OF -THE
 
 UNIV 
 
 . OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES
 
 BY ENGLAND'S AID 
 
 OR, THE FREEING OF THE NETHERLANDS
 
 ME. HENTY'S HISTOKICAL TALES. 
 
 THE CAT OF BUBASTES : A Story of Ancient Egypt. 6*. 
 THE YOUNG CARTHAGINIAN : A Story of the Times of HannibaL 6s. 
 FOR THE TEMPLE : A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem. 6*. 
 BERIC THE BRITON : A Story of the Roman Invasion. 6s. 
 THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN : or, The Days of King Alfred. 5*. 
 WULF THE SAXON: A Story of the Norman Conquest. 6s. 
 A KNIGHT OP THE WHITE CROSS : The Siege of Rhodes. 6s. 
 IN FREEDOM'S CAUSE : A Story of Wallace and Bruce. 6s. 
 THE LION OF ST. MARK: A Story of Venice in the 1 4th Century. 6s. 
 ST. GEORGE FOR ENGLAND : A Tale of Cressy and Poitiers. 5s. 
 A MARCH ON LONDON : A Story of Wat Tyler. 5s. 
 BOTH SIDES THE BORDER : A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower. 6s. 
 AT AGINCOURT : A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. 6s. 
 Br RIGHT OF CONQUEST : or, With Cortez in Mexico. 6s. 
 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE : A Tale of the Huguenot Wars. 6s. 
 BY PIKE AND DYKE: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic. 6s. 
 BY ENGLAND'S AID : or, The Freeing of the Netherlands. 6s. 
 UNDER DRAKE'S FLAG : A Tale of the Spanish Main. 6s. 
 THE LION OF THE NORTH : A Tale of Gustavus Adolphus. 6s. 
 WON BY THE SWORD : A Tale of the Thirty Years' War. 6s. 
 WHEN LONDON BURNED : A Story of the Great Fire. 6s. 
 ORANGE AND GREEN : A Tale of the Boyne and Limerick. 5s. 
 A JACOBITE EXILE : In the Service of Charles XII. 5s. 
 THE BRAVEST OF THE BRAVE: or, With Peterborough in Spain. 5s. 
 BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE : A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden. 6s. 
 WITH CLIVE IN INDIA : or, The Beginnings of an Empire. 6s. 
 WITH FREDERICK THE GREAT : The Seven Years' War. 6s. 
 WITH WOLFE IN CANADA : or, The Winning of a Continent. 6s. 
 TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG : The American War of Independence. 6s. 
 HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND : A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. 5s. 
 IN THE REIGN OF TERROR : The French Revolution. 5s. 
 No SURRENDER 1 A Tale of the Rising in La Vended. 5s. 
 A ROVING COMMISSION : A Story of the Hayti Insurrection. 6s. 
 THE TIGER OF MYSORE : The War with Tippoo Saib. 6s. 
 AT ABOUKIR AND ACRE : Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt. 5s. 
 WITH MOORE AT CORUNNA : A Tale of the Peninsular War. 6s. 
 UNDER WELLINGTON'S COMMAND : The Peninsular War. 6s. 
 WITH COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS : A Tale of his Exploits. 6s. 
 THROUGH THE FRAY : A Story of the Luddite Riots. 6s. 
 THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS : The Retreat from Moscow. 5s. 
 ONE OF THE 28TH : A Story of Waterloo. 5s. 
 IN GREEK WATERS : A Story of the Grecian War (1821). 6s. 
 ON THE IRRAWADDY : A Story of the First Burmese War. 5s 
 THROUGH THE SEKH WAR : A Tale of the Punjaub. 6s. 
 MAORI AND SETTLER : A Story of the New Zealand War. 5s. 
 WITH LEE IN VIRGINIA : A Story of the American Civil War. 6s. 
 BY SHEER PLUCK : A Tale of the Ashanti War. 5s. 
 FOR NAME AND FAME : or, Through Afghan Passes. 5s. 
 THE DASH FOR KHARTOUM : A Tale of the Nile Expedition. 6s. 
 CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST : A Story of Escape from Siberia. 5s. 
 
 LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED; GLASGOW AND DUBLIN.
 
 GEOFFREY AND LIONEL SAVE FRANCIS VERB'S LIFE.
 
 BY ENGLAND'S AID 
 
 OR 
 
 THE FREEING OF THE NETHERLANDS 
 
 (1585-1604) 
 
 BY 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 Author of " By Pike and Dyke " " The Lion of St. Mark" " Maori and Settler " 
 " Bouuie Prince Charlie" " For the Temple" &c. 
 
 WITH TEN PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALFRED PEARSE 
 AND FOUR MAPS 
 
 LONDON 
 
 BLACKIE & SON, LIMITED, 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C. 
 GLASGOW AND DUBLIN
 
 UNIV. OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES
 
 Stack 
 
 Annex 
 
 PEEFACE. 
 
 In my preface to By Pike and Dyke I promised in 
 a future story to deal with the closing events of the War of 
 Independence in Holland. The period over which that war 
 extended was so long, and the incidents were so numerous and 
 varied, that it was impossible to include the whole within the 
 limit of a single book. The former volume brought the story of 
 the struggle down to the death of the Prince of Orange and the 
 capture of Antwerp; the present gives the second phase of the 
 war, when England, who had long unofficially assisted Holland, 
 threw herself openly into the struggle, and by her aid mainly 
 contributed to the successful issue of the war. In the first part 
 of the struggle the scene lay wholly among the low lands and 
 cities of Holland and Zeeland, and the war was strictly a defen- 
 sive one, waged against overpowering odds. After England 
 threw herself into the strife it assumed far wider proportions, 
 and the independence of the Netherlands was mainly secured 
 by the defeat and destruction of the great Armada, by the 
 capture of Cadiz and the fatal blow thereby struck at the 
 mercantile prosperity of Spain, and by the defeat of the Holy 
 League by Henry of Navarre, aided by English soldiers and 
 English gold. For the facts connected with the doings of Sir 
 Francis Vere and the British contingent in Holland, I have 
 depended much upon the excellent work by Mr. Clement 
 Markham entitled the Fighting Veres. In this full justice is 
 done to the great English general and his followers, and it 
 
 2049869
 
 Vi PREFACE. 
 
 is conclusively shown that some statements to the disparage- 
 ment of Sir Francis Vere by Mr. Motley are founded upon 
 a misconception of the facts. Sir Francis Vere was, in the 
 general opinion of the time, one of the greatest commanders of 
 the age, and more, perhaps, than any other man with the ex- 
 ception of the Prince of Orange contributed to the successful 
 issue of the struggle of Holland to throw off the yoke of Spain. 
 
 G. A. HENTY.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. Pas 9 
 
 I. As EXCURSION, 11 
 
 II. A MEETING IN CHEPE, 30 
 
 III. IN THE Low COUNTRY, 52 
 
 IV. THE SIEGE OF SLUTS, 72 
 
 V. AN HEROIC DEFENCE, 90 
 
 VI. THE Loss OF THE "SUSAN," 107 
 
 VII. A POPISH PLOT, 125 
 
 VIII. THE SPANISH ARMADA, 137 
 
 IX. THE ROUT OF THE ARMADA, 154 
 
 X. THE WAS IN HOLLAND, 170 
 
 XI. IN SPAIN, 179 
 
 XII. RECRUITING THEIR FUNDS, 196 
 
 XIII. THE FESTA AT SEVILLE, 215 
 
 XIV. THE SURPRISE OF BREDA, 232 
 
 XV. A SLAVE IN BARBART, 250 
 
 XVI. THE ESCAPE, 267 
 
 XVII. A SPANISH MERCHANT, 284 
 
 XVIII. IVRT, 296 
 
 XIX. STEENWTK, 317 
 
 XX. CADIZ, 333 
 
 XXI. THE BATTLE OF NIEUPORT, 350 
 
 XXII. OLD FRIENDS, 361 
 
 XXIII. THE SIEGE OF OSTEND '374
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Page 
 GEOFFREY AND LIONEL SAVE FBANCIS VERB'S LIFE, . Frontis. 96 
 
 THE LONDON APPRENTICES MAKE FUN OF LIONEL AND GEOFFREY, 45 
 THE POUR PAGES CARRY DOWN THE WOUNDED SOLDIER, ... 75 
 "THE NEXT FEW MINUTES IT WAS A WILD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE," 117 
 GEOFFREY CARRIED OVERBOARD BY THE FALLING MAST, . . . 161 
 
 GEOFFREY GIVES INEZ HER LOVER'S NOTE, 218 
 
 GEOFFREY FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF THE CORSAIRS, . . . 255 
 
 THE SPANIARD AND HIS DAUGHTER THANK GEOFFREY FOE THEIR 
 RESCUE, 286 
 
 CROSSING THE BRIDGE OF BOATS OVER THE HAVEN, .... 323 
 VERB'S HORSE SHOT CNDER HIM AT THE FIGHT BEFORE OSTEND, 358 
 
 Plan of Sluys and the Castle, to illustrate the Siege of 1587, . . 66 
 
 Plan of Breda and its Defences, illustrating its surprise and cap- 
 ture in 1590, 233 
 
 Map of Cadiz and Harbour at the time of its capture in 1596, 
 showing the position of the English and Spanish Ships, . . 335 
 
 Plan of Ostend and its Defences, showing the lines of the attack- 
 ing forces during the siege of 1601-4, 375
 
 BY ENGLAND'S AID: 
 
 OR, THE FREEING OF THE NETHERLANDS* 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 AN EXCURSION. 
 
 ND we beseech Thee, Lord, to give help and 
 succour to thy servants the people of Holland, and 
 to deliver them from the cruelties and persecutions 
 of their wicked oppressors; and grant Thy blessing, 
 we pray Thee, upon the arms of our soldiers now embarking 
 to aid them in their extremity." These were the words with 
 which the Rev. John Vickars, rector of Hedingham, concluded 
 the family prayers on the morning of December 6th, 1585. 
 
 For twenty years the first portion of this prayer had been 
 repeated daily by him, as it had been in tens of thousands of 
 English households; for since the people of the Netherlands 
 first rose against the Spanish yoke the hearts of the Protestants 
 of England had beat warmly in their cause, and they had by 
 turns been moved to admiration at the indomitable courage 
 with which the Dutch struggled for independence against the 
 might of the greatest power in Europe, and to horror and 
 indignation at the pitiless cruelty and wholesale massacres by 
 which the Spaniards had striven to stamp out resistance. 
 From the first the people of England would gladly have
 
 12 THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 joined in the fray, and made common cause with their co- 
 religionists; but the queen and her counsellors had been re- 
 strained by weighty considerations from embarking in such a 
 struggle. At the commencement of the war the power of Spain 
 overshadowed all Europe. Her infantry were regarded as irre- 
 sistible. Italy and Germany were virtually her dependencies, 
 and England was but a petty power beside her. Since Agin- 
 court was fought we had taken but little part in wars on the 
 Continent. The feudal system was extinct; we had neither 
 army nor military system; and the only Englishmen with the 
 slightest experience of war were those who had gone abroad 
 to seek their fortunes, and had fought in the armies of one or 
 other of the continental powers. Nor were we yet aware of 
 our naval strength. Drake and Hawkins and the other buca- 
 neers had not yet commenced their private war with Spain, 
 on what was known as the Spanish main the waters of the 
 West Indian Islands and no one dreamed that the time was 
 approaching when England would be able to hold her own 
 against the strength of Spain on the seas. 
 
 Thus, then, whatever the private sentiments of Elizabeth 
 and her counsellors, they shrank from engaging England in a 
 life and death struggle with the greatest power of the time; 
 though as the struggle went on the queen's sympathy with the 
 people of the Netherlands was more and more openly shown. 
 In 1572 she was present at a parade of three hundred volunteers 
 who mustered at Greenwich under Thomas Morgan and Eoger 
 Williams for service in the Netherlands. Sir Humphrey Gil- 
 bert, half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh, went out a few months 
 later with 1500 men, and from that time numbers of English 
 volunteers continued to cross the seas and join in the struggle 
 against the Spaniards. Nor were the sympathies of the 
 queen confined to allowing her subjects to take part in the 
 fighting; for she sent out large sums of money to the Dutch,
 
 ENGLAND OPENLY JOINS HOLLAND. 13 
 
 and as far as she could, without openly joining them, gave them 
 her aid. 
 
 Spain remonstrated continually against these breaches of 
 neutrality, while the Dutch on their part constantly implored 
 her to join them openly; but she continued to give evasive 
 answers to both parties until the assassination of William of 
 Orange on 10th July, 1584, sent a thrill of horror through 
 England, and determined the queen and her advisers to take a 
 more decisive part in the struggle. In the following June 
 envoys from the States arrived in London, and were received 
 with great honour, and a treaty between the two countries was 
 agreed upon. Three months later the queen published a de 
 claration to her people and to Europe at large, setting forth the 
 terrible persecutions and cruelties to which " our next neigh- 
 bours, the people of the Low Countries," the special allies and 
 friends of England, had been exposed, and stating her determi- 
 nation to aid them to recover their liberty. The proclamation 
 concluded : " We mean not hereby to make particular profit to 
 ourself and our people, only desiring to obtain, by God's favour, 
 for the Countries, a deliverance of them from war by the 
 Spaniards and foreigners, with a restitution of their ancient 
 liberties and government." 
 
 Sir Thomas Cecil was sent out at once as governor of Brill, 
 and Sir Philip Sidney as governor of Flushing, these towns 
 being handed over to England as guarantees by the Dutch. 
 These two officers, with bodies of troops to serve as garrisons, 
 took charge of their respective fortresses in November. Orders 
 were issued for the raising of an army for service in the Low 
 Countries, and Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was appointed by the 
 queen to its command. The decision of the queen was received 
 with enthusiasm in England as well as in Holland, and although 
 the Earl of Leicester was not personally popular, volunteers 
 flocked to his standard.
 
 14 RECEPTION OF LEICESTER AT COLCHESTER. 
 
 Breakfast at Hedingham Eectory had been set at an earlier 
 hour than usual on the 6th of December, 1585. There was 
 an unusual stir and excitement in the village, for young Mr. 
 Francis Vere, cousin of the Earl of Oxford, lord of Heding- 
 ham and of all the surrounding country, was to start that 
 morning to ride to Colchester, there to join the Earl of Leices- 
 ter and his following as a volunteer. As soon as breakfast was 
 over young Geoffrey and Lionel Vickars, boys of fourteen and 
 thirteen years old, proceeded to the castle close by, and there 
 mounted the horses provided for them, and rode with Francis 
 Vere to Colchester. 
 
 Francis, who was at this time twenty-five years old, was 
 accompanied by his elder brother, John, and his two younger 
 brothers, Eobert and Horace, and by many other friends; and 
 it was a gay train that cantered down the valley of the Colne 
 to Colchester. That ancient town was all astir. Gentlemen 
 had ridden in from all the country seats and manors for many 
 miles round, and the quiet streets were alive with people. At 
 two o'clock in the afternoon news arrived that the earl was 
 approaching, and, headed by the bailiffs of the town in scarlet 
 gowns, the multitude moved out to meet the earl on the Lex- 
 den road. Presently a long train was seen approaching; for 
 with Leicester were the Earl of Essex, Lords North and 
 Audley, Sir William Russell, Sir Thomas Shirley, and other 
 volunteers, to the number of five hundred horse. All were gaily 
 attired and caparisoned, and the cortege presented a most bril- 
 liant appearance. The multitude cheered lustily, the bailiffs 
 presented an address, and followed by his own train and by 
 the gentlemen who had assembled to meet him, the earl rode 
 into the town. He himself took up his abode at the house of Sir 
 Thomas Lucas, while his followers were distributed among the 
 houses of the townsfolk. Two hours after the arrival of the 
 earl, the party from Hedingham took leave of Mr. Francis Vere.
 
 THE ENGLISH IN HOLLAND. 15 
 
 "Good-bye, lads," he said to the young Vickars. "I will keep 
 my promise, never fear; and if the struggle goes on till you are 
 old enough to carry arms, I will, if I am still alive, take you 
 under my leading and teach you the art of war." 
 
 Upon the following day the Earl of Leicester and his follow- 
 ing rode to Manningtree, and took boat down the Stour to 
 Harwich, where the fleet, under Admiral William Borough, 
 was lying. Here they embarked, and on the 9th of December 
 sailed for Flushing, where they were joined by another fleet of 
 sixty ships from the Thames. 
 
 More than a year passed. The English had fought sturdily 
 in Holland. Mr. Francis Vere had been with his cousin, Lord 
 Willoughby, who was in command of Bergen-op-Zoom, and 
 had taken part in the first brush with the enemy, when a 
 party of the garrison marched out and attacked a great convoy 
 of four hundred and fifty waggons going to Antwerp, killed 
 three hundred of the enemy, took eighty prisoners, and de- 
 stroyed all their waggons except twenty-seven, which they 
 carried into the town. Leicester provisioned the town of Grave, 
 which was besieged by the Duke of Parma, the Spanish com- 
 mander-in-chief . Axel was captured by surprise, the volunteers 
 swimming across the moat at night, and throwing open the 
 gates. Doesburg was captured, and Zutphen besieged. 
 
 Parma marched to its relief, and, under cover of a thick fog, 
 succeeded in getting close at hand before it was known that he 
 was near. Then the English knights and volunteers, 200 in 
 number, mounted in hot haste and charged a groat Spanish 
 column of 5000 horse and foot. They were led by Sir William 
 Eussell, under whom were Lords Essex, North, Audley, and 
 Willoughby, behind the last of whom rode Francis Vere. For 
 two hours this little band of horse fought desperately in the 
 midst of the Spanish cavalry, and forced them at last to fall 
 back, but were themselves obliged to retreat when the Spanish
 
 16 SUCCESSES AND REVERSES. 
 
 infantry came up and opened fire upon them. The English 
 loss was 34 killed and wounded, while 250 of the Spaniards 
 were slain, and three of their colours captured. Among the 
 wounded on the English side was the very noble knight Sir 
 Philip Sidney, who was shot by a musket-ball, and died three 
 weeks afterwards. 
 
 The successes of the English during these two years were 
 counterbalanced by the cowardly surrender of Grave by its 
 governor, and by the treachery of Sir William Stanley, gover- 
 nor of Deventer, and of Roland Yorke, who commanded the 
 garrisons of the two forts known as the Zutphen Sconces. Both 
 these officers turned traitors and delivered up the posts they 
 commanded to the Spaniards. Their conduct not only caused 
 great material loss to the allies, but it gave rise to much bad 
 feeling between the English and Dutch, the latter complaining 
 that they received but half-hearted assistance from the 
 English. 
 
 It was not surprising, however, that Leicester was unable to 
 effect more with the little force under his command, for it was 
 necessary not only to raise soldiers, but to invent regulations 
 and discipline. The Spanish system was adopted, and this, 
 the first English regular army, was trained and appointed pre- 
 cisely upon the system of the foe with whom they were fighting. 
 It was no easy task to convert a body of brave knights and 
 gentlemen and sturdy country men into regular troops, and to 
 give them the advantages conferred by discipline and order. 
 But the work was rendered the less difficult by the admixture 
 of the volunteers who had been bravely fighting for ten years 
 under Morgan, Rowland Williams, John Norris, and others. 
 These had had a similar experience on their first arrival in 
 Holland. Several times in their early encounters with the 
 Spaniards the undisciplined young troops had behaved badly; 
 but they had gained experience from their reverses, and had 
 
 (677)
 
 THE CASTLE OF THE VERES. 17 
 
 proved themselves fully capable of standing in line even against 
 the splendid pikemen of Spain. 
 
 While the English had been drilling and fighting in Holland 
 things had gone on quietly at Hedingham. The village stands 
 near the head waters of the Colne and Stour, in a rich and 
 beautiful country. On a rising ground behind it stood the 
 castle of the Veres, which was approached from the village by 
 a drawbridge across the moat. There were few more stately 
 piles in England than the seat of the Earl of Oxford. On one 
 side of the great quadrangle was the gate-house and a lofty 
 tower, on another the great hall and chapel and the kitchens, 
 on a third the suites of apartments of the officials and retinue. 
 In rear were the stables and granaries, the butts and tennis- 
 court, beyond which was the court of the tournaments. 
 
 In the centre of the quadrangle rose the great keep, which 
 still stands, the finest relic of Norman civil architecture in 
 England. It possessed great strength, and at the same time 
 was richly ornamented with carving. The windows, arches, and 
 fireplaces were decorated with chevron carvings. A beautiful 
 spiral pattern enriched the doorway and pillars of the staircase 
 leading to galleries cut in the thickness of the wall, with arched 
 openings looking into the hall below. The outlook from the 
 keep extended over the parishes of Castle Hedingham, Sybil 
 Hedingham, Kirby, and Tilbury, all belonging to the Veres 
 whose property extended far down the pretty valley of the 
 Stour with the stately Hall of Long Melford, the Priory of 
 Clare, and the little town of Lavenham; indeed the whole 
 country was dotted with the farmhouses and manors of the 
 Veres. Seven miles down the valley of the Colne lies the 
 village of Earl's Colne, with the priory, where ten of the earls 
 of Oxford lie buried with their wives. 
 
 The parish church of Castle Hedingham stood at the end of 
 the little village street, and the rectory of Mr. Vickars was 
 
 ( 577 ) B
 
 18 LIFE AT HEDINGHAM. 
 
 close by. The party gathered at morning prayers consisted of 
 Mr. Vickars and his wife, their two sons, Geoffrey and Lionel, 
 and the maid-servants, Euth and Alice. The boys, now fourteen 
 and fifteen years old respectively, were strong-grown and sturdy 
 lads, and their father had long since owned with a sigh that 
 neither of them was likely to follow his profession and fill the 
 pulpit at Hedingham Church when he was gone. Nor was this 
 to be wondered at, for lying as it did at the entrance to the 
 great castle of the Veres, the street of the little village was 
 constantly full of armed men, and resounded with the tramp of 
 the horses of richly-dressed knights and gay ladies. 
 
 Here came great politicians, who sought the friendship and 
 support of the powerful earls of Oxford, nobles and knights, 
 their kinsmen and allies, gentlemen from the wide-spreading 
 manors of the family, stout fighting-men who wished to enlist 
 under their banner. At night the sound of music from the castle 
 told of gay entertainments and festive dances, while by day 
 parties of knights and ladies with dogs and falcons sallied out 
 to seek sport over the wide domains. It could hardly be ex- 
 pected, then, that lads of spirit, brought up in the midst of 
 sights and sounds like these, should entertain a thought of 
 settling down to the tranquil life of the church. As long as 
 they could remember, their minds had been fixed upon being 
 soldiers, and fighting some day under the banner of the Veres. 
 They had been a good deal in the castle; for Mr. Vickars 
 had assisted Arthur Golding, the learned instructor to young 
 Edward Vere, the 17th earl, who was born in 1550, and had 
 succeeded to the title at the age of twelve, and he had after- 
 wards been tutor to the earl's cousins, John, Francis, Robert, 
 and Horace, the sons of Geoffrey, fourth son of the 15th earl 
 These boys were born in 1558, 1560, 1562, and 1565, and 
 lived with their mother at Kirby Hall, a mile from the Castle 
 of Hedingham.
 
 THE BOYS. 19 
 
 The earl was much attached to his old instructor, and when 
 he was at the castle there was scarce a day but an invitation 
 came down for Mr. Vickars and his wife to be present either 
 at banquet or entertainment. The boys were free to come and 
 go as they chose, and the earl's men-at-arms had orders to 
 afford them all necessary teaching in the use of weapons. 
 
 Mr. Vickars considered it his duty to accept the invitations 
 of his friend and patron, but he sorely grudged the time so 
 abstracted from his favourite books. It was, indeed, a relief 
 to him when the earl, whose love of profusion and luxury made 
 serious inroads even into the splendid possessions of the Veres, 
 went up to court, and peace and quietness reigned in the castla 
 The rector was fonder of going to Kirby, where John, Geoffrey's 
 eldest son, lived quietly and soberly, his three younger brothers 
 having, when mere boys, embraced the profession of arms, 
 placing themselves under the care of the good soldier Sir 
 William Browne, who had served for many years in the Low 
 Countries. They occasionally returned home for a time, and 
 were pleased to take notice of the sons of their old tutor, 
 although Geoffrey was six years junior to Horace, the youngest 
 of the brothers. 
 
 The young Vickars had much time to themselves, much more 
 indeed than their mother considered to be good for them. 
 After their breakfast, which was finished by eight o'clock, their 
 father took them for an hour and heard the lessons they had 
 prepared the day before, and gave them instruction in the 
 Latin tongue. Then they were supposed to study till the bell 
 rang for dinner at twelve; but there was no one to see that 
 they did so, for their father seldom came outside his library 
 door, and their mother was busy with her domestic duties and 
 in dispensing simples to the poor people, who, now that the 
 monasteries were closed, had no medical aid save that which 
 they got from the wives of the gentry or ministers, or from the
 
 20 AMUSEMENTS AND EXPEDITIONS. 
 
 wise women, of whom there was generally one in every 
 village. 
 
 Therefore, after half an hour, or at most an hour, spent in 
 getting up their tasks, the books would be thrown aside, and 
 the boys be off, either to the river or up to the castle to prac- 
 tise sword-play with the men-at-arms, or to the butts with 
 their bows, or to the rabbit-warren, where they had leave from 
 the earl to go with their dogs whenever they pleased. Their 
 long excursions were, however, generally deferred until after 
 dinner, as they were then free until supper-time, and even if 
 they did not return after that hour Mrs. Vickars did not chide 
 them unduly, being an easy-going woman, and always ready to 
 make excuses for them. 
 
 There were plenty of fish in the river; and the boys knew 
 the pools they loved best, and often returned with their baskets 
 well filled. There were otters on its banks, too; but, though 
 they sometimes chased these pretty creatures, Tan and Turk, 
 their two dogs, knew as well as their masters that they had 
 but small jchance of catching them. Sometimes they would 
 take a boat at the bridge and drop down the stream for miles, 
 and once or twice had even gone down to Bricklesey 1 at the 
 mouth of the river. This, however, was an expedition that 
 they never performed alone, making it each time in charge of 
 Master Lirriper, who owned a flat barge, and took produce 
 down to Bricklesey, there to be transhipped into coasters 
 bound for London. He had a married daughter there, and it 
 was at her house the boys had slept when they went there; for 
 the journey down and up again was too long to be performed 
 in a single day. 
 
 But this was not the only distant expedition they had made, 
 for they had once gone down the Stour as far as Harwich with 
 their father when he was called thither on business. To them 
 
 1 Now Brightlingsea.
 
 "WHAT WOULD PARSON SAY ABOUT IT?" 21 
 
 Harwich with its old walls and the houses crowded up within 
 them, and its busy port with vessels coming in and going out, 
 was most delightful, and they always talked about that expe- 
 dition as one of the most pleasant recollections of their lives. 
 
 After breakfast was over on 1st of May, 1587, and they had 
 done their lessons with their father, and had worked for an 
 hour by themselves, the boys put by their books and strolled 
 down the village to the bridge. There as usual stood their 
 friend Master Lirriper with his hands deep in his pockets, a 
 place and position in which he was sure to be found when not 
 away in his barge. 
 
 "Good-morning, Master Lirriper." 
 
 "Good-morning, Master Geoffrey and Master Lionel." 
 
 "So you are not down the river to-day?" 
 
 "No, sir. I am going to-morrow, and this time I shall be 
 away four or five days maybe even a week." 
 
 "Shall you?" the boys exclaimed in surprise. "Why, what 
 are you going to do?" 
 
 "I am going round to London in my nephew Joe Chambers' 
 craft" 
 
 "Are you really?" Geoffrey exclaimed. "I wish we were 
 going with you. Don't you think you could take us, Master 
 Lirriper?" 
 
 The bargeman looked down into the water and frowned. 
 He was slow of speech, but as the minutes went on and he did 
 not absolutely refuse the boys exchanged glances of excitement 
 and hope. 
 
 "I dunno how that might be, young sirs," John Lirriper 
 said slowly, after long cogitation. "I dus-say my nephew would 
 have no objection, but what would parson say about it?" 
 
 "Oh, I don't think he would object," Geoffrey said. "If you 
 go up and ask him, Master Lirriper, and say that you will take 
 care of us, you know, I don't see why he should say no."
 
 22 MASTER LIRRIPER IS PERSUADED. 
 
 "Like enough you would be ill," John Lirriper said after 
 another long pause. "It's pretty rough sometimes." 
 
 "Oh, we shouldn't mind that," Lionel protested. "We 
 should like to see the waves and to be in a real ship." 
 
 "It's nothing much of a ship," the boatman said. "She is a 
 ketch of about ten tons and carries three hands." 
 
 "Oh, we don't care how small she is if we can only go in 
 her; and you would be able to show us London, and we might 
 even see the queen. Oh, do come up with us and ask father, 
 Master Lirriper." 
 
 "Perhaps parson wouldn't be pleased, young sirs, and might 
 say I was putting wandering thoughts into your heads ; and 
 Mistress Vickars might think it a great liberty on my part." 
 
 "Oh, no, she wouldn't, Master Lirriper. Besides, AVC will say 
 we asked you." 
 
 "But suppose any harm comes to you, what would they 
 say to me then?" 
 
 " Oh, there's no fear of any harm coming to us. Besides, in 
 another year or two we mean to go over to the Low Countries 
 and fight the Spaniards, and what's a voyage to London to 
 that?" 
 
 " Well, I will think about it," John Lirriper said cautiously. 
 
 "No no, Master Lirriper; if you get thinking about it it will 
 never be done. Do come up with us at once," and each of them 
 got hold of one of the boatman's arms. 
 
 "Well, the parson can but say no," he said, as he suffered 
 himself to be dragged away. "And I don't say as it isn't reason- 
 able that you should like to see something of the world, young 
 sirs; but I don't know how the parson will take it." 
 
 Mr. Vickars looked up irritably from his books when the 
 servant came in and said that Master Lirriper wished to see 
 him. 
 
 "What does he want at this hour?" he said. " You know,
 
 "IT WILL BE GLORIOUS, FATHER." 23 
 
 Ruth, I never see people before dinner. Any time between 
 that and supper I am at their service, but it's too bad being 
 disturbed now." 
 
 " I told him so, sir; but Master Geoffrey and Master Lionel 
 were with him, and they said he wanted particular to see you, 
 and they wanted particular too." 
 
 The clergyman sighed as he put his book down. 
 
 " If Geoffrey and Lionel have concerned themselves in the 
 matter, Euth, I suppose I must see the man; but it's very hard 
 being disturbed like this. Well, Master Lirriper, what is it?" 
 he asked, as the boatman accompanied by Geoffrey and Lionel 
 entered the room. Master Lirriper twirled his hat in his hand. 
 Words did not come easily to him at the best of times, and this 
 was a business that demanded thought and care. Long before 
 he had time to fix upon an appropriate form of words Geoffrey 
 broke in: 
 
 " This is what it is, father. Master Lirriper is going down 
 the river to Bricklesey to-morrow, and then he is going on 
 board his nephew's ship. She is a ketch, and she carries ten 
 tons, though I don't know what it is she carries; and she's going 
 to London, and he is going in her, and he says if you will let 
 him he will take us with him, and will show us London, and 
 take great care of us. It will be glorious, father, if you will 
 only let us go." 
 
 Mr. Vickars looked blankly as Geoffrey poured out his 
 torrent of words. His mind was still full of the book he had 
 been reading, and he hardly took in the meaning of Geoffrey's 
 words. 
 
 " Going in a ketch ! " he repeated. " Going to catch some- 
 thing, I suppose you mean 1 Do you mean he is going fishing ?" 
 
 " No, father, going in a ketch. A ketch is a sort of ship, 
 father, though I don't quite know what sort of ship. What sort 
 of ship is a ketch, Master Lirriper?"
 
 24 "SHE ALWAYS DOES, YOU KNOW. 
 
 "A ketch is a two-masted craft, Master Geoffrey," John 
 Lirriper said. "She carries a big mizzen sail." 
 
 "There, you see, father," Geoffrey said triumphantly; "she 
 carries a big mizzen sail. That's what she is, you see; and he is 
 going to show us London, and will take great care of us if you 
 will let us go with him." 
 
 " Do you mean, Master Lirriper," Mr. Vickars asked slowly, 
 " that you are going to London in some sort of ship, and want 
 to take my sons with you?" 
 
 " Well, sir, I am going to London, and the young masters 
 seemed to think that they would like to go with me, if so be 
 you would have no objection." 
 
 "I don't know," Mr. Vicars said. "It is a long passage, 
 Master Lirriper; and, as I have heard, often a stormy one. I 
 don't think my wife " 
 
 " Oh, yes, father," Lionel broke in. " If you say yes, mother 
 is sure to say yes; she always does, you know. And, you see, it 
 will be a great thing for us to see London. Every one else 
 seems to have seen London, and I am sure that it would do us 
 good. And we might even see the queen." 
 
 "I think that they would be comfortable, sir," John Lirriper 
 put in. "You see, my nephew's wife is daughter of a citizen, one 
 Master Swindon, a ship's chandler, and he said there would be a 
 room there for me, and they would make me heartily welcome. 
 Now, you see, sir, the young masters could have that room, and 
 I could very well sleep on board the ketch; and they would be 
 out of all sort of mischief there." 
 
 "That would be a very good plan certainly, Master Lirriper. 
 Well, well, I don't know what to say." 
 
 "Say yes, father," Geoffrey said as he saw Mr. Vickars 
 glance anxiously at the book he had left open. " If you say yes, 
 you see it will be a grand thing for you, our being away for a 
 week with nothing to disturb you."
 
 "NOT AS A RULE, MASTER GEOFFREY." 25 
 
 "Well, well," Mr. Vickars said, "you must ask your mother. 
 If she makes no objection, then I suppose you can go," and 
 Mr. Vickars hastily took up his hook again. 
 
 The boys ran off to the kitchen, where their mother was 
 superintending the brewing of some broth for a sick woman 
 down the village. 
 
 "Mother!" Geoffrey exclaimed, "Master Lirriper's going to 
 London in a ketch a ship with a big mizzen sail, you know 
 and he has offered to take us with him and show us London. 
 And father has said yes, and it's all settled if you have no ob- 
 jection; and of course you haven't." 
 
 "Going to London, Geoffrey!" Mrs. Vicars exclaimed aghast, 
 " I never heard of such a thing. Why, like enough you will 
 be drowned on the way and never come back again. Your 
 father must be mad to think of such a thing." 
 
 " Oh, no, mother; I am sure it will do us a lot of good. And 
 we may see the queen, mother. And as for drowning, why, we 
 can both swim ever so far. Besides, people don't get drowned 
 going to London. Do they Master Lirriper 1 ?" 
 
 John was standing bashfully at the door of the kitchen. 
 " Well, not as a rule, Master Geoffrey," he replied. " They 
 comes and they goes, them that are used to it, maybe a 
 hundred times without anything happening to them." 
 
 "There! You hear that, mother? They come and go hundreds 
 of times. Oh, I am sure you are not going to say no. That 
 would be too bad when father has agreed to it. Now, mother, 
 please tell Ruth to run away at once and get a wallet packed 
 with our things. Of course we shall want our best clothes; 
 because people dress finely in London, and it would never do 
 if we saw the queen and we hadn't our best doublets on, for 
 she would think that we didn't know what was seemly down 
 at Hedingham." 
 
 " Well, my dears, of course if it is all settled "
 
 26 "IT IS ALL SETTLED. 
 
 " Oh, yes, mother, it is quite all settled." 
 
 " Then it's no use my saying anything more about it, but I 
 think your father might have consulted me before he gave his 
 consent to your going on such a hazardous journey as this. 
 
 "He did want to consult you, mother. But then, you see, he 
 wanted to consult his books even more, and he knew very well 
 that you would agree with him ; and you know you would too. 
 So please don't say anything more about it, but let Euth run 
 upstairs and see to our things at once. There, you see, Master 
 Lirriper, it is all settled. And what time do you start to-morrow? 
 We will be there half an hour before, anyhow." 
 
 " I shall go at seven from the bridge. Then I shall just 
 catch the turn of the tide and get to Bricklesey in good time." 
 
 " I never did see such boys," Mrs. Vickars said when John 
 Lirriper had gone on his way. "As for your father, I am 
 surprised at him in countenancing you. You will be running 
 all sorts of risks. You may be drowned on the way, or killed 
 in a street brawl, or get mixed up in a plot. There is no say- 
 ing what may not happen. And here it is all settled before I 
 have even time to think about it, which is most inconsiderate 
 of your father." 
 
 "Oh, we shall get back again without any harm, mother. 
 And as to getting killed in a street brawl, Lionel and I can 
 use our hangers as well as most of them. Besides, nothing of 
 that sort is going to happen to us. Now, mother, please let 
 Euth go at once, and tell her to put up our puce doublets that 
 we had for the jousting at the castle, and our red hose and our 
 dark green cloth slashed trunks." 
 
 " There is plenty of time for that, Geoffrey, as you are not 
 going until to-morrow. Besides, I can't spare Euth now, but 
 she shall see about it after dinner." 
 
 There was little sleep for the boys that night. A visit to 
 London had long been one of their wildest ambitions, and they
 
 THE START. 27 
 
 could scarcely believe that thus suddenly and without prepara- 
 tion it was about to take place. Their father had some time 
 before promised that he would some day make request to one 
 or other of the young Veres to allow them to ride to London 
 in his suite, but the present seemed to them an even more 
 delightful plan. There would be the pleasure of the voyage, 
 and moreover it would be much more lively for them to be 
 able to see London under the charge of John Lirriper than to 
 be subject to the ceremonial and restraint that would be en- 
 forced in the household of the Veres. They were then at the 
 appointed place a full hour before the time named, with wallets 
 containing their clothes, and a basket of provisions that their 
 mother had prepared for them. Having stowed these away in 
 the little cabin, they walked up and down impatiently until 
 Master Lirriper himself appeared. 
 
 "You are up betimes, my young masters," the boatman said. 
 "The church has not yet struck seven o'clock." 
 
 "We have been here ever so long, Master Lirriper. We 
 could not sleep much last night, and got up when it chimed 
 five, being afraid that we might drop off to sleep and be late." 
 
 " Well, we shall not be long before we are off. Here comes 
 my man Dick, and the tide is just on the turn. The sky looks 
 bright, and the weather promises well. I will just go round 
 to the cottage and fetch up my things, and then we shall be 
 ready." 
 
 In ten minutes they pushed off from the shore. John and 
 his man got out long poles shod with iron, and with these 
 set to work to punt the barge along. Now that they were 
 fairly on their way the boys quieted down, and took their seats 
 on the sacks of flour with which the boat was laden, and 
 watched the objects on the bank as the boat made her way 
 quietly along. 
 
 Halstead was the first place passed. This was the largest
 
 28 AT BRICKLESEY. 
 
 town near Hedingham, and was a place of much importance in 
 their eyes. Then they passed Stanstead Hall and Earl's Colne 
 on their right, Colne Wake on their left, and Chapel Parish 
 on their right. Then there was a long stretch without any 
 large villages, until they came in sight of the bridge above 
 Colchester. A few miles below the town the river began to 
 widen. The banks were low and flat, and they were now 
 entering an arm of the sea. Half an hour later the houses and 
 church of Bricklesey came in sight. Tide was almost low 
 when they ran on to the mud abreast of the village, but John 
 put on a pair of high boots and carried the boys ashore one 
 after the other on his back, and then went up with them to 
 the house where they were to stop for the night. 
 
 Here, although not expected, they were heartily welcomed 
 by John's daughter. 
 
 " If father had told me that you had been coming, Masters 
 Vickars, I would have had a proper dinner for you; but though 
 he sent word yesterday morning that he should be over to- 
 day, he did not say a word about your coming with them." 
 
 "He did not know himself," Geoffrey said; "it was only 
 settled at ten o'clock yesterday. But do not trouble yourself 
 about the dinner. In the first place, we are so pleased at going 
 that we don't care a bit what we eat, and in the second place 
 we had breakfast on board the boat, and we were both so 
 hungry that I am sure we could go till supper-time without 
 eating if necessary." 
 
 "Where are you going, father!" the young woman asked. 
 
 " I am going to set about unloading the flour." 
 
 " Why, it's only a quarter to twelve, and dinner just ready. 
 The fish went into the frying-pan as you came up from the 
 boat You know we generally dine at half-past eleven, but we 
 saw you coming at a distance and put it off It's no use your 
 starting now."
 
 THE "SUSAN." 29 
 
 " Well, I suppose it isn't. And I don't know what the young 
 masters' appetite may be, but mine is pretty good, I can tell 
 you." 
 
 "I never knew it otherwise, father," the woman laughed. 
 " Ah, here is my Sam. Sam, here's father brought these two 
 young gentlemen. They are the sons of Mr. Vickars, the 
 parson at Hedingham. They are going to stop here to-night, 
 and are going with him in the Susan to-morrow to London." 
 
 " Glad to see you, young masters," Sam said. " I have often 
 heard Ann talk of your good father. I have just been on 
 board the Susan, for I am sending up a couple of score sides of 
 bacon in her, and have been giving Joe Chambers, her master, 
 a list of things he is to get there and bring down for me. Now 
 then, girl, bustle about and get dinner on as soon as you can. 
 We are half an hour late. I am sure the young gentlemen 
 here must be hungry. There's nothing like being on the water 
 for getting an appetite." 
 
 A few minutes later a great dish of fish, a loaf of bread and 
 some wooden platters, were placed on the table, and all set 
 to at once. Forks had not yet come into use, and table-cloths 
 were unknown, except among the upper classes. The boys 
 found that in spite of their hearty breakfast their appetites 
 were excellent. The tish were delicious, the bread was home- 
 baked, and the beer from Colchester, which was already 
 famous for its brewing. When they had finished, John Lirriper 
 asked them if they would rather see what there was to be seen 
 in the village, or go off to the ketch. They at once chose the 
 latter alternative. On going down to the water's edge they 
 found that the tide had risen sufficiently to enable Dick to bring 
 the barge alongside the jetty. They were soon on board. 
 
 "Which is the Susan, Master Lirriper f" 
 
 " That's her lying out there with two others. She is the one 
 lowest down the stream. We shall just fetch her comfortably."
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 A MEETING IN CHEPE. 
 
 ROW of ten minutes took the boat with Master 
 Lirriper and the two boys alongside the ketch. 
 
 " How are you, Joe Chambers?" Master Lirriper 
 hailed the skipper as he appeared on the deck 
 of the Susan. " I have brought you two more passengers for 
 London. They are going there under my charge." 
 
 "The more the merrier, Uncle John," the young skipper 
 replied. " There are none others going this journey, so though 
 our accommodation is not very extensive, we can put them up 
 comfortably enough if they don't mind roughing it." 
 
 " Oh, we don't mind that," Geoffrey said, as they climbed on 
 board; "besides, there seems lots of room." 
 
 "Not so much as you think," the skipper replied. " She is 
 a roomy craft is the Susan; but she is pretty nigh all hold, and 
 we are cramped a little in the fo'castle. Still we can sleep six, 
 and that's just the number we shall have, for we carry a man 
 and a boy besides myself. I think your flour will about fill her 
 up, Master Lirriper. We have a pretty full cargo this time." 
 
 " Well, we shall soon see," John Lirriper said. " Are you 
 ready to take the flour on board at once? Because, if so, we 
 will begin to discharge." 
 
 "Yes, I am quite ready. You told me you were going 
 to bring forty sacks, and I have left the middle part of the
 
 A TRADING KETCH. 31 
 
 hold empty for them. Sam Hunter's bacon will stow in on 
 the top of your sacks, and just fill her up to the beams there, 
 as I reckon. I'll go below and stow them away as you hand 
 them across." 
 
 In an hour the sacks of flour were transferred from the 
 barge to the hold of the Susan, and the sides of bacon then 
 placed upon them. 
 
 "It's a pity we haven't all the rest of the things on board," 
 the skipper said, " and then we could have started by this 
 evening's tide instead of waiting till the morning. The wind 
 is fair, and I hate throwing away a fair wind. There is no 
 saying where it may blow to-morrow, but I shouldn't be at all 
 surprised if it isn't round to the south, and that will be foul 
 for us till we get pretty nigh up into the mouth of the river. 
 However, I gave them till to-night for getting all their things 
 on board, and must therefore wait." 
 
 To the boys the Susan appeared quite a large craft, for there 
 was not water up at Hedingham for vessels of her size; and 
 though they had seen ships at Harwich, they had never before 
 put foot on anything larger than Master Lirriper's barge. The 
 Susan was about forty feet long by twelve feet beam, and drew, 
 as her skipper informed them, near five feet of water. She 
 was entirely decked. The cabin in the bows occupied some 
 fourteen feet in length. The rest was devoted to cargo. They 
 descended into the cabin, which seemed to them very dark, 
 there being no light save what came down through the small 
 hatchway. Still it looked snug and comfortable. There was a 
 fireplace on one side of the ladder by which they had descended, 
 and on this side there were two bunks, one above the other. 
 On the other side there were lockers running along the entire 
 length of the cabin. Two could sleep on these and two on the 
 bunks above them. 
 
 " Now, young masters, you will take those two bunks on the
 
 32 ARRANGING FOR A START. 
 
 top there. John Lirriper and I will sleep on the lockers under- 
 neath you. The man and the boy have the two on the other 
 side. I put you on the top because there is a side board, 
 and you can't fall out if she rolls, and besides the bunks are 
 rather wider than the lockers below. If the wind is fair you 
 won't have much of our company, because we shall hold on till 
 we moor alongside the wharves of London ; but if it's foul, or 
 there is not enough of it to take us against tide, we have to 
 anchor on the ebb, and then of course we turn in." 
 
 "How long do you take getting from here to London?" 
 
 " Ah, that I can tell you more about when I see what the 
 weather is like in the morning. With a strong fair wind I have 
 done it in twenty-four hours, and again with the wind foul it 
 has taken me nigh a week. Taking one trip with another I 
 should put it at three days." 
 
 " Well, now, we will be going ashore," John Lirriper said. 
 " I will leave my barge alongside till tide turns, for I could not 
 get her back again to the jetty so long as it is running in strong, 
 so I will be off again in a couple of hours." 
 
 So saying he hauled up the dingy that was towing behind 
 the barge, and he and Dick rowed the two boys ashore. Then 
 he walked along with them to a spot where several craft were 
 hauled up, pointing out to them the differences in their rig 
 and build, and explained their purpose, and gave them the 
 names of the principal ropes and stays. 
 
 "Now," he said, "it's getting on for supper-time, and it 
 won't do to keep them waiting, for Ann is sure to have got 
 some cakes made, and there's nothing puts a woman out more 
 than people not being in to meals when they have got some- 
 thing special ready. After that I shall go out with Dick and 
 bring the barge ashore. He will load her up to-morrow, and 
 take her back single-handed; which can be done easy enough 
 in such weather as this, but it is too much for one man if
 
 UNDER SAIL. 33 
 
 there is a strong wind blowing and driving her over to the one 
 side or other of the river." 
 
 As John Lirriper had expected, his daughter had prepared 
 a pile of hot cakes for supper, and her face brightened up when 
 she saw the party return punctually. The boys had been up 
 early, and had slept but little the night before, and were not 
 sorry at eight o'clock to lie down on the bed of freshly-cut 
 rushes covered with home-spun sheets, for regular beds of 
 feathers were still but little used in England. At five o'clock 
 they were astir again, and their hostess insisted on their eating 
 a manchet of bread with some cheese, washed down by a stoup 
 of ale before starting. Dick had the boat at the jetty ready to 
 row them off, and as soon as they were on board the Susan pre- 
 parations were made for a start 
 
 The mainsail was first hoisted, its size greatly surprising the 
 boys; then the foresail and jib were got up, and lastly the 
 mizzen. Then the capstan was manned, and the anchor slowly 
 brought on board, and the sails being sheeted home, the 
 craft began to steal through the water. The tide was still 
 draining up, and she had not as yet swung. The wind was 
 light, and, as the skipper had predicted, was nearly due south. 
 As the ketch made its way out from the mouth of the river, 
 and the wide expanse of water opened before them, the boys 
 were filled with delight. They had taken their seats, one on 
 each side of the skipper, who was at the tiller. 
 
 "I suppose you steer by the compass, Master Chambers'?" 
 Geoffrey said. "Which is the compass 1 I have heard about it, 
 always pointing to the north." 
 
 "It's down below, young sir; I will show it you presently. 
 We steer by that at night, or when it's foggy; but on a fine 
 day like this there is no need for it There are marks put up 
 on all the sands, and we steer by them. You see, the way the 
 wind is now we can lay our course for the Whittaker. That's a 
 
 (677) C
 
 34 THE DANGERS OF THE THAMES. 
 
 cruel sand, that is, and stretches out a long way from a point lying 
 away on the right there. Once past that we bear away to the 
 south-west, for we are then, so to speak, fairly in the course of 
 the river. There is many a ship has been cast away on the 
 Whittaker. Not that it is worse than other sands. There are 
 scores of them lying in the mouth of the river, and if it wasn't 
 for the marks there would be no sailing in or out." 
 
 "Who put up the marks'?" Lionel asked. 
 
 "They are put up by men who make a business of it. There 
 is one boat of them sails backwards and forwards where the 
 river begins to narrow above Sheerness, and every ship that 
 goes up or down pays them something according to her size. 
 Others cruise about with long poles, putting them in the 
 sands wherever one gets washed away. They have got dif- 
 ferent marks on them. A single cross-piece, or two cross- 
 pieces, or a circle, or a diamond; so that each sand has got its 
 own particular mark These are known to the masters of all 
 ships that go up and down the river, and so they can tell 
 exactly where they are, and what course to take. At night 
 they anchor, for there would be no possibility of finding the 
 way up or down in the dark. I have heard tell from mariners 
 who have sailed abroad that there ain't a place anywhere 
 with such dangerous sands as those we have got here at the 
 mouth of the Thames." 
 
 In the first three or four hours' sail Geoffrey and Lionel 
 acquired much nautical knowledge. They learned the difference 
 between the mainmast and the mizzen, found that all the strong 
 ropes that kept the masts erect and stiff were called stays, that 
 the ropes that hoist sails are called halliards, and that sheets is 
 the name given to the ropes that restrain the sails at the lower 
 corner, and are used to haul them in more tightly when sail- 
 ing close to the wind, or to ease them off when the wind is 
 favourable. They also learned that the yards at the head of
 
 THE CHANNELS. 35 
 
 the main and mizzen sails are called gaffs, and those at the 
 bottom, booms. 
 
 " I think that's about enough for you to remember in one 
 day, young masters," John Lirriper said. " You bear all that 
 in your mind, and remember that each halliard and sheet has 
 the name of the sail to which it is attached, and you will have 
 learnt enough to make yourself useful, and can lend a hand 
 when the skipper calls out, ' Haul in the jib-sheet,' or 'Let go 
 the fore-halliards.' Now sit yourselves down again and see 
 what is doing. That beacon you can just see right ahead marks 
 the end of the Whittaker Spit When we get there we shall 
 drop anchor till the tide turns. You see we are going across 
 it now, but when we round that beacon we shall have it 
 dead against us, and the wind would be too light to take us 
 against it even if it were not from the quarter it is. You see 
 there are two or three other craft brought up there." 
 
 " Where have they come from do you think, Master Lirriper ?'' 
 " Well, they may have come out from Burnham, or they 
 may have come down from London and be going up to Burn- 
 ham or to Bricklesey when the tide turns. There is a large 
 ship anchored in the channel beyond the Whittaker. Of course 
 she is going up when tide begins to flow. And there are the 
 masts of two vessels right over there. They are in another 
 channel. Between us and them there is a line of sands that 
 you will see will show above the water when it gets a bit lower. 
 That is the main channel, that is; and vessels coming from the 
 south with a large draught of water generally use that, while this 
 is the one that is handiest for ships from the north. Small 
 vessels from the south come in by a channel a good bit beyond 
 those ships. That is the narrowest of the three ; and even light 
 draught vessels don't use it much unless the wind is favourable, 
 for there is not much room for them to beat up if the wind is 
 against them."
 
 36 BEATING UP. 
 
 "What is to beat up, Master Lirriper?" 
 
 " Well, you will see about that presently. I don't think we 
 shall be able to lay our course beyond the Whittaker. To lay 
 our course means to steer the way we want to go; and if we 
 can't do that we shall have to beat, and that is tedious work 
 with a light wind like this." 
 
 They dropped anchor off the beacon, and the captain said 
 that this was the time to take breakfast. The lads already 
 smelt an agreeable odour arising from the cabin forward, where 
 the boy had been for some time busily engaged, and soon the 
 whole party were seated on the lockers in the cabin devouring 
 fried fish. 
 
 " Master Chambers," Geoffrey said, " we have got two boiled 
 pullets in our basket Had we not better have them for dinner ? 
 They were cooked the evening before we came away, and I 
 should think they had better be eaten now." 
 
 " You had better keep them for yourselves, Master Geoffrey," 
 the skipper said. " We are accustomed to living on fish, but 
 like enough you would get tired of it before we got to London." 
 
 But this the boys would not hear of, and it was accordingly 
 arranged that the dinner should be furnished from the contents 
 of the basket 
 
 As soon as tide turned the anchor was hove up and the Susan 
 got under way again. The boys soon learnt the meaning of the 
 word beating, and found that it meant sailing backwards and 
 forwards across the channel, with the wind sometimes on one 
 side of the boat and sometimes on the other. Geoffrey wanted 
 very much to learn why, when the wind was so nearly ahead, 
 the boat advanced instead of drifting backwards or sideways. 
 But this was altogether beyond the power of either Master 
 Lirriper or Joe Chambers to explain. They said every one 
 knew that when the sails were full a vessel went in the direction 
 in which her head pointed. " It's just the same way with your-
 
 BOATS DIFFER. 
 
 self, Master Geoffrey. You see, when you look one way that's 
 the way you go. When you turn your head and point another 
 way, of course you go off that way; and it's just the same thing 
 with the ship." 
 
 " I don't think it's the same thing, Master Lirriper," Geoffrey 
 said puzzled. " In one case the power that makes one go comes 
 from the inside, and so one can go in any direction one likes; 
 in the other it comes from outside, and you would think the 
 ship would have to go any way the wind pushes her. If you 
 stand up and I give you a push, I push you straight away from 
 me. You don't go sideways or come forward in the direction 
 of my shoulder, which is what the ship does." 
 
 John Lirriper took off his cap and scratched his head. 
 
 " I suppose it is as you say, Master Geoffrey, though I never 
 thought of it before. There is some reason, no doubt, why the 
 craft moves up against the wind so long as the sails are full, 
 instead of drifting away to leeward; though I never heard tell 
 of it, and never heard anyone ask before. I daresay a learned 
 man could tell why it is; and if you ask your good father when 
 you go back I would wager he can explain it. It always seems 
 to me as if a boat have got some sort of sense, just like a human 
 being or a horse, and when she knows which way you wants her 
 to go she goes. That's how it seems to me ain't it, Joe?" 
 
 " Something like that, uncle. Every one knows that a boat's 
 got her humours, and sometimes she sails better than she does 
 others; and each boat's got her own fancies. Some does their 
 best when they are beating, and some are lively in a heavy sea, 
 and seem as if they enjoy it; and others get sulky, and don't 
 seem to take the trouble to lift their bows up when a wave 
 meets them; and they groans and complains if the wind is too 
 hard for them, just like a human being. When you goes to 
 a new vessel you have got to learn her tricks and her ways and 
 what she will do, and what she won't do, and just to humour
 
 38 "SHE KNOWS IT." 
 
 her as you would a child. I don't say as I think she is actually 
 alive; but every sailor will tell you that there is something 
 about her that her builders never put there." 
 
 " That's so," John Lirriper agreed. " Look at a boat that is 
 hove up when her work's done and going to be broken up. 
 Why, anyone can tell her with half an eye. She looks that 
 forlorn and melancholy that one's inclined to blubber at the 
 sight of her. She don't look like that at any other time. 
 When she is hove up she is going to die, and she knows it" 
 
 " But perhaps that's because the paint's off her sides and the 
 ropes all worn and loose," Geoffrey suggested. 
 
 But Master Lirriper waved the suggestion aside as unworthy 
 even of an answer, and repeated, " She knows it. Anyone can 
 see that with half an eye." 
 
 Geoffrey and Lionel talked the matter over when they were 
 sitting together on deck apart from the others. It was an age 
 when there were still many superstitions current in the land. 
 Even the upper classes believed in witches and warlocks, in 
 charms and spells, in lucky and unlucky days, in the arts of 
 magic, in the power of the evil eye; and although to the boys 
 it seemed absurd that a vessel should have life, they were not 
 prepared altogether to discredit an idea that was evidently 
 thoroughly believed by those who had been on board ships all 
 their lives. After talking it over for some time they deter- 
 mined to submit the question to their father on their 
 return. 
 
 It took them two more tides before they were off Sheerness. 
 The wind was now more favourable, and having increased some- 
 what in strength, the Susan made her way briskly along, heel- 
 ing over till the water ran along her scuppers. There was 
 plenty to see now, for there were many fishing-boats at work, 
 some belonging, as Master Chambers told them, to the Medway, 
 others to the little village of Leigh, whose church they saw at
 
 WAITING FOR THE TIDE. 39 
 
 the top of the hill to their right. They met, too, several large 
 craft coming down the river, and passed more than one, for the 
 Susan was a fast boat. 
 
 "They would beat us," the skipper said when the boys 
 expressed their surprise at their passing such large vessels, " if 
 the wind were stronger or the water rough. We are doing our 
 best, and if the wind rises I shall have to take in sail; while 
 they could carry all theirs if it blew twice as hard. Then in 
 a sea, weight and power tell; a wave that would knock the way 
 almost out of us would hardly affect them at all." 
 
 So well did the Susan go along, that before the tide was much 
 more than half done they passed the little village of Gravesend 
 on their left, with the strong fort of Tilbury on the opposite 
 shore, with its guns pointing on the river, and ready to give 
 a good account of any Spaniard who should venture to sail 
 up the Thames. Then at the end of the next reach the hamlet 
 of Grays was passed on the right; a mile further Greenhithe 
 on the left. Tide was getting slack now, but the Susan managed 
 to get as far as Purfleet, and then dropped her anchor. 
 
 "This is our last stopping - place," Joe Chambers said. 
 " The morning tide will carry us up to London Bridge." 
 
 "Then you will not go on with to-night's tide?" Geoffrey 
 asked. 
 
 "No; the river gets narrower every mile, and I do not care 
 to take the risk of navigating it after dark, especially as there 
 is always a great deal of shipping moored above Greenwich. 
 Tide will begin to run up at about five o'clock, and by ten we 
 ought to be safely moored alongside near London Bridge. So 
 we should not gain a great deal by going on this evening 
 instead of to-morrow morning, and I don't suppose you are in 
 a particular hurry." 
 
 " Oh, no," Lionel said. " We would much rather go on in 
 the morning, otherwise we should miss everything by the way;
 
 40 IN THE POOL. 
 
 and there is the Queen's Palace at Greenwich that I want to 
 see above all things." 
 
 Within a few minutes of the hour the skipper had named 
 for their arrival, the Susan was moored alongside some vessels 
 lying off one of the wharves above the Tower. The boys' 
 astonishment had risen with every mile of their approach to 
 the city, and they were perfectly astounded at the amount of 
 shipping that they now beheld. The great proportion were of 
 course coasters, like themselves, but there were many large 
 vessels among them, and of these fully half were flying foreign 
 colours. Here were traders from the Netherlands, with the flag 
 that the Spaniards had in vain endeavoured to lower, flying at 
 their mast-heads. Here were caravels from Venice and Genoa, 
 laden with goods from the East. Among the rest Master 
 Chambers pointed out to the lads the ship in which Sir Francis 
 Drake had circumnavigated the world, and that in which Cap- 
 tain Stevens had sailed to India, round the Cape of Good Hope. 
 There were many French vessels also in the Pool, and indeed 
 almost every flag save that of Spain was represented. Innumer- 
 able wherries darted about among the shipping, and heavier cargo 
 boats dropped along in more leisurely fashion. Across the river, 
 a quarter of a mile above the point at which they were lying, 
 stretched London Bridge, with its narrow arches and the houses 
 projecting beyond it on their supports of stout timbers. Beyond, 
 on the right, rising high above the crowded roofs, was the lofty 
 spire of St. Paul's. The boys were almost awed by this vast 
 assemblage of buildings. That London was a great city they had 
 known, but they were not prepared for so immense a difference 
 between it and the place where they had lived all their lives. 
 Only with the Tower were they somewhat disappointed. It 
 was very grand and very extensive, but not so much grander 
 than the stately abode of the Veres as they had looked for. 
 
 "I wouldn't change, if I were the earl, with the queen's
 
 A BUSY SCENE. 41 
 
 majesty," Geoffrey said. " Of course it is larger than Heding- 
 ham, but not so beautiful, and it is crowded in by the houses, 
 and has not like our castle a fair look-out on all sides. Why, 
 there can be no hunting or hawking near here, and I can't think 
 what the nobles can find to do all day." 
 
 " Now, young sirs," Master Lirriper said, "if you will get your 
 wallets we will go ashore at once." 
 
 The boys were quite bewildered as they stepped ashore by 
 the bustle and confusion. Brawny porters carrying heavy 
 packages on their backs pushed along unceremoniously, saying 
 from time to time in a mechanical sort of way, " By your leave, 
 sir ! " but pushing on and shouldering passers-by into the gutter 
 without the smallest compunction. The narrowness and dingi- 
 ness of the streets greatly surprised and disappointed the boys, 
 who found that in these respects even Harwich compared favour- 
 ably with the region they were traversing. Presently, however, 
 after passing through several lanes and alleys, they emerged into 
 a much broader street, alive with shops. The people who were 
 walking here were for the most part well dressed and of quiet 
 demeanour, and there was none of the rough bustle that had 
 prevailed in the river-side lanes. 
 
 "This is Eastchepe," their conductor said; "we have not 
 far to go now. The street in which my friend dwells lies to 
 the right, between this and Tower Street. I could have taken 
 you a shorter way there, but I thought that your impressions 
 of London would not be favourable did I take you all the way 
 through those ill-smelling lanes." 
 
 In a quarter of an hour they arrived at their destination, 
 and entered the shop, which smelt strongly of tar; coils of rope 
 of all sizes were piled up one upon another by the walls, while 
 on shelves above them were blocks, lanterns, compasses, and 
 a great variety of gear of whose use the boys were ignorant. 
 The chandler was standing at his door.
 
 42 A HEARTY WELCOME. 
 
 " I am right glad to see you, Master Lirriper," he said, " and 
 have been expecting you for the last two or three days. My 
 wife would have it that some evil must have befallen you; but 
 you know what women are. They make little allowance for 
 time or tide or distance, but expect that every one can so arrange 
 his journeys as to arrive at the very moment when they begin 
 to expect him. But who have you here with you?" 
 
 " These are the sons of the worshipful Mr. Vickars, the rector 
 of our parish, and tutor to the Earl of Oxford and several of the 
 young Veres, his cousins a wise gentleman and a kind one, 
 and much loved among us. He has entrusted his two sons to 
 me that I might show them somewhat of this city of yours. 
 I said that I was right sure that you and your good dame would 
 let them occupy the chamber you intended for me, while I can 
 make good shift on board the Susan." 
 
 " Nay, nay, Master Lirriper; our house is big enough to take 
 in you and these two young masters, and Dorothy would deem 
 it a slight indeed upon her hospitality were you not to take 
 up your abode here too. You will be heartily welcome, young 
 sirs, and though such accommodation as we can give you will 
 not be equal to that which you are accustomed to, I warrant me 
 that you will find it a pleasant change after that poky little 
 cabin on board the Susan. I know it well, for I supply her 
 with stores, and have often wondered how men could accustom 
 themselves to pass their lives in places where there is scarce 
 room to turn, to say nothing of the smell of fish that always 
 hangs about it. But if you will follow me I will take you up 
 to my good dame, to whose care I must commit you for the 
 present, as my foreman, John Watkins, is down by the river- 
 side seeing to the proper delivery of divers stores on board 
 a ship which sails with the next tide for Holland. My appren- 
 tices, too, are both out, as I must own is their wont. They 
 always make excuses to slip down to the river-side when there
 
 "THAT WOULD I NOT." 43 
 
 is aught doing, and I am far too easy with the varlets. So at 
 present, you see, I cannot long leave my shop." 
 
 So saying the chandler preceded them up a wide staircase 
 that led from a passage behind the shop, and the boys perceived 
 that the house was far more roomy and comfortable than they 
 had judged from its outward appearance. Turning to the left 
 when he reached the top of the stairs the chandler opened a 
 door. 
 
 "Dorothy," he said, "here is your kinsman, Master Lirriper, 
 who has suffered none of the misadventures you have been 
 picturing to yourself for the last two days, and he has brought 
 with him these young gentlemen, sons of the rector of Heding- 
 ham, to show them something of London." 
 
 " You are welcome, young gentlemen," Dame Dorothy said, 
 "though why anyone should come to London when he can 
 stay away from it I know not." 
 
 "Why, Dorothy, you are always running down our city, 
 though I know right well that were I to move down with you 
 to your native Essex again you would very soon cry out for the 
 pleasures of the town." 
 
 " That would I not," she said. " I would be well contented 
 to live in fresh country air all the rest of my life, though I do 
 not say that London has not its share of pleasures also, though 
 I care but little for them." 
 
 "Ah, Master Lirriper," her husband said laughing, "you 
 would not think, to hear her talk, that there is not a feast or 
 a show that Dorothy would stay away from. She never misses 
 an opportunity, I warrant you, of showing herself off in her 
 last new kirtle and gown. But I must be going down; there 
 is no one below, and if a customer comes and finds the shop 
 empty he will have but a poor idea of me, and will think that 
 I am away gossiping instead of attending to my business." 
 
 "Are you hungry, young sirs?" the dame asked. "Because
 
 44 MASTER LIRRIPER'S ADVICE. 
 
 if so the maid shall bring up a manchet of bread and a cup of 
 sack; if not, our evening meal will be served in the course of an 
 hour." 
 
 The boys both said that they were perfectly able to wait 
 until the meal came; and Geoffrey added, "If you will allow us, 
 mistress, as doubtless you have private matters to talk of with 
 Master Lirriper, my brother and I will walk out for an hour 
 to see something of the town." 
 
 " Mind that you lose not your way," Master Lirriper said. 
 "Do not go beyond Eastchepe, I beg you. There are the shops to 
 look at there, and the fashions of dress and other matters that 
 will occupy your attention well enough for that short time. 
 To-morrow morning I will myself go with you, and we can then 
 wander further abroad. I have promised your good father to 
 look after you, you know ; and it will be but a bad beginning 
 if you meet with any untoward adventure upon this the first 
 day of your arrival here." 
 
 "We will not go beyond the limits of Eastchepe; and as to 
 adventures, I can't see very well how any can befall us." 
 
 " Oh, there are plenty of adventures to be met with in Lon- 
 don, young sir; and I shall be well content if on the day when 
 we again embark on board the Susan none of them have fallen 
 to your share." 
 
 The two lads accordingly sallied out and amused themselves 
 greatly by staring at the goods exhibited in the open shops. 
 They were less surprised at the richness and variety of the silver 
 work, at the silks from the East, the costly satins, and other 
 stuffs, than most boys from the country would have been, for 
 they were accustomed to the splendour and magnificence dis- 
 played by the various noble guests at the castle, and saw nothing 
 here that surpassed the brilliant shows made at the jousting 
 and entertainments at Hedingham. 
 
 It was the scene that was novel to them : the shouts of the
 
 THE LONDON APPRENTICES MAKE FUN OF LIONEL AND GEOFFREY.
 
 THE BOY'S PATIENCE TRIED. 45 
 
 apprentices inviting attention to their employers' wares, the 
 crowd that filled the street, consisting for the most part of the 
 citizens themselves, but varied by nobles and knights of the 
 court, by foreigners from many lands, by soldiers and men-at- 
 arms from the Tower, by countrymen and sailors. Their amuse- 
 ment was sometimes turned into anger by the flippant remarks 
 of the apprentices; these varlets, perceiving easily enough by 
 the manner of their attire that they were from the country, 
 were not slow, if their master happened for the moment to be 
 absent, in indulging in remarks that set Geoffrey and Lionel 
 into a fever to commit a breach of the peace. The "What 
 do you lack, masters?" with which they generally addressed 
 passers-by would be exchanged for remarks such as, "Do not 
 trouble the young gentlemen, Nat. Do you not see they are 
 up in the town looking for some of their master's calves?" or, 
 "Look you, Philip, here are two rustics who have come up to 
 town to learn manners." 
 
 "I quite see, Geoffrey," Lionel said, taking his brother by 
 the arm and half dragging him away as he saw that he was 
 clenching his fist and preparing to avenge summarily one of 
 these insults even more pointed than usual, "that Master Lir- 
 riper was not very far out, and there is no difficulty in meeting 
 with adventures in the streets of London. However, we must 
 not give him occasion on this our first stroll in the streets to 
 say that we cannot be trusted out of his sight. If we were 
 to try to punish these insolent varlets we should have them 
 up/on us like a swarm of bees, and should doubtless get worsted 
 in the encounter, and might even find ourselves hauled off to 
 the lock-up, and that would be a nice tale for Master Lirriper to 
 carry back to Hedingham." 
 
 " That is true enough, Lionel; but it is not easy to keep one's 
 temper when one is thus tried. I know not how it is they see 
 so readily that we are strangers, for surely we have mixed
 
 46 THE LONDON APPRENTICES. 
 
 enough with the earl's family and friends to have rubbed off 
 the awkwardness that they say is common to country folk; and 
 as to our dress, I do not see much difference between its fashion 
 and that of other people. I suppose it is because we look in- 
 terested in what is going on, instead of strolling along like 
 those two youths opposite with our noses in the air, as if we 
 regarded the city and its belongings as infinitely below our 
 regard. Well, I think we had best be turning back to Master 
 Swindon's; it will not do to be late for our meal" 
 
 " Well, young sirs, what do you think of our shops?" Dame 
 Swindon asked as they entered. 
 
 " The shops are well enough," Geoffrey replied ; " but your 
 apprentices seem to me to be an insolent set of jackanapes, who 
 take strange liberties with passers-by, and who would be all the 
 better for chastisement. If it hadn't been that Lionel and I 
 did not wish to become engaged in a brawl, we should have 
 given some of them lessons in manners." 
 
 "They are free in speech," Dame Swindon said, "and are 
 an impudent set of varlets. They have quick eyes and ready 
 tongues, and are no respecters of persons save of their masters 
 and of citizens in a position to lay complaints against them and 
 to secure them punishment They hold together greatly, and 
 it is as well that you should not become engaged in a quarrel 
 with them. At times they have raised serious tumults, and 
 have even set not only the watch but the citizens at large at 
 defiance. Strong measures have been several times taken 
 against them; but they are a powerful body, seeing that in every 
 shop there are one or more of them, and they can turn out 
 with their clubs many thousand strong. They have what they 
 call their privileges, and are as ready to defend them as are 
 the citizens of London to uphold their liberties. Ordinances 
 have been passed many times by the fathers of the city, re- 
 gulating their conduct and the hours at which they may be
 
 THE DECLINE OF ARCHERY. 47 
 
 abroad and the carrying of clubs and matters of this kind, but 
 the apprentices seldom regard them, and if the watch arrest one 
 for a breach of regulations, he raises a cry, and in two or three 
 minutes a swarm of them collect and rescue the offender from 
 his hands. Therefore it is seldom that the watch interferes 
 with them." 
 
 " It would almost seem then that the apprentices are in fact 
 the masters," Geoffrey said. 
 
 " Not quite as bad as that," Master Swindon replied. "There 
 are the rules which they have to obey when at home, and if not 
 they get a whipping ; but it is difficult to keep a hand over 
 them when they are abroad. After the shops are closed and 
 the supper over they have from time immemorial the right to 
 go out for two hours' exercise. They are supposed to go and 
 shoot at the butts; but archery, I grieve to say, is falling into 
 disrepute, and although many still go to the butts the practice 
 is no longer universal. But here is supper." 
 
 Few words were spoken during the meal. The foreman and 
 the two apprentices came up and sat down with the family, and 
 it was not until these had retired that the conversation was 
 again resumed. 
 
 "Where are you going to take them to-morrow, Master 
 Lirriper?" 
 
 " To-morrow we will see the city, the shops in Chepe, the 
 Guildhall, and St. Paul's, then we shall issue out from Temple 
 Bar and walk along the Strand through the country to West- 
 minster and see the great abbey, then perhaps take a boat 
 back. The next day, if the weather be fine, we will row up to 
 Eichmond and see the palace there, and I hope you will go 
 with us, Mistress Dorothy ; it is a pleasant promenade and a 
 fashionable, and methinks the river with its boats is after all 
 the prettiest sight in London." 
 
 "Ah, you think there can be nothing pretty without water.
 
 48 A MEETING. 
 
 That is all very well for one who is ever afloat, Master Lirriper; 
 but give me Chepe at high noon with all its bravery of dress, 
 and the bright shops, and the gallants of the court, and our 
 own citizens too, who if not quite so gay in colour are proper 
 men, better looking to my mind than some of the fops with 
 their silver and satins." 
 
 "That's right, Dorothy," her husband said; " spoken like the 
 wife of a citizen." 
 
 All these plans were destined to be frustrated. As soon as 
 breakfast was over the next morning Master Lirriper started 
 with the two boys, and they had but just entered Chepe- 
 side when they saw two young men approaching. 
 
 "Why, Lionel, here is Francis Vere!" Geoffrey exclaimed. 
 " I thought he was across in Holland with the Earl of Lei- 
 cester." They doffed their caps. Captain Vere, for such was 
 now his rank, looked at them in surprise. 
 
 "Why!" he exclaimed, "here are Mr. Vickars' two sons. 
 How came you here, lads? Have you run away from home to 
 see the wonders of London, or to list as volunteers for the 
 campaigns against the Dons?" 
 
 " I wish we were, Mr. Francis, "Geoffrey said. "You promised 
 when you were at Hedingham a year and a half since that you 
 would some day take us to the wars with you, and our father, 
 seeing that neither of us have a mind to enter the church, has 
 quite consented that we shall become soldiers, the more so as 
 there is a prospect of fighting for the persecuted Protestants of 
 Holland. And oh, Mr. Francis, could it be now? You know 
 we daily exercise with arms at the castle, and we are both strong 
 and sturdy for our age, and believe me you should not see us 
 flinch before the Spaniards however many of them there were." 
 
 " Tut, tut ! " Captain Vere laughed. " Here are young cockerels, 
 Allen; what think you of these for soldiers to stand against 
 the Spanish pikemen?"
 
 THE BOY'S PETITION. 49 
 
 " There are many of the volunteers who are not very much 
 older than they are," Captain Allen replied. " There are two in 
 my company who must be between seventeen and eighteen." 
 
 "Ah! but these boys are three years younger than that." 
 
 " Would you not take us as your pages, Mr. Francis 1 ?" Lionel 
 urged. " We would do faithful service, and then when we come 
 to the age that you could enter us as volunteers we should al- 
 ready have learnt a little of war." 
 
 " Well, well, I cannot stop to talk to you now, for I am on 
 my way to the Tower on business. I am only over from Hol- 
 land for a day or two with despatches from the Earl to Her 
 Majesty's Council, and am lodging at Westminster in a house 
 that faces the abbey. It is one of my cousin Edward's houses, 
 and you will see the Vere cognizance over the door. Call there 
 at one hour after noon, and I will have a talk with you ; but do 
 not buoy yourselves up with hopes as to your going with me." 
 So saying, with a friendly nod of his head Francis Vere con- 
 tinued his way eastward. 
 
 "What think you, Allen?" he asked his comrade as they 
 went along. "I should like to take the lads with me if I could. 
 Their father, who is the rector of Hedingham, taught my cousin 
 Edward as well as my brothers and myself. I saw a good 
 deal of the boys when I was at home. They are sturdy young 
 fellows, and used to practise daily, as we did at their age, with 
 the men-at-arms at the castle, and can use their weapons. A 
 couple of years of apprenticeship would be good schooling for 
 them. One cannot begin to learn the art of war too young, 
 and it is because we have all been so ignorant of it that our 
 volunteers in Holland have not done better." 
 
 "I think, Vere, that they are too young yet to be enlisted as 
 volunteers, although in another two years, perhaps, you might 
 admit the elder of the two. But I see no reason why, if you are 
 so inclined, you should not take them with you as pages. 
 
 (677) D
 
 50 THE PAGES OF A COMPANY. 
 
 Each company has its pages and boys, and you might take 
 these two for the special service of yourself and your officers. 
 They would then be on pretty well the same footing as the five 
 gentlemen volunteers you have already with you, and would 
 be distinct from the lads who have entered as pages to the 
 company. I suppose that you have not yet your full num- 
 ber of boys f 
 
 "No; there are fifteen boys allowed, one to each ten men, 
 and I am several short of this number, and have already written 
 my brother John to get six sturdy lads from among our own 
 tenantry and to send them over in the first ship from Harwich. 
 Yes, I will take these lads with me. I like their spirit, and we 
 are all fond of their father, who is a very kindly as well as 
 learned man." 
 
 "I don't suppose he will thank you greatly, Francis," Captain 
 Allen laughed. 
 
 "His goodwife is more likely to be vexed than he is," 
 Captain Vere said, "for it will give him all the more time for 
 the studies in which he is wrapped up. Besides, it will be a real 
 service to the boys. It will shorten their probation as volun- 
 teers, and they may get commissions much earlier than they 
 otherwise would do. We are all mere children in the art of war; 
 for truly before Roger Morgan first took out his volunteers to 
 fight for the Dutch there was scarce a man in England who knew 
 how to range a company in order. You and I learned somewhat 
 of our business in Poland, and some of our leaders have also had 
 a few lessons in the art of war in foreign countries, but most of 
 our officers are altogether new to the work. However, we have 
 good masters, and I trust these Spaniards may teach us how to 
 beat them in time; but at present, as I said, we are all going 
 to school, and the earlier one begins at school the sooner one 
 learns its lessons. Besides, we must have pages, and it will 
 be more pleasant for me having lads who belong in a sort of
 
 "THEY ARE HIGH-SPIRITED AND FULL OF FUN." 51 
 
 way to our family, and to whom, if I am disposed, I can talk of 
 people at home. They are high-spirited and full of fun, and I 
 should like to have them about me. But here we are at the 
 Tower. We shall not be long, I hope, over the list of arms and 
 munitions that the earl has sent for. When we have done we 
 will take boat back to Westminster. Half an hour will take us 
 there, as the tide will be with us."
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 IN THE LOW COUNTRY. 
 
 A.STER LIRRIPER had stood apart while the boys 
 were conversing with Francis Vere. 
 
 "What do you think, Master Lirriper?" Geoffrey 
 exclaimed as they joined him. "We have asked 
 Mr. Vere to take us with him as pages to the war in the Low 
 Country, and though he said we were not to be hopeful about 
 his reply, I do think he will take us. We are to go round 
 to Westminster at one o'clock to see him again. What do 
 you think of that?" 
 
 "I don't know what to think, Master Geoffrey. It takes me all 
 by surprise, and I don't know how I stand in the matter. You 
 see, your father gave you into my charge, and what could I 
 say to him if I went back empty-handed 1 ?" 
 
 "But, you see, it is with Francis Vere," Geoffrey said. "If it 
 had been with anyone else it would be different. But the Veres 
 are his patrons, and he looks upon the earl, and Mr. Francis and 
 his brothers, almost as he does on us; and, you know, he has 
 already consented to our entering the army some day. Besides, 
 he can't blame you; because, of course, Mr. Vere will write to 
 him himself and say that he has taken us, and so you can't be 
 blamed in the matter. My father would know well enough 
 that you could not withstand the wishes of one of the Veres, 
 who are lords of Hedingham and all the country round."
 
 "SHE WILL RATE ME SOUNDLY." 53 
 
 "I should withstand them if I thought they were wrong," 
 the boatman said sturdily, "and if I were sure that your father 
 would object to your going; but that is what I am not sure. 
 He may think it the best thing for you to begin early under 
 the protection of Master Francis, and again he may think you 
 a great deal too young for such wild work. He has certainly 
 always let you have pretty much your own way, and has 
 allowed you to come and go as you like, but this is a different 
 business altogether. I am sorely bested as to what I ought to 
 do." 
 
 "Well, nothing is settled yet, Master Lirriper; and, besides, 
 I don't see that you can help yourself in the matter, and if Mr. 
 Vere says he will take us I suppose you can't carry us off by 
 force." 
 
 "It is Mistress Vickars that I am thinking of more than 
 your father. The vicar is an easy-going gentleman, but 
 Mistress Vickars speaks her mind, and I expect she will be in 
 a terrible taking over it, and will rate me soundly; though, as 
 you say, I do not see how I can help myself in the matter. 
 Well now, let us look at the shops and at the Guildhall, and 
 then we will make our way down to Westminster as we had 
 proposed to do and see the abbey; by that time it will be near 
 the hour at which you are to call upon Mr. Vere." 
 
 But the sights that the boys had been so longing to see had 
 for the time lost their interest in their eyes. The idea that it 
 was possible that Mr. Vere would take them with him to fight 
 against the cruel oppressors of the Low Country was so 
 absorbing that they could think of nothing else. Even the 
 wonders of the Guildhall and St. Paul's received but scant 
 attention, and the armourers' shops, in which they had a new 
 and lively interest, alone sufficed to detain them. Even the 
 gibes of the apprentices fell dead upon their ears. These varlets 
 might laugh, but what would they say if they knew that they
 
 54 MASTER LIRRIPER'S REFLECTIONS. 
 
 were going to fight the Spaniards. The thought so altered 
 them that they felt almost a feeling of pity for these lads, 
 condemned to stay at home and mind their masters' shops. 
 
 As to John Lirriper, he was sorely troubled in his mind, 
 and divided between what he considered his duty to the vicar 
 and his life-long respect and reverence towards the lords of 
 Hedingham. The feudal system was extinct, but feudal ideas 
 still lingered among the people. Their lords could no longer 
 summon them to take the field, had no longer power almost of 
 life and death over them, but they were still their lords, 
 and regarded with the highest respect and reverence. The 
 earls of Oxford were, in the eyes of the people of those 
 parts of Essex where their estates lay, personages of greater 
 importance than the queen herself, of whose power and attri- 
 butes they had but a very dim notion. It was not so very long 
 since people had risen in rebellion against the queen, but such 
 an idea as that of rising against their lords had never entered 
 the mind of a single inhabitant of Hedingham. 
 
 However, Master Lirriper came to the conclusion that he was, 
 as Geoffrey had said, powerless to interfere. If Mr. Francis Vere 
 decided to take the boys with him, what could he do to prevent 
 it? He could hardly take them forcibly down to the boat against 
 their will, and even could he do so their father might not ap- 
 prove, and doubtless the earl, when he came to hear of it, would 
 be seriously angry at this act of defiance of his kinsman. Still, 
 he was sure that he should have a very unpleasant time with 
 Mistress Vickars. But, as he reassured himself, it was, after all, 
 better to put up with a woman's scolding than to bear the 
 displeasure of the Earl of Oxford, who could turn him out of 
 his house, ruin his business, and drive him from Hedingham. 
 After all, it was natural that these lads should like to embark 
 on this adventure with Mr. Francis Vere, and it would doubt- 
 less be to their interest to be thus closely connected with him.
 
 THE EARL'S MANSION. 55 
 
 At any rate, if it was to be it was, and he, John Lirriper, could 
 do nothing to prevent it. Having arrived at this conclusion 
 he decided to make the best of it, and began to chat cheerfully 
 with the boys. 
 
 Precisely at the appointed hour John Lirriper arrived with 
 the two lads at the entrance to the house facing the abbey. 
 Two or three servitors, whose doublets were embroidered with 
 the cognizance of the Veres, were standing in front of the door. 
 
 " Why, it is Master Lirriper!" one of them said. "Why, what 
 has brought you here ? I did not know that your trips often 
 extended to London." 
 
 "Nor do they," John Lirriper said. "It was the wind and 
 my nephew's craft the Susan that brought me to London, and it 
 is the will of Mr. Francis that these two young gentlemen should 
 meet him here at one o'clock that has brought me to this door." 
 
 "Captain Francis is in; for, you know, he is a captain now, 
 having been lately appointed to a company in the Earl of 
 Leicester's army. He returned an hour since, and has but now 
 finished his meal. Do you wish to go up with these young 
 masters, or shall I conduct them to him?" 
 
