thin musket-shot--and announced the object of
his coming, adding that, if any treachery were attempted, his ship would
bombard and utterly destroy the settlement, the armed men were hurriedly
marched back again out of sight, and the landing of the prisoners was
accomplished without difficulty or interference.

By the time that the boats got alongside again, after landing the
prisoners, the sun was within an hour of setting, and if the adventurers
desired to reach the open sea again before nightfall--as they most
assuredly did--it was time to bestir themselves. George, therefore,
issued his orders, and while one party of his now pretty well exhausted
crew manned the capstan and proceeded to get the _Nonsuch's_ anchor, a
second were set to work to pass a towing hawser aboard the prize and
make it fast; after which the ships got under way, the _Santa Maria_
being in tow of the _Nonsuch_, and safely accomplished the passage of
the reef just as the sun's upper rim was disappearing beneath the
western horizon in a flaming glory of gold and crimson. Then, as soon
as the ships had secured an offing of some three miles, rendering it
exceedingly unlikely that the prize would drive ashore and again fall
into the hands of her former crew, she was effectually set fire to and
abandoned. This done, the exhausted crew were sent below to get a good
substantial meal, and the deck was left practically in charge of the
officers, the helmsman and a couple of hands to keep a look-out being
air of the crew who were required to keep the deck until the regular
night watches should be resumed.

This opportunity was seized by George to explain to the officers his
more immediate plans. He reminded them that the primary object of the
expedition was to rescue his brother from the Spaniards, and pointed out
to them that since the stroke of good fortune which had fallen to their
lot, that day, had made them masters of enough booty to ensure the
financial success of the expedition, there was now no reason why the
great object of the voyage should be further delayed, and intimated his
intention of heading the ship directly for San Juan de Ulua. And this
was at once agreed to, if not exactly cheerfully, at least with a fairly
good grace; for there were some on board the _Nonsuch_ who, having seen
how apparently easy it was to obtain rich booty, would fain have had the
ship proceed leisurely along the coast, touching at La Guaira, Porto
Cabello, La