By England's Aid; or, the Freeing of the Netherlands (1585-1604)

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER XII

  RECRUITING THEIR FUNDS

  As soon as Gerald Burke began conversing with the merchants,Geoffrey fell back and took his place among their servants, withwhom he at once entered into conversation. To amuse himself hecontinued in the same strain that he had heard Gerald adopt towardsthe merchants, and spoke in terms of apprehension of the dangersof the journey, and of the rough treatment that had befallen thosewho had ventured to offer opposition to the robbers. He was notlong in discovering, by the anxious glances they cast round them,and by the manner of their questions, that some at least of theparty were not to be relied upon in case of an encounter.

  He was rather surprised at Gerald remaining so long in company withthe merchants, for their pace was a slow one, as they were followedby eight heavily laden mules, driven by two muleteers, and it wouldhave been much pleasanter, he thought, to have trotted on at theirusual pace. About midday, as they were passing along the edge ofa thick wood, a party of men suddenly sprang out and ordered themto halt. Geoffrey shouted to the men with him to come on, anddrawing his sword dashed forward.

  Two of the men only followed him. The others hesitated, untila shot from a musket knocked off one of their hats, whereupon theman and his comrades turned their horses' heads and rode off atfull speed. The merchants had drawn their swords, and stood on thedefensive, and Geoffrey on reaching them was surprised to find thatGerald Burke was sitting quietly on his horse without any apparentintention of taking part in the fight.

  "Put up your sword, Geoffrey," he said calmly; "this affair is nobusiness of ours. We have nothing to lose, and it is no businessof ours to defend the money bags of these gentlemen."

  The robbers, eight in number, now rushed up. One of the merchants,glancing round, saw that two of their men only had come up totheir assistance. The muleteers, who were probably in league withthe robbers, had fled, leaving their animals standing in the road.The prospect seemed desperate. One of the merchants was an elderlyman, the others were well on middle age. The mules were laden withvaluable goods, and they had with them a considerable sum of moneyfor making purchases at Cadiz. It was no time for hesitation.

  "We will give you five hundred crowns if you will both aid us tobeat off these robbers."

  "It is a bargain," Gerald replied. "Now, Geoffrey, have at thesefellows!"

  Leaping from their ponies they ranged themselves by the merchantsjust as the robbers attacked them. Had it not been for their aidthe combat would have been a short one; for although determined todefend their property to the last, the traders had neither strengthnor skill at arms. One was unhorsed at the first blow, and anotherwounded; but the two servants, who had also dismounted, foughtsturdily, and Gerald and Geoffrey each disposed of a man beforethe robbers, who had not reckoned upon their interference, wereprepared to resist their attack.

  The fight did not last many minutes. The traders did their best,and although by no means formidable opponents, distracted theattention of the robbers, who were startled by the fall of two oftheir party. Geoffrey received a sharp cut on the head, but at thesame moment ran his opponent through the body, while Gerald Burkecut down the man opposed to him. The other four robbers, seeingthey were now outnumbered, at once took to their heels.

  "By St. Jago!" one of the traders said, "you are stout fighters,young men, and have won your fee well. Methought we should havelost our lives as well as our goods, and I doubt not we should havedone so had you not ranged yourselves with us. Now, let us bandageup our wounds, for we have all received more or less hurt."

  When the wounds, some of which were serious, were attended to, thefallen robbers were examined. Three of them were dead; but the manlast cut down by Gerald Burke seemed likely to recover.

  "Shall we hang him upon a tree as a warning to these knaves, orshall we take him with us to the next town and give him in chargeof the authorities there?" one of the traders asked.

  "If I were you I would do neither," Gerald said, "but would let himgo free if he will tell you the truth about this attack. It willbe just as well for you to get to the bottom of this affair, andfind out whether it is a chance meeting, or whether any of yourown people have been in league with him."

  "That is a good idea," the trader agreed, "and I will carry itout," and going up to the man, who had now recovered his senses,he said to him sternly: "We have made up our minds to hang you;but you may save your life if you will tell us how you came to setupon us. Speak the truth and you shall go free, otherwise we willfinish with you without delay."

  The robber, seeing an unexpected chance of escape from punishment, atonce said that the captain of their band, who was the man Geoffreyhad last run through, came out from Seville the evening before, andtold him that one Juan Campos, with whom he had long had intimaterelations, and who was clerk to a rich trader, had, upon promise thathe should receive one fifth of the booty taken, informed him thathis master with two other merchants was starting on the followingmorning for Cadiz with a very valuable lot of goods, and twenty-fivethousand crowns, which they intended to lay out in the purchase ofgoods brought by some galleons that had just arrived from the Indies.He had arranged to bribe his master's two servants to ride awaywhen they attacked the gang, and also to settle with the muleteersso that they should take no part in the affair. They had reckonedthat the flight of two of the servants would probably affect theothers, and had therefore expected the rich booty to fall intotheir hands without the trouble of striking a blow for it.

