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diff --git a/old/50281-0.txt b/old/50281-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 05eff40..0000000 --- a/old/50281-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6810 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Diego Pinzon and the Fearful Voyage he took -into the Unknown Ocean A.D. 1492, by John Russell Coryell - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Diego Pinzon and the Fearful Voyage he took into the Unknown Ocean A.D. 1492 - -Author: John Russell Coryell - -Release Date: October 22, 2015 [EBook #50281] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIEGO PINZON *** - - - - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, Shaun Pinder and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -[Illustration: “‘TO THE MAST WITH HIM!’ SAID MARTIN ALONZO.” - -[See page 73.]] - - - - - DIEGO PINZON - - AND - - _THE FEARFUL VOYAGE HE TOOK - INTO THE UNKNOWN OCEAN - A.D. 1492_ - - BY - - JOHN RUSSELL CORYELL - - ILLUSTRATED - - NEW YORK - HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE - 1892 - - - - - Copyright, 1891, by HARPER & BROTHERS. - - _All rights reserved._ - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I. PAGE 1 - - ” II. ” 6 - - ” III. ” 18 - - ” IV. ” 32 - - ” V. ” 48 - - ” VI. ” 64 - - ” VII. ” 74 - - ” VIII. ” 81 - - ” IX. ” 88 - - ” X. ” 97 - - ” XI. ” 104 - - ” XII. ” 112 - - ” XIII. ” 120 - - ” XIV. ” 127 - - ” XV. ” 136 - - ” XVI. ” 144 - - ” XVII. ” 151 - - ” XVIII. ” 160 - - ” XIX. ” 167 - - ” XX. ” 175 - - ” XXI. ” 182 - - ” XXII. ” 191 - - ” XXIII. ” 205 - - ” XXIV. ” 218 - - ” XXV. ” 225 - - ” XXVI. ” 234 - - ” XXVII. ” 246 - - ” XXVIII. ” 253 - - - - - ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - “‘TO THE MAST WITH HIM!’ SAID MARTIN ALONZO” _Frontispiece._ - - “‘THINK TWICE, DID YOU SAY, FRAY ANTONIO,’ ASKED - THE BOY, ‘ERE I SET FOOT TO THE GROUND?’” _Facing p._ 8 - - “‘TUT!’ SAID THE FRIAR, TAKING DIEGO BY THE COLLAR - AND LEADING HIM AWAY” ” 18 - - “‘IT IS MY COUSIN’S SON, DIEGO? GOOD-DAY TO THEE, - LAD!’” ” 22 - - “‘HE IS VERY YOUNG TO DIE,’ SAID A MOCKING VOICE” ” 32 - - “THEN, LIKE A FLASH, FOR HE WAS A QUICK BOY, DIEGO - STRUCK THE OTHER BOY ON THE CHEEK” ” 34 - - “‘NOW GO FORWARD WHERE YOU BELONG’” ” 40 - - “‘HUSH!’ WHISPERED JUAN, SUDDENLY, ‘THERE IS A NOISE - IN THE CABIN’” ” 58 - - “MARTIN ALONZO DISAPPEARED OVER THE SIDE” ” 66 - - “‘THOU ART A TRUE PINZON, AND I AM PROUD OF THEE’” ” 88 - - “IF I HAD TOLD, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN HANGED UP THERE” ” 96 - - “‘I SHALL SHOOT THE FIRST MAN WHO TRIES TO DESERT’” ” 106 - - “NO TWO BOYS EVER FILLED CASKS WITH SUCH EXPEDITION AS - THOSE TWO DID” ” 110 - - “‘HEY, THERE! YOU TWO HAVE HAD ENOUGH,’ SAID A MAN’S - VOICE” ” 118 - - “‘COME, SPEAK OUT, BOY!’” ” 130 - - “ALL OVER THE VESSEL COULD BE SEEN THOSE STRONG MEN - WEEPING” ” 138 - - “THE ADMIRAL WAS SPLENDIDLY ROBED IN A BRILLIANT SCARLET - CLOAK OVER HIS RICH AND GLITTERING ARMOR, AND HELD THE - ROYAL STANDARD IN HIS OWN HAND” ” 154 - - “REFRESHING THEMSELVES WITH THE FRUITS THAT WERE BROUGHT - THEM BY THE NATIVES” ” 156 - - “JINGLED IT BEFORE THE EYES OF THE SAVAGE” ” 160 - - “‘NOT BARTER FOR GOLD?’ CRIED MARTIN ALONZO” ” 164 - - “DIEGO DROPPING THROUGH THE BLACKNESS OF THE NIGHT” ” 190 - - “HE REACHED OUT AND CLUTCHED AT THE FLOATING THING” ” 194 - - “THERE THEY BOTH SANK DOWN” ” 204 - - “‘LOOK!’ SAID DIEGO” ” 212 - - “THE CLEFT PROVED TO BE A NARROW, CAVE-LIKE OPENING” ” 214 - - “CAUGHT UP SOME OF THE TORCHES AND ADVANCED IN A BODY” ” 220 - - “OF COURSE THE KNIFE CUT HIS FINGERS” ” 232 - - “FOR THREE NIGHTS THEY FLOATED DOWN THE STREAM” ” 244 - - “DIEGO WENT WITH JUAN TO SEE THE MAN UNCHAINED” ” 252 - - “DIEGO RELATES HIS ADVENTURES TO THE CONVENT BOYS” ” 258 - - - - -DIEGO PINZON. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -IN the ancient province of Andalusia, which, as everybody knows, is -famous for the charms of its climate and the fertility of its soil, -there stands now, as there stood four centuries ago, the convent of La -Rabida. - -The convent is almost a ruin now; but in those days it was a sturdy -pile, where a busy, eager body of Franciscan friars dwelt, governed by -the learned and good Fray Juan Perez, who had once been confessor to -the queen, Isabella. - -Now there is something mournful in the solitude of the place; but in -the days when the things happened which are set down here, there was a -suppressed excitement pervading the atmosphere of the convent, which -had communicated itself even to Fray Pedro, who had been given the post -of porter because he had what the good prior called such a singular -gift of slumber. - -There had been days recently when Fray Pedro had not closed his eyes -for as long as two consecutive hours; and if _he_ felt the influence -that was around him, what wonder if the boys, digging away desperately -at their humanities, should be wrought up to the highest pitch of -unrest and excitement? - -Fray Bartolomeo was the pedagogue, who had been selected for the office -because of his great learning; but he searched the stores of his -knowledge in vain during those days for a device to turn the minds of -the scholars from the one topic that absorbed them. - -The fact of the matter was that at the seaport town of Palos, only -half a league away from the convent, preparations were going on for an -adventure of the most fearful nature--an adventure which some people -did not hesitate to say was prompted by the evil one himself, and which -others, more lenient, declared could have been conceived only by a -madman. - -At the convent they did not believe the first of these propositions -at all, nor did any one give word openly to the second; though there -were many there who harbored it in their secret thoughts, and who -occasionally whispered it. - -The prior, Juan Perez, had faith in the adventure, and, indeed, had -done all that lay in his power to forward it, and was continuing to do -so in the face of the most violent opposition. But then, as a brother -one day whispered to another, the prior was given to the promulgation -of new ideas. - -It seems that a foreigner--an Italian of some sort, it was believed -from his accent--had persuaded the queen to venture some money in this -execrable enterprise, and had further induced her to designate the port -of Palos as the place which should furnish a portion of the doomed -fleet and crew. - -There was very little doubt that they were doomed; though this man, -Christoval Colon, pretended to demonstrate that there was no danger at -all attached to his purposed expedition, and had persuaded the good -Fray Juan Perez of the correctness of his demonstration. - -It was true that so good a seaman as Martin Alonzo Pinzon had been -beguiled by the specious representations of the pestilent foreigner, -and that Martin had in turn induced his brothers and many of his kin -to lend their countenance and aid to the adventure. A number of the -Pinzons had, in fact, enlisted in the enterprise. - -It was very well known, however, that the Pinzons were bold, reckless -sailors, who feared naught and would dare anything, and all that the -people of Palos had to say as to that was that they wished them luck, -and hoped they would come back alive. It was no secret, moreover, that -more than one Pinzon wished himself well out of the affair, and would -have taken himself incontinently out, had it not been that the present -fear of the wrath of Martin Alonzo Pinzon was far greater than the fear -of the more remote perils that threatened them on the trackless wastes -of that ocean which, somewhere in the far western distance, poured -over the edge of the earth into the bottomless abyss beyond. Martin -Alonzo Pinzon was a difficult man to gainsay, and those of his poorer -kinsmen who could not take comfort in the logic of the Italian must set -themselves up against the will of the bluff sailor, who had a voice in -which thunder rumbled and an eye in which the storm-lightning played. - -Martin Alonzo had furnished one vessel in joint account with the -foreigner, and as Palos owed, as a sort of forfeit, the service of -two vessels for a year to the sovereigns, Ferdinand and Isabella, two -vessels had been forcibly distrained for the benefit of the foreigner. - -As for the crews, Pinzon had haled a goodly number of his kinsmen -into service, and cajoled a few of his townsmen; but there was no -inducement that could make any others stir a step towards such certain -destruction until a royal ordinance was issued, offering freedom to -such convicts as would venture their lives rather than remain in -durance. - -But even with that the crews did not fill up to the required number, -and the mortal terror that was on those who had agreed to go caused -them to desert at every opportunity; and the consequent wrath of Martin -Alonzo Pinzon was a thing to be shunned carefully. - -And, as may be seen, all this disturbance and turmoil naturally created -the bitterest feeling; and for the weeks that the foreigner rested at -Palos the talk of his insane folly--to call it no worse--ran high, -indeed. Well it was for him that he had the good-will of the prior, -Juan Perez, and the endorsement of the burly sailor. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - -WHILE the little fleet destined for the mad enterprise lay in port, it -was considered advisable to restrain the boys of the convent school -within the walls. So it came about that the gardener was driven almost -distracted by the peril of his choicest vegetables and flowers; for the -boys had not the same passionate regard for the growing things that he -had. - -“See there, now!” said Fray Antonio, angrily, as he held one of the -boys by the collar of his jacket, “you have planted your clumsy foot on -the stem of my choicest melon, and it lacked a day of perfect ripening. -Think twice”--he cuffed him heartily as many times--”ere ever you set -foot to ground again.” - -He pushed the boy from him, and then regarded him as if sorry he had -not been more liberal with his blows. The boy shook himself and gave -back to the exasperated gardener a glance as angry as his own. But that -was only the first impulse; the second followed close on its heels and -turned the anger into mischief. The lad cast a swift glance at his -comrades, who stood by, smothering their mirth, and then looked with -exaggerated innocence at the irate gardener. - -“Think twice, did you say, Fray Antonio,” asked the boy, “ere I -set foot to the ground? Is it one of the rules of the order? Or is -it a rule you, only, go by? And would it not cause one to go with -a singular, halting gait? As thus--he raised a foot and held it -suspended--”I think once, I think twice, and down she goes. Now the -other. I think once, I think twice. Oh, but that is rare and dignified, -Fray Antonio, though I misdoubt those boys be laughing at me.” - -“I will have a word with Fray Bartolomeo,” stuttered the angry gardener. - -“_Gracias_ for that,” said the boy; “and I beg you to expound the thing -to him, lest, when he calls me and I go in this new fashion to him, he -may misjudge me. Do I catch the motion, good Fray Antonio?” - -He walked towards his convulsed comrades with an absurd, halting step. - -“Ah,” said Fray Antonio, with a grim, angry humor of his own, “you will -catch the motion, doubt it not, when you dance to the music of the -scourge. I will see to that, Diego Pinzon, I will see to that.” - -“He means to do it, Diego,” said one of the boys, looking where the -angry brother went. - -“Why, of course he means to do it,” said Diego, “and Fray Bartolomeo -will ask no better than to ply the scourge over my back. I might indeed -ask him to think twice ere he let the scourge fall, but I doubt if he -will be as ready as I was to act on the hint.” - -“You may well doubt it,” laughed one of the boys. - -“It is a thing he knows no moderation in,” said Diego, with a grimace. - -“The sting would have been no greater had you first eaten the melon -instead of only bruising the stem,” said another. - -They all found it easy to be merry since it was Diego who was to pay -the reckoning. But Diego was as merry as they; for it was not in his -nature to cross the bridge until he reached it. - -“‘Tis a good suggestion, Alfonso,” said he. “Who will eat of the fruit -if I remove it from the bruised stem? I will promise to take all the -blame. Alfonso only speaks the truth when he says I will pay as much -for the stem as for the melon. For my own part, I think Fray Antonio -lets the melons stay too long on the vine. An over-ripe melon does not -suit my palate. Who is with me?” - -[Illustration: “‘THINK TWICE, DID YOU SAY, FRAY ANTONIO,’ ASKED THE -BOY. ‘ERE I SET FOOT TO THE GROUND?’”] - -The boys looked at each other and then at the melon that lay among the -leaves, showing a swelling side full of suggestions of lusciousness and -melting juiciness. - -“It would be a pity for the melon to spoil,” said Alfonso. - -“Besides,” said Diego, hunching his shoulders meaningly, “it would be -unfair to pay the price for nothing.” - -A grin went around the circle, and Diego, with a glance about the -enclosure, stepped over to the melon and plucked it from the vine. - -“Ah,” said he, smacking his lips, “Fray Antonio is but a poor gardener; -the melon would not have stood another day. Where shall we eat it?” - -That was a serious question, and the boys looked blankly at each other. -It was not easy to hide in the convent grounds, especially when an -angry gardener was likely to make quick search. But Diego was full -of expedients. Fray Bartolomeo had often told him that if he would -but give the same attention to study that he did to mischief he would -surpass the best of them all. - -“Tut!” said he, in answer to their looks, “it will be the easiest thing -imaginable. Fray Pedro will be sound asleep, and his keys will be in -his girdle. It would be a huge pity to awake him, and I will not do -it, merely to ask him to open the gates. I will just slip up to him and -help myself to the keys and open the gates. It will be a real mercy. -Come with me.” - -The business began to look too serious to some of the boys, and, if -there had been any bold enough, there would have been a decided demur -to this proposition; but there was none, and so they all straggled -after their bold leader. - -Fray Pedro, the porter, was in the state that Diego had declared he -would be. He was at his post, it is true; but his twice-doubled chin -was sunk into his neck, the flies had undisturbed possession of his -shaven skull, and, as if it were needed, his nose gave forth to the -world a defiant sort of notice that he slept. - -Diego gave the melon into the keeping of his trusty lieutenant, -Alfonso, and crept up to the side of the drowsy friar, and detached the -bunch of keys from his ample girdle. - -This was the last chance the timid ones would have to retreat, and more -than one looked for encouragement at his neighbor; but Diego acted as -if he expected to be followed, and followed he was. - -He knew the right key, and put it in the lock and turned it softly. The -bolt shot back and the door swung open. Then Diego slipped back and -readjusted the keys in the friar’s girdle, and a moment later the boys -of the convent school were scurrying towards the olive grove hard by. - -There is probably a difference of opinion in respect to melons. -Certainly the boys differed from Fray Antonio as to the ripeness of the -one they discussed in the coolness of the olive grove. They thought it -could not have been more delicious. There was but one fault--it was too -small a melon for eleven boys. There should always be eleven melons for -eleven boys. - -“It is very good,” said Alfonso, eating rather close to the rind, “and -it would have been wasted on that Italian, Christoval Colon, who would -have been sure to share it with our reverend prior.” - -“Yes,” said Diego, “it would have been wasted; but much as I have -enjoyed it, I would not have begrudged it to him; for it is like enough -that once he sets sail he will never taste of melon again. Was ever -so crazy a venture! And yet to look at him he is serious and reverend -enough. I thank my cousin, Martin Alonzo, that he fixed on me for the -church. I would not go the voyage with him--no, not for ten thousand -ducats of gold.” - -“Ducats of gold!” said Alfonso, doubtfully. “I should think twice, -like Fray Antonio, before I would refuse that.” - -“Gold or silver,” said Diego, scornfully, “what would they profit you -and you never returned home to spend them?” - -“Let us go back,” said one of the timid ones, to whom the mention of -Fray Antonio had brought up visions of a scourge vigorously applied. - -“Go back!” said Diego. “Not I. As well be hung for an old sheep as a -young lamb. The vessels sail to-night, and I warrant there will be rare -doings at Palos to-day. I am going to Palos. Who is with me?” - -“I will go,” said Alfonso. “Why not? I have eaten the melon, and I must -digest it. Who else is with us?” - -But very fear had made the others bold by this time, and to a boy they -shrank back. - -“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed Diego. “Well, go back, but have a care that Fray -Antonio is not waiting for you at the gate.” - -It was so possible a thing that the boys looked miserably at each other -for a moment, and then started on a run for the convent, followed by -the jeering laughter of the two who had elected to be truants. - -As for them, the moment of reckoning was so far away that they felt -very reckless, and it was with an air of bravado that they struck into -the dusty road and walked hastily into the town. - -When they reached the town they found that Diego had been quite right, -and that the place was in a turmoil indeed. On the square there were -sullen faces, and down on the quay, whither they hurried at once, there -were weeping women and angry men; while on the three little vessels, -anchored a stone’s-throw off shore, the crews could be seen hanging -miserably over the rails, casting longing eyes ashore. - -“When do they sail?” demanded Diego of a man standing near him on the -quay. - -“They only wait on some jail-birds that have consented to go,” answered -the man in a surly tone. “Even they are too good for such a cruise; but -if the whole crew was of the same it were better. ’Tis a sin to let -good men risk their lives so.” - -“Here they come! here they come!” one and another said, and the boys, -looking around, saw a burly, bold-looking man making his way through -the crowd, followed closely by two hang-dog looking fellows, who, in -their turn, were followed by an officer of the Holy Brotherhood, as the -police of Spain was then called. - -“‘Tis my cousin, Martin Alonzo,” whispered Diego to his companion. -“Let me hide behind you; for if he see me and be short of hands, he -will think nothing of taking me in tow.” - -The fear might be well enough founded; but Martin Alonzo Pinzon was -thinking of other things than the young Pinzon whom he had destined to -the priesthood. He had had so much opposition and so many hard words -that he was on the _qui vive_ to catch and answer anything that might -be said to him. - -He left the officer and his two prisoners near to where Diego stood, -and went to the edge of the quay to hail a small boat from one of the -vessels. Now Diego was not one ever to lose an opportunity. He saw by -the looks of the prisoners that, though they had chosen the perilous -voyage rather than remain in prison, they were yet far from happy in -their lot. And the younger of the two, who was scarcely older than -himself, was particularly unhappy. - -“He is very young to die,” said Diego, in a sepulchral tone. - -Some of the bystanders laughed; for the tone was only in keeping with -the dismal expression of the young convict. But the latter raised -his sullen face and glared at Diego. He said nothing, but there was -something unpleasantly vindictive in his eyes. Alfonso said: - -“‘Tis well you are not going to take the voyage with him.” - -“I think so myself,” answered Diego, carelessly; “but if I went the -voyage, I think I would make little account of his anger, or any one’s -else.” - -“You are right,” said the man to whom they had first spoken, “what -with dragons and monster serpents, and great gulfs in the water, and -creatures that live on human flesh and all sorts of inconceivable -perils, ’tis better far to dare anything than go such a voyage.” - -“Here,” roared the voice of Martin Alonzo Pinzon, at this moment, “take -these fellows off to my vessel, and see that they remain there.” - -The two prisoners were hurried into the boat amid the silence of the -spectators, and Martin Alonzo went back into the town. - -“I would rather take my chances at the convent,” said Diego. - -“So would I,” agreed Alfonso. “Shall we go there now?” - -“Why should we? We shall be flogged the same, whether we stay an hour -or five. I say, let us wait and see the vessels weigh anchor.” - -“Let us then,” said Alfonso, who seldom gainsaid his friend. - -“For a fact,” said Diego, nodding his head sagely, “old Bartolomeo -cannot hurt much anyhow.” - -“Old Bartolomeo!” - -A hand was on the collar of each boy’s jacket. Neither looked up to see -whose the hand was. They had recognized the voice as that of him whom -Diego had called “old Bartolomeo.” They cast despairing and disgusted -grimaces at each other. - -“Will you lay hold of this scape-gallows,” said the Franciscan to the -man with whom the boys had been holding converse. - -The man grinned and took a firm hold of Diego’s collar, much to the -surprise of that lad, who had expected, as a matter of course, to be -made the example of; it being evident that the pedagogue intended to -administer summary punishment. - -“Be careful,” said the Franciscan; “for he is a slippery rascal; and, -now, give me space.” - -It was a diversion as good as any for the idle crowd to see Alfonso -capering under the hot blows of the angry friar, and they cheered him -on with laughing shouts. - -“And now,” said Fray Bartolomeo, letting the scourge fall at his side -from sheer exhaustion, “do thou hasten back to the convent, and make -good speed, or it shall be the worse for thee.” - -Diego had not felt the same sorrow for Alfonso that he might have done, -but for the conviction that the worthy friar would be too worn with his -exertions to do justice to his particular case. But when the Franciscan -released Alfonso, Diego, not to betray his satisfaction, set up a howl, -and begged the friar not to be too hard upon him, at the same time -casting a comical glance at the spectators, to let them understand that -he cared not a fig for the worthy man’s castigation. - -“As for thee, Diego Pinzon, who art counting on my weakened strength, -thou goest to one whose arm will not fail him, I warrant--thy cousin, -Martin Alonzo.” - -Then did Diego turn pale, not only with the fear of an arm whose like -was not in Palos, but with a greater fear. - -“In mercy don’t do that,” he cried. “I mind not the flogging, I will do -any penance; but take me not to my cousin, for I know in my heart he -will ship me for the terrible voyage.” - -“Ah, that he will,” said the man who held him; “for he has not his -complement yet.” - -“Tut!” said the friar, taking Diego by the collar and leading him away; -and the heart of the boy sank within him. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - -DIEGO’S terror of his cousin was in no wise assumed--it was very real; -for Martin Alonzo Pinzon, besides being the acknowledged head of the -Pinzon family and a very masterful man, was the legal guardian of Diego -and had his future in his keeping. - -“Good Fray Bartolomeo,” pleaded Diego, earnestly, “do not take me to my -cousin. I will mend my ways, indeed I will. And you may put any penance -on me, and you shall see how cheerfully I will do it.” - -“Thou shouldst have thought of all that before,” said the friar, -feeling a pity for Diego that he would not betray, because he believed -the mischievous lad needed a severe lesson. - -“You do not know my cousin,” said Diego, mournfully. - -“‘Tis plain thou dost,” said Fray Bartolomeo. - -“The flogging he would give me I care little for,” said Diego. - -“Be not too sure; his arm is not that of ‘old Bartolomeo.’” - -[Illustration: “‘TUT!’ SAID THE FRIAR, TAKING DIEGO BY THE COLLAR AND -LEADING HIM AWAY.”] - -“If I said ‘old Bartolomeo,’” said Diego, cajolingly, “you must believe -it was said with affection. Don’t you know how we sometimes say old -when we wish to use a term of endearment?” - -Fray Bartolomeo smiled on the other side of his face, but turned a grim -eye on Diego. - -“_Gracias_ for thy affectionate remembrance of me, even with the -thought of the scourge in thy mind; but it must not blind us to the -fact that thou didst purloin a choice melon from the garden, having -previously flouted Fray Antonio, and having subsequently seduced thy -fellows, and done many things which thou shouldst not have done.” - -“It was very wicked of me,” said Diego; “but would you for that have me -taken from the convent and carried to certain destruction?” - -“Tut!” said the friar, scornfully. - -“But he will do it,” whined Diego. “You heard what the man said, that -he had not yet his complement.” - -“Tut!” said the friar again. - -“I see how it is,” said Diego, trying a new tack, “you bear me malice -for calling you old, and you would have me removed from the bosom of -the church. You care nothing for my future welfare. ’Tis unchristian to -hate me so bitterly.” - -“Tut, tut! tut, tut!” said the worthy friar, uneasily. “‘Tis because -I cherish thee in my heart, thou scape-grace! that I will not do thee -the wrong to punish thee insufficiently. How many times have I praised -thee for thy facility in declension and conjugation? How often have I -told thee that thou wert the best student of them all and wouldst be a -credit to us but for thy scampish tricks? How often hast thou cajoled -me, in my love for thee, and escaped the punishment thou shouldst have -had in justice?” - -“You have indeed been very good,” said Diego, watching the face above -him out of the corner of his eye; “why then will you wreck my wretched -life now? I tell you, Martin Alonzo will snatch me from the convent and -take me with him. I feel it in my heart.” - -There was uneasiness in the heart of the friar, for he loved the -boy, and there was enough in what he said to make an impression on -his fears, too. Martin Alonzo might do the thing Diego dreaded, or -pretended to dread. Diego saw that the good man wavered, and a grin -overspread his countenance. The friar, chancing to look down, saw the -grimace. - -“Thou art an ungrateful little wretch!” he said, angrily. “Thou wouldst -play upon my affection for thee, and then laugh at my credulity. I -think sometimes, Diego Pinzon, thou hast no heart at all. Now, say no -more! I will not listen. I caught the smirk on thy face, and it hath -undone thee for a certainty. Thou shalt learn the iniquity of making a -mock of thy elders. Say no more!” - -Diego hastened to remove the impression the friar had received, and -strove with much earnestness and artfulness to work once more on the -feelings of his teacher, but it was without avail. - -When he pointed out with great particularity what the dangers of -the voyage were, Fray Bartolomeo merely gave a grim assent. When he -enlarged on the pity of taking him from his religious studies, the -friar only snorted ominously. In short, they came to the house of -Martin Alonzo Pinzon and went in. - -Martin Alonzo was evidently saying his last farewells at that moment, -and was in great haste to be away. - -“Good-day, Fray Bartolomeo!” he said, in his abrupt fashion. “Whom -have you here? It is my cousin’s son, Diego? Good-day to thee, lad! I -suppose thou hast come to bid me a last farewell like these women. As -if I were never to return! Well, _adios_, if you will. Is he a likely -lad, Fray Bartolomeo? How come on the humanities?” - -His rapid, abrupt manner of speaking gave little opportunity for an -answer; and the friar saw that it was a poor time to be there on such -an errand; but he was so convinced that Diego would be unmanageable -without a chastisement and warning from his cousin that he spoke out -clearly and to the point: - -“The humanities come on well enough, and no one can do better than he -when he will; but I have come to tell thee, Martin Alonzo, that he -needs a strong hand to correct him, or he will never arrive at grace.” - -“My time is short,” said Martin Alonzo, gruffly. - -“It needs not much of it to give him a taste of thy vigor, and a word -of warning.” - -“A sorry sort of remembrance he would have of me then, reverend -brother.” - -“He will honor and bless thee in the end,” said the friar. - -“What hath he done that calls for my intervention?” demanded Martin -Alonzo, eying Diego curiously. - -“Much in the past that hath been inadequately dealt with, and to-day -these several things: He flouted the gardener, Fray Antonio, when he -rebuked him for stepping on his melon vines; he--” - -“Good cousin,” said Diego, hastily, “I did but as Fray Antonio bade -me.” - -[Illustration: “‘IT IS MY COUSIN’S SON, DIEGO? GOOD-DAY TO THEE, -LAD!’”] - -“What did he bid thee do?” demanded Martin Alonzo. - -“He bade me think twice ere I set foot to ground again, cuffing me -soundly lest I should not remember his admonition.” - -“Ah!” said Martin Alonzo, a twinkle lighting up his stern eye. - -Diego, who was quickness itself, caught the twinkle and went on, before -Fray Bartolomeo could continue his catalogue of misdeeds. - -“And then I begged him to enlighten me further, since I was not certain -that I had construed him correctly.” - -“Thou didst flout him,” said the friar, indignantly. - -“What didst thou?” demanded Martin Alonzo. - -“I did but lift my foot thus,” said Diego, demurely suiting the action -to the word, “and count, so: ‘I think once, I think twice, and down she -goes. I think once, I think twice, I think once, I think twice,’ and so -on.” - -It was so comically done, Diego being a capital mimic and actor, that -Martin Alonzo and the women of the household laughed uproariously in -spite of their seriousness. Even Fray Bartolomeo was fain to turn his -head. Diego retained his innocent countenance; but down in his heart -was the feeling that once more his artfulness had saved him. - -“‘Tis thus he ever saves himself the punishment he deserves, and then -laughs in his sleeve at his own cajolery,” said the friar, resuming his -grave face. - -“He is a very cunning knave, then, is he?” said Martin Alonzo, -thoughtfully. - -“If thou knowest him not, he will cajole thy anger into love and so -escape his just dues.” - -“How does he with his Latin?” asked the sailor. - -“Excellent well, I will say. He hath a positive gift for languages.” - -“But he is full of mischievous pranks, you say?” - -“Like a very monkey for mischief.” - -“And he needs a sobering discipline?” said Martin Alonzo, his voice -taking on something of its sea roar. - -“Sadly,” answered the friar, trembling a little for the boy; “but do -not forget he is but a child.” - -“How old is he?” - -“Fifteen, good cousin,” said Diego, in a fright; “but do not be so -wroth with me. The worst that I did was to break bounds that I might -come into port to see you start on your great voyage, good cousin.” - -“And purloined a melon and seduced his comrades to eat it with him,” -interposed the friar, seeing a softening of Martin Alonzo’s face, owing -to the cunning explanation of his reason for disobedience. - -“Thou hadst an interest in my voyage, then?” demanded Martin Alonzo. - -“The rogue will cajole him!” murmured Fray Bartolomeo, shaking his head. - -“Such an interest, good cousin,” said Diego enthusiastically, at the -same time chuckling to think how he was like to escape. - -Martin Alonzo bent a singular look upon him and turned to the friar. - -“He hath a quick wit and a turn for languages, you say?” - -“Both.” - -“But to-day he hath purloined a melon, flouted one of the brothers, -broken the bounds, seduced his comrades into evil, and perhaps hath -done other things not yet known.” - -“Oh,” whined Diego, immediately cast down, “if you cannot be satisfied -with what is known!” - -“And,” went on Martin Alonzo, “you say he hath been a sore trouble -in the past and that you have felt yourself unequal to the task of -fittingly punishing him.” - -“Even so, Martin Alonzo,” admitted the friar. - -“And you wish for him, now, a punishment that shall be a warning to -him?” - -“I love the youth, Martin Alonzo; but it is for his good,” said the -friar, who found it hard to bear witness against Diego. - -“And you think that without an adequate punishment he will not be the -ornament to the church that he otherwise would?” - -“I wish I could think differently,” said the friar. - -“And I wish,” said Diego, desperately, having given up hope, “that you -would do the worst and have it over. I can stand a flogging if it must -be; but I hate suspense.” - -“You shall be relieved of that,” said Martin Alonzo, grimly. “I have -thought of the thing which will at once be a punishment for him, a boon -to me, and a relief to you.” - -Diego held his breath, his first fear rushing over him in an instant. - -“And that is--?” asked the friar, not without uneasiness, himself. - -“He shall go the voyage with me,” said Martin Alonzo. “I need -another hand, and he is agile and strong and will suit me as well as -another--better, it may be, since he hath such a strong interest in -the voyage.” - -“It must not be,” said the startled friar. - -“It shall be,” said Martin Alonzo, in such a tone and with such a -fire in his eye that Diego felt himself unequal to any words, though -the friar, indignant at the trap he had led Diego into, protested -vehemently. - -“I am his guardian, I think,” said Martin Alonzo. “You brought him here -for my discretion, and he hath not yet been yielded up to the church. -If he had been, I would be the last to say a word. He hath not been, -and he goes with me. It is the last word. Wife, make a hasty bundle -of the clothing of our son, which he hath outgrown. We have but a -minute to waste. Cousin, look not so glum over a thing which so short -a time ago awoke thy enthusiasm. Thou goest with me. Friar, I wish you -good-day. _Adios!_” - -Diego said not a word to his cousin; he knew that would have been -useless. To the friar, however, he addressed a reproach. - -“I told you how it would be.” - -“Thou didst indeed, my son,” said the worthy friar, humbly. “But do not -despair, for I will hasten to the prior and have his intervention.” - -Martin Alonzo laughed in his beard, and Diego felt that his doom was -sealed. He saw the friar go out of the house, and he saw the hasty -preparations of the women of the household to get him an outfit; he -listened to their words of comfort and hope, and to his cousin’s gruff -assurance that he would not be taking the voyage himself, if he thought -there was danger in it; and all the while his mind was only on the -words he had spoken in mischief to the young convict. - -“He is very young to die!” - -They seemed cruel, now, instead of only mischievous, and he wished very -heartily that he had not uttered them. And so he sat in melancholy -silence until he heard Martin Alonzo saying to him: - -“Pick up thy bundle, cousin; kiss the women, and come. Why, how glum -thou art! And thou with the gift of language! Come, they are waiting -for us, and the admiral, Christoval Colon, or Christopherus, as he and -thou, being learned in Latin, would say it, will be impatient.” - -Diego heeded not the banter in his cousin’s voice; but resigned himself -to his fate, with no attempt to hide his grief and terror. He took -up his bundle and dejectedly followed his cousin out of the house. -Usually, when going to punishment, he would bear himself as jauntily as -if going to a feast--that is, when all hope of escape was gone; but -on this occasion he had no spirit to simulate what he did not feel. He -went with drooping head and lagging step. - -There was no doubt that some of the people whom they passed pitied him; -and there were others who made merry as he had done with the young -convict; but both sorts were alike to him, and he stepped off the quay -into the boat, feeling very little better than if he had been going to -execution. - -When they reached the _Pinta_, as the vessel of Martin Alonzo was -named, a sharp word from his cousin sent Diego over the side in short -order. He was just conscious of some conversation taking place about -him--a short, quick talk--and then he was hustled forward and told to -put his bundle down. - -There must have been some curiosity under his despair; for he -remembered afterwards looking about him and making certain observations -that did not in the least tend to dispel his fears. - -The vessel on which he found himself, and which was destined for the -most perilous voyage in the knowledge of man, was a rickety little -craft no larger than those which he had seen sailing along the shallow -coasts of Andalusia. It had no deck amidships, and carried houses -forward and aft only to shelter the crew and captain, and to contain -the most perishable of such freight as she carried. - -She was old and dirty and leaky; the crew was sullen and sluggish; -Martin Alonzo was harsh and violent; Diego wished he had never taken -the melon or broken bounds. The whole affair was wretched and terrible. - -There were about thirty persons on board the vessel; but it was plain -that all were not workers; and afterwards he learned that some of them -were simple adventurers, and that some were officers sent by the queen, -Isabella. - -The other two vessels had already lifted anchor and were dropping down -the stream, and it was not long before the _Pinta_ was doing the same. -But, even when the anchor was up, the shouting of his cousin--the -roaring rather--did not cease, nor did the sullen scuffling of the crew. - -He had no idea what he was expected to do, and he was in no mood to -ask anybody, even if he had known whom to ask; so he let his bundle -lie where he had dropped it and moved over to a part of the rail which -seemed to be out of the way of the sailors, and leaned over it in the -dismalest manner imaginable. As he stood there, he was conscious of the -approach of some one, but did not turn to see who it might be. - -“He is very young to die,” said a mocking voice, and he knew, before he -looked around, whose the voice was; but he turned, nevertheless, and -looked into the eyes of the young convict whom he had gibed in those -same words. