ly claimed the
Johnsons as fugitives from the Inquisition. The cropped ears and lost
thumbs were convincing evidence against them, and they were handed over
to the Church, to be dealt with according to the law ecclesiastical.
An attempt to claim the other three sailors failed. The governor would
not quit his hold on them. His own galley was sadly undermanned, and
he could not let three stout and skilled oarsmen slip through his
fingers. He looked longingly upon the two crop-eared fellows, and
begrudged the Church the possession of them. But he remembered with a
sigh that there must be give and take in this world, and five out of
seven was not a bad proportion.

The court broke up. The five galley-slaves were taken back to their
cell for that night. Nick and Ned were walked away in charge of the
jailers of the Inquisition. Their ultimate fate was to be decided the
next day.

Chapter XLV.

FOR FAITH AND COUNTRY!

The trial of the two brothers was a very elaborate and ceremonial
business. The Inquisition Court, with the bishop presiding, sat for
about three hours. There was reading of papers, citing of
ecclesiastical and royal decrees, and a good deal of argument between
the bishop, the Chief Inquisitor, and Brother Basil. Through all this
wordy process the two sailors stood, or lounged, or chatted quietly
together. At first they had listened, hoping to glean a little
information; but as Latin predominated over Spanish, and they
understood no word of the former and only the New World barbaric
mixture of the latter, they soon ceased to pay attention, and lawyers
and ecclesiastics droned on as long as it pleased them to do so.

In the last few minutes the interest swung round to the prisoners.
Basil ordered them to attend and answer truthfully certain questions
the court desired to put to them. The two lean, brown bodies were
straightened, and two pairs of keen, clear eyes stared into Basil's
shifty orbs.

"Are you sons of the same parents?"

"Yes."

"Names?"

"Nicodemus and Edward."

"Nationality?"

"English, God be thanked!" answered Nick.

"Amen! brother," said Ned.

"Religion?"

The two rough fellows looked at one another. The question was really a
puzzler. Living their lives out on the sea, unlettered and unlearned,
they had no knowledge of religious formularies.

"We believe in God and Jesus Christ His Son," said Nick. "Is that so,
brother?"

"That is so," said Ned; "those