uiescence. "I surrender," he said; then
in an undertone: "He yonder with the plume, now that De Castro lies
dead, is your fittest quarry. Drag him down and the herd is yours."

Ferne stared, then curled his lip. "Gramercy for your hint," he said. "I
pray you that henceforth we become the best of strangers."

A shout arose, and Sedley bore down upon them, his right arm high,
crumpled in his hand the folds, tarnished with smoke, riddled by shot,
of the great ensign. It was the beginning of the end. Half an hour later
the red cross of St. George usurped the place of the golden flag. That
same afternoon the _Cygnet_ and the _San Jose_--the latter now manned by
an English crew, with her former masters under hatches--appeared before
La Rancheria, stormed the little settlement, and found there a slight
treasure of pearls. More than this was accomplished, for, boat-load
after boat-load, the Spanish survivors of the fight were transferred
from the galleon to a strip of lonely shore, and there left to shift for
themselves. One only of all that force the Captain of the _Cygnet_
detained, and that was the man who had used the tongue of England and
the sword of Spain. With the sunset the _Mere Honour_ and the
_Marigold_, having left desolation behind them at New Cadiz, joined the
_Cygnet_ and her prize where they lay at anchor between the two spits
of sand that formed the harbor of La Rancheria.

In the _Mere Honour's_ state-cabin the Admiral of the expedition
formally embraced and thanked his Captain, whose service to the common
cause had been so great. It was, indeed, of magnitude. Not many hours
had passed between the frenzy of battle and this sunshiny morning; but
time had been made and strength had been found to look to the cargo of
the _San Jose_". If wealth be good, it was worth the looking to, for not
the _Cacafuego_ had a richer lading. Gold and silver, ingots and bars
and wrought images, they found, and a great store of precious stones. To
cap all fortune, there was the galleon's self, a great ship, seaworthy
yet, despite the wounds of yesterday, mounting many guns, well supplied
with powder, ammunition, and military stores, English now in heart, and
lacking nothing but an English name. This they gave her that same day.
In the smoke and thunder of every cannon royal within the fleet _San
Jose_" vanished, and in his place arose the _Phoenix_.

Exultant, flushed, many of them bearing wounds, the officers of the
expedition