step.  Another day’s march and Panama was sighted as they topped the crest of one of the bigger waves of ground.  A clever Maroon went ahead to spy out the situation and returned to say that two recuas would leave at dusk, one coming from Venta Cruz, fifteen miles northwest of Panama, carrying silver and supplies, and the other from Panama, loaded with jewels and gold.  Then a Spanish sentry was caught asleep by the advanced party of Maroons, who smelt him out by the match of his fire-lock.  In his gratitude for being protected from the Maroons, this man confirmed the previous information.

The excitement now was most intense; for the crowning triumph of a two-years’ great adventure was at last within striking distance of the English crew.  Drake drew them up in proper order; and every man took off his shirt and put it on again outside his coat, so that each would recognize the others in the night attack.  Then they lay listening for the mule-bells, till presently the warning tinkle let them know that recuas were approaching from both Venta Cruz and Panama.  The first, or silver train from Venta Cruz, was to pass in silence; only the second, or gold train from Panama, was to be attacked.  Unluckily one of the Englishmen had been secretly taking pulls at his flask and had just become pot-valiant when a stray Spanish gentleman came riding up from Venta Cruz.  The Englishman sprang to his feet, swayed about, was tripped up by Maroons and promptly sat upon.  But the Spaniard saw his shirt, reined up, whipped round, and galloped back to Panama.  This took place so silently at the extreme flank in towards Panama that it was not observed by Drake or any other Englishman.  Presently what appeared to be the gold train came within range.  Drake blew his whistle; and all set on with glee, only to find that the Panama recua they were attacking was a decoy sent on to spring the trap and that the gold and jewels had been stopped.

The Spaniards were up in arms.  But Drake slipped away through the engulfing forest and came out on the Atlantic side, where he found his rear-guard intact and eager for further exploits.  He was met by Captain Tetu, a Huguenot just out from France, with seventy men.  Tetu gave Drake news of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, and this drew the French and English Protestants together.  They agreed to engage in further raiding of Spaniards, share and share alike by nationalities, though Drake had now only thirty-one men against Tetu’s seventy.  Nombre de Dios, they decided, was not vulnerable, as all the available Spanish forces were concentrated there for its defence, and so they planned to seize a Spanish train of gold and jewels just far enough inland to give them time to get away with the plunder before the garrison could reach them.  Somewhere on the coast they established a base of operations and then marched overland to the Panama trail and lay in wait.

This time the marauders were successful.  When the Spanish train of gold and jewels came opposite the ambush, Drake’s whistle blew.  The leading mules were stopped.  The rest lay down, as mule-trains will.  The guard was overpowered after killing a Maroon and wounding Captain Tetu.  And when the garrison of Nombre de Dios arrived a few hours later the gold and jewels had all gone.