There was an uncomfortable pause. Cortes broke it.
"Well, Leon," he said, with a short laugh, "say on, man. Methinks thou art but a sorry ambassador. Wilt thou find a readier tongue when I send thee to Montezuma to invite him hither?"
The young knight sprang forward, his colour still further heightened, truly, but with delight now instead of uneasiness.
"Order me on that service, my Captain, this very hour, and if my tongue prove not ready enough, my sword shall make amends."
Cortes turned with a meaning look to Montoro ere he answered, more cordially—
"I do not doubt you; that is to say, if I did not add my hand to thine on its hilt. It is just that over-readiness of my followers to use their swords that ofttimes ties me to inaction. If I took thee with me to yon red-skinned monarch's palace, couldst thou possibly abide by the policy of patience?"
"Put him in my charge, Captain," came a laughing shout from the end of the apartment, and the next moment Don Juan de Cabrera had joined the trio.
"Your charge indeed!" said Cortes, with a shrug of the shoulders. "A monkey tied to a cockatoo!"
"Ah," was the calm retort, "my hair is rather rough, for I broke my comb awhile since on the dog Ciudad's back. But yet, worthy Captain, thy natural history is somewhat astray, as I have remarked before, or I am ignorant if cockatoos are ornamented with black crests."
"I wonder whether thou wouldst still laugh if thou wast beaten black," muttered Velasquez, irritably.