, never will he weather the Flanders shore, against
such a breeze as is coming up. Look to the eye of the wind, sir, and see
how the Lord is fighting for His people!"

Yes, down it came, fresher and stiffer every minute out of the gray
north-west, as it does so often after a thunder-storm; and the sea began
to rise high and white under the "Claro Aquilone," till the Spaniards
were fain to take in all spare canvas, and lie-to as best they could;
while the English fleet, lying-to also, awaited an event which was in
God's hands and not in theirs.

"They will be all ashore on Zealand before the afternoon," murmured
Amyas; "and I have lost my labor! Oh, for powder, powder, powder! to go
in and finish it at once!"

"Oh, sir," said Yeo, "don't murmur against the Lord in the very day of
His mercies. It is hard, to be sure; but His will be done."

"Could we not borrow powder from Drake there?"

"Look at the sea, sir!"

And, indeed, the sea was far too rough for any such attempt. The
Spaniards neared and neared the fatal dunes, which fringed the shore for
many a dreary mile; and Amyas had to wait weary hours, growling like a
dog who has had the bone snatched out of his mouth, till the day wore
on; when, behold, the wind began to fall as rapidly as it had risen. A
savage joy rose in Amyas's heart.

"They are safe! safe for us! Who will go and beg us powder? A cartridge
here and a cartridge there?--anything to set to work again!"

Cary volunteered, and returned in a couple of hours with some quantity:
but he was on board again only just in time, for the south-wester had
recovered the mastery of the skies, and Spaniards and English were
moving away; but this time northward. Whither now? To Scotland? Amyas
knew not, and cared not, provided he was in the company of Don Guzman de
Soto.

The Armada was defeated, and England saved. But such great undertakings
seldom end in one grand melodramatic explosion of fireworks, through
which the devil arises in full roar to drag Dr. Faustus forever into the
flaming pit. On the contrary, the devil stands by his servants to the
last, and tries to bring off his shattered forces with drums beating and
colors flying; and, if possible, to lull his enemies into supposing that
the fight is ended, long before it really is half over. All which the
good Lord Howard of Effingham knew well, and knew, too, that Medina had
one last card to play, and that was the filial affection of that dutiful
and c