s to leeward to pick off a score or so of
the crew on the deck with their arrows, before running back to their
quarters on the other port.

How long it went on I know not. For a cry suddenly came of "Hands
below!" and down we went to patch up with all our might the holes the
English shot had made on the water line. And here we worked all night,
amongst a swearing, savage gang, who threatened aloud to blow up the
ship rather than fight any more, and wished themselves safe back in the
drinking-shops of Lisbon.

When, about midnight, half-stifled with the heat, we came on deck, the
_Rata_ was running before the wind at the rear of the Armada, heading
for the French coast; and the lanthorns of the English had dropped a
league behind.

Never saw I a company so changed as were the gallants of Spain by that
day's fight. They still cursed, and laughed, and shouted. But when
they shook their fists it was at the lights ahead, and when they
dropped, silent and downcast, their faces were turned to the lights
astern.

"Humphrey," said Ludar to me, as we stood a moment looking round before
we turned to go to our quarters, "I like not this business."

"Why," said I, "the Spaniard is being beaten, and he knows it. Our
English sea-dogs are too many for him."

"Ay," said he, with a curl of his lip, "your English are brave enough
when there is no helpless woman's head to be taken. But it is because
these Dons are a pack of curs that I like this business less and less."

"It contents me well enough to see them shuffled and routed," said I.

"Yes; but how is it to end? A little more, and instead of sailing up
Channel, we shall be sailing down; instead of finding ourselves in
London, we may arrive in Lisbon. What then?"

This had never occurred to me, I had calculated so surely on finding
myself back in England, that I had forgotten we were prisoners on the
_Rata_, and must even go wherever she took us.

"How can we get away?" I asked. "If we swim to the English they will
mistake us for spies or Spaniards. And we are too far from the shore."

"In a day or two," said Ludar, "unless the English stop us, we should be
near the French Coast. Wait till then. Perchance your master has a
better chance for his type after all than he thinks for."

But any plan of escape was fated to be thwarted then and there, even as
we laid it. For as we passed a black corner, turning below towards our
bunk, there came a sudden gleam and