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - -DIEGO looked into the eyes of the boy who stood by his side, and in -their sullen depths he saw a gleam of malicious triumph, which he did -not fail to understand. The boy was gloating over the plight he had -fallen into. - -It made it no easier for Diego to submit to the mockery of the other -that he was being treated to his own sauce. The sauce was all the less -palatable that it was of his own making. And, then, to have it served -by a miserable jail-bird! - -“You will do well to keep your distance,” he said to the boy. - -“Ha, ha!” jeered the boy, “so young to die!” - -“Say that again,” said Diego, “and I will so do to you that you will -forget the jail you came from.” - -A flush rose to the sallow face of the boy, and he said fiercely -between his teeth: - -“So young to die!” - -[Illustration: “‘HE IS VERY YOUNG TO DIE,’ SAID A MOCKING VOICE.”] - -Perhaps you know how boys do in these days on such occasions. Four -centuries have made no difference; boys did the same then. These two -forgot their fellow-voyagers and seemed to think they were alone on the -narrow ledge that skirted the rail. They glared rage and defiance at -each other; they measured each other from head to foot. Then, like a -flash, for he was a quick boy, Diego struck the other boy on the cheek. - -The latter was knocked off the rail, but was on his feet and up again, -and was rushing at Diego, when a strong hand caught him by the collar -and lifted him off his feet, and another strong hand fell thwack, -thwack, on first one side and then the other of his head; and then he -was dropped. - -The two hands belonged to Martin Alonzo Pinzon; and as he aimed at -impartiality, he had no sooner released the convict boy than he caught -up a rope’s end and laid it lustily over Diego’s shoulders, thus giving -his cousin an opportunity to form an estimate of the difference between -his method and Fray Bartolomeo’s. The advantage seemed to be with -Martin Alonzo, for Diego had no need to pretend a distress he did not -feel. His anguish was genuine. - -“Now,” said Martin Alonzo, comprehending the scowling convict as well -as the squirming Diego, “before this happens again take thought that -I am the master of this vessel and can do all the fighting.” Then he -looked over the crew that had gathered quickly around, and added, -meaningly, “_All_ the fighting, mind you!” - -With that he roared out another order, and it was a marvel how the -sailors jumped to his bidding. As for Diego, he saw in his cousin -another sort of man from the gentle, long-suffering Fray Bartolomeo. -Nevertheless, he and his antagonist exchanged looks of dislike. - -However, they said nothing to each other, though each thought to -himself that a more convenient time might come; forgetting, each, that -they expected never to see land again. - -Well, the little disturbance, odd as it may seem, did much towards -raising Diego’s spirits. Besides, he was not much given to low spirits, -and, with all his terror of the voyage, he was, like most of the other -sailors, willing to forget the future since there was no way yet -apparent of avoiding it. - -He had come on board so soon before sailing that it had not been -possible to assign him to any duty, and so there was nothing for him to -do but watch the others work, or to look over the rail at the shore as -it seemed to glide slowly by. - -[Illustration: “THEN, LIKE A FLASH, FOR HE WAS A QUICK BOY, DIEGO -STRUCK THE OTHER BOY ON THE CHEEK.”] - -One thing that he did especially was to follow his antagonist with his -eye, as he went about his work; and, in spite of his dislike for him -and prejudice against him, he could not help admitting that he seemed -to understand the business of a sailor very well. And once he heard the -man who had gone aboard with him address him as Juan Cacheco. - -When the _Pinta_ reached the mouth of the river, she dropped anchor -again near to where the _Santa Maria_ and the _Niña_ were anchored. -The former was the admiral’s vessel and the largest, and the latter -was commanded by a brother of Martin Alonzo, and was the smallest. The -largest was small enough, and it did not surprise Diego to hear his own -thought uttered in a dismal, surly growl on the other side of him. - -“Three crazy tubs for a crazy voyage!” - -Diego turned to see if the remark was addressed to him and to see who -had uttered it. It had evidently not been made to him, for which he was -glad when he saw the ugly, sullen face of the companion of Juan Cacheco -turned towards the other two vessels. He started to move away from the -man, when the latter shifted his gaze from the vessels to him, and -said, in a tone of half-surly friendliness: - -“I think we’re of the same opinion as to that. Eh, boy?” - -“I know naught about it,” answered Diego, without making any effort to -conceal the repugnance he had for the man, whom he did not think of as -a fellow-voyager, but only as a convict. - -“Hah!” ejaculated the man, showing by his sudden change of tone and by -his scowl that he comprehended Diego’s feeling towards him. “‘Tis the -cockerel that crowed so bravely on the quay and changed his tone so -soon after. We’ll clip your comb before this voyage is half done, my -little bird, or my name is not Miguel de la Vega.” - -Now Diego was as hasty of temper as he was lacking in prudence, as his -quick and taunting answer showed. - -“Miguel of the plain, or Miguel of the prison, it is all one to me. -Only I will say this to you, that you may find it harder to get my -comb than you think. It may not be so easy to steal other persons’ -belongings on board ship as you found it on shore, perhaps.” - -“Ah! say you so?” was the answer of the man, his brevity and lowering -brow giving Diego a very unpleasant sensation, and making him wonder if -a less sharp retort might not have answered his purpose as well. - -He certainly had not made a friend of the man; but, for the matter of -that, why should Diego Pinzon, who was an honest boy, with good blood -in his veins, and something of a scholar, withal, have any desire -to be friendly with a man who had only escaped the punishment of his -crimes by his willingness to risk his life in the perilous undertaking -on which they were both embarked? - -He moved slowly forward, thinking of these things, and making up his -mind that he would speak to his cousin and demand of him as a right -that he should not be obliged to have his watch with any of the convict -members of the crew. He had a very lively respect for his masterful -cousin, but he could see nothing unreasonable in the request he had to -prefer, and so looked about to see if there might be an opportunity to -speak with Martin Alonzo. - -There was no hope of finding the captain of the _Pinta_ in an idle -moment at such a stage of the voyage; but at the moment Diego looked -around he saw him standing aft, gazing aloft at some operation which -his new crew was performing in the rigging, and performing very ill, -if one might judge from his contracted brow. He gave a hasty, frowning -glance at Diego as he approached, and then turned his eyes aloft again. -Diego was not yet to be put down with a mere frown, and so held his -place in front of his cousin until the latter looked at him again and -said, gruffly: - -“Well, boy?” - -Diego cleared his throat for such a speech as he would have made at the -convent to the reverend prior. - -“I pray your pardon, good cousin--” - -“Are you so in love with the rope’s end that you crave more of it?” -interrupted Martin Alonzo, brusquely. - -“I do not understand you, cousin,” stammered Diego. - -“Then you shall, and that right speedily. Look alive, you lubbers aloft -there!” he roared to the sailors in the rigging. “What! will you go to -sleep on the yard? I’ll be the death of some of you yet! Now harkee, -boy,” he said, with an abrupt turn to Diego, “Fray Bartolomeo said you -were ready of tongue, and doubtless ’twas a merit in the convent; but -on the _Pinta_ ’tis only a dangerous gift. I, only, have the privilege -of the gift of language here--all the others of you may as well know -at once that the only gift you may exercise with safety is that of -readiness of limb when I give the word.” - -“Yes, good cousin,” said Diego, more meekly. - -“And cousin me no cousins,” said Martin Alonzo. “I am your captain and -naught else while we are on the voyage together. And now to the point. -What word have you with me?” - -Truly here was no soft-hearted fray to be cajoled with ready words. -Diego choked a little and then came to the point more directly than -ever he had before. - -“I came to ask that in arranging the watches you would put me with the -honest men instead of with the convicts.” - -“Who speaks of convicts?” demanded the captain, sharply. - -“Why, ’tis well enough known that the crew is partly made up of prison -men.” - -“Ay! is it so? And you are so nice that you must choose your company, -eh?” - -“I am a Pinzon,” said Diego, with a touch of offended pride. - -“A Pinzon! Ay, to be sure!” said Martin Alonzo, scornfully. “And, -prithee, why are you going this voyage?” - -“Because you forced me, and no other why,” said Diego. - -“Tut! will you quibble with me as if I were a fray at the convent? Why, -then, did I force you? Speak up like a Pinzon, now!” - -“Because I gave the good brothers so much trouble.” - -“You stole a melon, did you not?” - -“Among other things, I did.” - -“And if you stole a melon, in what are you better than these men who -stole purses, perhaps? You did it for mischief and to satisfy your -gluttony, and how do you know what bitter temptations these men had? -Now, let me hear no more of your superiority. The men who are here are -sailors, and I know nothing else of them until they force me to. As for -you, your watch has been assigned, and your place is where you have -been put. Now go forward, where you belong.” - -Well, there was that in Martin Alonzo’s tone and manner that kept -Diego’s ready tongue in check, and made him turn and go forward very -meekly; though not without a tingling sense of shame at having been -likened in so public a manner to the convicts he had so despised. - -He, indeed, had spoken softly enough; but Martin Alonzo had not. -Perhaps his was a voice that did not readily lend itself to a whisper. -Anyhow, he had so spoken that many on the little vessel had caught the -pith of the whole conversation, and Diego felt very certain that, among -others, Juan Cacheco had heard and was grinning with glee. - -At that instant there was nothing he would have liked better than to -have had a pitched battle with that lad; but he had learned already -to exercise some self-restraint, and so went into the forward cabin -without even exchanging glances with Juan. - -[Illustration: “‘NOW GO FORWARD WHERE YOU BELONG.’”] - -If he had felt disinclined to the voyage before, he felt much more -so now, when the prospect of the future offered so strong a contrast -to the past, which he had brought to a close by his own folly. More -than once that night he had it in his mind to slip overboard and swim -ashore; but the folly of it was too apparent to him for him to act upon -the idea, and when the call came in the morning for the watch to go on -deck, he was ready with the others. - -It seemed to him when he looked around in the dim morning light as if -especial trouble had been taken to humiliate and cross him; for he -found himself in the same watch with Juan Cacheco and Miguel de la -Vega, the two whom, of all others, he would most have wished to avoid -companionship with. - -He had not much time for bitter thoughts, however, for Martin Alonzo -had tumbled on deck at the same time with the sailors, and had at once -begun to roar out order after order; so that Diego, unless he was -minded to taste of the rope’s end again, must needs jump to the word. - -Fortunately for him, he was enough of a sailor to understand the orders -given, and was nimble enough to acquit himself tolerably well--better, -indeed, than many of the men, some of whom found themselves on board a -vessel for the first time in their lives. Besides, he was soon engaged -in a hot rivalry with Juan Cacheco, each boy striving to outdo the -other in nimbleness and expedition. - -The _Santa Maria_ and the _Niña_ showed as much life as the _Pinta_, -and it did not take long for all to understand that the little fleet -was now about to start in good earnest on the long and, as they -believed, fated voyage. - -Sullen curses and deep anathemas were muttered all over the _Pinta_, -and it was plain to Diego that a more unwilling crew had never set -sail. He might have wondered that the men did not refuse to obey -the orders of the commander, had he not gained such an opinion of -Martin Alonzo as rendered such a wonder idle. Moreover, he knew that, -despite their unwillingness to go, there were many who had nothing but -imprisonment to hope for if they refused to go. - -Still, it was strange and terrible to him to hear the men all about -him cursing as they worked at getting the vessel under way. Cursing -the voyage, cursing the captain, and, most of all, cursing Christoval -Colon, the mad adventurer, who had prompted the voyage, as they -declared, at the instigation of the Evil One. - -In the first moments of despair at leaving their native land behind -them, the men had made little concealment of their words; but later, -Diego noticed them whispering together in knots, though always careful -to give Martin Alonzo no cause for anger. - -Diego noticed, too, that the convicts were not the only ones who -whispered so suspiciously together; though of what was being said -he could gain no notion, for at his near approach to any one of the -whispering groups the whispering would instantly cease, and he would be -regarded with scowling looks. Indeed, he was not long in discovering -that he was in disfavor with the majority of the crew, and he very -rightly attributed that fact to his cousin’s loud voice, which had -betrayed his, Diego’s, feelings towards the convict crew. - -His situation was so different from what he had always been accustomed -to, that it threw him into a very unhappy frame of mind. His bold -temper and gay spirits had always made him an unquestioned leader -among the boys at the convent, and his quick wit and readiness to -acquire knowledge had made him a favorite with the friars, even when -he was fullest of mischief. Here he was a sort of outcast. His cousin -was unreasonably harsh with him; the convicts, whom he had scorned, -despised and disliked him, and the honest portion of the crew passed -him by with scarce a civil word. - -The result of it all was to make him very sullen and dejected. His gay -spirits deserted him completely, and he went about his work without -a word for anybody, but always with a black look ready for any one -who might challenge it, and particularly for Juan Cacheco, who took a -malicious pleasure in the misery of the lad who had taunted him in his -time of misery. - -Had circumstances been different, Diego would have gone to his cousin -with his fear of some mischief brewing on board the _Pinta_; but, as -it was, he felt that anything he might say would only be received with -rough upbraiding, and so, in spite of hearing now and again an ominous -and threatening word dropped by the whispering men, when they did not -suspect his presence, he kept silence and let the talk go on. - -Mutiny was what he suspected; but from the few words he had overheard -he was quite certain that the only object of the mutiny was to force -Martin Alonzo to return to land, and he was too little in love with -the voyage to care to prevent the sailors having their will in that -respect. His thought was that if he could only get back to Spain, he -would make good speed to the convent, and so conduct himself that there -would never again be any need for extreme measures against him. Ah, if -he could but be in those quiet, peaceful cloisters again! - -Yes, he was really of a mind to let the mutiny progress; not merely -because he had no sympathy with Martin Alonzo, but quite as much -because the terror of the sailors, which had been daily growing since -leaving land behind them, had communicated itself to him. - -They were on the third day out now, and the faces of the men wore that -dull, stolid look of terror, despair, and threatening which seemed to -have transformed them from human beings to brutes, a likeness that was -further borne out by the constant, low mutterings that broke from their -lips whenever two or three came together. - -Whether Martin Alonzo suspected anything or not, Diego could not tell -by any sign he ever made. The burly captain went about the deck always -in his masterful, confident way, and the men were too much afraid of -him to give him any cause for complaint against them. - -On this third day, especially, when Diego was satisfied that matters -among the sailors were drawing to a head, as if ripe for action, -Martin Alonzo was absolutely free from any sign of suspicion. There -seemed a storm brewing, and before he left the deck at night, he had -everything put in readiness to be made snug and tight at a moment’s -notice. - -Diego was so certain that something would occur that night that, at the -last moment, his resolution to remain reticent deserted him. It seemed -to him that it would be right to make an effort to put his cousin on -his guard; and with that purpose in view he placed himself nearer aft -than he had any business to be, in the hope that Martin Alonzo, in -passing, would give him the opportunity he sought for speech with him. - -Well, Martin Alonzo saw him; but as it was a part of that worthy -sailor’s plan to give Diego a good lesson in obedience and subjection, -he merely noticed him to snatch up a rope’s end and order him forward -with a sharp blow across the shoulders. - -That effectually closed Diego’s lips to him; but as he caught the sound -of a jeering laugh from Juan Cacheco, as he passed him, he turned -fiercely on him and muttered between his shut teeth: - -“Your turn will come, you prison dog!” - -“And so will yours; and sooner than you think,” was Juan’s answer, no -less fiercely spoken. - -“It won’t be too soon,” said Diego. - -“Ah! won’t it?” was all Juan’s answer; but it had an ominous tone. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - -ALTHOUGH under not more than half her full spread of sail, the _Pinta_ -was dashing freely through the constantly roughening water, responding, -like the good sailer she was, to the freshening breeze. - -Night had come on with a black sky, and it was only now and then with -the utmost difficulty that the lights of the other vessels could be -seen, rising out of the darkness for an instant only to be engulfed as -if forever. - -All through his watch, Diego had divided his interest between these -appearing and disappearing lights and the possibility of some action on -the part of the conspirators on the _Pinta_. His anxiety on that score -had been sharpened not a little by the ominous tone of Juan Cacheco’s -words to him. - -But, alert as he was, nothing occurred that was in the least -suspicious, and his watch was relieved without anything having taken -place to justify his fears; and as his belief was that the man Miguel -was at the head of whatever plot there was, he felt reassured when he -saw him, after a few muttered words with one of the new watch, plunge -into the close cabin where the men crowded together to sleep. - -The company of those who disliked him, whether they were asleep or -awake, was never pleasant to Diego, and, moreover, the bad air and -odors of the close cabin were almost sickening to him, though a good -sailor; so he did not follow his watch into shelter, but determined to -remain on deck as long as the rain, which threatened, held up. - -With this intention he crept silently to a corner, where a coil of -rope offered a support for his head, and curled up, intending to sleep -there. It is easy enough to imagine what thoughts must have come to the -desolate and lonely yet high-spirited boy as he lay there, clinging to -his coil of rope to steady himself under the increasing motion of the -boat. The bitterness of the present was mingled with regretful thoughts -of the happy past. - -The night was fresh, but not really cold--not cold enough, anyhow, to -prevent his sleeping where he lay, and he had already dozed and opened -his eyes twice or thrice, when it seemed to him that something like an -animal stole past him, and he stared with wide eyes to see what it -might be, or to determine whether or not he had been merely dreaming. - -Not quite dreaming, nor yet wide awake. Something had passed him with -a stealthy step and crouching body, and, dark as the night was, he -could distinguish a human form; and, indeed, what other living thing -was there on board the vessel? Dislike is sometimes keener than even -love, and it was this that led Diego to the quick conclusion that the -crouching figure, moving so softly and cautiously aft, was that of Juan -Cacheco. And it seemed to his strained eyes that there was a gleam of a -knife-blade once when a lantern swung around the foremast. - -His first thought, with a gulp of terror, was that the convict boy was -stealing aft with the intention of murdering Martin Alonzo Pinzon; but -then, though the idea was not an irrational one, he reflected that it -was not likely, since the after-cabin was too full of friends of his -cousin to make the thing possible for a boy to accomplish. And yet -Juan’s errand must be a wicked one, or he would not go about it in such -fashion. - -But be it what it might, Diego was determined to understand it, and -with that idea was rising softly, when a new terror was added to the -first by the sudden apparition of a man skulking along the opposite -side of the vessel. And there was something about the movement of the -man that made Diego fancy at once that he was Miguel de la Vega. - -Some evil it certainly was that took these two wretches out on deck -when they should have been asleep in the forecastle. Diego was a brave -enough boy, and at this moment was nerved by the desperate feeling -that his own safety--life, perhaps--depended upon his action; but, -notwithstanding, a chill of fear crept over him as he stole from his -shelter by the coil of rope and followed the dim figure of Juan. - -He wondered at first that none of the sailors of the watch challenged -the two skulking figures; for it was inconceivable that they had not -yet been seen by some one. Then it came over him, with a new accession -of terror, that all of the watch must be in collusion with Miguel and -Juan. - -And if that were so, might not their errand be the murder of his -cousin? But no, it seemed so unreasonable that they should attempt -that, with the cabin so full of friends of the captain. However, he was -determined to watch Juan, who had paused for some reason; and if he saw -him turn into the cabin door, he would throw himself on him and shout -for help. He would have done that anyhow, but he was afraid of making -a mistake and of thus calling down on himself the wrath of his cousin. - -Juan had stopped, evidently to listen for some noise from the cabin, -and, as if reassured, had gone on again. Diego saw him pass the cabin -door and felt relieved of his greatest fear, but was still certain that -some evil was the object of this stealthy excursion. Could it be the -helmsman? - -No, that was improbable, for the sea, having grown rough, had made the -helm so difficult to control that the man there had called a companion -to help him, and it seemed unlikely that Miguel and Juan would take -the uncertain chances of assault on two able-bodied men. Besides, what -would be the object, since it was more than probable that the two men -were in sympathy with whatever plot there was on board? - -Indeed, though they must have seen Juan and Miguel, too, they paid no -attention to them, but kept up a conversation in a low tone, as if they -stood there quite alone. What should Diego do? What could he do but -hide in the shadow of the cabin and wait? - -And so he waited and watched Juan, who had crawled to the starboard -rail, and was exchanging some whispered words with Miguel. Then, of -a sudden, Juan rose to his feet, and, to Diego’s eyes, seemed to drop -over the side. His first impulse was to cry out and run to the rail; -but he checked that, knowing that the boy could not have deliberately -jumped overboard, as a result of all his mysterious preparation. - -Again the impulse was strong to slip into the cabin and warn his cousin -that something unusual was going on, and again the fear of being put -in the wrong restrained him, and he did nothing but wait for something -else to happen which might elucidate what had gone before. - -Juan was gone what might have been five minutes before his head -appeared above the rail again. Miguel at once rose to his feet and -helped Juan carefully to the deck, the men at the helm studiously -keeping their eyes turned the other way all the while. - -What did it mean? What had been done? What ought he to do? It seemed -incomprehensible that those two should have made all that mystery for -nothing but to enable Juan to idly get over the quarter-rail; but what -object could there be in it? Perhaps there was a porthole through which -the knife of the prison boy could be thrust with fatal effect! Diego -shuddered at that thought, and shrank away behind the cabin, feeling -that he might have been wasting precious time, and that it was now too -late for him to do any good. - -But at least he could brave the possible displeasure of his cousin and -go into the cabin to ascertain if any foul deed had been committed. He -told himself that he would do so as soon as the two conspirators had -returned to the forecastle. - -He stole to the mast and crouched at its foot, thinking to be better -hidden there. Juan appeared around the corner of the cabin on the same -side that he had first passed it, crouching by the rail and peering on -every side. Suddenly he stopped and stared towards where Diego hugged -the shadow under the mast. Diego waited breathlessly, intending to leap -towards the cabin at the first sign of discovery. - -But, after a minute of peering, Juan resumed his progress, and Diego -turned his head to watch for Miguel. Dislike and ready suspicion had -done for Juan, however, what they had already done for Diego, and had -caused him to recognize Diego in the half-hidden figure at the foot of -the mast. - -He had moved on as if freed from the doubt that had made him stop, and -then he turned again quickly and had leaped on Diego from behind; so -that, almost at the moment that Diego had espied Miguel coming along -the starboard rail, he had felt himself seized by the neck and borne to -the deck. - -Fear and anger combined gave him courage and strength, however, and he -twisted under the grasp of his antagonist, and gave utterance to a yell -at the same moment that he grappled with Juan. - -“Help, Miguel!” cried Juan, finding himself unable to cope with Diego, -and fearing another yell that would arouse the sleepers in the cabin. - -And before Diego could utter more than a hoarse cry, he was caught by -the neck in the strong hands of Miguel, and despite his struggles was -in a fair way of being choked. - -“Who is it?” he heard Miguel whisper. - -“The boy Diego,” was Juan’s answer. - -“Ah! and he was spying on us?” - -“I think so.” - -There was an instant of silence, during which Diego felt the grasp -on his throat relax, and he made a furious, desperate effort to free -himself. - -“Ah! would you?” said Miguel, angrily, and once more tightened -his grasp on Diego’s throat. Then he said, suddenly: “The little -spoil-sport! The best place for him is over the rail. Bear a hand, -Juan, and we will send him to find better company, since he seems to -dislike ours.” - -“What! throw him overboard?” demanded Juan. - -“What else?” - -“No, no. I won’t do it,” was the hasty answer. - -“Why, you little fool! do you think our lives will be safe if we leave -this little friar to tell the captain what he knows?” - -“I will not do murder,” said Juan, in a frightened tone. - -“Then out of my way, and take no part in it. If it is his life or mine, -I shall not take long in the choosing. You’re a fool, Juan.” - -“You shall not do it,” said Juan, laying hold of Diego, who was as -still, now, as if senseless, though, in fact, he was cognizant of all -that was going on. - -“Out of my way, boy!” - -“I will cry out and alarm the cabin,” said Juan. - -Miguel cursed him for his folly, and demanded what he would have done, -then. - -“Make him promise not to tell a word of what he knows.” - -“Ay! he’d promise anything for his life’s sake,” said Miguel. “So much -for having a boy to work with.” - -“He’ll keep his promise,” said Juan, positively. “Let him speak in a -whisper. Say, Diego! will you promise--will you swear on the crucifix -not to speak of what you have seen to-night, or of what you suspect? -Let him speak, Miguel!” - -“And let him yell out and arouse the cabin,” retorted Miguel, in a -surly growl. - -“If he tries to do it, throw him over,” said Juan. - -Diego shook his head, as well as he could, to intimate that he would -not cry out. Juan seemed to understand the movement, and again urged -Miguel to loose his grasp. And, indeed, it was about time he did; for -Diego was losing consciousness. Miguel unwillingly did as Juan urged -him, and the latter spoke quickly to Diego. - -“Will you swear as we ask you?” he said. - -It was a minute before Diego could recall his senses to make a reply. -Then he demanded brokenly: - -“Have you done harm to my cousin?” - -“Not a thing has been done to him,” answered Juan. - -“Have you taken any life?” asked Diego. - -“Fool! no. Will you swear?” - -“What have you done?” - -“Holy St. Martin!” growled Miguel, “does the little priestling think -we are confessing to him?” - -“You will learn soon enough what has been done if you will swear; but -if you do not take the oath and that at once, it is like you will not -be alive to learn,” answered Juan, angrily. - -“I will swear,” said Diego. - -“Where’s a crucifix?” said Juan to Miguel. - -“You may be sure the priestling has one,” answered Miguel. “And let me -warn you, boy,” he said, savagely, “if you break your oath, you shall -not escape.” - -“Here’s my crucifix,” said Diego, “and if I swear I will keep my word. -Now what shall I swear?” - -“Swear that you will say nothing of what you have seen or heard,” said -Juan. - -“Stop!” growled Miguel, suspiciously, “do not forget that he is a fray, -or hopes to be, and that it is his trade to juggle with words. Make him -swear in such a way that he cannot get around it.” - -“I will swear honestly what you like,” said Diego, indignantly. - -“You are too ready to swear,” said Miguel with all the suspicion of -ignorance. - -“Hush!” whispered Juan, suddenly. “There is a noise in the cabin. Swear -as I said,” he ejaculated hastily to Diego. - -[Illustration: “‘HUSH!’ WHISPERED JUAN, SUDDENLY. ‘THERE IS A NOISE IN -THE CABIN.’”] - -“The captain!” muttered Miguel with an oath, and he and Juan crawled -away, attempting to drag Diego with them. - -But he was not minded to bear them company, and tore away, only just in -time to avoid a vicious stab from the knife that Miguel drew from his -belt. - -“We will hang for it!” he heard the older convict growl. “Curse you, -Juan, for a soft-hearted fool! Curse you!” - -The man was in such a rage that Diego expected him to brave all -consequences and rush after him; so he ran aft near to where Martin -Alonzo was standing, and waited. Miguel and Juan had disappeared into -the forecastle, however, and he was not molested. - -Martin Alonzo, like the thorough seaman that he was, had been waked -from his sleep by an unusual motion of his vessel; and, as he had -lain down in the full expectation of being disturbed by the coming of -the storm he had foreseen, he had leaped out of his bunk and rushed -out on deck. His first thought had been that the disturbance had been -caused by the storm; but when he reached the deck and discovered that -the storm had not yet burst, albeit the wind was fresh and the waves -running high, he sprang to the men at the helm and roared out: - -“What’s wrong? Can’t two of you hold that helm steady? She yaws like a -blind mule on a hill-side. Steady there!” - -He pushed the men angrily away and caught the helm in his own strong -hands, and braced his feet to keep the rudder steady. Still, there was -a quivering, unsteady motion to the vessel. - -“Whose watch is it?” he roared. “Is it yours, Lopez?” as the third mate -came hurrying aft. “Have you turned lubber like the rest? Have you lost -your wits because we’re three days out? How long has she been yawing -like this?” - -“Just commenced it,” was the surly answer. - -“What’re you doing for’ard? Couldn’t you tell that something was wrong -with the steering-gear? All hands on deck and have everything made -snug! Jump, now! Let go the main sheet and bring her upon the starboard -tack. Jump, you lubbers! Do you think I want her brought about, you -sea-calves? There! that steadies her. Here, take this helm, and keep -her where she is.” - -The vessel was alive almost from the first roar of the captain, and -everything was being done as expeditiously as possible; although most -of the people aboard of the vessel were wondering what was the cause of -so much excitement. The captain, however, gave no one much opportunity -for reflection; for as soon as he had given the helm into other hands, -he had issued more orders looking to lightening the canvas, making all -snug, and to keeping the vessel steady. - -Diego had quickly seen that there would be nothing for him to do but to -take his part in the execution of the orders of Martin Alonzo, and he -had jumped like the others at the first word. The only care he had was -to keep away as far as possible from his two recent antagonists, and -this he accomplished, notwithstanding the manifest efforts of Juan and -Miguel to have a word with him. - -He had wondered how he would be able to keep them at a distance after -the excitement had subsided; but he had no need to concern himself -about that; for no sooner had Martin Alonzo put the vessel in condition -to hold her own than the storm that had been threatening broke upon -them, accompanied by sheets of rain, forked streaks of lightning, -and peals of thunder; so that until daylight dawned there was little -idleness for any of the crew. - -The rudder worked so badly that the vessel would not head as she was -put, and in consequence shipped so much water that all hands were kept -busy bailing her and pumping too. - -When morning dawned, the first thought was of the other vessels, and -great was the relief to see them laboring in the great waves, not far -away; though in the event of danger to the _Pinta_ the others could -have done nothing for her in such a sea. Still, there was some comfort -in the companionship of the vessels. What Diego thought most of, -however, when the first streaks of dawn lighted up the gray waste where -sky and water were hardly distinguishable, was that now his life would -be safe from Miguel. - -He had made no effort to have any communication with his cousin; for -that efficient sailor seemed to know what was wrong better than he -could have told him, and any information he could have given seemed to -him superfluous. He felt sure, of course, that whatever had happened -had been the result of the action of Juan; but, as no danger seemed to -threaten in consequence, he decided that it would be wisest to keep -silence. He knew, too, that everything he did was watched by Miguel. - -The _Pinta_ was quite bare of canvas by this time, and was laboring -frightfully. Martin Alonzo had made several efforts to ascertain what -was wrong with the steering-gear; but without result, since it was -dangerous to go over the side during the gale, and he had determined to -postpone his investigation until the storm had abated. - -All this while he had been without food, even when the sailors had been -supplied with theirs, and as the wind was now blowing steadily from one -quarter, he left his brother, Francisco Martin Pinzon, in charge of the -deck while he went for a hasty bite of something. - -He had hardly taken two mouthfuls, however, as it seemed, when the -vessel suddenly shuddered from stem to stern, and in a moment more was -rolling like a log in the trough of the sea. With two leaps he was out -of the cabin and at the helm. - -Something in the gearing had snapped and the rudder was useless. It -looked as if the vessel would swamp in another minute. The water poured -over her low rail, and yards dipped into the waves at each roll. - -No man on board expected to survive that hour, and more than one who -had not prayed for many a year knelt where he clung to some rope and -tried to recall the forgotten words. - -Diego found himself side by side with Juan Cacheco. - -“You did this,” he cried, furiously. - -“I didn’t expect this,” answered Juan, his face blanched with terror. