Silver in bulk and gold common as iron with us.
Gold--gold!"
Pedro Gutierrez was speaking. "Gold to carry to Spain
and pay my debts, with enough left to go again to court--"
Said Escobedo, "The Admiral saith, `No fraud nor
violence, quarreling nor oppression'!"
Gutierrez answered: "The Admiral also thinks to pay
his debts! He may think he will be strict as the Saints, but
he will not!"
The Admiral was walking the deck. He stopped beside
Juan Lepe who leaned upon the rail and watched a strange,
glistering sea. It was that shining stuff we see at times
at night in certain weather. But to-night Luis Torres, passing,
had said, "Strewn ducats!"
The Admiral and Juan Lepe watched. "Never a sail!"
said I. "How strange a thing is that! Great populous
countries that trade among themselves, and never a sail on
this sea rim!"
He drummed upon the rail. "Do not think I have not
thought of that! I looked to meet first a ship or ships.
But now I think that truly there may be many outlying
islands without ships. Or there may be a war between
princes, and all ships drawn in a fleet to north or south.
One beats one's brains--and time brings the solution, and
we say, `How simple!' "
Turning his great figure, he mounted to our castle built
up from deck, whence he could see great distances. The
wind had freshened; we were standing to the west; it was
behind us again and it pushed us like a shuttle in a giant's
hand.
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