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The Cruise of the Nonsuch Buccaneer

by Harry Collingwood · English · Gutenberg #21062 · 607,665 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: The Cruise of the Nonsuch Buccaneer

Author: Harry Collingwood

Illustrator: John Williamson


        
Release date: April 13, 2007 [eBook #21062]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/21062

Credits: Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRUISE OF THE NONSUCH BUCCANEER ***




Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England




The Cruise of the "Nonsuch" Buccaneer

By Harry Collingwood
________________________________________________________________________
An excellent book by this accomplished writer of nautical stories for
teenagers.  The date is 1569.  The young George St. Leger arrives back
from a cruise in the Bonaventure, owned locally in Plymouth, and shortly
after he and his mother are told that his brother has been captured by
the Spaniards, somewhere in the West Indies.

A friendly shipbuilder has a new vessel, the Nonsuch, almost ready to
sail, and he agrees with George that he will finance a voyage in search
of the brother, in return for half of the proceedings of the voyage, for
the Nonsuch has been designed as a fast-sailing buccaneer.

The crew are all local Devon men, so much of the dialogue in the book is
in a strong Devonian accent, still to be heard in the outlying districts
of that beautiful county.

They set off as soon as possible, knowing that the Government might well
requisition the Nonsuch.  There are plenty of adventures and battles,
but eventually the brother is found, but in very dire straits, for he
might have died if found only a few minutes later.

There is an interesting and very revealing episode where we are shown
how the Spanish Inquisition worked.

Makes a very nice audiobook about eleven hours in length.
________________________________________________________________________
THE CRUISE OF THE "NONSUCH" BUCCANEER

BY HARRY COLLINGWOOD



CHAPTER ONE.

HOW GEORGE SAINT LEGER RETURNED FROM FOREIGN PARTS.

The time was mid-afternoon, the date was January the 9th, in the year of
our Lord 1569; and the good town of Plymouth was basking in the hazy
sunlight and mild temperature of one of those delightful days that
occasionally visit the metropolis of the West Country, even in mid-
winter, under the beneficent influence of the Gulf Stream combined with
a soft but enduring breeze from the south-south-east charged with warm
air from the Saharan desert and the Mediterranean.

So mild and genial was the weather that certain lads, imbued with that
spirit of lawlessness and adventure which seems inherent in the nature
of the young Briton, had conspired together to defy the authority of
their schoolmaster by playing truant from afternoon school and going to
bathe in Firestone Bay.  And it was while these lads were dressing,
after revelling in their stolen enjoyment, that their attention was
attracted by the appearance of a tall ship gliding up the Sound before
the soft breathing of the languid breeze.

That she was a foreign-going ship was evident at a glance, first from
her size, and, secondly, from the whiteness of her canvas, bleached by
long exposure to a southern sun; and as she drew nearer, the display of
flags and pennons which she made, and the sounds of trumpet, fife,
hautboy, and drum which floated down the wind from her seemed to
indicate that her captain regarded his safe arrival in English waters as
something in the nature of a triumph.

By the time that she had arrived abreast of Picklecombe Point the
bathers had completely resumed their clothing and, having climbed to the
highest point within easy reach, now stood interestedly watching the
slow approach of the ship, her progress under the impulse of the gentle
breeze being greatly retarded by the ebb tide.  Speculation was rife
among the little group of boys upon the question of the ship's identity,
some maintaining that she must necessarily be a Plymouther, otherwise
what was she doing there, while others, for no very clearly denned
reason, expressed the contrary opinion.

At length one of the party who had been intently regarding the craft for
several minutes, suddenly flung his cap into the air, caught it as it
fell, and exclaimed excitedly as he replaced it on his head:

"I know her, I du; 'tis my Uncle Marshall's _Bonaventure_, whoam from
the Mediterranean and Spain; I'm off to tell my uncle.  'Twas only
yesterday that I heard him say he'd give a noble to know that the
_Bonaventure_ had escaped the Spaniards; and a noble will pay me well
for the flogging that I shall get from old Sir John, if Uncle Richard
tells him that I played truant to go bathing.  But I don't believe he
will; he'll be so mighty pleased to hear about the _Bonaventure_ that
he'll forget to ask how I come to be to Firestone Bay instead of to
schule."

And the exultant lad dashed away toward Stonehouse, accompanied by his
companions, each of whom was instantly ready to help with suggestions as
to the spending of the prospective noble.

The historian of the period has omitted to record whether that worthy,
Mr Richard Marshall, one of the most thriving merchants of Plymouth,
was as good as his word in the matter of the promised noble; but
probably he was, for shortly after the arrival of his nephew with the
momentous news, the good man emerged from his house, smiling and rubbing
his hands with satisfaction, and made the best of his way to the wharf
in Stonehouse Pool, alongside which he knew that the _Bonaventure_ would
moor, and was there speedily joined by quite a little crowd of other
people who were all more or less intimately interested in the ship and
her crew, and who had been brought to the spot by the rapid spread of
the news that the _Bonaventure_ was approaching.

To the impatient watchers it seemed an age before the ship hove in sight
at the mouth of the Pool.  At length, however, as the sun dipped behind
the wooded slopes across the water toward Millbrook, a ship's spritsail
and sprit topsail, with a long pennon streaming from the head of the
mast which supported the latter, crept slowly into view beyond Devil's
Point, to the accompaniment of a general shout of "There a be!" from the
waiting crowd, and a minute later the entire ship stood revealed,
heading up the Pool under all sail, to the impulse of the dying breeze
which was by this time so faint that the white canvas of the approaching
craft scarcely strained at all upon its sheets and yards.

For the period, the _Bonaventure_ was a ship of considerable size, her
registered measurement being one hundred and twenty-seven tons.  She was
practically new, the voyage which she was now completing being only her
second.  Like other ships of her size and time, she was very beamy, with
rounded sides that tumbled home to a degree that in these days would be
regarded as preposterous.  She carried the usual fore and after castles,
the latter surmounting the after extremity of her lofty poop.  She was
rigged with three masts in addition to the short spar which reared
itself from the outer extremity of her bowsprit, and upon which the
sprit topsail was set, the fore and main masts spreading courses,
topsails, and--what was then quite an innovation--topgallant sails,
while the mizen spread a lateen-shaped sail stretched along a sloping
yard suspended just beneath the top, in the position occupied in these
days by the cross-jack.  She was armed with twenty-two cannon of various
sizes and descriptions, and she mustered a crew of fifty-six men and
boys, all told.  Her hull was painted a rich orange-brown colour down to
a little above the water-line, beneath which ran a narrow black stripe
right round her hull, dividing the brown colour of her topsides from her
white-painted bottom which, by the way, was now almost hidden by a rank
growth of green weed.  She carried one large poop lantern, and displayed
from her flagstaff the red cross of Saint George, while from her fore
and main topgallant-mastheads, from the peak of her mizen, and from the
head of her sprit-topmast lazily waved other flags and pennons.  As she
swung into view round Devil's Point the blare of trumpets and the roll
of drums reached the ears of the crowd which awaited her arrival; but
these sounds presently ceased as her crew proceeded to brail up and furl
sail after sail; and some ten minutes later, scarcely stemming the
outgoing tide, she drifted slowly in toward her berth alongside the
wharf.  Ropes were thrown, great hawsers were hauled ashore and made
fast to sturdy bollards, fenders were dropped overside, and the
_Bonaventure_ was very smartly secured abreast the warehouse which was
destined to receive her cargo.

Then, when the ship had been securely moored, fore and aft, her gangway
was thrown open, a gang-plank was run out from the deck to the wharf,
and Mr Richard Marshall, her owner, stepped on board and advanced with
outstretched hand toward a short, stout, grey-haired man who had
hitherto occupied a conspicuous position on the poop, but who now
descended the poop ladder with some difficulty and hobbled towards the
gangway.

The contrast between the two men was great in every way, except perhaps
in the matter of age, for both were on the shady side of fifty; but
while one of them, Mr Richard Marshall, merchant and shipowner, to wit,
was still hale and hearty, carrying himself as straight and upright as
though he were still in the prime of early manhood, the other, who was
none other than John Burroughs, the captain of the _Bonaventure_, moved
stiffly and limped painfully as a result of many wounds received during
his forty years of seafaring life, coupled with a rapidly increasing
tendency to suffer from severe attacks of rheumatism.  And they differed
in dress as greatly as in their personal appearance; for while the
merchant was soberly if not somewhat sombrely garbed in dark brown
broadcloth, with a soft, broad-brimmed felt hat to match, the captain
(in rank defiance of the sumptuary laws then existing) sported trunk
hosen of pale pink satin, a richly embroidered and padded satin doublet
of the same hue, confined at the waist by a belt of green satin heavily
broidered with gold thread, from which depended on one side a long
rapier and on the other a wicked-looking Venetian dagger with jewelled
hilt and sheath, while, surmounting his grizzled and rather scanty
locks, he wore, jauntily set on one side, a Venetian cap of green velvet
adorned with a large gold and cameo brooch which secured a long green
feather drooping gracefully over the wearer's left shoulder.  But let
not the unsophisticated reader imagine, in the innocence of his heart,
that the garb above described was that usually affected by mariners of
the Elizabethan period, while at sea.  It was not.  But they frequently
displayed a weakness for showy dress while in port, and especially when
about to go ashore for the first time after the termination of a voyage.

"Welcome home again, Cap'n John," exclaimed Marshall, grasping the hand
of the sailor and wringing it so heartily that poor Burroughs winced at
the pain of his rheumatism-racked wrist and shoulder.  "I am glad to see
you safely back, for I was beginning to feel a bit uneasy lest the King
of Spain had caught you in his embargo."

"Iss, fegs; and so mun very nearly did," answered the captain; "indeed,
if it hadn't ha' been for young Garge Saint Leger--who, bein' out of his
time, I've made pilot in place of poor Matthews, who was killed in a
bout wi' the Barbary rovers on our outward voyage--he'd ha' had us, sure
as pigs baint nightingales.  But Garge have got the fiend's own gift for
tongues and languages, and the night avore we sailed he happened to be
ashore lookin' round Santander, and while he were standin' on one side
of a pillar in a church he heard two Spanishers on t'other side of that
there same pillar talkin' about the embargo that King Philip was goin'
to declare again' the English at midnight that very night as ever was.
Like a good boy, Garge waited until the two Spanishers had left the
church, and then comed straight down aboard and told me what he'd heard.
At first I didn't put very much faith in the yarn, I'll own to't, but
that there Garge so pestered and worrited me that at last I let mun have
mun's way; and ten minutes afore midnight the _Bonaventure_ was under
way and standin' out o' the harbour.  We managed to get out without
bein' fired upon by the batteries.  But if you'll believe me, sir, they
sent a galley out a'ter us, and if it hadn't ha' happened that the wind
was blowin' fresh from about west, and a nasty lump of a beam sea
runnin', dang my ugly buttons if that galley wouldn't ha' had us!  But
the galley rolled so heavy that they couldn't use their oars to
advantage, while the _Bonaventure_ is so fast as any dolphin with a beam
wind and enough of it to make us furl our topgallants; so we got away."

"And a very smart piece of work, too, apparently," said Mr Marshall.
"I must not forget to thank George Saint Leger for his share in it.  Has
your voyage been a success, Captain?"

"So, so; I don't think you'll find much to complain about when we comes
to go into the figures," answered Burroughs.  "We had a bit of a brush
wi' the rovers, who comed out against us in three ships, during our
outward voyage, but we beat 'em off wi' the loss of only one man--poor
Matthews, as I mentioned just now--since when we've had no call to fire
a single shot."

"Excellent, excellent!" commented the merchant, rubbing his hands.  "Of
course I am very sorry to learn that Matthews was slain; but these
things will happen at sea from time to time.  Well, to-morrow we will
have the hatches off and begin discharging.  While that is proceeding I
must consider what next to do with the ship; for it will be useless to
think of further trade with the Mediterranean while the Spanish embargo
lasts, and Heaven only knows how long that will be."

"Ay," assented Burroughs.  "'Tis a pity that her Grace up to Whitehall
can't make up her mind one way or t'other about this here Spanish
business; whether she'll be friends wi' Philip, or will fight mun.  For
all this here shilly-shallyin', first one way and then t'other, be
terrible upsettin' to folks like we.  But there, what be I grumblin'
about?  'Twont make a mort o' difference to me, because I've made up my
mind as it's time for me to knock off the sea and settle down snug and
comfortable ashore for the rest of my days.  I be that bad wi' the
rheumatics that I've got to get the cabin boy to help me put on my
clothes, and when there be a sea runnin' and the ship do roll a bit I
can't sleep for the pain in my j'ints.  So, Mr Marshall, I may 's well
give 'e notice, here and now, so's you'll ha' plenty of time to look
about 'e for another cap'n."

"Dear me, dear me!  I am very sorry to hear that, Cap'n," exclaimed Mr
Marshall.  "But," he continued, "ever since the declaration of the
embargo I have been thinking what I would do with the _Bonaventure_ in
the event of her escaping from the Spaniards, and I had almost decided
to lay her up until the dispute is settled one way or the other.  Now if
you stay ashore until that time arrives, and take care of yourself,
perhaps you will find yourself quite able to take command of her again
when she next goes to sea."

"No," asserted Burroughs decisively; "I ha' made up my mind, and I'll
stick to it.  The sea's no place for a man afflicted as I be.  Besides,
I ha' done very well in the matter o' they private ventures that you've
allowed me to engage in; there's a very tidy sum o' money standin' to my
credit in Exeter Bank, and there's neither chick nor child to use it
a'ter I be gone, so I might so well enjoy it and be comfortable for the
rest o' my days, and at the same time make way for a younger man.  Now,
there be Garge," he continued, lowering his tone.  "'Tis true that he be
but a lad; but he'm a sailor to the tips of his fingers; he'm so good a
seaman and navigator as I be; he've a-got coolness and courage when they
be most needed; he knoweth how to handle a crew; he've got the gift of
tongues; and--he'm a gentleman, which is a danged sight more than I be.
You might do a mort worse, Mr Marshall, than give he the _Bonaventure_
when next you sends her to sea."

"H'm! do you really think so?" returned the merchant.  "He is very
young, you know, Captain; too young, I think, to bear the responsibility
attending the command of such a ship as the _Bonaventure_.  But--well, I
will think it over.  Your recommendation of course will carry very great
weight with me."

"Ay, and so't ought to," retorted the blunt-spoken old skipper.  "I've
served you now a matter of over thirty years, and you've never yet had
to find fault wi' my judgment.  And you won't find it wrong either in
that there matter o' Garge."

After which the subject was dropped, and the pair proceeded to the
discussion of various matters which have no bearing upon the present
history.

Meanwhile, during the progress of the above-recorded conversation, the
crew, having completed the mooring of the ship, proceeded to furl the
sails which had been merely hauled down or clewed up as the craft
approached the wharf; and when this job had been performed to the
satisfaction of a tall, strapping young fellow who stood upon the poop
supervising operations, the mariners laid down from aloft and, the
business of the ship being over for the day, were dismissed from duty.
As every man aboard the _Bonaventure_ happened to call Plymouth "home,"
this meant on their part a general swarming ashore to join the relatives
and friends who patiently awaited them on the wharf; whereupon the
little crowd quickly melted away.

Then, and not until then, the tall, strapping young fellow upon the
poop--familiarly referred to by Captain Burroughs as "Garge," and
henceforth to be known to us as George Saint Leger and the hero of the
moving story which the writer proposes to set forth in the following
pages--descended to the main deck, uttered a word or two of greeting and
caution to the two sturdy ship-keepers who had already come on board to
take care of ship and cargo during the absence of the crew, and with
quick, springy step, strode to the gang-plank, and so to the wharf,
whither the captain, in Mr Marshall's company, had preceded him.

As he strode along the wharf, with that slight suggestion of a roll in
his gait which marks the man whose feet have been long accustomed to the
feel of a heaving deck, he cast a quick, eager, recognising glance at
the varied features of the scene around him, his somewhat striking
countenance lighting up as he noted the familiar details of the long
line of quaint warehouses which bordered the wharf, the coasters which
were moored ahead and astern of the _Bonaventure_, the fishing craft
grounded upon the mud higher up the creek, the well remembered houses of
various friends dotted about here and there, the heights of Mount
Edgcumbe shadowy and mysterious in the deepening twilight, and the
slopes of Mount Wise across the water; and a joyous smile irradiated his
features as his gaze settled upon a small but elegant cottage, of the
kind now known as a bungalow, standing in the midst of a large,
beautifully kept garden, situated upon the very extremity of the Mount
and commanding an uninterrupted view of the Sound.  For in that cottage,
from three windows of which beamed welcoming lights, he knew that his
mother, and perchance his elder brother Hubert, awaited his coming.  For
a moment he paused, gazing lovingly at the lights, then, striding on
again, he quickly reached the end of the wharf and, hurrying down the
ferry steps, sprang into a boat which he found lying alongside.

"So you'm back again all safe, Mr Garge, sir," exclaimed the occupant
of the boat as he threw out an oar to bear the craft off from the wharf
wall, while young Saint Leger seated himself in the stern sheets.  "I
been here waitin' for 'e for the last hour or more.  The mistress seed
the ship a comin' in, and knowed her, and her says to me--`Tom, the
_Bonaventure_ be whoam again.  Now, you go down and take the boat and go
across to the wharf, for Master Garge 'll be in a hurry to come over,
and maybe the wherry won't be there just when he's ready to come; so you
go over and wait for un.'  And here I be.  Welcome home again, sir."

"Thanks, Tom," answered Saint Leger, "I did not recognise you for the
moment.  And how is my mother?"

"She's just about as well as can be reasonably expected, sir,
considerin' the way that she's been worritin' about you and Mr
Hubert--'specially 'bout you, sir, since the news of the King of Spain's
embargo have been made known," answered the man Tom, who was in fact the
gardener and general handy man at The Nest, as Mrs Saint Leger's
cottage was named.

"Poor dear soul," murmured George; "she will fret herself to death over
Hu and me, before all's done, I am afraid.  So Captain Hawkins has not
yet returned, Tom?"

"Not yet a bain't, sir.  But he've only been gone a matter o' fifteen
months; and 'tis only a year since mun sailed from the Guinea coast for
the Indies, so 'tis a bit early yet to be expectin' mun back.  When he
and Franky Drake du get over there a spoilin' the Egyptians, as one
might say, there be no knowin' how long they'll stay there.  I don't
look to see 'em back till they'm able to come wi' their ships loaded wi'
Spanish gould; and it'll take a mort o' time to vind six shiploads o'
gould," returned Tom.

"And has no news of the expedition been received since its arrival on
the Spanish Main?" asked George.

"Not as I've heard of, sir," answered Tom.  "The last news of 'em was
that they'd sailed from the Guinea coast some time about the end of
January; and how that comed I don't know.  But I expect 'tis true,
because Madam got it from Madam Hawkins, who comed over expressly to
tell her."

"Ah, well, I suppose we shall hear in God's good time," commented
George.  "Back water with your starboard oar, Tom, and pull larboard, or
you'll smash in the bows of the boat against the steps.  So! way enough.
Haul her to and let me get out.  If I am not mistaken there is my
mother waiting for me under the verandah.  Thanks!  Good night, Tom, and
put that in your pocket for luck."

So saying the young man handed Tom a ducat, and sprang out of the boat,
up the landing steps, and made his way rapidly up the steep garden path
toward the house, beneath the verandah of which a female figure could be
dimly seen by the sheen of the lighted windows.  As George Saint Leger
neared the brow of the slope upon which The Nest was built, this same
female figure ran down the verandah steps to meet him, and a moment
later he and his mother were locked in each other's arms.

"My boy, my boy!" crooned Mrs Saint Leger as she nestled in her son's
embrace and tiptoed up to kiss the lips that sought her own--"welcome
home again, a thousand welcomes!  I saw the ship while she was yet
outside Saint Nicholas Island and, with the help of the perspective
glass that you brought me from Genoa, was able to recognise her as the
_Bonaventure_.  And later, when she rounded the point and entered the
Pool, I saw you standing beside Captain Burroughs on the poop, and so
knew that all was well with you.  Come in, my dear, and let me look at
you.  Supper is all ready and waiting, and there is a fine big coal fire
blazing in the dining-room, for I knew you would feel the air chilly
after that of the Mediterranean."

A moment later the pair entered the warm, cosy dining-room, and stood
intently regarding each other by the light of a candelabrum which
occupied the centre of the handsomely appointed table.  And while they
stand thus, with their hands upon each other's shoulders, each
scrutinising the face of the other, we may seize the opportunity to make
the acquaintance of both; for with one of them at least we purpose to
participate in many a strange scene and stirring adventure in those
western Indies, the wonders and fabulous wealth of which were just
beginning to be made known to Englishmen through that redoubtable rover
and slaver, Captain John Hawkins.

