and every Englishman who might visit
those waters. The Englishmen were then divided into two parties
proportionate to the tonnage of the ships, George resuming the command
of the _Nonsuch_, while he put Hubert--now completely recovered, and a
strong, robust, handsome man once more--in command of the galleon. This
made both ships very short-handed, but it was the only arrangement
possible, for during their voyage round from Panama the cargo of the
galleon had been overhauled, and found to be so enormously rich, and of
such great bulk, that it was deemed unwise to entrust it and the rest of
the treasure to a single ship; therefore on a certain glorious January
morning all hands went to work to unmoor both ships, and by mid-day they
were clear of the cove and heading north for the treasure island, which
they reached five days later. But during that five days' voyage it had
become so clear to all that both ships must be thoroughly cleared of
weed before the voyage across the Atlantic was undertaken, that they
decided to careen them before proceeding further. This was accordingly
done, the work occupying all hands for three months; but when it was
done both craft were fit in every respect to battle with the spring
gales which they knew awaited them.

Finally, they sailed from the treasure island on the fifth day of May,
1570, and working their way to the north-east between the islands of
Cuba and San Domingo, hit the Gulf Stream, which swept them to windward
as they struggled northward against the north-east trade-wind. This
proved to be the most tedious and wearisome part of their passage; for
upon clearing the trades they were fortunate enough to run into a
succession of strong westerly winds, before which they went foaming and
rolling across the Atlantic at a merry rate, arriving in Plymouth Sound
within two hours of each other, on the afternoon of the twenty-seventh
of July, 1570, to the joy of everybody concerned, after an absence from
home of just over fifteen months.

The partition of the treasure was immediately proceeded with; and so
enormous was its amount that even the lowest grade of mariner received
sufficient to render him independent in a modest way for the remainder
of his life, while as for George, he was--after old Simon Radlett, the
owner of the _Nonsuch_--easily the richest man in all Plymouth, his
share being sufficient not only for his own needs but also for those of
his brother Hubert, with whom