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¡¡Professionally¡¡speaking£»¡¡this¡¡was¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡his¡¡career¡¡up¡¡to¡¡now¡£¡¡As¡¡a¡¡captain¡¡he¡¡had¡¡grown¡¡accustomed¡¡to¡¡a¡¡captain's¡¡honours£»¡¡the¡¡bos'un's¡¡mates¡¡twittering¡¡on¡¡their¡¡pipes£»¡¡the¡¡four¡¡side¡­boys¡¡and¡¡the¡¡marine¡¡sentries¡£¡¡But¡¡now¡¡he¡¡was¡¡a¡¡modore¡¡taking¡¡up¡¡his¡¡mand£»¡¡there¡¡were¡¡six¡¡side¡­boys¡¡with¡¡their¡¡white¡¡gloves£»¡¡there¡¡was¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡marine¡¡guard¡¡and¡¡the¡¡marine¡¡band£»¡¡a¡¡long¡¡double¡¡lane¡¡of¡¡bos'un's¡¡mates¡¡with¡¡their¡¡pipes£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lane¡¡a¡¡crowd¡¡of¡¡officers¡¡in¡¡full¡¡dress¡£¡¡As¡¡he¡¡set¡¡his¡¡foot¡¡on¡¡the¡¡deck¡¡the¡¡drums¡¡beat¡¡a¡¡ruffle¡¡in¡¡petition¡¡with¡¡the¡¡bos'un's¡¡calls£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡the¡¡fifes¡¡of¡¡the¡¡band¡¡struck¡¡up¡¡'Heart¡¡of¡¡oak¡¡are¡¡our¡¡ships£»¡¡Jolly¡¡tars¡¡are¡¡our¡¡men¡¡¡­'¡¡With¡¡his¡¡hand¡¡at¡¡the¡¡salute¡¡Hornblower¡¡strode¡¡up¡¡the¡¡lane¡¡of¡¡bos'un's¡¡mates¡¡and¡¡side¡­boys£»¡¡all¡¡this¡¡was¡¡peculiarly¡¡exhilarating¡¡despite¡¡his¡¡efforts¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡himself¡¡that¡¡these¡¡outward¡¡signs¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dignity¡¡of¡¡his¡¡position¡¡were¡¡mere¡¡childish¡¡baubles¡£¡¡He¡¡had¡¡to¡¡check¡¡himself£»¡¡or¡¡his¡¡face¡¡would¡¡have¡¡borne¡¡a¡¡stupid¡¡ecstatic¡¡grin£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡with¡¡difficulty¡¡that¡¡he¡¡forced¡¡himself¡¡to¡¡assume¡¡the¡¡stern¡¡posure¡¡a¡¡modore¡¡should¡¡display¡£¡¡There¡¡was¡¡Bush¡¡at¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lane£»¡¡saluting¡¡stiffly£»¡¡and¡¡standing¡¡effortlessly¡¡despite¡¡his¡¡wooden¡¡leg£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡was¡¡so¡¡pleasant¡¡to¡¡see¡¡Bush¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡to¡¡fight¡¡down¡¡his¡¡grin¡¡all¡¡over¡¡again¡£
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¡¡¡¨We¡¡shall¡¡e¡¡to¡¡know¡¡each¡¡other¡¡better£»¡¡I¡¡hope£»¡¡gentlemen£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Hornblower£»¡¡phrasing¡¡his¡¡thought¡¡politely¡£
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¡¡¡¨Captain¡¡Bush£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Hornblower£»¡¡¡¨we¡¡shall¡¡get¡¡under¡¡way¡¡immediately£»¡¡if¡¡you¡¡please¡£¡¡Make¡¡a¡¡signal¡¡to¡¡the¡¡flotilla¡¡to¡¡that¡¡effect¡£¡¨
¡¡
¡¡CHAPTER¡¡FIVE
¡¡
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¡¡¡¨Pistols£¿¡¨¡¡said¡¡Hornblower¡£
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