“Huzzah!” pealed forth from the lips of the youth like the blast of a trumpet.
“Hush!” whispered Francis. “He desires it not to be made public. Come to him.”
She could scarce keep pace with his eagerness 316 as he bounded before her into the presence of the English commanders.
“I thank you, my lords,” he said bowing to them, “for this opportunity. When shall we be off?”
The two men could not forbear a smile.
“There is no hurry, Devereaux,” said Lord Howard. “It will be after night falls before the ships are started. Art sure that the peril is well understood? It may be that you will not come back.”
“It may be so, sir,” answered the young man. “Sir Francis or any one of us may be taken in the next engagement. But who would preserve life if by giving it he may keep England and England’s queen from the invader?”
“Spoken like a true Englishman, lad,” cried Drake heartily. “Now, my lord, these two will return with me and, in God’s name, with my two Devon men we shall this night so put upon the Spaniards as they shall ne’er dream of setting foot on English soil again.”
“Go,” said the lord admiral placing an arm about the neck of each. “Go, my lads. My hopes and prayers go with you. And 317 should aught happen to ye, the queen shall know that ye died in her service. And so fare you well.”
“Fare you well,” answered they both and followed after Drake to his own boat—The Revenge.