ers would be shot
down. Then, led by Dyer and Basset, a small party of Englishmen went
below and made a thorough search of the ship, securing everything in the
shape of a weapon that they could find, after which a large store-room
below was hastily cleared out, and the Spanish crew temporarily but
securely confined therein.

And thus, without the shedding of a single drop of blood, George Saint
Leger and his sturdy Devonians came into possession of the biggest
galleon then afloat on the Pacific at the moment when she bore the
richest cargo that had ever left Lima in a single bottom.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

HOW THEY FOUGHT THE GALLEY.

By the time that all had been made secure aboard the galleon it was
within an hour and a half of sunrise, and Saint Leger knew from his own
feelings that his followers must be beginning to experience the
fatiguing efforts of their strenuous and exciting night's work; he
therefore told off four of the most trustworthy of the men to observe an
anchor watch, under Dyer, and ordered the remainder of the crew to go
below and snatch a couple of hours' rest, that they might be the better
fitted to cope with the events of the coming day, which might well be of
such a character as to tax their energies to the utmost. Then,
accompanied by William Barker the gunner, and two men bearing lighted
lanterns, he went below to inspect the ship's magazine--the keys of
which he had found in the captain's state-room--and to take stock of the
nature and quantity of the ammunition therein. This was found to be
abundant, the magazine being indeed packed full of powder and matches,
while a generous supply of shot of all descriptions, including bar and
chain, was discovered in the adjacent shot lockers, much to the young
captain's relief, for his chief anxiety had been lest, after having
taken the galleon, he should find himself hampered by a lack of the
means to keep her. As for small arms, such as arquebuses, pistols,
pikes, axes, swords, bows--long and cross--arrows, and bolts, a full
supply for a much stronger crew than his own had already been found,
irrespective of the well-tried weapons which they had brought with them
across the isthmus. George's mind was therefore now at rest, so far as
matters of the greatest importance were concerned; he therefore
concluded his inspection and returned to the deck, easy in mind and
greatly elated at the wonderful success which had thus far attended his
bold das