me carry him abaft. Heaven knows there are plenty of empty cabins
on our ship to-night! The Don has enough to think of without this
coming to his ears. Therefore, when we have him safely bestowed, do you
attend to your duties here, as before, and I will see to him. Come
now."

This was a sad blow to me, to be parted from my master and friend in
this hour of danger. Yet it seemed better for him to get to the
gentlemen's quarters; for in the hole where he was he could scarce have
lived. So I was fain to submit. Captain Desmond promised me that once
a day I might come to enquire; and further, that if his man--a Spanish
clown, who shook in his shoes whenever he heard a gun--should by any
chance be killed, I might take his place.

Whereupon, I grieve to say, I prayed devoutly that night that Heaven
would speedily relieve the poor fellow of his fears for good.

Next day I was too miserable toiling alone at the rents in the hold to
see or care much what passed. But I know that, towards evening, when I
looked out, the low cliffs of France were in sight, and that the English
sail were a league in our rear, standing out, as it seemed to me, for
the white walls of their own land.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

HOW LUDAR SAILED NORTH AND I SOUTH.

The next day (it was Saturday), I was hovering near Captain Desmond's
quarters on some excuse to enquire after my comrade, when there came a
summons for hands forward, and a general stir as of something untoward
afoot.

So far as I could judge, we were bowling along before a smart westerly
breeze with all canvas set, just about where the Channel straitens
betwixt Dover on the English side and Calais on the French. Though we
were towards the French side, we could clearly see the white cliffs of
England to our left, and betwixt us and them, scarcely a mile to rear of
us, hovered a certain number of English craft which had not followed
their greater ships into Dover. To our right the towers and steeples of
Calais town rose up clear and bright, while straight ahead of us the
long line of the Armada, of which we closed in the rear, swept forward
as though they would dart clean past the Straits and make for the
Dutchman's land beyond.

But as I went forward I marked a rapid passing of signals along the
line, and a crowding on each ship at the forecastle. The great anchors
of the _Rata_ were swung in readiness over the prow, and a score of men
stood by to pay out the cable. T