The morning broke with a light air. The English would be less able to
move, and with the help of the galleasses he might hope to come to close
quarters at last. Howard seemed inclined to give him his wish. With just
wind enough to move the Lord Admiral led in the _Ark Raleigh_ straight
down on the Spanish centre. The _Ark_ out-sailed her consorts and found
herself alone with the galleons all round her. At that moment the wind
dropped. The Spanish boarding-parties were at their posts. The tops were
manned with musketeers, the grappling irons all prepared to fling into
the _Ark's_ rigging. In imagination the English admiral was their own.
But each day's experience was to teach them a new lesson. Eleven boats
dropped from the _Ark's_ sides and took her in tow. The breeze rose
again as she began to move. Her sails filled, and she slipped away
through the water, leaving the Spaniards as if they were at anchor,
staring in helpless amazement. The wind brought up Drake and the rest,
and then began again the terrible cannonade from which the Armada had
already suffered so frightfully. It seemed that morning as if the
English were using guns of even heavier metal than on either of the
preceding days.
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