ddenly ceased pulling, the
slaves resting upon their oars and raising the dripping blades high
above the water; and a few seconds later a puff of white smoke burst
from her bows, the report of her culverin boomed across the water, and
the shot flew whirring athwart the galleon's bows, striking the water
some twenty yards to leeward. Then, as George brought his glass to bear
upon her, her oars once more dipped, while the gun's crew could be seen
upon the forecastle busily engaged in reloading their piece.

Saint Leger heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God!" he murmured. "That
shot clears up the last shred of doubt as to her intentions; and now we
know where we are, and what we have to do."

The chaplain appeared at his elbow and touched him lightly on the arm.

"She's going to fight us, isn't she, Cap'n?" he said. "Is it your
pleasure that the crew go to prayers?"

"To prayers?" reiterated George. "With that galley within a quarter of
a mile of us? There is no time for that, now, Sir Thomas. We shall be
engaged within the next two minutes, therefore you must e'en go to
prayers on behalf of all hands, while we do the fighting."

"I'll do both," retorted the chaplain; "I'll pray first and fight
a'terwards!" And therewith he removed his cap, sank down upon his
knees--those of the crew who happened to see him also uncovering--
murmured a few words, and then, rising to his feet, calmly seized a long
bow and a quiverful of arrows, drew a shaft from the quiver, fitted it
to the string, and prepared to do his part manfully in the impending
fight.

Meanwhile those in the galley seemed somewhat undecided as to what to
do. Like the rest of her class she was fitted at the bow with a
powerful beak or ram, just level with the surface of the water, the
office of which was to pierce an enemy's ship about the water-line and
so cause such a serious leak as to effectually distract the attention of
the defenders. But in the present case there appeared to be some
hesitation with regard to the adoption of this mode of attack, and
George soon came to the conclusion that the galleon's cargo--the nature
of which he had not yet found time to investigate--must be so enormously
rich that the Spaniards were unwilling to risk its loss by ramming her.
Certainly they did not at the moment appear to contemplate such a
manoeuvre, for instead of pulling with all their strength, in order to
get good way upon the galley, so that she might stri