Fresh meat and water and some rambling ashore!" Beltran the cook had been to the Canaries, driven there by a perverse wind twenty years ago when he was boatswain upon a big carrack.

He said it was no great way and one or two agreed with him, but others declined to believe the Admiral when he said that in two days we should behold the volcano.

Some were found to clamor that the wind had driven us out of all reckoning! We might never find the Canaries and then what would the _Pinta_ do?
Whereas, if we all turned back to Palos-- "If--if!" answered Beltran the cook, who at first seemed strangely and humorously there as cook until one found that he had an injured leg and could not climb mast nor manage sail.

"'If' is a seaman without a ship!--He's a famous navigator." "Martin Pinzon ?" "Him too.

But I meant our Admiral." "He hasn't had a ship for years!" "He was of the best when he had one! I've heard old Captain Ruy tell--" "Maybe he wasn't crazy in those days, but he's crazy now!" That was Fernando.