 " You had best do that," John Lirriper answered. " I will 
 remain here below if Captain Francis desires to see me or has 
 any missive to intrust to me." 
 
 The boys followed the servant upstairs, and were shown into 
 a room where Francis Vere, his cousin the Earl of Oxford, and 
 Captain Allen were seated at table. 
 
 " Well, lads," the earl said, " so you want to follow my cousin 
 Francis to the wars?" 
 
 " That is our wish, my lord, if Captain Francis will be so good 
 as to take us with him." 
 
 "And what will my good tutor your father say to it?" the 
 earl asked smiling. 
 
 " I think, my lord," Geoffrey said boldly, " that if you your-
 
 56 THE POINT IS SETTLED. 
 
 self will tell my father you think it is for our good, he will say 
 naught against it." 
 
 " Oh, you want to throw the responsibility upon me, and to 
 embroil me with your father and Mistress Vickars as an abettor 
 of my cousin Francis in the kidnapping of children? Well, 
 Francis, you had better explain to them what their duties will 
 be if they go with you." 
 
 "You will be my pages," Francis Vere said, "and will per- 
 form the usual duties of pages in good families when in the field. 
 It is the duty of pages to aid in collecting firewood and forage, 
 and in all other ways to make themselves useful. You will bear 
 the same sort of relation to the gentlemen volunteers as they do 
 towards the officers. They are aspirants for commissions as 
 officers as you will be to become gentlemen volunteers. You 
 must not think that your duties will be light, for they will not, 
 and you will have to bear many discomforts and hardships. 
 But you will be in an altogether different position from that 
 of the boys who are the pages of the company. You will, 
 apart from your duties, and bearing in mind the difference of 
 your age, associate with the officers and the gentlemen volun- 
 teers on terms of equality when not engaged upon duty. On 
 duty you will have to render the same strict and unquestionable 
 obedience that all soldiers pay to those of superior rank What 
 say you? Are you still anxious to go 1 ? Because, if so, I have 
 decided to take you." 
 
 Geoffrey and Lionel both expressed their thanks in proper 
 terms, and their earnest desire to accompany Captain Vere, and 
 to behave in all ways conformably to his orders and instructions. 
 
 " Very well, that is settled," Francis Vere said. " The earl 
 is journeying down to Hedingham to-morrow, and has kindly 
 promised to take charge of a letter from me to your father, and 
 personally to assure him that this early embarkation upon 
 military life would prove greatly to your advantage."
 
 FINAL ARRANGEMENTS. 57 
 
 "Supposing that you are not killed by the Spaniards or 
 carried off by fever," the earl put in; "for although possibly 
 that might be an advantage to humanity in general, it could 
 scarcely be considered one to you personally." 
 
 "We are ready to take our risk of that, my lord," Geof- 
 frey said; "and are indeed greatly beholden both to Captain 
 Francis for his goodness in taking us with him, and to yourself 
 in kindly undertaking the mission of reconciling our father to 
 our departure." 
 
 "You have not told me yet how it is that I find you in 
 London?" Francis Vere said. 
 
 " We only came up for a week, sir, to see the town. We are 
 in charge of Master Lirriper, who owns a barge on the river, 
 and plies between Hedingham and Bricklesey, but who was 
 coming up to London in a craft belonging to his nephew, and 
 who took charge of us. We are staying at the house of Master 
 Swindon, a citizen and ship-chandler." 
 
 "Is Master Lirriper below?" 
 
 "He is, sir." 
 
 " Then in that case he had better go back to the house and 
 bring your mails here. I shall sail from Deptford the day 
 after to-morrow with the turn of tide. You had best remain 
 here now. There will be many things necessary for you to get 
 before you start. I will give instructions to one of my men-at- 
 arms to go with you to purchase them." 
 
 " I will take their outfit upon myself, Francis," the earl said. 
 " My steward shall go out with them and see to it. It is the 
 least I can do when I am abetting you in depriving my old 
 tutor of his sons." He touched a bell and a servitor entered. 
 " See that these young gentlemen are fed arid attended to. 
 They will remain here for the night. Tell Master Dotterell to 
 come hither to me." 
 
 The boys bowed deeply and retired.
 
 58 "THAT IS A COMFORT INDEED." 
 
 "It is all settled, Master Lirriper," they said when they 
 reached the hall below. " We are to sail with Captain Francis 
 the day after to-morrow, and you will be pleased to hear that 
 the earl himself has taken charge of the matter, and will see 
 our father and communicate the news to him." 
 
 "That is a comfort indeed," John Lirriper said fervently; 
 " for I would most as soon have had to tell him that the Susan 
 had gone down and that you were both drowned, as that I had 
 let you both slip away to the wars when he had given you into 
 my charge. But if the earl takes the matter in hand I do not 
 think that even your lady mother can bear very heavily on me. 
 And now, what is going to be done?" 
 
 "We are to remain here in order that suitable clothes may 
 be obtained for us by the time we sail. Will you bring down 
 to-morrow morning our wallets from Master Swindon's, and 
 thank him and his good dame for their hospitality, and say 
 that we are sorry to leave them thus suddenly without having 
 an opportunity of thanking them ourselves? We will write 
 letters to-night to our father and mother, and give them to you 
 to take with you when you return." 
 
 John Lirriper at once took his departure, greatly relieved in 
 mind to find that the earl himself had taken the responsibility 
 upon his shoulders, and would break the news long before he 
 himself reached Hedingham. A few minutes later a servitor 
 conducted the boys to an apartment where a meal was laid for 
 them; and as soon as this was over they were joined by the 
 steward, who requested them to set out with him at once, as 
 there were many things to be done and but short time for doing 
 them. No difficulty in the way of time was, however, thrown 
 in the way by the various tradesmen they visited, these being 
 all perfectly ready to put themselves to inconvenience to do 
 pleasure to so valuable a patron as the powerful Earl of Oxford. 
 
 Three suits of clothes were ordered for each of them : the one
 
 DOWN THE RIVER. 59 
 
 such as that worn by pages in noble families upon ordinary 
 occasions, another of a much richer kind for special ceremonies 
 and gaieties, the third a strong, serviceable suit for use when 
 actually in the field. Then they were taken to an armourer's 
 where each was provided with a light morion or headpiece, 
 breast-plate and backpiece, sword and dagger. A sufficient 
 supply of under garments, boots, and other necessaries were 
 also purchased; and when all was complete they returned 
 highly delighted to the house. It was still scarce five o'clock, 
 and they went across to the abbey and wandered for some time 
 through its aisles, greatly impressed with its dignity and beauty 
 now that their own affairs were off their mind. 
 
 They returned to the house again, and after supper wrote 
 their letters to their father and mother, saying that they 
 hoped they would not be displeased at the step they had taken, 
 and which they would not have ventured upon had they not 
 already obtained their father's consent to their entering the 
 army. They knew, of course, that he had not contemplated 
 their doing so for some little time; but as so excellent an oppor- 
 tunity had offered, and above all, as they were going out to 
 fight against the Spaniards for the oppressed people of the Low 
 Countries, they hoped their parents would approve of the steps 
 they had taken, not having had time or opportunity to consult 
 them. 
 
 At noon two days later Francis Vere with Captain Allen and 
 the two boys took their seats in the stern of a skiff manned by 
 six rowers. In the bow were the servitors of the two officers, 
 and the luggage was stowed in the extreme stern. 
 
 " The tide is getting slack, is it not?" Captain Vere asked the 
 boatmen. 
 
 " Yes, sir; it will not run up much longer. It will be pretty 
 well slack- water by the time we get to the bridge." 
 
 Keeping close to the bank the boat proceeded at a rapid pace.
 
 60 ON BOARD THE "DOVER CASTLE." 
 
 Several times the two young officers stood up and exchanged 
 salutations with ladies or gentlemen of their acquaintance. As 
 the boatman had anticipated, tide was slack by the time they 
 arrived at London Bridge, and they now steered out into the 
 middle of the river. 
 
 " Give way, lads," Captain Allen said. " We told the cap- 
 tain we would not keep him waiting long after high-water, 
 and he will be getting impatient if he does not see us before 
 long." 
 
 As they shot past the Susan the boys waved their hands to 
 Master Lirriper, who, after coming down in the morning and 
 receiving their letters for their parents, had returned at once to 
 the city and had taken his place on board the Susan, so as to 
 be able to tell their father that he had seen the last of them. 
 The distance between London Bridge and Deptford was tra- 
 versed in a very short time. A vessel with her flags flying and 
 her canvas already loosened was hanging to a buoy some distance 
 out in the stream, and as the boat came near enough for the cap- 
 tain to distinguish those on board, the mooring-rope was slipped, 
 the head sails flattened in, and the vessel began to swing 
 round. Before her head was down stream the boat was along- 
 side. The two officers followed by the boys ascended the ladder 
 by the side. The luggage was quickly handed up, and the 
 servitors followed. The sails were sheeted home, and the 
 vessel began to move rapidly through the water. 
 
 The boys had thought the Susan an imposing craft, but they 
 were surprised, indeed, at the space on board the Dover Castle. 
 In the stern there was a lofty poop with spacious cabins. Six 
 guns were ranged along on each side of the deck, and when the 
 sails were got up they seemed so vast to the boys that they felt 
 a sense of littleness on board the great craft. They had been 
 relieved to find that Captain Vere had his own servitor with 
 him; for in talking it over they had mutually expressed their
 
 HOLLAND. 61 
 
 doubt as to their ability to render such service as Captain Vere 
 would be accustomed to. 
 
 The wind was from the south-west, and the vessel was off 
 Sheerness before the tide turned. There was, however, no 
 occasion to anchor, for the wind was strong enough to take 
 them against the flood. 
 
 During the voyage they had no duties to perform. The ship's 
 cook prepared the meals, and the officers' servants waited on 
 them, the lads taking their meals with the two officers. Their 
 destination was Bergen-op-Zoom, a town at the mouth of the 
 Scheldt, of the garrison of which the companies of both Francis 
 Vere and Captain Allen formed part. 
 
 As soon as the low coasts of Holland came in sight the boys 
 watched them with the most lively interest. 
 
 "We are passing Sluys now," Captain Vere said. "The 
 land almost ahead of us is Walcheren; and that spire belongs to 
 Flushing. We could go outside and up the channel between 
 the island and Bevel and, and then up the Eastern Scheldt 
 to Bergen-op-Zoom; but instead of that we shall follow the 
 western channel, which is more direct." 
 
 " It is as flat as our Essex coast," Geoffrey remarked. 
 
 " Aye, and flatter; for the greater part of the land lies below 
 the level of the sea, which is only kept out by great dams and 
 dykes. At times when the rivers are high and the wind keeps 
 back their waters they burst the dams and spread over a vast 
 extent of country. The Zuider-Zee was so formed in 1170 
 and 1395, and covers a tract as large as the whole county of 
 Essex. Twenty-six years later the river Maas broke its banks 
 and flooded a wide district. Seventy-two villages were destroyed 
 and 100,000 people lost their life. The lands have never been 
 recovered; and where a fertile country once stood is now a mere 
 swamp." 
 
 " I shouldn't like living there," Lionel said. " It would be
 
 32 A STURDY PEOPLE. 
 
 terrible, every time the rivers are full and the wind blows, to 
 think that at any moment the banks may burst and the flood 
 come rushing over you." 
 
 " It is all habit," Captain Vere replied; " I don't suppose they 
 trouble themselves about it. But they are very particular in 
 keeping their dykes in good repair. The water is one of the 
 great defences of their country. In the first place there are 
 innumerable streams to be crossed by an invader, and in the 
 second, they can as a last resource cut the dykes and flood the 
 country. These Dutchmen, as far as I have seen of them, are 
 hard-working and industrious people, steady and patient, and 
 resolved to defend their independence to the last. This they 
 have indeed proved by the wonderful resistance they have made 
 against the power of Spain. There, you see the ship's head 
 has been turned and we shall before long be in the channel. 
 Sluys lies up that channel on the right. It is an important 
 place. Large vessels can go no further, but are unloaded there 
 and the cargoes taken to Bruges and thence distributed to many 
 other towns. They say that in 1468 as many as a hundred 
 and fifty ships a day arrived at Sluys. That gives you an idea 
 of the trade that the Netherlands carry on. The commerce of 
 this one town was as great as is that of London at the present 
 time. But since the troubles the trade of Sluys has fallen off 
 a good deal." 
 
 The ship had to anchor here for two or three hours until the 
 tide turned, for the wind had fallen very light and they could 
 not make head against the ebb. As soon as it turned they 
 again proceeded on their way, dropping quietly up with the tide. 
 The boys climbed up into the tops, and thence could see a wide 
 extent of country dotted with villages stretching beyond the 
 banks, which restricted their view from the decks. In five 
 hours Bergen-op-Zoom came in sight, and they presently dropped 
 anchor opposite the town. The boat was lowered, and the two
 
 AT BERGEN-OP-ZOOM. 63 
 
 officers with the lads were rowed ashore. They were met as 
 they landed by several young officers. 
 
 "Welcome back, Vere; welcome, Allen. You have been 
 lucky indeed in having a few days in England, and getting a 
 view of something besides this dreary flat country and its 
 sluggish rivers. What is the last news from London?" 
 
 "There is little news enough," Vere replied. "We were 
 only four days in London, and were busy all the time. And how 
 are things here ? Now that summer is at hand and the country 
 drying the Dons ought to be bestirring themselves." 
 
 " They say that they are doing so," the officer replied. " We 
 have news that the Duke of Parma is assembling his army at 
 Bruges, where he is collecting the pick of the Spanish infantry 
 with a number of Italian regiments which have joined him. 
 He sent off the Marquess Del Vasto with the Sieur De Haute- 
 penne towards Bois-le-Duc. General Count Hohenlohe, who, 
 as you know, we English always call Count Holland, went 
 off with a large force to meet him, and we heard only this 
 morning that a battle has been fought, Hautepenne killed, and 
 the fort of Crevecoeur on the Maas captured. From what I 
 hear, some of our leaders think that it was a mistake so to 
 scatter our forces, and if Parma moves forward from Bruges 
 against Sluys, which is likely enough, we shall be sorely put to 
 it to save the place." 
 
 As they were talking they proceeded into the town, and 
 presently reached the house where Francis Vere had his quar- 
 ters. The officers and gentlemen volunteers of his company 
 soon assembled, and Captain Vere introduced the two boys to 
 them. 
 
 "They are young gentlemen of good family," he said, "who 
 will act as my pages until they are old enough to be enrolled 
 as gentlemen volunteers. I commend them to your good offices. 
 Their father is a learned and reverend gentleman who was my
 
 64 SETTLING IN NEW QUARTERS. 
 
 tutor, and also tutor to my cousin, the Earl of Oxford, by 
 whom he is greatly valued. They are lads of spirit, and have 
 been instructed in the use of arms at Hedingham as if they 
 had been members of our family. I am sure, gentlemen volun- 
 teers, that you will receive them as friends. I propose that 
 they shall take their meals with you, but of course they will 
 lodge here with me and my officers; but as you are in the next 
 house this will cause no inconvenience. I trust that we shall 
 not remain here long, but shall soon be on the move. We 
 have now been here seven months, and it is high time we were 
 doing something. We didn't bargain to come over here and 
 settle down for life in a dull Dutch town." 
 
 In a few hours the boys found themselves quite at home in 
 their new quarters. The gentlemen volunteers received them 
 cordially, and they found that for the present their duties would 
 be extremely light, consisting chiefly in carrying messages and 
 orders; for as the officers had all servants of their own, Captain 
 Vere dispensed with their attendance at meals. There was 
 much to amuse and interest them in Bergen-op-Zoom. It re- 
 minded them to some extent of Harwich, with its narrow streets 
 and quaint houses; but the fortifications were far stronger, and 
 the number of churches struck them as prodigious. The popu- 
 lation differed in no very large degree in dress from that of 
 England, but the people struck them as being slower and more 
 deliberate in their motions. The women's costumes differed 
 much more widely from those to which they were accustomed, 
 and their strange and varied head-dresses, their bright-coloured 
 handkerchiefs, and the amount of gold necklaces and bracelets 
 that they wore, struck them with surprise. 
 
 Their stay in Bergen-op-Zoom was even shorter than they 
 had anticipated, for three days after their arrival a boat came 
 with a letter from Sir William Russell, the governor at Flush- 
 ing. He said that he had just received an urgent letter from
 
 STIRRING NEWS. 65 
 
 the Dutch governor of Sluys, saying that Parma's army was 
 advancing from Bruges towards the city, and had seized and 
 garrisoned the fort of Blankenburg on the sea-coast to prevent 
 reinforcements arriving from Ostend; he therefore prayed the 
 governor of Flushing to send off troops and provisions with all 
 haste to enable him to resist the attack. Sir William requested 
 that the governor of Bergen-op-Zoom would at once embark 
 the greater portion of his force on board ship and send them 
 to Sluys. He himself was having a vessel filled with grain for 
 the use of the inhabitants, and was also sending every man he 
 could spare from Flushing. 
 
 In a few minutes all was bustle in the town. The trumpets 
 of the various companies called the soldiers to arms, and in a 
 very short time the troops were on their way towards the river. 
 Here several ships had been requisitioned for the service; and 
 as the companies marched down they were conducted to the 
 ships to which they were allotted by the quarter- masters. 
 Geoffrey and Lionel felt no small pride as they marched down 
 with their troop. They had for the first time donned their 
 steel-caps, breast and back pieces; but this was rather for con- 
 venience of carriage than for any present utility. They had at 
 Captain Vere's orders left their ordinary clothes behind them, 
 and were now attired in thick serviceable jerkins, with skirts 
 coming down nearly to the knee, like those worn by the troops. 
 They marched at the rear of the company, the other pages, 
 similarly attired, following them. 
 
 As soon as the troops were on board ship, sail was made, 
 and the vessels dropped down the stream. The wind was very 
 light, and it was not until thirty hours after starting that the 
 little fleet arrived off Sluys. The town, which was nearly egg- 
 shaped, lay close to the river, which was called the Zwin. At 
 the eastern end, in the centre of a detached piece of water, 
 stood the castle, connected with the town by a bridge of boats. 
 
 (677) E
 
 66 
 
 SLUYS. 
 
 The Zwin formed the defence on the north side, while the 
 south and west were covered by a very wide moat, along the 
 
 centre of which ran a dyke, dividing it into two channels. On 
 the west side this moat extended to the Zwin, and was crossed 
 at the point of junction by the bridge leading to the west gate.
 
 PREPARING FOR A SIEGE. 67 
 
 The walls inclosed a considerable space, containing fields and 
 gardens. Seven windmills stood on the ramparts. The tower 
 of the town-hall, and those of the churches of Our Lady, St. 
 John, and the Grey Friars rose high above the town. 
 
 The ships from Flushing and Bergen -op -Zoom sailed up 
 together, and the 800 men who landed were received with im- 
 mense enthusiasm by the inhabitants, who were Protestants, and 
 devoted to the cause of independence. The English were under 
 the command of Sir Eoger Williams, who had already seen so 
 many years of service in the Low Countries; and under him 
 were Morgan, Thomas Baskerville, and Huntley, who had long 
 served with him. 
 
 Eoger Williams was an admirable man for service of this 
 kind. He had distinguished himself by many deeds of reckless 
 bravery. He possessed an inexhaustible fund of confidence 
 and high spirits, and in his company it was impossible to feel 
 despondent, however desperate the situation. 
 
 The citizens placed their houses at the disposal of their new 
 allies, handsome quarters were allotted to the officers, and the 
 soldiers were all housed in private dwellings or the warehouses 
 of the merchants. The inhabitants had already for some days 
 been working hard at their defences, and the English at once 
 joined them in their labours, strengthening the weak portions 
 of the walls, mounting cannon upon the towers, and preparing 
 in all ways to give a warm reception to the Spaniards. 
 
 Captain Vere, his lieutenant and ensign and his two pages, 
 were quartered in the house of a wealthy merchant, whose 
 family did all in their power to make them comfortable. It 
 was a grand old house, and the boys, accustomed as they were 
 to the splendours of Hedingham Castle, agreed that the simple 
 merchants of the Low Countries were far in advance of English 
 nobles in the comforts and conveniences of their dwellings. 
 The walls of the rooms were all heavily panelled; rich curtains
 
 68 A DUTCH HOUSEHOLD. 
 
 hung before the casements. The furniture was not only richly 
 carved, but comfortable. Heavy hangings before the doors ex- 
 cluded draughts, and in the principal apartments Eastern car- 
 pets covered the floors. The meals were served on spotless 
 white linen. Kich plate stood on the sideboard, and gold and 
 silver vessels of rare carved work from Italy glittered in the 
 armoires. 
 
 Above all, from top to bottom, the house was scrupulously 
 clean. Not a particle of dust dimmed the brightness of the 
 furniture, and even now, when the city was threatened with 
 siege, the merchant's wife never relaxed her vigilance over the 
 doings of her maids, who seemed to the boys to be perpetually 
 engaged in scrubbing, dusting, and polishing. 
 
 " Our mother prides herself on the neatness of her house," 
 Geoffrey said; "but what would she say, I wonder, were she 
 to see one of these Dutch households? I fear that the maids 
 would have a hard time of it afterwards, and our father would 
 be fairly driven out of his library." 
 
 "It is all very well to be clean," Lionel said; "but I think 
 they carry it too far here. Peace and quietness count for 
 something, and it doesn't seem to me that Dutchmen, fond of 
 it as they say they are, know even the meaning of the words 
 as far as their homes are concerned. Why, it always seems 
 to be cleaning day, and they must be afraid of going into their 
 own houses with their boots on ! " 
 
 " Yes, I felt quite like a criminal to-day," Geoffrey laughed, 
 " when I came in muddy up to the waist, after working down 
 there by the sluices. I believe when the Spaniards open fire 
 these people will be more distracted by the dust caused by 
 falling tiles and chimneys than by any danger of their lives." 
 
 Great difficulties beset the Duke of Parma at the commence- 
 ment of the siege. Sluys was built upon the only piece of solid 
 ground in the district, and it was surrounded by such a laby-
 
 A MYSTERY. 69 
 
 rinth of canals, ditches, and swamps, that it was said that it 
 was almost as difficult to find Sluys as it was to capture it. 
 Consequently, it was impossible to find ground solid enough 
 for a camp to be pitched upon, and the first labour was the 
 erection of wooden huts for the troops upon piles driven into 
 the ground. These huts were protected from the fire of the 
 defenders by bags of earth brought in boats from a long dis- 
 tance. The main point selected for the attack was the western 
 gate; but batteries were also placed to play upon the castle 
 and the bridge of boats connecting it with the town. 
 
 " There is one advantage in their determining to attack us 
 at the western extremity of the town," John Menyn, the 
 merchant at whose house Captain Vere and his party were 
 lodging, remarked when his guest informed him there was no 
 longer any doubt as to the point at which the Spaniards in- 
 tended to attack, "for they will not be able to blow up our 
 walls with mines in that quarter." 
 
 "How is that?" Francis Vere asked. 
 
 "If you can spare half an hour of your time I will show 
 you," the merchant said. 
 
 "I can spare it now, Von Menyn," Vere replied; "for the 
 information is important, whatever it may be." 
 
 " I will conduct you there at once. There is no time like 
 the present." 
 
 "Shall we follow you, sir 1 ?" Geoffrey asked his captain. 
 
 " Yes, come along," Vere replied. " The matter is of interest, 
 and for the life of me I cannot make out what this obstacle 
 can be of which our host speaks." 
 
 They at once set out 
 
 John Menyn led them to a warehouse close to the western 
 wall, and spoke a few words to its owner, who at once took 
 three lanterns from the wall and lighted them, handing one to 
 Vere, another to John Menyn, and taking the other himself;
 
 70 UNDERGROUND MAGAZINES. 
 
 he then unlocked a massive door. A flight of steps leading 
 apparently to a cellar were visible. He led the way down, the 
 two men following, and the boys bringing up the rear. The 
 descent was far deeper than they had expected, and when they 
 reached the bottom they found themselves in a vast arched 
 cellar filled with barrels. From this they proceeded into an- 
 other, and again into a third. 
 
 "What are these great magazines?" Francis Vere asked in 
 surprise. 
 
 "They are wine-cellars, and there are scores similar to those 
 you see. Sluys is the centre of the wine trade of Flanders and 
 Holland, and cellars like these extend right under the wall. 
 All the warehouses along here have similar cellars. This end 
 of the town was the driest, and the soil most easily excavated. 
 That is why the magazines for wines are all clustered here. 
 There is not a foot of ground behind and under the walls at 
 this end that is not similarly occupied, and if the Spaniards 
 try to drive mines to blow up the walls, they will simply break 
 their way into these cellars, where we can meet them and drive 
 them back again." 
 
 "Excellent!" Francis Vere said. "This will relieve us of 
 the work of countermining, which is always tiresome and dan- 
 gerous, and would be specially so here, where we should have 
 to dive under that deep moat outside your walls. Now we 
 shall only have to keep a few men on watch in these cellars. 
 They would hear the sound of the Spanish approaching, and 
 we shall be ready to give them a warm reception by the time 
 they break in. Are there communications between these 
 cellars?" 
 
 " Yes, for the most part," the wine merchant said. " The 
 cellars are not entirely the property of us dealers in wine. They 
 are constructed by men who let them, just as they would let 
 houses. A merchant in a small way would need but one
 
 IMPORTANT INFORMATION. 71 
 
 cellar, while some of us occupy twenty or more; therefore, there 
 are for the most part communications, with doors, between the 
 various cellars, so that they can be let off in accordance with 
 the needs of the hirers." 
 
 "Well, I am much obliged to you for telling me of this," 
 Captain Vere said. "Williams and Morgan will be glad 
 enough to hear that there is no fear of their being blown sud- 
 denly into the air while defending the walls, and they will see 
 the importance of keeping a few trusty men on watch in the 
 cellars nearest to the Spaniards. I shall report the matter 
 to them at once. The difficulty," he added smiling, " will be 
 to keep the men wakeful, for it seems to me that the very air 
 is heavy with the fumes of wine."
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE SIEGE OF SLUYS. 
 
 NTIL the Spaniards had established their camp, 
 and planted some of their batteries, there was but 
 little firing. Occasionally the wall-pieces opened 
 upon parties of officers reconnoitring, and a few 
 shots were fired from time to time to harass the workmen 
 in the enemy's batteries; but this was done rather to animate 
 the townsmen, and as a signal to distant friends that so far 
 matters were going on quietly, than with any hopes of arrest- 
 ing the progress of the enemy's works. Many sorties were 
 made by the garrison, and fierce fighting took place, but only 
 a score or two of men from each company were taken upon 
 these occasions, and the boys were compelled to remain inactive 
 spectators of the fight 
 
 In these sorties the Spanish works were frequently held for 
 a few minutes, gabions thrown down, and guns overturned, 
 but after doing as much damage as they could the assailants 
 had to fall back again to the town, being unable to resist the 
 masses of pikemen brought up against them. The boldness 
 of these sorties, and the bravery displayed by their English 
 allies, greatly raised the spirits of the townsfolk, who now 
 organized themselves into companies, and undertook the work 
 of guarding the less exposed portion of the wall, thus enabling 
 the garrison to keep their whole strength at the points attacked.
 
 AMAZONS. 73 
 
 The townsmen also laboured steadily in adding to the defences; 
 and two companies of women were formed, under female cap- 
 tains, who took the names of May in the Heart and Catherine 
 the Rose. These did good service by building a strong fort at 
 one of the threatened points, and this work was in their honour 
 christened Fort Venus. 
 
 "It is scarcely a compliment to Venus," Geoffrey laughed 
 to his brother. "These square-shouldered and heavily-built 
 women do not at all correspond with my idea of the goddess 
 of love." 
 
 " They are strong enough for men," Lionel said. "I shouldn't 
 like one of those big fat arms to come down upon my head. No, 
 they are not pretty; but they look jolly and good-tempered, 
 and if they were to fight as hard as they work they ought to 
 do good service." 
 
 " There is a good deal of difference between them," Geoffrey 
 said. " Look at those three dark-haired women with neat 
 trim figures. They do not look as if they belonged to the 
 same race as the others." 
 
 " They are not of the same race, lad," Captain Vere, who was 
 standing close by, said. " The big heavy women are Flemish, 
 the others come, no doubt, from the Walloon provinces bor- 
 dering on France. The Walloons broke off from the rest of 
 the states and joined the Spanish almost from the first. They 
 were for the most part Catholics, and had little in common 
 with the people of the Low Country; but there were, of course, 
 many Protestants among them, and these were forced to emi- 
 grate, for the Spanish allow no Protestants in the country under 
 their rule. Alva adopted the short and easy plan of murdering 
 all the Protestants in the towns he took; but the war is now 
 conducted on rather more humane principles, and the Protes- 
 tants have the option given them of changing their faith or 
 leaving the country.
 
 74 UNDER FIRE. 
 
 " In this way, without intending it, the Spaniards have done 
 good service to Holland, for hundreds of thousands of indus- 
 trious people have flocked there for shelter from Antwerp, 
 Ghent, Bruges, and other cities that have fallen into the hands 
 of the Spaniards, thus greatly raising the population of Holland, 
 and adding to its power of defence. Besides this, the presence 
 of these exiles, and the knowledge that a similar fate awaits 
 themselves if they fall again under the yoke of Spain, nerves 
 the people to resist to the utmost Had it not been for the 
 bigotry of the Spanish, and the abominable cruelties practised 
 by the Inquisition, the States would never have rebelled; and 
 even after they did so, terms might easily have been made 
 with them had they not been maddened by the wholesale mas- 
 sacres perpetrated by Alva. There, do you hear those women 
 speaking? Their language is French rather than Flemish." 
 
 Just as they were speaking a heavy roar of cannon broke out 
 from the eastern end of the town. 
 
 "They have opened fire on the castle!" Vere exclaimed. 
 "Kun, lads, quick! and summon the company to form in the 
 market-place in front of our house. We are told off to rein- 
 force the garrison of the castle in case of attack." 
 
 The boys hurried away at the top of their speed. They had 
 the list of all the houses in which the men of the company 
 were quartered; and as the heavy roar of cannon had brought 
 every one to their doors to hear what was going on, the com- 
 pany were in a very short time assembled. 
 
 Francis Vere placed himself at their head, and marched them 
 through the long streets of the town and out through the wall 
 on to the bridge of boats. It was the first time the boys had 
 been under fire; and although they kept a good countenance, 
 they acknowledged to each other afterwards that they had felt 
 extremely uncomfortable as they traversed the bridge with 
 the balls wuistliug over their Leads, and sometimes striking
 
 THE FOUR PAGES CARRY DOWN THE WOUNDED SOLDIER.
 
 THE ATTACK ON THE CASTLE. 75 
 
 the water close by and sending a shower of spray over the 
 troops. 
 
 They felt easier when they entered the castle and were pro- 
 tected by its walls. Upon these the men took their station. 
 Those with guns discharged their pieces against the Spanish 
 artillerymen, the pikemen assisted the bombardiers to work 
 the cannon, and the officers went to and fro encouraging the 
 men. The pages of the company had little to do beyond from 
 time to time carrying cans of wine and water to the men en- 
 gaged. Geoffrey and Lionel, finding that their services were 
 not required by Captain Vere, mounted on to the wall, and 
 sheltering themselves as well as they could behind the battle- 
 ments, looked out at what was going on. 
 
 "It doesn't seem to me," Geoffrey said, "that these walls 
 will long withstand the balls of the Spanish. The battlements 
 are already knocked down in several places, and I can hear 
 after each shot strikes the walls the splashing of the brickwork 
 as it falls into the water. See ! there is Tom Carroll struck 
 down with a ball. It's our duty to carry him away." 
 
 They ran along the wall to the fallen soldier. Two other 
 pages came up, and the four carried him to the top of the steps 
 and then down into the court-yard, where a Dutch surgeon 
 took charge of him. His shoulder had been struck by the 
 ball, and the arm hung only by a shred of flesh. The surgeon 
 shook his head. 
 
 "I can do nothing for him," he said. "He cannot live 
 many hours." 
 
 Lionel had done his share in carrying the man down, but he 
 now turned sick and faint. 
 
 Geoffrey caught him by the arm. "Steady, old boy," he 
 said ; " it is trying at first, but we shall soon get accustomed to 
 it Here, take a draught of wine from this flask." 
 
 " I am better now," Lionel said, after taking a draught of
 
 76 GOOD ADVICE. 
 
 wine. "I felt as if I was going to faint, Geoffrey. I don't 
 know why I should, for I did not feel frightened when we 
 were on the wall." 
 
 "Oh, it has nothing to do with fear; it is just the sight of 
 that poor fellow's blood. There is nothing to be ashamed of 
 in that. Why, I saw Will Atkins, who was one of the best 
 fighters and single-stick players in Hedingham, go off in a 
 dead swoon because a man he was working with crushed his 
 thumb between two heavy stones. Look, Lionel, what cracks 
 there are in the wall here. I don't think it will stand long. 
 We had better run up and tell Captain Vere, for it may come 
 toppling down with some of the men on it." 
 
 Captain Vere on hearing the news ran down and examined 
 the wall. 
 
 " Yes," he said, " it is evidently going. A good earthwork 
 is worth a dozen of these walls. They will soon have the 
 castle about our ears. However, it is of no great importance 
 to us. I saw you lads just now on the wall; I did not care 
 about ordering you down at the time; but don't go up again 
 except to help to carry down the wounded. Make it a rule, 
 my boys, never to shirk your duty, however great the risk to 
 life may be; but, on the other hand, never risk your lives un- 
 less it is your duty to do so. What is gallantry in the one case 
 is foolishness in the other. Although you are but pages, yet it 
 may well be that in such a siege as this you will have many 
 opportunities of showing that you are of good English stock; 
 but while I would have you shrink from no danger when there 
 is a need for you to expose yourselves, I say also that you 
 should in no way run into danger wantonly." 
 
 Several times in the course of the afternoon the boys took 
 their turn in going up and helping to bring down wounded 
 men. As the time went on several yawning gaps appeared in 
 the walls. The court -yard was strewn with fragments of
 
 EVACUATION DECIDED UPON. 77 
 
 masonry, and the pages were ordered to keep under shelter of 
 the wall of the castle unless summoned on duty. Indeed, 
 the court-yard had now become a more dangerous station than 
 the wall itself; for not only did the cannon-shot fly through the 
 breaches, but fragments of bricks, mortar, and rubbish flew 
 along with a force that would have been fatal to anything 
 struck. 
 
 Some of the pages were big fellows of seventeen or eighteen 
 years old, who had been serving for some years under Morgan 
 and Williams, and would soon be transferred into the ranks. 
 
 " I like not this sort of fighting," one of them said. " It is 
 all very well when it comes to push of pike with the Spaniards, 
 but to remain here like chickens in a coop while they batter 
 away at us is a game for which I have no fancy. What say 
 you, Master Vickars 1 ?" 
 
 "Well, it is my first experience, Somers, and I cannot say 
 that it is agreeable. I do not know whether I should like hand- 
 to-hand fighting better ; but it seems to me at present that it 
 would be certainly more agreeable to be doing something than 
 to be sitting here and listening to the falls of the pieces of 
 masonry and the whistling of the balls. I don't see that they 
 will be any nearer when they have knocked this place to 
 pieces. They have no boats, and if they had, the guns on the 
 city wall would prevent their using them; besides, when the 
 bridge of boats is removed they could do nothing if they got 
 here." 
 
 Towards evening a council was held, all the principal officers 
 being present, and it was decided to evacuate the castle. It 
 could indeed have been held for some days longer, but it was 
 plain it would at length become untenable; the bridge of 
 boats had already been struck in several places, and some of 
 the barges composing it had sunk level with the water. Were 
 it destroyed, the garrison of the castle would be completely cut
 
 78 OVERWHELMING ODDS. 
 
 off; and as no great advantage was to be gained by holding 
 the position, for it was evident that it was upon the other end 
 of the town the main attack was to be made, it was decided to 
 evacuate it under cover of night. As soon as it became dark 
 this decision was carried into effect, and for hours the troops 
 worked steadily, transporting the guns, ammunition, and stores 
 of all kinds across from the castle to the town. 
 
 Already communication with their friends outside had almost 
 ceased, for the first operation of the enemy had been to 
 block the approach to Sluys from the sea. Boats had been 
 moored head and stern right across Zwin, and a battery 
 erected upon each shore to protect them; but Captains Hart 
 and Allen twice swam down to communicate with friendly 
 vessels below the obstacle, carrying despatches with them from 
 the governor to the States-General, and from Roger Williams to 
 the English commanders, urging that no time should be lost in 
 assembling an army to march to the relief of the town. 
 
 Both contained assurances that the garrison would defend 
 the place to the last extremity, but pointed out that it was 
 only a question of time, and that the town must fall unless 
 relieved. The Dutch garrison were 800 strong, and had been 
 joined by as many English. Parma had at first marched with 
 but 6000 men against the city, but had very speedily drawn 
 much larger bodies of men towards him, and had, as Roger 
 Williams states in a letter to the queen sent from Sluys at an 
 early period of the siege, four regiments of Walloons, four of 
 Germans, one of Italians, one of Burgundians, fifty-two com- 
 panies of Spaniards, twenty-four troops of horse, and forty- 
 eight guns. This would give a total of at least 17,000 men, 
 and further reinforcements afterwards arrived. 
 
 Against so overwhelming a force as this, it could not be 
 hoped that the garrison, outnumbered by more than ten to 
 one, could long maintain themselves, and the Duke of Parma
 
 THE SIEGE BEGINS IN EARNEST. 79 
 
 looked for an easy conquest of the place. By both parties 
 the possession of Sluys was regarded as a matter of importance 
 out of all proportion to the size and population of the town; 
 for at that time it was known in England that the King of 
 Spain was preparing a vast fleet for the invasion of Britain, 
 and Sluys was the nearest point to our shores at which a fleet 
 could gather and the forces of Parma emhark to join those 
 coming direct from Spain. The English, therefore, were de- 
 termined to maintain the place to the last extremity; and 
 while Parma had considered its capture as an affair of a few 
 days only, the little garrison were determined that for weeks 
 at any rate they would be able to prolong the resistance, feel- 
 ing sure that before that time could elapse both the States and 
 England, knowing the importance of the struggle, would send 
 forces to their relief. 
 
 The view taken as to the uselessness of defending the castle 
 was fully justified, as the Spaniards on the following day 
 removed the guns that they had employed in battering it, to 
 their works facing the western gate, and fire was opened next 
 morning. Under cover of this the Spanish engineers pushed 
 their trenches up to the very edge of the moat, in spite of 
 several desperate sorties by the garrison. The boys had been 
 forbidden by Captain Vere to take their place with the company 
 on the walls. 
 
 " In time," he said, " as our force decreases, we shall want 
 every one capable of handling arms to man the breaches, but 
 at present we are not in any extremity; and none save those 
 whom duty compels to be there must come under the fire of 
 the Spaniards, for to do so would be risking life without gain." 
 
 They had, however, made friends with the wine merchant 
 whose cellars they had visited, and obtained permission from 
 him to visit the upper storey of his warehouse whenever they 
 chose. From a window here they were enabled to watch all
 
 80 A STRUGGLE ON THE DYKE. 
 
 that was taking place, for the warehouse was much higher 
 than the walls. It was not in the direct line of fire of the 
 Spanish batteries, for these were chiefly concentrated against 
 the wall a little to their right. After heavy fighting the 
 Spaniards one night, by means of boats from the Zwin, landed 
 upon the dyke which divided the moat into two channels, and 
 thus established themselves so close under the ramparts that 
 the guns could not be brought to bear upon them. They pro- 
 ceeded to intrench themselves at once upon the dyke. 
 
 The governor, Arnold Groenvelt, consulted with the English 
 leaders, and decided that the enemy must be driven off this 
 dyke immediately, or that the safety of the city would be 
 gravely imperilled. They therefore assembled a force of four 
 hundred men, sallied out of the south gate, where two bastions 
 were erected on the dyke itself, and then advanced along it to 
 the assault of the Spaniards. The battle was a desperate one, 
 the English and Dutch were aided by their comrades on the 
 wall, who shot with guns and arquebuses against the Spaniards, 
 while the latter were similarly assisted by their friends along 
 the outer edge of the moat, and received constant reinforce- 
 ments by boats from their ships. 
 
 The odds were too great for the assailants, who were forced 
 at last to fall back along the dyke to the south gate and to 
 re-enter the town. It was already five weeks since the English 
 had arrived to take part in the defence, and the struggle now 
 began upon a great scale thirty cannon and eight culverins 
 opening fire upon the walls. The heaviest fire was on St. James' 
 day, the 25th of July, when 4000 shots were fired between three 
 in the morning and five in the afternoon. While this tre- 
 mendous cannonade was going on, the boys could not but admire 
 the calmness shown by the population. Many of the shots, 
 flying over the top of the walls, struck the houses in the city, 
 and the chimneys, tiles, and masses of masonry fell in the
 
 A SHOT WITH A CROSS-BOW. 81 
 
 streets. Nevertheless the people continued their usual avoca- 
 tions. The shops were all open, though the men employed 
 served their customers with breast and back pieces buckled on, 
 and their arms close at hand, so that they could run to the 
 walls at once to take part in their defence did the Spaniards 
 attempt an assault upon them. The women stood knitting at 
 their doors, Frau Menyn looked as sharply after her maids as 
 ever, and washing and scouring went on without interruption. 
 
 " I believe that woman will keep those girls at work after 
 the Spaniards have entered the city, and until they are thun- 
 dering at the door," Lionel said. " Who but a Dutch woman 
 would give a thought to a few particles of dust on her furni- 
 ture when an enemy was cannonading the town?" 
 
 "I think she acts wisely after all, Lionel. The fact that 
 everything goes on as usual here and in other houses takes 
 people's thoughts off the dangers of the position, and prevents 
 anything like panic being felt." 
 
 The lads spent the greater part of the day at their look-out, 
 and could see that the wall against which the Spanish fire 
 was directed was fast crumbling. Looking down upon it, it 
 seemed deserted of troops, for it would be needlessly exposing 
 the soldiers to death to place them there while the cannonade 
 continued; but behind the wall, and in the street leading to it, 
 companies of English and Dutch soldiers could be seen seated 
 or lying on the ground. 
 
 They were leaning out of the dormer-window in the high 
 roof watching the Spanish soldiers in the batteries working 
 their guns, when, happening to look round, they saw a cross- 
 bow protruded from a window of the warehouse to their 
 right, and a moment afterwards the sharp twang of the bow 
 was heard. There was nothing unusual in this; for although 
 firearms were now generally in use the long-bow and the 
 cross-bow had not been entirely abandoned, and there were 
 
 (677) F
 
 82 A SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT. 
 
 still archers in the English army, and many still held that the 
 bow was a far better weapon than the arquebus, sending its 
 shafts well nigh as far and with a truer aim. 
 
 "If that fellow is noticed," Geoffrey said, "we shall have 
 the Spanish musketeers sending their balls in this direction. 
 The governor has, I heard Captain Vere say, forbidden shoot- 
 ing from the warehouses, because he does not wish to attract 
 the Spanish fire against them. Of course when the wall yields 
 and the breach has to be defended the warehouses will be 
 held, and as the windows will command the breach they will 
 be great aids to us then, and it would be a great disadvantage 
 to us if the Spaniards now were to throw shells and fire-balls 
 into these houses, and so to destroy them before they make 
 their attack Nor can much good be gained, for at this dis- 
 tance a cross-bow would scarce carry its bolts beyond the 
 moat." 
 
 " Most likely the man is using the cross-bow on purpose to 
 avoid attracting the attention of the Spaniards, Geoffrey. At 
 this distance they could not see the cross-bow, while a puff of 
 smoke would be sure to catch their eye." 
 
 "There, he has shot again. I did not see the quarrell fall 
 in the moat. See, one of the Spanish soldiers from that battery 
 is coming forward. There, he has stooped and picked some- 
 thing up. Hallo! do you see that? He has just raised his 
 arm; that is a signal, surely." 
 
 " It certainly looked like it," Lionel agreed. " It was a sort 
 of half wave of the hand. That is very strange ! " 
 
 "Very, Lionel; it looks to me very suspicious. It is quite 
 possible that a piece of paper may have been tied round the 
 bolt, and that someone is sending information to the enemy. 
 This ought to be looked to." 
 
 "But what are we to do, Geoffrey? Merely seeing a Spanish 
 soldier wave his arm is scarcely reason enough for bringing an
 
 MAKING INQUIRIES. 83 
 
 accusation against anyone. We are not even sure that he 
 picked up the bolt; and even if he did, the action might have 
 been a sort of mocking wave of the hand at the failure of the 
 shooter to send it as far as the battery." 
 
 "It might be, of course, Lionel. No, we have certainly 
 nothing to go upon that would justify our making a report on 
 the subject, but quite enough to induce us to keep a watch on 
 this fellow, whoever he may be. Let us see, to begin with, if 
 he shoots again." 
 
 They waited for an hour, but the head of the cross-bow was 
 not again thrust out of the window. 
 
 " He may have ceased shooting for either of two reasons," 
 Geoffrey said. " If he is a true man, because he sees that his 
 bolts do not carry far enough to be of any use. If he is a 
 traitor, because he has gained his object, and knows that his 
 communication has reached his friends outside. We will go 
 down now and inquire who is the occupier of the next ware- 
 house." 
 
 The merchant himself was not below, for as he did business 
 with other towns he had had nothing to do since Sluys was cut 
 off from the surrounded country; but one of his clerks was at 
 work, making out bills and accounts in his office as if the 
 thunder of the guns outside was unheard by him. The boys 
 had often spoken to him as they passed in and out. 
 
 "Who occupies the warehouse on the right?" Geoffrey asked 
 him carelessly. 
 
 " William Arnig," he replied. " He is a leading citizen, and 
 one of the greatest merchants in our trade. His cellars are the 
 most extensive we have, and he does a great trade in times of 
 peace with Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and other towns." 
 
 "I suppose he is a Protestant like most of the towns-people?" 
 Geoffrey remarked. 
 
 "No, he is a Catholic; but he is not one who pushes his
 
 84 SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED. 
 
 opinions strongly, and he is well disposed to the cause, and a 
 captain in one of the city bands. The Catholics and Protestants 
 always dwell quietly together throughout the Low Countries, 
 and would have no animosities against each other were it not 
 for the Spaniards. Formerly, at least, this was the case; but 
 since the persecutions we have Protestant towns and Catholic 
 towns, the one holding to the States cause, the other siding 
 with the Spaniards. Why do you ask?" 
 
 "Oh, I hadn't heard the name of your next neighbour, and 
 was wondering who he might be." 
 
 The boys had now been nearly two months in Holland, and 
 were beginning to understand the language, which is not difficult 
 to acquire, and differed then even less than now from the 
 dialect spoken in the eastern counties of England, between 
 whom and Holland there had been for many generations much 
 trade and intimate relations. 
 
 "What had we better do next, Geoffrey]" Lionel asked as 
 they left the warehouse. 
 
 " I think that in the first place, Lionel, we will take our 
 post at the window to-morrow, and keep a close watch all day 
 to see whether this shooting is repeated. If it is, we had better 
 report the matter to Captain Vere, and leave him to decide 
 what should be done. I do not see that we could undertake 
 anything alone, and in any case, you see, it would be a serious 
 matter to lay an accusation against a prominent citizen who is 
 actually a captain of one of the bands." 
 
 Upon the following day they took their post again at the 
 window, and after some hours watching saw three bolts fired 
 from the next window. Watching intently, they saw the two 
 first fall into the moat. They could not see where the other fell; 
 but as there was no splash in the water, they concluded that 
 it had fallen beyond it, and in a minute they saw a soldier 
 again advance from the battery, pick up something at the edge
 
 "WE MUST ACT CAUTIOUSLY." 85 
 
 of the water, raise his arm, and retire. That evening when 
 Captain Vere returned from the ramparts they informed him 
 of what they had observed. 
 
 "Doubtless it is an act of treachery," he said, "and this 
 merchant is communicating with the enemy. At the same 
 time what you have seen, although convincing evidence to me, 
 is scarce enough for me to denounce him. Doubtless he does 
 not write these letters until he is ready to fire them off, and 
 were he arrested in his house or on his way to the warehouse 
 we might fail to find proofs of his guilt, and naught but ill-feel- 
 ing would be caused among his friends. No, whatever we do 
 we must do cautiously. Have you thought of any plan by 
 which we might catch him in the act?" 
 
 "If two or three men could be introduced into his warehouse, 
 and concealed in the room from which he fires, they might 
 succeed in catching him in the act, Captain Vere; but the room 
 may be an empty one without any place whatever where they 
 could be hidden, and unless they were actually in the room 
 they would be of little good, for he would have time, if he 
 heard footsteps, to thrust any letter he may have written into 
 his mouth, and so destroy it before it could be seized." 
 
 " That is so," Captain Vere agreed. " The matter seems a 
 difficult one, and yet it is of the greatest importance to hinder 
 communications with the Spaniards. To-night all the soldiers 
 who can be spared, aided by all the citizens able to use mat- 
 lock and pick, are to set to work to begin to raise a half-moon 
 round the windmill behind the point they are attacking, so as 
 to have a second line to fall back upon when the wall gives 
 way, which it will do ere long, for it is sorely shaken and 
 battered. It is most important to keep this from the know- 
 ledge of the Spaniards. Now, lads, you have shown your 
 keeness by taking notice of what is going on, see if you cannot 
 go further, and hit upon some plan of catching this traitor at
 
 86 THE BOYS' PLAN. 
 
 his work If before night we can think of no scheme, I must go 
 to the governor and tell him frankly that we have suspicions 
 of treachery, though we cannot prove them, and ask him, in 
 order to prevent the possibility of our plans being communi- 
 cated to the enemy, to place some troops in all the ware- 
 houses along that line, so that none can shoot therefrom any 
 message to the Spaniards." 
 
 Just as Captain Vere finished his supper, the boys came into 
 the room again. 
 
 "We have thought of a plan, sir, that might succeed, 
 although it would be somewhat difficult. The dormer-window 
 from which these bolts have been fired lies thirty or forty feet 
 away from that from which we were looking. The roof is so 
 steep that no one could hold a footing upon it for a moment, 
 nor could a plank be placed upon which he could walk The 
 window is about twelve feet from the top of the roof. We 
 think that one standing on the ledge of our window might 
 climb on to its top, and once there swing a rope with a stout 
 grapnel attached to catch on the ridge of the roof; then two or 
 three men might climb up there and work themselves along, 
 and then lower themselves down with a rope on to the top of 
 the next window. They would need to have ropes fastened 
 round their bodies, for the height is great, and a slip would 
 mean death. 
 
 " The one farthest out on the window could lean over when 
 he hears a noise below him, and when he saw the cross-bow 
 thrust from the window, could by a sudden blow knock it from 
 the fellow's hand, when it would slide down the roof and fall 
 into the narrow yard between the warehouse and the walls. 
 Of course some men would be placed there in readiness to 
 seize it, and others at the door of the warehouse to arrest the 
 traitor if he ran down." 
 
 " I think the plan is a good one, though somewhat difficult
 
 THE ENTERPRISE IS BEGUN. 87 
 
 of execution," Captain Vere said. "But this enterprise on the 
 roof would be a difficult one and dangerous, since as you say 
 a slip would mean death." 
 
 " Lionel and myself, sir, would undertake that with the aid 
 of two active men to hold the ropes for us. We have both 
 done plenty of bird-nesting in the woods of Hedingham, and 
 are not likely to turn giddy." 
 
 "I don't think it is necessary for more than one to get down 
 on to that window," Captain Vere said. " Only one could so 
 place himself as to look down upon the cross-bow. However, 
 you shall divide the honour of the enterprise between you. 
 You, as the eldest and strongest, Geoffrey, shall carry out 
 your plan on the roof, while you, Lionel, shall take post at 
 the door with four men to arrest the traitor when he leaves. 
 I will select two strong and active men to accompany you, 
 Geoffrey, and aid you in your attempt; but mind, before you 
 try to get out of the window and to climb on to its roof, have 
 a strong rope fastened round your body and held by the 
 others; then in case of a slip, they can haul you in again. I 
 will see that the ropes and grapnels are in readiness." 
 
 The next morning early Geoffrey proceeded with the two 
 men who had been selected to accompany him to his usual 
 look-out. Both were active, wiry men, and entered fully into 
 the spirit of the undertaking when Geoffrey explained its 
 nature to them. They looked out of the dormer-window at 
 the sharp roof slanting away in front of them and up to the 
 ridge above. 
 
 " I think, Master Vickars," one of them, Roger Browne by 
 name, said, " that I had best go up first. I served for some years 
 at sea, and am used to climbing about in dizzy places. It is no 
 easy matter to get from this window-sill astride the roof above 
 us, and moreover I am more like to heave the grapnel so that it 
 will hook firmly on to the ridge than you are."
 
 88 ON THE ROOF. 
 
 " Very well, Roger. I should be willing to try, but doubt- 
 less you would manage it far better than I should. But before 
 you start we will fasten the other rope round your body, as 
 Captain Vere directed me to do. Then in case you slip, or any- 
 thing gives way with your weight, we can check you before you 
 slide far down below us." 
 
 A rope was accordingly tied round the man's body under his 
 arms. Taking the grapnel, to which the other rope was attached, 
 he got out on to the sill. It was not an easy task to climb up 
 on to the ridge of the dormer-window, and it needed all his 
 strength and activity to accomplish the feat. Once astride 
 of the ridge the rest was easy. At the first cast he threw the 
 grapnel so that it caught securely on the top of the roof. 
 After testing it with two or three pulls he clambered up, 
 leaving the lower end of the rope hanging by the side of the 
 window. As soon as he had gained this position Geoffrey, 
 who was to follow him, prepared to start. 
 
 According to the instructions Browne had given him he 
 fastened the end of the rope which was round Browne's 
 body under his own shoulders, then leaning over and taking 
 a firm hold of the rope to which the grapnel was attached, he 
 let himself out of the window. Browne hauled from above at 
 the rope round his body, and he pulled himself with his hands 
 by that attached to the grapnel, and presently reached the top. 
 
 " I am glad you came first, Roger," he said. " I do not think 
 I could have ever pulled myself up if you had not assisted me." 
 
 He unfastened the rope, and the end was thrown down to the 
 window, and Job Tredgold, the other man, fastened it round 
 him and was hauled up as Geoffrey had been. 
 
 " We will move along now to that stack of chimneys coming 
 through the roof four feet below the ridge on the town side," 
 Geoffrey said. " We can stand down there out of sight of the 
 Spaniards. We shall be sure to attract attention sitting up
 
 FINAL ARRANGEMENTS. 89 
 
 here, and might have some bullets flying round our ears, besides 
 which this fellow's friends might suspect our object and signal 
 to him in some way. It is two hours yet to the time when 
 we have twice seen him send his bolts across the moat." 
 
 This was accordingly done, and for an hour and a half they 
 sat down on the roof with their feet against the stack of 
 chimneys. 
 
 " It is time to be moving now," Geoffrey said at last. " 1 
 think the best way will be for me to get by the side of the 
 dormer-window instead of above it. It would be very awkward 
 leaning over there, and I should not have strength to strike 
 a blow; whereas with the rope under my arms and my foot on 
 the edge of the sill, which projects a few inches beyond the side 
 of the window, I could stand upright and strike a downright 
 blow on the cross-bow." 
 
 "That would be the best way, I think," Eoger Browne 
 agreed ; " and I will come down on to the top of the window 
 and lean over. In the first place your foot might slip, and as 
 you dangle there by the rope he might cut it and let you shoot 
 over, or he might lean out and shoot you as you climb up the 
 roof again; but if I am above with my pistol in readiness 
 there will be no fear of accidents."
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 AN HEROIC DEFENCE. 
 
 HE plan Roger Browne suggested was carried out 
 Geoffrey was first lowered to his place by the side 
 of the window, and bracing himself against its 
 side with a foot on the sill he managed to stand 
 upright, leaning against the rope that Job Tredgold held 
 from above. Job had instructions when Geoffrey lifted his 
 arm to ease the rope a few inches so as to enable the lad to 
 lean forward. After two or three attempts Geoffrey got 
 the rope to the exact length which would enable him to look 
 round the corner and to strike a blow with his right hand, in 
 which he held a stout club. Roger Browne then descended by 
 the aid of the other rope, and fastening it round his body lay 
 down astride of the roof of the window with his head and 
 shoulders over the end, and his pistol held in readiness. 
 
 It seemed an age to Geoffrey before he heard the sound of 
 a footstep in the loft beside him. He grasped his cudgel firmly 
 and leaned slightly forward. For ten minutes there was quiet 
 within, and Geoffrey guessed that the traitor was writing the 
 missive he was about to send to the enemy; then the footstep 
 approached the window, and a moment later a cross-bow was 
 thrust out. A glance at it sufficed to show that the bolt was 
 enveloped in a piece of paper wound round it and secured with 
 a string. Steadying himself as well as he could Geoffrey struck
 
 SUCCESS OF THE SCHEME. 91 
 
 with all his force down upon the cross-bow. The weapon, loosely 
 held, went clattering down the tiles. There was an exclamation 
 of surprise and fury from within the window, and at the same 
 moment Job Tredgold, seeing that Geoffrey's attempt had been 
 successful, hauled away at the rope and began to drag him 
 backward up the tiles. 
 
 The lad saw a man lean out of the window and look up at 
 him, then a pistol was levelled; but the report came from above 
 the window, and not from the threatening weapon. A sharp 
 cry of pain was heard, as the pistol fell from the man's hand 
 and followed the cross-bow down the roof. A few seconds later 
 Geoffrey was hauled up to the ridge, where he was at once 
 joined by Roger Browne. Shifting the ropes they moved along 
 till above the window from which they had issued. Geoffrey 
 was first lowered down. As soon as he had got in at the 
 window he undid the rope and Job Tredgold followed him, 
 while Roger Browne slid down by the rope attached to the 
 grapnel; then they ran downstairs. 
 
 As soon as they sallied out below they saw that Lionel and 
 the men with him had captured a prisoner; and just as they 
 joined the party the guard came round from the other side of 
 the warehouse, bringing with them the cross-bow, its bolt, and 
 the pistol. The prisoner, whose shoulder was broken by Roger 
 Browne's shot, was at once taken to Captain Vere's quarters. 
 That officer had just arrived from the walls, knowing the time 
 at which the capture would probably be made. 
 
 " So you have succeeded," he said. " Well done, lads; you 
 have earned the thanks of all We will take this man at once 
 to the governor, who is at present at the town-hall." 
 
 By the time they issued out quite a crowd had assembled, for 
 the news that William von Arnig had been brought a prisoner 
 and wounded to Captain Vere's quarters had spread rapidly. 
 The crowd increased as they went along, and Captain Vere and
 
 92 AT THE TOWN-HALL. 
 
 his party had difficulty in making their way to the town-hall, 
 many of the people exclaiming loudly against this treatment of 
 one of the leading citizens. The governor was, when they 
 entered, holding council with the English leader, Sir Roger 
 Williams. 
 
 "Why, what is this, Captain Vere?" he asked in surprise as 
 that officer, accompanied by the two boys and followed by 
 Roger Browne and Job Tredgold guarding the prisoner, entered. 
 
 " I have to accuse this man of treacherously communicating 
 with the enemy," Francis Vere said. 
 
 " What?" Arnold de Groenvelt exclaimed in surprise. " Why, 
 this is Mynheer von Arnig, one of our most worshipful citizens ! 
 Surely, Captain Vere, there must be some error here ? " 
 
 "I will place my evidence before you," Captain Vere said; 
 " and it will be for you to decide upon it. Master Geoffrey 
 Vickars, please to inform the governor what you know about 
 this matter." 
 
 Geoffrey then stated how he and his brother, being at the 
 upper window of the warehouse, had on two days in succession 
 seen a cross-bow discharged from a neighbouring window, and 
 had noticed a Spanish soldier come out of a battery and pick up 
 something which they believed to be the bolt, and how he and 
 his brother had reported the circumstances to Captain Vere. 
 That officer then took up the story, and stated that seeing the 
 evidence was not conclusive, and it was probable that if an 
 attempt was made to arrest the person, whomsoever he might be, 
 who had used the cross-bow, any evidence of treasonable design 
 might be destroyed before he was seized, he had accepted 
 the offer of Master Vickars to climb the roof, lower him- 
 self to the window from which the bolt would be shot, and, if 
 possible, strike it from the man's hands, so that it would fall 
 down the roof to the court-yard below, where men were placed 
 to seize it
 
 TRIAL OF THE TRAITOR. 93 
 
 Geoffrey then related how he, with the two soldiers guarding 
 the prisoner, had scaled the roof and taken a position by the 
 window; how he had seen the cross-bow thrust out, and had 
 struck it from the hands of the man holding it; how the latter 
 had leaned out, and would have shot him had not Roger Browne 
 from his post above the window shot him in the shoulder. 
 
 " Here are the cross-bow and pistol," Captain Vere said; "and 
 this is the bolt as it was picked up by my men. You see, sir, 
 there is a paper fastened round it I know not its contents, 
 for I judged it best to leave it as it was found until I placed it 
 in your hands." 
 
 The governor cut the string, unrolled the paper and examined 
 it. It contained a statement as to the state of the wall, with 
 remarks where it was yielding, and where the enemy had best 
 shoot against it. It said that the defenders had in the night 
 begun to form a half-moon behind it, and contained a sketch 
 showing the exact position of the new work. 
 
 "Gentlemen, what think you of this?" the governor asked 
 the English officers. 
 
 " There can be no doubt that it is a foul act of treachery," 
 Williams said, " and the traitor merits death." 
 
 "We will not decide upon it ourselves," the governor said. 
 "I will summon six of the leading citizens, who shall sit as 
 a jury with us. This is a grave matter, and touches the honour 
 of the citizens as well as the safety of the town." 
 
 In a few minutes the six citizens summoned arrived. The 
 evidence was again given, and then the prisoner was asked 
 what he had to say in his defence. 
 
 " It is useless for me to deny it," he replied. " I am caught 
 in the act, and must suffer for it. I have done my duty to the 
 King of Spain, my sovereign ; and I warn you he will take ven- 
 geance for my blood." 
 
 " That we must risk," the governor said. " Now, gentlemen,
 
 94 THE SENTENCE OF DEATH. 
 
 you citizens of this town now attacked by the Spaniards, and 
 you, sir, who are in command of the soldiers of the Queen of 
 England, have heard the evidence and the answer the prisoner 
 has made. What is your opinion thereon ? Do you, Sir Roger 
 Williams, being highest in rank and authority, first give your 
 opinion." 
 
 "I find that he is guilty of an act of gross treason and 
 treachery. For such there is but one punishment death." 
 And the six citizens all gave the same decision. 
 
 "You are found guilty of this foul crime," the governor said, 
 "and are sentenced to death. In half an hour you will be hung 
 in the market-place, as a punishment to yourself and a warning 
 to other traitors, if such there be in this town of Sluys. As to 
 you, young sirs, you have rendered a great service to the town, 
 and have shown a discernment beyond your years. I thank 
 you in the name of the city and of its garrison, and also in that 
 of the States, whose servant I am." 
 
 A guard of armed citizens were now called in, the prisoner 
 was handed to them, and orders given to their officer to carry 
 the sentence into effect. A statement of the crime of the pris- 
 oner, with the names of those who had acted as his judges, and 
 the sentence, was then drawn out, signed by the governor, and 
 ordered by him to be affixed to the door of the town-hall. The 
 two lads, finding that they were no longer required, hastened 
 back to their quarters, having no wish to be present at the exe- 
 cution of the unhappy wretch whose crime they had been the 
 means of detecting. 
 
 A few days later considerable portions of the battered wall 
 fell, and shortly afterwards a breach of two hundred and fifty 
 paces long was effected, and a bridge of large boats constructed 
 by the enemy from the dyke to the foot of the rampart. 
 
 This was not effected without terrible loss. Hundreds of the 
 bravest Spanish soldiers and sailors were killed, and three officers
 
 THE ASSAULT OF THE BREACH. 95 
 
 who succeeded each other in command of the attack were 
 badly wounded. The Spanish had laboured under great diffi- 
 culties owing to the lack of earth to push their trenches forward 
 to the edge of the moat, arising from the surrounding country 
 being flooded. They only succeeded at last by building wooden 
 machines of bullet-proof planks on wheels, behind each of which 
 four men could work When all was prepared the Spaniards 
 advanced to the attack, rushing up the breach with splendid 
 valour, headed by three of their bravest leaders; but they 
 were met by the English and Dutch, and again and again 
 hurled back. 
 
 Day and night the fighting continued, the Spaniards occasion- 
 ally retiring to allow their artillery to open fire again upon the 
 shattered ruins. But stoutly as the defenders fought, step by 
 step the Spaniards won their way forward until they had cap- 
 tured the breach and the west gate adjoining it, there being 
 nothing now beyond the hastily-constructed inner work between 
 them and the town. The finest regiment of the whole of the 
 Spanish infantry now advanced to the assault, but they were 
 met by the defenders already sadly diminished in numbers, 
 but firm and undaunted as ever, and their pikes and their 
 axes well supplied the place of the fallen walls. 
 
 Assault after assault was met and repulsed, Sir Eoger Wil- 
 liams, Thomas Baskerville, and Francis Vere being always in 
 the thick of the fight. Baskerville was distinguished by the 
 white plumes of his helmet, Vere by his crimson mantle; and 
 the valour of these leaders attracted the admiration of the Duke 
 of Parma himself, who watched the fight from the summit of 
 the tower of the western gate. Francis Vere was twice wounded, 
 but not disabled. Sir Eoger Williams urged him to retire, but 
 he replied that he would rather be killed ten times in a breach 
 than once in a house. 
 
 Day by day the terrible struggle continued. The Spaniards
 
 9C "TOT HATE DGOX ME BKATE SERTJCTL 
 
 were able amctaaHjte bring vp freak troops, but die defenden 
 had BO lefiel Tfaej ware redneed in numbers from 1600 to 
 
 tewing the BBCncn, 
 
 Thii patja laim+hl thi ii fin ..... il tn Ifcrm. Mid alii n Ilii ill nl i 
 in the defence, fighting m boldly and 
 
 fsflj m the nldias th^Helres. Geofiej ad Lionel kept in 
 Francis Voe, only lexting hint to ran 
 : to their qoarten and bring op the meak cooked for him 
 s two ofieos by Fran Menjn and her handmaids. Both 
 to him dazing the fighting. Thej knew that thej 
 were no match in ctrength for die Spaniih pikemen; hot thej 
 had il*"il pirtob from the azmonrj, and with these thej 
 did gaud seniee, aereral times iieeuig him from some of his 
 
 FimwsTerewacantteAdownbjablowfnMnan axe, the hoys 
 
 * * f _____ i v-^- ___ _ i_i, . - rn _ _^n . i. . . __r 4._ 
 
 Tn^nen lorwaiu anoi af^B oncK nv assauamB jmn some OK kne 
 
 men of the company came to his aid, 
 
 " Yon haie done me hnwe service indeed,* Captain Veie said 
 to them when he recovered; for his helmet had defended him 
 from snow injnrj, though die force of die blow had felled 
 him. -ft was a happy thought of mine when I decided to 
 bring jo* with me. Hre is not the first time that jou have 
 rendered me good scifiuttj and I am sore jon will torn out 
 bare and rmfcurt cobferc of the qneen.' 
 
 carj soldiers threw themsdres 
 
 as they conld before die Spaniaras mastered for fresh attack. 
 Wh, after dghteea days' terrible fighting, die Duke of Parma 
 s*w that ere* h bert troops were onable to break through die 
 waD of sted, he deskted from die assaolt and began die slower 
 process of nuning. Tbe girnKm from their loot<ol beheld die 
 f dw bridge widi picks and shorek, and prepared
 
 "A MAGAZDfE!" 97 
 
 to meet them in this new style of warfare. Captain Uvedale 
 was appointed to command the men told off for this duty, and 
 galleries were ran from several of the cellars to meet those of 
 the enemy. 
 
 As every man was employed either on the rampart or in 
 mining, many of the pages were told off to act as watchers in 
 the cellars, and to listen for the faint sounds that told of the 
 approach of the enemy's miners. As the young Tickars were in 
 attendance on the officers, they were exempted from the work; 
 but they frequently went down into the cellars, both to watch 
 the process of mining by their own men and to listen to the 
 faint sounds made by the enemy's workmen. One day they 
 were sitting on two wine-kegs, watching four soldiers at work 
 aft the end of a short gallery that had been driven towards the 
 Spaniards. Suddenly there was an explosion, the miners were 
 blown backwards, the end of the gallery disappeared, and a 
 crowd of Walloon soldiers almost immediately afterwards 
 rushed in. 
 
 The boys sprang to their feet and were about to fly, when 
 an idea occurred to Geoffrey. He seized a torch, and, standing 
 by the side of a barrel placed on end by a large tier, shouted 
 in Dutch, "Another step forward and I fire the magazine! 1 ' 
 The men in front paused. Through the fumes of smoke they 
 saw dimly the pile of barrels and a figure standing with a lighted 
 torch close to one of them. A panic seized them, and bettering 
 they had made their way into a powder-magazine, and that 
 in another instant there would be a terrible explosion, they 
 turned with shouts of "A magazine! a magazine! fly, or we 
 are all dead men!" 
 
 "Run, Lionel, and get help," Geoffrey said, and in two or 
 three minutes a number of soldiers ran down into the cellar. 
 
 The Walloons were not long before they recovered from their 
 panic. Their officers knew that the wine-cellars of the city 
 
 (HT) O
 
 98 WELL-DESERVED PRAISE. 
 
 were in front of them, and reassured them as to the character 
 of the barrels they had seen. They were, however, too late, 
 and a furious conflict took place at the entrance into the cellar, 
 but the enemy, able only to advance two or three abreast, 
 failed to force their way in. 
 
 Captain Uvedale and Francis Vere were soon on the spot, 
 and when at last the enemy, unable to force an entrance, fell 
 back, the former said, " This is just as I feared. You see, the 
 Spaniards drove this gallery, and ceased to work immediately 
 they heard us approaching them. We had no idea that they 
 were in front of us, and so they only had to put a barrel of 
 powder there and fire it as soon as there was but a foot or two 
 of earth between us and them." 
 
 "But how was it," Francis Vere asked, "that when they 
 fired it they did not at once rush forward? They could have 
 captured the whole building before we knew what had hap- 
 pened." 
 
 "That I cannot tell," Captain Uvedale replied. " The four 
 men at work must have been either killed or knocked senseless. 
 We shall know better another time, and will have a strong 
 guard in each cellar from which our mines are being driven." 
 
 "If it please you, Captain Uvedale," Lionel said, "it was 
 my brother Geoffrey who prevented them from advancing; for 
 indeed several of them had already entered the cellar, and the 
 gallery behind was full of them." 
 
 "But how did he do that 1 ?" Captain Uvedale asked in sur- 
 prise. 
 
 Lionel related the ruse by which Geoffrey had created a 
 panic in the minds of the Spaniards. 
 
 "That was well thought of indeed, and promptly carried 
 out!" Captain Uvedale exclaimed. "Francis, these pages of 
 yours are truly promising young fellows. They detected that 
 rascally Dutchman who was betraying us. I noticed them
 
 A FIGHT BELOW GROUND. 99 
 
 several times in the thick of the fray at the breach; and now 
 they have saved the city by their quickness and presence of 
 mind; for had these Spaniards once got possession of this ware- 
 house they would have speedily broken a way along through 
 the whole tier, and could then have poured in upon us with 
 all their strength." 
 
 "That is so, indeed," Francis Vere agreed. "They have 
 assuredly saved the town, and there is the greatest credit due 
 to them. I shall be glad, TJvedale, if you will report the 
 matter to our leader. You are in command of the mining 
 works, and it will come better from you than from me who am 
 their captain." 
 
 Captain Uvedale made his report, and both Sir Roger Williams 
 and the governor thanked the boys, and especially Geoffrey, for 
 the great service they had rendered. 
 
 Very shortly the galleries were broken into in several other 
 places, and the battle became now as fierce and continuous down 
 in the cellars as it had before been on the breach. By the light 
 of torches, in an atmosphere heavy with the fumes of gunpowder, 
 surrounded by piled-up barrels of wine, the defenders and 
 assailants maintained a terrible conflict, men staggering up 
 exhausted by their exertion and by the stifling atmosphere 
 while others took their places below, and so, night and day, 
 the desperate struggle continued. 
 
 All these weeks no serious effort had been made for the relief 
 of the hardly beleaguered town. Captains Hall and Allen had 
 several times swum down at night through the bridge of boats 
 with letters from the governor entreating a speedy succour. 
 The States had sent a fleet which sailed some distance up the 
 Zwin, but returned without making the slightest effort to break 
 through the bridge of boats. The Earl of Leicester had ad- 
 vanced with a considerable force from Ostend against the 
 fortress of Blankenburg, but had retreated hastily as soon as
 
 100 THE SURRENDER. 
 
 Parma despatched a portion of his army against him; and so 
 the town was left to its fate. 
 
 The last letter that the governor despatched said that 
 longer resistance was impossible. The garrison were reduced 
 to a mere remnant, and these utterly worn out by constant 
 fighting and the want of rest. He should ask for fair and hon- 
 ourable terms, but if these were refused the garrison and the 
 whole male inhabitants in the city, putting the women and 
 children in the centre, would sally out and cut their way 
 through, or die fighting in the midst of the Spaniards. The 
 swimmer who took the letter was drowned, but his body was 
 washed ashore and the letter taken to the Duke of Parma. 
 
 Three days afterwards a fresh force of the enemy embarked 
 in forty large boats, and were about to land on an unprotected 
 wharf by the river-side when Arnold de Groenvelt hung out the 
 white flag. His powder was exhausted and his guns disabled, 
 and the garrison so reduced that the greater portion of the 
 walls were left wholly undefended. The Duke of Parma, who 
 was full of admiration at the extraordinary gallantry of the 
 defenders, and was doubtless also influenced by the resolu- 
 tion expressed in his letter by the governor, granted them 
 most honourable terms. The garrison were to march out with 
 all their baggage and arms, with matches lighted and colours dis- 
 played. They were to proceed to Breskans, and there to embark 
 for Flushing. The life and property of the inhabitants were 
 to be respected, and all who did not choose to embrace the 
 Catholic faith were to be allowed to leave the town peaceably, 
 taking with them their belongings, and to go wheresoever they 
 pleased. 
 
 When the gates were opened the garrison sallied out. The 
 Duke of Parma had an interview with several of the leaders, 
 and expressed his high admiration of the valour with which 
 they had fought, and said that the siege of Sluys had cost him
 
 GEOFFREY IS WOUNDED. 101 
 
 more men than he had lost in the four principal sieges he had 
 undertaken in the Low Country put together. On the 4th of 
 August the duke entered Sluys in triumph, and at once began 
 to make preparations to take part in the great invasion of 
 England for which Spain was preparing. 
 
 After their arrival at Flushing Captains Vere, TJvedale, and 
 others, who had brought their companies from Bergen-op-Zoom 
 to aid in the defence of Sluys, returned to that town. 
 
 The Earl of Leicester shortly afterwards resigned his appoint- 
 ment as general of the army. He had got on but badly with 
 the States-General, and there was from the first no cordial co- 
 operation between the two armies. The force at his disposal 
 was never strong enough to do anything against the vastly 
 superior armies of the Duke of Parma, who was one of the 
 most brilliant generals of his age, while he was hampered and 
 thwarted by the intrigues and duplicity of Elizabeth, who 
 was constantly engaged in half-hearted negotiations now with 
 France and now with Spain, and whose capricious temper was 
 continually overthrowing the best-laid plans of her councillors 
 and paralysing the actions of her commanders. It was not 
 until she saw her kingdom threatened by invasion that she 
 placed herself fairly at the head of the national movement, and 
 inspired her subjects with her energy and determination. 
 
 Geoffrey Vickars haJ been somewhat severely wounded upon 
 the last day of the struggle in the cellar, a Spanish officer having 
 beaten down his guard and cleft through his morion. Lionel 
 was unwounded, but the fatigue and excitement had told upon 
 him greatly, and soon after they arrived at Bergen Captain 
 Vere advised both of them to return home for a few 
 months. 
 
 " There is nothing likely to be doing here until the spring. 
 Parma has more serious matter in hand. They talk, you know, 
 of invading England, and after his experience at Sluys I do not
 
 102 ON SICK LEAVE. 
 
 think he will be wasting his force by knocking their heads 
 against stone walls. I should be glad if I could return too, 
 but I have my company to look after and must remain where 
 I am ordered; but as you are but volunteers and giving your 
 service at your pleasure, and are not regularly upon the list of 
 the pages of the company, I can undertake to grant you leave, 
 and indeed I can see that you both greatly need rest. You 
 have begun well and have both done good service, and have 
 been twice thanked by the governor of Sluys and Sir Roger 
 Williams. 
 
 "You will do yourselves no good by being shut up through 
 the winter in this dull town, and as there is a vessel lying by 
 the quay which is to set sail to-morrow, I think you cannot 
 do better than go in her. I will give you letters to my cousin 
 and your father saying how well you have borne yourselves, 
 and how mightily Sir Roger Williams was pleased with you. 
 In the spring you can rejoin, unless indeed the Spaniards should 
 land in England, which Heaven f orfend, in which case you will 
 probably prefer to ride under my cousin's banner at home." 
 
 The boys gladly accepted Francis Vere's proposal. It was 
 but three months since they had set foot in Holland, but they 
 had gone through a tremendous experience, and the thought of 
 being shut up for eight or nine months at Bergen-op-Zoom was 
 by no means a pleasant one. Both felt worn-out and exhausted, 
 and longed for the fresh keen air of the eastern coast. There- 
 fore the next morning they embarked on board ship. Captain 
 Vere presented them each with a handsome brace of pistols in 
 token of his regard, and Captains Uvedale, Baskerville, and 
 other officers who were intimate friends of Vere's, and had met 
 them at his quarters, gave them handsome presents in recogni- 
 tion of the services they had rendered at Sluys. 
 
 The ship was bound for Harwich, which was the nearest 
 English port. Landing there, they took passage by boat to
 
 HOME. 103 
 
 Manningtree and thence by horse home, where they astounded 
 their father and mother by their sudden appearance. 
 
 "And this is what comes of your soldiering," Mrs. Vickars 
 said when the first greeting was over. " Here is Geoffrey with 
 plasters all over the side of his head, and you, Lionel, looking as 
 pale and thin as if you had gone through a long illness. I told 
 your father when we heard of your going that you ought to be 
 brought back and whipped ; but the earl talked him over into 
 writing to Captain Francis to tell him that he approved of 
 this mad-brained business, and a nice affair it has turned 
 out." 
 
 " You will not have to complain of our looks, mother, at the 
 end of a week or two," Geoffrey said. " My wound is healing 
 fast, and Lionel only needs an extra amount of sleep for a time. 
 You see, for nearly a month we were never in bed, but just lay 
 down to sleep by the side of Captain Vere on the top of the 
 ramparts, where we had been fighting all day." 
 
 " It was a gallant defence," Mr. Vickars said, " and all Eng- 
 land is talking of it. It was wonderful that 800 English and 
 as many Dutchmen should hold a weak place for two months 
 against full twelve times their number of Spaniards, led by the 
 Duke of Parma himself, and there is great honour for all who 
 took part in the defence. The governor and Sir Koger Wil- 
 liams especially mentioned Francis Vere as among the bravest 
 and best of their captains, and although you as pages can have 
 had nought to do with the fighting, you will have credit as 
 serving under his banner." 
 
 " I think, father," Geoffrey said, touching the plasters on his 
 head, " this looks somewhat as if we had had something to do 
 with the fighting, and here is a letter for you from Captain 
 Vere which will give you some information about it." 
 
 Mr. Vickars adjusted his horn spectacles on his face and 
 opened the letter. It began :
 
 104 FRANCIS VERB'S LETTER. 
 
 "My dear Master and Friend, I have had no means of writ- 
 ing to you since your letter came to me, having had other 
 matters in hand, and being cut off from all communication with 
 England. I was glad to find that you did not take amiss my 
 carrying off of your sons. Indeed that action has turned out 
 more happily than might have been expected, for I own that 
 they were but young for such rough service. 
 
 " However, they have proved themselves valiant young gen- 
 tlemen. They fought stoutly by my side during our long 
 tussle with the Spaniards, and more than once saved my life 
 by ridding me of foes who would have taken me at a disadvan- 
 tage. Once, indeed, when I was down from a blow on the pate 
 from a Spanish axe, they rushed forward and kept my assail- 
 ants at bay until rescue came. They discovered a plot between 
 a traitor in the town and the Spaniards, and succeeded in de- 
 feating his plans and bringing him to justice. 
 
 " They were also the means of preventing the Spaniards from 
 breaking into the great wine-cellars and capturing the ware- 
 houses, and for each of these services they received the thanks 
 of the Dutch governor and of Sir Roger Williams, our leader. 
 Thus, you see, although so young they have distinguished them- 
 selves mightily, and should aught befall me, there are many 
 among my friends who will gladly take them under their pro- 
 tection and push them forward. I have sent them home for a 
 time to have quiet and rest, which they need after their exer- 
 tions, and have done this the more willingly since there is no 
 chance of fighting for many months to come. I hope that 
 before the Spaniards again advance against us I may have them 
 by my side." 
 
 " Well, well, this is wonderful," Mrs. Vickars said when her 
 husband had finished reading the letter. "If they had told me 
 themselves I should not have believed them, although they have 
 never been given to the sin of lying; but since it is writ in
 
 DINNER FIRST. 105 
 
 Master Vere's own hand it cannot be doubted. And now tell 
 us all about it, boys." 
 
 " We will tell you when we have had dinner, mother. This 
 brisk Essex air has given us both an appetite, and until that is 
 satisfied you must excuse us telling a long story. Is the earl 
 at the castle, father 1 ? because we have two letters to him from 
 Captain Francis one, I believe, touching our affairs, and the 
 other on private matters. We have also letters from him to his 
 mother and his brother John, and these we had better send off 
 at once by a messenger, as also the private letters to the earl." 
 
 " That I will take myself," Mr. Vickars said. " I was just 
 going up to him to speak about my parish affairs when you 
 arrived." 
 
 " You had better have your dinner first," Mrs. Vickars said 
 decidedly. " When you once get with the earl and begin talk- 
 ing you lose all account of the time, and only last week kept 
 dinner waiting for two hours. It is half-past eleven now, and 
 I will hurry it on so that it will be ready a few minutes before 
 noon." 
 
 "Very well, my dear; but I will go out into the village at 
 once and find a messenger to despatch to Crepping Hall with 
 the letters to Dame Elizabeth and John Vere." 
 
 The boys' story was not told until after supper, for as soon 
 as dinner was over Mr. Vickars went up to the castle with the 
 letters for the earl. The latter, after reading them, told him that 
 his cousin spoke most highly of his two sons, and said they 
 had been of great service, even as far as the saving of his life. 
 The earl told Mr. Vickars to bring the boys up next day to see 
 him in order that he might learn a full account of the fighting 
 at Sluys, and that he hoped they would very often come in, 
 and would, while they were at home, practise daily with his 
 master of arms at the castle. " I know, Mr. Vickars, that you 
 had hoped that one of them would enter the church; but you
 
 106 A PROMISE. 
 
 see that their tastes lie not in that direction, and it is evident 
 that, as in the case of my cousin Francis, they are cut out for 
 soldiers." 
 
 "I am afraid so," Mr. Vickars said; "and I must let them 
 have their own way, for I hold that none should be forced to 
 follow the ministry save those whose natural bent lies that 
 way." 
 
 "I don't think they have chosen badly," the earl said. 
 " My cousin Francis bids fair to make a great soldier, and as 
 they start in life as his pages they will have every chance of 
 getting on, and I warrant me that Francis will push their for- 
 tunes. Perhaps I may be able to aid them somewhat myself. 
 If aught comes of this vapouring of the Spaniards, before the 
 boys return to Holland, they shall ride with me. I am already 
 arming all the tenantry and having them practised in warlike 
 exercises, and in the spring I shall fit out two ships at Harwich 
 to join the fleet that will put to sea should the Spaniards carry 
 out their threats of invading us."
 
 CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 THE LOSS OF THE "SUSAN." 
 
 HERE were few people in Hedingham more pleased 
 to see the two lads on their return than John 
 Lirriper, to whom they paid a visit on the first 
 day they went out. 
 