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - -IT was very fortunate for the well-disposed few, as well as for the -disaffected majority of the crew, that the _Pinta_ was commanded by so -able a sailor and so cool-headed a man as Martin Alonzo Pinzon. - -Many another man at such a time would have been utterly at a loss -what to do; but Martin Alonzo acted with a promptness that gave the -impression that he had been prepared for this very emergency. - -He did not merely issue his orders in quick and precise terms, but bore -a hand in the execution of the more pressing duties, and so animated -the terrified sailors that they took heart to act briskly and in -sympathy with his efforts. Drags were hurriedly prepared and thrown -over, and after a time of doubt and fearful anxiety the little vessel -swung around and brought her head up to the wind. - -There was no hope of any assistance from the other vessels during such -a high wind and rough sea; but Martin Alonzo had the distress signal -run up as soon as he had secured the safety of the _Pinta_, in order -partly to explain why he did not continue on his course, and also to -prevent the companion vessels from leaving him. - -Providentially--it seemed as if Providence interfered more than once -in behalf of this daring enterprise--providentially the wind began to -abate a great deal of its violence at this time; and although the waves -continued to run very high, they were less dangerous by reason of no -longer curling and breaking. - -It still remained a hazardous thing to get over the vessel’s side -to examine the steering-gear and rudder; but Martin Alonzo had such -courage and such confidence in his strength that he performed that -office himself. He tied a stout line about his body and slipped it up -under his armpits, and then, commending himself to the care of his -brother, climbed over the rail. - -Diego knew that it was inevitable that so shrewd a seaman as his cousin -must discover that the gear had been tampered with, and when Martin -Alonzo disappeared over the side he looked around to note the effect -on the conspirators. Many of the sailors looked frightened, but on the -faces of Miguel and Juan especially he could see a desperate, hunted -expression, as if they believed that their crime would certainly be -fastened on them. - -Diego himself was not without a deep concern, and his face was as -pallid as any; for, now that he knew the danger they had all been -exposed to by what Juan had done, he realized that there could be no -excuse for his not hastening to inform his cousin of his suspicions. -And he knew it would not make his case seem any better to plead that -his cousin had repelled him so often that he had feared to warn him. - -Presently he saw Miguel whisper to Juan, and then both of them glanced -towards him. After that, Juan left the side of Miguel and made through -the anxious crowd towards him. Now, the last thing Diego wished was -any intercourse with either of those two. He was uncertain enough of -his own position not to wish it made worse by seeming to have any -understanding with them, and so he shifted his place until he was as -near as he dared to go to where Francisco Martin Pinzon stood. - -Perhaps Juan would have followed him there had not Martin Alonzo at -that moment lifted his head above the rail, and then climbed quickly on -deck. His brother asked him a question relative to the nature of the -injury to the rudder; but Diego noticed that Martin Alonzo pushed him -sternly aside and stepped forward to where he could sweep the waiting -crew with his keen glance. - -[Illustration: “MARTIN ALONZO DISAPPEARED OVER THE SIDE.”] - -It seemed to Diego as if that stern eye were reading every face, and he -had no doubt that he had betrayed in his countenance all that he knew, -when the glance passed over him. He looked involuntarily at Miguel and -Juan, and could see that they were in the same dread as himself, and -that the former, with the ugly expression of an animal cornered, was -feeling nervously of the handle of his knife. - -The look they both shot at him was one of mingled inquiry and hatred, -and he knew that Miguel was regretting that he had been prevented -carrying out his murderous design towards him. - -It was as certain to him as it seemed to them that he would be -questioned by his cousin, and his dread of Martin Alonzo was such that -he caught at the rail to steady himself. Martin Alonzo had other work -to do first; the rudder must be repaired as far as was possible before -he did anything else, and the carpenter was called and instructed what -to do. - -He brought his tools and such materials as seemed to be needed and went -over the rail. And all the while that he was making ready, Martin -Alonzo paced back and forth in the limited space available to him, -never taking his stern glance from the crew, which stood in the waist -of the vessel eying him with evident trepidation. - -But not until the carpenter had made all his preparations and -disappeared over the rail did the captain utter a word. And when he -did, it was sternly and harshly enough, but without that roar which -had theretofore characterized his voice. He stepped to the ladder and -sent a searching glance over the faces turned expectantly upward to -his. Then after a moment of silence, during which more than one of the -sailors caught a painful breath, he spoke. - -“A foul deed has been wrought here.” He stopped and waited as if to -give time for his words to be fully understood. “Some scoundrel, for -whom hanging is too good, has wrecked the rudder. The gear has been -cut with a knife, and the rudder is separated and unhung.” Again he -stopped, and Diego stole a frightened look at Miguel and Juan. “Every -life on board has been put in jeopardy. It is only by a mercy of God -that we live now. It will be only by a further mercy that we shall -continue to live. When I know the man who did it, I will hang him -there,” and he pointed with flashing eyes to the yard. “What! because -ye like not the voyage will ye seek to drown us all? What! do ye think -Martin Alonzo Pinzon is to be frightened from his purpose?” He stopped -short and looked over the faces as if he would find one that expressed -such a belief. - -It is unlikely that he saw such a face; for of all there, those who -were innocent of participation and those who were guilty, there was not -one that did not answer his glance with one of fear or of respect. Once -again before he spoke he swept the crowd with his eyes, but this time -slowly. - -“Diego Pinzon, come hither!” - -He spoke sharply, shortly, distinctly, and Diego heard; but it was not -until he spoke again that the boy found strength to move. It was then -with a stagger rather than with a walk that he went to the foot of the -ladder and turned his pallid face up to his cousin. - -“Up, by my side!” said Martin Alonzo, sternly. - -Diego climbed up with difficulty, and stood with pale face and beating -heart by the side of the captain of the _Pinta_. Martin Alonzo eyed him -in silence for a few moments, and the crew waited breathlessly for what -was to follow. In that brief space Diego understood that the whole crew -looked upon him as a sort of spy, and that his cousin regarded him as a -coward who could be frightened into telling aught he might know. - -“Now, boy,” said Martin Alonzo, “you know something of this; tell me -what it is. Speak!” - -Diego raised his eyes imploringly to his cousin’s face, as if -beseeching him not to force such a thing upon him; but Martin Alonzo -held the safety of his vessel above the feelings of a boy, whose chief -merit was his over-readiness of speech when it was least desired of -him, and so he repeated, threateningly: - -“Speak, or I shall know how to make you!” - -Diego drooped his head and was silent. Martin Alonzo thought he was -obstinate, when in fact he was torn between doubt and anguish. What was -his duty? The great muscular hand of the captain fell upon his shoulder -and gripped it tight, the angry man not realizing perhaps his own -energy, and causing Diego severe pain. - -“Will you speak? You had tongue enough a while since. Speak, I warn -you!” - -Martin Alonzo was doubly angry now. Angry at what he believed was -Diego’s obstinacy, and angry that he should meet with a check before -the crew. If he had doubted his ability to make Diego speak he would -not have essayed it so publicly; but, since he had essayed it, he -was determined to succeed; for Martin Alonzo was a man who at all -times would have his own way, and who was used to being supreme and -undisputed when at sea on his own vessel. - -Diego was well satisfied that nothing on the score of relationship -would stand between him and the wrath of his cousin should he refuse -to speak and tell what he knew. It was true, he might lie. How should -any one know that he had cognizance of what had happened? Was it not -more likely, indeed, that his denial would be the more readily credited -in view of the fact that he had been a sort of outcast among the crew? -Well, he did not even think of lying. A lie is the coward’s refuge, and -he was not a coward. - -He was pale, he trembled, and his voice was unsteady; but when he -looked up at his cousin his eye did not quail. - -“I had naught to do with it, and I have naught to say,” were his words. - -Martin Alonzo’s face grew gray with sudden wrath. He was in no mood -then to credit Diego with the courage he had before denied him. He only -knew, or believed, that his vessel had been put in jeopardy by some -miscreant, and that the boy before him knew who it was and refused to -divulge his knowledge. Diego was no more to him than any other boy on -the vessel would have been. - -“You know, and you refuse to tell!” he said, hoarsely. “Now I ask you -again, and I bid you think twice ere you answer.” - -Even at that moment--a terrible moment to him, with his fear of his -cousin--the picture rose in his mind of Fray Antonio bidding him think -twice ere he set foot to ground. Ah, the good fray! the sweet, peaceful -days forever lost! It had been so funny then; it was so pathetic now! - -“Who--who did it?” demanded Martin Alonzo, quivering with wrath. - -“Why,” cried Diego, with sudden indignation, “would you make a spy of -me? They all hate me now, though they have no cause. I will not give -them cause. I have naught to say.” - -He seemed to hear a murmur of approbation from the crew; but it died -away as Martin Alonzo, in a voice hoarse with passion, cried: - -“Have you naught to say? We shall see! Lopez! trice him up. Though he -were my own son, he should not brave me so.” - -Diego understood the meaning of that--they were going to flog him. -Alas! it was a common enough thing in those brutal days. Diego turned -paler than before, but he looked into the angry face of his cousin and -said: - -“And this is how you keep your promise to my mother!” - -“Will you tell?” - -“I have naught to tell.” - -“Then you shall be flogged.” - -“And I may say things I should not, Martin Alonzo Pinzon; but the shame -will be yours, not mine,” and the pallor on his cheek gave place to a -red flush. - -“To the mast with him!” said Martin Alonzo, a flush showing, too, on -his bronzed cheek. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - -AN audible murmur ran through the crowd of spectators, and Martin -Alonzo knew, without looking, that it was caused as much by the -well-disposed as by the disaffected among the crew, and he was certain -that some of the cabin passengers had helped to swell the murmur; but -he was not the man to deviate from his intention for the opinion of -others, and so only repeated: - -“To the mast, I say!” - -So Diego was triced to the mast and the crew driven in a body forward. -The flogging would be no light thing, but it was the bitter humiliation -that Diego dreaded most. He almost wished Miguel had thrown him -overboard the night before. - -Miguel! Yes, he was suffering this for him and for Juan. He had not -taken the oath they had wished him to swear, and yet he was as faithful -to them as if he had done so. And where were they now? Were they going -to see him flogged? Would they let it be done? - -He looked despairingly into the crowd of sailors, and saw many pitying -faces, but not theirs. He thought bitterly that they might have given -him the comfort of their sympathy. - -How could he know that at that moment Juan was struggling in the strong -grasp of Miguel? How could he know that when he had been hurried to the -mast, Juan had sprung forward, saying, “They shall not do that.” - -But it was so. Juan had first watched Diego with fear and hatred in -his heart for him; but when he saw and understood how Diego was making -a sacrifice of himself for him and Miguel, for two persons whom he -disliked and whom he could be rid of by a word, the convict boy was -stirred by a generous feeling that made him determine that Diego should -not be flogged for him, and so he had muttered, “They shall not do -that,” and would have gone up to Martin Alonzo and accused himself. But -Miguel was made of baser material and would have nothing of the sort. - -“Fool!” he said, “what would you do?” - -“They shall not flog him. I know how he will take it. The shame will -kill him. He is brave. I will not see it done!” - -He struggled to free himself from Miguel, but the latter placed his -hand over his mouth and quickly dragged him into the forecastle. - -“Better his back scored than our necks broken, you fool!” said Miguel. - -“I will not betray you. I will take all the blame,” said Juan. “Let me -go. I will cry out!” - -“You are mad. I will choke you if you do not keep still. It will soon -be over. Let us be thankful he has the courage to stand it.” - -But the noble generosity that swelled the boy’s heart would not permit -him to keep still, and while he seemed to acquiesce and submit he was -only gathering strength for a final struggle, so that presently he -wrenched himself free and darted out on deck and frantically pushed his -way through the crowd of sailors. When he reached the mast, however, -Diego was not there any longer. He did not know how time had sped while -he was struggling with Miguel, and he gasped: - -“Have they flogged him?” - -“No, they have taken him to the cabin,” was the answer. - -And this is how that had happened: No one, not even Francisco Martin -Pinzon, or Garcia Fernandez, the steward of the vessel, and a man of -importance, had dared to interfere to save Diego from the anger of his -cousin, though both desired to do so. But while Diego was being tied -to the mast, the carpenter raised his head above the rail and whispered -a few words to Francisco Martin, which he repeated to Garcia Fernandez. - -They both looked at each other and seemed to gain the same idea at -once; for both sprang to the side of Martin Alonzo, and Francisco -Martin said in a low tone: - -“Forbear flogging the lad, brother; the carpenter has imparted such -intelligence to us as puts a new light on the matter. Let us to the -cabin.” - -Perhaps by this time Martin Alonzo was glad of an excuse to refrain; -for he turned to go, first saying to the third mate: - -“Hold your hand till I return.” - -“It might be wise to have the lad in the cabin with us,” said Garcia -Fernandez. - -“Francisco Martin,” said the captain, shortly, “have him in the cabin.” - -So, while Diego was shudderingly awaiting the shameful blow, he was -released and taken into the cabin, where his elder cousin and the -steward sat. Martin Alonzo did not look at him, but turned to his -brother and asked: - -“What is it the carpenter says?” - -“He says there is plain evidence that the rudder was tampered with -before ever the ship left port, and that it is a wonder it did not -give out ere this.” - -Martin Alonzo knit his brow. - -“That should have been discovered before we sailed. It was gross -negligence that it was not,” he said. - -“So that you do not hold me accountable,” said Francisco Martin, with -an angry flush, “I will agree with you.” - -“I could not watch everything,” said Martin Alonzo, a little doggedly. -“But it is idle to cross words on that. The rudder, it is like, was -tampered with before we left port; but it is certain that a knife was -used last night to cut the gear; for the cut was a fresh one. Boy, will -you tell me what you know of this matter?” - -It is probable that Garcia Fernandez, who was at once a shrewd and -a kindly man, saw a look of obstinacy gathering on Diego’s face. -Certainly the boy resented the tone and manner of his cousin, and was -ready to put the harshest construction on his words. The steward said -hastily, before Diego could give word to the answer that sprang to his -lips: - -“Your pardon, Martin Alonzo, but may I have a word with the boy before -he speaks in answer?” - -“Let it be brief,” was the gruff assent. - -“I do not know,” said Garcia Fernandez to Diego, “whether or not you -have anything to tell, and of course I appreciate your unwillingness to -seem a spy on your fellow-sailors; but this is a matter that concerns -your life and my life and the lives of all of us. Bethink you, Diego, -that what has been done once may be done again, and the more readily -that it goes unpunished and undetected this time; and the next time the -end may be our deaths. In that case it will be your crime as much as -that of the man who does the act. To refuse to divulge what you know is -generous and brave, it may be; but it is the madness of generosity and -bravery.” - -Diego could not but be affected by the argument; but he had his side to -present, too. He looked resentfully at his cousin and said: - -“I put myself in my cousin Captain Martin Alonzo’s way yesterday to -warn him, and he thrust me aside with a blow.” - -“How was I to know what you had to say?” demanded Martin Alonzo. - -“You might have heard me, at least. But no, you could not grant even -that courtesy to my mother’s son. I did not come this mad voyage to -please myself, and I like it not; but I would have done my duty, and -will do it now if you will but let me.” Garcia Fernandez motioned him -to hush, pointing to the gathering wrath on Martin Alonzo’s face; but -Diego was in the full tide of his wrongs and was not to be hushed. -“You have forced me to come, when I prayed you not; you have likened -me publicly to a thief and a convict; you have struck me unreasonably; -and you have been willing to put a felon’s shame on me. If your ship -had gone to the bottom it would have been your own fault in putting -such a fear on me that I could not tell my plain duty. So I say to you -plainly, I know who cut the gear, and I will not tell you!” - -There Diego stopped, and doggedly shut his lips, while Garcia Fernandez -and Francisco Martin looked at each other in dismay. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - -PERHAPS if Diego had been better acquainted with his cousin than he -was, he would not have dared to brave him, though the provocation had -been twice what it was and his own indignation doubly hot. Garcia -Fernandez and Francisco Martin knew the temper of the captain, and they -trembled for the rash boy. - -But there were several things that conspired at that moment to make -Diego’s defiance less objectionable than at another time it would have -been. Martin Alonzo realized that he had been unjust to Diego from -first to last, and had misunderstood him; he saw that he had been -impolitic--though that was not much of a matter--in trying to force -a confession before all the crew; he knew now that the guilt of the -culprit in cutting the gear had not been as great as he had supposed -at first--though a hanging matter, too; moreover, he was a bold man -himself, and liked boldness in others, and particularly in Diego, whom -he had supposed to be a spoiled boy with no other gift than that of -talking immoderately. However, he was not going to yield at once. He -frowned and said: - -“You are not talking now to one of your frays.” - -“I would I were,” answered Diego, quickly; “I should have some hope of -justice then.” - -“Tut!” said Martin Alonzo, and his brother and the steward knew by the -half-smile on his face that there was no longer any danger for Diego, -“that good Fray Bartolomeo told the truth when he said you had the gift -of language.” - -“It has been of little use to me here,” said Diego, sulkily. - -“Say no more about it, say no more about it!” ejaculated Martin Alonzo, -gruffly, but not unkindly. - -“Yes,” said Diego, still smarting under his wrongs and disregarding the -warning of Garcia Fernandez, “that is just it; you put upon me and then -deny me the right to say a word in my own behalf.” - -“Say no more about it, say no more about it,” reiterated Martin Alonzo, -impatiently. - -“Oh, I can keep silence,” answered Diego. - -Martin Alonzo laughed in spite of himself at the persistence of the boy. - -“No one would credit it to hear you now,” he said. “Well, what will -satisfy you? Shall I ask your pardon in set words?” - -But by this time Diego was able to see that he had come off -marvellously well, and that he would be wise not to push his cousin’s -complaisance any further. Indeed, the moment he was assured of Martin -Alonzo’s kindly feeling, he lost all his resentment, and with true -boyish inconsequence swung around from sullen anger and defiance into a -gay good-humor that showed itself in his old-time mischief. He drew his -hand from his belt, where it had been angrily clenched, and waved it in -imitation of his cousin’s manner, and said, copying his tone and words: - -“Say no more about it, say no more about it!” - -Very much taken aback by this palpable and clever mimicry of himself, -Martin Alonzo bit his lip, and then burst into a short but hearty -ha-ha-ha, as if he could not help it; then checked himself and held out -his hand, saying: - -“There! take my hand like a cousin and a friend, and go your way -for’ard and be a sailor again. I forgive you, and do you do the same by -me, and forget what has happened.” - -“Thank you, Martin Alonzo,” said Diego, taking the proffered hand. “I -hope I shall show you how good a sailor I can be, since sailor I must -be.” - -“A brave lad and a shrewd!” said Martin Alonzo, as Diego left the -cabin; “but, now, to this affair.” - -“I crave your pardon, Martin Alonzo,” said Diego, thrusting his head -in at the doorway, “but I have taken quick counsel with myself, and it -seems to me there is something I may tell you without harm to any one.” - -“I suppose,” said Martin Alonzo, friendly enough now, “you mean you -will tell of good-will what you would not tell perforce.” - -“It may be that,” answered Diego, looking a little shamefaced. - -“Well, tell it, and let us be thankful that you have relented.” - -“You may laugh as you will,” said Diego, quite seriously; “but I do -assure you that you had so frightened me that I could not tell right -from wrong, and could only see that I must not turn informer. You will -understand better when I tell you.” - -“I was wrong, Diego. Speak freely now.” - -“I suppose you knew as well as I that the men were dissatisfied.” - -“I had been stupid else.” - -“But I was certain from words I had heard fall that something, I knew -not what, was to be attempted last night. That was what I would have -told you had you permitted me.” - -“Say no more about it, say no more about it,” laughed Martin Alonzo. - -“I did not refer to it in reproach,” said Diego, “but only to show -that I was suspicious and anxious; though the most I looked for was a -mutiny, which should force you to turn back, and that I would not have -been unthankful for, though I would have warned you, too.” - -“A right-minded youth!” murmured Garcia Fernandez. - -“Last night,” went on Diego, “I lay out on deck, because of not liking -the forecastle, where, besides the air being close and foul, I had -nothing but black looks. While I lay there I saw two sailors creep -out and make their way aft, one of them with a knife in his hand. I -followed softly, thinking they meant mischief to you.” - -“And what would you have done in such a case?” demanded Martin Alonzo, -who with the other two had listened with great interest to Diego’s tale. - -“I should have thrown myself on him and called for help, the moment I -saw him go into the cabin.” - -“Tut!” said Martin Alonzo, “what could you do against him?” - -“What!” cried Diego, off his guard, “I am his master, as he shall learn -some day.” - -The three men exchanged meaning glances that told Diego that he had -betrayed a part of his secret. He was at once furious and in despair. - -“I will say no more. ’Tis a shame to trick my honest confidence.” - -“So it is, Diego, so it is in faith,” said Martin Alonzo, hastily. -“Believe me, I will take no advantage of what has slipped you.” - -It was very plain that Martin Alonzo had conceived a sudden and strong -liking for his young cousin, and was disposed to humor him. Diego felt -it, and it induced him to continue his story. - -“Well, there was no intention of hurting you; but I could not make out -what was intended when one of them slipped over the rail. However, I -hid myself as well as I could, meaning to seek you as soon as they -were in the forecastle again. But one of them saw me and sprang on me. -The other came to his assistance and choked out the cry I would have -uttered. Then, one of them was for throwing me over the rail, fearing -for their lives if I betrayed them.” - -“I should have hanged them,” interjected Martin Alonzo, grimly. - -“The other would not permit me to be murdered, and threatened to fight -and cry out if the design were persisted in; so I was spared on -condition of taking an oath not to reveal what I had seen.” - -“Well, of course,” said Martin Alonzo, “if you took an oath!” - -“But I did not. You came on deck then and I escaped without taking the -oath.” - -“Then why did you not tell me at once?” cried Martin Alonzo. - -“Why,” said Diego, holding up his head proudly, “if I had taken the -oath, I should have owed it to them to keep silence; while not taking -it, I owed it to myself, and that was more to me than what I owed -perforce.” - -He looked very handsome and winsome as he stood there in his young -pride, and Martin Alonzo thought so. He cast an approving glance at -Garcia Fernandez and Francisco Martin, and sprang up from his chair. - -“Embrace me, boy!” he cried, rapturously; for he dearly loved a brave -action and a lofty spirit. “Thou art a true Pinzon, and I am proud of -thee. There, Diego,” he went on, “if I discover not Zipangu, at least -I have discovered thy mother’s son, and that will be some recompense. -Now, go for’ard, and ever count me friend. I would not have had thee do -otherwise, and I thank the Holy Virgin that I was withheld from putting -that shame on thee.” - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - -DIEGO left the cabin very happy in the praise of his cousin and in the -fact of the reconciliation that had taken place between them; but there -was something still lacking to complete happiness, and that was the -good-will of the crew, which he thought he deserved, but which he was -not certain he would obtain. - -He need not have concerned himself about that, however. The crew -had seen and admired his courage, and was ready to welcome him with -acclamation or with sympathy, whichever seemed the most appropriate. -Only Miguel and Juan knew how much he could have divulged; but there -had been so many in the secret of the intended attempt on the rudder -that it was easily surmised that Diego could have told something -harmful to them if he had been willing. - -[Illustration: “‘THOU ART A TRUE PINZON, AND I AM PROUD OF THEE.’”] - -The fact that he had not been willing, pleased as much as it surprised -them, and the dislike for Diego that had been almost general among the -crew had been quickly and completely changed to admiration and liking; -so that when he made his appearance out of the cabin with the air of -being freed from fear of the flogging, they set up a shout of welcome -and gathered around him the moment he came down the ladder from the -poop-deck. And he, in his pleasure at their good-will, forgot his -former nice distinction of honest men and convicts, and gave his bright -smiles right and left. - -“Art spared, boy?” said one old sailor. - -“Yes, and have his good-will, though I betrayed no one--not I.” - -“And so it should be,” said another; “for you showed yourself one of -his own kind. A brave boy, comrades!” - -“Ay, ay! and we did him an injustice.” - -“So we did,” was agreed, “but we’ll make that right.” - -“But how came he to let you off?” asked a voice that Diego knew for -Miguel’s, though the fellow did not show himself inside the group, -preferring to skulk on the outer edge. - -“Why,” answered Diego, a little hotly, “because it was discovered that -the fellow who did the trick was as much fool as knave; for the rudder -had been fixed to break down ere ever the vessel left port. And I must -say it is well that the _Pinta_ had so good a captain, or we would all -have been at the bottom now. I tell you all freely and frankly that -I like the voyage no better than any of you; but it was a foolish and -a knavish trick to do a thing that might have sent us all to feed the -fishes. I wager the one who did it was no sailor.” - -“True,” and “That’s true,” and “He says well!” came from every side of -him, and Diego knew he had made no mistake in putting the matter as he -had. - -All this while, of course, the carpenter had been busy at the rudder, -and after a time he came up and reported that he had done all that -could be done--a matter Martin Alonzo certified to himself by going -over the rail and examining the work. When he came on deck again he -said to his brother: - -“Nothing more can be done; but we cannot go far in this plight. Another -such gale would make an end of us. I would I could talk with the -admiral.” - -Somehow his words got forward among the sailors, and there were very -few, if any, among them that were not content with the prospect of -having to turn back. And Diego, if the truth be told, was as pleased as -any. - -It was still too rough for any communication with the admiral, and so -there was nothing for it at present but to put on sail and proceed; -but that did not disquiet any but those who were not sailors; for it -was well enough understood that Martin Alonzo was only keeping on until -he could communicate with the admiral, Christoval Colon. - -The sailors had fully expected some sort of harangue from Martin -Alonzo; but he maintained what seemed to some of them an ominous -silence, and gave his whole attention to the navigation of the disabled -ship. - -Once again during the day the rudder broke down; but the sea had -moderated so much that it was repaired more easily this time; though -it was still understood that nothing permanent could be accomplished -without seeking land first. - -It was not until the next day that the waves had gone down sufficiently -to render intercourse between the vessels possible; though the _Pinta_ -had approached near enough to the _Santa Maria_ to shout across the -water the nature of the accident that had disabled the former ship. - -Martin Alonzo would have gone aboard the _Santa Maria_, but the admiral -thought it better for himself to go to the _Pinta_, and he did so soon -after sunrise. The sailors of the _Pinta_ greeted his appearance with -execrations--muttered, indeed, but deep and heartfelt; and they had -many disparaging things to say of him, likening him to a madman in -looks. But Diego, who had seen him often, could not feel as they did, -and thought him one of the noblest and most dignified of men. - -He retired to the cabin, taking his pilot with him, and followed by -Martin Alonzo, Francisco Martin, who was pilot of the _Pinta_, and by -Garcia Fernandez. There must have been a serious consultation between -them; for they all looked grave when they came out. When the admiral -had returned to his vessel, Martin Alonzo had all hands called aft, -and they went readily enough; for they were hot to hear what had been -decided. - -Martin Alonzo stood on the poop and waited silently, until all the -sailors stood ready to hear him. He looked very stern and determined, -and some who were more acute than others augured ill for their hopes of -a return. - -“If I had discovered yesterday,” began Martin Alonzo, in a very -uncompromising tone, “who had cut the gearing I would have hanged him -to the yard. I had good reasons for not pressing the matter. Now, I -will say that any similar attempt in the future will be punished by -instant death. - -“So much for that. The object in playing that fool’s trick was to -force me to turn back. You are all hoping that I will turn back. I -shall not. We are heading now for the Canary Islands, where a new -vessel will be found to replace this; or, if that cannot be done, this -shall be thoroughly repaired and the voyage continued to the end. Or -at least until we have gone seven hundred leagues to the westward of -Andalusia.” - -He stopped as if he believed he had said the last possible word on -the subject. The men looked uneasily at each other, and it was plain -that there was a strong feeling of dissatisfaction among them that -must find voice, and it did in the person of a grizzled old sailor, -who theretofore had had as little to say as any one. He knuckled his -forehead and hitched himself a little forward in the group of his mates. - -“I’ve sailed more than one voyage with you, Martin Alonzo.” - -“So you have. Well?” - -“I never gave trouble?” - -“Never.” - -“And don’t intend to now. I shipped of my own free will, or to please -you, which comes to the same thing; but I will say I don’t like the -voyage--I don’t like it. ’Tisn’t