\jm

 
 Brimbleom, Ouufca E. 
 
 An ircbtr with Coliunbo*; by Ctuu-le K. BriobUcom 
 B<Mtoo, Joseph Ivn-ght c o, 1594 ', laW, 
 
 S pi U IS p. .'TCJC, Hioa. 20 x lii. 
 
 A.ldl t p^ U)atrld. will OaU IS*. 
 
 Ubrary f Coocr> 
 
 NB Q832C02 Dt-C MB
 
 
 V
 
 AN ARCHER WITH 
 COLUMBUS 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES E. BRIMBLECOM 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 
 BOSTON 
 
 JOSEPH KNIGHT COMPANY 
 1894
 
 Stack 
 Annex 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1893 
 
 BY 
 JOSEPH KNIGHT COMPANY
 
 Stack' 
 
 Annex 
 
 E. 
 
 I 210 
 
 685" 
 
 BOSTON
 
 Chapter 
 
 I. THE WORLD is ROUND 
 
 II. FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW 
 
 III. A ROYAL MESSENGER 
 
 IV. THE MONK'S GHOST . 
 
 V. THE PURSUIT .... 
 
 VI. THE SAILING OK THE FLEET . 
 
 VIF. THE XEW WORLD 
 
 VIII. THE RETURN TO SPAIN 
 
 Page 
 
 1 
 
 21 
 
 42 
 
 62 
 
 81 
 
 106 
 
 128 
 
 159
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 
 
 ONE fine afternoon in the autumn of 1491, 
 Ignacio Diaz, a tailor of the seaport town 
 of Palos, was seated upon his table busily 
 at work on a new cassock evidently in 
 tended for a priest or monk. 
 
 Diaz was a short, obese man with a 
 round, red face. He was ignorant and 
 avaricious, servile to his superiors and 
 tyrannical to those beneath him. One of 
 the chief victims of his petty tyranny 
 was his apprentice, Felix Madrigal, a 
 friendless orphan boy, whose unwilling 
 drudgery was repaid with scanty fare and 
 abundant blows. 
 
 Yet Ignacio Diaz considered himself a 
 person of consequence ; and after the events 
 related in this story, his self-importance 
 increased greatly, and for the rest of his 
 life he boasted of the part he had taken 
 in one of the grandest achievements in 
 the history of mankind. 
 
 On that pleasant afternoon there was
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 1 
 
 stranger seated in the little 
 shop, a man of dark com 
 plexion, with sharp, black eyes. His doublet 
 was of green velvet, and he wore a long 
 cloak of fine cloth. A broad hat with a 
 plume shaded his face and a sword was 
 buckled at his side. 
 
 After listening to the tailor's gossip for 
 a while, the visitor suddenly asked, - 
 
 ' ' Hast thou seen many strangers in thy 
 town of late ? "
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 3 
 
 "Strangers!" cried the tailor. "No, 
 Sefior, we see few strangers here. If you 
 wish to see life, and bustling scenes, and 
 magnificent costumes, some of which I 
 made myself, Senor, you should go to 
 Granada, where our mighty sovereigns, 
 Ferdinand and Isabella, are besieging the 
 infidel Moors. Heaven grant them success ! 
 No doubt you have seen service, Sefior ? " 
 
 To this question, which seemed to ask 
 more than the mere words implied, the 
 stranger replied shortly, - 
 
 ' ' True ! there is no doubt of it. What 
 art thou staring at me for ? " 
 
 This rude question was addressed to Fe 
 lix Madrigal, the apprentice, who was neg 
 lecting his work and listening open-mouthed 
 to the conversation. 
 
 "Sirrah!" cried the tailor to Felix, 
 "have I not reproved thee a thousand 
 times for thy impertinent curiosity ? At 
 tend to thy work, or And after fixing 
 what was intended to be an awe-inspiring 
 look upon the boy for the space of a minute, 
 he slowly withdrew his eyes and again 
 turned to the cavalier.
 
 4 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "I venture to suppose that you are con 
 nected with the custom-house," he said, in 
 a wheedling tone. ' 'An inspector, perhaps. 
 Is it not so ? " 
 
 "Suppose whatever pleases thee," an 
 swered the stranger, coolly. " Here, boy," 
 he continued, tossing a coin to Felix, ' ' thou 
 wast reproved unjustly." 
 
 The tailor's red face grew redder at this 
 rebuke. He folded up the cassock, which 
 he had just finished, and said to Felix, 
 harshly, - 
 
 ' ' Here, jackanapes, take this cassock to 
 Father Juan Perez at the convent of La 
 Rabida, and bring back with thee his old 
 one, which he wishes repaired. Hasten 
 back. If thou delayest on the road, the 
 yardstick shall dance o'er thy shoulders." 
 
 Felix sprang from his table at once, and 
 having bound his ragged sash about his 
 waist, and donned his little Andalusian 
 hat, he took the bundle and gladly set out 
 upon the sandy road leading to the convent, 
 which he could see on a hill about n mile 
 away. 
 
 The landscape was fresh and beautiful.
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 
 
 The northwest wind had brought welcome 
 clouds from the distant mountains, and 
 
 \ 
 
 a bundant 
 rains had re 
 freshed the 
 thirsty soil. 
 The broad 
 vineyards, and orchards 
 of figs and olives, seemed to 
 smile and rejoice in the pure, delicious air. 
 Far to the south and west shone the blue 
 waters of the sea. 
 
 As Felix climbed the hill, he saw a caravel 
 entering the mouth of the Tinto, and watched 
 it as it glided up the river like a white 
 swan. He recognized it as the Pinta, one 
 of the fastest vessels on the coast, belong 
 ing to Senor Gomez Eascon of Palos. 
 
 He sat down on a rock by the wayside 
 and gazed with intense enjoyment on the
 
 6 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 scene ; but suddenly remembering the 
 threat of his master, he sprang up and 
 hastened on. 
 
 As he approached the convent of La 
 Eabida, he saw a group of three persons at 
 the gate. One was the porter, Lorenzo 
 Tortosa, whom he knew well. Tortosa had 
 been a crossbow man in the army of Ferdi 
 nand and Isabella ; but having been severely 
 wounded at the siege of Malaga, four years 
 before, he had left the service and obtained 
 a position as porter at the convent. 
 
 A tall man of noble and commanding 
 appearance was addressing Tortosa. His 
 snow-white hair and the deep lines of his 
 face told of age and sorrow. In his hand 
 he carried a large roll covered with a 
 woolen cloth. 
 
 Beside him stood a pale, handsome boy 
 of about the same age as Felix. The 
 strangers seemed tired, and their clothing 
 was worn and soiled with travel. 
 
 Felix stopped near the group and stared 
 at them with curiosity. The porter seemed 
 surprised, and the strange man repeated 
 the request he had just made,
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 
 
 "My son is hungry and thirsty. Can 
 you give him a little bread and water to 
 enable him to finish our journey?" 
 
 "Yes, Senor," replied the porter, very 
 respectfully, ' 
 you." 
 
 At that 
 moment a 
 clear, authori 
 tative voice 
 called from 
 the interior 
 courtyard, 
 
 "Who 
 is there, 
 Tortosa ?" 
 
 The con 
 siderate por- 
 ter, after 
 asking the strangers to excuse him for a 
 moment, re-entered the gate to give his 
 answer in a low tone. 
 
 Immediately Father Juan Perez, the Su 
 perior of the convent, appeared at the gate, 
 and after courteously saluting the strange 
 gentleman, invited him to enter. 
 
 was not sure I understood
 
 8 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 He accepted the kind invitation of the 
 priest, and passed through the gate, leading 
 his boy by the hand. A fine young blood 
 hound, with black mouth and 
 pendent ears, started up from 
 the shadow of the wall and 
 followed them. 
 
 Tortosa uttered a cry 
 of alarm, and started 
 forward to in 
 tercept him, but 
 almost tumbled 
 backward as the 
 dog paused with 
 a slight growl. 
 " Reverend Father ! " cried Tortosa, " it 
 is a dog ! He may run mad at any mo 
 ment. Will not the gentleman make him 
 go out?" 
 
 " He is mine," said the strange boy, 
 putting his arms about the dog's neck. 
 "He will not harm any one unless I tell 
 him to. Please let him come with me." 
 
 * ' Let the dog alone, Tortosa, " replied Juan 
 Perez, smiling. l ' Thou f earest a harmless 
 animal more than a thousand fierce Moors."
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 9 
 
 The porter fell back uneasily and crossed 
 himself, and the party went on. 
 
 Felix followed them as they traversed 
 the cloisters and skirted the luxuriant gar 
 den of the convent. Here Juan Perez said 
 to the boy, - 
 
 ' ' Remain in the garden if you wish, my 
 child, and one of the brothers will bring 
 you refreshment." Then he passed into 
 the building, followed by the gentleman. 
 
 The boy sat down on a bench under a fig- 
 tree near the fountain ; and presently a monk 
 brought him bread and meat, and told him 
 to pluck the purple figs above his head. He 
 ate the food slowly and thoughtfully, shar 
 ing it with his dog. 
 
 After watching the young stranger for a 
 little while, Felix slowly approached and 
 spoke to him, 
 
 "Good morning, Sefior." 
 
 ' ' How do you do, caballero f " responded 
 the boy, in a low, pleasant voice. Felix 
 was deeply astonished at receiving that 
 distinguished title from the young stranger. 
 Cavalier gentleman ! A feeling unknown 
 before suddenly arose within him. Up to
 
 10 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 that moment he had regarded himself as an 
 inferior being, a mere drudge and slave ; 
 but on being addressed by that courteous 
 title, self-respect hitherto crushed down 
 sprang up in his heart like a beautiful flower. 
 Henceforth a new ambition was to inspire 
 him. One kindly word turned 
 him toward heroic heights. 
 ' ' Sit here beside me, " continued 
 the boy, smiling, ' ' and let us 
 talk together." And when 
 Felix was seated, he asked, 
 ' ' What is your name ? " 
 ' ' Felix Madrigal. What is yours ? " 
 " Diego Columbus," replied the boy. 
 " Where do you live ? " 
 "We have no home," answered Diego 
 calmly. ' ' We came from Seville to this 
 place." 
 
 "Is that your father that came with 
 you ? " 
 
 " Yes. My father is a sea captain." 
 ' ' Did you walk all the way from Se 
 ville ? " 
 
 ' * Yes, and it was beautiful in the morn 
 ings and evenings. My father tells me
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 11 
 
 wonderful tales as we go along, so that I 
 hardly ever feel tired." 
 
 ' ' Why didn't you ride on mules ? " 
 
 " We had but little money." 
 
 ' ' Doesn't your father own a ship ? " 
 
 ' ' No. He has for a long time been en 
 gaged in greater affairs. He has been 
 entreating the king and queen to give him 
 ships in which he will sail across the ocean 
 to the west until he reaches the Indies." 
 
 Felix looked puzzled. He had often 
 heard the sailors of Palos speak of the 
 Indies. He had also heard many tales of 
 the terrible unknown ocean in the west. 
 
 " But the Indies are in the east," he cried. 
 
 "You can get there by sailing to the 
 west, too. My father says so." 
 
 "Why, that's impossible," returned Fe 
 lix, astonished. ' ' That is the sea of dark 
 ness and dragons, and beyond is the end 
 of the world. That's what all the sailors 
 say." 
 
 " Oh, no. The world is round, and has 
 no end, and Oh, what a big cat ! look at 
 him ! look at him ! " 
 
 A huge black cat was standing in the
 
 12 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 garden walk, arching his back and uttering 
 low growls at sight of the dog. The blood 
 hound, unused to such defiance, suddenly 
 ~ darted forward in 
 
 pursuit. 
 
 "Oh, stop him!" 
 cried Felix, in a tone 
 of fright. 
 
 ' ' Here, Perrito ! Perrito ! 
 back, back ! " shouted Diego, springing up 
 and running down the walk. But the cat 
 had swiftly mounted the low wall of the 
 garden, where he remained bristling and 
 growling, and Perrito came back to his 
 young master, who sharply rebuked him. 
 
 "Ah, little rogue," said Diego, as he re 
 turned, "thou must not 
 touch the cat, or we 
 shall banish thee. " ^ 
 
 "It is lucky that ( 
 Father Juan Perez did 
 not see your dog chase his V <r \ cat,'' 
 said Felix. "He values that \ beast 
 more than anything else in the world, they 
 say. He would have killed the dog, I 
 dare say, and thrown you out of his gates."
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 13 
 
 " Then I will be very careful after this," 
 said Diego, looking a little alarmed. 
 
 "What what did you say about the 
 world ? " asked Felix, with some hesitation. 
 
 ' ' Oh, I said the world is round like a ball. 
 -Lie down, Perrito." 
 
 "Round!" 
 
 ' ' Yes, my father has studied it and 
 knows all about it. These are delicious figs. " 
 
 " Is it possible ! " cried Felix, amazed. 
 ' ' But how do the people on the under side 
 stay on ? " 
 
 ' ' There is no under side. The world 
 seems the same to them that it does to us." 
 
 "Astonishing! And are the king and 
 queen going to give your father ships ? " 
 
 * ' No, he has waited seven years ; but 
 their Highnesses are forever fighting the 
 Moors, and cannot listen to us. Now, we 
 are going to France to ask the French king 
 to help us. If he refuses, we will go to the 
 king of England, who wrote to my father 
 and invited him to come. I read the letter 
 myself." 
 
 "What! can you read?" asked Felix, 
 with deep respect.
 
 14 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 " Yes, of course. Can you not read ? " 
 
 " N-o-o-o ! " exclaimed Felix, as if Diego 
 had asked him if he could fly. " How wise 
 you must be. Ah, how I wish I could 
 learn to read ! " 
 
 "You can learn," replied Diego. 
 
 " Impossible ! " said Felix gloomily. 
 
 While Diego was giving his companion 
 more astonishing information about the 
 world, Father Juan Perez appeared in the 
 cloister and called to Felix. 
 
 'Oh, bodkins !" cried that youth in dis 
 may, "I forgot all about my errand. My 
 master will be in a dreadful passion when I 
 get back. The yardstick will dance over 
 my back just as lively as it used to when 
 the world was flat. But I will stuff my 
 jacket with dry grass." With these words 
 he seized his bundle and hurried to where 
 the Superior stood in the cloister. 
 
 "Reverend Father," he said, "here is 
 your new cassock which Ignacio Diaz has 
 sent to you." 
 
 " Very well," replied the priest. " Now, 
 listen to me and carefully obey my direc 
 tions. When you return to Palos, go at
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 15 
 
 once to the house of the physician, Garcia 
 Fernandez. Give him my compliments, 
 and say that I request him to come to La 
 Kabida at an early hour to-morrow, on 
 business of the highest importance. Here 
 is a letter for him which will explain it. 
 Be careful and give it to no one but the 
 doctor himself. Do you understand ? " 
 
 "Yes, Father." 
 
 "Very well. Go now, for you should 
 not vex your master by idle delay." 
 
 As Felix passed the porter's lodge, he 
 saw Tortosa sitting with his crossbow in 
 his hands. The old sol- 
 
 Cr7 _ D ci i "$T\ 
 
 dier called to him, - ' 
 
 " Does that dog seem 
 quiet yet, Felix?" 
 
 "He has just chased 
 the Superior's cat 
 upon the wall," replied 
 Felix, a little mischie 
 vously. 
 
 " Ah-h !" gasped Tortosa. Then he con 
 tinued eagerly, " But if he should hurt 
 the cat, Father Juan Perez would hang 
 him without mercy."
 
 16 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "What are you doing with your cross 
 bow?" asked Felix. 
 
 " My trusty weapon shall not leave my 
 hand till that dangerous beast has gone," 
 groaned the soldier. 
 
 "Oh, Tortosa," cried Felix, suddenly, 
 
 " did you know that the world is round ? " 
 
 For a few moments the soldier gazed at 
 
 the boy with silent terror. Then he roared, 
 
 as he stretched out his hand for an arrow, 
 
 "Hast thou 
 been playing 
 with the dog ? 
 Art thou in 
 fected with 
 madness? Be 
 gone ! " And 
 Felix, who 
 knew the old 
 archer's ex 
 treme fear of mad dogs, fled at once, with 
 out waiting for any further discussion of 
 geographical problems. 
 
 When Felix reached Palos, he hastened 
 to execute the priest's commission, and 
 then returned to the shop. His gloomy
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 17 
 
 expectations in regard to the yardstick 
 were almost forgotten in the remembrance 
 of the strange boy who had so coolly an 
 nounced such astonishing things. 
 
 When he entered, he saw that the dis 
 dainful cavalier was still there. But his 
 attention was immediately drawn to Ignacio 
 Diaz, whose face wore a look of dread 
 ful meaning, and whose fat hand was 
 already reaching for the well-worn stick. 
 
 "So you have been idling again," cried 
 the tailor. "And where is the old cassock? 
 Where is it, stupid ? Answer me !" 
 
 "I I forgot to ask for it, " stammered 
 Felix; "but " 
 
 ' ' No more ; 'tis sufficient. Pardon me, 
 Sefior, that I am obliged to correct an idle, 
 disobedient scamp in your presence." 
 
 ' ' Oh, proceed with the punishment ; do 
 not hesitate on my account," replied the 
 cavalier, with his unpleasant laugh. 
 
 The yardstick was already executing cir 
 cles in the air, when Felix cried out desper 
 ately, - 
 
 ' ' But hear me speak, master, and you, 
 too, Sefior Caballero. The world is round ! "
 
 18 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 The tailor dropped his stick and stepped 
 back, with a look of fright on his face. 
 " Little heretic ! " he gasped. 
 But the effect produced on the strange 
 cavalier by the boy's announcement was 
 very singular. He sprang out of the rude 
 chair with such violence that a long rent 
 appeared in his cloak. Ignoring that acci 
 dent, he caught Felix by both 
 arms and shook him till his teeth 
 rattled. 
 
 ' ' Where did you learn 
 that ? Speak ! " he cried 
 sternly, and shook the 
 frightened boy again. 
 
 ' ' At the convent, at 
 La Rabida," cried Felix, 
 while the tailor looked 
 on in astonishment. 
 
 "Who told you? An 
 swer ! " 
 
 "A boy, a stranger. He and his father 
 came there. The boy said his father knew 
 everything." 
 
 " What was his name ? Quick ! " 
 " His name was Co Col "
 
 THE WORLD IS ROUND. 19 
 
 ' ' Columbus ! " cried the cavalier. 
 
 "Yes, Senor." 
 
 " Zooks !" cried the tailor. "Your Co- 
 Col what-d'ye-call-him, must be out of his 
 senses. Was he a sick man, blockhead ? " 
 
 ' ' No, " replied Felix. Then his counte 
 nance fell as he continued, "But Father 
 Juan Perez told me to tell the doctor, Gar 
 cia Fernandez, to come out to the convent." 
 
 "Exactly. I told you so," cried the 
 tailor with complacency. 
 
 ' ' When is he going out ? " asked the 
 stranger, tightening his grip again. 
 
 "To-morrow morning." 
 
 "Good." 
 
 The cavalier gave Felix a rude push. 
 Then he said calmly, - 
 
 ' ' Ah, I have torn my cloak. Here, boy, 
 mend it for me, and I will give thee a 
 ducat." 
 
 He flung the garment to Felix, who at 
 once mounted his table and threaded his 
 needle. 
 
 He took up the cloak, which was of costly 
 cloth and scented with a peculiar and agree 
 able perfume.
 
 20 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 When the rent was neatly mended, the 
 cavalier threw the cloak over his shoulders 
 and carelessly tossed to Felix two ducats. 
 
 ' ' There is another for the fright I caused 
 thee," he said, and left the shop without 
 further words. 
 
 When he had gone, Ignacio Diaz pounced 
 upon his apprentice and took possession of 
 the ducats. 
 
 "He gave them to me," protested Felix. 
 
 ' ' To thee, small animal ! What need 
 hast thou for ducats ? Be thankful that I do 
 not take down the yardstick again. Here, 
 sew up these doublet seams. In the morn 
 ing, when thou hast finished them, go to La 
 Eabida and get the old cassock. Forget it 
 again and I will flay thee. But, hark thee, 
 while there learn what thou canst of this 
 crazy stranger." 
 
 Felix could hardly close his eyes that 
 night. He was thinking of his amiable new 
 acquaintance, Diego Columbus, who had 
 called him caballero. He longed for the 
 morning, when he could finish his seams 
 and hasten to the convent.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 V 
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 
 
 EARLY the next morning, Felix sprang 
 from his bed and began his usual task of 
 sweeping the shop. Hitherto he had been 
 a great sluggard. Often had the angry 
 tailor awakened him in a very 
 sudden and painful manner. 
 He had lived like a young 
 animal, without ambition or 
 thought for the future. But 
 now a grand idea was ger 
 minating in his mind. 
 
 " What miracle has been 
 wrought in thee ? " cried 
 Ignacio Diaz, when he en 
 tered the shop and saw the 
 place clean and in order, and Felix already 
 at work. But he continued, with a frown, 
 "Don't think thou canst hide anything 
 from me. I see thou art planning to ask 
 for a holiday." 
 
 A little later in the morning the physi 
 cian, Garcia Fernandez, emerged from his
 
 22 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 house, and was about to mount his mule 
 and set out for the convent, when a cavalier 
 in a cloak and green doublet approached 
 and saluted him. 
 
 1 ' Senor Fernandez, " he said, ' ' do not be 
 surprised that I know your destination this 
 morning. I learned it by a happy accident. 
 You are about to visit one of the most 
 learned men of this age, Senor Columbus, 
 who has not yet received the distinction he 
 merits. Though I am not personally ac 
 quainted with him, I have heard of his sub 
 lime projects, and I ask, as a great favor, 
 that you permit me to accompany you to the 
 convent of La Rabida, that I may meet the 
 man for whom I have a great admira 
 tion. My name is Don Juan Vascona." 
 
