entirely overlooked by George, who felt a good deal disturbed also by
the thought that fighting might yet begin despite all his precautions;
he therefore directed Don Sebastian to collect his messengers, and when
this had been done, in the course of a very few minutes, the young
English captain himself went forth with them to the several points in
the Square at which they sought egress, and personally instructed the
various parties of his men to allow the messengers to pass. Then,
having seen them all safely out of the Square, noted for himself the
signs of disturbance and panic which seemed to everywhere prevail
throughout the city, and issued certain additional instructions to his
own men, George hastened back to Government House, where he found Don
Sebastian anxiously awaiting his return. He explained to the Don the
state of affairs at that moment existing, so far as he had been able to
ascertain it, expressed the opinion that bloodshed might yet be averted,
and then proceeded to unfold to the Governor the precise nature of the
business that had brought him and his men to Nombre de Dios; that
business being of course the liberation of his brother and such other
prisoners as still remained in the hands of the Spaniards.
"I have already had the honour of explaining to your Excellency," he
said in conclusion, "that I am not here with a view to pillage; I have
exacted from San Juan what I regard as fair and just pecuniary
compensation for the Viceroy's treachery to my friends, Hawkins and
Drake, while they lay in the harbour of that city, a year ago; and, as I
have already pointed out, I have only seized Nombre in order that I may
be in a position to drive a bargain with you.
"Now, I learned from the authorities at San Juan de Ulua that, of the
Englishmen who fell into their hands upon the occasion just referred to,
seventeen--of whom my brother was one--were sentenced to the galleys,
and shipped on board a vessel named the _San Mathias_, bound to this
port. Now, senor, your city is in my hands, and it is in my power to
sack it, if I will. But I am prepared to hold the city to ransom upon
ridiculously advantageous terms to you; those terms being simply that,
in return for the surrender of those seventeen Englishmen into my hands,
safe and sound, I will withdraw my men, and retire from Nombre, leaving
the city itself and the property of its inhabitants untouched."
Don Sebastian gasped. "Senor," he exclaimed, throwing out his hands
appealingly, "how shall I say it? How shall I make you understand and
believe that you have asked practically the only thing that it is out of
my power to grant?"
"Why? What do you mean?" demanded George, in his turn. "Out of your
power to grant? I do not understand your Excellency. Do you mean to
tell me that those seventeen men are dead? That your accursed
Inquisition has claimed them? Or--what do you mean?"
"I mean, illustrious senor, that not one of those men now remains in
Nombre. They doubtless came here, since the authorities of San Juan say
so, but--stay now--let me think--yes--if those men ever arrived here
there will doubtless be a record of their arrival, and yes, I seem to
recall some of the circumstances, but the multiplicity of my duties as
Governor of the city renders it difficult to--. With your permission,
senor, I will summon my secretary; he will doubtless be able to throw
some light upon the affair."
"Pray do so at once, senor," answered George. "It was solely to gain
intelligence of the whereabouts of those men and to secure their release
that I came to Nombre; and if you cannot at least afford me some
assistance, I am afraid that it will be a bad thing for your city."
"But, noble senor," remonstrated Don Sebastian, "you will surely not
hold Nombre responsible--"
"For the disappearance of those men?" interrupted George. "Indeed I
will, then, your Excellency, unless you can afford me satisfactory
evidence as to what has become of them."
"Permit me, senor," said Don Sebastian, and smartly struck a small hand
bell on the table. An attendant almost instantly appeared, to whom the
Governor said peremptorily:
"Find Senor Montalvo, and say that I desire his immediate presence in
this room."
Some five minutes later a smart, dapper-looking young Spaniard entered
and, bowing low, requested to know his Excellency's pleasure.
"Senor Montalvo," said Don Sebastian, "about a year ago a ship named
the--" he hesitated and looked inquiringly at George.
"The _San Mathias_," prompted George.
"Exactly, the _San Mathias_," continued the Governor, "is said to have
arrived here from San Juan de Ulua, bringing from thence seventeen
Englishmen, prisoners, who were sentenced to the galleys--"
"Yes, your Excellency," interrupted the secretary. "I perfectly
remember the circumstances, for it occurred while you were temporarily
laid up with fever, and I transacted the whole of the business connected
with it."
