Chapter XX.Itwas all wrong and utterly indefensible for Martin Alonzo to take the attitude he did towards the admiral, and Martin Alonzo knew it quite as well as any one.Of course he justified himself to himself, and rehearsed in his own mind how he had contributed money and influence, without which the voyage could not have been undertaken; but down in his heart he knew that he was bent on a wrong deed, and it must have been borne in on his better nature that the real cause of his dislike for the admiral was born of a union of jealousy and an insubordination which could not brook authority from any one.Diego felt that Martin Alonzo was intent on a thing that was wrong—his cousin’s manner indicated that—but he could not reason on it; for he did not clearly understand what the relations were between the captain and the admiral. It was generally felt that Martin Alonzo was the life and soul of the enterprise, and that the honors and authority whichwere to fall to the admiral were quite undeserved.Besides, Diego was too young, too happy in the excitement of the voyage, to care much. He admired his cousin and loved him, and would willingly follow his lead; and as he felt no responsibility in the matter—having none indeed, for his clear duty was simply to obey the orders of his captain—he gave himself no concern either at that time or later.It was on the morning of the 19th of November that the admiral finally gave up hope of gaining anything by remaining on the coast of Cuba, and turned the prows of his ships towards that island which he called Babeque. The course set was due east, and thePinta, as usual, took the lead.The wind was dead ahead, however, and after battling all that day and during the night, very little progress had been made. Martin Alonzo spent his time, as he had frequently done of late, in gnawing his lips and fingers, and in watching, with sullen eyes, the ship of the admiral. On the morning of the 20th he called Diego to him.“You have been wishing to have a word with me, Diego,” he said. “What is it?”“The Indians say that the island we are heading for must be Bohio, and not the Babeque of which the admiral speaks.”“Yes,” said Martin Alonzo, “that is what I supposed. Well, neither theSanta Marianor theNiñacan sail long in the teeth of this gale, and will be obliged to turn back.”“So Rodrigo de Triana says,” answered Diego.“He says well. Now, go, Diego,” and he turned and walked to where his brother, Francisco Martin, paced the unsteady poop of thePinta.It is singular how the very air seems to be charged with expectation when a plot of any sort is brewing. The sailors of thePintaknew that something was to happen that was out of the common, and they often whispered when there was no need of it, and kept casting curious and expectant glances towards the poop.All day long the gale pelted them, and they beat about before it; though the sailors of thePintaknew she was not doing the best she could have done under the circumstances. They told themselves that it was because Martin Alonzo did not choose to get too far from the other ships.Late in the afternoon the admiral decided that it would be better to turn back and wait for better weather, and he therefore put his vessel about and signalled the other two to do thesame. TheNiñaobeyed, and the sailors of thePintastood ready to take Martin Alonzo’s orders. But he merely beckoned his brother and two of the gentlemen adventurers to join him, and they talked earnestly for a few minutes, the sailors watching them intently and whispering among themselves.Presently Martin Alonzo separated himself from his companions, and walked to where he could see the sailors. There was a set smile on his face, and he said nothing for a full minute.“Now we shall hear something startling, depend upon that,” said Juan, in Diego’s ear.“It is an egg he has been sitting on for some time,” said Diego, “and I am curious to see what will be hatched.”“My men,” said Martin Alonzo, raising his powerful voice, “come nearer. I have something to say to you.”There was no need of a second invitation; for the men crowded as near as they could, and listened while they clung to any available thing; for the vessel was tossing like a cork. Martin Alonzo stretched out his arm towards the other ships.“They are going back to a land where there is no gold,” he said, and stopped.“Ay, ay!” growled the men, looking at the ships and nodding their heads.“I promised you all the gold you could procure,” said Martin Alonzo. “There has not been much as yet to get; but you know whose fault it has been that you could not have a share of what there was.”At this the men seemed to half comprehend what was coming, and nodded vigorously at each other and shouted, “Ay, ay!” in a way that showed that they would not lag behind his wishes.“But for me,” went on Martin Alonzo, “this expedition would never have started, or, having started, would never have continued on its way. I promised you gold and precious stones if you would keep your spirits, and I have been prevented from keeping my promise. Well, so far we have found but little gold; but the boy, Diego, has been learning the language of these Indian fellows, and he has discovered that the gold comes from a certain island, not far to the east of here. The other ships have turned back. Shall we turn back, or shall we go on? Come! it is for you to say. If we go it is for the purpose of letting each man get what treasure he can, that he may have some profit out of a voyage that has had enough of terror for us all.What is the word, men? Shall we keep on our course, or shall we put about and return?”