n round and come home
empty-handed, after all my lord's expenses that he had been at? What
but these same beggarly croakers, that be only fit to be turned into
yellow-hammers up to Dartymoor, and sit on a tor all day, and cry 'Very
little bit of bread, and no chee-e-ese!' Marry, sneak-up! say I again."

"And what," said Drake, "would have kept me, if I'd let 'em, from ever
sailing round the world, but these same croakers? I hanged my best
friend for croaking, John Hawkins, may God forgive me if I was wrong,
and I threatened a week after to hang thirty more; and I'd have done it,
too, if they hadn't clapped tompions into their muzzles pretty fast."

"You'm right, Frank. My old father always told me--and old King Hal
(bless his memory!) would take his counsel among a thousand;--'And, my
son,' says he to me, 'whatever you do, never you stand no croaking; but
hang mun, son Jack, hang mun up for an ensign. There's Scripture for
it,' says he (he was a mighty man to his Bible, after bloody Mary's
days, leastwise), 'and 'tis written,' says he, 'It's expedient that one
man die for the crew, and that the whole crew perish not; so show you
no mercy, son Jack, or you'll find none, least-wise in they manner of
cattle; for if you fail, they stamps on you, and if you succeeds, they
takes the credit of it to themselves, and goes to heaven in your shoes.'
Those were his words, and I've found mun true.--Who com'th here now?"

"Captain Fleming, as I'm a sinner."

"Fleming? Is he tired of life, that he com'th here to look for a halter?
I've a warrant out against mun, for robbing of two Flushingers on the
high seas, now this very last year. Is the fellow mazed or drunk, then?
or has he seen a ghost? Look to mun!"

"I think so, truly," said Drake. "His eyes are near out of his head."

The man was a rough-bearded old sea-dog, who had just burst in from the
tavern through the low hatch, upsetting a drawer with all his glasses,
and now came panting and blowing straight up to the high admiral,--

"My lord, my lord! They'm coming! I saw them off the Lizard last night!"

"Who? my good sir, who seem to have left your manners behind you."

"The Armada, your worship--the Spaniard; but as for my manners, 'tis no
fault of mine, for I never had none to leave behind me."

"If he has not left his manners behind," quoth Hawkins, "look out for
your purses, gentlemen all! He's manners enough, and very bad ones they
be, when he com'th across a quiet