wounds,
or his great sorrow; even Frank's last angel's look grew dimmer every
moment as he bustled about the deck; and ere a quarter of an hour had
passed, his voice cried firmly and cheerfully as of old--

"Now, my masters, let us serve God, and then to breakfast, and after
that clear for action."

Jack Brimblecombe read the daily prayers, and the prayers before a
fight at sea, and his honest voice trembled, as, in the Prayer for
all Conditions of Men (in spite of Amyas's despair), he added, "and
especially for our dear brother Mr. Francis Leigh, perhaps captive among
the idolaters;" and so they rose.

"Now, then," said Amyas, "to breakfast. A Frenchman fights best fasting,
a Dutchman drunk, an Englishman full, and a Spaniard when the devil is
in him, and that's always."

"And good beef and the good cause are a match for the devil," said Cary.
"Come down, captain; you must eat too."

Amyas shook his head, took the tiller from the steersman, and bade him
go below and fill himself. Will Cary went down, and returned in five
minutes, with a plate of bread and beef, and a great jack of ale,
coaxed them down Amyas's throat, as a nurse does with a child, and then
scuttled below again with tears hopping down his face.

Amyas stood still steering. His face was grown seven years older in
the last night. A terrible set calm was on him. Woe to the man who came
across him that day!

"There are three of them, you see, my masters," said he, as the crew
came on deck again. "A big ship forward, and two galleys astern of her.
The big ship may keep; she is a race ship, and if we can but recover
the wind of her, we will see whether our height is not a match for her
length. We must give her the slip, and take the galleys first."

"I thank the Lord," said Yeo, "who has given so wise a heart to so young
a general; a very David and Daniel, saving his presence, lads; and if
any dare not follow him, let him be as the men of Meroz and of Succoth.
Amen! Silas Staveley, smite me that boy over the head, the young monkey;
why is he not down at the powder-room door?"

And Yeo went about his gunnery, as one who knew how to do it, and had
the most terrible mind to do it thoroughly, and the most terrible faith
that it was God's work.

So all fell to; and though there was comparatively little to be done,
the ship having been kept as far as could be in fighting order all
night, yet there was "clearing of decks, lacing of nettings, making of