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A fuse had been laid to an open keg of powder, and the fire was sputtering within an inch of it when Lieutenant Tönder plucked it out, smothered it between thumb and forefinger, and threw it through the nearest port-hole. There were two hundred barrels of powder in the ship. Tordenskjold had kept his word to the King. Not as much as a yawl of the Dynekilen fleet was left to the enemy.
It may suit folk who love loafing about shore, but to an honest man such talk is disgusting, let alone that the thing can't be done." He was at that time twenty-six years old, and in charge of the whole North Sea fleet. No wonder he had enemies. However, the King was his friend. He made him a nobleman, and gave him the name Tordenskjold. It means "thunder shield."
Tordenskjold overheard it, had himself rowed across to Sweden, picked up there a wedding party, bridegroom, minister, guests, and all, including the captain of the shore watch who was among them, and returned in time for the palace dinner with his catch.
Even their commander, J. Olfert Fischer, had not been under fire before that day, for Denmark had had peace for eighty years. But his father had served as a midshipman with Tordenskjold and the son did not flinch, outnumbered though his force was, two to one, in men and guns. The sun shone fair upon the blue waters as the great fleet of thirty-odd fighting ships sailed up from the south.
Only one of the seven lost ones was recovered; all the rest were set on fire. By the light of the mighty bonfire Tordenskjold rowed out with his men, hauling the recovered ship right under the guns of the forts, the Danish flag flying at the bow of his boat. He had not lost a single man. A cannon-ball swept away all the oars on one side of his boat, but no one was hurt.
Peder Tordenskjold is the Nelson of Denmark. This man, besides being a great Admiral, was a most genial character, and had a striking and original personality. Many true tales are told about this hero which the young Danish lads never tire of hearing. There is a favourite one which tells of the ingenious way by which he discovered the weak points in his enemy's stronghold.
King Frederik was entertaining Czar Peter the Great, who had been boasting of the unhesitating loyalty of his men which his Danish host could not match. He now had the tables turned upon him. It is recorded that the King sent the party back with royal gifts for the bride. One would be glad to add that Tordenskjold sent back, too, the silver pitcher and the parlor clock his men took on their visit.
It was Tordenskjold himself who brought the all-important news to King Frederik in the night of December 28, they were not the days of telegraphs and fast steamers, and when the King, who had been roused out of bed to receive him, could not trust his ears, he said with characteristic audacity, "I wish it were as true that your Majesty had made me a schoutbynacht," the rank next below admiral.
A Danish fleet lay in the Skagerak, blocking his way of reënforcements by sea. It was so well shielded there that its commander sent word to the King to rest easy; nothing could happen to him. He would join him presently. Tordenskjold saw that if he could capture or destroy this fleet Norway was saved; the siege must perforce be abandoned.
In terror and haste, Colonel Dankwardt moved his Hessians out, and Tordenskjold marched his handful of men in. When he brought the King the keys of Marstrand, Frederik made him an admiral.
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