.

Meanwhile Mary Edgwyth had come up to the Manor, and was safely
installed there; and the last week before the date of sailing soon came
round, both boys being in a perfect fever of enthusiasm and delight at
the prospect of leaving England to fight the Spaniards.

On the eve of their departure Roger's father presented Harry and Roger
each with a splendid new rapier, the blades of which were made of the
best Toledo steel, of so fine a temper that it was possible, without
injury to the weapon, to bend the point round until it met the hilt, the
blade springing back, when released, to its original position and shape.
This gift naturally delighted the two lads immensely.

At length their final orders came, bidding them be on board by the 20th
of July, without fail, as the ship and fleet sailed on the 21st at
daybreak.

Roger and Harry accordingly packed their belongings, and, girding on
their new swords, started down the river early the next day, accompanied
by Roger's parents and Harry's sister, all of whom were anxious to see
as much of the two lads as possible before they left.

They all arrived in Plymouth in the afternoon, and the lads having
reported themselves, and formally joined their ship, the entire party
proceeded to Harry's house to spend the night.

They all rose in the early hours of the next morning, and the last
farewells were said upon the quay, while the boat from the _Stag Royal_
remained alongside to convey them to the ship. Roger's mother wept
copiously, and fervently prayed that her son might return safe and
sound, while his father, less demonstratively, shook hands with him and
gave him his blessing, in the form of a husky "God keep you, boy!" Mary
Edgwyth embraced her brother affectionately, and it must be said that
all the tears she shed were not for Harry alone; it is certain that many
of them were evoked by the thought that she was also parting from Roger.

At length the two lads stepped down the quay stairs into the boat, each
looking rather fixedly in front of him as he battled with a peculiar
choking sensation in the throat; but they gripped their swords tightly,
striving to gain courage by the touch of them, and managed to keep back
the tears which threatened to overflow; and when half-way to the ship
they were able to turn round and wave farewells to the three people
still watching from the quay.

CHAPTER THREE.

HOW ROGER AND HARRY TOOK PART IN THEIR FIRST SEA-FIGHT.

The