hem,
Robert Drew? She has more than hawseholes in her idolatrous black sides,
I think."

"We shall open her astern of the galleys in another minute," said Amyas.
"Look out, Cary, your eyes are better than mine."

"Six round portholes on the main deck," quoth Will.

"And I can see the brass patararoes glittering on her poop," quoth
Amyas. "Will, we're in for it."

"In for it we are, captain.

"Farewell, farewell, my parents dear.
I never shall see you more, I fear.

"Let's go in, nevertheless, and pound the Don's ribs, my old lad of
Smerwick. Eh? Three to one is very fair odds."

"Not underneath those fort guns, I beg leave to say," quoth Yeo. "If the
Philistines will but come out unto us, we will make them like unto Zeba
and Zalmunna."

"Quite true," said Amyas. "Game cocks are game cocks, but reason's
reason."

"If the Philistines are not coming out, they are going to send a
messenger instead," quoth Cary. "Look out, all thin skulls!"

And as he spoke, a puff of white smoke rolled from the eastern fort, and
a heavy ball plunged into the water between it and the ship.

"I don't altogether like this," quoth Amyas. "What do they mean by
firing on us without warning? And what are these ships of war doing
here? Drew, you told me the armadas never lay here."

"No more, I believe, they do, sir, on account of the anchorage being so
bad, as you may see. I'm mortal afeared that rascal's story was true,
and that the Dons have got wind of our coming."

"Run up a white flag, at all events. If they do expect us, they must
have known some time since, or how could they have got their craft
hither?"

"True, sir. They must have come from Santa Marta, at the least; perhaps
from Cartagena. And that would take a month at least going and coming."

Amyas suddenly recollected Eustace's threat in the wayside inn. Could he
have betrayed their purpose? Impossible!

"Let us hold a council of war, at all events, Frank."

Frank was absorbed in a very different matter. A half-mile to the
eastward of the town, two or three hundred feet up the steep mountain
side, stood a large, low, white house embosomed in trees and gardens.
There was no other house of similar size near; no place for one. And was
not that the royal flag of Spain which flaunted before it? That must be
the governor's house; that must be the abode of the Rose of Torridge!
And Frank stood devouring it with wild eyes, till he had persuaded
himself that he