squadron. They had no wish to smell slavery, now that the voyage
had come so near to its end.

Our Lord the Sun shone brilliantly, giving full speed to the
machines, as though He was fully willing for the affair to proceed,
and the two navies approached one another with quickness, the three
galleys holding back to stay in line with their consorts. But when
some bare hundred ship-lengths separated us, the other navy halted,
and one of the galleys, drawing ahead, flew green branches from her
masts, seeking for a parley.

The course was unusual, but we, in our sea-battered state,
were no navy to invite a fight unnecessarily. So in hoarse
sea-bawls word was passed, and we too halted, and Tob hoisted a
withered stick (which had to do duty for greenery), to show that we
were ready for talk, and would respect the person of an ambassador.

The galley drew on, swung round, and backed till its stern
rasped on our shield rail, and one of her people clambered up and
jumped down upon our decks. He was a dandily rigged-out fellow,
young and lusty, and all healthy from the land and land victual,
and he looked round him with a sneer at our sea-tatteredness, and
with a fine self-confidence. Then, seeing Tob, he nodded as one
meets an acquaintance. "Old pot-mate," he said, "your woman waits
for you up by the quay-side in Atlantis yonder, with four
youngsters at her heels. I saw her not half a month ago."

"You didn't come out here to tell me home news," said Tob;
"that I'll be sworn. I've drunk enough pots with you, Dason, to
know your pleasantries thoroughly."