“I have heard of you,” said the Governor General to the five, and his tones became judicial and severe, as became the ruler of a million square miles of fertile territory belonging to His Most Catholic Majesty, the King of Spain.  “You are the subject of formal complaint made by the captain of our forces in the North, Don Francisco Alvarez.”

It was now Paul, the scholar, youth of imagination, and future statesman, who responded and it seemed fitting to all that he should do so.

“Will Your Excellency state the complaint against us?” he asked in a grave and manly way.

“I will leave it to Don Francisco to state it,” replied Bernardo Galvez.  “I expected that you would be here this morning, so I have chosen to confront you with him.  Each side shall tell its story.”

This seemed fair, and the five, who had been waved to seats by a great window with Mr. Pollock, made no protest.  There they sat in silence for a few minutes, while the Governor General dictated to a secretary who sat at a little table by his side and who wrote with a goose-quill.

The wide door was at length thrown open again, and the usher announced Don Francisco and his aide, Senor Braxton Wyatt.  The five were amazed and indignant at the assurance of the renegade, but they said nothing.

Alvarez walked into the room, cool, dignified, and austere, but his manner was not calculated to ruffle his superior officer.  It seemed rather to indicate a confidence that the Governor General would punish as was fitting the impertinence of the intruders from Kaintock.  He bestowed only a single glance upon them, as if his victory over such insignificant opponents were already assured.  The blood slowly rose to the faces of Paul and Henry, but they were about to witness an extraordinary exhibition of Spanish pliancy and dexterity.

Braxton Wyatt was as thoroughly the Spaniard as clothes could make him, which was not thorough at all, and he imitated his leader even to the supercilious glance at the Kentuckians and the following look of assured victory.  The five took no notice of him.

Alvarez gave to the Governor General a military salute, which Galvez returned in like fashion.  Then the captain sat down in a chair near the Governor General, and the latter said, maintaining his judicial tone: 

“Those against whom you made the complaint last night are here, Don Francisco.  Will you state again the charges?  It is but fair that they should hear and make reply, if they can.”

He spoke in English that the five might understand, and Alvarez replied in the same language.

“Your Excellency,” he said, and his tone seemed frank, open, and convincing—­the five were amazed that he could have such a truthful look and manner of injured innocence—­“you know that I have been a most faithful guardian of the interests of our master, the King.  I have done long and hard service in the far north, in a wilderness infested by hostile savages.”