that brush with the Spaniards in 1579, when he sailed for Virginia with Sir Humphrey; and he was a mere crack then."
"So you consider him as your pupil, eh? But he learnt enough in the Netherland wars, and in Ireland too, if not of the strength of ships, yet still of the weakness of land forces; and would you believe it, the man has twisted the whole council round his finger, and made them give up the land defences to the naval ones.'"
"Quite right he, and wooden walls against stone ones forever! But as for twisting, he would persuade Satan, if he got him alone for half an hour."
"I wish he would sail for Spain then, just now, and try the powers of his tongue," said Mrs. Leigh.
"But are we to have the honor, really?"
"We are, lad. There were many in the council who were for disputing the landing on shore, and said—which I do not deny—that the 'prentice boys of London could face the bluest blood in Spain. But Raleigh argued (following my Lord Burleigh in that) that we differed trom the Low Countries, and all other lands, in that we had not a castle or town throughout, which would stand a ten days' siege, and that our ramparts, as he well said, were, after all, only a body of men. So, he argued, as long as the enemy has power to land where he will, prevention, rather than cure, is our only hope; and that belongs to the office, not of an army, but of a fleet. So the fleet was agreed on, and a fleet we shall have."
"Then here is his health, the health of a true friend to all bold mariners, and myself in particular! But where is he now?"
"Coming here to-morrow, as I hope—for he left London with me, and so down by us into Cornwall, to drill the train-bands, as he is bound to do, being Seneschal of tJie Duchies and LieutenantGeneral of the county."
"Besides Lord Warden of the Stanneries! How the man thrives!" said Mrs. Leigh.
"How the man deserves to thrive!" said Amyas; "but what are we to do?"
"That is the rub. I would fain stay and fight the Spaniards."
"So would I; and will."
"But he has other plans in his head for us.
"We can make our own plans without his help.
"Heyday, Amyas! How long? When did he ask you to do a thing yet and you refuse him?"
"Not often, certainly: but Spaniards I must fight."
"Well, so must I, boy: but I have given a sort of promise to him, nevertheless."
"Not for me too, I hope?"
"No: he will extract that himself when he comes; you must come and sup to-morrow, and talk it over."
"Be talked over, rather. What chestnut does the cat want us monkeys to pull out of the fire for him now, I wonder?"
"Sir Richard Grenvile is hardly accustomed to be called a monkey," said Mrs. Leigh.
