But just before Christmas morning dawned, the helmsman of the Santa Maria, thinking that everything was safe, gave the tiller into the hands of a boy--perhaps it was little Pedro the cabin boy--and went to sleep.

The rest of the crew also were asleep.

And the boy who, I suppose, felt quite big to think that he was really steering the Admiral's flagship, was a little too smart; for, before he knew it, he had driven the Santa Maria plump upon a hidden reef.

And there she was wrecked.

They worked hard to get her off but it was no use.