of La Rabida, the third was the Admiral of the
Ocean-Sea.

Fray Juan Perez first saw me clearly, drawn up by wall. He had been
quoting Latin and he broke at _Dominus et magister_. The Admiral
turned gray eyes upon me. I saw his mind working. He said, "The road to
Cordova--Welcome, Juan Lepe!"

"Welcome, Excellency!"

I gave him the name, seeing him for a moment somewhat whimsically as
Viceroy of conquered great India of the elephants and the temples filled
with bells. His face lighted. He looked at me, and I knew again that he
liked me. I liked him.

My kinsman the Prior had started to speak to me, but then had shot a
look at Juan de Penelosa and refrained. The Queen's officer spoke, "Why,
here's another strong fellow, not so tall as some but powerfully knit!
Are you used to the sea?"

I answered that I had been upon a Marseilles bark that was wrecked off
Almeria, and that I had walked from San Lucar. He asked my name and I
gave it. "Juan Lepe." "I attach you then, Juan Lepe, for the service of
the Queen! Behold your admiral, Don Cristoval Colon! His ships are the
_Santa Maria_, the Pinta and the Nina, his destination the glorious
finding of the Indies and Cipango where the poorest man drinks from a
golden cup! Princes, I fancy, drink from hollowed emeralds! You will
sail to-morrow at dawn. In which ship shall we put him, Senor?"

"In the Santa Maria," answered the Admiral.

So short as that was it done! And yet--and yet--it had been doing for a
long time, for how long a time I have no way of measuring!

Juan de Penelosa continued to speak: "Follow us into Palos where
Sebastian Jaurez will give you wine and a piece of money. Thence you
will go to church where indeed we are bound, all who sail being
gathered there for general confession and absolution. This voyage begins
Christianly!"

Said Fray Juan Perez, "Not to do that, Juan Lepe, were to cry aloud for
another shipwreck!"

He used the tone of priest, thrusting in speech as priests often do,
where there is no especial need of speech. But I understood that that
was a mask, and could read kinsmanly anxiety in a good man's heart. I
said, "I will find Sebastian Jaurez, and I will go to church, Senors. A
ship is a ship, and a voyage a voyage!"

"This, Juan Lepe," said the Admiral in that peculiarly warm and
thrilling voice of his, "is such a voyage as you have never been!"

I made reply, "So be it! I would have every voyage greater than the
last." And as th