Mrs Saint Leger was a small, somewhat delicate and fragile-looking
woman, just turned forty-six years of age, yet, although people seemed
to age a great deal more quickly in those days than in these, and
although, as the widow of one sailor and the mother of two others, she
had known much anxiety and mental stress, she retained her youthful
appearance to a degree that was a constant source of wonder to her many
friends.  Her form was still as girlish as when Hugh Saint Leger proudly
led her to the altar twenty-eight years before we make her acquaintance.
Her cheeks were still smooth and round, her violet eyes, deep and
tender, were still bright despite the many tears which anxiety for her
husband and sons had caused her to shed, and which her bitter grief had
evoked when, some seven years earlier, the news had been brought to her
of her husband's death while gallantly defending his ship against an
attack by Salee pirates.  Her golden-brown hair was still richly
luxuriant, and only the most rigorous search would have revealed the
presence of a silver thread here and there.  And lastly, she stood just
five feet four inches in her high-heeled shoes, and--in honour of her
younger son's safe arrival home--was garbed, in the height of the
prevailing mode, in a gown of brown velvet that exactly matched the
colour of her hair, with long pointed bodice heavily embroidered with
gold thread, voluminous farthingale, long puffed sleeves, ruffed lace
collar, lace stomacher, and lace ruffles at her dainty wrists.

George Saint Leger, aged twenty, stood five feet ten inches in his
stockings, though he did not look anything like that height, so broad
were his shoulders and so robustly built was his frame.  He had not yet
nearly attained to his full growth, and promised, if he went on as he
was going, to become a veritable giant some five or six years hence.  He
had his mother's eyes and hair--the latter growing in short soft
ringlets all over his head--and he inherited a fair share also of his
mother's beauty, although in his case it was tempered and made manly by
a very square chin, firm, close-set lips, and a certain suggestion of
sternness and even fierceness in the steady intent gaze of the eyes.  He
was garbed, like his captain, in doublet, trunk hose, and cap, but in
George's case the garments were made of good serviceable cloth, dyed a
deep indigo blue colour, and his cap--which he now held in his hand--was
unadorned with either feather or brooch.  Also, he wore no weapons of
any kind save those with which nature had provided him.

"Egad! it is good to feel your arms round me, little mother, and to find
myself in this dear old room again," exclaimed the lad as he gazed down
into his mother's loving eyes.  "And you--surely you must have
discovered the whereabout of the fount of perpetual youth, for you do
not look a day older than when I went away."

"Nonsense, silly boy," returned the delighted little lady as she freed
herself from her stalwart son's embrace, "art going to celebrate thy
return home by beginning to pay compliments to thy old mother?  But,
indeed," she continued more seriously, "'tis a wonder that I am not
grey-headed, for the anxiety that I have suffered on thy account,
George, and that of thy brother Hubert, has scarcely suffered me to know
a moment's peace."

"Dear soul alive, I'll warrant that's true," agreed George.  "But,
mother, you need never be anxious about me, for there's not a better or
stauncher ship afloat than the _Bonaventure_, nor one that carries a
finer captain and crew.  We've held our own in many a stiff bout with
weather and the enemy, and can do it again, please God.  And as for Hu,
I think you need fear as little for him as for me, for with Hawkins as
admiral, and Frankie Drake as second in command, with six good ships to
back them up, they should be able to sweep the Spanish Main from end to
end.  It cannot now be very long before one gets news of them, and
indeed, I confidently look forward to seeing them come sailing into
Plymouth Sound ere long, loaded down with treasure."

"God grant that it may be so," responded Mrs Saint Leger.  "Yet how can
I help being fearful and anxious when I think of those daring men
thousands of miles away from home and kindred, surrounded as it were by
enemies, and with nought to keep them but their courage and the strength
of their own right arm?  And where there is fighting--as fighting there
must be when English and Spaniards come face to face--some must be
slain, and why not our Hubert among them?  For the boy is hot-headed,
and brave even to recklessness."

"Ay," assented George, "that's true.  But 'tis the brave and reckless
ones that stand the best chance in a fight, for their very courage doth
but inspire the enemy with terror, so that he turns and flees from them.
Besides, our lads are fighting God's battle against bigotry, idolatry,
and fiendish cruelty as exemplified in the tortures inflicted upon poor
souls in the hellish Inquisition, and 'twould be sinful and a
questioning of God's goodness to doubt that He will watch over them who
are waging war upon His enemies."

"Yea, indeed, that is true," agreed Mrs Saint Leger.  "And yet, so weak
is our poor human faith that there are times when my heart is sick with
fear as to what may be happening to my dear ones.  But here is Lucy with
the supper.  Draw up and sit down, my son.  I'll warrant that the
enjoyment of a good roast capon and ale of thy mother's own brewing will
be none the less for the sea fare upon which thou hast lived of late."

So mother and son sat down to table again for the first time in many
months.  And while they ate George regaled his mother with a recital of
some of the most moving happenings of the voyage just ended, including,
naturally, a detailed account of the brush with Barbary pirates, the
death of Matthews, the pilot, and George's own promotion to the post
thus rendered vacant; to all of which Mrs Saint Leger listened eagerly,
devouring her son with her eyes as he made play with capon and pasty and
good nut-brown ale, talking betwixt mouthfuls and eliciting from his
absorbed audience of one, now a little exclamation of horror at the tale
of some tragic occurrence or narrow escape, and anon a hearty laugh at
the recounting of some boyish frolic and escapade in one or another of
the foreign cities visited in the course of the voyage.  Supper over,
they drew their chairs up before the fire and continued their talk,
asking and answering questions in that delightfully inconsequent fashion
which is possible only between near and dear relatives after a long
separation.  So the time passed quickly until the hour-glass in the hall
marked ten and the maid brought in candles; whereupon, before separating
for the night, mother and son knelt down together and rendered heartfelt
thanks to God for the safe return of the one wanderer and offered up
equally heartfelt petitions for the preservation of the other, as folk
were not ashamed to do in those grand old days when belief in God's
interest in the welfare of His creatures was a living, virile thing, and
when a man's religion was as intimate a part of his daily life as were
his meat and drink.



CHAPTER TWO.

HOW ROBERT DYER BROUGHT NEWS OF DISASTER.

The following morning found George Saint Leger early astir; for the
unloading of the _Bonaventure's_ rich cargo was now to begin, and he
must be there to superintend and do his share of the work.  And be sure
that Mr Richard Marshall and his head clerk were also there to take
note of each bale and cask and package as it was hoisted out of the hold
and carried across the wharf into the yawning doorway of the warehouse;
for while the worthy merchant fully trusted those of his servants who
had proved themselves to be trustworthy, he held that there was no
method of keeping trustworthy servants faithful so efficacious as
personal oversight; he maintained that the man who tempted another to
dishonesty by throwing opportunities for dishonesty in his way, was as
guilty and as much to blame as the one who succumbed to temptation;
therefore he kept his own soul and the souls of his employes clean by
affording the latter as little occasion as might be for stumbling.
Captain Burroughs--his rheumatism more troublesome than ever--was also
present, with his hands full of invoices and bills of lading to which he
referred from time to time for information in reply to some question
from Mr Marshall; and soon the winches began to creak and the main
hatch to disgorge its contents, while a crowd of those curious and idle
loafers who, like the poor, are always with us, quickly gathered upon
the wharf to gapingly watch the process of unloading the cargo.

That process was much more deliberately carried out then than it is in
the present day of hurry and rush, steam and electricity; therefore it
was not until nearly a fortnight had elapsed that the last bale had been
hoisted out of the _Bonaventure's_ hold and safely stored in Mr
Marshall's warehouse.  Mr Marshall had definitely announced his
intention to lay up the ship until the Spanish embargo should be raised.
And it was on that same night that, as George and his mother sat
chatting by the fire after supper, the maid Lucy entered the room with
the intimation that a strange, foreign-looking man, apparently a sailor,
stood without, craving speech with Mistress Saint Leger.

Mrs Saint Leger's apprehensions with regard to the safety of Hubert,
her elder son, temporarily allayed by George's optimism, were quick to
respond to the slightest hint or suggestion of disaster; the mere
mention, therefore, of a man, foreign-looking and of sailorly aspect,
seeking speech with her, and especially at such an untimely hour, was
sufficient to re-awaken all her unformed fears into full activity.  Her
lips blanched and a look of terror leapt into her eyes as she sprang to
her feet, regarding the somewhat stolid Lucy as though the latter were
some apparition of ill omen.

"A sailor, say you, strange, and foreign-looking?" she gasped.  "What
for mercy's sake can such a man want with me at this time of night?  Did
you ask the man his name?"

"No, ma'am, I--I--didn't," stammered the maid, astonished at her
mistress's unusual agitation, and afraid that in omitting to make the
enquiry she had been guilty of some terrible oversight; "he said--he--"

But at this point George intervened.  To him, as to his mother, the
circumstance had at once conveyed a suggestion of ominousness, a hint of
possible evil tidings.  Like his mother, he had risen to his feet as the
thought of what this visit might mean dawned upon him.  But, unlike Mrs
Saint Leger, he was accustomed to act quickly in the presence of sudden
alarms, and now he laid his hand reassuringly upon his mother's
shoulder, as he said soothingly:

"There, there, sit you down, mother; there's nought to be frightened
about, I'll warrant.  Sit you down, again; and I'll go out and speak to
the fellow.  Maybe 'tis but some sneaking, snivelling beggar-man who,
believing you to be alone here, hopes to terrify you into giving him a
substantial alms."

So saying, with another reassuring pat upon his mother's shoulder, the
lad stalked out of the room, pushing the bewildered maid before him, and
made his way to the front door, where Mrs Saint Leger, acutely
listening, presently heard him in low converse with the stranger.  The
conversation continued for a full ten minutes, and then Mrs Saint
Leger's apprehensions were sharpened by hearing footsteps--her son's and
another's--approaching the room in which she sat.  A moment later the
door was flung open, and George, pale beneath his tan, re-appeared,
ushering in a thick-set, broadly-built man of medium height, whose long,
unkempt hair and beard, famine-sharpened features, and ragged clothing
told an unmistakable tale of privation and suffering.

"Mother," said George--and as he spoke his lips quivered slightly in
spite of his utmost efforts to keep them steady--"this man is Robert
Dyer of Cawsand, one of the crew of the _Judith_, Captain Drake's ship,
just arrived from the Indies, and he brings us bad news--not the worst,
thank God," he interjected hurriedly as he noted Mrs Saint Leger's
sudden access of pallor--"but bad enough for all that, and it is
necessary that you should hear it.  The expedition has been a failure,
thanks to Spanish treachery; the loss to the English has been terribly
heavy, and several of the men are missing."

For a few moments the poor distracted mother strove vainly to speak;
then, clutching George's arm tightly, she moaned: "Well, why do you
pause, George?  Tell me the worst, I pray you.  I can bear it.  Do not
keep me in suspense.  Do you wish me to understand that Hubert is
killed--or is he among the missing?  He must be one or the other, I
know, or he would be here now to tell his own story."

"He is a prisoner in the hands of the Spaniards, mother," answered
George.  "But be of good cheer," he continued, as Mrs Saint Leger
staggered like one struck and he sprang to her assistance--"sit you
down, mother, and let Dyer here tell us his story.  I have only just
heard the barest outline of it.  Perhaps when we have heard it all it
may not seem so bad.  And don't you fear for Hubert, dearie; 'tis true
that the Spaniards have got him, but they won't dare to hurt him, be you
assured of that; and likely enough he will have escaped by this time.
Now, Dyer, come to an anchor, man, and tell us all that befell.  And
while you're talking we'll have some supper prepared for you."

"Well, madam, and Mr Garge, there ain't so very much to tell," answered
Dyer, seating himself in the chair which Saint Leger had indicated.  "Of
course you do both know--all Plymouth knows--that we sailed away from
this very port a year ago come the second o' last October.  Six ships
strong, we was, well manned, and an abundance o' munitions o' war of
every kind, even to shore-artillery.  And we had Cap'n John Hawkins for
our admiral and Frank Drake for our pilot, so what more could a body
want?

"We made a very good passage to the Canary Islands, which was our first
rondyvoo; and from there, a'ter we'd wooded and watered afresh, and set
up our rigging, we sailed for the Guinea coast.  On our way there, avore
ever we got so far south as Cape Blanc, we captured a Portingal caravel;
pickin' up another of 'em a little way to the nor'ard of Cape Verde.
This here last one was called the _Grace a Dios_, she were a very fine
new ship of a hunderd and fifty ton--and we kept 'em both because, bein'
light-draught ships, the admiral knowed they'd be useful for goin' in
over bar on the Coast, where the mouths of the rivers be always shallow.

"Well, in due time--I forget the exact date, now--we arrived on the
Coast, and there we stayed for a matter o' three months, huntin' blacks
and Portingals; goin' into the rivers in the caravels, landin' parties,
attackin' native villages, and makin' prisoners o' all the strongest and
most likely-lookin' men and women--with a good sprinklin' o' childer,
too--and cuttin' out the Portingal caravels wherever we found 'em.  Ah!
that work o' boardin' and cuttin' out the Portingals!  It was fine and
excitin', and suited Cap'n Drake and Mr Saint Leger a sight better than
nagur huntin'.  They was always the first to come forward for such work,
and never was two men so happy as they was when news was brought of a
caravel bein' near at hand.

"Three months we stayed on that there terrible Guinea coast, and durin'
that time we got together over five hunderd nagurs, besides takin',
plunderin', and burnin' more than a dozen caravels.  Then, wi' pretty
nigh half of our company down wi' fevers and calentures taken on the
Coast and in the rivers, we all sailed for the Spanish Main.  A matter
o' seven weeks it took us to cross to t'other side o' the world,
although we had fair winds and fine weather all the way, as is usual on
the voyage from Africa to the Indies.  Then we arrived at a lovely
island called Margarita, one o' the Spaniards' Indian possessions, where
I was told they find pearls.  Here we found several storehouses crammed
with food of all sorts and great casks o' wine intended for distribution
among the ports of the Spanish Main; and here our admiral decided to re-
victual the fleet.  And mun did, too, in spite of the objections o' the
Spaniards, who vowed that they had no food to spare.  We took from 'em
all that we wanted, but we paid for it in good Portingal goold, seein'
that we was no pirates, but good honest traders.

"Then we sailed westward again, past La Guaira and the great wall of
mountains that tower aloft behind it far into the deep blue sky.  On the
third day after leavin' Margarita we sailed into as snug a little
harbour as you'd wish to see.  And there we stayed for a matter o' two
months, landin' our sick and our blacks, clearin' out our ships' holds,
cleanin', careenin', scrapin', paintin', overhaulin', and refittin'
generally, the blacks helpin' us willin'ly enough when we made 'em
understand what we wanted done.

"By the time that we'd a done everything that we wanted to, our sick had
got well again--all except four what died in spite of us--and then we
put to sea again, coastin' along the Main and callin' in here and there
to trade our blacks for goold and pearls.  But at first the trade
weren't at all good; and bimeby the admiral lost patience wi' the silly
fules and vowed he'd make 'em trade wi' us, whether they wanted to or
no; so we in the _Judith_ and another ship were sent round to a place
called La Hacha.  When we arrived and made to enter, the forts opened
fire upon us!  So we and t'other ship blockaded the place for five days,
sufferin' nothin' to go in or come out; and then along come the admiral
wi' the rest o' the ships, and we got to work in earnest.  The shore-
artillery and two hunderd soldiers was landed, the batteries was
stormed, and we took the town, drivin' all the Spaniards out of it; and
be sure that Cap'n Drake and Mr Saint Leger was among the first to get
inside.  That was enough for they Spanishers; a'ter that they was ready
enough to trade wi' us; and indeed that same night some of 'em comed
back, bringin' their goold and their pearls with 'em; and avore we left
the place we'd parted wi' no less than two hunderd blacks.

"And so things went on until we'd a sold every black that remained; and
by that time we'd got so much goold and so many pearls that the admiral
was afeard that if we tried to get more we mid lose all, and
accordin'ly, a'ter holdin' a council o' war, it was decided to make for
whoam, and we bore away up north to get into the Gulf Stream to help us
to beat up again' the easterly winds that do blow always in them parts.
But, as it turned out, we couldn't ha' done a worse thing.  For we'd no
sooner weathered Cape Yucatan than there fell upon us two o' the most
awful gales that mortal man can pictur', pretty nigh all our canvas was
blowed clean out of the bolt-ropes, some o' the ships was dismasted, the
sea--well, I don't know what I can compare it to, unless 'tis to
mountains, it runned so high; and as for the poor little _Judith_, 'twas
only by the mercy o' God and Cap'n Drake's fine seamanship that she
didn't go straight to the bottom.  By the time that them there
hurricanes was over the ships was not much better nor wrecks, and 'twas
useless to think o' makin' the v'yage home in 'em in that condition, so
our admiral made the signal to bear up and run for San Juan de Ulua.
And when we arrived there, if you'll believe me, madam and Mr Garge, we
found no less than twelve big galleons, loaded wi' goold an' silver,
waitin' for the rest o' the Plate fleet and its convoy to sail for Old
Spain!  And the very next day the ships as was expected arrived off the
port and found us English in possession!

"Then there was a pretty to-do, you may take my word for 't.  Some o'
the cap'ns--Mr Saint Leger and Cap'n Drake among 'em, I believe--was
for attackin' the convoy and takin' the whole o' the Plate fleet; and,
as things turned out, 'twould ha' been better if we'd done it, for,
disabled though our ships were, we could ha' fought at our anchors and
kept the convoy from enterin' the port.  But the admiral wouldn't hear
o' it; he kept on declarin' that we was honest traders, and that to
capture the Spanish ships 'd be a hact of piracy which would get us into
no end o' trouble to home, and perhaps bring about war betwixt England
and Spain; and at last t'others give in to mun and let mun have mun's
own way.  Then there was goin's to an' fro between our ships and the
shore, and I heard say as that the admiral were negotiatin' wi' the
Viceroy for permission for our ships to stay where they was, and refit;
and at last 'twas agreed that we was to be allowed to so do, provided
that we didn't interfere wi' the Spanish ships.

"That bein' arranged, the rest of the Plate fleet and the convoy sailed
into the harbour and anchored, while we English got to work clearin'
away our wrecked spars, sendin' down yards, and what not.  The _Judith_
bein' a small ship, Cap'n Drake took her in and moored her alongside a
wharf upon which we stowed part of our stores and water casks, so 's to
have more room for movin' about on deck; but as for the rest, they'd to
do the best they could while lyin' off to their anchors.  And one of the
first things that we did was to transfer all the goold and pearls that
we'd collected to the _Jesus_.  Three days we laboured hard at the work
of refittin', and then, when most o' our biggest ships was so completely
dismantled that they hadn't a spar aloft upon which to set a sail, them
treacherous Spaniards, carin' nothin' for their solemn word and
promises, must needs attack us, openin' fire upon us both from the ships
and the forts, while a party o' soldiers came marchin' down to the wharf
especially to attack us of the _Judith's_ crew.  When Cap'n Drake see'd
mun comin' he at once ordered all hands ashore; and while he and Mr
Saint Leger and a few more did their best to keep off the soldiers, the
rest of us went to work to put the provisions and water back aboard the
_Judith_.  But we'd only about half done our work when a lot more
soldiers comed swarmin' down, and Cap'n Drake sings out for everybody to
get aboard and to cast off the hawsers--for by this time there was nigh
upon five hunderd Spaniards attackin' us, and we could do nothin' again
so many.  Seein' so many soldiers comin' again us, some of our chaps got
a bit frighted and took the cap'n at his word by castin' off our shore
fasts at once, without waitin' for everybody to get aboard first.  The
consequence was that when all the hawsers had been let go exceptin' the
quarter rope--which I was tendin' to--the Cap'n, Mr Saint Leger, and
about half a dozen more was still on the wharf while--an off-shore wind
happenin' to be blowin' at the time--the ship's head had paid off until
'twas pointing out to sea, while there was about a couple o' fathoms of
space atween the ship's quarter and the wharf.  I s'pose that seein'
this, and that there was only a matter o' seven or eight men to oppose
'em, gived the Spaniards courage to make a rush at the Cap'n and his
party; anyway, that's what they did, and for about a couple o' minutes
there was a terrible fight on that wharf, in which three or four men
went down.

