Juan shook his head, smiling. "You command aboard the Nina only, Martin Pinzon. I heard what the Captain said. If he wants to go back and give up this fool scheme, it's all right with me. And you know the rest of the crew will say the same." Nina looked at Danny hopelessly. She said, "Then, then it's no use?" Danny whispered fiercely, "Your father loves you very much?" "Yes, but--" "And doesn't want to see anything happen to you?" "But--" "And believes the world is flat and if you sail far enough west you'll fall off?" "But I--" "Then you're coming with me aboard the Nina!" Columbus gasped, "What did you say?" "She's coming with me, on the Nina. If you don't want to find the western route to the Indies, we will. Right, Nina?" he said, taking her hand and moving to where the rope-ladder dangled over the side of the Santa Maria to the skiff below. "Don't take her from this deck," Columbus ordered. Danny ignored him. "Don Juan!" cried Columbus, and the peg-leg came toward Danny. "I'm sorry, Don Martin," he said, "but--" Still holding Nina's hand, Martin stiff-armed him out of the way and ran for the side. Someone jerked the rope-ladder out of reach and someone else leaped on Martin. For, he was Martin now, Martin Pinzon. His own identity seemed submerged far below the surface, as if somehow he could look on all this without risking anything. He knew that he was merely a defense mechanism, to ward off fear: for, it wasn't true. If Martin Pinzon were hurt, _he_ would be hurt. He hurled the man from his back. Nina screamed as a cutlass flashed in the sun. Martin-Danny ducked, felt the blade whizz by overhead. "Jump!" Martin-Danny cried. "But I can't swim!" "I can. I'll save you." It was Danny again, completely Danny. He felt himself arise to the surface, submerging Martin Pinzon. Because the Spaniard probably couldn't swim at all, and if Danny made promises, it was Danny who must fulfill them. He squeezed Nina's hand. He went up on the side--and over. The water seemed a very long way down. They hit it finally with a great splash. Down they went and down, into the warm murky green depths. Down--and finally up. Danny's head broke surface. He was only yards from the skiff. He had never let go of Nina's hand, but now he did, getting a lifeguard's hold on her. He struck out for the skiff. * * * * * Fifteen minutes later, they were aboard the Nina. "I command here," Danny told the crew. "Is that correct?" "Aye, sir," said Don Hernan, the mate. "Even if Columbus tells you different?" "Columbus?" spat Don Hernan. "That drunkard is in command of the Santa Maria, not the Nina. We follow Martin Pinzon here." "Even if I give one set of orders and Columbus another?" "Even then, my commander. Yes." "Then we're sailing west," Danny cried. "Up anchor! Hurry." "But I--" Nina began.