“I think it likely,” said Paul, “that Alvarez will go back at once to New Orleans.  He will tell the Governor there that armed bands of Americans are trespassing upon Spanish territory and that they must be driven off.  He will come back with cannon and a powerful force to do the driving.  That means war, of course, and an attack upon us in Kentucky.  How will the Governor of New Orleans know whether the fighting is on Spanish territory or not?  And even if Alvarez overstepped the limits he could say that he was attacked first.”

“Of course,” said Henry, “and it means that we must follow Alvarez all the way to New Orleans if necessary, and it may be that we shall have to carry the message of the Kentuckians to Bernardo Galvez, the Spanish Governor General himself.”

“We’re ready,” said Shif’less Sol lazily.  “I wouldn’t mind seein’ that furrin town.  I saw a town once when I wuz a little boy.  It wuz Baltimore, an’ a pow’ful big place it wuz, most nigh set my head to swimmin’.  I heard tell that ez many ez eight or ten thousand people lived thar.  Sounds impossible but some o’ ’em swore it wuz true.”

“We’ll prepare at once for the journey,” said Henry.

All set to work.

CHAPTER IV

Taking A “Galleon”

Henry and Shif’less Sol spied upon the Spanish camp again the next day, and returned with news that the two chiefs had departed, but that Braxton Wyatt had remained, evidently intending to accompany Alvarez to New Orleans, where they were sure the Spanish leader now intended going.

“I think, too,” said Henry, “that they will break up camp in the morning and march.  I believe that they came up on the Mississippi, and will return the same way.”

“Then they have boats,” said Paul in dismay, “and we have none.”

“But we can get one,” said Henry significantly.

“If you want a thing, jest go an’ git it,” said Shif’less Sol.  “I remember once when I wuz a leetle bit o’ a boy back in the East, I hankered terribly after some hickory nuts that I knowed wuz in a grove about a mile from our house.  I suffered days an’ days o’ anguish fur them hickory nuts, wishin’ mighty bad all the time that I had ’em.  At the end o’ two weeks I walked over an’ got ’em, an’ my sufferin’ stopped off short.”

“That’s just what we mean to do about our boat, step over and get it,” said Henry laughing.  But he did not divulge his plan and the others were content to wait for the event.

As Henry had predicted, the Spanish camp broke up the following morning, and Alvarez and his force took up a march almost due eastward.  They traveled in an easy fashion, and showed no signs of apprehension, Alvarez deeming that fifty well-armed men were not in any danger from wandering tribes.  He did not know that five resolute borderers were following closely behind him, even looking into his camp at night, and knowing every important thing that he did.  Braxton Wyatt may have suspected it, but he said nothing, aware that it could not be prevented.