"And now, how shall we spend the remainder of the day, Roger? I don't feel like going ashore again to-day, even if we had a boat. The idea of crossing that sheet of water again does not very greatly appeal to me just now." "I feel pretty much as you do," replied Roger. "I have had quite enough of the water for to-day. As an alternative, I suggest that we investigate that sheaf of documents that we took out of the _Gloria del Mundo_ at the time of the battle. That fellow Alvarez seemed feverishly anxious to find a certain paper, and bitterly disappointed at his failure, so perhaps there may be something of value among them." So saying, Roger went to his sea-chest, and, having unlocked it, drew out the bundle of papers to which he had referred, and laid it on the table. They ran through most of them without finding anything of interest, those examined proving to be merely papers relating to the provisioning of the ship, and one or two old charts with courses marked off on them. On another chart, however, they found something that claimed a moment's attention. It was one upon which the position of the Spanish intercepting fleet had been laid down, together with the supposed course that the English vessels would steer, thus proving that they had correctly anticipated the movements of the English. This they put aside, intending to hand it to Cavendish, as it would be of interest to him. "This is probably the document that scoundrel Alvarez was looking for while the _Gloria del Mundo_ was sinking," said Roger, who had related to Harry all that had happened while he was awaiting death in the cabin of the Spanish vessel. "Hardly that," demurred Harry. "I should think it would be something of much more importance; because, you see, this would not be of much value to him after the action. Let us search further." They did so, and presently came upon a sheet of rough parchment, which had escaped the search of Alvarez through its having worked its way into a folded chart. They spread it open upon the table, and found that they could make nothing of it, as it appeared to be a mass of figures, and nothing else. "I wonder what on earth this can be," said Roger. "It seems to be nothing but a lot of figures put down anyhow. I expect it is merely a sheet of scribbling-paper, upon which some rough calculations have been worked. At any rate it is of no importance, and clearly is not what Alvarez was looking for." "Wait one moment, Roger," said Harry; "be not over-hasty, lad. I believe this is more important than it looks. May it not be a cipher of some kind? Let us have another look at it." The document presented the following appearance:--