of people, and it was evident that the Moors had only just set out, and we went forth and caught twenty-five of them. And I believe that since we were so recently in this island the Moors will not now be ready and on the watch for this year, and so will have returned to the island; and if you follow my guidance, with the grace of God, I shall know how to take you to a place where I imagine they are; and if we light upon them the booty cannot but be good." "How can it be," answered some, "that the Moors should so quickly return to a place where they know they have been looked for before? For that which you are very sure of must be much more doubtful to us, and that is the brevity of the time which you make the principal cause for their return, and which seems to us exactly the contrary, because their suspicion, since it is so manifest, should not give them a sense of security so soon." Nevertheless, the captains did not wish to hear any more reasoning, but as men settled in their first counsel, commanded to launch the boats from the ships and made themselves ready with the crews they thought to be necessary; and because it had already been ordained among them that each captain should land in turn, the lot fell upon Mafaldo for this expedition, and the others stayed in their caravels. And, moreover, they were all commanded that no one should disobey the order of the pilot, from whom I have said before that they received counsel. And they rowed their boats so that about midnight they were in the harbour of that island, close to the settlement; and, leaping on shore, Mafaldo said that they should consider how it was still deep night, and that they were so near to the place that, if they attacked it at this time, by reason of the darkness many would be able to escape; or that perchance they were resting outside at a distance from there, not having got over their former fright; and therefore his counsel was to surround the village, and, as day was breaking, to attack it. Mafaldo was a man who was well accustomed to this business, for he had been many times in the Moorish traffic; so that all considered his advice very profitable. [Footnote CD: D. Pedro.] [Footnote CE: Lit. in good time.]