along the coast toward La Guayra.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

CAPTURE OF THE PLATE FLEET AND SACK OF LA GUAYRA--DISAPPEARANCE OF ROGER
AND HARRY.

To make certain of not arriving at their destination too soon, and
before the townspeople and the garrison had retired for the night, the
English ships carried but a small amount of canvas, and consequently
made only some two to three knots per hour.

It was a little after midnight when Roger, who was, as usual, on the
lookout, and who was credited with the sharpest pair of eyes in the
ship, saw for the second time the lights of La Guayra opening up. As
they came into fuller view of the town itself, and of the roadstead,
they were somewhat astonished to find that both were enveloped in almost
perfect darkness--there was scarcely a light to be seen, either ashore
or afloat. There were one or two scattered here and there about the
town, but there were none at all in the forts, and not a single glimmer
was to be made out anywhere in the roadstead.

Surely it was not possible that the vessels of the plate fleet, and its
two protecting warships, could have left the port and disappeared during
the short time that had elapsed since the boat expedition had made its
reconnaissance! At that time, too, there had been numerous other craft
lying there at anchor; yet now it seemed as though the bay were
deserted. Some fresh arrangement--some new plan--was obviously
necessary.

The English ships showed no lights whatever, and the strictest silence
was observed. The captains had received their orders beforehand, and
would have known exactly what course to pursue had there been any lights
showing. But now it became necessary to take fresh counsel among
themselves, and decide how to act.

The flag-ship was, as usual, in the van, and Mr Cavendish ordered all
the boats to be lowered and manned. These were then to spread out in
line, so as to make sure of intercepting the other two vessels as they
came up, and, having found them, to give orders for them to heave-to,
and for their respective captains to repair on board the _Good
Adventure_. The boats themselves were to return to the flag-ship as
soon as these orders had been carried out.

Luckily there was no difficulty in picking up the other ships, even in
the pitchy blackness that prevailed that night, and with but a few
minutes' delay the officers of the fleet were once more assembled in the
cabin of the flag-ship. The situation