Great Sea Stories | Page 3

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. 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 waistcloths, arming of tops, tallowing of pikes,
slinging of yards, doubling of sheets and tacks." 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.

She is now within two musket-shots of the Rose, with the golden flag of Spain floating at
her poop; and her trumpets are shouting defiance up the breeze, from a dozen brazen
throats, which two or three answer lustily from the Rose, from whose poop flies the flag
of England, and from her fore the arms of Leigh and Cary side by side, and over them the
ship and bridge of the good town of Bideford. And then Amyas calls--
"Now, silence trumpets, waits, play up! 'Fortune my foe!' and God and the Queen be with
us!"
Whereon (laugh not, reader, for it was the fashion of those musical, as well as valiant
days) up rose that noble old favorite of good Queen Bess, from cornet and sackbut, fife
and drum; while Parson Jack, who had taken his stand with the musicians on the poop,
worked away lustily at his violin.
"Well played, Jack; thy elbow flies like a lamb's tail," said Amyas, forcing a jest.
"It shall fly to a better fiddle-bow presently, sir, and I have the luck--"
"Steady, helm!" said Amyas. "What is he after now?"
The Spaniard, who had been coming upon them right down the wind under a press of sail,
took in his light canvas.
"He don't know what to make of our waiting for him so bold," said the helmsman.
"He does though, and means to fight us," cried another. "See, he is hauling up the foot of
his mainsail: but he wants to keep the wind of us."
"Let him try, then," quoth Amyas. "Keep her closer still. Let no one fire till we are about.
Man the starboard guns; to starboard, and wait, all small arm men. Pass the order down to
the gunner, and bid all fire high, and take the rigging."
Bang went one of the Spaniard's bow guns, and the shot went wide. Then another and
another, while the men fidgeted about, looking at the priming of their muskets, and
loosened their arrows in the sheaf.
"Lie down, men, and sing a psalm. When I want you I'll call you. Closer still, if you can,
helmsman, and we will try a short ship against a long one. We can sail two points nearer
the wind than he."
As Amyas had calculated, the Spaniard would gladly enough have stood across the Rose's
bows, but knowing the English readiness dare not for fear of being raked; so her only
plan, if she did not intend to shoot past her foe down to leeward, was to put her head
close to the wind, and wait for her on the same tack.
Amyas laughed to himself. "Hold on yet awhile. More ways of killing a cat than choking
her with cream. Drew, there, are your men ready?"

"Ay, ay, sir!" and on they went, closing fast with the Spaniard, till within a pistol-shot.
"Ready about!" and about she went like an eel, and ran upon the opposite tack right under
the Spaniard's stern. The Spaniard, astonished at the quickness of the maneuver, hesitated
a moment, and then tried to get about also, as his only chance; but it was too late, and
while his lumbering length was still hanging in the wind's eye, Amyas's bowsprit had all
but scraped his quarter, and the Rose passed slowly across his stern at ten yards' distance.
"Now, then!" roared Amyas. "Fire, and with a will! Have at her, archers: have at her,
muskets all!" and in an instant a storm of bar and