It may have been near midnight on that Sunday night when I went aloft to
the main-tops. The sea was still running high, and it was all I could
do, in the drizzling rain and wild wind, to hold on to my perch. Now
and then a wild gull, terrified by the invasion of its peace, whirled
past me, and shrieked away seaward. Once, with a swish and dull boom
behind it, a shot passed below me; and once or twice a quiver up the
tall mast told me the _Rata's_ guns were at work.
I could detect nothing in the darkness, save the twinkling of many a dim
light ahead, and the glare of the ship's lanthorns on the deck below.
But, amid the howling of the squall, I heard the thunder of a battle
somewhere near, with now and then a loud shout and a rattling of chains,
and knew that King Philip of Spain had not yet muzzled the English sea-
dogs.
So the night passed, and when morning dawned, cold and grey, I was
stupid with sleep, and hunger, and loneliness. The storm had died away,
and the water lay sullen and still, while the sails below flapped
heavily in the wind. The _Rata_ had dropped to the rear of the Armada,
which spread eastward in a long irregular line, very different from the
grand curve with which she had swept on Plymouth.
Behind us, some three miles away, cruised the Englishmen, looking at us;
while, betwixt us and the far distant Portland headland, I could see the
vast hull of one of our own galleons (the same which had blown up in the
night), surrounded by a swarm of little craft that picked her bones,
like crows on a carcase. Nearer still lay a great disabled Spaniard,
with bowsprit and top-masts gone, and flag struck, being towed by her
capturers into port. As for the _Rata_ herself, 'twas sad to see how
dingy the gay gilding had become in one day, and how sails were riddled,
tackle flying, and scutcheons toppled over.
Yet, I had but a passing glance for all these. Where was Ludar? Was he
returned? Or was he in the Englishmen's hands? Or was the little cock-
boat, perchance, floating somewhere bottom uppermost, and he beneath it?
I scanned the waters till my eyes ached. Far ahead, miles away, I
fancied I could see, towering among the other galleons, the Duke's royal
standard. But, amidst these huddled ships, and water littered with many
a spar and little boat, with galleys gliding here and there, signals
going, with movings in and out, this way and that, who was to find a
solitary man in a cock-boat?
Yet, I think, love has keener eyes than most; and so I, looking again
towards where a few stout English craft, returning to their line after a
cruise up Channel, cracked out their broadside on the nearest Spaniard
within reach, I seemed to see between us and them something in the water
which made me look twice. It may have been half-a-mile away, a speck on
the water, like some floating barrel or spar. Yet, for the stillness of
the water, it moved, as I thought, more than an idle log; and once, as
the sun flashed out for a moment along the surface, I thought it to be a
head and shoulders.
Presently I lost it, for the glare of the rising sun blotted it out like
a speck on a shining mirror. I began to think it was but fancy, or,
even if it be a swimmer, it could never be Ludar, who would come from
the other quarter, where the Duke's ship was; when once again I saw the
figure, this time near enough to know it was assuredly a man who,
between each few strokes he took, waved a hand above his head.
I was down the mast in a twinkling, caring nought if I were to swing at
the yard-arm within an hour, and ran wildly to the quarter-deck.
"Sir Don!" shouted I, breaking in upon him and his lieutenants, "by your
leave, yonder comes Sir Ludar, swimming for his life."
The Don rounded on me with knitted brows. But I cared not.
"Put out a boat to save him, or he is lost!" I cried, "Has your night
aloft, sirrah, taught you no better manners?" said he. "Go back--"
But here, looking over towards the swimmer, I saw him throw up both
arms, and heard a shout which set every vein in me tingling.
I waited not for his Don-ship, or anyone beside; but flung myself
headlong over the tall side into the sea, and struck out with all my
might for the place.
A Spanish sentinel on deck, seeing my sudden plunge, and smelling
treachery and desertion in it, let fly at me with his musket, grazing my
elbow, and sending me ducking a dozen yards or more, before I durst show
head again above water. But I had somewhat better to think of than
Spanish bullets. For a few minutes I could see nothing of the swimmer,
and was beginning to fear I was too late after all, when suddenly a wave
brought him close beside me.