 "I am glad to see you back, young masters; though, to say 
 the truth, you are not looking nigh so strong and well as you 
 did when I last parted from you." 
 
 "We shall soon be all right again, John. We have had 
 rather a rough time of it over there in Sluys." 
 
 "Ah, so I have heard tell, Master Geoffrey. Your father 
 read out from the pulpit a letter the earl had received from 
 Captain Francis telling about the fighting, and it mentioned 
 that you were both alive and well and had done good service; 
 but it was only a short letter sent off in haste the day after 
 he and the others had got out of the town. I was right glad 
 when I heard it, I can tell you, for there had been nought 
 talked of here but the siege; and though your lady mother has 
 not said much to me, I always held myself ready to slip round 
 the corner or into a house when I saw her come down the street, 
 for I knew well enough what was in her mind. She was just 
 saying to herself, 'John Lirriper, if it hadn't been for you my 
 two boys would not be in peril now. If aught comes to them, 
 it will be your doing.' And though it was not my fault, as far
 
 108 MR. VICKARS AND JOHN LIRRIPER. 
 
 as I could see, for Captain Francis took you off my hands, as 
 it were, and I had no more to say in the matter than a child, 
 still, there it was, and right glad was I when I heard that the 
 siege was over and you were both alive. 
 
 "I had a bad time of it, I can tell you, when I first got back, 
 young sirs, for your mother rated me finely ; and though your 
 father said it was not my fault in any way, she would not listen 
 to him, but said she had given you into my charge, and that 
 I had no right to hand you over to any others save with your 
 father's permission not if it were to the earl himself, and for 
 a long time after she would make as if she didn't see me if she 
 met me in the street. When my wife was ill about that time 
 she sent down broths and simples to her, but she sent them by 
 one of the maids, and never came herself save when she knew 
 I was away in my boat. 
 
 " However, the day after the reading of that letter she came 
 in and said she was sorry she had treated me hardly, and that 
 she had known at heart all along that it was not altogether my 
 fault, and asked my pardon as nice as if I had been the earl. 
 Of course I said there was nothing to ask pardon for, and indeed 
 that I thought it was only natural she should have blamed me, 
 for that I had often blamed myself, though not seeing how I 
 could have done otherwise. However, I was right glad when 
 the matter was made up, for it is not pleasant for a man when 
 the parson's wife sets herself against him." 
 
 "It was certainly hard upon you, John," Geoffrey said; "but 
 I am sure our mother does not in any way blame you now. 
 You see, we brought home letters from Captain Vere, or rather 
 Sir Francis, for he has been knighted now, and he was good 
 enough to speak very kindly of what we were able to do in the 
 siege. Mother did not say much, but I am sure that at heart 
 she is very grateful, for the earl himself came down to the 
 Rectory and spoke warmly about us, and said that he should
 
 OUT OF LEADING-STRINGS. 109 
 
 always be our fast friend, because we had given his cousin some 
 help when he was roughly pressed by the Spaniards. I hope 
 we shall have another sail with you in a short time, for we are 
 not going back to the Netherlands at present, as things are 
 likely to be quiet there now. Although he did not say so, 
 I think Sir Francis thought that we were over-young for such 
 rough work, and would be more useful in a year's time; for, you 
 see, in these sieges even pages have to take their share in the 
 fighting, and when it comes to push of pike with the Spaniards 
 more strength and vigour are needed than we possess at present. 
 So we are to continue our practice at arms at the castle, and to 
 take part in the drilling of the companies the earl is raising in 
 case the Spaniards carry out their threat of invading England." 
 
 Mrs. Vickars offered no objection whatever the first time 
 Geoffrey asked permission to go down to Bricklesey with John 
 Lirriper. 
 
 "I have no objection, Geoffrey; and, indeed, now that you 
 have chosen your own lives and are pages to Sir Francis Vere, 
 it seems to me that in matters of this kind you can judge for 
 yourself. Now that you have taken to soldiering and have borne 
 your part in a great siege, and have even yourselves fought with 
 the Spaniards, I deem it that you have got beyond my wing, 
 and must now act in all small matters as it pleases you; and 
 that since you have already run great danger of your lives, and 
 may do so again ere long, it would be folly of me to try to 
 keep you at my apron-strings and to treat you as if you were 
 still children." 
 
 So the two lads often accompanied John Lirriper to Brickle- 
 sey, and twice sailed up the river to London and back in Joe 
 Chambers' smack, these jaunts furnishing a pleasant change to 
 their work of practising with pike and sword with the men-at- 
 arms at the castle, or learning the words of command and the 
 work of officers in drilling the newly-raised corps. One day
 
 110 A TRIP TO ROCHESTER. 
 
 John Lirriper told them that his nephew was this time going 
 to sail up the Medway to Rochester, and would be glad to take 
 them with him if they liked it; for they were by this time 
 prime favourites with the master of the Susan. Although their 
 mother had told them that they were at liberty to go as they 
 pleased, they nevertheless always made a point of asking per- 
 mission before they went away. 
 
 " If the wind is fair we shall not be long away on this trip, 
 mother. Two days will take us up to Rochester; we shall be a 
 day loading there, and shall therefore be back on Saturday if 
 the wind serves, and may even be sooner if the weather is fine 
 and we sail with the night tides, as likely enough we shall, for 
 the moon is nearly full, and there will be plenty of light to keep 
 our course free of the sands." 
 
 The permission was readily given. Mrs. Vickars had come 
 to see that it was useless to worry over small matters, and 
 therefore nodded cheerfully, and said she would give orders at 
 once for a couple of chickens to be killed and other provision 
 prepared for their voyage. 
 
 " I doubt you are going to have a rougher voyage than usual 
 this time, young masters," John Lirriper said when the boat 
 was approaching Bricklesey. " The sky looks wild, and I think 
 there is going to be a break in the weather. However, the 
 Susan is a stout boat, and my nephew a careful navigator." 
 
 " I should like a rough voyage for a change, John," Geoffrey 
 said. "We have always had still water and light winds on our 
 trips, and I should like a good blow." 
 
 "Well, I think you will have one; though may be it will 
 only come on thick and wet. Still I think there is wind in those 
 clouds, and that if it does come it will be from the south-east, 
 in which case you will have a sharp buffeting. But you will 
 make good passage enough down to the Nore once you are fairly 
 round the Whittaker."
 
 A CALM. Ill 
 
 "Glad to see you, young masters," Joe Chambers said as 
 the boat came alongside his craft. "You often grumbled at 
 the light winds, but unless I am mistaken we shall be carrying 
 double reefs this journey. What do you think, Uncle John?" 
 
 " I have been saying the same, lad; still there is no saying. 
 You will know more about it in a few hours' time." 
 
 It was evening when the boys went on board the Susan, and 
 as soon as supper was over they lay down, as she was to start 
 at daybreak the next morning. As soon as they were roused 
 by the creaking of the blocks and the sound of trampling of 
 feet overhead they went up on deck Day had just broken; 
 the sky was overspread by dark clouds. 
 
 "There is not much wind after all," Geoffrey said as he 
 looked round. 
 
 " No, it has fallen light during the last two hours," the skip- 
 per replied, "but I expect we shall have plenty before long. 
 However, we could do with a little more now." 
 
 Tide was half out when they started. Joe Chambers had 
 said the night before that he intended to drop down to the edge 
 of the sands and there anchor, and to make across them past 
 the Whittaker Beacon into the channel as soon as there was 
 sufficient water to enable him to do so. The wind was light, 
 sometimes scarcely sufficient to belly out the sails and give 
 the boat steerage way, at others coming in short puffs which 
 heeled her over and made her spring forward merrily. 
 
 Before long the wind fell lighter and lighter, and at last Joe 
 Chambers ordered the oars to be got out. 
 
 "We must get down to the edge of the Buxey," he said, 
 " before the tide turns, or we shall have it against us, and with 
 this wind we should never be able to stem it, but should be 
 swept up the Crouch. At present it is helping us, and with a 
 couple of hours' rowing we may save it to the Buxey." 
 
 The boys helped at the sweeps, and for two hours the creaking
 
 112 A THREATENING SKY. 
 
 of the oars and the dull flapping of the sail alone broke the 
 silence of the calm; and the lads were by no means sorry when 
 the skipper gave the order for the anchor to be dropped. 
 
 " I should like to have got about half a mile further," he said; 
 " but I can see by the landmarks that we are making no way 
 now. The tide is beginning to suck in." 
 
 " How long will it be before we have water enough to cross 
 the Spit 1 ?" Lionel asked as they laid in the oars. 
 
 " Well nigh four hours, Master Lionel. Then, even if it keeps 
 a stark calm like this, we shall be able to get across the sands 
 and a mile or two up the channel before we meet the tide. 
 There we must anchor again till the first strength is past, and 
 then if the wind springs up we can work along at the edge of 
 the sands against it. There is no tide close in to the sands 
 after the first two hours. But I still think this is going to 
 turn into wind presently; and if it does it will be sharp and 
 heavy, I warrant. It's either that or rain." 
 
 The sky grew darker and darker until the water looked 
 almost black under a leaden canopy. 
 
 " I wish we were back into Bricklesey," Joe Chambers said. 
 " I have been well-nigh fifteen years going backwards and for- 
 wards here, and I do not know that ever I saw an awkwarder look 
 about the sky. It reminds me of what I have heard men who 
 have sailed to the Indies say they have seen there before 
 a hurricane breaks. If it was not that we saw the clouds 
 flying fast overhead when we started, I should have said 
 it was a thick sea fog that had rolled in upon us. Ah, there is 
 the first drop. I don't care how hard it comes down so that 
 there is not wind at the tail of it. A squall of wind before 
 rain is soon over; but when it follows rain you will soon have 
 your sails close-reefed. You had best go below or you will be 
 wet through in a minute." 
 
 The great drops were pattering down on the deck and causing
 
 A HEAVY SQUALL. 113 
 
 splashes as of ink on the surface of the oily -looking water. 
 Another half minute it was pouring with such a mighty roar 
 on the deck that the boys below needed to shout to make each 
 other heard. It lasted but five minutes, and then stopped as 
 suddenly as it began. The lads at once returned to the deck. 
 
 "So it is all over, Master Chambers." 
 
 "Well the first part is over, but that is only a sort of a 
 beginning. Look at that light under the clouds away to the 
 south of east. That is where it is coming from, unless I am 
 mistaken. Turn to and get the mainsail down, lads," for 
 although after dropping anchor the head sails had been lowered, 
 the main and mizzen were still on her. 
 
 The men set to work, and the boys helped to stow the sail 
 and fasten it with the tiers. Suddenly there was a sharp puff 
 of wind. It lasted a few seconds only, then Joe Chambers 
 pointed towards the spot whence a hazy light seemed to come. 
 
 " Here it comes," he said. " Do you see that line of white 
 water. That is a squall and no mistake. I am glad we are not 
 under sail." 
 
 There was a sharp, hissing sound as the line of white water 
 approached them, and then the squall struck them with such 
 force and fury that the lads instinctively grasped at the 
 shrouds. The mizzen had brought the craft in a moment head- 
 to-wind, and Joe Chambers and the two sailors at once lowered 
 it and stowed it away. 
 
 " Only put a couple of tiers on," the skipper shouted. " We 
 may have to upsail again if this goes on." 
 
 The sea got up with great rapidity, and a few minutes after 
 the squall had struck them the Susan was beginning to pitch 
 heavily. The wind increased in force, and seemed to scream 
 rather than whistle in the rigging. 
 
 " The sea is getting up fast !" Geoffrey shouted in the skipper's 
 ear as he took his place close to him. 
 
 H
 
 114 "WE ARE DRAGGING OUR ANCHORS." 
 
 "It won't be very heavy yet," Joe Chambers replied; "the 
 sands break its force. But the tide has turned now, and as it 
 makes over the sand there will be a tremendous sea here in no 
 time; that is if this wind holds, and it seems to me that it is 
 going to be an unusual gale altogether." 
 
 "How long will it be before we can cross the Spit?" 
 
 " We are not going to cross to-day, that's certain," the skipper 
 said. "There will be a sea over those sands that would knock 
 the life out of the strongest craft that ever floated. No, I shall 
 wait here for another hour or two if I can, and then slip my 
 cable and run for the Crouch. It is a narrow channel, and I 
 never care about going into it after dark until there is water 
 enough for a craft of our draught over the sands. It ain't night 
 now, but it is well nigh as dark There is no making out the 
 bearings of the land, and we have got to trust to the perches 
 the fishermen put up at the bends of the channel. However, 
 we have got to try it. Our anchors would never hold here 
 when the sea gets over the sands, and if they did they would 
 pull her head under water." 
 
 In half an hour a sea had got up that seemed to the boys 
 tremendous. Dark as it was they could see in various direc- 
 tions tracts of white water where the waves broke wildly over 
 the sands. The second anchor had been let go some time 
 before. The two cables were as taut as iron bars, and the 
 boat was pulling her bows under every sea. Joe Chambers 
 dropped a lead-line overboard and watched it closely. 
 
 " We are dragging our anchors," he said. " There is nothing 
 for it but to run." 
 
 He went to the bow, fastened two logs of wood by long lines 
 to the cables outside the bow, so that he could find and recover 
 the anchors on his return, then a very small jib was hoisted, and 
 as it filled two blows with an axe severed the cables inboard. 
 The logs attached to them were thrown over, and the skipper
 
 A CRITICAL MOMENT. 115 
 
 ran aft and put up the helm as the boat's head payed off before 
 the wind. As she did so a wave struck her and threw tons of 
 water on board, filling her deck nearly up to the rails. It was 
 well Joe had shouted to the boys to hold on, for had they not 
 done so they would have been swept overboard. 
 
 Another wave struck them before they were fairly round, 
 smashing hi the bulwark and sweeping everything before it, 
 and the boys both thought that the Susan was sinking under 
 their feet. However she recovered herself. The water poured 
 out through the broken bulwark, and the boat rose again on 
 the waves as they swept one after another down upon her 
 stern. The channel was well marked now, for the sands on 
 either side were covered with breaking water. Joe Chambers 
 shouted to the sailors to close-reef the mizzen and hoist it, 
 so that he might have the boat better under control The 
 wind was not directly astern but somewhat on the quarter; 
 and small as was the amount of sail shown, the boat lay over 
 till her lee-rail was at times under water; the following waves 
 yawing her about so much that it needed the most careful 
 steering to prevent her from broaching to. 
 
 " It seems to me as the wind is northering !" one of the men 
 shouted. 
 
 The skipper nodded and slackened out the sheet a bit as the 
 wind came more astern. He kept his eyes fixed ahead of him, 
 and the men kept gazing through the gloom. 
 
 " There is the perch," one of them shouted presently, " just 
 on her weather-bow!" 
 
 The skipper nodded and held on the same course until 
 abreast of the perch, which was only a forked stick. The men 
 came aft and hauled in the mizzen sheet Chambers put up 
 the helm. The mizzen came across with a jerk, and the sheet was 
 again allowed to run out. The jib came over with a report like 
 the shot of a cannon, and at the same moment split into streamers.
 
 116 "THE SUSAN HAD STRUCK ON THE SANDS." 
 
 " Hoist the foresail !" the skipper shouted, and the men sprang 
 forward and seized the halliards; but at this moment the wind 
 seemed to blow with a double fury, and the moment the sail 
 was set it too split into ribbons. 
 
 " Get up another jib ! " Joe Chambers shouted, and one of the 
 men sprang below. In half a minute he reappeared with 
 another sail. 
 
 " Up with it quick, Bill. We are drifting bodily down on 
 the sand." 
 
 Bill hurried forward. The other hand had hauled in the 
 traveller, to which the bolt-rope of the jib was still attached, 
 and hauling on this had got the block down and in readiness 
 for fastening on the new jib. The sheets were hooked on, 
 and then while one hand ran the sail out with the out-haul 
 to the bowsprit end, the other hoisted with the halliards. By 
 this time the boat was close to the broken water. As the sail 
 filled her head payed off towards it. The wind lay her right 
 over, and before she could gather way there was a tremendous 
 crash. The Susan had struck on the sands. The next wave 
 lifted her, but as it passed on she came down with a crash that 
 seemed to shake her in pieces. Joe Chambers relaxed his grasp 
 of the now useless tiller. 
 
 " It is all over," he said to the boys. " Nothing can save her 
 now. If she had been her own length farther off the sands 
 she would have gathered way in time. As it is another ten 
 minutes and she will be in splinters." 
 
 She was now lying over until her masthead was but a few 
 feet above water. The seas were striking her with tremendous 
 force, pouring a deluge of water over her. 
 
 " There is but one chance for you," he went on. " The wind 
 is dead on the shore, and Foulness lies scarce three miles to 
 leeward." 
 
 He went into the cabin and fetched out a small axe fastened
 
 ; THE NEXT FEW MINUTES IT WAS A WILD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.'
 
 "A WILD STRUGGLE FOR LIFE." 117 
 
 in the companion where it was within reach of the helmsman. 
 Two blows cut the shrouds of the mizzen, a few vigorous strokes 
 were given to the foot of the mast, and, as the boat lifted and 
 crashed down again on the sand, it broke off a few inches above 
 the deck 
 
 " Now, lads, I will lash you loosely to this. You can both 
 swim, and with what aid it will give you may well reach 
 the shore. There are scarce three feet of water here, and ex- 
 cept where one or two deeps pass across it there is no more 
 anywhere between this and the land. It will not be rough 
 very far. Now, be off at once; the boat will go to pieces before 
 many minutes. I and the two men will take to the mainmast, 
 but I want to see you off first." 
 
 Without hesitation the boys pushed off with the mast. As 
 they did so a cataract of water poured over the smack upon them, 
 knocking them for a moment under the surface with its force. 
 
 For the next few minutes it was a wild struggle for life. 
 They found at once that they were powerless to swim in the 
 broken water, which, as it rushed across the sand, impelled 
 alike by the rising tide behind it and the force of the wind, 
 hurried them along at a rapid pace, breaking in short steep 
 waves. They could only cling to the mast and snatch a breath 
 of air from time to time as it rolled over and over. Had they 
 not been able to swim they would very speedily have been 
 drowned; but, accustomed as they were to diving, they kept 
 their presence of mind, holding their breath when under water 
 and breathing whenever they were above it with their faces to 
 the land. It was only so that they could breathe, for the air 
 was thick with spray, which was swept along with such force 
 by the wind that it would have drowned the best swimmer 
 who tried to face it as speedily as if he had been under water. 
 
 After what seemed to them an age the waves became some- 
 what less violent, though still breaking in a mass of foam.
 
 118 BREATHING TIME. 
 
 Geoffrey loosed his hold of the spar and tried to get to his feet. 
 He was knocked down several times before he succeeded, but 
 when he did so found that the water was little more than two 
 feet deep, although the waves rose to his shoulders. The soft 
 mud under his feet rendered it extremely difficult to stand, and 
 the rope which attached him to the spar, which was driving 
 before him, added to the difficulty. He could not overtake the 
 mast, and threw himself down again and swam to it. 
 
 "Get up, Lionel!" he shouted; "we can stand here." But 
 Lionel was too exhausted to be capable of making the effort. 
 With the greatest difficulty Geoffrey raised him to his feet and 
 supported him with his back to the wind. 
 
 "Get your breath again!" he shouted. "We are over the 
 worse now and shall soon be in calmer water. Get your feet 
 well out in front of you, if you can, and dig your heels into the 
 mud, then you will act as a buttress to me and help me to keep 
 my feet." 
 
 It was two or three minutes before Lionel was able to speak. 
 Even during this short time they had been carried some dis- 
 tance forward, for the ground on which they stood seemed to 
 be moving, and the force of the waves carried them constantly 
 forward. 
 
 "Feel better, old fellow?" Geoffrey asked, as he felt Lionel 
 making an effort to resist the pressure of the water. 
 
 " Yes, I am better now," Lionel said. 
 
 "Well, we will go on as we are as long as we can; let us 
 just try to keep our feet and give way to the sea as it takes 
 us along. The quicker we go the sooner we shall be in shal- 
 lower water; but the tide is rising fast, and unless we go on 
 it will speedily be as bad here as it was where we started.'' 
 
 As soon as Lionel had sufficiently recovered they again took 
 to the spar; but now, instead of clasping it with their arms 
 and legs, they lay with their chest upon it, and used their efforts
 
 REACHING SHORE. 119 
 
 only to keep it going before the wind and tide. Once they 
 came to a point where the sand was but a few inches under 
 water. Here they stood up for some minutes, and then again 
 proceeded on foot until the water deepened to their waists. 
 
 Their progress was now much more easy, for the high bank 
 had broken the run of the surf. The water beyond it was 
 much smoother, and they were able to swim, pushing the spar 
 before them. 
 
 " We are in deep water," Geoffrey said presently, dropping 
 his feet. " It is out of my depth. Chambers said there was 
 a deep channel across the sands not far from the island; so in 
 that case the shore cannot be far away." 
 
 In another quarter of an hour the water was again waist-deep. 
 Geoffrey stood up. 
 
 "I think I see a dark line ahead, Lionel; we shall soon be 
 there." 
 
 Another ten minutes and the water was not above their 
 knees. They could see the low shore now at a distance of but 
 a few hundred yards ahead, and untying the ropes under their 
 arms they let the spar drift on, and waded forward until they 
 reached the land. There was a long mud bank yet to cross, 
 and exhausted as they were it took them a long time to do this; 
 but at last they came to a sandy bank rising sharply some ten 
 feet above the flat They threw themselves down on this and 
 lay for half an hour without a word being spoken. 
 
 "Now, Lionel," Geoffrey said at last, raising himself to a 
 sitting position, " we must make an effort to get on and find a 
 shelter. There are people living in the island. I have heard 
 that they are a wild set, making their living by the wrecks on 
 these sands and by smuggling goods without paying dues to 
 the queen. Still, they will not refuse us shelter and food, and 
 assuredly there is nothing on us to tempt them to plunder us." 
 
 He rose to his feet and helped Lionel up. Once on the top
 
 120 SCANT HOSPITALITY. 
 
 of the bank a level country stretched before them. The wind 
 aided their footsteps, sweeping along with such tremendous 
 force that at times they had difficulty in keeping their feet. 
 As they went on they came upon patches of cultivated land, 
 with hedgerows and deep ditches. Half a mile further they 
 perceived a house. On approaching it they saw that it was a 
 low structure of some size with several out-buildings. They 
 made their way to it and knocked at the door. They knocked 
 twice before it was opened, then some bolts were withdrawn. 
 The door was opened a few inches. A man looked out, and 
 seeing two lads opened it widely. 
 
 "Well, who are you, and what do you want?" he asked 
 roughly. 
 
 " We have been wrecked in a storm on the sands. We were 
 sailing from Bricklesey for Sheerness when the storm caught 
 us." 
 
 The man looked at them closely. Their pale faces and evi- 
 dently exhausted condition vouched for the truth of their 
 story. 
 
 " The house is full," he said gruffly, " and I cannot take in 
 strangers. You will find some dry hay in that out-house, and 
 I will bring you some food there. When you have eaten and 
 drunk you had best journey on." 
 
 So saying he shut the door in their faces. 
 
 " This is strange treatment," Geoffrey said. " I should not 
 have thought a man would have refused shelter to a dog such 
 a day as this. What do you say, Lionel, shall we go on?" 
 
 "I don't think I can go any further until I have rested, 
 Geoffrey," Lionel replied faintly. " Let us lie down in shelter 
 if it is only for half an hour. After that, if the man brings us 
 some food as he says, we can go on again." 
 
 They went into the shed the man had pointed out It was 
 half full of hay.
 
 WELCOME REFRESHMENT. 121 
 
 "Let us take our things off and wring them, Lionel, and 
 give ourselves a roll in the hay to dry ourselves. We shall 
 soon get warm after that." 
 
 They stripped, wrung the water from their clothes, rolled 
 themselves in the hay until they felt a glow of returning 
 warmth, and then put on their clothes again. Scarcely had 
 they done so when the man came in with a large tankard and 
 two hunks of bread. 
 
 " Here," he said, " drink this and then be off. We want no 
 strangers hanging round here." 
 
 At any other time the boys would have refused hospitality 
 so cheerlessly offered, but they were too weak to resist the 
 temptation. The tankard contained hot-spiced ale, and a sen- 
 sation of warmth and comfort stole over them as soon as they 
 had drunk its contents and eaten a few mouthfuls of bread. 
 The man stood by them while they ate. 
 
 "Are you the only ones saved from the wreck?" he asked. 
 
 "I trust that we are not," Geoffrey replied. "The master of 
 the boat tied us to a inast as soon as she struck, and he and 
 the two men with him were going to try to get to shore in the 
 same way." 
 
 As soon as they had finished they stood up and handed the 
 tankard to the man. 
 
 " I am sorry I must turn you out," he said, as if somewhat 
 ashamed of his want of courtesy. " Any other day it would 
 be different, but to-day I cannot take anyone in." 
 
 " I thank you for what you have given us," Geoffrey said. 
 " Can you tell us which is the way to the ferry?" 
 
 " Follow the road and it will take you there. About a couple 
 of miles. You cannot mistake the way." 
 
 Feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed the lads again 
 started. 
 
 " This is a curious affair," Geoffrey said, " and I cannot make
 
 122 "WHAT ON EARTH CAN THEY BE DOING 1" 
 
 out why they should not let us in. However, it does not matter 
 much. I feel warm all over now, in spite of my wet 
 clothes." 
 
 " So do I," Lionel agreed. " Perhaps there were smugglers 
 inside, or some fugitives from justice hiding there. Anyhow, 
 I am thankful for that warm ale; it seems to have given me 
 new life altogether." 
 
 They had walked a quarter of a mile, when they saw four 
 horsemen coming on the road. They were closely wrapped up 
 in cloaks, and as they passed, with their heads bent down to 
 meet the force of the gale and their broad-brimmed hats pulled 
 low down over their eyes, the boys did not get even a glimpse 
 of their features. 
 
 "I wonder who they can be," Geoffrey said, looking after 
 them. "They are very well mounted, and look like persons 
 of some degree. What on earth can they be doing in such a 
 wretched place as this? They must be going to that house 
 we left, for I noticed the road stopped there." 
 
 " It is curious, Geoffrey, but it is no business of ours." 
 
 " I don't know that, Lionel. You know there are all sorts 
 of rumours about of Papist plots, and conspirators could hardly 
 choose a more out-of-the way spot than this to hold their meet- 
 ings. I should not be at all surprised if there is some mischief 
 on foot." 
 
 Half a mile further three men on foot met them, and these, 
 like the others, were closely wrapped up to the eyes. 
 
 "They have ridden here," Geoffrey said after they had passed. 
 " They have all high riding-boots on; they must have left their 
 horses on the other side of the ferry. See, there is a village a 
 short distance ahead. We will go in there and dry our clothes, 
 and have a substantial meal if we can get it. Then we will 
 talk this business over." 
 
 The village consisted of a dozen houses only, but among them
 
 WARMTH AND FOOD. 123 
 
 was a small public-house. Several men were sitting by the fire 
 with pots of ale before them. 
 
 "We have been wrecked on the coast, landlord, and have 
 barely escaped with our lives. We want to dry our clothes 
 and to have what food you can give us." 
 
 "I have plenty of eggs," the landlord said, "and my wife 
 will fry them for you ; but we have no meat in the house. Fish 
 and eggs are the chief food here. You are lucky in getting 
 ashore, for it is a terrible gale. It is years since we have had 
 one like it. As to drying your clothes, that can be managed 
 easy enough. You can go up into my room and take them off, 
 and I will lend you a couple of blankets to wrap yourselves in, 
 and you can sit by the fire here until your things are dry." 
 
 A hearty meal of fried eggs and another drink of hot ale com- 
 pleted the restoration of the boys. Their clothes were speedily 
 dried, for the landlady had just finished baking her week's 
 batch of bread, and half an hour in the oven completely dried 
 the clothes. They were ready almost as soon as the meal was 
 finished. Many questions were asked them as to the wreck, 
 and the point at which they had been cast ashore. 
 
 " It was but a short distance from a house at the end of this 
 road," Geoffrey said. " We went there for shelter, but they 
 would not take us in, though they gave us some bread and hot 
 ale." 
 
 Exclamations of indignation were heard among the men sit- 
 ting round. 
 
 " Ralph Hawker has the name of being a surly man," one 
 said, " but I should not have thought that he would have turned 
 a shipwrecked man from his door on such a day as this. They 
 say he is a Papist, though whether he be or not I cannot say; 
 but he has strange ways, and there is many a stranger passes 
 the ferry and asks for his house. However, that is no affair of 
 mine, though I hold there is no good in secret ways."
 
 124 A DISCOVERY. 
 
 "That is so," another said; "but it goes beyond all reason 
 for a man to refuse shelter to those the sea has cast ashore such 
 a day as this." 
 
 As soon as they had finished their meal and again dressed 
 themselves, the lads paid their reckoning and went out. 
 Scarcely had they done so when two horsemen rode up, and, 
 drawing rein, inquired if they were going right for the house 
 of one Ralph Hawker. 
 
 " It lies about a mile on," Geoffrey said. " You cannot miss 
 the way; the road ends there." 
 
 As he spoke a gust of wind of extra fury blew off one of the 
 riders' hats. It was stopped by the wall of a house a few yards 
 away. Geoffrey caught it and handed it to the horseman. 
 With a word of thanks he pressed it firmly on his head, and 
 the two men rode on. 
 
 "Did you notice that?" Geoffrey asked his brother. "He has 
 a shaven spot on the top of his head. The man is a Papist 
 priest in disguise. There is something afoot, Lionel. I vote 
 that we try and get to the bottom of it" 
 
 "I am ready if you think so, Geoffrey. But it is a hazardous 
 business, you know; for we are unarmed, and there are, we 
 know, seven or eight of them at any rate." 
 
 "We must risk that," Geoffrey said; "besides, we can run 
 if we cannot fight. Let us have a try whatever comes of it."
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A POPISH PLOT. 
 
 HERE was no one about, for the wind was blowing 
 with such fury that few cared to venture out of 
 doors, and the boys therefore started back along 
 the road by which they had come, without 
 being observed. 
 
 "We had better strike off from the road," Geoffrey said, 
 "for some more of these men may be coming along. Like 
 enough someone will be on the watch at the house, so we had 
 best make a long detour, and when we get near it come down on 
 it from the other side. You know we saw no windows there." 
 
 "That is all well enough," Lionel agreed; "but the ques- 
 tion is, how are we to hear what they are saying inside? We 
 are obliged to shout to catch each others' words now, and there 
 is not the least chance of our hearing anything through the 
 closed shutters." 
 
 "We must wait till we get there, and then see what is to be 
 done, Lionel. We managed to detect a plot at Sluys, and 
 we may have the same luck here." 
 
 After half an hour's brisk walking they again approached 
 the house from the side at which they had before come upon 
 it, and where, as Geoffrey observed, there were no windows; 
 they made their way cautiously up to it, and then moved 
 quietly round to the side. Here there were two windows on
 
 126 IN THE LOFT. 
 
 the ground floor. The shutters were closed, for glass was un- 
 known except in the houses of the comparatively wealthy. Its 
 place was taken by oiled paper, and this in bad weather was 
 protected by outer shutters. Geoffrey stole out a few paces to 
 look at the window above. 
 
 "It is evidently a loft," he said as he rejoined Lionel "You 
 can see by the roof that the rooms they live in are entirely 
 upon the ground floor. If we can get in there we mfght pos- 
 sibly hear what is going on below. The rooms are not likely 
 to be ceiled, and there are sure to be cracks between the planks 
 through which we can see what is going on below. The noise 
 of the wind is so great there is little chance of their hearing 
 us. Now, let us look about for something to help us to climb 
 up." 
 
 Lying by an out-house close by they found a rough ladder, 
 composed of a single pole with bits of wood nailed on to it a 
 foot apart. This they placed up against the door of the loft. 
 They could see that this was fastened only by a hasp, with a 
 piece of wood put through the staple. It had been arranged 
 that Geoffrey only should go up, Lionel removing the pole 
 when he entered, and keeping watch behind the out-house lest 
 anyone should come round the house. Both had cut heavy 
 sticks as they came along to give them some means of defence. 
 Lionel stood at the pole, while Geoffrey climbed up, removed 
 the piece of wood from the staple, and then holding the hasp 
 to prevent the wind blowing in the door with a crash, entered 
 the loft. A glance showed him that it extended over the whole 
 of the house, and that it was entirely empty. 
 
 He closed the door behind him, and jammed it with a couple 
 of wedges of wood he had cut before mounting; then he lay 
 down on the rough planks and began to crawl along. He saw 
 a gleam of light at the further end, and felt sure that it pro- 
 ceeded from the room in which the party were assembled.
 
 A DANGEROUS CONSPIRACY. 127 
 
 Although he had little fear of being heard owing to the din 
 kept up by the wind, he moved along with extreme care until 
 he reached the spot whence the light proceeded. As he had 
 anticipated, it was caused by lights in a room below streaming 
 through the cracks between the rough planking. 
 
 Rising on to his knees he looked round, and then crawled 
 to a crack that appeared much wider than the rest, the boards 
 being more than half an inch apart. Lying down over it, he 
 was able to obtain a view of a portion of the room below. He 
 could see a part of a long table, and looked down upon the 
 heads of five men sitting on one side of it. He now applied 
 his ear to the crevice. A man was speaking, and in the in- 
 tervals between the gusts of wind which shook the house to its 
 foundation, he could hear what was said. 
 
 " It is no use hesitating any longer, the time for action has 
 arrived Jezebel must be removed interests of our holy re- 
 ligion little danger in carrying out the plan that has been 
 proposed. Next time Windsor road passes through wood 
 near Datchet a weak guard overpowered two told off to 
 execute free England from tyranny glory and honour 
 throughout Catholic world. England disorganized and with- 
 out a head could offer no resistance as soon as day fixed 
 meet at Staines at house of final details and share each man 
 is to done, scatter through country, readiness for rising 
 Philip of Spain" 
 
 This was the last sentence Geoffrey caught, for when the 
 speaker ceased a confused and general talk took place, and he 
 could only catch a word here and there without meaning or 
 connection. He therefore drew quietly back to the door of the 
 loft and opened it. He thought first of jumping straight down, 
 but in that case he could not have fastened the door behind 
 him. He therefore made a sign to Lionel, who was anxiously 
 peering round the corner of the out-house. The pole was
 
 128 "WHAT ARE WE TO DO NEXT?" 
 
 placed into position, and pulling the door after him and re- 
 fastening the latch he made his way down to the ground, 
 replaced the pole at the place from which they had taken it, 
 and then retired in the direction from which they had come. 
 
 "Well, what have you heard, Geoffrey?" Lionel asked. "Was 
 it worth the risk you have run ? " 
 
 " Well worth it, Lionel. I could only hear a little of what 
 was said, but that was quite enough to show that a plot is on 
 foot to attack and kill the queen the next time she journeys 
 to Windsor. The conspirators are to hide in a wood near 
 Datchet." 
 
 " You don't say so, Geoffrey. That is important news in- 
 deed. What are we to do next?" 
 
 "I have not thought yet," Geoffrey replied. "I should say, 
 though, our best plan would be to make our way back as 
 quickly as we can by Burnham and Maldon round to Heding- 
 ham. The earl was going up to London one day this week, 
 we may catch him before he starts; if not, we must, of course, 
 follow him. But at any rate it is best to go home, for they will 
 be in a terrible fright, especially if Joe Chambers or one of the 
 men take the news to Bricklesey of the loss of the Susan, for it 
 would be quickly carried up to Hedingham by John Lirriper 
 or one or other of the boatmen. No day seems to be fixed, 
 and the queen may not be going to Windsor for some little 
 time, so the loss of a day will not make any difference. As we 
 have money in our pockets we can hire horses at Burnham to 
 take us to Maldon, and get others there to carry us home." 
 
 An hour's walking took them to the ferry. It was now 
 getting dusk, and they had come to the conclusion as they 
 walked that it would be too late to attempt to get on that 
 night beyond Burnham. The storm was as wild as ever, and 
 although the passage was a narrow one it was as much as the 
 ferryman could do to row the boat across.
 
 AT CRIKSEY FERRY. 129 
 
 "How far is it from here to Burnham?" 
 
 "About four miles; but you won't get to Burnham to-night." 
 
 "How is that?" Geoffrey asked. 
 
 " You may get as far as the ferry, but you won't get taken 
 over. There will be a big sea in the Crouch, for the wind is 
 pretty nigh straight up it; but you will be able to sleep at the 
 inn this side. In the morning, if the wind has gone down, 
 you can cross; if not, you will have to go round by the bridge, 
 nigh ten miles higher up." 
 
 This was unpleasant news. Not that it made any difference 
 to them whether they slept on one side of the river or the 
 other, but if the wind was too strong to admit of a passage in 
 the morning, the necessity for making a detour would cost 
 them many hours of valuable time. There was, however, no 
 help for it, and they walked to Criksey Ferry. The little inn 
 was crowded, for the ferry had been stopped all day, and many 
 like themselves had been compelled to stop for a lull in the 
 wind. 
 
 Scarcely had they entered when their names were joyously 
 shouted out. "Ah, Masters Vickars, right glad am I to see you. 
 We feared that surf had put an end to you. We asked at the 
 ferry, but the man declared that no strange lads had crossed 
 that day, and we were fearing we should have a sad tale to 
 send to Hedingham by John Lirriper." 
 
 "We are truly glad to see you, Joe," Geoffrey said, as they 
 warmly shook Joe Chambers and the two sailors by the hand. 
 "How did you get ashore?" 
 
 "On the mainmast, and pretty nigh drowned we were 
 before we got there. I suppose the tide must have taken us a 
 bit further up than it did you. We got here well nigh two 
 hours ago, though we got a good meal and dried our clothes at 
 a farmhouse." 
 
 "We got a meal, too, soon after we landed," Geoffrey said; 
 
 (677) 1
 
 130 CROSSING THE CROUCH. 
 
 " but we did not dry our clothes till we got to a little village. 
 I did not ask its name. I am awfully sorry, Joe, about the 
 Susan." 
 
 " It is a bad job, but it cannot be helped, Master Geoffrey. 
 I owned a third of her, and two traders at Bricklesey own 
 the other shares. Still I have no cause to grumble. I have 
 laid by more than enough in the last four years to buy a share 
 in another boat as good as she was. You see, a trader ain't like 
 a smack A trader's got only hull and sails, while a smack 
 has got her nets beside, and they cost well nigh as much as the 
 boat Thankful enough we are that we have all escaped with 
 our lives; and now I find you are safe my mind feels at rest 
 over it." 
 
 " Do you think it will be calm enough to cross in the morn- 
 ing, Joe ? " 
 
 " Like enough," the sailor replied ; " a gale like this is like 
 to blow itself out in twenty -four hours. It has been the 
 worst I ever saw. It is not blowing now quite so hard as it 
 did, and by the morning I reckon, though there may be a fresh 
 wind, the gale will be over." 
 
 The number of travellers were far too great for the accommo- 
 dation of the inn; and with the exception of two or three of 
 the first arrivals all slept on some hay in one of the barns. 
 
 The next morning, although the wind was still strong, the 
 fury of the gale had abated. The ferryman, however, said the 
 water was so rough he must wait for a time before they crossed. 
 But when Geoffrey offered him a reward to put their party on 
 shore at once, he consented to do so, Joe Chambers and the 
 two sailors assisting with the oars; and as the ferry-boat was 
 large and strongly built, they crossed without further incon- 
 venience than the wetting of their jackets. 
 
 Joe Chambers, who knew the town perfectly, at once took 
 them to a place where they were able to hire a couple of horses,
 
 "THERE IS NO MISTAKE, FATHER." 131 
 
 and on these rode to Maldon, some nine miles away. Here 
 they procured other horses, and it was not long after midday 
 when they arrived at Hedingham. 
 
 Mrs. Vickars held up her hands in astonishment at their 
 shrunken garments; but her relief from the anxiety she had 
 felt concerning what had befallen them during the gale was 
 so great that she was unable to scold. 
 
 "We will tell you all about it, mother, afterwards," Geoffrey 
 said, as he released himself from her embrace. " We have had 
 a great adventure, and the Susan has been wrecked. But this 
 is not the most important matter. Father, has the earl started 
 yet?" 
 
 " He was to have gone this morning, Geoffrey, but the floods 
 are likely to be out, and the roads will be in such a state that I 
 have no doubt he has put off his journey." 
 
 " It is important that we should see him at once, father. We 
 have overheard some people plotting against the queen's life, 
 and measures must be taken at once for her safety. We will 
 run up and change our things if you will go with us to see him. 
 If you are there he will see you whatever he is doing, while if 
 we go alone there might be delay." 
 
 Without waiting for an answer the boys ran upstairs and 
 quickly returned in fresh clothes. Mr. Vickars was waiting for 
 them with his hat on. 
 
 "You are quite sure of what you are saying, Geoffrey?" he 
 observed as they walked towards the castle. "Kemember, 
 that if it should turn out an error, you are likely to come to 
 sore disgrace instead of receiving commendation for your in- 
 terference. Every one has been talking of plots against the 
 queen for some time, and you may well have mistaken the pur- 
 port of what you have heard." 
 
 " There is no mistake, father, it is a real conspiracy, though 
 who are those concerned in it I know not. Lionel and I are
 
 132 THE EARL HEARS THE STORY. 
 
 not likely to raise a false alarm about nothing, as you will say 
 yourself when you hear the story I have to tell the earl" 
 
 They had by this time entered the gates of the castle. "The 
 earl has just finished dinner," one of the attendants replied in 
 answer to the question of Mr. Vickars. 
 
 "Will you tell him that I wish to see him on urgent business?" 
 
 In two or three minutes the servant returned and asked the 
 clergyman to follow him. The earl received him in his private 
 chamber, for the castle was full with guests. 
 
 "Well, dominie, what is it?" he asked. "You want some 
 help, I will be bound, for somebody ill or in distress. I know 
 pretty well by this time the meaning of your urgent business." 
 
 "It is nothing of that kind to-day," the clergyman replied; 
 "it is, in fact, my sons who wish to see your lordship. I do 
 not myself know the full purport of their story, save that it is 
 something which touches the safety of the queen." 
 
 The earl's expression at once changed. 
 
 " Is that so, young sirs ? This is a serious matter, you know ; 
 it is a grave thing to bring an accusation against anyone in 
 matters touching the state." 
 
 " I am aware that it is, my lord, and assuredly my brother 
 and I would not lightly meddle with such matters; but I think 
 that you will say this is a business that should be attended to. 
 It happened thus, sir." He then briefly told how, that being out 
 in a ketch that traded from Bricklesey, they were caught in the 
 gale; that the vessel was driven on the sands, and they were 
 cast ashore on a mast. 
 
 He then related the inhospitable reception they had met 
 with. " It seemed strange to us, sir, and contrary to nature, 
 that anyone should refuse to allow two shipwrecked lads to 
 enter the house for shelter on such a day; and it seemed well- 
 nigh impossible that his tale of the place being too full to hold 
 us could be true. However, we started to walk. On our way
 
 "FAITH, THIS IS A SERIOUS MATTER." 133 
 
 we met four horsemen going towards the house, closely muffled 
 up in cloaks " 
 
 " There was nothing very strange in that," the earl observed, 
 ' in such weather as we had yesterday. " 
 
 "Nothing at all, sir; we should not have given the matter 
 one thought had it not been that the four men were very well 
 mounted, and, apparently, gentlemen; and it was strange that 
 such should have business in an out-of-the-way house in Foul- 
 ness Island. A little further we met three men on foot. They 
 were also wrapped up in cloaks; but they wore high riding- 
 boots, and had probably left their horses on the other side of 
 the ferry so as not to attract attention. A short time after- 
 wards we met two more horsemen, one of whom asked us if 
 he was going right for the house we had been at. As he was 
 speaking a gust of wind blew off his hat. I fetched it and gave 
 it to him, and as he stooped to put it on I saw that a tonsure 
 was shaven on the top of his head. The matter had already 
 seemed strange to us; but the fact that one of this number of 
 men, all going to a lonely house, was a priest in disguise, 
 seemed so suspicious that my brother and myself determined 
 to try and get to the bottom of it." 
 
 Geoffrey then related how they had gone back to the house 
 and effected an entrance into the loft extending over it; how 
 he had through the cracks in the boards seen a party of men 
 gathered in one of the lower rooms, and then repeated word 
 for word the scraps of conversation that he had overheard. 
 
 The earl had listened with an expression of amused doubt 
 to the early portion of the narrative; but when Geoffrey came 
 to the part where accident had shown to him that one of these 
 men proceeding towards this house was a disguised priest, his 
 face became serious, and he listened with deep attention to the 
 rest of the narrative. 
 
 " Faith," he said, " this is a serious matter, and you have
 
 134 A SWIFT RIDE. 
 
 done right well in following up your suspicions, and in risking 
 your lives, for they would assuredly have killed you had they 
 discovered you. Mr. Vickars, your sons must ride with me to 
 London at once. The matter is too grave for a moment's delay. 
 I must lay it before Burleigh at once. A day's delay might be 
 fatal." 
 
 He rang a bell standing on the table. As soon as an atten- 
 dant answered it he said, "Order three horses to be saddled at 
 once; I must ride to London with these young gentlemen 
 without delay. Order Parsons and Nichols to be ready in half 
 an hour to set out with us. Have you had food, young sirs ? 
 for it seems you came hither directly you arrived." Finding 
 that the boys had eaten nothing since they had left Maldon, 
 he ordered food to be brought them, and begged them eat 
 it while he explained to the countess and guests that sudden 
 business that could not be delayed called him away to London. 
 Half an hour later he started with the boys, the two servants 
 following behind. Late that evening they arrived in London. 
 It was too late to call on Lord Burleigh that night; but early 
 the next morning the earl took the boys with him to the house 
 of the great statesman. Leaving them in the ante-chamber he 
 went in to the inner apartment, where the minister was at 
 breakfast. Ten minutes later he came out, and called the 
 boys in. 
 
 "The Earl of Oxford has told me your story," Lord Burleigh 
 said. "Tell it me again, and omit nothing; for things that 
 seem small are often of consequence in a matter like this." 
 
 Geoffrey again repeated his story, giving full details of all 
 that had taken place from the time of their first reaching the 
 house. 
 
 Lord Burleigh then questioned him closely as to whether 
 they had seen any of the faces of the men, and would recog- 
 nize them again.
 
 THE QUEEN'S LIFE is SAVED. 135 
 
 " I saw none from my spying-place above, my lord," Geoffrey 
 said. " I could see only the tops of their heads, and most 
 of them still kept their hats on; nor did we see them as they 
 passed, with the exception only of the man I supposed to be a 
 priest. His face I saw plainly. It was smooth shaven; his 
 complexion was dark, his eyebrows were thin and straight, his 
 face narrow. I should take him for a foreigner either a 
 Spaniard or Italian." 
 
 Lord Burleigh made a note of this description. 
 
 "Thanks, young sirs," he said. "I shall, of course, take 
 measures to prevent this plot being carried out, and shall in- 
 form her majesty how bravely you both risked your lives to 
 discover this conspiracy against her person. The Earl of Oxford 
 informs me that you are pages of his cousin, Captain Francis 
 Vere, a very brave and valiant gentleman; and that you bore 
 your part bravely in the siege of Sluys, but are at present at 
 home to rest after your labours there, and have permission of 
 Captain Vere to take part in any trouble that may arise here 
 owing to the action of the Spaniards. I have now no further 
 occasion for your services, and you can return with the earl to 
 Hedingham, but your attendance in London will be needed 
 when we lay hands upon these conspirators." 
 
 The same day they rode back to Hedingham, but ten days 
 later were again summoned to London. The queen had the 
 day before journeyed to Windsor. Half an hour before she 
 arrived at the wood near Datchet a strong party of her guard 
 had suddenly surrounded it, and had found twelve armed men 
 lurking there. These had been arrested and lodged in the 
 Tower. Three of them were foreigners, the rest members of 
 Catholic families known to be favourable to the Spanish cause. 
 Their trial was conducted privately, as it was deemed advisable 
 that as little should be made as possible of this and other similar 
 plots against the queen's life that were discovered about this time.
 
 136 HONOURS FOR THE BOYS. 
 
 Geoffrey and Lionel gave their evidence before the council. 
 As the only man they could have identified was not of the party 
 captured, their evidence only went to show the motive of this 
 gathering in the wood near Datchet. The prisoners stoutly 
 maintained that Geoffrey had misunderstood the conversation 
 he had partly overheard, and that their design was simply to 
 make the queen a prisoner and force her to abdicate. Three 
 of the prisoners, who had before been banished from the coun- 
 try and who had secretly returned, were sentenced to death; 
 two of the others to imprisonment for a long term of years, the 
 rest to banishment from England. 
 
 After the trial was over Lord Burleigh sent for the boys, and 
 gave them a very gracious message in the queen's name, to- 
 gether with two rings in token of her majesty's gratitude. 
 Highly delighted with these honours they returned to Heding- 
 ham, and devoted themselves even more assiduously than before 
 to exercises in arms, in order that they might some day prove 
 themselves valiant soldiers of the queen.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE SPANISH ARMADA. 
 
 HE struggle that was at hand between Spain and 
 England had long been foreseen as inevitable. 
 The one power was the champion of Roman Catho- 
 licism, the other of Protestantism; and yet, al- 
 though so much hung upon the result of the encounter, and all 
 Europe looked on with the most intense interest, both parties 
 entered upon the struggle without allies, and this entirely from 
 the personal fault of the sovereigns of the two nations. 
 
 Queen Elizabeth, by her constant intrigues, her underhand 
 dealings with France and Spain, her grasping policy in the 
 Netherlands, her meanness and parsimony, and the fact that 
 she was ready at any moment to sacrifice the Netherlands to 
 her own policy, had wholly alienated the people of the Low 
 Country; for while their own efforts for defence were paralysed 
 by the constant interference of Elizabeth, no benefit was ob- 
 tained from the English army, whose orders were to stand 
 always on the defensive the queen's only anxiety appearing 
 to be to keep her grasp upon the towns that had been handed 
 over to her as the price of her alliance. 
 
 Her own counsellors were driven to their wits' end by her 
 constant changes of purpose. Her troops were starving and in 
 rags from her parsimony, the fleet lay dismantled and useless 
 from want of funds, and except such arming and drilling as took
 
 (38 ENGLAND AND SPAIN. 
 
 place at the expense of the nobles, counties, and cities, no pre- 
 paration whatever was made to meet the coming storm. Upon 
 the other hand, Philip of Spain, who might have been at the 
 head of a great Catholic league against England, had isolated 
 himself by his personal ambitions. Had he declared himself 
 ready, in the event of his conquest of England, to place James 
 of Scotland upon the throne, he would have had Scotland with 
 him, together with the Catholics of England, still a powerful 
 and important body. 
 
 France, too, would have joined him, and the combination 
 against Elizabeth and the Protestants of England would have 
 been well-nigh irresistible. But this he could not bring him- 
 self to do. His dream was the annexation of England to Spain; 
 and smarting as the English Catholics were under the execu- 
 tion of Mary of Scotland, their English spirit revolted against 
 the idea of the rule of Spain, and the great Catholic nobles 
 hastened, when the moment of danger arrived, to join in the 
 defence of their country, while Scotland, seeing no advantage 
 to be gained in the struggle, stood sullenly aloof, and France 
 gave no aid to a project which was to result, if successful, in 
 the aggrandizement of her already dangerously formidable 
 neighbour. 
 
 Thus England and Spain stood alone Philip slowly but 
 steadily preparing for the great expedition for the conquest 
 of England, Elizabeth hesitating, doubtful; at one moment 
 gathering seamen and arming her fleet, a month or two later 
 discharging the sailors and laying up the ships. 
 
 In the spring of 1587 Drake, with six vessels belonging to 
 the crown and twenty-four equipped by merchants of London 
 and other places, had seized a moment when Elizabeth's fickle 
 mind had inclined to warlike measures, and knowing that the 
 mood might last but a day, had slipped out of Plymouth and 
 sailed for Spain a few hours before a messenger arrived with a
 
 DRAKE'S RAID AGAINST SPAIN. 139 
 
 peremptory order from Elizabeth against entering any Spanish 
 port or offering violence to any Spanish town or ships. Although 
 caught in a gale in the Channel, Drake held on, and, reaching 
 Gibraltar on the 16th April, ascertained that Cadiz was crowded 
 with transports and store-ships. 
 
 Vice-admiral Burroughs, controller of the navy, who had 
 been specially appointed to thwart Drake's plans, opposed any 
 action being taken ; but Drake insisted upon attack, and on the 
 19th the fleet stood in to Cadiz harbour. Passing through the 
 fire of the batteries, they sank the only great ship of war in the 
 roads, drove off the Spanish galleys, and seized the vast fleet 
 of store-ships loaded with wine, corn, and provisions of all sorts 
 for the use of the Armada. Everything of value that could be 
 conveniently moved was transferred to the English ships, then 
 the Spanish vessels were set on fire, their cables cut, and they 
 were left to drift an entangled mass of flame. Drake took a 
 number of prisoners, and sent a messenger on shore proposing 
 to exchange them for such English seamen as were prisoners in 
 Spain. The reply was there were no English prisoners in Spain; 
 and as this was notoriously untrue, it was agreed in the fleet 
 that all the Spaniards they might take in the future should be 
 sold to the Moors, and the money reserved for the redeeming of 
 such Englishmen as might be in captivity there or elsewhere. 
 
 The English fleet then sailed for Cape St. Vincent, picking 
 up on their way large convoys of store-ships all bound for the 
 Tagus, where the Armada was collecting. These were all 
 burned, and Drake brought up at Cape St. Vincent, hoping to 
 meet there a portion of the Armada expected from the Mediter- 
 ranean. As a harbour was necessary, he landed, stormed the 
 fort at Faro, and took possession of the harbour there. The 
 expected enemy did not appear, and Drake sailed up to the 
 mouth of the Tagus, intending to go into Lisbon and attack the 
 great Spanish fleet lying there under its admiral, Santa Cruz.
 
 140 ELIZABETH NEGOTIATES. 
 
 That the force gathered there was enormous Drake well knew, 
 but relying as much on the goodness of his cause as on the 
 valour of his sailors, and upon the fact that the enemy would 
 be too crowded together to fight with advantage, he would have 
 carried out his plan had not a ship arrived from England with 
 orders forbidding him to enter the Tagus. However, he lay 
 for some time at the mouth of the river, destroying every ship 
 that entered its mouth, and sending in a challenge to Santa 
 Cruz to come out and fight. The Spanish admiral did not 
 accept it, and Drake then sailed to Corunna, and there, as at 
 Cadiz, destroyed all the ships collected in the harbour and then 
 returned to England, having in the course of a few months 
 inflicted an enormous amount of damage upon Spain, and having 
 taken the first step to prove that England was the mistress of 
 the sea. 
 
 But while the little band of English had been defending Sluys 
 against the army of the Duke of Parma, Philip had been con- 
 tinuing his preparations, filling up the void made by the de- 
 struction wrought by Drake, and preparing an Armada which 
 he might well have considered to be invincible. Elizabeth was 
 still continuing her negotiations. She was quite ready to aban- 
 don the Netherlands to Spain if she could but keep the towns 
 she held there, but she could not bring herself to hand these 
 over either to the Netherlands or to Spain. She urged the 
 States to make peace, to which they replied that they did not 
 wish for peace on such terms as Spain would alone grant; they 
 could defend themselves for ten years longer if left alone; they 
 did not ask for further help, and only wanted their towns re- 
 stored to them. 
 
 Had the Armada started as Philip intended in September, 
 it would have found England entirely unprepared, for Eliza- 
 beth still obstinately refused to believe in danger, and the few 
 ships that had been held in commission after Drake's return
 
 FORTUNATE DELAYS. 141 
 
 had been so long neglected that they could hardly keep the 
 sea without repair; the rest lay unrigged in the Medway. But 
 the delay gave England fresh time for preparation. Parma's 
 army was lying in readiness for the invasion under canvas at 
 Dunkirk, and their commander had received no information 
 from Spain that the sailing of the Armada was delayed. 
 
 The cold, wet, and exposure told terribly upon them, and of 
 the 30,000 who were ready to embark in September not 18,000 
 were fit for service at the commencement of the year. The 
 expenses of this army and of the Armada were so great that 
 Philip was at last driven to give orders to the Armada to start. 
 But fortune again favoured England. Had the fleet sailed as 
 ordered on the 30th of January they would again have found 
 the Channel undefended, for Elizabeth, in one of her fits of 
 economy, had again dismantled half the fleet that had been 
 got ready for sea, and sent the sailors to their homes. 
 
 But the execution of Philip's orders was prevented by the 
 sudden death of Santa Cruz. The Duke of Medina-Sidonia 
 was appointed his successor, but as he knew nothing of the 
 state of the Armada fresh delays became necessary, and the 
 time was occupied by Elizabeth, not in preparing for the de- 
 fence of the country, but in fresh negotiations for peace. She 
 was ready to make any concessions to Spain, but Philip was 
 now only amusing himself by deceiving her. Everything was 
 now prepared for the expedition, and just as the fleet was ready 
 to start, the negotiations were broken off. But though Eliza- 
 beth's government had made no preparations for the defence 
 of the country, England herself had not been idle. Throughout 
 the whole country men had been mustered, officered, and armed, 
 and 100,000 were ready to move as soon as the danger became 
 imminent 
 
 The musters of the Midland counties, 30,000 strong, were 
 to form a separate army, and were to march at once to a spot
 
 142 PARMA'S OPINION. 
 
 between Windsor and Harrow. The rest were to gather at 
 the point of danger. The coast companies were to fall back 
 wherever the enemy landed, burning the corn and driving off 
 the cattle, and avoiding a battle until the force of the neigh- 
 bouring counties joined them. Should the landing take place 
 as was expected in Suffolk, Kent, or Sussex, it was calculated 
 that between 30,000 and 40,000 men would bar the way to 
 the invaders before they reached London, while 20,000 men 
 of the western counties would remain to encounter the Duke 
 of Guise, who had engaged to bring across an army of French- 
 men to aid the Spaniards. 
 
 Spain, although well aware of the strength of England on the 
 sea, believed that she would have no difficulty with the raw 
 English levies ; but Parma, who had met the English at Sluys, 
 had learnt to respect their fighting qualities, and in a letter to 
 Philip gave the opinion that even if the Armada brought him 
 a reinforcement of 6000 men he would still have an insuffi- 
 cient force for the conquest of England. He said, "When I 
 shall have landed I must fight battle after battle. I shall lose 
 men by wounds and disease, I must leave detachments behind 
 me to keep open my communications, and in a short time the 
 body of my army will become so weak that not only I may be 
 unable to advance in the face of the enemy, and time may be 
 given to the heretics and your majesty's other enemies to inter- 
 fere, but there may fall out some notable inconvenience, with 
 the loss of everything, and I be unable to remedy it." 
 
 Unfortunately, the English fleet was far less prepared than 
 the land forces. The militia had been easily and cheaply ex- 
 temporized, but a fleet can only be prepared by long and pain- 
 ful sacrifices. The entire English navy contained but thirteen 
 ships of over four hundred tons, and including small cutters 
 and pinnaces there were but thirty-eight vessels of all sorts 
 and sizes carrying the queen's flag. Fortunately, Sir John
 
 DESPAIR OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS. 143 
 
 Hawkins was at the head of the naval administration, and in 
 spite of the parsimony of Elizabeth had kept the fleet in a good 
 state of repair and equipment. The merchant navy, although 
 numerous, was equally deficient in vessels of any size. 
 
 Philip had encouraged ship-building in Spain by grants from 
 the crown, allowing four ducats a ton for every ship built of 
 above three hundred tons burden, and six ducats a ton for 
 every one above five hundred tons. Thus he had a large 
 supply of great ships to draw upon in addition to those of the 
 royal navy, while in England the largest vessels belonging to 
 private owners did not exceed four hundred tons, and there 
 were not more than two or three vessels of that size sailing 
 from any port of the country. The total allowance by the 
 queen for the repair of the whole of the royal navy, wages of 
 shipwrights, clerks, carpenters, watchmen, cost of timber, and 
 all other necessary dockyard expenses, was but 4000 
 a-year. 
 
 In December the fleet was ready for sea, together with the 
 contingent furnished by the liberality and patriotism of the 
 merchants and citizens of the great ports. But as soon as it 
 was got together half the crews collected and engaged at so 
 great an expense were dismissed, the merchant ships released, 
 and England open to invasion, and had Parma started in the 
 vessels he had prepared, Lord Howard, who commanded the 
 English navy, could not have fired a shot to have prevented 
 his crossing. 
 
 Well might Sir John Hawkins in his despair at Elizabeth's 
 caprices exclaim : " We are wasting money, wasting strength, 
 dishonouring and discrediting ourselves by our uncertain dally- 
 ing." But though daily reports came from Spain of the readi- 
 ness of the Armada to set sail, Elizabeth, even when she again 
 permitted the navy to be manned, fettered it by allowing it 
 to be provided with rations for only a month at a time, and
 
 144 SHAMEFUL NEGLECT OF THE FLEET. 
 
 permitting no reserves to be provided in the victualling stores; 
 while the largest vessels were supplied with ammunition for 
 only a day and a half's service, and the rest of the fleet with 
 but enough for one day's service. The council could do no- 
 thing, and Lord Howard's letters prove that the queen, and 
 she only, was responsible for the miserable state of things that 
 prevailed. 
 
 At last, in May, Lord Howard sailed with the fleet down 
 Channel, leaving Lord Henry Seymour with three men-of-war 
 and a squadron of privateers to watch Dunkirk. At Plymouth 
 the admiral found Drake with forty ships, all except one 
 raised and sent to sea at the expense of himself and the gentry 
 and merchants of the west counties. The weather was wild, 
 as it had been all the winter. Howard with the great ships 
 lay at anchor in the Sound, rolling heavily, while the smaller 
 craft went for shelter into the mouth of the river. There were 
 but eighteen days' provisions on board; fresh supplies promised 
 did not arrive, and the crews were put on half rations, and 
 eked these out by catching fish. At last, when the supplies 
 were just exhausted, the victualling ships arrived with one 
 month's fresh rations, and a message that no more would be 
 sent. So villainous was the quality of the stores that fever 
 broke out in the fleet 
 
 It was not until the end of the month that Elizabeth would 
 even permit any further preparations to be made, and the sup- 
 plies took some time collecting. The crews would have been 
 starved had not the officers so divided the rations as to make 
 them last six weeks. The men died in scores from dysentery 
 brought on by the sour and poisonous beer issued to them, and 
 Howard and Drake ordered wine and arrow-root from the town 
 for the use of the sick, and had to pay for it from their own 
 pockets. 
 
 But at last the Armada was ready for starting. Contingents
 
 THE SPANISH FLEET. 145 
 
 of Spanish, Italians, and Portuguese were gathered together 
 with the faithful from all countries Jesuits from France; 
 exiled priests, Irish and English; and many Catholic Scotch, 
 English, and Irish noblemen and gentlemen. The six squad- 
 rons into which the fleet was divided contained sixty-five large 
 war ships, the smallest of which was seven hundred tons. Seven 
 were over one thousand, and the largest, an Italian ship, La Re- 
 gazona, was thirteen hundred. All were built high like castles, 
 their upper works musket-proof, their main timbers four or five 
 feet thick, and of a strength it was supposed no English can- 
 non could pierce. 
 
 Next to the big ships, or galleons as they were called, were 
 four galleasses, each carrying fifty guns and 450 soldiers and 
 sailors, and rowed by 300 slaves. Besides these were four 
 galleys, fifty-six great armed merchant ships, the finest Spain 
 possessed, and twenty caravels or small vessels. Thus the 
 fighting fleet amounted to 129 vessels, carrying in all 2430 
 cannon. On board was stored an enormous quantity of provi- 
 sions for the use of the army after it landed in England, there 
 being sufficient to feed 40,000 men for six months. 
 
 There were on board 8000 sailors, 19,000 soldiers, 1000 
 gentlemen volunteers, 600 priests, servants, and miscellaneous 
 officers, and 2000 galley slaves. This was indeed a tremendous 
 array to meet the fleet lying off Plymouth, consisting of 29 
 queen's ships of all sizes, 10 small vessels belonging to Lord 
 Howard and members of his family, and 43 privateers between 
 40 and 400 tons under Drake, the united crews amounting 
 to something over 9000 men. 
 
 The winter had passed pleasantly to Geoffrey and Lionel 
 Vickars ; the earl had taken a great fancy to them, and they 
 had stayed for some time in London as members of his suite. 
 When the spring came they had spoken about rejoining Francis 
 Vere in Holland, but the earl had said that there was little 
 
 (677) K
 
 146 FURTHER LEAVE OF ABSENCE. 
 
 doing there. The enmity excited by the conduct of Elizabeth 
 prevented any co-operation between the Dutch and English; 
 and indeed the English force was reduced to such straits by 
 the refusal of the queen to furnish money for their pay, or to 
 provide funds for even absolute necessaries, that it was wholly 
 incapable of taking the field, and large numbers of the men 
 returned to England. 
 
 Had this treatment of her soldiers and sailors at the time 
 when such peril threatened their country been occasioned by 
 want of funds, some excuse would have been possible for 
 the conduct of Elizabeth; but at the time there were large 
 sums lying in the treasury, and it was parsimony and not 
 incapacity to pay that actuated Elizabeth in the course she 
 pursued. 
 
 As the boys were still uneasy as to the opinion Francis Vere 
 might form of their continued stay in England, they wrote to 
 him, their letter being inclosed in one from the earl; but the 
 reply set their minds at rest "By all means stay in England," 
 Captain Vere wrote, " since there is nothing doing here of any 
 note or consequence, nor likely to be. We are simply idling 
 out time in Bergen-op-Zoom, and not one of us but is longing 
 to be at home to bear his part in the events pending there. It 
 is hard, indeed, to be confined in this miserable Dutch town 
 while England is in danger. Unfortunately we are soldiers and 
 must obey orders; but as you are as yet only volunteers, free 
 to act as you choose, it would be foolish in the extreme for you 
 to come over to this dull place while there is so much going on 
 in England. I have written to my cousin, asking him to intro- 
 duce you to some of the country gentlemen who have fitted 
 out a ship for service against the Spaniards, so that you may 
 have a hand in what is going on." 
 
 This the earl had done, and early in May they had journeyed 
 down to Plymouth on horseback with a party of other gentle-
 
 THE STATE OF THE FLEET. 147 
 
 men who were going on board the Active, a vessel of two hundred 
 and fifty tons belonging to a gentleman of Devonshire, one 
 Master Audrey Drake, a relation of Sir Francis Drake. The 
 earl himself was with the party. He did not intend to go on 
 board, for he was a bad sailor; and though ready, as he said, to 
 do his share of fighting upon land, would be only an encum- 
 brance on board a ship. 
 
 He went down principally at the request of Cecil and other 
 members of the council, who, knowing that he was a favourite 
 of the queen, thought that his representations as to the state 
 of the fleet might do more than they could do to influence her 
 to send supplies to the distressed sailors. The earl visited the 
 ships lying in the mouth of the Tamar, and three times started 
 in a boat to go out to those in the Sound; but the sea was so 
 rough, and he was so completely prostrated by sickness, that 
 he had each time to put back What he saw, however, on board 
 the ships he visited, and heard from Lord Howard as to the 
 state of those at sea, was quite sufficient. He at once expended 
 a considerable amount of money in buying wine and fresh 
 meat for the sick, and then hurried away to London to lay 
 before the queen the result of his personal observations, and to 
 implore her to order provisions to be immediately despatched 
 to the fleet. 
 
 But even the description given by one of her favourites of 
 the sufferings of the seamen was insufficient to induce the 
 queen to open her purse-strings, and the earl left her in great 
 dudgeon; and although his private finances had been much 
 straitened by his extravagance and love of display, he at once 
 chartered a ship, filled her with provisions, and despatched her 
 to Plymouth. 
 
 Mr. Drake and the gentlemen with him took up their abode 
 in the town until there should be need for them to go on board 
 the Active, where the accommodation was much cramped, and
 
 148 THE ARMADA IN SIGHT. 
 
 life by no means agreeable; and the Vickars therefore escaped 
 sharing the sufferings of those on board ship. 
 
 At the end of May came the news that the Armada had 
 sailed on the 19th, and high hopes were entertained that the 
 period of waiting had terminated. A storm, however, scat- 
 tered the great fleet, and it was not until the 1 2th of July that 
 they sailed from the Bay of Ferrol, where they had collected 
 after the storm. 
 
 Never was there known a season so boisterous as the summer 
 of 1588, and when off Ushant, in a south-west gale, four galleys 
 were wrecked on the French coast, and the Santa, Anna, a 
 galleon of 800 tons, went down, carrying with her ninety sea- 
 men, three hundred soldiers, and 50,000 ducats in gold. 
 
 After two days the storm abated, and the fleet again pro- 
 ceeded. At daybreak on the 20th the Lizard was in sight, and an 
 English fishing-boat was seen running along their line. Chase 
 was given, but she soon out- sailed her pursuers, and carried the 
 news to Plymouth. The Armada had already been made out 
 from the coast the night before, and beacon lights had flashed 
 the news all over England. In every village and town men 
 were arming and saddling and marching away to the rendezvous 
 of the various corps. 
 
 In Plymouth the news was received with the greatest rejoic- 
 ing. Thanks to the care with which the provisions had been 
 husbanded, and to the manner in which the officers and volun- 
 teers had from their private means supplemented the scanty 
 stores, there was still a week's provisions on board, and this, 
 it was hoped, would suffice for their needs. The scanty supply 
 of ammunition was a greater source of anxiety; but they 
 hoped that fresh supplies would be forthcoming, now that even 
 the queen could no longer close her eyes to the urgent neces- 
 sity of the case. 
 
 As soon as the news arrived all the gentlemen in the town
 
 SAILING OUT TO GIVE BATTLE. 149 
 
 flocked on board the ships, and on the night of the 19th the 
 queen's ships and some of the privateers went to moorings 
 behind Ram Head, so that they could make clear to sea; 
 and on the morning when the Spaniards sighted the Lizard, 
 forty sail were lying ready for action under the headland. 
 
 At three o'clock in the afternoon the look-out men on the 
 hill reported a line of sails on the western horizon. Two wings 
 were at first visible, which were gradually united as the top- 
 sails of those in the centre rose above the line of sea. As they 
 arose it could be seen that the great fleet was sailing, in the 
 form of a huge crescent, before a gentle wind. A hundred and 
 fifty ships, large and small, were counted, as a few store-ships 
 bound for Flanders had joined the Armada for protection. 
 
 The Active was one of the privateers that had late the evening 
 before gone out to Ram Head, and just as it was growing dusk 
 the anchors were got up, and the little fleet sailed out from 
 the shelter of the land as the Armada swept along. 
 
 The Spanish admiral at once ordered the fleet to lie-to for 
 the night, and to prepare for a general action at daybreak, as he 
 knew from a fisherman he had captured that the English fleet 
 were at Plymouth. The wind was on shore, but all through 
 the night Howard's and Drake's ships beat out from the Sound 
 until they took their places behind the Spanish fleet, whose 
 position they could perfectly make out by the light of the half- 
 moon that rose at two in the morning. 
 
 On board the English fleet all was confidence and hilarity. 
 The sufferings of the last three months were forgotten. The 
 numbers and magnitude of the Spanish ships counted as 
 nothing. The sailors of the west country had met the 
 Spaniards on the Indian seas and proved their masters, and 
 doubted not for a moment that they should do so again. 
 
 There was scarce a breath of air when day broke, but at 
 eight o'clock a breeze sprang up from the west, and the
 
 150 HARASSING THE FOE. 
 
 Armada made sail and attempted to close with the English; 
 but the low, sharp English ships sailed two feet to the one of 
 the floating castles of Spain, and could sail close to the wind, 
 while the Spanish ships, if they attempted to close-haul their 
 sails, drifted bodily to leeward. Howard's flagship, the Ark- 
 Raleigh, with three other English ships, opened the engage- 
 ment by running down along their rear-line, firing into each 
 galleon as they passed, then wearing round and repeating the 
 manoeuvre. The great San Matteo luffed out from the rest 
 of the fleet and challenged them to board, but they simply 
 poured their second broadside into her and passed on. 
 
 The excellence of the manoauvring of the English ships, and 
 the rapidity and accuracy of their fire, astonished the Spaniards. 
 Throughout the whole forenoon the action continued; the 
 Spaniards making efforts to close, but in vain, the English 
 ships keeping the weather-gage and sailing continually back- 
 wards and forwards, pouring in their broadsides. The height 
 and size of the Spanish ships were against them; and being to 
 leeward they heeled over directly they came up to the wind to 
 fire a broadside, and their shots for the most part went far over 
 their assailants, while they themselves suffered severely from the 
 English fire. Miquel de Oquendo, who commanded one of the 
 six Spanish squadrons, distinguished himself by his attempts to 
 close with the English, and by maintaining his position in the 
 rear of the fleet engaged in constant conflict with them. 
 
 He was a young nobleman of great promise, distinguished 
 alike for his bravery and chivalrous disposition; but he could 
 do little while the wind remained in the west and the English 
 held the weather-gage. So far only the ships that had been 
 anchored out under Ram Head had taken part in the fight, those 
 lying higher up in the Sound being unable to make their way 
 out At noon the exertions of their crews, who had from the 
 preceding evening worked incessantly, prevailed, and they
 
 CAPTAIN OF THE "CAPITANA." 151 
 
 were now seen coming out from behind the headland to take 
 part in the struggle. Medina-Sidonia signalled to his fleet to 
 make sail up Channel, Martinez de Eicaldo covering the rear 
 with the squadron of Biscay. He was vice-admiral of the 
 fleet, and considered to be the best seaman Spain possessed 
 now that Santa Cruz was dead. 
 
 The wind was now rising. Lord Howard sent off a fast boat 
 with letters to Lord Henry Seymour, telling him how things 
 had gone so far, and bidding him be prepared for the arrival 
 of the Spanish fleet in the Downs. As the afternoon went on 
 the wind rose, and a rolling sea came in from the west. Howard 
 still hung upon the Spanish rear, firing but seldom in order to 
 save his powder. As evening fell, the Spanish vessels, huddled 
 closely together, frequently came into collision with one another, 
 and in one of these the Capitana, the flagship of the Andalusian 
 division, commanded by Admiral Pedro de Valdez, had her 
 bowsprit carried away, the foremast fell overboard, and the 
 ship dropped out of her place. 
 
 Two of the galleasses came to her assistance and tried to 
 take her in tow, but the waves were running so high that the 
 cable broke. Pedro de Valdez had been commander of the 
 Spanish fleet on the coast of Holland, and knew the English 
 Channel and the northern shores of France and Holland well. 
 The duke therefore despatched boats to bring him off with his 
 crew, but he refused to leave his charge. Howard, as with his 
 ships he passed her, believed her to be deserted and went on 
 after the fleet; but a London vessel kept close to her and ex- 
 changed shots with her all night, until Drake, who had turned 
 aside to chase what he believed to be a portion of the Spanish 
 fleet that had separated itself from the rest, but which turned 
 out to be the merchant ships that had joined it for protection, 
 came up, and the Capitana struck her flag. Drake took her 
 into Torbay, and there left her in the care of the Brixham
 
 152 A SHIP BLOWN UP. 
 
 fishermen, and taking with him Valdez and the other officers 
 sailed away to join Lord Howard. The fishermen, on search- 
 ing the ship, found some tons of gunpowder on board her. 
 Knowing the scarcity of ammunition in the fleet they placed 
 this on board the Roebuck, the fastest trawler in the harbour, 
 and she started at once in pursuit of the fleet. 
 
 The misfortune to the Capitana, was not the only one that 
 befell the Spaniards. While Oquendo was absent from his 
 galleon a quarrel arose among the officers, who were furious 
 at the ill result of the day's fighting. The captain struck the 
 master-gunner with a stick; the latter, a German, rushed below 
 in a rage, thrust a burning fuse into a powder barrel, and sprang 
 through a port-hole into the sea. The whole of the deck was 
 blown up, with two hundred sailors and soldiers; but the ship 
 was so strongly built that she survived the shock, and her mast 
 still stood. 
 
 The duke sent boats to learn what had happened. These 
 carried off the few who remained unhurt, but there was no means 
 of taking off the wounded. These, however, were treated kindly 
 and sent on shore when the ship was picked up at daylight by 
 the English, who, on rifling her, found to their delight that 
 there were still many powder barrels on board that had escaped 
 the explosion. 
 
 The morning broke calm, and the wind, when it came, was 
 from the east, which gave the Spaniards the advantage of 
 position. The two fleets lay idle all day three or four miles 
 apart, and the next morning, as the wind was still from the 
 east, the Spaniards bore down upon Howard to offer battle. 
 
 The English, however, headed out to sea. Encouraged by 
 seeing their assailants avoid a pitched battle the Spaniards gave 
 chase. The San Marcos, the fastest sailer in the fleet, left the 
 rest behind, and when the breeze headed round at noon she 
 was several miles to windward of her consorts, and the English
 
 OFF PORTLAND. 153 
 
 at once set upon her. She fought with extreme courage, and 
 defended herself single-handed for an hour and a half, when 
 Oquendo came up to the rescue, and as the action off Ply- 
 mouth had almost exhausted his stock of powder, and the 
 Brixham sloop had not yet come up, Howard was obliged to 
 draw off. 
 
 The action of this day was fought off Portland. During 
 the three days the British fleet had been to sea they had received 
 almost hourly reinforcements. From every harbour and fishing 
 port along the coast from Plymouth to the Isle of Wight vessels 
 of all sizes, smacks, and boats put off, crowded with noblemen 
 and gentlemen anxious to take part in the action, and their 
 enthusiasm added to that of the weary and ill-fed sailors. At 
 the end of the third day the English fleet had increased to a 
 hundred sail, many of which, however, were of very small 
 burden.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE ROUT OF THE ARMADA. 
 
 HE fight between the fleets had begun on Sunday 
 morning, and at the end of the third day the 
 strength of the Armada remained unbroken. The 
 moral effect had no doubt been great, but the loss 
 of two or three ships was a trifle to so large a force, and 
 the spirit of the Spaniards had been raised by the gallant 
 and successful defence the San Marcos had made on the Tues- 
 day afternoon. Wednesday was again calm. The magazines 
 of the English ships were empty. Though express after express 
 had been sent off praying that ammunition might be sent, none 
 had arrived, and the two fleets lay six miles apart without 
 action, save that the galleasses came out and skirmished for a 
 while with the English ships. 
 
 That evening, however, a supply of ammunition sufficient for 
 another day's fighting arrived, and soon after daybreak the 
 English fleet moved down towards the Armada, and for the 
 first time engaged them at close quarters. The Ark-Raleigh, 
 the Bear, the Elizabeth Jones, the Lion, and the Victory bore 
 on straight into the centre of the Spanish galleons, exchanging 
 broadsides with each as they passed. Oquendo with his vessel 
 was right in the course of the English flagship, and a collision 
 took place, in which the Ark-Raleigh's rudder was unshipped, 
 and she became unmanageable.
 
 SPEED AGAINST WEIGHT. 155 
 
 The enemy's vessels closed round her, but she lowered her 
 boats, and these, in spite of the fire of the enemy, brought her 
 head round before the wind, and she made her way through 
 her antagonists and got clear. For several hours the battle 
 continued. The Spanish fire was so slow, and their ships so un- 
 wieldy, that it was rarely they succeeded in firing a shot 
 into their active foes, while the English shot tore their way 
 through the massive timbers of the Spanish vessels, scattering 
 the splinters thickly among the soldiers, who had been sent 
 below to be out of harm's way; but beyond this, and inflicting 
 much damage upon masts and spars, the day's fighting had no 
 actual results. No captures were made by the English. 
 
 The Spaniards suffered, but made no sign; nevertheless their 
 confidence in their powers was shaken. Their ammunition was 
 also running short, and they had no hope of refilling their 
 magazines until they effected a junction with Parma. Their 
 admiral that night wrote to him asking that two shiploads 
 of shot and powder might be sent to him immediately. "The 
 enemy pursue me," he said; "they fire upon me most days 
 from morning till nightfall, but they will not close and grapple. 
 I have given them every opportunity. I have purposely left 
 ships exposed to tempt them to board, but they decline to do 
 it; and there is no remedy, for they are swift and we are slow. 
 They have men and ammunition in abundance." The Spanish 
 admiral was unaware that the English magazines were even 
 more empty than his own. 
 
 On Friday morning Howard sailed for Dover to take in the 
 supplies that were so sorely needed. The Earl of Sussex, who 
 was in command of the castle, gave him all that he had, and 
 the stores taken from the prizes came up in light vessels and 
 were divided among the fleet, and in the evening the English 
 fleet again sailed out and took up its place in the rear of the 
 Armada.
 
 156 A CRITICAL POSITION. 
 
 On Saturday morning the weather changed. After six days 
 of calm and sunshine it began to blow hard from the west, with 
 driving showers. The Spaniards, having no pilots who knew 
 the coasts, anchored off Calais. The English fleet, closely 
 watching their movements, brought up two miles astern. 
 
 The Spanish admiral sent off another urgent letter to Parma 
 at Dunkirk, begging him to send immediately thirty or forty 
 fast gunboats to keep the English at bay. Parma had received 
 the admiral's letters, and was perfectly ready to embark his 
 troops, but could not do this as the admiral expected he would, 
 until the fleet came up to protect him. The lighters and 
 barges he had constructed for the passage were only fit to keep 
 the sea in calm weather, and would have been wholly at the 
 mercy of even a single English ship of war. He could not, 
 therefore, embark his troops until the duke arrived. As to 
 the gunboats asked for, he had none with him. 
 
 But while the Spanish admiral had grave cause for uneasi- 
 ness in the situation in which he found himself, Lord Howard 
 had no greater reason for satisfaction. In spite of his efforts 
 the enemy's fleet had arrived at their destination with their 
 strength still unimpaired, and were in communication with the 
 Duke of Parma's army. Lord Seymour had come up with a 
 squadron from the mouth of the Thames, but his ships had 
 but one day's provisions on board, while Drake and Howard's 
 divisions had all but exhausted their supplies. The previous 
 day's fighting had used up the ammunition obtained at Dover. 
 Starvation would drive every English ship from the sea in an- 
 other week at latest. The Channel would then be open for 
 the passage of Parma's army. 
 
 At five o'clock on Sunday evening a council of war was 
 held in Lord Howard's cabin, and it was determined, that as it 
 was impossible to attack the Spanish fleet where they lay at 
 the edge of shallow water, an attempt must be made to
 
 THE FIRE-SHIPS. 157 
 
 drive them out into the Channel with fire-ships. Eight of the 
 private vessels were accordingly taken, and such combustibles 
 as could be found pitch, tar, old sails, empty casks, and other 
 materials were piled into them. At midnight the tide set 
 directly from the English fleet towards the Spaniards, and the 
 fire-ships, manned by their respective crews, hoisted sail and 
 drove down towards them. 
 
 When near the Armada the crews set fire to the combus- 
 tibles, and taking to their boats rowed back to the fleet. At 
 the sight of the flames bursting up from the eight ships bear- 
 ing down upon them, the Spaniards were seized with a panic. 
 The admiral fired a gun as a signal, and all cut their cables and 
 hoisted sail, and succeeded in getting out to sea before the 
 fire-ships arrived. They lay-to six miles from shore, intend" 
 ing to return in the morning and recover their anchors; but 
 Drake with his division of the fleet, and Seymour with the 
 squadron from the Thames, weighed their anchors and stood 
 off after them, while Howard with his division remained off 
 Calais, where, in the morning, the largest of the four galleasses 
 was seen aground on Calais Bar. Lord Howard wasted many 
 precious hours in capturing her before he set off to join Drake 
 and Seymour, who were thundering against the Spanish fleet 
 The wind had got up during the night, and the Spaniards had 
 drifted farther than they expected, and when morning dawned 
 were scattered over the sea off Gravelines. Signals were made 
 for them to collect, but before they could do so Drake and 
 Seymour came up and opened fire within pistol-shot. The Eng- 
 lish admiral saw at once that, with the wind rising from the 
 south, if he could drive the unwieldy galleons north they 
 would be cut off from Dunkirk, and would not be able to beat 
 back again until there was a change of wind. 
 
 All through the morning the English ships poured a con- 
 tinuous shower of shot into the Spanish vessels, which, huddled
 
 158 A LONG DAY'S STRUGGLE. 
 
 together in a confused mass, were unable to make any return 
 whatever. The duke and Oquendo, with some of the best 
 sailors among the fleet, tried to bear out from the crowd and 
 get room to manoeuvre, but Drake's ships were too weatherly 
 and too well handled to permit of this, and they were driven 
 back again into the confused mass, which was being slowly 
 forced towards the shoals and banks of the coasts. 
 