"Ah!" exclaimed his Excellency, with an air of relief. "Then that
sufficiently accounts for my very imperfect recollection of the
affair"--with a glance at George to direct the latter's attention to the
explanation. "Proceed, Senor Montalvo," continued the Governor; "tell
us all that you know concerning the matter."
"Certainly, your Excellency," answered the secretary. "With your
Excellency's permission I will fetch the official records, containing
the full and complete account of the affair." And, bowing deeply to Don
Sebastian and George, he hurried away, and presently returned with an
exceedingly bulky volume under his arm. This he placed on the table,
opened it, referred to an index, and then turned up the required entry.
"Yes," he said, "here we have it: `December 7th, 1568. Arrived from San
Juan de Ulua, the ship _San Mathias_, Juan Pacheco, master, having on
board seventeen Englishmen captured during an unprovoked attack upon the
plate fleet lying in San Juan harbour, and--'"
"That is a lie," broke in George. "The English ships were the attacked,
not the attackers. But--go on."
"--Harbour," resumed the secretary, reading, "`and sentenced by the
Military Commandant to the galleys for life. Their names are as
follows--'"
"Stop," interrupted George again, and, fumbling in his pocket, he
produced a document--the one that Don Manuel Rebiera had furnished him
with upon the first day of the _Nonsuch's_ visit to San Juan--and
carefully unfolded it.
"Now, proceed with your reading, senor, if you please," he said to the
secretary.
The secretary read out the names of the seventeen English prisoners,
which George found to agree with those recorded in his list. When the
secretary came to the last name he paused for a moment.
"Yes," assented George, "those names appear to be correct. Now, the
first thing that I wish to know is--what became of those men?"
"They were confined in the prison here for the space of just one month,"
answered the secretary, "during which communication was made to the
Governor of Panama, stating the circumstances of the case, and
requesting to know whether he could apportion the prisoners among the
galleys stationed at his port, as there are no galleys attached to
Nombre. The reply was in the affirmative, and on January 8th of this
present year the prisoners were dispatched to Panama in charge of the
escort which had just brought over a consignment of treasure. The
officer in command of the escort gave his receipt for the persons of the
prisoners, and--that is all that we here in Nombre know about them."
That was all that they there in Nombre knew about them! And it was to
obtain this trifling scrap of information that the English adventurers
had resorted to such extreme and highhanded action as actually to
capture one of the most important cities on the Spanish Main, and were
now holding possession of it by the skin of their teeth, in the face of
overwhelming numbers, by sheer downright audacity and arrogance of
demeanour! Young Saint Leger smiled inwardly as the amazing character
of the anti-climax began to force itself upon his notice; and, being a
lad with a keen appreciation of humour, it was with difficulty that he
conquered an almost irresistible inclination to laugh aloud while he
reflected upon the situation. By an effort of will, however, he
conquered the desire to indulge in untimely mirth--for he fully realised
that he and his followers were standing upon the crumbling brink of a
volcano, and said, with an air of great dissatisfaction and annoyance:
"That is all you can tell me about them! But, senor, this is really
most unsatisfactory. For all practical purposes I am no wiser than I
was when I left Saint Juan. This information will not materially assist
me to find and procure the release of my unfortunate fellow-countrymen.
I am afraid I must ask you to offer me a suggestion. You must remember
that I am here to avenge and obtain satisfaction for the treacherous
treatment of my countrymen last year, by your King's representative, the
Viceroy of Mexico; and, whatever hardship, or suffering, or loss his
Most Catholic Majesty's lieges in this country may be called upon to
endure at my hands, in my determination to obtain satisfaction for that
outrage, they must lay to the door of his Excellency Don Martin
Enriquez. Therefore, for your own sakes, I look to you to assist me in
every possible way. I have explained to you the nature of my business
here, which, I repeat, is to procure the immediate release of those
seventeen unfortunate Englishmen, unjustly doomed to life-long servitude
in your galleys. How is it to be done? I look to you for suggestions."
