rom
Dungeness to Winchelsea echoed the warlike greeting. The King sprang up
with a joyous face.

"The game is afoot, my friends!" said he. "Dress, John! Dress, Walter!
Quick all of you! Squires, bring the harness! Let each tend to himself,
for the time is short."

A strange sight it was to see these forty nobles tearing off their
clothes and littering the deck with velvets and satins, whilst the
squire of each, as busy as an ostler before a race, stooped and pulled
and strained and riveted, fastening the bassinets, the legpieces, the
front and the back plates, until the silken courtier had become the man
of steel. When their work was finished, there stood a stern group of
warriors where the light dandies had sung and jested round Sir John's
guitar. Below in orderly silence the archers were mustering under their
officers and taking their allotted stations. A dozen had swarmed up to
their hazardous post in the little tower in the tops.

"Bring wine, Nicholas!" cried the King. "Gentlemen, ere you close your
visors I pray you to take a last rouse with me. You will be dry enough,
I promise you, before your lips are free once more. To what shall we
drink, John?"

"To the men of Spain," said Chandos, his sharp face peering like a gaunt
bird through the gap in his helmet. "May their hearts be stout and their
spirits high this day!"

"Well said, John!" cried the King, and the knights laughed joyously as
they drank. "Now, fair sirs, let each to his post! I am warden here on
the forecastle. Do you, John, take charge of the afterguard. Walter,
James, William, Fitzallan, Goldesborough, Reginald--you will stay with
me! John, you may pick whom you will and the others will bide with the
archers. Now bear straight at the center, master-shipman. Ere yonder
sun sets we will bring a red ship back as a gift to our ladies, or never
look upon a lady's face again."

The art of sailing into a wind had not yet been invented, nor was there
any fore-and-aft canvas, save for small headsails with which a vessel
could be turned. Hence the English fleet had to take a long slant down
channel to meet their enemies; but as the Spaniards coming before the
wind were equally anxious to engage there was the less delay. With
stately pomp and dignity, the two great fleets approached.

It chanced that one fine carack had outstripped its consorts and came
sweeping along, all red and gold, with a fringe of twinkling steel, a
good half-mile before the fle