 Howard came up at noon with his division, and until sun- 
 set the fire was maintained, by which time almost the last 
 cartridge was spent, and the crews worn out by their incessant 
 labour. They took no prizes, for they never attempted to 
 board. They saw three great galleons go down, and three more 
 drift away towards the sands of Ostend, where they were cap- 
 tured either by the English garrisoned there or by three vessels 
 sent by Lord Willoughby from Flushing, under the command 
 of Francis Vere. Had the English ammunition lasted but a 
 few more hours the whole of the Armada would have been 
 either driven ashore or sunk; but when the last cartridge had 
 been burned the assailants drew off to take on board the 
 stores which had, while the fighting was going on, been brought 
 up by some provision ships from the Thames. 
 
 But the Spaniards were in no condition to benefit by the 
 cessation of the attack. In spite of the terrible disadvantages 
 under which they laboured, they had fought with splendid 
 courage. The sides of the galleons had been riddled with 
 shot, and the splinters caused by the rending of the massive 
 timbers had done even greater execution than the iron hail. 
 Being always to leeward, and heeling over with the wind, the 
 ships had been struck again and again below the water-line, 
 and many were only kept from sinking by nailing sheets of 
 lead over the shot-holes. 
 
 Their guns were, for the most part, dismounted or knocked 
 to pieces. Several had lost masts, the carnage among the
 
 AFTER THE BATTLE. 159 
 
 crews was frightful, and yet not a single ship hauled down her 
 colours. The San Matteo, which was one of those that grounded 
 between Ostend and Sluys, fought to the last, and kept Francis 
 Vere's three ships at bay for two hours, until she was at last 
 carried by boarding. 
 
 Left to themselves at the end of the day, the Spaniards 
 gathered in what order they could, and made sail for the north. 
 On counting the losses they found that four thousand men had 
 been killed or drowned, and the number of wounded must have 
 been far greater. The crews were utterly worn-out and ex- 
 hausted. They had the day before been kept at work cleaning 
 and refitting, and the fire-ships had disturbed them early in the 
 night. During the engagement there had been no time to serve 
 out food, and the labours of the long struggle had completely 
 exhausted them. Worst of all, they were utterly disheartened 
 by the day's fighting. They had been pounded by their active 
 foes, who fired five shots to their one, and whose vessels sailed 
 round and round them, while they themselves had inflicted no 
 damage that they could perceive upon their assailants. 
 
 The English admirals had no idea of the extent of the victory 
 they had won. Howard, who had only come up in the middle 
 of the fight, believed that they " were still wonderful great and 
 strong," while even Drake, who saw more clearly how much 
 they had suffered, only ventured to hope that some days at 
 least would elapse before they could join hands with Parma. 
 In spite of the small store of ammunition that had arrived 
 the night before, the English magazines were almost empty; 
 but they determined to show a good front, and " give chase as 
 though they wanted nothing." 
 
 When the morning dawned the English fleet were still to 
 windward of the Armada, while to leeward were lines of 
 white foam, where the sea was breaking on the shoals of Hol- 
 land. It seemed that the Armada was lost. At this critical
 
 160 THE SPANIARDS SAIL NORTH. 
 
 moment the wind suddenly shifted to the east. This threw 
 the English fleet to leeward, and enabled the Spaniards to 
 head out from the coast and make for the North Sea. The 
 Spanish admiral held a council. The sea had gone down, 
 and they had now a fair wind for Calais; and the question was 
 put to the sailing-masters and captains whether they should 
 return into the Channel or sail north round Scotland and 
 Ireland, and so return to Spain. The former was the courage 
 ous course, but the spirit of the Spaniards was broken, and 
 the vote was in favour of what appeared a way of escape. 
 Therefore, the shattered fleet bore on its way north. On board 
 the English fleet a similar council was being held, and it was 
 determined that Lord Seymour's squadron should return to 
 guard the Channel, lest Parma should take advantage of the 
 absence of the fleet to cross from Dunkirk to England, and 
 that Howard and Drake with their ninety ships should pursue 
 the Spaniards ; for it was not for a moment supposed that the 
 latter had entirely abandoned their enterprise, and intended 
 to return to Spain without making another effort to rejoin 
 Parma. 
 
 During the week's fighting Geoffrey and Lionel Vickars had 
 taken such part as they could in the contest; but as there had 
 been no hand-to-hand fighting, the position of the volunteers 
 on board the fleet had been little more than that of spectators. 
 The crews worked the guns and manoeuvred the sails, and the 
 most the lads could do was to relieve the ship-boys in carry- 
 ing up powder and shot, and to take round drink to men serv- 
 ing the guns. When not otherwise engaged they had watched 
 with intense excitement the manoeuvres of their own ship and 
 of those near them, as they swept down towards the great hulls, 
 delivered their broadsides, and then shot off again before the 
 Spaniards had had time to discharge more than a gun or two. 
 The sails had been pierced in several places, but not a single
 
 GEOFFREY CARRIED OVERBOARD BY THE FALLING MAST.
 
 GEOFFREY KNOCKED OVERBOARD. 161 
 
 shot had struck the hull of the vessel. In the last day's fighting, 
 however, the Active became entangled among several of the 
 Spanish galleons, and being almost becalmed by their lofty 
 hulls, one of them ran full at her, and rolling heavily in the 
 sea, seemed as if she would overwhelm her puny antagonist. 
 
 Geoffrey was standing at the end of the poop when the 
 mizzen rigging became entangled in the stern gallery of the 
 Spaniard, and a moment later the mast snapped off, and as it 
 fell carried him overboard. For a moment he was half-stunned, 
 but caught hold of a piece of timber shot away from one of 
 the enemy's ships, and clung to it mechanically. When he 
 recovered and looked round, the Active had drawn out from 
 between the Spaniards, and the great galleon which had so 
 nearly sunk her was close beside him. 
 
 The sea was in a turmoil ; the waves as they set in from the 
 west being broken up by the rolling of the great ships, and 
 torn by the hail of shot. The noise was prodigious, from the 
 incessant cannonade kept up by the English ships and the 
 return of the artillery on board the Armada, the rending of 
 timber, the heavy crashes as the great galleons rolled against 
 one another, the shouting on board the Spanish ships, the 
 creaking of the masts and yards, and the flapping of the sails. 
 
 On trying to strike out, Geoffrey found that as he had been 
 knocked overboard he had struck his right knee severely 
 against the rail of the vessel, and was at present unable to use 
 that leg. Fearful of being run down by one of the great ships, 
 and still more of being caught between two of them as they 
 rolled, he looked round to try to get sight of an English ship 
 in the throng. Then, seeing that he was entirely surrounded 
 by Spaniards, he left the spar and swam as well as he could 
 to the bow of a great ship close beside him, and grasping a 
 rope trailing from the bowsprit, managed by its aid to climb 
 up until he reached the bobstay, across which he seated him- 
 
 (677) L
 
 162 ON BOARD A SPANIARD. 
 
 self with his back to the stem. The position was a pre- 
 carious one, and after a time he gained the wooden carved work 
 above, and obtained a seat there just below the bowsprit, and 
 hidden from the sight of those on deck a few feet above him. 
 As he knew the vessels were drifting to leeward towards the 
 shoals, he hoped to remain hidden until the vessel struck, and 
 then to gain the shore. 
 
 Presently the shifting of the positions of the ships brought 
 the vessel on which he was into the outside line. The shots 
 now flew thickly about, and he could from time to time feel a 
 jar as the vessel was struck. 
 
 So an hour went on. At the end of that time he heard 
 a great shouting on deck, and the sound of men running to and 
 fro. Happening to look down he saw that the sea was but a 
 few feet below him, and knew that the great galleon was sink- 
 ing. Another quarter of an hour she was so much lower that 
 he was sure she could not swim many minutes longer; and to 
 avoid being drawn down with her he dropped into the water and 
 swam off. He was but a short distance away when he heard 
 a loud cry, and glancing over his shoulder saw the ship disap- 
 pearing. He swam desperately, but was caught in the suck 
 and carried under; but there was no great depth of water, and 
 he soon came to the surface again. The sea was dotted with 
 struggling men and pieces of wreckage. He swam to one of 
 the latter, and held on until he saw some boats, which the next 
 Spanish ship had lowered when she saw her consort disap- 
 pearing, rowing towards them, and was soon afterwards hauled 
 into one of them. He had closed his eyes as it came up, and 
 assumed the appearance of insensibility, and he lay in the 
 bottom of the boat immovable, until after a time he heard 
 voices above, and then felt himself being carried up the ladder 
 and laid down on the deck. 
 
 He remained quiet for some time, thinking over what he
 
 GEOFFREYS STRATAGEM. 163 
 
 had best do. He was certain that were it known he was 
 English he would at once be stabbed and thrown overboard, 
 for there was no hope of quarter; but he was for some time 
 unable to devise any plan by which, even for a short time, 
 to conceal his nationality. He only knew a few words of 
 Spanish, and would be detected the moment he opened his 
 lips. He thought of leaping up suddenly and jumping over- 
 board; but his chance of reaching the English ships to wind- 
 ward would be slight indeed. At last an idea struck him, 
 and sitting up he opened his eyes and looked round. Several 
 other Spaniards who had been picked up lay exhausted on 
 the deck near him. A party of soldiers and sailors close by 
 were working a cannon. The bulwarks were shot away in 
 many places, dead and dying men lay scattered about, the 
 decks were everywhere stained with blood, and no one paid any 
 attention to him until presently the fire began to slacken. 
 Shortly afterwards a Spanish officer came up and spoke to him. 
 
 Geoffrey rose to his feet, rubbed his eyes, yawned, and burst 
 into an idiotic laugh. The officer spoke again but he paid no 
 attention, and the Spaniard turned away, believing that the lad 
 had lost his senses from fear and the horrors of the day. 
 
 As night came on he was several times addressed, but always 
 with the same result. When after dark food and wine were 
 served out, he seized the portion offered to him, and hurrying 
 away crouched under the shelter of a gun, and devoured it as 
 if fearing it would be taken from him again. 
 
 When he saw that the sailors were beginning to repair some 
 of the most necessary ropes and stays that had been shot 
 away, he pushed his way through them and took his share of 
 the work, laughing idiotically from time to time. He had, when 
 he saw that the galleon was sinking, taken off his doublet, the 
 better to be able to swim, and in his shirt and trunks there was 
 nothing to distinguish him from a Spaniard, and none sus-
 
 164 STILL NORTHWARDS. 
 
 pected that he was other than he seemed to be a ship's boy, 
 who had lost his senses from fear. When the work was done, 
 he threw himself on the deck with the weary sailors. His 
 hopes were that the battle would be renewed in the morning, 
 and that either the ship might be captured, or that an English 
 vessel might pass so close alongside that he might leap over 
 and swim to her. 
 
 Great was his disappointment next day when the sudden 
 change of wind gave the Spanish fleet the weather-gage, and 
 enabled them to steer away for the north. He joined in 
 the work of the crew, paying no attention whatever to 
 what was passing around him, or heeding in the slightest 
 the remarks made to him. Once or twice when an officer 
 spoke to him sternly he gave a little cry, ran to the side, and 
 crouched down as if in abject fear. In a very short time no 
 attention was paid to him, and he was suffered to go about as 
 he chose, being regarded as a harmless imbecile. He was in hopes 
 that the next day the Spaniards would change their course 
 and endeavour to beat back to the Channel, and was at once 
 disappointed and surprised as they sped on before the south- 
 westerly wind, which was hourly increasing in force. Some 
 miles behind he could see the English squadron in pursuit; but 
 these made no attempt to close up, being well contented to see 
 the Armada sailing away, and being too straitened in ammuni- 
 tion to wish to bring on an engagement so long as the Spaniards 
 were following their present course. 
 
 The wind blew with ever-increasing force; the lightly ballasted 
 ships made bad weather, rolling deep in the seas, straining 
 heavily, and leaking badly through the opening seams and the 
 hastily-stopped shot-holes. Water was extremely scarce, and 
 at a signal from the admiral all the horses and mules were 
 thrown overboard in order to husband the supply. Several of 
 the masts, badly injured by the English shot, went by the
 
 A GRATEFUL SOVEREIGN! 165 
 
 board, and the vessels dropped behind crippled, to be picked 
 up by the pursuing fleet. 
 
 Lord Howard followed as far as the mouth of the Forth; 
 and seeing that the Spaniards made no effort to enter the 
 estuary, and his provisions being now well-nigh exhausted, he 
 hove the fleet about and made back for the Channel, leaving 
 two small vessels only to follow the Armada and watch its 
 course, believing that it would make for Denmark, refit there, 
 and then return to rejoin Parma. 
 
 It was a grievous disappointment to the English to be thus 
 forced by want of provisions to relinquish the pursuit. Had 
 they been properly supplied with provisions and ammunition 
 they could have made an end of the Armada; whereas, they 
 believed that by allowing them now to escape the whole work 
 would have to be done over again. They had sore trouble to 
 get back again off the Norfolk coast. The wind became so 
 furious that the fleet was scattered. A few of the largest ships 
 reached Margate; others were driven into Harwich, others 
 with difficulty kept the sea until the storm broke. 
 
 It might have been thought that after such service as the fleet 
 had rendered even Elizabeth might have been generous; but now 
 that the danger was over, she became more niggardly than ever. 
 No fresh provisions were supplied for the sick men, and though 
 in the fight off the Dutch coast only some fifty or sixty had 
 been killed, in the course of a very short time the crews were 
 so weakened by deaths and disease that scarce a ship could have 
 put to sea, however urgent the necessity. Drake and Howard 
 spent every penny they could raise in buying fresh meat and 
 vegetables, and in procuring some sort of shelter on shore for 
 the sick. Had the men received the wages due to them they 
 could have made a shift to have purchased what they so 
 urgently required; but though the Treasury was full of money, 
 not a penny was forthcoming until every item of the accounts
 
 166 TERRIBLE WEATHER. 
 
 had been investigated and squabbled over. Howard was com- 
 pelled to pay from his private purse for everything that had 
 been purchased at Plymouth, Sir John Hawkins was absolutely 
 ruined by the demands made on him to pay for necessaries 
 supplied to the fleet, and had the admirals and sailors of the 
 fleet that saved England behaved like ignominious cowards, 
 their treatment could not have been worse than that which 
 they received at the hands of their sovereign. 
 
 But while the English seamen were dying like sheep from 
 disease and neglect, their conquered foes were faring no better. 
 They had breathed freely for the first time when they saw the 
 English fleet bear up; an examination was made of the pro- 
 visions that were left, and the crews were placed on rations of 
 eight ounces of bread, half a pint of wine, and a pint of water 
 a day. The fleet was still a great one, for of the hundred and 
 fifty ships which had sailed from Corunna, a hundred and twenty 
 still held together. The weather now turned bitterly cold, with 
 fog and mist, squalls and driving showers; and the vessels, 
 when they reached the north coast of Scotland, lost sight of 
 each other, and each struggled for herself in the tempestuous 
 sea. 
 
 A week later the weather cleared, and on the 9th of August 
 Geoffrey looking round at daybreak saw fifteen other ships 
 in sight. Among these were the galleons of Calderon and 
 Ricaldo, the Rita, San Marcos, and eleven other vessels. 
 Signals were flying from all of them, but the sea was so high 
 that it was scarce possible to lower a boat. That night it again 
 blew hard and the fog closed in, and in the morning Geoffrey 
 found that the ship he was on, and all the others, with the 
 exception of that of Calderon, were steering north; the in- 
 tention of Ricaldo and De Leyva being to make for the Ork- 
 neys and refit there. Calderon had stood south, and had 
 come upon Sidonia with fifty ships; and these, bearing well
 
 WRECK AND DISASTER. 167 
 
 away to the west of Ireland, finally succeeded for the most 
 part in reaching Spain, their crews reduced by sickness and 
 want to a mere shadow of their original strength. 
 
 The cold became bitter as De Leyva's ships made their way 
 towards the Orkneys. The storm was furious, and the sailors, 
 unaccustomed to the cold and weakened by disease and famine, 
 could no longer work their ships, and De Leyva was obliged at 
 last to abandon his intention and make south. One galleon was 
 driven on the Faroe Islands, a second on the Orkneys, and a 
 third on the Isle of Mull, where it was attacked by the natives 
 and burned with almost every one on board. The rest managed 
 to make the west coast of Ireland, and the hope that they would 
 find shelter in Galway Bay, or the mouth of the Shannon, 
 began to spring up in the breasts of the exhausted crews. 
 
 The Irish were their co-religionists and allies, and had only been 
 waiting for news of the success of the Armada to rise in arms 
 against the English, who had but few troops there. Eumours 
 of disaster had arrived, and a small frigate had been driven 
 into Tralee Bay. The fears of the garrison at Tralee Castle over- 
 came their feelings of humanity, and all on board were put to 
 death. Two galleons put into Dingle, and landing begged for 
 water; but the natives, deciding that the Spanish cause was a 
 lost one, refused to give them a drop, seized the men who had 
 landed in the boats, and the galleons had to put to sea again. 
 
 Another ship of a thousand tons, Our Lady of the Rosary, was 
 driven into the furious straits between the Blasket Islands and 
 the coast of Kerry. Of her crew of seven hundred, five hun- 
 dred had died. Before she got half-way through she struck 
 among the breakers, and all the survivors perished save the 
 son of the pilot, who was washed ashore lashed to a plank. 
 Six others who had reached the mouth of the Shannon sent 
 their boats ashore for water; but although there were no Eng- 
 lish there the Irish feared to supply them, even though the
 
 168 AN INHOSPITABLE SHORE. 
 
 Spaniards offered any sum of money for a few casks. One of 
 the ships was abandoned and the others put to sea, only to be 
 dashed ashore in the same gale that wrecked Our Lady of the 
 Rosary, and of all their crews only one hundred and fifty men 
 were cast ashore alive. Along the coast of Connemara, Mayo, 
 and Sligo many other ships were wrecked. In almost every 
 case the crews who reached the shore were at once murdered 
 by the native savages for the sake of their clothes and 
 jewellery. 
 
 Geoffrey had suffered as much as the rest of the crew on 
 board the galleon in which he sailed. All were so absorbed by 
 their own suffering and misery that none paid any attention to 
 the idiot boy in their midst. He worked at such work as 
 there was to do: assisted to haul on the ropes, to throw the 
 dead overboard, and to do what could be done for the sick 
 and wounded. Like all on board he was reduced almost to a 
 skeleton, and was scarce able to stand. 
 
 As the surviving ships passed Galway Bay, one of them, 
 which was leaking so badly that she could only have been 
 kept afloat a few hours in any case, entered it, and brought 
 up opposite the town. Don Lewis of Cordova, who com- 
 manded, sent a party on shore, believing that in Galway, 
 between which town and Spain there had always been close 
 connections, they would be well received. They were, how- 
 ever, at once taken prisoners. An attempt was made to get 
 up the anchors again, but the crew were too feeble to be able 
 to do so, and the natives coming out in their boats, all were 
 taken prisoners and sent on shore. Sir Richard Bingham, the 
 governor of Connaught, arrived in a few hours, and at once 
 despatched search parties through Clare and Connemara to 
 bring all Spaniards cast ashore alive to the town, and sent his 
 son to Mayo to fetch down all who landed there. But young 
 Bingham's mission proved useless; every Spaniard who had
 
 THE FATE OF THE SURVIVORS. 169 
 
 landed had been murdered by the natives, well-nigh three thou- 
 sand having been slain by the axes and knives of the savages 
 who professed to be their co-religionists. 
 
 Sir Richard Bingham was regarded as a humane man, but he 
 feared the consequences should the eleven hundred prisoners 
 collected at Galway be restored to health and strength. He 
 had but a handful of troops under him, and had had the 
 greatest difficulty in keeping down the Irish alone. With 
 eleven hundred Spanish soldiers to aid them the task would 
 be impossible, and accordingly he gave orders that all, with the 
 exception of Don Lewis himself, and three or four other nobles, 
 should be executed. The order was carried out; Don Lewis, 
 with those spared, was sent under an escort to Dublin, but the 
 others being too feeble to walk were killed or died on the way, 
 and Don Lewis himself was the sole survivor out of the crews 
 of a dozen ships. 
 
 De Ley va, the most popular officer in the Armada, had with 
 him in his ship two hundred and fifty young nobles of the 
 oldest families in Spain. He was twice wrecked. The first 
 time all reached the shore in safety, and were protected by 
 O'Niel, who was virtually the sovereign of the north of Ulster. 
 He treated them kindly for a time. They then took to sea 
 again, but were finally wrecked off Dunluce, and all on board 
 save five perished miserably. Over eight thousand Spaniards 
 died on the Irish coast. Eleven hundred were put to death by 
 Bingham, three thousand murdered by the Irish, the rest 
 drowned; and of the whole Armada but fifty-four vessels, 
 carrying between nine and ten thousand worn-out men, 
 reached Spain, and of the survivors a large proportion after- 
 wards died from the effects of the sufferings they had endured.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE WAR IN HOLLAND. 
 
 the confusion caused by the collision of the Active 
 with the Spanish galleon no one had noticed the 
 accident which had befallen Geoffrey Vickars, and 
 his brother's distress was great when, on the 
 ship getting free from among the Spaniards, he discovered 
 that Geoffrey was missing. He had been by his side on the 
 poop but a minute before the mast fell, and had no doubt that 
 he had been carried overboard by its wreck. That he had sur- 
 vived he had not the least hope, and when a week later the 
 Active on her way back towards the Thames was driven 
 into Harwich, he at once landed and carried the sad news to 
 his parents. England was wild with joy at its deliverance, but 
 the household at Hedingham was plunged into deep sorrow. 
 
 Weeks passed and then Lionel received a letter from Francis 
 Vere saying that Parma's army was advancing into Holland, 
 and that as active work was at hand he had best, if his inten- 
 tions remained unchanged, join him without delay. 
 
 He started two days later for Harwich, and thence took ship 
 for Bergen-op-Zoom. Anchoring at Flushing, he learned that 
 the Duke of Parma had already sat down in front of Bergen- 
 op-Zoom, and had on the 7th attempted to capture Tholen on 
 the opposite side of the channel, but had been repulsed by the 
 regiment of Count Solms, with a loss of 400 men. He had
 
 AT BERGEN-OP-ZOOM. 171 
 
 then thrown up works against the water forts, and hot fighting 
 had gone on, the garrison making frequent sallies upon the be- 
 siegers. The water forts still held out, and the captain therefore 
 determined to continue his voyage into the town. The ship was 
 fired at by the Spanish batteries, but passed safely between the 
 water forts and dropped anchor in the port on the last day of 
 September, Lionel having been absent from Holland just a 
 year. He landed at once and made his way to the lodgings 
 of Francis Vere, by whom he was received with great cor- 
 diality. 
 
 "I was greatly grieved," he said after the first greetings, "to 
 hear of your brother's death. I felt it as if he had been a near 
 relative of my own. I had hoped to see you both; and that 
 affair concerning which my cousin wrote to me, telling me how 
 cleverly you had discovered a plot against the queen's life, 
 showed me that you would both be sure to make your way. 
 Your father and mother must have felt the blow terribly?" 
 
 " They have indeed," Lionel said. " I do not think, how- 
 ever, that they altogether give up hope. They cling to the 
 idea that he may have been picked up by some Spanish ship 
 and may now be a prisoner in Spain." 
 
 Francis Vere shook his head. 
 
 " Of course, I know," Lionel went on, " their hope is alto- 
 gether without foundation; for even had Geoffrey gained one 
 of their ships, he would at once have been thrown overboard. 
 Still I rather encouraged the idea, for it is better that hope 
 should die out gradually than be extinguished at a blow; and 
 slight though it was it enabled my father and mother to bear 
 up better than they otherwise would have done. Had it not 
 been for that I believe that my mother would have well-nigh 
 sunk beneath it. I was very glad when I got your letter, for 
 active service will be a distraction to my sorrow. We have 
 ever been together, Geoffrey and I, and I feel like one lost with-
 
 172 A QUIET TIME 
 
 out him. You have not had much fighting here, I think, since 
 I have been away?" 
 
 "No, indeed; you have been far more lucky than I have," 
 Francis Vere said. " With the exception of the fight with the 
 San Matteo I have been idle ever since I saw you, for not a 
 shot has been fired here, while you have been taking part in the 
 great fight for the very existence of our country. It is well 
 that Parma has been wasting nine months at Dunkirk, for it 
 would have gone hard with us had he marched hither instead 
 of waiting there for the arrival of the Armada. Our force here 
 has fallen away to well-nigh nothing. The soldiers could get 
 no pay, and were almost starved; their clothes were so ragged 
 that it was pitiful to see them. Great numbers have died, and 
 more gone back to England. As to the Dutch, they are more 
 occupied in quarrelling with us than in preparing for defence, 
 and they would right willingly see us go so that we did but 
 deliver Flushing and Brill and this town back again to them. 
 I was truly glad when I heard that Parma had broken up his 
 camp at Dunkirk when the Armada sailed away, and was 
 marching hither. Now that he has come, it may be that these 
 wretched disputes will come to an end, and that something like 
 peace and harmony will prevail in our councils. He could not 
 have done better, as far as we are concerned, than in coming 
 to knock his head against these walls; for Bergen is far too 
 strong for him to take, and he will assuredly meet with no suc- 
 cess here such as would counterbalance in any way the blow 
 that Spanish pride has suffered in the defeat of the Armada. 
 I think, Lionel, that you have outgrown your pageship, and 
 since you have been fighting as a gentleman volunteer in Drake's 
 fleet you had best take the same rank here." 
 
 The siege went on but slowly. Vigorous sorties were made, 
 and the cavalry sometimes sallied out from the gates and made 
 excursions as far as Wouw, a village three miles away, and took
 
 A TREACHEROUS KNAVE. 173 
 
 many prisoners. Among these were two commissaries of ord- 
 nance, who were intrusted to the safe keeping of the Deputy- 
 Provost Redhead. They were not strictly kept, and were allowed 
 to converse with the provost's friends. One of these, William 
 Grimeston, suspected that one of the commissaries, who pre- 
 tended to be an Italian, was really an English deserter who had 
 gone over with the traitor Stanley; and in order to see if his 
 suspicions were correct, pretended that he was dissatisfied 
 with his position and would far rather be fighting on the 
 other side. The man at once fell into the trap, acknowledged 
 that he was an Englishman, and said that if Grimeston and 
 Redhead would but follow his advice they would soon become 
 rich men, for that if they could arrange to give up one of the 
 forts to Parma they would be magnificently rewarded. 
 
 Redhead and Grimeston pretended to agree, but at once in- 
 formed Lord Willoughby, who was in command, of the offer 
 that had been made to them. They were ordered to continue 
 their negotiations with the traitor. The latter furnished them 
 with letters to Stanley and Parma, and with these they made 
 their way out of the town at night to the Spanish camp. They 
 had an interview with the duke, and promised to deliver the 
 north water fort over to him, for which service Redhead was 
 to receive 1200 crowns and Grimeston 700 crowns, and a com- 
 mission in Stanley's regiment of traitors. 
 
 Stanley himself entertained them in his tent, and Parma 
 presented them with two gold chains. They then returned to 
 Bergen and related all that had taken place to Lord Willoughby. 
 The matter was kept a profound secret in the town, Francis 
 Vere, who was in command of the north fort, and a few others 
 only being made acquainted with what was going on. 
 
 On the appointed night, 22d of October, Grimeston went 
 out alone, Redhead's supposed share of the business being to 
 open the gates of the fort. When Grimeston arrived at Parma's
 
 174 CAUGHT IN A TRAP. 
 
 camp he found that the Spaniards had become suspicious. 
 He was bound and placed in charge of a Spanish captain, 
 who was ordered to stab him at once if there was any sign of 
 treachery. It was a dark night; the tide was out, for the land 
 over which the Spaniards had to advance was flooded at other 
 times. The attacking column consisted of three thousand men, 
 including Stanley's regiment; and a number of knights and 
 nobles accompanied it as volunteers. 
 
 As they approached the forts Grimeston in front closely 
 guarded by the Spanish captain it was seen by the assailants 
 that Redhead had kept his word: the drawbridge across the 
 moat was down and the portcullis was up. Within the fort 
 Lord Wllloughby, Vere, and two thousand men were waiting 
 them. When about fifty had crossed the drawbridge the port- 
 cullis was suddenly let fall and the drawbridge hauled up. As 
 the portcullis thundered down Grimeston tripped up the sur- 
 prised Spaniard, and, leaping into the water, managed to make 
 his way to the foot of the walls. A discharge of musketry and 
 artillery from the fort killed a hundred and fifty of the attack- 
 ing party, while those who had crossed the drawbridge were 
 all either killed or taken prisoners. But the water in the moat 
 was low. The Spaniards gallantly waded across and attacked 
 the palisades, but were repulsed in their endeavour to climb 
 them. While the fight was going on the water in the moat 
 was rising, and scores were washed away and drowned as 
 they attempted to return. 
 
 Parma continued the siege for some little time, but made no 
 real attempt to take the place after having been repulsed at the 
 north fort; and on the 12th of November broke up his camp 
 and returned to Brussels. 
 
 After the siege was over Lord Willoughby knighted twelve 
 of his principal officers, foremost among whom was Francis Vere, 
 who was now sent home with despatches by his general, and
 
 A MUTINOUS GARRISON. 175 
 
 remained in England until the end of January, when he was 
 appointed sergeant-major-general of the forces, a post of great 
 responsibility and much honour, by Lord Willoughby, with the 
 full approval of the queen's government. He was accompanied 
 on his return by his brother Robert. 
 
 A month after Sir Francis Vere's return Lord Willoughby 
 left for England, and the whole burden of operations in the 
 field fell upon Vere. His first trouble arose from the mutin- 
 ous conduct of the garrison of Gertruydenberg. This was 
 an important town on the banks of the old Maas, and was 
 strongly fortified, one side being protected by the Maas while 
 the river Douge swept round two other sides of its walls. 
 Its governor, Count Hohenlohe, had been unpopular, the troops 
 had received no pay, and there had been a partial mutiny before 
 the siege of Bergen-op-Zoom began. This was appeased by the 
 appointment of Sir John Wingfield, Lord Willoughby's brother- 
 in-law, as its governor. 
 
 In the winter the discontent broke out again. The soldiers 
 had been most unjustly treated by the States, and there were long 
 arrears of pay, and at first Sir John Wingfield espoused the 
 cause of the men. Sir Francis Vere tried in vain to arrange 
 matters. The Dutch authorities would not pay up the arrears, 
 the men would not return to their duty until they did so, and 
 at last became so exasperated that they ceased to obey their 
 governor and opened communications with the enemy. Prince 
 Maurice, who was now three and twenty years old, and devoted 
 to martial pursuits and the cause of his countrymen, after 
 consultation with Sir Francis Vere, laid siege to the town and 
 made a furious assault upon it on the water side. But the 
 Dutch troops, although led by Count Solms and Count Philip 
 of Nassau, were repulsed with great loss. The prince then 
 promised not only a pardon, but that the demands of the gar- 
 rison should be complied with; but it was too late, and four
 
 176 SIR FRANCIS VERE IN COMMAND. 
 
 days later Gertruydenberg was delivered up by the mutineers 
 to the Duke of Parma, the soldiers being received into the 
 Spanish service, while Wingfield and the officers were permitted 
 to retire. 
 
 The States were furious, as this was the third city commanded 
 by Englishmen that had been handed over to the enemy. The 
 bad feeling excited by the treachery of Sir William Stanley 
 and Roland Yorke at Deventer and Zutphen had died out after 
 the gallant defence of the English at Sluys, but now broke 
 out again afresh, and charges of treachery were brought not 
 only against Wingfield but against many other English officers, 
 including Sir Francis Vere. The queen, however, wrote so indig- 
 nantly to the States that they had to withdraw their charges 
 against most of the English officers. 
 
 In May Lord Willoughby, who was still in London, resigned 
 his command. A number of old officers of distinction who 
 might have laid claims to succeed him, among them Sir John 
 Norris, Sir Roger Williams, Sir Thomas Wilford, Sir William 
 Drury, Sir Thomas Baskerville, and Sir John Burrough, were 
 withdrawn from the Netherlands to serve in France or Ireland, 
 and no general-in-chief or lieutenant-general was appointed, 
 Sir Francis Vere as sergeant-major receiving authority to com- 
 mand all soldiers already in the field or to be sent out during 
 the absence of the general and lieutenant-general. His official 
 title was Her Majesty's Sergeant-major in the Field. The gar- 
 risons in the towns were under the command of their own gov- 
 ernors, and those could supply troops for service in the field 
 according to their discretion. 
 
 The appointment of so young a man as Sir Francis Vere to 
 a post demanding not only military ability but great tact 
 and diplomatic power, was abundant proof of the high esti- 
 mate formed of him by the queen and her counsellors. The 
 position was one of extreme difficulty. He had to keep on
 
 THE RELIEF OF RHEINBERG. 177 
 
 good terms with the queen and her government, with the 
 government of the States, the English agent at the Hague, 
 Prince Maurice in command of the army of the Netherlands, 
 the English governors of the towns, and the officers or men of 
 the force under his own command. Fortunately Barneveldt, 
 who at that time was the most prominent man in the States, 
 had a high opinion of Vere. Sir Thomas Bodley, the queen's 
 agent, had much confidence in him, and acted with him most 
 cordially, and Prince Maurice entertained a great respect for 
 him, consulted him habitually in all military matters, and 
 placed him in the position of marshal of the camp of the army 
 of the Netherlands, in addition to his own command of the 
 English portion of that army. 
 
 Vere's first undertaking was to lead a force of 12,000 men, 
 of whom half were English, to prevent Count Mansfelt from 
 crossing the Maas with an army of equal strength. Prince 
 Maurice was present in person as general-in-chief. Intrench - 
 ments were thrown up and artillery planted; but just as Mans 
 felt was preparing to cross his troops mutinied, and he was 
 obliged to fall back. 
 
 In October, with 900 of his own troops and twelve companies 
 of Dutch horse, Sir Francis Vere succeeded in throwing a con- 
 voy of provisions into the town of Rheinberg, which was be- 
 sieged by a large force of the enemy. As soon as he returned 
 the States requested him to endeavour to throw in another 
 convoy, as Count Mansfelt was marching to swell the force of 
 the besiegers, and after his arrival it would be well-nigh im- 
 possible to send further aid into the town. Vere took with 
 him 900 English and 900 Dutch infantry, and 800 Dutch 
 cavalry. The enemy had possession of a fortified country 
 house called Loo, close to which lay a thick wood traversed 
 only by a narrow path, with close undergrowth and swampy 
 ground on either side. The enemy were in great force around 
 
 (577) M
 
 178 A SHARP FIGHT. 
 
 Loo, and came out to attack the expedition as it passed through 
 the wood. Sending the Dutch troops on first, Vere attacked 
 the enemy vigorously with his infantry and drove them back to 
 the inclosure of Loo. As soon as his whole force had crossed 
 the wood, he halted them and ordered them to form in line 
 of battle facing the wood through which they had just passed, 
 and from which the enemy were now pouring out in great 
 force. 
 
 In order to give time to his troops to prepare for the action 
 Vere took half his English infantry and advanced against 
 them. They moved forward, and a stubborn fight took place 
 between the pikemen. Vere's horse was killed, and fell on 
 him so that he could not rise; but the English closed round 
 him, and he was rescued with no other harm than a bruised leg 
 and several pike-thrusts through his clothes. While the con- 
 flict between the pikemen was going on the English arque- 
 busiers opened fire on the flank of the enemy, and they began 
 to fall back Four times they rallied and charged the English, 
 but were at last broken and scattered through the wood. The 
 cavalry stationed there left their horses and fled through the 
 undergrowth. Pressing forward the little English force next 
 fell upon twenty-four companies of Neapolitan infantry, who 
 were defeated without difficulty. The four hundred and fifty 
 Englishmen then joined the main force, which marched trium- 
 phantly with their convoy of provisions into Rheinberg, and 
 the next morning fortunately turning thick and foggy the force 
 made its way back without interruption by the enemy.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 IN SPAIN. 
 
 LONE among the survivors of the great Spanish 
 Armada, Geoffrey Vickars saw the coast of Ire- 
 land fade away from sight without a feeling of 
 satisfaction or relief. His hope had been that 
 the ship would be wrecked on her progress down the 
 coast. He knew not that the wild Irish were slaying all 
 whom the sea spared, and that ignorant as they were of the 
 English tongue, he would undoubtedly have shared the fate 
 of his Spanish companions. He thought only of the risk of 
 being drowned, and would have preferred taking this to the 
 certainty of a captivity perhaps for life in the Spanish prisons. 
 The part that he had played since he had been picked up off 
 Gravelines could not be sustained indefinitely. He might as 
 well spend his life in prison, where at least there would be 
 some faint hope of being exchanged, as wander about Spain all 
 his life as an imbecile beggar. 
 
 As soon, therefore, as he saw that the perils of the coast of 
 Ireland were passed, and that the vessel was likely to reach 
 Spain in safety, he determined that he would on reaching a port 
 disclose his real identity. There were on board several Scotch 
 and Irish volunteers, and he decided to throw himself upon 
 the pity of one of these rather than on that of the Spaniards. 
 He did not think that in any case his life was in danger. Had
 
 180 GERALD BURKE IS SURPRISED. 
 
 he been detected when first picked up, or during the early part 
 of the voyage, he would doubtless have been thrown over- 
 board without mercy; but now that the passions of the com- 
 batants had subsided, and that he had been so long among 
 them, and had, as he believed, won the good- will of many by 
 the assistance he had rendered to the sick and wounded, he 
 thought that there was little fear of his life being taken in cold 
 blood. 
 
 One of the Irish volunteers, Gerald Burke by name, had for 
 a long time been seriously ill, and Geoffrey had in many small 
 ways shown him kindness as he lay helpless on the deck, and 
 he determined finally to confide in him. Although still very 
 weak, Burke was now convalescent, and was sitting alone by 
 the poop-rail gazing upon the coast of Spain with eager eyes, 
 when Geoffrey, under the pretext of coiling down a rope, ap- 
 proached him. The young man nodded kindly to him. 
 
 "Our voyage is nearly over, my poor lad," he said in Spanish, 
 " and your troubles now will be worse than mine. You have 
 given me many a drink of water from your scanty supply, and 
 I wish that I could do something for you in return; but I know 
 that you do not even understand what I say to you." 
 
 "Would you give me an opportunity of speaking to you 
 after nightfall, Mr. Burke," Geoffrey said in English, "when 
 no one will notice us speaking?" 
 
 The Irishman gave a start of astonishment at hearing him- 
 self addressed in English. 
 
 "My life is in your hands, sir; pray, do not betray me," 
 Geoffrey said rapidly as he went on coiling down the rope. 
 
 " I will be at this place an hour after nightfall," the young 
 Irishman replied when he recovered from his surprise. " Your 
 secret will be safe with me." 
 
 At the appointed time Geoffrey returned to the spot. The 
 decks were now deserted, for a drizzling rain was falling, and
 
 GERALD PROMISES HIS AID. 181 
 
 all save those on duty had retired below, happy in the thought 
 that on the following morning they would be in port. 
 
 "Now, tell me who you are," the young Irishman began. "I 
 thought you were a Spanish sailor, one of those we picked up 
 when the Spanish galleon next to us foundered." 
 
 Geoffrey then told him how he had been knocked off an 
 English ship by the fall of a mast, had swum to the galleon 
 and taken refuge beneath her bowsprit until she sank, and 
 how, when picked up and carried on to the Spanish ship, he 
 feigned to have lost his senses in order to conceal his ignorance 
 of Spanish. 
 
 "I knew," he said, "that were I recognized as English at the 
 time I should at once be killed, but I thought that if I could 
 conceal who I was for a time I should simply be sent to the 
 galleys, where I have heard that there are many English 
 prisoners working." 
 
 " I think death would have been preferable to that lot," Mr. 
 Burke said. 
 
 " Yes, sir; but there is always the hope of escape or of ex- 
 change. When you spoke kindly to me this afternoon I partly 
 understood what you said, for in this long time I have been on 
 board I have come to understand a little Spanish, and I 
 thought that maybe you would assist me in some way." 
 
 " I would gladly do so, though I regard Englishmen as the 
 enemies of my country; but in what way can I help you? I 
 could furnish you with a disguise, but your ignorance of 
 Spanish would lead to your detection immediately." 
 
 " I have been thinking it over, sir, and it seemed to me that 
 as there will be no objection to my landing to-morrow, think- 
 ing as they do that I have lost my senses, I might join you 
 after you once got out of the town. I have some money in 
 my waistbelt, and if you would purchase some clothes for me I 
 might then join you as your servant as you ride along. At the
 
 182 THE PLAN ARRANGED. 
 
 next town you come to none would know but that I had 
 been in your service during the voyage, and there would be 
 nothing strange in you, an Irish gentleman, being accompanied 
 by an Irish servant who spoke but little Spanish. I would 
 serve you faithfully, sir, until perhaps some opportunity might 
 occur for my making my escape to England." 
 
 " Yes, I think that might be managed," the young Irishman 
 said. " When I land to-morrow I will buy some clothes suit- 
 able for a serving-man. I do not know the names of the hotels 
 on shore, so you must watch me when I land and see where I 
 put up. Come there in the evening at nine o'clock I will 
 issue out and give you the bundle of clothes, and tell you at 
 what hour in the morning I have arranged to start. I will 
 hire two horses; when they come round to the door, join me 
 in front of the hotel and busy yourself in packing my trunks 
 on the baggage mules. When you have done that, mount the 
 second horse and ride after me ; the people who will go with 
 us with the horses will naturally suppose that you have landed 
 with me. Should any of our shipmates here see us start, it is not 
 likely that they will recognize you. If they do so, I need simply 
 say that as you had shown me such kindness on board ship I 
 had resolved to take you with me to Madrid in order to see if 
 anything could be done to restore you to reason. However, it 
 is better that you should keep in the background as much as 
 possible. I will arrange to start at so early an hour in the 
 morning that none of those who may land with me from 
 the ship, and may put up at the same inn, are likely to be 
 about." 
 
 The next morning the vessel entered port. They were soon 
 surrounded by boats full of people inquiring anxiously for 
 news of other ships, and for friends and acquaintances on 
 board. Presently large boats were sent off by the authorities, 
 and the disembarkation of the sick and the helpless began.
 
 LANDED. 183 
 
 This indeed included the greater portion of the survivors, for 
 there were but two or three score on board who were capable 
 of dragging themselves about, the rest being completely pro- 
 strate by disease, exhaustion, hunger, and thirst. Geoffrey 
 was about to descend into one of the boats, when the officer in 
 command said roughly : " Remain on board and do your work, 
 there is no need for your going into the hospital." One of the 
 ship's officers, however, explained that the lad had altogether 
 lost his senses, and was unable either to understand when 
 spoken to or to reply to questions. Consequently he was per- 
 mitted to take his place in the boat. 
 
 As soon as he stepped ashore he wandered away among the 
 crowd of spectators. A woman, observing his wan face and 
 feeble walk, called him into her house, and set food and wine 
 before him. He made a hearty meal, but only shook his head 
 when she addressed him, and laughed childishly and muttered 
 his thanks in Spanish when she bestowed a dollar upon him as 
 he left. He watched at the port while boat-load after boat- 
 load of sick came ashore, until at last one containing the sur- 
 viving officers and gentlemen with their baggage reached the 
 land. Then he kept Gerald Burke in sight until he entered an 
 inn, followed by two men carrying his baggage. Several times 
 during the day food and money were offered him, the inhabi- 
 tants being full of horror and pity at the sight of the famishing 
 survivors of the crew of the galleon. 
 
 At nine o'clock in the evening Geoffrey took up his station 
 near the door of the inn. A few minutes later Gerald Burke 
 came out with a bundle. " Here are the clothes," he said. " I 
 have hired horses for our journey to Madrid. They will be 
 at the door at six o'clock in the morning. I have arranged to 
 travel by very short stages, for at first neither you nor I could 
 sit very long upon a horse; however, I hope we shall soon 
 gain strength as we go."
 
 184 ON THE ROAD. 
 
 Taking the bundle, Geoffrey walked a short distance from 
 the town and lay down upon the ground under some trees. 
 The night was a warm one, and after the bitter cold they had 
 suffered during the greater part of the voyage, it felt almost 
 sultry to him. At daybreak in the morning he rose, put on 
 the suit of clothes Gerald Burke had provided, washed his face 
 in a little stream, and proceeded to the inn. He arrived there 
 just as the clocks were striking six. A few minutes later two 
 men with two horses and four mules came up to the door, and 
 shortly afterwards Gerald Burke came out. Geoffrey at once 
 joined him; the servants of the inn brought out the baggage, 
 which was fastened by the muleteers on to two of the animals. 
 Gerald Burke mounted one of the horses and Geoffrey the other, 
 and at once rode on, the muleteers mounting the other two 
 mules and following with those carrying the baggage. 
 
 " That was well managed," Gerald Burke said as they rode out 
 of the town. " The muleteers can have no idea that you have 
 but just joined me, and there is little chance of any of my com- 
 rades on board ship overtaking us, as all intend to stop for a 
 few days to recruit themselves before going on. If they did 
 they would not be likely to recognize you in your present 
 attire, or to suspect that my Irish servant is the crazy boy of 
 the ship." 
 
 After riding at an easy pace for two hours, they halted under 
 the shade of some trees. Fruit, bread, and wine were produced 
 from a wallet on one of the mules, and they sat down and 
 breakfasted. After a halt of an hour they rode on until noon, 
 when they again halted until four in the afternoon, for the sun 
 was extremely hot, and both Gerald Burke and Geoffrey 
 were so weak they scarce could sit their horses. Two hours 
 further riding took them to a large village, where they put up 
 at the inn. Geoffrey now fell into his place as Mr. Burke's 
 servant saw to the baggage being taken inside, and began for
 
 IN MADRID. 185 
 
 the first time to try his tongue at Spanish. He got on better 
 than he had expected; and as Mr. Burke spoke with a good 
 deal of foreign accent, it did not seem in any way singular to 
 the people of the inn that his servant should speak but little of 
 the language. 
 
 Quietly they journeyed on, doing but short distances for the 
 first three or four days, but as they gained strength pushing 
 on faster, and by the time they reached Madrid both were 
 completely recovered from the effects of their voyage. Madrid 
 was in mourning, for there was scarce a family but had lost 
 relations in the Armada. Mr. Burke at once took lodgings 
 and installed Geoffrey as his servant. He had many friends 
 and acquaintances in the city, where he had been residing for 
 upwards of a year previous to the sailing of the Armada. 
 
 For some weeks Geoffrey went out but little, spending 
 his time in reading Spanish books and mastering the 
 language as much as possible. He always conversed in that 
 language with Mr. Burke, and at the end of six weeks was able 
 to talk Spanish with some fluency. He now generally accom- 
 panied Mr. Burke if he went out, following him in the streets 
 and standing behind his chair when he dined abroad. He was 
 much amused at all he saw, making many acquaintances among 
 the lackeys of Mr. Burke's friends, dining with them downstairs 
 after the banquets were over, and often meeting them of an 
 evening when he had nothing to do, and going with them to 
 places of entertainment. 
 
 In this way his knowledge of Spanish improved rapidly, and 
 although he still spoke with an accent he could pass well as 
 one who had been for some years in the country. He was now 
 perfectly at ease with the Spanish gentlemen of Mr. Burke's 
 acquaintance. It was only when Irish and Scotch friends 
 called upon his master that he feared awkward questions, and 
 upon these occasions he showed himself as little as possible.
 
 186 "WHAT IS TO BE DONE?" 
 
 When alone with Gerald Burke the latter always addressed 
 Geoffrey as a friend rather than as a servant, and made no 
 secret with him as to his position and means. He had been 
 concerned in a rising in Ireland, and had fled the country, 
 bringing with him a fair amount of resources. Believing that 
 the Armada was certain to be crowned with success, and that 
 he should ere long be restored to his estates in Ireland, he had, 
 upon his first coming to Spain, spent his money freely. His 
 outfit for the expedition had made a large inroad upon his 
 store, and his resources were now nearly at an end. 
 
 " What is one to do, Geoffrey 1 I don-'t want to take a com- 
 mission in Philip's army, though my friends could obtain one 
 for me at once; but I have no desire to spend the rest of my 
 life in the Netherlands storming the towns of the Dutch 
 burghers." 
 
 "Or rather trying to storm them," Geoffrey said, smiling; 
 "there have not been many towns taken of late years." 
 
 " Nor should I greatly prefer to be campaigning in France," 
 Gerald went on, paying no attention to the interruption. " I 
 have no love either for Dutch Calvinists or French Huguenots ; 
 but I have no desire either to be cutting their throats or for 
 them to be cutting mine. I should like a snug berth under the 
 crown here or at Cadiz, or at Seville; but I see no chance 
 whatever of my obtaining one. I cannot take up the trade of 
 a footpad, though disbanded soldiers turned robbers are com- 
 mon enough in Spain. What is to be done?" 
 
 " If I am not mistaken," Geoffrey said with a smile, " your 
 mind is already made up. It is not quite by accident that you 
 are in the gardens of the Re tiro every evening, and that a few 
 words are always exchanged with a certain young lady as she 
 passes with her duenna." 
 
 "Oh! you have observed that," Gerald Burke replied with a 
 laugh. "Your eyes are sharper than I gave you credit for,
 
 SAGE ADVICE. 187 
 
 Master Geoffrey. Yes, that would set me on my legs without 
 doubt, for Donna Inez is the only daughter and heiress of the 
 Marquis of Bibaldo; but you see there is a father in the case, 
 and if that father had the slightest idea that plain Gerald Burke 
 was lifting his eyes to his daughter it would not be many hours 
 before Gerald Burke had several inches of steel in his body." 
 
 " That I can imagine," Geoffrey said, " since it is, as I learn 
 from my acquaintances among the lackeys, a matter of common 
 talk that the marquis intends to marry her to the son of the 
 Duke of Sottomayor." 
 
 " Inez hates him," Gerald Burke said. " It is just like my 
 ill-luck, that instead of being drowned as most of the others 
 were, he has had the luck to get safely back again. However, 
 he is still ill, and likely to be so for some time. He was not so 
 accustomed to starving as some of us, and he suffered accord- 
 ingly. He is down at his estates near Seville." 
 
 "But what do you think of doing?" Geoffrey asked. 
 
 " That is just what I am asking you." 
 
 " It seems to me, certainly," Geoffrey went on, " that unless 
 you really mean to run off with the young lady for I suppose 
 there is no chance in the world of your marrying her in any 
 other way it will be better both for you and her that you 
 should avoid for the future these meetings in the gardens or 
 elsewhere, and cast your thoughts in some other direction for 
 the bettering of your fortunes." 
 
 " That is most sage advice, Geoffrey," the young Irishman 
 laughed, "and worthy of my father-confessor; but it is not so 
 easy to follow. In the first place, I must tell you that I do not 
 regard Inez as in any way a step to fortune, but rather as a 
 step towards a dungeon. It would be vastly better for us both 
 if she were the daughter of some poor hidalgo like myself. I 
 could settle down then with her, and plant vines and make 
 wine, and sell what I don't drink myself. As it is, I have the
 
 188 GERALD'S INTENTIONS. 
 
 chance of being put out of the way if it is discovered that Inez 
 and I are fond of each other; and in the next place, if we do 
 marry I shall have to get her safely out of the kingdom, or else 
 she will have to pass the rest of her life in a convent, and I the 
 rest of mine in a prison or in the galleys; that is if I am not 
 killed as soon as caught, which is by far the most likely result. 
 Obnoxious sons-in-law do not live long in Spain. So you see, 
 Geoffrey, the prospect is a bad one altogether; and if it were 
 not that I dearly love Inez, and that I am sure she will be 
 unhappy with Philip of Sottomayor, I would give the whole 
 thing up, and make love to the daughter of some comfortable 
 citizen who would give me a corner of his house and a seat at 
 his table for the rest of my days." 
 
 "But, seriously " Geoffrey began. 
 
 " Well, seriously, Geoffrey, my intention is to run away with 
 Inez if it can be managed; but how it is to be managed at pre- 
 sent I have not the faintest idea. To begin with, the daughter 
 of a Spanish grandee is always kept in a very strong cage closely 
 guarded, and it needs a very large golden key to open it. Now, 
 as you are aware, gold is a very scarce commodity with me. 
 Then, after getting her out, a lavish expenditure would be 
 needed for our flight. We should have to make our way to 
 the sea-coast, to do all sorts of things to throw dust into the 
 eyes of our pursuers, and to get a passage to some place beyond 
 the domains of Philip, which means either to France, England, 
 or the Netherlands. Beyond all this will be the question of 
 future subsistence until, if ever, the marquis makes up his mind 
 to forgive his daughter and take her to his heart again, a con- 
 tingency, in my opinion, likely to be extremely remote." 
 
 "And what does the Lady Inez say to it all?" Geoffrey asked. 
 
 " The Lady Inez has had small opportunity of saying any- 
 thing on the subject, Geoffrey. Here in Spain there are 
 mighty few opportunities for courtship. With us at home
 
 THE DUENNA MANAGED. 189 
 
 these matters are easy enough, and there is no lack of oppor- 
 tunity for pleading your suit and winning a girl's heart if it is 
 to be won; but here in Spain matters are altogether different, 
 and an unmarried girl is looked after as sharply as if she was 
 certain to get into some mischief or other the instant she had 
 an opportunity. She is never suffered to be for a moment 
 alone with a man; out of doors or in she has always a duenna 
 by her side; and as to a private chat, the thing is simply im- 
 possible." 
 
 "Then how do you manage to make love 1 !" Geoffrey asked. 
 
 " Well, a very little goes a long way in Spain. The manner 
 of a bow, the wave of a fan, the dropping of a glove or flower, 
 the touch of a hand in a crowded room each of these things 
 go as far as a month's open love-making in Ireland." 
 
 " Then how did you manage with the duenna so as to be 
 able to speak to her in the gardens]" 
 
 "Well, in the first place, I made myself very attentive to 
 the duenna; in the second place, the old lady is devout, and 
 you know Ireland is the land of saints, and I presented her 
 with an amulet containing a paring of the nail of St. Patrick" 
 
 Geoffrey burst into a laugh, in which the Irishman joined. 
 
 " Well, if it was not really St. Patrick's," the latter went on, 
 "it came from Ireland anyhow, which is the next best thing. 
 Then in the third place, the old lady is very fond of Inez ; and 
 although she is as strict as a dragon, Inez coaxed her into the 
 belief that there could not be any harm in our exchanging a 
 few words when she was close by all the time to hear what 
 was said. Now, I think you know as much as I do about the 
 matter, Geoffrey. You will understand that a few notes have 
 been exchanged, and that Inez loves me. Beyond that every- 
 thing is vague and uncertain, and I have not the slightest idea 
 what will come of it." 
 
 Some weeks passed and nothing was done. The meet-
 
 190 WAYS AND MEANS. 
 
 ings between Gerald Burke and Inez in the Gardens of the 
 Retire had ceased a day or two afterwards, the duenna having 
 positively refused to allow them to continue, threatening Inez 
 to inform her father of them unless she gave them up. 
 
 Gerald Burke's funds dwindled rapidly, although he and 
 Geoffrey lived in the very closest way. 
 
 "What in the world is to be done, Geoffrey? I have only 
 got twenty dollars left, which at the outside will pay for our 
 lodgings and food for another month. For the life of me I 
 cannot see what is to be done when that is gone, unless we 
 take to the road." 
 
 Geoffrey shook his head. " As far as I am concerned," he 
 said, " as we are at war with Spain, it would be fair if I met 
 a Spanish ship at sea to capture and plunder it, but I am afraid 
 the laws of war do not justify private plunder. I should be 
 perfectly ready to go out and take service in a vineyard, or to 
 earn my living in any way if it could be managed." 
 
 " I would rob a cardinal if I had the chance," Gerald Burke 
 said, " and if I ever got rich would restore his money four-fold 
 and so obtain absolution; only, unfortunately, I do not see my 
 way to robbing a cardinal. As to digging in the fields, Geoffrey, 
 I would rather hang myself at once. I am constitutionally 
 averse to labour, and if one once took to that sort of thing 
 there would be an end to everything." 
 
 " It is still open to you," Geoffrey said, " to get your friends 
 to obtain a commission for you." 
 
 " I could do that," Gerald said moodily, " but of all things 
 that is what I should most hate." 
 
 " You might make your peace with the English government 
 and get some of your estates back again." 
 
 " That I will not do to feed myself," Gerald Burke said 
 firmly. " I have thought that if I ever carry off Inez I might 
 for her sake do so, for I own that now all hope of help from
 
 GEOFFREY'S STORE. 191 
 
 Spain is at an end, our cause in Ireland is lost, and it is no 
 use going on struggling against the inevitable; but I am not 
 going to sue the English government as a beggar for myself. 
 No doubt I could borrow small sums from Irishmen and Scotch- 
 men here, and hold on for a few months; but most of them are 
 well-nigh as poor as I am myself, and I would not ask them. 
 Besides, there would be no chance of my repaying them; and, 
 if I am to rob anyone, I would rather plunder these rich dons 
 than my own countrymen." 
 
 " Of one thing I am resolved," Geoffrey said, " I will not live 
 at your expense any longer, Gerald. I can speak Spanish very 
 fairly now, and can either take service in some Spanish family 
 or, as I said, get work in the field." 
 
 Gerald laughed. "My dear Geoffrey, the extra expenses 
 caused by you last week were, as far as I can calculate, one 
 penny for bread and as much for fruit; the rest of your living 
 was obtained at the expense of my friends." 
 
 "At any rate," Geoffrey said smiling, "I insist that my 
 money be now thrown into the common fund. I have offered 
 it several times before, but you always said we had best keep 
 it for emergency. I think the emergency has come now, and 
 these ten English pounds in my belt will enable us to take 
 some step or other. The question is, what step ? They might 
 last us, living as we do, for some three or four months, but at 
 the end of that time we should be absolutely penniless; there- 
 fore now is the time, while we have still a small stock in hand, 
 to decide upon something." 
 
 "But what are we to decide upon?" Gerald Burke asked 
 helplessly. 
 
 " I have been thinking it over a great deal," Geoffrey said, 
 " and my idea is that we had best go to Cadiz or some other 
 large port. Although Spain is at war both with England and 
 the Netherlands, trade still goes on in private ships, and both
 
 192 "I MEAN TO GIVE INEZ THE CHANCE." 
 
 Dutch and English vessels carry on commerce with Spain; there- 
 fore it seems to me that there must be merchants in Cadiz who 
 would be ready to give employment to men capable of speaking 
 and writing both in Spanish and English, and in my case to a 
 certain extent in Dutch. From there, too, there might be a 
 chance of getting a passage to England or Holland. If we 
 found that impossible owing to the vessels being too carefully 
 searched before sailing, we might at the worst take passage as 
 sailors on board a Spanish ship bound for the Indies, and take 
 our chance of escape or capture there or on the voyage. That, 
 at least, is what I planned for myself." 
 
 " I think your idea is a good one, Geoffrey. At any rate to 
 Cadiz we will go. I don't know about the mercantile business 
 or going as a sailor, but I could get a commission from the gover- 
 nor there as well as here in Madrid ; but at any rate I will go. 
 Donna Inez was taken last week by her father to some estates 
 he has somewhere between Seville and Cadiz, in order, I sup- 
 pose, that he may be nearer Don Philip, who is, I hear, at last 
 recovering from his long illness. I do not know that there is 
 the slightest use in seeing her again, but I will do so if it be 
 possible; and if by a miracle I could succeed in carrying her 
 off, Cadiz would be a more likely place to escape from than 
 anywhere. 
 
 " Yes, I know. You think the idea is a mad one, but you 
 have never been in love yet. When you are you will know 
 that lovers do not believe in the word ' impossible.' At any 
 rate, I mean to give Inez the chance of determining her own 
 fate. If she is ready to risk everything rather than marry Don 
 Philip, I am ready to share the risk whatever it may be." 
 
 Accordingly on the following day Gerald Burke disposed of 
 the greater part of his wardrobe and belongings, purchased two 
 ponies for a few crowns, and he and Geoffrey, with a solitary 
 suit of clothes in a wallet fastened behind the saddle, started
 
 TRAVELLING BY ROAD. 193 
 
 for their journey to Cadiz. They mounted outside the city, for 
 Gerald shrank from meeting any acquaintances upon such a sorry 
 steed as he had purchased; but once on their way his spirits 
 rose. He laughed and chatted gaily, and spoke of the future 
 as if all difficulties were cleared away. The ponies, although 
 rough animals, were strong and sturdy, and carried their riders 
 at a good pace. Sometimes they travelled alone, sometimes 
 jogged along with parties whom they overtook by the way, or 
 who had slept in the same posadas or inns at which they had 
 put up for the night. 
 
 Most of these inns were very rough, and, to Geoffrey, aston- 
 ishingly dirty. The food consisted generally of bread and a 
 miscellaneous olio or stew from a great pot constantly sim- 
 mering over the fire, the flavour, whatever it might be, being 
 entirely overpowered by that of the oil and garlic that were 
 the most marked of its constituents. Beds were wholly un- 
 known at these places, the guests simply wrapping themselves 
 in their cloaks and lying down on the floor, although in a few 
 exceptional cases bundles of rushes were strewn about to form 
 a common bed. 
 
 But the travelling was delightful. It was now late in the 
 autumn, and when they were once past the dreary district of 
 La Mancha, and had descended to the rich plains of Cordova, 
 the vintage was in full progress and the harvest everywhere 
 being garnered in. Their mid-day meal consisted of bread and 
 fruit, costing but the smallest coin, and eaten by the wayside 
 in the shade of a clump of trees. They heard many tales on 
 their way down of the bands of robbers who infested the road, 
 but having taken the precaution of having the doubloons for 
 which they had exchanged Geoffrey's English gold sewn up in 
 their boots, they had no fear of encountering these gentry, 
 having nothing to lose save their wallets and the few dollars 
 they had kept out for the expenses of their journey. The few 
 
 (677) N
 
 194 JOINING A PARTY. 
 
 jewels that Gerald Burke retained were sewn up in the stuff- 
 ing of his saddle. 
 
 After ten days' travel they reached Seville, where they 
 stayed a couple of days, and where the wealth and splendour of 
 the buildings surprised Geoffrey, who had not visited Antwerp 
 or any of the great commercial centres of the Netherlands. 
 
 " It is a strange taste of the Spanish kings," he observed to 
 Gerald Burke, " to plant their capital at Madrid in the centre 
 of a barren country, when they might make such a splendid 
 city as this their capital I could see no charms whatever in 
 Madrid. The climate was detestable, with its hot sun and bitter 
 cold winds. Here the temperature is delightful; the air is soft 
 and balmy, the country round is a garden, and there is a cathe- 
 dral worthy of a capital." 
 
 "It seems a strange taste," Gerald agreed; "but I believe 
 that when Madrid was first planted it stood in the midst of 
 extensive forests, and that it was merely a hunting residence 
 for the king." 
 
 "Then, when the forests went I would have gone too," 
 Geoffrey said. " Madrid has not even a river worthy of the 
 name, and has no single point to recommend it, as far as I can 
 see, for the capital of a great empire. If I were a Spaniard I 
 should certainly take up my residence in Seville." 
 
 Upon the following morning they again started, joining, 
 before they had ridden many miles, a party of three merchants 
 travelling with their servants to Cadiz. The merchants looked 
 a little suspiciously at first at the two young men upon their 
 rough steeds; but as soon as they discovered from their first 
 salutations that they were foreigners, they became more cordial, 
 and welcomed this accession of strength to their party, for 
 the carrying of weapons was universal, and the portion of the 
 road between Seville and Cadiz particularly unsafe, as it was 
 traversed by so many merchants and wealthy peopla The
 
 GERALD FRIGHTENS THE TRADERS. 195 
 
 conversation speedily turned to the disturbed state of the 
 roads. 
 
 "I do not think," one of the merchants said, "that any 
 ordinary band of robbers would dare attack us," and he looked 
 round with satisfaction at the six armed servants who rode 
 behind them. 
 
 "It all depends," Gerald Burke said, with a sly wink at 
 Geoffrey, " upon what value the robbers may place upon the 
 valour of your servants. As a rule serving-men are very chary 
 of their skins, and I should imagine that the robbers must be 
 pretty well aware of that fact. Most of them are disbanded 
 soldiers or deserters, and I should say that four of them are 
 more than a match for your six servants. I would wager that 
 your men would make but a very poor show of it if it came to 
 fighting." 
 
 " But there are our three selves and you two gentlemen," the 
 merchant said in a tone of disquiet. 
 
 " Well," Gerald rejoined, " I own that from your appearance 
 I should not think, worshipful sir, that fighting was altogether in 
 your line. Now, my servant, young as he is, has taken part in 
 much fighting in the Netherlands, and I myself have had some 
 experience with my sword; but if we were attacked by robbers 
 we should naturally stand neutral. Having nothing to defend, 
 and having no inclination whatever to get our throats cut in 
 protecting the property of others, I think that you will see for 
 yourselves that that is reasonable. We are soldiers of fortune, 
 ready to venture our lives in a good service, and for good pay. 
 but mightily disinclined to throw them away for the mere love 
 of fighting."
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 RECRUITING THEIR FUNDS. 
 
 S soon as Gerald Burke began conversing with the 
 merchants, Geoffrey fell back and took his place 
 among their servants, with whom he at once en- 
 tered into conversation. To amuse himself he 
 continued in the same strain that he had heard Gerald adopt 
 towards the merchants, and spoke in terms of apprehension of 
 the dangers of the journey, and of the rough treatment that 
 had befallen those who had ventured to offer opposition to 
 the robbers. He was not long in discovering, by the anxious 
 glances they cast round them, and by the manner of their 
 questions, that some at least of the party were not to be relied 
 upon in case of an encounter. 
 
 He was rather surprised at Gerald remaining so long in com- 
 pany with the merchants, for their pace was a slow one, as 
 they were followed by eight heavily-laden mules, driven by 
 two muleteers, and it would have been much pleasanter, he 
 thought, to have trotted on at their usual pace. About mid- 
 day, as they were passing along the edge of a thick wood, a 
 party of men suddenly sprang out and ordered them to halt. 
 Geoffrey shouted to the men with him to come on, and draw- 
 ing his sword dashed forward. 
 
 Two of the men only followed him. The others hesitated, 
 until a shot from a musket knocked off one of their hats,
 
 A FIGHT WITH ROBBERS. 197 
 
 whereupon the man and his comrades turned their horses' heads 
 and rode off at full speed. The merchants had drawn their 
 swords, and stood on the defensive, and Geoffrey on reaching 
 them was surprised to find that Gerald Burke was sitting 
 quietly on his horse without any apparent intention of taking 
 part in the fight. 
 
 " Put up your sword, Geoffrey," he said calmly; "this affair 
 is no business of ours. We have nothing to lose, and it is no 
 business of ours to defend the money-bags of these gentlemen." 
 
 The robbers, eight in number, now rushed up. One of the 
 merchants, glancing round, saw that two of their men only 
 had come up to their assistance. The muleteers, who were 
 probably in league with the robbers, had fled, leaving their 
 animals standing in the road. The prospect seemed desperate. 
 One of the merchants was an elderly man, the others were well 
 on middle age. The mules were laden with valuable goods, 
 and they had with them a considerable sum of money for 
 making purchases at Cadiz. It was no time for hesitation. 
 
 " We will give you five hundred crowns if you will both aid 
 us to beat off these robbers." 
 
 "It is a bargain," Gerald replied. "Now, Geoffrey, have 
 at these fellows!" 
 
 Leaping from their ponies they ranged themselves by the 
 merchants just as the robbers attacked them. Had it not been 
 for their aid the combat would have been a short one; for 
 although determined to defend their property to the last, the 
 traders had neither strength nor skill at arms. One was un- 
 horsed at the first blow, and another wounded; but the two 
 servants, who had also dismounted, fought sturdily, and Gerald 
 and Geoffrey each disposed of a man before the robbers, who 
 had not reckoned upon their interference, were prepared to 
 resist their attack. The fight did not last many minutes. 
 The traders did their best, and although by no means for-
 
 198 OBTAINING A CONFESSION. 
 
 midable opponents, distracted the attention of the robbers, 
 who were startled by the fall of two of their party. Geoffrey 
 received a sharp cut on the head, but at the same moment ran 
 his opponent through the body, while Gerald Burke cut down 
 the man opposed to him. The other four robbers, seeing they 
 were now outnumbered, at once took to their heels. 
 
 "By St. Jago!" one of the traders said, "you are stout 
 fighters, young men, and have won your fee well. Methought 
 we should have lost our lives as well as our goods, and I 
 doubt not we should have done so had you not ranged your- 
 selves with us. Now, let us bandage up our wounds, for we 
 have all received more or less hurt." 
 
 When the wounds, some of which were serious, were at- 
 tended to, the fallen robbers were examined. Three of them 
 were dead ; but the man last cut down by Gerald Burke seemed 
 likely to recover. 
 
 "Shall we hang him upon a tree as a warning to these knaves, 
 or shall we take him with us to the next town and give him 
 in charge of the authorities there?" one of the traders asked. 
 
 "If I were you I would do neither," Gerald said, "but 
 would let him go free if he will tell you the truth about this 
 attack It will be just as well for you to get to the bottom of 
 this affair, and find out whether it is a chance meeting, or 
 whether any of your own people have been in league with him." 
 
 " That is a good idea," the trader agreed, " and I will carry 
 it out," and going up to the man, who had now recovered his 
 senses, he said to him sternly: " We have made up our minds 
 to hang you; but you may save your life if you will tell us 
 how you came to set upon us. Speak the truth and you shall 
 go free, otherwise we will finish with you without delay." 
 
 The robber, seeing an unexpected chance of escape from 
 punishment, at once said that the captain of their band, who 
 was the man Geoffrey had last run through, came out from
 
 HIRED FOR THE JOURNEY. 199 
 
 Seville the evening before, and told him that one Juan Campos, 
 with whom he had long had intimate relations, and who was 
 clerk to a rich trader, had, upon promise that he should receive 
 one-fifth of the booty taken, informed him that his master with 
 two other merchants was starting on the following morning for 
 Cadiz with a very valuable lot of goods, and twenty- five 
 thousand crowns, which they intended to lay out in the pur- 
 chase of goods brought by some galleons that had just arrived 
 from the Indies. He had arranged to bribe his master's two 
 servants to ride away when they attacked the gang, and also 
 to settle with the muleteers so that they should take no part in 
 the affair. They had reckoned that the flight of two of the 
 servants would probably affect the others, and had therefore 
 expected the rich booty to fall into their hands without the 
 trouble of striking a blow for it. 
 
 " It is well we followed your suggestion," one of the traders 
 said to Gerald. "I had no suspicion of the honesty of my 
 clerk, and had we not made this discovery he would doubtless 
 have played me a similar trick upon some other occasion. I 
 will ride back at once, friends, for if he hears of the failure of 
 the attack he may take the alarm and make off with all he can 
 lay his hands upon. Our venture was to be in common. I 
 will leave it to you to carry it out, and return and dismiss 
 Campos and the two rascally servants." The three traders went 
 apart and consulted together. Presently the eldest of the party 
 returned to the young men. 
 
 " We have another five days' journey before us," he said, 
 " and but two servants upon whom we can place any reliance. 
 We have evidence of the unsafety of the roads, and, as you 
 have heard, we have a large sum of money with us. You have 
 already more than earned the reward I offered you, and my 
 friends have agreed with me that if you will continue to 
 journey with us as far as Cadiz, and to give us the aid of your
 
 200 "LAW IS A LUXURY." 
 
 valour should we be again attacked, we will make the five 
 hundred crowns a thousand. It is a large sum, but we have 
 well-nigh all our fortunes at stake, and we feel that we owe 
 you our lives as well as the saving of our money." 
 
 " We could desire nothing better," Gerald replied, " and will 
 answer with our lives that your goods and money shall arrive 
 safely at Cadiz." 
 
 The traders then called up their two serving-men, and told 
 them that on their arrival at Cadiz they would present them 
 each with a hundred crowns for having so stoutly done their 
 duty. The employer of the treacherous clerk then turned his 
 horse's head and rode back towards Seville, while the others 
 prepared to proceed on their way. The two muleteers had now 
 come out from among the bushes, and were busy refastening 
 the bales on the mules, the ropes having become loosened in 
 the struggles of the animals while the fight was going on. The 
 merchants had decided to say nothing to the men as to the 
 discovery that they were in league with the robbers. 
 
 " Half these fellows are in alliance with these bands, which 
 are a scourge to the country," one of the traders said. " If we 
 were to inform the authorities at the next town, we should, in 
 the first place, be blamed for letting the wounded man escape, 
 and secondly we might be detained for days while investigations 
 are going on. In this country the next worse thing to being 
 a prisoner is to be a complainant. Law is a luxury in which 
 the wealthy and idle can alone afford to indulge." 
 
 As soon, therefore, as the baggage was readjusted the party 
 proceeded on their way. 
 
 " What do you think of that, Geoffrey?" Gerald Burke asked 
 as he rode for a short distance by the side of his supposed servant. 
 
 "It is magnificent," Geoffrey replied; "and it seems to me 
 that the real road to wealth in Spain is to hire yourself out as 
 a guard to travellers."
 
 "WE MUST TALK MATTERS OVER." 201 
 
 "Ah, you would not get much if you made your bargain 
 beforehand. It is only at a moment of urgent danger that fear 
 will open purse-strings widely. Had we bargained beforehand 
 with these traders we might have thought ourselves lucky if 
 we had got ten crowns apiece as the price of our escort to 
 Cadiz, and indeed we should have been only too glad if last 
 night such an offer had been made to us; but when a man sees 
 that his property and life are really in danger he does not stop 
 to haggle, but is content to give a handsome percentage of what 
 is risked for aid to save the rest." 
 
 "Well, thank goodness, our money trouble is at an end," 
 Geoffrey said; "and it will be a long time before we need 
 have any anxiety on that score." 
 
 " Things certainly look better," Gerald said laughing; " and 
 if Inez consents to make a runaway match of it with me I 
 sha'n't have to ask her to pay the expenses." 
 
 Cadiz was reached without further adventure. The merchants 
 kept their agreement honourably, and handed over a heavy bag 
 containing a thousand crowns to Gerald on their arrival at that 
 city. They had upon the road inquired of him the nature of 
 his business there. He had told them that he was at present 
 undecided whether to enter the army, in which some friends of 
 his had offered to obtain him a commission, or to join in an 
 adventure to the Indies. They had told him they were 
 acquainted with several merchants at Cadiz who traded both 
 with the east and west, and that they would introduce him to 
 them as a gentleman of spirit and courage, whom they might 
 employ with advantage upon such ventures; and this promise 
 after their arrival there they carried out. 
 
 "Now, Geoffrey," Gerald said as they sat together that 
 evening at a comfortable inn, " we must talk over matters here. 
 We have five hundred crowns apiece, and need not trouble any 
 longer as to how we are to support life. Your great object, of
 
 202 "SO BE IT, GEOFFREY." 
 
 course, is to get out of this country somehow, and to make your 
 way back to England. My first is to see Inez and find out 
 whether she will follow my fortunes or remain to become some 
 day Marchesa of Sottomayor. If she adopts the former alter- 
 native I have to arrange some plan to carry her off and to get 
 out of the country, an operation in which I foresee no little 
 difficulty. Of course if we are caught my life is forfeited, there 
 is no question about that. The question for us to consider is 
 how we are to set about to carry out our respective plans." 
 
 "We need only consider your plan as far as I can see," 
 Geoffrey said. " Of course I shall do what I can to assist you, 
 and if you manage to get off safely with the young lady I shall 
 escape at the same time." 
 
 " Not at all," Burke said; " you have only to wait here quietly 
 until you see an opportunity. I will go with you to-morrow 
 to the merchants I was introduced to to-day, and say that I am 
 going away for a time and shall be obliged if they will make 
 you useful in any way until I return. In that way you will 
 have a sort of established position here, and can wait until you 
 see a chance of smuggling yourself on board some English or 
 Dutch vessel. Mine is a very different affair. I may talk 
 lightly of it, but I am perfectly aware that I run a tremendous 
 risk, and that the chances are very strongly against me." 
 
 " Whatever the chances are," Geoffrey said quietly, " I shall 
 share them with you. Your kindness has saved me from 
 what at best might have been imprisonment for life, and not 
 improbably would have been torture and death at the hands 
 of the Inquisition, and I am certainly not going to withdraw 
 myself from you now when you are entering upon what is un- 
 doubtedly a very dangerous adventure. If we escape from 
 Spain we escape together; if not, whatever fate befalls you I 
 am ready to risk." 
 
 "Very well; so be it, Geoffrey," Gerald Burke said, holding
 
 "WHAT ELSE CAN ONE DO 7" 203 
 
 out his hand to him. " If your mind is made up I will not 
 argue the question with you, and indeed I value your com- 
 panionship and aid too highly to try to shake your deter- 
 mination. Let us then at once talk over what is now our joint 
 enterprise. Eibaldo estate lies about half-way between this 
 and Seville, and we passed within a few miles of it as we came 
 hither. The first thing, of course, will be to procure some sort 
 of disguise in which I can see Inez and have a talk with her. 
 Now, it seems to me, for I have been thinking the matter over 
 in every way as we rode, that the only disguise in which this 
 would be possible would be that of a priest or monk." 
 
 Geoffrey laughed aloud. " You would in the first place have 
 to shave off your moustachios, Gerald, and I fear that even 
 after you had done so there would be nothing venerable in 
 your appearance; and whatever the mission with which you 
 might pretend to charge yourself, your chances of obtaining a 
 private interview with the lady would be slight." 
 
 "I am afraid that I should lack the odour of sanctity, 
 Geoffrey; but what else can one do 1 ? Think it over, man. 
 The way in which you played the idiot when you were picked 
 out of the water shows that you are quick at contriving a plan." 
 
 " That was a simple business in comparison to this," Geoffrey 
 replied. " However, you are not pressed for time, and I will 
 think it over to-night and may light upon some possible scheme, 
 for I own that at present I have not the least idea how the 
 matter is to be managed." 
 
 As in the morning there were several other travellers taking 
 breakfast in the same room, the conversation was not renewed 
 until Gerald Burke strolled out, followed at a respectful dis- 
 tance by Geoffrey, who still passed as his servant, and reached 
 a quiet spot on the ramparts. Here Geoffrey joined him, and 
 they stood for some minutes looking over the sea. 
 
 "What a magnificent position for a city!" Geoffrey said at
 
 204 CADIZ. 
 
 last. " Standing on this rocky tongue of land jutting out at the 
 entrance to this splendid bay it ought to be impregnable, 
 since it can only be attacked on the side facing that sandy 
 isthmus. What a number of ships are lying up the bay, and 
 what a busy scene it is with the boats passing and repassing ! 
 Though they must be two miles away I fancy I can hear the 
 shouts of the sailors." 
 
 "Yes, it is all very fine," Gerald said; "but I have seen it 
 several times before. Still, I can make allowances for you. Do 
 you see that group of small ships a mile beyond the others? 
 Those are the English and Dutchmen. They are allowed to 
 trade, but as you see they are kept apart, and there are three 
 war galleys lying close to them. No one is allowed to land, and 
 every boat going off is strictly examined, and all those who go on 
 board have to show their permits from the governor to trade; 
 so, you see, the chance of getting on board one of them is slight 
 indeed. Higher up the bay lies Puerto de Santa Maria, where 
 a great trade is carried on, and much wine shipped; though 
 more comes from Jeres, which lies up the river. You know 
 we passed through it on our way here. 
 
 " Yes, this is a splendid position for trade, and I suppose the 
 commerce carried on here is larger than in any port in Europe; 
 though Antwerp ranked as first until the troubles began in the 
 Netherlands. But this ought to be first. It has all the trade 
 of the Atlantic sea-board, and standing at the mouth of the 
 Mediterranean commands that also; while all the wealth of the 
 New World pours in here. That is great already; there is no 
 saying what it will be in the future, while some day the trade 
 from the far East should flow in here also by vessels trading 
 round the south of Africa. 
 
 "Cadiz has but one fault: the space on which it stands is 
 too small for a great city. You see how close the houses stand 
 together, and how narrow are the streets. It cannot spread
 
 GEOFFREY'S PLAN. 205 
 
 without extending beyond the rock over the sands, and then 
 its strength would be gone, and it would be open to capture by 
 an enterprising enemy having command of the sea. There 
 now, having indulged your humour, let us return to more im- 
 portant matters. Have you thought over what we were talk- 
 ing about last night?" 
 
 " I have certainly thought it over," Geoffrey said ; " but I 
 do not know that thinking has resulted in muck The only 
 plan that occurs to me as being at all possible is this. You 
 were talking in joke at Madrid of turning robber. Would it 
 be possible, think you, to get together a small band of men to 
 aid you in carrying off the young lady, either from the grounds 
 of her father's house or while journeying on the road 1 You 
 could then have your talk with her. If you find her willing to 
 fly with you, you could leave the men you have engaged and 
 journey across the country in some sort of disguise to a port. 
 If she objected, you could conduct her back to the neighbour- 
 hood of the house and allow her to return. There is one 
 difficulty: you must, of course, be prepared with a priest, so 
 that you can be married at once if she consents to accompany 
 you." 
 
 Gerald Burke was silent for some time. " The scheme seems 
 a possible one," he said at last; "it is the question of the priest 
 that bothers me. You know, both in Seville and Cadiz there 
 are Irish colleges, and at both places there are several priests 
 whom I knew before they entered the Church, and who would, 
 I am sure, perform the service for me on any ordinary occasion ; 
 but it is a different thing asking them to take a share in such 
 a business as this, for they would render themselves liable to 
 all sorts of penalties and punishments from their superiors. 
 However, the difficulty must be got over somehow, and at any 
 rate the plan seems to promise better than anything I had 
 thought of. The first difficulty is how to get the ruffians for
 
 206 "A CAPITAL IDEA." 
 
 such a business. I cannot go up to the first beetle-browed 
 knave I meet in the street and say to him, Are you disposed 
 to aid me in the abduction of a lady]" 
 
 "No," Geoffrey laughed; "but fortunately you have an 
 intermediary ready at hand." 
 
 "How so?" Gerald exclaimed in surprise. "Why, how on 
 earth can you have an acquaintance with any ruffians in Cadiz 1 ?" 
 
 "Not a very intimate acquaintance, Gerald; but if you 
 take the trouble to go into the court-yard of the inn when we 
 get back you will see one of those rascally muleteers who were 
 in league with the robbers who attacked us on the way. He 
 was in conversation when we came out with a man who break- 
 fasted with us, and was probably bargaining for a load for his 
 mules back to Seville. I have no doubt that through him you 
 might put yourself into communication with half the cut- 
 throats of the town." 
 
 " That is a capital idea, Geoffrey, and I will have a talk with 
 the man as soon as we get back; for if he is not still there, I 
 am sure to be able to learn from some of the men about the 
 stables where to find him." 
 
 "You must go very carefully to work, Gerald," Geoffrey 
 said. " It would never do to let any of the fellows know the 
 exact object for which you engaged them, for they might be 
 sure of getting a far larger sum from the marquis for divulging 
 your plans to carry off his daughter than you could afford to 
 pay them for their services," 
 
 " I quite see that, and will be careful." 
 
 On their return to the inn Gerald Burke at once made in- 
 quiries as to the muleteer, and learned that he would probably 
 return in an hour to see if a bargain could be made with a 
 trader for the hire of his mules back to Seville. 
 
 Gerald waited about until the man came. " I want to have 
 a talk with you, my friend," he said.
 
 "I THINK YOU WERE FOOLISH." 207 
 
 The muleteer looked at him with a suspicious eye. " I am 
 busy," he said in a surly tone; "I have no time to waste." 
 
 " But it would not be wasting it if it were to lead to your 
 putting a dozen crowns in your pocket." 
 
 " Oh, if it is to lead to that, senor, I can spare an hour, for 
 I don't think that anything is likely to come out of the job 
 I came here to try to arrange." 
 
 " We will walk away to a quieter place," Gerald said. " There 
 are too many people about here for us to talk comfortably. 
 The ramparts are but two or three minutes' walk; we can talk 
 there without interruption." 
 
