He took Roger to a slight eminence, from which he could see the ocean, sparkling in the sun, and a ship upon it.
"Spanish," said Roger, with decision; "and a galleon. Is that the one which you say is patrolling the coast?"
"Who can say, master? All ships are the same to me, except in size. But I think it is the same. Her duty seems to be to sail up and down and keep your friends away."
"So that we need not expect them in three days, nor in thirty, so long as the weather lasts. Then I shall take longer over this expedition than I had intended, and we will see who these natives were. Let us take a joint from the deer and push on."
They were soon on their way, Tamba having selected a dip in the land which promised to give them shelter. Overhead a grilling sun sailed in the sky, while all around was delightful green, freshened by some recent rains. Deer occasionally looked at the intruders with curiosity, bounding off long before they could get close enough for a shot.
"They are wild, and yet their presence here seems to tell us that no one else is about," said Roger. "What do you say?"
"That we are the only ones in this part. I think that those natives whom I saw must have been a hunting party in search of deer, for they were widely separated, probably for the purpose of driving the beasts to a common centre. We can push on, therefore, without fear of being seen, though it will be wise to keep our eyes open."
"In case of surprise," added Roger. "Yes; for it has suddenly occurred to me that if Fernando Cortes has been here before, he and his men will have earned the hatred of some, at least, of the natives."
"Of all," exclaimed Tamba, passionately. "They come with their guns and their horses, and they give fair promises. They speak of friendly treaties and of their religion; but behind it all is greed for gold."
"It is their cruel way," answered Roger. "But to return to what I was saying—they will have surely earned the hatred of some, and were they to go alone as we, they would do so in terror of their lives."