had all passed so quickly--so suddenly our hopes had been destroyed!
Barbara and I had been thrown forward by the impetus given to our frail
boat, and we cowered down in silence for a moment. The current was still
bearing us outward; but every second our motion slackened: we would
never reach the ship without some effort on our part.

I seized a paddle and worked vigorously; but the light boat only swung
round and round.

"Barbara!" I cried, "take the other paddle and work with me. I can do
nothing all alone!"

The dame obeyed me, sobbing and praying under her breath; but we made
sorry work of it.

I looked shoreward and could see our pursuers drawing closer and closer;
they had not yet perceived us, but in a moment more they could not fail
to do so. As they drew still nearer, riding on his dappled gray in the
midst of them, I recognized Melinza! With him were a troop of Spanish
soldiers--I saw the sunlight flashing on their arms--and some twenty
half-naked Indians, who might so easily swim out and drag us back to
land!

"They see us! Mistress Margaret, they see us!" shouted Barbara.

"Oh! not yet, dame, not yet!" I groaned, plying the paddle wildly.

"The English, my lamb--the English see us! Look you, they are putting
put a boat from the ship!"

It was true; but ere I could utter a "Thank God!" a yell from the shore
told us that those fiends had seen us also. Barbara would have dropped
her paddle in despair, but I ordered her sternly to make what play she
could. As for me, I dipped my blade now on one side, now on the other;
the trick of it had come to me like an inspiration; my fingers tightened
their hold, and my arms worked with the strength born of a great terror.

Our pursuers had reached the river-shore, and a swarm of dark forms now
threw themselves into the stream. But the long-boat from the frigate
came toward us rapidly; I saw white English faces and heard shouts of
encouragement in my mother tongue.

Then a volley of musketry rang out from the land. Instantly, the frigate
made response; her heavy guns thundered forth, and the white smoke
wreathed her like a cloud. But all the shots were falling short.

[Illustration: "NEARER CAME THE LONG BOAT, YET NEARER WAS THE FOREMOST
SWIMMER."--_Page 162._]

Nearer came the long-boat, yet nearer was the foremost swimmer. I saw
his brown arms cleaving the clear tide, I saw the white eyeballs
gleaming in his dark face. Friends and foes were now so close to