ILLUSTRATIONS.
| “‘To the mast with him!’ said Martin Alonzo” | [Frontispiece.] | |
| “‘Think twice, did you say, Fray Antonio,’asked the boy, ‘ere I set foot tothe ground?’” | Facing p. | [8] |
| “‘Tut!’ said the friar, taking Diego bythe collar and leading him away” | ” | [18] |
| “‘It is my cousin’s son, Diego? Good-dayto thee, lad!’” | ” | [22] |
| “‘He is very young to die,’ said a mockingvoice” | ” | [32] |
| “Then, like a flash, for he was a quickboy, Diego struck the other boy onthe cheek” | ” | [34] |
| “‘Now go forward where you belong’” | ” | [40] |
| “‘Hush!’ whispered Juan, suddenly,‘there is a noise in the cabin’” | ” | [58] |
| “Martin Alonzo disappeared over theside” | ” | [66] |
| “‘Thou art a true Pinzon, and I am proudof thee’” | ” | [88] |
| “If I had told, you would have beenhanged up there” | ” | [96] |
| “‘I shall shoot the first man who triesto desert’” | ” | [106] |
| “No two boys ever filled casks with suchexpedition as those two did” | ” | [110] |
| “‘Hey, there! You two have had enough,’said a man’s voice” | ” | [118] |
| “‘Come, speak out, boy!’” | ” | [130] |
| “All over the vessel could be seen thosestrong men weeping” | ” | [138] |
| “The admiral was splendidly robed in abrilliant scarlet cloak over his richand glittering armor, and held theroyal standard in his own hand” | ” | [154] |
| “Refreshing themselves with the fruitsthat were brought them by the natives” | ” | [156] |
| “Jingled it before the eyes of the savage” | ” | [160] |
| “‘Not barter for gold?’ cried MartinAlonzo” | ” | [164] |
| “Diego dropping through the blacknessof the night” | ” | [190] |
| “He reached out and clutched at thefloating thing” | ” | [194] |
| “There they both sank down” | ” | [204] |
| “‘Look!’ said Diego” | ” | [212] |
| “The cleft proved to be a narrow, cave-likeopening” | ” | [214] |
| “Caught up some of the torches and advancedin a body” | ” | [220] |
| “Of course the knife cut his fingers” | ” | [232] |
| “For three nights they floated downthe stream” | ” | [244] |
| “Diego went with Juan to see the manunchained” | ” | [252] |
| “Diego relates his adventures to the conventboys” | ” | [258] |
DIEGO PINZON.
Chapter I.
In the ancient province of Andalusia, which, as everybody knows, is famous for the charms of its climate and the fertility of its soil, there stands now, as there stood four centuries ago, the convent of La Rabida.
The convent is almost a ruin now; but in those days it was a sturdy pile, where a busy, eager body of Franciscan friars dwelt, governed by the learned and good Fray Juan Perez, who had once been confessor to the queen, Isabella.