 "I do not know you," replied the phy 
 sician bluntly ; ' ' but you seem to know 
 more of this Columbus than I know. You 
 may go with me to La Eabida if you wish. 
 Senor Columbus will please himself about 
 receiving you. Have you a mule ? " 
 
 ' ' I thank you, Senor. My horse is wait 
 ing in the next street." 
 
 In a few moments the cavalier returned,
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 
 
 23 
 
 mounted on a fine black horse, and he and the 
 physician set out together for the convent. 
 
 Leaving their animals at the gate, they 
 were admitted by Tortosa, who saluted Senor 
 Fernandez with 
 respectful famil 
 iarity. 
 
 " Where is 
 Father Juan 
 Perez?" asked 
 the physician. 
 
 ' ' I think he is 
 with the strange 
 man who came 
 yesterday, 
 Senor," replied 
 Tortosa. ' ' I sus 
 pect you are wanted, Doc 
 tor," he continued, tap 
 ping his head mysteriously. ' * The brothers 
 have been telling me queer tales about him. 
 They say the poor man thinks that the 
 world is round like an orange ! " 
 
 The physician burst into a loud laugh. 
 Bending forward, he said to the porter in 
 an impressive whisper,
 
 24 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 " And what if the world is round ? " 
 
 ''Santa Maria! You are fond of jok 
 ing, Senor," muttered Tortosa, crossing 
 himself. Suddenly he retreated into his 
 lodge, as he saw Diego and his dog ap 
 proaching. 
 
 "Pass on, Senores," he said. "There is 
 the poor man's son. He will conduct you 
 to his father. May the saints hasten his 
 recovery. " 
 
 The doctor laughed again, and crossed the 
 courtyard to meet Diego, followed by Vas- 
 cofia. 
 
 " Good morning, my boy," said the phy 
 sician. ' ' Will you conduct us to your 
 father, Senor Columbus ? " 
 
 "Yes, Senor," replied Diego, promptly 
 wheeling about to lead the way. As Fer 
 nandez followed him through the cloister, 
 he heard Vascona call out, - 
 
 "Hold, Senor, bid the boy call off this 
 beastly dog." 
 
 Looking back, they saw the bloodhound 
 planted in Vascona's path, bristling, and 
 uttering low growls whenever the cavalier 
 tried to advance.
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 
 
 25 
 
 1 1 perrito ! What are you about ? Come 
 here ! " called Diego, stamping his foot. 
 
 The dog, after casting several wistful 
 glances from his master to Vascona, turned 
 and trotted back to Diego, wagging his tail 
 
 solemnly, as if to say, I have done my duty. 
 I now leave the responsibility with you. 
 
 In a few moments Diego ushered the two 
 gentlemen into a large apartment opening 
 off the cloister. A heavy table stood in the 
 centre of the room, and at this table were
 
 26 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 seated four men earnestly poring over a 
 number of maps and charts. One was 
 Father Juan Perez, pale and scholarly. 
 Another, with powerful figure and bronzed 
 features, was Martin Alonzo Pinzon, the 
 wealthy and enterprising sea captain of 
 Palos. The third, able, intelligent, and 
 alert, was Sebastian Rodriguez, the cele 
 brated pilot. The fourth was Christopher 
 Columbus. With his noble white head and 
 commanding form, he was the most strik 
 ing figure of the group. His gray eyes 
 were flashing with enthusiasm as he un 
 folded his plans to his auditors. 
 
 The physician's entrance was hailed with 
 joy, for his scientific attainments had 
 placed him high in the estimation of his 
 friends. But they all gazed at Vascona 
 with surprise and questioning looks. 
 
 The cavalier, observing this, at once 
 introduced himself, and addressed Colum 
 bus with fervid and artful eloquence, 
 affirming the deep interest he had always 
 taken in nautical science, and his in 
 tense desire to meet the learned Columbus, 
 of whom he had heard so much. This,
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 27 
 
 he said, must be his excuse for intrud 
 ing upon them, but he trusted they 
 would kindly permit him to join in a dis 
 cussion which interested him so deeply. 
 
 "Senor," replied Columbus, with a gra 
 cious and benignant smile, "I rejoice to 
 meet one who loves science, and who de 
 sires further knowledge. There is nothing 
 here which we wish to conceal from honest 
 men. Join our circle, if you wish, and freely 
 discuss these great problems with us." 
 
 Fernandez and Vascona took seats at the 
 table, and Columbus proceeded to explain 
 his sublime theories of our world, the 
 greatness of which even he never fully 
 comprehended. 
 
 In the midst of the discussion, Vascona 
 rose and approached Columbus in order 
 better to see a chart which the latter was 
 explaining. When he resumed his seat, he 
 observed that Columbus had suddenly be 
 come silent and was regarding him with a 
 grave and searching look. As the company 
 noted this with surprise, Columbus spoke, 
 
 ' ' Senor Vascona, I beg that you will not 
 be offended, nor take it as a reflection on
 
 28 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 yourself ; but I must request that you with 
 draw from this council/' 
 
 "How, Senor!" cried Vascona, springing 
 up, "this is an insult." 
 
 "No, do not regard it so," returned Co 
 lumbus calmly and gravely. ' ' But I re 
 main firm in my demand. If you refuse, 
 then this discussion must end." 
 
 The cavalier was very angry, and furious 
 words seemed about to burst from his lips ; 
 but, restraining himself with a great effort, 
 he said, 
 
 ' ' This is singular usage, and I would be 
 justified in demanding satisfaction ; but I 
 will comply with your capricious request." 
 
 Taking his broad hat, he stepped to the 
 door. 
 
 "Senor," said Father Juan Perez, who 
 felt sorry for the cavalier, ' ' the convent is 
 yours. Pray repose yourself in the garden, 
 and join us at dinner." 
 
 "Thanks, I shall return to Palos," re 
 plied Vascona haughtily, as he left the 
 room. 
 
 " Senores," said Columbus, after a pause, 
 "my treatment of the young gentleman
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 29 
 
 may have seemed capricious. Neverthe 
 less, I had a reason for it. I think you are 
 all aware of the intense jealousy with 
 which the king of Portugal regarded my 
 application to the Court of Spain, and of 
 his endeavors to have me return to him. 
 He has spies at the Spanish Court who 
 keep him well informed of what passes 
 there. When this young cavalier ap 
 proached me to look at the map, I detected 
 a perfume about his dress which is much 
 used by the dandies of the Portuguese 
 Court. My suspicions were aroused, and 
 I deemed it best to exclude a possible emis 
 sary of Portugal from our conference. " 
 
 The others expressed their surprise and 
 satisfaction, and the discussion was re 
 sumed. 
 
 Meanwhile Felix had finished his morn 
 ing work with a rapidity that deeply aston 
 ished Ignacio Diaz, and the tailor began 
 to indulge in pleasant calculations of his 
 possible gains, provided his apprentice's fit 
 of industry endured. 
 
 At last Felix, in high spirits, set out for 
 the convent to get the Superior's old cas-
 
 30 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 sock. Tortosa admitted him. The soldier 
 had his crossbow in hand. 
 
 ' ' Ha, Felix ! " he cried suspiciously, 
 ' ' dost thou feel perfectly well this morn 
 ing?" 
 
 "I never felt better," replied Felix, 
 laughing. "Where is Father Juan Perez? 
 I want to get his old cassock." 
 
 ' ' Alas ! he is with the poor sick gen 
 tleman. Dr. Garcia Fernandez has just 
 come to see him. Another gentleman 
 came with the doctor ; no doubt he is a 
 notary summoned to write the poor man's 
 will. Yet I don't see what he has to be 
 queath, except a good name, for every one 
 can see that he is a true gentleman. Well, 
 a good name is a blessed legacy. But thou 
 wouldst best not disturb them now." 
 
 "What ! is Senor Columbus sick ? " cried 
 Felix. 
 
 " Here, here," said Tortosa, tapping his 
 forehead. ' ' He believes that the world is 
 round." 
 
 " Perhaps the world is round," replied 
 Felix boldly. 
 
 1 'No more of that," cried Tortosa se-
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 
 
 31 
 
 verely. " I love a harmless joke, but that 
 is rank blasphemy." 
 
 "Where is his son, Diego ? " asked Felix, 
 avoiding the dangerous subject. 
 
 1 ' Oh, he is about with that terrible dog. 
 Thou shouldst have heard the brute snarl 
 at the fine young gentleman who came 
 with the doctor Fernandez. I took down 
 my crossbow in a hurry." 
 
 "Come, Tortosa," 
 cried Felix, "let us go 
 and find the boy. I 
 like him well, and he 
 must be lonely here. 
 Let us shoot at a mark 
 with your crossbow." 
 
 After some demur, 
 Tortosa consented, and 
 they went to the garden, 
 where they found Diego 
 seated on a bench, with 
 his dog at his feet. On the top of the 
 garden wall sat the big black cat intently 
 watching the intruders on his domain. 
 
 " Good morning, Senor," called Felix, 
 joyously.
 
 32 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "How do you do, caballero," responded 
 Diego, in his gentle, pleasant tones. 
 
 ' ' Can you send your dog away ? " asked 
 Felix. ' ' Tortosa doesn't like dogs ; and if 
 you will, he'll let us shoot at a mark with 
 his crossbow." 
 
 " Very well," said Diego ; and taking the 
 dog over into the cloister, he placed his cap 
 on the floor, and bade him watch it, and 
 
 then returned to 
 Tortosa and Felix. 
 
 Felix now placed 
 a mark against a 
 bank of earth near 
 the fountain, 
 and the three 
 took turns in 
 shooting. The 
 bow was 
 powerful, 
 the string 
 being drawn 
 shot an arrow 
 
 it 
 
 back by a winch, and 
 with prodigious force. 
 
 Tortosa, who had carried the weapon 
 through many campaigns, was an expert
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 33 
 
 marksman ; and Felix, who had sometimes 
 practised with him, could make some cred 
 itable shots. But the sport was new to Diego, 
 and his arrows flew about at random. 
 
 While they were thus pleasantly engaged, 
 a sound of distant shouts and screams was 
 borne to their ears. After listening a mo 
 ment, Tortosa said that he would go and 
 see what it meant. He returned to the 
 gate, and the boys followed him. 
 
 As they stepped outside, a frightful scene 
 met their eyes. A mad dog came rushing 
 across the open ground in front of the con 
 vent, followed at a distance by a yelling 
 rabble armed with clubs and pitchforks. 
 
 The animal was howling and frothing 
 at the mouth in a dreadful manner, and 
 he came along with great speed directly 
 toward Tortosa and the boys as they stood 
 at the gate. 
 
 Tortosa, who had coolly stood in the front 
 of a score of battles when the air was dark 
 with whizzing missiles, and who had climbed 
 many a bloody scaling-ladder as if going to a 
 feast, was horror-struck by this one danger 
 that he dreaded, and stood like a stone image.
 
 34 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "Back! Back inside, and shut the 
 gate," screamed Felix, seizing Tortosa's 
 arm. But at that moment a fresh alarm 
 was added. Perrito, who could not bear to 
 be left behind, had slowly followed them, 
 bringing Diego's cap in his mouth. Hear 
 ing the uproar, he darted out of the gate 
 and stood glaring at the mad animal ap 
 proaching him, and quivering in the act of 
 rushing forward to meet him. 
 
 Diego, realizing the danger, threw him 
 self forward and clasped Perrito around the 
 neck. It happened that Felix had the 
 crossbow in his hand, he having been about 
 to shoot when they heard the outcry. Now 
 he saw that this was their only salvation. 
 Quickly he placed an arrow on the string, 
 and clapped the stock against his breast. 
 His muscles seemed to harden like steel. 
 There was a sharp twang. The arrow 
 pierced the mad dog's breast, and the poor 
 beast rolled lifeless on the ground. 
 
 Pale with fright, Diego dragged Perrito 
 inside the gate. The people approached 
 and gazed at the dead dog, and finally 
 dragged him away to bury him.
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 35 
 
 Felix, trembling a little now the danger 
 was over, handed the crossbow to Tortosa. 
 The soldier's brown face flushed as he an 
 swered bluntly, and with a sort of emo 
 tion, 
 
 "Keep it." 
 
 "It is your turn to shoot," said Felix. 
 
 The soldier seemed surprised at his cool 
 ness. He laid his hand on the boy's shoul 
 der and said gravely, 
 
 "Thou hast done a brave deed. My 
 crossbow is thine. Thou hast won it." 
 
 Tortosa was evidently humiliated at hav 
 ing lost his presence of mind at the moment 
 of danger. Felix blushed with pleasure. 
 To be praised was a new experience to him. 
 He could hardly realize that the veteran 
 archer had actually given him the cross 
 bow that he had borne in the wars of 
 Spain. 
 
 Presently they all returned to the garden 
 and sat on a bench by the fountain, and 
 Tortosa, in a subdued voice, began to tell 
 the boys old legends of the convent concern 
 ing mad dogs, and the miraculous way in 
 which the evil was allayed in ancient times.
 
 36 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "A long time ago," he said, "there was a 
 terrible plague of mad dogs in this part of 
 Andalusia. It is very bad now, but it was 
 a great deal worse then. At last a very 
 good and pious monk placed an image of 
 the Madonna in the chapel of the convent, 
 and it was caUed ' Our Lady of Kabida.' 
 
 ' ' So great was the power of this image 
 that the evil of mad dogs was almost en 
 tirely put an end to, and great was the joy 
 of the people. 
 
 ' ' Then came the dreadful time when the 
 Moors invaded Spain and approached La 
 Eabida. All the monks fled save one, who 
 lingered, determined to save the sacred 
 image. He bore it from the chapel and 
 buried it in the ground. But before he 
 could escape, the Moors came and captured 
 him. They thought he had been burying 
 treasure, and tried to make him reveal the 
 hiding-place ; and as he would not do it, 
 they cut off his head with a scimiter. 
 
 * ' The image has never been found, and 
 the brothers of the convent say that the 
 ghost of the monk still walks the cloisters 
 at night, and will always do so until Our
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 37 
 
 Lady of Eabida is found and restored to the 
 chapel. " 
 
 ' ' Have you ever seen the ghost ? " asked 
 Felix breathlessly. 
 
 "Do you believe it?" inquired Diego 
 calmly. 
 
 "I have never seen it," replied Tortosa, 
 "but I don't like to walk in the cloisters 
 late at night. I wish that the image might 
 be found so that the monk could rest in 
 peace, and there would be an end to mad 
 ness hi dogs." 
 
 At that moment Perrito, whom Diego 
 had left in the cloister, came slowly toward 
 them, snuffing the air and giving an occa 
 sional low growl. 
 
 " See that dog ! " cried Tortosa, rising to 
 his feet in alarm. ' ' He's coming this way. 
 Call him off, Diego." 
 
 "No," replied Diego, " he will not touch 
 you. I don't understand what he means. 
 Let us watch him." 
 
 "Mad, most likely," muttered Tortosa 
 apprehensively. 
 
 The dog continued to advance till he 
 had passed the bench and stood beside a
 
 38 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 thick clump of shubbery a few feet away. 
 Suddenly, with a loud bay, he charged 
 into the bushes, and instantly a violent 
 combat took place there. The fierce growls 
 of the dog were mingled with the loud im 
 precations of a man. 
 
 Tortosa and the boys sprang forward, 
 
 and at the same moment Seiior Vascona 
 and Perrito tumbled out of the bushes, the 
 cavalier kicking and struggling and reach 
 ing for his sword, while the dog held him 
 firmly by the arm.
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 39 
 
 Diego ran forward and with difficulty 
 made Perrito loosen his hold, and dragged 
 him away. The cavalier drew his sword 
 and furiously advanced to run the dog 
 through. Tortosa at once confronted him, 
 with the coolness of an old soldier, and 
 said, 
 
 ' ' Put up your sword, Senor. Why were 
 you concealed in the garden ? " 
 
 At that moment Columbus and his com 
 panions appeared, having heard the outcry 
 and the struggle. They were soon ap 
 prised of the cause of the tumult. Vascofia 
 cried angrily, 
 
 ' ' I had the reverend Father's permission 
 to walk in this garden, and overhearing the 
 porter telling an idle tale to the boys, I 
 paused to listen, and then that savage dog 
 attacked me." 
 
 "I regret, Senor," replied Father Juan 
 Perez, with cool courtesy, ' ' that you have 
 not had a pleasanter visit to La Rabida. 
 But as it is, the best we can do is to bid 
 you God- speed. Adieu, Senor ; I trust the 
 occasion of our next meeting may be more 
 agreeable."
 
 40 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Thus being dismissed, the cavalier swal 
 lowed his anger as well as he could and 
 haughtily departed ; and presently they 
 heard the clatter of his horse's hoofs on the 
 road. 
 
 This matter being concluded, Columbus 
 and his friends resumed their conversation. 
 Father Juan Perez handed a letter to the 
 pilot, Sebastian Rodriguez, and said, - 
 
 ' ' Senor Rodriguez, you will deliver my 
 letter to the queen again beseeching her 
 Highness to favor the project of Senor Co 
 lumbus. No one could perform the mis 
 sion better." 
 
 "I shall depart this very night," replied 
 Rodriguez. 
 
 Felix had bade Diego good -by, and was 
 accompanying Tortosa to the gate. He 
 again offered the archer his crossbow, but 
 Tortosa assured him that it was his. Felix 
 then requested him to keep it for him, lest 
 the tailor should seize and sell it. 
 
 Felix had nearly reached Palos before it 
 occurred to him that he had again forgotten 
 to ask for the old cassock. 
 
 He knew that Ignacio Diaz was very cu-
 
 FELIX WINS THE CROSSBOW. 41 
 
 rious. With the cunning that tyranny had 
 taught him, he resolved to burst into the 
 shop and overwhelm his master with a 
 startling and lurid tale of the day's adven 
 tures, and so avoid his ancient enemy that 
 hung on the wall.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 
 
 Two weeks passed without any tidings 
 from the messenger to the Court. Ignacio 
 Diaz had not sent Felix again to La Eabida. 
 The old cassock, he thought, would furnish 
 an excuse to send him when the pilot had 
 returned and the news might be obtained. 
 
 But one day Diaz, standing in the door 
 of his shop, saw Sebastian Rodriguez ride 
 by on a mule and take the road to the 
 convent.
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 43 
 
 "Felix," cried the tailor, "Senor Rod 
 riguez has returned. He is going to La 
 Eabida. Follow him at once, and find out, 
 if thou canst, the result of this applica 
 tion to the queen. And Oh, yes, get the 
 old cassock, do you hear?" 
 
 Felix, very well pleased that the tailor's 
 curiosity was giving him a half-holiday, 
 was soon on his way to the convent. 
 
 When he arrived, Tortosa informed him 
 that Fernandez, Pinzon, Eodriguez, Father 
 Juan Perez, and Columbus were all in ear 
 nest and excited council together, and that 
 the message brought by the pilot seemed 
 to have pleased them all very much. 
 
 Felix and Tortosa went to the garden, 
 where they found Diego and Perrito. The 
 Superior's big cat sat on the top of the wall as 
 usual sunning himself and keeping one eye 
 on the dog, and the other on a noisy flock 
 of blackbirds in a fig-tree near by. 
 
 Tortosa sat down on a bench, with Felix 
 on one side and Diego on the other, and 
 told them tales of battles and sieges. 
 
 Then Felix ran to fetch the crossbow, 
 and they began shooting at a mark. Their
 
 44 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 hearts were light, and the sport went 
 merrily on, until it was suddenly cut short 
 by a dismal catastrophe. 
 
 Diego could not handle the crossbow 
 very well, and his arrows usually flew wide 
 of the mark. At last one of these unlucky 
 shafts, flying across the garden, glanced on 
 the bole of a lemon-tree and darted off at a 
 sharp angle. The unfortunate cat hap 
 pened to be lying in its path and was in 
 stantly transfixed. He gave a wild leap 
 and fell to the ground, dead. 
 
 There was the deepest consternation 
 among the archers. 
 Even the veteran Tor- 
 tosa turned pale. They 
 went over and stood 
 around the body of 
 the unlucky cat. 
 
 "This is very bad," muttered Tortosa at 
 last. "The Superior will be terribly angry. 
 This cat formerly belonged to his aged 
 uncle, whom he regarded with the greatest 
 veneration. The old gentleman went to 
 glory three years ago, and left the Superior 
 his money and his cat, charging him to
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 45 
 
 care for the beast as if it were his own 
 child. And he has done so. The brothers 
 here once told me of a poor monk who 
 struck the cat one day with a willow switch 
 because he jumped on the table in the 
 refectory and lapped all the cream off the 
 milk. As a penance for striking the cat, 
 Father Juan Perez made the monk go on a 
 pilgrimage with peas in his shoes, and they 
 say he hasn't got back yet. So, ever since, 
 the brothers have had the milk, and the cat 
 has had the cream." 
 
 ' ' Oh, what will he do to me ! What 
 shall I do ? " cried Diego, in distress. 
 
 ' ' Very likely he will not help your father 
 any more, and turn you both out of the 
 convent. It might be worse than that, 
 too," said Felix gloomily. 
 
 "Oh, this is dreadful!" sighed Diego. 
 ' ' My poor father, and the poor cat. 
 Why did I ever shoot the arrow ! " 
 
 "Listen," whispered Tortosa, tragically. 
 "Let us bury the cat in the garden, and no 
 one will be the wiser." 
 
 They looked at one another with agi 
 tation.
 
 46 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "Would it be right?" murmured Diego. 
 If not an honest way out of the difficulty, 
 it certainly seemed the easiest. But this 
 little plan suddenly became impracticable. 
 A heavy step was heard behind them, and 
 turning in alarm they beheld Father Tor- 
 ribio, one of the prefects of the convent, a 
 cold, stern, implacable man. A dark frown 
 was on his face, and he surveyed the trem 
 bling group with fierce eyes. 
 
