, breaking short
and pyramid-wise," till, on the 9th September, the tiny Squirrel nearly
foundered and yet recovered; "and the general, sitting abaft with a
book in his hand, cried out to us in the Hind so oft as we did approach
within hearing, 'We are as near heaven by sea as by land,' reiterating
the same speech, well beseeming a soldier resolute in Jesus Christ, as I
can testify he was.

"The same Monday, about twelve of the clock, or not long after, the
frigate (the Squirrel) being ahead of us in the Golden Hind, suddenly
her lights were out; and withal our watch cried, the general was cast
away, which was true; for in that moment the frigate was devoured and
swallowed up of the sea."

And so ended (I have used Hayes' own words) Amyas Leigh's story.

"Oh, my brother! my brother!" moaned poor Adrian; "the glory of his
house, the glory of Devon!"

"Ah! what will the queen say?" asked Mrs. Hawkins through her tears.

"Tell me," asked Adrian, "had he the jewel on when he died?"

"The queen's jewel? He always wore that, and his own posy too, 'Mutare
vel timere sperno.' He wore it; and he lived it."

"Ay," said Adrian, "the same to the last!"

"Not quite that," said Amyas. "He was a meeker man latterly than he used
to be. As he said himself once, a better refiner than any whom he had on
board had followed him close all the seas over, and purified him in the
fire. And gold seven times tried he was, when God, having done His work
in him, took him home at last."

And so the talk ended. There was no doubt that the expedition had
been an utter failure; Adrian was a ruined man; and Amyas had lost his
venture.

Adrian rose, and begged leave to retire; he must collect himself.

"Poor gentleman!" said Mrs. Hawkins; "it is little else he has left to
collect."

"Or I either," said Amyas. "I was going to ask you to lend me one of
your son's shirts, and five pounds to get myself and my men home."

"Five? Fifty, Mr. Leigh! God forbid that John Hawkins's wife should
refuse her last penny to a distressed mariner, and he a gentleman born.
But you must eat and drink."

"It's more than I have done for many a day worth speaking of."

And Amyas sat down in his rags to a good supper, while Mrs. Hawkins told
him all the news which she could of his mother, whom Adrian Gilbert had
seen a few months before in London; and then went on, naturally enough,
to the Bideford news.

"And by the by, Captain Leigh, I've sad news for you