For so suddenly was the Spanish fleet halted, and so near upon its heels were the pursuers, that, unless these could halt as suddenly, they would assuredly slip past, and so give the Spaniard--what he so greatly desired and longed for--the wind of them.
Already the young nobles on the _Rata_ were laughing at the smart policy of their Admiral, and rejoicing in the near prospect of a turning of the tables--( for could they once get the Englishman betwixt them and the Duke of Parma's fleet, which was waiting on the Dutch coast, they would crumple him up like chaff between two mill-stones)--already, I say, they were counting on seeing the enemy run past them, down the wind; when, lo, with a derisive shot or two into the air, the Englishmen put about quietly, and after hovering a little, and running a little in the teeth of the wind to get a nice distance from us, they dropped anchor too, and turned every one his broad-stern upon us, so that we might all have an eye full of the Queen's ensigns which floated there.
I confess I lifted my hat in joy and loyalty to see how cunningly the Don had been out-reached.

And the Spanish oaths which hissed out from a hundred lips, as they saw the same thing, sounded to me (Heaven forgive me!) like music.
So overjoyed was I, that without leave I went off, laughing, to tell Ludar the news.

But alack! at the very entrance to the officer's quarters, whom should I run against but Don Alonzo himself?
So smartly did I come against him, that, had I not caught him roughly by the arm, he might have fallen backwards.
When he saw who it was, his brow darkened (and little wonder!) and he said something in Spanish that I was glad I did not know the meaning of.
He recovered himself, however, and drew up coldly a moment after.
"This eternal printer!" said he.

"The way to the main-mast you know already, sirrah.

Take with you this time to the top three days' rations.