but he received a slash in its place. The pain was considerable
but Paul scarcely felt it; his mind was too intent on the crisis, and his
head was yet clear and cool.

"Never you mind, Paul! Never you mind!" cried Long Jim. "'Twas only a
lucky sweep uv his! you'll git him yet."

Paul gave his informal second a smile of confidence, for second he was
with his encouraging tongue, even though bound and helpless otherwise.

Paul suddenly rushed in, struck swiftly, and, although the blow was
parried, he thrust again so quickly that his blade passed inside the guard
of Alvarez, pierced through his doublet, and wounded him in the side. Mad
with pain and rage Alvarez struck furiously, but Paul caught the blow so
skillfully that the Spaniard's sword broke in his hand.

Long Jim shouted with delight.

"You've beat him, Paul! you've beat him!" he cried. "Go in now and trim
his mustache right off his face!"

Braxton Wyatt struck him a blow on the cheek.

"Shut up, will you!" he cried.

Paul, sword in hand, turned away. He would not cut down an unarmed man,
and some strain of chivalry hidden beneath the Spaniard's ambition and
cruelty recognized the boy's nobility. He stepped aside and rebuked
Braxton Wyatt for striking Long Jim. Then he took off his doublet and one
of the men bound up his wound, which was painful but not at all dangerous.
His heart was full of rage and chagrin, but he did not show either.

"You have done well with the sword," he said to Paul, "I admit it, and I
am in a position to know. But you must surrender it, and come as my
prisoner. Your sword can be no defense against the bullets of my
soldiers."

Paul yielded his weapon. It would have been folly to resist when the
soldiers stood close by, loaded guns in hand, but he felt, nevertheless, a
deep satisfaction. He had performed a deed of valor, worthy of Shif'less
Sol or Henry, and he proudly took his place by the side of the other
prisoner, Long Jim. The wound in his arm had already stopped bleeding.

"I didn't know it was in you, Paul," whispered Long Jim, "but I never had
anything in my life do me more good. A lot uv wicked hopes wuz
disapp'inted when you give him that slash in the side, an' then broke his
sword."

"I did better than I expected," replied Paul briefly, "but the result is
not likely to endear us to Captain Alvarez."

"Ef I'd been keepin' the right kind uv a watch," said Long Jim, "this
wouldn't have happened. We could a' got 'The