fame as explorers and soldiers.

Of the four, Cortez, although by no means diminutive in size, was the smallest. He was slender, graceful and handsome, a native of Medellin, of an ancient and respectable family, but of dissolute habits, and the last person one would expect to engage in the desperate enterprises which later in life marked his career and placed his name first among the Spanish conquerors. He was gallant, kind-hearted and jovial, and in the old world as well as in the new was continually involved in some love scrape. He had fought a score of duels, and on this evening was suffering from a sword thrust in the hip which compelled him to go on crutches. Vasco Nuñez de Balboa was a native of Xeres de los Caballeros, of a noble though impoverished family. He was a soldier of fortune, of loose, prodigal habits, and, like Cortez, a libertine. At present he was as badly crippled with debts as was Cortez with a sword thrust.

The fourth man, all things considered, was, perhaps, the most remarkable of the group. Francisco Pizarro was a modern Romulus. Instead, however, of building up an empire, as did Romulus, he destroyed a kingdom. He was born about the year 1472, at Truxillo, a city of Estremadura, in Spain, being an illegitimate son of Gonzalo Pizarro, a colonel of infantry, who was an uncle to Hernando

Cortez. Pizarro was abandoned by his mother, Francisca Gonzalez, when a child, and his early life was very obscure. He never received any education, and tradition says that in infancy he was suckled by a sow, a story quite as plausible as that Romulus in early life drew his nourishment from a wolf. In boyhood he was a common swineherd and was kicked up into the world until he became old enough to kick back. He inherited his military ability from his father. Pizarro was moody, taciturn, and at times sullen. There was a natural ferocity about him, strangely in contrast with his cousin Hernando Cortez. The latter was always friendly with Pizarro, regardless of their difference in rank, station and birth, and even acknowledged him as his cousin.

The four men whom we have thus introduced sat about a table on which was a jar of wine and some drinking cups, for Estevan, the host, was noted for his hospitality.

"So a truce has been patched up between the rival governors," said Balboa, sipping his wine.

"A truce which will be permanent," answered Estevan. "The admiral has disposed of Jamaica."

"To the dissatisfaction of Ojeda," put in Cortez. "Ha, ha, ha! the fiery little fellow has had many drawbacks of late. It was worth seeing him when he proposed to settle the dispute in single combat."

"Would not Nicuesa accept his challenge?" asked Pizarro, in his deep orotund voice.

66

Accept! ha, ha, ha, ha! He did accept," laughed Cortez; "but that was the joke. Nicuesa proposed, as a preliminary to the duel, that they have something worth fighting for, and that each should deposit five thousand castillanos, to be the prize of the victor."

"Such a swordsman as Ojeda need not long hesitate at such a proposition," remarked Balboa.

"Nor would he, had he possessed the money. The cunning Nicuesa knew he had not a single pistole in his treasury when he made the proposition." Cortez laughed loudly, Estevan and Balboa smiled, while Pizarro sat gazing sullenly at the wall.

"Ojeda will make his fortune now," sighed Balboa, after a short silence. "I would that I could go with him."

"Why can't you?" Pizarro asked.

"Creditors!" sighed Balboa. "They are on every side. There is gold for the idiots at Castilla del Oro. I have a strong arm and a keen sword to earn it, and why won't they let me go?"

"Do they object?" asked Estevan.

"Yes. To-day a delegation of my creditors paid. me an unwelcome visit, and gave me to understand

if I made any effort to leave the island without first having satisfied their demands, I would be arrested and thrown into prison."

“Then you are in reality a prisoner at San Domingo?" remarked Estevan.

"I am going to escape and carve out an empire for myself," answered Balboa. "Ojeda would have been in the same plight as I, had not Bachelor Encisco loaned him the money."

"Try a loan yourself?" laughingly suggested Cortez.

"Where, pray, could I secure one?"

"Not from me, I swear," answered the merry Cortez; then, with a sudden contortion of the muscles of his face, he added: "Ah! that wound pains me! The devil drove his sword well nigh to

"How did you receive this last wound?" Estevan asked.

"It's another lady affair. Alonzo Bestiadez became mortally jealous of his pretty wife because she deigned to smile on me, and forthwith challenged me. It adds one more scar to my list," and Cortez laughed as if it were a joke.

"Could you swear he was jealous without a cause, Cortez?" asked Hernando.

"Nay, nay, my good friend, do not press me too close. Alonzo has his wife, I have my wound, so

let the matter end, though the wound is unlucky

"Per

"Why so, friend!" asked Hernando. chance it may keep you out of some worse scrape. "I was to go with Ojeda on this expedition. "I thought he excluded friends of the late admiral."

"Not so, he is hard take any who can go.

him."

pressed for men and will

Even Pizarro goes with

Pizarro nodded his head in silence.

"And Balboa would go if he could escape the embraces of his creditors.”

"So I would," and Balboa laughed as recklessly as did the merry Cortez.

Our

"This ugly wound is all that detains me. friend Estevan, here, is in love with adventure; why don't you make one of the party?" asked Cortez, directing the last part of his speech to Estevan.

“I have a wife," answered Estevan.

"So you have, the beautiful Christina, though I have not seen much of her of late," continued the rollicking Cortez. "You must be madly in love with her, indeed, to forego the pleasure of this conquest for her society.'

"I am soon to be a father," added Estevan.

"Aha!" cried his three convivial companions,