t of Peru.

Thus there seemed a great career opening before Balboa at the very moment
when adverse fate was gathering darkly around him. Pedrarias had grown
jealous of his daring exploits and the fame that seemed his coming meed,
and, cherishing treacherous designs, by a crafty message induced him to
return to Acla, his new capital.

On arriving there, Balboa was at once seized by order of the governor,
thrown into prison, and put on trial on a charge of disloyalty to the king
and an intention to revolt against his superior. The judge was forced to
condemn him to death, and the fatal sentence was at once carried into
effect, the great discoverer being beheaded on the public square of Acla.
Thus, in blood and treachery, ended the career of one of the ablest of the
bold adventurers of Spain.

THE ROMANTIC STORY OF THE PRINCE OF TEZCUCO.

About a hundred years before the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, there
reigned over the kingdom of Tezcuco, in the valley of Mexico, a monarch
whose history is as interesting and romantic as any that can be found in
the annals of Europe. His story was preserved by his descendants, and its
principal events are as follows:

[Illustration: FLOATING GARDENS ON THE CHENAMPAS.]

FLOATING GARDENS ON THE CHENAMPAS.

The city of Tezcuco, the capital of the Acolhuans, stood on the eastern
borders of the lake on whose opposite side was Mexico, the Aztec capital.
About the year 1418 the Acolhuans were attacked by a kindred race, the
Tepanecs, who, after a desperate struggle, captured their city, killed
their monarch, and subjugated their kingdom. The heir to the crown, the
young Prince Nezahualcoyotl, concealed himself in the foliage of a tree
when the triumphant foe broke into the palace, and from his hiding-place
saw his father killed before his eyes. This was the opening event in a
history as full of deeds of daring and perilous escapes as that of the
"Young Chevalier of English history."

The young prince did not long remain at liberty. Soon after his flight
from the city he fell into the hands of his foes, and was brought back and
thrown into a dungeon. This led to the first romantic incident in his
career. The governor of the fortress prison was an old servant of the
royal family of Tezcuco, and aided the little captive to escape in
disguise, taking his place in the dungeon. He paid for his loyalty with
his life, but he willingly gave it in e