The Indian bowed.
«Perfectamente! So long as you here. What then?»
«If there is trouble again, there may be shooting, and some of your braves may be hurt. I should regret that more than the loss of the Spanish gold. It must not happen, Brazo Largo. You must summon your men, and let me consign them to one of the huts in the fort for the present — for their own sakes.»
Brazo Largo considered. Then he nodded. He was a very reasonable savage. And so the Indians were assembled, and Brazo Largo, smiling the smile of a man who knew how to wait, submitted to confinement with them in one of the pent–houses.
The assembled buccaneers murmured a little among themselves, and Wolverstone ventured to express the general disapproval.
«Ye're pushing matters rather far, Captain, to risk trouble with the Indians for the sake of those Spanish dogs!»
«Oh, not for their sake. For the sake of my pledged word, and that bit of an Indian girl with her baby. The Spanish commander has been good to her, and he's a gallant fellow.»
«God help us!» said Wolverstone, and swung away in disgust.
An hour later the Spaniards were embarking from the jetty, under the eyes of the buccaneers, who, from the mud wall of the fort, watched their departure with some misgivings. The only weapons Blood allowed the voyagers were half a dozen fowling–pieces. They took with them, however, a plentiful supply of victuals, and Don Domingo, like a prudent captain, was very particular in the matter of water. Himself he saw the casks stowed aboard the canoes. Then he took his leave of Captain Blood.
«Don Pedro,» he said, «I have no words in which to praise your generosity. I am proud to have had you for my enemy.»