 "Who has done this?" he asked harshly. 
 "Who has shot the Superior's cat? An 
 swer me, Lorenzo Tortosa, instantly ! " 
 "I was just just reproving the boys," 
 stammered Tortosa. 
 "Who shot the 
 cat?" repeated the 
 prefect angrily. 
 
 "I did, "said Felix, 
 courageously step 
 ping forward. 
 
 "Thou bold ras 
 cal ! " cried the pre 
 fect, seizing him by 
 the arm. "Come with me. Thou shalt 
 receive an hundred lashes, and be sent to 
 the gaol."
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 47 
 
 With these ominous words, he dragged 
 Felix away and locked him up in a dark 
 cell, where he remained for what seemed a 
 long time in fear and suspense. 
 
 When night had fallen, the door of Fe 
 lix's prison was suddenly opened and one of 
 the brothers or inferiors of the convent 
 entered hastily, holding in one hand a taper 
 which he carefully shaded with the other. 
 Felix gazed at him with fear, thinking that 
 he might have been sent to bring him to 
 punishment ; but the brother, after regard 
 ing him for a moment, gave a short laugh 
 and said, 
 
 ' ' Little brother, thou hast done us a 
 great service. Thou hast slain our tyrant. 
 Now, thank heaven we shall sit at the 
 second table. Hitherto it has been, first, 
 the Fathers, then the cat, and lastly, we 
 poor sinners. Come with me and I will see 
 thee safely out of the gate, for I and my 
 companions would not see thee abandoned 
 to the anger of Father Torribio." 
 
 With these words the monk led the way 
 into the cloisters and thence to the gate, 
 where Tortosa was waiting to let Felix out.
 
 48 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 " Make thy little legs fly, brother," whis 
 pered the jovial monk, as he departed. 
 
 Felix did not return to Palos, but turned 
 his face in the direction of Granada, at that 
 time the scene of fierce war between the 
 Spaniards and the Moors. Although he had 
 boldly taken upon himself the blame for the 
 
 death of the cat, yet he felt terrified at the 
 thought of the punishment that might fall 
 upon him. He resolved to take final leave 
 of all his old associations and seek his for 
 tune elsewhere. He regretted that he had 
 not asked Tortosa for the crossbow. 
 
 He walked for the greater part of the 
 night, lighted on his way by a brilliant
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 49 
 
 moon. Towards morning, hungry and 
 weary, he lay down under a tree by the 
 roadside and fell asleep. 
 
 When he awoke, the moon, now growing 
 pale, hung over the mountains in the west, 
 and the pure morning light was streaming 
 over the earth. A man holding a mule by 
 the bridle stood beside him. Felix sat up 
 and gazed at the stranger with surprise. 
 The next moment he recoiled with a sensa 
 tion of fear. The man was Father Juan 
 Perez. 
 
 "Where art thou going, Felix?" asked 
 the priest, in a gentle voice. 
 
 "I I don't know," stammered Felix. 
 
 "Thou art fleeing from punishment," 
 said Juan Perez. ' ' Didst thou kill my cat ? " 
 
 "Yes," murmured Felix. 
 
 " Son," said the priest, laying his hand 
 kindly on the boy's head, "I admire thy 
 generous courage in trying to save thy com 
 panion at thy own expense, but I must 
 blame thee for thy falsehood. I saw the 
 whole affair from the cloisters, and know 
 that it was the son of Columbus who killed 
 the cat.
 
 50 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "When I heard thee avow the act, I 
 remained silent, desiring to see how the 
 boy would bear himself in the matter. 
 Had he said nothing, and let the punish 
 ment fall on an innocent person, my zeal 
 for Columbus would have waned, for I 
 should have suspected the father of such 
 a son. But before night, Diego came to me 
 and confessed everything, and begged that 
 thou shouldst be set at liberty. 
 
 ' ' I was then preparing to set out for 
 Court in obedience to the command of her 
 Highness Queen Isabella. Forgetting thee, 
 I left the convent at midnight, and have 
 travelled all night, much regretting that I 
 had not informed Father Torribio of thy 
 innocence. But only a few moments ago 
 I was surprised to find thee sleeping under 
 this tree." 
 
 Felix sprang up with a heavy load re 
 moved from his spirits. But a sudden fear 
 for Diego and his father checked his joy. 
 
 "I hope you will not punish Diego," he 
 said. " He did not mean to do it." 
 
 ' ' The consequences of the accident are 
 somewhat serious to me," said Juan Perez.
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 51 
 
 "According to the singular terms of my 
 uncle's will, the convent loses a large sum 
 of money by the violent death of the cat. 
 Nevertheless, I have pardoned the boy. He 
 is brave and conscientious." 
 
 The priest reflected a moment, and then 
 asked, - 
 
 " How didst thou escape ? " 
 
 Felix hung his head and replied, 
 
 ' ' I would rather not tell. " 
 
 ' ' Very well, child, " said the kind priest, 
 "I will not press thee. Perhaps it is bet 
 ter that thou shouldst not return immedi 
 ately, as Father Torribio, not being aware 
 of thy innocence, might treat thee harshly. 
 Come with me. After reaching Court, I may 
 need a trusty messenger to return to Palos." 
 
 The priest mounted his mule, and Felix 
 walked beside him, and they soon reached 
 a village where they breakfasted with the 
 parish priest, who received them very hos 
 pitably. 
 
 Here Juan Perez obtained a donkey for 
 Felix to ride, and presently they resumed 
 their journey. Felix was very much elated 
 at the turn his affairs had taken.
 
 52 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 After travelling three days, they entered 
 the Vega of Granada, and riding over a 
 wide plain, devastated by war, reached the 
 military city of Santa Fe, built by Ferdi 
 nand and Isabella while besieging the city 
 of Granada. 
 
 Looming dimly in the smoky atmosphere, 
 
 they saw the far 
 extending walls of 
 the besieged city. 
 At a distance they 
 heard the heavy 
 detonations of can 
 non. Troops, and 
 intrenchments, and 
 engines of war ap 
 peared on every 
 side. In a low, 
 dark building Felix 
 saw a multitude of 
 wounded men, and dismal groans of pain 
 came to his ears. Several dead soldiers 
 lay beside the road, their white faces turned 
 upward. 
 
 Through these dreadful sights and sounds 
 they rode, and reached a chapel and con-
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 
 
 53 
 
 vent where dwelt a company of Franciscan 
 monks. Hastening from the awful atmos 
 phere of war, they entered a cool, dusky, 
 quiet courtyard, where the friars welcomed 
 them kindly, and led them away to repose 
 after the fatigues of their journey. 
 
 Here Felix quietly resided for several 
 days among the 
 monks, while Father 
 Juan Perez entered 
 the presence of the 
 sovereigns to plead 
 the cause of Colum 
 bus. 
 
 The monks were 
 very kind to Felix. 
 He ate with them 
 in the refectory, and 
 they tried to amuse 
 
 him as well as they could. One of them 
 took him about the warlike city, and he 
 saw the king and queen ride by in armor, 
 attended by a brilliant cavalcade of knights 
 and officers. 
 
 One evening Father Juan Perez returned 
 to the convent and called Felix to his side.
 
 54 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "My child," he said, "the time has 
 come when thou canst do me a service. I 
 must remain here for a time. Canst thou 
 faithfully bear a message to Palos ? " 
 
 " I will try," replied Felix, promptly. 
 
 ' ' Very well. I will trust thee, " said the 
 priest. ' ' Be ready to start early to-morrow 
 morning. Thou mayst ride my mule." 
 
 At an early hour the next morning Felix 
 sat on his mule in the courtyard receiving 
 the final directions of Father Juan Perez. 
 
 "Here is a letter for Sefior Columbus," 
 said the priest. ' ' Deliver it to the physi 
 cian, Garcia Fernandez, who will take it 
 to him. 
 
 ' ' Now, attend carefully. Here is a pack-' 
 age of money, twenty thousand mara- 
 vedis in florins, which her Highness 
 Queen Isabella sends to Senor Columbus. 
 Child, this is a proud day for thee. Thou 
 art a royal messenger. Consider how faith 
 ful thou shouldst be to deserve this great 
 honor. Here is money for thy expenses on 
 the road, and this note for Father Torribio 
 certifying to thy innocence in regard to the 
 cat. Now, go, and God be with thee."
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 55 
 
 Bidding adieu to the kind monks, Felix 
 set forth on his journey, with a feeling of 
 vast importance at the thought that he was 
 a royal messenger. To what honor he had 
 arisen in a few days ! He began to regard 
 the dingy shop of Ignacio Diaz as a butter 
 fly might regard its chrysalis. But in the 
 midst of his glory it occurred to Felix that 
 a few more days might see him again 
 seated on his table, in disagreeable prox 
 imity to the dancing yardstick. 
 
 He met with no accident on his journey, 
 though he guarded his letters and money 
 with an excessive care that would certainly 
 have awakened the suspicions of shrewd 
 thieves, had he met any. In due time he 
 triumphantly rode into Palos, and dis 
 mounted at the door of the physician, Gar 
 cia Fernandez. 
 
 The doctor was ill and sore, having un 
 fortunately fallen from his mule the day 
 before, but he hobbled to the door with 
 some excitement to receive the packets 
 from Father Juan Perez. 
 
 As Felix stood at the door while Garcia 
 Fernandez read his letter, he heard a
 
 56 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 stealthy step, and his arms were suddenly 
 seized from behind. Somewhat startled 
 he struggled with his captor, and, twisting 
 about, saw his master, Ignacio Diaz. 
 
 ' ' Ah, thou villain, thou runaway \ 
 Where hast thou been these ten days ? Is 
 this the way thou bringest me the news 
 the old cassock, I mean? Come with me, 
 jackanapes. The yardstick will loosen thy 
 tongue. Come, I say ! " 
 
 At that moment the tailor was petrified 
 by a terrible voice, the voice of Garcia 
 Fernandez. 
 
 "Do you court the rack or the gallows, 
 tailor? You have assaulted a royal mes 
 senger. Eelease him, instantly." 
 
 " Wh-what ! " stammered the tailor, with 
 amazement. 
 
 "Felix is at present a royal messenger. 
 You would better not interfere with him." 
 
 The tailor stumbled backward, took off 
 his hat and bowed several times, saying to 
 Felix obsequiously, 
 
 "I did not know it. I meant no harm, 
 sir. Believe me, I meant no harm. " Then 
 he remained staring at his apprentice,
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 57 
 
 while the physician calmly resumed his 
 reading. 
 
 When Garcia Fernandez had finished the 
 letters, he said to Felix, - 
 
 ' ' My boy, you must take the letter and 
 money to Senor Columbus at La Rabida. 
 I am so lame that I cannot go out to-day. 
 Hasten, for you bear good news." 
 
 As Felix again mounted his mule, he no 
 ticed a man wrapped in a cloak leaning 
 against the wall near by. His hat covered 
 his face, but for an instant, from beneath 
 the broad-laced brim, Felix caught the keen 
 black eyes of Don Juan Vascona fixed upon 
 him. Then he rode away toward the con 
 vent. 
 
 As he dismounted at the gate of La 
 Rabida, Tortosa emerged from his lodge 
 and gazed at him with astonishment. He 
 hurried out and embraced Felix joyfully. 
 
 ' ' Where dost thou come from, Felix ? 
 Oh, but I shiver to see thee here ! Father 
 Torribio is in a fearful rage. Thou wouldst 
 best skip it away again. Is it the Superi 
 or's mule. Where is Father Juan Perez ? " 
 
 "He is at Court, and I went with him,"
 
 58 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 replied Felix, full of excitement. ' ' He sent 
 me back with a letter for Sefior Columbus. 
 Where is he ? " 
 
 "Marvellous ! " cried Tortosa. "Ah, the 
 poor man will be glad to see thee. Let us 
 go find him." 
 
 They hastened to the garden, where they 
 found Columbus and Diego. Felix hurried 
 forward with vast importance and saluted 
 Columbus. 
 
 " Senor, " he said, "I come from Father 
 Juan Perez, who is now at Court. He 
 has sent this letter to you. Her Highness 
 Queen Isabella sends you this package of 
 money." 
 
 Columbus took the packets with deep 
 emotion. His hands trembled, and he was 
 very pale. But his mind was diverted for 
 a moment from these matters of supreme 
 importance, as Felix continued, with a 
 worldly shrewdness that he had learned 
 from the customers of Ignacio Diaz , 
 
 "Please give me a receipt for them, 
 Senor." 
 
 Columbus smiled, and overcame his agi 
 tation. He swiftly wrote a receipt and
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 59 
 
 handed it to Felix, who gazed at it with 
 awe, for he could not read it. Columbus 
 hurriedly opened his letters. 
 
 " Felix," whispered Tortosa and Diego, 
 almost at the same moment, "come, we 
 have something most wonderful to tell 
 thee." 
 
 Felix stepped aside with them, and Tor 
 tosa hastened to tell his story. 
 
 "The next day after thy departure," he 
 said, ' ' I took my spade and went to bury 
 the Superior's cat. I dug a grave under an 
 orange-tree, and while I was digging, the 
 spade struck something hard. I cleared 
 away the loose earth and looked down. 
 
 ' ' Then the few poor hairs that are left on 
 my pate stood straight up, for there was a 
 white face looking up at me from the bot 
 tom of the hole. I went away, but as I 
 stopped to cross myself, a sudden thought 
 turned me back and set me to digging like 
 a giant. In a few moments I had uncov 
 ered the image of Our Lady of Eabida, - 
 buried ever since the invasion of the Moors, 
 a little soiled and disfigured, but sound 
 and whole, thank heaven.
 
 60 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 ' ' Soon the whole convent was on the 
 spot, and she was borne in triumph to the 
 chapel. Ha, ha ! No more madness in 
 dogs. I need not fear Perrito now." 
 
 While Felix was expressing his wonder 
 and congratulations at this strange recovery, 
 they heard the voice of Columbus. He was 
 gazing upward and murmuring thanks to 
 God. Diego ran to his side. Columbus 
 embraced him, and cried joyfully, - 
 
 ''Joy, my dear Diego. The queen has 
 sent for me." They went away together. 
 
 At that moment an iron grip closed on 
 Felix's arm, and the harsh voice of Father 
 Torribio said, - 
 
 ' ' What ! thou impudent wretch ! Darest 
 thou return and defy me ? " 
 
 Felix at once presented the note from 
 Father Juan Perez. Father Torribio read 
 it, frowning. Then he said, 
 
 " Very well, if thou art innocent. But 
 thou must answer one question. Who re 
 leased thee from the cell ? " 
 
 " I would rather not tell." 
 
 ' ' Thou must tell. It is my duty to find 
 out, and I never neglect my duty. Tell me,
 
 A ROYAL MESSENGER. 61 
 
 or I shall imprison thee on bread and water 
 till thou dost." 
 
 " I cannot tell," replied Felix firmly. 
 
 So presently the royal messenger was 
 marched away and ignominiously locked 
 up in a cell adjoining Father Torribio's, 
 where no kindly disposed brother could 
 rescue him ; and there he supped all alone 
 on dry bread and pure, cold water.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 
 
 WHEN Columbus learned that Felix was 
 imprisoned, he earnestly interceded for 
 him, but in vain. The stern priest was 
 inflexible. 
 
 But the next day Columbus met Father 
 Torribio in the cloisters and informed him 
 of his intention to depart for the Court as 
 soon as he could conclude the necessary 
 preparations. 
 
 . " I am going to Palos to purchase cloth 
 ing and a mule," he said. "I would ask 
 that the boy Felix be permitted to accom 
 pany me, as I wish him to direct me to 
 suitable markets in the town." 
 
 "He is undergoing discipline," replied 
 Father Torribio grimly. " I can send with 
 you one of the brothers who can furnish 
 you the necessary information." 
 
 "I must have Felix," insisted Columbus, 
 1 ' as I wish also to converse with him in 
 regard to his visit to Granada." 
 
 "Very well, Sefior," replied Father Tor-
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 63 
 
 ribio, who hesitated to oppose a man who 
 had been summoned to the presence of 
 Queen Isabella. " But I must hold you re 
 sponsible for his return." 
 
 So in a few moments Felix was delivered 
 to Columbus, who greeted him with a 
 kindly smile, and presently they set out on 
 foot for Palos. 
 
 "Felix," whispered Tortosa, as they 
 passed the lodge, ' ' Sefior Columbus is a 
 good, kind-hearted gentleman. What a 
 pity it is that he has got that queer whim 
 in his head about the world being round ! " 
 
 On the way to Palos, Columbus talked 
 very kindly to Felix, who thought Diego 
 very fortunate in possessing such a father. 
 "When they entered the town, Columbus 
 paused at the door of an inn, and giving 
 Felix a florin, said, - 
 
 " This is in payment for thy services to 
 day. I will leave thee here for a time. 
 Enter the inn and refresh thyself as thou 
 wilt. I fear thou hast suffered a fast day 
 not in the calendar." 
 
 "I do not wish the money," replied Fe 
 lix. " I am glad to serve you, Sefior."
 
 64 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 1 ' Take it, " said Columbus. " Thou shalt 
 not serve me for nothing." And putting 
 the coin in the boy's hand, he went away. 
 
 About an hour later Columbus returned 
 mounted on a fine mule that he had just 
 purchased. He found Felix sitting in the 
 sun, and a certain rotundity and ruddiness 
 in the boy's appearance assured him that 
 the pantry of the inn furnished something 
 better than bread and water. 
 
 "Felix," said Columbus, gravely but 
 with a gleam of amusement in his eyes, 
 ' ' I notice a wondrous change in thee. 
 Come, now, and show me a tailor's shop, 
 for I must buy a suit of clothing." 
 
 ' * A tailor's shop ! " cried Felix. ' ' I can lead 
 you to the shop of my master, Ignacio Diaz." 
 
 " Ah, I remember. Diego told me that 
 thou art a tailor's boy. Very well. Is thy 
 master honest ? Has he good cloth ? " 
 
 " He has good cloth, but he will charge 
 you too much for it. And when people 
 pay him, they always ask for a receipt." 
 
 < ' Thy recommendation is rather dubious, 
 I think. But lead on. We will see the 
 goods of Senor Diaz."
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 65 
 
 They soon reached the shop, and were 
 received very obsequiously by the tailor. 
 Felix had evidently risen considerably in 
 his master's estimation, and he expressed 
 his sense of the importance of his customer 
 by asking three times the proper price for 
 the suit selected by Columbus. 
 
 And when Columbus paid the amount 
 asked without question, and without de 
 manding a receipt, Felix himself was sur 
 prised, and Ignacio Diaz was fully assured 
 of the correctness of his own judgment. 
 
 "Felix," whispered the tailor, drawing 
 his apprentice aside, ' ' thou hast fallen in 
 with rich and influential friends. Doubt 
 less thou hast secured a fine position. I 
 trust thou wilt remember that something 
 is due me if I release thee. One hundred 
 ducats will be a reasonable sum. Wilt 
 thou speak to thy employers about it ? " 
 
 After a little hesitation, Felix informed 
 his master that his fortunes were really the 
 reverse of brilliant, and that when he 
 escaped from imprisonment on bread and 
 water, he would be ready to return to 
 work.
 
 66 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 The tailor seemed much disappointed on 
 hearing this, for the one hundred ducats 
 had evidently figured very pleasingly in his 
 thoughts of late. 
 
 After making a few more purchases, 
 Columbus and Felix returned to the con 
 vent, and Felix was 
 soon immured in his 
 cell in company 
 with a jug of water 
 and a dry loaf. 
 
 But when he was 
 alone, the beauties 
 of forethought were 
 exemplified. From 
 his ample sash he 
 extracted a quantity 
 of cheese and cold 
 pork, which he pro 
 ceeded to feast upon with an appetite un 
 impaired by his remarkable performance 
 at the dinner table of the inn. 
 
 The next day Columbus departed for the 
 Court, and soon after a real time of trouble 
 began for Felix. 
 
 Unfortunately the vigilant Father Torri-
 
 THE MONK'S GHObT. 67 
 
 bio detected and confiscated the remnants 
 of hi 3 smuggled provisions. This discovery 
 excited the anger of the priest, and as Fe 
 lix still refused to tell who had released 
 him, he was subjected to actual starvation, 
 receiving barely enough food to keep him 
 alive. Yet he would not yield. 
 
 Father Torribio was not naturally cruel. 
 He was intensely devoted, strictly honest and 
 incorruptible, but bigoted, stern, undeviat- 
 ing in what he deemed to be his duty, and 
 relentless to whomsoever opposed his au 
 thority. So poor Felix was in a dangerous 
 position. 
 
 Two weeks passed. Tortosa and Diego 
 laid a plot to smuggle food to Felix, but the 
 vigilance of Father Torribio was too keen. 
 Every day the priest made the brothers 
 pass before the starving boy in order that 
 he might point out the culprit. 
 
 Felix could hardly help smiling as he 
 saw the apprehensive face of the jolly 
 brother who had released him ; but he 
 maintained a stubborn silence, in spite of 
 the dismal void within him. 
 
 One day Felix was lying half uncon-
 
 68 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 scions on his hard cot when he heard loud 
 voices in Father Torribio's room. He 
 sprang up and listened intently. To his 
 great joy he recognized the clear, ringing 
 tones of Father Juan Perez mingled with 
 the deep voice of Father Torribio. 
 
 In a few moments the door of the cell 
 was thrown open, and Juan Perez entered, 
 followed by Diego and Tortosa. 
 
 " My child," cried Juan Perez, with tears 
 in his eyes, ' ' I did not dream that thou 
 wouldst be so harshly dealt with. Tortosa, 
 take him to thy lodge and give him food. " 
 
 His exultant friends bore Felix away in 
 triumph to the porter's lodge, and Tortosa 
 gave him a cup of savory broth and a bis 
 cuit. 
 
 "More, more," cried Felix petulantly. 
 "Are you, too, going to starve me? I'm 
 going back to Palos." 
 
 He rose weakly as if to go, but Tortosa 
 gently forced him back to his seat. 
 
