"But little," answered the renegade. "It was farther north in the great wilderness, where they are so much at home, that they could do us harm. Here within the fringe of the French and Spanish settlements, they will be hampered too much."
"Yes, I should think so," said Alvarez thoughtfully. "As you perhaps surmise, I am going to stay here indefinitely, Wyatt. This place of mine, Beaulieu, I call it, is at a suitable distance from New Orleans and I am an absolute monarch while I remain. Here, on the border, I am as a military commander, practically lord of life and death, and on one excuse or another I can hold the troops as long as I please."
"Which seems to me to be very convenient for all our plans," said Braxton Wyatt.
The Spaniard smiled, but speedily contracted his brows again. The cut that Paul had given him was hurting.
"I should like to punish that boy in some spectacular manner," he said. "I should want him to be humiliated in the presence of others as I was."
Suddenly he raised his head, which he had bent in thought, and his lips curled in laughter under his yellow mustache.
"I have it!" he exclaimed. "An idea! Since young Kaintock can use the sword I shall give him a chance to do it again! Oh, I shall give him every opportunity!"
Then he leaned over and spoke in lower tones to Braxton Wyatt. The renegade's eyes lighted up with delight.
"The very thing!" he exclaimed. "I'd have it done at once!"
Paul and Long Jim Hart meanwhile were resting in their log prison. Jim's arms had been unbound and, after rubbing them freely, he said that the circulation was restored. Then the two turned their attention to their prison. Paul surmised that it had been built as a tool house or store house, but at present it was empty save for himself and his comrade, Long Jim.