wake。 There is a stir in the fort； and I expect them out on us。〃
〃Tut； man！ their hearts are broken。 We know it by their deserters。〃
〃Seeing's believing。 I never trust runaway rogues。 If they are false to their masters； they'll be false to us。〃
〃Well； go thy ways； old honesty； and Mr。 Secretary shall give you a book to yourself in the 'Faerie Queene''Sir Monoculus or the Legend of Common Sense；' eh； Edmund？〃
〃Monoculus？〃
〃Ay； Single…eye； my prince of word…coinerswon't that fit？And give him the Cyclops head for a device。 Heigh…ho！ They may laugh that win。 I am sick of this Irish work； were it not for the chance of advancement I'd sooner be driving a team of red Devons on Dartside； and now I am angry with the dear lad because he is not sick of it too。 What a plague business has he to be paddling up and down； contentedly doing his duty； like any city watchman？ It is an insult to the mighty aspirations of our nobler hearts；eh； my would…be Ariosto？〃
〃Ah； Raleigh！ you can afford to confess yourself less than some； for you are greater than all。 Go on and conquer； noble heart！ But as for me； I sow the wind； and I suppose I shall reap the whirlwind。〃
〃Your harvest seems come already； what a blast that was！ Hold on by me； Colin Clout； and I'll hold on by thee。 So！ Don't tread on that pikeman's stomach； lest he take thee for a marauding Don； and with sudden dagger slit Cohn's pipe； and Colin's weasand too。〃
And the two stumbled away into the darkness； leaving Amyas to stride up and down as before； puzzling his brains over Raleigh's wild words and Spenser's melancholy； till he came to the conclusion that there was some mysterious connection between cleverness and unhappiness； and thanking his stars that he was neither scholar； courtier； nor poet； said grace over his lump of horseflesh when it arrived； devoured it as if it had been venison； and then returned to his pacing up and down； but this time in silence； for the night was drawing on； and there was no need to tell the Spaniards that any one was awake and watching。
So he began to think about his mother； and how she might be spending her Christmas； and then about Frank； and wondered at what grand Court festival he was assisting； amid bright lights and sweet music and gay ladies； and how he was dressed； and whether he thought of his brother there far away on the dark Atlantic shore； and then he said his prayers and his creed； and then he tried not to think of Rose Salterne； and of course thought about her all the more。 So on passed the dull hours； till it might be past eleven o'clock； and all lights were out in the battery and the shipping； and there was no sound of living thing but the monotonous tramp of the two sentinels beside him； and now and then a grunt from the party who slept under arms some twenty yards to the rear。
So he paced to and fro； looking carefully out now and then over the strip of sand…hill which lay between him and the fort； but all was blank and black； and moreover it began to rain furiously。
Suddenly he seemed to hear a rustle among the harsh sand…grass。 True； the wind was whistling through it loudly enough； but that sound was not altogether like the wind。 Then a soft sliding noise； something had slipped down a bank； and brought the sand down after it。 Amyas stopped； crouched down beside a gun； and laid his ear to the rampart； whereby he heard clearly； as he thought； the noise of approaching feet； whether rabbits or Christians； he knew not； but he shrewdly guessed the latter。
Now Amyas was of a sober and business…like turn； at least when he was not in a passion； and thinking within himself that if he made any noise； the enemy （whether four or two…legged） would retire； and all the sport be lost； he did not call to the two sentries； who were at the opposite ends of the battery； neither did he think it worth while to rouse the sleeping company； lest his ears should have deceived him； and the whole camp turn out to repulse the attack of a buck rabbit。
So he crouched lower and lower beside the culverin； and was rewarded in a minute or two by hearing something gently deposited against the mouth of the embrasure； which； by the noise； should be a piece of timber。
〃So far； so good；〃 said he to himself； 〃when the scaling ladder is up； the soldier follows； I suppose。 I can only humbly thank them for giving my embrasure the preference。 There he comes！ I hear his feet scuffling。〃
He could hear plainly enough some one working himself into the mouth of the embrasure： but the plague was； that it was so dark that he could not see his hand between him and the sky； much less his foe at two yards off。 However； he made a pretty fair guess as to the whereabouts； and； rising softly； discharged such a blow downwards as would have split a yule log。 A volley of sparks flew up from the hapless Spaniard's armor； and a grunt issued from within it； which proved that； whether he was killed or not； the blow had not improved his respiration。
