Page:Cup of Gold-1929.djvu/127
Cup of Gold
lost a man. It was as easy as he had known it would be. Here were four monuments to his planning. One had only to do the unexpected thing quickly. This was the secret of successful war.
Mansveldt was in Tortuga when Henry Morgan came, and his little eyes glittered as he looked at this plunder. Soon he sent for this new leader.
“You are Captain Morgan who took the four prizes in the harbor?”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“And how did you do this thing? The Spanish ships are strongly armed and wary.”
“I did it, sir, with my planning. Many nights have I considered how to do these things. I work with surprise, sir, when other men use only force.”
Mansveldt regarded him with admiration.
“I am fitting out an expedition to take St. Catherine’s Isle,” he said. “Then I am going to form a republic of buccaneers who will fight with a patriotism. Would you like to be Vice-Admiral of this expedition? I have some reputation for picking men.”
The name of Mansveldt was mighty on the seas, and Henry flushed with pleasure.
“I would like it, sir,” he said quickly.
The fleet sailed out, and Captain Morgan was Vice-Admiral. There was a fine assault; the ships threw in their ragged hordes and slaughter walked on the walls. The island could not withstand the fierceness of the attack, and finally the fortress fell. Then the Dutch admiral drew up his government
[120]