ame way, that their Don-ships were in better heart than yesterday.
Perchance the Duke of Parma was already on his way.

As for the English, they lay quietly in their moorings, sparing powder
and shot too, and, as it seemed, ready to wait on the Spaniard for the
next move.

Towards nightfall, I seemed to detect a stir in their quarters; and
presently some seven or eight moderate sized craft fell out of the line,
and, with sails set, bore down our way. I marvelled very much that if
an attack was to be made, it should be left to ill-armed craft like
these to make it, while the greater ships hung idle at a distance. But
I supposed it was but a device to take off the Spaniard's notice from
something else, and waited curiously to see the result.

They came leisurely towards us, those eight ugly craft, about a cable
length apart, steering towards the very centre of our line. As they
approached night fell rapidly. But still they held on. I could see
their lights hoisted one by one, and strained my ears to catch the first
sound of a shot.

Strange to say, they saved their powder. The last I saw of them, as
night closed in, they were bearing down full in the wind, each with his
cock-boat in tow, within a gunshot's distance of the centre of our line.
One of the Spaniards there gave them a disdainful shot, by way of
challenge; but they gave never an answer.

Then, all of a sudden, there was a flare, and a roar of flame which
leapt up and lit the heavens; and eight blazing vessels drifted full
into the middle of the Invincible Armada.

Never shall I forget the scene that followed. There was a moment of
bewilderment and doubt; then a hurried random shot or two; then, as the
burning masses, spreading before the wind, scattered their fires within
the lines, a mighty shout, a rush of footsteps on deck, a hacking of
cables and running of chains, a frantic hauling round into the wind; and
then, amid panic cries, the galleons of Spain swung round, and, huddled
together with tails turned, stood out for sea.

The glare of the English fire-ships lit up the sea like a lake of hell,
and amidst the roar of the flames, and the yells of the Spaniards, might
be heard the crashing of bowsprits and tumbling of masts, as galleon ran
into galleon in the race for safety. A few of them took fire from the
English fire-ships; some blew up; others, stove in by their own
consorts, foundered miserably; some went ashore on the shallows; but
mos