Don Sebastian shrugged his shoulders, and stared helplessly at his
secretary; and the latter, recognising the nature of the appeal conveyed
by his chief's eyes, folded his arms, sank his chin upon his chest, and
proceeded to stalk meditatively to and fro the length of the room. His
meditations continued for close upon ten minutes, then, as George began
to manifest symptoms of growing impatience, Senor Montalvo flung up his
head with the triumphant air of one who has solved a difficult problem,
and said:
"It appears to me, Excellency, and most noble Adelantado, that the only
thing to be done is for your Excellency to address a letter to the
Governor of Panama, explaining the situation, and requesting his help to
determine the present whereabouts of the prisoners, entrust that letter
to a reliable and intelligent messenger, who fully understands all the
circumstances of the case, and let him confer with his Excellency Don
Silvio as to the steps necessary to secure the satisfaction of the
English senor's demands."
The Governor considered the matter for a few seconds, and then turned to
George.
"There is a suggestion for you, senor, and a very excellent one, I think
I may permit myself to say. How does it commend itself to you?"
"How far is it from here to Panama, and how long will it take your
messenger to traverse the distance?" demanded George.
"By the Gold Road the distance is a trifle over forty miles, and a well-
mounted messenger can cover it in six hours," answered Don Sebastian.
"So that if he were dispatched at once he could execute his mission, and
be back here in Nombre to-morrow evening?" suggested George.
"_Madre de Dios_! Is the man mad?" ejaculated Don Sebastian, throwing
up his hands. Then he turned hastily to George. "Ten thousand pardons
for my involuntary exclamation," he apologised; "but I fear you scarcely
realise what travelling in this country means. Upon his arrival in
Panama, my messenger would imperatively need rest, and by the time that
he has refreshed himself it will be too late to see the Governor. Then,
to-morrow, it may be nearly or quite mid-day before he can obtain
audience of his Excellency; and by the time that the conference is over
and my messenger has secured the required information, it will be
altogether too late for him to start upon the return journey. Thus I do
not think we can possibly expect him back before the afternoon of the
day after to-morrow. You agree with me, senor, I am sure."
"No, senor, I do not," retorted George. "I can see no cause at all for
such delay. Upon his arrival in Panama, let your messenger proceed at
once to the Governor's house and demand an immediate interview. Let him
explain that the matter is in the last degree urgent and pressing, and
let him take whatever further steps may be necessary to secure prompt
attention. And then let him transact his business. There will be
plenty of time for him to rest and refresh himself when that is done.
And to-morrow, if everything has been satisfactorily arranged, he can
start at dawn, and be here again shortly after mid-day."
"_Carramba_! With all submission, senor, what you propose is
impossible. No man could possibly do it," exclaimed Don Sebastian,
throwing up his hands.
"But why not, man, why not?" persisted George.
"Why not?" reiterated the Governor. "Because, senor, it would kill him,
in this climate."
"It would certainly not kill an Englishman; but, of course, I don't know
about a Spaniard," retorted George.
Senor Montalvo hastened to intervene. "Pardon, Excellency," he
remarked, bowing to the Governor, "but since the matter appears to be of
such extreme urgency, permit me to undertake the mission to the Governor
of Panama. Having been privileged to be present at this interview with
the English Adelantado, I think I may venture to say that I clearly
understand the several points in the rather delicate negotiation which
it is proposed to open with his Excellency Don Calderon, and can
probably conduct it as successfully as any other available person. And
I shall also do my utmost to execute my task with all possible
diligence, ignoring fatigue for the time being and until my task has
been accomplished."
"Very well," replied Don Sebastian, with evident relief. "I am greatly
obliged to you, Senor Montalvo, for your offer, which I accept. And
now, while I prepare my communication to Don Silvio, you had better go
and make ready for your journey. The whole of my stable is entirely at
your service, but if you will permit me to advise, I think you could not
possibly do better than take Josefa, the black mule. She will carry you
easily and rapidly as far as Venta Cruz, where you will leave her, and
proceed for the remaining half of the journey upon another animal,
picking up Josefa again upon your return. Now, be off with you, and get
ready; and by the time that your preparations are complete, my letter to
Don Silvio shall be ready."
