done a great deed, because Don Francisco Alvarez, is summoned, at the
same time, to the presence of His Excellency, the Governor General,
Bernardo Galvez, and I hear that he is in no pleasant frame of mind
because of it. Come!"

The four went forth joyfully. Shif'less Sol was the first to put foot on
Mother Earth, and he stopped, raised his head, and opened his mouth to its
widest extent.

"Jim," he said to Long Jim Hart, "I want to breathe it in, this outdoors
an' fresh air an' freedom, everywhar I kin, at my mouth, nose, ears, an'
eyes, too, ef they're any good at that sort o' business."

"An' at the pores, too, Sol," said Paul.

"What's pores?"

"Millions and millions of fine little holes all over you."

"Wa'll, I ain't ever seed any o' them holes, or felt 'em, but ef they're
in me I hope they're all workin' right now, drawin' the good fresh air."

Lieutenant Diego Bernal led the way rapidly to the house of the Governor
General, and four soldiers closed up by the side of them as an escort and
guard. But the four had no thought of attempting escape. Their minds were
wholly occupied with what might occur when they were a second time in the
presence of the Governor General.

They were taken through the anteroom and then into the large hall of
audience where the Governor General sat, as before, in the great chair
with his secretary at the little table at his right. At one side of the
room were Francisco Alvarez, and Braxton Wyatt, both frowning, and at the
other side were Oliver Pollock and Henry Ware, neither frowning at all.
Henry came forward and shook hands warmly with his comrades.

"What is it, Henry?" whispered Paul. "What has happened?"

"Wait," replied Henry in a similar whisper. "We must see what Bernardo
Galvez is going to do."

The Governor General motioned the four, now the five once more, to seats,
and they noticed that the audience was marked by unusual state. Two
soldiers, as a guard, stood near one of the windows, and the secretary was
ready with his ink and goose quills to write down whatever he might be
ordered to write. Alvarez and Braxton Wyatt were visibly uneasy. Bernardo
Galvez sat upright, his face stern, his look commanding. He was every inch
of him a Governor General.

"Gentlemen," he said speaking in precise English, "a charge was made in
this chamber some days since, a charge involving the integrity and loyalty
of a high officer in the service of Spain, Don Francisco Alvarez. Thi