Six months had not abolished the Holy Office nor converted to gentleness Don Pedro nor the Dominican.
But the Admiral had assigned me to return with the _Nina_.

I told him in the evening between the sunset and the moonrise what was the difficulty.
He was a man profoundly religious, and also a docile son of the Church.
But I knew him, and I knew that he would find reasons in the Bible for not giving me up.

The deep man, the whole man, was not in the grasp of bishop or inquisitor or papal bull.
He agreed.

"Aye, it is wiser! I count two months to Spain, seeing that we may not have so favorable a voyage.

Three or maybe four there, for our welcome at court, and for the gathering a fleet--easy now to gather for all will flock to it, and masters and owners cry, 'Take my ship--and mine!' Two months again to recross.