Under Drakes Flag | Page 4

might have been fatal.
Presently, close to him, he heard a short muffled bark; and, looking
round, saw a large dog with a child in its mouth. The animal, which
was of the mastiff breed, appeared already exhausted. The Otter looked
hastily round and, seeing a piece of wreck of suitable size, he seized it,
and with some difficulty succeeded in bringing it close to the dog.
Fortunately the spar was a portion of one of the yards, and still had a
quantity of rope connected to it. He now took hold of the child's clothes,
the dog readily yielding up the treasure he had carried, seeing that the
newcomer was likely to afford better assistance than himself.
In a few moments the child was fastened to the spar, and the Otter
began steadily to push it towards the shore; the dog swimming
alongside, evidently much relieved at getting rid of his burden. When
he neared the line of breakers the lad waved his hand, as a sign to them
to prepare to rush forward, and lend a hand, when the spar approached.
He then paddled forward quietly and, keeping just outside the line of

the breakers, waved to those on shore to throw, if possible, a rope.
Several attempts were made to hurl a stone, fastened to the end of a
light line, within his reach.
After many failures, he at last caught the line. This he fastened to the
spar, and signaled to those on shore to pull it in; then, side by side with
the dog, he followed. Looking round behind him, he watched a great
breaker rolling in and, as before, dived as it passed over his head, and
rode forward on the swell towards the shore.
Then there was a desperate struggle. At one moment his feet touched
the ground, at another he was hauled back and tossed into the whirling
sea; sometimes almost losing his consciousness, but ever keeping his
head cool, and striving steadily to make progress. Several times he was
dashed against the beach with great force, and it was his knowledge
that the only safe way of approaching shore, through a heavy surf, is to
keep sideways to the waves, and allow them to roll one over and over,
that he escaped death--for, had he advanced straight towards the shore,
the force of the waves would have rolled him heels-over-head, and
would almost certainly have broken his neck.
At last, just as consciousness was leaving him, and he thought that he
could struggle no more, a hand grasped his arm. The fishermen, joining
hand in hand, had gone down into the surf; and after many ineffectual
efforts, had at last seized him, as a retiring wave was carrying him out
again, for the fifth time.
With the consciousness of rescue all feeling left him, and it was some
minutes before he recovered his senses. His first question was for the
safety of the child on the spar, and he was glad to hear that it had come
to shore without hurt. The dog, too, had been rolled up the beach, and
seized before taken off again, but had broken one of its legs.
The Otter was soon on his feet again and, saying, "I must make my way
home, they will be alarmed about me," was about to turn away, when a
group of gentlemen standing near advanced.
"You are a fine lad," one of them said to him. "A fine lad, and an honor

to the south of Devonshire. My name is Francis Drake, and if there be
aught that I can do for you, now or hereafter, I shall be glad, indeed, to
do my utmost for so gallant a youth as yourself."
"Oh, sir!" the boy exclaimed, his cheek flushing with excitement. "If
you are Master Francis Drake, will you let me join your ship, for the
voyage to the Indies?"
"Ah! my boy," the gentleman said, "you have asked the only thing,
perhaps, which I should feel obliged to refuse you. Already we have
more than our number, and to avoid the importunity of the many who
wish to go, or of my powerful friends who desired to place sons or
relations in my charge, I have been obliged to swear that I would take
no other sailor, in addition to those already shipped.
"You are, however, young," he said, as he marked the change in the
boy's face; "and I promise you that if I come back, and again sail on an
expedition like that on which I now start, that you shall be one of my
crew. What is your name, lad? I hear them call you Otter, and truly the
beast is no better swimmer than you are."
"My name, sir, is Ned Hearne. My father