Sir Francis, facetiously bidding him to make good speed, handed him the warrant; and the gouty premier then arose. His rising was the signal for the council to break up. CHAPTER IX. Hildebrand Clifford had not (to borrow the nautical phrase of his lieutenant) “hove-to” above three hours, on the occasion described in a former chapter, before he was called to the deck again. On repairing thither, he found his lieutenant, Halyard, had been up for some time, and was waiting his approach at the after-hatchway. “A strange sail seen from the masthead, Sir,” he said, as Hildebrand made his appearance. “What like is she?” asked Hildebrand. “A large vessel, Sir,” answered Halyard. “One of the Dons, no doubt!” “She must be a marvellous heavy sailer, then,” rejoined Hildebrand, “to be so far leeward of the fleet, which I see is now out of sight. Are we bearing towards her?” “Right ahead, captain,” replied Halyard. “I will go have a look for her,” said Hildebrand. Accordingly, he broke away from Master Halyard, and, with a quick but steady step, passed towards the forecastle. A crowd of seamen, some score in number, were gathered in the bows, looking ahead; but they fell back directly he appeared, and thus opened to him a view of the remote horizon. “Can ye see her from here, my lads?” he asked. “Ay, Sir!” answered a half-dozen of voices:--“right ahead, Sir!” Hildebrand, thus instructed, raised his hand over his eyes, and gazed in the direction specified with all his might. After a brief survey, he discerned a small slim object, like the trunk of a tree, on the edge of the horizon, which he readily recognised as the masts of a ship. On bringing it into view, he turned away from the forecastle, and stepped back to the quarter-deck. “Thou mayst see her from the deck, now,” he said to Master Halyard, on coming up with that person. “Howbeit, I will even overhaul her from the mast-head.” Without more words, he mounted into the shrouds, and proceeded, as on a previous occasion, to pass up aloft. He did not pause on his way, but ascended right up, over the topmast, and the top-gallant mast; and only stopped when he had gained the mast-head. He remained in his elevated position for several minutes, and, as it seemed from the deck, gazed intently for’ard the whole time. At last, his curiosity appeared to be satisfied; and, step by step (yet not over-carefully), he descended to the deck again. Master Halyard waited his return with some impatience. “What cheer, Sir?” he inquired, as Hildebrand set his foot on the deck. “A large galleon, Sir, big enough to eat us,” answered Hildebrand. “By my troth, she will have a store of doubloons aboard!” Master Halyard involuntarily thrust his hands into his pockets; and, quite forgetful of his situation, began to hum a song. “An’ she be well in the wake of the fleet,” observed Hildebrand, after a moment’s reflection, “methinks we might even venture it.”