“To the island!” “Gold, gold!” “Keep our course!” and such like cries were his answer, as he very well knew they would be.“What do you think of that?” asked Diego in a whisper of Juan.“I think he has the gift of language, too,” answered Juan.“Good!” said Martin Alonzo; “and now let us make our terms at the start, so that there may be no misunderstanding. I have been at great costs on account of this expedition, and it is but fair that I should receive more than you. Again, I shall have to supply you with the means of traffic. In consideration of these things, I ask you if it will not be right that I shall take half of the gold and have the other half divided share and share alike among you?”The sailors had listened dubiously at the opening of this speech, expecting to hear him propose far less advantageous terms to them; so that when he concluded they were agreeably surprised and showed their satisfaction in a shout of acquiescence.Thus it was that thePintadisregarded all the signals of the admiral and kept her course as well as she could, while the companion vesselswere forced to seek shelter on the coast of Cuba.For a while, the feeling that they had broken loose from the supreme authority put the sailors into a riotous state; but Martin Alonzo was not the man to permit that. He might defy authority, himself, but no one should disregard his authority, and he very speedily gave the sailors to understand it; so that in a little while he had his crew in its accustomed state of subordination.
Chapter XX.Itwas all wrong and utterly indefensible for Martin Alonzo to take the attitude he did towards the admiral, and Martin Alonzo knew it quite as well as any one.Of course he justified himself to himself, and rehearsed in his own mind how he had contributed money and influence, without which the voyage could not have been undertaken; but down in his heart he knew that he was bent on a wrong deed, and it must have been borne in on his better nature that the real cause of his dislike for the admiral was born of a union of jealousy and an insubordination which could not brook authority from any one.Diego felt that Martin Alonzo was intent on a thing that was wrong—his cousin’s manner indicated that—but he could not reason on it; for he did not clearly understand what the relations were between the captain and the admiral. It was generally felt that Martin Alonzo was the life and soul of the enterprise, and that the honors and authority whichwere to fall to the admiral were quite undeserved.Besides, Diego was too young, too happy in the excitement of the voyage, to care much. He admired his cousin and loved him, and would willingly follow his lead; and as he felt no responsibility in the matter—having none indeed, for his clear duty was simply to obey the orders of his captain—he gave himself no concern either at that time or later.It was on the morning of the 19th of November that the admiral finally gave up hope of gaining anything by remaining on the coast of Cuba, and turned the prows of his ships towards that island which he called Babeque. The course set was due east, and thePinta, as usual, took the lead.The wind was dead ahead, however, and after battling all that day and during the night, very little progress had been made. Martin Alonzo spent his time, as he had frequently done of late, in gnawing his lips and fingers, and in watching, with sullen eyes, the ship of the admiral. On the morning of the 20th he called Diego to him.“You have been wishing to have a word with me, Diego,” he said. “What is it?”“The Indians say that the island we are heading for must be Bohio, and not the Babeque of which the admiral speaks.”“Yes,” said Martin Alonzo, “that is what I supposed. Well, neither theSanta Marianor theNiñacan sail long in the teeth of this gale, and will be obliged to turn back.”“So Rodrigo de Triana says,” answered Diego.“He says well. Now, go, Diego,” and he turned and walked to where his brother, Francisco Martin, paced the unsteady poop of thePinta.It is singular how the very air seems to be charged with expectation when a plot of any sort is brewing. The sailors of thePintaknew that something was to happen that was out of the common, and they often whispered when there was no need of it, and kept casting curious and expectant glances towards the poop.All day long the gale pelted them, and they beat about before it; though the sailors of thePintaknew she was not doing the best she could have done under the circumstances. They told themselves that it was because Martin Alonzo did not choose to get too far from the other ships.Late in the afternoon the admiral decided that it would be better to turn back and wait for better weather, and he therefore put his vessel about and signalled the other two to do thesame. TheNiñaobeyed, and the sailors of thePintastood ready to take Martin Alonzo’s orders. But he merely beckoned his brother and two of the gentlemen adventurers to join him, and they talked earnestly for a few minutes, the sailors watching them intently and whispering among themselves.Presently Martin Alonzo separated himself from his companions, and walked to where he could see the sailors. There was a set smile on his face, and he said nothing for a full minute.