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‘What is it you want from me?’ Wanadi demanded.
Sitting in the exquisitely adorned cabin of his ship, the governor studied the man standing before him.
‘It seems that we have been in this position before.’
‘And I escaped.’
‘Yes, indeed you did. It will not happen again.’
‘We’ll see.’
‘You intrigue me, savage. One can teach a monkey tricks, yet they cannot talk. However, you speak Spanish well enough,’ he said.
‘I was taught by one much kinder than you.’
‘Ah! The priest. Well, we need not worry about him anymore, eh?’
Wanadi began squirming against his manacles as a rising tide of anger rose within him.
‘Be still, savage,’ the governor said. ‘No one is coming to help you this time. Sebastian, take him away and report to me when you have him secured.’
One more monkey to take care of. Then I’ll make them dance for me, the governor thought, chuckling away to himself.
Leaning back in his chair he looked out though the cabin’s windows and his mind began to wander. With the sun’s rays filtering through the windows he drifted off and began dreaming of endless possibilities. His slumber was interrupted by the opening of the cabin door as Sebastian stepped through.
‘Sir?’
The governor awoke with a jolt and stared with undisguised ill-temper at him.
‘I’m sorry, sir. You did say to re—’
‘Tell the captain to make sail for Caracas.’
‘But we’ve only just arrived,’ Sebastian said in confusion. ‘I thought you wanted to punish the savages.’
‘This is just the start.’
‘May I be permitted to ask what you have in mind?’
With a sly grin on his face, the governor swivelled round in his chair and began to tell Sebastian of his plans. When he had finished, he sat back to watch the expression on Sebastian’s face.
‘That is truly a wicked plan, sir.’
‘Thank you,’ he smiled.
‘But are you sure he’ll tell you where they found the treasure?’
‘No, but he might if I tell him I’ll find his village and kill everyone in it...’
Sebastian smiled. ‘But we have hardly had enough time to re-provision, sir.’
‘Well, hurry up about it, man. The admiral will soon get wind of our plans and I don’t want to have to face him and his men.’
‘But what about Jabuti?’
‘If I know anything about those two friends, he will follow; one way or another.’
As Sebastian left, the governor began to daydream again.
Strange fellows, these jungle savages. Just like animals. They’ll defend to the last to protect their own kind. At least that Jabuti will save me the trouble of rounding him up. All I have to do is wait for him to fall into my trap.