t
have put off after them.

When the boats came alongside, some of those on board were ordered
to ascend the side of the ship; and, plenty of accommodation having
been made, the young Spanish lady and her maid, who had remained in
the cabin, descended into the largest boat; handed down by Captain
Drake, with a courtesy equal to that which a Spanish hidalgo
himself would have shown.

Before she went, the young lady turned to Ned, who was standing
near, and expressed to him her deep thanks for the manner in which
he had leapt over for her. Ned himself could understand only a few
words, for although many of the sailors spoke Spanish, and
sometimes used it among themselves, he had not yet made any great
progress with it, although he had tried to pick up as many words
and phrases as he could. The captain, however, translated the words
to him; and he said to her, in reply, that there was nothing for
her to feel herself under any obligation to him for, for that any
dog would have jumped out and done the business, just as well.

The young lady, however, undid a bracelet of gold on her arm, and
insisted upon herself fastening it round Ned's wrist, an action
which caused blushes of confusion to crimson his face.

In a few minutes the Spanish boats were again off. The captain
added, to that in which the young lady was placed, some food, some
bottles of liqueur, and other matters which might render her voyage
easy and pleasant. He promised that the Spaniards who had been
transferred again to the ship should be landed, at the earliest
opportunity.

The vessel was now searched, regularly, and was found to contain
much treasure in goods; but as she was on her way from Europe, she
had, of course, none of the gold and silver which was the main
object of their search. However, they consoled themselves with the
thought that the ship which had been chased by their comrades,
earlier in the day, was homewards bound; and they hoped, therefore,
that a rich cargo would there be secured.

They were not mistaken, for when the ship sailed up to the
rendezvous they found another alongside, and the cheers of their
comrades told them that the prize had been a handsome one. They
found that they had secured nearly half a million in gold and
silver; and, transferring the cargo of the one ship into the other,
they set the first on fire, and sailed back to the spot where their
camp was formed, on the isthmus.

Several other ships fell into thei