"Now, senor," he continued, seating himself at a table and drawing
writing materials toward him as soon as the secretary had vanished,
"what am I to say to Don Silvio? Kindly state your full requirements,
and I will see what can be done toward satisfying them."
George pulled out his list of prisoners, and laid it beside Don
Sebastian on the table.
"My requirements," he said, "are very simple. All that I ask is the
immediate release and delivery to me of the seventeen Englishmen whose
names are inscribed on that document."
"The _immediate_ release?" reiterated his Excellency. "But, senor, with
all submission, to demand that may well be to demand the impossible. If
I may be permitted to express an opinion, I should say that there is
scarcely the remotest probability that any of the men here enumerated
are still within the jurisdiction of the Governor of Panama. I have not
a doubt that every one of them has, long ere this, been apportioned out
among the various galleys belonging to the port, and in all likelihood
every man is at this moment somewhere at sea. The utmost that Don
Silvio will probably be able to do will be to indicate the name of the
galley to which each man has been condemned, and perhaps to state, in a
few cases, the present approximate locality of the galleys."
"You think so?" returned George, an ominous frown gathering upon his
brow. "Then, all I can say, Don Sebastian, is that if the Governor of
Panama can do no more than that, it will be disastrously unfortunate for
you and your city!"
Don Sebastian became visibly paler as he stirred uneasily in his chair,
regarding the young Englishman questioningly and in silence for a few
moments. Then he said:
"Senor, pardon me if I say that I scarcely understand you. You surely
cannot mean that you will hold this town responsible for your inability
to obtain possession of the men you seek?"
"You are mistaken, senor, if you imagine any such thing," retorted
George. "I hold _every_ Spaniard on the continent responsible for the
safety and well-being of those men. It was by Spanish treachery that
they are at this moment living in hell upon earth--for I know something
of what life as a galley-slave means--and I am going to employ every
possible means at my disposal to bring pressure upon you and your
fellow-countrymen to right the wrong that has been done. Therefore, I
beg that, in communicating with the Governor of Panama, you will make it
clear to him that, to save Nombre from sack and destruction, he must
exhaust his utmost powers to secure the speedy release of those men."
"But, senor--" began Don Sebastian, remonstratingly.
"Not another word, senor," interrupted George, determinedly. "What I
have said, I have said. Tell Don Silvio that I hold the shore battery,
and that, therefore, Nombre de Dios is absolutely at my mercy. Tell him
also that I am holding you, among others, as a hostage to secure
ourselves from interference or attack by soldiery or civilians, and, in
short, make it clear to him that if those men are not speedily
surrendered to me, the Spaniards will have to pay dearly for them in
blood and treasure. Now, please proceed with the preparation of your
communication to Don Silvio, for time is flying."
Whereupon, Don Sebastian, clutching his locks with his left hand, took
pen in his right, and proceeded, with a great deal of difficulty, to
draft a letter setting forth in cold black and white the critical state
of affairs then existing in Nombre, and urgently entreating the Governor
of Panama to leave no stone unturned to find and surrender the seventeen
Englishmen, on account of whom all this fuss and pother was being made,
lest worse come of it. The Don was not a particularly fluent
correspondent, but he grew almost eloquent when he strove to impress
upon his fellow-governor the inexorable determination displayed by the
young English captain, and he wound up by quoting two or three Spanish
proverbs to the effect that of two evils it was always best to choose
the lesser, and that it was folly to cut off one's nose to spite one's
face, these being intended to support Don Sebastian's contention that it
would be better to surrender the Englishmen and forego one's righteous
desire to revenge oneself upon them, rather than that a Spanish town
like Nombre de Dios should be subjected to the horrors of sack and
pillage. The fair copy of the letter, after the draft had been
submitted for George's approval, was still in process of being written
when Senor Montalvo, booted and spurred, and otherwise dressed for the
road, made his appearance. The letter, however, was finished at last,
signed, sealed with the official seal, and handed to the secretary, who,
a minute later, mounted upon Josefa, the black mule, went clattering out
of the Grand Plaza, _en route_ for Panama.
