“Most illustrious senor,” began the Indian, in the drawling sententious fashion of his race (when they take the trouble to talk at all), “I have been deceived. I heard that you heretics roasted and ate all true Catholics (as we Guayquerias are), and that all your padres had tails.”
“Plague on you, sirrah!” squeaked Jack Brimblecombe. “Have I a tail? Look here!”
“Quien sabe? Who knows?” quoth the Indian through his nose.
“How do you know we are heretics?” said Amyas.
“Humph! But in repayment for your kindness, I would warn you, illustrious senor, not to go on to La Guayra. There are ships of war there waiting for you; and moreover, the governor Don Guzman sailed to the eastward only yesterday to look for you; and I wonder much that you did not meet him.”
“To look for us! On the watch for us!” said Cary. “Impossible; lies! Amyas, this is some trick of the rascal's to frighten us away.”
“Don Guzman came out but yesterday to look for us? Are you sure you spoke truth?”
“As I live, senor, he and another ship, for which I took yours.”
Amyas stamped upon the deck: that then was the ship which they had passed!
“Fool that I was to have been close to my enemy, and let my opportunity slip! If I had but done my duty, all would have gone right!”