el. His jaw dropped in sudden terror;
he stared for a moment at the retreating figures, and then dashed into
the castle at a run.

He burst in upon his drowsy commander.

"Alas, signor, what have we done! The army of the saints preserve us!"

"From what, blockhead?"

"From the archfiend in the flesh. 'Tis Drake that hath sailed into the
bay."

The commandant sat and gaped in stupid affright.

"Drake!" shouted the soldier.

He had no need to say more. His officer's chin dropped on to his
breast. "We are dead men," he muttered. "Why has he come hither? We
have no gold, no treasure-ships. He will burn the place over our
heads." The man continued muttering to himself and fingering the
buckle of his loosened belt.

The soldier looked through the window. "The Englishmen stand on the
beach," he said, "talking with Ayatlan, the chief. There is no
movement on the ship; no one signals. The messengers were civil when
they came."

"Son of a donkey!" blazed forth the commandant, "why didst not thou say
so? Run after them; prevent them from carrying angry faces to the
robber who rules them. If I had men--not sheep--under me, I would
fight this Drake; I'd rid the world of him, and Pope and king should
bless me. But run, run!"

And the soldier ran. Terror lent wings to his heels. One name rang
through his brain, and the name was "Drake." He caught Master Timothy
just re-embarking his little band. The sight of the Indians restored
him to some measure of dignity, and he volubly explained that the
Spanish captain had not understood the signer's message. He apologized
profusely, and promised that his commandant would make amends for the
mistake by paying the great sea-captain a visit as soon as a boat could
be made ready.

Nick understood more of the rapidly spoken Spanish than did Jeffreys,
and he was satisfied. "There has doubtless been a mistake," he said to
his companion. "Probably this knave never carried our message
properly. He is scared half out of his wits, and looks like a rogue
condemned to be hanged. All's well that ends well. Let us be getting
back to the ship with a friendly report."

About an hour later, the commandant, accompanied by an imposing
retinue, both Spanish and Indian, rowed out to the _Golden Boar_.
Captain Drake and the gentlemen of his company had been to their
wardrobes and donned their best, and the visitors by no means carried
off the prize for the splendour of their