to the wind athwart her stern and throwing our topsail
aback, so giving Hardy time to level and point his thirty-two-pounder;
and we had gained our position and were in the act of backing our
topsail, when the officer of whom I have already spoken reappeared upon
the poop and, hastily hauling down the galley's colours, hailed in very
fair English:

"We surrender, senor; we surrender! In the name of the Blessed Virgin I
pray you not to fire again! The galley is in a sinking condition; and
unless we can quickly stop the leak she will go down and drown us all.
What is it you will that we shall do in the matter?"

"Where is the leak situated?" demanded I.

"In the bow, senor; so close to the water-line that the sea is pouring
into the vessel like a river," was the answer.

"Then," said I, "you had better cut both your sails adrift and fother
them over the leak; after which your only chance of safety will be to
make for the nearest port--which I take to be Porto Bello. I will stand
by you until you have choked the leak; but I can do no more for you, as
my carpenter is aboard the galleon; and moreover he does not understand
Spanish, and therefore could not direct your people."

"A thousand thanks, senor," answered the Spaniard, bowing low to me. "I
will follow your instructions, and am in hopes that, by adopting the
plan you have suggested, we may be able to reach the land."

Then, with another bow to me, which I duly returned, he disappeared; and
a moment later I heard him shouting some orders to his people, some
twenty or thirty of whom at once sprang on deck and began to cut the
lateen sails away from the long, tapering yards. Meanwhile, I could now
see that the galley was gradually filling, as she was perceptibly deeper
in the water than when we had first encountered her; and thinking it
possible that I might be of use, I ordered our people to launch the
dinghy, in which, with one hand, I went under the bows of the galley.
The shot-hole which was the cause of all the mischief was now completely
under water more than half the time, showing only when the bows of the
vessel lifted over a swell. I saw that they had plugged it with canvas
from the inside, and the officer informed me that two men were engaged
in holding the canvas in place against the pressure of the water, while
the rest of the crew were, as I could see, engaged in baling. I thought
I could see my way to improve matters a little; so I directed the