“Now we shall hear something startling, depend upon that,” said Juan, in Diego’s ear.“It is an egg he has been sitting on for some time,” said Diego, “and I am curious to see what will be hatched.”“My men,” said Martin Alonzo, raising his powerful voice, “come nearer. I have something to say to you.”There was no need of a second invitation; for the men crowded as near as they could, and listened while they clung to any available thing; for the vessel was tossing like a cork. Martin Alonzo stretched out his arm towards the other ships.“They are going back to a land where there is no gold,” he said, and stopped.“Ay, ay!” growled the men, looking at the ships and nodding their heads.“I promised you all the gold you could procure,” said Martin Alonzo. “There has not been much as yet to get; but you know whose fault it has been that you could not have a share of what there was.”At this the men seemed to half comprehend what was coming, and nodded vigorously at each other and shouted, “Ay, ay!” in a way that showed that they would not lag behind his wishes.“But for me,” went on Martin Alonzo, “this expedition would never have started, or, having started, would never have continued on its way. I promised you gold and precious stones if you would keep your spirits, and I have been prevented from keeping my promise. Well, so far we have found but little gold; but the boy, Diego, has been learning the language of these Indian fellows, and he has discovered that the gold comes from a certain island, not far to the east of here. The other ships have turned back. Shall we turn back, or shall we go on? Come! it is for you to say. If we go it is for the purpose of letting each man get what treasure he can, that he may have some profit out of a voyage that has had enough of terror for us all.What is the word, men? Shall we keep on our course, or shall we put about and return?”“To the island!” “Gold, gold!” “Keep our course!” and such like cries were his answer, as he very well knew they would be.“What do you think of that?” asked Diego in a whisper of Juan.“I think he has the gift of language, too,” answered Juan.“Good!” said Martin Alonzo; “and now let us make our terms at the start, so that there may be no misunderstanding. I have been at great costs on account of this expedition, and it is but fair that I should receive more than you. Again, I shall have to supply you with the means of traffic. In consideration of these things, I ask you if it will not be right that I shall take half of the gold and have the other half divided share and share alike among you?”The sailors had listened dubiously at the opening of this speech, expecting to hear him propose far less advantageous terms to them; so that when he concluded they were agreeably surprised and showed their satisfaction in a shout of acquiescence.Thus it was that thePintadisregarded all the signals of the admiral and kept her course as well as she could, while the companion vesselswere forced to seek shelter on the coast of Cuba.For a while, the feeling that they had broken loose from the supreme authority put the sailors into a riotous state; but Martin Alonzo was not the man to permit that. He might defy authority, himself, but no one should disregard his authority, and he very speedily gave the sailors to understand it; so that in a little while he had his crew in its accustomed state of subordination.
Itwas all wrong and utterly indefensible for Martin Alonzo to take the attitude he did towards the admiral, and Martin Alonzo knew it quite as well as any one.
Of course he justified himself to himself, and rehearsed in his own mind how he had contributed money and influence, without which the voyage could not have been undertaken; but down in his heart he knew that he was bent on a wrong deed, and it must have been borne in on his better nature that the real cause of his dislike for the admiral was born of a union of jealousy and an insubordination which could not brook authority from any one.
Diego felt that Martin Alonzo was intent on a thing that was wrong—his cousin’s manner indicated that—but he could not reason on it; for he did not clearly understand what the relations were between the captain and the admiral. It was generally felt that Martin Alonzo was the life and soul of the enterprise, and that the honors and authority whichwere to fall to the admiral were quite undeserved.
Besides, Diego was too young, too happy in the excitement of the voyage, to care much. He admired his cousin and loved him, and would willingly follow his lead; and as he felt no responsibility in the matter—having none indeed, for his clear duty was simply to obey the orders of his captain—he gave himself no concern either at that time or later.
It was on the morning of the 19th of November that the admiral finally gave up hope of gaining anything by remaining on the coast of Cuba, and turned the prows of his ships towards that island which he called Babeque. The course set was due east, and thePinta, as usual, took the lead.
The wind was dead ahead, however, and after battling all that day and during the night, very little progress had been made. Martin Alonzo spent his time, as he had frequently done of late, in gnawing his lips and fingers, and in watching, with sullen eyes, the ship of the admiral. On the morning of the 20th he called Diego to him.