"The next thing I noticed, Mr Garge, were your brother layin' about mun
like a very Paladin, fightin' three big Spanish cavaliers single-handed,
and, while I watched, one of 'em aimed a dreadful blow at mun's head wi'
a heavy two-handed soord.  Mr Hubert see'd the blow comin' and put up
his soord to guard the head of mun, but the soord broke off clean, close
to the hilt, and there were Mr Hubert disarmed.  Then the three
Spaniards that was fightin' mun rushed in afore Mr Hubert could draw
his dagger, seized mun by the arms, and dragged mun away out o' the
fight.  And while this were happenin' our Cap'n were so busy that I
don't believe he ever see'd that Mr Hubert were took prisoner.  Then I
sang out to mun--`Cap'n Drake,' says I, `if you don't come aboard this
very minute,' says I, `the ship'll break adrift and go off and leave ye
behind.'  The Cap'n took a look round, see'd that evrybody else but
hisself was either cut down or took prisoner, and, flinging his soord in
the face of a man that tried to stop mun, leaped clean off quay, seized
the hawser in 's hands as mun jumped, and come aboard that way, hand
over hand.  Then I let go the hawser and jumped to the helm, and we
runned off among t'other ships, where we let go our anchor.

"Now by this time the fight were ragin' most furious everywhere, some of
the Spanish havin' got under way and runned our ships aboard.  But they
didn't gain much by that move, for though they sank three of our ships,
we sank four of them and reduced their flag-ship to a mere wreck, while
their losses in men must ha' been something fearful.  But although we
gived 'em such a punishin', we, bein' the weakest, was gettin' the worst
o' it; and bimeby, when they took to sendin' fireships down to attack
us, the admiral thought 'twas time to make a move, so he signalled that
such ships as could get to sea was to do so.  Accordin'ly, all that was
left of us cut our cables, and made sail as best we could, the _Jesus_
leadin' the way, we in the _Judith_ goin' next, and the _Minion_ comin'
last and coverin' our retreat.

"But that didn't end our troubles by any manner o' means, for we'd
scarcely got clear of the land when the _Jesus_ was found to be so
riddled and torn wi' shot that we only just had time to take her crew
off of her when down she went, takin' with her all the treasure that
we'd gathered together durin' the voyage.  Then we parted company wi'
the _Minion_, and whether she's afloat, or whether she's gone to the
bottom, God only knows, for I hear that she haven't arrived home up to
now."

"And when did the _Judith_ arrive?" demanded George, when it became
evident that Dyer had brought his story to an end.

"Not above two hours agone," answered the man.  "We got in a'ter dark,
and come to an anchor in the Hamoaze; and so anxious were the cap'n to
report that he wouldn't wait till to-morrer, but must needs have a boat
lowered and come ashore to see Cap'n William Hawkins to-night.  And he
bade me walk over here to see madam, give her the news, and say, wi' his
dutiful respec's, that if time do permit he will call upon her some time
to-morrer, to answer any questions as she may wish to ast him."

"One question which I shall certainly want to ask him will be how it
came about that he was so careful to provide for his own safety without
making any effort to rescue my son," remarked Mrs Saint Leger, in a
low, strained voice.

"Nay, madam, by your leave, you must not ask mun that," answered Dyer.
"I, who saw everything, saw that the cap'n could not ha' rescued Mr
Hubert, had he tried ever so.  He could not ha' saved Mr Hubert, and if
he'd been mad enough to try he'd only ha' been took hisself.  Moreover,
from what he've a said since 'tis clear to me that he thought Mr Hubert
had got safe aboard, or he'd never ha' left mun behind.  I knowed that
by the grief o' mun when he was first told that Mr Hubert had been
took."

"What do you suppose the Spaniards will do with my brother?" impulsively
asked George, and could have bitten his tongue out the next moment for
his imprudence in asking such a question in his mother's presence.  For
Dyer was a blunt, plain-spoken, ignorant fellow, without a particle of
tact, as young Saint Leger had already seen, and he knew enough of
Spanish methods to pretty shrewdly guess what the reply to his question
would be.  And before he could think of a plan to avert that reply, it
came.

"Well, Mr Garge," answered Dyer, "you and I do both know how the
Spaniards do usually treat their prisoners.  I do reckon they must ha'
took a good twenty or thirty o' our men, and I don't doubt but what
they'll clap the lot into th' Inquisition first of all.  Then they'll
burn some of 'em at an _auto-da-fe_; and the rest they'll send to the
galleys for life."

"What sayest thou?" screamed Mrs Saint Leger, starting to her feet and
wringing her hands as she stared at Dyer in horror, as though he were
some dreadful monster.  "The Inquisition, the _auto-da-fe_, the galleys
for my son?  George!  I conjure you, on your honour as an Englishman,
tell me, is it possible that these awful things can be true?"

For a second or two George hesitated, considering what answer he should
return to his mother's frenzied question.  He knew that the horrors
suggested by Dyer were true, and the knowledge that his brother was
exposed to such frightful perils--might even at that precise instant be
the victim of them--held him tongue-tied, for how could he confirm this
blunt-spoken sailor's statement, knowing that if he did so he would be
condemning his dearly-loved mother to an indefinite period of heart-
racking anguish and anxiety that might well end in destroying her reason
if indeed it did not slay her outright?  He was as strictly
conscientious as most of his contemporaries, but he could not bring
himself to condemn his mother to the dreadful fate he foresaw for her if
he told her the bald, unvarnished truth.  He knew, by what he was
himself suffering at that moment, what his mother's mental agony would
be if he strictly obeyed her, therefore he temporised somewhat by
replying:

"Calm yourself, mother dear, calm yourself, I beg you.  There is no need
for us to be unduly anxious about Hubert.  I will not attempt to conceal
from you that he is in evil case, poor dear fellow--all Englishmen are
who fall into the hands of the Spaniards, especially if they happen to
be Protestants--and I greatly fear me that some of those who were taken
with Hu may be in grave peril of those dangers of which Dyer has spoken.
But not Hubert.  Hubert was an officer, and it is very rare for even
Spaniards to treat captive officers with anything short of courtesy.  I
fear that our dear lad may have to endure a long term of perhaps
rigorous imprisonment; he may be condemned to solitary confinement, and
be obliged to put up with coarse food; but they will scarcely dare to
torture him, still less to condemn him to the _auto-da-fe_.  Oh, no,
they will not do that!  But while Dyer has been talking, I have been
thinking, and my mind is already made up.  Hubert must not be permitted
to languish a day longer in prison than we can help.  Therefore I shall
at once set to work to organise an expedition for his rescue, and trust
me, if he does not contrive to escape meanwhile--as he is like enough to
do--I will have him out of the Spaniards' hands in six months from the
time of my departure from Plymouth."

At the outset Dyer had listened to George's speech in open-mouthed
amazement, and some little contempt for what he regarded as the young
man's ignorance; but even his dense intellect could not at last fail to
grasp the inward meaning and intention of the speaker; a lightning flash
of intelligence revealed to him that it was not ignorance but a desire
to spare his mother the anguish of long-drawn-out anxiety and the agony
resulting from the mental pictures drawn by a woman's too vivid
imagination; and forthwith he rose nobly to the exigencies of the
occasion by chiming in with:

"Ay, ay, Mr Garge, you'm right, sir.  Trust your brother to get away
from they bloody-minded Spaniards if they gives him half a chance.  For
all that we knows he may ha' done it a'ready.  And if he haven't, and
you makes up your mind to fit out an expedition to go in search of mun,
take me with ye, sir.  I'll sarve ye well as pilot, Mr Garge, none
better, sir.  I've been twice to the Indies wi' Cap'n Drake, once under
Cap'n Lovell and now again under Cap'n Hawkins.  And I've a grudge to
pay off again' the Spaniards; for at La Hacha they played pretty much
the same trick upon Cap'n Lovell as they did this time upon Cap'n
Hawkins."

"Aha! is that the case?" said George.  "Then of course you know the
Indies well?"

"Ay, that do I, sir," answered Dyer, "every inch of 'em; from Barbadoes
and Margarita, all along the coast of the Main right up to San Juan de
Ulua there ain't a port or a harbour that I haven't been into.  I do
believe as I knows more about that coast than the Spaniards
theirselves."

"Very well, Dyer," returned George.  "In that case you will no doubt be
a very useful man to have, and you may rest assured that, should I
succeed in organising an expedition, I will afford you the opportunity
to go with me.  Ah! here comes your supper at last--" as the maid Lucy
appeared with a well-stocked tray--"Draw up, man, and fall to.  You must
stay with us to-night--is not that so mother?"  And upon receiving an
affirmative nod from his mother the young man continued--"and to-morrow
I will send you over to Cawsand in our own boat."

Whereupon, Dyer, pious seaman that he was, having first given God thanks
for the good food so bountifully set before him, fell upon the viands
with the appetite of a man who has been two months at sea upon less than
half rations, and made such a meal as caused Mrs Saint Leger to open
her eyes wide with astonishment, despite the terrible anxiety on behalf
of her first-born that was tugging at her heart-strings and setting
every nerve in her delicate, sensitive frame a-jangle.  And, between
mouthfuls, the seaman did his best to reply to the questions with which
George Saint Leger plied him; for it may as well be set down here at
once that no sooner did the youngster learn the fact of his capture by
the Spaniards than he came to the resolution to rescue Hubert, if rescue
were possible; and, if not, to make the Spaniards pay very dearly for
his death.  But to resolve was one thing, and to carry out that
resolution quite another, as George Saint Leger discovered immediately
that he took the first steps toward the realisation of his plan--which
was on the following morning.  For he was confronted at the very outset
with the difficulty of finance.  He was a lad of rapid ideas, and his
knowledge of seafaring matters, and the Spaniards, had enabled him to
formulate the outlines of a scheme, even while listening to Dyer's
relation of the incidents of Hawkins' and Drake's disastrous voyage.
But he fully recognised, even while planning his scheme, that to
translate it into action would necessitate an expenditure far beyond his
own unaided resources.  True, his mother was very comfortably off,
possessing an income amply sufficient for all her needs derived from the
well-invested proceeds of her late husband's earnings, but George was
quite determined not to draw upon that if he could possibly help it,
although he was well aware that Mrs Saint Leger would be more than
willing to spend her last penny in order to provide the means of
rescuing her elder son from a fate that might well prove to be worse
than death itself.  Therefore the younger Saint Leger began operations
by calling upon Mr Marshall, the merchant and owner of the
_Bonaventure_, and, having first ascertained that that gentleman had
definitely, though reluctantly, decided not to risk his ship in another
Mediterranean voyage so long as the relations of England and Spain
continued in their then strained condition, unfolded a project for an
adventure to the Indies, which, if successful, must certainly result in
a golden return that would amply reimburse all concerned for the risks
involved.  But Mr Marshall had not grown from an errand boy into a
prosperous merchant without acquiring a certain amount of wisdom with
his wealth, and he at once put his finger on the weak spot in George's
proposal by inquiring what guarantee the latter could offer that his
scheme would be successful when a very similar one conducted by such
experienced adventurers as Hawkins and Drake had just disastrously
failed.  He frankly admitted that the young man's scheme was promising
enough, on the face of it, and he also intimated that, as a merchant, he
was always ready to take a certain amount of risk where the prospects of
success seemed promising enough to justify it, but he no less frankly
declared that, while he had the utmost confidence in George's ability as
a seaman, he regarded him as altogether too young and inexperienced to
be the head and leader of such an adventure as the one proposed; and he
terminated the interview by flatly refusing to have anything to do with
it.

Bitterly disappointed at his failure to enlist Marshall's active
sympathy, George called upon some half a dozen other Plymouth merchants.
But everywhere the result was the same.  The adventure itself met with
a certain qualified approval, but the opinion was unanimous that George
was altogether too young and inexperienced to be entrusted with its
leadership.  In despair, George at last called upon Mr William Hawkins,
the father of Captain John Hawkins, to obtain his opinion upon the
project.  Captain John had arrived home a day or two previously, and
young Saint Leger was so far fortunate that he was thus able to obtain
the opinion of both father and son upon it.  As might have been
expected, although these two seamen were friends of the Saint Legers,
they were so embittered by disappointment at the failure of the recent
expedition that they could not find words strong enough to denounce the
scheme and to discourage its would-be leader, and so well did they
succeed in the latter that for an hour or two George was almost inclined
to abandon the idea altogether.  Yet how could he reconcile himself to
the leaving of his brother to a fate far worse than death itself--for
though he had sought to make the best of the matter to his mother, he
himself had no illusions as to what that fate would be--and how could he
face his mother with such a suggestion?  The lad had infinite faith in
himself, He knew, better than anybody else, that he had never yet had an
opportunity to show of what stuff he was made, he candidly admitted the
damaging fact of his extreme youth, but he would not admit to himself
that it was a disability, although others regarded it as such; he had
been a sailor for seven years and during that time he had mastered the
whole of the knowledge that then went to make the complete seaman;
moreover, he was also old for his years, a thinker, and he carried at
the back of his brain many an idea that was destined to be of
inestimable value to him in the near future; therefore, after a long
walk to and fro upon the Hoe, he returned home, disappointed it is true,
but with his resolution as strong and his courage as high as ever.

And here he found balm and encouragement awaiting him in the person of
one Simon Radlett, a shipbuilder, owning an extensive yard at Millbay.

"Old Si Radlett," as he was generally called, was something of a
character in Millbay and its immediate neighbourhood, for, in addition
to being admittedly the best builder of ships in all Devon, he was a bit
of an eccentric, a man with bold and original ideas upon many subjects,
a man of violent likes and dislikes, a bachelor, an exceedingly shrewd
man of business, and--some said--a miser.  He was turned sixty years of
age, and of course had seen many and great changes in Plymouth during
his time, yet, although well advanced in the "sere and yellow," was
still a hale and hearty man, able to do a hard day's work against the
best individual in his yard; and although he had the reputation of being
wealthy he lived alone in a little four-roomed cottage occupying one
corner of his yard, and did everything--cooking, washing-up, bed-making,
etcetera, etcetera, for himself, with the assistance of a woman who
came, for one day a week, to clean house, and wash and mend for him.  He
had known George Saint Leger from the latter's earliest childhood, and
had loved the boy with a love that was almost womanly in its passionate
devotion, nothing delighting him more than to have the sturdy little
fellow trotting after him all over the yard, asking questions about
ships and all things pertaining thereto.

He it was who had presented George with the toy ship that still occupied
a conspicuous position in the latter's bedroom at The Nest, and which
was such a gorgeous affair, with real brass guns, properly made sails,
and splendid banners and pennons of painted silk, that the child had
never cared to have another.  And the affection which the old man had
manifested for the child had endured all through the years, and was as
strong to-day as it ever had been, yet such was Radlett's reputation for
close-fistedness that it had never once occurred to George that he might
possibly be willing to help him, consequently he had not sought him.  No
sooner, however, did the youngster enter the house and discover the old
tarry-breeks in close and animated conversation with Mrs Saint Leger
than his spirits rose; for it had been years since Radlett had so far
presumed as to actually call upon madam, and George somehow felt
intuitively that such an unwonted and extraordinary circumstance was in
some way connected with the realisation of what had now become his most
ardent desire.



CHAPTER THREE.

HOW OLD SIMON RADLETT MADE A CERTAIN PROPOSITION TO GEORGE.

"Well, Garge, my son, so you'm safe whoam again," exclaimed the old
shipbuilder, rising to his feet with outstretched hand, as young Saint
Leger entered the room.  "My word!" he continued, allowing his gaze to
rove over the lad's stalwart frame, "but you'm growed into a reg'lar
strapper, and no mistake; a reg'lar young Goliath of Gath a be, no less.
And you've been a slayin' of a Philistine or two, here and there, so I
do hear" (Mr Radlett was a little mixed in the matter of his Bible
imagery, you will perceive, but he meant well).  "Ay, ay; I've been
havin' a crack wi' old Cap'n Burroughs, since mun comed whoam, and he've
a been tellin' me all about ye.  Garge, I'm proud of 'e, boy--and so be
madam here, too, I'll be boun'--for 'twas I that made a sailor of 'e by
givin' of 'e thicky toy bwoat, a matter o' twelve or vourteen year agone
'tis now.  My goodness me! how time du vly, to be sure.  It du seem to
me only like a vew months ago that I took spokeshave and chisel in hand
to make thicky bwoat, and here you be, a'most a man in years, and quite
a man in experience as I du hear.

"Wi' madam your mother's good leave, I'll ask 'e to sit down, Garge, for
I be comed over expressly to have a talk with 'e.  And, first, let me
say to 'e--as I've already said to madam, here--how sorry I be to hear
of what ha' happened to your brother, Mr Hubert.  But--as I was sayin'
to madam when you comed in--you'll soon have mun out o' Spanish prison
again, for I do hear as you'm arrangin' an adventure expressly for that
purpose."

"I certainly _want_ to arrange such an adventure, if the thing can be
managed," replied George; "but I have got no farther than wanting, as
yet.  I have called upon Mr Marshall, the owner of the _Bonaventure_,
and some half-dozen other merchants, and tried to interest them in my
scheme, but all to no purpose.  They say that I am much too young to be
entrusted with the responsibility of heading such an adventure."

"Too young be danged!" exclaimed Radlett with energy.

"They don't know 'e as well as I do, Garge, or they wouldn't talk like
thicky.  Why, old Cap'n Burroughs told me hisself that if it hadn't ha'
been for you the _Bonaventure_ 'd ha' been in the Spaniards' hands to-
day, and all hands o' her crew, _too.  Too young_?  Rubbidge!  Now, just
you tell thicky plan o' yours to me, and I'll soon tell 'e whether I do
think you'm too young, or not.  And I be an old man; I've seed a good
many strange happenin's in my time, and I've drawed my own conclusions
from 'em; I'm just so well able to form a sound opinion as Alderman
Marshall or any other man to Plymouth.  Now, Garge, you just go ahead,
and when you've a done I'll tell 'e what I do think of your plan, and
you too."

"Well," replied George, "it is simple enough.  My brother was taken
prisoner in the course of a treacherous attack made by the Spaniards
upon a party of peaceful English traders; therefore I take the ground
that his relatives are entitled to demand his release, together with
compensation for any suffering or inconvenience that may have resulted
from the treacherous action of the Spaniards.  I learned, only to-day,
that the Queen has already demanded satisfaction for the outrage from
the Spanish Ambassador.  But we all know what that means.  The
negotiations may go on for years, and the demand may be withdrawn in the
end if by so doing the interests of diplomacy may be served.  Therefore
I do not propose to wait for that--for who trows what may happen to my
brother in the interval?  My plan is this: I intend to go on trying
until I can find somebody sufficiently interested in my scheme either to
advance me the money, or to entrust me with a ship.  Then I will get
together a crew who will be willing to go with me, taking a certain
share of the proceeds of the expedition in lieu of wages--and I believe
I shall be able to raise such a crew without difficulty--and I shall
sail direct to San Juan de Ulua.  Arrived there, I shall make a formal
demand for my brother's immediate release.  And if the Spaniards refuse,
or attempt to put me off by saying that they do not know what has become
of Hubert, I will at once attack the town, take it, and hold it for
heavy ransom.  And if ransom is refused, I will sack the place, taking
every piece of gold or silver and every jewel that I can lay hands upon.
And from there I will traverse the entire coast of the Spanish Main,
attacking every town that promises to be worth while, until I have
succeeded in persuading the Spaniards that it will be to their advantage
to free my brother and deliver him over to me."

"And, supposin' that they should deliver up your brother at the first
town you call at--San Juan de Ulua, I think you named the place--what'll
you do then, boy?" demanded Radlett.

"I shall still require compensation for my brother's seizure," replied
George.  "And," he added, "that compensation will have to be amply
sufficient not only to recompense Hu for his imprisonment, but also to
pay handsomely all connected with the expedition.  It is my intention,
sir, not to return home until I can replace every pig of iron ballast in
my ship with gold and silver."

"Hear to him! hear to him!  Gold and silver, quotha!" exclaimed Radlett,
delightedly.  "And how big's thy ship to be, then, eh, Garge?"

"The biggest that I can get," answered George; "the bigger the better,
because she will carry the more men, the more guns--and the more gold.
I should have liked the _Bonaventure_, if I could have got her, for I'm
used to her, and she is just the right size.  But Mr Marshall will have
nothing to do with me and my scheme."

"Ay, the _Bonaventure_," remarked the shipwright, meditatively.  "Iss,
her be a very purty ship, very purty indeed.  What be her exact tonnage,
Garge?"

"One hundred and twenty-seven," answered George.  "Yes," he agreed, "she
_is_ a pretty ship in every way, and as good as she is pretty.  And
fast!  There's nothing sailing out of Plymouth that can beat her--
although perhaps I ought not to say as much to you, Mr Radlett, seeing
that 'twas Mr Mason, your rival, who built her."

"Never mind vor that, boy, never mind vor that," answered Radlett,
heartily.  "'Tis true what you do say of the ship, every word of it; and
she be a credit to the man who built her, although he do set up to be my
rival.  But 'twont be true very much longer, Garge, for I've a-got a
ship upon my stocks now as'll beat the _Bonaventure_ every way and in
all weathers.  I've a called her the _Nonsuch_, because there's never
been nothin' like her avore.  I drawed out the plans of her shortly
a'ter the _Bonaventure_ was launched, because I couldn't abear to be
beaten by Mason nor nobody else.  And I altered they plans, and altered
'em, and altered 'em until I couldn't vind no more ways of improvin' of
'em, and then I started to build.  And now the _Nonsuch_ be just ready
for launchin', and I'd like you to come over and look at her avore I
puts her into the water."

