so overcome with a great inspiration that he could not
speak. Then, as with Balboa, the fire of a splendid enthusiasm lighted
up the mean purposes of the adventurer to a higher manhood. Before his
followers, he fell on his knees and prayed Almighty God to grant him
the supreme honor of sailing an English ship on that sea!

That night the Indian came back with word that the mule train laden
with gold was close on the trail. Drake scattered his men on each side
of the road flat on their faces in high grass. Wealth was almost in
their grasp. Hope beat riotous in the young bloods. No sound but the
whir of wings as great tropic insects flitted through the dark with
flashes of fire; or the clank of a soldier unstrapping haversack to
steel courage by a drink of grog! An hour passed! Two hours before
the eager ears pressed to earth detected a padded hoof-beat over grass.
Then a bell tinkled, as the leader of the pack came in sight. Drunk
with the glory of the day, or too much grog, some fool sailor leaped in
{145} mid-air with an exultant yell! In a second the mule train had
stampeded.

By the time Drake came to the halfway house,[3] the gold was hidden in
the woods, and the Spaniards fleeing for their lives; though an old
chronicle declares "the general" went from house to house assuring the
Spanish ladies they were safe. The Spaniards of Tierra Firme were
simply paralyzed with fright at the apparition of pirates in the centre
of the kingdom. Then scouts brought word of double danger: on the
Atlantic side, Spanish frigates were searching for Drake's ships; from
the Pacific, two hundred horsemen were advancing in hot pursuit.
Between the two--was he trapped?--Not he! Overland went a scout to the
ships--Drake's own gold toothpick as token--bidding them keep offshore;
he would find means to come out to them. Then he retreated over the
trail at lightning pace, sleeping only in ambush, eating in snatches,
coming out on the coast far distant from Nombre de Dios and Spanish
frigates. Binding driftwood into a raft, Drake hoisted sail of flour
sacks. Saying good-by to the Indian, the freebooter noticed Pedro's
eyes wander to the gold-embossed Turkish cimeter in his own hand, and
at once presented scabbard and blade to the astonished savage. In
gratitude the Indian tossed three wedges of gold to the raft now
sheering out with the tide to sea. These Drake gave {146} to his men.
Six hours the raft was drifting to the s