the helm
hard over to swing her sharply off to starboard, she must have suffered
still worse from the second volley that followed fast upon the first.

Meanwhile it had fared even worse with the frailer Infanta. Although
hit by one shot only, this had crushed her larboard timbers on the
waterline, starting a leak that must presently have filled her, but for
the prompt action of the experienced Yberville in ordering her
larboard guns to be flung overboard. Thus lightened, and listing now
to starboard, he fetched her about, and went staggering after the
retreating Arabella, followed by the fire of the fort, which did them,
however, little further damage.

Out of range, at last, they lay to, joined by the Elizabeth and the San
Felipe, to consider their position.

CHAPTER XVII. THE DUPES

It was a crestfallen Captain Blood who presided over that hastily
summoned council held on the poop-deck of the Arabella in the brilliant
morning sunshine. It was, he declared afterwards, one of the bitterest
moments in his career. He was compelled to digest the fact that having
conducted the engagement with a skill of which he might justly be proud,
having destroyed a force so superior in ships and guns and men that Don
Miguel de Espinosa had justifiably deemed it overwhelming, his victory
was rendered barren by three lucky shots from an unsuspected battery
by which they had been surprised. And barren must their victory remain
until they could reduce the fort that still remained to defend the
passage.

At first Captain Blood was for putting his ships in order and making the
attempt there and then. But the others dissuaded him from betraying an
impetuosity usually foreign to him, and born entirely of chagrin
and mortification, emotions which will render unreasonable the most
reasonable of men. With returning calm, he surveyed the situation. The
Arabella was no longer in case to put to sea; the Infanta was merely
kept afloat by artifice, and the San Felipe was almost as sorely damaged
by the fire she had sustained from the buccaneers before surrendering.

Clearly, then, he was compelled to admit in the end that nothing
remained but to return to Maracaybo, there to refit the ships before
attempting to force the passage.

And so, back to Maracaybo came those defeated victors of that short,
terrible fight. And if anything had been wanting further to exasperate
their leader, he had it in the pessimism of which Cahusac did not
ec