at we have not enough to make a meal. I am
not going to feast while the rest of you starve," and he gave the birds
a toss into the air from the open window and turned again to his plans.
When some one reported the incident to the Admiral his eyes shone.

"I wish we had a few more such commanders," he said.

Caonaba's next move was to form a conspiracy among all the caciques of
Hispaniola, to join in a grand attack against the white men and wipe
them out, as he had wiped out the little garrison at Navidad. A friendly
cacique, Guacanagari, who had been the ally of the Admiral from the
first, gave him information of this plot, and the danger was seen by
Colon's acute mind to be desperate indeed. He had only a small force,
torn by jealousy and private quarrels, and a defensive fight at this
stage of his enterprise would almost surely be a losing one. The
territory of Caonaba included the most mountainous and inaccessible part
of the island, where that wily barbarian could hold out for years; and
as long as he was loose there would be no safety for white men. To the
Admiral, who was just recovering from a severe illness, the prospect
looked very gloomy.

Pedro the Vizcayan cabin-boy, who was his confidential servant, was
crossing the plaza one day with a basket of fruit, when Alonso de Ojeda
stopped him to inquire after his master's health.

"His health," said Pedro, "would improve if I had Caonaba's head in this
basket. I wish somebody would get it."

Ojeda laughed, showing a flash of white teeth under his jaunty
mustachios. Then he grew thoughtful. "Wait a moment, Pedro," he said.
"Will you ask the Admiral if he can see me for a few minutes, this
morning?"

When Ojeda appeared Colon detected a trace of excitement in the young
man's bearing, and tactfully led the conversation to Caonaba. He frankly
expressed his perplexity.

"Have you a plan, Ojeda?" he asked with a half smile. "It has been my
experience, that you usually have."

Ojeda felt a thrill of pleasure, for the Admiral did not scatter his
compliments broadcast. He admitted that he had a plan.

"Let me hear it," said Colon.

But as the youthful captain unfolded his scheme the cool gray eye of the
Genoese commander betrayed distinct surprise. It seemed only yesterday
that this youngster had been a little monkey of a page in the great
palace of the Duke of Medina Coeli, when he was entertained there, on
arriving in Spain.

"You see," Ojeda concluded, "I