“Eh, Captain Leigh, where's my boy Dick?”
“Gone off with his lordship, Sir John.”
“On his punctilios too, I suppose, the young slashed-breeks. He's half a Don, that fellow, with his fine scholarship, and his fine manners, and his fine clothes. He'll get a taking down before he dies, unless he mends. Why ain't you gone too, sir?”
“I follow my leader,” said Amyas, filling his pipe.
“Well said, my big man,” quoth Drake. “If I could lead you round the world, I can lead you up Channel, can't I?—Eh? my little bantam-cock of the Orinoco? Drink, lad! You're over-sad to-day.”
“Not a whit,” said Amyas. “Only I can't help wondering whether I shall find him after all.”
“Whom? That Don? We'll find him for you, if he's in the fleet. We'll squeeze it out of our prisoners somehow. Eh, Hawkins? I thought all the captains had promised to send you news if they heard of him.”
“Ay, but it's ill looking for a needle in a haystack. But I shall find him. I am a coward to doubt it,” said Amyas, setting his teeth.
“There, vice-admiral, you're beaten, and that's the rubber. Pay up three dollars, old high-flyer, and go and earn more, like an honest adventurer.”
“Well,” said Drake, as he pulled out his purse, “we'll walk down now, and see about these young hot-heads. As I live, they are setting to tow the ships out already! Breaking the men's backs over-night, to make them fight the lustier in the morning! Well, well, they haven't sailed round the world, Jack Hawkins.”