natural. I hoped we were going back, -I did, like all the others here, and I’d like nothing better than to -go back. Of course if you say you are going on, that settles it, for I -know you; but don’t you think, Martin Alonzo, it would be fairer to let -those that don’t want to go get off at the Canaries? I say what I say -to be fair all around.” - -It was the mildest sort of protest, but it was the best the old fellow -could do with the eye of Martin Alonzo fixed sternly on him all the -time. - -“No, it wouldn’t be fairer to let them go,” was the answer. “If I did, -I could get no others to take their places. Besides, they are a parcel -of children who will thank me some day for having made their fortunes -in spite of them. Why, men, we are going to find a country where the -houses are roofed with plates of gold and silver. Doesn’t that tempt -ye? eh?” - -“We’re going to perdition,” interrupted a surly voice. - -“Bah!” said Martin Alonzo, flashing his eye over the men to find the -owner of the voice, but not succeeding. “Perdition! Do you think I -would like that any better than you? Have I not as much--more to lose?” - -“Life is life to one as to another,” said a voice. - -“A coward’s life is worth nothing,” said Martin Alonzo, scornfully. -“But there, enough has been said. We go the voyage. To your work.” - -He was so sharp and peremptory that it was a marvel to Diego that he -was not hated by the men; but it was not so, indeed. However much they -might dislike the voyage, and there was no doubt on that score, they -greatly admired their masterful captain. A few there might have been -who did not, perhaps, but they were hushed into silence at the first -complaint against him. It was Christoval Colon who had to bear the -odium of the forced voyage. - -They were two days in coming in sight of the islands, and a glad sight -it was to them all, even though they knew they would be obliged to put -it behind them again. During those two days, and in fact ever since -his reconciliation with his cousin, Diego had studiously avoided Juan -Cacheco; for as he had no friendly word to say to him, he preferred not -to say any. He felt bitter still whenever he reflected that Juan and -Miguel would have let him be flogged. - -But Juan was all the while anxious for a word of explanation with -Diego, and continued to seek it even when he saw that Diego avoided -him. He could have forced a conversation at any time; but what he -had to say needed privacy, and that Diego would not give to him. The -approach to land gave Juan the opportunity he had sought, however; -for Diego stood alone, gazing abstractedly at the towering peak of -Teneriffe. Juan stole up to him, and there was something wistful in his -tone as he said: - -“I am glad you were not flogged that day.” - -Diego turned with angry start, and said, quickly: - -“No thanks to you that I was not.” - -“I could not--” began Juan, eager to justify himself, when Diego broke -in cuttingly: - -“Oh, I know a flogging would be nothing to you. I suppose you have been -used to it.” - -This reference to his prison life made the blood rush in a red tide -into the boy’s face. He tried to speak, but could not find the words -readily, and, while he was struggling, Diego said, bitterly: - -“I owed you my life that night, but you owe me yours for keeping -silence. If I had told, you would have been hanged up there,” pointing -to the yard; “so we are quits. I owe you nothing and you owe me -nothing; and I hope some day to show you what an honest boy can do to a -rogue.” - -Juan answered never a word, but seemed as if he were choking as he -turned and walked slowly away. - -[Illustration: “IF I HAD TOLD, YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN HANGED UP THERE.”] - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - -IT would have been hard to guess at all the different emotions that -wrought within the heart of the convict boy when Diego’s angry and -cruel words checked his generous impulse to offer his good-will. - -The chief among the emotions at first was humiliation; but jostling -the humiliation were grief, anger, bitter scorn, and regret at having -given room in his heart to his generous impulse; and he had not taken -ten steps away from Diego before it was anger that had control of him -and was coloring every other feeling. He would have turned then and -said something bitter to Diego, but he was accosted by Miguel, who -had watched him anxiously when he went to speak to Diego, and who had -grinned unpleasantly at his rebuff. - -“So, the pious little priestling would have none of the jail-bird, eh?” -said Miguel, in a tone between sneering and sympathy. - -“Would or would not,” answered Juan, ungraciously, “it concerns no one -but myself.” - -He had resented Diego’s injustice and had just been telling himself, -with bitterness, that it was the last time he would make any effort to -do a good or generous thing; and yet, when it came to it, there was in -him a sudden distaste for Miguel’s kind. - -He and Miguel had become acquainted in the prison, where, as the custom -was, all the prisoners had been herded together. The man had conceived -a fancy for the boy and had given him sympathy and encouragement, -and the boy, in his loneliness, had been grateful. Miguel had little -but wickedness to teach, and Juan had been so cast down and hopeless -that he had listened and learned. Nevertheless, he did not yet love -wickedness for its own sake, and the effect of his noble and generous -impulse had been the infusion of a new and better spirit in him. - -It is probable that Miguel had an undefined notion of the change that -had taken place in Juan, and was so much disturbed by it that he was -bent on bringing him again under his influence. Unfortunately it was a -good time for an effort of that sort. - -“That is true, too,” said Miguel, without showing any vexation; “but I -suppose a fellow must care a little if his friend is hurt.” - -It was said in such an off-hand, hearty way that Juan felt ashamed of -his inclination to turn from his old friend. He began to yield in a -sulky fashion. - -“Who said I was hurt?” he demanded. - -“As if it wasn’t made plain enough! Don’t you suppose everybody who was -looking could see it? That’s what he wanted, the little priestling!” - -“What do you mean?” asked Juan, quickly. - -“What do I mean?” Why, can’t you see that he wants everybody to know -that it was you he kept out of trouble by not telling? He wants to put -you in the wrong, so that he will be the favorite on board.” - -“I don’t see but he’s that anyhow,” said Juan. - -“Perhaps he is,” retorted Miguel, “and isn’t that just the way of it -always? He is honest, he is, and you are only a jail-bird; and they all -forget that it was you who were to do the trick, and take all the risk, -so that we should all be safe back on land.” - -“I’m not the only jail-bird,” said Juan, angrily. - -“What difference does that make? The other jail-birds will be so -glad to make friends with the honest boy that you will get the cold -shoulder, see if you don’t, little brother!” Little brother was his pet -name for Juan. - -“I don’t see why that should be,” said Juan. - -“Weren’t you trying to make friends with him?” asked Miguel, cunningly. - -It was a conclusive argument, and for a moment Juan had nothing to say. -Then he bethought him. - -“He saved my life,” he said, as if that explained his attitude towards -Diego. - -“Bah!” said Miguel. “Hadn’t you saved his first? If it hadn’t been for -you wouldn’t he be over there now?” jerking his thumb towards the water. - -“Well, he said we were quits. I saved him and he saved me.” - -“Just his mean, sneaking way,” said Miguel, with a show of indignation. -“If you hadn’t saved his life, yours would never have been in danger. -Saved your life! As if it were any more than he ought to have done! -Bah! the little priestling!” - -It was a very plausible argument and it had weight with Juan. So Diego -was ungrateful then! And that was always the way with your honest folk! -All right then! The more he reflected on it, the more bitter he was, -and Miguel, seeing how it was working, kept a discreet silence. - -“Yes,” said Juan, presently, “that is how it is. Once you are sent to -jail, it doesn’t matter how sorry you are for what you have done, the -honest folks won’t let you be anything else but a jail-bird. Why, he -stole something, himself; I was there when his cousin, Martin Alonzo, -said so.” - -“And so was I,” said Miguel. “A pretty fellow, he, to hold his head up -and curl his lip at you.” - -“Ah,” said Juan, angrily, “my turn may come yet!” - -“And so it will, little brother,” said Miguel, in a whisper, “if you -will do as I bid you.” - -“What do you mean?” - -“I am half afraid to tell you,” said Miguel, as if hesitating. - -“Why should you be? But if you don’t wish to, don’t.” - -“I am not sure,” said Miguel, “that you are not minded to turn honest.” -He said it as scornfully as if there were something very disgraceful in -honesty. - -“Honest! not I. And if I wished to be, how could I? But anyhow,” he -added, on second thought, “what do you mean? I’m not going to steal -anything. Honest or not honest, I don’t like stealing.” - -“You’re very particular,” laughed Miguel; “but this has nothing to -do with stealing. Wait till you get ashore and try to earn a living -honestly. Only wait till then, and we’ll talk about stealing. Oh, no! -this is quite another matter.” - -“Well, what?” - -“Do you wish to go this voyage, or not?” - -“You know I don’t.” - -“Are you with us, then, in deserting?” - -“Do you think Martin Alonzo will give you the chance? I know him better -than that,” said Juan. - -“We’ll make the chance. Don’t fret about that. You are with us, then?” - -“Of course I am. I don’t see, though, how you are going to do it. What -is your plan, and how many are in it?” - -“I can’t tell you the plan now, but I will the first time we are alone. -How many in the plan? Only ten yet; you make eleven. Oh, we will never -go this voyage; and, what is more, you shall settle your score with the -little priestling.” - -It was plain enough that his dislike of Diego was as great as Juan’s -possibly could be. - -“Hm!” grunted Juan, who did not lack for penetration, “and settle -yours, too, I think; though I don’t see why you hate him so.” - -“Ah! don’t you? Well, I do. It’s because he’s a spoil-sport and wants -to play the honest.” - -Miguel’s reason was genuine as far as it went; but his chief grievance -against Diego was the fear that he was in a fair way to infect Juan -with his ridiculous honesty. He was relieved of any immediate fear -of that now, however, and he left Juan to watch the nearing islands, -while he went to sound more of the men on the subject of the proposed -desertion. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - -VERY beautiful, indeed, are those islands which the ancients had called -the Fortunate, but which in Diego’s day were known as the Canaries. -Some of them rise sheer and rugged almost from the water’s edge, others -are mere rocky islets, and others again are like rounded hills; but -with very few exceptions they are all verdure-clad at the base, and -smile with cultivation far up the steep sides. - -To the sailors of the little fleet, turned aside, as they deemed, from -certain destruction, the islands seemed a thousand times more beautiful -even than in fact they were, and there is little to wonder at if all of -them cherished a hope that the voyage would end there. - -It was for the admiral, Christoval Colon, to feel a foreboding sorrow -at the sight of the lovely islands. He could depend upon the commanders -of the vessels and upon some of the volunteer adventurers; but he knew -as well as if the sailors had spoken their minds to him that they -hailed the land with the sole hope of finding a refuge there from the -terrible voyage. - -For that reason he had held counsel with his allies and had adopted -plans to the end of thwarting any effort, open or secret, that might be -made by the sailors. Therefore it happened that, although the little -fleet sailed among the islands for three weeks, there never once came -an opportunity which gave Miguel and his friends an occasion to put -their carefully laid plans in operation. - -For the first week they went from island to island, seeking a -vessel which should take the place of the _Pinta_; but it was soon -demonstrated that none could be procured, and then Martin Alonzo said -plainly to the admiral that it was his opinion that it would be wisest -to settle down to repairing the rudder and calking the ship, the latter -being very leaky, owing to the intentionally faulty work of the men -employed in Palos. - -“But you will be obliged to lay up, then, and your men may desert,” -said the admiral, who had no other fault to find with the plan. - -“Not so,” answered Martin Alonzo, grimly; “for I will keep them all -hard at work, and I will shoot the first man who tries to run away.” - -The _Niña_, too, had to be repaired; for she was a bad sailer and kept -the other two vessels back; so it was determined to change her lateen -sails to square ones. But she did not have to lay up for that; it being -sufficient if she lay at anchor in smooth water. All this having been -determined on, Martin Alonzo called his men aft and said to them: - -“As you very well know, my men, the _Pinta_ is unseaworthy by reason of -her broken rudder and her leaky hull. We have tried to find a vessel to -replace her, and have not been able to do so. Now, we must careen her -and put her in order.” - -With that he stopped and looked slowly over the faces of the men, and -then added with a peculiar smile, and the placing of his feet a little -wider apart, as if settling himself more squarely and determinedly: - -“I see that many of you have hopes of deserting. Well, I shall shoot -the first man of you who tries to do that. My men, we are going this -voyage.” - -He laughed like a man who had checkmated another, and there was a -sheepish exchanging of glances when he had retired to the cabin. Only -a few of the sailors laughed, and they did so not because they had any -greater relish for the voyage than the others, but because they thought -it very shrewd and masterful in Captain Martin Alonzo, whom they -admired more than any man. - -[Illustration: “‘I SHALL SHOOT THE FIRST MAN OF YOU WHO TRIES TO -DESERT.’”] - -As for Diego, he marvelled to see how one strong-willed man could -constrain so many; for, though a guard was put over the men as they -worked, it was plain enough that if there had been any real concert -among them they could have overpowered the guard and made their escape. - -However, nothing was done in that direction, notwithstanding many -urgent entreaties on the part of Miguel; and so the time came when the -_Pinta_ was ready to set sail with the other vessels, and still Miguel -had neither saved Juan from going the voyage, nor had he given him his -satisfaction on Diego, as he had promised so glibly. - -All three vessels repaired to the Island of Gomera, where the water was -famous for its purity and quantity, and where wood for the fires was -to be obtained. And it was there that some things happened that were -fraught with interest to Diego and Juan personally, and to the voyage -as well. - -The _Santa Maria_ and the _Niña_ reached the island before the _Pinta_, -and were the first to be through with taking in the wood and water; so -that Martin Alonzo, who never liked to be behindhand, did all he could -to hasten his operations. He had but one more load of water to take -off, and, in order to shorten the time occupied with that, he hit upon -the plan of leaving two, whom he could trust, to fill the casks that -were still empty, while he went with the other men to the vessel. He -cast his eye over the men doubtfully, and then called Diego and Juan to -him. - -“I wish somebody to fill these casks while we are gone,” he said. “You -two boys will do as well as two men, if you will.” - -“I will,” answered Diego, and Juan said the same. - -“And you give me your word, each of you, not to try to desert?” - -There were two vessels on the other side of the island that would have -helped the whole crew desert if there had been the chance. - -“I give my word,” said Diego. - -“And I give mine,” said Juan, whereat Diego made no concealment of the -disdainful curl of his lip, as if the word of Juan was not worth the -taking. - -The dislike of the boys for each other had only grown during all the -period of the stay among the islands; for Miguel had carefully fanned -the flame in Juan and set him constantly in an attitude of defiance to -Diego, and Diego had been ready to construe the most innocent glance of -the eye or turn of the hand into an insult. - -Juan said nothing at first, but set to at his cask, unconsciously -letting his anger urge him into such rapid movement that he spilled as -much as he put in. Diego noticed it and laughed in a very unpleasant -fashion. Juan stopped suddenly and fixed his eyes on Diego. - -“Some day I will make you laugh on the other side of your face,” he -said. - -“Some day?” sneered Diego. “Why not to-day?” - -Juan looked at the boat, which was now near the vessel, and threw down -his bucket. - -“I am ready now.” - -Diego laughed provokingly and went on bailing. - -“You count on the crew seeing us and coming to stop the beating I -should give you,” he said. - -“And you are a coward and don’t dare fight,” said Juan, in a furious -temper. - -“Will you wait,” said Diego, all of a tremble from anger, but wishing -to seem greatly at ease, “until these casks are full? Then we can -safely go into the wood yonder and have it out.” - -“You hope they will come back before we have the casks filled,” sneered -Juan, though he did not believe a word of it. - -“I’ll show you if I’m a coward,” said Diego. “At any rate, I would not -let another suffer for a thing I had done.” - -That was the last word, for Juan was too proud to tell Diego, now, that -he had tried to save him from the flogging. It is quite likely that no -two boys ever filled casks with such expedition as those two did. Each -was anxious to finish first in order to taunt the other with cowardice. -It was Diego’s luck to be first, but Juan robbed him of the joy of a -fling at him by tossing his last bucketful into the last cask before -even ready-tongued Diego could say anything. He led the way to the -woods, however, and that was something. - -Very little of the modern science of self-defence was known in those -days. If men fought, they did so with swords or other similar weapons. -The knives which the boys, in common with all the sailors, wore on -shipboard had been taken away by Martin Alonzo, not to be returned -until the vessel was fairly at sea again, and in consequence the two -enemies were forced to fight as best they could. - -[Illustration: “NO TWO BOYS EVER FILLED CASKS WITH SUCH EXPEDITION AS -THOSE TWO DID.”] - -Diego had made up his mind to this, and led the way to where there was -a sufficiently large open space to give them room for a struggle. There -he turned and faced about, putting himself on guard. That is, he stood -warily watching Juan, who had stopped when Diego stopped, and then had -taken two steps forward until he was at a little more than arm’s-length -from him. - -There might have been a considerable difference between the two boys at -the time when they first went aboard the _Pinta_; for Diego was then -fresh from good living and plenty of open-air exercise, while Juan -was but just out of a prison where he had grown sallow and thin with -confinement, scant food, and bad air. Now, however, he was of a good -color, and he had grown robust and strong. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - -THE boys were not badly matched for a struggle, and each realized it as -he measured the other in the moment that intervened before they threw -themselves on each other. - -There were no blows at first. Striking out from the shoulder was not -in vogue then. They grappled, and each did his best to throw his -antagonist, the intention being to get the other down, and then to -pummel him until he was unable to fight back. - -So they dug up the soft green turf with their feet; they rocked this -way and that; they swayed up and down; they stumbled over roots and -against trees; and sometimes Diego would go down on a knee and squirm -up again, and sometimes Juan would go down on a knee and squirm up -again. - -Their breath came pantingly and through shut teeth, and their eyes -glared anger and hatred, and they looked and acted altogether more like -wild beasts than like human creatures. - -Then, suddenly, they tore apart from each other and stood staring -fiercely into each other’s eyes. Then Diego jumped forward and struck -Juan over the eye and cried “Hah!” with joy of what he had done. And -Juan gasped: - -“It’s nothing. There! that’s for you!” and he struck out, too. - -However, he missed, and Diego struck him again; this time on the mouth, -so that presently a red stain came on his lips, which made Diego wild -with triumph, and made Juan wild with rage. Then they grappled again, -and, though both were trembling with exhaustion and excitement, they -hurtled about the little glade more madly than before, till Diego -caught his heel on the projecting root of a tree and was thrown -backward. - -Juan accelerated his fall with a cry of triumph that was very much like -the strangled scream of a wild animal. Diego was stunned a little, and -for a moment could not defend himself against the savage blows that -rained on his face, each blow being accompanied by a cry that seemed to -mean, “It is my turn now! it is my turn now!” - -But after a while Juan grew tired--too tired, at any rate, to keep up -the stinging blows--and he held Diego pinned to the ground, his face -being thereby brought within a few inches of Diego’s. The latter was in -no mood for yielding; though he knew he was at the mercy of Juan, and -could be punished more as soon as the strength of the latter returned. -But his own was coming back now, and he would make a struggle as soon -as Juan changed his position to strike again. At any rate, he would -never ask for mercy. - -In the meantime the breath of each was hot on the face of the other, -and their eyes, almost blinded with rage, seemed, nevertheless, to -shoot out sparks of fire. Diego made a sudden effort to throw off Juan. -Juan gave him a sudden blow in the face and caught him again so that he -could not move. - -“Have you had enough?” asked Juan, who, even at that moment of fury, -would have cared more for the submission of Diego than for anything -else. It would have been more disgraceful to Diego. - -“No, no, no!” screamed Diego. - -“I’ll pound you till you can’t see nor move,” said Juan. - -“Do it, do it!” screamed Diego, almost inarticulately. - -“You’ll show me what an honest boy can do, will you?” said Juan, -revengefully. - -“Pound me, pound me!” screamed Diego, as if that were his dearest wish. - -“You’re a thief yourself,” said Juan. - -“Jail-bird!” screamed Diego. - -“I’ll kill you,” raged Juan. - -“Jail-bird, jail-bird!” screamed Diego. - -Juan was beside himself; but did not dare to release Diego to strike -him again, for it was plain that Diego was growing stronger. He could -beat his face with his head. Yes, he could do that. But stop! there was -something better. - -“Both your eyes are black,” he said, tauntingly. - -“I’ll black yours some day.” - -“Your nose and your mouth are bleeding.” - -“I’ll make yours bleed some day.” - -“They’ll know on board that I did it.” - -Diego had no answer to that. He could only scream his rage and -defiance. But they would know, they would know. He struggled furiously; -but Juan only laughed with all the ugliness of passion. - -“You can’t get up; you’ve got to listen to me.” - -“Jail-bird!” - -Diego knew very well that there was nothing hurt as much as that. - -“You are a thief, too,” said Juan. “Martin Alonzo said so and you could -not deny it.” - -“Never a jail-bird,” answered Diego, as if the punishment made the -crime. - -“You are worse,” said Juan; “you are ungrateful. I saved your life.” - -“I saved yours. We’re quits.” - -“Mine wouldn’t have been in danger if I hadn’t saved you.” - -“Why don’t you pound me?” sneered Diego. “You don’t dare. You know I’ll -pay you when I am up.” - -“I could butt you with my head,” answered Juan. - -Diego had thought of that, too, and had been afraid Juan would think of -it. - -“Why don’t you do it?” he demanded, determined to be defiant to the -last. - -“I want to tell you something. When they were going to flog you--” - -“You sneaked out of the way,” interrupted Diego, sneeringly. - -“I tried to save you,” cried Juan, triumphantly. - -“You tried hard,” sneered Diego again. - -“Miguel held me at first,” said Juan, exultantly, knowing surer all the -time how it would hurt Diego to know it; “but you may ask any of the -men if I did not get to the mast just after you had been taken away.” - -“When you knew it was too late,” said Diego. - -“You know better. I was going to save you the flogging by telling that -I cut the gearing.” - -“I don’t believe it,” said Diego, doggedly. - -“Yes, you do,” said Juan, “and I am going to let you up. I hate you, do -you hear me? I hate you! I am going to let you up.” - -And he did, as if he could see the struggle going on in Diego between -his humiliation, his anger, and his sense of justice. Diego slowly rose -to his feet. - -“Do you want to fight any more?” asked Juan, jeeringly. - -“Yes,” answered Diego, sullenly, “I want to fight till I have whipped -you.” - -“Come on, then, if you can see out of your eyes,” jeered Juan. - -“Hey, there! you two have had enough,” said a man’s voice. - -They both thought the men had returned from the ship, and they looked -to where the man stood. He was a stranger to them. They fancied they -must have been fighting an hour, when in fact they had not been at it -for more than ten minutes. Both fighting and talking had gone on at a -rapid pace. - -“Well, who are you?” asked the man, with a short laugh of amusement at -the sight of the two bruised faces. “I should say one of you had had -enough, anyhow. Do you belong on that ship loading water?” - -“Yes,” answered Juan; for the ready-tongued Diego had been silenced by -the reference to the plain fact that he had been having the worst of -the fight. - -“And is it you who are going on that crazy voyage in search of -Zipangu?” inquired the man, who was evidently a sailor. - -“Yes.” - -“Do you wish to go?” - -“Of course not,” answered Juan. - -“And you,” said the man to Diego, “do you wish to go?” - -“No.” - -“I thought so. Why didn’t you desert, then?” - -“We did think of it,” answered Juan; “but the captain suspected us and -kept us under guard.” - -“Well, you have the chance now,” said the man. “The boat is only -half-way back, and you have only to come with me. We are not going on -any search for Zipangu.” - -“I pledged my word not to desert,” said Diego, his bruised face robbing -his proud tone of very much of its dignity; “but,” he added with a -sneer, “he will go with you.” - -[Illustration: “‘HEY, THERE! YOU TWO HAVE HAD ENOUGH,’ SAID A MAN’S -VOICE.”] - -Juan flushed and looked at first resentfully and then triumphantly -at Diego. He would show the little priestling that there was no such -difference between them as he would wish to make out. As he was no more -thief than he, so he would hold his word no less dear. - -“I gave my word, too,” he said, “and I will keep it; though I know the -voyage will end in my destruction. But thank you.” - -“Why, that is bravely said,” laughed the man, as if he found the affair -more amusing than heroic. “Well, it won’t matter much; for it is likely -enough your voyage will be ended in another way. I must go back to my -ship. But, harkee, boys! say nothing to the skipper of it; but I have -just come from Ferro, and there I saw three armed caravels of Portugal, -which are waiting for your Christoval Colon to capture him and end his -voyage. They lie in wait on the north side of the island, where it is -most likely you will go, as the nearest and best way. I hear the men -shouting for you. My faith!” he said, with a laugh, “they think you -have forgotten your promises.” - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - -THE man walked off in order that he might not be suspected of offering -assistance to the boys, and they went by separate ways to where Martin -Alonzo was angrily shouting their names. Juan shouted in answer; but -Martin Alonzo did not hear him, and was full of wrath when he saw them -coming out of the wood. - -“Had ye so little to do?” he began, and then stopped and exclaimed, -“Holy Virgin! look at their faces!” - -The men set up a shout of laughter, for which Juan cared nothing, -having been the victor, but which galled Diego mightily. - -“So,” said Martin Alonzo, eying them narrowly, “you have been employing -your time, have you, after all?” - -“We filled the casks first,” said Juan, Diego playing the wonderful -part, for him, of sullen silence. - -“Well for you you did,” said Martin Alonzo, and with that turned from -them and began ordering the men in sharp tones. The truth was, he was -vexed to see Diego carrying the marks of a beating. - -Well, the water was loaded into the boats and they pushed off, Diego -and Juan sitting in their places in silence; though the men had at the -first tried to be merry with them over their fight, and had desisted -only at the peremptory word of Martin Alonzo, who looked as sullen as -Diego’s self. - -As for Diego, he had neither eyes nor words for any one; but sat with -his eyes down all the way. He was thinking of many things, and was -having a harder battle with himself than he had had with Juan, and one -that hurt him far more. It was mostly about Juan he was thinking; but -there came occasional thoughts about the Portuguese caravels that were -to stop the voyage. - -He thought of Martin Alonzo, too. He knew by the glance his cousin -had given him, and by the tone of his voice, and by his short words -to the men, that he was vexed with him for being beaten, as if he had -expected, as a matter of course, that Diego would be the master in -such a fight. He was grateful for the feeling, but he was resentful -too. Besides, there were other things in his mind, and he was in an -uncertainty what to do. - -When they had reached the vessel and the water had been taken aboard -and the boats hoisted to their places, the word was given to the -admiral and sail was set. Diego did his share of the work, watching -his cousin and Juan about equally, and knowing that they were watching -him. Presently Francisco Martin took charge of the ship, and Diego saw -Martin Alonzo beckon him to come apart with him, which he did. - -“So,” said Martin Alonzo, brusquely, “you let him whip you.” - -“He whipped me,” answered Diego, sullenly. - -“Was it a fair fight?” - -“Yes, but I didn’t give up; don’t think I did. I would never have done -it.” - -“You came out of the wood quietly enough,” said Martin Alonzo, -reasoning that if the fight had been his, he either would have whipped -or been unable to walk away from the place. - -“I know it,” said Diego, more sulkily than before. - -Martin Alonzo looked disappointed, and kicked the rail viciously. - -“Tut!” he said, “when I left you two there, I hoped you would give a -better account of yourself than this.” - -“Oh,” said Diego, more mortified than ever, “you expected us to fight?” - -“I would like to know,” said Martin Alonzo, “why you did not fight -more.” - -“Then you’d better ask him,” answered Diego, and turned away. - -He had said nothing about the Portuguese caravels, from which it would -seem that he was willing to have the voyage ended by them. All the -remainder of that day the fleet sailed on for Ferro, and all the time -that he was not eating or working, Diego leaned on the rail and moodily -watched the island of Gomera fade into distance. - -Juan was as gay as Diego was dull, and received the congratulations of -Miguel and a few of the other sailors in very good spirits. At first -he was inclined to be offensive to Diego, not by any direct affront -to him, but by a little too much ostentation in his high spirits; but -later he was more quiet, and seemed to have dismissed Diego from his -mind. - -As for Diego, he no longer looked at Juan, but kept himself to himself -until the coming of night cleared the deck of all except the watch, -in which they both were. Then he watched Juan again until he saw -him standing alone, when he went over to him and touched him on the -shoulder. Juan turned and started. - -“Oh,” said he, “you wish me to fight here so that Martin Alonzo will -stop us!” - -“No,” answered Diego, breathing hard, as if to keep his anger in check, -“I don’t wish to fight now. I only wish to say something to you. Some -day, perhaps, we shall fight again.” - -“I hope so,” answered Juan, with a disagreeable laugh. - -“And I hope so,” said Diego, struggling with a sob of rage. He -controlled himself and went on: “What I wished to say was that I -believed you about your being willing to save me from the flogging. If -I had known it before--” - -“I tried to tell you once,” said Juan, in an eager, softened tone. - -“I know it,” answered Diego, “and it was my fault that you did not. I -said unpleasant things.” - -“But it’s all right now,” said Juan, joyously. “Shall we shake hands?” -and he held out his hand, fully expecting Diego to take it. - -“No,” answered Diego, “I don’t care to shake hands with you. I want to -fight you. I don’t like you. I was wrong about you, and I had to come -to tell you. If I had known it before I could not have fought you. And -I can’t fight you again if you don’t let me be even with you in some -way.” - -“Oh, very well; but you needn’t be so particular,” said Juan. “I’m -ready to fight you at any time.” - -“How can I fight you,” said Diego, passionately, “if I am under -obligation to you?” - -“Well, what will you do about it?” asked Juan, wonderingly. - -“Have you told the sailors yet about the caravels?” demanded Diego. - -“No.” - -“Why?” - -“I don’t know,” was the hesitating answer. “What does it matter?” - -“It matters a great deal. My cousin must know about it.” - -“I supposed you had told him already. I saw you talking with him.” - -“I didn’t tell him. I wish you to tell him.” - -“I?” exclaimed Juan. “I won’t do it. Why should I?” - -“Because he dislikes you, and it will put you in favor with him if you -do it. If I let you tell him it will make us quits again.” - -“Betray my comrades to please you!” said Juan, scornfully. “I won’t.” - -“How would it betray them? Don’t you see that if you don’t tell I shall -have to? You don’t want me to have a right to fight you,” said Diego, -bitterly. - -“I won’t do it, anyhow,” said Juan. - -“He trusted you; he took your word, and I think that puts you under -obligation to tell him instead of telling the sailors, especially as it -won’t do them any good to know. I think you’re afraid to fight, that’s -what I think.” - -“No you don’t,” retorted Juan. “Well, I’ll tell Martin Alonzo, though I -don’t want to; and I’ll fight you some day, and I will beat you so that -you will never ask me to fight again.” - -“Thank you,” said Diego, joyously, “and I’ll never call you ugly names -again, nor sneer at you.” - -So he turned away happy in the thought of some day retrieving his -defeat, and Juan, very much puzzled over it all, watched him walk away -and murmured to himself: - -“He hates me now; but maybe he’ll like me after we have had a fair -fight and one of us is whipped.” - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - -THE slight breeze that filled the sails of the fleet on leaving Gomera -had died away during the night into a dead calm; so that when Juan and -Diego came on deck in the morning they saw the islands still within a -short distance of them. - -Diego leaned over the rail and pretended to look at the green shores, -while in fact he was uneasily watching Juan. And Juan, while pretending -to be quite easy in his mind, was, in truth, as far as possible from -that state. At one moment he blamed Diego for the singular scruples -about fighting that had forced him into so uncomfortable a position, -and the next moment he was upbraiding himself for his lack of courage -in not going at once to Martin Alonzo, who was pacing the poop in a -most inviting way. - -There is no saying how long he might have gone on worrying himself in -this fashion had