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As a matter
of fact, whilst the main body of the Spaniards feasted and rioted
ashore, the Spanish gunner and his crew - who had so nobly done
their duty and ensured the easy victory of the day - were feasting
on the gun-deck upon the wine and the fresh meats fetched out to
them from shore. Above, two sentinels only kept vigil, at stem and
stern. Nor were they as vigilant as they should have been, or else
they must have observed the two wherries that under cover of the
darkness came gliding from the wharf, with well-greased rowlocks,
to bring up in silence under the great ship's quarter.
From the gallery aft still hung the ladder by which Don Diego had
descended to the boat that had taken him ashore. The sentry on
guard in the stern, coming presently round this gallery, was
suddenly confronted by the black shadow of a man standing before
him at the head of the ladder.
"Who's there?" he asked, but without alarm, supposing it one of his
fellows.
"It is I," softly answered Peter Blood in the fluent Castillan of
which he was master.


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