come close in upon us! they’ll batter down the fort with their culverins; they’ll turn all their swivels, sakers, and falcons upon us; they’ll throw into our midst stinkpots and grenades; they’ll mow us down with chain shot! Their gunners never miss!” His voice rose to a scream, and he shook as with an ague. “Are you mad? It’s Spain that’s to be fought! Spain the rich! Spain the powerful! Spain the lord of the New World!”

“It’s England that fights!” I cried. “For very shame, hold thy tongue!”

“If we surrender at once, they’ll let us go!” he whined. “We can take the small boats and get to the Bermudas, they’ll let us go.”

“Into the galleys,”