not Martin Alonzo, perhaps in default of anything else -to do, beckoned him to come up. Juan took a deep breath and went. Diego -drew a deep breath also, and watched the two out of the corner of his -eye. Miguel watched too. - -“So,” said Martin Alonzo, eying Juan with no great favor, “you and -Diego beguiled the time yesterday by fighting. And I had forbidden it.” - -“You had forbidden it on board ship,” answered Juan. - -“What!” cried Martin Alonzo, with a grimace, “have you the gift of -language, too, and can hold an argument?” - -“I did but justify myself,” answered Juan, sensitive to anything like -injustice. - -“So,” said Martin Alonzo, shortly. “Well, tell me, then, was it a fair -fight? It seemed to me strange, indeed, to see such a fighting-cock as -Diego yonder coming out of the wood only half-whipped, and yet with -no fight left in him. Construe me that, since you have the gift of -language; for it was more than Diego would do.” - -Juan shifted uneasily from one foot to another, looked sidewise at -Diego, glanced over at the islands, and then traced some pattern on the -deck with his foot. - -“Well-a-mercy!” exclaimed Martin Alonzo, impatiently, “if there be not -more mystery over this puppy fight than over a great battle! What is -there in this that ties your two tongues? Come, speak out, boy!” - -“Why,” answered Juan, almost as impatiently as the captain, “I don’t -half understand it myself. That is--well, I know why he would not fight -any more; though his nice points of honor are beyond me. But I am only -a jail-bird,” he added, sullenly. - -“Tut, tut!” said Martin Alonzo, with a touch of sympathy showing -through his impatience. “I have not said so, and I shall forget where -you came from, so you behave yourself. Why would Diego fight no more?” - -“Well, it was like this,” said Juan, plunging into it, since there -seemed no escape from it; “at first he had the best of it, and gave me -this eye that you see. Then we wrestled, and neither got the better of -the other, until his foot tripped over a root and he fell, with me atop -of him. Then I pounded him, as you can see by his face.” - -“Ay, and then?” said Martin Alonzo, impatiently. - -“I asked him to give up, and he said, not if I killed him.” - -“I could have sworn to it. Well, well?” - -“Then I told him something that I knew would hurt him worse than a -beating, and let him up. After that he would not fight any more.” - -“By my faith!” said Martin Alonzo, in a tone of extreme exasperation, -“and what was this wonderful thing that you told him? You must indeed -have the gift of language if you can cool the hot blood of a lad like -Diego by words. What did you tell him? I may need to know the words -some day. What were they?” - -Juan hesitated and then tossed his head with a sort of pride and -defiance. - -“I showed him how he had done me an injustice,” he said. - -“In what way? Go on with your story.” - -“Well,” said Juan, “I will tell you, since you urge me. It was I cut -the rudder gearing.” - -“Ah!” said Martin Alonzo, knitting his eyebrows. - -“Diego knew it was I; but would not tell you because--because--well, he -was too generous.” - -Martin Alonzo knew that it was because Juan had interfered to save -Diego’s life, and it pleased him to have Juan refrain from telling that. - -“Well, go on,” he said. - -“When you were going to have him flogged, I had intended to tell -you rather than let him be flogged; but he did not know that, and -was so angry with me that he said hard things to me. When we were -fighting--when I had him down, I bethought me how it would hurt him -to tell him that I had intended to save him, and I did it. If I had -not been angry I would not have done it, but I did, and that is why he -could not fight any more.” - -[Illustration: “‘COME, SPEAK OUT, BOY!’”] - -Martin Alonzo looked into his flushed face for a minute, and then put -his hand on his shoulder and said: - -“You two boys ought to be friends, and will, eh? after this?” - -Juan was pleased with the friendly words and manner, as, of course, he -could not help being; for it was much as if a sponge had been passed -over some of the degradation of his past. He looked his gratitude, but -did not make any answer. - -“What!” said Martin Alonzo, “can you not forgive him?” - -“It isn’t that,” answered Juan, with a short, embarrassed laugh. “He -won’t forgive me, and wishes to fight again, some time when we can -finish.” - -Martin Alonzo stared in wonder, as well he might. - -“But,” he said, “I thought you said he would not fight any more.” - -“Nor will he until he has become quits with me; and the way he will be -quits, he says, is by making you my friend.” - -“Well,” said Martin Alonzo, bending his keen eyes curiously on the boy, -“here be plots and counterplots. And how am I to be made your friend?” - -“I am to tell you something you ought to know--something on which -depends this voyage--something he and I learned in the woods where we -were fighting.” - -“And after you have told me,” said Martin Alonzo, laughing heartily, -for the whole affair seemed very funny to him, yet full of generous -spirit, too, “you are to fight it out, eh?” - -“Yes, he will have it so, and I will oblige him.” - -“Then, tell me quickly, for I would not stand in the way of so laudable -a desire on his part or on yours; and I do assure you, boy, that Diego -has gained his point, and that I like you well, and that I see that you -will make a future that will blot out all your past mistakes. But, for -the life of me, I cannot help laughing,” and he did laugh, with a roar -that was infectious. “And now tell me what you learned in the woods.” - -“A sailor from a ship that had just arrived from Ferro came to us and -first offered to help us desert from you.” - -“But you remembered your promises, eh? Good boy! good boy! Yes, I like -you. Well, go on.” - -“Yes,” answered Juan, flushing with pleasure, and glad now to be -telling Martin Alonzo what he had heard--”yes, we refused to go with -him, and then he told us it would not much matter--we had told him -we did not like the voyage--because there were three caravels of -Portugal--armed caravels--waiting on the north side of Ferro to capture -the fleet.” - -Martin Alonzo became serious at once, and turned involuntarily towards -where Ferro lay. - -“Did he say so, boy? Ah, did he say so? Thank you, boy, thank you! We -will see to that. Ay, thank you!” - -“You will not let it be known that it was I told you, will you?” asked -Juan. - -“No, no, of course not. The men must not know even that the caravels -are there. Now go make friends with Diego. You will like him; for he is -a good lad, though with a hot temper.” - -“Nothing but a fight will satisfy him,” said Juan. - -“Then you shall fight, boy, and be friends afterwards. But not aboard -the vessel, boy. Wait until we are in Zipangu.” And then, as Juan -smiled, he smiled too, and added, “Ah, you think we will never reach -there, do you? Well, I verily believe you are mistaken. But go, now, -for I must to the admiral and warn him.” - -Juan went down the ladder with a more uplifted spirit than had ever -been in his breast before, and full of determination to deserve the -best that Martin Alonzo thought of him. He passed Diego on his way -forward, and stopped to say: - -“I have his good will; so you and I are quits, and there is nothing to -prevent our fighting when we have the chance.” - -“Good,” growled Diego. - -Juan hesitated. If Diego would only be friends with him, it seemed to -him that he would have nothing more to ask for. - -“Won’t you shake hands and be friends until we can fight?” he asked, -wistfully. - -“Then how could we fight?” demanded Diego. “No, I won’t be friends till -we have fought.” - -So Juan turned away and passed on to where Miguel was jealously -waiting for him. It seemed to Juan a very difficult matter to adjust -his friendships to suit himself. There was Diego, whose friendship he -wished and who would not be his friend; and here was Miguel, whose -friendship was so undesirable and who was bent upon being his friend. - -“Martin Alonzo found your conversation very funny,” said Miguel, in an -injured tone. - -“Well,” said Juan, testily, “is there any harm in that?” and he moved -over to an old sailor, Rodrigo de Triana, and asked questions about the -weather. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - -ON Sunday, which was the third day after the admiral had received -intelligence of the caravels, and which was the 9th of September, the -day broke and saw the fleet drifting about not more than nine leagues -from Ferro. - -All those in the secret watched anxiously for the hostile vessels, and -the admiral knew that if a breeze did not spring up during the day -there would be great danger of capture; for the caravels could get out -their long oars and be upon them in spite of the calm. - -But fortunately for his purpose a breeze came up with the sun, and, -before any sign of the caravels was seen, the little fleet was skimming -over the waters into that mysterious west which filled the hearts of -the sailors with such foreboding that now they all remained on deck -watching, with increasing gloom, the disappearance behind the eastern -horizon of the last speck of land. - -“Nothing but water now,” said Miguel, hoarsely, as his eye swept the -whole circle of the horizon. - -And then, as if his words had had a spell in them, a strange thing -followed close upon them. Rodrigo de Triana, a stout man and a good -seaman, who had never given any trouble, turned and caught Miguel -by the shoulder in a spasmodic clutch, and, with his eyes rolling -terribly, cried out in a loud voice: - -“And it’s the last land we ever shall see. God ’a mercy on us!” and -thereupon fell on his knees on the deck and cried like a child. - -And then the others, seeing this, and being themselves wrought up to a -singular pitch of terror, seemed to lose all control of themselves; and -all over the vessel could be seen those strong men weeping and praying -in voices of agony and despair, until Martin Alonzo was filled with -alarm for the result, and sprang down the ladder and went among them. - -With some he reasoned in short, telling words; others he caught in his -powerful hands and put upon their feet and shook them, bidding them be -men or he would do such things as would turn their thoughts in a great -hurry. And when he had brought them into some semblance of order, he -mounted the poop again and talked to them, telling them of the marvels -of the land they were going to. - -“Gold, silver, precious stones, silks and satins,” he said, among -other things, to them, “are to be had there for the taking. Every man -among you, to the meanest, shall have his fill of riches. What shall -prevent every one of you from going back to Spain so rich that you may -purchase any title in the kingdom? You will all be princes. What! do -you think I only say these things? I know them. Why, men have been to -this land of Zipangu and to Cathay, which lies beyond it, and they have -so wearied of the wealth they might have there that they have left a -great part behind them on returning to their own country; and yet had -they so much with them that they were enabled to live in palaces and -be served by nobles. But we shall leave nothing behind that any man -cares to take. Here is the _Pinta_, which shall be loaded to the last -line with her precious freight, and we shall come home rejoicing, and -you will all despise yourselves for the childish terror which you let -conquer you this day.” - -Since he believed everything he said, to the very last word, it was not -strange that he should make the men believe him, even in spite of their -fears, which they could not dispel, though they kept them hidden from -him. - -[Illustration: “ALL OVER THE VESSEL COULD BE SEEN THOSE STRONG MEN -WEEPING.”] - -That is, they hid them for the time; but as they kept going farther and -farther from the land, their fears would return to them, and they would -construe the simplest occurrence into an omen of evil, and there would -follow a panic, which Martin Alonzo would soothe as best he could, -displaying a patience that no one would have looked for in him; though -sometimes breaking out in a great fury when his words seemed to have no -effect. - -But it was seldom that the cupidity that was in the poor, ignorant men -would not become inflamed by his promises of gold and jewels; and so it -was on that theme that he talked the most often. And indeed it was the -theme that occupied his own mind the most; for it was only the admiral -who had any lofty thoughts concerning the discoveries he hoped to make. -He, indeed, cared for the wealth, too; but it can truly be said that -what was more in his mind than riches was the thought of carrying the -gospel to the heathen of Zipangu and Cathay. - -But it was a terrible voyage in view of the fears of the sailors, their -imaginations becoming so diseased after a while that a sudden cry from -any one of them would create a panic among the others. - -One day it was a floating mast, from some unfortunate wreck, that -disturbed them and made them pass the rest of the day in whispered -stories of disaster, and with suggestions of destruction to -themselves. At another time it was the variation of the compass; at -another time it was the fact that the wind blew steadily from the same -quarter, convincing them that it was wafting them designedly to that -abyss over which the ocean flowed; at another time it was a calm; at -another a great area of sea-weed, the extent of which they could not -see. - -And so it went for days and days; though there were times when there -were omens which they looked upon as favorable. But afterwards these -were deemed only lures set by the Evil One to keep them to their -purpose. Sometimes they believed they saw land, and then they were -mad with joy and the ships would race with each other to be the first -to see and touch it. Then it would be discovered that they had been -mistaken, and the gloom would be greater than before. - -And, at last, the alarm of the men grew so great that they lost their -fear of Martin Alonzo, and began to talk so openly of forcing him to -turn back that he was alarmed, though he gave no sign of it. And then -there came a day when _he_ began to have doubts. Not that he doubted -that land could be reached somewhere in that western ocean; but that -he believed that the admiral was obstinate in always keeping to his -westerly course, when it seemed plain to him that land would be reached -sooner by taking a southwesterly course. - -It had got to be October by this time, and it was on the 6th of that -month that Martin Alonzo signalled the admiral, and afterwards went -aboard his vessel with the intention of inducing him to change his -course. He was in no very good temper, for his men had been more than -usually mutinous, and it is probable that he insisted more strongly on -having his own way than he should have done. - -The admiral, however, was a firmer man than Martin Alonzo, and he would -not swerve a point from his course. He was not obstinate, nor angry in -his demeanor, and said to Martin Alonzo: - -“I believe that land lies due west of us. I should therefore be wrong -if I varied from my course. Several times you have urged me to vary, -and I foolishly have acceded, to a slight extent only, it is true; but -still I have done it. I must do so no more, except upon a conviction of -my own that I should do so.” - -“Then do you go your way and let me go mine,” said Martin Alonzo, -angrily. - -“Not so,” answered the admiral. “You shall keep the course I keep, -and diverge at your peril. I am in command of this fleet, and it -is for you to obey me,” and he spoke in so lofty and dignified a -tone that Martin Alonzo was hushed, though yet raging with anger and -mortification. - -However, it happened the next day that the men became so threatening -that the admiral had need of the support of the Pinzons, of whom there -were many in the fleet, and to keep them on his side he did take a -course west-southwest. Then, after three days of that course, he turned -due west again, and held steadfastly in that direction. - -By this time the men on the _Pinta_ could scarcely be held in any sort -of control, and the case was even worse on the other vessels; so that -it would have needed but a word to precipitate a mutiny that must have -ended in the deaths of the most worthy men of the expedition. - -But at this point, when Martin Alonzo was moodily leaning over the -rail, thinking many hard things of the admiral, and half careless -whether or not his men rose against him, he suddenly noted certain -signs in the water that caused him to lift his head and cry out: - -“Ho! Rodrigo de Triana! come hither!” and when the man had hurried to -his side, “look over into the water. Are those weeds from fresh water? -Did ever you see the like grow in the sea? And is that a fresh twig of -wood, floating yonder?” - -“There is land hereabout,” said Rodrigo, turning pale. “There is -no doubt of it this time,” and he ran wildly forward, shouting the -intelligence to the men, and bidding them look into the water. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - -WHILE the crew of the _Pinta_ were rejoicing over the certain -indications of land, Diego chanced to look towards the other vessels, -and saw that the _Santa Maria_ was crowding on more sail. - -He immediately suspected the meaning of that. The indications of land -had been seen on board of the admiral’s vessel, and those aboard of -her were intending to gain a good lead before communicating their -discovery. Owing to the unfortunate altercation between the admiral and -Martin Alonzo, the crews of the two vessels had become imbued with a -feeling of jealousy towards each other, and each was willing to gain -honor at the expense of the other. - -Besides, there was a reward of ten thousand maravedis offered for the -first discovery of land, and each vessel was naturally desirous of -seeing it earned on her deck. Diego then ran over to his cousin and -exclaimed: - -“They have seen the signs on the _Santa Maria_, and are pushing her to -take the lead.” - -Martin Alonzo looked quickly towards the vessel, and then turned and -gave orders for spreading every inch of canvas on the _Pinta_. There -was a good breeze blowing, and the _Pinta_ was the fastest sailer -of the fleet, so that it was not long ere she was showing the other -vessels her stern. - -All that day and until night came on, there was not an eye in the -fleet but was eagerly bent in the direction in which land was supposed -to lie; but when darkness came on and there had been no sign of the -looked-for sight, most of the men gave over watching. - -On the _Pinta_ old Rodrigo de Triana had been one of the most careful -watchers; though it was noticed that he had kept his eyes as much on -the water as on the horizon. His watch was relieved at midnight, but he -remained on deck, saying to Diego, who was in the watch with him, that -he did not feel sleepy, and had a mind to study the stars. - -“To study maravedis, you mean,” said Diego, laughing. - -“Why, maybe you’re right, lad,” answered Rodrigo, slyly. - -Diego had half a mind to watch, too; for he had a good opinion of the -old sailor’s shrewdness; but he was sleepy, and deferred hope had made -him suspicious of appearances, and so he went to bed. It seemed to him, -however, that he had no more than fallen asleep when a gun fired from -the deck of the _Pinta_, followed by loud and joyous cries, sent him -out of his berth in a great haste. - -He found himself jostled by all the others of the crew who had been -startled at the same time, and were crowding out on deck, eagerly -inquiring of each other if land had been discovered. Then presently -they heard the voice of Martin Alonzo joyfully proclaiming the great -tidings. - -“Ay, ay, boys! it’s land sure enough. There! you can see it for -yourselves, dark as it is. And who should be the first to set eyes on -it but old Rodrigo, the cunning old salt, who, instead of turning in -like the rest, must spend the night in the round-house looking for -those ten thousand maravedis. Now, brother Francisco, have in those -sails, and we will lay to until the blessed sun comes up to let us have -a clearer view of this land of Zipangu. Ah, lads! you lay your heads -down to-night poor men; but if the tale be not a false one--and you see -it has been true so far--you shall not go to bed again without gold -under your pillows.” - -With that the men all fell to shaking hands with each other, and could -hardly be got to take in the sails, for the excitement they were in. -And it chanced that in the general jubilee of congratulation, Diego, -whose spirits were as easily exalted as any one’s, had gone about -dancing and shaking hands like one beside himself, as indeed he was, -and had at last caught the hand of Juan before he knew it. - -“I’m afraid you don’t mean it,” said Juan, half wistfully, half -laughingly; for Diego’s joy was very extravagant. - -“No, I didn’t,” answered Diego, drawing back, “but indeed I am so -rejoiced that I will shake hands with you heartily if you will promise -we shall fight it out in all friendliness at the first chance.” - -“That I will,” said Juan, more glad in truth of the good-will of Diego -than of the discovery of land; for he had craved Diego’s liking as -Diego, with all his self-confidence, would never have been able to -suppose. - -So they shook hands again, Juan laughing with joy and Diego presently -hugging him in his excitement. - -“To tell the truth,” said Diego, as they leaned over the rail together, -“I think I have wanted to shake hands with you this many a day; but I -was ashamed. And I was mad to think you had been more generous than -I--for you were; that’s the truth. But my heart is set on fighting -it out; for I think I am the master--in all friendliness you will -understand--and that I should have had the best of it that day in the -wood if we had fought it out.” - -“That we shall see,” said Juan; “but anyhow we shall be friends, -whoever is the master, shall we not?” - -“Truly we shall.” - -“And you will not despise me for having come from the jail?” asked -Juan, trembling for the answer. - -“Martin Alonzo says that it is not what you were, but what you are,” -answered Diego. - -“Thank you for saying so; and some day I will tell you my story, and -you shall see that I was not so bad as you have thought, perhaps; -though to be bad at all is too bad, as I very well know. But we won’t -talk of that, now.” - -“That’s as you please,” said Diego, who found himself interested even -then, with land dimly visible over the rail; though perhaps it was -because the land was there and not to be reached, that he was glad of -something to talk of. “Tell me now, or tell me never.” - -“Well, it’s not much and will not take long, and then it will be done,” -said Juan, slowly. “It is this: My mother and I were starving, and I -tried to earn some bread for her and could not, and so I stole it. That -is all.” - -“I should have done the same,” said Diego. - -“Stealing is stealing,” said Juan, and Diego thought of the melon; -“and, after all,” he said, a little huskily, “it did no good.” - -“What do you mean?” asked Diego. - -“My mother died with the bread on her lips.” - -Diego had nothing to say to that, but he showed his sympathy by -suddenly taking Juan’s hand and shaking it, letting it go as quickly as -he had taken it. - -“The only thing,” said Juan, after a moment’s pause, “that I was glad -of was that she never knew I was taken to prison.” - -“I would not think it a disgrace,” said Diego. - -“But it was,” said Juan; “and if I had not come aboard here and met you -and quarrelled with you, I should have become as bad as the worst. I -had only thieves, and even murderers, for friends, and could have had -no other sort as long as I lived if I had not come on this voyage. I -should have been glad I came the voyage even if we had not discovered -Zipangu; though I would have done anything to desert at first. And now -you may whip me as much as you can, if you will only remain my friend.” - -“I will, of course--glad to be; but you mustn’t let me whip you, or I -shan’t like you,” said Diego. - -“Oh, I shall do my best to whip you,” said Juan. - -“That’s it,” said Diego, heartily. “I wonder if you and I shall be of -the party to go ashore?” - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - -DAYLIGHT comes and goes quickly in those latitudes, and it seemed to -the waiting, watching men as if a veil had suddenly been lifted from -before their eyes, when a small wooded island appeared to them in the -early morning. - -It did not, indeed, look like that civilized Zipangu of which the -admiral and Martin Alonzo had spoken so often; but it was a new land, -and it might well be an outlying island not yet brought under the -civilizing influence of the rich and prosperous countries they were -seeking. - -In short, no one doubted that Zipangu and Cathay, with their enormous -stores of gold, silver, and precious stones, lay beyond the island they -looked upon. It was a wonderful sight, surely, to see that peaceful -little island lying there on the placid bosom of the waters which had -been so mysterious to them but yesterday. - -And presently the shores began to fill with people the like of which -they had never seen nor even heard of before. They were quite innocent -of clothing, and from the ships they appeared of a brown complexion, -though they were afterwards discovered to be of a coppery hue. They -were plainly as surprised at the sight of the strangers as the latter -could be at sight of them; for there was a constant running to and fro -among them, and a gesticulating and pointing that showed that they -could not conquer their wonder. - -But what the men could distinguish from the ships only made them the -more anxious to be ashore, and there was a general shout when the -admiral signalled to drop anchor and prepare the boats. Then came the -eager question of who were to be the unfortunates to remain on board. -Martin Alonzo settled that summarily by selecting for the boats those -who had been the least troublesome during the voyage. Neither Diego nor -Juan dared ask to be of the party; but Martin Alonzo was in no manner -of doubt over their desire, and he said to Diego: - -“I can have no fighting here, Diego, and so I can take but one of you -two boys. Which ought I take?” - -“An it please you, Martin Alonzo,” cried Diego, eagerly, “there need -be no question of that. Let us both go, and we will pledge ourselves -not even to speak otherwise than softly. I pray you, good cousin!” he -begged. - -“And you, Juan?” asked Martin Alonzo, ready to smile. - -“I will let him strike me without striking back.” - -Martin Alonzo laughed outright at that. - -“I would not trust you that far. But put on all your bravery--stop! you -have none. Diego, do you and Juan come with me and I will give you each -one a morion and a bit of gay apparel, so that these natives may see us -all at our best. The men shall all go armed.” - -It was in the spirit of putting the best appearance on themselves that -the whole fleet acted. The gentlemen adventurers clad themselves in -shining armor and donned their most brilliant cloaks, and the sailors -were armed with arquebuses and pikes, and were clad in their best, with -breastplates and helmets to complete their bravery. - -The admiral was splendidly robed in a brilliant scarlet cloak over -his rich and glittering armor, and held the royal standard in his own -hand as he stood upright in his own boat, which led the way to the new -shores, which his steadfastness had earned and his great mind foreseen. - -The heart of the noble discoverer was filled with piety, and so it was -that his very first act on setting foot on land was to kneel down, kiss -the earth, and offer up thanks to God for his goodness, even shedding -tears from the fulness of his gratitude. - -After that he took formal possession of the new land in the name of the -Spanish sovereigns, and proclaimed himself by the titles which it had -been agreed upon with Ferdinand and Isabella should be his in the event -of the accomplishment of the purpose of the voyage--Admiral and Viceroy. - -It is painful to relate, now, how the men, who had reviled him and had -even plotted his death, crowded around him with words of most fulsome -flattery and praise. Martin Alonzo, however, was not one of these. If -he had had differences with the admiral, they had been honest ones, -and he lost nothing of his self-respect now, in the full tide of the -admiral’s triumph. - -He congratulated the admiral and gave him his full meed of praise, -and the admiral cordially met him, giving him back the most gracious -answers. A pity it was that the good feeling felt then could not last. -However, if it had, this tale need never have been told; for it was -because of the renewed differences between the two men that Diego and -Juan fell into such trouble. But of that later. - -[Illustration: - -“THE ADMIRAL WAS SPLENDIDLY ROBED IN A BRILLIANT SCARLET CLOAK OVER -HIS RICH AND GLITTERING ARMOR, AND HELD THE ROYAL STANDARD IN HIS OWN -HAND.”] - -At first the natives would not approach the strangers; but when they -saw how peaceful they were--the admiral would not permit them to be -otherwise--they came gradually nearer and nearer until some of the more -courageous were emboldened to touch their guests. - -They believed, then, that these white men, in their shining armor and -bright raiment, had come down from the skies; the sails of the ships -being taken for the wings on which they had floated down out of the -firmament. - -When the others saw that nothing evil befell those who went near to -the visitors, they flocked out of the woods like so many children and -could not restrain their curiosity, feeling of the clothing, the arms, -and the very skin and beards of the white men. Yes, and they were so -ignorant of the nature of the weapons that one of them boldly closed -his hand on the blade of a sword, not knowing it would cut, and being -as much surprised as pained to see the blood flow from his wound. - -The men begged that they might remain on land all the day long, and the -admiral permitted it, only admonishing them not to stray too far from -the boats; and so they spent the beautiful day enjoying the delights of -the soft climate and refreshing themselves with the fruits that were -brought them by the natives, who needed only to know that a thing was -desired to make them bring it. - -The admiral distributed among the natives some of the cheap trinkets -that he had brought with him, and it was a marvel to the sailors to see -how little notion they had of the value of the glass beads and hawks’ -bells, prizing the latter, indeed, above everything else, and being -willing to barter anything they had for them. - -Gold, however, was the one thing that the voyagers craved before -everything else, and that they could not find; nor could they discover -any means of conveying their wishes, except by showing the metal to -the natives, and making signs of wishing to have the same. But as the -natives had nothing of the shape of the things shown them they only -shook their heads and indicated by other signs that they had nothing -like what was shown. - -Diego and Juan had been furnished by Martin Alonzo with some bells -and beads, and they went about looking for objects for which to -barter them. Indeed, it was such a pleasure to them to see the joy -of the Indians--as the admiral had called them, thinking he had come -upon India--that they gave most of what they had without any sort of -exchange. - -[Illustration: “REFRESHING THEMSELVES WITH THE FRUITS THAT WERE BROUGHT -THEM BY THE NATIVES.”] - -But at last they stretched themselves luxuriously out in one of -the charming groves and let themselves be waited on by the willing -creatures, who brought them fresh fruits and roasted yuca root until -they could eat no more, when they offered these young sybarites water -in calabashes. - -“I tell you, Juan,” said Diego, drowsily--for the luxury of all this, -taken with the scant sleep of the night before, aided not a little by -the quantities of food he had consumed, had made him sleepy--”this is -better than fighting, is it not?” - -“I think so, indeed,” was the prompt answer. - -The boys had become sworn friends during the day, and had not been -separated once. - -“Do you feel like a prince?” demanded Diego. “Martin Alonzo promised we -should be such, you remember.” - -“I don’t know how a prince feels,” answered Juan, with a laugh; “but I -don’t believe he can feel any better than I do.” - -“I wish I could find some of that gold he talked of,” said Diego. - -“Have you tried your Latin with them?” asked Juan. - -“I did not think it worth while. Luis de Torres, the converted Jew, -spoke to them, as you heard, in I don’t know how many languages, and -they only stared at him and shook their heads, wondering, I suppose, -how he ever twisted his tongue around so many odd sounds. I thought, -myself, that he would lose all that remained of his teeth when he spoke -in Hebrew. No, I have not tried my Latin; though, now you speak of it, -it may be not amiss; for the Jew’s accent was not very good. Say, old -man!” he raised his voice and looked at an old man, who had watched the -two boys with an extraordinary interest, but had yet approached near to -them, having but recently come from a neighboring village. - -When he saw that he was spoken to, he stood up and showed himself -a very respectable and dignified person; though, as Diego said to -Juan, most hideously painted on the face. Diego beckoned him to come -nearer, and began in Latin, Juan listening attentively and with as much -respect, almost, as the natives. But Diego had not said three words -before he sprang from the ground and agitatedly caught the old man by -the nose and led him, considerably startled and dismayed, to where the -sun streamed into an open spot in the woods. - -Juan followed anxiously, a vague fear troubling him lest Diego was -going to do some violence to the old man. But that was not his -intention; though Juan might be excused for suspecting him. What he did -was to turn the old man’s head, using his nose as a sort of handle, -until the light struck athwart it. Then he took his hand away and cried -out, at the same time dancing: - -“Gold! gold! gold!” There was a ring of that metal in the old man’s -nose. