n they arrived at the edge of the bayou,
they saw that the work of removal had been resumed already. All the boats
had been tied up securely, and a mongrel lot of new men had joined the
Spanish force, shiftless and half-civilized Houma and Natchez Indians,
coal black negroes, some from the West Indies and some from Africa,
Acadians, and fierce-looking adventurers from Europe. Most of them seemed
to be laborers, however, and they worked with the arms and baggage taken
from the boats. Among these laborers were several stalwart negro women
with blazing red handkerchiefs tied around their heads.

Alvarez came off one of the boats, followed by Braxton Wyatt. The Spanish
commander had attired himself with great care, and he was a really
splendid figure in his glittering uniform and plumed hat. His gold-hilted
small sword swung by his side. He bore himself as a lord proprietor, and
in fact he was such at this moment. He was about to go, surrounded by his
retainers, to his own house on a huge grant of land made to him by the
Spanish King--Spanish kings granted lands very freely in America to
favorites, and the relatives of favorites.

Braxton Wyatt also showed pride. Was he not the most trusted friend of an
able man who was dreaming a great dream, a dream that would come true? The
last remnants of his border attire had disappeared and he, too, was
dressed wholly as a Spanish officer, though by no means so splendidly as
his chief.

Alvarez addressed a few words to a man in civilian attire, evidently his
overseer, a dark, heavy West India Spaniard who carried a pistol in his
sash, and then advanced through the rabble, which quickly fell back on
either side to let him pass.

Horses were in waiting for Alvarez, Wyatt, and several others, and
mounting, they rode off, Henry and Shif'less Sol watching from the bush as
well as they could, and following. The way of the officers led through a
great plantation but partially redeemed from the ancient forest. Cane and
grain fields were on either side of the path, and presently they
approached a large house of only one story, built of wood, and surrounded
by a wide veranda supported with posts at regular intervals. This house
was built around a court in the center of which was a clear pool.

Henry and the shiftless one saw Alvarez and his company dismount and enter
the house. They noticed others who approached on foot, but who did not
enter, obviously men who did not dare to enter unless