westward ho-第92节

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se　that　poor　young　gentleman's　fancy　about　a　wench；　but　you　must　call　coward　an　honest　man　that　have　saved　your　life　this　night；　and　not　a　one　of　us　but　has　his　wound　to　show？〃

Amyas　was　silent；　the　rebuke　was　just。

〃I　tell　you；　sir；　if　we've　hove　a　stone　out　of　this　boat　since　we　got　off；　we've　hove　two　hundredweight；　and；　if　the　Lord　had　not　fought　for　us；　she'd　have　been　beat　to　noggin…staves　there　on　the　beach。〃

〃How　did　I　come　here；　then？〃

〃Tom　Hart　dragged　you　in　out　of　five　feet　water；　and　then　thrust　the　boat　off；　and　had　his　brains　beat　out　for　reward。　　All　were　knocked　down　but　us　two。　　So　help　me　God；　we　thought　that　you　had　hove　Mr。　Frank　on　board　just　as　you　were　knocked　down；　and　saw　William　Frost　drag　him　in。〃

But　William　Frost　was　lying　senseless　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　There　was　no　explanation。　　After　all；　none　was　needed。

〃And　I　have　three　wounds　from　stones；　and　this　man　behind　me　as　many　more；　beside　a　shot　through　his　shoulder。　　Now；　sir；　be　we　cowards？〃

〃You　have　done　your　duty；〃　said　Amyas；　and　sank　down　in　the　boat；　and　cried　as　if　his　heart　would　break；　and　then　sprang　up；　and；　wounded　as　he　was；　took　the　oar　from　Evans's　hands。　　With　weary　work　they　made　the　ship；　but　so　exhausted　that　another　boat　had　to　be　lowered　to　get　them　alongside。

The　alarm　being　now　given；　it　was　hardly　safe　to　remain　where　they　were；　and　after　a　stormy　and　sad　argument；　it　was　agreed　to　weigh　anchor　and　stand　off　and　on　till　morning；　for　Amyas　refused　to　leave　the　spot　till　he　was　compelled；　though　he　had　no　hope　（how　could　he　have？）　that　Frank　might　still　be　alive。　　And　perhaps　it　was　well　for　them；　as　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter；　that　morning　did　not　find　them　at　anchor　close　to　the　town。

However　that　may　be；　so　ended　that　fatal　venture　of　mistaken　chivalry。



CHAPTER　XX

SPANISH　BLOODHOUNDS　AND　ENGLISH　MASTIFFS


〃Full　seven　long　hours　in　all　men's　sight　　　This　fight　endured　sore；　Until　our　men　so　feeble　grew；　　　That　they　could　fight　no　more。　And　then　upon　dead　horses　　　Full　savorly　they　fed；　And　drank　the　puddle　water；　　　They　could　no　better　get。

〃When　they　had　fed　so　freely　　　They　kneeled　on　the　ground；　And　gave　God　thanks　devoutly　for　　　The　favor　they　had　found；　Then　beating　up　their　colors；　　　The　fight　they　did　renew；　And　turning　to　the　Spaniards；　　　A　thousand　more　they　slew。〃

　　The　Brave　Lord　Willoughby。　　1586。


When　the　sun　leaped　up　the　next　morning；　and　the　tropic　light　flashed　suddenly　into　the　tropic　day；　Amyas　was　pacing　the　deck；　with　dishevelled　hair　and　torn　clothes；　his　eyes　red　with　rage　and　weeping；　his　heart　fullhow　can　I　describe　it？　　Picture　it　to　yourselves；　picture　it　to　yourselves；　you　who　have　ever　lost　a　brother；　and　you　who　have　not；　thank　God　that　you　know　nothing　of　his　agony。　　Full　of　impossible　projects；　he　strode　and　staggered　up　and　down；　as　the　ship　thrashed　close…hauled　through　the　rolling　seas。　　He　would　go　back　and　burn　the　villa。　　He　would　take　Guayra；　and　have　the　life　of　every　man　in　it　in　return　for　his　brother's。　〃We　can　do　it；　lads！〃　he　shouted。　　〃If　Drake　took　Nombre　de　Dios；　we　can　take　La　Guayra。〃　　And　every　voice　shouted；　〃Yes。〃

