d is not Spain, where men are forever being tortured and
burned for their religion. The English would never put up with
that. It may be that there will be persecution, but methinks it is
rather those whose opinions lead them to make speeches that are
regarded as seditious, and who stir up the people into discontent,
who fall into trouble; and that, as long as folks hold their own
opinions in peace and quiet, and trouble not others, neither king
nor cardinal will seek to interfere with them.

"It is not so in Spain. There, upon the slightest suspicion that a
man or woman holds views differing from those of the priests, he is
dragged away and thrown into the prisons of the Inquisition, and
tortured and burned."

Mistress Mercy now returned, and she and the girls busied
themselves in laying the table for dinner.

That evening, after Mistress Mercy, the girls, and Roger had
retired to bed, Reuben Hawkshaw and his cousin had a long talk
together, concerning the next voyage of the Swan. After Master
Diggory had discussed the chances of a voyage to the low countries,
or another trip to the Mediterranean, Reuben, who had been silently
listening to him, said:

"Well, Cousin Diggory, to tell you the truth, I have been turning
over a project that seems to me to offer a chance of greater
profit, though I deem it not without risk. That is the case, of
course, with all trading affairs; and, as you know, the greater the
risk the greater the profit, so the question to be considered is
whether the profit is in fair proportion to the risk run. I think
that it is, in this case, and I am ready to risk my life in
carrying it out. It is for you to consider whether you are ready to
risk your venture."

"What is it, Reuben? There are no other voyages that I know of;
unless, indeed, you think of sailing up to Constantinople, and
trading with the Grand Turk."

"My thoughts go farther afield still, Diggory. It is a matter I
have thought over for some time, and when I was at Cadiz the other
day I made many inquiries, and these have confirmed me in my
opinions on the matter. You know that the Spaniards are gaining
huge wealth from the Indies, and I heard at Cadiz that, after the
conquest they made, a year since, of the island they call Cuba, the
stores of precious things brought home were vast indeed. As you
know, they bring from there gold and spices and precious woods, and
articles of native workmanship of all kinds."

"I know all that