"Now," said Saint Leger, when the important business of the letter to
the Governor of Panama had been satisfactorily disposed of, "with your
Excellency's approval we will all retire to the shore battery, where I
propose to concentrate my forces until a reply arrives from his
Excellency of Panama. I noted, when leaving, that the guns of the
battery effectually command the town, therefore, by holding the battery
I shall hold the town also; moreover, by withdrawing my men to it, there
will be the less likelihood of collisions between my people and your
countrymen. I must trouble your Excellency to accompany me, and to put
up, for a few days, with somewhat rougher quarters than you are
accustomed to; but we will make things as comfortable as we can for you,
and you may take with you any three of your servants whom you would wish
to accompany you. If you will kindly issue any orders that you may wish
to give, we will go at once."
It was in vain that Don Sebastian begged to be excused from accompanying
his captors to the battery, in vain that he alternately protested,
represented, promised, and almost threatened; George turned a deaf ear
to everything that the poor man found to say and half an hour later saw
the whole party which had held the Grand Plaza marching in good order
through the streets toward the battery, with the Governor and his three
servants, the latter bearing heavy loads of his Excellency's baggage, in
the centre of the solid phalanx. By that time the townspeople had
recovered from their first panic, and had almost settled down again into
their normal condition, the shops were nearly all open, excitement was
rapidly subsiding, and the citizens were mostly going about their
business pretty much as usual; the English, therefore, experienced no
inconvenience or interruption during their march, and in due time
reached the battery, the gates of which were thrown open to receive
them, and closed and bolted again after they had all entered.
The first thing was for the newcomers to get breakfast, for which they
were all--with, perhaps, the exception of the Governor--by this time
quite ready. Then, at the conclusion of the meal, George accompanied
Basset round the battery upon a tour of inspection, during which the
latter pointed out what he had done, and was still doing, to strengthen
the defences of the place; and the young captain was greatly gratified
to see that a few hours' more work would render the place practically
impregnable to assault, and that all that they then need fear was a
protracted siege, which, however, did not enter into the Englishmen's
calculations.
The entire party from the _Nonsuch_ were now housed in the battery, for
Basset had no sooner secured possession of the place than, very wisely,
he hailed the men who had been left in the boats to take care of them,
directing them to beach their craft under the battery walls, moor them
securely, remove all gear, and convey it and themselves into the battery
forthwith, which they did, this arrangement rendering both them and
their boats absolutely secure from interference.
By mid-afternoon Basset's plans had all been carried out, and the
battery placed in a thorough state for effective defence; and now all
that remained was to await with patience the return of Senor Montalvo
from Panama with the results of his mission. George had estimated that
with due diligence on the part of the secretary, it should be possible
for him to execute his mission in time to be back in Nombre by the
afternoon of the following day; but Don Sebastian was not so sanguine;
he knew the Spanish propensity to procrastinate, and he also knew that
Don Silvio Calderon, the Governor of Panama, was not the man to permit
himself to be hurried, particularly in the interests of other people;
also he knew, a great deal better than George, how many difficulties
stood in the way of securing the speedy release of prisoners from the
galleys, even under the most favourable circumstances. He therefore did
all that he could, by representation, to prepare his captors for a
certain amount of delay; consequently when the next day passed without
bringing any sign of the secretary's return, nobody was very greatly
surprised or disappointed.
But it was not until four full days had passed, and the afternoon of the
fifth was well advanced, that Senor Montalvo, hot, dusty, travel-
stained, and weary, re-appeared; and when Don Sebastian had twice
perused the letter of which the secretary was the bearer, it was
perfectly evident, from the expression of dismay upon his Excellency's
countenance, and his muttered ejaculations of "Fool! thrice-sodden
fool!--pig!--obstinate mule!" and other uncomplimentary expressions,
that the secretary's mission had not been brilliantly successful. On
the contrary, it soon developed that the errand had proved an utter
failure, for after an hour's earnest and anxious converse and discussion
with Senor Montalvo, Don Sebastian approached George, and, with every
evidence of the utmost distress, handed him the reply of the Governor of
Panama to read.