downward, but it was still supporting him. He got to his feet unsteadily, passed a hand over his forehead and leaned against the woodwork for support.

Something pressed against his ribs on the right side and he looked down to see that the book from Admiral Kirkham's shelf was still lodged between the stump of his right arm and his ribs. He shook his head to clear it, but the book was still there. Staggering a little, he went on into his cabin, closed the door after him. Someone was knocking at the door, calling his name.

"Come in," he said wearily.

The lieutenant in charge of the watch entered and saluted fearfully. "We seem to have struck some sort of floating object twice within the last hour," he said.

"Is she filling?" Nelson asked sharply.

"No, sir," the younger officer replied.

"Then resume your watch. And keep this ship in line hereafter."

"Yes, sir," said the officer. He saluted and went out.

Nelson stared after him, then reached for the bottle of rum, poured himself a stout tot and opened the strange volume before him. Battle eve or no, he needed the reinforcement of alcohol just then. The very sight and reality of the book made it necessary. He opened it to the chapter near the end—frighteningly near the end—entitled Trafalgar.

He was still studying it when, hours later, a subordinate came in to inform him that the French and Spanish fleets had been sighted and seemed disposed to have it out.

"Very well," said Nelson. He rose, picked up his spyglass and started toward the door. Then, with a muttered excuse, he turned back into the room, picked up the volume, and tossed it over, into the South Atlantic.

The skies were blue and the thirty-three ships of the line of the enemy lay in perfect array ahead of him. Nelson studied them briefly through his spyglass.

He had a curious feeling of having been through this before—like a lad in school who has taken his Latin translation into class with him to cover his lack of talent for sight reading in the ancient tongue.

He gave crisp commands and, ignoring the expressions of surprise on 

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