enry VII. fingered the wooden needle, pulled the rawhide thong
meditatively through his fingers, and ate a little handful of the
wintergreen berries and young leaves. Their pungent flavor wrinkled his
long nose. This was certainly not any spice that came from the Indies.

"This country you found," he remarked at last, "is not much like New
Spain."

"Nay, Sire," answered John Cabot simply.

"And I understand,"--the King put the collection of curiosities back
into the wallet that had held them, "that this represents one fifth at
least of the gains of the voyage."

Cabot bowed. As a matter of fact there had been no profits.

"My lord,"--the King handed the wallet over to the uneasy Ambassador,
who had been invited to the conference, "you have heard what our good
Captain says. If, as you say, Spain claims this landfall, we willingly
make over to you our--ahem!--share of the emolument." And the Spaniard,
looking rather foolish, saw nothing better to do than to bow his thanks
and retire from the presence.

The King turned again to the Cabots.

"Nevertheless," he went on meditatively, "we will not be neglectful of
you. In another year, if it is still your desire to engage in this work,
you may have--" a pause--"ten ships armed as you see fit, and manned
with whatever prisoners are not confined for--high treason. Fish, I
think you said, abound in those waters? Bacalao--er--that is cod, is it
not? Now it seems to me that our men of Bristol can go a-fishing on
those banks without interference from the Hanse merchants, and we shall
be less dependent on--foreign aid, for the victualing of our tables. And
there may be some way to Asia through these Northern seas--in which case
our brother of Spain may not be so nice in his scruples about trespass.
The Spice Islands are not his but Portugal's. And for your present
reward,--" the King reached for his lean purse and waggled his gaunt
foot in its loose worn red shoe "this, and the title of Admiral of your
new-found land."

He dropped some gold pieces into the hand of John Cabot. In the accounts
of his treasurer for that year may be seen this item:

"10th August, donation of L10 to him that found the new isle."

In May of the next year another voyage was undertaken by Sebastian, John
Cabot having died. This time there was a small fleet from Bristol with
some three hundred men. Sebastian sailed so far north as to be stopped
by seas full of icebergs, then turning southward disco