"Certainly; I will do so with very great pleasure," answered George,
delightedly, for he had a very shrewd suspicion that this invitation
meant more than appeared upon the surface, that indeed--who knew?--it
might mean that the eccentric old fellow was rather taken with his
(George's) scheme, and might be induced to take a very important hand in
it.  "When shall I come?"

"Come just so soon as ever you can, the sooner the better; to-morrow if
you do like," answered Radlett.  "And now," he continued, rising, "I
must be gettin' along, for 'tis growin' late and I be keepin' of you
from your supper.  No, thank'e, madam, I won't stay.  My supper be
waitin' vor me to whoam, and a'ter I've had it I've a lot o' things to
do that won't wait for time or tide.  So good-bye to 'e both.  And you,
madam, keep up your spirits about Mr Hubert; for I'll warrant that
Garge, here, 'll have mun out o' Spanish prison in next to no time."

George was up and stirring betimes on the following morning, and, after
an early breakfast, set out for Mr Radlett's shipyard at Millbay.  He
found the old man busily engaged upon certain papers in the little room
which he dignified with the name of "office"; but upon George's
appearance the old fellow hastily swept the documents pell-mell into a
drawer, which he locked.  Then, pocketing the key, he led the way to the
back door of the house, which gave upon the shipyard, upon passing
through which young Saint Leger immediately found himself in the midst
of surroundings that were as familiar to him as the walls of his own
home.  But he had no time just then to gaze about him reminiscently, for
immediately upon entering the shipyard his gaze became riveted upon the
hull of a tall ship, apparently quite ready for launching, and from that
moment he had eyes for nothing else.  As he came abruptly to a halt,
staring at the great bows that towered high above him, resplendent in
all the glory of fresh paint and surmounted by a finely carved figure of
an unknown animal with the head of a lion, the horns of a bull, the body
of a fish, four legs shaped like those of an eagle, and the wings of a
dragon, old Radlett nudged him in the ribs and, beaming happily upon
him, remarked: "There a be, Garge; that's the _Nonsuch_.  What do 'e
think of her?"

"Upon my word I hardly know," answered George.  "Let me look her over a
bit, Mr Radlett, before you ask my opinion of her.  Is she finished?"

"Finished?" reiterated the old man.  "Iss, sure; quite finished, and all
ready for launching.  Why?  Do 'e miss anything?"

"Why, yes," said George; "I see neither fore nor after castles.  How is
that?"

"Swept 'em both away, lad," was the answer.  "What good be they?  I
allow that they be only so much useless top hamper, makin' a ship crank
and leewardly.  'Tis the fashion to build 'em, I know; but I've thought
the matter out, and I say that they do more harm than they be worth.
Therefore I've left 'em out in the _Nonsuch_, and you'll see she'll be
all the better for it.  But although she have neither fore nor after
castles, she've a poop, and a raised deck for'ard where guns can be
mounted and where, sheltered behind good stout bulwarks, the crew'll be
so safe as in any castle.  Do 'e see any other differences in her?"

"Yes, I do," answered George, as he walked round the hull and viewed it
from different standpoints; "indeed I see nothing but differences.  The
under-water shape of her is different, her topsides have scarcely any
tumble-home, and she has not nearly so much sheer as usual.  Also I see
that you have given her a very much deeper keel than usual.  That ought
to be of service in helping her to hang to windward."

"So 'twill, boy; so 'twill," agreed Radlett.  "You'll find that 'twill
make a most amazin' lot o' difference when it comes to havin' to claw
off a lee shore, all the difference, perhaps, between losin' the ship
and savin' of her.  Then, about the tumble-home, I don't see the use o'
it.  True, it do help to keep the sea from comin' over side in heavy
weather, and keeps the decks dry.  But then it do make the deck space
terrible cramped up, so that wi' guns, and boats, and spare spars and
what not, the crew haven't got room to move.  But you'll see presently,
when you goes aboard, that this here _Nonsuch_ have got decks so roomy
as a ship o' double her size.  And I do hold that they almost vertical
sides o' hern'll make mun ever so much finer a sea boat.  And I've a-
worked out the lines o' mun upon a new principle that, unless I be
greatly mistaken, will make this here _Nonsuch_ such a fast sailor that
nothin' afloat'll be able to escape from mun--or catch mun, if so be
that her have got to run away from a very superior force.  And I be
havin' the sails cut differently, too.  I've thought it all out, and
I've made up my mind that the way sails be cut up to now, they be very
much too baggy, so that a ship can't go to windward.  But I be havin'
all the _Nonsuch's_ sails cut to set so flat as ever they can be made,
and--well, I do expect 'twill make a lot of difference.  And now, Garge,
havin' looked at her from outside, perhaps you'd like to go aboard and
see what she do look like on deck and below."

George having agreed that this was the case, the old man led his visitor
up a ladder reaching from the ground to the entry port.  After the
spacious deck had been duly admired and commented upon the pair entered
the cabins in the poop and below, where again everything proved so
admirable that young Saint Leger found himself quite at a loss for words
in which to adequately express his approval, to the great delight of the
proud designer of the ship.

At length, after a thoroughly exhaustive inspection of the ship, both
inside and out, during which Radlett drew attention to and expatiated
upon the various new ideas embodied in the design, the curiously
contrasted pair retired to the little room which the shipwright called
his office, and there sat down for a chat.

"Well, Garge," exclaimed the old man, as he seated himself comfortably
in a great arm-chair, "now that you've had a good look at the _Nonsuch_,
what do 'e think of her?"

"She is a splendid craft, and a perfect wonder, well worthy of her
name," pronounced George with enthusiasm.  "I should not be surprised to
learn that she inaugurates an entirely new system of shipbuilding.  She
would be the very ship, of all others, for such an adventure as mine;
but I suppose you have built her with an especial view to some
particular kind of service.  Even if you have not, I very much doubt
whether I could raise the money in a reasonable time to buy her.  What
price are you asking for her?"

"She is not for sale, boy," answered the old man with an inscrutable
smile.  "I built her in order to put to the test certain theories o' my
own, and now, before ever she touches the water, I be sure, from the
look of her, that my theories be right.  So I be going to keep her and
use her for my own purposes.  And one o' they purposes be to make money
so fast as ever I can.  I've got neither chick nor child to think about
and take care of, so my only pleasure in life be to build good ships and
make good money with 'em.

"Now, Garge, when I sat listenin' to you talkin' last night, I says to
myself--`There's money, and lots of it, in that there adventure o'
Garge's, if 'tis only worked right.  But it'll want a good leader, and a
good ship; and young as Garge Saint Leger be, I do believe he've a-got
the brains and the courage for it, while I've got the ship.  If I'd a
built the _Nonsuch_ expressly for such an adventure she couldn't ha'
been better suited for it.'  So I comed home and thought the thing over
until I'd made up my mind about it.  Now, Garge, I'm willin' to do this
for 'e.  I'll launch the _Nonsuch_ just as sune as we can get the cradle
builded.  Then, directly that she be afloat, I'll put on a strong gang
o' riggers to get her masts in and rigged and her spars across--the
sails be makin' now, and'll be finished by the time that she's ready vor
'em; and when she's all complete I'll fit her out in ordnance,
ammunition, and weapons of all sorts, and provision her for a year's
cruise, all at my own expense.  You shall have her for your adventure
upon condition that you provide a sufficient crew for her, to my
satisfaction, and that, for the use of the ship and her equipment, I be
to have one half of all the treasure you brings home; the other half to
be disposed of as you thinks fit.  Now, what do 'e say?  Will that
arrangement suit 'e?"

"It will suit me admirably, Mr Radlett, and I agree to your proposal
with a thousand thanks and the greatest pleasure," said George.
"Indeed," he added, "it was precisely such an agreement as I desired to
enter into with Mr Marshall, or some other merchant, but none of them
would listen to me.  And very lucky it is for me that they would not,
for with none of them should I have got such a ship as the _Nonsuch_.
What is her tonnage?"

"Just three tons bigger than the _Bonaventure_, accordin' to her
measurements," answered Radlett, "but she'll have twice so much
accommodation for a crew as Marshall's ship have got; because the
_Bonaventure_ be built for cargo carryin' while the _Nonsuch_ be built
more for fightin' and sailin'.  _Now_ do 'e see?"  And the old fellow
accompanied his explanation with a dig in the ribs that was intended to
convey to George several things that it was best not to discuss too
openly.

Of course George fully understood his companion's meaning, understood--
that is to say--that the _Nonsuch_ had been specially designed and built
with a view to her employment as a freebooter, free-trader--as it was
then euphemistically termed--or a pirate!  But let not the reader be too
greatly shocked at this frank admission.  For in the days of George
Saint Leger piracy was regarded as a perfectly legitimate and honourable
trade--always provided that the acts of piracy were perpetrated only
against the enemies of one's country.  A pirate, indeed, in those days,
was synonymous with the individual who was termed a privateersman at the
time of the Napoleonic wars.  George Saint Leger, although a perfectly
honest and even God-fearing young man, received old Radlett's hint, with
all that it implied, without turning a hair, for it implied nothing
worse than he had contemplated from the moment when he first heard of
his brother's capture.  It was generally agreed, at that time, that it
was not only quite lawful but actually meritorious to make war upon and
spoil the enemy of one's country, and Spain was England's enemy just
then, secretly at all events.  Many people maintained that she was God's
enemy as well, therefore it was deemed doubly meritorious to make war
upon her; so George Saint Leger had not the ghost of a scruple with
regard to his projected raid upon the ports of the Spanish Main.

So the bargain was struck there and then, even to the drafting in
duplicate and signing by both parties of a document setting forth the
several terms and conditions of the agreement.  After this George Saint
Leger departed for home with a light step and a still lighter heart, to
tell his mother the good news.  And she, poor soul, listened to him with
strangely mingled feelings; for on the one hand her heart was racked and
torn with anxiety and fear for her elder son, a captive in the hands of
men whose cruelties to enemies, and especially to so-called heretics,
were even then sending thrills of horror and dismay through the
Protestant world, while her nights were rendered sleepless by the
visions of awful torments, conjured up by her too vivid imagination,
which that son might even then be enduring.  No wonder was it that,
under such circumstances, the one great and paramount desire that
possessed her, to the exclusion of all other things, was the deliverance
of Hubert from the fate which she pictured for him.  Yet, when it came
to the point of consenting to the going of her second son to the rescue
of her first, her very soul sickened within her lest George, instead of
effecting his brother's deliverance, should himself fall into the toils.
For she, like those merchants whom the lad had unavailingly approached,
was convinced that the lad was altogether too young, too immature, too
inexperienced to undertake the responsibility of leading such an
expedition, and if he should fail, her last state would be worse than
her first.  And what hope of success for him dared she entertain at the
very moment when all England was being profoundly stirred at the news of
Hawkins' and Drake's disastrous failure?  If they, seasoned and
experienced mariners as they were, found themselves unable to stand
against the might of Spain, what chance, she constantly asked herself,
would such a mere boy as her George have?  Thus she was swayed by first
one form of terror and then the other until her reason threatened to
give way altogether under the strain, and in sheer desperation she
sought, quite unavailingly, to find distraction in preparing George's
wardrobe for the voyage.  As for George, he saw the terrible struggle
through which his beloved mother was passing, read her every thought,
realised her every fear, and when he was not engaged at the shipyard
with old Radlett, devoted himself strenuously to the almost superhuman
task of allaying those fears, driving them out, and infusing some
measure of hopefulness in their place.  And so energetically did he
strive that at length he actually succeeded in convincing not only Mrs
Saint Leger, but also himself, that the expedition would certainly be
successful and that he would be able to bring home his brother safe and
sound.

Meanwhile, old Si Radlett was nothing if not thorough in his methods,
and, having made up his mind to engage in a speculation that, if
decidedly risky, might yet result in enormous profit to himself, allowed
no grass to grow under his feet.  Every man in his yard was at once
detailed for service on and about the _Nonsuch_, the cradle was built,
and on a certain raw but brilliant morning of early March, Mrs Saint
Leger, well wrapped up in furs, was escorted by George to the shipyard
in Millbay, where she had undertaken to preside at the launch of, and
perform the ceremony of christening, the ship which was to bear one of
her sons across the tempestuous Atlantic to the rescue of the other.

The launch of a ship in those days was a much less ceremonious affair
than it is to-day, yet the piety of the time was so real, and so
intimately pervaded the affairs of daily life, that a short religious
service was deemed as necessary at the christening of a ship as at that
of a child; and accordingly a small platform was erected under the bows
of the _Nonsuch_, where, with Mrs Saint Leger beside him, the vicar of
the church in which old Radlett worshipped every Sunday morning, read
certain passages of scripture, preached a short sermon, and then offered
up special prayers beseeching God's blessing upon the ship.  After this
the spur-shores were knocked away, and to the blare of trumpets and the
roll of drums, Mrs Saint Leger dashed a bottle of wine against the
great cutwater of the gaily bedizened ship as she began to move down the
ways, exclaiming, as she did so:

"God bless the good ship _Nonsuch_ and all who are to sail in her!"  And
she said it not perfunctorily, but from her heart; for the lives and
fortunes of the two who were nearest and dearest to her in the whole
world were irrevocably bound up with the ship.

George did not occupy the platform beside his mother.  As soon as he had
seen her safely placed, he made his way to a point in the yard from
which he could advantageously view the plunge of the ship into "her
native element," and his heart thrilled with joy and pride as he noted
with a keen, appreciative, and understanding eye the manner in which the
hull took the water, the buoyancy with which, after the first deep
plunge, she rose to her bearings and sat upon a perfectly even keel, and
the cleanness with which she divided the water as she drove out toward
the middle of the bay.  Then, too, the craft being farther distant from
him than he had ever before viewed her, he was the better able to
observe the very marked differences in model which Radlett had
introduced into her design, the easier and more flowing lines, the more
graceful shape, the shallower hull, and the absence of those towering
fore and after castles which rendered the ships of those days so
awkward, crank, and uneasy in heavy weather; and he told himself grimly
that with such a ship as that, and with a good strong sturdy crew of
staunch Devonian hearts to back him up, it should not be his fault if he
did not make the word "Englishman" a name of dread from one end to the
other of the Spanish Main.

From the moment of the launch the preparations for the voyage progressed
rapidly, yet not as rapidly as George could have wished, for the time
was one of great difficulty and tension in England; war with France, or
Spain, or both, threatened to break out at any moment; the country was
swarming with spies, and it was therefore of vital importance to the
success of the expedition that the most absolute secrecy concerning it
should be maintained.  It was even necessary that the very existence of
the ship and the fact of her being fitted out should be noised abroad as
little as possible, for, as things then were, in the event of a crisis
arising it was quite upon the cards that the authorities might lay
forcible hands upon the craft and annex her for the service of the
country.  Such a condition of affairs militated very strongly indeed
against extreme rapidity of progress; yet so well did cunning old
Radlett manage that, in spite of everything, the process of rigging the
_Nonsuch_ and preparing her for sea went forward with surprising speed.
It was of course impossible to keep the fact of her fitting-out an
absolute secret from everybody, so when inquisitive people came prowling
about the wharf, asking all sorts of inconvenient questions, old Radlett
gave them to understand, with many nods and winks of mystery, that he
had it in his mind to see what could be done with her in the way of a
trading voyage to the eastern Indies, where, he understood, pots of
money were to be made by those who were willing to take a little risk.

Every day saw a little further progress made, an additional spar raised
into position and secured, a little more added to the complicated maze
of rigging; and meanwhile George, accompanied by Robert Dyer, who had
been hunted up the moment that his services could be made useful, went
hither and thither all over Plymouth and its neighbourhood, day after
day, hunting up desirable recruits, including many of the
_Bonaventure's_ former crew, until in process of time they contrived,
between them, to get together no less than one hundred men, all of them
of the true Devon breed, ready to go anywhere and do anything.  Under
ordinary conditions so large a crew would have found themselves cramped
for room in a ship of the _Nonsuch's_ tonnage.  But the _Nonsuch_ was
not designed for cargo carrying.  She was essentially a fighting ship,
her cargo-space being only about half the capacity of other ships of her
size, the remainder of the hold being fitted to serve as a spacious
'tween-decks, affording accommodation for an even larger crew than
George and her owner had decided was necessary.  And, in addition to the
'tween-decks, there were of course the cabins, plainly but comfortably
fitted up, which included the captain's state cabin in the stern of the
ship, the main cabin, in which the officers would take their meals and
which would be used by them at other times as a council chamber and
general living-room, and cabins for the pilot or sailing master, the
captain of the soldiers, the chaplain, the surgeon, and the purser.

By the time that this formidable crew had been collected together the
_Nonsuch_ was practically complete, so far as rigging and equipment were
concerned, and a week later found her with provisions, water, powder,
and stores of every description on board, as well as her crew, and only
waiting for a fair wind to enable her to go to sea.  It was April, and
after a long spell of bitter north-easters the weather had changed, a
south-westerly wind had set in, with mild, rainy weather, and although
George declared himself ready to go to sea and attempt to beat down-
channel, old Radlett strenuously opposed the idea, upon the plea that it
would be merely a waste of time and a needless risking of the ship.  But
a day or two later a hint was brought to him to the effect that the
attention of the authorities had at last been directed to the _Nonsuch_
and the question of her being taken over by the Government was being
discussed, whereupon the old man withdrew his opposition, and, the
weather falling opportunely calm at the same moment, George took a hasty
farewell of his mother, hurried aboard, gave orders for the lowering and
manning of all boats, and on the afternoon of a certain balmy day of
mid-April, triumphantly towed his ship out to sea until, abreast of the
Mewstone, he fell in with a small southerly air to which he spread his
every sail and so passed out of sight to the westward, while Mrs Saint
Leger, having crossed to Mount Edgcumbe, stood on Rame Head, watching,
until the white sails vanished in the golden haze of evening.



CHAPTER FOUR.

HOW THE "NONSUCH" CAME TO TRINIDAD AND WAS CAREENED THERE.

In these strenuous days of severe competition and universal education,
when there are far more men anxious to obtain responsible positions than
there are responsible positions to be filled, a man often reaches middle
age before he is able to secure a command of the relative importance
conferred upon George Saint Leger when the latter was given the command
of the _Nonsuch_.  But in those days competition was nothing like so
keen as it is to-day, especially among seafarers, where men of education
were comparatively rare.  Such men were only needed to take command of
the ships which were being built to meet the requirements of England's
rapidly expanding trade with "foreign parts," and no sooner was a man
qualified to command than shipowners were glad enough to snap him up.
Also the sum of seafaring knowledge in those days was infinitely less
than it is now.  The art of navigation was, comparatively speaking, in
its infancy, and it was therefore quite possible to produce a finished
seaman in the space of five years, or even less.  Consequently there
were many Elizabethan captains who were little more than boys when they
obtained their first command, the immortal Drake, Saint Leger's
illustrious contemporary, being among them.  Boys began life earlier
then than they do now, and consequently were often occupying positions
of great responsibility at an age when the public school-boy of the
present day is just beginning to think of abandoning his studies in
order to enter upon a career.  Hence it is not surprising that, after
seven years of active sea life, George Saint Leger, young as he was, was
deemed by his old friend Radlett as fully qualified to command what in
those days was considered a very fine ship, and to head an expedition of
very great importance.  True, Mr Marshall, the owner of the
_Bonaventure_, had expressed some doubt as to George being old enough
for the responsibility of command, but he did not know the lad so well
as old Si Radlett did, and had not followed his career with the same
interest; and no sooner was the _Nonsuch_ clear of the channel--which
event occurred on the day following that of her departure from
Plymouth--than the young commander began to justify the confidence which
his new owner had reposed in him.

For, undoubtedly, George Saint Leger was a born seaman.  Not only did he
ardently love the sea and everything connected with it, but he early
developed a faculty of understanding ships, their tackling, and how to
handle them.  Knowledge that some men acquired only slowly and with
difficulty he seemed to grasp intuitively.  The mysteries of navigation
soon ceased to be mysterious to him, and seven years of active sea
experience had taught him all that there was to learn in the way of
handling a crew and training it to work together in such a manner that
its efforts might be employed to the best advantage.  Therefore, once
fairly at sea, he began to sedulously exercise his crew, first in the
work of reducing and making sail, until he had brought them to a pitch
of unsurpassable perfection in that particular direction.  Then he as
sedulously drilled them in tacking, veering, and other manoeuvres.
Finally, he exercised them at the guns, putting them through all the
actions of loading, aiming, firing, and sponging out their weapons--but
without much expenditure of his precious ammunition--until there was
probably no smarter or capable crew afloat than that of the _Nonsuch_.
It must not be supposed that all this was accomplished without
developing a certain amount of friction.  The ship had not been it sea a
full week before her young commander discovered that, despite all his
care, he had picked up a few grumblers and shirkers who failed to see
the necessity for so much strenuous training, but it was just here that
his own personal gifts came to the front.  By dint of argument,
raillery, and--in one or two particularly bad and obdurate cases--
judicious chastisement he finally succeeded in, what is termed in modern
parlance, "licking them into shape."

