nitaries of
Plymouth, for Sir Francis had already written down, giving a brief
account of their adventures, and of the marks of esteem which the
Queen had been pleased to bestow upon them; and Plymouth, as the
representative of the county of Devon, rejoiced in giving a hearty
welcome to her sons, who had brought so much credit upon them.

After a stay of a few hours the lads separated, Tom and Reuben each
starting for their respective homes, while Ned, who had no family
of his own, accompanied Gerald, in whose home he was looked upon
almost as a son, and where the welcome which awaited him was as
cordial as that given to Gerald. The share of each of the
adventurers in the Golden Hind was a very large one, and Ned
purchased a nice little property and settled down upon it, having
had enough of the dangers of the seas, and resolving no more to
leave his native country, unless his duty to his Queen should
demand his services.

That time was not long in arriving, for towards the end of 1586 all
Europe rang with the preparations which Philip of Spain was making
to invade England. The Devonshire gentlemen who had fought on the
Spanish Main, and who but lightly esteemed Spanish valor at sea, at
first scoffed at the news, but soon no doubt could be entertained.
Early in 1587 Sir Francis Drake wrote, to his friends who had
fought under him, that her majesty had honored him with a
commission to beat up the Spanish coast, and invited them to
accompany him. The four friends hastened, with many others, to obey
the summons; and on joining him at Plymouth, he was pleased to
appoint each to the command of a ship. Some weeks were spent in
earnest preparation, and in March a fleet of thirty vessels set
forth, full manned and equipped.

Accustomed as the young men were to see great Spanish ships taken
by single boats, and a whole fleet submissive before one ship, it
seemed to them that with such an armament they could destroy the
whole navies of Spain, and even then that little glory would be
divided between each vessel.

Upon the 18th of April the fleet was off Cadiz, and Sir Francis
made the signal for the captains of the fleet to go on board the
flagship. There he unfolded to them his plan of forcing the
entrance to the port, and destroying the Spanish fleet gathered
there. Cadiz was one of the strongest places of Spain, and the
enterprise would, to most men, have seemed a desperate one. But to
men who had fought in the Spanish M