captured during
one of her actions. She is one of Mr Cavendish's vessels. I hear that
he left her in these seas to harry the Spaniards, whilst he took the
rest of the fleet round the other side, where he has just captured their
plate fleet. I shall be right glad to get back aboard her again."

"What!" exclaimed Roger in astonishment; "is that the dear old
_Elizabeth_? Why, I know her captain and crew well. Many is the time I
have been aboard her."

"Is that so, sir?" queried the man. "Then you will know old Cary,
perhaps, who used to be aboard her."

"Ay," replied Roger, "I know him well; but he was on the flag-ship, the
_Stag Royal_, and not the _Elizabeth_, when I saw him last."

"Well," said the sailor, "in any case we must not waste time--hark,
hark, there go the bells! They have discovered your escape. Now we
must be moving, for our very lives. This way."

And he hurried along a quay wall, which formed one of the arms of a
little harbour where small craft might lie.

The bells were indeed clanging wildly, and the noise was deafening.
Voices were to be heard now--snouts and cries; though whether the people
were yet on their track or not they could not tell. Along the wall they
hastened at a run, until they came to a small lateen-rigged vessel,
secured to the farthest end of the mole, and with her one huge sail
roughly furled round the yard. They dashed on board, cut the ropes
through, and the sailor, swarming up the rigging, cut the lashings, and
the foot of the lateen sail dropped down on deck. Roger hauled the
sheet aft and made it fast, then sprang to the tiller, and the little
craft began to move away from the mole under the influence of the
breeze.

"Lucky we found no one aboard," gasped the sailor, whose name was
Mathews; "but then I did not expect that there would be anybody about;
they never leave a watch on these little craft."

Roger still grasped the helm, and steered through the harbour's mouth
for the tiny point of light, which was the beacon of their safety, while
Mathews busied himself with the sail, and with making all snug on deck.

Although the town of Vera Cruz itself was still in darkness, away to the
eastward the first streaks of day were already showing, and the light on
the English man-of-war lying in the offing was growing fainter. Away
behind them, from the direction of the mole, the two fugitives could
hear a sound as of many people in pursuit, and presently a dark p