By Right of Conquest | Page 6

you see, are laid down the position and bearing of all the islands, together with all
the ports and places where the Spaniards have their settlements. This line over here
represents the mainland, but it is, as you see, but vaguely drawn; seeing that, except at
one or two points, the Spaniards themselves have but little knowledge of it. Now it seems
that, with the help of this, I might so navigate the Swan as to avoid much risk of falling in
with the Dons; and might yet make a shift to fill up the ship with goods of all kinds, such
as would sell here for great prices. I know, of course, that were we taken we should be
killed without mercy; but in the first place they would have to catch us, which would not
be easy; and in the second to capture us, which, methinks would be more difficult still,
seeing that a crew of stout Devonshire lads, fighting with halters round their necks, would
give a good account of themselves, even if overhauled by a great Spanish galleon.
"What think you of the scheme, Cousin Diggory?"
"It is a perilous one, certainly, Reuben," the merchant replied, after a long silence. "There
is the risk of the loss of the ship and all her freight, and there is the risk of the loss of your
life and of those of the crew; and I would rather lose even the Swan, Reuben, than that
harm should come to you and Roger. Then it may well be that, even if you carried the
scheme to a successful end, and returned laden with wealth, the king and his counselors,
when the matter came to their ears--which it would be sure to do on your return, for it
would make a prodigious talk--might be grievously offended, accuse us of embroiling

England with Spain, confiscate the cargo, visit me with fine and imprisonment, and treat
you and the crew as pirates."
"I do not fear that," Reuben said. "Our relations with Spain have grown cold, lately, and
there is a talk of peace between us and France. In the next place, I should say that the
king would be mightily glad to see a chance of us English having a finger in this pie, that
the Spaniards want to keep to themselves; and that he will perceive that great advantage
will arise, from our obtaining a share of the trade with the Indies. There is a rare jealousy
in the country, at the Spaniards and Portugals keeping all the trade of both the Indies in
their hands; and methinks that, even if he judged it necessary to make a show of
displeasure against the men who led the way in this matter, there would in the end be
much honor, as well as profit, in this venture."
"It is a grave matter, Reuben, and one not to be undertaken without much thought and
calculation. Still, I own that the proposal is a tempting one, and that the possession of this
map, which I will examine at my leisure, would help you much in your enterprise. Truly,
as you say, although the king might frown, there would be much honor as well as profit
in being the first English merchant to dispatch a ship to the Spanish main. I love not the
Spaniards and, like all Englishmen who think as I do on matters of religion, have viewed
with much disfavor our alliance with men who are such cruel persecutors of all who are
not of their religion."
"I hate them," Reuben Hawkshaw said, energetically. "They swagger as if they were the
lords of the world, and hold all others as of no account beside them. If you resolve on this
enterprise I shall, of course, do my utmost to avoid them; but should they try to lay hand
on us, I shall be right glad to show them that we Englishmen hold ourselves fully a match
for them."
"Well, well, we must not think of that," Diggory Beggs said, hastily; "but, nevertheless,
cousin, if the Swan sails for those seas, I will see that she is well provided with ordnance
and small arms, so that she shall be able to hold her own with those who would meddle
with her."
"That is all I ask, Diggory. We shan't meddle with them, if they do not meddle with us;
but if they treat us as pirates, to be slain without form of trial, they must not blame us if
we act as pirates when they come upon us. They hold that they are beyond the law, when
they are once beyond sight of land, going westward; and we have only to take them at
their word.
"As to piracy, if the things that are