  "It is well we followed your suggestion," one of the traders saidto Gerald. "I had no suspicion of the honesty of my clerk, andhad we not made this discovery he would doubtless have played me asimilar trick upon some other occasion. I will ride back at once,friends, for if he hears of the failure of the attack he may takethe alarm and make off with all he can lay his hands upon. Ourventure was to be in common. I will leave it to you to carry itout, and return and dismiss Campos and the two rascally servants."The three traders went apart and consulted together. Presently theeldest of the party returned to the young men.

  "We have another five days' journey before us," he said, "and buttwo servants upon whom we can place any reliance. We have evidenceof the unsafety of the roads, and, as you have heard, we have alarge sum of money with us. You have already more than earned thereward I offered you, and my friends have agreed with me that ifyou will continue to journey with us as far as Cadiz, and to giveus the aid of your valour should we be again attacked, we will makethe five hundred crowns a thousand. It is a large sum, but we havewell nigh all our fortunes at stake, and we feel that we owe youour lives as well as the saving of our money."

  "We could desire nothing better," Gerald replied, "and will answerwith our lives that your goods and money shall arrive safely atCadiz."

  The traders then called up their two serving men, and told themthat on their arrival at Cadiz they would present them each with ahundred crowns for having so stoutly done their duty. The employerof the treacherous clerk then turned his horse's head and rode backtowards Seville, while the others prepared to proceed on their way.The two muleteers had now come out from among the bushes, and werebusy refastening the bales on the mules, the ropes having becomeloosened in the struggles of the animals while the fight was goingon. The merchants had decided to say nothing to the men as to thediscovery that they were in league with the robbers.

  "Half these fellows are in alliance with these bands, which are ascourge to the country," one of the traders said. "If we were toinform the authorities at the next town, we should, in the firstplace, be blamed for letting the wounded man escape, and secondlywe might be detained for days while investigations are going on.In this country the next worse thing to being a prisoner is to bea complainant. Law is a luxury in which the wealthy and idle canalone afford to indulge."

  As soon, therefore, as the baggage was readjusted the party proceededon their way.

  "What do you think of that, Geoffrey?" Gerald Burke asked as herode for a short distance by the side of his supposed
servant.

  "It is magnificent," Geoffrey replied; "and it seems to me that thereal road to wealth in Spain is to hire yourself out as a guard totravellers."

  "Ah, you would not get much if you made your bargain beforehand.It is only at a moment of urgent danger that fear will open pursestrings widely. Had we bargained beforehand with these traders wemight have thought ourselves lucky if we had got ten crowns apieceas the price of our escort to Cadiz, and indeed we should have beenonly too glad if last night such an offer had been made to us; butwhen a man sees that his property and life are really in danger hedoes not stop to haggle, but is content to give a handsome percentageof what is risked for aid to save the rest."

  "Well, thank goodness, our money trouble is at an end," Geoffreysaid; "and it will be a long time before we need have any anxietyon that score."

  "Things certainly look better," Gerald said laughing; "and if Inezconsents to make a runaway match of it with me I sha'n't have toask her to pay the expenses."

  Cadiz was reached without further adventure. The merchants kepttheir agreement honourably, and handed over a heavy bag containinga thousand crowns to Gerald on their arrival at that city. Theyhad upon the road inquired of him the nature of his business there.He had told them that he was at present undecided whether to enterthe army, in which some friends of his had offered to obtain hima commission, or to join in an adventure to the Indies. They hadtold him they were acquainted with several merchants at Cadiz whotraded both with the east and west, and that they would introducehim to them as a gentleman of spirit and courage, whom they mightemploy with advantage upon such ventures; and this promise aftertheir arrival there they carried out.

  "Now, Geoffrey," Gerald said as they sat together that evening ata comfortable inn, "we must talk over matters here. We have fivehundred crowns apiece, and need not trouble any longer as to howwe are to support life. Your great object, of course, is to get outof this country somehow, and to make your way back to England. Myfirst is to see Inez and find out whether she will follow my fortunesor remain to become some day Marchesa of Sottomayor. If she adoptsthe former alternative I have to arrange some plan to carry her offand to get out of the country, an operation in which I foresee nolittle difficulty. Of course if we are caught my life is forfeited,there is no question about that. The question for us to consideris how we are to set about to carry out our respective plans."

  "We need only consider your plan as far as I can see," Geoffreysaid. "Of course I shall do what I can to assist you, and if youmanage to get off safely with the young lady I shall escape at thesame time."