The usual course to the West Indies in those days was by way of the
Azores and the Cape Verdes, at one or both of which places ships were
wont to renew their supplies of wood, water, and provisions, and from
the last of which mariners shaped a due west course before the trade-
winds.  But, as already hinted, George Saint Leger was a young man of
somewhat original ideas, and geography was one of his favourite studies.
He knew that the direct course from the chops of the channel, was, as
nearly as might be, south-west; therefore he determined to steer a
south-westerly course whenever the wind would permit, instead of
following the usual long route via the Azores and the Cape Verde
islands; but with the assistance of a roughly made globe he had also
puzzled out the fact, not then generally recognised, that in the
latitude of sixty degrees a degree of longitude was only about half the
length of the same degree at the equator, therefore he also determined
to make as much westing as possible at the very outset of his voyage.
And this he was able to do with very satisfactory results, for the light
southerly air which had sprung up and met him when he towed his ship out
of Plymouth Sound not only freshened up into a brisk breeze of such
strength that he could only show "topgallants"--as they were then
called--to it by rather bold "carrying-on," but it lasted a full week,
during which the reckoning showed that the ship--which proved to be
amazingly fast--had sailed a distance of fully twelve hundred miles, or
more than half the distance between England and Newfoundland.  Then a
westerly gale sprang up, which lasted nine days, during which the
_Nonsuch_, under close-reefed canvas, drove southward to the latitude of
Madeira, where the ship encountered calms and light variable winds for
five days before falling in with the trade-winds; after which the
troubles of the voyagers were over.  For thereupon ensued not only a
constant fair wind, but also fine weather, so that the ship sailed on
day after day over a sparkling, gently heaving sea of deepest blue
tipped with tiny creaming foam-caps out of which leaped those marine
marvels the flying-fish in countless shoals as the bows clove the
roaring surges, while overhead the sky daily assumed a deeper, richer
tint of sapphire, out of which the sun, scarcely veiled by the solemn
drifting trade-clouds, shot his beams with ever-increasing ardour.

And then, at dawn of the thirty-first day after their departure from
Plymouth, there was sighted, on the extreme verge of the western
horizon, a small wedge-like shape of filmy grey which Dyer, the pilot,
pronounced to be the island of Barbados, and the crew, weary by this
time of a whole month's gazing upon nothing but sea and sky, swarmed up
on deck at the welcome cry of "Land ho!" and leaned over the bows,
gazing rapturously at the little spot of solid earth as it grew in size
and strengthened in tint.  And lo! as they gazed a cloud formed over the
island, darkening it into shadow.  The underside of the cloud was black
and threatening, and presently its bosom shot forth vivid lightnings,
green, blue, rosy red, and sun-bright flashes of dazzling brilliancy,
the low, deep booming of thunder was heard, and soon the island vanished
behind a violet veil of tropical rain, only to reappear, a quarter of an
hour later, fresh, green, and sparkling in the ardent rays of the tropic
sun.

But as the ship sped on it was seen, to the bitter disappointment of
all, and especially of those who were beginning to suffer from that
terrible scourge of sailors, scurvy, that it was not the intention of
the young captain to call there, and deep murmurings of discontent arose
as the _Nonsuch_ went rolling past the southern extremity of the island,
at a distance of not more than a mile, and it was seen to be covered
with tropical trees glorious in every conceivable shade of green and
gorgeous with many-tinted flowers, for it seemed a very fairy land to
those men, whose eyes were weary of the unending sameness of sea and
sky, day after day, for thirty-one days.  Besides, many of those trees
doubtless bore luscious fruits, and oh! how grateful would those fruits
be to the palates of men dry and burnt with a solid month of feeding
upon salt beef and pork!  George heard the murmurings and saw the black
looks, and called Dyer to him.  Then the two went forward.  Mounting the
topgallant-forecastle, where he could be seen and heard by everybody,
George waved his hand for silence, and presently began to speak.

"Men of Devon," he said, "I perceive that you are disappointed because I
do not intend to touch at yonder island.  And I can well understand your
disappointment, for truly never have I seen a fairer sight than it
presents.  I can tell, by my own feelings, how greatly you would enjoy a
run ashore there.  But, lads, there is a good reason for our avoidance
of that island, and it is this.  God has been very good to us, so far,
in granting us such a splendid passage across the vast Atlantic ocean;
but splendid as that passage is, it has still been long enough to
develop scurvy among us; and at the suggestion of Doctor Chichester, I
have decided, in council, that before making our attempt against the
Spaniards I will put in and give you all a fortnight ashore, both to
regain your health and also to careen the ship and remove the weed which
you have only to look overside to see.  Judging from sight alone, no
better harbourage could we find than that which we have just passed.
But, men, our pilot tells me that the place--which is named Barbados--is
much frequented by the Spaniards, if indeed they have not already taken
possession of it; and we should find ourselves in sorry plight if, while
the ship is hove down, two or three Spanish sail were to appear and
attack us.  Doubtless we should beat them off; but we've not come all
this way to fight just for fighting's sake.  I fight when and where I
choose, and to please myself, not the enemy.  Therefore, instead of
touching at Barbados, where we are liable to attack, we are going two
days' sail farther on, to an island twenty times as big as Barbados,
twenty times as beautiful, and quite safe, because, beautiful as the
island is, the Spaniards have not yet found time to settle upon it.  Mr
Dyer, here, knows the place, and he'll tell you all about it."  And he
stood aside, giving place to the pilot.

"Shipmates," said Dyer, turning to the crowd of eager-eyed men clustered
thickly about the deck below him, "you do all look most terrible
disapp'inted because we'm leavin' thicky island astern, instead of goin'
in and anchorin' before mun.  But though he do look so good and enticin'
he baint quite so good as he do look.  For all about here--and this here
island o' Barbados in partic'lar--I've heard tell be subject to the most
dreadful hurricanes that it's possible for mortal man to imagine, and we
don't want to go in there and have our ship hove half a mile up into the
woods by a storm-wave so that she won't be no more use to us.  Besides
that, as our cap'n have said, the place is used, off and on, by the
Spaniards, and we don't want 'em to come lookin' for us until we be
ready to meet 'em.  So we'm going on a matter o' two days' sail to the
most beautiful island in these here parts, called Trinidad, after the
impious fashion o' the Spaniards, where I knows of a fine, snug little
cove where the ship'll be so safe as ever she was to Millbay, and where
we needn't fear either hurricanes or Spaniards.  There we can take our
ease and enj'y the lovely fruits that the Almighty have provided for the
refreshment of poor sea-worn mariners."

"Then, baint there no Spaniards to Trinidad, Mr Dyer?" demanded one of
the men.

"Not yet there baint," answered Dyer.  "Doubtless in time they'll find
their way there; but at present they'm so eager after gold that they
only settles where gold is to be found.  And there's no gold in
Trinidad, nothin' but harmless Indians, and fruit in plenty--and snakes.
You'll have to be wary and keep a good look out for snakes, when you
gets ashore to Trinidad; but that du hold good of all the Indies."

So the men settled down again to wait in patience for the appearance of
the earthly paradise promised them by Dyer, and, sure enough, the dawn
of the second day after passing Barbados revealed high land on the
larboard bow, serrated in outline, and tree-crowned to its very summit.
As the ship stood on, driven smoothly forward by the good trade-wind,
bringing the saw-like ridges back toward the beam, it was seen that the
land consisted of two islands instead of one, the nearer and lesser of
which is to-day known as Tobago.  But Dyer knew nothing of Tobago,
whereas he had been inside the Gulf of Paria once before; therefore the
_Nonsuch_ held steadily on until Tobago drew out clear upon the larboard
quarter, when a break in the continuity of the land ahead was descried,
and presently this break revealed itself as an opening full ten miles
wide, in the eastern half of which stood three islands--or four, rather,
for upon a still nearer approach it was seen that the middle island was
divided into two by a channel so narrow that at a little distance it
looked as though a man might leap across it.  And upon either side of
the opening, up sprang the land sheer out of the sea to a height of
eighteen hundred feet, steep, and shaggy, with tropical foliage of the
most varied and glorious tints.

Straight for the centre of the passage between the middle and the most
easterly island steered Dyer, and when presently the ship entered the
passage and her sails were almost becalmed by the intervention of the
high land to windward, the amazed seamen found themselves entering a
magnificent land-locked gulf so deep and so wide that they could not
determine the limits of it.  It was not until some time afterward that
they found it to measure some fifty miles deep by ninety miles wide!
And thus they got their first glimpse of the wonderful Gulf of Paria.

Once clear of the passage--now known as the Boca de Huevos--Dyer trimmed
his yards flat and brought the ship as close to the wind as she would
lay, keenly watching the various points and indentations as they opened
out, one after the other, until at length a group of five small tree-
crowned islets opened out clear of an intervening island, when he rubbed
his hands and chuckled delightedly.

"Ah, ah!" he exclaimed, "there a be, there a be!  I was a'most beginnin'
to fear as I'd forgot, or that an earthquake had happened, or somethin'.
But 'tis all right.  You see they five little bits of islands away over
yonder, Cap'n?  Well, they be my landmarks, and as soon as we've stood
far enough on to fetch 'em we'll go about."

As the ship opened out from under the lee of the weather shore it was
found that the trade-wind was piping up briskly athwart the gulf, but
notwithstanding this it was nearly an hour before the _Nonsuch_ had
reached far enough to the southward to enable her to make the islets on
the next tack, and when at length she was hove about it was another full
hour before she glided close past a low point and rounding-to, let go
her anchor in three fathoms, in a snug little cove that looked as though
it had been specially formed for the careening of ships.

The cove was situated within a bay, and was formed by a hook-like
projection of land high enough not only to hide the ship from the view
of any chance voyager who might happen to enter the gulf for
reconnoitring purposes, but also effectually to protect her in the
unlikely event of the trade-wind dying down and giving place to a gale
from the westward.  Moreover, the high land to the eastward so
effectually protected the place from the trade-wind that a perpetual
calm existed in the cove, even when the trade-wind was piping up with
the strength of half a gale a few hundred yards away.  The shore was a
narrow strip of sandy beach, completely submerged at high water, beyond
which lay a space of low, flat ground about half a mile in width,
gradually rising as it receded from the shore, and running up in a sort
of tongue for a distance of about two miles between two lofty, steep-
sided hills, densely covered with trees of various kinds, while the
entire shore, for miles in either direction, was thickly fringed with
coconut trees.  Strangely enough, for some unknown reason, the ground
between the narrow fringe of coconut trees bounding the shore-line and
the base of the hills, was bare of trees, the soil being covered with a
dense growth of guinea-grass, with a few bushes and flowering shrubs
sparsely dotted about here and there--it therefore offered ideal
facilities for camping.

After George and the surgeon, accompanied by Dyer, had gone ashore and
very carefully inspected the place, it was decided at once to unbend the
ship's sails, carry them ashore, and temporarily convert them into tents
for the accommodation of all hands, which would afford the sick an
opportunity to recover their health and strength while the operation of
careening and scraping the ship was proceeding.  This was accordingly
done, and by nightfall the camp was ready for occupation, and the entire
crew, with the exception of an anchor watch, slept ashore that night.

The following day was devoted to the task of transferring to the shore
the whole of the ordnance, weapons, ammunition, and a considerable
portion of the ship's stores, one party attending to this business while
a second party, under George's personal supervision, proceeded to
entrench the camp and otherwise put it into a state of defence, a third
party of half-a-dozen men, under Chichester, the surgeon, exploring the
woods in the immediate neighbourhood in search of fruit, of which they
brought in large quantities, consisting of bananas, mangoes, prickly
pears, _ananas_, custard-apples, soursops, guavas, and a sackful of
coconuts which Dyer showed the men how to open so that they could get at
and quaff the refreshing "milk."  And oh, how delighted everybody was to
find himself in this tropical island paradise, where strange fruits of
the most exquisite flavour were to be had for the mere trouble of
plucking, where the air was fragrant with a thousand mingled perfumes,
where there was a perfect riot of flowers of strange shapes and most
gorgeous colouring to delight the eye, and where humming-birds flashed
hither and thither like living gems in the dazzling, blistering rays of
the sun.  True, there were one or two drawbacks--the heat, for instance,
was terrific in that hemmed-in valley where only a transient breathing
of the trade-wind penetrated at rare intervals; and the men soon found
that paradise still harboured the serpent, for several snakes were seen
and one was killed--a diabolically handsome but most wicked-looking
creature clothed in a skin of greyish black ornamented with a diamond
pattern consisting of lattice-like lines of yellow, and having the flat
heart-shaped head which betrayed its venomous character.  Also there
were innumerable insects and creeping things, notably centipedes up to a
foot in length, whose bite would certainly result in several hours of
excruciating agony which might even terminate in death, and small black
ants which insinuated themselves between a man's clothing and his skin
and tormented him to the verge of madness.  But these things troubled
the men very little, for under Dyer's tuition they soon learned how to
protect themselves against the plagues; and meanwhile the salubrious
air, the luscious fruits, the perfume from the flower-laden woods, and
the many beautiful sights which surrounded them were real things in the
enjoyment of which they forgot all drawbacks.  Thus far, no natives, or
human beings of any sort other than themselves, had been seen the
inference therefore was that the island, at all events that part of it
in which the Englishmen had established themselves, was uninhabited, and
they therefore went about their work without fear of disturbance or
interruption of any kind.

By the end of the week the ship was empty and all ready for heaving
down; and when the men knocked off work on the Saturday night George let
it be known that nothing would be done on the following day, and that
after divine service in the morning all hands would be free for the rest
of the day, and at liberty to amuse themselves as they pleased.
Nevertheless he warned them all not to stray far from the camp, and even
then to keep together in little companies of half a dozen or so, and
also to go fully armed.  For although they had seen no natives thus far,
it was quite possible that the woods might be full of them, watching and
only waiting for an opportunity--when the English were off their guard--
to rush the camp and destroy every one of its occupants.  Accordingly,
on the Sunday, after prayers and an early dinner, those who were bent
upon exploration armed themselves and wandered off up the valley in
small parties in accordance with George's directions.  But the heat was
so intense that few of the men were disposed to ramble very far.  They
had been working hard ever since the arrival of the ship and were more
disposed to spend the day in camp, resting quietly or practising archery
at the butts which they set up.

Seeing this, George, the parson, and the surgeon decided to rig the
quarter boat and proceed on a voyage of exploration eastward in her; and
this they did, arriving, after a beat to windward of some five and a
half miles, off the mouth of a river which seemed to be discharging down
a long and very tempting-looking valley.  There were no natives to be
seen, or any signs of them; therefore, tempted by the possibilities
which the exploration of the river held out to them, they entered and
sailed up it until it shoaled so much and its bed became so obstructed
with rocks that the boat could proceed no farther.  Then it became a
question whether they should adopt the dictates of prudence and return
to the ship, or whether they should risk something by landing and pursue
the further exploration of the river on foot.  Eventually they decided
that as the afternoon was still young, and nothing had been seen that
was in the slightest degree alarming or suggestive of possible danger,
they would take such small amount of risk as was involved in landing and
investigate the course of the river a little farther, the beauties of
the place very strongly appealing to them.  Accordingly they landed,
concealing the boat beneath the foliage of a remarkable tree that
conveniently overhung the stream.

Having cunningly hid the boat and looked carefully to the priming of
their firearms, the adventurous trio stepped ashore, George, with drawn
sword, leading, while Chichester, the surgeon, brought up the rear.
They were compelled to closely follow the course of the stream, since
the woods on either hand were so dense and impenetrable that it would
have been impossible to pass through them, save by hewing their way, and
this was of course not to be thought of.  Besides, it was the river that
they desired to explore, since only by following its banks could
anything be seen of the many strange and beautiful things that
surrounded them; therefore they pressed forward, now on the solid ground
close by the river margin, and now scrambling, ankle and sometimes knee
deep, along the boulder-strewn bed of the stream itself, pausing at
frequent intervals to admire some forest giant dressed in vivid scarlet
blossoms instead of leaves, or another thickly festooned with trailing
creepers gorgeous with blooms of marvellous form and most extravagant
hue, or a graceful clump of bamboo, soaring like gigantic plumes of
feathers a hundred feet into the heat-palpitating air.  Frequently, too,
they halted to watch the motions of some tiny humming-bird hovering like
a living gem over the cup of a flower, or the flight of a gaudily
painted kingfisher or parrot.  A great silence pervaded the woods, for
the trees were for the most part so lofty that the sough of the wind in
their topmost branches was inaudible, and it was the hour when the
insect world indulged in its daily siesta.  Animals there were none to
be seen, but an occasional sudden quick rustle of the grass told them
that snakes were to be watched for and guarded against.

In this fashion the trio proceeded slowly up the river, talking but
little save when one of them in a low voice directed the attention of
the others to some object worthy of notice, until gradually their ears
caught a sound which told them that they were approaching a waterfall;
and five minutes later they sighted it close at hand--and involuntarily
halted, struck dumb and motionless for the moment by the extraordinary
beauty of the picture which lay before them.  The waterfall, the sound
of which had reached them a few minutes earlier, was some sixty feet in
height and about twelve feet wide, the river tumbling vertically down
the perpendicular face of the cliff into a wide basin, the lofty sides
of which were draped with the graceful fronds of giant ferns, the broad
leaves of the wild plantain, crimson-leaved acacias, enormous bunches of
maidenhair, and several varieties of plant and bush, the names of which
were unknown to the trio of gazers, and which were brilliant with
blossoms of the most lovely hues.  The fall leaped out of a kind of
tunnel formed by the intertwined branches of overhanging trees, the
sombre foliage of which was brightened by numerous festoons of flowering
creepers.  But it was not so much the extraordinary fairy-like beauty of
the scene as a whole--the charm of which was further enhanced by the
loveliness of the humming-birds and great butterflies that flitted
hither and thither in the cool, spray-laden atmosphere of the place--nor
the marvellous profusion of new and wonderful flowers of every
conceivable tint that everywhere met the eye, which so powerfully
fascinated the beholder; it was the wonderful, exquisite blue colour of
the water in the basin itself, which, although of crystalline
transparency, receives its marvellous colouring through some freak of
sky reflection penetrating through the branches of the overhanging
trees.  The effect of this wonderful colouring must be seen to be
appreciated.  And it is seen and admired every day by enthusiastic
sightseers, some of whom have journeyed thousands of miles to feast
their eyes upon the beauties of the famous Blue Basin of Trinidad, which
is not very greatly altered now from what it was when those three
adventurous Devonians stood and gazed enraptured upon it, probably the
first white men who ever beheld its magic loveliness.

For a space the trio stood spellbound, silent and motionless; then the
spell relaxed its grip upon them sufficiently to permit of renewed
movement and speech, and they burst into rapturous ejaculations as they
moved forward to gaze again at closer quarters.

"Beautiful! beautiful beyond the power of human mind to imagine, or
human tongue to tell," exclaimed "Sir" Thomas Cole, the ship's chaplain.
"Well might the Psalmist say: `O Lord, how manifold are Thy works!  In
wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches.'  And
I'll warrant that David never looked upon such a scene as this, for 'tis
not recorded that he was ever to the tropics.  And if God hath seen fit
to make this earth so beautiful, think, my masters, what must Heaven,
His own abode, be like?"

"Ay, well may you say that, Sir Thomas," answered Chichester "and yet,
if there seems a chance of any of us going there, we're willing to do
almost anything to delay our departure."

"Well, and 'tis not to be wondered at when this old earth of ours can
show such loveliness as this," commented literal, plain-spoken George.
"For my part, I'm willing enough to be here, just now, to enjoy the
beauty that the Lord has made to delight His people's eyes.  And what a
glorious spot it is for a bathe!  Come on, gentles; who's for a dip?
There's time enough for a swim across and back again if we don't delay
too long.  'Twill be delightfully cooling and refreshing after our long
walk from the boat."

