e taken by surprise; and, as the
crowning event of the successful enterprise just executed, he would sack
and burn the town, "to give the Spaniards something to remember him by",
as he phrased it.

The sailors were only too delighted at the idea of attacking their
enemies again, as also at the prospect of the plunder to be obtained at
the looting and sack of the city.

The boats were therefore lowered over the side of the ships remote from
the town, and lay under the vessels' lee during the day, in readiness
for the attack that night.

All day long the repairs were gone on with, and after nightfall torches
and lanterns were lit, to deceive the Spaniards into believing that they
were working hard all through the night, and so lessen their suspicion
as to the probability of any further attack.

A keen watch was kept on the town all day long, to discover whether any
preparations were being made to resist attack, but nothing of the kind
could be discovered.

Evidently the Spaniards, as Cavendish had anticipated, were lulled to
security by the supposition that the English, having secured the plate
fleet, would have no reason or incentive for returning, and fondly hoped
that, as soon as the repairs to the ships were finished, they would sail
away; and that would be the last they would see of the heretic dogs.

But they little knew the character of Cavendish; he was not the man to
abandon any enterprise upon which he had once entered. It was a
principle of his to inflict the greatest possible amount of damage on
the enemy that he could; and meanwhile the town of La Guayra still
remained uninjured.

Therefore--so ran his argument--La Guayra must be sacked and laid in
ashes before he could consider his duty as thoroughly finished.

As a consequence, shortly after midnight the boats of the fleet stole
silently out from under the sheltering lee of their parent vessels, and
made swiftly and noiselessly, with muffled oars, for the town.

Roger and Harry, ready as ever for an adventure, no matter how dangerous
it might be, were in the boats, and keeping a sharp lookout ahead; for
by this time there were but few lights to guide them, the whole city
being wrapped in darkness.

Everything ahead of and around them was perfectly quiet; not a sound
disturbed the still night air save only the scarcely audible ripple of
water under the boats' bows as they swept gently shoreward.

Presently there was a grating of pebbles under t