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - -IT was so plain to the Indians that Diego’s antics were caused by -satisfaction that they were immediately reassured, and were presently -gathered around him to discover what it was in the old man that caused -their heaven-sent visitor such pleasure. - -“I believe ’tis gold,” said Juan. - -“I am certain of it, and I will see if I can get it from the old -fellow,” answered Diego, and thereupon began to make signs. - -He took a hawk’s bell from his pocket and jingled it before the eyes -of the dignified but, therewith, delighted savage. Then he tapped the -ring of gold with his finger, tapped the bell, and offered it to the -savage. The old man understood him in an instant, and it gave Diego and -Juan--their greed for gold being very great--a mighty satisfaction to -see with what trembling eagerness the old man took the ring from his -nose and exchanged it for the hawk’s bell. - -[Illustration: “JINGLED IT BEFORE THE EYES OF THE SAVAGE.”] - -“Say nothing to the others till we have our fill of it,” said Diego -feverishly to Juan, not knowing that the more gold he had the more he -would be likely to wish for, and that the time when he had his fill -would be little likely ever to come. - -“Perhaps they have no more,” said Juan. - -“That we will speedily learn,” answered Diego. - -So he took from his pockets, Juan doing likewise, all the bells and -beads he had. Then he made signs that he would exchange them only -for rings of gold. Upon that the savages ran off and returned with a -handful altogether of the rings, and Diego and Juan were soon rid of -their trifles in exchange; though it must be said that the Indians gave -every evidence of thinking they had made the better bargain. - -When they had procured all they could from the men, the boys, in great -excitement, hurried out of the grove and shouted for Martin Alonzo, -until he was pointed out to them. - -“Well,” said he, “what madness is on you now?” - -“Madness, indeed!” said Diego, his dark eyes sparkling like the -precious stones his head was now full of; for he was as certain as -if he had them in his pockets that he would soon be possessed of -burdensome quantities of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and the like. -Martin Alonzo very quickly caught the expression, and demanded eagerly: - -“What then? What then? Speak, Diego!” - -“Look, cousin!” said Diego, softly, and drew several of the rings from -his pocket and gave them to Martin Alonzo. - -“Gold!” said Martin Alonzo, in a tone that might fairly be called an -adoring one. - -“I have twenty if I have one, and Juan has as many,” said Diego. - -“Ha, ha!” cried Martin Alonzo, rubbing his hands gleefully, “did I not -say you should have it? Come! we must to the admiral with this.” - -“Why,” said Diego, “let us get more ourselves, first.” - -“Tut!” said Martin Alonzo, and laughed like a man drunk with -expectation, “be not so grudging, boy; there will be enough to load the -_Pinta_ to the rail. Come! Ah, this looks well, indeed.” - -So he led the way to where the admiral sat, trying to extract some sort -of information from the natives. - -“My lord admiral,” said he, joyously, “this boy here, or the two of -them together, for they run in couples now, though they were for -flying at each other’s throats a while since--this boy, I say, has -found the thing we have sought.” - -“And what is that?” asked the admiral, looking kindly at the flushed, -eager faces of the two lads. - -“Show him, Diego. A shrewd lad and a cousin of mine, admiral,” said -Martin Alonzo. - -Diego, for the better showing of his shrewdness and his good fortune, -drew out all of the gold nose-rings he had obtained, and Juan turned -all he had into the same pile, Diego holding his two hands together to -accommodate them all. - -The admiral took some of them in his hand, eagerly, too, and examined -them carefully before he spoke. - -“Gold; and without alloy. Pure,” he said. “This is well. How came you -by them, my boy?” - -So Diego told the story, looking to Juan for confirmation now and -again, and the latter responding loyally, giving Diego all the credit -that was his. - -“I knew it would rejoice you,” said Martin Alonzo, very proud of Diego. - -“And so it does,” said the admiral. - -“And shall I issue bells and beads to the men, and let them barter for -the yellow stuff?” asked Martin Alonzo, eagerly; for he was anxious to -redeem his promises to his men. - -“Not so,” answered the admiral, gravely. “Gold is a monopoly of their -majesties and can only be bartered for on their account. And ’tis the -same with cotton. All things else the men may procure from the natives.” - -“Not barter for gold?” cried Martin Alonzo, in his quick, passionate -way. - -“Not barter for gold,” repeated the admiral, with all the dignity of -his authority. - -“And you will not return these rings to the boys?” - -“Assuredly not, Martin Alonzo,” said the admiral. “You must see that it -would be impossible; though I would be glad to do it for the sake of -rewarding their shrewdness.” - -“Then,” said Martin Alonzo, his bronzed face all aflame with wrath, “I -say you shall yield it up to them. I say you shall,” and he stamped his -foot on the hard sand of the beach where they stood. - -“Martin Alonzo Pinzon!” said the admiral, in a stern tone, “you do -forget yourself.” - -For a second it seemed as if he had, indeed, forgotten himself, and -would continue to do so, ere he would yield his point. But a better -judgment prevailed and he held his peace; though it was impossible for -him to quite control his temper. He caught Diego’s hand in his and -emptied the rings out of it upon the sand, and then swept both of the -boys along with him as he walked sternly away. - -[Illustration: “‘NOT BARTER FOR GOLD?’ CRIED MARTIN ALONZO.”] - -He said nothing to either of the boys, but stalked along in a towering -rage, and, when he had come to his boats, gave the order that the men -should be collected, so that they might go aboard for the night. - -As for Diego and Juan, they were divided between indignation at the -manner in which their cherished gold had been taken from them and -dismay at the attitude Martin Alonzo had assumed towards Christoval -Colon, whose lofty manners as well as whose dignities awed them. - -“I wish,” said Diego, who could never be wholly repressed, “that that -old man had not thrust his nose into my face.” - -“Or that you had wrung it off, as I supposed you intended to do,” said -Juan. - -“Hush! Martin Alonzo is looking this way. If he should see us smile -now, I think he would make but one bite of our two heads. But, say, -Juan, if we may not traffic in gold--cotton I would not have as a -gift--what is to become of us?” - -“There are the precious stones.” - -“Oh, ay!” said Diego, doubtfully; “but where are they? I saw no -semblance of any this day.” - -“That’s because you saw nothing but noses,” said Juan, and both the -boys, easily recovered from the loss of their gold, laughed behind -their hands. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - -IF the boys were easily reconciled to the loss of the gold which they -had at first sought with such avidity, the same was not the case with -Martin Alonzo; although even he cared less for the loss of the gold -than for what he considered an affront to him. - -But he had promised his men that they should carry away as much gold -as they could procure, and he held himself responsible to them for the -fulfilment of his promises. And then, he thought to himself, “comes -this upstart Italian, who could never have sailed an inch this way but -for me, and puts me down with his talk of their majesties. As if I were -not a better subject of them than he!” - -That was not especially to the point, but it was sufficient to the -angry sailor who was jealous at the bottom, and did not ask for any -good reasons for disliking the admiral. However, Martin Alonzo was not -a man to brood for naught. He could not nurse a wrong, real or fancied, -without coming to a conclusion which should lead to action. - -During the few days that the vessels remained at the island, which the -natives called Guanahani, but which the admiral renamed San Salvador, -Martin Alonzo did nothing overt, though he was not in the least active -in any of the plans made by the admiral. One thing he did do; he called -Diego to him. - -“Diego,” said he, “it seems to me that the time has come when you -should prove the truth of the encomiums of the good Fray Bartolomeo.” - -“As to what?” demanded Diego, with some surprise; for the good fray was -very far from his thoughts at that moment. - -“He said you had a gift of language,” said Martin Alonzo. - -Diego had been so often mocked at by his cousin because of his alleged -gift that he looked curiously at him to see if behind his gloomy face -was any sign of mirth. As there was not, he answered quite soberly: - -“Perhaps he praised me too highly, good cousin.” - -“I hope not,” said Martin Alonzo, knitting his brows; “for I have a -use, now, for such a gift.” - -“And may I ask what that use may be?” asked Diego, seeing his cousin -pause. - -“Yes, you may ask and know; for I look to you to practise it. Diego, I -wish you to put yourself to it to learn the language of this people. -Will it be a difficult task? You should know, having studied other -languages.” - -“I think it will be an easy task,” answered Diego; “for I have already -begun to learn some words, and I can say more than you would believe, -considering I have studied but three days.” - -“That is well--that is as it should be. Keep your counsel, Diego, and -say nothing of what you are doing to any soul.” - -“Juan already knows I am studying. But, cousin, I hear that the admiral -intends to set sail as soon as the boats return from coasting the -island; and if that be so I shall not have time to learn much.” - -“That will not matter; for we shall carry away a few of the men to -learn to act as interpreters. The admiral has so informed us. That is, -if the men will go, and I do not doubt they will.” - -“May I know with what especial object I am to study?” asked Diego, -whose curiosity was roused, as much by the sullen manner of his cousin -as by anything else. - -“No, you may not,” answered Martin Alonzo, curtly. Then, as Diego -turned abashed, he asked, “Do the men understand why they may not -traffic for gold?” - -“Yes.” - -“And do they know how the gold was taken from you and Juan?” - -“Ay, they do, and have been angry because of it, grumbling greatly that -you promised them as much gold as they could carry. However,” and Diego -laughed, “it has not made a great deal of difference; for it would seem -as if Juan and I had stripped the island of its gold.” - -“It is true that not much more has been found; but, Diego, there must -be more where that came from, and I wish you to learn as soon as you -can where it did come from. That is a part of your task. And be secret.” - -“Learn where the gold came from!” repeated Diego to himself with a -short laugh when he had left his cousin. “That is well said; but, -worthy Martin Alonzo, do you not know that every man on the fleet is -striving his utmost to learn the same thing? A pretty secret that!” and -Diego laughed. - -Nevertheless, he prosecuted his studies, which he had taken up from -sheer love of learning languages, having truly the gift the good fray -credited him with, and, with a definite object in view now, he strove -harder than ever; Juan, meanwhile, admiring his extraordinary facility -in learning without making the least effort to learn, himself. - -It was as Martin Alonzo had said. The admiral did not remain long at -so unimportant an island, but, having partly explored its coast and -finding it uninteresting, returned to the ships and set sail, taking -seven of the natives with him, three of them going on the _Pinta_, as -Martin Alonzo had supposed would happen. - -All the talk of the fleet was, as Diego had said, of gold and where it -could be found; and the admiral, by dint of signs and such words as he -had been able to pick up, had gathered in a vague way that the source -of the gold was to the south of Guanahani; and so he made his way -thitherward, stopping at various islands on the way, but never with any -success in finding more gold than had been had in Guanahani. - -All of the islands were as charming as they very well could be, each -one seeming more beautiful than the last; but as they held no gold in -store for the greedy voyagers, they gave but little pleasure to any one -but the admiral, who had always an enthusiastic description of each to -jot in the journal he was keeping for his sovereigns. - -It was the 12th of October when the fleet dropped anchor off Guanahani, -and it was not until the 28th of the same month that it came in sight -of Cuba, which gave the first promise of being the land they were -in search of; for it was great in extent, and was marked with lofty -mountains. - -At first the admiral was convinced that he had reached Zipangu, but -afterwards, owing to something which Diego gathered from the Indians on -the _Pinta_, Martin Alonzo gained the belief that it was not an island, -but the mainland; and, at once, both admiral and Martin Alonzo jumped -to the conclusion that it was Cathay, and on this supposition they made -a landing. - -The Indians told of gold in great quantities to be found in a certain -part of Cuba; but although every effort was made to find it, it was -always without success. The truth was that the Indians knew but little -of the island, and what they told was always immediately magnified and -distorted by the admiral, who saw everything by the light of his faith -that he had discovered the eastern coast of Asia. - -In the meantime Diego had gained a considerable knowledge of the -language of the Indians, and was profiting by it to question the -natives of Cuba; for, although the language was not the same there, it -was enough like that of Guanahani to enable him to communicate in it -with the Cubans. - -Every day, Martin Alonzo eagerly questioned him on his progress in -knowledge of where gold was to be found, and as often would express his -disappointment that there was nothing more definite to tell, saying -that the admiral had as much knowledge of the matter as he had. - -“Well,” said Diego, “and why should he not have?” - -“Boy, boy,” said Martin Alonzo, one day, “I depend on you. I will not -brook the authority of that upstart foreigner. I tell you I depend on -you. Now ask, pry, discover.” - -Then one day, after having had an interview with the admiral, he called -Diego, and said, almost angrily: - -“Here is more that you have not discovered for me that the admiral -knows. Now that we have spent two weeks exploring and coasting this -country of Cuba, some one tells him that on the island of Babeque, -which lies to the northeast, there is plenty of gold and precious -stones. What have you to say to that?” - -Well, it was only natural that Diego, having been badgered so much, had -exerted himself to learn something that was not known to anybody else, -and he had supposed he had accomplished it, when Martin Alonzo came -with this piece of news. At the first word, he fancied that he had -been forestalled again; but when his cousin had concluded, he plucked -up his spirits and answered: - -“I have nothing to say to that; but I have something else to say, and -that is that to the southeast, not far from here, there lies an island -which the Indians call Bohio, though I think that is not its name, but -only a sort of description. It is on this island, according to more -than one, that gold is found, and that powerful and warlike people -live.” - -“Do you trust this report, Diego?” demanded Martin Alonzo, eagerly. - -“I do, because I have questioned the men carefully. I have more faith -in it than in the admiral’s Babeque, anyhow.” - -“And it is to the southeast?” - -“To the southeast,” answered Diego. - -“Diego,” whispered Martin Alonzo, “I will trust you. Keep your counsel -still. I think the time has come when I can show that proud upstart -that he is not supreme. Diego, I shall leave him to find his own gold, -and I will go find mine. Ah, I shall not prevent free dealing in it, -should ever we come upon it. Quiet, boy, and you shall be satisfied for -the gold he took from you.” - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - -IT was all wrong and utterly indefensible for Martin Alonzo to take the -attitude he did towards the admiral, and Martin Alonzo knew it quite as -well as any one. - -Of course he justified himself to himself, and rehearsed in his own -mind how he had contributed money and influence, without which the -voyage could not have been undertaken; but down in his heart he knew -that he was bent on a wrong deed, and it must have been borne in on -his better nature that the real cause of his dislike for the admiral -was born of a union of jealousy and an insubordination which could not -brook authority from any one. - -Diego felt that Martin Alonzo was intent on a thing that was wrong--his -cousin’s manner indicated that--but he could not reason on it; for he -did not clearly understand what the relations were between the captain -and the admiral. It was generally felt that Martin Alonzo was the life -and soul of the enterprise, and that the honors and authority which -were to fall to the admiral were quite undeserved. - -Besides, Diego was too young, too happy in the excitement of the -voyage, to care much. He admired his cousin and loved him, and would -willingly follow his lead; and as he felt no responsibility in the -matter--having none indeed, for his clear duty was simply to obey the -orders of his captain--he gave himself no concern either at that time -or later. - -It was on the morning of the 19th of November that the admiral finally -gave up hope of gaining anything by remaining on the coast of Cuba, -and turned the prows of his ships towards that island which he called -Babeque. The course set was due east, and the _Pinta_, as usual, took -the lead. - -The wind was dead ahead, however, and after battling all that day and -during the night, very little progress had been made. Martin Alonzo -spent his time, as he had frequently done of late, in gnawing his -lips and fingers, and in watching, with sullen eyes, the ship of the -admiral. On the morning of the 20th he called Diego to him. - -“You have been wishing to have a word with me, Diego,” he said. “What -is it?” - -“The Indians say that the island we are heading for must be Bohio, and -not the Babeque of which the admiral speaks.” - -“Yes,” said Martin Alonzo, “that is what I supposed. Well, neither the -_Santa Maria_ nor the _Niña_ can sail long in the teeth of this gale, -and will be obliged to turn back.” - -“So Rodrigo de Triana says,” answered Diego. - -“He says well. Now, go, Diego,” and he turned and walked to where his -brother, Francisco Martin, paced the unsteady poop of the _Pinta_. - -It is singular how the very air seems to be charged with expectation -when a plot of any sort is brewing. The sailors of the _Pinta_ knew -that something was to happen that was out of the common, and they often -whispered when there was no need of it, and kept casting curious and -expectant glances towards the poop. - -All day long the gale pelted them, and they beat about before it; -though the sailors of the _Pinta_ knew she was not doing the best she -could have done under the circumstances. They told themselves that it -was because Martin Alonzo did not choose to get too far from the other -ships. - -Late in the afternoon the admiral decided that it would be better to -turn back and wait for better weather, and he therefore put his vessel -about and signalled the other two to do the same. The _Niña_ obeyed, -and the sailors of the _Pinta_ stood ready to take Martin Alonzo’s -orders. But he merely beckoned his brother and two of the gentlemen -adventurers to join him, and they talked earnestly for a few minutes, -the sailors watching them intently and whispering among themselves. - -Presently Martin Alonzo separated himself from his companions, and -walked to where he could see the sailors. There was a set smile on his -face, and he said nothing for a full minute. - -“Now we shall hear something startling, depend upon that,” said Juan, -in Diego’s ear. - -“It is an egg he has been sitting on for some time,” said Diego, “and I -am curious to see what will be hatched.” - -“My men,” said Martin Alonzo, raising his powerful voice, “come nearer. -I have something to say to you.” - -There was no need of a second invitation; for the men crowded as near -as they could, and listened while they clung to any available thing; -for the vessel was tossing like a cork. Martin Alonzo stretched out his -arm towards the other ships. - -“They are going back to a land where there is no gold,” he said, and -stopped. - -“Ay, ay!” growled the men, looking at the ships and nodding their heads. - -“I promised you all the gold you could procure,” said Martin Alonzo. -“There has not been much as yet to get; but you know whose fault it has -been that you could not have a share of what there was.” - -At this the men seemed to half comprehend what was coming, and nodded -vigorously at each other and shouted, “Ay, ay!” in a way that showed -that they would not lag behind his wishes. - -“But for me,” went on Martin Alonzo, “this expedition would never have -started, or, having started, would never have continued on its way. I -promised you gold and precious stones if you would keep your spirits, -and I have been prevented from keeping my promise. Well, so far we -have found but little gold; but the boy, Diego, has been learning the -language of these Indian fellows, and he has discovered that the gold -comes from a certain island, not far to the east of here. The other -ships have turned back. Shall we turn back, or shall we go on? Come! it -is for you to say. If we go it is for the purpose of letting each man -get what treasure he can, that he may have some profit out of a voyage -that has had enough of terror for us all. What is the word, men? Shall -we keep on our course, or shall we put about and return?” - -“To the island!” “Gold, gold!” “Keep our course!” and such like cries -were his answer, as he very well knew they would be. - -“What do you think of that?” asked Diego in a whisper of Juan. - -“I think he has the gift of language, too,” answered Juan. - -“Good!” said Martin Alonzo; “and now let us make our terms at the -start, so that there may be no misunderstanding. I have been at great -costs on account of this expedition, and it is but fair that I should -receive more than you. Again, I shall have to supply you with the means -of traffic. In consideration of these things, I ask you if it will not -be right that I shall take half of the gold and have the other half -divided share and share alike among you?” - -The sailors had listened dubiously at the opening of this speech, -expecting to hear him propose far less advantageous terms to them; so -that when he concluded they were agreeably surprised and showed their -satisfaction in a shout of acquiescence. - -Thus it was that the _Pinta_ disregarded all the signals of the admiral -and kept her course as well as she could, while the companion vessels -were forced to seek shelter on the coast of Cuba. - -For a while, the feeling that they had broken loose from the supreme -authority put the sailors into a riotous state; but Martin Alonzo was -not the man to permit that. He might defy authority, himself, but no -one should disregard his authority, and he very speedily gave the -sailors to understand it; so that in a little while he had his crew in -its accustomed state of subordination. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - -NOTHING less than the strong desire to escape from the domination of -the admiral would ever have kept Martin Alonzo beating to windward in -that storm, when he could have run before it to shelter on the Cuban -coast. - -As it was, he had to give up all idea of making the island of Bohio; -and all the night long the little vessel plunged through the towering -waves, carrying almost no canvas at all, but being hurried along at a -rapid rate towards the north. - -During all the next day, and the next, the storm raged, and the -sailors, with the faint-heartedness that seemed characteristic of them, -began to murmur that they had only exchanged one evil for a worse, when -land hove in sight and closed their lips. - -The Indians could tell Diego nothing of this new land, and so Martin -Alonzo determined to make it and explore it, in the hope of finding -there the much-desired gold. Besides, it was advisable to go into -shelter; and as he drew nearer to the land he saw that it was a -collection of islands, none of a very great size, giving him the -assurance of a harbor in some one of the channels between the islands. - -He was fortunate in finding a safe harbor before night came on, and -there he dropped anchor and remained until morning. At the first streak -of dawn the deck was alive with the sailors, eagerly scanning the land -to gain some notion of its promise. It was sadly disappointing, being -neither so attractive nor so populous as the country they had just -left, and, what was far worse, gave every augury of containing no metal -of any sort. - -As the bad weather continued, however, Martin Alonzo spent several -days in the comparative security of the inland sea formed by the -far-stretching cluster of islands, going ashore every day only to -confirm the first dismal impression of the barrenness of the land, and -at last emerging into the open sea again, determined to sail to the -south and come upon the famed Bohio, which they all had come to regard -as their promised land. - -The weather was not propitious for the voyage, but all hands were -agreed that they would rather take their chances of a storm than to -remain among the profitless islands where they were; so Martin Alonzo -set his course to the southeast, and took leave of the islands that -had done no more than shelter him. - -For several days they beat about in an unusually tempestuous sea, and -the only consolation Martin Alonzo drew out of the long voyage was the -belief that the admiral would be unlikely to make the attempt to cross -over from Cuba in such weather. - -However, the voyage bade fair to come to an end at last; for one -afternoon the men on the lookout gave the welcome cry of land. By the -time it was near enough to be seen distinctly, it was too late to -enable them to make out anything but that it was a rocky coast, with -high mountains rising up in the background. - -The storm, too, had been gradually increasing in violence, so that the -ship could not even lay to until daylight, but was obliged to take an -easterly course and run before the wind, which seemed suddenly to have -altered its course, and was now blowing steadily from the northwest--a -sign, according to Martin Alonzo, that the storm would presently abate. - -The storm, however, did not trouble the sailors now; for the prospect -of soon fingering that gold for which they were all so eager gave them -patience in the midst of their impatience. It was now that Diego was in -great demand among them. - -His merry humor and constant flow of spirits had long ago made him a -prime favorite with the men, while his knowledge of the Indian language -made him of importance. It was to him that all questions relative to -the nature of Bohio were always addressed, and now that the _Pinta_ had -broken loose from the fleet, Martin Alonzo had given him permission to -answer all questions freely. - -It may not be amiss to say that Miguel was the only one of the crew who -had not taken kindly to Diego; and his aloofness was due as much to his -jealousy of Juan’s liking of Diego as to his own sullen temper. Once -or twice, when an occasion had offered, he had made a showing of being -ready to injure Diego; but he had been very quickly warned that any -such act on his part would end disastrously for himself, and therefore, -although it was very well known that he was unfriendly to the boy, no -one gave it any serious thought, and Miguel, indeed, always acted as if -he had yielded to the force of public opinion. - -“Where is Fray Diego?” asked Rodrigo de Triana, on the evening after -Bohio had been sighted. The sailors had fallen into the way of calling -him fray, partly as a jest and partly because his superior knowledge of -book learning seemed to make the sobriquet a natural and proper one. - -“Here he is,” answered Diego, who, with Juan, had been lying on the -deck near the foremast, but in the shadow, so that he had not been -recognizable. “What is it, my son?” - -By way of joke he often assumed the clerical manner, which he mimicked -as well as he did most things. - -“Come hither, and tell us more of this land we have sighted, at last.” - -“Ay, do, good fray,” cried one after another of the men. Although a -stiff gale was blowing, it was not a cold one, but rather laden with -heat, as if it had come from a warm region, and the men were lying -about the deck, clad in only shirts and trousers. - -“Why,” said Diego, “there is nothing new to tell you. I have told you -all I know twenty times over.” - -“Then tell us for the twenty-first time,” said Rodrigo. - -“How well that worthy Rodrigo calculates!” said Diego, paternally. “He -can add one to twenty and know the result. It is because he has taken -to counting maravedis lately, no doubt.” - -Everybody laughed, for it was very well known that Rodrigo had spent -many times over, in imagination, the ten thousand maravedis which were -to be his for first seeing land. - -“If he get them,” interposed Miguel, sourly. “Deserters are not like to -have many favors shown them.” - -“Oh,” interposed Juan, who often came between Miguel’s crookedness and -the anger of the men, “he will never think again of his maravedis after -he has been a few days at Bohio, if what Diego tells has but a grain of -truth in it.” - -“This is Bohio, then?” demanded one of the men, eagerly. - -“The Indians say so,” answered Diego, “and are so mightily afraid at -the very thought of landing here that I think they must be right.” - -“They say the inhabitants are great warriors and cannibals, do they -not, Diego?” asked Juan. - -“They do, indeed,” answered he. - -“But the gold,” inquired one, as if the question had not already been -asked and answered a hundred times. “Do they say there is a plenty of -it?” - -“Plenty and plenty; but what is the use of my telling that so many -times? By the morning we shall know all about it; and if we are not all -roasted and served up before we can get away, I have no doubt that we -shall all be as rich as we ought to be.” - -“Ay! if we are not roasted,” growled Miguel. - -“Have no fear, my son,” said Diego, in his most benevolent tones; “for -unless it should be in the dark, I doubt if any savage would take so -much as one bite of you. And unless your flesh be far sweeter than your -temper, even the darkness would not win you a second bite.” - -The men laughed heartily, and Miguel muttered under his breath; while -Juan, leaning over to Diego, whispered uneasily: - -“I pray you, Diego! You promised you would not torment him.” - -“Then let him stop his croaking. If there be mischief, he is in it. If -there be doubts, he has bred them. Always scowling at me, and always -ready with his eternal croaking.” - -“It is true, Diego; but he is almost alone on the ship now, and you -have all the friends. Besides, you promised me.” - -“Well,” said Diego, contritely, “I will try to rule my tongue.” - -With his change to better thoughts and feelings, Juan had been unable -to continue the close intimacy with Miguel which had been begun in the -prison; but he was of too generous and loyal a nature to cast him off, -and so he had all through been placed in a very uncomfortable attitude -towards him. - -It is quite likely that there would have been more said on this -occasion that would have led up to harder words, for there is -nothing your idle sailor likes better than a quarrel, unless it be -a good story. There was now, however, no time for either of those -time-killers; for the lookout suddenly shouted that ominous word which -always sends terror to the sailor’s heart: - -“Breakers! Breakers off the starboard bow!” - -In an instant all was confusion, and Martin Alonzo was shouting orders -that sent the men flying about the vessel, some here and some there. -The _Pinta_ was suddenly brought about, and pointed almost at right -angles to her course. Diego, Juan, Rodrigo, and Miguel, quick to the -order of the captain, had jumped into the bow, and were hanging on by -the low rail, awaiting the next word, when the _Pinta_ swung around in -the topping seas. - -The frail craft quivered and shook for a moment, and then buried -her nose in a monster wave. When she came up again a cry--wild and -terrified--fell upon the ears of the men. - -“Save him! save him! O Miguel!” The cry was from the lips of Juan. - -And Rodrigo, straining his eyes from the other side of the deck, saw -three terrible things: Diego dropping through the blackness of the -night, Miguel with his hand upraised, Juan leaping from his place into -the air. - -“Man overboard!” yelled Rodrigo. - -But the ship was in great danger, and no boat could live in such a sea; -and so, though shuddering and anxious, Martin Alonzo continued to give -orders, and the ship shot away through the waves after a moment of -quivering hesitation. - -[Illustration: “DIEGO DROPPING THROUGH THE BLACKNESS OF THE NIGHT.”] - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - -DIEGO was an excellent swimmer, and his instinctive movement was to -keep himself afloat the instant he found himself in the water; but in -his heart there was nothing but despair and hopelessness. - -During the few seconds that he had hung by the rail, he had seemed to -realize in a flash of thought the extreme peril of his case--that he -must fall into the dark waters, that the ship could never stop to try -to save him, and that he must lose there the life that had seemed, only -a few minutes before, so full of joy and promise. - -Still, he battled with the waves, turning his back to the wind, so -that the dashing spray from the breaking crests would not smother him. -He cried out, his agony lending strength to his voice; but the wind -outshrieked him, and he knew that he had not been heard; though, even -then, it came as a sort of melancholy consolation that it would not -have mattered if he had been heard. But then it seemed to him that he -had heard an answering cry, and for a moment his heart leaped only to -sink again, and the futility of struggling urged itself on him. - -Oh! it was quite certain to him that he must go down; but there is such -a love of life implanted in us all that it is almost impossible to give -up struggling; and so it was with him. The waves tossed him about, the -spray enveloped him so that he could scarcely breathe, his strength was -fast failing him, and still he fought for his life. - -Then something touched him on the head, and the horrid thought that it -might be a shark roused him to a sudden spasmodic activity. He put his -hand out to push it away--and what it was he did not know; but it was -not a shark, and he clung to it with the madness and the strength of -hope. - -He caught the floating thing with the other hand, and he was sustained. -New life came to him and he felt over the object to gain a securer -hold. He could not quite make out the extent or nature of it, but it -struck him, with a thrill, that it was like an overturned canoe. He -climbed as far on it as he could then, and rested there. - -“--ego-o-o!” - -Surely that gurgling, despairing cry sounded his name, or was his mind -affected by his agony? No, it came again, and it was close beside -him--only a rising wave between him and it. Juan! It was Juan’s voice! - -“Juan, Juan!” he screamed, his heart filled at once with terror and -joy. “Juan, I am here, here!” - -He peered through the gloom, watching the great wave sink into a -hollow. He listened with sharpened ears for a repetition of the cry. -The wave sank and was rushing away, with another sweeping in to take -its place, Diego riding on its side, buoyed up by the canoe. Something, -something--what was it?