 When they arrived upon the ramparts Gerald commenced 
 the conversation. " I think you were foolish, my friend, not 
 to have taken us into your confidence the other day before that 
 little affair. You could have made an opportunity well enough. 
 We stopped to luncheon; if you had drawn me aside, and told 
 me frankly that some friends of yours were about to make an 
 attack upon the traders, and that you would guarantee that 
 they would make it worth my while " 
 
 " What do you mean by saying my friends, or that I had any 
 knowledge of the affair beforehand?" the man asked furiously. 
 
 " I say so," Gerald replied, " because I had it on excellent 
 authority. The wounded robber made a clean breast of the whole 
 affair, and of your share in it, as well as that of the rascally 
 clerk of one of the traders. If it had not been for me the mer- 
 chants would have handed you over to the magistrates at the 
 place where we stopped that night; but I dissuaded them, upon 
 the ground that they would have to attend as witnesses against 
 you, and that it was not worth their while to lose valuable 
 time merely for the pleasure of seeing you hung. However, 
 all this is beside the question. What I was saying was, it is a 
 pity you did not say to me frankly: Your presence here is inop- 
 portune; but if you will stand apart if any unexpected affair
 
 208 "WHAT WOULD YOU PAY ME?" 
 
 takes place, you will get say two thousand crowns out of the 
 twenty-five thousand my friends are going to capture. Had 
 you done that, you see, things might have turned out differently." 
 
 " I did not know," the muleteer stammered. 
 
 " No, you did not know for certain, of course, that I was a 
 soldier of fortune; but if you had been sharp you might have 
 guessed it. However, it is too late for that now. Now, what 
 I wanted to ask you was if you could get me half a dozen of 
 your friends to take service under me in a little adventure I 
 have to carry out. They will be well paid, and I do not sup- 
 pose they will have much trouble over it." 
 
 "And what would you pay me, cabbalero?" the muleteer 
 asked humbly; for he had been greatly impressed with the 
 valour displayed by the young Irishman and his servant in the 
 fray, and thought that he intended to get together a company 
 for adventures on the road, in which case he might be able to 
 have some profitable dealings with him in the future. 
 
 "I will give you twenty crowns," Gerald replied; "and con- 
 sidering that you owe your life to my interposition, I think 
 that you ought not to haggle about terms." 
 
 " The party who attacked us," the muleteer said, " lost their 
 captain and several of their comrades in that fray, and would 
 I doubt not gladly enter into your service, seeing that they have 
 received such proof of your worship's valour." 
 
 "Where could I see them 1 ?" Gerald asked. 
 
 " I think that they will be now in Jeres, if that would suit 
 you, senor; but if not I could doubtless find a party of men in 
 this town equally ready for your business." 
 
 "Jeres will do very well for me," Gerald said; "I shall be 
 travelling that way and will put up at the Fonda where we 
 stopped as we came through. When are you starting?" 
 
 " It depends whether I make my bargain with a man at your 
 hotel," the muleteer replied; "and this I doubt not I shall do, for
 
 THE MEETING AT JERES. 209 
 
 with the twenty crowns your honour is going to give me I 
 shall not stand out for terms. He is travelling with clothes 
 from Flanders, and if your worship thought " 
 
 " No," Gerald said. " I do not wish to undertake any ad- 
 ventures of that sort until I have a band properly organized, 
 and have arranged hiding-places and methods of getting rid of 
 the booty. I will go back with you to the inn, and if you strike 
 your bargain you can tell me as you pass out of the gate what 
 evening you will meet me at Jeres." 
 
 On arriving at the inn Gerald lounged at the gate of the 
 court-yard until the muleteer came out. 
 
 " I will meet your worship on the fifth night from this at 
 Jeres." 
 
 " Very well ; here are five crowns as an earnest on our bar- 
 gain. If you carry it out well I shall very likely forget to 
 deduct them from the twenty I promised you. Do not be sur- 
 prised if you find me somewhat changed in appearance when 
 you meet me there." 
 
 At the appointed time the muleteer with his train of animals 
 entered the court-yards of the Fonda at Jeres. Gerald was 
 standing on the steps of the inn. He had altered the fashion 
 of his hair, had fastened on large bushy eyebrows which he 
 had obtained from a skilful perruquier in Cadiz, and a mous- 
 tache of imposing size turned up at the tips; he wore high buff 
 leather boots, and there was an air of military swagger about 
 him, and he was altogether so changed that at the first glance 
 the muleteer failed to recognize him. As soon as the mules 
 were unburdened, Gerald found an opportunity of speaking 
 with him. 
 
 "I will go round at once," the man said, "to the place where 
 I shall certainly obtain news of my friends if they are here. I 
 told your honour that they might be here, but they may have 
 gone away on some affair of business, and may be on the 
 
 ( 577 ) O
 
 210 "IT IS ALL SETTLED, SENOB." 
 
 road or at Seville. They always work between this town and 
 Seville." 
 
 "I understand that you may not meet them to-night; if not, 
 I will meet you again in Seville. How long will you be find- 
 ing out about them?" 
 
 "I shall know in half an hour, senor; if they are not here 
 I shall be back here in less than an hour, but if I find them I 
 shall be detained longer in order to talk over with them the 
 offer your worship makes." 
 
 " Very well; in an hour you will find me in the street oppo- 
 site the inn. I shall wait there until you come. If all is well 
 make a sign and I will follow you. Do not mention to them 
 that I have in any way disguised myself. Our acquaintance 
 was so short that I don't fancy they had time to examine me 
 very closely; and I have my own reasons for wishing that they 
 should not be acquainted with my ordinary appearance, and 
 have therefore to some extent disguised myself." 
 
 " I will say nothing about it," the muleteer replied. " Your 
 worship can depend upon my discretion." 
 
 " That is right," Gerald said. " We may have future deal- 
 ings together, and I can reward handsomely those I find trust- 
 worthy and punish those who in the slightest degree disobey 
 my orders." 
 
 In an hour and a half the muleteer returned, made a signal 
 to Gerald and passed on. The latter joined him at a short dis- 
 tance from the hotel 
 
 "It is all settled, senor. I found the men much dispirited 
 at the loss of their captain and comrades ; and when I proposed 
 to them to take service under the cabbalero who wrought them 
 such mischief the other day, they jumped at the idea, saying 
 that under such a valiant leader there was no fear of the failure 
 of any enterprise they might undertake." 
 
 A quarter of an hour's walking took them to a small inn of
 
 THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND. 211 
 
 villainous appearance in one of the smallest lanes of the town. 
 Gerald was wrapped from head to foot in his cloak, and only 
 his face was visible. He had a brace of pistols in his belt, and 
 was followed at a short distance, unnoticed by the muleteer, 
 by Geoffrey, who had arranged to keep close to the door of 
 any house he entered, and was to be in readiness to rush in 
 and take part in the fray if he heard the sound of firearms 
 within. 
 
 Gerald himself had not at first entertained any idea of 
 treachery; but Geoffrey had pointed out that it was quite 
 possible that the robbers and the muleteer had but feigned 
 acquiescence in his proposals in order to get him into their 
 power, and take revenge for the loss of their captain and 
 comrades, and of the valuable booty which had so unexpectedly 
 slipped through their fingers owing to his intervention. 
 
 The appearance of the six ruffians gathered in the low room, 
 lighted by a wretched lamp, was not very assuring, and Gerald 
 kept his hand on the butt of one of his pistols. 
 
 The four robbers who had been engaged in the fray, how- 
 ever, saluted him respectfully, and the other two members of 
 the band, who had been absent on other business, followed 
 their example. They had heard from those present of the 
 extraordinary valour with which the two travelling companions 
 of the trader had thrown themselves into the fray, and had 
 alone disposed of their four comrades, and being without a 
 leader, and greatly disheartened by their ill-luck, they were 
 quite ready to forgive the misfortunes Gerald had brought 
 upon them, and to accept such a redoubtable swordsman as 
 their leader. 
 
 Gerald began the conversation. " You have heard," he said, 
 " from our friend here of the offer I make you. I desire a 
 band of six men on whom I can rely for an adventure which 
 promises large profit Don't suppose that I am going to lead
 
 212 GERALD UNFOLDS HIS PLAN. 
 
 you to petty robberies on the road, in which, as you learned to 
 your cost the other day, one sometimes gets more hard knocks 
 than profit. Such adventures may do for petty knaves, but 
 they are not suited to me. The way to get wealthy is to strike 
 at the rich. My idea is to establish some place in an out-of- 
 the-way quarter where there is no fear of prying neighbours, 
 and to carry off and hide there the sons and daughters of 
 wealthy men and put them to ransom. In the first instance I 
 am going to undertake a private affair of my own; and as you 
 will really run no risk in the matter, for I shall separate myself 
 from you after making my capture, I shall pay you only an 
 earnest-money of twenty crowns each. In future affairs we shall 
 act upon the principle of shares. I shall take three shares, a 
 friend who works with me will take two shares, and you shall 
 take one share apiece. The risk will really be entirely mine, 
 for I shall take charge of the captives we make at our ren- 
 dezvous. You, after lending a hand in the capture, will re- 
 turn here and hold yourself in readiness to join me, and carry 
 out another capture as soon as I have made all the necessary 
 arrangements. Thus, if by any chance we are tracked, I alone 
 and my friend will run the risk of capture and punishment. 
 In that way we may, in the course of a few months, amass a 
 much larger booty than we should in a lifetime spent in these 
 wretched adventures upon travellers. 
 
 "Now, it is for you to say whether these terms will suit 
 you, and whether you are ready to follow my orders and obey 
 me implicitly. The whole task of making the necessary ar- 
 rangements, or finding out the habits of the families one of 
 whose members we intend carrying off, of bribing nurses or 
 duennas, will be all my business. You will simply have to 
 meet when you are summoned to aid in the actual enterprise, 
 and then, when our captive is safely housed, to return here or 
 scatter where you will and live at ease until again summoned.
 
 THE NEW CAPTAIN. 213 
 
 The utmost fidelity will be necessary. Large rewards will in 
 many cases be offered for the discovery of the missing persons, 
 and one traitor would bring ruin upon us all; therefore it 
 will be absolutely necessary that you take an oath of fidelity 
 to me, and swear one and all to punish the traitor with death. 
 Do you agree to my proposal 1 ?" 
 
 There was a unanimous exclamation of assent. The plan 
 seemed to offer probabilities of large booty with a minimum of 
 trouble and risk. One or two suggested that they should like 
 to join in the first capture on the same terms as the others, 
 but Gerald at once pronounced this to be impossible. 
 
 " This is my own affair," he said, " and money is not now 
 my object. As you will only be required to meet at a given 
 hour some evening, and to carry off a captive who will not be 
 altogether unwilling to come, there will be little or no risk 
 in the matter, and twenty crowns will not be bad pay for an 
 evening's work. After that you will, as I have said, share in 
 the profits of all future captures we may undertake." 
 
 The band all agreed, and at once took solemn oaths of 
 fidelity to their new leader, and swore to punish by death any 
 one of their number who should betray the secrets of the body. 
 
 " That is well," Gerald said when the oaths had been taken. 
 "It may be a week before you receive your first summons. 
 Here are five crowns apiece for your expenses up to that time. 
 Let one of you be in front of the great church as the clock 
 strikes eight morning and evening. Do not wait above five 
 minutes; if I am coming I shall be punctual. In the mean- 
 time take counsel among yourselves as to the best hiding-place 
 that can be selected. Between you you no doubt know every 
 corner and hole in the country. I want a place which will be 
 at once lonely and far removed from other habitations, but it 
 must be at the same time moderately comfortable, as the cap- 
 tives we take must have no reason to complain of their treat-
 
 214 EVERYTHING ARRANGED. 
 
 ment while in my hands. Think this matter over before I 
 again see you." 
 
 Gerald then joined Geoffrey outside, and found that the 
 latter was beginning to be anxious at his long absence. After 
 a few words saying that everything had been successfully 
 arranged, the two friends returned together to their inn.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE FESTA AT SEVILLE. 
 
 ND now, Gerald, that you have made your arrange- 
 ments for the second half of the plan, how are 
 you going to set about the first? because you said 
 that you intended to give Donna Inez the option 
 of flying with you or remaining with her father." 
 
 " So I do still. Before I make any attempt to carry her off 
 I shall first learn whether she is willing to run the risks." 
 
 " But how are you going to set about it? You may be quite 
 sure that she never goes outside the garden without having her 
 duenna with her. If there is a chapel close by, doubtless she 
 will go there once a day; and it seems to me that this would 
 be the best chance of speaking to her, for I do not see how you 
 can possibly introduce yourself into the grounds." 
 
 "That would be quite out of the question, in daylight at any 
 rate, Geoffrey. I do not suppose she ever goes beyond the 
 terrace by the house. But if I could communicate with her she 
 might slip out for a few minutes after dark, when the old lady 
 happened to be taking a nap. The question is how to get a 
 letter into her hands." 
 
 " I think I might manage that, Gerald. It is not likely that 
 the duenna ever happened to notice me. I might therefore put 
 on any sort of disguise as a beggar and take my place on the 
 road as she goes to chapel, and somehow or other get your note
 
 216 DISGUISED. 
 
 into her hand. I have heard Spanish girls are very quick at 
 acting upon the smallest sign, and if I can manage to catch her 
 eye for a moment she may probably be ingenious enough to 
 afford me an opportunity of passing the note to her." 
 
 " That might be done," Gerald agreed. " We will at once 
 get disguises. I will dress myself as an old soldier, with one 
 arm in a sling and a patch over my eye; you dress up in some- 
 what the same fashion as a sailor boy. It is about twelve miles 
 from here to Ribaldo's place. We can walk that easily enough, 
 dress ourselves up within a mile or two of the place, and then 
 go on and reconnoitre the ground." 
 
 "I should advise you to write your note before you start; it 
 may be that some unexpected opportunity for handing it to her 
 may present itself." 
 
 "I will do that; but let us sally out first and pick up two 
 suits at some dealer in old clothes. There will be sure to be 
 two or three of these in the poorer quarter." 
 
 The disguises were procured without difficulty, and putting 
 them in a small wallet they started before noon on their walk. 
 In four hours they reached the boundary of the Marquis of 
 Ribaldo's estate. Going into a wood they assumed the disguises, 
 packed their own clothes in a wallet, and hid this away in a 
 clump of bushes. Then they again started Gerald Burke with 
 his arm in a sling and Geoffrey limping along with the aid of 
 a thick stick he had cut in the wood. 
 
 On arriving at the village, a quarter of a mile from the gates 
 of the mansion, they went into a small wine-shop and called 
 for two measures of the cheapest wine and a loaf of bread. 
 Here they sat for some time, listening to the conversation of 
 the peasants who frequented the wine-shop. Sometimes a ques- 
 tion was asked of the wayfarers. Gerald replied, for his com- 
 panion's Spanish although fluent was not good enough to pass 
 as that of a native. He replied to the question as to where
 
 INEZ DE RIBALDO. 217 
 
 they had received their hurts that they were survivors of the 
 Armada, and grumbled that it was hard indeed that men who 
 had fought in the Netherlands and had done their duty to 
 their country should be turned adrift to starve. 
 
 " We have enough to pay for our supper and a night's lodg- 
 ing," he said, " but where we are going to take our meal to- 
 morrow is more than I can say, unless we can meet with some 
 charitable people." 
 
 " If you take your place by the roadside to-morrow morning," 
 one of the peasants said, "you may obtain charity from Donna 
 Inez de Eibaldo. She comes every morning to mass here; and 
 they say she has a kind heart, which is more than men give her 
 father the marquis the credit of possessing. We have not many 
 poor round here, for at this time of year all hands are employed 
 in the vineyards, therefore there is the more chance of your 
 obtaining a little help." 
 
 " Thank you; I will take your advice," Gerald said. " I sup- 
 pose she is sure to come?" 
 
 "She is sure enough; she never misses when she is staying 
 here." 
 
 That night the friends slept on a bundle of straw in an out- 
 house behind the wine-shop, and arranged everything; and upon 
 the following morning took their seats by the roadside near 
 the village. The bell of the chapel was already sounding, 
 and in a few minutes they saw two ladies approaching, fol- 
 lowed at a very short distance by a serving-man. They had 
 agreed that the great patch over Gerald's eye, aided by the false 
 moustachios, so completely disguised his appearance that they 
 need have no fear of his being recognized; and it was there- 
 fore decided he should do the talking. As Donna Inez came up 
 he commenced calling out : " Have pity, gracious ladies, upon 
 two broken-down soldiers. We have gone through all the 
 dangers and hardships of the terrible voyage of the great Ar-
 
 218 A SUDDEN FIT. 
 
 mada. We served in the ship San Josef, and are now broken- 
 down, and have no means of earning our living." 
 
 Gerald had somewhat altered his natural voice while speak- 
 ing, but Geoffrey was watching Donna Inez closely, and saw 
 her start when he began to speak; and when he said they had 
 been on board the San Josef a flush of colour came across her 
 face. 
 
 "We must relieve these poor men," she said to the duenna; 
 "it is pitiful to see them in such a state." 
 
 " We know not that their tale is true," the duenna replied 
 sharply. " Every beggar in our days pretends to be a broken- 
 down soldier." 
 
 At this moment Donna Inez happened to glance at Geoffrey, 
 who raised his hand to his face and permitted a corner of a 
 letter to be momentarily seen. 
 
 "An impostor!" Gerald cried in a loud voice. "To think 
 that I, suffering from my terrible wounds, should be taken as 
 an impostor," and with a hideous yell he tumbled down as if 
 in a fit, and rolled over and over on the ground towards the 
 duenna. 
 
 Seized with alarm at his approach, she turned and ran a few 
 paces backward. As she did so Geoffrey stepped up to Inez 
 and held out the note, which she took and concealed instantly 
 in her dress. 
 
 " There is nothing to be alarmed at," she cried to the duenna. 
 " The poor man is doubtless in a fit. Here, my poor fellow, 
 get aid for your comrade," and taking out her purse she handed 
 a dollar to Geoffrey, and then joining the duenna proceeded on 
 her way. 
 
 Geoffrey knelt beside his prostrate companion and appeared 
 to be endeavouring to restore him, until the ladies and their 
 servant were out of sight 
 
 " That was well managed," Gerald Burke said, sitting up as
 
 GEOFFREY GIVES INEZ HER LOVER'S NOTE.
 
 "WILL SHE WEAR A WHITE FLOWER?" 219 
 
 soon as a turn of the road hid them from view. " Now we shall 
 have our answer to-morrow. Thank goodness there is no occa- 
 sion for us to remain any longer in these garments ! " 
 
 They went to the wood and resumed their usual attire, and 
 then walked to a large village some four miles away, and put- 
 ting up at the principal inn remained there until early the next 
 morning; then they walked back to the village they had left 
 on the previous day and posted themselves in a thicket by the 
 roadside, so that they could see passers-by without being them- 
 selves observed. 
 
 " My fate will soon be decided now," Gerald said. " Will 
 she wear a white flower or not?" 
 
 " I am pretty sure that she will," Geoffrey said. " She would 
 not have started and coloured when she recognized your voice 
 if she did not love you. I do not think you need be under 
 much uneasiness on that score." 
 
 In half an hour the ladies again came along, followed as be- 
 fore by their servants. Donna Inez wore a bunch of white 
 flowers in her dress. 
 
 "There is my answer," Gerald said. "Thank heaven! she 
 loves me, and is ready to fly with me, and will steal out some 
 time after dark to meet me in the garden." 
 
 As there was no occasion for him to stay longer, Geoffrey re- 
 turned to the village where they slept the night before, and 
 accounted for his companion's absence by saying that he had 
 been detained on business and would probably not return until 
 late at night, as he would not be able to see the person with 
 whom he had affairs to transact until late. It was past ten 
 o'clock when Gerald Burke returned. 
 
 " It is all arranged, Geoffrey. I hid in the garden close by 
 the terrace as soon as it became dark. An hour later she came 
 out and sauntered along the terrace until I softly called her 
 name; then she came to me. She loves me with all her heart,
 
 220 LOOKING FOR A PRIEST. 
 
 and is ready to share my fate whatever it may be. Her father 
 only two days ago had ordered her to prepare for her marriage 
 with Don Philip, and she was in despair until she recognized my 
 voice yesterday morning. She is going with her father to a grand 
 festa at Seville next Wednesday. They will stop there two 
 nights the one before the festa and the one after. I told her 
 that I could not say yet whether I should make the attempt to 
 carry her off on her journey or after her return here, as that must 
 depend upon circumstances. At any rate, that gives us plenty 
 of time to prepare our plans. To-morrow we will hire horses 
 and ride to Seville, and I will there arrange with one of my 
 friends at the Irish College to perform the ceremony. How- 
 ever, we will talk it all over to-morrow as we ride. I feel as 
 sleepy as a dog now after the day's excitement." 
 
 Upon the road next day they agreed that if possible they 
 would manage to get Inez away in Seville itself. Owing to the 
 large number of people who would be attracted there to witness 
 the grand procession and high mass at the cathedral, the streets 
 would be crowded, and it might be possible for Inez to slip 
 away from those with her. If this could be managed it would 
 be greatly preferable to the employment of the men to carry 
 her off by force. Therefore they agreed that the band should 
 be posted so that the party could be intercepted on its way back; 
 but that this should be a last resource, and that if possible 
 Inez should be carried off in Seville itself. 
 
 On reaching Seville they put up at an inn. Gerald at once 
 proceeded to the Irish College. Here he inquired for a young 
 priest, who had been a near neighbour of his in Ireland and a 
 great friend of his boyhood. He was, he knew, about to 
 return home. He found that he was at the moment away from 
 Seville, having gone to supply the place of a village cure who 
 had been taken suddenly ill. This village was situated, he was 
 told, some six miles south-east of the town. It was already
 
 "WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?" 221 
 
 late in the afternoon, but time was precious; and Gerald, hiring 
 a fresh horse, rode out at once to the village. His friend was 
 delighted to see him, for they had not met since Gerald passed 
 through Seville on his way to join the Armada at Cadiz, and 
 the young priest had not heard whether he had escaped the 
 perils of the voyage. 
 
 " It is lucky you have come, Gerald," he said when the first 
 greetings were over, " for I am going to return to Ireland in a 
 fortnight's time. I am already appointed to a charge near 
 Cork, and am to sail in a Bristol ship which is expected in 
 Cadiz about that time. Is there any chance of my meeting you 
 there?" 
 
 '"An excellent chance, Denis, though my route is not as 
 clearly marked out as yours is. I wish to heaven that I could 
 go by the same ship. And that leads to what I have come 
 to see you about," and he then told his friend the service he 
 wished him to render. 
 
 "It is rather a serious business, Gerald; and a nice scrape I 
 should get in if it were found out that I had solemnized the 
 marriage of a young lady under age without the consent of 
 her father, and that father a powerful nobleman. However, 
 I am not the man to fail you at a pinch, and if matters are 
 well managed there is not much risk of its being found out 
 that I had a hand in it until I am well away, and once in Ire- 
 land no one is likely to make any great fuss over my having 
 united a runaway pair in Spain. Besides, if you and the young 
 lady have made up your minds to run away, it is evidently 
 necessary that you should be married at once; so my conscience 
 is perfectly clear in the business. And now, what is your plan ?" 
 
 " The only part of my plan that is settled is to bring her 
 here and marry her. After that I shall have horses ready, and 
 we will ride by unfrequented roads to Malaga or some other 
 port and take a passage in a ship sailing say to Italy, for there
 
 222 FINAL ARRANGEMENTS. 
 
 is no chance of getting a vessel hence to England. Once in 
 Italy there will be no difficulty in getting a passage to England. 
 I have with me a young Englishman, as staunch a friend as one 
 can need. I need not tell you all about how I became acquainted 
 with him; but he is as anxious to get out of Spain as I am, and 
 that is saying no little." 
 
 " It seems rather a vague plan, Gerald. There is sure to be 
 a great hue and cry as soon as the young lady is found to be 
 missing. The marquis is a man of great influence, and the 
 authorities will use every effort to enable him to discover her." 
 
 "You see, Denis, they will have no reason for supposing 
 that I have had any hand in the matter, and therefore no special 
 watch will be set at the ports. The duenna for her own sake 
 is not likely to say a word about any passages she may have 
 observed between us at Madrid, and she is unaware that there 
 have been any communications with her since." 
 
 "I suppose you will at once put on disguises, Gerald." 
 
 "Yes, that will of course be the first thing." 
 
 " If you dress her as a young peasant wo'man of the better 
 class and yourself as a small cultivator, I will mention to my 
 servant that I am expecting my newly -married niece and her 
 husband to stay with me for a few days. The old woman will 
 have no idea that I, an Irishman, would not have a Spanish 
 niece, and indeed I do not suppose that she has any idea that I 
 am not a Spaniard. I will open the church myself and perform 
 the service late in the evening, so that no one will be aware of 
 what is going on. Of course I can put up your friend too. 
 Then you can stay quietly here as long as you like." 
 
 "That will do admirably, Denis; but I think we had best go 
 on the next morning," Gerald said, "although it will be a day or 
 two before there is anything like an organized pursuit. It 
 will be supposed that she is in Seville, and inquiries will at 
 first be confined to that town. If she leaves a note behind
 
 "WE WILL LEAVE THAT OPEN." 223 
 
 saying that she is determined even to take the veil rather than 
 marry the man her father has chosen for her, that will cause 
 additional delay. It will be supposed that she is concealed 
 in the house of some friend, or that she has sought a refuge 
 in a nunnery, and at any rate there is not likely to be any 
 search over the country for some days, especially as her father 
 will naturally be anxious that what he will consider an act of 
 rebellion on the part of his daughter shall not become publicly 
 known." 
 
 "All this, of course, is if we succeed in getting her clear 
 away during the fete. If we have to fall back on the other plan 
 I was talking of and carry her off by force on the way home, the 
 search will be immediate and general. In that case nothing 
 could be better than your plan that we should stop here quietly 
 for a few days with you. They will be searching for a band 
 of robbers and will not dream of making inquiry for the missing 
 girl in a. quiet village like this." 
 
 " Well, we will leave that open, Gerald. I shall let it be 
 known that you are expected, and whenever you arrive you 
 will be welcome." 
 
 As soon as the point was arranged Gerald again mounted his 
 horse and returned to Seville. There upon the following morn- 
 ing he engaged a lodging for the three days of the festa in a quiet 
 house in the outskirts of the town, and they then proceeded to 
 purchase the various articles necessary for their disguise and 
 that of Inez. The next morning they started on their return 
 to Jeres. Here Gerald made arrangements with the band to 
 meet him in a wood on the road to Cadiz at eight in the morn- 
 ing on the day following the termination of the festa at Seville. 
 One of the party was to proceed on that day to the house 
 among the hills they had fixed upon as their hiding-place, and 
 to get provisions and everything requisite for the reception of 
 their captive. They received another five crowns each, the
 
 224 THE DAY OF THE FESTA. 
 
 remaining fifteen was to be paid them as soon as they arrived 
 with their captive at the house. 
 
 The party remained in ignorance as to the age and sex of the 
 person they were to carry off, and had little curiosity as to 
 the point, as they regarded this but a small adventure in compari- 
 son to the lucrative schemes in which they were afterwards to be 
 sharers. 
 
 These arrangements made, Gerald and Geoffrey returned to 
 Seville, and reached that city on the eve of the commencement 
 of the festa, and took up their abode at the lodging they had 
 hired. On the following morning they posted themselves in 
 the street by which the party they expected would arrive. 
 Both were attired in quiet citizen dress, and Gerald retained 
 his formidable moustachios and bushy eyebrows. 
 
 In two or three hours a coach accompanied by four lackeys 
 on horseback came up the street, and they saw that it contained 
 the Marquis of Eibaldo, his daughter, and her duenna. They 
 followed a short distance behind it until it entered the court- 
 yard of a stately mansion, which they learnt on inquiry from 
 a passer-by belonged to the Duke of Sottomayor. The streets 
 were already crowded with people in holiday attire, the church 
 bells were ringing, and flags and decorations of all kinds waved 
 along the route that was to be followed by the great procession. 
 The house did not stand on this line, and it was necessary 
 therefore for its inmates to pass through the crowd either to 
 the cathedral or to the balcony of the house from which they 
 might intend to view the procession pass. 
 
 Half an hour after the arrival of the coach, the marquis and 
 his daughter, accompanied by Don Philip de Sottomayor, sallied 
 out, escorted by six armed lackeys, and took their way 
 towards the cathedral. They had, however, arrived very late, 
 and the crowd had already gathered so densely that even the 
 efforts of the lackeys and the angry commands of the marquis
 
 "NOW IS THE TIME, INEZ." 225 
 
 and Don Philip failed to enable them to make a passage. Very 
 slowly indeed they advanced some distance into the crowd, 
 but each moment their progress became slower. Gerald and 
 Geoffrey had fallen in behind them and advanced with them as 
 they worked themselves in the crowd. 
 
 Angry at what they considered the impertinence of the 
 people for refusing to make way for them, the nobles pressed 
 forward and engaged in an angry controversy with those in 
 front, who urged, and truly, that it was simply impossible for 
 them to make a way, so wedged in were they by the people on 
 all sides. The crowd, neither knowing nor caring who were 
 those who thus wished to take precedence of the first comers, 
 began to jeer and laugh at the angry nobles, and when these 
 threatened to use force threatened in return. 
 
 As soon as her father had left her side, Gerald, who was im- 
 mediately behind Inez, whispered in her ear, " Now is the time, 
 Inez. Go with my friend; I will occupy the old woman." 
 
 " Keep close to me, senora, and pretend that you are ill," 
 Geoffrey said to her, and without hesitation Inez turned and 
 followed him, drawing her mantilla more closely over her face. 
 
 " Let us pass, friends," Geoffrey said as he elbowed his way 
 through those standing behind them, "the lady needs air," 
 and by vigorous efforts he presently arrived at the outskirts of 
 the crowd, and struck off with his charge in the direction of 
 their lodging. " Gerald Burke will follow us as soon as he can 
 get out," he said. "Everything is prepared for you, senora, 
 and all arrangements made." 
 
 "Who are you, sir?" the girl asked. "I do not recall your 
 face, and yet I seem to have seen it before." 
 
 " I am English, senora, and am a friend of Gerald Burke's. 
 When in Madrid I was disguised as his servant; for as an Eng- 
 lishman and a heretic it would have gone hard with me had I 
 been detected." 
 
 (577) P
 
 226 UNITED. 
 
 There were but few people in the streets through which they 
 passed, the whole population having flocked either to the 
 streets through which the procession was to pass, or to the 
 cathedral or churches it was to visit on its way. Gerald had 
 told Inez at their interview that, although he had made ar- 
 rangements for carrying her off by force on the journey to or 
 from Seville, he should, if possible, take advantage of the 
 crowd at the function to draw her away from her companions. 
 She had, therefore, put on her thickest lace mantilla, and this 
 now completely covered her face from the view of passers-by. 
 Several times she glanced back 
 
 " Do not be uneasy about him, senora," Geoffrey said. " He 
 will not try to extricate himself from the crowd until you are 
 discovered to be missing, as to do so would be to attract at- 
 tention. As soon as your loss is discovered he will make his 
 way out, and will then come on at the top of his speed to the 
 place whither I am conducting you, and I expect that we shall 
 find him at the door awaiting us." 
 
 A quarter of an hour's walk took them to the lodging, and 
 Inez gave a little cry of joy as the door was opened to them by 
 Gerald himself. 
 
 " The people of the house are all out," he said, after their 
 first greeting. " In that room you will find a peasant girl's 
 dress. Dress yourself as quickly as you can; we shall be ready 
 for you in attire to match. You had best do up your own 
 things into a bundle, which I will carry. If they were left 
 here they might, when the news of your being missing gets 
 abroad, afford a clue to the manner of your escape. I will 
 tell you all about the arrangements we have made as we go 
 along." 
 
 " Have you arranged " and she hesitated. 
 
 " Yes, an Irish priest, who is an old friend of mine, will per- 
 form the ceremony this evening."
 
 FOOLING THE DUENNA, 227 
 
 A few minutes later two seeming peasants and a peasant 
 girl issued out from the lodging. The two men carried stout 
 sticks with bundles slung over them. 
 
 " Be careful of that bundle," Inez said, " for there are all my 
 jewels in it. After what you had said I concealed them all 
 about me. They are my fortune, you know. Now, tell me 
 how you got on in the crowd." 
 
 " I first pushed rather roughly against the duenna, and then 
 made the most profuse apologies, saying that it was shame- 
 ful people should crowd so, and that they ought at once to 
 make way for a lady who was evidently of high rank This 
 mollified her, and we talked for three or four minutes; and 
 in the meantime the row in front, caused by your father 
 and the lackeys quarrelling with the people, grew louder and 
 louder. The old lady became much alarmed, and indeed the 
 crowd swayed about so that she clung to my arm. Suddenly 
 she thought of you, and turning round gave a scream when she 
 found you were missing. 'What is the matter?' I asked 
 anxiously. ' The young lady with me ! She was here but an 
 instant ago!' (She had forgotten you for fully five minutes.) 
 'What can have become of herT 
 
 " I suggested that no doubt you were close by, but had got 
 separated from her by the pressure of the crowd. However, 
 she began to squall so loudly that the marquis looked round. 
 He was already in a towering rage, and he asked angrily, ' What 
 are you making all this noise about?' and then looking round 
 exclaimed, 'Where is Inez 1 ?' 'She was here a moment since!' 
 the old lady exclaimed, ' and now she has got separated from 
 me.' Your father looked in vain among the crowd, and de- 
 manded whether anyone had seen you. Someone said that a 
 lady who was fainting had made her way out five minutes 
 before. The marquis used some strong language to the old 
 lady, and then informed Don Philip what had happened,
 
 228 THE MARRIAGE. 
 
 and made his way back out of the crowd with the aid of the 
 lackeys, and is no doubt inquiring for you in all the houses 
 near; but, as you may imagine, I did not wait. I followed 
 close behind them until they were out of the crowd, and then 
 slipped away, and once round the corner took to my heels and 
 made my way back, and got in two or three minutes before you 
 arrived." 
 
 The two young men talked almost continuously during their 
 walk to the village in order to keep up the spirits of Donna 
 Inez, and to prevent her from thinking of the strangeness of 
 her position and the perils that lay before them before safety 
 could be obtained. Only once she spoke of the future. 
 
 "Is it true, Gerald, that there are always storms and rain 
 in your country, and that you never see the sun, for so some 
 of those who were in the Armada have told me?" 
 
 " It rains there sometimes, Inez, I am bound to admit; but 
 it is often fine, and the sun never burns one up as it does here. 
 I promise you you will like it, dear, when you once become 
 accustomed to it" 
 
 " I do not think I shall," she said, shaking her head; " I am 
 accustomed to the sun, you know. But I would rather be with 
 you even in such an island as they told me of than in Spain 
 with Don Philip." 
 
 The village seemed absolutely deserted when they arrived 
 there, the whole population having gone over to Seville to take 
 part in the great fete. Father Denis received his fair visitor 
 with the greatest kindness. "Here, Catherine," he cried to 
 his old servant, " here are the visitors I told you I expected. 
 It is well that we have the chambers prepared, and that we 
 killed that capon this morning." 
 
 That evening Gerald Burke and Inez de Kibaldo were married 
 in the little church, Geoffrey Vickars being the only witness. 
 The next morning there was a long consultation over their
 
 A FRESH PLAN. 229 
 
 plans. " I could buy you a cart in the village and a pair of 
 oxen, and you could drive to Malaga," the priest said, 
 "but there would be a difficulty about changing your 
 disguises after you had entered the town. I think that 
 the boldest plan will be the safest one. I should propose 
 that you should ride as a well - to - do trader to Malaga, 
 with your wife behind you on a pillion, and your friend here 
 as your servant. Lost as your wife was in the crowd at the 
 fete, it will be a long time before the fact that she has fled 
 will be realized. For a day or two the search will be con- 
 ducted secretly, and only when the house of every friend whom 
 she might have visited has been searched will the aid of the 
 authorities be called in, and the poorer quarters, where she 
 might have been carried by two or three ruffians who may have 
 met her as she emerged in a fainting condition, as is supposed, 
 from the crowd, be ransacked. I do not imagine that any 
 search will be made throughout the country round for a week 
 at least, by which time you will have reached Malaga, and, if 
 you have good fortune, be on board a ship." 
 
 This plan was finally agreed to. Gerald and his friend at 
 once went over to Seville and purchased the necessary dresses, 
 together with two strong horses and equipments. It was 
 evening before their return to the village. Instead of entering 
 it at once they rode on a mile further, and fastened the horses 
 up in a wood. Gerald would have left them there alone, 
 but Geoffrey insisted on staying with them for the night. 
 "I care nothing about sleeping in the open air, Gerald, and 
 it would be folly to risk the success of our enterprise upon 
 the chance of no one happening to come through the wood, 
 and finding the animals before you return in the morning. We 
 had a hearty meal at Seville, and I shall do very well until 
 morning." 
 
 Gerald and his wife took leave of the friendly priest at day-
 
 230 SAFE ON BOARD. 
 
 break the next morning, with the hope that they would very 
 shortly meet in Ireland. They left the village before anyone 
 was stirring. 
 
 The peasant clothes had been left behind them. Gerald 
 carried two valises, the one containing the garments in which 
 Inez had fled, the other his own attire Geoffrey having re- 
 sumed the dress he had formerly worn as his servant. 
 
 On arriving at the wood the party mounted, and at once 
 proceeded on their journey. Four days' travel took them to 
 Malaga, where they arrived without any adventure whatever. 
 Once or twice they met parties of rough-looking men; but tra- 
 velling as they did without baggage animals, they did not 
 appear promising subjects for robbery, and the determined ap- 
 pearance of master and man, each armed with sword and 
 pistols, deterred the fellows from an attempt which promised 
 more hard knocks than plunder. 
 
 After putting up at an inn in Malaga, Gerald went down 
 at once to the port to inquire for a vessel bound for Italy. 
 There were three or four such vessels in the harbour, and he 
 had no difficulty in arranging for a passage to Naples for him- 
 self, his wife, and servant. The vessel was to sail on the fol- 
 lowing morning, and it was with a deep feeling of satisfaction 
 and relief that they went on board her, and an hour later were 
 outside the port 
 
 " It seems marvellous to me," Gerald said, as he looked back 
 upon the slowly-receding town, " that I have managed to carry 
 off my prize with so little difficulty. I had expected to meet 
 with all sorts of dangers, and had I been the peaceful trader I 
 looked, our journey could not be more uneventful." 
 
 "Perhaps you are beginning to think that the prize is not 
 so very valuable after all," Inez said, " since you have won it 
 so easily." 
 
 " I have not begun to think so yet," Gerald laughed happily.
 
 "I SHALL NEVER RETURN TO SPAIN." 231 
 
 " At any rate I shall wait until I get you home before such 
 ideas begin to occur to me." 
 
 " Directly I get to Ireland," Inez said, " I shall write to my 
 father and tell him that I am married to you, and that I should 
 never have run away had he not insisted on my marrying a man 
 I hated. I shall, of course, beg him to forgive me; but I fear 
 he never will." 
 
 " We must hope that he will, Inez, and that he will ask you 
 to come back to Spain sometimes. I do not care for myself, 
 you know, for as I have told you my estate in Ireland is amply 
 large enough for my wants ; but I shall be glad, for your sake, 
 that you should be reconciled to him." 
 
 Inez shook her head. 
 
 " You do not know my father, Gerald. I would never go 
 back to Spain again not if he promised to give me his whole 
 fortune. My father never forgives; and were he to entice me 
 back to Spain, it would be only to shut me up and to obtain a 
 dispensation from Rome annulling the marriage, which he 
 would have no difficulty in doing. No, you have got me, and 
 will have to keep me for good. I shall never return to Spain, 
 never. Possibly when my father hears from me he may send 
 me over money to make me think he has forgiven me, and to 
 induce me some day or other to come back to visit him, and 
 so get me into his power again; but that, Gerald, he shall 
 never do."
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE SURPRISE OF BREDA. 
 
 IONEL VICKAES had, by the beginning of 1590, 
 come to speak the Dutch language well and 
 fluently. Including his first stay in Holland he 
 had now been there eighteen months, and as he 
 was in constant communication with the Dutch officers and 
 with the population, he had constant occasion for speaking 
 Dutch, a language much more akin to English than any other 
 continental tongue, and indeed so closely allied to the dialect 
 of the eastern counties of England, that the fishermen of our 
 eastern ports had in those days little difficulty in conversing 
 with the Hollanders. 
 
 He was one day supping with Sir Francis Vere when 
 Prince Maurice and several of his officers were also there. The 
 conversation turned upon the prospects of the campaign of the 
 ensuing spring. Lionel, of course, took no part in it, but 
 listened attentively to what was being said, and was very 
 pleased to find that the period of inactivity was drawing to an 
 end, and that their commanders considered that they had now 
 gathered a force of sufficient strength to assume the offensive. 
 " I would," Prince Maurice said, " that we could gain Breda. 
 The city stands like a great sentinel against every movement 
 towards Flanders, and enables the Spaniards to penetrate at all 
 times towards the heart of our country; but I fear that it is
 
 A STRONG CITY. 
 
 233 
 
 altogether beyond our means. It is one of the strongest cities 
 in the Netherlands, and my ancestors, who were its lords, 
 little thought that they were fortifying and strengthening it in 
 order that it might be a thorn in the side of their country. I 
 
 would give much, indeed, to be able to wrest it from the 
 enemy; but I fear it will be long before we can even hope for 
 that. It could withstand a regular siege by a well-provided 
 army for months ; and as to surprise, it is out of the question, 
 for I hear that the utmost vigilance is unceasingly maintained." 
 A few days after this Lionel was talking with Captain de 
 Heraugiere, who had also been at the supper. He had taken
 
 234 LIONEL'S PROPOSAL. 
 
 part in the defence of Sluys, and was one of the officers with 
 whom Lionel was most intimate. 
 
 "It would be a rare enterprise to surprise Breda," Captain 
 de Heraugiere said; "but I fear it is hopeless to think of such 
 a thing." 
 
 " I do not see why it should be," Lionel said. " I was read- 
 ing when I was last at home about our wars with the Scotch, 
 and there were several cases in which very strong places that 
 could not have been carried by assault were captured suddenly 
 by small parties of men who disguised themselves as waggoners, 
 and hiding a score or two of their comrades in a waggon covered 
 with firewood, or sacks of grain, boldly went up to the gates. 
 When there they cut the traces of their horses so that the gates 
 could not be closed, or the portcullis lowered, and then falling 
 upon the guards, kept them at bay until a force, hidden near the 
 gates, ran up and entered the town. I see not why a similar 
 enterprise should not be attempted at Breda." 
 
 "Nor do I," Captain Heraugiere said; "the question is how 
 to set about such a scheme." 
 
 " That one could not say without seeing the place," Lionel 
 remarked. " I should say that a plan of this sort could only 
 be successful after those who attempted it had made themselves 
 masters of all particulars of the place and its ways. Every- 
 thing would depend upon all going smoothly and without 
 hitches of any kind. If you really think of undertaking such 
 an adventure, Captain Heraugiere, I should be very glad to act 
 under you if Sir Francis Vere will give me leave to do so; but 
 I would suggest that the first step should be for us to go into 
 Breda in disguise. We might take in a waggon-load of grain for 
 sale, or merely carry on our backs baskets with country pro- 
 duce, or we could row up in a boat with fish." 
 
 " The plan is certainly worth thinking of," Captain Herau- 
 giere said. " I will turn it over in my mind for a day, and
 
 THE PRELIMINARIES ARRANGED. 235 
 
 will then talk to you again. It would be a grand stroke, and 
 there would be great honour to be obtained ; but it will not do 
 for me to go to Prince Maurice and lay it before him until we 
 have a plan completely worked out, otherwise we are more 
 likely to meet with ridicule than praise." 
 
 The following day Captain Heraugiere called at Lionel's 
 lodgings. " I have lain awake all night thinking of our scheme," 
 he said, " and have resolved to carry out at least the first part 
 of it to enter Breda and see what are the prospects of success, 
 and the manner in which the matter had best be set about. I 
 propose that we two disguise ourselves as fishermen, and 
 going down to the river between Breda and Willemstad bar- 
 gain with some fishermen going up to Breda with their catch 
 for the use of their boat While they are selling the fish we 
 can survey the town and see what is the best method of in- 
 troducing a force into it. When our plan is completed we will 
 go to Voorne, whither Prince Maurice starts to-morrow, and 
 lay the matter before him." 
 
 " I will gladly go with you to Breda," Lionel said, " and, as 
 far as I can, aid you there; but I think that it would be best that 
 you only should appear in the matter afterwards. I am but 
 a young volunteer, and it would be well that I did not appear 
 at all in the matter, which you had best make entirely your 
 own. But I hope, Captain Heraugiere, that should the prince 
 decide to adopt any plan you may form, and intrust the matter 
 to you, that you will take me with you in your following." 
 
 "That I will assuredly," Captain Heraugiere said, "and will 
 take care that if it should turn out successful your share in the 
 enterprise shall be known." 
 
 "When do you think of setting about it?" Lionel asked. 
 
 " Instantly. My company is at Voorne, and I should return 
 thither with the prince to-day. I will at once go to him and ask 
 for leave to be absent on urgent affairs for a week. Do you go to
 
 236 A WEEK'S LEAVE. 
 
 Sir Francis Vere and ask for a similar time. Do not tell him, if 
 you can help it, the exact nature of your enterprise. But if 
 you cannot obtain leave otherwise, of course you must do so. 
 I will be back here in two hours' time. We can then at once 
 get our disguises, and hire a craft to take us to Willemstad." 
 
 Lionel at once went across to the quarters of Sir Francis 
 Vere. 
 
 " I have come, Sir Francis, to ask for a week's leave of ab- 
 sence." 
 
 " That you can have, Lionel. What, are you going shooting 
 ducks on the frozen meres'?" 
 
 " No, Sir Francis. I am going on a little expedition with 
 Captain Heraugiere, who has invited me to accompany him. 
 We have an idea in our heads that may perhaps be altogether 
 useless, but may possibly bear fruit. In the first case we would 
 say nothing about it, in the second we will lay it before you 
 on our return." 
 
 " Very well," Sir Francis said with a smile. " You showed 
 that you could think at Sluys, and I hope something may come 
 of this idea of yours, whatever it may be." 
 
 At the appointed time Captain Heraugiere returned, having 
 obtained leave of absence from the prince. They at once went 
 out into the town and bought the clothes necessary for their 
 disguise. They returned with these to their lodgings, and hav- 
 ing put them on went down to the wharf, where they had no 
 difficulty in bargaining with the master of a small craft to take 
 them to Willemstad, as the Spaniards had no ships whatever 
 on the water between Rotterdam and Bergen-op-Zoom. The 
 boat was to wait three days for them at that town, and to bring 
 them back to Rotterdam. As there was no reason for delay 
 they at once went on board and cast off. The distance was but 
 thirty miles, and just at nightfall they stepped ashore at the 
 town of Willemstad.
 
 AT BREDA. 237 
 
 The next morning they had no difficulty in arranging with 
 a fisherman who was going up to Breda with a cargo of fish 
 to take the place of two of his boatmen at the oars. 
 
 " We want to spend a few hours there," Captain Heraugiere 
 said, " and will give you five crowns if you will leave two of 
 your men here and let us take their places." 
 
 "That is a bargain," the man said at once; "that is, if you 
 can row, for we shall scarce take the tide up to the town, and 
 must keep on rowing to get there before the ebb begins." 
 
 " We can row, though perhaps not so well as your own men. 
 You are, I suppose, in the habit of going there, and are known 
 to the guards at the port? They are not likely, I should think, 
 to notice that you haven't got the same crew as usual?" 
 
 " There is no fear of that, and if they did I could easily say 
 that two of my men were unable to accompany me to-day, 
 and that I have hired fresh hands in their places." 
 
 Two of the men got out. Captain Heraugiere and Lionel 
 Vickars took their places, and the boat proceeded up the river. 
 The oars were heavy and clumsy, and the new-comers were by 
 no means sorry when, after a row of twelve miles, they neared 
 Breda. 
 
 "What are the regulations for entering Breda?" Captain 
 Heraugiere asked as they approached the town. 
 
 " There are no particular regulations," the master of the boat 
 said, " save that on entering the port the boat is searched to 
 see that it contains nothing but fish. None are allowed to 
 enter the gates of the town without giving their names, and 
 satisfying the officer on guard that they have business in the 
 place." 
 
 An officer came on board as the boat ran up alongside the 
 quay and asked a few questions. After assisting in getting the 
 basket of fish on shore Captain Heraugiere and Lionel saun- 
 tered away along the quay, leaving the fishermen to dispose of
 
 238 A HAPPY THOUGHT. 
 
 their catch to the townspeople, who had already begun to 
 bargain for them. 
 
 The river Mark flowed through the town, supplying its 
 moats with water. Where it left the town on the western side 
 was the old castle, with a moat of its own and strong fortified 
 lines. Within was the quay, with an open place called the fish- 
 market leading to the gates of the new castle. There were 
 600 Spanish infantry in the town and 100 in the castle, and 
 100 cavalry. The governor of Breda, Edward Lanzavecchia, 
 was absent superintending the erection of new fortifications at 
 Gertruydenberg, and in his absence the town was under the 
 command of his son Paolo. 
 
 Great vigilance was exercised. All vessels entering port were 
 strictly examined, and there was a guard-house on the quay. 
 Lying by one of the wharves was a large boat laden with peat, 
 which was being rapidly unloaded, the peat being sold as soon 
 as landed, as fuel was very short in the city. 
 
 " It seems to me," Lionel said as they stood for a minute 
 looking on, " that this would be just the thing for us. If we 
 could make an arrangement with the captain of one of these 
 peat-boats we might hide a number of men in the hold and 
 cover them with peat. A place might be built large enough, I 
 should think, to hold seventy or eighty men, and yet be room 
 for a quantity of peat to be stowed over them." 
 
 "A capital idea," Captain Heraugiere said. "The peat 
 comes from above the town. We must find out where the 
 barges are loaded, and try to get at one of the captains." 
 
 After a short walk through the town they returned to the 
 boat. The fisherman had already sold out his stock, and was 
 glad at seeing his passengers return earlier than he expected ; 
 but as the guard was standing by he rated them severely for 
 keeping him waiting so long, and with a muttered excuse they 
 took their places in the boat and rowed down the river.
 
 "A GOOD TRADE." 239 
 
 " I want you to put us ashore on the left bank as soon as we 
 are out of sight of the town," Captain Heraugiere said. "As 
 it will be heavy work getting your boat back with only two of 
 you, I will give you a couple of crowns beyond the amount I 
 bargained with you for." 
 
 " That will do well enough," the man said. " We have got 
 the tide with us, and can drop down at our leisure." 
 
 As soon as they were landed they made a wide detour to 
 avoid the town, and coming down again upon the river above 
 it, followed its banks for three miles, when they put up at a 
 little inn in the small village of Leur on its bank. They had 
 scarcely sat down to a meal when a man came in and called 
 for supper. The landlord placed another plate at the table 
 near them, and the man at once got into conversation with 
 them, and they learnt that he was master of a peat-boat that 
 had that morning left Breda empty. 
 
 " We were in Breda ourselves this morning," Captain Her- 
 augiere said, "and saw a peat-boat unloading there. There 
 seemed to be a brisk demand for the fuel." 
 
 "Yes; it is a good trade at present," the man said. "There 
 are only six of us who have permits to enter the port, and it 
 is as much as we can do to keep the town supplied with fuel; 
 for, you see, at any moment the river may be frozen up, so the 
 citizens need to keep a good stock in hand. I ought not to 
 grumble, since I reap the benefit of the Spanish regulations; 
 but all these restrictions on trade come mighty hard upon the 
 people of Breda. It was not so in the old time." 
 
 After supper was over Captain Heraugiere ordered a couple 
 of flasks of spirits, and presently learned from the boatman 
 that his name was Adrian Van de Berg, and that he had been 
 at one time a servant in the household of William of Orange. 
 Little by little Captain Heraugiere felt his way, and soon found 
 that the boatman was an enthusiastic patriot. He then con-
 
 240 "A BOLD PLAN AND A GOOD ONE." 
 
 fided to him that he himself was an officer in the State's service, 
 and had come to Breda to ascertain whether there was any pos- 
 sibility of capturing the town by surprise. 
 
 "We hit on a plan to-day," he said, "which promises a 
 chance of success; but it needs the assistance of one ready to 
 risk his life." 
 
 " I am ready to risk my life in any enterprise that has a fair 
 chance of success," the boatman said, " but I do not see how I 
 can be of much assistance." 
 
 " You can be of the greatest assistance if you will, and will 
 render the greatest service to your country if you will join in our 
 plan. What we propose is, that we should construct a shelter 
 of boards four feet high in the bottom of your boat, leading 
 from your little cabin aft right up to the bow. In this I calcu- 
 late we could stow seventy men; then the peat could be piled 
 over it, and if you entered the port somewhat late in the after- 
 noon you could manage that it was not unladen so as to un- 
 cover the roof of our shelter before work ceased for the night. 
 Then we could sally out, overpower the guard on the quay, make 
 for one of the gates, master the guard there, and open it to 
 our friends without." 
 
 "It is a bold plan and a good one," Van de Berg said, "and 
 I am ready to run my share of the risk with you. I am so 
 well known in Breda that they do not search the cargo very 
 closely when I arrive, and I see no reason why the party hidden 
 below should not escape observation. I will undertake my 
 share of the business if you decide to carry it out. I served the 
 prince for fifteen years, and am ready to serve his son. There 
 are plenty of planks to be obtained at a place three miles above 
 here, and it would not take many hours to construct the false 
 deck. If you send a messenger here giving me two days' notice, 
 it shall be built and the peat stowed on it by the time you 
 arrive."
 
 "THIS IS A RARE ENTERPRISE." 241 
 
 It was late at night before the conversation was concluded, 
 and the next morning Captain Heraugiere and Lionel started 
 on their return, struck the river some miles below Breda, ob- 
 tained a passage over the river in a passing boat late in the 
 afternoon, and, sleeping at Willemstad, went on board their 
 boat next morning and returned to Rotterdam. It was ar- 
 ranged that Lionel should say nothing about their journey 
 until Captain Heraugiere had opened the subject to Prince 
 Maurice. 
 
 "You are back before your time," Sir Francis Vere said 
 when Lionel reported himself for duty. " Has anything come 
 of this project of yours, whatever it may be?" 
 
 " We hope so, sir. Captain Heraugiere will make his report 
 to Prince Maurice. He is the leader of the party, and there- 
 fore we thought it best that he should report to Prince Mau- 
 rice, who, if he thinks well of it, will of course communicate 
 with you." 
 
 The next day a message arrived from Voorne requesting Sir 
 Francis Vere to proceed thither to discuss with the prince a 
 matter of importance. He returned after two days' absence, 
 and presently sent for Lionel. 
 
 " This is a rare enterprise that Captain Heraugiere has pro- 
 posed to the prince," he said, " and promises well for success. 
 It is to be kept a profound secret, and a few only will know 
 aught of it until it is executed. Heraugiere is of course to 
 have command of the party which is to be hidden in the barge, 
 and is to pick out eighty men from the garrisons of Gorcum 
 and Lowesteyn. He has begged that you shall be of the party, 
 as he says that the whole matter was in the first case suggested 
 to him by you. The rest of the men and officers will be Dutch." 
 
 A fortnight later, on the 22nd of February, Sir Francis Vere 
 on his return from the Hague, where Prince Maurice now was, 
 told Lionel that all was arranged. The message had come 
 
 (577) Q
 
 242 A DISAPPOINTMENT. 
 
 down from Van de Berg that the hiding-place was constructed. 
 They were to join Heraugiere the next day. 
 
 On the 24th of February the little party started. Heraugiere 
 had chosen young, active, and daring men. With him were 
 Captains Logier and Fervet, and Lieutenant Held. They em- 
 barked on board a vessel, and were landed near the mouth of the 
 Mark, as De Berg was this time going to carry the peat up the 
 river instead of down, fearing that the passage of seventy men 
 through the country would attract attention. The same night 
 Prince Maurice, Sir Francis Vere, Count Hohenlohe, and other 
 officers sailed to Willemstad, their destination having been kept 
 a strict secret from all but those engaged in the enterprise. Six 
 hundred English troops, eight hundred Dutch, and three hundred 
 cavalry had been drawn from different garrisons, and were also 
 to land at Willemstad. 
 
 When Heraugiere' s party arrived at the point agreed on at 
 eleven o'clock at night, Van de Berg was not there, nor was 
 the barge ; and angry and alarmed at his absence they searched 
 about for him for hours, and at last found him in the village 
 of Terheyde. He made the excuse that he had overslept him- 
 self, and that he was afraid the plot had been discovered. As 
 everything depended upon his co-operation, Heraugiere ab- 
 stained from the angry reproaches which the strange conduct 
 of the man had excited; and as it was now too late to do any- 
 thing that night, a meeting was arranged for the following 
 evening, and a message was despatched to the prince telling 
 him that the expedition was postponed for a day. On their 
 return, the men all gave free vent to their indignation. 
 
 " I have no doubt," Heraugiere said, " that the fellow has 
 turned coward now that the time has come to face the danger. 
 It is one thing to talk about a matter as long as it is far dis- 
 tant, but another to look it in the face when it is close at hand, 
 I do not believe that he will come to-morrow."
 
 IN THE VESSEL'S HOLD. 243 
 
 " If he does not he will deserve hanging," Captain Logier 
 said; "after all the trouble he has given in getting the troops 
 together, and after bringing the prince himself over." 
 
 "It will go very near hanging if not quite," Heraugiere 
 muttered. " If he thinks that he is going to fool us with im- 
 punity, he is mightily mistaken. If he is a wise man he will 
 start at daybreak, and get as far away as he can before night- 
 fall if he does not mean to come." 
 
 The next day the party remained in hiding in a barn, and 
 in the evening again went down to the river. There was 
 a barge lying there laden high with turf. A general excla- 
 mation of satisfaction broke from all when they saw it. There 
 were two men on it. One landed and came to meet them. 
 
 "Where is Van de Berg?" Captain Heraugiere asked as he 
 came up. 
 
 " He is ill and unable to come, but has sent you this letter. 
 My brother and myself have undertaken the business." 
 
 The letter merely said that the writer was too ill to come, 
 but had sent in his place his two nephews, one or other of 
 whom always accompanied him, and who could be trusted 
 thoroughly to carry out the plan. The party at once went on 
 board the vessel, descended into the little cabin aft, and then 
 passed through a hole made by the removal of two planks into 
 the hold that had been prepared for them. Heraugiere re- 
 mained on deck, and from time to time descended to inform 
 those below of the progress being made. It was slow indeed, 
 for a strong wind laden with sleet blew directly down the 
 river. Huge blocks of ice floated down, and the two boatmen 
 with their poles had the greatest difficulty in keeping the boat's 
 head up the stream. 
 
 At last the wind so increased that navigation became im- 
 possible, and the barge was made fast against the bank From 
 Monday night until Thursday morning the gale continued.
 
 244 A TERRIBLE POSITION. 
 
 Progress was impossible, and the party cramped up in the hold 
 suffered greatly from hunger and thirst. On Thursday evening 
 they could sustain it no longer and landed. They were for a 
 time scarce able to walk, so cramped were their limbs by their 
 long confinement, and made their way up painfully to a fortified 
 building called Nordand, standing far from any other habita- 
 tions. Here they obtained food and drink, and remained until 
 at eleven at night one of the boatmen came to them with news 
 that the wind had changed, and was now blowing in from the 
 sea. They again took their places on board, but the water was 
 low in the river, and it was difficult work passing the shallows, 
 and it was not until Saturday afternoon that they passed the 
 boom below the town and entered the inner harbour. 
 
 An officer of the guard came off in a boat and boarded the 
 barge. The weather was so bitterly cold that he at once went 
 into the little cabin and there chatted with the two boatmen. 
 Those in the hold could hear every word that was said, and they 
 almost held their breath, for the slightest noise would betray 
 them. After a while the officer got into his boat again, saying 
 he would send some men off to warp the vessel into the castle 
 dock, as the fuel was required by the garrison there. As the 
 barge was making its way towards the water-gate, it struck 
 upon a hidden obstruction in the river and began to leak 
 rapidly. The situation of those in the hold was now terrible, 
 for in a few minutes the water rose to their knees, and the 
 choice seemed to be presented to them of being drowned like 
 rats there, or leaping overboard, in which case they would be 
 captured and hung without mercy. The boatmen plied the 
 pumps vigorously, and in a short time a party of Italian soldiers 
 arrived from the shore and towed the vessel into the inner 
 harbour, and made her fast close to the guard-house of the 
 castle. A party of labourers at once came on board and began 
 to unload the turf; the need of fuel both in the town and
 
 THE DANGER EVADED. 245 
 
 castle being great, for the weather had been for some time 
 bitterly cold. 
 
 A fresh danger now arose. The sudden immersion in the 
 icy water in the close cabin brought on a sudden inclination to 
 sneeze and cough. Lieutenant Held, finding himself unable to 
 repress his cough, handed his dagger to Lionel Vickars, who 
 happened to be sitting next to him, and implored him to stab 
 him to the heart lest his cough might betray the whole party; 
 but one of the boatmen who was standing close to the cabin 
 heard the sounds, and bade his companion go on pumping with 
 as much noise and clatter as possible, while he himself did the 
 same, telling those standing on the wharf alongside that the 
 boat was almost full of water. The boatmen behaved with 
 admirable calmness and coolness, exchanging jokes with acquain- 
 tances on the quay, keeping up a lively talk, asking high prices 
 for their peat, and engaging in long and animated bargains so as 
 to prevent the turf from being taken too rapidly ashore. 
 
 At last, when but a few layers of turf remained over the roof 
 of the hold, the elder brother told the men unloading that it 
 was getting too dark, and he himself was too tired and worn- 
 out to attend to things any longer. He therefore gave the men 
 some money and told them to go to the nearest public-house to 
 drink his health, and to return the first thing in the morning to 
 finish unloading. The younger of the two brothers had already 
 left the boat. He made his way through the town, and started 
 at full speed to carry the news to Prince Maurice that the barge 
 had arrived safely in the town, and the attempt would be made 
 at midnight; also of the fact they had learned from those on 
 the wharf, that the governor had heard a rumour that a force 
 had landed somewhere on the coast, and had gone off again to 
 Gertruydenberg in all haste, believing that some design was 
 on foot against that town. His son Paolo was again in com- 
 mand of the garrison.
 
 246 THE SURPRISE. 
 
 A little before midnight Captain Heraugiere told his comrades 
 that the hour had arrived, and that only by the most desperate 
 bravery could they hope to succeed, while death was the cer- 
 tain consequence of failure. The band were divided into two 
 companies. He himself with one was to attack the main guard- 
 house; the other, under Fervet, was to seize the arsenal of the 
 fortress. Noiselessly they stole out from their hiding-place, 
 and formed upon the wharf within the inclosure of the castle. 
 Heraugiere moved straight upon the guard-house. The sentry 
 was secured instantly; but the slight noise was heard, and 
 the captain of the watch ran out but was instantly cut 
 down. 
 
 Others came out with torches, but after a brief fight were 
 driven into the guard-house; when all were shot down through 
 the doors and windows. Captain Fervet and his band had 
 done equally well. The magazine of the castle was seized, and 
 its defenders slain. Paolo Lanzavecchia made a sally from the 
 palace with a few of his adherents, but was wounded and 
 driven back; and the rest of the garrison of the castle, ignorant 
 of the strength of the force that had thus risen as it were from 
 the earth upon them, fled panic-stricken, not even pausing to 
 destroy the bridge between the castle and the town. 
 
 Young Paolo Lanzavecchia now began a parley with the as- 
 sailants; but while the negotiations were going on Hohenlohe 
 with his cavalry came up having been apprised by the boatman 
 that the attempt was about to be made battered down the 
 palisade near the water-gate, and entered the castle. A short 
 time afterwards Prince Maurice, Sir Francis Vere, and other 
 officers arrived with the main body of the troops. But the 
 fight was over before even Hohenlohe arrived; forty of the 
 garrison being killed, and not a single man of the seventy 
 assailants. The burgomaster, finding that the castle had fallen, 
 and that a strong force had arrived, then sent a trumpeter to
 
 NOVEL TACTICS. 247 
 
 the castle to arrange for the capitulation of the town, which 
 was settled on the following terms : All plundering was com- 
 muted for the payment of two months' pay to every soldier 
 engaged in the affair. All who chose might leave the city, with 
 full protection to life and property. Those who were willing 
 to remain were not to be molested in their consciences or 
 households with regard to religion. 
 
 The news of the capture of Breda was received with immense 
 enthusiasm throughout Holland. It was the first offensive 
 operation that had been successfully undertaken, and gave new- 
 hope to the patriots. 
 
 Parma was furious at the cowardice with which five com- 
 panies of foot and one of horse all picked troops had fled 
 before the attack of seventy Hollanders. Three captains were 
 publicly beheaded in Brussels and a fourth degraded to the 
 ranks, while Lanzavecchia was deprived of the command of 
 Gertruydenberg. 
 
 For some months before the assault upon Breda the army of 
 Holland had been gaining vastly in strength and organization. 
 Prince Maurice, aided by his cousin Lewis William, stadholder 
 of Friesland, had been hard at work getting it into a state of 
 efficiency. Lewis William, a man of great energy and military 
 talent, saw that the use of solid masses of men in the field 
 was no longer fitted to a state of things when the improve- 
 ments in firearms of all sorts had entirely changed the condi- 
 tion of war. He therefore reverted to the old Roman methods, 
 and drilled his soldiers in small bodies; teaching them to turn 
 and wheel, advance or retreat, and perform all sorts of manoeuvres 
 with regularity and order. Prince Maurice adopted the same 
 plan in Holland, and the tactics so introduced proved so effi- 
 cient that they were sooner or later adopted by all civilized 
 nations. 
 
 At the time when William of Orange tried to relieve the
 
 248 A RISING NATION. 
 
 hard-pressed city of Haarlem, he could with the greatest dif- 
 ficulty muster three or four thousand men for the purpose. The 
 army of the Netherlands was now 22,000 strong, of whom 2000 
 were cavalry. It was well disciplined, well equipped, and re- 
 gularly paid, and was soon to prove that the pains bestowed 
 upon it had not been thrown away. In the course of the 
 eighteen years that had followed the capture of Brill and the 
 commencement of the struggle with Spain, the wealth and 
 prosperity of Holland had enormously increased. The Dutch 
 were masters of the sea- coast, the ships of the Zeelanders 
 closed every avenue to the interior, and while the commerce of 
 Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, and the other cities of the provinces 
 that remained in the hands of the Spaniards was for the time 
 destroyed, and their population fell off by a half, Holland 
 benefited in proportion. 
 
 From all the Spanish provinces men of energy and wealth 
 passed over in immense numbers to Holland, where they could 
 pursue their commerce and industries free from the exactions 
 and cruelty under which they had for so many years groaned. 
 The result was that the cities of Holland increased vastly in 
 wealth and population, and the resources at the disposal of 
 Prince Maurice enormously exceeded those with which his 
 father had for so many years sustained the struggle. 
 
 For a while after the capture of Breda there was breathing 
 time in Holland, and Maurice was busy in increasing and 
 improving his army. Parma was fettered by the imperious 
 commands of Philip, who had completely crippled him by with- 
 drawing a considerable number of his troops for service in the 
 war which he was waging with France. But above all, the 
 destruction of the Armada, and with it of the naval supremacy 
 of Spain, had changed the situation. 
 
 Holland was free to carry on her enterprises by sea, and had 
 free communication and commerce with her English ally, while
 
 CHANGED CONDITIONS. 249 
 
 communication between Spain and the Netherlands was diffi- 
 cult. Reinforcements could no longer be sent by sea, and had 
 to be sent across Europe from Italy. Parma was worn out by 
 exertions, disappointment, and annoyance, and his health was 
 seriously failing; while opposed to him were three young com- 
 manders Maurice, Lewis William, and Francis Vere all men 
 of military genius and full of confidence and energy.
 
 CHAPTEE XV. 
 
 A SLAVE IN BARBARY. 
 
 HE Tarifa had left port but a few hours when a 
 strong wind rose from the north, and rapidly in- 
 creased in violence until it was blowing a gale. 
 
 " Inez is terribly ill," Gerald said when he met 
 Geoffrey on deck the following morning. "I believe at the 
 present moment she would face her father and risk everything 
 if she could but be put on shore." 
 
 " I can well imagine that. However, she will think otherwise 
 to-morrow or next day. I believe these Mediterranean storms 
 do not last long. There is no fear of six weeks of bad weather 
 such as we had when we were last afloat together." 
 
 " No. I have just been speaking to the captain. He says 
 they generally blow themselves out in two or three days; but 
 still, even that is not a pleasant look-out. These vessels are not 
 like your English craft, which seem to be able to sail almost 
 in the eye of the wind. They are lubberly craft, and badly 
 handled; and if this gale lasts for three days we shall be down 
 on the Barbary coast, and I would rather risk another journey 
 through Spain than get down so near the country of the Moors." 
 
 " I can understand that," Geoffrey agreed. " However, I see 
 there are some thirty soldiers forward on their way to join one 
 of the regiments in Naples, so we ought to be able to beat off 
 any corsair that might come near us.
 
 A BARBARY CORSAIR. 251 
 
 "Yes; but if we got down on their coast we might be at- 
 tacked by half a dozen of them," Gerald said. " However, one 
 need not begin to worry one's self at present; the gale may abate 
 within a few hours." 
 
 At the end of the second day the wind went down suddenly; 
 and through the night the vessel rolled heavily, for the sea was 
 still high, and there was not a breath of wind to fill her sails 
 and steady her. By the morning the sea had gone down, but 
 there was still an absence of wind. 
 
 " We have had a horrible night," Gerald remarked, " but we 
 may think ourselves fortunate indeed," and he pointed to the 
 south, where the land was plainly visible at a distance of nine 
 or ten miles. " If the gale had continued to blow until now 
 we should have been on shore long before this." 
 
 " We are too near to be pleasant," Geoffrey said, " for they 
 can see us as plainly as we can see the land. It is to be hoped 
 that a breeze may spring up from the south before long and 
 enable us to creep off the land. Unless I am greatly mistaken 
 I can see the masts of some craft or other in a line with those 
 white houses over there." 
 
 " I don't see them," Gerald replied, gazing intently in the 
 direction in which Geoffrey pointed. 
 
 " Let us go up to the top, Gerald; we shall see her hull from 
 there plainly enough." 
 
 On reaching the top Gerald saw at once that his friend's eyes 
 had not deceived him. 
 
 " Yes, there is a vessel there sure enough, Geoffrey. I can- 
 not see whether she has one or two masts, for her head is in 
 this direction." 
 
 " That is not the worst of it," Geoffrey said, shading his eyes 
 and gazing intently on the distant object. "She is rowing; I 
 can see the light flash on her oars every stroke. That is a 
 Moorish galley, and she is coming out towards us."
 
 252 PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE. 
 
 "I believe you are right," Gerald replied after gazing 
 earnestly for some time. "Yes, I saw the flash of the oars 
 then distinctly." 
 
 They at once descended to the deck and informed the cap- 
 tain of what they had seen. He hastily mounted to the top. 
 
 " There is no mistake about it," he said after looking intently 
 for a short time; "it is one of the Barbary corsairs, and she 
 is making out towards us. The holy saints preserve us from 
 these bloodthirsty infidels." 
 
 "The saints will do their work if we do ours," Gerald re- 
 marked; "and we had best do as large a share as possible. 
 What is the number of your crew, captain 1 ?" 
 
 " Nineteen men altogether." 
 
 "And there are thirty soldiers, and six male passengers in 
 the cabin," Gerald said ; " so we muster fifty-four. That ought 
 to be enough to beat off the corsair." 
 
 On returning to the deck the captain informed the officer in 
 charge of the troops on board that a Moorish pirate was put- 
 ting off towards them, and that unless the wind came to their 
 aid there was no chance of escaping a conflict with her. 
 
 "Then we must fight her, captain," the officer, who was still 
 a youth, said cheerfully. " I have thirty men, of whom at least 
 half are veterans. You have four cannon on board, and there 
 are the crew and passengers." 
 
 "Fifty-four in all," Gerald said. "We ought to be able to 
 make a good fight of it." 
 
 Orders were at once given, soldiers and crew were mustered 
 and informed of the approaching danger. 
 
 " We have got to fight, men, and to fight hard," the young 
 officer said; "for if we are beaten you know the result either 
 our throats will be cut or we shall have to row in their gal- 
 leys for the rest of our lives. So there is not much choice." 
 
 In an hour the corsair was half-way between the coast and
 
 INEZ REFUSES TO GO BELOW. 253 
 
 the vessel. By this time every preparation had been made for 
 her reception. Arms had been distributed among the crew and 
 such of the passengers as were not already provided, the guns 
 had been cast loose and ammunition brought up, cauldrons of 
 pitch were ranged along the bulwarks and fires lighted on slabs 
 of stone placed beneath them. The coppers in the galley were 
 already boiling. 
 
 "Now, captain," the young officer said, "do you and your 
 sailors work the guns and ladle out the pitch and boiling water, 
 and be in readiness to catch up their pikes and axes and aid in 
 the defence if the villains gain a footing on the deck. I and 
 my men and the passengers will do our best to keep them from 
 climbing up." 
 
 The vessel was provided with sweeps, and the captain had 
 in the first place proposed to man them; but Gerald pointed 
 out that the corsair would row three feet to their one, and that 
 it was important that all should be fresh and vigorous when thje 
 pirates came alongside. The idea had consequently been aban- 
 doned, and the vessel lay motionless in the water while the 
 corsair was approaching. 
 
 Inez, who felt better now that the motion had subsided, came 
 on deck as the preparations were being made. Gerald told her 
 of the danger that was approaching. She turned pale. 
 
 "This is dreadful, Gerald. I would rather face death a 
 thousand times than be captured by the Moors." 
 
 " We shall beat them off, dear, never fear. They will not 
 reckon upon the soldiers we have on board, and will expect an 
 easy prize. I do not suppose that, apart from the galley-slaves, 
 they have more men on board than we have, and fighting as 
 we do for liberty, each of us ought to be equal to a couple of 
 these Moorish dogs. When the conflict begins you must go 
 below." 
 
 " I shall not do that," Inez said firmly. " We will share the
 
 254 THE FIGHT BEGINS. 
 
 same fate whatever it may be, Gerald; and remember that 
 whatever happens I will not live to be carried captive among 
 them. I will stab myself to the heart if I see that all is lost" 
 
 " You shall come on deck if you will, Inez, when they get 
 close alongside. I do not suppose there will be many shots 
 fired they will be in too great a hurry to board; but as long 
 as they are shooting you must keep below. After that come 
 up if you will. It would make a coward of me did I know that 
 a chance shot might strike you." 
 
 " Very well, then, Gerald, to please you I will go down until 
 they come alongside, then come what will I shall be on deck." 
 
 As the general opinion on board was that the corsairs would 
 not greatly outnumber them, while they would be at a great 
 disadvantage from the lowness of their vessel in the water, there 
 was a general feeling of confidence, and the approach of the 
 enemy was watched with calmness. When half a mile distant 
 two puffs of smoke burst out from the corsair's bows. A mo- 
 ment later a shot struck the ship, and another threw up the water 
 close to her stern. The four guns of the Tarifa had been brought 
 over to the side on which the enemy was approaching, and these 
 were now discharged. One of the shots carried away some 
 oars on the starboard side of the galley, another struck her in 
 the bow. There was a slight confusion on board ; two or three 
 oars were shifted over from the port to the starboard side, and 
 she continued her way. 
 
 The guns were loaded again, bags of bullets being this time 
 inserted instead of balls. The corsairs fired once more, but 
 their shots were unanswered; and with wild yells and shouts 
 they approached the motionless Spanish vessel 
 
 " She is crowded with men," Gerald remarked to Geoffrey. 
 " She has far more on board than we reckoned on." 
 
 "We have not given them a close volley yet," Geoffrey replied. 
 " If the guns are well aimed they will make matters equal."
 
 GEOFFREY FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF THE CORSAIRS.
 
 THE CORSAIRS REPULSED. 255 
 
 The corsair was little more than her own length away when 
 the captain gave the order, and the four guns poured their con- 
 tents upon her crowded decks. The effect was terrible. The 
 mass of men gathered in her bow in readiness to board as soon 
 as she touched the Tarifa were literally swept away. Another 
 half minute she was alongside the Spaniard, and the Moors with 
 wild shouts of vengeance tried to clamber on board. 
 
 But they had not reckoned upon meeting with more than 
 the ordinary crew of a merchant ship. The soldiers discharged 
 their arquebuses, and then with pike and sword opposed an 
 impenetrable barrier to the assailants, while the sailors from 
 behind ladled over the boiling pitch and water through inter- 
 vals purposely left in the line of the defenders. The conflict 
 lasted but a few minutes. Well-nigh half the Moors had been 
 swept away by the discharge of the cannon, and the rest, but 
 little superior in numbers to the Spaniards, were not long be- 
 fore they lost heart, their efforts relaxed, and shouts arose to 
 the galley-slaves to row astern. 
 
 " Now, it is our turn!" the young officer cried. " Follow me, 
 my men; we will teach the dogs a lesson." As he spoke he 
 sprang from the bulwark down upon the deck of the corsair. 
 
 Geoffrey, who was standing next to him, followed his 
 example, as did five or six soldiers. They were instantly en- 
 gaged in a hand-to-hand fight with the Moors. In the din and 
 confusion they heard not the shouts of their comrades. After 
 a minute's fierce fighting, Geoffrey, finding that he and his com- 
 panions were being pressed back, glanced round to see why 
 support did not arrive, and saw that there were already thirty 
 feet of water between the two vessels. He was about to spring 
 overboard, when the Moors made a desperate rush, his guard 
 was beaten down, a blow from a Moorish scimitar fell on his 
 head, and he lost consciousness. 
 
 Jt was a long time before he recovered. The first sound he
 
 256 A PRISONER. 
 
 was aware of was the creaking of the oars. He lay dreamily 
 listening to this, and wondering what it meant, until the truth 
 suddenly flashed across him. He opened his eyes and looked 
 round. A heavy weight lay across his legs, and he saw the 
 young Spanish officer lying dead there. Several other Spaniards 
 lay close by, while the deck was strewn with the corpses of the 
 Moors. He understood at once what had happened. The 
 vessels had drifted apart just as he sprang on board, cutting 
 off those who had boarded the corsair from all assistance from 
 their friends, and as soon as they had been overpowered the 
 galley had started on her return to the port from which she had 
 come out. 
 
 "At any rate," he said to himself, " Gerald and Inez are safe; 
 that is a comfort, whatever comes of it." 
 
 It was not until the corsair dropped anchor near the shore 
 that the dispirited Moors paid any attention to those by whom 
 their deck was cumbered. Then the Spaniards were first 
 examined. Four, who were dead, were at once tossed over- 
 board. Geoffrey and two others who showed signs of life 
 were left for the present, a bucket of water being thrown over 
 each to revive them. The Moorish wounded and the dead 
 were then lowered into boats and taken on shore for care or 
 burial Then Geoffrey and the two Spaniards were ordered to 
 rise. 
 
 All three were able to do so with some difficulty, and were 
 rowed ashore. They were received when they landed by the 
 curses and execrations of the people of the little town, who 
 would have torn them to pieces had not their captors marched 
 them to the prison occupied by the galley-slaves when on shore, 
 and left them there. Most of the galley-slaves were far too 
 exhausted by their long row, and too indifferent to aught but 
 their own sufferings, to pay any attention to the new-comers. 
 Two or three, however, came up to them and offered to assist
 
 AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 257 
 
 in bandaging their wounds. Their doublets had already been 
 taken by their captors; but they now tore strips off their shirts, 
 and with these staunched the bleeding of their wounds. 
 
 " It was lucky for you that five or six of our number were 
 killed by that discharge of grape you gave us," one of them 
 said, "or they would have thrown you overboard at once. 
 Although, after all, death is almost preferable to such a life as 
 ours." 
 
 "How long have you been here?" Geoffrey asked. 
 
 " I hardly know," the other replied; "one almost loses count 
 of time here. But it is somewhere about ten years. I am sturdy, 
 you see. Three years at most is the average of our life in the 
 galleys, though there are plenty die before as many months 
 have passed. I come of a hardy race. I am not a Spaniard. I 
 was captured in an attack on a town in the West Indies, and 
 had three years on board one of your galleys at Cadiz. Then 
 she was captured by the Moors, and here I have been ever 
 since." 
 
 "Then you must be an Englishman!" Geoffrey exclaimed in 
 that language. 
 
 The man stared at him stupidly for a minute, and then burst 
 into tears. "I have never thought to hear my own tongue 
 again, lad," he said, holding out his hand. "Aye, I am 
 English, and was one of Hawkins' men. But how come you 
 to be in a Spanish ship ? I have heard our masters say, when 
 talking together, that there is war now between the English 
 and Spaniards; that is, war at home. There has always been 
 war out on the Spanish Main, but they know nothing of that." 
 
 "I was made prisoner in a fight we had with the great 
 Spanish Armada off Gravelines," Geoffrey said. 
 
 " We heard a year ago from some Spaniards they captured 
 that a great fleet was being prepared to conquer England; but 
 no news has come to us since. We are the only galley here, 
 
 (677) R
 
 258 "TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT." 
 
 and as our benches were full, the prisoners they have taken 
 since were sent off at once to Algiers or other ports, so we 
 have heard nothing. But I told the Spaniards that if Drake 
 and Hawkins were in England when their great fleet got there, 
 they were not likely to have it all their own way. Tell me all 
 about it, lad. You do not know how hungry I am for news 
 from home." 
 
 Geoffrey related to the sailor the tale of the overthrow and 
 destruction of the Armada, which threw him into an ecstasy of 
 satisfaction. 
 
 " These fellows," he said, pointing to the other galley-slaves, 
 "have for the last year been telling me that I need not call my- 
 self an Englishman any more, for that England was only a part 
 of Spain now. I will open their eyes a bit in the morning. 
 But I won't ask you any more questions now; it is a shame 
 to have made you talk so much after such a clip as you have 
 had on the head." 
 
 Geoffrey turned round on the sand that formed their only 
 bed, and was soon asleep, the last sound he heard being the 
 chuckling of his companion over the discomfiture of the Ar- 
 mada. 
 
 In the morning the guard came in with a great dish filled 
 with a sort of porridge of coarsely-ground grain, boiled with 
 water. In a corner of the yard were a number of calabashes, 
 each composed of half a gourd. The slaves each dipped one of 
 these into the vessel, and so eat their breakfast. Before be- 
 ginning Geoffrey went to a trough, into which a jet of water 
 was constantly falling from a small pipe, bathed his head and 
 face, and took a long drink. 
 
 " We may be thankful," the sailor, who had already told him 
 that his name was Stephen Boldero, said, "that someone in 
 the old times laid on that water. If it had not been for that I 
 do not know what we should have done, and a drink of muddy
 
 "SOME MEN DIE UNDER IT." 259 
 
 stuff once or twice a day is all we should have got. That there 
 pure water is just the saving of us." 
 
 "What are we going to do now?" Geoffrey asked. "Does 
 the galley go out every day?" 
 
 "Bless you, no; sometimes not once a month; only when a 
 sail is made out in sight, and the wind is light enough to give 
 us the chance of capturing her. Sometimes we go out on a 
 cruise for a month at a time; but that is not often. At other 
 times we do the work of the town, mend the roads, sweep up 
 the filth, repair the quays; do anything, in fact, that wants 
 doing. The work, except in the galleys, is not ahove a man's 
 strength. Some men die under it, because the Spaniards lose 
 heart and turn sullen, and then down comes the whip on their 
 backs, and they break their hearts over it; but a man as does 
 his best, and is cheerful and willing, gets on well enough ex- 
 cept in the galleys. 
 
 " That is work; that is. There is a chap walks up and down 
 with a whip, and when they are chasing he lets it fall pro- 
 miscuous, and even if you are rowing fit to kill yourself you 
 do not escape it; but on shore here if you keep up your spirits 
 things ain't altogether so bad. Now I have got you here to 
 talk to in my own lingo I feel quite a different man. For 
 although I have been here ten years, and can jabber in Spanish, 
 I have never got on with these fellows; as is only natural, 
 seeing that I am an Englishman and know all about their 
 doings in the Spanish Main, and hate them worse than poison. 
 Well, our time is up, so I am off. I do not expect they will 
 make you work till your wounds are healed a bit." 
 
