As the boys were still uneasy as to the opinion Francis Vere might
form of their continued stay in England, they wrote to him, their
letter being inclosed in one from the earl; but the reply set their
minds at rest -- "By all means stay in England," Captain Vere wrote,
"since there is nothing doing here of any note or consequence, nor
likely to be. We are simply idling our time in Bergen op Zoom, and
not one of us but is longing to be at home to bear his part in the
events pending there. It is hard, indeed, to be confined in this
miserable Dutch town while England is in danger. Unfortunately
we are soldiers and must obey orders; but as you are as yet only
volunteers, free to act as you choose, it would be foolish in the
extreme for you to come over to this dull place while there is so
much going on in England. I have written to my cousin, asking him
to introduce you to some of the country gentlemen who have fitted
out a ship for service against the Spaniards, so that you may have
a hand in what is going on."
This the earl had done, and early in May they had journeyed down
to Plymouth on horseback with a party of other gentlemen who were
going on board the Active, a vessel of two hundred and fifty tons
belonging to a gentleman of Devonshire, one Master Audrey Drake,
a relation of Sir Francis Drake. The earl himself was with the
party.
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