They had never been in such a room before, one containing so much of the splendor of old Europe, but they were not awed in the least by it, and Bernardo Galvez knew it.
Oliver Pollock, the shrewd merchant and patriot, man of affairs, and judge of his kind, observed them closely and, observing, he felt a great thrill of satisfaction.

The five, boys though two of them were, had felt the vast importance of their mission and, now that they had come, he too, felt it.
It was a most critical and delicate moment for the struggling young nation.

He knew much of Francisco Alvarez, and he surmised more.
"I have heard of you," said the Governor General to the five, and his tones became judicial and severe, as became the ruler of a million square miles of fertile territory belonging to His Most Catholic Majesty, the King of Spain.

"You are the subject of formal complaint made by the captain of our forces in the North, Don Francisco Alvarez." It was now Paul, the scholar, youth of imagination, and future statesman, who responded and it seemed fitting to all that he should do so.
"Will Your Excellency state the complaint against us ?" he asked in a grave and manly way.
"I will leave it to Don Francisco to state it," replied Bernardo Galvez.
"I expected that you would be here this morning, so I have chosen to confront you with him.

Each side shall tell its story." This seemed fair, and the five, who had been waved to seats by a great window with Mr.Pollock, made no protest.