d by a breaking cross sea. It as suddenly
swelled to a hurricane, so that if Berigord had not been fortunate as to
his crew, and had not been so fine a sailor, the Maid of Provence might
have fared badly, for he kept all sail on as long as he dare, and took
it in none too soon. But so thoroughly did he know the craft and trust
his men that she did what he wanted; and though she was tossed and
hammered by the sea till it seemed that she must, with every next wave,
go down, she rode into safety at last, five hundred miles out of their
course.

The storm had saved them from the hostile fleet, which had fared ill.
They were first scattered, then two of them went down, another was so
disabled that she had to be turned back to the port they had left,
and the remaining two were separated, so that their only course was to
return to port also. As the storm came up they had got within fighting
distance of the Maid of Provence, and had opened ineffectual fire, which
she--occupied with the impact of the storm--did not return. Escaped the
dangers of the storm, she sheered into her course again, and ran away to
the south-west, until Hispaniola came in sight.

CHAPTER XV

IN THE MATTER OF BUCKLAW

The Bridgwater Merchant and the Swallow made the voyage down with no
set-backs, having fair weather and a sweet wind on their quarter all
the way, to the wild corner of an island, where a great mountain stands
sentinel and a bay washes upon a curving shore and up the River de la
Planta. There were no vessels in the harbour and there was only a small
settlement on the shore, and as they came to anchor well away from the
gridiron of reefs known as the Boilers, the prospect was handsome: the
long wash of the waves, the curling, white of the breakers, and the
rainbow-coloured water. The shore was luxuriant, and the sun shone
intemperately on the sea and the land, covering all with a fine
beautiful haze, like the most exquisite powder sifted through the air.
All on board the Bridgwater Merchant and the Swallow were in hearty
spirits. There had been some sickness, but the general health of the
expedition was excellent.

It was not till the day they started from Boston that Phips told Gering
he expected to meet some one at the port who had gone to prepare
the way, to warn them by fires in case of danger, and to allay any
opposition among the natives--if there were any. But he had not told him
who the herald was.

Truth is, Phips was a