"I doubt not that with the help of our Lady we shall do our part,"
said the King. "Hold her straight, master-shipman, as I have told
you."
Now the two vessels were within arrow flight, and the bolts from
the crossbowmen pattered upon the English ship. These short thick
devil's darts were everywhere humming like great wasps through the
air, crashing against the bulwarks, beating upon the deck, ringing
loudly on the armor of the knights, or with a soft muffled thud
sinking to the socket in a victim.
The bowmen along either side of the Philippa had stood motionless
waiting for their orders, but now there was a sharp shout from
their leader, and every string twanged together. The air was full
of their harping, together with the swish of the arrows, the
long-drawn keening of the bowmen and the short deep bark of the
under-officers. "Steady, steady! Loose steady! Shoot wholly
together! Twelve score paces! Ten score! Now eight! Shoot
wholly together!" Their gruff shouts broke through the high
shrill cry like the deep roar of a wave through the howl of the
wind.
As the two great ships hurtled together the Spaniard turned away a
few points so that the blow should be a glancing one. None the
less it was terrific. A dozen men in the tops of the carack were
balancing a huge stone with the intention of dropping it over on
the English deck.
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