--gleamed on the black surface. - -“Juan, Juan!” screamed Diego, and, at the risk of losing his hold on -the canoe, he reached out and clutched at the floating thing. - -The wave rolled on, and broke over the speck of fighting humanity; then -dropped away, and there was an instant of calm. It was enough. Diego -had Juan in the grip of love and loneliness. - -Juan had been on the point of giving up; but, as with Diego, so with -him; he was no sooner assured that succor was at hand than he revived. -He caught the side of the canoe--the canoe of those Indians had a sort -of flange running around it--and held there until he could climb on it -as Diego had done. - -It was a precarious resting-place, tossing about on the waves, but it -was so much better than nothing that both boys felt, from the moment of -touching it, as if they should live to see another day. Neither of them -could find breath to say anything for a few minutes; but in a little -while Diego put his mouth close to Juan’s ear and said: - -“The ship is gone.” - -“Yes,” answered Juan; “but I think we are safe here. Can you hold on -long enough?” - -“I think so. Did you jump after me?” The thought had suggested itself -to Diego at once on finding Juan in the water. - -“Yes; I couldn’t help it.” - -Diego said nothing for a few minutes. He was thinking how true a friend -Juan was; but a boy generally finds it hard to express gratitude for a -service such as Juan had wished to do him. - -“I can’t fight you now, can I?” he said. - -A strange thing to say, lying there on an inverted canoe, with the cold -touch of death almost on them; but Juan understood, and that was enough. - -“Oh, we are quits,” he said. “I should have drowned if you had not -saved me.” - -“You wouldn’t have been in danger if it hadn’t been for me,” said -Diego. - -[Illustration: “HE REACHED OUT AND CLUTCHED AT THE FLOATING THING.”] - -They both laughed at that, as if the absurdity of the argument had -struck them. It was afterwards, however, that they laughed most; for -their situation was too serious then for much mirth. - -Fortunately, Martin Alonzo had prognosticated truly, and the storm -that had been raging for so long was subsiding. Even so, the night was -a long and a hard one, what with the fear of being carried ashore and -dashed to death on the rocks, and the danger of being washed off their -canoe as their strength decreased. - -The wind shifted again, however, and ebb tide must have begun to run, -for, whenever the boys listened for the sound of breakers they seemed -far away; and finally the sound ceased altogether. - -Morning broke at last, finding them quite exhausted and barely able -to cling to their support. As soon as it was light enough they lifted -their weary heads and looked around them. To the south of them they saw -the coast, perhaps five miles distant; but to the east, where the ship -should have been, they saw nothing but water. - -Dawn is always the most dismal time for the miserable. Hope seems to -take that time for slumbering. The boys saw the worst of their case -then. They were deserted by their ship, they were five miles from -shore on an overturned canoe, and even if they reached the shore it -would be only to fall into the clutches of cruel cannibals. - -“Gone!” was Diego’s only word, as he exchanged a hopeless glance with -Juan. - -Juan shivered--it is always cool before dawn in those latitudes--and -cast one more glance around, and then let his head fall upon his arms. -Cold, hungry, hopeless! what could be more wretched? - -But the sun grew warm little by little, and hope revived within the -hearts of the castaways. They felt grateful for the warmth, but were -too weary to lift their heads to speak; then, too, the sea was growing -so much smoother that it was hardly more than lazily swelling now, and -it seemed to lull them to sleep. - -The sun was high and hot when they awoke; but it was not his beams that -waked them. Diego had relaxed his hold on the canoe and had rolled into -the water. He was frightened at first, but, seeing that he was quite -safe, he quickly caught the rim of the canoe and actually smiled. Juan -smiled back, having been awakened by the rocking of the canoe and the -splashing of the water. - -Diego climbed up on the canoe, and, having taken a hasty glance around -again, turned to Juan, and said with a great deal of his old spirit: - -“That sleep did me good. I feel better.” - -“So do I,” said Juan, quite cheerfully. - -“I’m desperately hungry,” said Diego. “Anything to eat in your pockets?” - -He felt in his as he spoke, and Juan did likewise. Both shook their -heads together. - -“Hawks’ bells and beads,” said Diego. - -“That’s all I have,” said Juan; “but maybe the ship will come back for -us.” - -“Sure to,” said Diego, hopefully. “I say, Juan, don’t you think we -might get this canoe turned over if we tried?” - -Juan felt sure they could, and so they both slipped off into the water -and struggled with it as they had often seen the natives do; for the -canoes are not at all seaworthy affairs, and it seemed quite a matter -of course to a native to turn over in one; a thing that was of the -less consequence, since the Indian could swim like a fish and wore no -clothes to get wet. - -The boys presently had the canoe right side up and had climbed -carefully into it. It needed bailing out, and they had but their hands -to do it with, so that it took some time and was imperfectly done then. -It permitted them to sit up comfortably, however, and only their feet -were in the water. - -“I hope the cannibals won’t see us,” said Diego, glancing -apprehensively towards the shore. - -“I don’t believe it would matter if they did from there,” answered -Juan. “Do you?” - -“I don’t suppose it would. See! there are a great many coming down to -the beach out of the woods. I hope they are not coming out to fish. Do -you see any canoes?” - -“No,” answered Juan, his heart rising up into his throat. And indeed it -was a frightful thing to contemplate. - -The boys lowered their voices in speaking to each other after that, -and kept their eyes fixed anxiously on the natives moving about on the -shore. Their actions seemed very strange to the watching boys; though -they afterwards knew that their peculiar antics were due to catching -turtles and turning them on their backs. - -By and by they went away, and the boys breathed more freely, though -still they were filled with anxiety. If they had had a paddle they -would undoubtedly have worked away from the coast. - -“I wonder,” said Juan, after a while, “if we are far from where we went -overboard?” - -Diego had already been wondering the same thing, and had been trying to -work it out. - -“I’m afraid we are,” he answered. “I think, from the looks of things, -that that mountain to the east of us is where we nearly ran ashore. -That is ten leagues away, at least.” - -“Then if the ship does come back,” said Juan, and stopped there, -dreading to say what was in his thoughts. - -“Yes,” said Diego, who understood him, “if she comes back, she will go -there.” - -“And will not go hunting around for us,” suggested Juan. - -“Why should she?” said Diego, and they both fell into a silence. - -“Diego,” said Juan presently, in a startled tone, “I think--” - -“Well, what do you think?” demanded Diego, glancing around in alarm. - -“I think the flood tide is taking us inshore,” answered Juan. - -And so it was of a certainty. Diego did not turn pale; for he was -already that, but he showed in his eyes how he dreaded such a thing. -Then he put his hand on the sailor’s knife which was in its sheath by -his side, and said, with a half-sob: - -“I will fight till I die.” - -“And I,” said Juan. Then hope whispered courage, and he said quickly; -“but we may get ashore undiscovered, and be able to make our way to -the mountain yonder. Then, if the ship does come back--” - -“It will. It certainly will,” said Diego, catching eagerly at the hope. - -“We shall be there to meet her,” went on Juan. “Unless she should come -and go before we can get there.” - -“Oh,” said Diego, his courage rising with the prospect of doing -something for himself, “if she comes back she will stay a day or two -days, surely. Why not? As well come ashore at that point as another.” - -“Besides,” said Juan, “we shall get something to eat ashore, and I am -hungry.” - -“That maize bread would taste good,” said Diego, “or potatoes.” - -“Well,” said Juan, sighing, “perhaps these cannibals don’t eat such -things.” - -“We can get fruit enough, anyhow,” said Diego, shuddering at the -thought of the food the people did eat. - -They were being carried inshore very perceptibly, and after a little -while they crouched down in the canoe and allowed nothing but their -heads to be visible. They saw nobody for a long time, and later saw -only a few children, who returned to the woods after playing about for -a short time. - -The current set in strongest towards a rocky promontory, and they were -rejoiced, indeed, when they saw themselves being carried thitherward; -for, as Diego said, it was very likely that the savages were very near -the shore, and only remained in the woods for the sake of the shade, -and would be certain to see them if they were to go ashore on the open -beach, whereas they could go ashore under the cliff that made the end -of the promontory, and remain there in safety until darkness came on, -if that should prove necessary. - -The canoe approached the shore very slowly, and they were lying fully -concealed in it at the last, only venturing to peep over the side at -long intervals to see where they were. The lapping of the waves on the -shore was so soft that the boys could occasionally hear above it the -cries and shouts of children, warning them that their suspicions of the -whereabouts of the people had been correct. - -“We shall be swept around the cape,” said Diego, after looking up once. - -“How far off from land are we?” asked Juan, looking cautiously over the -side. - -“A hundred yards, I should say,” answered Diego. “Do you not think so?” - -“Yes. What shall we do then?” - -“We don’t know what there is the other side of the cape,” said Diego, -in a whisper. “Would it not be best to swim ashore as soon as we find -ourselves off the cliff, rather than take our chances by going farther?” - -It was one of those questions difficult to answer; but as it had to be -answered quickly, if at all, Juan took the view that Diego did, and -they decided to swim for the cape. - -“I think I can do it,” said Diego. “Can you?” - -Juan answered that he thought he could, and so they waited anxiously -for the moment to come, each thinking, but not saying, that the step -might be a fatal one, and each determined to resist capture at any -cost. They watched until the canoe had drifted past the point of rock -that jutted from the promontory. Then Diego rose with the intention of -plunging off, but sat down and whispered to Juan: - -“We can’t be seen from the shore now. Let us paddle with our hands and -get nearer in if we can.” - -So Juan rose up and saw that what Diego had said was quite true, and -they both immediately began paddling with their hands. And they soon -found that it was not an idle thing to do, and that the canoe was -getting at each moment nearer the rocky shore, until it was not more -than fifty yards away, when the boys agreed that it was time to swim. - -So they dropped silently over the side, one after the other, and swam -with what strength they had for the shore. Fortunately, for they were -not in good vigor, the shore shelved off so gradually that when Diego -dropped his feet to rest himself, he discovered that he could touch -bottom. Whereupon he stood up and reached out his hand to Juan, who was -panting and making but a feeble stroke. - -They rested there a moment, and then made their way ashore, trembling -at each step lest they should be discovered either by a passing canoe -or by the children in their play. - -They reached the shore in safety, however, and would have sunk on the -first dry rock from sheer exhaustion had they dared. But fear kept them -moving, until they had gained a spot behind some jagged rocks close up -under the base of the cliff. There they both sank down, and it was a -long time before either moved or spoke. It was Diego who spoke first. - -“I did not know how weak I was,” he said. - -“Nor I,” answered Juan. “Must we lie here until dark? I seem to be -starving.” - -“Do you lie here,” said Diego, “and I will steal to the edge of the -cape and see what there is beyond.” - -“No,” said Juan, rising to his feet, “if there is a risk, let us take -it together. Besides, I feel stronger now. It must have been the sun, I -think. Come! let us go together. But keep close to the cliff.” - -[Illustration: “THERE THEY BOTH SANK DOWN.”] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - -IT would be hard by mere imagination to comprehend the terrors the -boys experienced as they crept stealthily along the foot of the cliff. -Before reaching the corner, around which they fancied they would come -upon another open beach, they stopped many times, listening tremblingly -for some sound to warn them of possible danger. - -But when they finally reached the corner and had peered around it with -the greatest caution, they discovered that it broke into a forest, -the straggling trees of which came almost to the water’s edge. Upon -discovering that, they looked at each other for a moment, and then sat -down, pale and weary, to discuss their further movements. - -“What shall we do now?” said Diego. - -“I think,” said Juan, “that if I could get a few bananas to eat, and -then have a few hours of sleep, I should feel quite strong again, and -could go on. Night will be our best time for travelling.” - -“Yes,” answered Diego, “and if we but dared to enter the wood yonder, -we could get all the bananas we could eat.” - -“And hide in some thicket and sleep,” added Juan. - -The need they both had for sleep and food decided them, and, after -weighing all the chances for and against their project, they fell -on their faces and crawled into the wood. Fortune favored them, and -enabled them to come upon a banana-tree loaded with the luscious fruit, -which they plucked and carried with them into a shaded natural bower. - -After they had eaten all they desired, they laid themselves down and -fell into a refreshing sleep, which even their fear of cannibals could -not disturb. When they awoke, the stars were shining. - -They first ate some of the bananas, and then discussed the route they -should take. It did not take them long to decide that the safest plan, -as well as the most direct road, would be to keep along the beach -as much as was possible, climbing or skirting any cliffs that might -interpose themselves. - -With this plan in view, they made their way back around the cliff, -but reached the other side of it only to discover that it was as -crowded now as it had been deserted during the day, the natives being -scattered along it for a long distance--some of them gathered around -fires, at which something was evidently cooking, and which they at -once, with a horrible fear, fancied the worst of. - -They hastened back as they had come, and decided without loss of time -to strike into the woods and go back a mile or more, and then take an -easterly course, which would bring them into a nearly parallel line -with the beach. - -“I remember, now,” said Diego, “that the villages of these Indians are -always near enough to the beach to enable them to get to it.” - -“Yes,” said Juan. “It is either so, or far back in the interior.” - -But in this they were wrong, and, so far as it concerned the island of -Bohio, or Haiti, as it really was called, they discovered their mistake -ere very long. They retraced their steps in the wood until they came to -where they had slept, and made a fresh departure from there. They had -not gone two miles, however, before they almost stumbled into a small -village. - -Greatly dismayed, they made a careful detour and passed the village; -but they were so fearful of coming upon other villages that they -proceeded now much more cautiously. Even that did not help them -greatly, however, for after another two miles, perhaps, they came upon -a very large village, and in endeavoring to go around this they became -hopelessly lost. - -If they could have seen the heavens, they could have gained their -bearings by the stars; but the woods were too dense for that, and they -would have been obliged to stop and wait for daylight if Juan had -not pointed out that they were certainly going up hill, which would -indicate that they were going south, since the hills, as they had -noticed from the canoe, ran east and west. - -“Then let us keep on going up,” said Diego, “and perhaps we can find -a lookout to-morrow on the top of the mountains, and select a safer -course.” - -The advice was certainly good, and it was not difficult to follow, -particularly as they fell in with no more villages. So they kept on, -always climbing, and occasionally, now, gaining a sight of the stars; -though the forest remained dense as far as they went. - -How far they went they had no means of knowing; for even the time spent -or the fatigue incurred was no criterion; for while they were quite -certain that they must have been six hours on foot, they had wandered -so much from a direct path that it was quite possible they might have -gone but a very short distance; and they had been tired from the start. - -As well as they could in the darkness, they selected a sheltered spot -to sleep in, and laid themselves down to rest. They fortunately had no -need to think of snakes or of other dangerous reptiles or beasts; for -the only really unpleasant creatures on the islands were scorpions, -centipedes, and tarantulas, which were not feared by the natives, and -in consequence the voyagers also had learned to hold them in little -fear. - -In the shaded woods the morning sun had no opportunity to awaken the -boys until they were ready to open their eyes, and so the day was well -advanced before they roused themselves. - -“Ah-h-h!” yawned Diego, comfortably, “I am ready for breakfast, aren’t -you?” - -“Sh-sh!” said Juan, and pointed through the trees. - -Behind Diego, not more than a hundred yards distant, was an opening, a -sort of level plateau on the mountain-side, and straggling along the -side nearest the boys was a village of possibly two hundred huts. Under -the shade of the trees nearest the huts were hammocks, in which the men -lazily swung, while the women worked leisurely at their light tasks. -Children played about everywhere. - -Nowhere had the boys seen comelier or pleasanter-looking women; but -nowhere had they seen more forbidding-looking men. Their foreheads -sloped back abruptly from their eyebrows, and their faces were -hideously streaked with paint. Moreover, they were taller and more -muscular in appearance than the other Indians they had seen. At least -the few men they saw moving about were; and altogether the boys were -satisfied that the men, at least, looked the cannibals they were -reputed to be. - -They did not stop for any extended examination of the inhabitants; but -stole away from the village, going higher up the mountain, as taking -them in the direction they wished to go, and as promising to carry them -farthest away from the village. - -When they had gone a sufficient distance for safety, they sought a -banana-tree and plucked a quantity of the fruit and ate it. It was not -what they would have eaten had they had the courage to make a fire to -cook by; for they could have had potatoes or yuca-root; but they did -not dare do that, and so they had to be content with bananas. - -The mountain by this time had begun to run bare of forest trees, and -to become steeper, and it was not long after that the boys found -themselves free of the woods altogether, with a patch ahead of them of -bare rugged rocks. It seemed quite improbable that any village would be -in such a spot, and they felt safe to cross the open space and climb to -the highest of the rocks, in order to obtain a view of the ocean. - -They had supposed, from the edge of the woods, that these rocks were on -the top of the mountain, but when they reached them, they discovered -that the mountain-top was many feet above them still, and separated -from them by a wooded valley. They obtained from the rocks the view -they desired, however, and almost due northeast from where they stood -they could see running to the water the mountains which they believed -were the ones they were seeking. - -“I am sure of it,” said Juan, making a mental calculation of how far -they had drifted and in what direction. - -“Look!” said Diego, in a choking voice. - -Juan followed his finger and saw a sail--the _Pinta_ was returning to -find them. - -“We must hurry,” said Diego. - -“How far do you think it is?” asked Juan. “Six or seven leagues?” - -“Seven, I should say,” answered Diego. “Everything looks nearer in this -country. Let us calculate. The _Pinta_ will reach there in, say, three -hours. She will surely remain as many more. Oh, yes, she will remain -several hours. Why not?” - -He was thinking that even if they walked openly through the country, -and at their best speed, they could not hope to reach the place in less -than ten hours, allowing for losing their way. Juan understood him. - -“Never mind,” he said. “Let us start, and we may be able to go a long -distance on the mountain-top without seeing a soul. Come! The sight of -the ship makes me stronger. How glad they will be to see us!” - -“Will they not?” - -“Tell me, Diego,” said Juan, “I have been wishing to ask you and did -not dare; did Miguel knock you off the yard?” - -“No. Why do you ask?” - -“Because when I saw you falling I saw him with his arm upraised, as if -he either had struck you or intended to.” - -“I think he tried to help me,” said Diego; “but I don’t know.” - -“If the men knew he was on the yard with you, and they will be certain -to, I am afraid it will fare ill with him. Come, let us hurry!” - -[Illustration: “‘LOOK!’ SAID DIEGO.”] - -So they hastened down from their height, and struck into what seemed -very much like a travelway, it was so easy to pass along. And yet it -had no appearance of being anything but natural, and so they had no -suspicion of it. At first the slope was slightly downward, but kept all -the time in the open, rocky space. Then it entered a wooded tract and -led them to a pretty mountain stream. - -They were tired, bananas offered themselves, and the water sounded so -inviting either to drink or to bathe in that they could not resist. - -“Let us bathe and eat before we go farther,” suggested Diego, and they -did so. - -Diego, who was somewhat more particular in the matter of cleanliness -than the other sailors, always carried his comb in his pocket, and so -he and Juan made their toilet to the extent of smoothing their hair; -and then, very much refreshed, they got up and pushed on again. - -The woods were evidently only the result of the brook bringing moisture -and soil to the rocky tract; for in a little while the depression -ceased, and they emerged once more into the same rocky belt. - -“Hark!” said Diego of a sudden. “Do you hear any noise?” - -“The sound of drums, or something of the sort? yes.” - -They stopped and listened, and the noise grew distinctly in volume. - -“It is coming nearer,” cried Diego in alarm. “And I hear voices -singing, or howling. It’s behind us. Juan! What shall we do? Hide! yes, -that is it; hide!” - -They looked all about them for a proper place, and Diego noticed a -narrow cleft in the rocks higher up to his right. - -“Up here!” he whispered, and ran with all his speed followed close by -Juan. - -They were soon there, and the cleft proved to be a narrow, cave-like -opening the depth of which the boys could not determine, nor did they -try to discover; for all that interested them was the fact that it -offered a good place of concealment for them. - -At the same time it afforded them a good view of the country they had -been traversing, and promised to enable them to see the new-comers -without difficulty. And it fulfilled its promise in a very few minutes, -giving the boys a sight of a most extraordinary and startling spectacle. - -From out of the wood, not far from where they had just come, there -emerged a fantastic procession, which moved with a rapidity that was -really remarkable in view of the numbers of which it was composed. - -[Illustration: “THE CLEFT PROVED TO BE A NARROW, CAVE-LIKE OPENING.”] - -At the head of it came a man beating a sort of drum and moving at a -rapid pace. Behind him were perhaps twenty men, all beating drums and -chanting at the same time that they performed all sorts of singular -antics, though without interfering with the rapid advance of the -procession. Behind them again came hundreds of girls, dancing and -singing in time with each other; and behind them came hundreds more of -men and women, also singing and dancing with the greatest fervor. - -It was some time before the boys could see all of this strange -procession--strange in itself and stranger still for the place it -was in. Their first thought, and the one they clung to, was that it -was some horrible festival which would end in a cannibal orgy in the -manner that had been described to Diego by the natives from whom he had -learned to speak the Indian tongue. - -They watched it with a sort of fascinated abhorrence, and in their -thoughts were deciding how they would escape it by climbing higher up -the mountain. Nearer and nearer it came along the way they had come. -Nearer and nearer to where they had turned to seek their hiding-place. -It was there. - -“Juan,” gasped Diego, “it is coming up the mountain!” - -By it he meant the procession; and it certainly had turned up almost in -the very footsteps of the boys. They shrank back, but still watching -the coming crowds, which, now at the ascent, had ceased to dance, -though the singing and drum-beating continued. - -And as they came nearer, the boys all the while wondering what their -errand could be, it was easy to see that the man who led was a -personage of importance; for he was covered with ornaments of gold, and -wore a coronet of the same metal, with a head-dress of feathers rising -above it. The men who followed him were ornamented in quite another -way, being tattooed all over the body with grotesque figures. - -The girls, who came next, carried baskets of fruit and flowers, and -were decked out with gold and other ornaments. The men and women -farther down the line were loaded with as much as they could carry in -the way of finery, but carried neither fruit nor flowers. - -All of this the boys could see because they did not dare to stir and -were protected from observation by the shrubs that grew about the -opening where they had taken shelter. Their hearts were in their mouths -for fear of discovery, and they crouched side by side, very unwilling -spectators of the scene that followed, and yet interested. - -The leading person, whom the boys took to be either a high-priest or -a cacique, approached within twenty yards of the boys and stood there -until an attendant hurried up with a stool of a dark polished wood, and -placed it conveniently for him to sit, he meanwhile never ceasing to -beat his drum. - -After he was seated, still beating his drum, the young girls with -their baskets gathered near, and the others drew up in a wider circle, -until all were up the mountain. Then the priests made obeisance to the -sitting man and delivered a sort of address, pointing so often directly -at the place where the boys were that Diego, who had strained his ears -to hear, caught Juan and dragged him back. - -“Juan, Juan!” he whispered, convulsively, “they are coming in here. It -must be a sort of cave. Let us run back into it.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - -AS swiftly as they dared, the two boys ran back in the cave, which -proved to be about fifty yards deep; and when they reached the other -end they discovered, to their dismay, that it was not as gloomy as they -had at first supposed on looking into it after gazing out into the -bright sunlight. - -Besides the light which came in at the entrance, more was admitted -through an opening in the roof, so that, when they stood at the back -and looked fearfully around them, they could see everything quite -distinctly. The cave was far more like a hall cut in the rock than -like a natural cave. It was fully fifty yards in height, but was -comparatively narrow, and the walls were covered with figures carved in -the stone, and images, like idols, were set in niches. - -Part of this the boys saw at the time, and part afterwards. At that -moment they only noted such things as seemed to have some bearing on -their situation, and were too anxious to look about them with any idle -curiosity. - -“It must be a temple,” said Diego, “and the savages have come to -worship. If we could only hide somewhere.” - -But look as they would they could see no place where they could conceal -themselves, and there was nothing for them to do but to stand quite -still, flattened against the wall, as much in the shadow as possible. -It was so hopeless, however, that both drew their sheath knives, and -waited with such terror as neither had ever known before. - -There was more delay than they had anticipated in the entrance of -the men, but it was explained when, in a few minutes, they entered -the cavern holding lighted torches. The tattooed men came first, and -immediately upon entering set up such a howling as made the echoes of -the place beat against each other until the din was little less than -deafening. - -After the tattooed men came the young girls with the baskets, -delivering the latter to the howling men, and then going in procession -towards the end where the terrified boys stood. It was inevitable that -discovery of them should ensue, and it did. - -The girls came on whispering to each other, and unconscious of the boys -until they were almost upon them, when they stared full into the white -faces that were so unlike anything they had ever seen before. The -frightened girls stopped, pressed back, and then turned and fled with -loud screams. - -“The men will come now,” said Juan, huskily. - -“They shall never take me alive,” said Diego. - -It was not for some time that the tattooed men could be made to -comprehend that something had frightened the girls that was worthy -of their attention; but after hearing such explanations as the girls -could make, they caught up some of the torches and advanced in a body, -holding the torches over their heads and peering before them. - -Their astonishment, their fright perhaps, was hardly less than that -of the girls, for they could see not merely the strange, white faces, -but the singular clothing and the glittering knife-blades. They spoke -to each other in quick, jerky sentences, and advanced with the utmost -caution until they were within ten yards of the boys. - -They stared in silence, as they stood there, and the boys stared back. -Then one of the men, seeming to pluck up courage to speak, addressed a -question to the boys. - -“What does he say?” whispered Juan. - -“I don’t understand all the words,” answered Diego, “but I think he -wants to know who we are. From the way he asks he seems to think we are -gods.” - -[Illustration: “CAUGHT UP SOME OF THE TORCHES AND ADVANCED IN A -BODY.”] - -“Perhaps,” said Juan, “if we can make them think so they -won’t--won’t--” he was going to say “eat us,” but changed it to “hurt -us.” - -Diego had thought of the same thing. The other Indians had readily -believed, without any suggestion from the voyagers, that they were from -the skies. Why should not these? He spoke to them in the tongue he knew. - -“We are from the skies. We will not do you any harm if you do not -molest us.” - -The men listened attentively, and the boys could see the cave beyond -them crowded full to the very entrance. When Diego had ceased to speak, -the men consulted among themselves in a puzzled way, as if trying to -make out the full sense of what they had heard. - -Then they drew nearer and approached until they were within -arm’s-length of the boys, who watched them uneasily, but without -knowing how to act; for the actions of the men were not merely pacific, -but even conciliatory. Diego drew a long breath and whispered to Juan: - -“I think we’d better act as if we were not afraid.” - -It was more easily suggested than accomplished, but it was so plainly -the only thing to do, and the men were so mild in their manner, that -Diego gained courage to act upon a sudden inspiration. He took a hawk’s -bell from his pocket and, jingling it, gave it to the man nearest him. - -The effect upon him and upon all those who heard the tinkling sound was -magical. They stared with wonder and delight, not unmixed with awe, and -crowded about the man who had taken it, and listened enraptured while -he shook it to produce the noise. - -From that it was but a short step to getting closer to the boys and -touching their faces with gentle hands, feeling of their clothing, and -exclaiming with wonder. And Diego could make out that the tattooed men -were explaining to the girls that the bell was from the skies, and that -the boys had come down to do them good. - -Meanwhile the news of what had happened, no doubt with extraordinary -exaggerations, had travelled back through the hall, and had found its -way to the cacique outside. He became impatient, and voices were heard -shouting something from the entrance, which had the effect of clearing -the hall. - -The tattooed men thereupon made unmistakable signs, accompanied by -words which Diego could understand, inviting them to go into the open -air with them. As there was nothing to do but to accept the invitation, -the boys did it with what grace they could, and were presently in the -centre of a wondering crowd of men and women, who were staring at them -with even greater surprise than had been accorded them in the hall, -where the fairness of their skins had not been so apparent. - -The cacique, as in fact he turned out to be, questioned the boys, and -Diego answered as well as he could; though neither more than half -understood the other. The chief thing to the boys, however, was that, -in spite of the hideous faces of the men, there was not evinced the -slightest disposition to do them any harm; but, on the contrary, these -supposed cannibals were as mild and friendly as any of the natives they -had yet seen. - -Indeed, the cacique was the very reverse of fierce; and when the bell -was handed him for his examination, he immediately began shaking -it, and presently was dancing with great activity to its music, to -the evident admiration of his subjects. This seemed to Diego a good -opportunity to present another bell, so he took one from his pocket and -thrust it into the empty hand of the cacique as he jumped about, and -the savage was so stimulated by the gift that he whirled faster and -faster, singing all the time, until he sank exhausted on the ground. - -This was very edifying to the cacique’s subjects, and equally pleasant -to the boys, for they had had enough experience with the Indians to -know that they intended no harm to them. