At Cuzco young Diego worked hard with Sotelo, in preparing arms, superintending the casting of cannon by Pedro de Candía, and consulting about the best course to pursue. Then the young ruffian García de Alvarado arrived from his freebooting expedition to Arequipa, with a large amount of treasure. He used it to form a party of his own in the camp. He was jealous of Sotelo, who at the time was ill in bed with a fever, and he went to his house to pick a quarrel, ending by murdering him. Young Diego did not dare to arrest the assassin owing to the party his stolen treasure had got around him. He bided his time. He even consented to make him second in command with special powers. The ambition of the young ruffian (he was twenty-nine) was to have chief command. He intended to murder young Almagro. But the half-caste was more than a match for him at that game. There was to be a grand supper, and García de Alvarado was to go to Diego's house and invite him, having arranged for his murder after the supper. Diego made a different arrangement, which was to kill García de Alvarado when he came to say that the supper was ready. This was done. But the lad was still surrounded with difficulties and dangers. There was a well paid Alvarado party which was discontented. The loss of Sotelo was fatal. The gallant boy had not a single friend whom he could trust--his associates were a gang of murderers and self-seekers. He thought he had a friend, in a man named Lope de Idiáquez, and consulted him. But he proved a traitor. There was also an old soldier who had served in the Italian wars and could marshal an army to the best advantage, but he too was false and a traitor. Thus, without a single friend upon whom he could rely, this boy of nineteen prepared to encounter the Governor's army led by all the experienced cavaliers and soldiers in Peru. To have undertaken this showed great courage, and that he should have done it so well denotes rare ability. It is true that he must have known that all the leaders would fight to the last, for they fought with halters round their necks. But the equipment of the force, the provision of arms and accoutrements, the organization, the route, the marching order, were all due to the energy and ability of this half-caste boy. Young Almagro would have been pardoned before the battle, if he had consented to abandon the cause of the murderers who were in his army. He was too honourable to entertain such a proposal. He fought with great valour and determination at Chupas, to the bitter end.