Sure enough, it was Ludar, well-nigh spent, keeping himself up with
short, breathless strokes, but unable to do more. He was alive enough
to know me, and to lay his hand on my arm for support. Hard-pressed as
he was, he held betwixt his teeth a paper, which I guessed to be the
Duke's despatch, and which, to give him better use for his mouth, I took
from him and stuck in my own collar. After that he revived, and
together we paddled towards the _Rata_, which lay, with sails flapping,
almost motionless in the rapidly calming sea.
The Spaniards on board seemed to have changed their minds as to myself,
for, instead of the sentinel with his gun, a sailor with a rope stood
waiting at the gunwale to receive us. I think, had we gone down where
we were, he would hardly have troubled himself to come after us. But
since we held up, and drifted within reach of his line, he honoured us
by casting it our way; and so, with some hauling, we got aboard.
Ludar had partly recovered from his fatigue when he stepped once more on
the deck and took the letter from my neck, "You have done me a good
turn," said he, with a glow in his face which I prized as much as all
the gold pieces in the hold of the _Rata_; "you have made it possible
for me to keep my parole with the Don. Thank you, Humphrey."
Then bidding me follow, he led the way to the quarter-deck, and without
a word handed his missive to the Don.
"Senor has returned by a strange way," said the commander.
"I have returned the only way open to me. His Majesty your King has
lost a cock-boat."
"He has found what will compensate him--a gallant servant."
"Your pardon," said Ludar, shortly, "I am no servant of the King of
Spain. I was his debtor, as was my friend. We are quits up to now.
What more we accept from him, we shall be bound to repay,--no more."
The Don frowned, and then smiled, and then with a quiet gesture raised
his hand to his helmet.
Accepting this salute as a dismissal, Ludar took my arm and walked away.
No more was said about me just then; but I think, after what passed, the
Don, however much he disliked me, deemed it not worth his while to
separate me from my comrade.
Ludar told me, what he never told the Don, that he had been captured as
he returned in the cock-boat by a boat of the enemy's, belonging to the
ship _Revenge_. The men of the boat, perceiving him to be of their
speech, and suspecting he carried news (though he had hidden his letter
in his shoe), resolved to carry him to their Captain Drake, to which he
seemed to submit. But waiting till he came somewhere near where he
suspected the _Rata_ to lie, he had slipped overboard, and hanging
quietly under the stern-sheets till they were tired of looking for him,
had got off; and after beating about an hour and more, had sighted us in
the dawn, and (as he confessed), but for my sight of him, might not have
been there to tell the story.
Well, after that, for two days, the weather remained calm; and, as I
said, the Spaniard, though now and again he had the better of the
breeze, could do little with the enemy which hung doggedly on his
skirts, sometimes coming near enough for a broadside, but never, as the
impatient gallants on the _Rata_ prayed he might do, running in to close
quarters. 'Twas pitiful to hear the grinding of noble teeth on board
the ship, as day by day the English Admiral plucked his Majesty's
feathers one by one, yet never gave a chance of a battle. Even Don
Alonzo's grave, mild countenance grew heavy, and as for the sailors
forward, where we were, our friend of the whip had a busy time with them
to keep them from breaking into open mutiny.
So there was much comfort all round when, on the Thursday, the wind got
up and gave us a chance at last of serious business. For, when we
looked out at daybreak, there, scarce two gun-shots off, cruised a
handful of English craft, gaily hauling after them two great Spaniards,
which (so I heard), were full of stores for the fleet, and which the
_Rata_ had kept an eye on for many a day. How, in the night, they had
got separate from the main line and so fallen into the hands of the
sleepless Englishmen, I know not; but this I know, that when daylight
discovered them being towed at the tail of their captors towards an
English port, a cry of rage and fury went up from the _Rata_. All hands
were called, guns were manned, arms were served out, and although by so
doing he left the Armada without its rear-guard, the Don luffed out into
the wind and gave chase.
Then followed merry sport. For no sooner were our backs turned than the
main body of the English (who wished nothing better), slipped into our
place, and blazed away at the Spanish line right and left, till the
whole sea was white with smoke, and you might fancy the thunder of the
guns would be heard in Fleet Street itself.
