so, and then rushed back home again,
rightly believing that this was the best and safest place for them; and
at least a hundred men in the course of a single hour mounted horses and
galloped at breakneck speed to the barracks to acquaint the military
commandant of the disaster that had befallen the city, while others
again forced their way into the churches and proceeded to ring the bells
frantically. By four o'clock in the morning every man, woman and child
in the city was broad awake, and the air was vibrant with the discordant
clang of bells furiously rung by unaccustomed hands, pealing out above
and piercing through that indescribable murmur of sound which tells the
hearer that an entire population is swarming the streets, half frenzied
with terror, the whole punctuated at frequent intervals by the scream of
a woman or child, the shouts of men, and the occasional crack of a
musket-shot fired by someone demented with fright and quite
irresponsible for his actions.

Meanwhile, having secured possession of the Grand Plaza and made the
best dispositions in his power for its defence, George, accompanied by a
bodyguard of four men, proceeded to the Governor's house and, arousing
its inmates, demanded an immediate interview with His Excellency Don
Sebastian Salvador Alfonso de Albareda, the individual who just then
chanced to hold the responsible post of Governor of His Most Catholic
Majesty's city of Nombre de Dios on the Spanish Main.

When first awakened, His Excellency was disposed to be somewhat
explosive upon the subject of so untimely an invasion of his slumbers;
but when the terrified major domo of the establishment informed him that
the city had been surprised and taken possession of by a party of
ruffianly English who appeared to have no sense of respect for any
earthly thing, and one of whom claimed to be a friend of, or in some way
connected with, that redoubtable pirate and most valiant cavalier, _El
Draque_, the Don's wrath suddenly subsided, for he felt that the matter
was indeed of extreme moment, brooking no delay; he therefore gave
instructions that the Most Illustrious One who claimed to be the chief
ruffian of the lot should be ushered with all due ceremony and respect
into His Excellency's reception room; and while the major domo retired
to execute this errand the Governor hastily assumed the garments that he
had laid aside a few hours earlier, and in a remarkably brief space of
time presented himsel