ave cried "Aye!" to it.

The Governor's officer who still kept by us was not averse to talk. All
those preparing ships in the harbor? Why, they were the returning fleet
that brought Don Nicholas in. Sailing to-morrow--hence the hubbub on
land and water. They had a lading now! He gazed a moment at us, and as
we seemed sober folk, saw no reason why we should not have the public
news. Forth it came like water out of bottle. Bobadilla was returning.
"A prisoner?" "Why, hardly that! Roldan, too." "A prisoner?" "Why,
not precisely so." Many of the old regime--Bobadilla's regime--were
returning and Roldan men likewise. Invited to go, in fact, though with
no other harsh treatment. One of the ships would be packed with Indian
rebels, Gwarionex among them. Chained, all these. The notable thing
about the fleet, after all that, was the gold that was going! A treasure
fleet! Bobadilla _had_ gathered gold for the crown. He was taking, they
said, a sultan's ransom. He had one piece that weighed, they said, five
thousand castellanos. Roldan too had gold. And the Governor was sending
no man knew how much. More than that-- He looked at us, then, being a
kindly soul, quoth, "Why shouldn't the Admiral know? Alonso de Carvajal
has put on board the _Santa Clara_ for the Admiral's agent in Cadiz five
thousand pieces--fully due, as the Governor had allowed."

Door was opened. "His Excellency the Governor will see you now."

Why tarry over a short story? Don Nicholas de Ovando pleaded smoothly
the Sovereign's most strict command which _in any_ to disobey were plain
malfeasance! As he spoke he looked dreamily toward blue harbor and the
_Consolacion_. And as to a ship! Every ship, except two or three, old
and crippled and in the hands of the menders, no whit better it was
certain than the _Margarita_, was laded and on the point of sailing.
Literally he had none, absolutely not one! He understood that Jamaica
was expressly named to the Admiral for resting and overhauling. Careen
the _Margarita_ there and rectify the wrong--which he trusted was not
great. If ships had been idle and plentiful--but he could not splinter
any from the fleet that was sailing to-morrow. He was sorry--and trusted
that the Admiral was in health?

Terreros said, "His ship is worse off than you think, Excellency. He
has great things to do, confided into his hands by the Sovereigns who
treasure him who found all. Here is emergency. May we carry to him
invitation to enter S