"It is not news, to be so called, that I bring you, Captain. I come rather as a messenger, I would say." "Ah!" ejaculated Cortes, with some surprise. "A messenger! And from whom?" "Well," said Velasquez, more slowly, "I believe that I might almost say with truth that I bear a message to you from the whole of our force now gathered in this island city. We would know, Captain, with your good pleasure, what is the next step that you propose to take for the furtherance of the objects of this present expedition--the spread of the most holy Catholic faith, and the glory of the Spanish kingdom." "Methinks," said Cortes, with some tone of coldness and hauteur,--"methinks, friend, that we have already not only taken many steps in pursuit of those two worthy objects, but that we have likewise, in some large measure, gained them. What wouldst thou more--thou and those for whom thou claimest to be the messenger?" The young Velasquez de Leon changed colour somewhat at this address. The buoyant hope of success had made Hernando Cortes even more than usually frank and friendly, the past few days, with his officers. But none knew better than he how to suddenly surround himself with a chill, impassable barrier when he chose. There was an uncomfortable pause. Cortes broke it. "Well, Leon," he said, with a short laugh, "say on, man. Methinks thou art but a sorry ambassador. Wilt thou find a readier tongue when I send thee to Montezuma to invite him hither?" The young knight sprang forward, his colour still further heightened, truly, but with delight now instead of uneasiness. "Order me on that service, my Captain, this very hour, and if my tongue prove not ready enough, my sword shall make amends." Cortes turned with a meaning look to Montoro ere he answered, more cordially-- "I do not doubt you; that is to say, if I did not add my hand to thine on its hilt. It is just that over-readiness of my followers to use their swords that ofttimes ties me to inaction. If I took thee with me to yon red-skinned monarch's palace, couldst thou possibly abide by the policy of patience?" "Put him in my charge, Captain," came a laughing shout from the end of the apartment, and the next moment Don Juan de Cabrera had joined the trio. "Your charge indeed!" said Cortes, with a shrug of the shoulders. "A monkey tied to a cockatoo!" "Ah," was the calm retort, "my hair is rather rough, for I broke my comb awhile since on the dog Ciudad's back. But yet, worthy Captain, thy natural history is somewhat astray, as I have remarked before, or I am ignorant if cockatoos are ornamented with black crests." "I wonder whether thou wouldst still laugh if thou wast beaten black," muttered Velasquez, irritably. "Perhaps," said the careless-hearted cavalier, "if thou wast standing by, looking solemn enough to tempt me. Dost ever laugh thyself, my Don Velasquez?"