard on the child," one of them said. "I have no doubt his fatherintended to tell him where to find his friends, but his death came toosuddenly. Here is fifteen pounds. Not much good, you will say; and itisn't. It might last a year, or maybe eighteen months, but at the end ofthat time he would be as badly off as he is now.""Maybe John Hammond would take him," another suggested. "He lost his boatand nets three weeks ago, and though he has a little money saved up, it isnot enough to replace them. Perhaps he would take the child in return forthe fifteen pounds. His old woman could do with him, too, and would soonmake him a bit useful. John himself is a kind-hearted chap, and wouldtreat him well, and in a few years the boy would make a useful nipper onboard his boat."