ROGER THE BOLD _A TALE OF THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO_ BY LT.-COLONEL F. S. BRERETON Author of "The Dragon of Pekin" "Tom Stapleton, the Boy Scout" &c. _ILLUSTRATED BY STANLEY L. WOOD_ BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY [Illustration: "HE LEAPED UPON THE TOP OF THE BARRICADE"] CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. THE IMAGE OF THE SUN 9 II. OFF TO THE TERRA FIRMA 24 III. ROGER THE LIEUTENANT 41 IV. THE ISLAND OF CUBA 61 V. A VALUABLE CAPTURE 80 VI. A STRANGER COMES ABOARD 102 VII. THE HAND OF THE TRAITOR 121 VIII. A CITY BY THE WATER 139 IX. LED TO THE SACRIFICE 160 X. ROGER AT BAY 179 XI. NEWS OF FERNANDO CORTES 199 XII. THE SPANIARDS LAY AN AMBUSH 218 XIII. A SENTENCE OF DEATH 237 XIV. ROGER IS TRUE TO HIS COMRADES 257 XV. BACK TO MEXICO 274 XVI. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER 294 XVII. A FLEET OF BRIGANTINES 313 XVIII. THE DEFENCE OF THE CAUSEWAYS 330 XIX. ALVAREZ PROBES THE SECRET 347 XX. A RACE FOR THE OCEAN 367 ILLUSTRATIONS Facing Page HE LEAPED UPON THE TOP OF THE BARRICADE _Frontispiece_ THE GOLDEN DISK 18 ROGER SENT HIM ROLLING INTO THE UNDERWOOD 88 THE BLADE FELL TRUE ON THE SOLDIER'S HEAD, DROPPING HIM LIKE A STONE 232 THE REMAINDER WERE QUICKLY IN FULL FLIGHT 288 THE SPANIARD WAS STAGGERED 368 Map of Part of Mexico _in page_ 146 Map showing Mexico City and Surroundings _in page_ 169 ROGER THE BOLD CHAPTER I The Image of the Sun "Hi! Hi! Hi! Your attention, if it please you. Gentles and people, I pray you lend your assistance to one who is in need of help, but who seeks not for alms. But little is asked of you, and that can be done in the space of a minute or more. 'Tis but to decipher a letter attached to this plaque. 'Tis written in some foreign tongue--in Spanish, I should venture. A silver groat is offered to the one who will translate."