e Groyne the 18. of May. We know no more, but have commandment to stay
the ships. Come down, dear lad, and give us counsel; and may the Lord
help His Church in this great strait.

"Your loving godfather,

"R. G."

"Forgive me, mother, mother, once for all!" cried Amyas, throwing his
arms round her neck.

"I have nothing to forgive, my son, my son! And shall I lose thee,
also?"

"If I be killed, you will have two martyrs of your blood, mother!--"

Mrs. Leigh bowed her head, and was silent. Amyas caught up his hat and
sword, and darted forth toward Bideford.

Amyas literally danced into Sir Richard's hall, where he stood talking
earnestly with various merchants and captains.

"Gloria, gloria! gentles all! The devil is broke loose at last; and now
we know where to have him on the hip!"

"Why so merry, Captain Leigh, when all else are sad?" said a gentle
voice by his side.

"Because I have been sad a long time, while all else were merry, dear
lady. Is the hawk doleful when his hood is pulled off, and he sees the
heron flapping right ahead of him?"

"You seem to forget the danger and the woe of us weak women, sir?"

"I don't forget the danger and the woe of one weak woman, madam, and she
the daughter of a man who once stood in this room," said Amyas, suddenly
collecting himself, in a low stern voice. "And I don't forget the danger
and the woe of one who was worth a thousand even of her. I don't forget
anything, madam."

"Nor forgive either, it seems."

"It will be time to talk of forgiveness after the offender has repented
and amended; and does the sailing of the Armada look like that?"

"Alas, no! God help us!"

"He will help us, madam," said Amyas.

"Admiral Leigh," said Sir Richard, "we need you now, if ever. Here are
the queen's orders to furnish as many ships as we can; though from these
gentlemen's spirit, I should say the orders were well-nigh needless."

"Not a doubt, sir; for my part, I will fit my ship at my own charges,
and fight her too, as long as I have a leg or an arm left."

"Or a tongue to say, never surrender, I'll warrant!" said an old
merchant. "You put life into us old fellows, Admiral Leigh: but it
will be a heavy matter for those poor fellows in Virginia, and for my
daughter too, Madam Dare, with her young babe, as I hear, just born."

"And a very heavy matter," said some one else, "for those who have
ventured their money in these cargoes, which must lie idle, you see, now
f