 This supposition turned out correct, and for the next week 
 Geoffrey was allowed to remain quietly in the yard when the 
 gang went out to their work At the end of that time his 
 wound had closed, and being heartily sick of the monotony of 
 his life, he voluntarily fell in by the side of Boldero when the
 
 260 RATHER WITH MOORS THAN SPANIARDS. 
 
 gang was called to work. The overseer was apparently pleased 
 at this evidence of willingness on the part of the young captive, 
 and said something to him in his own tongue. This his com- 
 panion translated as being an order that he was not to work 
 too hard for the present. 
 
 " I am bound to say, mate, that these Moors are, as a rule, 
 much better masters than the Spaniards. I have tried them 
 both, and I would rather be in a Moorish galley than a Spanish 
 one by a long way, except just when they are chasing a ship, 
 and are half wild with excitement. These Moors are not half 
 bad fellows, while it don't seem to me that a Spaniard has 
 got a heart in him. Then again, I do not think they are quite 
 so hard on Englishmen as they are on Spaniards; for they hate 
 the Spaniards because they drove them out of their country. 
 Once or twice I have had a talk with the overseer when he has 
 been in a special good humour, and he knows we hate the 
 Spaniards as much as they do, and that though they call us all 
 Christian dogs, our Christianity ain't a bit like that of the 
 Spaniards. I shall let him know the first chance I have that 
 you are English too, and I shall ask him to let you always 
 work by the side of me." 
 
 As Stephen Boldero had foretold, Geoffrey did not find his 
 work on shore oppressively hard. He did his best, and as he 
 and his companion always performed a far larger share of 
 work than that done by any two of the Spaniards, they gained 
 the good-will of their overlooker, who, when a fortnight later 
 the principal bey of the place sent down a request for two 
 slaves to do some rough work in his garden, selected them for 
 the work. 
 
 "Now we will just buckle to, lad," Stephen Boldero said. 
 " This bey is the captain of the corsair, and he can make things 
 a deal easier for us if he chooses; so we will not spare ourselves. 
 He had one of the men up there two years ago, and kept him
 
 A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. 261 
 
 for some months, and the fellow found it so hard when he came 
 back here again that he pined and died off in no time." 
 
 A guard took them to the bey's house, which stood on high 
 ground behind the town. The bey came out to examine the 
 men chosen for his work. 
 
 " I hear," he said, " that you are both English, and hate the 
 Spaniards as much as we do. Well, if I find you work well, 
 you will be well treated; if not, you will be sent back at once. 
 Now, come with me, and I shall show you what you have to 
 do." 
 
 The high wall at the back of the garden had been pulled 
 down, and the bey intended to enlarge the inclosure consider- 
 ably. 
 
 "You are first," he said, "to dig a foundation for the new 
 wall along that line marked out by stakes. When that is done 
 you will supply the masons with stone and mortar. When the 
 wall is finished the new ground will all have to be dug deeply 
 and planted with shrubs, under the superintendence of my gar- 
 dener. While you are working here you will not return to the 
 prison, but will sleep in that out-house in the garden." 
 
 " You shall have no reason to complain of our work," Bol- 
 dero said. " We Englishmen are no sluggards, and we do not 
 want a man always looking after us as those lazy Spaniards do." 
 
 As soon as they were supplied with tools Geoffrey and his 
 companion set to work. The trench for the foundations had to 
 be dug three feet deep; and though the sun blazed fiercely 
 down upon them, they worked unflinchingly. From time to 
 time the bey's head servant came down to examine their pro- 
 gress, and occasionally watched them from among the treea 
 At noon he bade them lay aside their tools and come into the 
 shed, and a slave boy brought them out a large dish of vege- 
 tables, with small pieces of meat in it. 
 
 " This is something like food," Stephen said as he sat down
 
 262 THE BEY IS ASTONISHED. 
 
 to it " It is ten years since such a mess as this has passed my 
 lips. I do not wonder that chap fell ill when he got back to 
 prison if this is the sort of way they fed him here." 
 
 That evening the Moorish overseer reported to the bey that 
 the two slaves had done in the course of the day as much work 
 as six of the best native labourers could have performed, and 
 that without his standing over them or paying them any atten- 
 tion whatever. Moved by the report, the bey himself went 
 down to the end of the garden. 
 
 " It is wonderful," he said, stroking his beard. " Truly these 
 Englishmen are men of sinews. Never have I seen so much 
 work done by two men in a day. Take care of them, Mah- 
 moud, and see that they are well fed; the willing servant should 
 be well cared for." 
 
 The work went steadily on until the wall was raised, the 
 ground dug, and the shrubs planted. It was some months be- 
 fore^all this was done, and the two slaves continued to attract 
 the observation and good-will of the bey by their steady and 
 cheerful labour. Their work began soon after sunrise, and 
 continued until noon. Then they had three hours to them- 
 selves to eat their mid-day meal and dose in the shed, and then 
 worked again until sunset. The bey often strolled down to 
 the edge of the trees to watch them, and sometimes even took 
 guests to admire the way in which these two Englishmen, 
 although ignorant that any eyes were upon them, performed 
 their work. 
 
 His satisfaction was evinced by the abundance of food sup- 
 plied them, their meal being frequently supplemented by fruit 
 and other little luxuries. Severely as they laboured, Geoffrey 
 and his companion were comparatively happy. Short as was 
 the time that the former had worked with the gang, he appre- 
 ciated the liberty he now enjoyed, and especially congratulated 
 himself upon being spared the painful life of a galley-slave at
 
 THE WORK CONCLUDED. 263 
 
 sea. As to Boldero, the change from the prison with the 
 companions he hated, its degrading work, and coarse and 
 scanty food, made a new man of him. 
 
 He had been but two-and-twenty when captured by the 
 Spaniards, and was now in the prime of life and strength. 
 The work, which had seemed very hard to Geoffrey at first, 
 was to him but as play, while the companionship of his 
 countryman, his freedom from constant surveillance, the absence 
 of all care, and the abundance and excellence of his food, filled 
 him with new life; and the ladies of the bey's household often 
 sat and listened to the strange songs that rose from the slaves 
 toiling in the garden. 
 
 As the work approached its conclusion Geoffrey and his 
 companion had many a talk over what would next befall them. 
 There was one reason only that weighed in favour of the life 
 with the slave-gang. In their present position there was no 
 possibility whatever, so far as they could discern, of effecting 
 their escape; whereas, as slaves, should the galley in which 
 they rowed be overpowered by any ship it attacked, they would 
 obtain their freedom. The chance of this, however, was re- 
 mote, as the fast-rowing galleys could almost always make then- 
 escape should the vessel they attacked prove too strong to be 
 captured. 
 
 When the last bed had been levelled and the last shrub 
 planted the superintendent told them to follow him into the 
 house, as the bey was desirous of speaking with them. They 
 found him seated on a divan. 
 
 " Christians," he said, " I have watched you while you have 
 been at work, and truly you have not spared yourselves in my 
 service, but have laboured for me with all your strength, well 
 and willingly. I see now that it is true that the people of 
 your nation differ much from the Spaniards, who are dogs. 
 
 " I see that trust is to be placed in you, and were you but
 
 264 FAITHFUL WORK SHOULD HAVE ITS REWARD. 
 
 true believers I would appoint you to a position where you 
 could win credit and honour. As it is, I cannot place you over 
 believers in the prophet; but neither am I willing that you 
 should return to the gang from which I took you. I 
 will, therefore, leave you free to work for yourselves. There 
 are many of my friends who have seen you labouring, and will 
 give you employment. It will be known in the place that you 
 are under my protection, and that any who insult or ill-treat 
 you will be severely punished. Should you have any complaint 
 to make, come freely to me and I will see that justice is done 
 you. 
 
 " This evening a crier will go through the place proclaiming 
 that the two English galley-slaves have been given their free- 
 dom by me, and will henceforth live in the town without 
 molestation from anyone, carrying on their work and selling 
 their labour like true believers. The crier will inform the 
 people that the nation to which you belong is at war with 
 our enemies the Spaniards, and that, save as to the matter of 
 your religion, you are worthy of being regarded as friends by 
 all good Moslems. My superintendent will go down with you 
 in the morning. I have ordered him to hire a little house for 
 you and furnish it with what is needful, to recommend you to 
 your neighbours, and to give you a purse of piastres with 
 which to maintain yourselves until work comes to you." 
 
 Stephen Boldero expressed the warmest gratitude, on the 
 part of his companion and himself, to the bey for his kindness. 
 
 " I have done but simple justice," the bey said, " and no 
 thanks are necessary. Faithful work should have its reward, 
 and as you have done to me so I do to you." 
 
 The next morning as they were leaving, a female slave pre- 
 sented them with a purse of silver, the gift of the bey's wife 
 and daughters, who had often derived much pleasure from the 
 songs of the two captives. The superintendent conducted them
 
 FREE LABOURERS. 265 
 
 to a small hut facing the sea. It was furnished with the few 
 articles that were, according to native ideas, necessary for com- 
 fort. There were cushions on the divan of baked clay raised 
 about a foot above the floor, which served as a sofa during 
 the day and as a bed at night. There was a small piece of carpet 
 on the floor and a few cooking utensils on a shelf, and some 
 dishes of burnt clay; and nothing more was required. There 
 was, however, a small chest, in which, after the superintendent 
 had left, they found two sets of garments as worn by the 
 natives. 
 
 " This is a comfort indeed," Geoffrey said. " My clothes are 
 all in rags, and as for yours the less we say about them the 
 better. I shall feel like a new man in these things." 
 
 " I shall be glad myself," Stephen agreed, " for the clothes 
 they give the galley-slaves are scarce decent for a Christian 
 man to wear. My consolation has been that if they had 
 been shocked by our appearance they would have given us 
 more clothes ; but as they did not mind it there was no reason 
 why I should. Still it would be a comfort to be cleanly and 
 decent again." 
 
 For the first few days the natives of the place looked askance 
 at these Christians in their midst, but the bey's orders had 
 been peremptory that no insults should be offered to them. 
 Two days after their liberation one of the principal men of 
 the place sent for them and employed them in digging the 
 foundations for a fountain, and a deep trench of some hundred 
 yards in length for the pipe for bringing water to it. After 
 that they had many similar jobs, receiving always the wages 
 paid to regular workmen, and giving great satisfaction by their 
 steady toil. Sometimes when not otherwise engaged they went 
 out in boats with fishermen, receiving a portion of the catch in 
 payment of their labours. 
 
 So some months passed away. Very frequently they talked
 
 266 THE CHANCES OF ESCAPE. 
 
 over methods of escape. The only plan that seemed at all 
 possible was to take a boat and make out to sea; but they 
 knew that they would be pursued, and if overtaken would re- 
 vert to their former life at the galleys, a change which would 
 be a terrible one indeed after the present life of freedom and 
 independence. They knew, too, that they might be days before 
 meeting with a ship, for all traders in the Mediterranean hugged 
 the northern shores as much as possible in order to avoid the 
 dreaded corsairs, and there would be a far greater chance of 
 their being recaptured by one of the Moorish cruisers than of 
 lighting upon a Christian trader. 
 
 "It is a question of chance," Stephen said, "and when the 
 chance comes we will seize it; but it is no use our giving up a 
 life against which there is not much to be said, unless some 
 fair prospect of escape offers itself to us."
 
 CHAPTEK XVI. 
 
 THE ESCAPE. 
 
 N one respect," Geoffrey said, as they were talking 
 over their chance of escape, " I am sorry that the 
 bey has behaved so kindly to us." 
 
 "What is that?" Stephen Boldero asked 
 in surprise. 
 
 "Well, I was thinking that were it not for that we might 
 manage to contrive some plan of escape in concert with the 
 galley-slaves, get them down to ths shore here, row off to the 
 galley, overpower the three or four men who live on board her, 
 and make off with her. Of course we should have had to 
 accumulate beforehand a quantity of food and some barrels of 
 water, for I have noticed that when they go out they always 
 take their stores on board with them, and bring on shore on 
 their return what has not been consumed. Still, I suppose 
 that could be managed. However, it seems to me that our 
 hands are tied in that direction by the kindness of the bey. 
 After his conduct to us it would be ungrateful in the eztreme 
 for us to carry off his galley." 
 
 "So it would, Geoffrey. Besides I doubt whether the 
 plan would succeed. You may be sure the Spaniards are as 
 jealous as can be of the good fortune that we have met 
 with, and were we to propose such a scheme to them the 
 chances are strongly in favour of one of them trying to better
 
 268 "WE MIGHT PASS AS SPANIARDS." 
 
 his own position by denouncing us. I would only trust them 
 as far as I can see them. No, if we ever do anything it must 
 be done by ourselves. There is no doubt that if some night 
 when there is a strong wind blowing from the south-east we 
 were to get on board one of these fishing-boats, hoist a sail, 
 and run before it, we should not be far off from the coast of 
 Spain before they started to look for us. But what better 
 should we be there 1 ? We can both talk Spanish well enough, 
 but we could not pass as Spaniards. Besides, they would find 
 out soon enough that we were not Catholics, and where should 
 we be then 1 ? Either sent to row in their galleys or clapped 
 into the dungeons of the Inquisition, and like enough burnt 
 alive at the stake. That would be out of the frying-pan into 
 the fire with vengeance." 
 
 "I think we might pass as Spaniards," Geoffrey said; "for 
 there is a great deal of difference between the dialects of the 
 different provinces, and confined as you have been for the last 
 ten years with Spanish sailors you must have caught their way 
 of talking. Still, I agree with you it will be better to wait for 
 a bit longer for any chance that may occur rather than risk 
 landing in Spain again, where even if we passed as natives we 
 should have as hard work to get our living as we have here, 
 and with no greater chance of making our way home again." 
 
 During the time that they had been captives some three or 
 four vessels had been brought in by the corsair. The men 
 composing the crews had been either sold as slaves to Moors or 
 Arabs in the interior or sent to Algiers, which town lay over 
 a hundred miles to the east. They were of various nationalities, 
 Spanish, French, and Italian, as the two friends learned from 
 the talk of the natives, for they always abstained from going 
 near the point where the prisoners were landed, as they were 
 powerless to assist the unfortunate captives in any way, and 
 the sight of their distress was very painful to them.
 
 FRESH CAPTIVES. 269 
 
 One day, however, they learned from the people who were 
 running down to the shore to see the captives landed from a 
 ship that had been brought in by the corsair during the night, 
 that there were two or three women among the captives. This 
 was the first time that any females had been captured since 
 their arrival at the place, for women seldom travelled far from 
 their homes in those days, except the wives of high officials jour- 
 neying in great ships that were safe from the attack of the 
 Moorish corsairs. 
 
 " Let us go down and see them," Boldero said. " I have 
 not seen the face of a white woman for nine years." 
 
 " I will go if you like," Geoffrey said. " They will not guess 
 that we are Europeans, for we are burnt as dark as the Moors." 
 
 They went down to the landing-place. Eight men and two 
 women were landed from the boat. These were the sole sur- 
 vivors of the crew. 
 
 "They are Spaniards," Boldero said. "I pity that poor 
 girl. I suppose the other woman is her servant." 
 
 The girl, who was about sixteen years of age, was .very pale, 
 and had evidently been crying terribly. She did not seem to 
 heed the cries and threats with which the townspeople as usual 
 assailed the newly-arrived captives, but kept her eyes fixed upon 
 one of the captives who walked before her. 
 
 " That is her father, no doubt," Geoffrey said. " It is pro- 
 bably her last look at him. Come away, Stephen; I am 
 awfully sorry we came here. I shall not be able to get that 
 girl's face out of my mind for I don't know how long." 
 
 Without a word they went back to their hut. They had no 
 particular work that day. Geoffrey went restlessly in and out, 
 sometimes pacing along the strand, sometimes coming in and 
 throwing himself on the divan. Stephen Boldero went on 
 quietly mending a net that had been damaged the night before, 
 saying nothing, but glancing occasionally with an amused look
 
 270 STEPHEN IS NOT SURPRISED. 
 
 at his companion's restless movements. Late in the afternoon 
 Geoffrey burst out suddenly : " Stephen, we must try and rescue 
 that girl somehow from her fate." 
 
 " I supposed that was what it was coming to," Boldero said 
 quietly. " Well, let me hear all ahout it. I know you have 
 been thinking it over ever since morning. What are your 
 ideas?" 
 
 " I do not know that I have any ideas beyond getting her 
 and her father down to a boat and making off." 
 
 " Well, you certainly have not done much if you haven't got 
 farther than that," Stephen said drily. " Now, if you had spent 
 the day talking it over with me instead of wandering about like 
 one out of his mind, we should have got a great deal further 
 than that by this time. However, I have been thinking for 
 you. I know what you young fellows are. As soon as I saw 
 that girl's face and looked at you I was dead certain there 
 was an end of peace and quietness, and that you would be bent 
 upon some plan of getting her off. It did not need five minutes 
 to show that I was right; and I have been spending my time 
 thinking, while you have thrown yours away in fidgeting. 
 
 " Well, I think it is worth trying. Of course it will be a 
 vastly more difficult job getting the girl and her father away 
 than just taking a boat and sailing off as we have often talked 
 of doing. Then, on the other hand, it would altogether alter 
 our position afterwards. By his appearance and hers I have no 
 doubt he is a well-to-do trader, perhaps a wealthy one. He 
 walked with his head upright when the crowd were yelling and 
 cursing, and is evidently a man of courage and determination. 
 Now, if we had reached the Spanish coast by ourselves we should 
 have been questioned right and left, and, as I have said all 
 along, they would soon have found that we were not Spaniards, 
 for we could not have said where we came from, or given our 
 past history, or said where our families lived. But it would be
 
 "IT IS A TOUGH JOB." 271 
 
 altogether different if we landed with them. Every one would 
 be interested about them. We should only be two poor devils 
 of sailors who had escaped with them, and he would help to 
 pass it off and get us employment; so that the difficulty that 
 has hitherto prevented us from trying to escape is very greatly 
 diminished. Now, as to getting them away. Of course she has 
 been taken up to the bey's, and no doubt he will send her as a 
 present to the bey of Algiers. I know that is what has been 
 done several times before when young women have been cap- 
 tured. 
 
 " I have been thinking it over, and I do not see a possibility 
 of getting to speak to her as long as she is at the bey's. I do 
 not see that it can be done anyhow. She will be indoors most of 
 the time, and if she should go into the garden there would be 
 other women with her. Our only plan, as far as I can see at 
 present, would be to carry her off from her escort on the jour- 
 ney. I do not suppose she will have more than two, or at 
 most three, mounted men with her, and we ought to be able to 
 dispose of them. As to her father, the matter is comparatively 
 easy. We know the ways of the prison, and I have no doubt 
 we can get him out somehow; only there is the trouble of the 
 question of time. She has got to be rescued and brought back 
 and hidden somewhere till nightfall, he has got to be set 
 free the same evening, and we have to embark early enough to 
 be well out of sight before daylight; and maybe there will not 
 be a breath of wind stirring. It is a tough job, Geoffrey, look 
 at it which way you will." 
 
 "It is a tough job," Geoffrey agreed. "I am afraid the 
 escort would be stronger than you think. A present of this 
 kind to the bey is regarded as important, and I should say 
 half a dozen horsemen at least will be sent with her. In that 
 case an attempt at rescue would be hopeless. We have no 
 arms, and if we had we could not kill six mounted men; and
 
 272 "WE CANNOT ACCOMPLISH IMPOSSIBILITIES." 
 
 if even one escaped, our plans would be all defeated. The 
 question is, would they send her by land 1 It seems to me quite 
 as likely that they might send her by water." 
 
 "Yes, that is likely enough, Geoffrey. In that case every- 
 thing would depend upon the vessel he sent her in. If it is 
 the great galley there is an end of it; if it is one of their little 
 coasters it might be managed. We are sure to learn that be- 
 fore long. The bey might keep her for a fortnight or so, per- 
 haps longer, for her to recover somewhat from her trouble and 
 get up her good looks again, so as to add to the value of the 
 present. If she were well and bright she would be pretty 
 enough for anything. In the meantime we can arrange our 
 plans for getting her father away. Of course if she goes with 
 a big escort on horseback, or if she goes in the galley, there is an 
 end of our plans. I am ready to help you, Geoffrey, if there 
 is a chance of success; but 1 am not going to throw away my 
 life if there is not, and unless she goes down in a coaster there 
 is an end of the scheme." 
 
 " I quite agree to that," Geoffrey replied; " we cannot ac- 
 complish impossibilities." 
 
 They learned upon the following day that three of the newly- 
 arrived captives were to take the places of the galley-slaves 
 who had been killed in the capture of the Spanish ship, 
 which had defended itself stoutly, and that the others were to 
 be sold for work in the interior. 
 
 " It is pretty certain," Boldero said, " that the trader will 
 not be one of the three chosen for the galley. The work would 
 break him down in a month. That makes that part of the 
 business easier, for we can get him away on the journey inland, 
 and hide him up here until his daughter is sent off." 
 
 Geoffrey looked round the bare room. 
 
 " Well, I do not say as how we could hide him here," Boldero 
 said in answer to the look, "but we might hide him somewhere
 
 "IT WILL ANSWER OUR PURPOSE." 273 
 
 among the sand-hills outside the place, and take him food at 
 night." 
 
 " Yes, we might do that," Geoffrey agreed. " That could 
 be managed easily enough, I should think, for there are clumps 
 of hushes scattered all over the sand-hills half a mile back from 
 the sea. The trouble will be if we get him here, and find 
 after all that we cannot rescue his daughter." 
 
 " That will make no difference," Boldero said. " In that 
 case we will make off with him alone. Everything else will 
 go on just the same. Of course, I should be very sorry not to 
 save the girl; but, as far as we are concerned, if we save the 
 father it will answer our purpose." 
 
 Geoffrey made no reply. Just at that moment his own future 
 was a very secondary matter, in comparison, to the rescue of 
 this unhappy Spanish girl. 
 
 Geoffrey and his companion had been in the habit of going 
 up occasionally to the prison. They had won over the guard 
 by small presents, and were permitted to go in and out with 
 fruit and other little luxuries for the galley-slaves. They now 
 abstained from going near the place, in order that no suspicion 
 might fall upon them after his escape of having had any com- 
 munication with the Spanish trader. 
 
 Shortly after the arrival of the captives two merchants from 
 the interior came down, and Geoffrey learned that they had 
 visited the prison, and had made a bargain with the bey for all 
 the captives except those transferred to the galley. The two 
 companions had talked the matter over frequently, and had 
 concluded it was best that only one of them should be engaged 
 in the adventure, for the absence of both might be noticed. 
 After some discussion it was agreed that Geoffrey should under- 
 take the task, and that Boldero should go alone to the house 
 where they were now at work, and should mention that his friend 
 was unwell, and was obliged to remain at home for the day. 
 
 (577) 8
 
 274 THE HALTING-PLACE IN THE DESERT. 
 
 As they knew the direction in which the captives would be 
 taken Geoffrey started before daybreak, and kept steadily along 
 until he reached a spot where it was probable they would halt 
 for the night. It was twenty miles away, and there was here 
 a well of water and a grove of trees. Late in the afternoon he 
 saw the party approaching. It consisted of the merchants, two 
 armed Arabs, and the five captives, all of whom were carrying 
 burdens. They were crawling painfully along, overpowered by 
 the heat of the sun, by the length of the journey, and by the 
 weight they carried. Several times the Arabs struck them 
 heavily with their sticks to force them to keep up. 
 
 Geoffrey retired from the other side of the clump of trees, 
 and lay down in a depression of the sand-hills until darkness 
 came on, when he again entered the grove, and crawling 
 cautiously forward made his way close up to the party. A fire 
 was blazing, and a meal had been already cooked and eaten. 
 The traders and the two Arabs were sitting by the fire; the 
 captives were lying extended on the ground. Presently, at the 
 command of one of the Arabs, they rose to their feet and 
 proceeded to collect some more pieces of wood for the fire. 
 As they returned the light fell on the gray hair of the man 
 upon whom Geoffrey had noticed that the girl's eyes were 
 fixed. 
 
 He noted the place where he lay down, and had nothing to 
 do now but to wait until the party were asleep. He felt sure 
 that no guard would be set, for any attempt on the part of the 
 captives to escape would be nothing short of madness. There 
 was nowhere for them to go, and they would simply wander 
 about until they died of hunger and exhaustion, or until they 
 were recaptured, in which case they would be almost beaten to 
 death. In an hour's time the traders and their men lay down 
 by the fire, and all was quiet. Geoffrey crawled round until 
 he was close to the Spaniard. He waited until he felt sure
 
 "I AM READY." 275 
 
 that the Arabs were asleep, and then crawled up to him. The 
 man started as he touched him. 
 
 "Silence, senor," Geoffrey whispered in Spanish; "I am a 
 friend, and have come to rescue you." 
 
 " I care not for life ; a few days of this work will kill me, 
 and the sooner the better. I have nothing to live for. They 
 killed my wife the other day, and my daughter is a captive in 
 their hands. I thank you, whoever you are, but I will not 
 
 go-" 
 
 " We are going to try to save your daughter too," Geoffrey 
 whispered; "we have a plan for carrying you both off." 
 
 The words gave new life to the Spaniard. 
 
 " In that case, sir, I am ready. Whoever you are whom God 
 has sent to my aid I will follow you blindly, whatever comes 
 of it." 
 
 Geoffrey crawled away a short distance, followed by the 
 Spaniard. As soon as they were well beyond the faint light 
 now given out by the expiring fire they rose to their feet, and 
 gaining the track took their way on the backward road. As 
 soon as they were fairly away, Geoffrey explained to the 
 Spaniard who he was, and how he had undertaken to en- 
 deavour to rescue him. The joy and gratitude of the Spaniard 
 were too deep for words, and he uttered his thanks in broken 
 tones. When they had walked about a mile Geoffrey halted. 
 
 " Sit down here," he said. " I have some meat and fruit 
 here and a small skin of water. We have a long journey 
 before us, for we must get near the town you left this morning 
 before daybreak, and you must eat to keep up your strength." 
 
 "I did not think," the Spaniard said, "when we arrived at 
 the well, that I could have walked another mile had my life 
 depended upon it. Now I feel a new man, after the fresh hope 
 you have given me. I no longer feel the pain of my bare feet 
 or the blisters the sun has raised on my naked back. I am
 
 276 THE SPANISH MERCHANT. 
 
 struggling now for more than life for my daughter. You 
 shall not find me fail, sir." 
 
 All night they toiled on. The Spaniard kept his promise, 
 and utterly exhausted as he was, and great as was the pain in 
 his limbs, held on bravely. With the first dawn of morning 
 they saw the line of the sea before them. They now turned 
 off from the track, and in another half hour the Spaniard took 
 shelter in a clump of bushes in a hollow, while Geoffrey, hav- 
 ing left with him the remainder of the supply of provisions 
 and water, pursued his way and reached the hut just as the sun 
 was shining in the east, and without having encountered a 
 single person. 
 
 "Well, have you succeeded?" Boldero asked eagerly, as he 
 entered. 
 
 " Yes ; I have got him away. He is in hiding within a mile 
 of this place. He kept on like a hero. I was utterly tired my- 
 self, and how he managed to walk the distance after what he 
 had gone through in the day is more than I can tell. His 
 name is Mendez. He is a trader in Cadiz, and owns many 
 vessels. He was on his way to Italy, with his wife and 
 daughter, in one of his own ships, in order to gratify the desire 
 of his wife to visit the holy places at Rome. She was killed 
 by a cannon-shot during the fight, and his whole heart is now 
 wrapped up in his daughter. And now, Stephen, I must lie 
 down and sleep. You will have to go to work alone to-day 
 again, and can truly say that I am still unfit for labour." 
 
 Four days later it became known in the little town that a 
 messenger had arrived from the merchant who bought the 
 slaves from the bey, saying that one of them had made his escape 
 from their first halting-place. 
 
 "The dog will doubtless die in the desert," the merchant 
 wrote; "but if he should find his way down, or you should 
 hear of him as arriving at any of the villages, I pray you to
 
 ON BOARD THE COASTER. 277 
 
 send him up to me with a guard. I will so treat him that it 
 will be a lesson to my other slaves not to follow his example." 
 
 Every evening after dark Geoffrey went out with a supply 
 of food and water to the fugitive. For a week he had no news 
 to give him as to his daughter; but on the eighth night he said 
 that he and his companion had that morning been sent by the 
 bey on board the largest of the coasting vessels in the port, 
 with orders to paint the cabins and put them in a fit state for the 
 reception of a personage of importance. 
 
 "This is fortunate, indeed," Geoffrey went on. "No doubt 
 she is intended for the transport of your daughter. Her crew 
 consists of a captain and five men, but at present they are living 
 ashore; and as we shall be going backwards and forwards to 
 her, we ought to have little difficulty in getting on board and 
 hiding away in the hold before she starts. I think everything 
 promises well for the success of our scheme." 
 
 The bey's superintendent came down the next day to see 
 how matters were going on on board the vessel. The painting 
 was finished that evening, and the next day two slaves brought 
 down a quantity of hangings and cushions, which Geoffrey and 
 his companion assisted the superintendent to hang up and 
 place in order. Provisions and water had already been taken 
 on board, and they learnt that the party who were to sail in 
 her would come off early the next morning. 
 
 At midnight Geoffrey, Boldero, and the Spaniard came 
 down to the little port, embarked in a fisherman's boat moored 
 at the stairs, and noiselessly rowed off to the vessel. They 
 mounted on to her deck barefooted. Boldero was the last to 
 leave the boat, giving her a vigorous push with his foot in the 
 direction of the shore, from which the vessel was but some 
 forty yards away. They descended into the hold, where they 
 remained perfectly quiet until the first light of dawn enabled 
 them to see what they were doing, and then moved some
 
 278 LONG ODDS. 
 
 baskets full of vegetables, and concealed themselves behind 
 them. 
 
 A quarter of an hour later they heard a boat come alongside, 
 and the voices of the sailors. Then they heard the creaking of 
 cordage as the sails were let fall in readiness for a start. Half 
 an hour later another boat came alongside. There was a 
 trampling of feet on the deck above them, and the bey's voice 
 giving orders. A few minutes later the anchor was raised, 
 there was more talking on deck, and then they heard a boat 
 push off, and knew by the rustle of water against the planks 
 beside them that the vessel was under way. 
 
 The wind was light and the sea perfectly calm, and beyond 
 the slight murmur of the water, those below would not have 
 known that the ship was in motion. It was very hot down in 
 the hold, but fortunately the crew had not taken the trouble 
 to put on the hatches, and at times a faint breath of air could 
 be felt below. Geoffrey and his companion talked occasionally 
 in low tones; but the Spaniard was so absorbed by his anxiety 
 as to the approaching struggle, and the thought that he might 
 soon clasp his daughter to his arms, that he seldom spoke. 
 
 No plans could be formed as to the course they were to take, 
 for they could not tell whether those of the crew off duty 
 would retire to sleep in the little forecastle or would lie down 
 on deck. Then, too, they were ignorant as to the number of 
 men who had come on board with the captive. The overseer 
 had mentioned the day before that he was going, and it was 
 probable that three or four others would accompany him. 
 Therefore they had to reckon upon ten opponents. Their 
 only weapons were three heavy iron bolts, some two feet long. 
 These Boldero had purchased in exchange for a few fish, when 
 a prize brought in was broken up as being useless for the 
 purposes of the Moors. 
 
 "What I reckon is," he said, "that you and I ought
 
 AWAITING THE TIME FOR ACTION. 279 
 
 to be able to settle two apiece of these fellows before they 
 fairly know what is happening. The Don ought very well to 
 account for another. So that only leaves five of them ; and five 
 against three are no odds worth speaking of, especially when 
 the five are woke up by a sudden attack, and ain't sure how 
 many there are against them. I don't expect much trouble over 
 the affair." 
 
 " I don't want to kill more of the poor fellows than I can 
 help," Geoffrey said. 
 
 "No more do I; but you see it's got to be either killing or 
 being killed, and I am perfectly certain which I prefer. Still, 
 as you say, if the beggars are at all reasonable I ain't for hurting 
 them, but the first few we have got to hit hard. When we 
 get matters a little even, we can speak them fair." 
 
 The day passed slowly, and in spite of their bent and cramped 
 position Geoffrey and Stephen Boldero dozed frequently. The 
 Spaniard never closed an eye. He was quite prepared to take 
 his part in the struggle; and as he was not yet fifty years of 
 age, his assistance was not to be despised. But the light- 
 hearted carelessness of his companions, who joked under their 
 breath, and laughed and eat unconcernedly with a life-and- 
 death struggle against heavy odds before them, surprised him 
 much. 
 
 As darkness came on the party below became wakeful. 
 Their time was coming now, and they had no doubt whatever 
 as to the result. Their most formidable opponents would be the 
 men who had come on board with the bey's superintendent, as 
 these, no doubt, would be fully armed. As for the sailors, 
 they might have arms on board, but these would not be ready 
 to hand, and it was really only with the guards they would 
 have to deal. 
 
 "I tell you what I think would be a good plan, Stephen," 
 Geoffrey said suddenly. " You see, there is plenty of spare line
 
 280 THE SLEEPING GUARD. 
 
 down here; if we wait until they are all asleep we can gt- 
 round and tie their legs together, or put ropes round their ankles 
 and fasten them to ring-bolts. If we could manage that without 
 waking them, we might capture the craft without shedding any 
 blood, and might get them down into the hold one after the 
 other." 
 
 "I think that is a very good plan," Stephen agreed. "I do 
 not like the thought of knocking sleeping men on the head any 
 more than you do; and if we are careful, we might get them 
 all tied up before an alarm is given. There, the anchor has 
 gone down. I thought very likely they would not sail at 
 night. That is capital. You may be sure that they will be 
 pretty close inshore, and they probably will have only one 
 man on watch; and as likely as not not even one, for they will 
 not dream of any possible danger." 
 
 For another two hours the sound of talk on deck went on, 
 but at last all became perfectly quiet. The party below waited 
 for another half hour, and then noiselessly ascended the ladder 
 to the deck, holding in one hand a cudgel, in the other a 
 number of lengths of line cut about six feet long. Each as he 
 reached the deck lay down flat. The Spaniard had been told to 
 remain perfectly quiet while the other two went about their task. 
 
 First they crawled aft, for the bey's guards would, they knew, 
 be sleeping at that end, and working together they tied the 
 legs of these men without rousing them. The ropes could not 
 be tightly pulled, as this would at once have disturbed them. 
 They were therefore fastened somewhat in the fashion of 
 manacles, so that although the men might rise to their feet 
 they would fall headlong the moment they tried to walk. In 
 addition other ropes were fastened to these and taken from one 
 man to another. Then their swords were drawn from the 
 sheaths and their knives from their sashes. 
 
 The operation was a long one, as it had to be conducted with
 
 THE SURPRISE OF THE CREW. 281 
 
 the greatest care and caution. They then crept back to the 
 hatchway and told the Spaniard that th; tnost formidable ene- 
 mies had been made safe. 
 
 "Here are a sword and a knife for you, senor; and now as 
 we are all armed I consider the ship as good as won, for the 
 sailors are not likely to make much resistance by themselves. 
 However, we will secure some of them. The moon will be up 
 in half an hour, and that will be an advantage to us." 
 
 The captain and three of the sailors were soon tied up 
 like the others. Two men were standing in the bow of the 
 vessel leaning against the bulwarks, and when the moon rose 
 it could be seen by their attitude that both were asleep. 
 
 " Now, we may as well begin," Geoffrey said. " Let us take 
 those two fellows in the bow by surprise. Hold a knife to 
 their throats, and tell them if they utter the least sound we will 
 kill them. Then we will make them go down into the forecastle 
 and fasten them there." 
 
 " I am ready," Stephen said, and they stole forward to the 
 two sleeping men. They grasped them suddenly by the throat 
 and held a knife before their eyes, Boldero telling them in a 
 stern whisper that if they uttered a cry they would be stabbed 
 to the heart Paralysed by the sudden attack they did not 
 make the slightest struggle, but accompanied their unknown 
 assailants to the forecastle and were there fastened in. Joined 
 now by the Spaniard, Geoffrey and his companion went aft and 
 roused one of the sleepers there with a threat similar to that 
 which had silenced the sailors. 
 
 He was, however, a man of different stuff. He gave a loud 
 shout and grappled with Boldero, who struck him a heavy 
 blow with his fist in the face, and this for a moment silenced 
 him; but the alarm being given, the superintendent and the two 
 men struggled to their feet, only however to fall prostrate as 
 soon as they tried to walk
 
 282 "ONE AT A TIME." 
 
 " Lie quiet and keep silence ! " Boldero shouted in a threaten- 
 ing voice. " You are unarmed and at our mercy. Your feet 
 are bound and you are perfectly helpless. We do not wish to 
 take your lives, but unless you are quiet we shall be compelled 
 to do so." 
 
 The men had discovered by this time that their arms had 
 gone, and were utterly disconcerted by the heavy and un- 
 expected fall they had just had. Feeling that they were indeed 
 at the mercy of their captors, they lay quiet. 
 
 "Now then," Boldero went on, " one at a time. Keep quiet, 
 you rascals there!" he broke off, shouting to the sailors who 
 were rolling and tumbling on the deck forward, " or I will cut 
 all your throats for you. Now then, Geoffrey, do you and the 
 senor cut the rope that fastens that man on the port side to his 
 comrades. March him to the hatchway and make him go 
 down into the hold. Keep your knives ready and kill him at 
 once if he offers the slightest resistance." 
 
 One by one the superintendent, the three guards, the cap- 
 tain and sailors were all made to descend into the hold, and the 
 hatches were put over it and fastened down. 
 
 "Now, senor," Geoffrey said, "we can spare you." 
 
 The Spaniard hurried to the cabin, opened the door, and 
 called out his daughter's name. There was a scream of delight 
 within as Dolores Mendez, who had been awakened by the 
 tumult, recognized her father's voice, and leaping up from her 
 couch threw herself into his arms. Geoffrey and his companion 
 now opened the door of the forecastle and called the two sailors 
 out. 
 
 " Now," Boldero said, " if you want to save your lives you 
 have got to obey our orders. First of all fall to work and get 
 up the anchor, and then shake out the sails again. I will take 
 the helm, Geoffrey, and do you keep your eye on these two 
 fellows. There is no fear of their playing any tricks now that
 
 MASTERS OF THE COASTER. 283 
 
 they see they are alone on deck, but they might, if your back 
 were turned, unfasten the hatches. However, I do not think 
 we need fear trouble that way, as for ought they know we may 
 have cut the throats of all the others." 
 
 A few minutes later the vessel was moving slowly through 
 the water with her head to the north-west. 
 
 " We must be out of sight of land if we can by the morning," 
 Stephen said, when Geoffrey two hours later came to take his 
 place at the helm; " at any rate until we have passed the place 
 we started from. Once beyond that it does not matter much; 
 but it will be best either to keep out of sight of land altogether, 
 or else to sail pretty close to it, so that they can see the boat 
 is one of their own craft. We can choose which we will do 
 when we see which way the breeze sets in in the morning." 
 
 It came strongly from the south, and they therefore deter- 
 mined to sail direct for Carthagena.
 
 CHAPTER XVIL 
 
 A SPANISH MERCHANT. 
 
 S soon as the sails had been set, and the vessel was 
 under way, the Spaniard came out from the cabin. 
 "My daughter is attiring herself, seiior," he said 
 to Stephen Boldero, for Geoffrey was at the time 
 at the helm. "She is longing to see you, and to thank you for 
 the inestimable services you have rendered to us both. But for 
 you I should now be dying or dead, my daughter a slave for 
 life in the palace of the bey. What astonishes us both is, that 
 such noble service should have been rendered to us by two 
 absolute strangers, and not strangers only, but by Englishmen 
 a people with whom Spain is at war and who assuredly 
 can have no reason to love us. How came you first to think 
 of interesting yourself on our behalf?" 
 
 "To tell you the truth, senor," Stephen Boldero said bluntly, 
 " it was the sight of your daughter and not of yourself that 
 made us resolve to save you if possible, or rather, I should say, 
 made my friend Geoffrey do so. After ten years in the galleys 
 one's heart gets pretty tough, and although even I felt a deep 
 pity for your daughter, I own it would never have entered my 
 mind to risk my neck in order to save her. But Geoffrey is 
 younger and more easily touched, and when he saw her as she 
 landed pale and white and grief-stricken, and yet looking as 
 if her own fate touched her less than the parting from you, my
 
 THE SPANIARD AND HIS DAUGHTER. 285 
 
 good friend Geoffrey Vickars was well-nigh mad, and declared 
 that in some way or other, and at whatever risk to ourselves, 
 you must both be saved. In this matter I have been but a 
 passive instrument in his hands; as indeed it was only right 
 that I should be, seeing that he is of gentle blood and an 
 esquire serving under Captain Vere in the army of the queen, 
 while I am but a rough sailor. What I have done I have done 
 partly because his heart was in the matter, partly because the 
 adventure promised, if successful, to restore me to freedom, and 
 partly also, senor, for the sake of your brave young daughter." 
 
 "Ah, you are modest, sir," the Spaniard said. " You are one 
 of those who belittle your own good deeds. I feel indeed more 
 grateful than I can express to you as well as to your friend." 
 
 The merchant's daughter now appeared at the door of the 
 cabin. Her father took her Land and led her up to Boldero. 
 "This, Dolores, is one of the two Englishmen who have at 
 the risk of their lives saved me from death and you from worse 
 than death. Thank him, my child, and to the end of your 
 life never cease to remember him in your prayers." 
 
 "I am glad to have been of assistance, seiiora," Boldero 
 said as the girl began to speak; "but as I have just been telling 
 your father, I have played but a small part in the business, it 
 is my friend Don Geoffrey Vickars who has been the leader in 
 the matter. He saw you as you landed at the boat, and then 
 and there swore to save you, and all that has been done has been 
 under his direction. It was he who followed and rescued your 
 father, and I have really had nothing to do with the affair beyond 
 hiding myself in the hole and helping to tie up your Moors." 
 
 "Ah, sir," the girl said, laying her hands earnestly upon 
 the sailor's shoulder, " it is useless for you to try to lessen the 
 services you have rendered us. Think of what I was but an 
 hour since a captive with the most horrible of all fates before 
 me, and with the belief that my father was dying by inches in
 
 286 "THEN HE BELIES HIMSELF." 
 
 the hands of some cruel task-master, and now he is beside me 
 and I am free. This has been done by two strangers, men of a 
 nation which I have been taught to regard as an enemy. It 
 seems to me that no words that I can speak could tell you 
 even faintly what I feel, and it is God alone who can reward 
 you for what you have done." 
 
 Leaving Boldero the Spaniard and his daughter went to 
 the stern, where Geoffrey was standing at the helm. 
 
 "My daughter and I have come to thank you, senor, for 
 having saved us from the worst of fates and restored us to each 
 other. Your friend tells me that it is to you it is chiefly due 
 that this has come about, for that you were so moved to pity 
 at the sight of my daughter when we first landed, that you 
 declared at once that you would save her from her fate at what- 
 ever risk to yourself, and that since then he has been but 
 following your directions." 
 
 "Then if he says that, senor, he belies himself. I was, it is 
 true, the first to declare that we must save your daughter at 
 any cost if it were possible to do so; but had I not said so, 
 I doubt not he would have announced the same resolution. 
 Since then we have planned everything together; and as he is 
 older and more experienced than I am, it was upon his opinion 
 that we principally acted. We had long made up our minds 
 to escape when the opportunity came. Had it not been that 
 we were stirred into action by seeing your daughter in the 
 hands of the Moors, it might have been years before we decided 
 to run the risks. Therefore if you owe your freedom to us, to 
 some extent we owe ours to you; and if we have been your 
 protectors so far, we hope that when we arrive in Spain you 
 will be our protectors there, for to us Spain is as much an 
 enemy's country as Barbary." 
 
 "That you can assuredly rely upon," the trader replied. 
 "All that I have is at your disposal."
 
 THE SPANIARD AND HIS DAUGHTER THANK GEOFFREY 
 FOR THEIR RESCUE.
 
 PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. 287 
 
 For an hour they stood talking. Dolores said but little. 
 She had felt no shyness with the stalwart sailor, but to this 
 youth who had done her such signal service she felt unable so 
 frankly to express her feelings of thankfulness. 
 
 By morning the coast of Africa was but a faint line on the 
 horizon, and the ship was headed west. Except when any 
 alteration of the sails was required, the two Moors who acted 
 as the crew were made to retire into the forecastle, and were 
 there fastened in, Geoffrey and Boldero sleeping by turns. 
 
 After breakfast the little party gathered round the helm, 
 and at the request of Juan Mendez, Geoffrey and Stephen both 
 related how it befell that they had become slaves to the Moors. 
 
 " Your adventures are both singular," the trader said when 
 they had finished. " Yours, Don Geoffrey, are extraordinary. 
 It is marvellous that you should have been picked up in that 
 terrible fight, and should have shared in all the perils of that 
 awful voyage back to Spain without its being ever suspected 
 that you were English. Once landed in the service as you say 
 of Senor Burke, it is not so surprising that you should have 
 gone freely about Spain. But your other adventures are wonder- 
 ful, and you and your friend were fortunate indeed in succeed- 
 ing as you did in carrying off the lady he loved ; and deeply they 
 must have mourned your supposed death on the deck of the 
 Moorish galley. And now tell me what are your plans when 
 you arrive in Spain?" 
 
 "We have no fixed plans, save that we hope some day to be able 
 to return home," Geoffrey said. "Stephen here could pass well 
 enough as a Spaniard when once ashore without being ques- 
 tioned, and his idea is, if there is no possibility of getting on 
 board an English or Dutch ship at Cadiz, to ship on board a 
 Spaniard, and to take his chance of leaving her at some port 
 at which she may touch. As for myself, although I speak 
 Spanish fluently, my accent would at once betray me to be a
 
 288 THE CAPTIVES. 
 
 foreigner. But if you will take me into your house for a time 
 until I can see a chance of escaping, my past need not be in- 
 quired into. You could of course mention, were it asked, that 
 I was English by birth, but had sailed in the Armada with my 
 patron, Mr. Burke, and it would be naturally supposed that I 
 was an exile from England." 
 
 " That can certainly be managed," the trader said. " I fear 
 that it will be difficult to get you on board a ship either of 
 your countrymen or of the Hollanders; these are most closely 
 watched lest fugitives from the law or from the Inquisition 
 should escape on board them. Still, some opportunity may 
 sooner or later occur; and the later the better pleased shall I 
 be, for it will indeed be a pleasure to me to have you with me." 
 
 In the afternoon Geoffrey said to Stephen, " I have been 
 thinking, Stephen, about the men in the hold, and I should be 
 glad for them to return to their homes. If they go with us to 
 Spain they will be made galley-slaves, and this I should not 
 like, especially in the case of the bey's superintendent. The 
 bey was most kind to us, and this man himself always spoke 
 in our favour to him, and behaved well to us. I think, there- 
 fore, that out of gratitude to the bey we should let them 
 go. The wind is fair, and there are, so far as I can see, no 
 signs of any change of weather. By to-morrow night the coast 
 of Spain will be in sight. I see no reason, therefore, why we 
 should not be able to navigate her until we get near the land, 
 when Mendez can engage the crew of some fishing -boat to 
 take us into a port If we put them into the boat with plenty 
 of water and provisions, they will make the coast by morning; 
 and as I should guess that we must at present be somewhere 
 abreast of the port from which we started, they will not be 
 very far from home when they land." 
 
 " I have no objection whatever, Geoffrey. As you say we 
 were not treated badly, at any rate from the day when the
 
 AT CARTHAGENA. 289 
 
 bey had us up to his house; and after ten years in the galleys, 
 I do not wish my worst enemies such a fate. We must, of 
 course, be careful how we get them into the boat." 
 
 "There will be three of us with swords and pistols, and they 
 will be unarmed," Geoffrey said. " We will put the two men 
 now in the forecastle into the boat first, and let the others come 
 up one by one and take their places. We will have a talk with 
 the superintendent first, and give him a message to the bey, 
 saying that we are not ungrateful for his kindness to us, but 
 that of course we seized the opportunity that presented itself of 
 making our escape, as he would himself have done in similar 
 circumstances; nevertheless that as a proof of our gratitude to 
 him, we for his sake release the whole party on board, and give 
 them the means of safely returning." 
 
 An hour later the boat, pulled by four oars, left the side of 
 the ship with the crew, the superintendent and guards, and 
 the two women who had come on board to attend upon Dolores 
 upon the voyage. 
 
 The next morning the vessel was within a few miles of the 
 Spanish coast. An hour later a fishing-boat was hailed, and 
 an arrangement made with the crew to take the vessel down 
 to Carthagena, which was, they learned, some fifty miles dis- 
 tant. The wind was now very light, and it was not until the 
 following day that they entered the port. As it was at once 
 perceived that the little vessel was Moorish in rigging and ap- 
 pearance, a boat immediately came alongside to inquire whence 
 she came. 
 
 Juan Mendez had no difficulty in satisfying the officer as to 
 his identity, he being well known to several traders in the town- 
 His story of the attack upon his ship by Barbary pirates, its 
 capture, and his own escape and that of his daughter by the 
 aid of two Christian captives, excited great interest as soon as 
 it became known in the town; for it was rare, indeed, that a 
 
 ( 577 ) T
 
 290 AGAIN IN CADIZ. 
 
 captive ever succeeded in making his escape from the hands of 
 the Moors. It had already been arranged that, in telling his 
 story, the trader should make as little as possible of his com- 
 panions' share in the business, so that public attention should 
 not be attracted towards them. He himself with Dolores at 
 once disembarked, but his companions did not come ashore 
 until after nightfall. 
 
 Stephen Boldero took a Spanish name, but Geoffrey re- 
 tained his own, as the story that he was travelling as a 
 servant with Mr. Burke, a well-known Irish gentleman who 
 had accompanied the Armada, was sufficient to account for his 
 nationality. Under the plea that he was anxious to return 
 to Cadiz as soon as possible, Senor Mendez arranged for 
 horses and mules to start the next morning. He had sent off 
 two trunks of clothes to the ship an hour after he landed, and 
 the two Englishmen therefore escaped all observation, as 
 they wandered about for an hour or two after landing, and did 
 not go to the inn where Mendez was staying until it was time 
 to retire to bed. 
 
 The next morning the party started. The clothes that Geof- 
 frey was wearing were those suited to an employe" in a house 
 of business, while those of Boldero were such as would be worn by 
 the captain or mate of a merchant vessel on shore. Both were 
 supplied with arms, for although the party had nothing to 
 attract the cupidity of robbers beyond the trunks containing 
 the clothes purchased on the preceding day, and the small 
 amount of money necessary for their travel on the road, the 
 country was so infested by bands of robbers that no one tra- 
 velled unarmed. The journey to Cadiz was, however, accom- 
 plished without adventure. 
 
 The house of Senor Mendez was a large and comfortable 
 one. Upon the ground floor were his offices and store-rooms. 
 He himself and his family occupied the two next floors, while
 
 IN COMFORTABLE QUARTERS. 291 
 
 in those above his clerks and employes lived. His unexpected 
 return caused great surprise, and in a few hours a number of 
 acquaintances called to hear the story of the adventures 
 through which he had passed, and to condole with him on the 
 loss of his wife. At his own request Stephen Boldero had been 
 given in charge of the principal clerk, and a room assigned to 
 him in the upper story. 
 
 " I shall be much more comfortable," he said, " among your 
 people, Don Mendez. I am a rough sailor, and ten years in 
 the galleys don't improve any manners a man may have had. 
 If I were among your friends I would be out of place and un- 
 comfortable, and should always have to be bowing and scraping 
 and exchanging compliments, and besides they would soon find 
 out that my Spanish was doubtful I talk a sailor's slang, but 
 I doubt if I should understand pure Spanish. Altogether, I 
 should be very uncomfortable, and should make you uncom- 
 fortable, and I would very much rather take my place among 
 the men that work for you until I can get on board a ship 
 again." 
 
 Geoffrey was installed in the portion of the house occu- 
 pied by the merchant, and was introduced by him to his 
 friends simply as the English gentleman who had rescued him 
 and his daughter from the hands of the Moors, it being inci- 
 dentally mentioned that he had sailed in the Armada, and 
 that he had fallen into the hands of the corsairs in the course 
 of a voyage made with his friend Mr. Burke to Italy. He at 
 once took his place as a friend and assistant of the merchant; 
 and as the latter had many dealings with Dutch and English 
 merchants, Geoffrey was able to be of considerable use to him 
 in his written communications to the captains of the various 
 vessels of those nationalities in the port 
 
 " I think," the merchant said to him a fortnight after his 
 arrival in Cadiz, "that, if it would not go against your con
 
 292 A POINT OF CONSCIENCE. 
 
 science, it would be most advisable that you should accompany 
 me sometimes to church. Unless you do this, sooner or later 
 suspicion is sure to be roused, and you know that if you were 
 once suspected of being a heretic, the Inquisition would lay its 
 hands upon you in no time." 
 
 "I have no objection whatever," Geoffrey said. "Were I 
 questioned I should at once acknowledge that I was a Protes- 
 tant; but I see no harm in going to a house of God to say my 
 prayers there, while others are saying theirs in a different 
 manner. There is no church of my own religion here, and I 
 can see no harm whatever in doing as you suggest." 
 
 " I am glad to hear that that is your opinion," Senor Mendez 
 said, " for it is the one point concerning which I was uneasy. 
 I have ordered a special mass at the church of St. Dominic 
 to-morrow, in thanksgiving for our safe escape from the hands 
 of the Moors, and it would be well that you should accompany 
 us there." 
 
 " I will do so most willingly," Geoffrey said. " I have re- 
 turned thanks many times, but shall be glad to do so again 
 in a house dedicated to God's service." 
 
 Accordingly the next day Geoffrey accompanied Don Mendez 
 and his daughter to the church of St. Dominic, and as he knelt 
 by them wondered why men should hate each other because 
 they differed as to the ways and methods in which they should 
 worship God. From that time on he occasionally accompanied 
 Senor Mendez to the church, saying his prayers earnestly in 
 his own fashion, and praying that he might some day be re- 
 stored to his home and friends. 
 
 He and the merchant had frequently talked over all possible 
 plans for his escape, but the extreme vigilance of the Spanish 
 authorities with reference to the English and Dutch trading ships 
 seemed to preclude any possibility of his being smuggled on 
 board. Every bale and package was closely examined on the
 
 A SINGULAR TRADE. 293 
 
 quay before being sent off. Spanish officials were on board from 
 the arrival to the departure of each ship, and no communica- 
 tion whatever was allowed between the shore and these vessels, 
 except in boats belonging to the authorities, every paper and 
 document passing first through their hands for examination 
 before being sent on board. The trade carried on between 
 England, Holland, and Spain at the time when these nations 
 were engaged in war was a singular one; but it was permitted 
 by all three countries, because the products of each were 
 urgently required by the others. It was kept within narrow 
 limits, and there were frequent angry complaints exchanged 
 between the English government and that of Holland, when 
 either considered the other to be going beyond that limit. 
 
 Geoffrey admitted to himself that he might again make the 
 attempt to return to England, by taking passage as before in a 
 ship bound for Italy, but he knew that Elizabeth was negotiat- 
 ing with Philip for peace, and thought that he might as well 
 await the result. He was, indeed, very happy at Cadiz, and 
 shrank from the thought of leaving it. 
 
 Stephen Boldero soon became restless, and at his urgent 
 request Juan Mendez appointed him second mate on board 
 one of his ships sailing for the West Indies, his intention being 
 to make his escape if an opportunity offered; but if not, he 
 preferred a life of activity to wandering aimlessly about the 
 streets of Cadiz. He was greatly grieved to part from Geof- 
 frey, and promised that, should he ever reach England, he 
 would at once journey down to Hedingham, and report his 
 safety to his father and mother. 
 
 "You will do very well here, Master Geoffrey," he said. 
 " You are quite at home with all the Spaniards, and it will not 
 be very long before you speak the language so well that, except 
 for your name, none would take you for a foreigner. You have 
 found work to do, and are really better off here than you would
 
 294 GEOFFREY'S ATTRACTION. 
 
 be starving and fighting in Holland. Besides," he said with a 
 sly wink, " there are other attractions for you. Juan Mendez 
 treats you as a son, and the senorita knows that she owes 
 everything to you. You might do worse than settle here for 
 life. Like enough you will see me back again in six months' 
 time, for if I see no chance of slipping off and reaching one of 
 the islands held by the bucaneers, I shall perforce return in 
 the ship I go out in." 
 
 At parting Senor Mendez bestowed a bag containing five 
 hundred gold pieces upon Stephen Boldero as a reward for 
 the service he had rendered him. 
 
 Geoffrey missed him greatly. For eighteen months they had 
 been constantly together, and it was the sailor's companionship 
 and cheerfulness that had lightened the first days of his cap- 
 tivity; and had it not been for his advice and support he might 
 now have been tugging at an oar in the bey's corsair galley. 
 Ever since they had been at Cadiz he had daily spent an hour 
 or two in his society; for when work was done they generally 
 went for a walk together on the fortifications, and talked of 
 England and discussed the possibility of escape. After his 
 departure he was thrown more than before into the society of 
 the merchant and his daughter. The feeling that Dolores had, 
 when he first saw her, excited within him had changed its 
 character. She was very pretty now that she had recovered 
 her life and spirits, and she made no secret of the deep feeling 
 of gratitude she entertained towards him. One day, three 
 months after Stephen's departure, Senor Mendez, when they 
 were alone together, broached the subject on which his thoughts 
 had been turned so much of late. 
 
 " Friend Geoffrey," he said, " I think that I am not mistaken 
 in supposing that you have an affection for Dolores. I have 
 marked its growth, and although I would naturally have rather 
 bestowed her upon a countryman, yet I feel that you have a
 
 THE MERCHANT'S OFFER. 295 
 
 right to her as having saved her from the horrible fate that 
 would have undoubtedly befallen her, and that it is not for me, 
 to whom you have restored her, besides saving my own life, to 
 offer any objection. As to her feelings, I have no doubt what- 
 ever. Were you of my religion and race, such a match would 
 afford me the greatest happiness. As it is I regret it only be- 
 cause I feel that some day or other it will lead to a separation 
 from me. It is natural that you should wish to return to your 
 own country, and as this war cannot go on for ever, doubtless 
 in time some opportunity for doing so will arrive. This I fore- 
 see and must submit to, but if there is peace I shall be able occa- 
 sionally to visit her in her home in England. I naturally hope 
 that it will be long before I shall thus lose her. She is my 
 only child, and I shall give as her dower the half of my business, 
 and you will join me as an equal partner. When the war is 
 over you can, if you wish, establish yourself in London, and 
 thence carry on and enlarge the English and Dutch trade of 
 our house. I may even myself settle there. I have not thought 
 this over at present, nor is there any occasion to do so. I am 
 a wealthy man and there is no need for me to continue in 
 business, and I am not sure when the time comes I shall not 
 prefer to abandon my country rather than be separated from 
 my daughter. At any rate for the present I offer you her hand 
 and a share in my business." 
 
 Geoffrey expressed in suitable terms the gratitude and delight 
 he felt at the offer. It was contrary to Spanish notions that 
 he should receive from Dolores in private any assurance that 
 the proposal in which she was so largely concerned was one to 
 which she assented willingly, but her father at once fetched 
 her in and formally presented her to Geoffrey as his promised 
 wife, and a month later the marriage was solemnized at the 
 church of St. Dominic.
 
 CHAPTER XVIIL 
 
 IVRY. 
 
 HE day after the capture of Breda Sir Francis Vere 
 sent for Lionel Vickars to his quarters. Prince 
 Maurice and several of his principal officers were 
 there, and the prince thanked him warmly for 
 the share he had taken in the capture of the town. 
 
 " Captain Heraugiere has told me," he said, " that the inven- 
 tion of the scheme that has ended so well is due as much to 
 you as to him, that you accompanied him on the reconnoitring 
 expedition and shared in the dangers of the party in the barge. 
 I trust Sir Francis Vere will appoint you to the first ensigncy 
 vacant in his companies, but should there be likely to be any 
 delay in this I will gladly give you a commission in one of my 
 own regiments." 
 
 "I have forestalled your wish, prince," Sir Francis said, 
 "and have this morning given orders that his appointment 
 shall be made out as ensign in one of my companies, but at 
 present I do not intend him to join. I have been ordered 
 by the queen to send further aid to help the King of France 
 against the League. I have already despatched several com- 
 panies to Brittany, and will now send two others. I would 
 that my duties permitted me personally to take part in the 
 enterprise, for the battle of the Netherlands is at present being 
 fought on the soil of France; but this is impossible. Several
 
 AN EXPEDITION TO FRANCE. 297 
 
 of my friends, however, volunteers and others, will journey 
 with the two companies, being desirous of fighting under the 
 banner of Henry of Navarre. Sir Ralph Pimpernel, who is 
 married to a French Huguenot lady and has connections at the 
 French court, will lead them. I have spoken to him this morn- 
 ing, and he will gladly allow my young friend here to 
 accompany him. I think that it is the highest reward I can 
 give him, to afford him thus an opportunity of seeing stirring 
 service; for I doubt not that in a very short time a great 
 battle will be fought. We know that Alva has sent eighteen 
 hundred of the best cavalry of Flanders to aid the League, and 
 he is sure to have given orders that they are to be back again 
 as soon as possible. How do you like the prospect, Lionel?" 
 
 Lionel warmly expressed his thanks to Sir Francis Vere for 
 his kindness, and said that nothing could delight him more 
 than to take part in such an enterprise. 
 
 " I must do something at any rate to prove my gratitude for 
 your share in the capture of this city," Prince Maurice said; 
 " and will send you presently two of the best horses of those 
 we have found in the governor's stables, together with arms 
 and armour suitable to your rank as an officer of Sir Francis 
 Vere." 
 
 Upon the following morning a party of ten knights and 
 gentlemen, including Lionel Vickars, rode to Bergen-op-Zoom. 
 The two companies, which were drawn from the garrison of 
 that town, had embarked the evening before in ships that had 
 come from England to transport them to France. Sir Ralph 
 Pimpernel and his party at once went on board, and as soon as 
 their horses were embarked the sails were hoisted. Four days' 
 voyage took them to the mouth of the Seine, and they landed 
 at Honfleur on the south bank of the river. There was a large 
 number of ships in port, for the Protestant princes of Germany 
 were, as well as England, sending aid to Henry of Navarre, and
 
 298 VT THE CAMP OF KING HENRY. 
 
 numbers of gentlemen and volunteers were flocking to his ban- 
 ners. 
 
 For the moment Henry IV. represented in the eyes of 
 Europe the Protestant cause. He was supported by the Hugue- 
 nots of France and by some of the Catholic noblemen and 
 gentry. Against him were arrayed the greater portion of the 
 Catholic nobles, the whole faction of the Guises and the Holy 
 League, supported by Philip of Spain. 
 
 The party from Holland disembarked at mid-day on the 9th 
 of March. Hearing rumours that a battle was expected very 
 shortly to take place, Sir Ealph Pimpernel started at once 
 with his mounted party for Dreux, which town was being be- 
 sieged by Henry, leaving the two companies of foot to press 
 on at their best speed behind him. The distance to be ridden 
 was about sixty miles, and late at night on the 10th they rode 
 into a village eight miles from Dreux. Here they heard that 
 the Duke of Mayenne, who commanded the force of the League, 
 was approaching the Seine at Mantes with an army of ten thou- 
 sand foot and four thousand horse. 
 
 " We must mount at daybreak, gentlemen," Sir Ealph Pim- 
 pernel said, " or the forces of the League will get between us 
 and the king. It is evident that we have but just arrived in 
 time, and it is well we did not wait for our foot-men." 
 
 The next morning they mounted early and rode on to the royal 
 camp near Dreux. Here Sir Ealph Pimpernel found Marshal 
 Biron, a relation of his wife, who at once took him to the king. 
 
 "You have just arrived in time, Sir Ealph," the king said 
 when Marshal Biron introduced him, "for to-morrow, or at 
 latest the day after, we are likely to try our strength with 
 Mayenne. You will find many of your compatriots here. I 
 can offer you but poor hospitality at present, but hope to enter- 
 tain you rarely some day when the good city of Paris opens its 
 gates to us."
 
 THE ARMY OF THE LEAGUE. 299 
 
 "Thanks, sire," Sir Ealph replied; "but we have come to 
 fight and not to feast." 
 
 " I think I can promise you plenty of that at any rate," the 
 king said. " You have ten gentlemen with you, I hear, and 
 also that there are two companies of foot from Holland now 
 on their way up from Honfleur." 
 
 "They landed at noon the day before yesterday, sire, and 
 will probably be up to-morrow." 
 
 " They will be heartily welcome, Sir Ralph. Since Parma 
 has sent so large a force to help Mayenne it is but right that 
 Holland, which is relieved of the presence of these troops, should 
 lend me a helping hand." 
 
 Quarters were found for the party in a village near the camp; 
 for the force was badly provided with tents, the king's re- 
 sources being at a very low ebb; he maintained the war, 
 indeed, chiefly by the loans he received from England and 
 Germany. The next day several bodies of troops were seen 
 approaching the camp. A quarter of an hour later the trumpets 
 blew; officers rode about, ordering the tents to be levelled 
 and the troops to prepare to march. A messenger from Mar- 
 shal Biron rode at full speed into the village, where many of 
 the volunteers from England and Germany, besides the party 
 of Sir Ralph Pimpernel, were lodged. 
 
 " The marshal bids me tell you, gentlemen, that the army 
 moves at once. Marshal D'Aumont has fallen back from Ivry; 
 Mayenne is advancing. The siege will be abandoned at pre- 
 sent, and we march towards Nonancourt, where we shall give 
 battle to-morrow if Mayenne is disposed for it." 
 
 The camps were struck and the waggons loaded, and the 
 army marched to St. Andre", a village situated on an elevated 
 plain commanding a view of all the approaches from the coun- 
 try between the Seine and Eure. 
 
 "This is a fine field for a battle," Sir Ralph said, as the
 
 300 THE FORCES AND POSITIONS. 
 
 troops halted on the ground indicated by the camp-marshals. 
 " It is splendid ground for cavalry to act, and it is upon them 
 the brunt of the fighting will fall. We are a little stronger in 
 foot; for several companies from Honfleur, our own among 
 them, have come up this morning, and I hear we muster twelve 
 thousand, which is a thousand more than they say Mayenne 
 has with him. But then he has four thousand cavalry to our 
 three thousand ; and Parma's regiments of Spaniards, Walloons, 
 and Italian veterans are far superior troops to Henry's bands 
 of riders, who are mostly Huguenot noblemen and gentlemen, 
 with their armed retainers, tough and hardy men to fight, as 
 they have shown themselves on many a field, but without any 
 of the discipline of Parma's troopers. 
 
 " If Parma himself commanded yonder army I should not 
 feel confident of the result; but Mayenne, though a skilful 
 general, is slow and cautious, while Henry of Navarre is full of 
 fire and energy, and brave almost to rashness. We are to 
 muster under the command of the king himself. He will have 
 eight hundred horse, formed into six squadrons, behind him, 
 and upon these will, I fancy, come the chief shock of the 
 battle. He will be covered on each side by the English and 
 Swiss infantry; in all four thousand strong. 
 
 " Marshal Biron will be on the right with five troops of horse 
 and four regiments of French infantry; while on the left will be 
 the troops of D'Aumont, Montpensier, Biron the younger, 
 D'Angouleme, and De Grivry, supported in all by two regiments 
 of French infantry, one of Swiss, and one of German. The 
 marshal showed us the plan of battle last night in his tent. It 
 is well balanced and devised." 
 
 It was late in the evening before the whole of the force had 
 reached the position and the tents were erected. One of these 
 had been placed at the disposal of Sir Ealph's party. Sir Ralph 
 and four of his companions had been followed by their
 
 THE HUGUENOT CAMP. 301 
 
 mounted squires, and these collected firewood, and supplied the 
 horses with forage from the sacks they carried slung from 
 their saddles, while the knights and gentlemen themselves 
 polished up their arms and armour, so as to make as brave a 
 show as possible in the ranks of the king's cavalry. 
 
 When they had eaten their supper Lionel Vickars strolled 
 through the camp, and was amused at the contrast presented 
 by the various groups. The troops of cavalry of the French 
 nobles were gaily attired; the tents of the officers large and 
 commodious, with rich hangings and appointments. The sound 
 of light-hearted laughter came from the groups round the camp- 
 fires, squires and pages moved about thickly, and it was evi- 
 dent that comfort, and indeed luxury, were considered by the 
 commanders as essential even upon a campaign. The encamp- 
 ments of the German, Swiss, and English infantry were of far 
 humbler design. The tents of the officers were few in number, 
 and of the simplest form and make. A considerable portion of 
 the English infantry had been drawn from Holland, for the little 
 army there was still the only body of trained troops at Eliza- 
 beth's disposal. 
 
 The Swiss and Germans were for the most part mercenaries. 
 Some had been raised at the expense of the Protestant princes, 
 others were paid from the sums supplied from England. The 
 great proportion of the men were hardy veterans who had 
 fought under many banners, and cared but little for the cause 
 in which they were fighting, provided they obtained their pay 
 regularly and that the rations were abundant and of good 
 quality. 
 
 The French infantry regiments contained men influenced by 
 a variety of motives. Some were professional soldiers who had 
 fought in many a field during the long wars that had for so 
 many years agitated France, others were the retainers of the 
 nobles who had thrown in their cause with Henry, while others
 
 302 THE EVE OF THE BATTLE. 
 
 again were Huguenot peasants who were fighting, not for pay, 
 but in the cause of their religion. 
 
 The cavalry were for the most part composed of men of good 
 family, relations, connections, or the superior vassals of the 
 nobles who commanded or officered them. The king's own 
 squadrons were chiefly composed of Huguenot gentlemen and 
 their mounted retainers; but with these rode many foreign 
 volunteers like Sir Ralph Pimpernel's party, attracted to 
 Henry's banner either from a desire to aid the Protestant cause 
 or to gain military knowledge and fame under so brave and 
 able a monarch, or simply from the love of excitement and 
 military ardour. 
 
 The camp of this main body of cavalry or "battalia," as the 
 body on whom the commander of our army chiefly relied for 
 victory was called, was comparatively still and silent. The 
 Huguenot gentlemen, after the long years of persecution to 
 which those of their religion had been exposed, were for the 
 most part poor. Their appointments were simple, and they 
 fought for conscience' sake, and went into battle with the stern 
 enthusiasm that afterwards animated Cromwell's Ironsides. 
 
 It was not long before the camp quieted down; for the 
 march had been a long one, and they would be on their feet by 
 daybreak. The king himself, attended by Marshals D'Aumont 
 and Biron, had gone through the whole extent of the camp, 
 seen that all was in order, that the troops had everywhere 
 received their rations, and that the officers were acquainted 
 with the orders for the morrow. He stayed a short time in 
 the camp of each regiment and troop, saying a few words of 
 encouragement to the soldiers, and laughing and joking with 
 the officers. He paused a short time and chatted with Sir 
 Ralph Pimpernel, who, at his request, introduced each of his 
 companions to him. 
 
 Lionel looked with interest and admiration at the man who
 
 HENRY OF NAVARRE. 303 
 
 was regarded as the champion of Protestantism against Popery, 
 and who combined in himself a remarkable mixture of qualities 
 seldom found existing in one person. He was brave to excess 
 and apparently reckless in action, and yet astute, prudent, and 
 calculating in council. With a manner frank, open, and winning, 
 he was yet able to match the craftiest of opponents at their 
 own weapons of scheming and duplicity. The idol of the 
 Huguenots of France, he was ready to purchase the crown of 
 France at the price of accepting the Catholic doctrines, for 
 he saw that it was hopeless for him in the long run to 
 maintain himself against the hostility of almost all the great 
 nobles of France, backed by the great proportion of the 
 people and aided by the pope and the Catholic powers, so long 
 as he remained a Protestant. But this change of creed was 
 scarcely even foreseen by those who followed him, and it was 
 the apparent hopelessness of his cause, and the gallantry with 
 which he maintained it, that attracted the admiration of Europe 
 
 Henry's capital was at the time garrisoned by the troops of 
 the pope and Spain. The great nobles of France, who had 
 long maintained a sort of semi-independence of the crown, 
 were all against him, and were calculating on founding inde- 
 pendent kingdoms. He himself was excommunicated. The 
 League were masters of almost the whole of France, and were 
 well supplied with funds by the pope and the Catholic powers> 
 while Henry was entirely dependent for money upon what he 
 could borrow from Queen Elizabeth and the States of Holland. 
 But no one who listened to the merry laugh of the king as he 
 chatted with the little group of English gentlemen would have 
 thought that he was engaged in a desperate and well-nigh 
 hopeless struggle, and that the following day was to be a 
 decisive one as to his future fortunes. 
 
 " Well, gentlemen," he said as he turned his horse to ride 
 away, "I must ask you to lie down as soon as possible. As long
 
 304 THE CONTENDING ARMIES. 
 
 as the officers are awake and talking the men cannot sleep; 
 and I want all to have a good night's rest. The enemy's camp 
 is close at hand, and the battle is sure to take place at early 
 dawn." 
 
 As the same orders were given everywhere, the camp was 
 quiet early, and before daylight the troops were called under 
 arms and ranged in the order appointed for them to fight in. 
 
 The army of the League was astir in equally good time. In 
 its centre was the battalia, composed of six hundred splendid 
 cavalry, all noblemen of France, supported by a column of 
 three hundred Swiss and two thousand French infantry. On 
 the left were six hundred French cuirassiers and the eighteen 
 hundred troops of Parma, commanded by Count Egmont. 
 They were supported by six regiments of French and Lor- 
 rainers, and two thousand Germans. The right wing was com- 
 posed of three regiments of Spanish lancers, two troops of Ger- 
 mans, four hundred cuirassiers, and four regiments of infantry. 
 
 When the sun rose and lighted up the contending armies, 
 the difference between their appearance was very marked. 
 That of the League was gay with the gilded armour, waving 
 plumes, and silken scarfs of the French nobles, whose banners 
 fluttered brightly in the air, while the Walloons and Flemish 
 rivalled their French comrades in the splendour of their ap- 
 pointments. In the opposite ranks there was neither gaiety 
 nor show. The Huguenot nobles and gentlemen, who had for 
 so many years been fighting for life and religion, were clad 
 in armour dinted in a hundred battle-fields; and while the 
 nobles of the League were confident of victory, and loud in 
 demanding to be led against the foe, Henry of Navarre and 
 his soldiers were kneeling, praying to the God of battles to 
 enable them to bear themselves well in the coming fight. 
 Henry of Navarre wore in his helmet a snow-white plume, 
 which he ordered his troops to keep in view, and to follow
 
 IVRY. 305 
 
 wherever they should see it waving, in case his banner went 
 down. 
 
 Artillery still played but a small partrin battles on the field, 
 and there were but twelve pieces on the ground, equally divided 
 between the two armies. These opened the battle, and Count 
 Egmont, whose cavalry had suffered from the fire of the Hugue- 
 not cannon, ordered a charge, and the splendid cavalry of Par- 
 ma swept down upon the right wing of Henry. The cavalry 
 under Marshal Biron were unable to withstand the shock and 
 were swept before them, and Egmont rode on right up to 
 the guns and sabred the artillerymen. Almost at the same 
 moment the German riders under Eric of Brunswick, the 
 Spanish and French lancers, charged down upon the centre of 
 the Eoyal Army. The rout of the right wing shook the cavalry 
 in the centre. They wavered, and the infantry on their flanks 
 fell back, but the king and his officers rode among them, shout- 
 ing and entreating them to stand firm. The ground in their 
 front was soft and checked the impetuosity of the charge of 
 the Leaguers, and by the time they reached the ranks of the 
 Huguenots they were broken and disordered, and could make 
 no impression whatever upon them. 
 
 As soon as the charge was repulsed, Henry set his troops in 
 motion, and the battalia charged down upon the disordered 
 cavalry of the League. The lancers and cuirassiers were 
 borne down by the impetuosity of the charge, and Marshal 
 Biron, rallying his troops, followed the king's white plume 
 into the heart of the battle. Egmont brought up the cavalry 
 of Flanders to the scene, and was charging at their head when 
 he fell dead with a musket-ball through the heart. Brunswick 
 went down in the fight, and the shattered German and Walloon 
 horse were completely overthrown and cut to pieces by the 
 furious charges of the Huguenot cavalry. 
 
 At one time the victorious onset was checked by the disap 
 
 ( 577 ) U
 
 306 A QUICKLY WON VICTORY. 
 
 pearance of the king's snow-white plumes, and a report ran 
 through the army that the king was killed. They wavered 
 irresolutely. The enemy, regaining courage from the cessation 
 of their attacks, were again advancing, when the king reappeared 
 bareheaded and covered with dust and blood, but entirely un- 
 hurt. He addressed a few cheerful words to his soldiers, and 
 again led a charge. It was irresistible; the enemy broke and 
 fled in the wildest confusion hotly pursued by the royalist 
 cavalry, while the infantry of the League, who had so far taken 
 no part whatever in the battle, were seized with a panic, threw 
 away their arms, and sought refuge in the woods in their rear. 
 
 Thus the battle was decided only by the cavalry, the infantry 
 taking no part in the fight on either side. Eight hundred of 
 the Leaguers either fell on the battle-field or were drowned in 
 crossing the river in their rear. The loss of the royalists was 
 but one-fourth that number. Had the king pushed forward 
 upon Paris immediately after the battle, the city would pro- 
 bably have surrendered without a blow; and the Huguenot 
 leaders urged this course upon him. Biron and the other 
 Catholics, however, argued that it was better to undertake a 
 regular siege, and the king yielded to this advice, although the 
 bolder course would have been far more in accordance with his 
 own disposition. 
 
 He was probably influenced by a variety of motives. In the 
 first place his Swiss mercenaries were in a mutinous condition, 
 and refused to advance a single foot unless they received their 
 arrears of pay, and this Henry, whose chests were entirely 
 empty, had no means of providing. In the second place he 
 was at the time secretly in negotiation with the pope for his 
 conversion, and may have feared to give so heavy a blow to 
 the Catholic cause as would have been effected by the capture 
 of Paris following closely after the victory of Ivry. At any 
 rate he determined upon a regular siege. Moving forward he
 
 THE ARRIVAL OF PARMA. 307 
 
 seized the towns of Lagny on the Marne, and Corbeil on the 
 Seine, thus entirely cutting off the food supply of Paris. 
 
 Lionel Vickars had borne his part in the charges of the 
 Huguenot cavalry, but as the company to which he belonged 
 was in the rear of the battalia, he had no personal encounters 
 with the enemy. 
 
 After the advance towards Paris the duties of the cavalry con- 
 sisted entirely in scouting the country, sweeping in provisions 
 for their own army, and preventing supplies from entering 
 Paris. No siege operations were undertaken, the king relying 
 upon famine alone to reduce the city. Its population at the 
 time the siege commenced was estimated at 400,000, and the 
 supply of provisions to be sufficient for a month. It was 
 calculated therefore that before the League could bring up 
 another army to its relief, it must fall by famine. 
 
 But no allowance had been made for the religious enthusiasm 
 and devotion to the cause of the League that animated the 
 population of Paris. Its governor, the Duke of Nemours, 
 brother of Mayenne, aided by the three Spanish delegates, 
 the Cardinal Gaetano, and by an army of priests and monks, 
 sustained the spirits of the population; and though the people 
 starved by thousands, the city resisted until towards the end 
 of August. In that month the army of the League, united 
 with twelve thousand foot and three thouiand horse from the 
 Netherlands under Parma himself, advanced to its assistance; 
 while Maurice of Holland, with a small body of Dutch troops 
 and reinforcements from England, had strengthened the army 
 of the king. 
 
 The numbers of the two armies were not unequal. Many 
 of the French nobles had rallied round Henry after his victory, 
 and of his cavalry four thousand were nobles and their re- 
 tainers who served at their own expense, and were eager for 
 a battle. Parma himself had doubts as to the result of the
 
 308 FACE TO FACE. 
 
 conflict. He could rely upon the troops he himself had brought, 
 but had no confidence in those of the League; and when Henry 
 sent him a formal challenge to a general engagement, Parma re- 
 plied that it was his custom to refuse a combat when a refusal 
 seemed advantageous for himself, and to offer battle whenever 
 it suited his purpose to fight. 
 
 For seven days the two armies, each some twenty-five thou- 
 sand strong, lay within a mile or two of each other. Then the 
 splendid cavalry of Parma moved out in order of battle, with 
 banners flying, and the pennons of the lances fluttering in the 
 wind. The king was delighted when he saw that the enemy 
 were at last advancing to the fight. He put his troops at once 
 under arms, but waited until the plan of the enemy's battle 
 developed itself before making his dispositions. But while the 
 imposing array of cavalry was attracting the king's attention, 
 Parma moved off with the main body of his army, threw a 
 division across the river on a pontoon bridge, and attacked 
 Lagny on both sides. 
 
 When Lagny was first occupied some of Sir Ralph Pimper- 
 nel's party were appointed to take up their quarters there, half 
 a company of the English, who had come with them from Hol- 
 land, were also stationed in the town, the garrison being alto- 
 gether 1200 strong. Lionel's horse had received a bullet wound 
 at Ivry, and although it carried him for the next day or two, 
 it was evident that it needed rest and attention, and would 
 be unfit to carry his rider for some time. Lionel had no liking 
 for the work of driving off the cattle of the unfortunate land- 
 owners and peasants, however necessary it might be to keep 
 the army supplied with food, and was glad of the excuse that his 
 wounded horse afforded him for remaining quietly in the town 
 when his comrades rode out with the troop of cavalry stationed 
 there. 
 
 It happened that the officer in command of the little body of
 
 IN COMFORTABLE QUARTERS. 309 
 
 English infantry was taken ill with fever, and Sir Ralph Pim- 
 pernel requested Lionel to take his place. This he was glad to 
 do, as he was more at home at infantry work than with cavalry. 
 The time went slowly, but Lionel, who had comfortable quar- 
 ters in the house of a citizen, did not find it long. The 
 burgher's family consisted of his wife and two daughters, and 
 these congratulated themselves greatly upon having an officer 
 quartered upon them who not only acted as a protection to 
 them against the insolence of the rough soldiery, but was cour- 
 teous and pleasant in his manner, and tried in every way to 
 show that he regarded himself as a guest and not a master. 
 
 After the first week's stay he requested that instead of hav- 
 ing his meals served to him in a room apart he might take them 
 with the family. The girls were about Lionel's age, and after 
 the first constraint wore off he became great friends with them; 
 and although at first he had difficulty in making himself under- 
 stood, he rapidly picked up a little French, the girls acting as 
 his teachers. 
 
 "What do you English do here?" the eldest of them asked 
 him when six weeks after his arrival they were able to converse 
 fairly in a mixture of French and Spanish. " Why do you not 
 leave us French people to fight out our quarrels by ourselves?" 
 
 " I should put it the other way," Lionel laughed. "Why don't 
 you French people fight out your quarrels among yourselves 
 instead of calling in foreigners to help you? It is because the 
 Guises and the League have called in the Spaniards to fight on 
 the Catholic side that the English and Dutch have come to 
 help the Huguenots. We are fighting the battle of our own 
 religion here, not the battle of Henry of Navarre." 
 
 " I hate these wars of religion," the girl said. " Why can we 
 not all worship in our own way?" 
 
 "Ah, that is what we Protestants want to know, Made- 
 moiselle Claire; that is just what your people won't allow.
 
 310 A WARM DISCUSSION. 
 
 Did you not massacre the Protestants in France on the eve of 
 St. Bartholomew ? and have not the Spaniards been for the last 
 twenty years trying to stamp out with fire and sword the new 
 religion in the Low Countries ? We only want to be left alone." 
 
 "But your queen of England kills the Catholics." 
 
 "Not at all," Lionel said warmly; "that is only one of the 
 stories they spread to excuse their own doings. It is true that 
 Catholics in England have been put to death, and so have 
 people of the sect that call themselves Anabaptists; but this has 
 been because they had been engaged in plots against the queen, 
 and not because of their religion. The Catholics of England 
 for the most part joined as heartily as the Protestants in the 
 preparations for the defence of England in the time of the 
 Armada. For my part, I cannot understand why people should 
 quarrel with each other because they worship God in different 
 ways." 
 
 "It is all very bad, I am sure," the girl said; "France has 
 been torn to pieces by these religious wars for years and years. 
 It is dreadful to think what they must be suffering in Paris 
 now." 
 
