How Roger and Harry took Part in their first Sea-Fight.
The squadron, headed by the ship of Cavendish himself, the Stag Royal, was well on its way to the Indies across the Atlantic, having taken in wood, water, and stores at the Western Islands. Roger and Harry, by this time quite recovered from their first sea-sickness, were fast asleep in their bunks, it being their watch below, when they were aroused by a cry on deck of “Sail-ho!” followed by the question in another voice: “Where away?”
“Right ahead, sir,” came the reply. “She seems to be a large ship, and Spanish by her rig.”
This was quite enough for the two lads, who, springing out of their berths, dressed with all possible speed and ran up on deck.
When they arrived there, however, there was nothing to be seen from that level; but twenty pairs of eager eyes were looking out from the forecastle-head, anxious for the first glimpse of the stranger, who was nearly certain to prove an enemy, and therefore a prospective prize.
Presently a voice exclaimed: “I see her, I see her; there she is right ahead of us!” and at the same moment another hail floated down from the masthead: “Sail-ho, again, and several of them!”
By this time both Roger and Harry could see the topsails of the ship first sighted, and their hearts beat fast at the prospect of a coming engagement.
“How many sail can you make out?” shouted the officer on deck.
“I can see four more, besides the one we sighted first, sir,” came the reply; “and the ships look to me like a Spanish fleet sent out to intercept us, for they seem to be hove-to and waiting for something.”
“That is well,” replied the officer, smiling at Roger; “let them only lie-to until we reach them, and there is not much doubt that they will get something in the nature of an extremely disagreeable surprise.”