“You have been wishing to have a word with me, Diego,” he said. “What is it?”
“The Indians say that the island we are heading for must be Bohio, and not the Babeque of which the admiral speaks.”
“Yes,” said Martin Alonzo, “that is what I supposed. Well, neither theSanta Marianor theNiñacan sail long in the teeth of this gale, and will be obliged to turn back.”
“So Rodrigo de Triana says,” answered Diego.
“He says well. Now, go, Diego,” and he turned and walked to where his brother, Francisco Martin, paced the unsteady poop of thePinta.
It is singular how the very air seems to be charged with expectation when a plot of any sort is brewing. The sailors of thePintaknew that something was to happen that was out of the common, and they often whispered when there was no need of it, and kept casting curious and expectant glances towards the poop.
All day long the gale pelted them, and they beat about before it; though the sailors of thePintaknew she was not doing the best she could have done under the circumstances. They told themselves that it was because Martin Alonzo did not choose to get too far from the other ships.
Late in the afternoon the admiral decided that it would be better to turn back and wait for better weather, and he therefore put his vessel about and signalled the other two to do thesame. TheNiñaobeyed, and the sailors of thePintastood ready to take Martin Alonzo’s orders. But he merely beckoned his brother and two of the gentlemen adventurers to join him, and they talked earnestly for a few minutes, the sailors watching them intently and whispering among themselves.
Presently Martin Alonzo separated himself from his companions, and walked to where he could see the sailors. There was a set smile on his face, and he said nothing for a full minute.
“Now we shall hear something startling, depend upon that,” said Juan, in Diego’s ear.
“It is an egg he has been sitting on for some time,” said Diego, “and I am curious to see what will be hatched.”
“My men,” said Martin Alonzo, raising his powerful voice, “come nearer. I have something to say to you.”
There was no need of a second invitation; for the men crowded as near as they could, and listened while they clung to any available thing; for the vessel was tossing like a cork. Martin Alonzo stretched out his arm towards the other ships.
“They are going back to a land where there is no gold,” he said, and stopped.
“Ay, ay!” growled the men, looking at the ships and nodding their heads.
“I promised you all the gold you could procure,” said Martin Alonzo. “There has not been much as yet to get; but you know whose fault it has been that you could not have a share of what there was.”
At this the men seemed to half comprehend what was coming, and nodded vigorously at each other and shouted, “Ay, ay!” in a way that showed that they would not lag behind his wishes.
“But for me,” went on Martin Alonzo, “this expedition would never have started, or, having started, would never have continued on its way. I promised you gold and precious stones if you would keep your spirits, and I have been prevented from keeping my promise. Well, so far we have found but little gold; but the boy, Diego, has been learning the language of these Indian fellows, and he has discovered that the gold comes from a certain island, not far to the east of here. The other ships have turned back. Shall we turn back, or shall we go on? Come! it is for you to say. If we go it is for the purpose of letting each man get what treasure he can, that he may have some profit out of a voyage that has had enough of terror for us all.What is the word, men? Shall we keep on our course, or shall we put about and return?”
“To the island!” “Gold, gold!” “Keep our course!” and such like cries were his answer, as he very well knew they would be.
“What do you think of that?” asked Diego in a whisper of Juan.
“I think he has the gift of language, too,” answered Juan.
“Good!” said Martin Alonzo; “and now let us make our terms at the start, so that there may be no misunderstanding. I have been at great costs on account of this expedition, and it is but fair that I should receive more than you. Again, I shall have to supply you with the means of traffic. In consideration of these things, I ask you if it will not be right that I shall take half of the gold and have the other half divided share and share alike among you?”
The sailors had listened dubiously at the opening of this speech, expecting to hear him propose far less advantageous terms to them; so that when he concluded they were agreeably surprised and showed their satisfaction in a shout of acquiescence.
Thus it was that thePintadisregarded all the signals of the admiral and kept her course as well as she could, while the companion vesselswere forced to seek shelter on the coast of Cuba.
For a while, the feeling that they had broken loose from the supreme authority put the sailors into a riotous state; but Martin Alonzo was not the man to permit that. He might defy authority, himself, but no one should disregard his authority, and he very speedily gave the sailors to understand it; so that in a little while he had his crew in its accustomed state of subordination.