 "Then why don't they open their gates to King Henry in- 
 stead of starving themselves at the orders of the legate of the 
 pope and the agent of Philip of Spain 1 I could understand if 
 there was another French prince whom they wanted as king 
 instead of Henry of Navarre. We fought for years in England 
 as to whether we would have a king from the house of York 
 or the house of Lancaster, but when it comes to choosing be- 
 tween a king of your own race and a king named for you by 
 Philip of Spain, I can't understand it." 
 
 "Never mind, Master Vickars. You know what you are 
 fighting for, don't you?" 
 
 "I do; I am fighting here to aid Holland. Parma is bring- 
 ing all his troops to aid the Guises here, and while they are
 
 A BATTLE IMMINENT. 311 
 
 away the Dutch will take town after town, and will make 
 themselves so strong that when Parma goes back he will find 
 the nut harder than ever to crack." 
 
 "How long will Paris hold out, think you, Master Vickars ? 
 They say that provisions are well-nigh spent." 
 
 "Judging from the way in which the Dutch towns held on 
 for weeks and weeks after, as it seemed, all supplies were ex- 
 hausted, I should say that if the people of Paris are as ready 
 to suffer rather than yield as were the Dutch burghers, they 
 may hold on for a long time yet It is certain that no provi- 
 sions can come to them as long as we hold possession of this 
 town, and so block the river." 
 
 " But if the armies of Parma and the League come they may 
 drive you away, Master Vickars." 
 
 " It is quite possible, mademoiselle ; we do not pretend to be 
 invincible, but I think there will be some tough fighting first" 
 
 As the weeks went on Lionel Vickars came to be on very 
 intimate terms with the family. The two maid-servants shared 
 in the general liking for the young officer. He gave no more 
 trouble than if he were one of the family, and on one or two 
 occasions when disturbances were caused by the ill-conduct 
 of the miscellaneous bands which constituted the garrison, he 
 brought his half company of English soldiers at once into the 
 house, and by his resolute attitude prevented the marauders 
 from entering. 
 
 When Parma's army approached Sir Ralph Pimpernel with 
 the cavalry joined the king, but Lionel shared in the disappoint- 
 ment felt by all the infantry of the garrison of Lagny that they 
 could take no share in the great battle that was expected. 
 Their excitement rose high while the armies lay watching each 
 other. From the position of the town down by the river 
 neither army was visible from its walls, and they only learned 
 when occasional messengers rode in how matters were going on.
 
 312 LAGNY CUT OFF. 
 
 One morning Lionel was awoke by a loud knocking at his 
 door. " What is it?" he shouted, as he sat up in bed. 
 
 " It is I Timothy Short, Master Vickars. The sergeant has 
 sent me to wake you in all haste. The Spaniards have stolen 
 a march upon us. They have thrown a bridge across the river 
 somewhere in the night, and most all their army stands between 
 us and the king, while a division are preparing to besiege the 
 town on the other side." Lionel was hastily throwing on his 
 clothes and arming himself while the man was speaking. 
 
 " Tell the sergeant," he said, " to get the men under arms. 
 I will be with him in a few minutes." 
 
 When Lionel went out he found that the household was 
 already astir. 
 
 "Go not out fasting," his host said. "Take a cup of wine 
 and some food before you start. You may be some time 
 before you get an opportunity of eating again if what they say 
 is true." 
 
 " Thank you heartily," Lionel replied as he sat down to the 
 table, on which some food had already been placed; "it is 
 always better to fight full than fasting." 
 
 "Hark you!" the bourgeois said in his ear; "if things go 
 badly with you make your way here. I have a snug hiding- 
 place, and I shall take refuge there with my family if the 
 Spaniards capture the town. I have heard of their doings in 
 Holland, and that when they capture a town they spare neither 
 age nor sex, and slay Catholics as well as Protestants; there- 
 fore I shall take refuge till matters have quieted down and 
 order is restored. I shall set to work at once to carry 
 my valuables there, and a goodly store of provisions. My 
 warehouseman will remain in charge above. He is faithful 
 and can be trusted, and he will tell the Spaniards that I am a 
 good Catholic, and lead them to believe that I fled with my 
 family before the Huguenots entered the town."
 
 THE BATTERIES OPEN FIRE. 313 
 
 "Thank you greatly," Lionel replied; "should the need 
 arise I will take advantage of your kind offer. But it should 
 not do so. We have twelve hundred men here, and half that 
 number of citizens have kept the Spaniards at bay for months 
 before towns no stronger than this in Holland. We ought to 
 be able to defend ourselves here for weeks, and the king will 
 assuredly come to our relief in two or three days at the out- 
 side." 
 
 Upon Lionel sallying out he found the utmost confusion and 
 disorder reigning. The commandant was hurriedly assigning 
 to the various companies composing the garrison their places 
 upon the walls. Many of the soldiers were exclaiming that 
 they had been betrayed, and that it were best to make terms 
 with the Spaniards at once. The difference between the air 
 of quiet resolution that marked the conduct of the people and 
 troops at Sluys and the excitement manifested here struck 
 Lionel unpleasantly. The citizens all remained in their houses, 
 afraid lest the exultation they felt at the prospect of deliverance 
 would be so marked as to enrage the soldiery. Lionel's own 
 company was standing quietly and in good order in the 
 market-place, and as soon as he received orders as to the point 
 that he should occupy on the walls Lionel marched them away. 
 
 In half an hour the Spanish batteries, which had been 
 erected during the night, opened fire upon several points of 
 the walls. The town was ill provided with artillery, and the 
 answer was feeble, and before evening several breaches had 
 been effected, two of the gates blown in, and the Spaniards 
 advanced to the assault. Lionel and his company, with one 
 composed of Huguenot gentlemen and their retainers and 
 another of Germans, defended the gate at which they were 
 posted with great bravery, and succeeded in repulsing the 
 attacks of the Spaniards time after time. The latter pressed 
 forward in heavy column, only to recoil broken and shattered
 
 314 THE TOWN CAPTURED. 
 
 from the archway, which was filled high with their dead. 
 The defenders had just succeeded in repulsing the last of these 
 attacks, when some soldiers ran by shouting " All is lost, the 
 Spaniards have entered the town at three points 1" 
 
 The German company at once disbanded and scattered. The 
 Huguenot noble said to Lionel: "I fear that the news is true; 
 listen to the shouts and cries in the town behind us. I will 
 march with my men and see if there is any chance of beating 
 back the Spaniards; if not it were best to lay down our arms 
 and ask for quarter. Will you try to hold this gate until I 
 return?" 
 
 " I will do so," Lionel said ; " but I have only about thirty 
 men left, and if the Spaniards come on again we cannot hope 
 to repulse them." 
 
 " If I am not back in ten minutes it will be because all is 
 lost," the Huguenot said; "and you had then best save your- 
 self as you can." 
 
 But long before the ten minutes passed crowds of fugitives 
 ran past, and Lionel learned that great numbers of the enemy 
 had entered, and that they were refusing quarter and slaying 
 all they met. 
 
 " It is useless to stay here longer to be massacred," he said 
 to his men. "I should advise you to take refuge in the 
 churches, leaving your arms behind you as you enter. It is 
 evident that further resistance is useless, and would only cost 
 us our lives. The Spaniards are twenty to one, and it is 
 evident that all hope of resistance is at an end." The men 
 were only too glad to accept the advice, and, throwing down 
 their arms, hurried away. Lionel sheathed his sword, and 
 with the greatest difficulty made his way through the scene of 
 wild confusion to the house where he had lodged. The doors 
 of most of the houses were fast closed, and the inhabitants 
 were hurling down missiles of all kinds from the upper win-
 
 A SAFE REFUGE. 315 
 
 dows upon their late masters. The triumphant shouts of the 
 Spaniards rose loud in the air, mingled with despairing cries 
 and the crack of firearms. Lionel had several narrow escapes 
 from the missiles thrown from the windows and roofs, but 
 reached the house of the merchant safely. The door was half 
 opened. 
 
 " Thanks be to heaven that you have come. I had well-nigh 
 given you up, and in another minute should have closed the 
 door. The women are all below, but I waited until the last 
 minute for you." 
 
 Barring the door Lionel's host led the way downstairs into 
 a great cellar, which served as a warehouse, and extended 
 under the whole house. He made his way through the boxes 
 and bales to the darkest corner of the great cellar. Here he 
 pulled up a flag and showed another narrow stair, at the bottom 
 of which a torch was burning. Bidding Lionel descend he fol- 
 lowed him, lowered the flag behind him, and then led the way 
 along a narrow passage, at the end of which was a door. Open- 
 ing it Lionel found himself in an arched chamber. Two 
 torches were burning, and the merchant's wife and daughters 
 and the two female domestics were assembled. There was a 
 general exclamation of gladness as Lionel entered. 
 
 "We have been greatly alarmed," the mercer's wife said, 
 " lest you should not be able to gain the house, Master Vickars; 
 for we heard that the Spaniards are broken in at several 
 points." 
 
 " It was fortunately at the other end of the town to that 
 at which I was stationed," Lionel said; "and I was just in 
 time. You have a grand hiding-place here. It looks like the 
 crypt of a church." 
 
 " That is just what it is," the mercer said. " It was the 
 church of a monastery that stood here a hundred years ago. 
 The monks then moved into a grander place in Paris, and the
 
 316 AN ANCIENT CRYPT. 
 
 monastery and church which adjoined our house were pulled 
 down and houses erected upon the site. My grandfather, 
 knowing of the existence of the crypt, thought that it might 
 afford a rare hiding-place in case of danger, and had the passage 
 driven from his cellar into it. Its existence could never be 
 suspected; for as our cellar extends over the whole of our 
 house, as can easily he seen, none would suspect that there 
 was a hiding-place without our walls. There are three or four 
 chambers as large as this. One of them is stored with all my 
 choicest silks and velvets, another will serve as a chamber for 
 you and me. I have enough provisions for a couple of months, 
 and even should they burn the house down we are safe enough 
 here."
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 STEENWYK. 
 
 HEEE days passed, and then a slight noise was 
 heard as of the trap-door being raised. Lionel 
 drew his sword. 
 
 "It is my servant, no doubt," the merchant 
 said; "he promised to come and tell me how things went as 
 soon as he could get an opportunity to come down unobserved. 
 We should hear more noise if it were the Spaniards." Taking 
 a light he went along the passage, and returned immediately 
 afterwards followed by his man; the latter had his head bound 
 up, and carried his arm in a sling. An exclamation of pity 
 broke from the ladies. 
 
 "You are badly hurt, Jacques. What has happened?" 
 "It is well it is no worse, mistress," he replied. "The 
 Spaniards are fiends, and behaved as if they were sacking a 
 city of Dutch Huguenots instead of entering a town inhabited 
 by friends. For an hour or two they cut and slashed, pillaged 
 and robbed. They came rushing into the shop, and before I 
 could say a word one run me through the shoulder and another 
 laid my head open. It was an hour or two before I came to 
 my senses. I found the house turned topsy-turvy; everything 
 worth taking had gone, and what was not taken was damaged. 
 I tied up my head and arm as best I could, and then sat quiet 
 in a corner till the din outside began to subside. The officers
 
 318 GOOD ADVICE. 
 
 did their best, I hear, and at last got the men into order. 
 Numbers of the townsfolk have been killed, and every one 
 of the garrison was butchered. I tell you, mistress, it is better 
 to have ten Huguenot armies in possession one after another 
 than one Spanish force, though the latter come as friends and 
 co-religionists. Well, as soon as things quieted down the 
 soldiers were divided among the houses of the townsfolk, and 
 we have a sergeant and ten men quartered above; but half an 
 hour ago they were called away on some duty, and I took the 
 opportunity to steal down here." 
 
 "Have you told them that we were away, Jacques 1 ?" 
 
 "No, monsieur; no one has asked me about it. They saw 
 by the pictures and shrines that you were good Catholics, and 
 after the first outburst they have left things alone. But if it 
 is not too dreary for the ladies here, I should advise you to 
 wait for a time and see how things go before you show your- 
 selves." 
 
 " That is my opinion too, Jacques. We can wait here for 
 another two months if need be. Doubtless, unless the Hugue- 
 nots show signs of an intention to attack the town, only a 
 small garrison will be left here, and it may be that those in 
 our house will be withdrawn." 
 
 "Do you think it will be possible for me to make my 
 escape, Jacques?" Lionel asked. 
 
 "I should think so, sir. Ever since the Spaniards entered the 
 town boats with provisions for Paris have been coming along in 
 great numbers. From what I hear the soldiers say there is no 
 chance of a battle at present, for the Huguenot army have 
 drawn off to a distance, seeing that Paris is revictualled and 
 that there is no chance of taking it. They say that numbers 
 of the French lords with the Huguenot army have drawn off 
 and are making for their homes. At any rate there is no fear 
 of an attack here, and the gates stand open all day. Numbers
 
 ON THE WAY TO REJOIN. 319 
 
 of the townsfolk have been to Paris to see friends there, and I 
 should say that if you had a disguise you could pass out easily 
 enough." 
 
 The question was discussed for some time. Lionel was very 
 anxious to rejoin the army, and it was finally settled that 
 Jacques should the next night bring him down a suit of his 
 own clothes, and the first time the soldiers were all away should 
 fetch him out, accompany him through the gates of the town, 
 and act as his guide as far as he could. 
 
 The next night Lionel received the clothes. Two days later 
 Jacques came down early in the morning to say that the 
 soldiers above had just gone out on duty. Lionel at once 
 assumed his disguise, and with the heartiest thanks for the 
 great service they had rendered him took his leave of the kind 
 merchant and his family. Jacques was charged to accompany 
 him as far as possible, and to set him well on his way towards the 
 Huguenot army, for Lionel's small knowledge of French would 
 be detected by the first person who accosted him. On going 
 out into the street Lionel found that there were many peasants 
 who had come in to sell fowls, eggs, and vegetables in the town, 
 and he and Jacques passed without a question through the gates. 
 
 Jacques had, the evening before, ascertained from the soldiers 
 the position of Parma's army. A long detour had to be made, 
 and it was two days before they came in sight of the tents of 
 Henry's camp. They had observed the greatest precautions 
 on their way, and had only once fallen in with a troop of 
 Parma's cavalry. These had asked no questions, supposing 
 that Jacques and his companion were making their way from 
 Paris to visit their friends after the siege, there being nothing 
 in their attire to attract attention, still less suspicion. The 
 peasants they met on their way eagerly demanded news from 
 Paris, but Jacques easily satisfied them by saying that they had 
 had a terrible time, and that manv had died of hunger, but
 
 320 KING HENRY OUT-GENERALLED. 
 
 that now that the river was open again better times had come. 
 When within a couple of miles of the army Jacques said good- 
 bye to Lionel, who would have rewarded him handsomely for 
 his guidance, but Jacques would not accept money. 
 
 " You are the master's guest," he said, " and you saved his 
 house from plunder when your people were in possession. He 
 and my mistress would never forgive me if I took money from 
 you. I am well content in having been able to assist so kind 
 a young gentleman." 
 
 When Lionel arrived at the camp he soon found his way to 
 Sir Ralph Pimpernel's tent, where he was received as one from 
 the dead. There was no difficulty in providing himself again 
 with armour and arms, for of these there were abundance the 
 spoils of Ivry in the camp. When he was reclothed and 
 rearmed Sir Ralph took him to the king's tent, and from him 
 Henry learned for the first time the circumstances that had 
 attended the capture of Lagny. 
 
 "And so they put the whole garrison to the sword," the 
 king said with indignation. " I will make any Spaniards that 
 fall in my hands pay dearly for it!" 
 
 Henry had indeed been completely out-generalled by his oppo- 
 nent. While he had been waiting with his army for a pitched 
 battle Parma had invested Lagny, and there were no means of 
 relieving it except by crossing the river in the face of the whole 
 army of the enemy, an enterprise impossible of execution. As 
 soon as Lagny had fallen provisions and ammunition were at 
 once poured into Paris, two thousand boat-loads arriving in a 
 single day. 
 
 King Henry's army immediately fell to pieces. The cavalry 
 having neither food nor forage rode off by hundreds every day, 
 and in a week but two thousand out of his six thousand horse 
 remained with him. The infantry also, seeing now no hope of 
 receiving their arrears of pay, disbanded in large numbers,
 
 PARMA RETIRES. 321 
 
 and after an unsuccessful attempt to carry Paris by a night 
 attack, the king fell back with the remnant of his force. Cor- 
 beil was assaulted and captured by Parma, and the two great 
 rivers of Paris were now open. 
 
 If Parma could have remained with his army in France, the 
 cause of Henry of Navarre would have been lost. But sickness 
 was making ravages among his troops. Dissensions broke out 
 between the Spaniards, Italians, and Netherlanders of his army 
 and their French allies, who hated the foreigners, though they 
 had come to their assistance. Lastly, his presence was urgently 
 required in the Netherlands, where his work was as far from 
 being done as ever. Therefore to the dismay of the Leaguers 
 he started early in November on his march back. 
 
 No sooner did he retire than the king took the field again, 
 recaptured Lagny and Corbeil, and recommenced the siege of 
 Paris, while his cavalry hung upon the rear and flanks of 
 Parma's army and harassed them continually, until they 
 crossed the frontier, where the duke found that affairs had not 
 improved during his absence. 
 
 Lionel had obtained permission to accompany the force which 
 captured Lagny, and as soon as they entered the town hurried 
 to the mercer's house. He found Jacques in possession, and 
 learned that the family had weeks before left the crypt and 
 reoccupied the house, but had again taken refuge there when 
 the Huguenots attacked the town. Lionel at once went below, 
 and was received with delight. He was now able to repay to 
 some extent the obligations he had received from them, by 
 protecting them from all interference by the new captors of the 
 town, from whom the majority of the citizens received harsh 
 treatment for the part they had taken in attacking the garrison 
 when the Spaniards first entered. 
 
 Prince Maurice's visit to the camp of Henry had been but 
 a short one; and as soon as Parma had effected the relief of 
 
 (677) X
 
 322 PRINCE MAURICE TAKES THE OFFENSIVE. 
 
 Paris, and there was no longer a chance of a great battle being 
 fought, he returned to Holland, followed after the recapture of 
 Lagny by Sir Ralph Pimpernel and the few survivors of his 
 party, who were all heartily weary of the long period of inac- 
 tion that had followed the victory at Ivry. 
 
 They found that during their absence there had been little 
 doing in the Netherlands, save that Sir Francis Vere, with a 
 small body of English infantry and cavalry, had stormed some 
 formidable works the Spaniards had thrown up to prevent 
 relief being given to Recklinghausen, which they were besieging. 
 He effected the relief of the town and drove off the besiegers. 
 He then attacked and captured a fort on the bank of the Rhine, 
 opposite the town of Wesel. 
 
 At the end of the year 1590 there were, including the 
 garrisons, some eight thousand English infantry and cavalry 
 in Holland, and the year that followed was to see a great change 
 in the nature of the war. The efforts of Prince Maurice to 
 improve his army were to bear effect, and with the assistance 
 of his English allies he was to commence an active offensive 
 war, to astonish his foes by the rapidity with which he 
 manoeuvred the new fighting machine he had created, and 
 to commence a new departure in the tactics of war. 
 
 In May he took the field, requesting Vere to co-operate with 
 him in the siege of Zutphen. But Sir Francis determined in 
 the first place to capture on his own account the Zutphen 
 forts on the opposite side of the river, since these had been lost 
 by the treachery of Roland Yorke. He dressed up a score of 
 soldiers, some as peasants, others as countrywomen, and pro- 
 vided them with baskets of eggs and other provisions. At 
 daybreak these went down by twos and threes to the Zutphen 
 ferry, as if waiting to be taken across to the town; and while 
 waiting for the boat to come across for them, they sat down 
 near the gate of the fort
 
 CROSSING THE BRIDGE OF BOATS OVER THE HAVEN.
 
 TAKEN BY STRATAGEM. 323 
 
 A few minutes later a party of English cavalry were seen 
 riding rapidly towards the fort. The pretended country people 
 sprang to their feet, and with cries of alarm ran towards it for 
 shelter. The gates were thrown open to allow them to enter. 
 As they ran in they drew out the arms concealed under their 
 clothes and overpowered the guard. The cavalry dashed up 
 and entered the gate before the garrison could assemble, and 
 the fort was captured. 
 
 Vere at once began to throw up his batteries for the attack 
 upon the town across the river, and the prince invested the 
 city on the other side. So diligently did the besiegers work 
 that before a week had passed after the surprise of the fort the 
 batteries were completed, thirty-two guns placed in position, 
 and the garrison, seeing there was no hope of relief, sur- 
 rendered! 
 
 On the very day of taking possession of the town, the allies, 
 leaving a garrison there, marched against De venter, seven 
 miles down the river, and within five days had invested the 
 place, and opened their batteries upon the weakest part of the 
 town. A breach was effected, and a storm was ordered. A 
 dispute arose between the English, Scotch, and Dutch troops 
 as to who should have the honour of leading the assault. 
 Prince Maurice decided in favour of the English, in order that 
 they might have an opportunity of wiping out the stigma on 
 the national honour caused by the betrayal of Deventer by the 
 traitor Sir William Stanley. 
 
 To reach the breach it was necessary to cross a piece of water 
 called the Haven. Sir Francis Vere led the English across the 
 bridge of boats which had been thrown over the water; but 
 the bridge was too short. Some of the troops sprang over and 
 pushed boldly for the breach, others were pushed over and 
 drowned. Many of those behind stripped off their armour 
 and swam across the Haven, supported by some Dutch troops
 
 324 DEVENTER CAPTURED. 
 
 who had been told off to follow the assaulting party. But at 
 the breach they were met by Van der Berg, the governor, with 
 seven companies of soldiers, and these fought so courageously 
 that the assailants were unable to win their way up the breach, 
 and fell back at last with a loss of two hundred and twenty- 
 five men killed and wounded. 
 
 While the assault was going on, the artillery of the besiegers 
 continued to play upon other parts of the town, and effected 
 great damage. On the following night the garrison endeavoured 
 to capture the bridge across the Haven, but were repulsed with 
 loss, and in the morning the place surrendered. The success 
 of the patriots was due in no slight degree to the fact that 
 Parma with the greatest part of his army was again absent in 
 France, and the besieged towns had therefore no hope of assist- 
 ance from without. The States now determined to seize the 
 opportunity of capturing the towns held by the Spaniards in 
 Friesland. 
 
 The three principal towns in the possession of the Spaniards 
 were Groningen, Steenwyk, and Coevorden. After capturing 
 several less important places and forts Prince Maurice advanced 
 against Steenwyk. But just as he was about to commence the 
 siege he received pressing letters from the States to hurry 
 south, as Parma was marching with his whole army to capture 
 the fort of Knodsenburg, which had been raised in the previous 
 autumn as a preparation for the siege of the important city of 
 Nymegen. 
 
 The Duke of Parma considered that he had ample time to 
 reduce Knodsenburg before Prince Maurice could return to 
 its assistance. Two great rivers barred the prince's return, 
 and he would have to traverse the dangerous district called 
 the Foul Meadow, and the great quagmire known as the Eou- 
 venian Morass. But Prince Maurice had now an opportunity of 
 showing the excellence of the army he had raised and trained.
 
 A BOLD STROKE. 325 
 
 He received the news of Parma's advance on the 15th of July; 
 two days later he was on the march south, and in five days had 
 thrown bridges of boats across the two rivers, had crossed 
 morass and swamp, and appeared in front of the Spanish 
 army. 
 
 One assault had already been delivered by the Spaniards 
 against Knodsenburg, but this had been repulsed with heavy 
 loss. As soon as the patriot army approached the neighbour- 
 hood, Parma's cavalry went out to drive in its skirmishers. 
 Vere at once proposed to Prince Maurice to inflict a sharp 
 blow upon the enemy, and with the approval of the prince 
 marched with 1 200 foot and 500 horse along the dyke 
 which ran across the low country. Marching to a spot where 
 a bridge crossed a narrow river he placed half his infantry in 
 ambush there; the other half a quarter of a mile further back. 
 
 Two hundred light cavalry were sent forward to beat up the 
 enemy's outposts, and then retreat; the rest of the cavalry were 
 posted in the rear of the infantry. Another dyke ran nearly 
 parallel with the first, falling into it at some distance in the 
 rear of Vere's position, and here Prince Maurice stationed 
 himself with a body of horse and foot to cover Vere's retreat 
 should he be obliged to fall back. About noon the light 
 cavalry skirmished with the enemy and fell back, but were not 
 followed. About half an hour later the scouts brought word 
 that the Spaniards were at hand. 
 
 Suddenly and without orders 800 of Maurice's cavalry 
 galloped off to meet the enemy; but they soon came back 
 again at full speed, with a strong force of Spanish cavalry 
 in pursuit. Vere's infantry at once sallied out from their am- 
 bush among the trees, poured their fire into the enemy, and 
 charged them with their pikes. The Spaniards turned to fly, 
 when Vere's cavalry charged them furiously and drove them 
 back in headlong rout to their own camp, taking a great
 
 326 RAPID SUCCESSES. 
 
 number of prisoners, among them many officers of rank, and 
 500 horses. Parma finding himself thus suddenly in face 
 of a superior army, with a rapid river in his rear, fell back 
 across the Waal, and then proceeded to Spa to recruit his shat- 
 tered health, leaving Verdugo, an experienced officer, in com- 
 mand. 
 
 Instead of proceeding to besiege Nymegen, Maurice marched 
 away as suddenly and quickly as before, and captured Hulst, 
 on the borders of Zeeland and Brabant, a dozen miles only 
 from Antwerp, and then turning again was, in three days, back 
 at Nymegen, and had placed sixty-eight pieces of artillery in 
 position. He opened fire on the 20th of October, and the next 
 day the important city of Nymegen surrendered. This series 
 of brilliant successes greatly raised the spirits of the Nether- 
 landers, and proportionately depressed those of the Spaniards 
 and their adherents. 
 
 Parma himself was ill from annoyance and disappointment. 
 The army with which he might have completed the conquest 
 of the Netherlands had, in opposition to his entreaties and 
 prayers, been frittered away by Philip's orders in useless expe- 
 ditions in France, while the young and active generals of the 
 Dutch and English armies were snatching town after town from 
 his grasp, and consolidating the Netherlands, so recently broken 
 up by Spanish strongholds, into a compact body, whose increas- 
 ing wealth and importance rendered it every day a more formid- 
 able opponent. It is true that Parma had saved first Paris and 
 afterwards Eouen for the League, but it was at the cost of 
 loosening Philip's hold over the most important outpost of the 
 Spanish dominions. 
 
 In the following spring Parma was again forced to march 
 into France with 20,000 men, and Maurice, as soon as the force 
 started, prepared to take advantage of its absence. With 
 6000 foot and 2000 horse he again appeared at the end of May
 
 THE SIEGE OF STEENWYK. 327 
 
 before Steenwyk. This town was the key to the province of 
 Drenthe, and one of the safeguards of Friesland; it was con- 
 sidered one of the strongest fortresses of the time. Its garrison 
 consisted of sixteen companies of foot and some cavalry, and 
 1200 Walloon infantry, commanded by Lewis, the youngest 
 of the Counts de Berg, a brave lad of eighteen years of age. 
 
 In this siege, for the first time, the spade was used by sol- 
 diers in the field. Hitherto the work had been considered 
 derogatory to troops, and peasants and miners had been engaged 
 for the work; but Prince Maurice had taught his soldiers that 
 their duty was to work as well as fight, and they now proved the 
 value of his teaching. 
 
 The besieged made several successful sorties, and Sir Francis 
 Vere had been severely wounded in the leg. The cannonade 
 effected but little damage on the strong walls ; but the soldiers, 
 working night and day, drove mines under two of the principal 
 bastions, and constructed two great chambers there; these were 
 charged, one with five thousand pounds of powder, the other 
 with half that quantity. On the 3d of July the mines were 
 sprung. The bastion of the east gate was blown to pieces and 
 the other bastion greatly injured, but many of the Dutch 
 troops standing ready for the assault were also killed by the 
 explosion. 
 
 The storming parties, however, rushed forward, and the two 
 bastions were captured. This left the town at the mercy of 
 the besiegers. The next day the garrison surrendered, and 
 were permitted to march away. Three hundred and fifty had 
 been killed, among them young Count Lewis Van der Berg, 
 and two hundred had been left behind, severely wounded, in 
 the town. Between five and six hundred of the besiegers 
 were killed during the course of the siege. The very day 
 after the surrender of Steenwyk Maurice marched away and 
 laid siege to Coevorden. This city, which was most strongly
 
 328 PROMPT SUCCOUR. 
 
 fortified, lay between two great swamps, between which there 
 was a passage of about half a mile in width. 
 
 Another of the Van der Bergs, Count Frederick, commanded 
 the garrison of a thousand veterans. Verdugo sent to Parma 
 and Mondragon for aid, but none could be sent to him, and the 
 prince worked at his fortifications undisturbed. His force was 
 weakened by the withdrawal of Sir Francis Vere with three of 
 the English regiments, Elizabeth having sent peremptory orders 
 that this force should follow those already withdrawn to aid 
 Henry of Navarre in Brittany. Very unwillingly Vere obeyed, 
 and marched to Doesburg on the Yssel. But a fortnight after 
 he arrived there, while he was waiting for ships to transport 
 him to Brittany the news came to him that Verdugo, having 
 gathered a large force together, was about to attack Prince 
 Maurice in his camp, and Vere at once started to the prince's 
 aid. 
 
 On the night of the 6th of September, Verdugo, with 4000 
 foot and 1 800 cavalry, wearing their shirts outside their armour 
 to enable them to distinguish each other in the dark, fell upon 
 Maurice's camp. Fortunately the prince was prepared, having 
 intercepted a letter from Verdugo to the governor of the town. 
 A desperate battle took place, but at break of day, while its 
 issue was still uncertain, Vere, who had marched all night, 
 came up and threw himself into the battle. His arrival was 
 decisive. Verdugo drew off with a loss of 300 killed, and five 
 days later Coevorden surrendered, and Prince Maurice's army 
 went into winter quarters. 
 
 A few weeks later Parma died, killed by the burden Philip 
 threw upon him, broken down by the constant disappointment 
 of his hopes of carrying his work to a successful end, by the 
 incessant interference of Philip with his plans, and by the 
 anxiety caused by the mutinies arising from his inability to pay 
 his troops, although he had borrowed to the utmost on his own
 
 THE SIEGE OF GERTRUYDENBERG. 329 
 
 possessions, and pawned even his jewels to keep them from 
 starvation. He was undoubtedly the greatest commander of 
 his age, and had he been left to carry out his own plans 
 would have crushed out the last ember of resistance in the 
 Netherlands and consolidated the power of Spain there. 
 
 He was succeeded in his post by the Archduke Albert, but 
 for a time Ernest Mansfeldt continued to command the army, 
 and to manage the affairs in the Netherlands. In March, 1593, 
 Prince Maurice appeared with his army in front of Gertruyden- 
 berg. The city itself was an important one, and its position on 
 the Maas rendered it of the greatest use to the Spaniards, as 
 through it they were at any moment enabled to penetrate 
 into the heart of Holland. Gertruydenberg and Groningen, 
 the capital of Friesland, were now, indeed, the only important 
 places in the republic that remained in possession of the Span- 
 iards. Hohenlohe with a portion of the army established 
 himself to the east of the city, Maurice with its main body to 
 the west. 
 
 Two bridges constructed across the river Douge afforded 
 a means of communication between two armies, and plank 
 roads were laid across the swamps for the passage of baggage 
 waggons. Three thousand soldiers laboured incessantly at the 
 works, which were intended not only to isolate the city, 
 but to defend the besiegers from any attack that might be 
 made upon them by a relieving army. The better to protect 
 themselves, miles of country were laid under water, and 
 palisade work erected to render the country impregnable by 
 cavalry. 
 
 Ernest Mansfeldt did his best to relieve the town. His son, 
 Count Charles, with five thousand troops, had been sent into 
 France, but by sweeping up all the garrisons, he moved with a 
 considerable army towards Gertruydenberg and challenged 
 Maurice to issue out from his lines to fight him. But the prince
 
 330 A NIGHT SURPRISE. 
 
 had no idea of risking a certain success upon the issue of a 
 battle. 
 
 A hundred pieces of artillery on the batteries played in- 
 cessantly on the town, while a blockading squadron of Zeeland 
 ships assisted in the bombardment, and so terrible was the 
 fire, that when the town was finally taken only four houses 
 were found to have escaped injury. 
 
 Two commandants of the place were killed one after the 
 other, and the garrison of a thousand veterans, besides the 
 burgher militia, was greatly reduced in strength. At last, after 
 ninety days' siege, the town suddenly fell. Upon the 24th of 
 June three Dutch captains were relieving guard in the trenches 
 near the great north bastion of the town, when it occurred to 
 them to scale the wall of the fort and see what was going on 
 inside. They threw some planks across the ditch, and taking 
 half a company of soldiers, climbed cautiously up. They 
 obtained a foothold before the alarm was given. There was a 
 fierce hand-to-hand struggle, and sixteen of the party fell, and 
 nine of the garrison. The rest fled into the city. The Gover- 
 nor Gysant, rushing to the rescue without staying to put on his 
 armour, was killed. 
 
 Count Solms came from the besieging camp to investigate 
 the sudden uproar, and to his profound astonishment was met 
 by a deputation from the city asking for terms of surrender. 
 Prince Maurice soon afterwards came up, and the terms of 
 capitulation were agreed upon. The garrison were allowed to 
 retire with side-arms and baggage, and fifty waggons were lent 
 to them to carry off their wounded. 
 
 In the following spring Coevorden, which had been invested 
 by Verdugo, was relieved, and Groningen, the last great city 
 of the Netherlands in the hands of the Spaniards, was besieged. 
 Mines were driven under its principal bastion, and when these 
 were sprung, after sixty -five days' siege, the city was forced to
 
 BRIGHTER PROSPECTS. 331 
 
 surrender. Thus for the first time, after years of warfare, 
 Holland, Zeeland, and Friesland became truly united, and free 
 from the grasp of the hated invader. 
 
 Throughout the last three years of warfare Sir Francis Vere 
 had proved an able assistant to the prince, and the English 
 troops had fought bravely side by side with the Dutch; but 
 their contingent had been but a small one, for the majority of 
 Vere's force had, like that of the Spaniards, been withdrawn 
 for service in France. The struggle in that country was nearly 
 at an end. The conversion of Henry of Navarre for the second 
 time to the Catholic religion had ranged many Catholics, who 
 had hitherto been opposed to him, under his banner, while many 
 had fallen away from the ranks of the League in disgust, 
 when Philip of Spain at last threw off the mask of disinterested- 
 ness, and proposed his nephew the Archduke Ernest as king 
 of France. 
 
 In July, 1595, a serious misfortune befell the allied army. 
 They had laid siege to Crolle, and had made considerable pro- 
 gress with the siege, when the Spanish army, under command 
 of Mondragon, the aged governor of Antwerp, marched to its 
 relief. As the army of Maurice was inferior in numbers, the 
 States would not consent to a general action. The siege was 
 consequently raised; and Mondragon having attained his object, 
 fell back to a position on the Rhine at Orsoy, above Kheinberg, 
 whence he could watch the movements of the allied army en- 
 camped on the opposite bank at Bislich, a few miles below 
 WeseL 
 
 The Spanish army occupied both sides of the river, the wing 
 on the right bank being protected from attack by the river 
 Lippe, which falls into the Rhine at Wesel, and by a range of 
 moorland hills called the Testerburg. The Dutch cavalry saw 
 that the slopes of this hill were occupied by the Spaniards, but 
 believed that their force consisted only of a few troops of horse.
 
 332 CHARGING AN ARMY. 
 
 Young Count Philip of Nassau proposed that a body of cavalry 
 should swim the Lippe, and attack and cut them off. Prince 
 Maurice and Sir Francis Vere gave a very reluctant consent to 
 the enterprise, but finally allowed him to take a force of five 
 hundred men. 
 
 With him were his brothers Ernest and Louis, his nephew 
 Ernest de Solms, and many other nobles of Holland. Sir 
 Marcellus Bacx was in command of them. The English contin- 
 gent was commanded by Sir Nicholas Parker and Robert Vere. 
 On August 22d they swam the Lippe and galloped in the 
 direction where they expected to find two or three troops of 
 Spanish horse; but Mondragon had received news of their 
 intentions, and they suddenly saw before them half the Spanish 
 army. Without hesitation the five hundred English and Dutch 
 horsemen charged desperately into the enemy's ranks, and 
 fought with extraordinary valour, until, altogether overpowered 
 by numbers, Philip of Nassau and his nephew Ernest were 
 both mortally wounded and taken prisoners. 
 
 Robert Vere was slain by a lance -thrust in the face, and 
 many other nobles and gentlemen fell. Thus died one of the 
 three brave brothers, for the youngest, Horace, had also joined 
 the army in 1590. The survivors of the band under Sir 
 Nicholas Parker and Marcellus Bacx managed to effect their 
 retreat, covered by a reserve Prince Maurice had posted on the 
 opposite side of the river.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 CADIZ. 
 
 X March, 1596, Sir Francis Vere returned to Holland. 
 He had during his absence in England been largely 
 taken into the counsels of Queen Elizabeth, and it 
 had been decided that the war should be carried 
 into the enemy's country, and a heavy blow struck at the power 
 of Spain. Vere had been appointed to an important command 
 in the proposed expedition, and had now come out charged 
 with the mission of persuading the States-general to co-operate 
 heartily with England, and to contribute both money and men. 
 There was much discussion in the States; but they finally 
 agreed to comply with the queen's wishes, considering that 
 there was no surer way of bringing the war to a termination 
 than to transport it nearer to the heart of the enemy. 
 
 As soon as the matter was arranged, Sir Francis Vere left 
 the Hague and went to Middleburg, where the preparations for 
 the Dutch portion of the expedition were carried out. It con- 
 sisted of twenty-two Dutch ships, under Count William of 
 Nassau, and a thousand of the English troops in the pay of the 
 States. The company commanded by Lionel Vickars was one 
 of those chosen to accompany the expedition; and on the 22d 
 of April it started from Flushing and joined the British fleet 
 assembled at Dover. This was under the command of Lord 
 Howard as lord- admiral, the Earl of Essex as general, Lord
 
 334 THE REPLY TO THE ARMADA. 
 
 Thomas Howard as vice-admiral, and Sir Walter Kaleigh as 
 rear-admiral 
 
 Sir Francis Vere was lieutenant-general and lord-marshal He 
 was to be the chief adviser of the Earl of Essex, and to have 
 the command of operations on shore. The ships of war con- 
 sisted of the Ark-Royal, the Repulse, Mere-Honour, War-Sprite, 
 Rainbow, Mary, Rose, Dreadnought, Vanguard, Nonpareil, Lion, 
 Swiftsure, Quittance, and Tremontaine. There were also twelve 
 ships belonging to London, and the twenty-two Dutch vessels. 
 The fleet, which was largely fitted out at the private expense 
 of Lord Howard and the Earl of Essex, sailed from Dover to 
 Plymouth. Sir Francis Vere went by land, and set to work at 
 the organization of the army. 
 
 A month was thus spent, and on the 1st of June the fleet set 
 sail It carried 6360 soldiers and 1 000 volunteers, and was manned 
 by nearly 7000 sailors. There had been some dispute as to the 
 relative ranks of Sir Francis Vere and Sir Walter Raleigh, and 
 it was settled that Sir Francis should have precedence on shore, 
 and Sir Walter Raleigh at sea. 
 
 All on board the fleet were full of enthusiasm at the enter- 
 prise upon which they were embarked. It was eight years 
 since the Spanish Armada had sailed to invade England; now 
 an English fleet was sailing to attack Spain on her own 
 ground. Things had changed indeed in that time. Spain, 
 which had been deemed invincible, had suffered many reverses; 
 while England had made great strides in power, and was now 
 mistress of the seas, on which Spain had formerly considered 
 herself to be supreme. 
 
 A favourable wind from the north-east carried the fleet 
 rapidly across the Bay of Biscay, and it proceeded on its way, 
 keeping well out of sight of the coast of Portugal. The three 
 fastest sailers of the fleet were sent on ahead as soon as they 
 rounded Cape St. Vincent, with orders to capture all small
 
 OFF CADIZ. 
 
 335 
 
 vessels which might carry to Cadiz the tidings of the approach 
 of the fleet 
 
 Early on the morning of the 20th June the fleet anchored off 
 the spit of San Sebastian on the southern side of the city. 
 
 Cadiz was defended by the fort of San Sebastian on one side 
 and that of San Felipe on the other; while the fort of Pun tales, 
 on the long spit of sand connecting the city with the mainland,
 
 336 ATTACK ON THE SHIPS OF WAR. 
 
 defended the channel leading up to Puerto Real, and covered 
 by its guns the Spanish galleys and ships of war anchored 
 there. Lying off the town when the English fleet came in 
 sight were forty richly-laden merchant ships about to sail for 
 Mexico, under the convoy of four great men-of-war, two Lisbon 
 galleons, two argosies, and three frigates. 
 
 As soon as the English were seen, the merchant ships were 
 ordered up the channel to Puerto Eeal, and the men-of-war 
 and the fleet of seventeen war galleys were ranged under the 
 guns of Fort Puntales to prevent the English passing up. It 
 had first been decided to attempt a landing in the harbour of 
 Galeta, on the south side of the city; but a heavy sea was set- 
 ting in, and although the troops had been got into the boats 
 they were re-embarked, and the fleet sailed round and anchored 
 at the mouth of the channel leading up the bay. A council of 
 war was held that night, and it was decided that the fleet 
 should move up the bay with the tide next morning, and 
 attack the Spanish fleet. 
 
 The next morning at daybreak the ships got up their 
 anchors and sailed up the channel, each commander vieing 
 with the rest in his eagerness to be first in the fray. They 
 were soon hotly engaged with the enemy; the fort, men-of-war, 
 and galleys opening a heavy fire upon them, to which, anchor- 
 ing as close as they could get to the foe, the English ships 
 hotly responded. The galleys were driven closer in under the 
 shelter of the fire of the fort, and the fire was kept up without 
 intermission from six o'clock in the morning until four in the 
 afternoon. 
 
 By that time the Spaniards had had enough of it. The galleys 
 slipped their cables and made sail for a narrow channel across 
 the spit, covered by the guns of the fort. Three of them were 
 captured by Sir John Wingfield in the Vanguard, but the rest 
 got through the channel and escaped. The men-of-war endea-
 
 THE LANDING PARTY. 337 
 
 voured to run ashore, but boarding parties in boats from the 
 Ark-Royal and Repulse captured two of them. The Spaniards 
 set fire to the other two. The argosies and galleons were also 
 captured. Sir Francis Vere at once took the command of the 
 land operations. The boats were all lowered, and the regiments 
 of Essex, Vere, Blount, Gerard, and Clifford told off as a land- 
 ing party. They were formed in line. The Earl of Essex and 
 Sir Francis Vere took their places in a boat in advance of the 
 line, and were followed by smaller boats crowded with gentle- 
 men volunteers. 
 
 They landed between the fort of Puntales and the town. 
 The regiments of Blount, Gerard, and Clifford were sent to the 
 narrowest part of the spit to prevent reinforcements being 
 thrown into the place; while those of Essex and Vere and the 
 gentlemen volunteers turned towards Cadiz. Each of these 
 parties consisted of about a thousand men. 
 
 The walls of Cadiz were so strong that it had been intended 
 to land guns from the fleet, raise batteries, and make a breach 
 in the walls. Vere, however, perceiving some Spanish cavalry 
 and infantry drawn up outside the walls, suggested to Essex 
 that an attempt should be made to take the place by surprise. 
 The earl at once agreed to the plan. 
 
 Vere marched the force across to the west side of the spit, his 
 movements being concealed by the sand-hills from the Spanish. 
 Sir John Wingfield with two hundred men was ordered to 
 march rapidly on against the enemy, driving in their skirmishers, 
 and then to retreat hastily when the main body advanced 
 against him. Three hundred men under Sir Matthew Morgan 
 were posted as supports to Wingfield, and as soon as the latter's 
 flying force joined them the whole were to fall upon the 
 Spaniards and in turn chase them back to the walls, against 
 which the main body under Essex and Vere were to advance. 
 
 The orders were ably carried out. The Spaniards in hot 
 
 (677) Y
 
 338 THE CAPTURE OF CADIZ. 
 
 chase of Wingfield found themselves suddenly confronted by 
 Morgan's force, who fell upon them so furiously that they fled 
 back to the town closely followed by the English. Some of the 
 fugitives made their way in at the gates, which were hurriedly 
 closed, while others climbed up at the bastions, which sloped 
 sufficiently to afford foothold. Vere's troops from the Nether- 
 lands, led by Essex, also scaled the bastions and then an inner 
 wall behind it As soon as they had captured this they rushed 
 through the streets, shooting and cutting down any who opposed 
 them. 
 
 Sir Francis Vere, who had also scaled the ramparts, knew 
 that cities captured by assaults had often been lost again by 
 the soldiers scattering. He therefore directed the rest of the 
 troops to burst open the gate. This was with some difficulty 
 effected, and he then marched them in good order to the 
 market-place, where the Spaniards had rallied and were hotly 
 engaged with Essex. The opposition was soon beaten down, 
 and those defending the town-hall were forced to surrender. 
 The troops were then marched through the town, and the 
 garrison driven either into the convent of San Francisco or 
 into the castle of Felipe. The convent surrendered on the 
 same evening and the castle on the following day. The loss 
 upon the part of the assailants was very small, but Sir John 
 Wingfield was mortally wounded. 
 
 The English behaved with the greatest courtesy to their 
 captives, their conduct presenting an extraordinary contrast 
 to that of the Spaniards under similar circumstance in the 
 Netherlanda The women were treated with the greatest 
 courtesy, and five thousand inhabitants, including women and 
 priests, were allowed to leave the town with their clothes. 
 The terms were that the city should pay a ransom of 520,000 
 ducats, and that some of the chief citizens should remain as 
 hostages for payment
 
 A STRANGE MEETING. 339 
 
 As soon as the fighting ceased, Lionel Vickars accom- 
 panied Sir Francis Vere through the streets to set guards, and 
 see that no insult was offered to any of the inhabitants. As 
 they passed along, the door of one of the mansions was thrown 
 open. A gentleman hurried out; he paused for a moment, ex- 
 claiming, "Sir Francis Vere!" and then looking at Lionel 
 rushed forward towards him with a cry of delight. Sir Francis 
 Vere and Lionel stared in astonishment as the former's name 
 was called; but at the sound of his own name Lionel fell back 
 a step as if stupefied, and then with a cry of "Geoffrey!" fell 
 into his brother's arms. 
 
 " It is indeed Geoffrey Vickars !" Sir Francis Vere exclaimed. 
 " Why, Geoffrey, what miracle is this ? We have thought you 
 dead these six years, and now we find you transmuted into a 
 Spanish don." 
 
 " I may look like one, Sir Francis," Geoffrey said as he shook 
 his old commander's hand, " but I am English to the backbone 
 still But my story is too long to tell now. You will be doubt- 
 less too busy to-night to spare time to listen to it, but I pray 
 you to breakfast with me in the morning, when I will briefly 
 relate to you the outline of my adventures. Can you spare my 
 brother for to-night, Sir Francis?" 
 
 "I would do so were there ten times the work to be got 
 through," Sir Francis replied. " Assuredly I would not keep 
 asunder for a minute two brothers who have so long been 
 separated. I will breakfast with you in the morning and hear 
 this strange story of yours; for strange it must assuredly be, 
 since it has changed my young page of the Netherlands into a 
 Spanish hidalgo." 
 
 " I am no hidalgo, Sir Francis, but a trader of Cadiz, and I 
 own that although I have been in some way a prisoner, seeing 
 that I could not effect my escape, I have not fared badly. 
 Now, Lionel, come in. I have another surprise for you."
 
 340 "I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT ALL." 
 
 Lionel, still confused and wonder-stricken at this apparent 
 resurrection of his brother from the dead, followed him upstairs. 
 Geoffrey led the way into a handsomely furnished apartment, 
 where a young lady was sitting with a boy two years old in 
 her lap. 
 
 "Dolores, this is my brother Lionel, of whom you have so 
 often heard me speak Lionel, this is my wife and my eldest 
 boy, who is named after you." 
 
 It was some time before Lionel could completely realize 
 the position, and it was not until Dolores in somewhat broken 
 English bade him welcome that he found his tongue. 
 
 "But I cannot understand it all!" he exclaimed, after re- 
 sponding to the words of Dolores. " I saw my brother in the 
 middle of the battle with the Armada. We came into collision 
 with a great galleon, we lost one of our masts, and I never saw 
 Geoffrey afterwards; and we all thought that he had either 
 been shot by the musketeers on the galleon, or had been 
 knocked overboard and killed by the falling mast." 
 
 " I had hoped that long before this you would have heard 
 of my safety, Lionel, for a sailor friend of mine promised if he 
 reached England to go down at once to Hedingham to tell 
 them there. He left the ship he was in out in the West 
 Indies, and I hoped had reached home safely." 
 
 "We have heard nothing, Geoffrey. The man has never 
 come with your message. But now tell me how you were saved." 
 
 " I was knocked over by the mast, Lionel, but as you see I 
 was not killed. I climbed up into a passing Spanish ship, and 
 concealed myself in the chains until she was sunk, when I was, 
 with many of the crew, picked up by the boats of other ships. 
 I pretended to have lost my senses and my speech, and none 
 suspected that I was English. The ship I was on board of 
 was one of those which succeeded after terrible hardships in 
 returning to Spain. An Irish gentleman on board her, to
 
 NEWS FROM HOME, 341 
 
 whom I confided my secret, took me as a servant. After many 
 adventures I sailed with him for Italy, where we hoped to get 
 a ship for England. On the way we were attacked by Barbary 
 pirates. We beat them off, but I was taken prisoner. I 
 remained a captive among them for nearly two years, and then 
 with a fellow-prisoner escaped, together with Dolores and her 
 father, who had also been captured by the pirates. We reached 
 Spain in safety, and I have since passed as one of the many 
 exiles from England and Ireland who have taken refuge here; 
 and Senor Mendez, my wife's father, was good enough to be- 
 stow her hand upon me, partly in gratitude for the services I 
 had rendered him in his escape, partly because he saw she 
 would break her heart if he refused." 
 
 " You know that is not true, Geoffrey," Dolores interrupted. 
 
 "Never mind, Dolores, it is near enough. And with his 
 daughter," he continued, " he gave me a share in his business. 
 I have been a fortunate man indeed, Lionel; but I have always 
 longed for a chance to return home; until now none has ever 
 offered itself, and I have grieved continually at the thought 
 that my father and mother and you were mourning for me as 
 dead. Now you have the outline of my story; tell me about 
 all at home." 
 
 "Our father and mother are both well, Geoffrey, though 
 your supposed loss was a great blow for them. But is it still 
 home for you, Geoffrey? Do you really mean to return with 
 us." 
 
 " Of course I do, Lionel. At the time I married I arranged 
 with Senor Mendez that whenever an opportunity occurred I 
 was to return home, taking, of course, Dolores with me. She 
 has been learning English ever since, and although naturally 
 she would rather that we remained here she is quite prepared 
 to make her home in England. We have two boys, this young- 
 ster, and a baby three months old; so, you see, you have all at
 
 342 SENOR MENDEZ. 
 
 once acquired nephews as well as a brother and sister. Here 
 is Senor Mendez. This is my brother, senor, the Lionel after 
 whom I named my boy, though I never dreamed that our next 
 meeting would take place within the walls of Cadiz." 
 
 " You have astounded us, senor," the merchant said courte- 
 ously. "We thought that Cadiz was safe from an attack; 
 and though we were aware you had defeated our fleet we were 
 astonished indeed when two hours since we heard by the din 
 and firing in the streets that you had captured the city. Truly 
 you English do not suffer the grass to grow under your feet. 
 When we woke this morning no one dreamed of danger, and now 
 in the course of one day you have destroyed our fleet, captured 
 our town, and have our lives and properties at your disposal." 
 
 " Your lives are in no danger, senor, and all who choose are 
 free to depart without harm or hindrance. But as to your pro- 
 perty I don't mean yours, of course, because as Geoffrey's father- 
 in-law I am sure that Sir Francis Vere will inflict no fine upon 
 you but the city generally will have to pay, I hear, some half 
 million ducats as ransom." 
 
 " That is as nothing," the Spaniard said, " to the loss the 
 city will suffer in the loss of the forty merchant ships which 
 you will doubtless capture or burn. Right glad am I that no 
 cargo of mine is on board any of them, for I do not trade with 
 Mexico ; but I am sure the value of the ships with their cargoes 
 cannot be less than twenty millions of ducats. This will fall 
 upon the traders of this town and of Seville. Still, I own that the 
 ransom of half-a-million for a city like Cadiz seems to me to be 
 very moderate, and the tranquillity that already prevails in the 
 town is beyond all praise. Would that such had been the 
 behaviour of my countrymen in the Netherlands ! " 
 
 Don Mendez spoke in a tone of deep depression. Geoffrey 
 made a sign to his brother to come out on to the balcony, while 
 the merchant took a seat beside his daughter.
 
 GEOFFREY EXPLAINS THE POSITION. 343 
 
 " 'Tis best to leave them alone," he said as they looked down 
 into the street, where the English and their Dutch allies, many of 
 whom had now landed, were wandering about examining the 
 public buildings and churches, while the inhabitants looked 
 with timid curiosity from their windows and balconies at the men 
 who had, as if by magic, suddenly become their masters. " I 
 can see that the old gentleman is terribly cut up. Of course, 
 nothing has been said between us yet, for it was not until we 
 heard the sound of firing in the streets that anyone thought 
 there was the smallest risk of your capturing the city. Never- 
 theless, he must be sure that I shall take this opportunity of 
 returning home. 
 
 " It has always been understood between us that I should do 
 so as soon as any safe method of making a passage could be dis- 
 covered; but after being here with him more than three years 
 he had doubtless come to believe that such a chance would never 
 come during his lifetime, and the thought of an early separa- 
 tion from his daughter, and the break up of our household here, 
 must be painful to him in the extreme. It has been settled 
 that I should still remain partner in the firm, and should 
 manage our affairs in England and Holland; but this will, of 
 course, be a comparatively small business until peace is re- 
 stored, and ships are free to come and go on both sides as they 
 please. But I think it is likely he will himself come to live 
 with us in England, and that we shall make that the head- 
 quarters of the firm, employing our ships in traffic with Hol- 
 land, France, and the Mediterranean until peace is restored 
 with Spain, and having only an agent here to conduct such 
 business as we may be able to carry on under the present 
 stringent regulations. 
 
 " In point of fact, even if we wound up our affairs and dis- 
 posed of our ships, it would matter little to us, for Mendez is 
 a very rich man, and as Dolores is his only child he has no
 
 344 "HOW HAVE YOU ESCAPED THE INQUISITION?" 
 
 great motive beyond the occupation it gives him for continuing 
 in business. So you are a captain now, Lionel! Have you 
 had a great deal of fighting?" 
 
 "Not a great deal. The Spaniards have been too much 
 occupied with their affairs in France to give us much work to 
 do. In Holland I took part in the adventure that led to the 
 capture of Breda, did some fighting in France with the army 
 of Henry of Navarre, and have been concerned in a good many 
 sieges and skirmishes. I do not know whether you heard of 
 the death of Robert Vere. He came out just after the business 
 of the Armada, and fell in the fight the other day near Wesel 
 a mad business of Count Philip of Nassau. Horace is serving 
 with his troop. We have recovered all the cities in the three 
 provinces, and Holland is now virtually rid of the Spaniards. 
 
 " Things have greatly changed since the days of Sluys and 
 Bergen - op - Zoom. Holland has increased marvellously in 
 strength and wealth. We have now a splendidly-organized 
 army, and should not fear meeting the Spaniards in the open 
 field if they would but give the chance to do so in anything like 
 equal numbers. Sir Francis is marshal of our army here, and 
 is now considered the ablest of our generals; and he and Prince 
 Maurice have never yet met with a serious disaster. But how 
 have you escaped the Inquisition here, Geoffrey? I thought 
 they laid hands on every heretic?" 
 
 "So they do," Geoffrey replied; "but you see they have 
 never dreamed that I was a heretic. The English, Irish, and 
 Scotchmen here, either serving in the army or living quietly 
 as exiles, are, of course, all Catholics, and as they suppose me 
 to be one of them, it does not seem to have entered their minds 
 that I was a Protestant. Since I have been here I have gone 
 with my wife and father-in-law to church, and have said my 
 prayers in my own way while they have said theirs. I cannot 
 say I have liked it, but as there was no church of my own it
 
 "WE GENERALLY SEE MATTERS AS WE WANT TO." 345 
 
 did not go against my conscience to kneel in theirs. I can 
 tell you that, after being for nearly a couple of years a slave 
 among the Moors, one thinks less of these distinctions than one 
 used to do. Had the Inquisition laid hands on me and ques- 
 tioned me, I should at once have declared myself a Protestant; 
 but as long as I was not questioned I thought it no harm to 
 go quietly and pay my devotions in a church, even though 
 there were many things in that church with which I wholly 
 disagreed. 
 
 " Dolores and I have talked the matter over often, and have 
 arrived at the conclusion long since that there is no such great 
 difference between us as would lead us to hate each other." 
 
 Lionel laughed. 
 
 " I suppose we generally see matters as we want to, Geoffrey; 
 but it will be rather a shock to our good father and mother 
 when you bring them home a Catholic daughter." 
 
 " I daresay when she has once settled in England among us, 
 Lionel, she will turn round to our views on the subject; not that 
 I should ever try to convert her, but it will likely enough come 
 of itself. Of course, she has been brought up with the belief 
 that heretics are very terrible people. She has naturally grown 
 out of that belief now, and is ready to admit that there may 
 be good heretics as well as good Catholics, which is a long step 
 for a Spanish woman to take. I have no fear but that the rest 
 will come in time. At present I have most carefully abstained 
 from talking with her on the subject. When she is once in 
 England I shall be able to talk to her freely without endanger- 
 ing her life by doing so." 
 
 Upon the following morning Sir Francis Vere breakfasted 
 with Geoffrey, and then he and Lionel heard the full account 
 of his adventures, and the manner in which it came about that 
 he was found established as a merchant in Cadiz. 
 
 They then talked over the situation. Sir Francis was much
 
 346 SENOR MENDEZ ACCEPTS THE SITUATION. 
 
 vexed that the lord-admiral had not complied with the earnest 
 request the Earl of Essex had sent him, as soon as he landed, 
 to take prompt measures for the pursuit and capture of the mer- 
 chant ships. Instead of doing this, the admiral, considering the 
 force that had landed to be dangerously weak, had sent large 
 reinforcements on shore as soon as the boats came off, and the 
 consequence was that at dawn that morning masses of smoke 
 rising from the Puerto Real showed that the Duke of Medina- 
 Sidonia had set the merchant ships on fire rather than that 
 they should fall into the hands of the English. 
 
 For a fortnight the captors of Cadiz remained in possession. 
 Senor Mendez had, upon the day after their entry, discussed 
 the future with Geoffrey. To the latter's great satisfaction he 
 took it for granted that his son-in-law would sail with Dolores 
 and the children in the English fleet, and he at once entered 
 into arrangements with him for his undertaking the manage- 
 ment of the business of the firm in England and Holland. 
 
 " Had I wound up my affairs I should accompany you at 
 once, for Dolores is everything to me, and you, Geoffrey, have 
 also a large share of my affection; but this is impossible. We 
 have at present all our fifteen ships at sea, and these on their 
 return to port would be confiscated at once were I to leave. 
 Besides, there are large transactions open with the merchants 
 at Seville and elsewhere. Therefore I must, for the present 
 at any rate, remain here. I shall incur no odium by your de- 
 parture. It will be supposed that you have reconciled yourself 
 with your government, and your going home will therefore 
 seem only natural ; and it will be seen that I could not, how- 
 ever much I were inclined, interfere to prevent the departure 
 of Dolores and the children with you. 
 
 " I propose to send on board your ships the greater portion 
 of my goods here suitable for your market. This, again, will 
 not excite bad feelings, as I shall say that you as my partner
 
 SAILING FOR ENGLAND. 347 
 
 insisted upon your right to take your share of our merchandise 
 back to England with you, leaving me as my portion our fleet 
 of vessels. Therefore all will go on here as before. I shall 
 gradually reduce my business and dispose of the ships, trans- 
 mitting my fortune to a banker in Brussels, who will be able 
 to send it to England through merchants in Antwerp, and you 
 can purchase vessels to replace those I sell. 
 
 " I calculate that it will take me a year to complete all my 
 arrangements. After that I shall again sail for Italy, and shall 
 come to England either by sea or by travelling through Ger- 
 many, as circumstances may dictate. On arriving in London I 
 shall know where to find you, for by that time you will be well 
 known there; and at any rate the bankers to whom my money 
 is sent will be able to inform me of your address." 
 
 These arrangements were carried out, and at the departure 
 of the fleet, Geoffrey, with Dolores and the children, sailed in 
 Sir Francis Vere's ship the Rainbow, Sir Francis having in- 
 sisted on giving up his own cabin for the use of Dolores. 
 On leaving Cadiz the town was fired, and the cathedral, the 
 church of the Jesuits, the nunneries of Santa Maria and Can- 
 delaria, two hundred and ninety houses, and, greatest loss of 
 all, the library of the Jesuits, containing invaluable manu- 
 scripts respecting the Incas of Peru, were destroyed. 
 
 The destruction of the Spanish fleet, and the enormous 
 loss caused by the burning of Cadiz and the loss of the rich 
 merchant fleet, struck a terrible blow at the power and re- 
 sources of Spain. Her trade never recovered from its effects, 
 and her prestige suffered very greatly in the eyes of Europe. 
 Philip never rallied from the blow to his pride inflicted by 
 this humiliation. 
 
 Lionel had at first been almost shocked to find that Geoffrey 
 had married a Spanish woman and a Catholic; but the charm- 
 ing manner of Dolores, her evident desire to please, and the
 
 34:8 DOWN TO HEDINGHAM. 
 
 deep affection with which she regarded her husband, soon won 
 his heart. He, Sir Francis Vere, and the other officers and 
 volunteers on board, vied with each other in attention to her 
 during the voyage; and Dolores, who had hitherto been con- 
 vinced that Geoffrey was a strange exception to the rule that 
 all Englishmen were rough and savage animals, and who looked 
 forward with much secret dread to taking up her residence 
 among them, was quite delighted, and assured Geoffrey she 
 was at last convinced that all she had heard to the disadvan- 
 tage of his countrymen was wholly untrue. 
 
 The fleet touched at Plymouth, where the news of the im- 
 mense success they had gained was received with great rejoic- 
 ings; and after taking in fresh water and stores, they proceeded 
 along the coast and anchored in the mouth of the Thames. 
 Here the greater part of the fleet was disbanded, the Bainboic 
 and a few other vessels sailing up to Greenwich, where the 
 captains and officers were received with great honour by the 
 queen, and were feasted and made much of by the city. 
 
 The brothers, the day after the ship cast anchor, proceeded 
 to town, and there hired horses for their journey down into 
 Essex. This was accomplished in two days, Geoffrey riding 
 with Dolores on a pillion behind him with her baby in her lap, 
 while young Lionel was on the saddle before his uncle. 
 
 When they approached Hedingham Lionel said, "I had 
 best ride forward Geoffrey to break the news to them of your 
 coming. Although our mother has always declared that she 
 would not give up hope that you would some day be restored 
 to us, they have now really mourned you as dead." 
 
 "Very well, Lionel It is but a mile or so; I will dismount 
 and put the boy up in the saddle and walk beside him, and we 
 shall be in a quarter of an hour after you." 
 
 The delight of Mr. and Mrs. Vickars on hearing Geoffrey 
 was alive and close at hand was so great that the fact he
 
 SETTLED IN LONDON. 349 
 
 brought home a Spanish wife, which would under other cir- 
 cumstances have been a great shock to them, was now scarcely 
 felt, and when the rapturous greeting with which he was re- 
 ceived on his arrival was over, they welcomed his pretty 
 young wife with a degree of warmth which fully satisfied him. 
 Her welcome was, of course, in the first place as Geoffrey's wife, 
 but in a very short time his father and mother both came to 
 love her for herself, and Dolores very quickly found herself 
 far happier at Hedingham Rectory than she had thought she 
 could be away from her native Spain. 
 
 The announcement Geoffrey made shortly after his arrival, 
 that he had altogether abandoned the trade of soldiering, 
 and should in future make his home in London, trading in 
 conjunction with his father-in-law, assisted to reconcile them 
 to his marriage. After a fortnight's stay at Hedingham 
 Goffrey went up to London, and there took a house in the 
 city, purchased several vessels, and entered upon business, 
 being enabled to take at once a good position among the mer- 
 chants of London, thanks to the ample funds with which he 
 was provided. 
 
 Two months later he went down to Essex and brought up 
 Dolores and the children, and established them in his new abode. 
 
 The apprenticeship he had served in trade at Cadiz enabled 
 Geoffrey to start with confidence in his business. He at once 
 notified all the correspondents of the firm in the different ports 
 of Europe, that in future the business carried on by Signer 
 Juan Mendez at Cadiz would have its headquarters in London, 
 and that the firm would trade with all ports with the excep- 
 tion of those of Spain. The result was that before many 
 months had elapsed there were few houses in London doing 
 a larger trade with the Continent than that of Mendez and 
 Vickars, under which title they had traded from the time of 
 Geoffrey's marriage with Dolores.
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF NIEUPORT. 
 
 HE year after the capture of Cadiz, Lionel Vickars 
 sailed under Sir Francis Vere with the expedition 
 designed to attack the fleet which Philip of Spain 
 had gathered in Ferrol, with the intention, it was 
 believed, of invading Ireland in retaliation for the disaster at 
 Cadiz. The expedition met with terrible weather in the Bay of 
 Biscay, and put back scattered and disabled to Plymouth and 
 Falmouth. In August they again sailed, but were so battered 
 by another storm that the expedition against Ferrol was aban- 
 doned, and they sailed to the Azores. There, after a skirmish 
 with the Spaniards, they scattered among the islands, but 
 missed the great Spanish fleet laden with silver from the west, 
 and finally returned to England without having accomplished 
 anything, while they suffered from another tempest on their 
 way home, and reached Plymouth with difficulty. 
 
 Fortunately the same storm scattered and destroyed the 
 great Spanish fleet at Ferrol, and the weather thus for the 
 second time saved England from invasion. Late in the autumn, 
 after his return from the expedition, Sir Francis Vere went 
 over to Holland, and by his advice Prince Maurice prepared 
 in December to attack a force of 4000 Spanish infantry and 
 600 cavalry, which, under the command of the Count of 
 Varras, had gathered at the village of Turnhout, twenty miles 
 from Breda.
 
 A HOT PURSUIT. 351 
 
 A force of 5000 foot and 800 horse were secretly assembled 
 at Gertruydenberg. Sir Francis Vere brought an English 
 regiment, and personally commanded one of the two troops 
 into which the English cavalry was divided. Sir Robert Sid- 
 ney came with 300 of the English garrison at Flushing, and 
 Sir Alexander Murray with a Scotch regiment. The expedition 
 started on the 23d of January, 1598, and after marching 
 twenty-four miles reached the village of Rivels, three miles 
 from Turnhout, two hours after dark. 
 
 The night was bitter cold, and after cooking supper the men 
 wrapt themselves up in their cloaks, and lay down on the 
 frozen ground until daybreak The delay, although necessary, 
 enabled the enemy to make their escape. The news that the 
 allies had arrived close at hand reached Count Varras at mid- 
 night, and a retreat was at once ordered. Baggage waggons 
 were packed and despatched, escorted by the cavalry, and 
 before dawn the whole force was well on its road. Prince 
 Maurice had set off an hour before daybreak, and on reaching 
 Turnhout found that the rear-guard of the enemy had just left 
 the village. They had broken down the wooden bridge across 
 the River Aa, only one plank being left standing, and had 
 stationed a party to defend it. 
 
 Maurice held a hasty council of war. All, with the excep- 
 tion of Sir Francis Vere and Sir Marcellus Bacx, were against 
 pursuit, but Maurice took the advice of the minority. Vere 
 with two hundred Dutch musketeers advanced against the 
 bridge; his musketry fire drove off the guard, and with a few 
 mounted officers and the two hundred musketeers he set out 
 in pursuit. He saw that the enemy's infantry were marching 
 but slowly, and guessed that they were delayed by the baggage 
 waggons in front. 
 
 The country was wooded, and he threw the musketeers among 
 the trees with orders to keep up a dropping fire, while he him- 
 self with sixteen horsemen followed closely upon the enemy
 
 352 A CAVALRY VICTORY. 
 
 along the road. Their rear-guard kept up a skirmishing fire, 
 slightly wounding Vere in the leg; but all this caused delay, 
 and it was three hours before they emerged on an open heath, 
 three miles from the bridge. Vere placed his musketeers 
 among some woods and inclosed fields on the left of the 
 heath, and ordered them to keep up a brisk fire and to show 
 themselves as if advancing to the attack. He himself, rein- 
 forced by some more horsemen who had come up, continued to 
 follow in the open. 
 
 The heath was three miles across, and Vere, constantly skir- 
 mishing with the Spanish infantry, who were formed in four 
 solid squares, kept watching for the appearance of Maurice and 
 the cavalry. At length these came in sight Vere galloped 
 up to the prince, and urged that a charge should be made at 
 once. The prince assented. Vere, with the English cavalry, 
 charged down upon the rear of the squares, while Hohenlohe 
 swept down with the Dutch cavalry upon their flanks. The 
 Spanish musketeers fired and at once fled, and the cavalry 
 dashed in among the squares of pikemen and broke them. 
 
 Several of the companies of horse galloped on in pursuit of 
 the enemy's horse and baggage. Vere saw that these would 
 be repulsed, and formed up the English cavalry to cover their 
 retreat. In a short time the disordered horse came back at 
 full gallop, pursued by the Spanish cavalry, but these, seeing 
 Vere's troops ready to receive them, retreated at once. Count 
 Varras was slain, together with three hundred of the Spanish 
 infantry. Six hundred prisoners were taken, and thirty-eight 
 colours fell into the victor's hands. 
 
 The success was gained entirely by the eight hundred allied 
 horse, the infantry never arriving upon the field. The brilliant 
 little victory, which was one of the first gained by the allies in 
 the open field, was the cause of great rejoicings. Not only 
 were the Spaniards no longer invincible, but they had been 
 routed by a force but one-sixth of their own number, and the
 
 FRANCE MAKES PEACE WITH SPAIN. 353 
 
 battle showed how greatly the individual prowess of the two 
 peoples had changed during the progress of the war. 
 
 The Archduke Ernest had died in 1595, and had been suc- 
 ceeded by the Archduke Albert in the government of the Nether- 
 lands. He had with him no generals comparable with Parma, 
 or even with Alva. His troops had lost their faith in them- 
 selves and their contempt for their foes. Holland was grown 
 rich and prosperous, while the enormous expenses of carrying 
 on the war both in the Netherlands and in France, together with 
 the loss of the Armada, the destruction of the great fleet at 
 Ferrol, and the capture of Cadiz and the ships there, had ex- 
 hausted the resources of Spain, and Philip was driven to make 
 advances for peace to France and England. Henry IV., know- 
 ing that peace with Spain meant an end of the civil war that 
 had so long exhausted France, at once accepted the terms of 
 Philip, and made a separate peace, in spite of the remonstrances 
 of the ambassadors of England and Holland, to both of which 
 countries he owed it in no small degree that he had been enabled 
 to support himself against the faction of the Guises backed 
 by the power of Spain. 
 
 A fresh treaty was made between England and the Nether- 
 lands, Sir Francis Vere being sent out as special ambassador 
 to negotiate. England was anxious for peace, but would not 
 desert the Netherlands if they on their part would relieve her 
 to some extent of the heavy expenses caused by the war. 
 This the States consented to do, and the treaty was duly 
 signed on both sides. A few days before its conclusion Lord 
 Burleigh, who had been Queen Elizabeth's chief adviser for 
 forty years, died, and within a month of its signature Philip of 
 Spain, whose schemes he had so long opposed, followed him to 
 the grave. 
 
 On the 6th of the previous May Philip had formally ceded the 
 Netherlands to his daughter Isabella, between whom and the 
 Archduke Albert a marriage had been arranged. This took 
 
 (577) Z
 
 354 A RASH UNDERTAKING. 
 
 place on the 18th of April following, shortly after his death. 
 It was celebrated at Valencia, and at the same time King 
 Philip III. was united to Margaret of Austria. 
 
 In the course of 1599 there was severe fighting on the 
 swampy island between the rivers Waal and Maas, known as 
 the Bommel-Waat, and a fresh attempt at invasion by the 
 Spaniards was repulsed with heavy loss, Sir Francis Vere and 
 the English troops taking a leading part in the operations. 
 
 The success thus gained decided the States-general to under- 
 take an offensive campaign in the following year. The plan 
 they decided upon was opposed both by Prince Maurice and 
 Sir Francis Vere as being altogether too hazardous; but the 
 States, who upon most occasions were averse to anything like 
 bold action, upon the present occasion stood firm to their 
 decision. Their plan was to land an army near Ostend, which 
 was held by the English, and to besiege the town of Nieuport, 
 west of Ostend, and after that to attack Dunkirk. In the 
 opinion of the two generals an offensive operation direct from 
 Holland would have been far preferable, as in case of disaster 
 the army could fall back upon one of their fortified towns, 
 whereas, if beaten upon the coast, they might be cut off from 
 Ostend and entirely destroyed. However, their opinions were 
 overruled, and the expedition prepared. 
 
 It consisted of 12,000 infantry, 1600 cavalry, and 10 guns. 
 It was formed into three divisions. The van, 4500 strong, in 
 eluding 1600 English veterans, was commanded by Sir Francis 
 Vere; the second division by Count Everard Solms; the rear 
 division by Count Ernest of Nassau; while Count Louis Gun- 
 ther of Nassau was in command of the cavalry. The army 
 embarked at Flushing, and landed at Philippine, a town at the 
 head of the Braakeman inlet. 
 
 There was at the time only a small body of Spaniards in the 
 neighbourhood, but as soon as the news reached the Archduke 
 Albert at Brussels he concentrated his army round Ghent
 
 A DISASTROUS OPERATION. 355 
 
 The troops had for some time been in a mutinous state, but, 
 as was always the case with them, they returned to their habits 
 of military obedience the moment danger threatened. 
 
 The Dutch army advanced by rapid marches to the neigh- 
 bourhood of Ostend, and captured the fort and redoubts which 
 the Spaniards had raised to prevent its garrison from under- 
 taking offensive operations. 
 
 Two thousand men were left to garrison these important 
 positions, which lay on the line of march which the Spaniards 
 must take coming from Bruges to Nieuport. The rest of the 
 army then made their way across the country, intersected with 
 ditches, and upon the following day arrived before Nieuport 
 and prepared to besiege it. The Dutch fleet had arrived off 
 the town, and co-operated with the army in building a bridge 
 across the little river, and preparing for the siege. 
 
 Towards the evening, however, the news arrived from Ostend, 
 nine miles away, that a large force of the enemy had appeared 
 before one of the forts just captured. Most of the officers 
 were of opinion that the Spanish force was not a large one, 
 and that it was a mere feint to induce the Dutch to abandon 
 the siege of Nieuport and return to Ostend. Sir Francis Vere 
 maintained that it was the main body of the archduke's army, 
 and advised Maurice to march back at once with his whole 
 force to attack the enemy before they had time to take the forts. 
 
 Later on in the evening, however, two of the messengers 
 arrived with the news that the forts had surrendered. Prince 
 Maurice then, in opposition to Vere's advice, sent off 2500 in- 
 fantry, 500 horse, and 2 guns, under the command of Ernest 
 of Nassau, to prevent the enemy from crossing the low ground 
 between Ostend and the sand-hills, Vere insisting that the 
 whole army ought to move. It fell out exactly as he pre- 
 dicted; the detachment met the whole Spanish army, and broke 
 and fled at the first fire, and thus 2500 men were lost in addi- 
 tion to the 2000 who had been left to garrison the forts.
 
 356 PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE. 
 
 At break of day the army marched down to the creek, and 
 as soon as the water had ebbed sufficiently waded across and 
 took np their position among the sand-hills on the sea-shore. 
 The enemy's army was already in sight, marching along on the 
 narrow strip of land between the foot of the dunes and the 
 sea. A few hundred yards towards Ostend the sand-bills nar- 
 rowed, and here Sir Francis Yere took up his position with 
 his division. He placed a thousand picked men, consisting of 
 960 Tfr^Kh t 250 of Prince Maurice's guard, and 500 mus- 
 keteers, partly upon two sand-hills called the East and West 
 Hill, and partly in the bottom between them, where they were 
 covered by a low ridge connecting the two hills. 
 
 The fire hundred musketeers were placed so that their fire 
 swept the ground on the south, by which alone the enemy's 
 cavalry could pass on that side. On the other ridge, facing the 
 sea, were seven hundred English pikeraen and musketeers; two 
 hundred and fifty English and fifty of the guard held the posi- 
 tion of East Hill, which was most exposed to the attack. The 
 rest of the division, which consisted of six hundred and fifty 
 English and two thousand Dutch, were placed in readiness to 
 reinforce the advanced party. Half the cavalry, under Count 
 Louis, were on the right of the dunes, and the other half, under 
 Marcellus Bacx, on the left by the sea. 
 
 The divisions of Count Solms and Count Ernest of Nassau 
 were also on the sea-shore in the rear of West HilL A council 
 of war was held to decide whether the army should advance to 
 the attack or await it. Yere advised the latter course, and 
 his advice was adopted. 
 
 The archduke's army consisted of ten thousand infantry, 
 sixteen hundred horse, and six guns. Marshal Zapena was 
 in command, while the cavalry were led by the Admiral of 
 Arragon. They rested for two hours before advancing waiting 
 until the rise of the tide should render the sands unserviceable 
 for cavalry, their main reliance being upon their infantry.
 
 REPULSE OF THE FIRST ASSAULT. 357 
 
 Their cavalry led the advance, but the two guns Yere had 
 placed on West Hill plied them so hotly with shot that they 
 fell back in confusion. 
 
 It was now high tide, and there were but thirty yards be- 
 tween the sea and the sand-hills. The Spaniards therefore 
 marched their infantry into the dunes, while the cavalry pre- 
 pared to advance between the sand-hills and the cultivated 
 fields inland. The second and third divisions of Maurice's army 
 also moved away from the shore inland. They now numbered 
 but three thousand men, as the four thousand five hundred who 
 had been lost belonged entirely to these divisions, Sir Francis 
 Vere's division having been left intact. It was upon the first 
 division that the whole brunt of the battle fell, they receiving 
 some assistance from the thousand men remaining under Count 
 Solms that were posted next to them; while the rear division 
 was never engaged at alL 
 
 At half-past two o'clock on the afternoon of the 2d of June, 
 1600, the battle began. Yere's plan was to hold his advanced 
 position as long as possible, bring the reserves up as required 
 until he had worn out the Spaniards, then to send for the other 
 two divisions and to fall upon them. The company of Lionel 
 Yickars formed part of the three hundred men stationed on the 
 East Hill, where Yere also had taken up his position. After 
 an exchange of fire for some time five hundred picked Spanish 
 infantry rushed across the hollow between the two armies, and 
 charged the hilL For half-an-hour a desperate struggle took 
 place; the Spaniards were then obliged to fall back behind 
 some low ridges at its foot. 
 
 In the meantime the enemy's cavalry had advanced along 
 the grass-grown tract, a hundred and fifty yards wide, between 
 the foot of the dunes and the cultivated country inland. They 
 were received, however, by so hot a fire by the five hundred 
 musketeers posted by Yere in the sand-hills on their flank, and 
 by the two cannon on West Hill, that they fell back upon their
 
 358 AN HEROIC DEFENCE. 
 
 infantry just as the Dutch horse, under Count Louis, advanced 
 to charge them. 
 
 Vere sent orders to a hundred Englishmen to move round 
 from the ridge and to attack the Spaniards who had fallen 
 back from the attack of East Hill, on their flank, while 
 sixty men charged down the hill and engaged them in front. 
 The Spaniards broke and fled back to their main body. 
 Then, being largely reinforced, they advanced and seized a 
 sandy knoll near West Hill. Here they were attacked by the 
 English, and after a long and obstinate fight forced to retire. 
 The whole of the Spanish force now advanced, and tried to 
 drive the English back from their position on the low ridge 
 across the bottom connecting the two hills. The seven hun- 
 dred men were drawn from the north ridge, and as the fight 
 grew hotter the whole of the sixteen hundred English were 
 brought up. 
 
 Vere sent for reinforcements, but none came up, and for 
 hours the sixteen hundred Englishmen alone checked the ad- 
 vance of the whole of the Spanish army. Sir Francis Vere 
 was fighting like a private soldier in the midst of his troops. 
 He received two balls in the leg, but still kept his seat and 
 encouraged his men. At last the little band, receiving no aid 
 or reinforcements from the Dutch, were forced to fall back. 
 As they did so, Vere's horse fell dead under him and partly 
 upon him, and it was with great difficulty that those around 
 him extricated him. On reaching the battery on the sands 
 Vere found the thousand Dutch of his division, who asserted 
 that they had received no orders to advance. There were 
 also three hundred foot under Sir Horace Vere and some 
 cavalry under Captain Ball. These and Horace's infantry at 
 once charged the Spaniards, who were pouring out from the 
 sand-hills near to the beach, and drove them back. 
 
 The Spaniards had now captured East Hill, and two thou- 
 sand of their infantry advanced into the valley beyond, and
 
 VERB'S HORSE SHOT UNDER HIM AT THE FIGHT BEFORE OSTEND.
 
 A DECISIVE VICTORY. 359 
 
 drove back the musketeers from the south ridge, and a large 
 force advanced along the green way; but their movements 
 were slow, for they were worn out by their long struggle, and 
 the English officers had time to rally their men again. Horace 
 Vere returned from his charge on the beach, and other 
 companies rallied and joined him, and charged furiously down 
 upon the two thousand Spaniards. The whole of the Dutch 
 and English cavalry also advanced. Solms's thousand men 
 came up and took part in the action, and the batteries plied 
 the Spaniards with their shot. The latter had done all they 
 could, and were confounded by this fresh attack when they 
 had considered the victory as won. In spite of the efforts of 
 their officers they broke and fled in all directions. The arch- 
 duke headed their flight, and never drew rein until he reached 
 Brussels. 
 
 Zapena and the Admiral of Arragon were both taken prison- 
 ers, and about a third of the Spanish army killed and wounded. 
 Of the sixteen hundred English half were killed or wounded; 
 while the rest of the Dutch army suffered scarcely any loss 
 a fact that shows clearly to whom the honour of the victory 
 belongs. Prince Maurice, in his letter to the queen, attributed 
 his success entirely to the good order and directions of Sir 
 Francis Vere. Thus, in a pitched battle the English troops 
 met and defeated an army of six times their strength of the 
 veterans of Spain, and showed conclusively that the English 
 fighting man had in no way deteriorated since the days of 
 Agincourt, the last great battle they had fought upon the 
 Continent 
 
 The battle at Nieuport may be considered to have set the 
 final seal upon the independence of Holland. The lesson first 
 taught at Turnhout had now been impressed with crushing 
 force. The Spaniards were no longer invincible; they had 
 been twice signally defeated in an open field by greatly in- 
 ferior forces. Their prestige was annihilated; and although a
 
 360 THE TURNING-POINT OF THE WAR. 
 
 war continued, there was no longer the slightest chance that 
 the result of the long and bloody struggle would be reversed, 
 or that Spain would ever again recover her grip of the lost 
 provinces. 
 
 Sir Francis Vere was laid up for some months with his 
 wounds. Among the officers who fought under him at Nieu- 
 port were several whose names were to become famous for the 
 part they afterwards bore in the civil struggle in England. 
 Among others were Fairfax, Ogle, Lambart, and Parker. Among 
 those who received the honour of knighthood for their be- 
 haviour at the battle was Lionel Vickars. He had been severely 
 wounded in the fight at East Hill, and was sent home to be cured 
 there. It was some months before he again took the field, which 
 he did upon the receipt of a letter from Sir Francis Vere, tell- 
 ing him that the Spaniards were closing in in great force round 
 Ostend, and that his company was one of those that had been 
 sent off to aid in the defence of that town. 
 
