e of the ways of Indian Princes?"

"Nay, I have no time for fooling--they'll miss me," said the youngster
impatiently. "The Spanish Ambassador has his spies upon thee, and thou
must leave a false scent for them to smell out. He sent his report on
thee, eight months ago."

"Before we sailed to Roanoke?" queried Armadas with lifted brows.

"Before thou went to Richmond that day. His Excellency quizzed me after
the masque and asked me did I know when the ships sailed and whither
they were bound, believing me to be cozened by his gold. I told him they
were for Florida to find the fountain of youth for the Queen, and would
sail on May-day!"

A grin of pure delight widened the boy's face, and he wriggled in
gleeful remembrance where he perched, on a tall oaken chair. "Oh, they
will swallow any bait, those gudgeons, and some day their folly will be
the end of them. I would not have them catch thee if they could be
fooled, and well did I fool them, I tell thee!"

"For--heaven's--sake!" stammered Armadas in amazement. "Little friend,"
he added gently, "it seems to me that we owe thee life and honor. But
why didst do it?"

"Why?" The boy's fine dark brows bent in a quick frown. "What a pox
right had they to be tempting me to be false to the salt that I and they
had eaten? I hate all Spaniards. I'd ha' done it any way," he added
shyly, "for to win our game, but I did it for love o' thee because thou
took my part about the mascarado."

"I think," said Armadas as he took from his wallet a bracelet of Indian
shell-work hung with baroque pearls, "that all our fine plans would ha'
come to naught but for thy wise head, young 'un. These be pearls from
the Virginias, and if you find 'em scorched, that's only because the
heathen know no other way of opening the oyster-shell but by fire. The
beads are such as they use for money and call roanoke. The gold of the
Spanish mines can buy men maybe, but it does not buy such loyalty as
thine, that's sure. I have no gold to give, lad,--but wear this for a
love-token. And I think that could the truth be known, the Queen herself
would freely name thee Lord of Roanoke."

NOTES

[1] The name is variously spelled Armadas, Amidas and Amadas. The form
here used is that of the earliest records. The same is true of the
spelling "Ralegh."

[2] Companies of children under various names were often employed in the
acting of plays in the time of Elizabeth. These are the "troops of
children, little