Part 20 (1/2)

And now the noise of the anchor being hove aboard, and the usual co sail, arrested his attention

”Come,” said he, ”I would make terms with you What is it you want”

But at this I shook my head

”Promises and fair words once broken cannot be repeated,” I answered

”Besides, I am not alone in this business There are others who must be consulted But you will soon learn the terht he appeared relieved He probably expected that we intended to iven instructions for a prize crew to be put on board the frigate, so that both vessels ether and presently I felt, by the motion of the shi+p, that the ”Speedwell” was at sea

During our passage to the place where Hartog awaited us, King Thedori and I continued to sit, one on each side of the cabin table, without speaking, and e had cast anchor, and Hartog joined us, Thedori, who had made up his mind to the inevitable, calmly awaited our terms, which, stated briefly, were that he should pay for his ransom, to each shi+p, one hundred pearls of the size of dove's eggs, and that the cargo of the frigate was to be transferred to the ”Golden Seahorse” To the first part of our de made some demur, but e threatened to take hie ho-eared ive him speech with their chief To the latter part of our de on board the frigate,” he said, ”but so else of value has long since been taken on shore, and is being ers were away procuring the King's ransoate came to fall into his hands, e learnt that soht by one of the strong currents which prevail a these islands, had drifted into the harbour of porne, where an attack had beenshort of ammunition, has been taken as a lawful prize The Spaniards had been allowed to depart in their boats

So, for the second time, Donna Isabel and her people were probably castaways upon some unknown shore

Thus does Providence reward treachery

When, in the course of three days, the 's ransom, we sent his Majesty ashore, to find his way back to his own kingdom as best he could A more splendid lot of pearls than those paid to us I had never seen, and these we divided equally between the ”Golden Seahorse” and the ”Speedwell”, to be allotted a the officers and crews of both vessels in such proportions as ht be decided upon on our return to Amsterdam The stone ballast, which, as we expected, turned out to be the gold-bearing quartz we had obtained from the island of Armenio, we transferred to our own shi+p

And noith a cargo which for richness had surely never been surpassed, we once more set sail for home

CHAPTER LII