Ludar, who would come from
the other quarter, where the Duke's ship was; when once again I saw the
figure, this time near enough to know it was assuredly a man who,
between each few strokes he took, waved a hand above his head.

I was down the mast in a twinkling, caring nought if I were to swing at
the yard-arm within an hour, and ran wildly to the quarter-deck.

"Sir Don!" shouted I, breaking in upon him and his lieutenants, "by your
leave, yonder comes Sir Ludar, swimming for his life."

The Don rounded on me with knitted brows. But I cared not.

"Put out a boat to save him, or he is lost!" I cried, "Has your night
aloft, sirrah, taught you no better manners?" said he. "Go back--"

But here, looking over towards the swimmer, I saw him throw up both
arms, and heard a shout which set every vein in me tingling.

I waited not for his Don-ship, or anyone beside; but flung myself
headlong over the tall side into the sea, and struck out with all my
might for the place.

A Spanish sentinel on deck, seeing my sudden plunge, and smelling
treachery and desertion in it, let fly at me with his musket, grazing my
elbow, and sending me ducking a dozen yards or more, before I durst show
head again above water. But I had somewhat better to think of than
Spanish bullets. For a few minutes I could see nothing of the swimmer,
and was beginning to fear I was too late after all, when suddenly a wave
brought him close beside me.

Sure enough, it was Ludar, well-nigh spent, keeping himself up with
short, breathless strokes, but unable to do more. He was alive enough
to know me, and to lay his hand on my arm for support. Hard-pressed as
he was, he held betwixt his teeth a paper, which I guessed to be the
Duke's despatch, and which, to give him better use for his mouth, I took
from him and stuck in my own collar. After that he revived, and
together we paddled towards the _Rata_, which lay, with sails flapping,
almost motionless in the rapidly calming sea.

The Spaniards on board seemed to have changed their minds as to myself,
for, instead of the sentinel with his gun, a sailor with a rope stood
waiting at the gunwale to receive us. I think, had we gone down where
we were, he would hardly have troubled himself to come after us. But
since we held up, and drifted within reach of his line, he honoured us
by casting it our way; and so, with some hauling, we got aboard.

Ludar had partly recovered from his fatigue when he stepp