Amyas felt for his head； seized it； dragged him in over the gun； sprang into the embrasure on his knees； felt for the top of the ladder； found it； hove it clean off and out； with four or five men on it； and then of course tumbled after it ten feet into the sand； roaring like a town bull to her majesty's liege subjects in general。
Sailor…fashion； he had no armor on but a light morion and a cuirass； so he was not too much encumbered to prevent his springing to his legs instantly； and setting to work； cutting and foining right and left at every sound； for sight there was none。
Battles （as soldiers know； and newspaper editors do not） are usually fought； not as they ought to be fought； but as they can be fought； and while the literary man is laying down the law at his desk as to how many troops should be moved here； and what rivers should be crossed there； and where the cavalry should have been brought up； and when the flank should have been turned； the wretched man who has to do the work finds the matter settled for him by pestilence； want of shoes； empty stomachs； bad roads； heavy rains； hot suns； and a thousand other stern warriors who never show on paper。
So with this skirmish； 〃according to Cocker；〃 it ought to have been a very pretty one； for Hercules of Pisa； who planned the sortie； had arranged it all （being a very sans…appel in all military science） upon the best Italian precedents； and had brought against this very hapless battery a column of a hundred to attack directly in front； a company of fifty to turn the right flank； and a company of fifty to turn the left flank； with regulations； orders； passwords； countersigns； and what not； so that if every man had had his rights （as seldom happens）； Don Guzman Maria Magdalena de Soto； who commanded the sortie； ought to have taken the work out of hand； and annihilated all therein。 But alas！ here stern fate interfered。 They had chosen a dark night； as was politic； they had waited till the moon was up； lest it should be too dark； as was politic likewise： but； just as they had started； on came a heavy squall of rain； through which seven moons would have given no light； and which washed out the plans of Hercules of Pisa as if they had been written on a schoolboy's slate。 The company who were to turn the left flank walked manfully down into the sea； and never found out where they were going till they were knee…deep in water。 The company who were to turn the right flank； bewildered by the utter darkness； turned their own flank so often； that tired of falling into rabbit…burrows and filling their mouths with sand； they halted and prayed to all the saints for a compass and lantern； while the centre body； who held straight on by a trackway to within fifty yards of the battery； so miscalculated that short distance； that while they thought the ditch two pikes' length off； they fell into it one over the other； and of six scaling ladders； the only one which could be found was the very one which Amyas threw down again。 After which the clouds broke； the wind shifted； and the moon shone out merrily。 And so was the deep policy of Hercules of Pisa； on which hung the fate of Ireland and the Papacy； decided by a ten minutes' squall。
But where is Amyas？
In the ditch； aware that the enemy is tumbling into it； but unable to find them； while the company above； finding it much too dark to attempt a counter sortie； have opened a smart fire of musketry and arrows on things in general； whereat the Spaniards are swearing like Spaniards （I need say no more）； and the Italians spitting like venomous cats； while Amyas； not wishing to be riddled by friendly balls； has got his back against the foot of the rampart； and waits on Providence。
Suddenly the moon clears； and with one more fierce volley； the English sailors； seeing the confusion； leap down from the embrasures； and to it pell…mell。 Whether this also was 〃according to Cocker；〃 I know not： but the sailor； then as now； is not susceptible of highly…finished drill。
Amyas is now in his element； and so are the brave fellows at his heels； and there are ten breathless； furious minutes among the sand…hills； and then the trumpets blow a recall； and the sailors drop back again by twos and threes； and are helped up into the embrasures over many a dead and dying foe； while the guns of Fort del Oro open on them； and blaze away for half an hour without reply； and then all is still once more。 And in the meanwhile； the sortie against the deputy's camp has fared no better； and the victory of the night remains with the English。
Twenty minutes after； Winter and the captains who were on shore were drying themselves round a peat…fire on the beach； and talking over the skirmish； when Will Cary asked
〃Where is Leigh？ who has seen him？ I am sadly afraid he has gone too far； and been slain。〃
〃Slain？ Never less； gentlemen！〃 replied the voice of the very person in question； as he stalked out of the darkness into the glare of the fire； and shot down from his shoulders into the midst of the ring； as he might a sack of corn； a huge dark body； which was gradually seen to be a man in rich armor； who being so shot down； lay quietly where he was dropped； with his feet （luckily for him mailed） in the fire。
〃I say；〃 quoth Amyas； 〃s