As for us, we had better have stayed where we were. For, while the
fight went merrily on ahead, a pretty wild goose chase were we led. For
we never got near enough for so much as a broadside. The store ships
lay between us and the English, who cunningly used them as a shield, so
that from whichever quarter we approached, there were the Dons' own
vessels betwixt us and them. Besides that, we could see boats busily
taking over the chief of the treasure under our very eyes; while every
hour we stayed we dropped further and further astern of the main Armada,
so that, had it pleased the Englishmen to spare a ship or two to look
after us, I verily believe we might have been cut off for good, and
towed into an English port, like these same ill-starred store ships we
professed to be rescuing.
Two galliasses, that joined us in our errand, made a gallant attempt, by
parting company and coming suddenly upon the enemy, one from either
quarter, to compel an action. But the Englishman was ready for this.
Keeping the store ships as a shield on the one side, he had a royal
salute ready for the galley on the other--so smartly dealt and with such
deadly aim, that the wretched slaves at the oars tumbled off their
benches and rolled over like so many ninepins; and before others could
take their places, a second broadside and a third swept the craft from
stem to stem. The Spaniard's shot flew high and harmless, and, for
every broadside he let go, the English gave him back two or three.
Thus all that morning and well into the afternoon the _Rata_ hung
miserably in the wind, watching the sport which the Englishman made of
the King of Spain and his galleons, and never once able to get within
speaking distance.
At length, amid many a bitter curse and many an angry taunt, the Don
gave orders to put about, and, leaving the store ships to their fate,
rejoin the fleet, where, at any rate, (now that it seemed a general
fight had at last come about), there was some certain consolation in
store for the fluttered grandees.
Alas! that I should live to pity her Majesty's enemies! But I did so
that afternoon. For when we came upon the scene, the battle was well-
nigh at an end, and the Duke-Admiral's ship, sorely battered in the
bows, was hanging out signals to the fleet to draw off. The sea was
strewn with helpless galleons; amidst which the active English craft
slipped in and out, giving a broadside here, a shot there, a flight of
arrows there, yet never getting within grappling distance, or offering
the Don a chance of boarding. Not a single one of their ships could I
see in distress; while many a Spanish top-mast and bowsprit draggled
shamefully, and many a Spanish corpse could I mark being slipped
overboard.
Don Alonzo, wrathful and baffled, affected not to see his Admiral's
signal, and made one brave attempt to close with the ships nearest him
and so retrieve the honours of the day. But he got more than he gave.
For the Englishmen suddenly slipped to the wind of him, despite all his
efforts, and lying snugly on his flank, as he yawed over with the
breeze, pounded him merrily betwixt wind and water, while his own shot,
aimed at the sky, flew yards above the English topsails. The young
nobles shouted in vain to the enemy to come alongside if they dare, and
try conclusions. The Englishman laughed back out of every port in his
broadside, and bid them catch if they could. Meanwhile, to pass the
time, they slid round by our stern and new-blacked the gilding there,
and even hovered a few minutes to leeward to pick off a score or so of
the crew on the deck with their arrows, before running back to their
quarters on the other port.
How long it went on I know not. For a cry suddenly came of "Hands
below!" and down we went to patch up with all our might the holes the
English shot had made on the water line. And here we worked all night,
amongst a swearing, savage gang, who threatened aloud to blow up the
ship rather than fight any more, and wished themselves safe back in the
drinking-shops of Lisbon.
When, about midnight, half-stifled with the heat, we came on deck, the
_Rata_ was running before the wind at the rear of the Armada, heading
for the French coast; and the lanthorns of the English had dropped a
league behind.
Never saw I a company so changed as were the gallants of Spain by that
day's fight. They still cursed, and laughed, and shouted. But when
they shook their fists it was at the lights ahead, and when they
dropped, silent and downcast, their faces were turned to the lights
astern.
"Humphrey," said Ludar to me, as we stood a moment looking round before
we turned to go to our quarters, "I like not this business."
"Why," said I, "the Spaniard is being beaten, and he knows it. Our
English sea-dogs are too many for him."
