enter the River Sagres
at Palos, for there was where I first put forth. The bells of La Rabida
will ring, for a thing is done that was never done before, and that
will not cease to resound! I shall have sailed around the earth.
Christopherus Columbus. Ten ships. Ten chances of there being one in
which I may come home!"

"There have been worse dreams!" said Juan Lepe.

"I warrant you! But I am not dreaming."

He rose and stood with arms outstretched, crosswise.

"'Nought is hid,' saith Scripture, 'but shall be found!' Here is Earth.
Do you not think that one day we shall go all about it? Aye, freely,
freely! With zest and joy, discovering that it is a loved home. For
every road some man or men broke the clods!"

They hailed us from the _Cordera_. One had seen from topmast the _Santa
Clara_.

Still we sailed by the south coast of Hispaniola. We knew now that it
was not Cipango. But it was a great island, natheless, and one day might
be as Cipango. Beata, Soana, Mona were the little islands that we found.
We sailed between them and our great island, and at last we came to the
corner and turned northward, and again after days to another corner and
sailed west once more, with hopes now of Isabella. It was the first week
in September.

In a great red dawn, Roderigo, the Admiral's servant, roused Juan Lepe.
"Come--come--come, Doctor!"

I sprang from my bed and followed him. Christopherus Columbus lay in a
deep swoon. Round he came from that and said, "Roderigo, tell them that
I am perfectly well, but wish to see no one!" From that, he came to
recognize me. "Doctor, I am tired. God and Our Lady only know how tired
I am!"

His eyes shut, his head sank deep into the bed. He said not another
word, that day nor the next nor the next. Roderigo and I forced him to
swallow a little food and wine, and once he rose and made as if to go
on deck. But we laid him down again and he sank into movelessness and a
sleep of all the faculties. Juan de la Cosa took care of the _Cordera_.
So we sighted Isabella and in the harbor four caravels that had not been
there when we had sailed in April.

CHAPTER XXXII

TWO men came into the cabin, Don Diego Colon, left in charge of
Hispaniola, and with him a tall, powerful, high-featured man, gray of
eye and black and silver of hair and short beard. As he stood beside
the bed, one saw that he must be kinsman to the man who lay upon it. "O
Bartholomew! And is this the end?" cried Don Diego