Being nearer shore, the _San Felipe_ went more slowly than when she was out in mid-channel. We crept round the jutting points and across the coves very stealthily, the men holding perfect silence, so that the Spaniards on the vessel lying at anchor had no warning of our approach and nearness until, as we fetched about a low spit of land, we came to a straight reach of the channel, and beheld the enemy half-a-mile distant. Since secrecy was no longer to be maintained, Hilary bade the master to steer full into the broad path of the moonlight, so that we might be distinctly seen. With his perspective glass the sentinel on the vessel would discover the _San Felipe_ to be of Spanish build, and we trusted that he would suppose her to be a friend. At Hilary’s bidding some of our men made ready their grappling-irons, and so we drew nearer to the anchorage. A light moved on the ship’s deck, and we judged that we must now have been seen. As soon, therefore, as we came within hailing distance, Hilary commanded Richard Ball, who had some Spanish, to go into the bows and question what the vessel was. "The galleon _Bonaventura_, of his Catholic Majesty of Spain," came the answer to his shout. "Heave-to, or we fire! Who are you?" "The galleon _San Felipe_, chased by corsairs," cried Ball. "Can we anchor hereby?" "Aye. Heave-to; we will send a boat. Are the corsairs dogs of English?" "English and French," says Ball, cocking an eye at Captain Q, who was reclining below the level of our bulwarks, so that his red garments should not betray us. "Cry that our helm is injured, and we will lower sail," said Hilary. This Ball did, and our master bade the men to lower sail; but before ’twas done we had run very near to the _Bonaventura_, and there was enough way on our vessel to bring her alongside. We had come within a cable length of the Spaniard when we saw her boat let down, and then, our helm being put up, we drifted still closer upon the enemy. "Bid them beware, or we shall be foul of them," said Hilary. And as Ball cried aloud, we heard much old swearing on the _Bonaventura’s_ decks, the which were at this time thronged with men. The captain (as Ball informed us) cursed our damaged helm very heartily, it being answerable, as he supposed, for this imminent risk of fouling. But in truth our helm was in right good trim, and the master chuckled in merry sort as he ran the _San Felipe_ close alongside of the _Bonaventura_, their bulwarks just touching. And then, at the word from Hilary, our men cast their grapnels aboard, and our whole company, with machetes and half-pikes from the _San Felipe’s_ armoury, leapt upon the _Bonaventura’s_ deck. Captain Q was the first to board, and the Spaniards cried out in amazement when they saw his tall red figure springing towards them, rapier in hand, and with two score men behind, all silent, for Hilary had commanded them to hold their peace, lest the other vessels should be near at hand.