 "Listen, Felix," he said. "I was once in 
 a besieged city when the food gave out. 
 Many died of hunger, but we never thought 
 of surrender. At last an army came to our
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 69 
 
 rescue. When food was given us I saw 
 many men who had bravely endured hun 
 ger die from eating too much. So you 
 must be patient, and you shall have plenty 
 in good time. Here is a little more broth." 
 
 So Tortosa carefully fed his patient until 
 he was fully restored. Then Felix returned 
 to Ignacio Diaz, glad to leave the place 
 where he had suffered hunger, which was 
 more terrible than a wilderness of yard 
 sticks. He resumed his place on the tai 
 lor's table, and for a brief period his exist 
 ence fell back into the old grooves. 
 
 A few days after Felix returned to Palos, 
 a singular experience befell Diego. The 
 room which he and his father occupied as a 
 sleeping apartment opened off a long corri 
 dor. It was large and bare, furnished only 
 with two cots, a heavy wooden table, one or 
 two chairs and a massive cabinet or secre 
 tary where Columbus kept his maps and 
 charts, which were of great value. Many 
 of them were the only copies extant, and 
 their worth in money may be estimated by 
 the fact that one hundred and thirty ducats 
 were once paid <Vv r\ single map made in
 
 70 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 1439, a sum equal to more than five hun 
 dred dollars at the present time. 
 
 One evening Diego walked with Perrito in 
 the garden until the hour for locking up 
 arrived. He retired to his bedchamber, 
 leaving the dog as usual in the cloisters 
 which opened on the garden. 
 
 He had felt very lonely since his father's 
 departure. Juan Perez had informed him 
 of Columbus's arrival at Court. But his stay 
 there seemed likely to be indefinitely pro 
 longed, for the siege of Granada was being 
 vigorously conducted, and the attention of 
 the king and queen was closely occupied 
 with the pressing business of war. 
 
 Diego repeated his prayers, and lay down 
 to sleep. Slumber came to him quickly, 
 and "steeped his senses in forgetfulness." 
 
 He awoke in the dead of night. The 
 moon had risen, and her pale light was 
 pouring through the high, iron-barred win 
 dow, filling the room with a mysterious 
 radiance. The sound that had awakened 
 him now came to his ears with increased 
 volume. It was the loud, angry baying of 
 Perrito.
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 
 
 71 
 
 All at once a shock of terror benumbed 
 his body, while his mind awoke to intense 
 alertness. A frightful figure stood in the 
 middle of the room gazing at him, the 
 form of a monk with shaven head, pallid 
 features, and large, spectral eyes. A dark 
 ring extended around his bare neck. 
 
 Tortosa's tale of the monk, who had been 
 killed by the Moors, and whose ghost 
 walked the cloisters, came to his mind. He
 
 72 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 believed that the awful visitant stood be 
 fore him, and he was too terrified even to 
 utter a prayer for protection. 
 
 Perrito's barking increased in fury. The 
 figure moved slowly toward the door, keep 
 ing its staring eyes fixed on Diego. 
 
 At that moment he heard a shuffling step 
 in the corridor, and the dim light of a taper 
 was projected past the open door. In a mo 
 ment Tortosa appeared, with a candle in 
 one hand and the crossbow in the other. 
 "Diego," he cried, "is thy dog mad in 
 spite of Our Lady 
 of Rabida? Get 
 up, I pray thee, 
 and Santa Maria ! 
 Oiv-w-w ! Help! 
 help!" 
 
 His eyes had 
 fallen upon the 
 dreadful figure 
 
 moving toward him. The candle fell from 
 his hand and went out, the crossbow struck 
 the floor with a startling clatter, and poor 
 Tortosa followed it, and, flat on his face, 
 called lustily on numerous saints for aid,
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 
 
 73 
 
 while the spectre swept over him and van 
 ished. 
 
 In a little while almost the entire convent, 
 aroused by the shouts of Tortosa and the 
 clamor of the dog, was gathered in the cor 
 ridor, listening with 
 wonder and horror 
 to the incoherent 
 recital of the por 
 ter, corroborated in 
 its main points by 
 Diego. 
 
 Nearly all the 
 monks fully be 
 lieved in the ghost, and they cast appre 
 hensive glances over their shoulders, and 
 carefully shielded their tapers or lamps, 
 lest the draught should extinguish them. 
 
 Whatever Father Juan Perez really be 
 lieved, he did not chide their credulous fear. 
 He merely said, - 
 
 " Perchance the good monk wished to 
 assure himself that Our Lady of Eabida 
 had really been restored to her place. He 
 will trouble us no more. Let us repair to 
 the chapel and celebrate a mass for the re 
 pose of his soul."
 
 74 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 The monks were well pleased not to 
 retire to their lonely cells, and presently 
 the chapel was lighted. The tall candles at 
 the altar threw a soft light on the white 
 image of Our Lady of Kabida, and the clear 
 voice of Father Juan Perez was heard con 
 ducting the service. 
 
 The next morning as Felix was seated on 
 his table busily sewing, the physician, Gar 
 cia Fernandez, hobbled 
 into the shop, being 
 still lame from his 
 fall. Ignacio Diaz 
 bowed servilely, scent 
 ing a possible order ; 
 but he was soon un 
 deceived. 
 
 "Felix," said the 
 physician, seating 
 himself, "a messen 
 ger has brought me a letter from Senor 
 Columbus to his son, and I wish you to 
 take it at once to La Kabida." 
 
 At this the tailor drew a very long face, 
 for since his return Felix had developed 
 remarkable ambition and industry, and his
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 75 
 
 absence meant a reduction of profits. Igna- 
 cio Diaz sincerely wished that Felix's new 
 friends would either let him alone, or take 
 him away altogether and pay him, Ignacio 
 Diaz, one hundred ducats. 
 
 " Tailor," said the physician, throwing a 
 ducat on the table, ' ' here is medicine to 
 remove that dismal expression from your 
 face. I will pay you for the boy's time 
 until he returns." 
 
 This was, perhaps, a rash bargain on the 
 part of Garcia Fernandez, but it did not 
 occur to him at the time. 
 
 Felix was soon ready to start for the con 
 vent, for he was glad at the prospect of 
 seeing Diego again. He set out joyfully. 
 The beautiful landscape shone in the morn 
 ing sun. The blue ocean glittered. Again 
 he saw the Pinta gliding up the Tinto like 
 a white sea-bird. 
 
 When he arrived at the convent, Tortosa 
 detained him at the gate to tell him the 
 strange occurrence of the preceding night ; 
 and by that time the old soldier had suc 
 ceeded in adding some striking embellish 
 ments to the original narrative.
 
 76 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Then they went to the garden, where 
 they found Diego curiously watching the 
 dog, who was walking about snuffing the 
 air and uttering low growls. 
 
 "It is lucky that Our Lady of Eabida 
 has been found," muttered Tortosa, looking 
 suspiciously at the dog. 
 
 " Good morning, caballero," cried Diego 
 pleasantly, as he saw Felix approaching. 
 ' ' Perrito is trying to tell me something, 
 but I am not bright enough to understand 
 him. Oh, did Tortosa tell you about the 
 ghost?" 
 
 ' ' I have brought you a letter from your 
 father," said Felix. 
 
 Diego hurried forward, took the package 
 and opened it. As he read, his face as 
 sumed a serious and anxious expression. 
 When he had finished the sheet, he glanced 
 about him several times, and, seeing no one 
 near, said, - 
 
 ' ' My friends, I will read what my father 
 has written to me. His good fortune seems 
 ever delayed. 
 
 ' ' ' My dear Son : I came hither safely, 
 and soon after my arrival obtained an
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 77 
 
 audience of her Highness Queen Isabella. 
 But the sovereigns are too much engrossed 
 with the siege now progressing to give 
 attention to my business at present. After 
 the surrender of the city, which seems 
 probable, I trust my affairs may progress 
 more favorably. 
 
 " ' I am living with my good friend, 
 Alonzo de Quintanilla, who always aids me 
 to the extent of his ability. 
 
 '"I write you at this time more especially 
 to give you warning touching a certain 
 matter. You are fully aware of the con 
 stant jealousy of the king of Portugal since 
 my application to the Court of Spain. I am 
 informed that a Portuguese emissary has 
 been sent to Palos to be a spy upon me and 
 to retard my business as much as possible. 
 
 " ' Be vigilant and circumspect regarding 
 any suspicious person. More particularly, 
 guard with great care the maps and charts 
 I left with you. Their loss would be irrep 
 arable. 
 
 " ' I suppose you are again pursuing your 
 studies under the kind direction of Father 
 Juan Perez. Be faithful and persevere.
 
 78 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 " *I trust our young friend, Felix Madri 
 gal, is now at liberty. We are deeply in 
 debted to him, and if I am successful he 
 shall not be forgotten. " : 
 
 Diego looked at Felix, smiling. 
 
 ' ' In debt to me?" cried Felix with surprise. 
 
 ' ' Did you not save Perrito and me from 
 the mad dog? Did you not take the blame 
 of the cat's death ? Did you not carry the 
 queen's message ? " asked Diego gently. 
 
 Felix blushed and was silent. Suddenly 
 he asked, earnestly, - 
 
 "Are the charts safe ? " 
 
 "Yes," replied Diego. "They are all in 
 the secretary in our bedchamber." 
 
 "Have you looked at them this morn 
 ing?" 
 
 "No, but I looked at them yesterday." 
 
 Perrito had been roaming the garden, 
 and now he gave a long bay, with his nose 
 in the air. 
 
 ' ' What ails the dog ? " cried Diego. ' ' He 
 has acted in that way all this morning." 
 
 Tortosa began to sidle away. 
 
 ' ' Did you see the ghost in your room ? " 
 asked Felix gravely.
 
 THE MONK'S GHOST. 79 
 
 "Yes. Both Tortosa and I saw it. 
 'Twas a dreadful spectacle." 
 
 "Diego," cried Felix, with agitation, "let 
 us go and look at the charts." 
 
 ' ' Why, do you think the monk's ghost 
 would steal my father's charts ? " asked 
 Diego, surprised. 
 
 Felix did not reply, and they passed 
 through the corridors to Diego's room. 
 Diego opened the secretary, and uttered an 
 exclamation of fright. The charts were 
 gone ! 
 
 ' ' Where are they ? Who has taken 
 them?" he cried, wildly wringing his 
 hands. 
 
 Felix thrust his head into the secretary 
 and remained motionless for a moment. 
 Then he stepped back with a peculiar look. 
 
 "Do you smell anything ? " he asked. 
 
 " No," replied Diego, pausing in his lam 
 entations. ' ' What is it ? " 
 
 "That Portuguese spy has been here," 
 cried Felix. " I mended his cloak once, 
 and I know that queer scent. I smelt it 
 the moment you opened the door. It was 
 the same man that Perrito caught hidden
 
 80 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 in the garden. I believe he heard Tortosa's 
 story about the monk and the Moors, and 
 has played the ghost so that he could steal 
 the charts. What the mischief was his 
 name ? " 
 
 " Don Juan Vascona ! " cried Diego, very 
 pale. "What shaU I do? What will my 
 father say ? The charts are lost ! " 
 
 "No, they are not lost!" cried Felix 
 boldly. " We must catch that fellow. He 
 will not burn the charts ; he will take them 
 to the king of Portugal." 
 
 ' ' Yes, catch him ! " roared Tortosa, 
 starting forward fiercely. 
 
 " But how ? " groaned Diego. 
 
 How, indeed ! Vascona had a long start, 
 and, on his fleet horse, was probably far on 
 his way to Lisbon.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 ' ' I MUST inform Father Juan Perez at 
 once," cried Diego ; and he darted from the 
 room. 
 
 ' ' Alas ! " muttered Tortosa, ' ' I will bar 
 ter my head for a watermelon. There the 
 villain stood before me, and I with the 
 crossbow in hand, and I must needs flatten 
 my nose against the pavement instead of 
 crying, Halt ! " 
 
 "Never mind," said Felix, "how could 
 you know that it wasn't a real ghost ? 
 Come, let us find Diego. I have an 
 idea." 
 
 "I warrant thou hast," cried Tortosa 
 admiringly, as he followed Felix. 
 
 They soon met Diego and Father Juan 
 Perez. The good Superior's face expressed 
 the deepest concern and anxiety. 
 
 "Diego," cried Felix, "bring Perrito to 
 your room, and let him smell of that cup 
 board, and I'm mistaken if he doesn't track 
 the thief."
 
 82 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "A good idea," said Juan Perez. 
 "Bring the dog at once." 
 
 Diego brought Perrito to the room, and 
 when he smelt of the cabinet, he growled 
 and struggled to free himself. Diego re 
 leased him, and he passed swiftly through 
 the corridors with his nose to the pavement, 
 followed by the party of interested ob 
 servers. 
 
 Emerging at length into an open court 
 yard at the rear of the convent, the dog 
 crossed it to the opposite wall, where grew 
 a large fig-tree. Here he looked up and 
 whined, and then suddenly plunged into a 
 thick clump of shrubbery and dragged out a 
 white robe in which were wrapped a mask 
 with goggle eyes, and a wig with shaven 
 crown. 
 
 It was all very plain. From that ghostly 
 paraphernalia had emerged the cunning 
 Vascona, who then had scaled the wall by 
 means of the fig-tree and escaped with his 
 booty. 
 
 "Let us follow him," cried Felix. "The 
 dog will track him." 
 
 "He is far away by this time," said Juan
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 83 
 
 Perez, ' ' but he must be pursued. Tortosa, 
 arm thyself. Felix can bear the crossbow, 
 and Diego must go in order properly to 
 manage the dog. I will give ye good mules. 
 Saddle up, and be gone. Do not show your 
 faces at La Rabida again without the charts. 
 
 I will despatch alguazils from Palos to aid 
 
 ye." 
 
 In a short time the three pursuers were 
 mounted and ready to set out. Tortosa 
 had donned his old armor, and bore a long 
 Toledo sword. Felix carried his crossbow 
 and a good supply of arrows. Diego was 
 unarmed. 
 
 Perrito quickly found the trail, and they
 
 84 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 rode briskly forward. They soon came to 
 a spot in a little wood of pines where the 
 trampled earth showed that Yascofia had 
 tied his horse there while he went to the 
 convent. 
 
 The dog now made a long detour, and in 
 a little while struck a road leading away 
 towards the frontier of Portugal. 
 
 All day they followed the sagacious ani 
 mal, who took up the trail swiftly even on 
 the highway. Twice they obtained infor- 
 formation from peasants regarding the 
 fugitive. In the afternoon they passed 
 through a town where they again heard 
 news of Vascona. 
 
 Night came, but they rode on by moon 
 light. Vascona had so long a start, besides 
 being better mounted, that their only hope 
 lay in unflagging pursuit. For supper they 
 ate bread and cheese that they had brought 
 with them, and drank at springs by the 
 roadside. 
 
 They were now entering the mountains, 
 and the road wound through dense woods, 
 or traversed the bare, steep slopes of lofty 
 hills. Towards morning they halted in a
 
 THE PURSUIT. 85 
 
 grassy spot to rest and feed their mules. 
 Tortosa and Felix threw themselves on the 
 ground and slept heavily, but Diego sat 
 with his back against a tree and held Per- 
 rito's leash. He was too anxious to sleep. 
 
 In about two hours they resumed their 
 journey in the dusky dawn. They soon 
 came to a vast gorge in the mountains. 
 The road was a narrow shelf cut in a high 
 cliff. Above were rugged precipices; far 
 below was a black river rushing among 
 jagged rocks. A hoarse roar came up from 
 the gulf. 
 
 Diego said something about Thermopylae, 
 but Felix and Tortosa had never heard that 
 celebrated name, and did not understand 
 what he was talking about. 
 
 After passing the gorge, they reached, 
 late in the forenoon, a little mountain 
 hamlet. Inquiring of the rough and surly 
 inhabitants, they learned that a man 
 answering the description of Vascona had 
 spent the night there, and had departed 
 early in the morning. Therefore he was 
 still far in advance of them. 
 
 Tortosa and the boys pushed on again,
 
 86 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 determined to continue the pursuit even to 
 the gates of Lisbon, if necessary. 
 
 About three miles beyond the hamlet, as 
 they were riding through a wild mountain 
 pass, Perrito paused, and seemed for a mo 
 ment at fault. 
 
 Hastening up, they saw that the soft 
 earth was marked with numerous hoof 
 tracks, which finally led in a distinct trail 
 up the side of the densely wooded mountain. 
 
 While they were exchanging surmises 
 about this, they were surprised and startled 
 to see the dog move forward and take the 
 trail up the mountain. 
 
 ' ' The Portuguese thief has met a squad 
 of his friends, sure," growled Tortosa se 
 riously. 
 
 " Follow follow !" cried Felix. "We 
 must see where they have gone." 
 
 They followed Perrito up the dizzy trail, 
 turning in sharp zigzags back and forth. 
 Through rifts in the thick foliage of the 
 woods they saw below them a vast moun 
 tain panorama. 
 
 After climbing in this way for an hour, 
 they reached open woods, where the ground
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 87 
 
 was less rugged. In half an hour more 
 they suddenly found themselves in the 
 vicinity of the people they had been pur 
 suing.
 
 88 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 At that place the precipitous hillside 
 above them descended abruptly to the more 
 level land. Built against the steep slope 
 was a small stone hut, with a roof of thick 
 thatch. Gathered before this hut were a 
 dozen ill-looking fellows, and among them 
 they easily distinguished the more graceful 
 form of Vascona. A number of horses and 
 mules were tied to trees near by. 
 
 Diego trembled as he saw his father's 
 charts unrolled in the hands of a tall, ugly 
 man, whose big ears stood out almost 
 straight from his head. He sprang from 
 his mule and secured Perrito by his leash. 
 
 Even Tortosa recoiled at sight of this 
 assemblage. 
 
 " Zooks ! They are too many for us," he 
 grumbled. 
 
 But it was too late to retreat, for the 
 strangers had seen them, and instantly 
 sprang to their arms. Crossbows were 
 displayed, and the man with the charts 
 levelled a huge arquebuse, like a small can 
 non. But the deadly volley was withheld 
 when they perceived the small numbers of 
 the approaching party.
 
 THE PURSUIT. 89 
 
 ' ' Come up, come up ! " shouted the 
 man with the arquebuse, who was evi 
 dently the leader. ' ' Quick, or we'll shoot ! " 
 
 ' ' We must take the bull by the horns, 
 boys," said Tortosa coolly, and at once led 
 the way forward to the band of ruffians. 
 
 Vascona looked a little surprised as they 
 rode up, but he remained cool and silent. 
 Something in the appearance of the gang set 
 Tortosa to thinking. He noticed that one 
 of the men had Vascona's sword, and he at 
 once made a very shrewd guess how the 
 matter stood. As he supposed, the stran 
 gers were contrabandistas, or smugglers. 
 They had met Vascona and captured him, 
 and were now trying to ascertain the value 
 of their prize. 
 
 "Who are you? What do you want?" 
 asked the chief, in a surly tone, as he 
 noted the plain appearance of the new 
 comers and their tired mules. 
 
 "Caballero," replied Tortosa, in a big 
 voice, ' ' we are in pursuit of that man yon 
 der, in order to recover those charts, which 
 he stole night before last from the convent 
 of La Rabida at Palos."
 
 90 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "Stole!" cried Vascona, stepping for 
 ward angrily. 
 
 " That's what we call it in Andalusia," 
 replied Tortosa coolly. 
 
 "'Tis false," said Vascona, turning to the 
 chief. "What I have just told you is the 
 truth. The king of Portugal sent me to 
 
 Spain to procure 
 these charts. I had 
 fulfilled my commis 
 sion and was return 
 ing to Lisbon when 
 you met me." 
 
 * ' Procure ! " ech- 
 oed Tortosa, indig- 
 
 nantl y- " Is that 
 
 thy fine word for 
 midnight robbery ? " 
 
 The contrabandistas had now gathered 
 about to hear the dispute. 
 
 ' ' The maps belong to a sea captain named 
 Christopher Columbus, and this is his boy 
 here beside me, " continued Tortosa. ' ' The 
 king and queen of Spain are going to give 
 Senor Columbus a fleet of ships, and he 
 is going to discover a country he knows
 
 THE PURSUIT. 91 
 
 about, where even the sands on the beach 
 are of pure gold, and diamonds hang on the 
 trees like dew." 
 
 This glittering announcement made a 
 sensation among the smugglers, and they 
 listened with breathless interest. 
 
 "Sefior," said Vascona, haughtily, to 
 the chief, "you can see that these are 
 but shabby fellows. Is it probable that 
 these valuable charts belong to them or 
 their friends ? I am a trusted agent of the 
 king of Portugal, and I am to be believed. 
 Give me my charts, and let me resume my 
 journey, and you shall receive one thousand 
 ducats. Beware how you detain me, and 
 incur the anger of King John." 
 
 This made another sensation. But the 
 chief replied, - 
 
 "Your threats don't frighten us. But 
 what security can we have that the money 
 will be paid ? " 
 
 "Accompany me to the vicinity of Beja, 
 or any other Portuguese city, and keep the 
 charts in your hands until you receive the 
 money," replied Vascona. 
 
 Diego, who was very pale, had been whis 
 pering eagerly to Tortosa.
 
 92 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "Caballero," spoke out the old soldier 
 loudly, addressing the chief, "thou canst 
 see that this Portuguese, in spite of his fine 
 words, is a rogue. Eeturn the charts to 
 us, and thou shalt receive two thousand 
 ducats from the queen of Castile. Go with 
 us to the neighborhood of Palos, and keep 
 the charts until the money is thine." 
 
 "Two thousand ducats!" sneered Vas- 
 cona. "Seiior, these peasants could not 
 raise two thousand maravedis. This boy's 
 father is a crack-brained enthusiast of 
 whom I bought one or two maps. He has 
 probably sent these three scamps to waylay 
 and rob me. As for his being recognized 
 by the queen of Castile, it is simply ridicu 
 lous. Come, I must go at once. You shall 
 receive three thousand ducats." 
 
