t be a fool," he said in his own tongue, "or you'll come by a
fool's end. Your ship is sinking."

There were three or four men in morions behind Don Miguel, and Lord
Julian realized the position. He released his hilt, and a couple of
feet or so of steel slid softly back into the scabbard. But Don Miguel
smiled, with a flash of white teeth behind his grizzled beard, and held
out his hand.

"If you please," he said.

Lord Julian hesitated. His eyes strayed to Miss Bishop's. "I think you
had better," said that composed young lady, whereupon with a shrug his
lordship made the required surrender.

"Come you--all of you--aboard my ship," Don Miguel invited them, and
strode out.

They went, of course. For one thing the Spaniard had force to compel
them; for another a ship which he announced to be sinking offered them
little inducement to remain. They stayed no longer than was necessary to
enable Miss Bishop to collect some spare articles of dress and my lord
to snatch up his valise.

As for the survivors in that ghastly shambles that had been the Royal
Mary, they were abandoned by the Spaniards to their own resources. Let
them take to the boats, and if those did not suffice them, let them swim
or drown. If Lord Julian and Miss Bishop were retained, it was because
Don Miguel perceived their obvious value. He received them in his cabin
with great urbanity. Urbanely he desired to have the honour of being
acquainted with their names.

Lord Julian, sick with horror of the spectacle he had just witnessed,
commanded himself with difficulty to supply them. Then haughtily he
demanded to know in his turn the name of their aggressor. He was in
an exceedingly ill temper. He realized that if he had done nothing
positively discreditable in the unusual and difficult position into
which Fate had thrust him, at least he had done nothing creditable.
This might have mattered less but that the spectator of his indifferent
performance was a lady. He was determined if possible to do better now.

"I am Don Miguel de Espinosa," he was answered. "Admiral of the Navies
of the Catholic King."

Lord Julian gasped. If Spain made such a hubbub about the depredations
of a runagate adventurer like Captain Blood, what could not England
answer now?

"Will you tell me, then, why you behave like a damned pirate?" he asked.
And added: "I hope you realize what will be the consequences, and the
strict account to which you shall be brought for this day'