"Ay," said he, with a curl of his lip, "your English are brave enough
when there is no helpless woman's head to be taken. But it is because
these Dons are a pack of curs that I like this business less and less."
"It contents me well enough to see them shuffled and routed," said I.
"Yes; but how is it to end? A little more, and instead of sailing up
Channel, we shall be sailing down; instead of finding ourselves in
London, we may arrive in Lisbon. What then?"
This had never occurred to me, I had calculated so surely on finding
myself back in England, that I had forgotten we were prisoners on the
_Rata_, and must even go wherever she took us.
"How can we get away?" I asked. "If we swim to the English they will
mistake us for spies or Spaniards. And we are too far from the shore."
"In a day or two," said Ludar, "unless the English stop us, we should be
near the French Coast. Wait till then. Perchance your master has a
better chance for his type after all than he thinks for."
But any plan of escape was fated to be thwarted then and there, even as
we laid it. For as we passed a black corner, turning below towards our
bunk, there came a sudden gleam and a Spanish curse out of the darkness,
and Ludar, next moment, with the blood rushing from his side, staggered
forward and fell to the ground.
In an instant, before the villain could slink away, I had him by the
neck. It needed no cudgelling of my brains to guess who it might be;
for once and again that day while we worked I had marked the fellow's
evil eye on Ludar. Ludar had laughed when I had told him of it, and had
not deigned so much as to turn his head to see if I spoke true. And in
the bustle that had followed I too had forgot our enemy of the whip.
But he had not forgotten us.
Although I caught him in the dark, he was too quick for me. He had his
blade still, and though he struck wildly and only scratched my arm, the
blow loosed my grip for a moment; and in that moment he dashed past me
and up the ladder. I followed madly. As I reached the deck, I saw him
before me, running forward, and casting a glance behind to see if I
followed. Then, tripping on a rope, he lost his feet, and sprawled
forward, as I supposed, my easy prey.
But Heaven had taken his punishment out of my hands. For, at the very
spot where he fell, the gunwale of the ship stood open at a place where
the refuse of the late battle was being let out from the deck into the
water. And here, before a hand could be stirred or a cry raised, the
wretch plunged shrieking to the fate he deserved, and there was an end
of him.
When I returned below, I found Ludar gasping; but his wound, bad as it
was, was not so bad as the villain intended. The blade which had aimed
at his heart had turned aside on the rib, leaving, indeed, a hideous
flesh-wound in the side, but not threatening life. He was faint with
loss of blood, and I think, with pain; and when I spoke to him, he
turned a white face to me and said nothing.
Therefore, in no little panic, I lifted him gently to his bunk, and went
in search of help.
By good fortune I met Captain Desmond, to whom I told his fellow-
Irishman's plight; and presently he came forward with a leech. This
learned grandee seeing the wound not to be desperate, and having plenty
of business, I suppose, elsewhere, among his sea-sick lordlings, bade us
bandage up the wound as best we could, and find a better place to lay
the sufferer in than that foul hole. Saying which, he dawdled away.
Then Captain Desmond questioned me as to how it all happened, and when I
told him, he shrugged his shoulders and said:
"Help me carry him abaft. Heaven knows there are plenty of empty cabins
on our ship to-night! The Don has enough to think of without this
coming to his ears. Therefore, when we have him safely bestowed, do you
attend to your duties here, as before, and I will see to him. Come
now."
This was a sad blow to me, to be parted from my master and friend in
this hour of danger. Yet it seemed better for him to get to the
gentlemen's quarters; for in the hole where he was he could scarce have
lived. So I was fain to submit. Captain Desmond promised me that once
a day I might come to enquire; and further, that if his man--a Spanish
clown, who shook in his shoes whenever he heard a gun--should by any
chance be killed, I might take his place.
Whereupon, I grieve to say, I prayed devoutly that night that Heaven
would speedily relieve the poor fellow of his fears for good.
Next day I was too miserable toiling alone at the rents in the hold to
see or care much what passed. But I know that, towards evening, when I
looked out, the low cliffs of France were in sight, and that the English
sail were a league in our rear, standing out, as it seemed to me, for
the white walls of their own land.