 ' ' Caballero, " cried Tortosa, ' ' whatever 
 he offers, the queen of Castile will pay 
 thee more. Keturn with us as far as thou 
 canst, and assure thyself that I speak the 
 truth." 
 
 "Boy," said the puzzled chief to Diego, 
 1 ' has thy father a commission from the 
 queen of Castile ? "
 
 THE PURSUIT. 93 
 
 "Say, Yes, yes!" whispered Tortoso anx 
 iously. 
 
 "No, Senor," replied Diego, calmly, 
 while Tortosa uttered a suppressed groan. 
 " But her Highness has summoned my 
 father to Court, and as soon as the war in 
 Granada is ended, he will receive his com 
 mission and his ships." 
 
 "I believe thou speakest honestly," said 
 the chief, slapping his thigh. 
 
 "Senor, do not be deceived by these vulgar 
 boors," cried Vascona. 
 
 ' ' We will see about that, " said the chief. 
 ' ' Boy, if these charts belong to thy father, 
 thou canst tell me the titles. Eepeat them. " 
 
 Diego repeated the titles. 
 
 "Thou hast answered correctly," cried 
 the chief. ' ' Now, tell me more of thy 
 father's plans, and of that rich country he 
 is going to discover." 
 
 "Let me take the charts," said Diego, 
 stepping forward with sparkling eyes, ' ' and 
 I will gladly explain them to you. " 
 
 The chief gave him the roll, and all the 
 contrabandistas gathered around him to 
 listen.
 
 94 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 As Columbus before the august assembly 
 at Salamanca explained his sublime beliefs 
 and plans to the learned men of Spain, so 
 did his son, in that wild scene, explain 
 them to the rude men about him. And the 
 wise doctors did not listen with more atten 
 tion than the ignorant smugglers. 
 
 And Diego was kindled with his father's 
 enthusiasm as he proceeded with his demon 
 strations. His finger swiftly traced parallels 
 and meridians on the charts, and his words 
 poured forth rapidly and triumphantly. 
 
 ' ' Marvellous ! Wonderful ! " murmured 
 the smugglers admiringly. 
 
 In the midst of his earnest recital, Diego 
 was startled to see, behind the men, a 
 woman gazing at him with rapt attention. 
 The ragged shawl which was drawn over 
 her head had slipped from her relaxed 
 fingers, and her black hair fell down on 
 each side of her white and haggard face. 
 Her expression was mournful. Her eyes 
 were large and very sad. 
 
 So surprised was Diego at seeing this mel 
 ancholy figure, that he lost the thread of 
 his discourse, and paused.
 
 THE PURSUIT. 95 
 
 Then the chief said, - 
 
 ' ' Thy father must be a bold captain and 
 a learned man, and thou art a bright boy 
 to learn all this. Now, I believe thy com 
 rade's story. The charts belong to thy 
 father without doubt." 
 
 "Senor,"said Vascona, "I have some 
 thing to tell you privately. Step aside with 
 me." 
 
 He drew the chief aside and spoke ear 
 nestly in a low tone, while Tortosa and the 
 boys looked on anxiously. They observed 
 that the chief nodded his head and seemed 
 deeply impressed. Presently they returned, 
 and Vascona could not repress a smile of 
 triumph. 
 
 "Boy," said the chief, "according to thy 
 own story thy father has not yet received 
 his commission from the queen, nor will he 
 until the war in Granada is at an end. Me- 
 thinks, then, thy chance of redeeming the 
 charts is small, and may be long delayed, 
 while this cavalier offers us the money at 
 once. We must accept the best offer ; but 
 if the charts really belong to thy father, 
 and he has influence with the queen, let
 
 96 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 him negotiate with the king of Portugal 
 regarding them." 
 
 "Caballero," roared Tortosa, "if the 
 king of Portugal secures these charts, they 
 are forever lost to their rightful owner, the 
 good Senor Columbus. I assure thee that 
 the queen of Castile will pay thee instantly 
 more than will the Portuguese king." 
 
 The chief seemed perplexed. Suddenly 
 the woman, who had been listening intently, 
 stepped forward and spoke a few vehement 
 sentences to him in favor of Diego. The 
 ruffian repulsed her angrily ; but at once a 
 noisy and violent dispute arose among the 
 smugglers, some being in favor of Vascofia, 
 and some advocating Diego's cause. At 
 last the chief, raising his voice above the 
 hubbub, shouted, 
 
 ' ' I will consider this matter to-night, and 
 to-morrow will give my decision." 
 
 He turned abruptly, and pushing open 
 the massive wooden door of the hut, entered, 
 taking the charts with him. The woman 
 followed him, slowly and listlessly. 
 
 Some of the contrabandistas now began 
 to unsaddle the horses and mules, while
 
 THE PURSUIT. 97 
 
 others built a large fire, and put pieces of 
 goat's flesh on spits to roast for the evening 
 meal. 
 
 Vascofia, Tortosa, and the boys were left 
 entirely at liberty, as the smugglers knew 
 that their anxiety for the charts would 
 insure their stay. 
 
 Tortosa, Diego, and Felix led their mules 
 a little way down the hill, and tied them to 
 trees where they could nibble grass. Per- 
 rito, also, was tied up, so that he might not 
 get into trouble. 
 
 When night came on, they joined the 
 smugglers at their rude meal of goat's meat, 
 bread, and cheese, and listened to the con 
 versation of the rough men, from which 
 they gathered that theirs was a life whose 
 toil and hardship far exceeded that of more 
 honest occupations. 
 
 At last, one by one, the smugglers threw 
 themselves upon the earth to sleep. The 
 chief retired again to the hut, where he had 
 the charts safely secured, and Felix heard 
 him bar the heavy door. 
 
 Tortosa and the boys left the fire and lay 
 down under a low, thick pine-tree, not far
 
 98 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 from their mules. Tortosa and Diego soon 
 fell asleep, but Felix remained alert and 
 watchful. Several hours passed. The fire 
 died down to coals. The moon rose, strew 
 ing patches of white light among the deep 
 shadows of the woods. Then Felix rose 
 also, and stole up the hill. He made a cir 
 cuit around the sleeping smugglers, and 
 approached the hut from the side. He had 
 resolved to secure the charts, if possible, 
 and escape with them. 
 
 As he crouched behind a bush hardly 
 twenty feet from the building, he heard a 
 slight noise, as if the door was being un 
 barred. In a moment the door opened 
 slowly, and the strange woman stepped out. 
 After a cautious glance about her, she 
 glided away in the shadows, her dress 
 almost brushing Felix as he lay behind the 
 bush. She disappeared among the trees. 
 
 Felix turned his attention to the hut 
 again. The woman had closed the door, 
 but it was unfastened, and, with his usual 
 promptness, he lost no time in entering. 
 
 All was dark inside, but from a corner 
 he heard the heavy breathing of the sleeping
 
 THE PURSUIT. 99 
 
 smuggler. Felix at once began a cautious 
 search for the charts. Inch by inch he 
 moved about the hut, feeling everywhere. 
 Several times he paused, as a slight move 
 ment led him to think that the chief was 
 awaking. 
 
 He could not find the maps, and his cour 
 age began to fail. But again he began a 
 circuit of the room, even passing his hands 
 about the smuggler, who was lying on the 
 earth-floor wrapped in goatskins. At that 
 critical moment, the door swung open noise 
 lessly, and the woman stepped in. 
 
 Felix shrank down in a corner and wished 
 himself at home. He did not give way to a 
 panic, however, but resolved to remain 
 quiet until he had a chance to slip out and 
 escape, or even to resume his search. He 
 noted that the woman had not bolted the 
 door again. 
 
 But her actions puzzled him. She moved 
 so quietly that he could hardly tell where 
 she was, but it suddenly flashed upon him 
 that she, too, was searching the hut. Had 
 she seen him enter? Was she searching 
 for him ?
 
 100 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Suddenly an icy hand touched his face, 
 and he almost cried out with terror. He 
 rose, but the hand covered his mouth, and 
 the woman whispered, 
 
 "Don't speak. Listen to me. Eeturn to 
 your friends at once. They are waiting for 
 you." 
 
 She drew him to the door and he slipped 
 out quickly. It was instantly shut and 
 fastened. He stole down the hill, and found 
 Tortosa and Diego, with the mules saddled, 
 anxiously watching for him. 
 
 Diego had met with a singular adventure. 
 He had sunk into a deep sleep, and 
 dreamed that his dead mother came and 
 bent down and kissed him. Then he 
 awoke, and lo ! a dark figure knelt beside 
 him in the moonlight. He thought it was 
 an apparition, and uttered a silent prayer. 
 
 But the figure bent down and whis 
 pered, 
 
 ' ' Awake, thou must go at once. I have 
 brought thee thy charts, for I know they 
 are thine. To-morrow he would have given 
 them to the Portuguese. Awaken thy 
 companion and hasten away."
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 101 
 
 Diego recognized the strange woman. She 
 thrust the roll of charts into his hands. 
 His heart swelled with joy and gratitude. 
 
 "Oh, Sefiora," he replied, taking the 
 woman's hand, "how can we ever thank 
 thee, my father and I ! " 
 
 She was silent, but presently he knew 
 that she was weep 
 ing. At last she 
 said, wildly and 
 mournfully, - 
 
 ' ' I once had a lit 
 tle son, fair and 
 beautiful like thee, 
 but he is in heaven. 
 Oh, shall I ever see 
 him again? Per 
 haps I shall die soon. Pray for me, oh, 
 pray for me ! " 
 
 She arose, sobbing, and hurried away. 
 
 Diego's eyes were full of tears of sym 
 pathy. He did not then realize that there 
 was a dire significance in her words. 
 
 He sprang up and awoke Tortosa, who 
 was snoring hideously, for the old soldier 
 was very tired. Then they were astonished
 
 102 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 to discover that Felix was gone. However, 
 they saddled the mules and prepared for a 
 start, and in a few minutes Felix came 
 hurrying down to them, breathing very 
 fast and looking surprised and scared. In 
 a few words Diego told him of the recovery 
 of the charts. 
 
 They mounted and stole away, followed 
 by the faithful Perrito. It was with 
 difficulty that they found their way down 
 the steep trail, and they often feared that 
 the clatter of the mule's hoofs on the rocks 
 would be heard by the smugglers. Once 
 they went astray, and were in terror lest 
 morning should find them lost in the 
 neighborhood of their enemies. 
 
 To their great joy they at last reached 
 the road and set out with all possible speed 
 for home. But morning had dawned be 
 fore they passed through the little moun 
 tain hamlet. Several rough men on the 
 street looked at them suspiciously, but did 
 not molest them. 
 
 After leaving the village, the road passed 
 around the head of a ravine, and then 
 returned along the vast flank of the moun-
 
 THE PURSUIT. 103 
 
 tain. At the latter point, as they were 
 riding quietly along, a tremendous report 
 came from the other side of the ravine, 
 where the road left the hamlet. There 
 was a strange humming sound in the air 
 around them. 
 
 " What's that?" cried Diego, startled. 
 
 "Ha, ha!" laughed Tortosa grimly, "I 
 have heard that sound before. Ride, boys, 
 ride as fast as you can." 
 
 Looking across the ravine, they saw the 
 whole party of smugglers in swift pursuit, 
 headed by Vascona and the chief, who had 
 just fired his arquebuse. 
 
 Tortosa and the boys urged their mules 
 on, but the Superior's animals were unused 
 to long and severe journeys, and they were 
 already tired out. It was plain that they 
 would be overtaken very quickly. 
 
 They had now entered the vast and pre 
 cipitous gorge, and, looking back as they 
 wound around the gigantic cliffs, they saw 
 the smugglers riding fast and gaining on 
 them at every step. 
 
 Suddenly Felix pulled up, and jumped 
 from his mule. Diego, who was in a great
 
 104 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 panic, rode on at full speed, but Tortosa, 
 with soldierly instinct, halted to see what 
 was the matter. 
 
 " They will catch us at this rate, Tortosa," 
 shouted Felix. "lam going to blockade 
 
 the road; but you ride on with Diego and 
 guard the charts." 
 
 Tortosa hesitated. He did not like the 
 plan. 
 
 ''Ride on! ride on!" yelled Felix, who 
 had sprung upon the steep bank and was 
 furiously rolling huge rocks down into the 
 road. "You can't do any good here. 
 Guard Diego and the charts ! "
 
 THE PURSUIT. 
 
 105 
 
 Tortosa was accustomed to obey orders. 
 He rode on, and left the courageous boy at 
 his task. 
 
 Having rolled down all the available 
 rocks, Felix took a small axe that hung at 
 his saddle-bow, and chopped two or three 
 young pines so that they fell down across 
 the road, though 
 still hanging to the 
 stumps. 
 
 He now heard the 
 clatter of the smug 
 glers' horses near at 
 hand. His barrier, 
 if not defended, 
 could be quickly re 
 moved. He led his 
 mule behind a pro 
 jecting point of rock 
 
 which would partially protect him from 
 shots. Then he seized his crossbow and 
 placed an arrow on the string, just as 
 the pursuers appeared around the nearest 
 turn, and rode down upon his rude barri 
 cade.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 
 
 TORTOSA found it difficult to overtake 
 Diego, who was riding like the Wild Hunts 
 man. In less than half an hour they gal 
 loped into a small town, where everybody 
 ran out of doors to see what was the 
 matter. 
 
 Tortosa instantly tried to drum up re 
 cruits to ride back with him and rescue 
 Felix. He persuaded a few men to go. 
 Falstaff's ragged regiment was not more 
 grotesque than they. As the old soldier 
 reviewed them with a gloomy countenance, 
 he was delighted to see four well-armed and 
 well-mounted alguazils ride up. They had 
 been sent from Palos by Father Juan Perez. 
 
 Leaving Diego at the house of the village 
 priest, with the precious charts in his care, 
 Tortosa and his men returned at full speed 
 to the assistance of Felix. Perrito was 
 eager to go with them, and bounded away 
 joyfully when his master gave him per 
 mission.
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET 
 
 107 
 
 mournful 
 
 "Find Felix, boy, find Felix!" cried 
 Diego to the dog. 
 
 When they entered the gorge they found 
 it deserted. The barricade had been par 
 tially removed, and they saw that horsemen 
 had passed through. They shouted to 
 Felix, but there was no answer. The only 
 sounds to be heard were the 
 sough of the wind in 
 the pines, and the sul 
 len roar of the vexed 
 river far below. 
 
 Suddenly one of the 
 alguazils uttered a word 
 of alarm, and pointed 
 over the precipice. 
 They all looked and saw 
 the body of a saddled 
 mule lying among the 
 rocks. Tortosa gazed at it long and ear 
 nestly. 
 
 " It is Felix's mule ! " he said. " Where 
 is my brave boy ? " He sat down on a rock 
 and covered his face, and uttered grievous 
 lamentations, and reproached himself for 
 permitting Felix to stay behind. 
 
 \
 
 108 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 There was no way of descending into the 
 abyss, and though they looked long and 
 anxiously, they saw no traces of the mule's 
 rider. After extending their search to the 
 farther end of the gorge, they sadly returned 
 to the town. Before they arrived, they 
 noticed that Perrito had disappeared, but 
 none could tell where he had left them. 
 
 Diego's grief was very sharp at the loss 
 of Felix, whom he had grown to love as a 
 brother. Although the tailor's boy was 
 wholly uneducated in books, yet his prompt, 
 alert, courageous spirit had won the admi 
 ration of Diego, who was a student, and 
 more given to gentle thought than decisive 
 action. 
 
 So the party returned very sadly to 
 Palos. At the convent they found the phy 
 sician, Garcia Fernandez, in company with 
 Father Juan Perez. Their joy at the recov 
 ery of the charts was overshadowed by 
 sorrow at the uncertain fate of Felix. 
 
 "It is probable that he has perished at 
 the hands of those revengeful men," said 
 Juan Perez. ' ' If so, he has met a hero's 
 death. Such are worthy of Paradise."
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 109 
 
 "I will not believe that the boy is dead," 
 cried Garcia Fernandez. ' ' He has escaped 
 them in some way, depend upon it." He 
 looked around fiercely, as if defying any one 
 to differ with him, but he saw sad eyes and 
 gloomy faces wherever he looked. So, con 
 cealing a groan behind a cough, he hastily 
 departed from the convent. 
 
 The next day the physician entered the 
 shop of Ignacio Diaz, with a frowning, im 
 portant air. The tailor met him with a 
 lugubrious countenance, for one of the 
 brothers of the convent had just informed 
 him of the probable death of Felix, and Ig 
 nacio Diaz saw the hitherto possible one 
 hundred ducats fading away forever. 
 
 ' ' Alas ! my poor Felix is dead, Sefior Fer 
 nandez," bewailed. "Such a fine boy, too. 
 So careful, so skilful, so industrious, and 
 now he is gone " 
 
 ' ' Silence ! " cried the physician furiously. 
 "He is not dead, I tell you. I said I would 
 pay you for his time until he returned, and 
 I keep my word. Here is the money 
 for the next three months. He is alive, do 
 you hear?" And the despotic, kind-hearted
 
 110 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 doctor blustered out of the shop, having 
 thus healed the tailor's broken heart. 
 
 Two or three months passed, but nothing 
 was heard of Felix or Perrito. Diego 
 grieved deeply, and devoted himself to his 
 studies in order, if possible, to soothe the 
 sharp sting of his sorrow. Even the joyful 
 tidings that Queen Isabella had at last 
 resolved to undertake his father's grand 
 enterprise could not dispel his melancholy. 
 The results of overstudy and lack of exer 
 cise were soon apparent. Diego became ill. 
 
 Mingled with this grief, he constantly felt 
 deep pity for the strange lady of the moun 
 tains. He never forgot her, and in the 
 bright morning or in the solemn night he 
 always remembered her in his prayers. A 
 shadowy fear ever haunted him that she 
 had suffered for her good deed. 
 
 One pleasant evening in May, Tortosa 
 hurried into Diego's chamber, where the 
 boy, though dressed, was lying listlessly on 
 his bed, and cried, 
 
 ' ' Thy father has come, Diego. There's 
 a hubbub at the gate, I can tell thee. 
 Come, he is asking for thee. The queen
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. Ill 
 
 has given him ships, and he is going to sail 
 in three weeks." 
 
 Diego sprang up with new energy and 
 ran out to the garden, while Tortosa fol 
 lowed more slowly, muttering to himself, 
 
 ' ' Who would have thought that the 
 world is round ! Who knows whether he 
 is on top or underneath ? Zooks ! when I 
 have a headache after this, I'll know the 
 reason for it ! " 
 
 At the end of the cloister Diego saw a 
 group of monks, and among them the white 
 head and noble figure of 
 his father. The next mo 
 ment Columbus saw him, 
 and came striding swiftly 
 down the cloister, and 
 Diego was soon warmly 
 clasped in his arms. "My 
 son," said his father ten 
 derly, "I grieve to see thee so thin and 
 pale. Thou must get well quickly. If I 
 should lose thee, of what value would be 
 the triumphl I have gained ? " 
 
 "I cannot forget Felix, father," said 
 Diego mournfully.
 
 112 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 ' ' He has performed for us an inestimable 
 service, " said Columbus. ' ' Before I depart, 
 I will have a thorough search made for 
 him. Let us trust that he may be restored 
 to us. Come, sit on this bench by the foun 
 tain, and I will tell thee of my success." 
 
 So they sat down in the pleasant twilight, 
 and Columbus told of the surrender of 
 Granada by Mohammed Boabdil, the last of 
 the Moorish kings, and how the royal stand 
 ard of Spain was unfurled on the gorgeous 
 towers of the Alhambra. 
 
 He told of the refusal of the Court au 
 thorities at first to admit his high claims 
 to be appointed admiral and viceroy of all 
 the countries he might discover, and of his 
 departure from Court with the determina 
 tion to apply to France ; and of his recall 
 by a royal courier, ere he had rode three 
 leagues, with the tidings that the queen had 
 resolved to agree to his conditions and to 
 undertake his enterprise, even if she pledged 
 her jewels to raise the necessary funds. 
 
 "It is eighteen years ago, Diego," con 
 tinued Columbus, ' ' since I began this under 
 taking, and I thank heaven that I have been
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 
 
 113 
 
 enabled to persevere. It is a glorious thing 
 never to despair, no matter how great are 
 the disappointments and misfortunes that 
 come to us." 
 
 * ' And are you really to have the ships ? " 
 cried Diego.
 
 114 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 ' ' I have the royal order to the authorities 
 of Palos, requiring them to furnish me 
 two caravels, fully manned and equipped 
 for sea, within ten days. I intend to fit 
 out a third vessel myself, with the assistance 
 of Senor Pinzon. I shall have the royal 
 orders read to-morrow in Palos, and in less 
 than a month I expect to sail." 
 
 "It seems like a dream," said Diego. 
 ' i But what am I to do ? Can I go with you, 
 father?" 
 
 ' ' No, my son. I have something better 
 for thee than that. Read this letter patent, 
 signed as you see by her Highness Queen 
 Isabella. It concerns thee, and will assure 
 thee that thou art not dreaming." 
 
 Diego read the document, which ap 
 pointed him page to Prince Juan, the heir 
 apparent to the Spanish throne. This was 
 a very high honor, and included an allow 
 ance for his support. Diego was surprised 
 and delighted ; but the next moment he 
 became grave as he thought of the ap 
 proaching separation from his father. 
 
 ' ' Thou shalt remain here until I sail, " 
 said Columbus. ' ' Then Father Juan Perez
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 115 
 
 will conduct thee to Cordova, where thou 
 must enter school." 
 
 The next day Columbus, accompanied by 
 Father Juan Perez, Garcia Fernandez, and 
 Martin Alonzo Pinzon, repaired to the 
 church of St. George in Palos, where the 
 alcalde, or magistrate, the regidores, or 
 councilmen, and the alguazils, or constables, 
 and the chief inhabitants had been sum 
 moned to meet him. 
 