The proposal found immediate acceptance, for the heat had been
overpowering, and the trio were streaming perspiration at every pore.
It was Chichester only, who by virtue of his professional knowledge was
aware of the evil results attending a sudden chill, who first took the
precaution of advancing to the edge of the basin and testing the
temperature of the water by plunging his hand into it, and it was while
he was doing this that his attention was arrested by the peculiar
appearance of what he at first took to be a large stone projecting out
of the shallow water on the opposite side of the basin.  At first sight
it looked exactly like a grey boulder of some fifteen or twenty pounds
weight, yet there was a certain something in its appearance which caused
him to bestow a second and more attentive glance upon it, and now he
felt not quite so certain that it really was a stone, after all.  To
resolve his doubts he picked up a small stone and threw it at the
questionable object, the missile falling about a foot short.  He felt
almost sure that, as the stone plopped into the water, he detected a
slight movement on the part of the mysterious object.  To make quite
sure, he threw a second stone, and this time his aim was better, the
stone hitting the target fair and square in the middle.  But the sound
of the impact was not that of stone upon stone, it was rather that of
stone upon wood, or even some still more yielding substance, and it was
immediately followed by a loud angry hiss and the uprearing of the
object aimed at.  The next instant the amazed trio beheld the head and
neck of a gigantic serpent lift itself some four or five feet out of the
pool, while fierce hissings issued from the wide-opened jaws.  For a few
breathless seconds the enormous reptile glared around, apparently in
search of the audacious disturbers of its slumbers, then, seeing the
three white men standing on the opposite shore of the pool, it swung
round, and came swimming, with an easy, undulatory movement of its body,
straight toward them at an astonishing speed.

"Avaunt, Sathanas!" exclaimed Cole, throwing up his hands.  "Surely 'tis
the Devil himself in his original form that hath taken possession of
this Eden!  No mortal serpent was ever so big as thicky.  Look to the
length of mun!  He must be all of thirty foot, or more.  And look to the
pace at which he cometh!  We must run for it, my masters."  And he
turned with intent to fly from the scene.

"Not a bit of it," exclaimed George, who was by this time half
undressed.  "`Resist the Devil and he will fly from thee.'  And if he be
not the Devil, but only a mortal snake, there is still less reason for
flight, seeing that there be three of us to one of him.  Besides, I mean
to have his skin, and take it home to my mother."  And he snatched up
his long, keen sword from the ground where he had thrown it when about
to undress, and boldly advanced to the attack.

The python, which was of the species known as "anaconda," is very common
in the forests bordering the Orinoco, and is occasionally found in
Trinidad even to this day, the belief current with regard to its
presence in the island being that the ancestors of those now found in
the island originally reached it by swimming across the strait from the
mainland, a distance of only some nine miles.  They are very fond of the
water, and are not venomous.  But George did not know this, therefore it
was all the more courageous of him that he should have determined to
fight rather than retreat from the huge reptile.

The creature was making straight for a small space of smooth, level
beach, free from big boulders and fallen logs, and as this afforded good
firm foothold for a fight, young Saint Leger took up his position there,
and boldly awaited the approach of the monster.  The creature came
steadily on, its eyes gleaming balefully; and presently it reached
shallow water, when it suddenly threw its extended body into a coil, and
raised its great head to the level of George's face, its immense jaws
wide open, and its wire-like forked tongue darting and quivering as it
emitted a series of savage hisses that might well have quelled the
courage of the bravest man.  But George was one of those peculiarly
constituted people who know not what fear is.  Danger but added a
piquant zest to his enjoyment, and steadied instead of upsetting his
nerves.  He loved to pit himself, his courage, his coolness, his skill
and his sagacity against what looked like overwhelming odds, and the
formidable aspect of this enormous serpent, which might well have
paralysed another man with terror, only had the effect of bracing him
and filling him with the joy of combat.  With his good sword gripped
firmly in his hand he stood his ground, intently watching the movements
of his formidable antagonist, with every muscle of his body tense and
ready for action, and presently, when the python hurled itself at him
with a lightning-like extension of its great coils, the lad as nimbly
bounded aside, and at the same moment dealt a slashing blow at the spot
where, a fraction of a second later, he knew its great head would be.  A
jar, which thrilled his sword arm to the shoulder, told him that his
stroke had got home, and the next instant he was violently hurled a
fathom away as the snake's severed head fell to the ground, and the
enormous body, writhing in a thousand terrific convolutions, churned the
blue waters of the basin into diamond-tinted spray.  For full ten
minutes the amazed trio stood gazing in breathless astonishment at the
amazing twistings and writhings of the decapitated body, and then
George, taking advantage of a momentary cessation of movement, dashed
into the shallow water, seized the creature with both hands by its
quivering tail, and drew it ashore.  Then, impaling the severed and
still gasping head upon his sword blade, and inviting his two friends to
help him, the trio, with some difficulty, raised the still convulsively
writhing and twitching body upon their shoulders and, thus heavily
loaded, made the best of their way back to their boat.

The sun had already sunk behind the high land in the direction where
their ship lay, when the adventurers, with their strange prize bestowed
in the bottom of the boat, emerged from the river into the open waters
of the gulf, and shortly afterward the darkness swept down upon them
with the extraordinary suddenness peculiar to the tropics.  But they
cared nothing for that, for they now had a fair wind to carry them back
to camp, the heavens were thickly studded with stars, shining with that
exceeding brilliancy and splendour which is also peculiar to the
tropics, and the men in camp had kindled a fire on the beach as a beacon
to guide them back; they therefore had no difficulty in finding their
way.

But their day's adventures were not yet quite at an end.  For as the
boat slid smoothly along under the impulse of the fast waning wind Cole,
the chaplain, who was sitting on one of the side thwarts, while the
surgeon balanced him on the other side of the boat, suddenly looked up
from the water, into the dark depths of which he had been gazing, with
the startled exclamation:

"Lord ha' mercy! what be that, now?  Look, cap'n, look overside, do 'e,
and tell me, if you can, what monstrous thing we've a-run foul of now."
And as he spoke he pointed straight downward.

George, thus adjured, leaned over the gunwale and directed his gaze
downward.  What he saw was startling enough to cause him to suddenly
shift his helm, with the result that the sail jibed over unexpectedly
and all but capsized the boat.  Luckily the wind had been dropping
steadily for the last half-hour, so they escaped with no worse
consequence than a gallon or two of water over the gunwale.

But what was it that caused young Saint Leger to so far forget himself?
Simply a great shape, made brilliantly luminous by its passage through
the water as it swam immediately underneath the boat, keeping pace with
her.  It was lozenge or diamond-shaped, about twenty-five feet long and
thirty feet broad, with a tail some ten feet long trailing away behind
it.  The light generated by its passage through the water revealed it
sufficiently to enable the startled beholders to perceive that it was
undoubtedly a living thing of some sort, that it was propelling itself
by the movement of its wing-like sides, and that at its forward angle--
which was of course its head--it was furnished with a pair of great
goggle eyes with which it seemed to be regarding the boat intently and
not too amiably.  Whether or not it was startled by the sudden flap of
the sail as the boat jibed, it is of course impossible to say, but, be
that as it may, as the boat suddenly swerved away from above it the huge
creature rose with a rush to the surface and sprang right out of the
water to a height of some twelve feet, and, flapping its enormous wings
like a great bird, _flew right over the boat_, coming down on the other
side of her, at a distance of some four or five fathoms, with a _boom_
like the sound of a gigantic drum, and a disturbance of the sea so
violent that it all but swamped the boat.  Five times it soared into the
air in this extraordinary fashion, luckily descending each time at a
greater distance from the boat, and then it disappeared altogether, to
the great relief of the voyagers.

"Looked as much like a giant thornback as anything I ever saw," remarked
George, when at length the creature had freed them from its presence and
their astonishment had sufficiently subsided to permit of their speaking
again.  "We must ask Dyer about it.  I remember him telling me, some
time ago, about a thing that he once saw when he was last in these seas,
and from his description I think it must have been the same sort of
fish.  He said that the Indians called it, in their own language, the
devil fish, or great sea bat, and they further told him that it is a
most dangerous monster, since it has an unpleasant trick of rising
alongside a canoe, overlapping it with one of its wings, and forcing
canoe and occupants under-water.  I think it not unlikely that the brute
we just now saw may have been meditating to serve us in the same
fashion, but was somehow frightened into thinking better of it."

Twenty minutes later the trio safely arrived at the camp without further
adventure, and found all well there.  The men, it seemed, had enjoyed
the day of rest, each in his own fashion, some in practising archery,
some in repairing and washing their clothes, some in bathing in the
shallow water close inshore, while a party of their comrades in a boat
kept watch outside them to frighten away intruding sharks; while others
had walked up the valley, gathering fruit and flowers.  One party, more
adventurous than the rest, had, ignoring the order against straying far
from the camp, penetrated the valley for a distance of some two miles,
as far as the base of the hills at its higher extremity, and had there
come upon a small Indian village, the inhabitants of which had at first
fled at their approach, but had afterwards been induced to return and
barter with them, giving barbed spears, feather head-dresses, parrots,
monkeys and a queer-looking little animal something like a miniature pig
encased in a shell-like coat--which the men had incontinently named a
"hog in armour"--now known as the armadillo, in exchange for brass
buttons off the white men's coats, old knives, fish-hooks and the like.
Questioned by George as to the appearance of these same Indians, the men
described them as extraordinarily ugly and dirty, wearing no clothing,
but ornaments with pieces of bone thrust through their ears, nostrils
and lips, very repulsive as to appearance, but apparently quite friendly
disposed.  And so indeed they proved to be, for on the following day a
number of them approached the camp, bringing fruit, vegetables, and a
variety of other articles, which they offered in exchange for almost any
rubbish which the white men were willing to part with.  And being
treated kindly, by George's express orders, they continued this practice
so long as the ship remained, to the very great profit and advantage of
the English.  Of course communication with them was exceedingly
difficult, being conducted entirely by signs, hence it was found quite
impossible to obtain any information whatever from them, the business
transactions being conducted by the Indians exhibiting the goods which
they desired to dispose of, and the English producing the articles which
they were willing to give in exchange.

The ship was hove down on the following day, and, all hands working
hard, one side of her was scraped clean and made ready for painting by
the time that the men knocked off work at night.  The next day was
devoted to painting that side of her which had been scraped, and
Wednesday was given up to the drying of the paint and a general overhaul
of the stores.  On Thursday the ship was righted, swung, and hove down
again, exposing the other side of her bottom, and the process of
cleaning, painting and drying was repeated, the operation being
completed by the end of the week.  Sunday was again observed as a day to
be devoted to worship and recreation, and on Monday morning the ship was
finally righted and the work of replacing her ballast, stores, ordnance,
ammunition and so on was begun, the task ending on the following Friday
night, by which time the _Nonsuch_ was once more all ataunto and ready
for any adventure which her young captain might choose to engage in.
And, meanwhile, the invalids, who, at Doctor Chichester's suggestion,
had been spared all labour, had completely recovered from their
sickness, and were as well and strong again as ever.  And, incidentally,
the python which George had slain at the Blue Basin had been most
scientifically skinned and the skin cured, stuffed with dry grass,
stitched up, and the head joined to it again by an Indian whose services
the young captain had contrived to secure; and when the _Nonsuch_ sailed
out of the Gulf of Paria on the eventful Saturday which saw the actual
beginning of her great adventure, the skin--measuring thirty-four feet
eight and a half inches from snout to tail--gracefully, if somewhat
gruesomely, adorned the forward bulkhead of her state cabin.



CHAPTER FIVE.

HOW THEY CAPTURED THE "SANTA MARIA" AT MARGARITA.

By the advice of Dyer, the pilot, George kept the mainland aboard upon
issuing from the Gulf of Paria; for the island of Margarita was at no
great distance to the westward.  And not only was Margarita the spot
where the Spaniards had established a vastly profitable pearl-fishing
industry, but it was also a kind of depot where all sorts of supplies
from Old Spain for the maintenance of her West Indian possessions were
landed and stored, to be drawn upon as occasion might demand.  There
was, therefore, the double possibility of securing a more or less rich
booty of pearls, and of replenishing the stores, somewhat depleted by
two months of usage, at the Spaniards' expense.

Now, it was usual to approach Margarita from the northward; but that
course involved the risk of being sighted from the battery which the
Spaniards had constructed on the north-eastern extremity of the island;
and to be sighted meant that the garrison of the battery would give
timely warning to the colonists, who would thus be afforded ample
opportunity to conceal such treasure of pearls or otherwise as they
might happen to have on hand before the arrival of the English.
Therefore Dyer counselled an approach from the south-eastward, taking
care to keep far enough to the southward to escape observation from the
inmates of the battery, assuring George that he was thoroughly
acquainted with the navigation of those waters and guaranteeing that if
his advice were followed the surprise of the colonists should be
complete.

Accordingly the _Nonsuch_ hugged the coast of the Main as closely as was
at all prudent, a good look-out for rocks and shoals being maintained;
and at dawn on the following morning high land was descried on the
north-western horizon, which Dyer, having inspected it from aloft,
confidently pronounced to be the mountain peaks of the eastern half of
Margarita.

The ship was now, as she had been all through the night and the
preceding day, within the influence of the land and sea-breezes, and it
was under the influence of the former that she was now driving along to
the westward.  But Dyer was aware that very shortly after sunrise the
land breeze would die away and the ship would be becalmed for the best
part of an hour before the setting in of the sea-breeze; therefore,
knowing exactly where he was, with Margarita in sight, he gave the order
to bear up and run off the land, which was done just in time to escape
the calm and run into the trade-wind.

Two hours later more land was sighted, this time straight ahead, and a
little later it was made out to be a small island, right in the fairway
between Margarita and the main.  And as, upon a nearer approach, a
number of buildings were seen upon it, while in the offing a whole fleet
of boats--which Dyer affirmed bore a remarkable resemblance to pearl-
fishing-boats--were sighted at anchor, George resolved to give the place
an overhaul before calling upon the Margaritans.  Now, one advantage
possessed by the _Nonsuch_ happened to be that, owing to the peculiarity
of her design, she bore a very remarkable resemblance to the Spanish
race-ships, or _razees_, which, in conjunction with the great galleons,
transacted almost the whole of the business on the Spanish Main; and
Saint Leger determined to avail himself of this peculiarity in the hope
that he would thereby be enabled to approach the little settlement
without arousing the suspicion of its inhabitants.  Accordingly he stood
boldly on until he was abreast of the place--which now showed as one
large wooden shed and about a dozen smaller ones, together with a small
stone building which had the appearance of a church; then, rounding-to,
came to an anchor, at a distance of about a mile from the shore, the
colour of the water indicating that the island was surrounded by a
shoal.

As the _Nonsuch_ let go her anchor and clewed up her canvas, a number of
people were seen to emerge from the sheds and stand gazing at her, as
though curious to learn what her business might be.  But they showed no
signs of anxiety or alarm; on the contrary, when two boats, with their
crews armed to the teeth, put off from the ship, under the command of
George and Captain Basset, who commanded the small contingent of land
forces forming part of the ship's company, the islanders came sauntering
down to the beach to meet them.

A steady pull of about a quarter of an hour's duration took the boats to
the beach of the island, which was a low and parched-looking place
clothed with guinea-grass with a few clumps of palms and palmetto, and
the inevitable coconut trees close down by the water.  As George stepped
ashore a tall, sallow man attired in trunk hose, gorget, and steel
headpiece, with a long straight sword girded to his thigh, stepped
forward from the little crowd of about a dozen people and courteously
greeted his visitor in good Castilian Spanish.

George, whose trade with the Biscayan ports had enabled him to acquire a
pretty thorough acquaintance with the Spanish language, returned the
greeting in due form; but there was apparently something not quite right
about his accent, for the Spaniard stepped back quickly and, clapping
his hand to his sword-hilt, exclaimed:

"Senor, you are not a Spaniard!  Who are you, and what is your business
here?"

And as he did so his supporters made a movement which seemed the
preliminary to a hurried retreat.  Whereupon George threw up his right
hand warningly and said--of course in Spanish:

"Stand fast, every one of you.  The man who attempts to move will be
instantly shot down.  As to who I am, senor, it matters not.  But my
business is to examine this island, and particularly to see what yonder
shed contains.  Therefore I must trouble you and your comrades to
surrender your swords for an hour or two.  You are my prisoners."

"But, senor, with all submission, this is an outrage," expostulated the
Spaniard.  "I cannot surrender my sword to a stranger who declines to
give me his name, and produces no authority for his actions."

"This is my authority," exclaimed George, suddenly whipping out his
sword with a nourish.  "Will you submit to it, or must I resort to
sterner measures?"

"I submit, of course," replied the Spaniard, "seeing that your party is
much the stronger of the two.  But I do so under protest; and I warn
you, senor, that my Government will speedily avenge this outrage, which
is worthy only of-- Ha! now I know who you are.  You are an Englishman--
possibly that thrice-accursed corsair, Drake, who, last year, at San
Juan de Ulua--"

"You are mistaken, senor; I am not Drake; nor does it matter who I am,"
retorted George.  "Come, senors, your swords, if you please, for I have
little time to waste.  Simons--and Way," to two of his men, "relieve
those gentlemen of their swords.  A thousand thanks, gentlemen," as the
Spaniards surrendered their weapons.  "Now do me the favour to accompany
me; and please remember that any man who attempts to escape will
instantly be shot down."

So saying, George, with his drawn sword in his right hand and his left
resting suggestively upon the butt of one of the pistols that adorned
his belt, led the way toward the little settlement, wondering meanwhile
what could possibly be the explanation of certain whiffs of a singularly
vile and offensive odour which now and then assailed his nostrils when
there occurred an occasional flaw in the trade-wind which was sweeping
briskly over the island.  He might, of course, have asked, but the
thought occurred to him that by doing so he might perhaps be betraying
his ignorance, and so lay himself open to the chance of being misled
upon a matter that might very well be of importance.  A little later on
he was very glad that he had held his peace.

A walk of a few minutes' duration brought the party to the settlement,
whereupon George called a halt and directed three of his men to follow
him into the first house they came to, and the rest to keep a wary eye
upon the prisoners.  The building was a small wooden affair, consisting
of three rooms only, two of which were sleeping apartments, while the
third was furnished with a table, a sideboard, a couch, and a few
chairs, and was evidently used as a sitting-room.  There was nobody in
the house, but upon passing through it to the rear they discovered a
small detached structure, the odours proceeding from which seemed to
suggest that it was being used as a kitchen.  There they found a young
Indian woman bending over a fire and preparing a savoury mess of some
sort; and it was not without difficulty that they at length made her
understand she was a prisoner, and must abandon her cookery and
accompany them.  In like manner they visited all the remaining houses of
the settlement, collecting altogether two white women and some twenty
blacks, as well as a priest, the whole of whom, together with their
other prisoners, they unceremoniously marched to the little church,
locking them therein, and so making prisoners of every soul in the
settlement.  Then, having posted half a dozen men round the church, to
see that nobody broke out, George led the way to the big shed, which was
the most conspicuous building in the settlement.  Entering it, he found
that it was divided into two unequal compartments, the smaller of which
contained a few casks of wine, a few bales of cloth of different kinds,
and a miscellaneous assortment of goods, evidently intended for the use
of the settlers.  Then, passing from this into the larger compartment,
he at once became aware of a faint suggestion of the same peculiar and
offensive odour that had assailed his nostrils while walking up from the
beach, and, looking more closely, he found that it proceeded from an
enormous heap of something piled high against the further wall, which,
upon investigation, he found to be a kind of oyster-shell, the interior
of which was more or less thickly coated with a beautiful white,
iridescent substance.  At once he understood the meaning of everything.
Those shells were shells of the pearl oyster; the settlement was a
subsidiary pearl-fishing station; and the odour which had so offended
him was the odour of decaying oysters laid out to rot in the sun in
order that the pearls might be extracted without injury from the dead
fish.  And it had apparently dawned upon somebody that the shells, as
well as the pearls, possessed a market value, and this was where they
were being stored after being cleansed from the decayed fish.

But if that enormous heap consisted entirely of pearl oyster-shells, as
it unquestionably did, where were the pearls that had been extracted
from them?  George glanced round the sombre interior, lighted by only
one open aperture guarded by a heavily framed shutter, and saw two large
boxes dimly revealed in one shadowy corner of the store.  He strode
across to these, and, flinging them open, stood transfixed with
amazement; for one box--the larger of the two--was three-fourths full of
small pearls of the kind usually known as seed pearls, while the other
was nearly half full of lovely gems of the most exquisite satiny
whiteness, ranging in size from that of a small pea up to beauties as
big as the top of a man's thumb!  What their value might be he had not
the vaguest idea, but there were hundreds of them; ay, possibly a
thousand or more, and he knew instinctively that if he never laid hands
upon another particle of booty, the contents of those two boxes would
pay the whole cost of the expedition and leave a very handsome margin
over for prize money.  The boxes were iron-bound, and were furnished
with stout lids which were capable of being secured by means of strong
padlocks which hung in the hasps, with the keys still in them.  So,
having satisfied his curiosity by closely examining a few of the finer
specimens, George closed and locked both boxes, slipped the keys into
his pocket, and then, going to the door, called to eight of his men,
and, indicating the boxes, instructed the seamen to carry them down to
the boats forthwith.  Then, waiting until he had seen the task
accomplished, he walked to the church door, unlocked and threw it open,
and announced to the prisoners that they were now free to come forth and
proceed about their business, adding that if they would walk down to the
beach after he and his men were gone they would find their swords left
for them upon the sand.  This done, he gave orders for the men to march
down to the boats, himself bringing up the rear.

