tants saw that the attack had been avoided.

When flood-tide came, Captain Rogers once more ordered an advance upon
the town.

"No! No!" argued Dover. "They are too well prepared. Night will cloak
our movements, so we should then go on. I, myself, advise the sending
of a trumpeter with a flag of truce. He shall propose that we make
some trades with the people of this place."

"Your measure is half-hearted," said Rogers, with heat. "You are a
craven knave. Let's rush the town like Englishmen and heroes!"

Again cautious counsel prevailed. Two prisoners--a Lieutenant from
Puna, and the Captain of the Frenchman of recent capture--were sent to
parley with the Spaniards.

"The English are afraid!" whispered the inhabitants. "Let us keep them
off with braggadocio, and mayhap reinforcements will come to us."

So they bickered and delayed.

"These dogs would palaver forever," said Captain Rogers, when
negotiations had proceeded for full two days without result. "I, for
one, am for attacking the city right now!"

"Yes! On! On!" cried his men.

Even the cautious Dover was ready to advance; so, landing upon the
beach, the one hundred and ten ran towards the town with a wild,
exultant whoop!

_Zip! Zip!_ came the bullets from the nearer houses, as the privateers
advanced.

_Boom! Boom!_ sounded the guns from the _Duchess_ and the _Duke_,
which had edged up near the wharves and anchored. Shells shrieked and
burst; guns roared; and, with a hoarse cheer, the English beat down
two lines of Spaniards who opposed them.

Back, back, they crushed the defenders of Guayaquil to the
market-place in the centre of the town, where four cannon were drawn
up behind a barricade which was flanked by cavalry.

_Crash! Crash!_ they roared at the on-coming privateers, and many a
man went down before the exploding grape and cannister. But the blood
of the English was now up.

"Take the guns!" shouted Woodes Rogers. "Scale the barricade and spike
the pieces!"

With a mighty roar the jack-tars ran for the engines of death; leaping
over the wall of the defenses; bayonetting the gunners; turning the
spitting war-engines upon the cavalry, which, in confusion and dismay,
was driven down a crooked lane. It was the last stand. The English
standard soon waved from the flag-pole of the House of Justice.

"And now," cried Captain Rogers, gleefully, "I'll meet the worthy
_Padres_ and treat with them for a ransom. We'll make them pay full
well