 When the notary public read the royal 
 order in the porch of the church, and the 
 officials and the people began to realize the 
 nature of the voyage about to be under 
 taken, there was great consternation. If, 
 at the present day, some daring explorer 
 should construct a sky-ship in which he 
 proposed to abandon the earth, and should 
 demand men to accompany him, probably 
 there would be a similar disturbance. 
 
 Before night the entire town was in an 
 uproar. On the wharves, in the counting- 
 houses, the courts, and the shops, and in 
 every dwelling, a thousand voluble tongues 
 were busy discussing the extraordinary 
 voyage and its probable consequences. It
 
 116 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 was everywhere condemned as a reckless 
 sacrifice of ships and lives. 
 
 The only man in town who was entirely 
 satisfied was the tailor, Ignacio Diaz. Co- 
 hlmbus had visited his shop that day and 
 given him an order for a rich suit of scarlet 
 cloth embroidered with gold. As the tailor 
 counted up his probable profit, his smile 
 broadened, and he did not heed the sailors 
 in the street, who were talking loudly and 
 angrily about the crazy foreigner, Chris 
 topher Columbus, while their wives were 
 weeping near by. 
 
 Columbus found his departure delayed. 
 Neither ships nor men could be obtained. 
 At last further orders were issued by Ferdi 
 nand and Isabella, and an officer of the 
 royal household was sent to see that they 
 were obeyed. 
 
 But still little progress was made until 
 Martin Alonzo Pinzon and his brother en 
 gaged to furnish a ship and sail on the 
 voyage. Two other ships were pressed into 
 the service, and their owners and crews 
 compelled to serve on board. 
 
 One of these vessels was the fleet Pinta,
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 117 
 
 that Felix had so often admired as she 
 sailed up the river. Her owner, Gomez 
 Eascon, was furious, and among his towns 
 men made many threats, and did all he 
 could to delay the expedition. 
 
 All this consumed time, and two months 
 elapsed. Columbus had been so engrossed 
 with severe and vexatious labors that he had 
 not yet instituted a thorough search for 
 Felix. 
 
 One evening in July, Diego was walking 
 on the street at Palos with his father, hav 
 ing been to inspect the ships, when they 
 met a tall, ugly man, who saluted Colum 
 bus as he passed. His big ears stuck out 
 almost straight from his head. Diego 
 caught his father's arm. He was very 
 pale. 
 
 ' ' Father, that is the chief of the contra 
 bandist as who had the charts ! " 
 
 "Is it possible?" said Columbus, looking 
 after the man. "He enlisted in my ser 
 vice a month ago. I shall question him at 
 once and find out what became of Felix." 
 
 He spoke to an alguazil, and soon after 
 the former chief of the contrabandistas was
 
 118 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 arrested and brought before Columbus at 
 the office of the alcalde. He was very cool 
 and unconcerned. 
 
 "Don Christopher Columbus," he said, 
 ' ' I know why I am brought here. I recog 
 nize your son, who visited me in the moun 
 tains, and of course he could not fail to 
 recognize me. But I beg to remind you 
 that by the terms of my enlistment, as with 
 
 all your sailors, I am 
 exempt from crimi 
 nal processes during 
 the voyage and for 
 two months after 
 my return." 
 
 "It is true," re 
 plied Columbus, 
 "thou art exempt 
 from criminal prose 
 cution. But we are 
 very anxious to know the fate of the boy 
 who barricaded the road while his compan 
 ions escaped." 
 
 " Did he never return?" asked the man, 
 with genuine surprise. 
 
 " He never returned," replied Columbus.
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 119 
 
 "Tell us truthfully what thou knowest 
 concerning him. " 
 
 ' ' I can tell you little more than you 
 know, Senor," said the chief. "We were 
 in a rage at the loss of the charts. I must 
 have slept like a pig. The Portuguese 
 rogue was angry, too, and we made the dirt 
 
 fly. 
 
 ' ' We rode around a turn of the road and 
 ran on to a neat little barricade. The boy 
 let fly an arrow. It pinned a man to his 
 mule by the leg. The mule kicked high, 
 and nearly knocked some of us over the 
 edge. 
 
 ' ' We went back a little, and some of the 
 men climbed up the cliff so as to get around 
 and cut off the man and boys, for we 
 thought at first that they were all there. 
 
 ' ' We shot arrows at the barricade. I 
 saw the boy's mule partly behind a rock, 
 and fired my arquebuse. The beast reared 
 and fell over the precipice. 
 
 ' ' Just then the Portuguese, Vascona, left 
 us and rode toward the barricade. We 
 thought he was only reconnoitring, until 
 he clapped spurs to his fine beast and gal-
 
 120 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 loped down the road. The boy shot at him 
 missed and the next instant Vascona 
 leaped his horse over the barricade. 
 
 ' ' We all mounted and rode down, mak 
 ing a joyous hullabaloo, like fools. Our 
 animals couldn't jump the barricade. It 
 was a hard thing to do. And by the time 
 we had torn it down so as to pass, we saw 
 Vascona afar off, riding like the wind, with 
 the boy held before him on the saddle. 
 
 "We chased for a while, but we lost him, 
 and the others too. So we went back like 
 whipped dogs, snarling at one another. 
 
 ' ' I don't know what became of Vascona 
 or the boy. If the little rogue juggled him 
 out of the charts, very likely he tossed him 
 over the cliff, and went back to Portugal." 
 
 Columbus and Diego received very little 
 comfort from the ruffian's narrative. They 
 were both sad and silent. At length Colum 
 bus asked, 
 
 "Is this the truth ?" 
 
 The man uttered imprecations to attest 
 his veracity. 
 
 "Why did you enlist in this expedition?" 
 inquired Columbus.
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 121 
 
 "Ah," said the chief, with a leer, "I 
 want to see those sands of gold, and the 
 diamonds hanging on the trees like dew." 
 
 Columbus sighed, and said no more. 
 
 Another thought now came to Diego. A 
 deep anxiety came over him to hear tidings 
 of the strange lady who had been so kind 
 to him. He spoke timidly to the smug 
 gler, - 
 
 ' ' Where is the lady whom we saw in the 
 mountains, your wife, was she not ? Is 
 she quite well ? " 
 
 For an instant the man darted at him a 
 strange, fierce, evil look. Then he dropped 
 his gaze, and replied, with seeming sorrow, 
 
 " Alas ! she is dead." 
 
 Diego was shocked. A hideous fear that 
 he dared not utter even to himself over 
 came him. That night he prayed for his 
 dead benefactress, in grief and tears. 
 
 The next day Columbus sent out three 
 alguazils with orders to make a thorough 
 search for Felix. 
 
 After a thousand difficulties and delays, 
 the fleet was at last ready to sail. Ignacio 
 Diaz had finished the suit of scarlet and
 
 122 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 gold, and it was really a very fine affair. 
 The tailor was heard on several occasions to 
 express his sorrow that so good a customer 
 as Don Christopher Columbus should per 
 sist in sailing away into unknown regions, 
 where he would surely be boiled alive in 
 tropic seas, or swallowed up by huge mon 
 sters that lurked on the borders of the 
 world, or sucked over the edge of a vast 
 abyss, like a bug over a cataract. 
 
 ' ' Good-by to Don Christopher and his 
 beautiful new suit," said Ignacio Diaz to 
 his wife, nodding his head solemnly. 
 
 "But it is paid for, Diaz," cried his wife 
 sharply. 
 
 "Yes, my love, it is paid for," replied 
 the tailor, with a sweet smile of resignation. 
 
 On the second of August, Columbus, his 
 officers, and crew, made solemn prepara 
 tions for their departure, observing all the 
 religious rites which were deemed to be due 
 to so serious an occasion. The fleet was 
 anchored at the sand bar, near the mouth of 
 the Tinto, fully equipped and ready to sail. 
 
 It was a sad night in Palos, for the peo 
 ple generally believed that all who were
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 123 
 
 about to sail on the expedition were surely 
 doomed to death. And while there was 
 weeping on shore, as the inhabitants bade 
 their relatives and friends farewell, two men 
 in the darkness were busy tampering with 
 the rudder of the Pinta. One of them was 
 Gomez Rascon, who wished to disable his 
 ship so that she might be left behind. The 
 other was the contrabandista, who had easily 
 been hired, for a few pieces of silver, to 
 assist in the treacherous deed. 
 
 In the early morning hours, Columbus 
 was at the convent, where he had been 
 engaged in solemn conference with Father 
 Juan Perez, and had taken affectionate 
 leave of Diego. Then, accompanied by the 
 Superior, Diego, Tortosa, and several 
 monks, he set out for the landing in the 
 dim light of dawn. 
 
 "Diego," said Tortosa, in a low tone, as 
 they walked along, ' ' I am very ignorant. 
 I know nothing of the earth and sea. Yet, 
 if I were able, I would follow thy father 
 fearlessly, believing in his knowledge. 
 When I was a soldier, I obeyed every 
 order without question, trusting in the
 
 124 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 skilful plans of my officers, no matter how 
 desperate the service appeared. And dost 
 thou not believe, Diego, that in this enter 
 prise thy father is but fearlessly obeying 
 the orders of God, given him in mysterious 
 ways ? " 
 
 Before Diego could reply, the quick 
 tramp of horses' feet was heard, and three 
 men overtook them. They were the algua- 
 zils that Columbus had sent to search for 
 Felix. They looked pale and jaded. 
 
 " Have ye found the lad?" asked Colum 
 bus, as they drew near. 
 
 "We found no trace of him, Senor," re 
 plied the men gloomily. 
 
 Columbus walked on, repeating in a low 
 voice words of resignation, to which Father 
 Juan Perez responded. 
 
 In a little while they reached the landing, 
 where a large crowd had sorrowfully assem 
 bled to witness the departure of the fleet. 
 A last farewell to Diego and his friends, 
 and Columbus entered his boat and went on 
 board the Santa Maria, where from the 
 masthead his admiral's flag was floating on 
 the breeze. The east was gorgeous with
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 125 
 
 the coming sun. The anchors were raised, 
 the sails were set, and, amid doleful lamen 
 tations from the shore, the fleet departed on 
 its long and mysterious voyage. 
 
 Columbus shaped his course for the Ca 
 nary Islands, thence intending to sail due 
 west. Three days after leaving Palos, the 
 results of Gomez Kascon's plot became ap 
 parent. The Pinttfs rudder was found to 
 be broken and unshipped, and only the 
 excellent seamanship of Pinzon, her com 
 mander, enabled her to reach the Canaries 
 in her crippled condition. 
 
 The fleet remained at the islands three 
 weeks. Columbus at first endeavored to 
 find a vessel to replace the Pinta, but, not 
 succeeding, he had a new rudder made. 
 
 The repairs were completed at last, and 
 the fleet anchored at the island of Gomera 
 to take in wood, water, and provisions. 
 
 One evening when the sailors had ceased 
 their labors for the day, Columbus stood on 
 the lofty stern of the Santa Maria gazing at 
 the sky in the northeast, which was lurid 
 with the eruption of the volcano of Teneriffe. 
 
 Presently his attention was drawn to a
 
 126 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 small caravel, which came swiftly gliding 
 in from sea. As she passed astern of the 
 Santa Maria, Columbus saw a boy on the 
 high forecastle gazing intently at him. 
 He held a crossbow in his hand, and a dog 
 stood beside him looking up as eagerly as 
 his master. Then the dog began to utter 
 plaintive bays. 
 
 The caravel came to anchor, and a boat 
 was instantly lowered. The boy and the 
 dog sprang in, the oarsmen pulled away 
 vigorously, and were soon alongside of the 
 Santa Maria. The boy came on deck, fol 
 lowed by his dog, and, to the questions of 
 the officers, earnestly demanded to be taken 
 to Columbus. He was conducted aft, and 
 when the Admiral saw him, he cried, with 
 astonishment, 
 
 ''Felix ! and Perrito ! " for the dog was 
 leaping upon him joyfully. 
 
 "Senor Columbus,' 1 said Felix seriously, 
 ' ' I come to inform you that three armed 
 Portuguese caravels, under the command 
 of Don Juan Vascona, are cruising in the 
 vicinity of the island of Ferro with the in 
 tention of attacking you."
 
 THE SAILING OF THE FLEET. 127 
 
 " How dost thou know this ?" asked Co 
 lumbus. 
 
 ' ' I saw them when I left Ferro in that 
 caravel, whose captain I promised one hun 
 dred ducats if he would bring me to you," 
 replied Felix. 
 
 " He shall be paid at once," said Colum 
 bus. ' ' Thy information is valuable. And 
 when I am at leisure I wish to learn how 
 thou earnest here, so far from Spain." 
 
 He then gave orders for the boats imme 
 diately to resume the work of getting the 
 stores aboard. The cannon and other arms 
 were prepared for instant use. All night 
 the work went on by the light of the gigan 
 tic torch of Teneriffe.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 EARLY the next morning the fleet set 
 sail from Gomera. At the earnest request 
 of Felix, Columbus had permitted him to 
 join the expedition, and, of course, Perrito 
 went also. They hoped soon to be far be- 
 
 yond the pursuit of the Portuguese squadron, 
 but, to their great disappointment, a dead 
 calm suddenly fell, and left their sails idly 
 hanging at the mast. They apprehensively
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 129 
 
 scanned the horizon for Vascona' s fleet, and 
 the sailors whistled for a breeze, and called 
 out, piously, 
 
 " Blow, 
 San Antonio ! " 
 
 Columbus exhibited his usual supreme 
 patience at this trying mischance. He 
 summoned Felix to the cabin, and kindly 
 asked him to give an account of his move 
 ments and adventures since Tortosa and 
 Diego left him at the barricade. The boy 
 willingly complied, and his narrative was 
 substantially as follows : 
 
 When Vascona made his sudden charge 
 in the gorge, Felix, who had been some 
 what appalled at the effect of his first shot, 
 hastily let fly an arrow, which flew wide of 
 the mark, and the next moment Vascona, 
 with a shout, had leaped the barricade. 
 
 Felix retreated, trying to adjust his bow 
 for another shot, but the cavalier rode 
 down upon him, laughing, and, bending 
 down, caught his arm and drew him upon 
 the horse. Then he galloped away down 
 the road at a good pace, while the contra- 
 bandistas followed, hallooing loudly.
 
 130 AX ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "Felix," said Vascona, " if those rogues 
 catch thee, thou art a dead boy." 
 
 Felix did not answer. 
 
 ' ' They are desperate men and very angry, " 
 continued Vascona. " See, they are tearing 
 down thy barricade. If I should set thee 
 afoot now, they would be upon thee in five 
 minutes. On one condition I will bear thee 
 away and save thy life. Thou must aid 
 me to regain the charts, and I will pay to 
 thee one thousand ducats. Thou canst 
 rejoin thy companions, and take the charts 
 stealthily, and give them to me. If thou 
 fearest discovery, I will take thee to Por 
 tugal and find thee an honorable place. 
 Thou shalt no longer be a wretched tailor." 
 
 "Honorable!" cried Felix indignantly. 
 ' ' No place would ever be honorable to me 
 again if I should do such a thing, not 
 even my grave ! " 
 
 ' ' Dost thou refuse, stupid ? " said Vas 
 cona fiercely. 
 
 "Yes," returned Felix, though he was 
 really very much frightened. 
 
 ' ' Then stay, and settle thy score with 
 those mountain ruffians," cried Vascona,
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 131 
 
 pushing him roughly to the ground. The 
 cavalier then clapped spurs to his horse and 
 darted away a few yards, but suddenly 
 pulled up and wheeled about as if to try 
 Felix once more. But the boy had not 
 waited for the test. He was springing up 
 the steep mountain-side with the hope of 
 eluding the contrabandistas, who had 
 passed the barricade, and were now gallop 
 ing down the road. 
 
 "Little fool ! " growled Vascona, and in a 
 moment his powerful horse had overtaken 
 Felix, and he was again lifted to the saddle. 
 ' ; They would snare thee like a young 
 rabbit, and show thee no more mercy," 
 laughed the cavalier. ' ' I will save thy life 
 in spite of thee." And as he spoke he was 
 recklessly thundering down the mountain 
 road at prodigious speed. 
 
 Vascona travelled rapidly into Portugal, 
 compelling Felix to go with him. He jest 
 ingly called him his prisoner, but really he 
 had taken a great fancy to the boy. 
 
 They had not gone far before Perrito 
 overtook them, having faithfully obeyed 
 Diego's orders to find Felix. Vascona,
 
 132 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 who had an antipathy to the dog, would 
 have killed him, but yielded to the boy's 
 entreaties for his life. He stipulated, how 
 ever, that Felix should lead Perrito with 
 him, so that he might not be used to track 
 them. 
 
 One day Vascona asked him how they 
 had recovered the charts. Felix answered 
 truthfully, and the cavalier became very 
 grave and thoughtful. 
 
 When they arrived at Lisbon, Felix was 
 treated very kindly, and was given an 
 agreeable position in Vascona's household. 
 But the people with whom he was brought 
 in contact were gay, fashionable, and dissi 
 pated, and Felix became insensibly cor 
 rupted by them. He forgot Palos and his 
 old friends in a round of gay spectacles and 
 frivolous diversions. He was making a 
 brilliant start on the road to ruin. 
 
 But Felix was suddenly brought to his 
 senses. He had for a while observed that 
 his patron was engaged in some important 
 business, and one day certain of his asso 
 ciates casually mentioned that Vascona was 
 to take command of a fleet of ships about
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 133 
 
 to sail for the Canary Islands, to intercept 
 and capture a Spanish adventurer named 
 Columbus ! 
 
 The brave, honest spirit of Felix revived 
 within him. He was seriously troubled 
 between his obligations to Vascona, and his 
 duty to Columbus. But his sense of the 
 injustice and iniquity of Vascona's mission, 
 and his high estimation of Columbus, at 
 length brought him to a decision. Leaving 
 behind him all the rich clothing and trin 
 kets given him by Vascona, he took 
 Perrito and his crossbow, and, dressed in 
 his old, ragged suit, secretly took pas 
 sage on a caravel bound for the Canary 
 Islands. After many minor adventures, 
 he at last reached Columbus and gave him 
 warning. 
 
 "Thou hast done well, Felix," said Co 
 lumbus. ' ' Not every one could or would 
 abandon a life of luxury and ease for 
 poverty, hardship, and an uncertain fate, 
 in the effort to do right. We are now em 
 barked in an enterprise from which, I trust, 
 will come honor and riches. Ask of me, 
 Felix, whatever thou wilt, and, if it be
 
 134 AX ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 possible, I will give it thee at the termina 
 tion of this voyage." 
 
 Columbus smiled kindly and waited to 
 hear his wish, encouraging him to ask for 
 whatever would please him most. Sud 
 denly Felix looked up and asked ear 
 nestly, -
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 135 
 
 "Senor, do you think it would be possi 
 ble for me to learn to read ? " 
 
 "To read!" cried Columbus, surprised. 
 " Thou canst easily learn." 
 
 "If you would teach me," murmured 
 Felix; "but no! it is asking too much." 
 
 "Felix," said Columbus gently, "I will 
 gladly teach thee to read. Let us begin 
 now, and afterward we will speak again of 
 the reward which thou shalt receive." 
 
 ' ' That will be a reward beyond my de 
 serving," cried Felix. "To be a learned 
 man, to know how to read ! " 
 
 So while his ships lay motionless on a 
 glassy sea, in proximity to an enemy, Co 
 lumbus calmly gave Felix his first lesson in 
 letters. 
 
 In three days a fresh breeze sprang up as 
 the sun rose on a Sunday morning. Far 
 away towered the mountains of Ferro, and 
 on the horizon under the sun three white 
 specks gleamed. They were the Portu 
 guese caravels. But the ships of Columbus 
 spread their wings and sped away into the 
 west, and Vascona was baffled once more. 
 
 Day after day the ships sailed on far into
 
 136 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 the mysterious solitudes of the ocean. A 
 strange, steady breeze wafted them along. 
 It was the now familiar trade- wind. 
 
 The compass, upon which they had relied, 
 began to act strangely, and the needle 
 no longer pointed directly to the north. 
 
 The pilots were 
 puzzled, and the 
 ignorant sailors ap 
 palled, and only the 
 wise explanations 
 of Columbus re 
 garding the varia 
 tion calmed their 
 fears for the time. 
 
 Still the mystical 
 breeze blew them on, and they feared that 
 they could never return against that cease 
 less current of air. 
 
 The sea was smooth, and soon they be 
 held it covered with weeds, and they 
 imagined that the ships were about to run 
 aground in shallow, shoreless, torrid waters 
 where all would miserably perish. But 
 Columbus sounded the sea and found no 
 bottom.
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 137 
 
 Weeks passed, and only the level ocean 
 and the arching sky met their eager eyes. 
 They seemed to be carried down a vast 
 watery incline, who could tell where? 
 Perhaps into the depths of a terrible abyss 
 full of enormous whirlpools, or even over 
 the very edge of the world, whence they 
 would plunge into space ! 
 
 These vague terrors of the sailors led to 
 murmurings and mutiny. Foremost among 
 the disaffected was the contrabandist^ who 
 had lost all hope of seeing the sands of gold 
 and the diamonds hanging on the trees like 
 dew. His only desire was to get back to 
 Spain, and he incited the sailors to rebel 
 and force Columbus to return. 
 
 One night Felix, happening to enter the 
 forecastle, overheard the ruffian urging 
 some of the sailors to join him in throwing 
 Columbus overboard in the night. He 
 argued that it would be regarded as an 
 accident, and that the whole fleet would 
 rejoice at the opportunity to abandon the 
 mad voyage and return to Spain. 
 
 Felix at once warned Columbus of his 
 danger, and on the following day the
 
 138 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Admiral addressed his crew, using explana 
 tions, promises, or threats, according to the 
 different characters with whom he had to 
 deal. The contrabandista and others he 
 sternly menaced with extreme penalties if 
 they attempted any treasonable act. 
 