〃We　will　have　it；　Amyas；　and　have　Frank　too；　yet；〃　cried　Cary；　but　Amyas　shook　his　head。　　He　knew；　and　knew　not　why　he　knew；　that　all　the　ports　in　New　Spain　would　never　restore　to　him　that　one　beloved　face。

〃Yes；　he　shall　be　well　avenged。　　And　look　there！　　There　is　the　first　crop　of　our　vengeance。　　And　he　pointed　toward　the　shore；　where　between　them　and　the　now　distant　peaks　of　the　Silla；　three　sails　appeared；　not　five　miles　to　windward。

〃There　are　the　Spanish　bloodhounds　on　our　heels；　the　same　ships　which　we　saw　yesterday　off　Guayra。　　Back；　lads；　and　welcome　them；　if　they　were　a　dozen。〃

There　was　a　murmur　of　applause　from　all　around；　and　if　any　young　heart　sank　for　a　moment　at　the　prospect　of　fighting　three　ships　at　once；　it　was　awed　into　silence　by　the　cheer　which　rose　from　all　the　older　men；　and　by　Salvation　Yeo's　stentorian　voice。

〃If　there　were　a　dozen；　the　Lord　is　with　us；　who　has　said；　'One　of　you　shall　chase　a　thousand。'　　Clear　away；　lads；　and　see　the　glory　of　the　Lord　this　day。〃

〃Amen！〃　cried　Cary；　and　the　ship　was　kept　still　closer　to　the　wind。

Amyas　had　revived　at　the　sight　of　battle。　　He　no　longer　felt　his　wounds；　or　his　great　sorrow；　even　Frank's　last　angel's　look　grew　dimmer　every　moment　as　he　bustled　about　the　deck；　and　ere　a　quarter　of　an　hour　had　passed；　his　voice　cried　firmly　and　cheerfully　as　of　old

〃Now；　my　masters；　let　us　serve　God；　and　then　to　breakfast；　and　after　that　clear　for　action。〃

Jack　Brimblecombe　read　the　daily　prayers；　and　the　prayers　before　a　fight　at　sea；　and　his　honest　voice　trembled；　as；　in　the　Prayer　for　all　Conditions　of　Men　（in　spite　of　Amyas's　despair）；　he　added；　〃and　especially　for　our　dear　brother　Mr。　Francis　Leigh；　perhaps　captive　among　the　idolaters；〃　and　so　they　rose。

〃Now；　then；〃　said　Amyas；　〃to　breakfast。　　A　Frenchman　fights　best　fasting；　a　Dutchman　drunk；　an　Englishman　full；　and　a　Spaniard　when　the　devil　is　in　him；　and　that's　always。〃

〃And　good　beef　and　the　good　cause　are　a　match　for　the　devil；〃　said　Cary。　　〃Come　down；　captain；　you　must　eat　too。〃

Amyas　shook　his　head；　took　the　tiller　from　the　steersman；　and　bade　him　go　below　and　fill　himself。　　Will　Cary　went　down；　and　returned　in　five　minutes；　with　a　plate　of　bread　and　beef；　and　a　great　jack　of　ale；　coaxed　them　down　Amyas's　throat；　as　a　nurse　does　with　a　child；　and　then　scuttled　below　again　with　tears　hopping　down　his　face。

Amyas　stood　still　steering。　　His　face　was　grown　seven　years　older　in　the　last　night。　　A　terrible　set　calm　was　on　him。　　Woe　to　the　man　who　came　across　him　that　day！

〃There　are　three　of　them；　you　see；　my　masters；〃　said　he；　as　the　crew　came　on　deck　again。　　〃A　big　ship　forward；　and　two　galleys　astern　of　her。　　The　big　ship　may　keep；　she　is　a　race　ship；　and　if　we　can　but　recover　the　wind　of　her；　we　will　see　whether　our　height　is　not　a　match　for　her　length。　　We　must　give　her　the　slip；　and　take　the　galleys　first。〃

