“How is this?” Barbados cried.
“Traitors play with you, and you walk into traps. You and your fiends spend time at such cruel sports as this while your enemies are preparing to annihilate you—”
“Fray, what is your meaning?”
“Are you blind?” Fray Felipe asked. “Are you an utter and simple fool? You have put your confidence and trust in this Captain Ramón. And at this moment he is riding back from San Diego de Alcála at the head of the troopers, perhaps.”
“Ha! I know it, fray. He is leading the soldiers into an ambush!”
“So you are such an easy dupe!” Fray Felipe said. “I know his plans, and so does the little señorita. You will form your ambush at the head of the cañon. And he will lead the troopers around it, attack you in the rear, cut you off from your camp, and annihilate you. By doing that he’ll save his face and gain favor with decent men and women and with the Governor. He’ll claim that he saved the señorita, and ask her in marriage, get her for a bride without cutting himself off forever from honest men. A man who can be traitor to one cause, Señor Pirate, can be traitor to another.”
“Lies!” Barbados thundered.
“They are not lies!” Fray Felipe declared. “And you are playing here when you should be preparing for the battle. Easy victims you’ll be for the troopers!”
Barbados seemed to hesitate. There was a quality in the fray’s words and bearing that indicated truth. Then there came a woman’s screech, and Inez thrust herself forward.
“The old fray speaks the truth!” she declared. “I overheard the commandante talking to the señorita. He told her that he was tricking you.”