 Nevertheless, Felix felt great anxiety for 
 his kind commander and teacher. When 
 Columbus slept, he mounted guard at the 
 cabin door, crossbow in hand and Perrito 
 by his side. And at night when the 
 Admiral was on deck watching, or taking 
 observations, Felix and his crossbow were 
 close at hand to resist any act of treachery. 
 
 One eventful night, as Columbus was 
 standing on the high stern of the Santa 
 Maria, he suddenly started and uttered an 
 exclamation. Glancing around, he saw 
 Felix near by. 
 
 "Felix," he said quietly, "come here 
 and tell me if thou seest anything in that 
 direction." 
 
 Felix approached, and looked intently in 
 the direction indicated. Presently he said : 
 
 ' ' Senor, I see a light a long way off mov 
 ing up and down."
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 139 
 
 " Then I am not deceived," cried Colum 
 bus. "I have discovered LAND ! " 
 
 He called two of his officers, and they too 
 saw the distant light. 
 
 The night wore on, and every man in the 
 fleet was wide awake and on the alert. 
 At two o'clock in the morning a red flash 
 lighted up the swelling sails of the Pinta, 
 
 and the report of a 
 cannon electrified 
 the expectant mari 
 ners. Following the 
 report there came 
 
 $f\ l 7/'Hi / over *^ e dark water 
 
 )A^ [I \li~jL a long-drawn, exult- 
 
 ^ ^Jg^t; ant cry, - 
 
 "Land! land!" 
 
 It was October 12, 1492. 
 
 In the fresh and lovely dawn Felix stood 
 by the side of Columbus and gazed on the 
 gleaming shore of a beautiful island. The 
 pure, sweet air, the clear, azure sky, the 
 pellucid waters, the green, luxuriant land, 
 all filled the hearts of the voyagers with 
 gladness, and seemed, indeed, to belong to 
 a new and delightful world.
 
 140 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Had Ignacio Diaz been present, his heart 
 would have swelled with pride to see the 
 Admiral enter his boat attired in that rich 
 suit of scarlet cloth embroidered with gold ; 
 and, doubtless, his chief reflection would 
 have been of the numerous orders likely to 
 be received from Don Christopher Columbus 
 now that he had discovered a new world. 
 
 Well, poor Ignacio Diaz has been for 
 gotten for centuries. I doubt that it ever 
 occurred to him that anything but money 
 was worth working for. If it had been 
 suggested to him, he would have asked, 
 with contempt, ' ' Where is the profit com 
 ing in, Senor ? " But a few years passed, 
 and he died, and ducats were useless to him 
 forever. 
 
 The boats touched the land, and Colum 
 bus stepped ashore with the royal standard 
 in his hand. Felix followed him. Perrito 
 had been left on the ship, and his mournful 
 bay could be heard over the water. The 
 officers and sailors landed. Down they all 
 knelt upon the shore to thank God for 
 success. 
 
 Then Columbus took possession of the
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 141 
 
 land for the king and queen of Spain, 
 whose admiral and viceroy he also pro 
 claimed himself to be. And from the 
 woods there came a crowd of wild, copper- 
 
 o- 
 
 colored men to greet the strangers who had 
 lauded on their soil, the soil that was to 
 be theirs no more. 
 
 Columbus and his men remained on shore
 
 142 
 
 AN ARCHEK WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 the rest of the day, exploring the beautiful 
 island, which the natives called Guanahani, 
 and endeavoring to converse with the gentle 
 though barbaric inhabitants. With pres 
 ents of beads and hawk-bells they won the 
 hearts of the simple people, and sought to 
 
 learn from them 
 more of the new 
 world that they 
 had found. 
 
 During the af ter- 
 noon, Felix, at 
 tracted by the 
 beauty of the 
 woods, wandered 
 away from his com 
 panions and strolled 
 with delight among 
 
 fragrant thickets, and under the broad, 
 drooping leaves of tropic trees. He carried 
 his crossbow in his hand, but he felt no 
 fear of the natives. 
 
 After crossing a wooded point, and be 
 coming somewhat entangled in dense under 
 brush, he at length emerged upon the beach. 
 The surf broke gently on the white sand.
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 143 
 
 A cool breeze tempered the ardent rays of 
 the sun. Over the blue water he saw the 
 ships riding at anchor. 
 
 While he felt all the beauty of the scene, 
 yet his mind was occupied with other 
 thoughts. He realized that Columbus had 
 achieved a great triumph. Well, so had 
 he, Felix Madrigal, achieved a great tri 
 umph. Columbus had conquered the perils 
 of a vast and unknown ocean, and had 
 found a new world. What had Felix Mad 
 rigal conquered ? The alphabet! Was not 
 that a new world, too, surrounded likewise 
 with strange and perplexing rocks and 
 shoals whereon he had many times nearly 
 suffered shipwreck ? He sat down upon 
 the sand, and with a twig began carefully 
 to trace the letters of his name. 
 
 Suddenly his attention was drawn from 
 his absorbing task. A strange object was 
 emerging from the surf. Felix had often 
 heard of mermaids and mermen, and he 
 felt that something of that sort was now 
 before his eyes. He laid his hand on his 
 crossbow, though much doubting whether 
 an arrow would prevail against a being of 
 that kind.
 
 144 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 As the creature emerged from the surf 
 and crawled upon the beach, Felix was 
 struck by an impression that he had seen 
 something like it before. Still mystified, 
 however, he remained motionless, and 
 watched the singular movements of the 
 newcomer, who began eagerly to pluck up 
 handfuls of sand and hold it up to the sun 
 light and examine it intently. 
 
 Soon a young Indian came running 
 swiftly along the beach. He was naked, 
 and his long black hair streamed behind 
 him as he sped along. In his hands he held 
 a large ball of cotton. He had probably 
 heard of the arrival of the strange white 
 men, and was hastening to see them, with 
 his ball of cotton for an offering. 
 
 As he drew near, the uncouth being on 
 the sand reared itself to its feet right in his 
 path. It was a disgusting revelation to 
 Felix. He knew too well that brutal face, 
 and those huge, projecting ears. It was 
 the contrabandista. He had left the ship 
 without permission and swum ashore, and 
 was now vigorously prospecting for those 
 marvellous sands of gold.
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 145 
 
 The Indian halted and gazed at him with 
 evident fear. Then he tremblingly held 
 out his ball of cotton, his little offering 
 that he had brought for the godlike vis 
 itors. 
 
 The contrabandista strode forward, with 
 hand extended, also, but extended to take, 
 not to give. That was his usual practice. 
 But at that moment something about the 
 savage seemed to inspire him with extreme 
 emotion. He rushed forward and caught 
 the unfortunate red man by the nose. 
 
 Felix heard the Indian cry out with pain, 
 and realized that violence was being done. 
 He snatched up his crossbow, placed an 
 arrow on the string, and hurried forward, 
 calling out sharply to the ruffian to desist. 
 
 The contrabandista turned upon him with 
 a ferocious scowl, but perceiving the cross 
 bow levelled at him, he began to parley and 
 to make excuses. He confessed to swim 
 ming ashore, being urged to the act by his 
 intense desire to touch land once more. 
 He was merely protecting himself from the 
 Indian, who he feared was about to attack 
 him. He trusted that Felix would not re-
 
 146 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 port such a harmless escapade, and craved 
 permission to swim back to the ship. 
 
 Felix felt that it was his duty to conduct 
 the offender before Columbus, yet he dis 
 liked to get any one into trouble. He 
 looked at the Indian and saw that he wore 
 a small ornament of gold in his nose. It 
 was this that the contrabandista had cov 
 eted and had endeavored to tear away. 
 The blood was trickling down the poor 
 fellow's face, and he seemed trembling be 
 tween flying for his life and throwing him 
 self at the feet of the white strangers. 
 
 Felix's indignation blazed up, and he 
 wheeled about to command the ruffian to 
 accompany him immediately to the Admiral. 
 But the fellow had slipped away and was 
 already in the surf striking out swiftly for 
 the Santa Maria. 
 
 So Felix turned his attention to soothing 
 the fears of the Indian, and after a time 
 succeeded in assuring him of his friendship. 
 His next effort was to ascertain his com 
 panion's name. Pointing to himself, he 
 pronounced his own name, "Felix." Then 
 pointing to the native he fixed upon him a
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 147 
 
 look of inquiry. In a moment the Indian 
 seemed to understand the question, and 
 replied, 
 
 "Poalo." 
 
 So Felix called him " Pablo," which had 
 a similar sound, and presently conducted 
 him to Columbus, to whom he reported 
 also the cruel assault perpetrated by the 
 contrabandista. 
 
 Pablo, perceiving that he was in the 
 presence of the commander of the strange 
 visitors, humbly offered his ball of cotton. 
 Columbus accepted it with benignity, and 
 gave him in return a red cap and a string 
 of glass beads. 
 
 Joyful at receiving such rich and wonder 
 ful gifts, Pablo forgot his injured nose and 
 fell to dancing on the greensward. Colum 
 bus meanwhile addressed his men, proclaim 
 ing dire penalties against whomsoever 
 should maltreat the natives. 
 
 Nevertheless, every one present had 
 marked with eager eyes and quickened 
 breath the little ornament of gold in Pablo's 
 nose, and when the Indian had finished his 
 childish dance, Columbus sought to learn
 
 148 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 from him where he had obtained it. Pablo 
 pointed to the south, and by signs and ges 
 tures and strange antics seemed to describe 
 a great and rich monarch whose empire lay 
 in that direction. 
 
 The Spaniards were exultant and joyful. 
 They seemed to see just before them the 
 gorgeous realization of their hopes. Their 
 own ardent desire for the discovery of lands 
 of enormous wealth guided them too closely 
 in interpreting the fantastic sign language 
 of the Indians. 
 
 ' 'Gentlemen, " said Columbus, ' ' our course 
 lies to the south. Doubtless the great mon 
 arch described by this Indian is that same 
 king of the island of Cipango, or Japan, 
 described by Marco Polo." 
 
 As night came on they all returned to the 
 ships. The contrabandista was at once 
 called to account for his misdeeds. He was 
 put in chains, and assigned a diet of 
 bread and water. The question of cutting 
 off one of his ears was also seriously con 
 sidered. But in view of the general joy 
 prevailing in the fleet, this infliction was 
 postponed for a time. Still, the ruffian was
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 149 
 
 in a sad state, his only ray of hope being 
 the remembrance of that rude hoop of gold 
 hanging from the Indian's nose. 
 
 Two days after, the fleet sailed southward 
 from Guanahani, which Columbus called 
 San Salvador. Seven Indians were taken 
 on board the ships, to be taught the Spanish 
 language, so that they could serve as inter 
 preters. Among them was Pablo, who had 
 become much attached to Felix, and begged 
 to be taken with him. He was certainly 
 the brightest of the seven, gentle, affec 
 tionate, and obliging. Felix soon taught 
 him to speak a little Spanish, and rewarded 
 his efforts with biscuits and honey. 
 
 After touching at several beautiful islands, 
 and seeking in vain for rich kingdoms, and 
 mines of gold and gems, Columbus set sail 
 for a great island to the south, which he 
 fully believed to be the gorgeous Cipango 
 of which he had long dreamed. 
 
 On the morning of the twenty-eighth of 
 October there burst upon his view a grand 
 and far-extending island, with lofty moun 
 tains, green plains and valleys, and vast 
 forests. Clear and sparkling rivers flowed
 
 150 
 
 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 gently into the blue and tranquil sea. The 
 beautiful wooded shores were fragrant with 
 flowers and fruit. Birds of brilliant plu 
 mage flitted among the trees, and glittering 
 insects flashed amongst the luxuriant ver 
 dure. It was Cuba, the ' ' Queen of the 
 Antilles." 
 
 The fleet coasted aloiif;: these delightful 
 
 shores, and succeeded in opening communi 
 cation with the inhabitants, but they were 
 merely naked Indians, and brought little be 
 sides cotton to barter. There was 110 gold. 
 Again Columbus eagerly listened to the 
 half -understood tales of the natives. They 
 seemed to tell of a great king who dwelt at 
 his magnificent capital in the interior of the 
 island. Surely this must be some mighty 
 Asiatic potentate. Columbus resolved to
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 
 
 151 
 
 send envoys to communicate with the mon 
 arch. 
 
 Two men were chosen for this service, 
 one of whom could speak Hebrew, Chaldaic, 
 and Arabic. With Pablo and a Cuban 
 Indian for interpre 
 ters, they set out on 
 their adventurous 
 journey, and disap 
 peared in the dense 
 forest. 
 
 The next day Felix 
 accompanied Colum 
 bus on an expedition 
 up the large river in 
 the mouth of which 
 
 the fleet was anchored. When the party 
 landed to explore the adjacent country, 
 they were attracted by a group of Indian 
 huts in a beautiful grove not far away, 
 and went to visit them. 
 
 They were built of palm leaves, and were 
 quite clean. A goodly quantity of cotton 
 and cotton yarn was stored within, and 
 several hammocks of cotton net were sus 
 pended between posts.
 
 152 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Near the huts were small fields of cotton 
 and Indian corn, and between the hills of 
 corn were low, dark-green plants, each 
 plant having a number of queer, roundish 
 roots or tubers. Felix put a few of these 
 roots in his pocket as curiosities. He tasted 
 one of them, but at once concluded that it 
 was not yet ripe. 
 
 After hanging a few beads on the huts, 
 
 to conciliate the owners, who had been seen 
 hovering at a distance, the party returned 
 to the boats. 
 
 In a few days the two envoys returned. 
 They had been disappointed. The splendid 
 city and the mighty king had shrunk into a 
 cluster of Indian huts and a barbarian 
 chief. Thus the cloud-castles crumbled.
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 153 
 
 Hearing from the natives accounts of an 
 island of fabulous richness to the northeast, 
 Columbus determined to sail thither. But 
 soon after leaving the coast of Cuba, he was 
 met by adverse winds, and compelled to put 
 back. 
 
 The Pinta, having better sailing qualities, 
 continued on her course, in spite of the 
 Admiral's signals to return, and was soon 
 lost to sight. Columbus was much troubled 
 by this, as he believed it to be a deliberate 
 desertion on the part of Martin Alonzo 
 Pinzon, with the hope of securing more 
 glory and profit to himself and to his 
 townsmen and friends who were with 
 him. 
 
 During this rough weather, the contra- 
 bandista was released from his chains and 
 returned to duty, with both ears intact. 
 So far from being grateful for this, he soon 
 gathered a few of his familiar spirits about 
 him in the forecastle, and over a tankard 
 of wine mumbled ferocious threats against 
 Columbus and Felix. But the ruffian at 
 tended to his duties promptly, and no one 
 suspected the plot that was forming in his
 
 154 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 evil mind, a plot that was destined to 
 bring disaster. 
 
 When the weather became more favor 
 able, the Santa Maria and the Nina again 
 sailed to the east, and soon the island of 
 Hayti loomed grandly above the horizon. 
 As they approached, the mariners were de 
 lighted by the almost magical beauty of 
 that tropic isle of the sea. 
 
 It was a populous land, but the natives 
 fled at the approach of the ships. But at 
 last some of the sailors captured an Indian 
 girl. She was taken on board the Santa 
 Maria, and kindly treated, and released 
 with many presents. Again the hearts of 
 the Spaniards beat high with hope, for the 
 girl wore an ornament of gold in her nose. 
 
 The kind treatment of the girl had the 
 intended effect, and the explorers were soon 
 surrounded by thousands of gentle and gen 
 erous natives. Little gold was found, but 
 they heard wondrous tales of rich mines 
 farther on. So they continued their voyage 
 along the northern coast. 
 
 On the twenty-second of December, a 
 large canoe full of Indians came alongside
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 155 
 
 of the Santa Maria bringing a native dig 
 nitary. He announced himself a messenger 
 from the great cacique, Guacanagari, at 
 whose dominions the ships had now ar 
 rived. He brought as a present to the 
 Admiral a belt of wampum, and a carved 
 mask of wood and gold. He bore, also, an 
 invitation to Columbus to visit the cacique 
 at his royal residence a little farther along 
 the coast. 
 
 Columbus accepted the invitation. Aside 
 from the strange desertion of Pinzon, for 
 tune seemed about to favor the expedition. 
 They had at last reached the dominions of 
 a powerful cacique. Gold was becoming 
 plentiful among the natives, and they will 
 ingly parted with it. But, above all, mar 
 vellous tales were told of a king in the 
 mountains of the interior whose wealth was 
 boundless, and whose very banners were of 
 gold. His realm was called Cibao, and 
 Columbus, catching at the similarity of the 
 names, was assured that at last he had 
 reached Cipango. 
 
 On Christmas eve, 1492, the Santa Maria 
 and the Nina were sailing along the coast
 
 156 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 toward the capital of the cacique, Guacana- 
 gari. The night was calm, the sea was 
 smooth, and 110 danger seemed possible. 
 
 Late at night Columbus retired to his 
 cabin. The officer of the deck, trusting in 
 the quiet night, also went below. The 
 helmsman, feeling drowsy, presently called 
 one of the ship-boys to take the tiller, and 
 he, too, lay down to sleep. The boy nodded 
 at his post. 
 
 Perrito was lying at the cabin door as 
 usual, while Felix had wrapped himself in 
 his cloak and was asleep on the lee side of 
 the deck, as was his custom on pleasant 
 nights. 
 
 A man crept stealthily from the forecastle 
 and stole aft in the deepest shadows. He 
 paused amidships and bent down to ex 
 amine a sleeping figure on the deck. It 
 was Felix, with his crossbow beside him. 
 The man shook his fist at the unconscious 
 boy, but did not then disturb him. He 
 turned away and approached the drowsy 
 lad at the helm. 
 
 "Here, boy, sleep awhile. I'll steer," 
 he whispered hoarsely. The lad looked up
 
 THE NEW WORLD. 157 
 
 and recognized the contrabandista. But he 
 was very willing to be relieved. He gave 
 up the tiller and was soon snoring on the 
 deck. 
 
 The contrabandista did some singular 
 steering. It was not long before he heard 
 the dull roar of breakers, and saw them 
 flashing white in the gloom dead ahead. 
 His wicked eyes glared like those of a cat 
 in the dark. 
 
 Suddenly he stepped forward and kicked 
 the sleeping ship-boy. 
 
 "Get up and take the helm, you young 
 cub ; it's my turn to snooze," he growled. 
 
 The boy, startled out of a sound sleep, 
 rose, half awake, and took the tiller. The 
 contrabandista hurried forward in the dark 
 ness. Bending over Felix, who still lay in 
 a profound slumber, he suddenly lifted him 
 and flung him over the rail into the sea. 
 Then he darted forward into the forecastle. 
 
 A moment after, the ship struck heavily 
 and trembled, from bow to stern. The 
 breakers roared hoarsely around her. The 
 affrighted boy at the helm screamed an 
 alarm. Then the deck was crowded with
 
 158 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 the dark figures of the terrified crew. They 
 rushed about in a wild panic. Frenzied 
 shouts and orders mingled in the dreadful 
 tumult. Again the sea raised the doomed 
 ship, and again she crashed on the sands.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 
 
 IT was a sudden and disagreeable awaken 
 ing for Felix, to find himself tossing among 
 the breakers. He was entangled in his 
 cloak, and in imminent danger of drown 
 ing. But just as he began to grow faint 
 with exhaustion, he felt himself seized and 
 supported, and real 
 ized that his res 
 cuer was drawing 
 him away from 
 the breakers into 
 smoother water. 
 
 He was half 
 strangled with salt 
 water, and coughed 
 and gasped so des 
 perately that it was some minutes before 
 he could endeavor to ascertain who the 
 strong swimmer was that had saved his 
 life. As he recovered, he tried to strike 
 out for himself, but his companion did 
 not release his firm grasp on his jacket.
 
 160 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 They were moving slowly through the 
 water. 
 
 "Who are you, amigo f " asked Felix, at 
 last, when he felt that he could spare a 
 little breath. 
 
 "Pablo," replied a gentle, well-known 
 voice at his ear. 
 
 "Pablo!" cried Felix, with a burst of 
 gratitude, "you have saved my life ! " 
 
 They swam on. Distant shouts and cries 
 came to their ears. Felix did not realize 
 their meaning. He did not know that the 
 ship had gone ashore. He was still be 
 wildered. Around him was a vast waste 
 of waters amid which he was lost. He 
 knew not where he was nor whither he 
 was going. Had he been alone, terror and 
 despair would have seized him. 
 
 "Where are we going?" he asked, pres 
 ently. 
 
 "Going ashore," replied Pablo calmly. 
 
 They swam on and on. Felix's heart 
 began to sink. He was becoming ex 
 hausted. Could they ever reach the land ? 
 
 Pablo marked his weakening strokes and 
 his sobbing breath. His grasp tightened a 
 little.
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 161 
 
 " Rest, Felix, rest," he said gently. 
 
 In a short time Felix was compelled to 
 rest. Had he been alone, he must have 
 sunk like a stone. But his companion bore 
 him steadily on. 
 
 At last, a dull roar sounded in his ears. 
 He saw phosphorescent lights flickering 
 along the crest of the breaking surf. He 
 felt the strong waves carrying them in. 
 
 An I then Pablo was bearing him through 
 the shallow water, and laying him down 
 upon the white sand. 
 
 Felix lay for a little while in a sort of 
 stupor, while Pablo watched anxiously 
 beside him. When he had recovered a 
 little strength, he questioned the Indian as 
 to the nature of the accident that had be 
 fallen him. 
 
 Pablo described in vivid pantomime, and
 
 162 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 with what words he could command, the 
 dastardly deed of the contrabandista. The 
 Indian had been asleep on the forecastle, 
 but being awakened by the noise of the 
 breakers, he had sprung up just in time to 
 witness the cowardly act and to leap over 
 board to the assistance of Felix. He had 
 not recognized the perpetrator of the deed, 
 but Felix was convinced that there was but 
 one man on board the Santa Maria who 
 could have done it. 
 