〃I　thank　the　Lord；〃　said　Yeo；　〃who　has　given　so　wise　a　heart　to　so　young　a　general；　a　very　David　and　Daniel；　saving　his　presence；　lads；　and　if　any　dare　not　follow　him；　let　him　be　as　the　men　of　Meroz　and　of　Succoth。　　Amen！　　Silas　Staveley；　smite　me　that　boy　over　the　head；　the　young　monkey；　why　is　he　not　down　at　the　powder…　room　door？〃

And　Yeo　went　about　his　gunnery；　as　one　who　knew　how　to　do　it；　and　had　the　most　terrible　mind　to　do　it　thoroughly；　and　the　most　terrible　faith　that　it　was　God's　work。

So　all　fell　to；　and　though　there　was　comparatively　little　to　be　done；　the　ship　having　been　kept　as　far　as　could　be　in　fighting　order　all　night；　yet　there　was　〃clearing　of　decks；　lacing　of　nettings；　making　of　bulwarks；　fitting　of　waist…cloths；　arming　of　tops；　tallowing　of　pikes；　slinging　of　yards；　doubling　of　sheets　and　tacks；〃　enough　to　satisfy　even　the　pedantical　soul　of　Richard　Hawkins　himself。　　Amyas　took　charge　of　the　poop；　Cary　of　the　forecastle；　and　Yeo；　as　gunner；　of　the　main…deck；　while　Drew；　as　master；　settled　himself　in　the　waist；　and　all　was　ready；　and　more　than　ready；　before　the　great　ship　was　within　two　miles　of　them。

And　now　while　the　mastiffs　of　England　and　the　bloodhounds　of　Spain　are　nearing　and　nearing　over　the　rolling　surges；　thirsting　for　each　other's　blood；　let　us　spend　a　few　minutes　at　least　in　looking　at　them　both；　and　considering　the　causes　which　in　those　days　enabled　the　English　to　face　and　conquer　armaments　immensely　superior　in　size　and　number　of　ships；　and　to　boast　that　in　the　whole　Spanish　war　but　one　queen's　ship；　the　Revenge；　and　（if　I　recollect　right）　but　one　private　man…of…war；　Sir　Richard　Hawkins's　Dainty；　had　ever　struck　their　colors　to　the　enemy。

What　was　it　which　enabled　Sir　Richard　Grenville's　Revenge；　in　his　last　fearful　fight　off　the　Azores；　to　endure；　for　twelve　hours　before　she　struck；　the　attack　of　eight　Spanish　armadas；　of　which　two　（three　times　her　own　burden）　sank　at　her　side；　and　after　all　her　masts　were　gone；　and　she　had　been　boarded　three　times　without　success；　to　defy　to　the　last　the　whole　fleet　of　fifty…four　sail；　which　lay　around　her；　waiting　for　her　to　sink；　〃like　dogs　around　the　dying　forest　king〃？

What　enabled　young　Richard　Hawkins's　Dainty；　though　half　her　guns　were　useless　through　the　carelessness　or　treachery　of　the　gunner；　to　maintain　for　three　days　a　running　fight　with　two　Spaniards　of　equal　size　with　her；　double　the　weight　of　metal；　and　ten　times　the　number　of　men？

What　enabled　Sir　George　Cary's　illustrious　ship；　the　Content；　to　fight；　single…handed；　from　seven　in　the　morning　till　eleven　at　night；　with　four　great　armadas　and　two　galleys；　though　her　heaviest　gun　was　but　one　nine…pounder；　and　for　many　hours　she　had　but　thirteen　men　fit　for　service？

What　enabled；　in　the　very　year　of　which　I　write；　those　two　〃valiant　Turkey　Merchantmen　of　London；　the　Merchant　Royal　and　the　Tobie；〃　with　their　three　small　consorts；　to　cripple；　off　Pantellaria　in　the　Mediterranean；　the　whole　fleet　of　Spanish　galleys　sent　to　intercept　them；　and　return　triumphant　through　the　Straits　of　Gibraltar？

And　lastly；　what　in　the　fight　of　1588；　whereof　more　hereafter；　enabled　the　English　fleet　to　capture；　de