hen, as we strained our eyes eagerly
ahead, we could see the tall masts of the Duke's ship, and of all the
ships betwixt him and us, suddenly swing round into the wind's eye.
There was a great flapping of canvas, a rattle of chains, and a plunging
of anchors, and then, as if by magic, the great Armada stood still, at
bay.

It was easy to guess the object of this strange movement, and as I
looked away towards the English fleet, I felt uneasy. For so suddenly
was the Spanish fleet halted, and so near upon its heels were the
pursuers, that, unless these could halt as suddenly, they would
assuredly slip past, and so give the Spaniard--what he so greatly
desired and longed for--the wind of them.

Already the young nobles on the _Rata_ were laughing at the smart policy
of their Admiral, and rejoicing in the near prospect of a turning of the
tables--(for could they once get the Englishman betwixt them and the
Duke of Parma's fleet, which was waiting on the Dutch coast, they would
crumple him up like chaff between two mill-stones)--already, I say, they
were counting on seeing the enemy run past them, down the wind; when,
lo, with a derisive shot or two into the air, the Englishmen put about
quietly, and after hovering a little, and running a little in the teeth
of the wind to get a nice distance from us, they dropped anchor too, and
turned every one his broad-stern upon us, so that we might all have an
eye full of the Queen's ensigns which floated there.

I confess I lifted my hat in joy and loyalty to see how cunningly the
Don had been out-reached. And the Spanish oaths which hissed out from a
hundred lips, as they saw the same thing, sounded to me (Heaven forgive
me!) like music.

So overjoyed was I, that without leave I went off, laughing, to tell
Ludar the news. But alack! at the very entrance to the officer's
quarters, whom should I run against but Don Alonzo himself? So smartly
did I come against him, that, had I not caught him roughly by the arm,
he might have fallen backwards.

When he saw who it was, his brow darkened (and little wonder!) and he
said something in Spanish that I was glad I did not know the meaning of.
He recovered himself, however, and drew up coldly a moment after.

"This eternal printer!" said he. "The way to the main-mast you know
already, sirrah. Take with you this time to the top three days'
rations. If you are found lower than the top-mast yard before then, you
swing at the bowsprit.