Across the Spanish Main: A Tale of the Sea in the Days of Queen Bess Read online

  CHAPTER TWO.

  HOW THEY LEFT PLYMOUTH AT DAWN ON THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF JULY, 1586.

  At the time appointed the two friends met as agreed, and, taking thesmall boat belonging to Roger, which he had left at the boat-stairs inSutton Pool, they pulled up the river Tamar, arriving in due course atRoger's home, Pentillie Manor--or Castle, as it was called by thecountry-folk round about.

  Harry, as Roger's best and dearest friend, was always welcome there; itwas, in fact, almost as much his home as was his house in Plymouth,where he lived with his only relation, his sister Mary, on whom, be itwhispered, Roger had already begun to look with eyes which had somewhatmore in them than mere friendship.

  After the two lads had had a meal--which they sorely needed after theirlong pull--Roger intimated that he desired to speak to his father andmother in private; so they all three moved to an adjoining room.

  Said Roger: "My dear father and mother, I have for some time been of theopinion that I am only wasting my days at home here doing nothing, andhave long been wishing to speak to you both about the matter. While Iwas on my holiday in Plymouth I heard of nothing but the adventures andexploits of those men who have gone to the Indies and the South Americancoast, and of their success in arms against the Spaniards. To my mindthere is no occupation so befitting an English gentleman as that oftaking up arms against our natural enemies, the Spanish; and also it isquite clear to me that huge fortunes are to be won in this grand game ofwar; while you both know, as well as I, in what great need of money ourhouse stands at present. So a few mornings ago I finally determinedthat, if I could obtain your consent and permission, I would enter intothe profession upon which I have set my heart, without further delay.And as Cavendish is sailing very shortly for the Indies and the SpanishMain, I think it would be a good plan for me to sail with him if he canbe persuaded to take me. I have spoken with Harry on the matter, and hehas agreed to sail with me; while, as some compensation for my loss toyou, he will leave his sister Mary--of whom I know you are very fond--with you, to be in your safe-keeping until our return, which God grantmay be not only with honour and glory, but also with sufficient moneyfrom prizes to enable us to retrieve the fortunes of our house! You mayperhaps think that I ain too young, and had better wait for a few years;yet Cavendish himself is only twenty-six, and he is not only joining anexpedition, but is actually captain of it. I think, therefore, that Iam quite old enough to be one of the members of his crew; and if I showany promise, and work hard, as I fully intend to do, no doubt Cavendishwill soon promote me to some post under him as an officer of rank,suitable to my age and ability. This, then, is what I have wished tospeak to you about; and now, having told you all my wishes, I beg thatyou will let me go."

  It is needless to say that this sudden news of Roger's determinationcame as somewhat of a blow to his parents, especially his mother, whowas very much against her son adopting a profession in which there wasso much danger. Roger's father, however, looked at the matter from amore practical and business point of view, being fully aware that whatRoger had said about the glory honour, and riches to be won by a braveman at sea at that period was perfectly true; and, although loath tolose his only son, he saw quite clearly that the lad had fully made uphis mind to go to sea, even before speaking about the matter, and thatif he were forbidden he would take kindly to nothing else. So hepromised Roger that he would talk the matter over with his wife, andthat in due time they would let their son know their decision, possiblyin the course of the day.

  Roger's mother, as might be expected, raised all the opposition shecould to his going away; but her husband pointed out to her so clearlythe advantages to be gained that eventually she gave way, and consented,with many tears, to part with her boy. She found some slightconsolation, however, in the fact that Mary Edgwyth would be with herduring Roger's absence; for she knew that Mary would be to her even as adaughter, and would help, in some measure, to fill Roger's place untilhe returned.

  His father accordingly communicated to Roger the result of his talk withhis wife, and the latter, being a high-spirited young fellow, wasnaturally greatly elated thereat, and plied his father with questions asto when he might be allowed to leave, and how the adventure was to bebrought about. There was a good deal to be done, however, before Rogerand Harry could get away; clothes had to be bought and packed, andRoger's father had to make enquiry as to whether Mr Cavendish couldfind room in his ship, and, if so, whether he would take the two lads.

  All, however, proved satisfactory in the long run, and Roger and Harrywere ordered to be on board Cavendish's ship, the _Stag Royal_, on orbefore the twentieth day of July. This left the two boys about a monthin which to complete their preparations before the day of sailing cameround, and, needless to say, the time lagged most painfully for theeager young adventurers, although to Roger's parents it seemed all tooshort.

  Meanwhile Mary Edgwyth had come up to the Manor, and was safelyinstalled there; and the last week before the date of sailing soon cameround, both boys being in a perfect fever of enthusiasm and delight atthe prospect of leaving England to fight the Spaniards.

  On the eve of their departure Roger's father presented Harry and Rogereach with a splendid new rapier, the blades of which were made of thebest Toledo steel, of so fine a temper that it was possible, withoutinjury to the weapon, to bend the point round until it met the hilt, theblade springing back, when released, to its original position and shape.This gift naturally delighted the two lads immensely.

  At length their final orders came, bidding them be on board by the 20thof July, without fail, as the ship and fleet sailed on the 21st atdaybreak.

  Roger and Harry accordingly packed their belongings, and, girding ontheir new swords, started down the river early the next day, accompaniedby Roger's parents and Harry's sister, all of whom were anxious to seeas much of the two lads as possible before they left.

  They all arrived in Plymouth in the afternoon, and the lads havingreported themselves, and formally joined their ship, the entire partyproceeded to Harry's house to spend the night.

  They all rose in the early hours of the next morning, and the lastfarewells were said upon the quay, while the boat from the _Stag Royal_remained alongside to convey them to the ship. Roger's mother weptcopiously, and fervently prayed that her son might return safe andsound, while his father, less demonstratively, shook hands with him andgave him his blessing, in the form of a husky "God keep you, boy!" MaryEdgwyth embraced her brother affectionately, and it must be said thatall the tears she shed were not for Harry alone; it is certain that manyof them were evoked by the thought that she was also parting from Roger.

  At length the two lads stepped down the quay stairs into the boat, eachlooking rather fixedly in front of him as he battled with a peculiarchoking sensation in the throat; but they gripped their swords tightly,striving to gain courage by the touch of them, and managed to keep backthe tears which threatened to overflow; and when half-way to the shipthey were able to turn round and wave farewells to the three peoplestill watching from the quay.