ange, indeed, that within three years of
his death you should appear."

"It is strange," Roger agreed. "Assuredly, your Majesty, your
father's prophecy did not allude to my people. We are a
comparatively small nation, and are not even masters of the whole
of our island. We have not one ship to fifty that the Spaniards
possess, and have no desire for foreign conquests. We are strong if
attacked, and even Spain would find it a hard matter, did she
endeavor to conquer us; but we should not dream of challenging the
rights she exercises over the seas to the west of her. Moreover,
our climate is a cold one, and we should not be able to support,
with comfort, the heat of a country like this. It is not from our
nation that danger can ever approach you."

"But from the Spaniards?" the king asked, gravely.

"I cannot think, Sire, that so great and powerful a nation as yours
has reason to dread conquest by the Spaniards. But they are a
mighty people. They have extended their rule over many peoples, on
the other side of the water; and they have captured many islands
which lie not so very far from your shores."

"How far away?" one of the old counselors asked.

"A vessel with a favoring wind would sail to your coast, thence, in
twelve or fourteen days," Roger replied.

There was a general exclamation of surprise and uneasiness from
Roger's hearers. Many questions were asked him, as to the number of
men the Spaniards could put in the field. His answer somewhat
reassured them.

"Perhaps two thousand would be the utmost they could send from
these islands," he said; "though I know not the strength of their
various garrisons. But from Spain they could, if they chose, send
across the seas in their ships ten times as many."

"We could put over two hundred thousand in the field," the king
said proudly.

Roger was silent.

"You do not think," the king went on after a pause, "that twenty
thousand of these men are to be feared by a host like ours?"

"With equal arms and armor, no, your Majesty; but with the
advantage of their weapons, the fact that they are clad in armor
which your spears and arrows and knives would be powerless to
pierce, and that many of them would be mounted soldiers, whose rush
and impetus in battle it is nigh impossible--even for white
infantry, who have no fear of the horses, and are themselves clad
in armor--to withstand; and that they have, in addition these,
terrible cannon of which I spoke to you, I t