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intrigued.”
    “I believe,” Almont said, “that it is fair to say the interests of the Crown have been aroused.”
    Hacklett sat stiffly in his chair. “Sir James,” he said, “would you edify the rest of us as to the import of all this?”
    “Just a moment,” Almont said, with an impatient wave of the hand. He was looking fixedly at Hunter. “What terms do you make?”
    “Equal division, first,” Hunter said.
    “My dear Hunter, equal division is most unattractive to the Crown.”
    “My dear Governor, anything less would make the expedition most unattractive to the seamen.”
    Almont smiled. “You recognize, of course, that the prize is enormous.”
    “Indeed. I also recognize that the island is impregnable. You sent Edmunds with three hundred men against it last year. Only one returned.”
    “You yourself have expressed the opinion that Edmunds was not a resourceful man.”
    “But Cazalla is certainly resourceful.”
    “Indeed. And yet it seems to me that Cazalla is a man you should like to meet.”
    “Not unless there was an equal division.”
    “But,” Sir James said, smiling in an easy way, “if you expect the Crown to outfit the expedition, that cost must be returned before any division. Fair?”
    “Here, now,” Hacklett said. “Sir James, are you bargaining with this man?”
    “Not at all. I am coming to a gentleman’s agreement with him.”
    “For what purpose?”
    “For the purpose of arranging a privateering expedition on the Spanish outpost at Matanceros.”
    “Matanceros?” Morton said.
    “That is the name of the island you passed, Captain Morton. Matanceros. The Don built a fortress there two years ago, under the command of an unsavory gentleman named Cazalla. Perhaps you’ve heard of him. No? Well, he has a considerable reputation in the Indies. He is said to find the screams of his dying victims restful and relaxing.” Almont looked at the faces of his dinner guests. Mrs. Hacklett was quite pale. “Cazalla commands the fortress of Matanceros, built for the sole purpose of being the farthest eastward outpost of Spanish dominion along the homeward route of the Treasure Fleet.”
    There was a long silence. The guests looked uneasy.
    “I see you do not comprehend the economics of this region,” Almont said. “Each year, Philip sends a fleet of treasure galleons here from Cádiz. They cross to the Spanish Main, sighting first land to the south, off the coast of New Spain. There the fleet disperses, traveling to various ports — Cartagena, Vera Cruz, Portobello — to collect treasure. The fleet regroups in Havana, then travels east back to Spain. The purpose of traveling together is protection against privateering raids. Am I clear?”
    They all nodded.
    “Now,” Almont continued, “the Armada sails in late summer, which is the onset of the hurricane season. From time to time, it has happened that ships have been separated from the convoy early in the voyage. The Don wanted a strong harbor to protect such ships. They built Matanceros for this reason alone.”
    “Surely that is not sufficient reason,” Hacklett said. “I cannot imagine . . .”
    “It is ample reason,” Almont said abruptly. “Now then. As luck would have it, two treasure naos were lost in a storm some weeks ago. We know because they were sighted by a privateer vessel, which attacked them unsuccessfully. They were last seen beating southward, making for Matanceros. One was badly damaged. What you, Captain Morton, called a Spanish warship was obviously one of these treasure galleons. If it had been a genuine warship, it would surely have given chase at a two-mile range, and captured you, and even now you would be screaming your lungs out for Cazalla’s amusement. The ship did not give chase because it dared not leave the protection of the harbor.”
    “How long will it stay there?” Morton asked.
    “It may leave at any time. Or it may wait until the next fleet departs, next year. Or it may wait for