"Well, that is the mistake, Captain."
"How a mistake?"
"Why, yes; suppose you shoot ten men?"
"Twenty, if necessary!"
"Say twenty, it is of no consequence to me; but those who remain, whom neither you nor I know, will sell you to the Indians, so that the only result will be precipitating the evil instead of preventing it."
"Ah, ah!" the Commandant said, with an expressive glance at the bandit. "And what would you do in my place?"
"Oh, a very simple thing."
"Well, what is it?"
"I would leave the scamps at liberty to prepare their treachery, while carefully watching them; and when the moment for attack arrived, I would have them quietly arrested; so that the Indians would be surprised, instead of surprising us, and we should cheat the cunning cheats."
The Captain appeared to reflect for a moment, and then said—"The plan you recommend seems to me good, and for the present I see no inconvenience in carrying it out. Give me the names of the traitors."