"And if it come to a fight," said he, "I had as soon see your pirates yonder sweep the sea as these milords. They did little enough for my Queen while she lived, and they cannot bring her back now she is dead." "Think you we shall come to blows in the morning?" asked I, anxious to hurry off the sore subject. "'Tis said so," replied he. "It would not surprise me if yonder sea- dogs did not wait till then." After that we sat and watched the beacon-fires ashore blaze up one after another and spread the news of our coming far and wide. Presently, too, the moon came up, and by its light looking westward we could discern sails to windward, which fluttered nearer and nearer, till it seemed a shot from one of our pieces could reach them. The news brought many of the _Rata's_ men on deck, some of whom doubted what to make of it all, and others cursed the impudence of this English Drake and his low-born salts. But at daybreak, when we looked out, there hovered some threescore or more English craft, drawn up in an irregular line from south to north, looking at us. Foremost sailed their great flagship called the _Ark Raleigh_, so near that I could plainly discern the royal cross of Saint George at the poop. Compared with the mighty _Rata_ she was a small craft, yet, beside the light, low ships that followed her, she towered aloft like a castle, and looked the only ship of all that fleet could stand a quarter of an hour of our ordnance. While we looked, there came a dull boom from the Spaniard who lay nearest her. We could see the shot, pitched high, plough up the water some twenty yards short. And then--as I thought, rather foolishly--we sat glaring across at one another in the still air, waiting for a breeze. It came at last, freshly from westward. We could see the English catch it, and come along with it before ever it filled out our great sails. Nay, when it did reach us, there was not enough to give us way. I marvelled to see how like a log the _Rata_ lay, while the lively Englishmen slipped through the water. Then followed the strangest beginning to this great sea-fight. For the _Ark_ and one or two others, having run in towards the end of our line (which lay as near as possible west and east, looking into Plymouth), suddenly put into the wind and ran jauntily down our rear, putting a broadside into each of the Dons as she went by, us included. Nor was that all. When she reached the end of the line, and everyone looked to see her sheer off out of reach, she gaily wore round and came back the way she had gone, giving each Spaniard her other broadside on the road, her consorts behind following suit. I think I never saw any men so taken aback as were the Spaniards by this performance. For the _Rata_ and the rest of them lay almost helpless in the light wind, while these light-timbered Englishmen darted hither and thither at pleasure, almost as fast in the eye of the wind as down it.