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - -BEING relieved of immediate fear, though still uneasy for the future, -the boys endeavored to make the Indians understand that they wished -to go to the mountain range to the northeast, visible from where they -stood. And, at Juan’s suggestion, Diego persuaded the tattooed men, -afterwards discovered to be priests, or Butios, to climb higher up to -where a better view of the ocean was visible. - -There he searched the horizon, and to his joy saw the _Pinta_ still -making her way to the rocky headland, her full spread of sail giving -her the appearance of a monstrous bird. Diego pointed her out to the -Butios, and told them it was on her that he and Juan had come out of -the sky. - -This was evidently a satisfactory and gratifying proof of the origin -of their visitors, and presently the cacique was assisted up the -mountain-side, that he, too, might look on the marvel, and after that -the whole assemblage came up, and felt themselves blessed with the -extraordinary sight. - -Then Diego explained that he and Juan must go down to the beach -and wait for the coming of the ship, and promised the Butios great -quantities of bells and beads if they would take them thither. And, to -give emphasis to his words, he and Juan showed in their hands the beads -and bells they had with them. - -Well, the Butios marvelled, and showed in many ways that they fully -comprehended the meaning of Diego’s words and gestures, and that it -would fill them with great joy to have more of the bells, together with -some of the beads; but they also made it plain that they were not at -all disposed to part with their heavenly visitors. And they gave Diego -to understand that, much as it grieved them to cross their cherished -visitors, they yet could not help but take them with them to the -interior of the island, pointing to the southeast as they spoke. - -“We’ll have to go,” said Diego. “I don’t believe they will hurt us at -all, and we will be safe enough. From what I can make out, this cacique -is only an inferior one, and he would not dare to let us go without -showing us to his superior, whom they call Caonabo. And they talk of -Cibao, which I think must be the Zipangu of which the admiral has said -so much, for you can see what quantities of gold these people have.” - -“But if we go,” said Juan, “we shall lose the ship.” - -“Well,” said Diego, “we have no choice but to go. What I meant, -however, was this: Let us pretend to go willingly, and so put them off -their guard until we can find the opportunity to slip away.” - -“That is it,” said Juan, “and while we are with them we can exchange -our bells and beads for gold, and so return to the ship loaded with it.” - -It was the best plan they could devise, and worked better than well, -so far as the exchange of their bells for gold was concerned; for when -Diego took up some of the gold ornaments of the men and showed his -interest in them, they were offered to him with a generous willingness -that asked for no return. - -Neither he nor Juan would take advantage of the generosity, however, -but gave in return the glass beads which they had. They would have -given them all away had not the cacique interposed, making them -understand that he wished some saved for the cacique Caonabo, and -telling them that if gold was desired by them they had only to wait to -obtain all they could wish. - -The boys would have preferred to get their booty at once, but yielded, -thinking that what they had was enough to make them rich. How they -wished they could communicate with Martin Alonzo, and let him know that -they had at last discovered that Zipangu, the land of gold, for which -they had sought so long and at last so hopelessly! - -That was not to be just yet, however, for the cacique gave orders for -a return, not merely down the mountain, as it turned out, but to the -place they had come from, putting the boys in the especial care of -the Butios, who proved a faithful guard over them, and watched them -jealously. Not, as it seemed, that they feared an escape, but that they -held them so precious. - -As soon as the boys settled to the conviction that escape at present -was quite out of the question, they remembered that they were hungry, -and conveyed that information to the Butios, who no sooner understood -it than they called a halt, and procured them not only cakes of maize -flour and roasted yuca, but brought them for drink small calabashes of -a sort of liquid which they called cocoa, and which the boys found very -refreshing. - -After that they went on again, and in the woods where the boys had -bathed, they stopped long enough to procure litters for the boys and -for the cacique, and in these the journey was continued. - -At first they returned along the way the boys had just come; but in a -little while they turned to the south and crossed the mountains by an -easy pass, and presently could look down on a beautiful and fertile -valley. For half a day’s journey the whole party went together; but -coming then to a village of considerable size, a stop was made and the -party separated, scattering to their homes. - -After that the progress they made was swifter, the party consisting -only of the cacique, ten of the Butios, and a body-guard of twenty -warriors, armed with war-clubs and long, heavy swords of some hard, -polished wood, showing that, however gentle the men might be with their -visitors, they had it in their natures to fight if there were occasion, -differing in this from the other Indians the boys had seen. - -For several days they travelled, their fame preceding them and causing -their progress through the valley to be a sort of triumphal march. At -each village they were respectfully shown to the wondering inhabitants, -and the cacique occasionally favored the other caciques with a dance -to the music of the bells. And at each village it seemed to be known -that the visitors desired gold, for there was always awaiting them -either rings, bracelets, or what they learned to prefer, nuggets of -virgin gold. The nuggets were of various sizes, the largest being two -of the size of a hen’s egg, each. - -Diego and Juan gave a bell to each cacique as they went along, and it -was manifest that the cacique considered himself very much favored and -overpaid in receiving such a treasure for his paltry gold. And it was -also plain that the Butios grudged each bell given away; not apparently -from any lack of generosity, but because they disliked to see the -favors of heaven made so common. - -As the days passed and Diego became more familiar with the language, he -was enabled to relieve his mind on the one subject of their greatest -uneasiness. He discovered, without being obliged to ask the unpleasant -question, that the natives were not cannibals, and that they detested -their Carib neighbors as much as any one could. - -The relief it was to the boys to learn this can hardly be imagined; -for it had not failed to cross their minds that they were being most -remarkably well fed and cared for, and that naturally suggested the -notion of being fattened for a purpose. - -There still remained the uneasiness about the ship; but although they -had done all they could to make an opportunity to escape, they had not -yet succeeded. They would have lost trace of the passage of time, had -not Diego thought of making a notch on a stick with his knife to mark -each day. - -The knives, by the way, were objects of great curiosity to the Indians, -who had never seen iron in any of its forms before, and who marvelled -greatly at the keenness of the blades. One of the warriors of their -guard wished to test the properties of the blade by running it across -his fingers; but Diego prevented him and displayed the sharpness of the -edge by slicing a banana in thin sections. Instead of curing the man -of his desire, however, it seemed to make him only more eager for his -own test, and Diego, shrugging his shoulders, let him suit himself. Of -course the knife cut his fingers, but, so far from being distressed by -it, the simple fellow seemed to feel that he was to be envied; and so -it appeared did the others, for they would all have cut themselves had -the boys been willing to permit them to do so. - -It was not until the tenth day after starting on the journey that -they reached the village of the grand cacique, Caonabo. The boys were -curious to see a chief of whom they had heard so much during their -progress through his dominions, and they certainly were impressed by -the fact that instead of going out to meet them with his warriors, as -the other caciques had done, he merely sent a deputation to meet them -and conduct them to him. - -The village was a large one and very populous, though not a whit more -civilized in appearance than any of the other villages, so that the -boys could not help wondering if the stories about Zipangu had not -been exaggerated by the travellers who had been there. Certainly there -was gold enough; but the palace was not roofed with it, and if it had -been--the palace being a mere hut--it would not have come to much. - -The population was all out to gaze on the wonderful beings from the -skies, and they wore a great quantity of gold on their otherwise naked -bodies; but such was their respect for their cacique that none of them -dared make any advances to the strangers until they had had an audience -with him. - -“I begin to be a little afraid of this Caonabo, of whom his own people -stand in such awe,” said Diego. - -[Illustration: “OF COURSE THE KNIFE CUT HIS FINGERS.”] - -“And I also,” said Juan; “but here we are, and we shall soon know what -he thinks of us. I hope he will think well enough of us to do us no -harm, but not well enough of us to keep us.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - -CAONABO, Cacique of Maguana, differed so strikingly in his appearance -and manner from his subjects that the boys were struck by it at their -first glance at him. He was not only larger and more muscular, but he -bore himself with a hauteur and dignity that any Old World monarch -might have envied. - -He eyed the boys with wonder, it is true, but there was something in -his manner that made Diego mutter to Juan: - -“I’m afraid he won’t accept the story of our descent from the skies.” - -“And he looks fierce enough for a cannibal,” said Juan. - -They afterwards learned that Caonabo was, in fact, a Carib and a -cannibal, who had come to the island from his own home, when he was -a young man, and who had won his place as the most powerful and most -feared of the island caciques by his courage and his sagacity. - -He was kind enough to them, though, as Diego had said, he did not act -with any such awe of them as the other caciques had done. He asked -questions, which Diego answered as well as he could, and he examined -curiously their clothing, knives, and bells. - -“I think from his looks,” said Diego to Juan, “that he would give more -for the knives than for all the bells in the world.” - -And that was undoubtedly true; but he did not say so, and was as -scrupulously honest as the meanest of his subjects had been. Honesty, -indeed, next to hospitality, was the virtue held in highest esteem -among these islanders. Theft was so heinous an offence that it was -punished by death. - -It seemed to strike Caonabo as a singular thing that his guests should -care so much for gold; though, indeed, the boys had found it so easy -to possess that it no longer had any charms for them, and if they had -not hoped to rejoin the ship, they would not have taken two steps to -procure a ton of the yellow metal. It seems so true that a thing is -valued only in proportion as it is desired by others. - -However, Caonabo had no objection to having the boys procure all the -gold they desired, and he would not permit them to give their bells for -it; though he afterwards accepted the bells which were offered him, -when Diego made him understand that they were a gift. - -What Caonabo coveted was one of the knives. He took one in his hand, -and tested the blade on a piece of wood; and when Diego showed him how -it could be used to pierce with, he buried it in a calabash which lay -near him with such an air of its being alive that Diego procured the -knife back, and would not again part with it. - -“If we are going to run away,” said Diego, “I would prefer that he -should not have that to try on me.” - -Running away, however, seemed every day less feasible. The boys had -been provided with a hut, and Butios had been assigned to them to see -that they lacked no comforts, and every measure had been taken as if it -were the fixed design of Caonabo to keep them with him. - -He had sent the cacique, who had first discovered the boys, back to -his own country, and the Butios had gone with him, very much to their -disgust at being obliged to part with their treasure; though the boys -had consoled them by giving each Butio a bell. - -Finding their lives to be in no danger whatever, the boys made all -the preparations for flight that they very well could. Diego, on the -plea of seeing where the gold was procured, was taken, in different -directions, from the village to the rivers where the gold lay in grains -and tiny nuggets at the bottom. He was glad to see the gold, but -what he cared most for was the acquaintance he and Juan gained of the -surrounding country. Moreover, he asked questions of different persons -until he had learned that the sea lay about equidistant from them on -either side of the island. And from one old man, who had journeyed -much, he learned that, in a lovely valley to the north of them, on -either side of the Cibao Mountains, a beautiful river ran down to the -sea, and entered it at the foot of the mountain-chain that lay parallel -to the Cibao Mountains. - -Then, there was the matter of the gold. It was valueless to them now -that they had it heaped in an ignominious pile in a corner of the hut; -but they knew it would regain its value when it was on the ship, and so -they questioned themselves what to do about it. - -After going over the matter a great many times, they determined to make -a belt each, of the skin of a little animal called the coati, in which -to put as many nuggets as they could. No one suspected their object in -fastening the gold to the belts, the generally received opinion being -that it was a sort of religious ceremony. - -They had no idea of the value in Spanish coin of the pile of gold they -had collected; but when their belts were finished, they found them to -weigh, each, not less than twenty pounds. They tried them on, and felt -so dubious of the comfort of such heavy belts that they were tempted to -throw off some of the weight; but Juan suggested that they could throw -the gold away at any time, and that it would be very pleasant to go -aboard the _Pinta_ so laden. - -That was true enough, and so they left the belts as they had made -them, and hung them in their hut, where afterwards they discovered the -natives looking at them in great awe. And the Butios asked permission -to carry them in procession to show to their Zemes, as they called -their idols. - -Many times they thought of attempting escape, but whenever they essayed -it they discovered themselves to be very closely watched, so that they -were obliged to give up, unless they were willing to use violence; and -that they were afraid to do, even if it had been feasible, and they -were not sure that it was. By this time they had been absent nearly -three weeks from the ship, and they were so uneasy that they were -nearly beside themselves, though compelled not to betray it to their -host. - -Then, one night, their opportunity came. It came in a singular way, -too. The people were passionately fond of dancing, and knew no -moderation in it. They would often dance as the boys had seen the -cacique do, who had discovered them at the cave, keeping on their feet -until their strength was exhausted, and then dropping, almost fainting, -to the earth. - -Sometimes, too, the men would drink a sort of wine made from the maize, -when they had danced until they had dropped, and then they would be -stupid, and would sleep where they had fallen until morning came. But -in these cases there were always some of the Butios who would keep -their senses and watch over the boys. - -But on the occasion spoken of it was not wine to which the fallen -dancers resorted, but to the dried leaf of a plant which had been -placed in a hollow dug in earth and there set a-smouldering. - -The boys had seen this same leaf used in Cuba, but in a different way. -There the Indians had rolled it into a sort of stick, which they called -a tobacco, one end of which was taken into the mouth and the other end -lighted, so that by sucking at the stick a quantity of the smoke from -the ignited plant would be drawn into the mouth, thereby causing the -person so employed a pleasurable sensation. At least the natives had -declared this to be the case; though, when the boys had tried it, they -had had lively emotions of sickness in their stomachs. - -On this island the leaves were placed in the hollow spoken of, and then -ignited and smothered, so that the smoke would rise from it in volumes. -When it had come to this pass the Indians would lie down by it with a -hollow tube of wood shaped like a Y, the two prongs of which were so -arranged as to fit in the nostrils of the smoker. Then the disengaged -end would be thrust into the smoke, which would then be inhaled until -the smoker would fall over in a stupor. - -On a certain festival, which came while the boys were there, and -fortunately at a time when the Butios had lost all fear of the boys -escaping, though they had not relaxed their watchfulness, the dancing -was ended by an indulgence in a smoke. - -The women took part in the dancing, but not in the smoking, so that -they would have been able to watch the boys if they had thought it -necessary; but they did not, and the Butios were so anxious for the -indulgence that they could not restrain themselves. - -At first, when the dancing began, the boys did not realize what it was -to result in, and they had no thoughts of getting away that night, -but stood apart from the dancers, thinking how strange a sight it was -to see all those men and women whirling about by the light of the -flames that seemed themselves to be dancing as they leaped up from the -bonfires. - -But after a while they saw how the men would fall down and become -stupid, and Juan pointed out how the Butios were dancing and smoking -with the others. That gave them their first hope of escape, and after -that they watched eagerly to see if the Butios had really forgotten -them. - -It was quite late before they could be sure that they might escape -without fear of being noticed; but they knew that it would be late in -the morning before the men would recover their senses, and that they -would be able to go many miles if they made good use of their time. - -So they stole back to their hut, put on their gold-belts, and started -off in the direction of the Cibao Mountains, as they had so often -talked of doing. They went with many misgivings; for, not only was -there the fear of the wrath of Caonabo, should they be captured and -taken back, but there was the risk of not finding the ship, and of -being obliged to remain on the island at the mercy of other Indians, -not as friendly, perhaps, as Caonabo. - -They had no hesitation because of their fears, however, but sped away -under cover of the friendly darkness, and, thanks to the care with -which they had studied the country all about the village, they were -enabled to take the right way without stopping to consider. - -They were in excellent condition, too, and had it not been for the load -each carried at his waist they would have been able to go twenty-five -miles before dawn. As it was, they did not go more than fifteen miles, -and were terribly fatigued then, and glad to lie down and rest. - -When they awoke, later in the morning, they found themselves in the -foot-hills of the mountains, with many good places for hiding all about -them. They stole out to procure some fruit, and then returned to their -hiding-place, and watched and slept, each in his turn. Twice they saw -some of Caonabo’s warriors, though not men they recognized, and they -did not seem to be searching for them. - -At night they went on again, climbing the mountains and groaning with -the weight of their belts. They were sturdy boys, and the weight was -very well distributed around their waists, but the load of it grew -woefully heavy as they proceeded, and more than once they stopped and -discussed the propriety of throwing some of the gold away. But as the -hope of being once more with those who loved gold came upon them, -the liking in their own hearts increased, and they could not bring -themselves to be rid of any of it. - -So they toiled on, and by morning were at the mountain-top, as they -could know because they were able to look down into that valley which -the natives had spoken of as being so beautiful and so fertile. And -beautiful it was, indeed, and afterwards was named the royal plain, -because of its surpassing beauty. Many fruits grew there, and fields -of the maize, of which the natives thought so much, not only because -it was good for food, but as well because it was the source of that -intoxicating liquor with which they stupefied themselves. - -There was no fruit on the mountain-top, and the boys ventured down -lower with great caution, until they came to some bananas. Those they -ate, and then, with rising spirits, lay down to sleep. They had come -so far, and the remainder seemed the easiest part. They had seen that -river, called in those times, and in these, too, the Yagui, of which -the old Indian had spoken, and they knew that if they could but find a -canoe along its banks they would be able to make the remainder of the -journey with comparative ease. - -Well, not to dwell too long on a journey which was made safely, they -were three days in reaching a part of the river that was suited to -their purpose; for, though navigable where they first came upon it, -it was so narrow that they would have been in constant danger of -detection. - -Another night’s journey had to be made after that before they could -find a canoe; but they did at last come upon one, and took it without -qualms of conscience, knowing that the hawk’s bell they hung in a -conspicuous place in payment for it would be deemed a sufficient -recompense. - -For three nights they floated down the stream, and mightily frightened -they were by discovering that there were in it those horrible reptiles -known to the natives as caimans--great lizard-like monsters, with huge -jaws armed with shining rows of sharp teeth, and which could stun a man -with a blow of the tail. The admiral had said that the like creatures -were found in Egypt and in other places in Africa, but the boys liked -them none the better for that. - -However, they arrived at the mouth of the river at last, just about -day-dawn, and then their anxiety came in a new form. Had the ship gone? -Had it left the island altogether? They crept into the woods and worked -their way to the edge of them, where they could see the beach, and -looked out upon the water. Then their hearts sank, for there was no -sign of any ship. - -[Illustration: “FOR THREE NIGHTS THEY FLOATED DOWN THE STREAM.”] - -How could they have hoped for it if they had been able to reason -dispassionately upon the subject? It was because they wished to hope -that they had done so, and not because of any reasonableness in it. At -first, in their wretchedness they would neither eat nor talk to each -other, and they could not sleep, though tired and in need of it. - -After a while, however, they talked a little, consoled each other, -and even declared that they could exist on the island, if that were -necessary. Then they ate and afterwards fell asleep. - -Diego was wakened by Juan before the sun had gone down, and looked up -in wonder to see the excitement on the face of his companion. - -“Come and see!” said Juan, dragging him by the arm, and he scrambled to -his feet and followed to the edge of the wood. - -Two ships were anchored off in the bay beyond the mouth of the river, -and coming up the river were four boats with casks in them, as if the -crews were going up to obtain fresh water while the tide was out. - -“The _Pinta_ and the _Niña_!” murmured Diego. “Holy Virgin, I thank -you!” and he turned to Juan and they wept in each other’s arms, so -great was their joy. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - -THE boys stood waiting for the boats to come nearer to where they were; -but as it took the boats some time to reach that point, owing to the -tide and current running together, the boys had time to recover from -their ecstasy and to consider some things. - -There was the _Pinta_ with the _Niña_, and the _Santa Maria_ was not to -be seen. This gave them a curious feeling as of something being wrong. -They could not have told what, but it made them wonder if it would not -be wise to make themselves known privately to the men of the _Pinta_. - -So they hastened up the river farther, and waited there until they -should see if the men would land, or take the water out of the river -at the middle, which they might do if they were afraid of the natives. -But it seemed that the men were not afraid of the Indians, and rowed up -the river to where a small stream emptied into it, and there they went -ashore. - -It was a little higher up, but on the same side where the boys were, -and they hurried as silently as possible to the spot. They had -recognized many of the _Pinta’s_ men, and had mentioned them by name -with great joy to each other; though Juan had looked eagerly for -Miguel, and had been disappointed not to see him. They hoped, and it so -happened, that the _Niña’s_ boats would push off first. Then Diego and -Juan, with shining eyes, stole closer to where the _Pinta’s_ men were, -and Diego called softy: - -“Rodrigo! Rodrigo de Triana!” - -“Holy St. Martin! who calls?” cried Rodrigo, the sound of something -familiar in the tone turning his blood chill. - -“Juan Cacheco and Diego Pinzon,” said Diego, and therewith stepped out -of the thicket and stood revealed. - -There was at first a disposition to flight on the part of the men; but -there was something so very human in the joy of the boys that presently -they were surrounded by all the sailors, who fairly embraced them in -their joy. - -The boys were hustled into the boats, one in each, and all the while -the explanations were carried on. Diego gave the briefest sketch of -what had happened to him and Juan, and the sailors all together told -how they had returned and had not found them, and how they had given -them up. How they had sailed along the coast and traded for a plenty -of gold, telling that in a whisper that made Diego demand the meaning -of the _Pinta_ and the _Niña_ being in company without the _Santa -Maria_. - -Then the men told how the admiral had been shipwrecked near the western -end of the island, and had built a fort with the timber of the _Santa -Maria_, calling it La Navidad, and had garrisoned it with such men as -wished to remain while he returned to Spain for more colonists; how, -after that, he had started to circumnavigate the island, and had come -upon the _Pinta_ before Martin Alonzo could get out of his way. - -That had happened only three days since, and already the admiral and -Martin Alonzo had had an altercation about some natives whom the latter -had captured with the intention of carrying them to Spain to be sold as -slaves. The admiral had forced him to release the prisoners and send -them ashore with gifts. - -“It will soothe Martin Alonzo to see you,” said Rodrigo, “for he has -grieved sometimes like a madman because of your loss. As for Miguel, -he will be very glad to get out of his chains, where Martin Alonzo has -kept him, vowing he would hang him to the yard if the _Pinta_ left the -island without you.” - -“Then my cousin believed I fell because of Miguel?” said Diego, very -glad to know that Miguel had not been sacrificed. - -“I saw him with his arm up as if he had struck you,” said Rodrigo. - -“But he had tried to help me,” said Diego. - -“So he swore, but no one believed him. We should have triced him up -with a good will, Fray Diego, if you had not come back. But Martin -Alonzo will be pleased to see you!” - -Diego presently had proof of that; for when they arrived at the ship -and he went up over the side, Martin Alonzo at first nearly fainted, -and then, being hastily assured that Diego was no wraith, but a hearty -flesh-and-blood boy, he caught him in his arms and nearly smothered him -with embraces. And when he had hugged him as much as Diego would let -him, he turned to Juan and said such things to him as made him very -happy. - -After that they went into the cabin, and Diego and Juan ate at the mess -with Martin Alonzo and the gentlemen adventurers, and told their story -as well as they could, without betraying what they knew of the gold; -for they had agreed to keep that for Martin Alonzo’s private ear. - -So after the meal was over, Diego asked his cousin to give him and Juan -a few minutes in private, which Martin Alonzo did by taking them into -his private cabin, a little hole that would scarcely hold the three of -them. - -“Now, Diego, what have you to say to me?” - -Diego smiled at Juan and pulled up his shirt, which covered the -belt for which he had suffered so much. And Juan did the same. They -took their belts off and placed all the nuggets of gold before the -astonished eyes of Martin Alonzo. - -“We did not speak of these in the cabin,” said Diego, “thinking you -might wish to know it first.” - -Martin Alonzo stared at him and weighed the gold in silence for a time; -then he almost gasped: - -“More than a thousand ducats of gold! Why, boys, you are rich! And you -tell me the island is full of it?” - -“We saw it lying thick in the beds of the rivers, and a native told us -that a piece as big as a baby’s head had been found in one place.” - -Martin Alonzo’s eyes shone with eagerness for a moment; then turned -dull, and a sigh broke from him. - -“It is bootless. I could not go into the interior with the men. Already -they are crying to get back where they may enjoy their gold, little -as it is. Nor may I come back; for the admiral is viceroy of this new -country, and he will never pardon me, nor will I ask for pardon nor -accept it at his hands. Keep your gold. You have earned it.” - -“A half of it is yours by right,” said Diego. - -“I shall not touch it, boy. But if you wish I will keep it safe.” - -So they gave him their gold to keep. Then Juan spoke to him. - -“I crave your pardon, Martin Alonzo, but I wish to speak in behalf of -Miguel.” - -“The knave!” said Martin Alonzo, frowning. - -“He tried to save me, cousin. He did, indeed,” said Diego. - -“Why, so he has always sworn, but I believed him not. Why, then, he -must be freed; but he is a scurvy fellow at best. If he had been half -in earnest he might have saved you, it seems to me,” said Martin -Alonzo, who, as Diego and Juan afterwards discovered, had not grown -less obstinate during their absence. - -Being in some measure the cause of his imprisonment, Diego went with -Juan to see the man unchained. Miguel was in a strange mood. At first -he refused to speak to Juan at all; but afterwards thawed and was as -friendly as ever, not only to him, but to Diego, acting as if he had -forgotten that he had ever seemed to dislike the latter. And, indeed, -it never was certain that he did remember; for, to make an end of his -part in this story, he was never himself again, and, in fact, died -before ever the _Pinta_ reached Spain, nobody rightly knowing what his -ailment was. - -[Illustration: “DIEGO WENT WITH JUAN TO SEE THE MAN UNCHAINED.”] - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - -WHETHER or not the admiral ever learned of the loss and subsequent -return of Diego and Juan cannot be known. Certain it is that he made no -mention of their adventure in his account of the voyage, rendered to -the queen upon his return to Spain. - -At the time he was not told by any one in authority or with the -knowledge to relate the facts as they were; for he did not go aboard -the _Pinta_, but gave his orders from his deck, when the vessels were -near enough for that, or had Martin Alonzo visit him when they had need -to communicate. - -The next day after the return of the boys the order was given to set -sail, and the two vessels started to coast around the island. They -did not go farther than the eastern end of the island, however, and -then the admiral got the notion of wishing to visit one of the Carib -islands, in order to see some of those fierce savages; and perhaps he -would have gone on that voyage, as he did on a subsequent one, if a -fair wind for home had not sprung up, and caused the sailors to be so -home-sick that they begged him most piteously to turn towards the east. - -At first the wind kept favorable, but not for long, and now they began -to experience as much difficulty in returning across the ocean as they -had had ease in coming. And by and by, when they began to have hopes of -reaching Spain before many days, violent storms arose, and nearly made -an end of the crazy little craft. - -The _Pinta_ was even worse off than the _Niña_, for her foremast was -weak and could not stand any strain. The worst storm came on about the -middle of February, and it was with great difficulty that the admiral -could keep the two vessels together. For a time Martin Alonzo did as -well as he could to keep company with the _Niña_; but the storm was -so violent that it seemed to him that it was no more than the barest -chance that either vessel would live, and so he determined to disregard -the signals of the admiral and once more part company. Indeed, it was -a measure of real safety; and he had no thought then of doing what -presently suggested itself to him, which was to take it for granted -that the _Niña_ had been unable to survive the storm, and to make good -his way home and announce himself as the discoverer. - -He believed that the _Niña_ could not have weathered a storm that had -nearly wrecked the _Pinta_, and so he sailed before the still raging -storm, and after many days was able to make the port of Bayonne, in the -Bay of Biscay. From there he despatched a letter to his sovereigns, -announcing his discovery of the eastern coast of Asia, and assuming -that the admiral was drowned. - -Then, the storm having abated, he sailed for Palos, pleasing himself -with the thought of how he would be received by his friends. The -_Pinta_ reached the bar of Saltes at the mouth of the little river, -and the men all crowded on deck to see the land they had left so -sorrowfully a few months before, and were returning to so triumphant. - -Diego pointed out to Juan the convent of La Rabida, standing on its -eminence, where it could plainly be seen, and from which he had so many -times looked down on the little river he was now sailing up, after such -strange adventures. He wondered how he would be received there. There -was certainly to be one nugget of gold to make a cross for the breviary -of Fray Bartolomeo, and Alfonso, his old friend, should have another. - -And Juan was to go with him wherever he went, and it was always to be -share and share alike with them. Juan had agreed to that with a full -heart; for the approach to Spain recalled to him the things he had been -able so long to put away from him, and it was pleasant to hear Diego’s -hearty voice telling him that he had been his brother, and always -should be. - -“And,” said Diego, with a joyous laugh, “we will fight it out as soon -as I have taken as great a risk for you as you did for me off Haiti.” - -The sail up the river is not a long one, with the tide favorable, and -it was a short time after entering it that they came in sight of the -town. Martin Alonzo paced the poop, filled with the thought of the -triumph that was to be his. - -“Brother,” said Francisco Martin, his face quite pale, “what vessel is -that riding in the river?” - -Martin Alonzo looked and looked again, and a change came over his face -such as one looks for on the face of the dying. - -“The _Niña_,” was all he said. - -Yes, it was true. After passing through many adventures, the _Niña_ -had reached Palos just one day in advance of the _Pinta_; and as the -_Pinta_ drew nearer the town, the noise of the rejoicing over the -admiral could be distinctly heard. - - * * * * * - -It is a sad thing to say, but it is true, alas! that Martin Alonzo -Pinzon was hurt to his death by the ending to his voyage. Most of all -that wounded him was the feeling that he had dishonored himself. He -would not sail up to the town, but took a small boat ashore, and went -stealthily to his house, bitterly contrasting such a home-coming with -the one he had anticipated, and yet finding in his heart that his -punishment was just. - -He had already been ill, but not seriously. Now he went to his house -to take to his bed; and when a letter arrived not many days after from -his sovereigns, reproaching him for his conduct, he groaned aloud, and -turned his face to the wall. A few days later he died. - -The part which Diego and Juan took was very much brighter than this. -They had nothing wherewith to reproach themselves, and they enjoyed to -the full the rôle of hero which was forced upon them. - -At the convent, in particular, where Diego went with Juan the very -first thing, they were made so much of that it is a wonder they were -not ruined. The other boys followed them about like dumb cattle after -a leader; and when either, but especially Diego, opened his lips, you -would have thought some of the gold of Haiti was about to fall from -them, so eagerly did his old schoolmates watch them. - -As for the nuggets, Diego and Juan were not niggards with them, and -would have melted them away in the warmth of their generosity in a very -short time, had not Vicente Yanez Pinzon, the brother next to Martin -Alonzo, and the captain of the _Niña_, taken him aside and talked with -him. - -Well, he had already been generous enough, so he permitted his cousin -to take his money and put it in a safe place. And, indeed, some of the -property bought with that money can be seen to this day, still owned by -a Pinzon, too, in the little town of Moguer, about a league from Palos. - -After that? Well, after that Diego and Juan made many a voyage to the -newly discovered countries, and lived to learn what Christoval Colon -never did learn--that they had actually discovered a new continent, and -not Asia at all. - -[Illustration: “DIEGO RELATES HIS ADVENTURES TO THE CONVENT BOYS.”] - -And they were with Vicente Yanez Pinzon when he and that Italian, -Amerigo Vespucci, made the voyage together--an account of which voyage -being widely read over Europe was the means of gaining for Vespucci -the unmerited honor of having been the first to reach the continent, -whereby his name is to this day attached to the country discovered. - - - THE END. - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - ---Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. - ---A Table of Contents for Chapters was not in the original work; one -has been produced and added by Transcriber. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Diego Pinzon and the Fearful Voyage he -took into the Unknown Ocean A.D. 1492, by John Russell Coryell - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIEGO PINZON *** - -***** This file should be named 50281-0.txt or 50281-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/0/2/8/50281/ - -Produced by Giovanni Fini, Shaun Pinder and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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