For success meant to him more than life--he had fought _for love_, and Paradise opened wide her doors.
Then he cast an anxious look above--oh, pale moon, sailing so serenely athwart the heavens, show yet again your sympathy and gentle mercy by veiling that bright face behind some friendly cloud--it were worth a king's ransom to have this occur, but it was vouchsafed them without money and without price.
The moon dipped out of sight behind a black, ragged mass of clouds, and the bay of San Juan was for the time being wrapped in semi-gloom. Even Providence seemed on their side.
When the Spanish soldiers reached the water's edge they fired at random, but none of the missiles came anywhere near them in the boat.
Faster rowed the British tars, knowing full well that boats must already have put out in pursuit, and delay meant trouble.
Roderic cast many an anxious glance up toward that section of the heavens where moon and cloud were having a royal warfare, and he was delighted to discover that the former would evidently be discounted in the battle--at least the reign of the cloud would last until they had reached the Dreadnaught and were sheltered by her bulk from searching eyes.
One and all had gained her deck and the boat was hauled up to the davits ere the face of fair Luna peeped inquisitively forth.
Looking toward the shore they saw a dozen boats, all occupied by Spanish soldiers in pursuit of a little sailboat or sloop that, taking advantage of the night wind was endeavoring to slip out of the harbor, being possibly a smuggler engaged in defying the severe duties placed upon all imports by Spanish laws.
Fortune seemed never to tire of aiding their cause--it was one chance in a thousand that this smuggler should start just at such a moment, and divert the attention of the enraged Spaniards.
Perhaps, however, a guilty conscience had something to do with the matter, for those on board the _contrabandista_ boat must have believed the tremendous row ashore had to do with their presence in the bay, and spreading their white wings they had flown seaward.
Several volleys were fired after them by the soldiers, and there came a deep boom or two later announcing that the fort commanding the entrance to the bay had taken a few chances at the escaping boat; but the moon had again plunged behind the clouds, and besides, those on board the sloop knew every foot of the offing so that the way to escape was open.