The king of Portugal, whose name was John, did a very unkind thing--I am sure you would call it a mean trick.

Columbus had gone to him with his story and asked for ships and sailors.

The king and his chief men refused to help him; but King John said to himself, perhaps there is something in this worth looking after and, if so, perhaps I can have my own people find Cathay and save the money that Columbus will want to keep for himself as his share of what he finds.

So one day he copied off the sailing directions that Columbus had left with him, and gave them to one of his own captains without letting Columbus know anything about it, The Portuguese captain sailed away to the West in the direction Columbus had marked down, but a great storm came up and so frightened the sailors that they turned around in a hurry.

Then they hunted up Columbus and began to abuse him for getting them into such a scrape.