at I had not thought of that before. And I think", said
Queen Isabel, "that geography is a most fascinating subject and oh,
messire Colombo", said the Queen, "you must come and instruct me often."

Thus it was that Colombo became Royal Geographer. And the tale tells how
after a while various whisperings came to King Ferdinand of his queen's
curious enthusiasm for study.

"Now about this geography", said King Ferdinand one evening to the
Queen, "I am, my dear, indeed glad to see you take an interest in such
an important study and I have arranged", said the King, "to have your
tutoring in the future done by Father Bernadino who has had fifty-two
years' experience at the University, and your lessons", said the King,
"will commence tomorrow."

Said the Queen, "How can I thank you enough, dear Ferdinand, for your
untiring interest in my welfare. For I have been struggling along in
my study of geography with a horribly dull clod whose name", said the
Queen, "I cannot remember."

"Was it, by any chance, Colombo?" asked the King.

"Perhaps", said the Queen. "But I am oh so glad to be rid of him." And
indeed so great was the happiness of Queen Isabel that her pillow that
night was wet with tears.

But King Ferdinand was an unusually efficient king, and he spared no
pains in his craving for normalcy. So it was that the next day he called
to him the man who had chanced to be Royal Geographer before the coup
d'oeuf of Colombo.

"Now tell me", said the King, "is there any chance that a man who sails
to the westward will ever return?"

"None, your Majesty", said the ex-Royal Geographer. "For many have tried
and horrible are the tales which they tell of demons and monsters lying
in wait for the ships of men. And I should say definitely, oh King",
said he, "that whoever sails to the westward will never return."

And the tale tells how that afternoon Colombo stood before King
Ferdinand. And very strange to Colombo was the enthusiasm which burned
in the King's otherwise somewhat fishlike eye.

"For know you, Colombo", the King was saying, "that God has spoken to me
and commanded me to save from the fires of hell the inhabitants of those
golden lands of which you sang. And to you, my dear Colombo, is to
be given the chance which you so ardently desire. For I have this day
purchased three ships which await your command, and within a week you
should be well on your way on this glorious mission for God and for
Spain, and", said t