When they were fairly near, when in little time the foremost would bring to, down sail and drop anchor, Juan Lepe, gathering his belongings together, bidding the lizard farewell and taking the parrot with him on shoulder, left cavern and cliff and took Guarin's path down through the forest.
Halfway to level land he met Guarin coming up; the two met beneath a tree huge and spreading, curtained with a vine, starred with flowers.
"He has come!" cried the Indian.

"They have come!" In his voice was marveling, awe, perturbation.
The sun in the sky shone, and in the bay hung that wonder of return, the many ships for the _Nina_.

Juan Lepe and Guarin went on down through wood to a narrow silver beach, out upon which had cast itself an Indian village.
Guacanagari was not here.

He waited within his house for the Admiral.
But his brother, and others of Guarico, saw me and there rose a clamor and excitement that for the moment took them from the ships.

Guarin explained and Juan Lepe explained, but still this miraculous day dyed also for them my presence here.