“And I can see the brass patararoes glittering on her poop,” quoth Amyas. “Will, we're in for it.” “In for it we are, captain. “Farewell, farewell, my parents dear. I never shall see you more, I fear. “Let's go in, nevertheless, and pound the Don's ribs, my old lad of Smerwick. Eh? Three to one is very fair odds.” “Not underneath those fort guns, I beg leave to say,” quoth Yeo. “If the Philistines will but come out unto us, we will make them like unto Zeba and Zalmunna.” “Quite true,” said Amyas. “Game cocks are game cocks, but reason's reason.” “If the Philistines are not coming out, they are going to send a messenger instead,” quoth Cary. “Look out, all thin skulls!” And as he spoke, a puff of white smoke rolled from the eastern fort, and a heavy ball plunged into the water between it and the ship. “I don't altogether like this,” quoth Amyas. “What do they mean by firing on us without warning? And what are these ships of war doing here? Drew, you told me the armadas never lay here.” “No more, I believe, they do, sir, on account of the anchorage being so bad, as you may see. I'm mortal afeared that rascal's story was true, and that the Dons have got wind of our coming.” “Run up a white flag, at all events. If they do expect us, they must have known some time since, or how could they have got their craft hither?” “True, sir. They must have come from Santa Marta, at the least; perhaps from Cartagena. And that would take a month at least going and coming.” Amyas suddenly recollected Eustace's threat in the wayside inn. Could he have betrayed their purpose? Impossible! “Let us hold a council of war, at all events, Frank.” Frank was absorbed in a very different matter. A half-mile to the eastward of the town, two or three hundred feet up the steep mountain side, stood a large, low, white house embosomed in trees and gardens. There was no other house of similar size near; no place for one. And was not that the royal flag of Spain which flaunted before it? That must be the governor's house; that must be the abode of the Rose of Torridge! And Frank stood devouring it with wild eyes, till he had persuaded himself that he could see a woman's figure walking upon the terrace in front, and that the figure was none other than hers whom he sought. Amyas could hardly tear him away to a council of war, which was a sad, and only not a peevish one. The three adventurers, with Brimblecombe, Yeo, and Drew, went apart upon the poop; and each looked the other in the face awhile. For what was to be done? The plans and hopes of months were brought to naught in an hour. “It is impossible, you see,” said Amyas, at last, “to surprise the town by land, while these ships are here; for if we land our men, we leave our ship without defence.” “As impossible as to challenge Don Guzman while he is not here,” said Cary. “I wonder why the ships have not opened on us already,” said Drew.