Part 27 (1/2)

At length, afterwith the current, the first parting of the ways at the beginning of the delta was reached To the Indians this was the threshold of ho-place, from which they must set out to face fresh perils, andmaze of channels was once ths of the current to indicate the better routes The dense, overhanging vegetation sheltered the voyagers by day and stifled theerly welcomed, and no bad neaited the weary band A few Spanish boats had been seen in so the English that their masters--for so the Dons accounted the assisted their enemies

It was in the heat of sultry afternoon, the air stirless, the water in the channel war lazily under the banks, the native steers at their posts, the white men stretched out, listless, sun-wearied, inert A canoe shot out across the path of the boats, disappeared along another ay, stopped, and a Spaniard got out and plunged into the trees on the low island He watched the flotilla go by He noticed the attitude of the men

”St James!” he cried, ”I could do it with a score of resolute soldiers! What a chance! And I lishmen drifted on; the Spaniard followed at a safe distance

He wanted a solution to an ilish shi+p? He had hunted for it, and so had others--for the _Golden Boar_ had been tracked frohted her, and knew not how far she had gone up-stream It was not suspected that she had remained so near the sea as proved to be the case The native chief had guarded his secret well

That night, about an hour after sunset, and with the light of the growing uide them, the adventurers tied up their boats in the pool where the _Golden Boar_ still lay What a thrill went through each heart as the outline of their ocean hoh the veil of white mist! Tears stood in their eyes, and more than one bold fellow had hard work to choke back a sob Theforth to ainst thin, tanned cheeks in brotherly kisses, and the natives thronged round, full of affectionate and ad welcome The brave ”white brothers” were back, and their sian instant preparations for a great feast Captain Drakebareheaded on his deck, the flag of England unfurled above hireat deliverance from many perils; and the company responded with a sonorous and devout ”A, no lamentation over the failure that had attended their quest The dead were remembered in a few moments of bowed and silent reverence, and, at the co the ”_De Profundis_” ”Out of the deep,” indeed, had they called, and they thanked God in that He heard the, and ate as hungry voyagers should eat After that they slept the deep sleep of wearied men who, after many toils and vicissitudes, had reached a haven where they could rest

Days of bustle followed The shi+p was cleaned of the vegetable growths that clung to her sides; s tested and replaced, and aain into the men's nostrils, and their hearts cried out for the open sea

Affectionate fareas taken of their kindly hosts; a proiven Then a flotilla of canoes towed the stout shi+p into the main channel!

Chapter xxxIX

JOHN OXENHAM'S CREEK

More than two months after she had quitted the harbour of San Joseph, the _Golden Boar_ dropped anchor in its waters again She was not expected, and soone to the botto in some pestilential mouth of the Orinoco

Yacaovernor and the chief Ayatlan The latter was pleased enough to see the English

”There has beenof Spaniards and Spanish shi+ps,” he said; ”and one reat rewards to any that could tell hiovernor nearly led to a quarrel That dignitary was by no means so deferential as on the previous visit; indeed, he was barely civil Many things had happened during the previous weeks A shi+p had arrived froer--to wit, Brother Basil He eeks behind the _Golden Boar_, but he soon made up for lost time In the first place he was able to prove that Captain John Drake of the _Golden Boar_ was not the redoubtable Captain Francis Drake so dreaded all along the shores of the Spanish Main This largely accounted for the altered delish shi+p would put into the harbour if she ever returned from the Orinoco, Basil had at first tried to prepare a warm reception for her He failed in this, for soldiers were not easy to obtain, the governor was not anxious for a fight, and the very name ”Drake” still inspired terror whether it was prefixed by Francis or John As a second resource he had sent boats into the delta in the hope of locating the shi+p or her colish mouths and channels, and it was only at the last that one of them happed upon the foe; and he was still on thecognizant of all the plans of the adventurers, and knowing that the Johnsons would lead the way to the scene of Oxenham's defeat and death, prepared yet a third sche it his personal supervision He calculated correctly

When Captain Drake and his retinue were leaving the castle, a native youth aited upon the soldiers slipped a packet into the hands of the last man, with a whispered injunction to secrecy The soldier handed the papers to the captain as soon as he was aboard again A few minutes later Nick and Ned Johnson were sent for into the cabin The first question caused each one to prick up his single ear pretty sharply

”Were you the only ones who escaped death when Captain Oxenham was slain?”

”No, soland?”

”As far as we know, no The priests told us that some of them abjured their faith and had received pardon”

Captain Drake passed so”

The brothers did so, and looked at one another pretty shrewdly also

”What do you uide to the buried spoil”