against them. They had
anticipated surprising the enemy; but the surprise was all the other
way. Neither had they reckoned on the plate vessels being nearly so
heavily armed.

The booming of cannon now resounded from all sides, and the darkness was
made light by the flashes from the guns, whilst the air became thick and
heavy with powder smoke. The _Elizabeth_ and the _Tiger_ had come upon
the scene, and were attacking the second war-ship, which was resisting
gallantly, supported as she was by the guns from the ships composing the
plate fleet.

Indeed the English were in a very warm corner.

The flag-ship was engaging the first war-ship--the name of which they
discovered to be the _Sotomayor_--yard-arm to yard-arm, and both vessels
fairly reeled under the concussion as the heavy shot crashed in at one
side and out at the other, while the _Good Adventure_ was already on
fire below from the flashes of the guns of her opponent. English
sailormen, however, were ready then, as now, to meet all emergencies,
and the fire was speedily quenched, only to start again, however, and be
again put out.

Three times did Cavendish pour his boarders on to the decks of the
_Sotomayor_, and three times they were driven back by the desperate
valour and greatly superior numbers of the Spaniards.

The Spaniard had lost every mast but her foremast, and the English ship
was in almost as bad a plight. Both ships were badly riddled by shot,
and their crews were decimated. It seemed as though, unless some
decisive move were made to end the conflict, that the combatants would
be exterminated to a man.

The second war-ship, the _Villa de Mejico_, was in even worse plight
than her consort, having two vessels to engage her instead of only one.
She fought with the valour of desperation, however, and was packed with
soldiers who had been put aboard her from the fort in anticipation of
the attack.

It had somehow got to be known, although it was never discovered how,
that the English were near at hand, and were suspected of contemplating
an attack on the fleet; and in view of this suspicion elaborate
preparations had been made for their reception.

The crews of the _Tiger_ and the _Elizabeth_ had several times
endeavoured to board, but had been swept back to their own ships on
every occasion by the combined sailors and soldiers on the Spaniard.

Harry and Roger were, as usual, in the very thick of it, fighting side
by side like the you