 Felix was thunderstruck when Pablo 
 asserted that the ship had gone ashore in 
 the breakers. He could hardly believe it, 
 but his mind was filled with dismal fore 
 bodings of a dire calamity. It was not for 
 a long time that the probability of his own 
 private loss occurred to him. But then it 
 pierced him like an arrow, and a sorrowful 
 cry burst from his lips. 
 
 ' ' My crossbow ! It is lost ! " 
 
 Pablo heard and understood, but said 
 nothing. They sat on the beach drearily 
 waiting for morning to dawn. Felix re 
 membered that it was Christmas day, and 
 was about to mention it to Pablo, when it
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 163 
 
 occurred to him that Pablo was a heathen, 
 and he felt deep pity at the thought. 
 
 But Felix himself had few pleasant 
 recollections connected with the holiday. 
 The only Christmas he had ever spent that 
 could be called "merry" was the one he 
 had passed in Lisbon, and that was very 
 merry indeed. Little did he then dream 
 that in a year he would be sitting on the 
 vast shore of a new world, with a wild 
 Indian for a companion. 
 
 The weather was mild, so that in spite of 
 his drenched clothing, Felix did not suffer. 
 As for Pablo, the water vanished from his 
 copper skin like quicksilver. 
 
 The night wore on. Felix fell asleep and 
 dreamed that he was again in Vascona's 
 splendid house at Lisbon. The brilliant halls 
 were crowded with Christmas revellers, and 
 he heard music, and laughter, and the 
 rhythmic tap of dancing feet. Suddenly he 
 awoke and started up. The glorious dawn 
 was breaking. Pablo sat silent beside him. 
 He held the crossbow in his hand. 
 
 ' ' Pablo ! " cried Felix, ' ' where did you 
 find my crossbow ? "
 
 164 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 "Ship," replied Pablo, with a wave of 
 his hand seaward. 
 
 Felix looked, and, with a sharp pang of 
 grief, saw the Santa Maria a long way out, 
 dismantled and lying on her side on a sand 
 bar, with the waves breaking against her. 
 
 "Was the crossbow on the ship ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " How did you get it ?" 
 
 "Swim," replied Pablo gently. 
 
 ' ' Is there any one on the ship ? " 
 
 "No. All gone. Nina," answered 
 Pablo. 
 
 " Good boy, Pablo ! " cried Felix, seizing 
 his crossbow with one hand, and slapping 
 his companion on the back with the other. 
 ' ' You've saved my crossbow and me. If 
 there are any biscuits and honey left 011 
 the Nina, you'll get them all you can 
 eat ! " 
 
 Pablo smiled joyously. 
 
 In a little while a boat was seen approach 
 ing from the Nina. It soon reached the 
 shore, and two men landed. Felix and 
 Pablo hastened to meet them. They proved 
 to be Diego de Arana, the judge of the
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 165 
 
 fleet, and Pedro Gutierrez, the king's butler. 
 They stared at Felix with astonishment. 
 
 " Art thou a ghost ? " said Arana. " We 
 had all given thee up for dead. The Ad 
 miral is sorely grieved." 
 
 " How did you get ashore?" asked Gu 
 tierrez. 
 
 ' ' I fell into the sea, and Pablo saved my 
 life and brought me ashore," replied Felix. 
 
 "Ah, "said Arana dubiously, "I doubt 
 the virtue of having one's life saved by a 
 heathen. Methinks it were better to sink. 
 Yes, that would be my decision. It were 
 better to sink." 
 
 "Senor," returned Felix gravely, "be 
 fore making your decision, pray allow your 
 self to be taken while asleep and thrown 
 into the sea at the dead of night. Methinks 
 you will find even the assistance of a 
 heathen acceptable." 
 
 "How!" cried Arana, in astonishment. 
 ' ' Were you thrown into the sea ? " 
 
 "Yes, Sefior." 
 
 ' ' Who committed such a heinous crime ? " 
 
 " My suspicions lack proof, Sefior." 
 
 ' ' This shall be investigated. I, too, have
 
 166 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 suspicions. Let the guilty man beware 
 should I secure proof, also. We are going to 
 the cacique, Guacanagari, to inform him of 
 the disaster. You may accompany us if 
 you wish. This Indian, though a heathen, 
 may be useful as an interpreter." 
 
 After a brisk walk, they reached the capi 
 tal town of the cacique, built among lovely 
 groves. Their approach had been observed, 
 and Guacanagari himself came forth to 
 meet them, surrounded by many of his 
 officers. He was a man of frank and in 
 genuous countenance, and majestic yet 
 gentle manners. He was attired in a cotton 
 robe, and wore 011 his head a heavy coronet 
 of gold from which arose brilliant plumes 
 of parrot's feathers. 
 
 His delight at meeting the white men 
 was changed to genuine sorrow when he 
 learned of the disaster to the Santa Maria. 
 The tears rolled down his cheeks as he tried 
 to express his grief. 
 
 He turned and gave orders to his officers, 
 and soon a thousand Indians were hurrying 
 to the beach and embarking in canoes to go 
 to the assistance of Columbus.
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 
 
 167 
 
 Felix and Pablo accompanied Arana and 
 Gutierrez on board the Nina, and the Ad 
 miral received Felix with a joy that testified 
 how deep had been his sorrow at his sup 
 posed loss. 
 
 The cacique soon followed to sympathize 
 with and comfort Columbus, and to oversee 
 
 the work of unloading the wreck. So faith 
 fully did the Indians prosecute the work, 
 that in a short time the cargo and arms 
 and stores were landed. And so great was 
 the honesty of these heathen, whom Arana
 
 168 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 scorned, that nothing was misappropriated 
 or stolen. 
 
 A day or two afterward, Columbus visited 
 the cacique at his town, accompanied by a 
 large number of his officers and men. Felix 
 and Pablo were with the party. After a 
 dinner at the house of Guacanagari, the 
 visitors witnessed a great celebration in a 
 neighboring grove, where a thousand In 
 dians danced to the music of drums and 
 castanets while they chanted wild native 
 songs. 
 
 Columbus returned this peaceful enter 
 tainment by displaying the warlike skill of 
 his men with crossbow, sword, and arque- 
 buse. Felix was called forth ' and shot 
 arrows into a tree at a great distance, to 
 the wonder and admiration of the Indians. 
 Finally one of the cannon of the Santa 
 Maria that had been brought ashore was 
 fired, and the stunning report changed the 
 wonder of the natives to terror. 
 
 Columbus now resolved to build a fort 
 near the town of the friendly Guacanagari, 
 and leave a colony there. The wreck of 
 the Santa Maria was broken up and the
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 169 
 
 timbers brought ashore to be used in con 
 structing the fortress. 
 
 The sailors worked with a will, for many 
 of them were anxious to remain on the 
 island where gold seemed to be plentiful, 
 and where they could lead indolent lives, 
 quite different from their existence on board 
 ship. 
 
 There was one miserable man on the 
 Nina whose fierce passions were excited by 
 the tidings of this proposed colony. It was 
 the contrabandista. He had again been 
 put in chains at the instance of Arana, who 
 suspected him of throwing Felix overboard, 
 although he had as yet no proof. The ship- 
 boy had not dared to tell what he knew. 
 The contrabandista knew that it was idle 
 for him to hope to be left as one of the col 
 onists, yet that was what he ardently de 
 sired. So he raged in his chains like a wild 
 beast. The knowledge that Felix had es 
 caped, increased his fury. 
 
 In a short time the fort was finished, and 
 cannon mounted for its defence. Thirty- 
 nine men were chosen to remain as colo 
 nists, and were solemnly charged to treat
 
 170 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 the Indians with kindness and justice, and 
 to collect all the gold they could. Perhaps 
 all this was too much to expect of ordinary 
 mortals. At any rate, they seem to have 
 made a dismal failure of it. 
 
 When all was ready, Columbus took af 
 fectionate leave of the friendly cacique and 
 his generous people, and of the comrades 
 he was about to leave behind, and the Nina 
 set sail and departed. 
 
 Hardly had she got well to sea, when the 
 contrabandista's chains were found, but 
 they no longer held that ruffian in their 
 cold embrace. He had been liberated by 
 some confederate, and had swum ashore to 
 join the colony. 
 
 He jumped from the frying-pan into the 
 fire, for the officer left in command of the 
 colony was Diego de Arana himself. If 
 that severe judge failed to hang him at 
 once, the contrabandist a certainly shared 
 the fate of the whole party, for before Co- 
 lumbus's return, every man was massacred. 
 By their own wicked conduct they had 
 brought upon themselves the just ven 
 geance of the Indians.
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 171 
 
 As the Nina was bounding along with all 
 sails set, Felix came upon Pablo seated 
 upon a coil of rope in an attitude of deep 
 dejection, and gazing mournfully over the 
 blue water. 
 
 ' ' What is the matter, Pablo ? " he asked. 
 
 " Guanahani," murmured Pablo, looking 
 up. 
 
 ' ' Oh, your island, your home ? " 
 
 "Yes, Guanahani." 
 
 ' ' What about it ? Do you want to go 
 back there ? " 
 
 " Yes, go back," said Pablo eagerly. 
 
 ' ' What ! Are you homesick ? " 
 
 ' ' Want Guanahani, " was the plaintive 
 reply. 
 
 ' ' But we're going to Spain, now, to 
 my country. It's the greatest country in 
 the world. You'll see great things. Perhaps 
 you'll see the king and queen, and so 
 will I," cried Felix, swelling with impor 
 tance at the thought. 
 
 "Guanahani," sighed poor Pablo. 
 
 " But we'll come back again, you know," 
 continued Felix. "Then you can see Gua 
 nahani, Pablo."
 
 172 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 When he comprehended that idea, Pablo 
 brightened perceptibly, and Felix made 
 haste further to comfort him with biscuits 
 and honey. 
 
 Two days after leaving the colony, they 
 fell in with the Pinta. In spite of the 
 inexcusable desertion of her commander, it 
 was a joyful meeting, and the two ships 
 prepared for the long voyage back to Spain. 
 Pinzon had achieved nothing more glorious 
 than cruising along the coast and trading 
 with the Indians. 
 
 In a few days they entered a deep inlet 
 of the sea on the island of Hayti. Here the 
 Spaniards found a fierce and warlike tribe 
 of Indians armed with bows and arrows, 
 war-clubs, and javelins. 
 
 It was at this place that Felix performed 
 a feat that made him famous among the 
 sailors. He accompanied a party of well- 
 armed men who were sent ashore to trade 
 with the savages. They were met by a 
 large band of Indians fully armed and 
 hideously painted. While the sailors were 
 endeavoring to purchase some of their bows 
 and arrows, the Indians seemed to become
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 173 
 
 suspicious and threatened an attack. The 
 Spaniards instantly set upon them, wounded 
 two, and put the rest to flight. 
 
 Felix at the time had his crossbow in 
 hand, and was trying to purchase a bow 
 from a gigantic savage of ferocious aspect. 
 The trade seemed difficult, as the Indian 
 persisted in demanding the crossbow in 
 exchange. 
 
 When the hostile demonstration was 
 made, the huge savage snatched the cross 
 bow from Felix and made off with it at a 
 swift pace. The other Indians were al 
 ready running through the woods, and the 
 commander of the Spaniards checked the 
 pursuit of his men and drew them back to 
 the boat. All obeyed but Felix, who ran 
 fiercely on far into the forest in pursuit of 
 the savage who had taken his crossbow. In 
 vain his comrades shouted to him to return. 
 
 The big Indian ran for some distance and 
 then halted among the dense thickets to 
 admire his prize. While he was thus 
 pleasantly engaged, Felix burst upon him 
 furiously and snatched the weapon from his 
 hands, with loud and angry words.
 
 174 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 The red giant looked down upon the slen 
 der white boy with amazement, and then 
 burst into a loud laugh, while Felix 
 promptly retreated, and soon met his com 
 panions hastily advancing to his rescue. 
 
 The next day the Indians returned in 
 great numbers. But they exhibited a very 
 friendly spirit, and their chief gave Colum 
 bus the wampum belt of peace, arid his own 
 coronet of gold. 
 
 Soon afterward the ships set sail for 
 Spain. The return voyage was very severe. 
 Dreadful storms arose, and for many days 
 they were scourged by fierce winds, and 
 tossed upon gigantic billows, in imminent 
 danger of shipwreck. 
 
 The poor Indians whom Columbus was 
 taking to Spain were terrified beyond 
 measure. Several of them fell sick. Among 
 these was poor Pablo. Felix remained be 
 side him almost constantly, striving to alle 
 viate his distress. But the poor Indian was 
 like a plant plucked from its native soil and 
 slowly withering. He forgot the strange 
 words that he had learned from Felix. He 
 turned away from the biscuits and sweet
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 175 
 
 honey that he had liked so well. They 
 could not tempt him now. He lay with 
 mournful, piteous eyes, and the only moan 
 that broke from his lips was the name, 
 "Guanahani." 
 
 One dreadful night of howling storm, 
 Felix sat beside Pablo, holding his thin 
 hand and sadly watching his face as the 
 dim lamp swung to and fro. Suddenly the 
 Indian started and sat up. His head was 
 bent eagerly forward. A look of intense 
 delight came over his face. His eyes were 
 bright and glad ; they seemed to be gazing 
 on scenes far away. 
 
 " Guanahani!" he cried joyfully. 
 
 Then his muscles relaxed, the light 
 faded from his eyes, he fell back dead. 
 
 Soon the rude sailors came and bore away 
 the body, and threw it into the roaring sea. 
 It was a sad fate for the poor barbarian, 
 torn from his peaceful island, and Felix 
 shed many tears for him. Yet it was bet 
 ter than that of thousands of his unfortunate 
 countrymen who afterward wore out their 
 lives in hopeless slavery. 
 
 Storm after storm shattered the unhappy
 
 176 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 ships. The Pinta disappeared in the 
 tempest, and it was feared that she had 
 sunk. Columbus, fearing that any day 
 might see the Nina engulfed in the depths 
 of the angry ocean, wrote an account of his 
 discoveries, enclosed it in a barrel, and 
 threw it into the sea, so that if his ships 
 were lost, the world might yet hear the 
 result of his voyage. 
 
 After stopping at one of the Azores, and 
 being very treacherously treated by the 
 Portuguese governor, who had received 
 orders to detain Columbus should he touch 
 there, the Nina again set sail. 
 
 And again furious storms assailed the 
 weather-beaten ship. At last, sighting 
 land at the mouth of the Tagus on the 
 fourth of March, they were forced to run 
 in for shelter, into the lion's mouth, as it 
 were. 
 
 The news of Columbus' s arrival and of his 
 great discovery soon spread, and many dis 
 tinguished visitors came on board the Nina 
 to hear accounts of the voyage and see the 
 strange copper-colored men from the Indies. 
 
 Felix was now among familiar scenes,
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 177 
 
 and he often thought of Vascona. He 
 watched, a little apprehensively, each boat 
 that arrived, fearing lest the cavalier might 
 take advantage of their feeble condition 
 to commit some act of revenge. But Vas 
 cona did not appear. 
 
 In a few days a dignitary arrived bearing 
 an invitation from the king of Portugal for 
 Columbus to visit him at Court. Although 
 Columbus distrusted the king, yet he 
 deemed it best to accept the invitation. 
 Several of his officers were to accompany 
 him, and Columbus kindly gave Felix per 
 mission to go. For once Felix would have 
 preferred to remain on board the ship, but, 
 fearing to be thought cowardly, he said 
 nothing, and went with the party. 
 
 Everything needed for their journey was 
 magnificently provided, and they soon ar 
 rived at Court. The king received them 
 graciously, and entertained them with fine 
 hospitality. Columbus described his voyage, 
 and though the king's envy and mortifica 
 tion were evident, yet he listened with 
 intense interest and close attention. 
 
 One day, as Felix was at an assembly in
 
 178 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 one of the halls of the palace, a hand was 
 laid on his shoulder. He turned, and saw 
 Vascona. The cavalier looked very grave. 
 
 "Felix," he said, "I did not think to see 
 thee here. Didst thou accompany Colum 
 bus on his voyage ? " 
 
 "Yes, Senor." 
 
 "Where didst thou join him ? " 
 
 "At the island of Gomera." 
 
 ' ' I heard of thee there. Didst thou warn 
 him of my expedition '? " 
 
 "Yes, Senor." 
 
 "I admire thy candor and courage," said 
 Vascofia. ' ' But didst thou not act treach 
 erously? Is that the way thou repay est 
 one who saved thy life ? " 
 
 " I remember all your kindness," replied 
 Felix. ' ' But saving my life did not make 
 me your slave. I am still free to serve my 
 friends and my country." 
 
 "Let it pass," said Vascona, smiling. 
 ' ' I was only trying thee. I hold thee 
 under no obligations for running away 
 with thee. I well believe that thou wouldst 
 sooner lose thy life than thy freedom. 
 But now that thou hast finished thy voy-
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 179 
 
 age, wilt thou not come to live with me 
 again? Everything thou mayst wish for 
 shall be thine. Stay with me, Felix." 
 
 " I thank you very much, Senor," replied 
 Felix gently. " But I would rather serve 
 my own country." 
 
 Vascofia now led him to a private apart 
 ment, and asked him many questions about 
 the voyage, which Felix answered as well 
 as he could. At last the cavalier said, seri 
 ously, - 
 
 ' ' Felix, I esteem thee highly, and I will 
 give thee a warning concerning thy master. 
 Bid him leave this Court as soon as possible. 
 Warn him to engage in no controversy with 
 any one here. There is a despicable plot 
 among some of the jealous courtiers to as 
 sassinate him, and so, if possible, rob him 
 of his well-earned honors." 
 
 Felix was greatly startled by this, and 
 when he had left Vascona he lost 110 time 
 in warning Columbus. 
 
 The next day they left the Court, with 
 great honors, and returned to the ship. 
 Nothing more was heard of the plot of as 
 sassination, but it was afterward discovered
 
 180 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 that Vascona had reason for the warning 
 he gave. Such a plot really existed. 
 
 On the thirteenth of March the Nina 
 again put to sea, and on the fifteenth, 
 about noon, entered the harbor of Palos in 
 triumph. 
 
 The reception of Columbus and his men 
 may be imagined, how the bells rung out 
 a joyful peal, and the excited multitude 
 hurried to the landing to greet the daring 
 mariners, returned from an unknown 
 bourne as from the dead. 
 
 In the evening the joy was made com 
 plete by the arrival of the Pinta, which had 
 been driven north by the storm into the 
 bay of Biscay. 
 
 When Felix landed with Columbus, the 
 first persons they met were Father Juan 
 Perez, the physician, Garcia Fernandez, 
 Tortosa, and Diego, who was visiting La 
 Eabida. There was a most joyful greet 
 ing. 
 
 "Welcome, Felix !" cried Diego, throw 
 ing his arms about his friend. ' ' Has my 
 father found heaven, and brought you 
 back?"
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 181 
 
 ' ' Felix ! I never thought to see thee 
 again," cried Tortosa, the tears running 
 down his wrinkled face. 
 
 " Perrito ! good Perrito ! " laughed Diego, 
 as the faithful dog leaped upon him. "I 
 told thee to find Felix, and thou hast done 
 thy duty, old fellow ! " 
 
 At that moment another familiar voice 
 was heard, and the physician, Garcia Fer 
 nandez, took Felix by the shoulder. 
 
 "Well, young man, have you just got 
 back ? I shall be careful next time whom 
 I send to La Rabida with a letter, promising 
 to pay for his time till he comes back. 
 Never mind, you've been well employed, 
 I hear. I have just paid Ignacio Diaz for 
 three months of your time. He has not 
 pined away grieving for you, Felix. We'll 
 make another arrangement, I think. I do 
 not believe you were born to be a tailor. " 
 And the good doctor laughed and grew 
 red in the face. 
 
 ' ' Felix ! my dear Felix ! " cried a husky 
 voice, and Ignacio Diaz himself shambled 
 out of the noisy crowd and tried to embrace 
 his apprentice. "Thou hast been to the
 
 182 AN ARCHER WITH COLUMBUS. 
 
 Indies, they say. Tell me, hast thou thy 
 pockets full of precious stones ? Is the ship 
 laden with gold ? " And the tailor's eyes 
 bulged out eagerly. 
 
 Felix laughed, and thrust his hands in 
 his pockets, which were full of odd curiosities. 
 He drew out a small object. It was one of 
 the curious roots that he had found in Cuba. 
 
 ' ' Here is something I picked up in the 
 Indies," he said, and held it out to Ignacio 
 Diaz. The tailor snatched it hastily. It 
 was merely a roundish root or tuber, with 
 a smooth skin in which were numerous 
 slight indentations. He gazed at it a mo 
 ment, touched it with his tongue and 
 rubbed it on his sleeve, and then threw it 
 down angrily. 
 
 Tortosa picked it up, and it was exam 
 ined curiously, while they all laughed at 
 the tailor's disappointment. But none of 
 them knew that it was really a great treas 
 ure, the humble potato. 
 
 Felix and Diego accompanied Columbus 
 to Barcelona, where the sovereigns gave 
 the discoverer of the New World a truly 
 royal reception as " Admiral of the Ocean
 
 THE RETURN TO SPAIN. 183 
 
 sea, and Viceroy and Governor of the 
 islands discovered in the Indies." 
 
 Felix remained in the service of Colum 
 bus until the latter's death. He became an 
 honored companion of Diego when he suc 
 ceeded to his father's honors. 
 
 In 1519, he was one of the most trusted 
 captains of Cortez in his invasion of Mex 
 ico, and fought in many of the battles of 
 the Conquest. 
 
 He remained in the New World that he 
 had helped to discover and conquer, holding 
 positions of high honor, and distinguished 
 above his military compeers for justice and 
 mercy. He died in the City of Mexico, aged 
 ssventy years.