thong and stakes, was attached to a noose so ingeniously hidden that the young leader nearly stepped into it.  He took it off the tree and looked about him.  A minute later, from one side and to the rear, a startled exclamation came from Robert Thorne of Bristol, who had stepped on a similar snare and been jerked off his feet.  This was quite enough.  The party retreated to the ship.  On the way back they saw trees that had been cut not very long since, and Sebastian picked up a wooden needle such as fishermen used in making nets, yet not like any English tool of that sort.

[Illustration:  “A SAPLING, BENT DOWN, WAS ATTACHED TO A NOOSE INGENIOUSLY HIDDEN.”—­Page 87]

They saw nothing more of the kind, although they sailed some three hundred leagues along the coast, nor did they see any sort of tilled land.  This certainly could not be Cipangu or Cathay with their seaports and gilded temples.  Whatever else it was, it was a land of wild people, savage hunters.  John Cabot left on a bold headland where it could not fail to be seen, a great cross, with the flag of England and the Venetian banner bearing the lion of Saint Mark.

There was wild excitement in Bristol when it was known that the little Matthew had come safely into port, after three months’ voyaging in unknown seas.  August of that year found the two Cabots at Westminster with their story and their handful of forest trophies, and the excited and suspicious Spanish Ambassador was framing a protest to the King and a letter to Ferdinand and Isabella.

Henry VII. fingered the wooden needle, pulled the rawhide thong meditatively through his fingers, and ate a little handful of the wintergreen berries and young leaves.  Their pungent flavor wrinkled his long nose.  This was certainly not any spice that came from the Indies.

“This country you found,” he remarked at last, “is not much like New Spain.”

“Nay, Sire,” answered John Cabot simply.

“And I understand,”—­the King put the collection of curiosities back into the wallet that had held them, “that this represents one fifth at least of the gains of the voyage.”

Cabot bowed.  As a matter of fact there had been no profits.

“My lord,”—­the King handed the wallet over to the uneasy Ambassador, who had been invited to the conference, “you have heard what our good Captain says.  If, as you say, Spain claims this landfall, we willingly make over to you our—­ahem!—­share of the emolument.”  And the Spaniard, looking rather foolish, saw nothing better to do than to bow his thanks and retire from the presence.

The King turned again to the Cabots.