“How far?”
“It may be four months and perhaps five months from this place.”
“Mother of God! Is Spain to be reached from New Holland?”
“Yes, but the world grows old before such voyages are ended.”
She cast down her gaze in thought. The noise of the tramp of footsteps had ceased; I reckoned we were being watched, but I would not lift up my eyes to know. I rose and paced the cabin, having formed my resolution; and now I considered with whom of the crew I should speak. I abhorred Yan Bol for the horrible threat he had uttered, for the enormous insult that threat implied, and I dared not put myself alone with him—yet. I went to the companion ladder and called up the hatch for Jimmy; my cry was re-echoed, and in a minute or two the boy made his appearance.
“Tell Friend to come to me—here.”
“Señor Fielding,” said the lady Aurora, “you will comply with the men’s requests?” I motioned an assent. “If not we are lost. I have been thinking. You are in their power. Paciencia! If they send you away, I—I—Aurora de la Cueva—” and in pronouncing her name she touched her breast two or three times, “am alone with men who will be the murderers of you and my countrymen. I count upon your protection. Think of me alone in this ship with your men.”
She clasped her hands and turned her dark and shining eyes upon the little stand of muskets. A peculiar expression slightly curled her lip as she looked at those weapons.
“I’ll not leave you.”
She put her forefinger to her mouth, and at that moment I saw a man’s legs in the hatch.