As George quite expected, the cavalier in gorget and headpiece, who had
met the Englishmen upon their arrival, and who seemed to be the officer
in charge of the settlement, no sooner found himself free than he
proceeded straight to the big shed, entered it, and a moment later re-
appeared and came running after the retiring Englishmen.

"Senor," he cried, as soon as he arrived within speaking distance, "you
have taken our pearls, the proceeds of the entire fishing season up to
the present, and the loss of them will mean to me irreparable ruin.  I
beg you to return them to me, senor, and in acknowledgment of your
courtesy I pledge you the honour of a Spanish gentleman that I will
remain silent as to your visit to this island.  Otherwise I promise you
that I will immediately spread the news of your presence in these
waters, and of your atrocious act of piracy, throughout the length and
breadth of the Spanish Main, with the result that you will be hunted by
every Spanish ship of war in the Caribbean Sea, with consequences to
yourself and your piratical crew which I leave to your own imagination
to picture.  Come, senor, I beg you to think better of this, and to
return the pearls to me.  You will find it pay you far better in the
long run."

"Senor," retorted George, "if I understand you aright, you would buy
back your pearls at the expense of your own countrymen in the various
settlements scattered along the coast, by leaving them unwarned of my
presence in these seas, so that I may have the opportunity to fall upon
them unawares.  If you are sincere in making this proposal, senor
cavalier, you are a traitor to your own countrymen; if not, you have it
in your mind to betray me and my crew.  In either case your proposal
smacks of treachery, and I will have none of it.  Now, mark you this,
senor.  You are at perfect liberty to take whatever steps you please to
warn your countrymen of my presence in the region which Spain arrogantly
claims as exclusively her own.  And you will be doing your compatriots a
service by acquainting them with the reason for my presence here.

"Last year Captain Hawkins, my countryman, had occasion to put into San
Juan de Ulua in distress.  He entered into a solemn covenant and
agreement with Don Martin Enriquez, the new Viceroy of Mexico, whereby
the English were to be permitted to refit their ships in peace, without
let or hindrance from the Spaniards.  Yet, despite this covenant, the
Spaniards most shamefully and treacherously attacked the English at the
very moment when they were least capable of defending themselves, with
the result that many of my countrymen were slain--_murdered_, senor, is
the right word--and many ethers taken prisoners, my brother, Mr Hubert
Saint Leger, among them.  Now, my business here is to rescue that
gentleman, and to exact reparation for his imprisonment and such
hardships and suffering as he may have been called upon to endure in
consequence of the treachery of the Spaniards.  My first act, in
pursuance of this policy, is the seizure of your pearls.  If by any
chance you happen to know anything of my brother's whereabouts, you will
be rendering your countrymen a signal service by imparting such
information to me.  For I intend to carry fire and sword throughout the
Main until I have found my brother and exacted reparation; and when I
have done that, my ravages will cease.  If you can tell me where my
brother is to be found, I will proceed thither direct, and spare your
other towns.  If not, I shall attack each as I come to it.  Now, can you
tell me where I shall be most likely to find my brother?"

"No, senor Englishman, I cannot," answered the Spaniard; "nor would I if
I could.  Your brother is no doubt long since dead, probably at the
hands of the Inquisition.  It is into its hands that heretics generally
fall.  Go your way, senor pirate, go your way to the fate that awaits
you, and do your worst.  I look to have the pleasure of seeing you
publicly burnt alive in the square of one of our cities ere long."  And
the Spaniard turned upon his heel and left George standing there, in a
tumult of feeling too complex for description.  But he did not stand
long, for his men had continued on their way down to the boats, and were
now waiting for him to rejoin them, which he did without further waste
of time.

Upon the arrival of the boats alongside they were at once hoisted in,
after which the two chests of pearls were taken out of them and
carefully deposited below then the anchor was hove up to the bows, and
the _Nonsuch_ once more got under way.  The distance from the island
which they had just left--and which they incontinently called "Pearl
Islet," but which they afterwards learned was named Coche Island--was
not far, being a mere matter of some seven miles and when they arrived
within a mile of the rock-studded coast the ship was kept away before
the wind, and Dyer ascended to the foretop, taking with him a
"perspective glass," or telescope, belonging to George, in order that he
might the better be able to find the harbour of which he was in search.
And after remaining there nearly an hour and a half he found what he
wanted, namely, a low point covered with coconut trees backed up with
thick palmetto scrub, with an opening to the westward of it beyond which
rose three peaks.  This opening was the mouth of the harbour which he
was seeking, and a most unpromising-looking place it was, for there was
white water stretching apparently right across it, showing that the
approach to the harbour was guarded by a reef or bar of some sort.  But
Dyer knew what he was about; he had already been in that harbour once,
and he was aware that somewhere in that barrier, if he could only find
it, there was a channel, narrow, it is true, but nevertheless wide
enough and deep enough to allow the passage of an even bigger ship than
the _Nonsuch_.  And if he wished for confirmation of such knowledge,
there it was before his eyes, in the shape of the upper spars of a ship
showing above the top of the coco palms, the distance apart of the spars
indicating that the craft to which they belonged was at least as big as
the English ship, if not a trifle bigger.

It was not, however, until the _Nonsuch_ arrived immediately opposite
the opening that Dyer was able, with the assistance of the perspective
glass, to pick up the little narrow streak of unbroken water in the
midst of the flashing surf which marked the channel through the reef,
and from his lofty perch he immediately shouted down the necessary
orders to George, who stood aft upon the poop, and who in his turn
repeated them to the mariners, whereupon the ship was brought to the
wind and, under the pilot's directions, headed straight for the passage.
Then Dyer communicated the further information that there was a large
ship lying at anchor in the harbour; upon hearing which Saint Leger,
after demanding and receiving certain further information, gave orders
for the ordnance, great and small, to be loaded, and for the crew to arm
themselves and stand ready for any emergency.

The _Nonsuch_, when brought to the wind, was within two miles of the
shore; a quarter of an hour later, therefore, found her sliding in
through the short, narrow passage of clear water, with the surf pounding
and thundering and churning in great spaces of white froth on either
hand.  Then, suddenly, the commotion receded on the quarters and the
adventurers found themselves in a gulf some eight miles long, running
due east and west, and so narrow that there was only barely width enough
in it for a ship of size like the _Nonsuch_ to turn to windward in it--
as she must do in order to reach the settlement, some three miles to the
eastward, off which the strange ship rode at anchor.  The water inside
this gulf was almost glass-smooth, being to a considerable extent
sheltered from the trade-wind by the high land to the eastward, and
Dyer, still occupying his coign of vantage in the foretop, perceived to
his amazement, that while the spit on the south side of the gulf
gradually widened out as the land trended eastward, the island, at this
particular part of it, was so narrow that the gulf was only separated
from the sea to the northward by a spit so attenuated that he could see
the Caribbean across it less than three miles away.  This narrow
northern spit was also quite low, fringed with coconut palms, and
covered with low, dense scrub, as was the southern spit for a distance
of some two miles, while the land to the east and west of the gulf rose
up in a series of lofty peaks, tree-crowned to their summits, the
vegetation seeming to consist mostly of ceibas, palms, bois immortelles,
bamboo, tree ferns, calabash trees, crimson-hued hibiscus, and other
tropical trees, gorgeous now with multi-coloured blossoms, the whole
presenting a most beautiful and delectable picture as it shimmered under
the rays of the mid-day sun.

But there was one part of the scene which was not quite so delectable,
and that was a spot some three miles up the gulf, where rode at anchor a
race-ship quite as large as, if not something larger than, the
_Nonsuch_.  She was surrounded by boats, to the number of twenty or
more, into which she was discharging cargo which the boats were
conveying to the shore for disposal in certain sheds forming part of a
settlement at least four times as large as that on Coche Island.  It was
a busy scene, some ninety or a hundred men being engaged upon the wharf
and about the warehouses, in addition to those in the boats and aboard
the ship.  Moreover, the _Nonsuch_ was scarcely clear of the channel
through the reef, when the red and gold banner of Spain was hoisted upon
the flagstaff aboard the other ship, and on a flagstaff ashore, which
was of course a polite hint to the new arrival to display her colours in
turn.  There was therefore very little prospect of the English being
able to effect anything in the nature of a surprise, unless they chose
to cloak their real character under a display of false colours, and this
young Saint Leger positively refused to do.  Instead he ordered the
white flag bearing the crimson Cross of Saint George--which was at that
time the ensign of England--to be bent on to the ensign halliards, but
not to be hoisted until he gave the word, since there was no sense in
prematurely alarming the enemy if it could be avoided.

The enemy, however, in this case, promised to be less easily hoodwinked
than their compatriots over on Coche Island; at all events their
suspicions were more readily awakened, for when, after an interval of
about five minutes, the _Nonsuch_ still delayed to show her colours, the
race-ship fired an unshotted gun by way of calling attention to the
invitation implied in the display of her own colours and when this hint
also was ignored signs of intense activity began to immediately manifest
themselves aboard the ship and at the settlement, the boats alongside
the Spaniard hurriedly casting off and pulling for the wharf, while the
race-ship's rigging and yards suddenly grew thick and dark with men
hastening aloft to loose her canvas.

"The Don's goin' to get under way, Cap'n, I du believe," hailed Dyer
from the foretop where he was still perched.  "Do 'e see his men
swarmin' aloft?"

"Ay, ay; I see them," answered George.  "Well, let him come, if so be he
will.  I would rather fight him here than where he is now, where he
could receive the support of his friends.  Do you see any sign of
galleys anywhere about, Mr Dyer?"  Dyer took a long, searching look
through his glass, and at length reported that nothing of the kind was
to be seen.

"Good!" returned George.  "Then our first fight promises to be one of
fair play and no favour--that is to say, if the fellow means to fight
and not to attempt to slip away, which we must take care that he does
not do.  Mr Dyer, you may come down as soon as the Spaniard is fairly
under way, for I shall want you to help me fight the ship.  Now, men of
Devon," he continued, turning to the crew, who had of their own accord
and without waiting for orders gone to their stations, "we shall soon be
fighting our first fight.  Show these haughty Spaniards what you can do,
in such fashion that the _Nonsuch_ shall soon become a name of fear
throughout the length and breadth of the Spanish Main.  Stand to your
ordnance, lads; keep cool; and take good aim."

The _Nonsuch_ had tacked twice, working to windward up the narrow
channel, when Dyer shouted the news that the Spanish ship had apparently
slipped her cable, and was under way, running down toward them; and he
followed up the news by descending the fore-rigging and making his way
aft, where he stationed himself on the poop beside George, in readiness
to supervise the working of the ship while the latter fought her.

The two men had only time to exchange a few hurried words together when
the Spanish ship was seen to windward, coming down toward them under
full sail.  And a gallant sight she looked, with her brightly-painted
hull, her big gilded figure-head and head rails flashing in the sun, her
mastheads and yard-arms bedizened with banner and pennons streaming in
the breeze, and her painted sails bellying and straining at yard and
stay with the warm breathing of the trade-wind.  She was still some two
miles distant, and it would be at least ten minutes before she arrived
within gun-shot.

"Pilot," said George, turning to Dyer, after he had eyed the stranger
carefully, "let the mariners clew up and furl our topgallants.  I
believe we can do without them, by the look of yonder ship, which seems
to be not nearly so fast as ourselves, and there will be the less tackle
for the men to handle when it comes to manoeuvring, and consequently the
more men free to fight."

The order was given; the men sprang to the topgallant halliards and
sheets, cast them off, manned the clewlines and buntlines, and clewed up
the topgallants.  Then a dozen of them--six forward and six aft--leapt
into the rigging, clambered it with the alacrity of squirrels, neatly
furled the sails, and were on their way down again from aloft when the
first gun from the Spaniard boomed out across the still waters of the
channel, to be echoed a little later by the distant hills.  The shot
flew wide, striking the water nearly a hundred fathoms away on the
_Nonsuch's_ lee bow.

"_Now_," cried George, turning to a man who had for some time been
standing by the ensign staff, "you may hoist away and let the Dons see
with whom they are about to fight."  And in obedience to his command the
glorious Red Cross on its white field floated out over the taffrail and
went soaring majestically to the head of the staff, to be greeted with
cheer after cheer by the crew.

The _Nonsuch_ was now on the starboard tack, heading to the northward,
and it looked as though the Spaniard meditated crossing her stern and
raking her at close quarters as she crossed.  To counter this manoeuvre,
therefore, Dyer gave the order "Ready about!" and as the sail-trimmers
sprang to their stations, George shouted an order to the gunners of the
starboard battery to be ready to fire at the word of command.  The men
accordingly blew their smouldering matches vigorously, again looked to
the priming of their ordnance, and held themselves ready to discharge at
the word.  Up swept the _Nonsuch_ into the wind, with all her sails
ashiver in the brisk breeze, and, watching carefully, George gave the
order to fire at the exact moment when the Spanish ship was square
abeam.  The Spaniard discharged her broadside at the same instant, and
immediately succeeding the thunder of the two broadsides those on board
the _Nonsuch_ heard the distant thud of their pounding shot and the
crackling crash of splintering spars; and, looking eagerly in the
direction of the Spanish ship, they saw that they had shot away her
foremast and bowsprit, both of which were in the very act of falling.
So they raised three joyous cheers and fell to loading their pieces
again, while their comrades, who had not yet fired, looked to see where
the Spanish shot had gone.  But, with the exception of two holes in the
_Nonsuch's_ mainsail, and a severed brace dangling from the fore-topsail
yardarm, no damage was discoverable, whereat they cheered again.

The Spanish ship continued to forge ahead on her original course for a
distance of a few fathoms, and then the wreck of her foremast and
bowsprit, towing alongside and still attached to her hull by the
standing and running rigging, dragged her head round to starboard,
whereupon she instantly broached to.  Meanwhile the _Nonsuch_, having
stayed, was paying off on the larboard tack, the relative positions of
the two ships being such that a collision seemed imminent.  George saw
that the situation was such as to demand instant decision, and he
immediately made up his mind what to do.

"Keep her away, Mr Dyer," he commanded, "and run alongside the enemy to
leeward.  Keep your head sail aback to deaden our way, or we shall never
get the grapnels to hold.  Stand by there to larboard to heave your
grappling irons.  Archers and musketeers, discharge me a volley upon the
decks of yonder ship; and, gunners of the larboard battery, be ready to
fire a broadside of ordnance, great and small, into her at the moment
when you feel us touch.  Then, boarders, be ready to follow me."  And he
drew his sword.

The next moment a shower of arrows and musket balls swept the decks of
the stranger with devastating effect, as might be gathered from the
chorus of shrieks and yells of anguish that arose from the deck of the
Spaniard.  An answering volley was instantly returned by the enemy, but
it was wild, straggling, and feeble, bearing eloquent testimony to the
state of confusion that already prevailed on board her, and which did
little harm; and this state of confusion was further demonstrated by the
sight of an officer on her poop waving his sword violently and shouting
orders to which nobody seemed to pay the slightest attention.  A minute
later the hulls of the two ships crashed together, the grappling irons
were thrown at the precise instant that the _Nonsuch_ poured a
destructive broadside into her antagonist, and before the ships had time
to recoil from the impact, George, at the head of some fifty boarders,
leapt from the one ship to the other, and the party proceeded to lay
about them with sword, pike, and musket butt with such fell
determination that after a few seconds' resistance on the part of the
Spaniards the latter flung down their weapons and called for quarter.

George turned to the officer, who had now descended from the poop to the
main deck and was valiantly fighting, single-handed, with his back to
the front of the poop cabins, and cried to him:

"Do you surrender, senor?"

"I will, if you will promise me good _guerra_, senor," replied the
Spaniard, dexterously parrying the thrust of a pikeman and running his
antagonist neatly through the shoulder.

"Then stop, men; hold your hands, and leave this cavalier to me," cried
George, dashing in and striking up the points of the English weapons
that still threatened the Spaniard.  Then, as the men drew sullenly and
unwillingly back, the young captain advanced, with lowered point, and
his left hand held out.  "Your sword, senor," he demanded.  "On the word
of an Englishman, I promise you _buena guerra_."

Whereupon the Don, taking his sword by the point, tendered it, hilt
first, with a bow, to George, who tucked it under his left arm, bowing
in turn as he received it.  And so the _Santa Maria_, fifty tons bigger
than the _Nonsuch_, and carrying even more guns, with a crew which, at
the beginning of the action, had numbered one hundred and thirty, became
the first prize of George's prowess and that of the Devon mastiffs.



CHAPTER SIX.

HOW THEY CAME TO A DESERT ISLAND AND BURIED THEIR TREASURE.

The ships being still held fast together by the chains of the grappling
irons, and driving slowly down the channel before the wind, George first
ordered the _Nonsuch_ to be brought to an anchor; and when this was done
he further instructed Dyer to take steps for the effectual securing of
the unwounded prisoners, and the tending of the wounded on both sides.
Then, inviting the officer who had surrendered to him--and whom he
rightly assumed to be the captain of the prize--to accompany him into
the state cabin of the captured ship, he formally introduced himself as
Senor Don George Saint Leger, an Englishman, and captain of the ship
_Nonsuch_; the stranger returning the compliment by explaining that he
was Senor Don Pasquale Alfonso Maria Francisco of Albuquerque, a servant
of his Most Catholic Majesty, Philip of Spain, and commander of the ship
_Santa Maria_, dispatched from Cadiz by his Majesty to convey munitions
of various descriptions to his Majesty's possessions in the Western
Indies.  And when requested to specify more particularly of what those
munitions consisted, Don Pasquale, etcetera, etcetera, mentioned wines,
cloths, silk, and brocades of various descriptions, salt, leather,
articles of furniture, arms and ammunition, and--he hesitated, whereupon
George gently invited him to complete his enumeration.

"Before I do so, senor," remarked Don Pasquale, "I should like to ask
what you intend to do with my ship, now that you have captured her."

"Assuredly," answered George.  "I had quite intended to tell you, even
if you had not asked for the information.  My purpose in coming to this
part of the world is to seek my brother, who was last year captured by
your countrymen at San Juan de Ulua, when, by order of Don Martin
Enriquez, they treacherously attacked the squadron of the English
admiral, John Hawkins, while he was peacefully refitting his ships,
under an agreement whereby they were to be permitted to do so without
let, hindrance, or interference of any kind.  My brother, Don Hubert
Saint Leger, is still a prisoner in the hands of your countrymen.  My
intention is to secure his release, if he is still alive; and to exact
heavy compensation for his detention--and any discomfort or suffering to
which he may have been subjected; or, if he is dead, to wreak my
vengeance upon his slayers.  Therefore, senor, you will be rendering
your countrymen a service--when I have released you--by informing them
of my purpose, and saying, further, that as soon as I have found my
brother, or had him restored to me, I will hold my hand and leave these
shores; but until then I will ravage the Spanish Main from end to end.
Thus, you--and your countrymen also, I hope--will see that it is to the
interest of every Spaniard in the Indies to find my brother and restore
him to me, alive and unhurt, as quickly as possible.  And do not forget
to lay full emphasis upon the words `alive and unhurt,' senor, because
if he has been slain, or even injured in any way, I will exact such
terrible reparation as shall linger in the memory of Spaniards for many
a long year.  It is in pursuance of my policy of exacting reparation for
my brother's detention that I have captured your ship.  I shall take
from her whatever I may find aboard her that will be of use to me; and,
that done, I shall land you all here on the island of Margarita, and
either sink or burn the _Santa Maria_."

"I presume, senor, from what you say, that you hold a commission from
the Queen of England, and that it is she who has dispatched you upon
your mission of retribution, in revenge for the attack upon her ships at
San Juan de Ulua.  Is that so?" demanded Don Pasquale.

"No, senor, it is not so," answered George.  "The Queen of England knows
nothing of this expedition, which is entirely a private venture of my
own."

"And the senor holds no commission?" continued the Don.

"No commission save what is conferred by this," answered George,
touching his sword.

"Then it would appear that I have fallen into the hands of a common
pirate, senor," remarked Don Pasquale through his teeth.

"If you choose to so regard me," answered George.