 During his stay in England he had spent some time with 
 Geoffrey in London. Juan Mendez had now arrived there, 
 and the business carried on by him and Geoffrey was flourish- 
 ing greatly. Dolores had much missed the outdoor life to 
 which she was accustomed, and her father had bought a large 
 house with a fine garden in Chelsea; and she and Geoffrey 
 were now installed there with him, Geoffrey going to and fro 
 from the city by boat. They had now replaced the Spanish 
 trading vessels by an equal number of English craft; and at 
 the suggestion of Juan Mendez himself his name now stood 
 second to that of Geoffrey, for the prejudice against foreigners 
 was still strong in England.
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 OLD FRIENDS. 
 
 HE succession of blows that had been given to the 
 power and commerce of Spain had immensely 
 benefited the trade of England and Holland. 
 France, devastated by civil war, had been in no 
 position to take advantage of the falling off in Spanish com- 
 merce, and had indeed herself suffered enormously by the emigra- 
 tion of tens of thousands of the most intelligent of her population 
 owing to her persecution of the Protestants. Her traders and 
 manufacturers largely belonged to the new religion, and these 
 had carried their industry and knowledge to England and Hol- 
 land. Thus the religious bigotry of the kings of Spain and 
 France had resulted in enormous loss to the trade and com- 
 merce of those countries, and in corresponding advantage to 
 their Protestant rivals. 
 
 Geoffrey Vickars and his partner reaped the full benefit of 
 the change, and the extensive acquaintance of the Spanish 
 trader with merchants in all the Mediterranean ports enabled 
 him to turn a large share of the new current of trade into the 
 hands of Geoffrey and himself. The capital which he trans- 
 ferred from Spain to England was very much larger than that 
 employed by the majority of English merchants, whose wealth 
 had been small indeed in comparison to that of the merchant 
 princes of the great centres of trade such as Antwerp, Amster- 
 dam, Genoa, and Cadiz, and Geoffrey Vickars soon came to
 
 362 THE TWO BROTHERS. 
 
 be looked upon as one of the leading merchants in the city of 
 London. 
 
 " There can be no doubt, Geoffrey," his brother said as he 
 lay on a couch in the garden in the early days of his convales- 
 cence, and looked at the river dotted with boats that flowed 
 past it, "the falling of that mast was a fortunate thing for 
 you. One never can tell how things will turn out. It would 
 have seemed as if, were you not drowned at once, your lot 
 would have been either a life's work in the Spanish galleys, or 
 death in the dungeons of the Inquisition. Instead of this, here 
 you are a wealthy merchant in the city, with a charming wife, 
 and a father-in-law who is, although a Spaniard, one of the 
 kindest and best men I ever met. All this time I, who was 
 not knocked over by that mast, have been drilling recruits, 
 making long marches, and occasionally fighting battles, and am 
 no richer now than the day when we started together as 
 Francis Vere's pages. It is true I have received the honour 
 of knighthood, and that of course I prize much; but I have 
 only my captain's pay to support my dignity, and as I hardly 
 think Spain will continue this useless struggle much longer, in 
 which case our army in Holland will be speedily disbanded, the 
 prospect before me is not altogether an advantageous one." 
 
 "You must marry an heiress, Lionel," Geoffrey laughed. 
 " Surely Sir Lionel Vickars, one of the heroes of Nieuport, 
 and many another field, should be able to win the heart of 
 some fair English damsel, with broad acres as her dower. But 
 seriously, Lionel," he went on, changing his tone, "if peace 
 come, and with it lack of employment, the best thing for you 
 will be to join me. Mendez is getting on in years; and 
 although he is working hard at present, in order, as he says, 
 to set everything going smoothly and well here, he is looking 
 forward to taking matters more easily, and to spending his time 
 in tranquil pleasure with Dolores and her children. There- 
 fore, whensoever it pleases you, there is a place for you here.
 
 AN OLD FRIEND. 363 
 
 We always contemplated our lines running in the same groove, 
 and I should be glad that they should do so still. When the 
 time comes we can discuss what share you shall have of the 
 business; but at any rate I can promise you that it shall be 
 sufficient to make you a rich man." 
 
 " Thank you, with all my heart, Geoffrey. It may be that 
 some day I will accept your offer, though I fear you will find 
 me but a sorry assistant. It seems to me that after twelve 
 years of campaigning I am little fitted for life as a city mer- 
 chant." 
 
 " I went through plenty of adventure for six years, Lionel, 
 but my father-in-law has from the first been well satisfied with 
 my capacity for business. You are not seven-and-twenty yet. 
 You have had enough rough campaigning to satisfy anyone, 
 and should be glad now of an easier and more sober method of 
 life. Well, there is no occasion to settle anything at present, 
 and I can well understand that you should prefer remaining in 
 the army until the war comes to an end. When it does so, we 
 can talk the matter over again; only be well assured that the 
 offer will be always open to you, and that I shall be glad indeed 
 to have you with me." 
 
 A few days after Lionel left him Geoffrey was passing along 
 Chepe, when he stopped suddenly, stared hard at a gentleman 
 who was approaching him, and then rushed towards him with 
 outstretched hand. 
 
 "My dear Gerald!" he exclaimed, "I am glad to see 
 you." 
 
 The gentleman started back with an expression of the pro- 
 foundest astonishment. 
 
 "Is it possible?" he cried. " Is it really Geoffrey Vickars?" 
 
 "Myself, and no other, Gerald." 
 
 " The saints be praised ! Why, I have been thinking of you 
 all these years as either dead or labouring at an oar in the Moor- 
 ish galleys. By what good fortune did you escape? and how
 
 364 A SUITOR AT COURT. 
 
 is it I find you here, looking for all the world like a merchant 
 of the city?" 
 
 " It is too long a story to tell now, Gerald. Where are you 
 staying?" 
 
 " I have lodgings at Westminster, being at present a suitor 
 at court." 
 
 "Is your wife with you?" 
 
 "She is. I have left my four children at home in Ireland." 
 
 " Then bring her to sup with me this evening. I have a wife 
 to introduce to yours, and as she is also a Spaniard it will 
 doubtless be a pleasure to them both." 
 
 " You astound me, Geoffrey. However, you shall tell me all 
 about it this evening, for be assured that we shall come. Inez 
 has so often talked about you, and lamented the ill-fortune that 
 befell you owing to your ardour." 
 
 "At six o'clock, then," Geoffrey said. "I generally dwell 
 with my father-in-law at Chelsea, but am just at present at 
 home. My house is in St. Mary Axe; anyone there will tell 
 you which it is." 
 
 That evening the two friends had a long talk together. 
 Geoffrey learnt that Gerald Burke reached Italy without fur- 
 ther adventure, and thence took ship to Bristol, and so crossed 
 over to Ireland. On his petition, and solemn promise of good 
 behaviour in future, he was pardoned and a small portion of 
 his estate restored to him. He was now in London endeavour- 
 ing to obtain a remission of the forfeiture of the rest. 
 
 "I may be able to help you in that," Geoffrey said. 
 " Sir Francis Vere is high in favour at court, and he will, at 
 my prayer, I feel sure, use his influence in your favour when 
 I tell him how you acted my friend on my landing in Spain 
 from the Armada." 
 
 Geoffrey then gave an account of his various adventures from 
 the time when he was struck down from the deck of the Bar- 
 bary corsair until the present time.
 
 WHY GERALD DID NOT WRITE 365 
 
 " How was it," he asked when he concluded, " that you did 
 not write to my parents, Gerald, on your return home 1 You 
 knew where they lived." 
 
 " I talked the matter over with Inez," Gerald replied, " and 
 we agreed that it was kinder to them to be silent. Of course 
 they had mourned you as killed in the fight with the Armada. 
 A year had passed, and the wound must have somewhat healed. 
 Had I told them that you had escaped death at that time, had 
 been months with me in Spain, and had, on your way home, 
 been either killed by the Moors or were a prisoner in their 
 galleys, it would have opened the wound afresh, and caused 
 them renewed pain and sorrow." 
 
 " No doubt you were right, Gerald, and that it was, as you 
 say, the kindest thing to leave them in ignorance of my 
 fate." 
 
 Upon the next visit Sir Francis Vere paid to England, Geof- 
 frey spoke to him with regard to Gerald Burke's affairs. Sir 
 Francis took the matter up warmly, and his influence sufficed 
 in a very short time to obtain an order for the restoration to 
 Gerald of all his estates. Inez and Dolores became as fast 
 friends as were their husbands ; and when the Burkes came to 
 England Geoffrey's house was their home. 
 
 The meeting with Gerald was followed by a still greater 
 surprise, for not many days after, when Geoffrey was sitting 
 with his wife and Don Mendez under the shade of a broad 
 cypress in the garden of the merchant's house at Chelsea, they 
 saw a servant coming across towards them, followed by a man 
 in seafaring attire. "Here is a person who would speak to 
 you, Master Vickars," the servant said. " I told him it was not 
 your custom to see any here, and that if he had aught to say 
 he should call at your house in St. Mary Axe; but he said that 
 he had but just arrived from Hedingham, and that your honour 
 would excuse his intrusion when you saw him." 
 
 "Bring him up; he may be the bearer of a message from
 
 366 STEPHEN BOLDEROl 
 
 my father," Geoffrey said; and the servant went back to the 
 man, whom he had left a short distance off. 
 
 " Master Vickars will speak with you." 
 
 The sailor approached the party. He stood for a minute 
 before Geoffrey without speaking. Geoffrey looked at him 
 with some surprise, and saw that the muscles of his face were 
 twitching, and that he was much agitated. As he looked at 
 him remembrance suddenly flashed upon him, and he sprang 
 to his feet. " Stephen Boldero ! " he exclaimed. 
 
 "Ay, ay, Geoffrey, it is me." 
 
 For a time the men stood with their right hands clasped 
 and the left on each other's shoulders. Tears fell down the 
 sailor's weather-beaten cheeks, and Geoffrey himself was too 
 moved to speak. For two years they had lived as brothers, 
 had shared each other's toils and dangers, had talked over 
 their plans and hopes together; and it was to Stephen that 
 Geoffrey owed it that he was not now a galley-slave in Bar- 
 bary. 
 
 "Old friend, where have you been all this time?" he said at 
 last " I had thought you dead, and have grieved sorely for 
 you." 
 
 " I have had some narrow escapes," Stephen said; "but you 
 know I am tough. I am worth a good many dead men yet." 
 
 "Inez, Senor Mendez, you both remember Stephen Boldero 1" 
 Geoffrey said, turning to them. 
 
 " We have never forgotten you," the Spaniard said, shaking 
 hands with the sailor, " nor how much we owe to you. I sent 
 out instructions by every ship that sailed to the Indies that 
 inquiries should be made for you; and moreover had letters 
 sent by influential friends to the governors of most of the 
 islands saying that you had done great service to me and mine, 
 and praying that if you were in any need or trouble you might 
 be sent back to Cadiz, and that any moneys you required might 
 be given to you at my charge. But we have heard nought of
 
 EXPLANATIONS. 367 
 
 you from the day when the news came that you had left the 
 ship in which you went out." 
 
 " I have had a rough time of it these five years," Stephen 
 said. "But I care not now that I am home again and have 
 found my friend Geoffrey. I arrived in Bristol but last week, 
 and started for London on the day I landed, mindful of my 
 promise to let his people know that he was safe and well, and 
 with some faint hope that the capture of Cadiz had set him 
 at liberty. I got to Hedingham last night, and if I had been a 
 prince Mr. Vickars and his dame and Sir Lionel could not 
 have made more of me. They were fain that I should stop 
 with them a day or two; but when I heard that you were in 
 London and had married Senora Dolores, and that Senor 
 Mendez was with you all of which in no way surprised me, 
 for methought I saw it coming before I left Cadiz I could not 
 rest, but was up at daylight this morning. Your brother offered 
 to procure me a horse, but I should have made bad weather on 
 the craft, and after walking from Bristol the tramp up to Lon- 
 don was nothing. I got to your house in the city at four; and, 
 finding that you were here, took a boat at once, for I could not 
 rest until I saw my friend again." 
 
 Geoffrey at once took him into the house and set him down 
 to a meal; and when the party were gathered later on in the 
 sitting-room, and the candles were lighted, Stephen told his 
 story. 
 
 "As you will have heard, we made a good voyage to the 
 Indies. We discharged our cargo, and took in another. I 
 learned that there were two English ships cruising near San 
 Domingo, and the Dons were in great fear of them. I thought 
 that my chance lay in joining them, so when we were at our 
 nearest port to that island I one night borrowed one of the 
 ship's boats without asking leave, and made off. I knew the 
 direction in which San Domingo lay, but no more. My hope 
 was that I should either fall in with our ships at sea, or, when
 
 368 AT SAN DOMINGO. 
 
 I made the island, should be able to gather such information 
 as might guide me to them. When I made the land, after being 
 four days out, I cruised about till the provisions and water I 
 had put on board were exhausted, and I could hold out no 
 longer. Then I made for the island and landed. 
 
 "You may be sure I did not make for a port, where I should 
 be questioned, but ran ashore in a wooded bay that looked as 
 if no one had ever set foot there before. I dragged the boat 
 up beyond, as I thought, the reach of the sea, and started to 
 hunt for food and water. I found enough berries and things 
 to keep me alive, but not enough to stock my boat for another 
 cruise. A week after I landed there was a tornado, and 
 when it cleared off and I had recovered from my fright for the 
 trees were blown down like rushes, and I thought my last day 
 was come I found that the boat was washed away. 
 
 I was mightily disheartened at this, and after much thinking 
 made up my mind that there was nought for it but to keep 
 along the shore until I arrived at a port, and then to give out 
 that I was a shipwrecked sailor, and either try to get hold of 
 another boat, or take passage back to Spain and make a fresh 
 start. However, the next morning, just as I was starting, a 
 number of natives ran out of the bush and seized me, and 
 carried me away up into the hills. 
 
 " It was not pleasant at first, for they lit a big fire and were 
 going to set me on the top of it, taking me for a Spaniard. 
 Seeing their intentions, I took to arguing with them, and told 
 them in Spanish that I was no Spaniard, but an Englishman, 
 and that I had been a slave to the Spaniards and had escaped. 
 Most of them understood some Spanish, having themselves 
 been made to work as slaves in their plantations, and being all 
 runaways from the tyranny of their masters. They knew, of 
 course, that we were the enemies of the Spaniards, and had 
 heard of places being sacked and ships taken by us. But they 
 doubted my story for a long time, till at last one of them
 
 AMONG THE NATIVES. 369 
 
 brought a crucifix that had somehow fallen into their hands, 
 and held it up before me. When I struck it down, as a 
 good Protestant should do, they saw that I was not of the 
 Spanish religion, and so loosed my bonds and made much of 
 me. 
 
 " They could tell me nothing of the whereabouts of our ships, 
 for though they had seen vessels at times sail by, the poor 
 creatures knew nothing of the difference of rig between an 
 English craft and a Spaniard. I abode with them for two 
 years, and aided them in their fights whenever the Spaniards 
 sent out parties, which they did many times, to capture them. 
 They were poor, timorous creatures, their spirits being alto- 
 gether broken by the tyranny of the Dons; but when they saw 
 that I feared them not, and was ready at any time to match 
 myself against two or, if need be, three of the Spaniards, they 
 plucked up heart, and in time came to fight so stoutly that the 
 Spaniards thought it best to leave them alone, seeing that we 
 had the advantage of knowing every foot of the woods, and were 
 able to pounce down upon them when they were in straitened 
 places and forced to fight at great disadvantage. 
 
 "I was regarded as a great chief by the natives, and could 
 have gone on living with them comfortably enough had not my 
 thoughts been always turning homeward, and a great desire 
 to be among my own people, from whom I had been so long 
 separated, devoured me. At last a Spanish ship was driven 
 ashore in a gale; she went to pieces, and every soul was 
 drowned. When the gale abated the natives went down to 
 collect the stores driven ashore, and I found on the beach one 
 of her boats washed up almost uninjured, so nothing would do 
 but I must sail away in her. The natives tried their hardest 
 to persuade me to stay with them, but finding that my mind 
 was fixed beyond recall they gave way and did their best to 
 aid me. The boat was well stored with provisions; we made 
 a sail for her out of one belonging to the ship, and I set off, 
 
 (577) 2A
 
 : " . CAST AWAY ASIDE. 
 
 th^ if I eouM w* mfc^t upon Engiish ship 
 
 tO them. 
 
 I had intended to keep my promise, hnt things iwiml out 
 I bad not been two day* at sea what there was 
 ilium,. far at one tine of the year they hare 
 
 very frecneatly . I had nothing to do but to ran for it, 
 of my proviBons overboard to lighten the boat, 
 to keep out the water she took in. 
 After ranningfcY many boors I was, somewhere about midnight* 
 I nude a shift to are myself, and in the 
 that I was on a low key. Here I fired for 
 Fortunately there was water in some of the 
 of the rocks, and as tnrdes came ashore to by their 
 eggs I managed pretty well for a time; hot the water dried up, 
 and tor the last week I had nought to drink but the blood of 
 theterdec 
 
 One morning I saw a drip pasong not far of and making a 
 signal with die mast of the boat that had been washed ashore 
 with me I attracted their attention, I taw that she was a 
 Spaniard, bat I could not heh> that, for I had no choice but to 
 hafl her. They took me to Porto Eko and there reported me 
 as a shipwrecked aninr they had picked up. The governor 
 questioned me closely as to what reisel I had been lost from, 
 and although I made up a good story he had bis doubts. 
 Fortunately it did not enter his mind that I was not a 
 Spaniard; but he said he betiered I was some bad character 
 who had" been marooned by my comrades lor murder or some 
 other crime, and so pot me in prison nntfl he could learn some- 
 thing that would verify my story. 
 
 "After three months I was taken out of prison, but was set 
 to work on tile fortifications, and there for another two yean 
 I had to stop. Then I managed to sfip away one day, and, 
 biding tin nightfall, made my way down through the town to 
 the quays and swam oat to a vessel at anchor. I climbed on
 
 KS6USH FLAG. 371 
 
 bond without notice, and kid myself below, km. I by for 
 two days until she got up sail When I jad^n! she was 
 wefl away from the hud I went on deck and told my stay, 
 that I was a shipwrecked sailor who had been forced by the 
 goremor to work at the fortification*. They did not believe 
 saying that I most be soaae cnaniial who bad escaped from 
 and the captain said he should give me op at the next 
 port the ship touched, fialnnilflj fonr days afterwards & 
 sail bore m sight and care chase, and before it was iiarr 
 
 Engfeh spoken ior the first tnne ainee I had left jon at Cadi*. 
 
 -B 
 
 fresh vegetables, had 
 but a petty trader and not Kkely to have 
 taking on board. Tbey wondered much when I discovered 
 myself to them and told them who I was and how I had come 
 there; and when, on their rowing me on board tUralajBj I told 
 the captain my stay he told me Oat he thought 1 vac the 
 greatest tiar he had erer met. To be a gaDey-dare ; 
 Spaniards, a gaDey -dare among the 
 Indians for two yeazs, and again a printer with the Spaaiaids 
 for as much more, was more than fcfl to the lot of any one 
 and he, Hke the Spanish gorcnor, befierod Oat I was 
 e rascal who had been marooned, only he thonghf thai it 
 from an English ship, However, he said thai as I was 
 a stoat ieDow he would ghre me another 
 fortnight later, we feD in with a great 
 captured her with a great store of pnat money after a hard 
 fight for six hoars* the last of which was passed on the deck 
 of the Spaniard catting and slashing far, being laden with 
 sflrer, she had a company of troops on board in addnkai to 
 fcmr craw tfc* **!*" said, *** thrrarh an astonishing bar 
 there was no hettor inflow on board a ahiaL and, patting it to
 
 372 A STROKE OF LUCK AT LAST. 
 
 the crew, they agreed I had well earned my share of the 
 prize-money. When we had got the silver on board, which 
 was a heavy job I can tell you, though not an unpleasant one, 
 we put what Spaniards remained alive into the boats, fired the 
 galleon, and set sail for England, where we arrived without 
 adventure. 
 
 The silver was divided on the day before we cast anchor, the 
 owner's share being first set aside, every man his share, and the 
 officers theirs in proportion. Mine came to over a thousand 
 pounds, and it needed two strong men to carry the chest up to 
 the office of the owners, who gave me a receipt for it, which, as 
 soon as I got, I started for London; and here, as you see, I am." 
 
 "And now, what do you propose to do with yourself, 
 Stephen?" Geoffrey asked. 
 
 "I shall first travel down again to Devonshire and see what 
 friends I have remaining there. I do not expect to find many 
 alive, for fifteen years make many changes. My father and 
 mother were both dead before I started, and my uncle, with 
 whom I lived for a time, is scarce like to be alive now. Still 
 I may find some cousins and friends I knew as a boy." 
 
 "I should think you have had enough of the sea, Stephen, 
 and you have now ample to live ashore in comfort for the rest 
 of your life." 
 
 "Yes, I shall go no more to sea," Stephen said. "Except for 
 this last stroke of luck fortune has always been against me. 
 What I should like, Master Geoffrey, most of all, would be to 
 come up and work under you. I could be of advantage in 
 seeing to the loading and unloading vessels and the storage of 
 cargo. As for pay, I should not want it, having, as you say, 
 enough to live comfortably upon. Still I should like to be 
 with you." 
 
 "And I should like to have you with me, Stephen. Nothing 
 would give me greater pleasure. If you are still of that mind 
 when you return from Devonshire we can again talk the
 
 A CHANGE OF PLAN. 373 
 
 matter over, and as our wishes are both the same way we can 
 have no difficulty in coming to an agreement." 
 
 Stephen Boldero remained for a week in London and then 
 journeyed down to Devonshire. His idea of entering Geoffrey's 
 service was never carried out, for after he had been gone two 
 months Geoffrey received a letter from him saying that one of 
 his cousins, who had been but a little girl when he went away, 
 had laid her orders upon him to buy a small estate and settle 
 down there, and that as she was willing to marry him on no 
 other terms he had nothing to do but to assent. 
 
 Once a year, however, regularly to the end of his life 
 Stephen Boldero came up to London to stay for a fortnight 
 with Geoffrey, always coming by road, for he declared that he 
 was convinced if he set foot on board a ship again she would 
 infallibly be wrecked on her voyage to London.
 
 CHAPTER XXIIL 
 
 THE SIEGE OF OSTEND. 
 
 N the 5th of July, 1601, the Archduke Albert began 
 the siege of Ostend with 20,000 men and 50 
 siege-guns. Ostend had been completely rebuilt 
 and fortified eighteen years previously, and was 
 defended by ramparts, counterscarps, and two broad ditches. 
 The sand-hills between it and the sea were cut through, and 
 the water filled the ditches and surrounded the town. To the 
 south the country was intersected by a network of canals. 
 The river Yper-Leet came in at the back of the town, and after 
 mingling with the salt water in the ditches found its way to 
 the sea through the channels known as the Old Haven and the 
 Geule, the first on the west, the second on the east of the town. 
 On either side of these channels the land rose slightly, en- 
 abling the besiegers to plant their batteries in very advantageous 
 positions. The garrison at first consisted of but 2000 men 
 under Governor Vander Nood. The States-general considered 
 the defence of Ostend to be of extreme importance to the cause, 
 and appointed Sir Francis Vere general of the army in and 
 about Ostend, and sent with him 600 Dutch troops and eight 
 companies of English under the command of his brother, Sir 
 Horace. This raised the garrison to the strength of 3600 men. 
 Sir Francis landed with these reinforcements on the sands 
 opposite the old town, which stood near the sea-shore between 
 the Old Haven and the Geule, and was separated from the new
 
 A WEAK POSITION. 
 
 375 
 
 town by a broad channel He was forced to land here, as the 
 Spanish guns on the sand-hills commanded the entrances of the 
 two channels. 
 
 Sixteen thousand of the Spanish troops under the order of 
 
 the archduke were encamped to the west of the town, and had 
 30 of their siege-guns in position there, while 4000 men were 
 stationed on the east of the town under Count Bucquoy. Ten 
 guns were in position on that side. Ostend had no natural 
 advantages for defence beyond the facility of letting the sea 
 into the numerous channels and ditches which intersected the 
 city, and protected it from any operations on the south side. 
 On the east the Geule was broad and deep, and an assault from
 
 376 DEFENSIVE WORKS. 
 
 this side was very difficult. The Old Haven, on the west side, 
 was fast filling up, and was fordable for four hours every tide. 
 
 This, therefore, was the weak side of the town. The portion 
 especially exposed to attack was the low sandy flat on which 
 the old town stood, to the north of Ostend. It was against 
 this point, separated only from the enemy's position by the 
 shallow Old Haven, that the Spaniards concentrated their 
 efforts. The defence here consisted of a work called the Porc- 
 Espic, and a bastion in its rear called the Helmond. These 
 works lay to the north of the ditch dividing the old from the 
 new town, while on the opposite side of this ditch was a fort 
 called the Sand-hill, from which along the sea face of the town 
 ran strong palisades and bastions. 
 
 The three principal bastions were named the Schottenburg, 
 Moses' Table, and the Flamenburg, the last-named defending 
 the entrance to the Geule on the eastern side. There was a 
 strong wall with three bastions, the North Bulwark, the East 
 Bulwark or Pekell, and the Spanish Bulwark at the south-east 
 angle, with an outwork called the Spanish Half-moon on the 
 other side of the Geule. The south side was similarly defended 
 by a wall with four strong bastions, while beyond these at the 
 south-west corner lay a field called the Polder, extending to the 
 point where the Yper-Leet ran into the ditches. 
 
 Sir Francis Vere's first step after his arrival was to throw up 
 three redoubts to strengthen the wall round this field, as had 
 the enemy taken possession of it they might have set the wind- 
 mills upon it to work and have drained out many of the ditches. 
 Having secured this point he cut a passage to the sea between 
 the North-west Bulwark and the Flamenburg Fort, so that 
 shipping might enter the port without having to ascend the 
 Geule, exposed to the fire of the Spanish guns. To annoy the 
 enemy and draw them away from the vital point near the sea, 
 he then stationed 200 men on some rising ground surrounded 
 by swamps and ditches at some distance to the south of the city,
 
 WOUNDED AGAIN. 377 
 
 and from here they were able to open fire on the enemy's 
 boats coming with supplies from Bruges. 
 
 The operation was successful. The Spaniards, finding their 
 line of communication threatened, advanced in force from their 
 position by the sea, and their forts opened a heavy fire on the 
 little work thrown up. Other similar attempts would have 
 been made to harass the Spaniards and divert them from their 
 main work, had not Sir Francis Vere been severely wounded 
 in the head on the 4th of August by a shot from the Spanish 
 batteries, which continued to keep up a tremendous fire upon 
 the town. So serious was the wound that the surgeons were of 
 opinion that the only chance of saving his life was to send him 
 away from the din and turmoil of the siege; and on the 10th 
 he was taken to Middelburg, where he remained for a month, 
 returning to Ostend long before his wound was properly healed. 
 
 On the 1st of August a batch of recruits had arrived from 
 England, and on the 8th 1200 more were landed. The fire of 
 the besiegers was now so heavy that the soldiers were forced to 
 dig underground quarters to shelter themselves. Sir Horace 
 Vere led out several sorties; but the besiegers, no longer dis- 
 tracted by the feints contrived by Sir Francis, succeeded in 
 erecting a battery on the margin of the Old Haven, and opened 
 fire on the Sand-hill Fort. 
 
 On the 19th of September Sir Francis Vere returned to the 
 town, to the great joy of the garrison. Reinforcements con- 
 tinued to arrive, and at this time the garrison numbered 4480. 
 There were, too, a large number of noblemen and gentlemen 
 from England, France, and Holland, who had come to learn 
 the art of war under the man who was regarded as the greatest 
 general of the time. All who were willing to work and learn 
 were heartily welcomed; those who were unwilling to do so were 
 soon made to feel that a besieged city was no place for them. 
 
 While the fighting was going on the archduke had attempted 
 to capture the place by treason. He engaged a traitor named
 
 378 A DESPERATE SITUATION. 
 
 Coningsby; who crossed to England, obtained letters of intro- 
 duction to Vere, and then went to Ostend. Thence he sent 
 intelligence to the besiegers of all that took place in the town, 
 placing his letters at night in an old boat sunk in the mud on 
 the bank of the Old Haven, a Spaniard wading across at low 
 tide and fetching them away. He then attempted to bribe a 
 sergeant to blow up the powder magazine. The sergeant re- 
 vealed the plot. Coningsby was seized and confessed everything, 
 and by an act of extraordinary clemency was only sentenced to 
 be whipped out of town. 
 
 This act of treachery on the part of the archduke justified 
 the otherwise dishonourable stratagem afterwards played by 
 Vere upon him. All through October and November the 
 Spaniards were hard at work advancing their batteries, sinking 
 great baskets filled with sand in the Old Haven to facilitate 
 the passage of the troops, and building floating batteries in 
 the Geule. On the night of the 4th of December they 
 advanced suddenly to the attack. Vere and his officers leapt 
 from their beds and rushed to the walls, and after a fierce 
 struggle the besiegers were driven back. Straw was lighted to 
 enable the musketeers and gunners to fire upon them as they 
 retreated, and the assault cost them five hundred lives. 
 
 On the 12th a hard frost set in, and until Christmas a strong 
 gale from the south-east blew. No succour could reach the town. 
 The garrison were dwindling fast, and ammunition falling short. 
 It required fully 4000 men to guard the walls and forts, while 
 but 2500 remained capable of bearing arms. It was known 
 that the archduke soon intended to make an assault with his 
 whole force, and Vere knew that he could scarcely hope to 
 repel it. He called a council of his chief officers, and asked 
 their opinion whether with the present numbers all parts of 
 the works could be manned in case of assault, and if not 
 whether it was advisable to withdraw the guards from all the 
 outlying positions and to hold only the town.
 
 SHAM NEGOTIATIONS. 379 
 
 They were unanimously of opinion that the force was too 
 small to defend the whole, but Sir Horace Vere and Sir John 
 Ogle alone gave their advice to abandon the outlying forts 
 rather than endanger the loss of the town. The other officers 
 were of opinion that all the works should be held, although 
 they acknowledged that the disposable force was incapable of 
 doing so. Some days elapsed, and Vere learned that the 
 Spanish preparations were all complete, and that they were 
 only waiting for a low tide to attack. Time was everything, 
 for a change of wind would bring speedy succour, so without 
 taking council with anyone he sent Sir John Ogle with a drum- 
 mer to the side of the Old Haven. 
 
 Don Mateo Serrano came forward, and Ogle gave his mes- 
 sage, which was that General Vere wished to have some quali- 
 fied person to speak to him. This was reported to the archduke, 
 who agreed that Serrano and another Spanish officer should go 
 into the town, and that Ogle and a comrade should come as 
 hostages into the Spanish camp. Sir John Ogle took his friend 
 Sir Charles Fairfax with him, and Serrano and Colonel Antonio 
 crossed into Ostend. The two Englishmen were conducted to 
 the archduke, who asked Sir John Ogle to tell him if there 
 was any deceit in the matter. Ogle answered if there were it 
 was more than he knew, for Vere had simply charged him to 
 carry the message, and that he and Fairfax had merely come 
 as hostages for the safe return of the Spanish officers. 
 
 Ogle was next asked whether he thought the general in- 
 tended sincerely or not, and could only reply that he was 
 altogether unacquainted with the general's purpose. 
 
 The next morning Serrano and Antonio returned without 
 having seen Vere. The pretext on which they had been sent 
 back was that there was some irregularity in their coming 
 across 1 ; but instead of their being sent back across the Old 
 Haven they were sent across the Geule, and had to make a 
 long round to regain the archduke's camp.
 
 380 REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE. 
 
 Thus a day and a night were gained. The next day, towards 
 evening, the two Spanish officers were admitted into Ostend, 
 and received very hospitably by Sir Francis. After supper 
 many healths were drunk, and then Sir Francis informed them 
 to their astonishment that his proposal was not that he should 
 surrender Ostend, but that the archduke should raise the siege. 
 But it was now far too late for them to return, and they went to 
 bed in the general's quarters. During the two nights thus gained 
 the defenders had worked incessantly in repairing the palisades 
 facing the point at which the attack would take place, a work 
 that they had hitherto been unable to perform owing to the tre- 
 mendous fire that the Spaniards kept up night and day upon it. 
 
 At break of day five men-of-war from Zeeland came to anchor 
 off the town. They brought four hundred men, and provisions 
 and materials of war of all kinds. They were immediately 
 landed under a heavy fire from the enemy's batteries on both 
 sides. The firing awoke the two Spanish envoys, who inquired 
 what was taking place. They were politely informed by Sir 
 Francis Vere that succour had arrived, and the negotiations 
 were of course broken off; and they were accordingly sent back, 
 while Ogle and Fairfax returned to Ostend. 
 
 Vere's account of the transaction was that he had simply asked 
 for two Spanish officers to speak with him. He had offered no 
 terms, and there was therefore no breach of faith. The com- 
 mander of a besieged town, he insisted, is always at liberty to 
 propose a parley, which the enemy can accept or not as he chooses. 
 At any rate, it was not for the archduke, who had hired a traitor 
 to corrupt the garrison, to make a complaint of treachery. 
 
 Twelve hundred men were employed for the next eight days 
 in strengthening the works, Sir Francis being always with them 
 at night, when the water was low, encouraging them by his 
 presence and example. 
 
 Early in January he learned that the enemy were preparing 
 for the assault, and on the 7th a crushing fire was kept up on
 
 THE EVE OF THE GRAND ASSAULT. 381 
 
 the Porc-Espic, Helmond, and Sand-hill forts. The Spaniards 
 had by this time fired 163,200 cannon-shot into the town, and 
 scarcely a whole house was left standing. Towards evening 
 they were seen bringing scaling-ladders to the opposite bank 
 of the Haven. Two thousand Italian and Spanish troops had 
 been told off to attack the sand-hill, two thousand were to 
 assault Helmond and the Porc-Espic, two parties of five hun- 
 dred men each were to attack other works, while on the east 
 side Count Bucquoy was to deliver a general assault. 
 
 The English general watched all these preparations with the 
 greatest vigilance. At high water he closed the west sluice, 
 which let the water into the town ditch from the Old Haven, in 
 the rear of Helmond, in order to retain as much water as pos- 
 sible, and stationed his troops at the various points most 
 threatened. Sir Horace Vere and Sir Charles Fairfax, with 
 twelve weak companies, some of them reduced to ten or twelve 
 men, were stationed on the sand-hill. 
 
 Four of the strongest companies garrisoned the Porc-Espic; 
 ten weak companies and nine cannon loaded with musket bul- 
 lets defended the Helmond. These posts were commanded by 
 Sergeant-major Carpenter and Captain Meetkerk; the rest of 
 the force were disposed at the other threatened points. Sir 
 Francis himself, with Sir Lionel Vickars as his right hand, took 
 his post on the wall of the old town, between the sand-hill and 
 the Schottenburg, which had been much damaged by the action 
 of the waves during the gales and by the enemy's shot. Barrels 
 of ashes, heaps of stones and bricks, hoops bound with squibs 
 and fireworks, ropes of pitch, hand-grenades, and barrels of nails 
 were collected in readiness to hurl down upon the assailants. 
 
 At dusk the besiegers ceased firing, to allow the guns to cool. 
 Two engineer officers with fifty stout sappers, who each had a 
 rose-noble for every quarter of an hour's work, got on to the 
 breach in front of the sand-hill, and threw up a small breast- 
 work, strengthened by palisades, across it. An officer crept
 
 382 A TREMENDOUS STRUGGLE. 
 
 down towards the Old Haven, and presently returned with the 
 news that two thousand of the enemy were wading across, and 
 forming up in battalions on the Ostend side. 
 
 Suddenly a gun boomed out from the archduke's camp as a 
 signal to Bucquoy, and just as the night had fairly set in the 
 besiegers rushed to the assault from all points. They were 
 received by a tremendous fire from the guns of the forts and the 
 muskets of the soldiers; but, although the effect was serious, 
 they did not hesitate a moment, but dashed forwards towards 
 the foot of the sand-hill and the wall of the old town, halted 
 for a moment, poured in a volley, and then rushed into the 
 breach and against the walls. The volley had been harmless, 
 for Vere had ordered the men to lie flat until it was given. As 
 the Spaniards climbed up barrels of ashes were emptied upon 
 them, stones and heavy timbers hurled down, and flaming hoops 
 cast over their necks. Three times they climbed to the crest 
 of the sand-hill, and as many times gained a footing on the 
 Schottenburg; but each time they were beaten back with great 
 slaughter. As fiercely did they attack at the other points, but 
 were everywhere repulsed. 
 
 On the east side three strong battalions of the enemy attacked 
 the outwork across the Geule, known as the Spanish Half-moon. 
 Vere, who was everywhere supervising the defence, ordered the 
 weak garrison there to withdraw, and sent a soldier out to give 
 himself up, and to tell them that the Half-moon was slenderly 
 manned, and to offer to lead them in. The offer was accepted, 
 and the Spaniards took possession of the work 
 
 The general's object was to occupy them, and prevent their 
 supporting their comrades in the western attack. The Half- 
 moon, indeed, was quite open towards the town. Tide was rising, 
 and a heavy fire was opened upon the captors of the work from 
 the batteries across the Geule, and they were driven out with the 
 loss of three hundred men. At length the assault was repulsed 
 at all points, and the assailants began to retire across the Old
 
 A TWELVE YEARS' TRUCE. 383 
 
 Haven. No sooner did they begin to ford it than Vere opened 
 the west sluice, and the water in the town ditch rushed down in 
 a torrent, carrying numbers of the Spaniards away into the sea. 
 
 Altogether, the assault cost the Spaniards two thousand 
 men. An enormous amount of plunder in arms, gold chains, 
 jewels, and rich garments were obtained by the defenders from 
 the bodies of the fallen. The loss of the garrison was only 
 thirty killed and a hundred wounded. 
 
 The repulse of the grand attack upon Ostend by no means 
 put an end to the siege. Sir Francis Vere, his brother Horace, 
 Sir John Ogle, and Sir Lionel Vickars left, the general being 
 summoned to assume command in the field; but the siege con- 
 tinued for two years and a half longer. Many assaults were 
 repulsed during that time, and the town only surrendered on 
 the 20th September, 1604, when the sand-hill, which was the 
 key of the whole position, was at last captured by the Spaniards. 
 
 It was but a heap of ruins that they had become possessed of 
 after their three years' siege, and its capture had not only cost 
 them an immense number of men and a vast amount of money, 
 but the long and gallant defence had secured upon a firm basis 
 the independence of Holland. While the whole available force 
 of Spain had been so occupied Prince Maurice and his English 
 allies had captured town after town, and had beaten the enemy 
 whenever they attempted to show themselves in the open field. 
 They had more than counterbalanced the loss of Ostend by the 
 recapture of Sluys, and had so lowered the Spanish pride that 
 not long afterwards a twelve years' truce was concluded, which 
 virtually brought the war to an end, and secured for ever the 
 independence of Holland. 
 
 During the last year or two of the war Sir Francis Vere, 
 worn out by his fatigues and the countless wounds he had re- 
 ceived in the service of the Netherlands, had resigned his 
 command and retired to England, being succeeded in his posi- 
 tion by Sir Horace. Lionel Vickars fought no more after he
 
 384 PEACE AND PROSPERITY. 
 
 had borne his part in the repulse of the great assault against 
 Ostend. He had barely recovered from the effect of the wound 
 he had received at the battle of Nieuport, and the fatigues and 
 anxiety of the siege, together with the damp air from the 
 marshes, brought on a serious attack of fever, which completely 
 prostrated him as soon as the necessity for exertion had passed. 
 He remained some weeks at the Hague, and then, being some- 
 what recovered, returned home. 
 
 While throughout all England the greatest enthusiasm had 
 been aroused by the victory of Nieuport and the repulse of the 
 Spaniards at Ostend, the feeling was naturally higher in the 
 Vere's county of Essex than elsewhere. As soon as Lionel 
 Vickars was well enough to take any share in gaieties he 
 received many invitations to stay at the great houses of the 
 county, where most of the gentry were more or less closely 
 connected with the Veres; and before he had been home many 
 months he married Dorothy Windhurst, one of the richest 
 heiresses in the county, and a cousin of the Veres. Thus 
 Geoffrey had, after Juan Mendez retired from taking any 
 active part in the business, to work alone until his sons were 
 old enough to join him in the business. As soon as they were 
 able to undertake its active management, Geoffrey bought an 
 estate near Hedingham, and there settled down, journeying 
 occasionally to London to see how the affairs of the house went 
 on, and to give advice to his sons. Dolores had, two or three 
 years after her arrival in England, embraced the faith of her 
 husband; and although she complained a little at times of the 
 English climate, she never once regretted the step she had taken 
 in leaving her native Spain.
 
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 ThrOUgh Russian SnOWS: ^, Napoleon's Retreat 
 O from Moscow. With 
 
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 Julian Wyatt becomes, quite innocently, mixed up with smugglers, who 
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 his Exploits. 
 With 12 page Illustrations by W. H. MARGETSON. 6s. 
 
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 Stanley Brooke is assistant to his uncle in Calcutta, who was a keen adven- 
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 By England's Aid: r ' T1 ) e Freeing of the Nether- 
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 Two English lads go to Holland in the service of one of " the fighting 
 Veres". After many adventures one of the lads finds himself on board a 
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 Colorado. With 8 page Illustrations by G. C. HINDLEY. 5.5-. 
 
 The hero, Tom Wade, goes out to his uncle in Colorado, who is a hunter 
 and gold-digger. Going in quest of a gold mine, the little band is over- 
 whelmed by a snow-storm in the mountains, and compelled to winter there. 
 They build two canoes and paddle down the terrible gorges of the Rocky 
 Mountains, and after many perils they reach Fort Mojarve in safety. 
 
 " No book will please more than In the Heart of the Rockies." Spectator. 
 " It is a book to read and to recommend to boys and girls." The Observer. 
 
 "It is all life and go and vigour from beginning to end." The ScJiool Board 
 Chronicle. 
 
 A f- A rrirn-^nrt-. A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. 
 
 At Agmcourt. with I2 page Illustrations by WAL 
 
 PAGET. 6s. 
 
 Sir Eustace de Villeroy, in journeying from Hampshire to his castle in 
 France, made young Guy Aylmer one of his escort. Soon thereafter the 
 castle was attacked, and the English youth displayed such valour that his 
 liege-lord made him commander of a special mission to Paris. This he 
 accomplished, returning in time to take part in the campaign against the 
 French which ended in the glorious victory for England at Agincourt. 
 
 " Is one of Mr. Henty's best." Standard. 
 
 "There is not a better book for boys in Mr. Henty's extensive repertory." 
 
 Scotsman. 
 
 " Cannot fail to commend itself to boys of all ages." MancJtester Courier. 
 (8)
 
 "Young readers have no better friends than Blackie & Son." Westminster Gazette 
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 Story Books for Boys 
 
 G. MANVILLE FENN 
 
 Devon RrWQ ^ Ta ^ e ^ t ^ ie North Shore. With 12 page 
 vy*" Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. 6s. 
 
 The scene is laid on the picturesque rocky coast of North Devon, where 
 the three lads pass through many perils both afloat and ashore. Fishermen, 
 smugglers, naval officers, and a stern old country surgeon play their parts 
 in the story, which is one of honest adventure with the mastering of diffi- 
 culties in a wholesome manly way, mingled with sufficient excitement to 
 satisfy the most exacting reader. 
 
 "An admirable story, as remarkable for the individuality of its heroes as for the 
 excellent descriptions of coast scenery and life in North Devon. One of the best 
 books we have seen this season." Atftentzum. 
 
 - Nat the Naturalist: A Boy's Adventures in the Eastern 
 
 ocas. With o page Pictures by 
 GORDON BROWNE. $s. 
 
 The boy Nat and his uncle go on a voyage to the islands of the Eastern 
 seas to seek specimens in natural history, and their adventures there are full 
 of interest and excitement. The descriptions of Mr. Ebony, their black 
 comrade, and of the scenes of savage life sparkle with genuine humour. 
 
 "This book encourages independence of character, develops resource, and teaches 
 a boy to keep his eyes open." Saturday Review. 
 
 Yussuf the Guide: th . 6 page Illustrations b y J- 
 
 SCHONBERG. 3J. 
 
 A lad who has been almost given over by the doctors, but who rapidly 
 recovers health and strength in a journey through Asia Minor with his 
 guardians and Yussuf as their guide. Their adventures culminate in their 
 being snowed up for the winter in the mountains, from which they escape 
 while their captors are waiting for the ransom that does not come. 
 
 " This story is told with such real freshness and vigour that the reader feels he is 
 actually one of the party, sharing in the fun and facing the dangers with them." 
 
 -Pall Mail Gazette. 
 [46] (9)
 
 Prom ALL HANDS ON DECK 
 By W. CHARLES METCALFE. 3^. 6d. 
 
 "WITHOUT HESITATION i SPRANG FROM THE RIGGING.
 
 BLACK1ES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 GORDON STABLES 
 
 For Life and Liberty. w f 8 M page Illustrations 
 
 / and a Map. $s. 
 
 \Vhen war was declared in America between the North and South, 
 Osmond Lloyd ran away from school in England with his chum, Kenneth 
 Reid, and the two made their way to America. Osmond joined the 
 Southern army, while Kenneth entered the navy. 
 
 " The story is lively and spirited, with abundance of blockade-running, hard fight- 
 ing, narrow escapes, and introductions to some of the most distinguished generals on 
 both sides." The Times. 
 
 - Kidnapped by Cannibals: ^ Story ft ^ Southe T T 
 
 J Seas. With 6 page Il- 
 
 lustrations by J. FINNEMORE. y. (^d. 
 
 Thinking his father harsh and himself aggrieved, Willie runs away to 
 sea with his friend Harry Blessington. There is a terrible mutiny on 
 board, stirred up by foreign sailors, and in a group of hitherto unknown 
 cannibal islands in the southern seas the boys are cast away. Their 
 strange, wild life and adventures for years among these cannibals are told 
 in most graphic style. 
 
 "Exciting and interesting from beginning to end." Punch. 
 
 "Full of exciting adventure, and told with spirit." Globe. 
 
 G. NORWAY 
 
 Hussein the Hostage: r ' A Bo * A f entur ' s , in 
 
 O Persia. With 6 page Illus- 
 trations by JOHN SCHONBERG. 3-r. 
 
 The narrative of the adventures of Prince Hussein and his follower Askar 
 in their endeavour to free their oppressed tribe from the Persian yoke. 
 Hussein is held captive, and Askar, in his attempt to rescue him, is himself 
 kidnapped and sold to a showman. They at length unite their followers, 
 and succeed in holding their post until the dispersal of the Persian forces. 
 
 "The lad who gets Hussein the Hostage will have a real prize, for it is one of the 
 best and most original boys' books of recent seasons." Graphic. 
 
 SHEILA E. BRAINE 
 
 The Turkish Automaton. ' h 6 PW" Illus - 
 
 trations by WILLIAM 
 RAINEY, R.I. 3^. 6d. 
 
 One of the most extraordinary mechanical marvels of the eighteenth 
 century was the "automaton" chess-player, invented by the Hungarian 
 mechanician de Kempelen. It is believed that the figure was constructed 
 to enable a disabled Polish officer to escape from Russia. On this sub- 
 stratum of historical fact the author has constructed a highly ingenious 
 romance. 
 
 " The Turkish Automaton creates from the first a desire to look at the end. . . . 
 It certainly deserves to be the boys' book of the year." Court Circular.
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 ROBERT LEIGHTON 
 
 Okf the GlorioUS: A Historical Story of the Viking 
 
 Age. With 8 page Illustrations 
 by RALPH PEACOCK. 5.5-. 
 
 Olaf, rescued from slavery, spends a romantic youth in the court of King 
 Valdemar of Russia, has many adventures as a viking, and is converted 
 to Christianity. He returns to pagan Norway, is accepted as king, and 
 converts his people to the Christian faith. The story closes with the great 
 battle of Svold, when Olaf, defeated, jumps overboard, and is last seen with 
 the sunlight shining on the glittering cross upon his shield. 
 
 " Is as good as anything of the kind we have met with. Mr. Leighton more than 
 holds his own with Rider Haggard and Baring-Gould." Times. 
 
 - The Thirsty Sword: 
 
 J of Scotland 
 
 6 page Illustrations by A. PEARSE. New Edition, y. 
 
 The story tells how Roderic MacAlpin, the sea-rover, came to the Isle of 
 Bute ; how he slew both his brother, Earl Hamish, and the earl's eldest son, 
 Alpin : how young Kenric became King of Bute, met the sea - rover on 
 Garroch Head, and ended their feud. 
 
 " One of the most fascinating stories for boys that it has ever been our pleasure to 
 read. From first to last the interest never flags. "Schoolmaster. 
 
 KIRK MUNROE 
 
 At War with Pontiac: w'-T he o Totem ^^ ? ear> 
 
 With o page Illustrations 
 by J. FlNNEMORE. $s. 
 
 Donald Hester, a young English officer, goes in search of his sister Edith, 
 who had been captured by the redskins. Strange and terrible are his 
 experiences ; he is wounded and taken prisoner, but contrives to escape. 
 In all his adventures he finds a magic talisman in the Totem of the Bear, 
 which was tattooed on his arm in childhood by a friendly Indian. In the 
 end there is peace, and Donald marries the great chiefs daughter. 
 
 " Is in the best manner of Cooper. There is a character who is the parallel ol 
 Hawkeye, as the Chingachgooks have likewise their counterparts." The Times. 
 
 Col. J. PERCY-GROVES 
 
 The War of the Axe: ^ Story of ^ A n, can 
 
 Adventure. Jb ully Illus- 
 trated. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Tom Flinders, late of Rugby, sails to rejoin his parents in Cape Colony, 
 goes up country, meets with many experiences, gets mauled by a Cape lion, 
 and finally joins the Cape Mounted Rifles. He falls into the hands of the 
 Caffres, but after a strange escape succeeds in rejoining his friends. 
 
 "The story is well and brilliantly told, and the illustrations are especially good and 
 effective." Literary World. 
 
 (12)
 
 BLACKIE & SON'S BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 Wynport College: A Story T of Sch o1 Life - with 
 
 J 08 page I 
 
 FRED. HARRISON 
 
 A 
 
 8 page Illustrations by HAROLD 
 COPPING. 5-r. 
 
 The hero and his chums differ as widely in character as in personal appear- 
 ance. We have Patrick O'Fflahertie, the good-natured Irish boy; Jack 
 Brookes, the irrepressible humorist ; Davie Jackson, the true-hearted little 
 lad, on whose haps and mishaps the plot to a great extent turns ; and the 
 hero himself, whose experiences at Wynport College the story relates. 
 "Crammed with happy incident." Truth. 
 " Full of life and adventure." Standard, 
 
 W. C. METCALFE 
 All Hands on Deck! th 6 Illustrati - b y w - 
 
 RAINEY, R.I. y. 6d. 
 
 The story begins with the experiences of eight of the crew and a young 
 lady passenger in an open boat. After many privations they are picked 
 up by the ship Ariadne. By a rare combination of circumstances the hero 
 is compelled to assume the command of the Ariadne, and navigates the ship 
 safely to Hong Kong, where many happy surprises await him. 
 
 "Is such a graphic sea story that the reader almost sniiTs the salt breeze of mid- 
 ocean." Literary World. 
 
 J. CHALMERS 
 
 Fighting the Matabele: A ^ f Ad w n L U A 
 
 t> o in Rhodesia. With 6 
 
 page Illustrations by STANLEY L. WOOD. 3^. 6d. 
 
 A story of the great Matabele rising of 1896. The hero and his friends 
 are surprised by the revolted natives in the heart of the Matopo mountains, 
 and after many stirring adventures they succeed in making their way back 
 to Buluwayo. The hero subsequently joins the Afrikander Corps, and dis- 
 tinguishes himself in the operations by which the insurrection is crushed. 
 
 "The stormy times of the recent insurrection in Matabeleland are described with 
 a piquantness which will ensure the book becoming a favourite." Liverpool Courier. 
 
 CAPTAIN BRERETON 
 
 War. With 6 Illus- 
 
 With Shield and Assegai: A Tale of the Zulu 
 
 trations by STANLEY L. WOOD. 3.?. 6d. 
 
 The hero runs away from school, enlists in the British army, and is sent 
 to Africa. There he learns that his sister and a friend are in the hands of 
 Cetewayo. Disguised as a Zulu he rescues the two girls, having many 
 thrilling adventures. 
 
 " Boys will enjoy this book, it is so delightfully real, and overflows with movement 
 and excitement." Public Opinion.
 
 BLACKIE & SON'S BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 W. O'BYRNE 
 A Land of Heroes: 
 
 With 6 Illustrations by 
 H. BACON. 2s. 6d. 
 
 Many a pleasant hour is in store for the happy recipients of this book. 
 The author takes us back to the golden age in Irish history, when Kings of 
 Erin ruled at Tara some two thousand years ago. The stories are written 
 in a style calculated to interest young people, and Mr. Bacon's illustrations 
 add not a little to the attractiveness of the volume. 
 
 "There is not a page in the book that does not sketch some vivid picture or paint 
 some thrilling scene." Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 S. BARING-GOULD 
 
 Grettir the Outlaw: A Stoiy of Iceland in the days 
 
 of the Vikings. With 6 page 
 Illustrations by M. ZENO DlEMER. 4^. 
 
 A narrative of adventure of the most romantic kind. No boy will be 
 able to withstand the magic of such scenes as the fight of Grettir with the 
 twelve bearserks, the wrestle with Karr the Old in the chamber of the dead, 
 the combat with the spirit of Glam the thrall, and the defence of the dying 
 Grettir by his younger brother. 
 
 " Is the boys' book of its year. That is, of course, as much as to say that it will do 
 for men grown as well as juniors. It is told in simple, straightforward English, as all 
 stories should be, and it has a freshness, a freedom, a sense of sun and wind and the 
 open air, which make it irresistible." National Observer. 
 
 C. J. CUTCLIFFE HYNE 
 
 The Captured Cruiser: >. ?? Years * L t and - 
 
 I With 6 page Illustrations 
 
 by F. BRANGWYN. New Edition, y. 6d. 
 
 The central incidents deal with the capture, during the war between Chili 
 and Peru, of an armed cruiser. The heroes and their companions break 
 from prison in Valparaiso, board this warship in the night, overpower the 
 watch, escape to sea under the fire of the forts, and finally, after marvellous 
 adventures, lose the cruiser among the icebergs near Cape Horn. 
 
 " The two lads and the two skippers are admirably drawn. Mr. Hyne has now 
 secured a position in the first rank of writers of fiction for boys." Spectator. 
 
 With 4 P a & e Illustrations by W. S. 
 o r 7-JM- /:v 
 
 STAGEY. New Edition. 2s. 6a. 
 
 This is the extended log of a cutter which sailed from the Clyde to the 
 Amazon in search of a gold reef. It relates how they discovered the 
 bucaneer's treasure in the Spanish Main, fought the Indians, turned aside 
 the river Jamary by blasting, and so laid bare the gold of Stimsori s Reef. 
 
 " Few stories come within hailing distance of Stimson's Ree/'m startling incidents 
 and hairbreadth 'scapes. It may almost vie with Mr. R. L. Stevenson's Treasure 
 Island. " Guardian.
 
 From WITH SHIELD AND ASSEGAI 
 By CAPTAIN BRERETON. y. 6d. 
 
 DROPPING THE REINS UPON HIS HORSE'S NECK, HE GRASPED 
 A REVOLVER IN EACH HAND.
 
 BLACKIES STORY BOOKS FOR BOYS 
 
 ASCOTT R. HOPE 
 
 StOrieS Of Old RenOWn: Tales of Knights and 
 
 Heroes. \\ ith 100 
 Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, y. 6d. 
 
 A series of the best of the Stories of Noble Knighthood and Old Romance. 
 told in refined and simple language, and adapted to Young Readers. A 
 book possessing remarkable attractions for boys. 
 
 " One of the choicest volumes the seekers after a present could desire. There are 
 nine famous stories so told as to give real delight to boys of every age." John Bull. 
 
 HARRY COLLINGWOOD 
 
 The Log of a Privateer sman. th I2 pa f 
 
 o Illustrations by 
 
 W. RAINEY, R.I. dr. 
 
 After various bold exploits in home waters, the Dolphin leaves for the 
 West Indies, where the hero becomes a castaway ; is captured by pirates ; 
 outwits his captors and seizes their ship; cuts out a Spanish gold-ship from 
 under the walls of Cartagena; and finally, as a reward for his services, 
 receives a lieutenant's commission in His Majesty's Navy. 
 
 "The narrative is breezy, vivid, and full of incidents, faithful in nautical colouring, 
 and altogether delightful." .Pa# Mall Gazette. 
 
 FLORENCE COOMBE 
 Boys of the Priory School. 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 The interest centres in the relations of Raymond and Hal Wentworth, and 
 the process by which Raymond, the hero of the school, learns that in the 
 person of his ridiculed cousin there beats a heart more heroic than his own. 
 "We congratulate Miss Coombe upon a brightly-written story." Latutt. 
 "It is an excellent work of its class, cleverly illustrated with 'real boys' by Mr. 
 Harold Copping." Literature. 
 
 JANE H. SPETTIGUE 
 
 A Pair of Them . \ vith 4 ust ;l n i s by * AUL " ARDY - 
 
 Crown ovo, cloth elegant, 2s. oa. 
 
 The chief actors are two brothers, who are left free to choose their 
 own amusements, and this absence of control leads them into numer- 
 ous adventures, some of which are merely comical and ludicrous, while 
 others have a somewhat serious issue. Both Will and Miles are sturdy, 
 self-reliant, and thoroughly likeable youngsters, and are certain to be highly 
 popular alike with boy and girl readers. 
 
 " Should be a favourite book for boys and girls as I have no doubt it will be." 
 
 Whitehall Review. 
 
 "The 'pair* are a couple of youngsters whose escapades are described in a bright 
 and attractive fashion by an able story-teller." Observer. 
 (16)
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 Story Books for Girls 
 
 KATHARINE TYNAN 
 The Handsome 
 
 Miss KATHARINE TYNAN 
 
 Brandons: th I2 pa f 
 
 Illustrations by 
 
 G. DEMAIN HAMMOND, R.I. 6s. 
 A delightful story of an ancient Irish 
 family. Every one of the nine young 
 Brandons was handsome, and every 
 one was spirited and lovable. The 
 story ends happily for "The Hand- 
 some Brandons" with the re-establish- 
 ment of the family fortunes. 
 
 "A really excellent piece of work . . . 
 the literary quality of Miss Tynan's work 
 is its chief distinction." Spectator. 
 
 ELIZA POLLARD 
 
 The King's Signet: 
 
 The Story of a Huguenot Family. 
 With 6 Illustrations by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3^. 6d. 
 
 This story relates the adventures of a noble Huguenot family, driven 
 out of their chateau by the dragoons after the Revocation of the Edict of 
 Nantes. 
 
 " The story is splendidly told, and never drags." Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 CAROLINE AUSTIN 
 Cousin Geoffrey and I. **'**%*% 
 
 The only daughter of a country gentleman finds herself unprovided for at 
 her father's death, and for some time lives as a dependant upon her kins- 
 man. Life is kept from being unbearable to her by her young cousin 
 Geoffrey, who at length meets with a serious accident for which she is held 
 responsible. She makes a brave attempt to earn her own livelihood, until 
 a startling event brings her cousin Geoffrey and herself together again. 
 
 " Miss Austin's story is bright, clever, and well developed." Saturday Review. 
 [46] (17)
 
 BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS 
 
 With 6 Illustrati 
 by HAROLD COPPING. 
 
 A Queen among Girls. with 6 Illustrations 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3^. 6d. 
 
 Augusta Pembroke is the head of her school, the favourite of her teachers 
 and fellow-pupils, who are attracted by her fearless and independent nature, 
 and her queenly bearing. She dreams of a distinguished professional 
 career; but the course of her life is changed suddenly by pity for her 
 timid little brother Adrian, the victim of his guardian-uncle's harshness. 
 The story describes the daring means adopted by Augusta for Adrian's relief. 
 
 " An interesting and well-written narrative, in which humour and a keen eye for 
 character unite to produce a book happily adapted for modern maidens." Globe. 
 
 - A Girl of To-Dav with 6 P a ^ e lllustrations b y 
 
 a / ' G. D. HAMMOND, R.I. 3*. 6d. 
 
 " What are Altruists?" humbly asks a small boy. " They are only people 
 who try to help others," replies the Girl of To-Day. To help their poorer 
 neighbours, the boys and girls of Woodend band themselves together into 
 the Society of Altruists. That they have plenty of fun is seen in the 
 shopping expedition and in the successful Christmas entertainment. 
 
 "It is a spirited story. The characters are true to nature and carefully developed. 
 Such a book as this is exactly what is needed to give a school-girl an interest in the 
 development of character. " Educational Titties. 
 
 FRANCES ARMSTRONG 
 
 A Fair Claimant. J he St 7 f ! Girl ' s r'n With 
 
 6 page Illustrations by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. New Edition. 3.5-. 
 
 The heroine, when a child, is found deserted in an attic. She is adopted 
 by a wealthy lady, and resides abroad until the death of her benefactress. 
 Thereafter, Olive Bethune comes to England as a governess, and then 
 begins to learn her own strange history. It is a tale of surprising vicissi- 
 tude, but in the end all the wrongs are pleasantly righted. 
 
 "There is a fascination about this story. The splendid character of the heroine, 
 together with the happy manner in which the interest is sustained to the end, combine 
 to make this one of the most acceptable gift-books of the season." Church Review. 
 
 G. NORWAY 
 A True Cornish Maid. 
 
 The heroine of the tale is sister to a young fellow who gets into trouble 
 in landing a contraband cargo on the Cornish coast. In his extremity the 
 girl stands by her brother bravely, and by means of her daring scheme he 
 manages to escape. 
 
 "The success of the year has fallen, we think, to Mrs. Norway, whose True 
 Cornish Maid is really an admirable piece of work." Review of Reviews. 
 (18)
 
 From A QUEEN AMONG GIRLS 
 By ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS. y. 6d. 
 
 "TRY TO TELL THE STORY IN A SENSIBLE FASHION!"
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 ROSA MULHOLLAND (LADY GILBERT) 
 
 Banshee Castle. * I2 pag f Illustrations b y J HN 
 
 H. BACON. 6s. 
 
 This story deals with the adventures of three girls who, with an old 
 governess, migrate from Kensington to the West of Ireland. They are made 
 heartily welcome in the cabins, of the peasantry, where they learn many 
 weird and curious tales from the folk-lore of the district. 
 
 " Is told with grace, and brightened by a knowledge of Irish folk-lore, making it 
 a perfect present for a girl in her teens." Truth, 
 
 - Hetty Gray, with illustrations. 2*. M. 
 
 The story of a girl who was adopted by a rich widow. On the death 
 of her adoptive mother, Hetty is taken by the relatives to be educated as 
 a governess, an event which is prevented by a rather remarkable discovery. 
 
 "A charming story. Hetty is a delightful creature piquant, tender, and true 
 and her varying fortunes are perfectly realistic." World. 
 
 ANNIE E. ARMSTRONG 
 Violet Vereker's Vanity. t with ? p * ge " lustra - 
 
 J tions by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. 3^. 6d. 
 
 The heroine was an excellent girl in most respects. But she had one 
 small weakness, which expressed itself in a snobbish dislike of her neigh- 
 bours the Sugdens, whose social position she deemed beneath her own. In 
 the end, however, the girl acknowledged her folly, with results which are 
 sure to delight the reader. 
 
 "A book for girls that we can heartily recommend, for it is bright, sensible, and 
 with a right tone of thought and feeling." Sheffield Independent. 
 
 ALICE CORKRAN 
 
 Margery Merton's Girlhood. 
 
 GORDON BROWNE. 3^-. 6d. 
 
 The experiences of an orphan girl who in infancy is left by her father an 
 officer in India to the care of an elderly aunt residing near Paris. The 
 accounts of the various persons who have an after influence on the story are 
 singularly vivid. 
 
 "Margery Merton's Girlhood is a piece of true literature, as dainty as it is deli- 
 cate, and as sweet as it is simple." Woman's World.
 
 BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 MRS. R. H. READ 
 
 a Home. With 6 page Illustrations 
 by PAUL HARDY. 3*. 6d. 
 
 The story of an orphan girl, who is placed as pupil-teacher at the school 
 in which she was educated, but is suddenly removed by hard and selfish 
 relatives, who employ her as a menial as well as a governess. Through a 
 series of exciting adventures she makes discoveries respecting a large pro- 
 perty which is restored to its rightful owners, and at the same time she 
 secures her own escape. 
 
 " Dora is one of the most pleasing stories for young people that we have met with 
 of late years. There is in it a freshness, simplicity, and naturalness very engaging." 
 
 Harper's Magazine. 
 
 MRS. E. J. LYSAGHT 
 
 Brother and Sister- with 6 page Illustrations b y 
 
 GORDON BROWNE, y. 6d. 
 
 A story showing, by the narrative of the vicissitudes and struggles of a 
 family which has " come down in the world ", and of the brave endeavours 
 of its two younger members, how the pressure of adversity is mitigated by 
 domestic affection, mutual confidence, and hopeful honest effort. 
 
 "A pretty story, and well told. The plot is cleverly constructed, and the moral is 
 excellent." A theneeum. 
 
 BESSIE MARCHANT 
 
 The Girl Caotives* A Story of the Indian Frontier - 
 
 With 4 page Illustrations by 
 WILLIAM RAINEY, R.I. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 The ladies and children of an Indian frontier town are carried off by 
 border tribesmen, but through a tribesman to whom the heroine, the 
 daughter of an English officer, had formerly done an act of kindness, they 
 make their escape after many stirring adventures. 
 
 "Altogether a capital little book." Saturday Review. 
 
 SARAH TYTLER 
 
 A Loyal Little Maid. With 4 page Illustrations by 
 J PAUL HARDY. 2s. 6d. 
 
 This pretty story is founded on a romantic episode of Mar's rebellion. 
 A little girl has information which concerns the safety of her father in hid- 
 ing, and this she firmly refuses to divulge to a king's officer. She is lodged 
 in the tolbooth, where she finds a boy champion, whom in future years she 
 rescues in Paris, from the lettre de cachet which would bury him in the Bastille. 
 
 " Has evidently been a pleasure to write, and makes very enjoyable reading." 
 
 Literature.
 
 From THE FOUR MISS WH1TTINGTONS 
 By GERALDINE MOCKLER. 51; 
 
 ** 
 'NANCE RELINQUISHED THE TOASTING-FORK WITHOUT ANY . IM
 
 BLACKIE'S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 GERALDINE MOCKLER 
 
 The Four Miss Whittingtons: ir f s tory v 
 
 for 
 With 
 
 8 Illustrations by CHARLES M. SHELDON. Crown 8vo, cloth 
 
 elegant, olivine edges, ^s. 
 
 This story tells how four sisters, left alone in the world, went to London 
 to seek their fortunes. They had between them ,400, and this they 
 resolved to spend on training themselves for the different careers for which 
 they were severally most fitted. On the limited means at their disposal 
 this was hard work, but, as the result showed, their courageous experiment 
 was on the whole very successful. 
 
 "A story of endeavour, industry, and independence of spirit. ' WorttL 
 
 ANNE BEALE 
 The Heiress of Courtleroy, 
 
 CASTLE. $s. 
 
 Mimica, the heroine, comes to England as an orphan, and is coldly 
 received by her uncle. The girl has a brave nature, however, and succeeds 
 in saving the estate from ruin and in reclaiming her uncle from the misan- 
 thropical disregard of his duties as a landlord. 
 
 " We can speak highly of the grace with which Miss Beale relates how the young 
 ' Heiress of Courtleroy' had such good influence over her uncle as to win him from 
 
 his intensely selfish ways." Guardian. 
 
 A. HUTCHISON STIRLING, M.A. 
 The Reign of Princess Naska. 
 
 by PAUL HARDY. 2s. 6d. 
 
 The story tells in beautiful language how the child-ruler of Tsarkovia 
 suddenly discovers that injustice is being committed in her name, and deter- 
 mines that at all costs right shall be done. This noble resolve brings her 
 into conflict with all the great officers of state, and although the little Princess 
 yielded her life in the struggle against wrong, her short reign was not in vain. 
 "We can thoroughly recommend this little book." Atkauntm. 
 
 VIOLET G. FINNEY 
 
 A Daughter of Erin, with illustrations, zr. &* 
 
 The heroine of this story is a true-hearted Irish girl who finds it hard 
 to accept a dependent position in the castle, brought about by the sudden 
 death of her father. She rebels against the new heir, but in the end 
 Love, the reconciler, steps in, and a strange new way of escape from the 
 trouble is found. 
 
 " A book we can thoroughly recommend, not only to girls, but to aD who Eke a 
 well-written, healthy-toned story." St. Jamts's Gaxtttt.
 
 BLACKI&S BOOKS FOR GIRLS 
 
 J. K. H. DENNY 
 
 The Clever Miss Follett. whh 
 
 tions by G. DEMAIN 
 HAMMOND, R.I. 6s. 
 
 The Folletts are a middle-class family who suddenly find themselves in the 
 possession of immense wealth, and the interest of the story is obtained by 
 showing what effect this change has upon their various characters. With 
 fine subtlety the author depicts the disappointments which follow the 
 Folletts in their efforts to get into society and make aristocratic marriages. 
 
 "One of the most entertaining stories of the season, full of vigorous action and 
 strong in character-painting." The Teatktn' Aid. 
 
 SARAH DOUDNEY 
 
 Under False Colours: * s ^Jiri Two rls> 
 
 Lives. With 6 page Illus- 
 trations by G. G. KILBTJRNE. 4s. 
 
 A story which will attract readers of all ages and of either sex. The 
 incidents of the plot, arising from the thoughtless indulgence of a deceptive 
 freak, are exceedingly natural, and the keen interest of the narrative is sus- 
 tained from beginning to end. Under False Colours is a book which will 
 rivet the attention, amuse the fancy, and touch the heart. 
 
 "This is a charming story, abounding in delicate touches of sentiment and pathos. 
 Its plot is skilfully contrived. It will be read with a warm interest by every girl who 
 takes it up." Scotsman. 
 
 E. EVERETT-GREEN 
 
 Miriam's Ambition, with illustrations. zs.6d. 
 
 Miriam's ambition is to make someone happy, and her endeavour carries 
 with it a train of incident, solving a mystery which had thrown a shadow 
 over several lives. A charming foil to her grave elder sister is to be found 
 in Miss Babs, a small coquette of five, whose humorous child-talk is so 
 attractive. 
 
 " Miss Everett-Green's children are real British boys and girls, not small men and 
 women. Babs is a charming little oat." Liverpool Mercury. 
 
 EMMA LESLIE 
 
 s Messacre- A Tale of Saxon England With 
 
 s message. IIlustrations . ^ ^ 
 
 We get a glimpse of the stirring events taking place at that period ; and 
 both boys and girls will delight to read of the home life of Hilda and 
 Gytha, and of the brave deeds of the impulsive Gurth and the faithful 
 Leofric. 
 
 " This is a charmingly told story. It is the sort of book that all girls and some 
 boys bice, and can only get good from." Journal of Education.
 
 Blackie & Son's 
 
 Finely Illustrated Books for 
 
 Children 
 
 SHEILA E. BRAINE 
 
 The Princess of Hearts. w ; th 
 
 colour and 70 Illustra- 
 
 tions by ALICE B. WOODWARD. F'cap 4to, cloth elegant, gilt 
 edges, 6s. 
 
 Take a Princess, a mysterious Duchess, frog and fairy combined, an 
 Ogre Mugwump by name, malevolent by nature, a Palace inhabited by 
 the Royal Family of Hearts, and a marsh gay with " Winking Marybuds ", 
 and alive with Queer Folk. Add a Contradicter and a peppery Scullery- 
 maid, and we have the essential ingredients of this delightful fairy tale. 
 
 "A valuable addition to fairy-tale lore, worthily illustrated by Alice B. Woodward." 
 
 Queen. 
 
 CARTON MOORE PARK 
 
 A Book Of Birds. th 26 -P^ PIa * s > Decora- 
 
 tions, and Cover Design by CARTON 
 
 MOORE PARK. Demy 410 (13 inches by 10 inches), price 5-r. 
 
 This season Mr. Carton Moore Park follows up his remarkable Alphabet 
 of Animals with an equally notable series of bird studies. Generous as 
 was the welcome accorded to his animal pictures, it may safely be prophesied 
 that A Book of Birds will meet with even warmer appreciation. It is char- 
 acterized by the same extraordinary vigour of treatment and originality of 
 design as marked its predecessor as the artistic gift-book of last season. 
 
 " His collection is one that will appeal as much to the artistic eye as to the child." 
 
 St. James's Budget. 
 
 MRS. PERCY DEARMER 
 
 Roundabout Rhymes, with 20 fuii-page iiiustra- 
 
 J tions in colour by Mrs. 
 
 PERCY DEARMER. Imperial 8vo, cloth extra, 2s. 6d. 
 
 A charming volume of verses and colour pictures for little folk rhymes 
 and pictures about most of the everyday events of nursery life. 
 
 "The best verses written for children since Stevenson's Child's Garden. Alto- 
 gether we commend this book as a very charming piece of design, and mor^ 
 especially as verse, touched with a great deal of insight and humour, yet perfectly 
 simple and amusing." The Guardian. 
 U6] (S)
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 MABEL E. WOTTON ' ^ 
 
 The Little BrOWnS. With Frontispiece in colour and 
 
 more than so Illustrations by 
 H. M. BROCK. F'cap 410, cloth elegant, gilt edges, 6^. 
 
 The little Browns are a delightful set of youngsters whom the upbringing 
 of an inert mother and faddist father has rendered more than usually 
 individual and self-reliant. During their parents' absence they extend 
 hospitality to a stranger under the belief that he is their unknown and long- 
 expected uncle from Australia. Two of the little girls make the discovery 
 that the supposed uncle is really a burglar who is in league with the new 
 man-servant, and by their courage and childish resource outwit him. 
 
 "Young readers will find The Little Browns irresistibly attractive." Observer. 
 
 BEATRICE HARRADEN 
 
 tions by JOHN H. 
 
 Things Will Take a Turn, ww, must,*- 
 
 D 
 
 BACON. 2s. 6d. 
 
 A happy creation this by the author of Ships that Pass in the Night. 
 One cannot help loving the sunny-hearted child who assists her grand- 
 dad in his dusty second-hand book-shop, she is so gay, so engaging, so 
 natural. And to love Rosebud is to love all her friends, and enter 
 sympathetically into the good fortune she brought them. The charm of 
 this tale, as of all Miss Harraden's work, is a delicate, wistful sympathy. 
 
 "One of the most pathetic and touching stories for children that we have ever 
 met with. The whole moral tone of this book is so good that we would advise all 
 parents to read it to their children." Court Circular. 
 
 HAMISH HENDRY 
 
 Red Apple and Silver Bells: r n 
 
 r I for Children of all 
 
 Ages. With over 150 charming Illustrations by ALICE B. WOOD- 
 WARD. New Edition. Square 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, 
 y. 6d. 
 
 These are verses for children, not merely about them ; for their subjects 
 are the facts of child-life, the thoughts are children's thoughts, and the 
 language largely children's language. Miss Woodward's beautiful decora- 
 tions and pictures will delight children by their actuality and real human 
 interest. 
 
 " Mr. Hendry sees the world as children see it, and he writes charmingly about it. 
 Miss Woodward's designs are just what the verses require." Athenaum. 
 
 (26)
 
 From THE LITTLE BROWNS 
 By MABEL E. WOTTON. 6s. 
 
 _x^7 au^ni" little (Svu.p
 
 BLACK1ES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 A. B. ROMNEY 
 
 Little Village Folk. With 37 Illustrations by ROBERT 
 O HOPE. Crown 8vo, cloth ele- 
 
 gant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 A series of delightful stories of Irish village children. Miss Romney 
 opens up a new field in these beautiful little tales, which have the twofold 
 charm of humour and poetic feeling. 
 
 " A story book that will be welcomed wherever it makes its way." Literary World, 
 
 ALICE TALWIN MORRIS 
 
 The Elephant's Apology. ] 
 
 WOODWARD. Square 8vo, decorated cloth, 2s, 6d. 
 
 Why it was very necessary and how his Worship the Mayor was graciously 
 pleased to accept the apology is set forth in pleasant words and pictures. 
 Other animal stories follow, but it would take more than a page to tell 
 of half the delights to be found in these pretty tales both by children 
 and by their elders. 
 
 "We have not seen a more charming or dainty book for children." Pall Mall 
 Gazette. 
 
 ALICE CORKRAN 
 
 Down the Snow Stairs: r ' *! rom Good t^ 
 
 Good-morning. With 60 
 Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE, y. 6d. 
 
 A story full of vivid fancy and quaint originality. It carries with it a 
 strong sense of reality, and derives a singular attraction from that combina- 
 tion of simplicity, originality, and subtle humour which is so much appre- 
 ciated by lively and thoughtful children. 
 
 "This book stands out facile princeps a gem of the first water, bearing upon every 
 page the signet-mark of genius." Christian Leader. 
 
 JENNIE CHAPPELL 
 
 Mignonne: or, Miss Patricia's Pet. 
 
 With a Frontispiece and 20 Illustrations in the Text by PAUL 
 HARDY. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 2s. 
 
 Miss Patricia has long desired in vain to adopt the child, who is left 
 in her charge. A severe illness deprives the little girl of all recollection 
 of the past, and causes a report of her death to be sent to her father, who is 
 abroad. Mignonne's eventual restoration, with recovered memory, to her 
 family, brings the story to a happy end. 
 
 "There can be no more desirable book for schoolroom or fireside." Whitehall 
 Review.
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 STORIES BY GEORGE MAC DONALD 
 
 (NEW AND UNIFORM EDITION) 
 
 A Rough Shaking. 
 
 elegant, y. 6d. 
 
 Clare, the hero of the story, is a boy whose mother is killed at his side by 
 the fall of a church during an earthquake. The kindly clergyman and his 
 wife, who adopt him, die while he is still very young, and he is thrown upon 
 the world a second time. The narrative of his wanderings is full of interest 
 and novelty, the boy's unswerving honesty and his passion for children and 
 animals leading him into all sorts of adventures. He works on a farm, sup- 
 ports a baby in an old deserted house, finds employment in a menagerie, 
 becomes a bank clerk, is kidnapped, and ultimately discovers his father on 
 board the ship to which he has been conveyed. 
 
 At the Back of the North Wind. 
 
 Illustra- 
 
 tions by ARTHUR HUGHES, and a Frontispiece by LAURENCE Hous- 
 MAN. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, y. 6d. 
 
 "In At the Back of the North Wind we stand with one foot in fairyland and one on 
 common earth. The story is thoroughly original, full of fancy and pathos." The Times. 
 
 Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood, 
 
 J trations by 
 
 ARTHUR HUGHES. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3-$-. 6d. 
 
 " Dr. Mac Donald has a real understanding of boy nature, and he has in consequence 
 written a capital story, judged from their stand-point, with a true ring all through which 
 ensures its success." The Spectator. 
 
 The Princess and the Goblin. 
 
 HUGHES, and a Frontispiece by LAURENCE HOUSMAN. Crown 8vo, 
 cloth elegant, $s. 6d. 
 
 In the sphere of fantasy George Mac Donald has very few equals, and his 
 rare touch of many aspects of life invariably gives to his stories a deeper mean- 
 ing of the highest value. His Princess and Goblin exemplifies both gifts. A 
 fine thread of allegory runs through the narrative of the adventures of the 
 young miner, who, amongst other marvellous experiences, finds his way into 
 the caverns of the gnomes, and achieves a final victory over them. 
 
 The Princess and Curdie. with Frontispiece and 
 
 30 Illustrations by 
 HELEN STRATTON. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, 3*. 6d. 
 
 A sequel to The Princess and the Goblin, tracing the history of the young 
 miner and the princess after the return of the latter to her father's court, where 
 more terrible foes have to be encountered than the grotesque earth-dwellers.
 
 from LITTLE VILLAGE FOLK 
 By A. B. ROMNEY. 2s, 6& 
 
 "POLLY STOOD is A DREAM OF DELIGHT.
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 NEW "GRADUATED" SERIES 
 FOR YOUNGER READERS 
 
 SPECIAL attention has been devoted to the production of a new 
 series of illustrated story-books in which both language and 
 ideas are well within the understanding of little folk. 
 
 No child of six or seven should have any difficulty in reading and 
 understanding unaided the pretty stories in the 6d. series. In the ^d. 
 series the language used is slightly more advanced, but is well within 
 the capacity of children of seven and upwards, while the is. series is 
 designed for little folk of somewhat greater attainments. If the stories 
 are read to and not by children, it will be found that the 6d. gd. and is. 
 series are equally suitable for little folk of all ages. 
 
 Each book has a pretty frontispiece in colours, and several black- 
 and-white illustrations in the text. The type has been carefully selected 
 to accord with the general scheme of the three series, and in the 6d. 
 series is particularly large and bold. 
 
 "GRADUATED" STORIES AT A SHILLING 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth extra . With coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations. 
 
 THE CHOIR SCHOOL. By FREDERICK HARRISON. 
 
 THE SKIPPER. By E. CUTHELL. 
 
 "WHAT MOTHER SAID. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. 
 
 LITTLE MISS VANITY. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKE. 
 
 TWO GIRLS AND A DOG. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. 
 
 MISS MARY'S LITTLE MAID. By ELLINOR DAVENPORT ADAMS. 
 
 "GRADUATED" STORIES AT NINEPENCE 
 
 F'cap Svo, cloth extra. With coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations. 
 
 PUT TO THE PROOF. By Mrs. HENRY CLARKK. 
 
 TEDDY'S SHIP. By A. B. ROMNEY. 
 
 IRMA'S ZITHER. By EDITH KING HALL. 
 
 THE ISLAND OF REFUGE. By MABEL MACKNESS. 
 
 "GRADUATED" STORIES AT SIXPENCE 
 
 F'cap Svo, cloth extra. I I'itA coloured frontispiece and black-and-white illustrations. 
 
 SAHIB'S BIRTHDAY. By L. E. TIDDEMAN. 
 THE SECRET IN THE LOFT. By MABEL MACKNESS. 
 TWO LITTLE FRIENDS. By JENNIE CHAPPELL. 
 TONY'S PETS. By A. B. ROMNEY. 
 ANDY'S TRUST. By EDITH KING HALL. 
 
 (3O
 
 BLACKIES BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 
 NEW CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS 
 
 IN DOORS AND OUT 
 
 Pictures and Stories for Little Folk. With 38 colour pages, over 
 40 full-page black-and-white Illustrations, and a large number of 
 Vignettes. Quarto, ioj4 inches by 7^ inches, cloth elegant, 2s. 6d. 
 
 A MOST attractive book of stories, rhymes, and pictures for little readers. 
 There is no double page without a picture, and the many colour pages in 
 bright tints will prove specially acceptable to young folk. Santa Claus could 
 bring no more welcome gift than this pretty volume. 
 
 ONE SHILLING SERIES 
 
 Quarto, 10^ inches by 7^ inches. 
 
 My Very Best Book. 
 Arm-chair Stories. 
 
 My Very Own Picture Book. 
 Cosy Corner Stories. 
 
 D RIGHT and amusing picture books for the little folk. Each volume 
 contains over twenty full-page drawings by eminent artists, and a large 
 number of smaller illustrations. The cover, and no fewer than twenty 
 pages, are printed in colour. 
 
 SIXPENNY SERIES 
 
 Quarto, 10^5 inches by jfy inches. 
 
 Smiles and Dimples. 
 
 Little Bright-Eyes. 
 
 For Kittie and Me. 
 
 As Nice as Nice Can Be. 
 
 Round the Mulberry Bush. 
 
 Little Rosebud. 
 
 For My Little Darling. 
 For Dolly and Me. 
 My Own Story Book. 
 Play-time Pictures. 
 Bed-time Stories. 
 For Little Chicks. 
 
 TT may confidently be said that these are the most attractive picture books 
 ever published at the price. Each book contains an average of six full-page 
 illustrations, a large number of vignettes, and seven pages in colour. The 
 cover designs, also in colour, are extremely attractive, the text is printed in 
 bold type, and the stories and rhymes that form the letterpress are bright and 
 humorous. 
 
 (3*)
 
 UNIV. OF CALIF. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELES