s the poor distracted mother strove vainly to speak;
then, clutching George's arm tightly, she moaned: "Well, why do you
pause, George? Tell me the worst, I pray you. I can bear it. Do not
keep me in suspense. Do you wish me to understand that Hubert is
killed--or is he among the missing? He must be one or the other, I
know, or he would be here now to tell his own story."

"He is a prisoner in the hands of the Spaniards, mother," answered
George. "But be of good cheer," he continued, as Mrs Saint Leger
staggered like one struck and he sprang to her assistance--"sit you
down, mother, and let Dyer here tell us his story. I have only just
heard the barest outline of it. Perhaps when we have heard it all it
may not seem so bad. And don't you fear for Hubert, dearie; 'tis true
that the Spaniards have got him, but they won't dare to hurt him, be you
assured of that; and likely enough he will have escaped by this time.
Now, Dyer, come to an anchor, man, and tell us all that befell. And
while you're talking we'll have some supper prepared for you."

"Well, madam, and Mr Garge, there ain't so very much to tell," answered
Dyer, seating himself in the chair which Saint Leger had indicated. "Of
course you do both know--all Plymouth knows--that we sailed away from
this very port a year ago come the second o' last October. Six ships
strong, we was, well manned, and an abundance o' munitions o' war of
every kind, even to shore-artillery. And we had Cap'n John Hawkins for
our admiral and Frank Drake for our pilot, so what more could a body
want?

"We made a very good passage to the Canary Islands, which was our first
rondyvoo; and from there, a'ter we'd wooded and watered afresh, and set
up our rigging, we sailed for the Guinea coast. On our way there, avore
ever we got so far south as Cape Blanc, we captured a Portingal caravel;
pickin' up another of 'em a little way to the nor'ard of Cape Verde.
This here last one was called the _Grace a Dios_, she were a very fine
new ship of a hunderd and fifty ton--and we kept 'em both because, bein'
light-draught ships, the admiral knowed they'd be useful for goin' in
over bar on the Coast, where the mouths of the rivers be always shallow.

"Well, in due time--I forget the exact date, now--we arrived on the
Coast, and there we stayed for a matter o' three months, huntin' blacks
and Portingals; goin' into the rivers in the caravels, landin' parties,
attackin' native villages, and