"_Bueno_!" remarked the Spaniard.  "Then I shall know what to do.  There
is no question of how I choose to regard you, senor.  You hold no
commission from your Queen, yet you have dared to make war upon the
lieges of his Most Catholic Majesty.  Therefore you are a pirate,
neither more nor less.  And as soon as it pleases you to release me I
shall make the best of my way to the Main, there to warn my countrymen
of your presence upon the coast, and your alleged object.  And you may
rest assured, senor, that within a month from this time every Spanish
ship in these seas will be on the look-out for you.  Your career of
piracy will then soon be cut short; and I shall live in the hope of
seeing you hanged as a warning and example to all other pirates."

"That is as may be," retorted George.  "You may be assured, Don
Pasquale, that I did not enter upon this expedition without a full
realisation of all the risks which it involved.  Let me again impress
upon you the urgency of remembering the words _alive and unhurt_ in
relation to my brother, when you make your report; for if anything has
been allowed to happen to him, I will hold responsible every Spaniard
who falls into my hands.  By the way, was there not something that you
were about to add when you were enumerating the items of your ship's
cargo?"

"There was, senor," answered Don Pasquale, "but I was then under the
impression that I had fallen into the hands of a fellow soldier.  But
now that I find my captor to be merely a common pirate, it is not
consonant with my honour to afford you any further information."

"As you please, senor," answered George, in nowise ruffled by the Don's
reiteration of the term "pirate," which in those days carried nothing
like the opprobrious signification that it bears to-day.  "It matters
not; for I shall cause your ship to be thoroughly searched from stem to
stern before I destroy her.  But as you seem to be imbued with so very
strong an animus against me, I must put you in confinement while your
ship is being searched, lest you should feel tempted to do something
which you would afterwards be sorry for."  So saying, young Saint Leger
threw open the door of a state-room in the lock of which he observed a
key and, signing to the Spaniard to enter, closed the door and locked
the man in, much to the haughty Don's undisguised disgust.  Then, having
first called in a man from the deck to stand sentry over the door, he
went out on deck to see how matters were proceeding there.

He found that the task of separating the wounded from the dead and the
disposal of the former as comfortably as might be on board the ships to
which they respectively belonged, was upon the eve of completion,
whereupon, after giving Dyer certain further orders, George called to
Heard, the purser, and a couple of seamen, to accompany him, and again
entering the cabin of the prize, proceeded to subject it to a thorough
systematic search, beginning with the captain's own private state-room.
Here, as George quite expected, they found, in a locked desk, a large
number of documents, including bills of lading, official instructions,
and so on; and among the latter a paper authorising Don Pasquale to
deliver over to Don Martin Enriquez, the Viceroy of Mexico, at San Juan
de Ulua, the sum of one hundred thousand gold pezos, to be used for
payment of the troops and the expenses connected with the government of
the country.  This was a prize indeed worth having, and George at once
proceeded to the cabin in which the Don was confined, and apprising him
of the discovery of the document, demanded to be informed where the
money was to be found.  But the Don flatly refused to supply the
information, admitting indeed that the treasure was aboard the ship, but
assuring George that it was so carefully concealed that no one but
himself would ever be able to lay hands upon it.  Whereupon George
locked the door again, slipped the key in his pocket, and sent for the
carpenter and carpenter's mate of the _Nonsuch_, with instructions to
come aboard the prize forthwith, bringing with them their tools.

George had a very shrewd suspicion that the money was concealed
somewhere down in the run of the ship, that being the part of a vessel
where treasure was usually stored, because there it would be under the
immediate care of the officers and quite out of reach of the crew; as
soon, therefore, as the carpenter and his mate joined them, the search
party entered the ship's lazarette and completely cleared it, sending
all the stores up on deck.  Then, not finding any traces of the money,
they tore up the temporary decking, and not to dwell unduly upon this
incident, at length found the treasure, in ten stout, iron-bound cases,
very cunningly stowed away in a secret chamber constructed right down
alongside the ship's keelson.  It was a difficult job to get the cases
on deck, they being heavy, and the space in which they were stowed very
confined; but, of course, they managed it at last, and late in the
afternoon the whole was transferred to the _Nonsuch_ and safely stowed
away in her treasure-room.  Meanwhile, Dyer had not been idle; and when
the transfer of the treasure had been effected, and George was free to
attend to other matters, the pilot reported that all the arms,
ammunition, and certain pieces of ordnance, had been removed from the
_Santa Maria_, as well as the large quantity of wine, provisions, rope,
canvas, and other matters that might possibly prove useful in the
future, and that--subject of course to George's approval--the prize
might now be abandoned.  Whereupon, after carefully perusing Dyer's
detailed list of the matters transferred, George issued orders that the
boats of both ships were to be lowered and the prisoners, wounded and
unwounded, sent down into them, after which the flotilla proceeded,
under a flag of truce, to the settlement, some two miles to windward,
where the Spaniards were landed.  There was a tense moment when, as the
flotilla approached the wharf, a body of armed men, numbering about a
hundred, suddenly swung into view from behind a cluster of buildings and
marched down toward the wharf as though intending to dispute the
landing.  But when George, in his gig, pulled fearlessly ahead until he
arrived within hail--and within musket-shot--and announced the object of
his coming, adding that, if any treachery were attempted, his ship would
bombard and utterly destroy the settlement, the armed men were hurriedly
marched back again out of sight, and the landing of the prisoners was
accomplished without difficulty or interference.

By the time that the boats got alongside again, after landing the
prisoners, the sun was within an hour of setting, and if the adventurers
desired to reach the open sea again before nightfall--as they most
assuredly did--it was time to bestir themselves.  George, therefore,
issued his orders, and while one party of his now pretty well exhausted
crew manned the capstan and proceeded to get the _Nonsuch's_ anchor, a
second were set to work to pass a towing hawser aboard the prize and
make it fast; after which the ships got under way, the _Santa Maria_
being in tow of the _Nonsuch_, and safely accomplished the passage of
the reef just as the sun's upper rim was disappearing beneath the
western horizon in a flaming glory of gold and crimson.  Then, as soon
as the ships had secured an offing of some three miles, rendering it
exceedingly unlikely that the prize would drive ashore and again fall
into the hands of her former crew, she was effectually set fire to and
abandoned.  This done, the exhausted crew were sent below to get a good
substantial meal, and the deck was left practically in charge of the
officers, the helmsman and a couple of hands to keep a look-out being
air of the crew who were required to keep the deck until the regular
night watches should be resumed.

This opportunity was seized by George to explain to the officers his
more immediate plans.  He reminded them that the primary object of the
expedition was to rescue his brother from the Spaniards, and pointed out
to them that since the stroke of good fortune which had fallen to their
lot, that day, had made them masters of enough booty to ensure the
financial success of the expedition, there was now no reason why the
great object of the voyage should be further delayed, and intimated his
intention of heading the ship directly for San Juan de Ulua.  And this
was at once agreed to, if not exactly cheerfully, at least with a fairly
good grace; for there were some on board the _Nonsuch_ who, having seen
how apparently easy it was to obtain rich booty, would fain have had the
ship proceed leisurely along the coast, touching at La Guaira, Porto
Cabello, La Hacha, Santa Marta, Cartagena--in fact at every spot along
the Main where the Spaniards had established themselves, holding the
towns to ransom and acquiring all the booty possible while working their
way westward.  But George would have none of it, he had already acquired
quite as much booty as he desired to possess at that moment; for he
wanted to keep his men keen, and he knew that nothing saps a man's
courage more, and makes him less willing to engage in a desperate
enterprise, than the possession of ample means, and he feared that if he
acquired too much treasure before he had succeeded in finding and
rescuing his brother, the crew might insist upon abandoning the quest
and returning home to enjoy the fruit of their spoils.  Therefore, as
soon as the south-western extremity of Margarita was cleared, the ship's
head was hauled up to west-north-west for the northern extremity of the
peninsula of Yucatan.

On the following forenoon a small island, the northern extremity of
which was studded with numerous outlying rocks, was sighted ahead, and
passed, close to the northward, about an hour before noon; and late on
in the afternoon another and somewhat larger island, grouped about with
innumerable rocky satellites, was sighted and passed to larboard.  Then
nothing more was seen until, on the fifth day out from Margarita, about
an hour before midnight, the alarm was suddenly raised that broken water
appeared ahead, and the ship was quickly brought to the wind, on the
starboard tack, just in time to avoid plunging headlong upon a reef
projecting from the northern extremity of a small island, of the
existence of which Dyer declared himself to be utterly ignorant.
Luckily for the adventurers, there was a half-moon riding high in the
sky, which, together with the highly phosphorescent state of the sea,
and the admirable look-out which was being maintained by George's
orders, enabled them to detect the danger in time to avoid it.

Hastily summoned from his bunk, upon the occurrence of the emergency,
George ascended to the poop, and carefully surveyed the situation.  To
the northward there appeared what looked like the loom of high land, but
if it was what it appeared to be, it was sufficiently distant to be of
no immediate consequence, and the young commander scarcely favoured it
with a second glance; it was his immediate surroundings that most
insistently claimed his immediate attention, for as a matter of fact the
ship had blundered up against what is now known as the Pedro Bank and
its cays, and there the latter lay, not more than a mile to leeward of
the ship, which was already in discoloured water, with the sea breaking
heavily at no great distance to the north of her and all round four
small islets within easy distance of each other.  Fortunately, the
weather was fine, and a very brief study of the situation sufficed to
convince Saint Leger that the ship was not in any danger, now that the
islands had been seen and timely measures taken to avoid running upon
them.  But the sight of them had crystallised in his mind an idea that
had been floating there during the last few days, ever since they had
left Margarita, indeed, and he issued orders for sail to be reduced, and
for the ship to dodge to and fro to windward of the islets, keeping them
in sight until the morning.  For he had suddenly made up his mind to
devote a few hours to the examination of these islets by daylight, with
the object of determining their suitability as a hiding-place for the
treasure which he now had on board.  He regarded it as altogether too
valuable to be risked in a fight with its accompanying possibilities of
capture, and he felt convinced, from occasional remarks which had
reached his ears, that all hands would fight with greater freedom, and
much easier minds, if they felt that, in the event of a reverse, their
loss would be confined to that of the ship, and possibly their own
freedom--strange to say, they were quite willing to risk the latter,
convinced that if they fell into the hands of the enemy their loss of
freedom would be but temporary, but if they chanced to lose the treasure
it would be gone for ever.

Accordingly the ship dodged off and on during the remaining hours of the
night, and at daybreak George was called, and at once proceeded into the
foretop, accompanied by Dyer, where the pair again carefully
reconnoitred their surroundings.  From this elevation it was seen that
the four islets occupied the south-eastern extremity of a shoal, or
bank, of somewhat irregular shape, widening out from a point at its
eastern extremity, to a width of some twenty-five miles at the spot
occupied by the islets, and stretching away in a westerly direction to
the very verge of the horizon, and possibly farther still.  The four
islets lay in a group, about four miles apart, nearly equidistant from
each other, and ran in a direction approximately North-North-East, and
South-South-West, the most southerly islet standing quite close to the
edge of the shoal.  The one next it to the northward, which was the
largest of them all, was only a very small affair, being about half a
mile long by about a quarter of a mile broad.  But it was the
northernmost islet that chiefly appealed to George.  All of them were
low and shaggy with stunted bush, but this one stood higher out of the
water than any of the others, being some twelve or fifteen feet high at
its highest part; moreover it had a few coconut trees upon it, which the
others had not, and the young captain was quick to see how usefully
these might be employed as landmarks in the event of his determining to
bury the treasure there.  Accordingly, as soon as he and his companion
had familiarised themselves with the features of the place, George
descended to the deck and took command of the ship, leaving Dyer perched
aloft to act as pilot and con the ship to her anchorage.  Half an hour
later the _Nonsuch_, having slid round the tail of a reef that jutted
out about half a mile from the southern extremity of the island, clewed
up her canvas and came to an anchor at a distance of less than a quarter
of a mile from the beautifully smooth, sandy beach, and all hands went
below to breakfast.

As George more than half-expected, there was a very marked disposition
to murmur and to betray strong dissatisfaction when it came to be known
that the captain had called a halt at this little group of desolate,
uninteresting islets with the express object of burying the rich booty
that had been so easily acquired, some of the malcontents going so far
as to express aloud their firm conviction that when once the islets had
been lost sight of it would be impossible to ever find them again.  And
such a fear was by no means ill-founded, for it must be remembered that
when George Saint Leger embarked upon his great adventure the science of
navigation was in a very different condition from what it now is.
Latitude was only determinable very roughly by means of one or another
of two crude instruments, one of which was called the _astrolabe_ and
the other the _cross staff_, while there was no method of determining
the longitude at all, save by what is now known as the "dead reckoning,"
that is to say, a more or less careful record of the courses steered and
the distances sailed; hence when mariners ventured out of sight of land
their only means of reaching any desired point was to sail north or
south until they reached the latitude of their port, and then steer east
or west, as the case might be, until they arrived at their destination,
this plan being further complicated by the intrusion of obstacles in the
shape of headlands and what not in the way.  But George Saint Leger
happened to be better equipped in this respect than perhaps any other
man of his time; for as has already been mentioned, he was a lad of
ideas, and one of those ideas was that there ought to be some way of
ascertaining the longitude of a ship, if one could but hit upon it; and
further, that such a way having been found, a mariner might fearlessly
venture out of sight of land, remain out of sight of it as long as he
pleased, and go whither he pleased, with the certainty of being able to
find his way back again.  Then, with this postulate firmly fixed in his
mind, he had set himself to work in his leisure time to thrash out the
question of accurately determining the longitude of an unknown place in
relation to a known place.  He was convinced that the world was round,
globular in shape, although there were many learned men who disputed
this assertion, and he also knew that the world revolved on its own axis
once in twenty-four hours.  Also he knew that when the sun, in the
course of its apparent passage round the earth, attained its highest
point in the heavens, it was noon at that place, and his astrolabe
afforded him the means of determining that moment.  Then, still
following the train of thought connected with the earth's diurnal
revolution upon its axis whereby the sun was brought to the meridian
every day at noon, he had not much difficulty in reasoning out the fact
that it cannot possibly be noon at any two or more places at the same
moment unless they happen to be situated on the same meridian, or, in
other words, are of the same longitude.  From this to the assurance that
the difference in time between any two places was equivalent to the
difference in longitude between them was an easy step, and led naturally
enough to the next, which was that, if he happened to possess a time-
piece showing, say, the time at Plymouth, he could, by comparing this
with the moment of noon somewhere else, as ascertained by his astrolabe,
determine the exact distance of that place east or west of Plymouth.
The rest was easy; he went to a certain watchmaker in London and ordered
the best watch that could be made for money, the cost of it absorbing
most of his savings; and this watch, carefully regulated and rated,
showing Plymouth time, he took with him when he embarked upon his great
adventure in the _Nonsuch_, and by means of it he had succeeded in
ascertaining pretty accurately the longitude of Barbados, Trinidad, and
Margarita, and intended also to ascertain the longitude of the islet
upon which he proposed to bury his treasure.  All this he explained to
his crew as well as he could drive so abstruse a matter into their thick
heads, and although it is more than doubtful whether any of them
understood his explanation, they understood at least that "the Cap'n"
was assuring them that he possessed some occult means of finding the
islets again, and with that they were fain to be satisfied.  It never
occurred to them, poor souls, that if the captain lost his watch, or
allowed it to run down, his means of finding the islets again would be
gone, otherwise it is exceedingly unlikely that they would ever have
agreed to his taking the risk.

As soon as breakfast was over, one of the boats was lowered, and George,
accompanied by half a dozen men provided with pickaxes and shovels, went
ashore, to prepare a suitable hiding-place for the treasure, while Dyer,
and Heard, the purser, assisted by the sailmaker, swathed the chest
containing the pearls in several folds of tarred canvas, the outer coat
of all being thickly smeared with pitch, in order to preserve the
delicate gems from injury through being buried in more or less damp
earth.  The shore party had no difficulty in selecting a suitable spot
for the burial, the precise point being determinable again at any time
by a series of carefully taken and equally carefully recorded cross
bearings; and by the time that a hole of suitable dimensions and depth
had been excavated, a signal was flying on board the _Nonsuch_ that all
the preparations there had been completed and that the treasure was
ready for removal, with the result that before the arrival of mid-day
the whole of the treasure was safely deposited in its hiding-place, the
soil shovelled back into the hole and well rammed down, and all traces
of the excavation carefully obliterated.  Then all hands returned to the
ship just in time for George to make his noontide observations for the
determination of the position of the islets.  The anchor was then hove
up and the _Nonsuch_ stood out to sea again, while, despite their
captain's assurances to the contrary, most of the crew were more than
half convinced that they would never again set eyes upon the treasure
which they had taken so much trouble to put out of sight.

Three uneventful days later land was sighted on the larboard bow, and
late in the afternoon the headland at the north-eastern extremity of
Yucatan peninsula was passed at a distance of some twelve miles, and the
course was altered to due west for the run along the northern coast of
the peninsula.  It was near this spot that, just a year earlier, the
squadron under Captain Hawkins' command had encountered the two
successive hurricanes which had played such havoc with them as to compel
them to run to San Juan de Ulua to refit, with the result that
irremediable disaster had overtaken them; and Dyer, who had looked
forward with considerable trepidation to the time when he would again be
called upon to sail those treacherous seas, was loud in his
thanksgivings for the good fortune which had thus far attended them, for
nothing could be more satisfactory and delightful than the weather which
the voyagers were now experiencing, the only drawback to their content
being an unaccountably heavy sea into which they ran about midnight, and
which Dyer was inclined to regard as the forerunner of the much dreaded
hurricane.  With the passage of the hours, however, the violence of the
sea manifested a tendency to moderate, which caused the more experienced
ones among the crew to arrive at the conclusion that, instead of being
the forerunner of a hurricane, the turbulent sea was merely the
aftermath of one which had very recently blown itself out.

And this conclusion was abundantly verified on the following day, for
about mid-morning a floating object was sighted on the starboard bow
which, as the _Nonsuch_ drew nearer, proved to be the hull of a small
ship, dismasted, floating low in the water, and rolling horribly in the
trough of the sea.  Then, as now, the sight of a ship in distress always
appeals irresistibly to the humanity of the British seaman and no sooner
was the character of the floating object identified than the helm of the
_Nonsuch_ was shifted and she was headed for the wreck.  Shortly
afterwards the Spanish ensign was hoisted half-way up the ensign staff
of the stranger, thus declaring not only her nationality but also that
she was in distress, a fact which was sufficiently obvious to all with
eyes to see.

When the _Nonsuch_ had arrived within about a mile of the heavily
labouring craft, George ordered sail to be shortened, and announced to
his officers his intention to stand by the wreck until the sea should
moderate sufficiently to enable boats to be lowered, when he would take
off the crew, and every preparation was made accordingly.  The English
ship was so manoeuvred as to enable her to pass athwart the stranger's
stern and heave-to close under the lee of the latter; and presently, as
the space between the two craft rapidly narrowed, George was enabled to
distinguish, painted in large letters, the name _Dona Catalina_.
Springing into the weather main rigging of his own ship, the young
commander waited until but a few fathoms separated the two vessels, and
he was able to clearly distinguish the features of the three men who
were clinging desperately to the shattered poop bulwark rail of the
wreck, and then, with his hand placed trumpet-wise to his mouth as he
stood with his back supported by the rigging, he hailed in Spanish:

"Ho! the _Catalina_, ahoy!  Do you wish to be taken off?"

"_Si, Senor, si, si_," answered a short, stout, black-bearded individual
who formed one of the trio on the stranger's poop, "we are full of water
and sinking.  Take us off, for the love of God!  We have pumped until we
can pump no more, our strength being completely exhausted, and the leak
is gaining on us rapidly."

"Very well," returned George.  "I will remain near you until the sea
goes down sufficiently to launch a boat.  Until then you must do the
best you can."

"But, Senor," shrieked the black-bearded one, "if you wait until then it
will be too late.  It will be hours before the sea goes down enough to
permit of a boat being launched, and meanwhile our ship is filling fast.
Cannot you devise some means of taking us off at once?  See how we are
rolling, and how the sea is breaking over us!  Every moment I am in fear
that a heavier sea than usual will strike us and roll our vessel
completely over.  Holy Mother of God!  Do not leave us to drown like
rats in a trap, Senor!"

But by this time the two craft had drifted so far apart that further
speech just then was impossible, and as George descended from the
rigging he gave orders to fill the main topsail and get way on the ship
again.  Then he ascended to the poop and joined Dyer, who was already
there.

"Well, Cap'n, what be us goin' to do?" demanded the pilot, whose
knowledge of Spanish was just sufficient to enable him to gather the
drift of what had passed.  "Shall us wait a bit longer, and chance the
hooker stayin' right side up till the sea do go down a bit more; or
shall us try to launch a boat?  I don't doubt but what, if us watches
carefully and works quickly, we can get a boat afloat and unhooked; but
us couldn't get alongside the wrack to take her people off--they'd have
to jump overside and trust to we to pick mun up.  Then how would us all
get 

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