sk for a digestive to it."

"I thank your lordship: but this is my private quarrel, of which I
spoke. But if your lordship could lend me powder--"

"Would that I could! But so, I fear, says every other gentleman in the
fleet."

A puff of wind clears away the sulphurous veil for a moment; the sea is
clear of ships towards the land; the Spanish fleet are moving again up
Channel, Medina bringing up the rear; only some two miles to their right
hand, the vast hull of the San Philip is drifting up the shore with the
tide, and somewhat nearer the San Matthew is hard at work at her pumps.
They can see the white stream of water pouring down her side.

"Go in, my lord, and have the pair," shouts Amyas.

"No, sir! Forward is a Seymour's cry. We will leave them to pay the
Flushingers' expenses." And on went Lord Henry, and on shore went the
San Philip at Ostend, to be plundered by the Flushingers; while the
San Matthew, whose captain, "on a hault courage," had refused to save
himself and his gentlemen on board Medina's ship, went blundering
miserably into the hungry mouths of Captain Peter Vanderduess and four
other valiant Dutchmen, who, like prudent men of Holland, contrived to
keep the galleon afloat till they had emptied her, and then "hung up her
banner in the great church of Leyden, being of such a length, that being
fastened to the roof, it reached unto the very ground."

But in the meanwhile, long ere the sun had set, comes down the darkness
of the thunderstorm, attracted, as to a volcano's mouth, to that vast
mass of sulphur-smoke which cloaks the sea for many a mile; and heaven's
artillery above makes answer to man's below. But still, through smoke
and rain, Amyas clings to his prey. She too has seen the northward
movement of the Spanish fleet, and sets her topsails; Amyas calls to
the men to fire high, and cripple her rigging: but in vain: for three or
four belated galleys, having forced their way at last over the shallows,
come flashing and sputtering up to the combatants, and take his fire
off the galleon. Amyas grinds his teeth, and would fain hustle into the
thick of the press once more, in spite of the galleys' beaks.

"Most heroical captain," says cary, pulling a long face, "if we do, we
are stove and sunk in five minutes; not to mention that Yeo says he has
not twenty rounds of great cartridge left."

So, surely and silent, the Vengeance sheers off, but keeps as near
as she can to the little squadron, all