"Children," he said, "I must tell the truth and say that Columbus was not as good a governor as he was a sailor. It would have been hard work for anyone to rule his people, for they had to work hard and they were not satisfied because gold was not plentiful. "'It is not what we expected,' they cried angrily. 'We thought you would bring us to a land filled with gold and diamonds.' "Some of them even whispered among themselves, 'Columbus is not what he pretends to be. He has cheated us badly.' "At last they declared they would not let him stay there any longer. They put chains upon him and sent him back to Spain." Uncle Sam took a picture from the table drawer. "Look at Columbus now," said the old man. "There he sits on the deck of the ship with heavy chains bound on his arms like one who has done a great wrong. Yet he gave a whole continent to the people who put them on him. "'I will take off your chains,' said the kind-hearted captain of the ship. It is a shame for you to wear them.' "'No, no. Let them remain,' answered Columbus. I will wear them as a token of the kindness of princes.' "How different was his third landing in Spain! This time there were no crowds waiting to show him honor. He was carried before the queen, who wept in pity at the sight of her old friend in chains. The brave man now broke down. As he tried to tell his story his words were choked with sobs. "Isabella did not desert him, however. She helped him to fit out another fleet and he started on his last voyage. He sailed among other islands of the West Indies and returned to Spain after a great deal of suffering. He was sick and poor. There were many who once could not do too much for him but who now mocked him. "He died with the belief that he had found a short way to India. He had no thought of what he had really discovered. It is a shame he did not get the honor he deserved." Uncle Sam rose suddenly from his arm chair and began to walk up and down the room. "Yes, it is a shame. A burning shame. Children, let us sing 'Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean.'" The old man turned to the little organ at one side of the room. In a moment the house was filled with the voices of Uncle Sam and his two young friends. When the song was over, the children kissed him good-night and started for home. CHAPTER III JOHN CABOT AND THE CODFISH That same night after the children had gone to bed Lucy was just falling asleep when Joe called out: "I say, Lucy, I wonder why our country isn't always called Columbia instead of America." "Do keep still, Joe. I was so nice and sleepy and now you have waked me up," answered his sister. "You can ask Uncle Sam the next time you see him." Two or three evenings afterward the old man was on his knees weeding his pansy bed when he heard steps near by. "Uncle Sam! Uncle Sam! where are you?" called a girl's voice.