  "Not at all," Burke said; "you have only to wait here quietlyuntil you see an opportunity. I will go with you tomorrow to themerchants I was introduced to today, and say that I am going awayfor a time and shall be obliged if they will make you useful in anyway until I return. In that way you will have a sort of establishedposition here, and can wait until you see a chance of smugglingyourself on board some English or Dutch vessel. Mine is a verydifferent affair. I may talk lightly of it, but I am perfectlyaware that I run a tremendous risk, and that the chances are verystrongly against me."

  "Whatever the chances are," Geoffrey said quietly, "I shall sharethem with you. Your kindness has saved me from what at best mighthave been imprisonment for life, and not improbably would have beentorture and death at the hands of the Inquisition, and I am certainlynot going to withdraw myself from you now when you are enteringupon what is undoubtedly a very dangerous adventure. If we escapefrom Spain we escape together; if not, whatever fate befalls youI am ready to risk."

  "Very well; so be it, Geoffrey," Gerald Burke said, holding out hishand to him. "If your mind is made up I will not argue the questionwith you, and indeed I value your companionship and aid too highlyto try to shake your determination. Let us then at once talk overwhat is now our joint enterprise. Ribaldo estate lies about halfwaybetween this and Seville, and we passed within a few miles of itas we came hither. The first thing, of course, will be to procuresome sort of disguise in which I can see Inez and have a talk withher. Now, it seems to me, for I have been thinking the matter overin every way as we rode, that the only disguise in which this wouldbe possible would be that of a priest or monk."

  Geoffrey laughed aloud. "You would in the first place have to shaveoff your moustachios, Gerald, and I fear that even after you haddone so there would be nothing venerable in your appearance; andwhatever the mission with which you might pretend to charge yourself,your chances of obtaining a private interview with the lady wouldbe slight."

  "I am afraid that I should lack the odour of sanctity, Geoffrey;but what else can one do? Think it over, man. The way in which youplayed the idiot when you were picked out of the water shows thatyou are quick at contriving a plan."

  "That was a simple business in comparison to this," Geoffreyreplied. "However, you are not pressed for time, and I will thinkit over tonight and may light upon some possible scheme, for I ownthat at present I have not the least idea how the matter is to bemanaged."

  As in the morning there were several other travellers takingbreakfast in the same room, the conversation was not renewed untilGerald Burke strolled out, followed at a respectful distance byGeoffrey, who still passed as his servant, and reached a quiet spoton the ramparts. Here Geoffrey joined him, and they stood for someminutes looking over the sea.

  "What a magnificent position for a city!" Geoffrey said at last."Standing on this rocky tongue of land jutting out at the entranceto this splendid bay it ought to be impregnable, since it can onlybe attacked on the side facing that sandy isthmus. What a numberof ships are lying up the bay, and what a busy scene it is with theboats passing and repassing! Though they must be two miles away Ifancy I can hear the shouts of the sailors."

  "Yes, it is all very fine," Gerald said; "but I have seen itseveral times before. Still, I can make allowances for you. Do yousee that group of small ships a mile beyond the others? Those arethe English and Dutchmen. They are allowed to trade, but as you seethey are kept apart, and there are three war galleys lying closeto them. No one is allowed to land, and every boat going offis strictly examined, and all those who go on board have to showtheir permits from the governor to trade; so, you see, the chanceof getting on board one of them is slight indeed. Higher up thebay lies Puerto de Santa Maria, where a great trade is carried on,and much wine shipped; though more comes from Jeres, which lies upthe river. You know we passed through it on our way here.

  "Yes, this is a splendid position for trade, and I suppose thecommerce carried on here is larger than in any port in Europe;though Antwerp ranked as first until the troubles began in theNetherlands. But this ought to be first. It has all the trade of theAtlantic seaboard, and standing at the mouth of the Mediterraneancommands that also; while all the wealth of the New World pours inhere. That is great already; there is no saying what it will be inthe future, while some day the trade from the far East should flowin here also by vessels trading round the south of Africa.

  "Cadiz has but one fault: the space on which it stands is too smallfor a great city. You see how close the houses stand together,and how narrow are the streets. It cannot spread without extendingbeyond the rock over the sands, and then its strength would be gone,and it would be open to capture by an enterprising enemy havingcommand of the sea. There now, having indulged your humour, letus return to more important matters. Have you thought over what wewere talking about last night?"

  "I have certainly thought it over," Geoffrey said; "but I do notknow that thinking has resulted in much. The only plan that occursto me as being at all possible is this. You were talking in jokeat Madrid of turning robber. Would it be possible, think you, toget together a small band of men to aid you in carrying off theyoung lady, either from the grounds of her father's house or whilejourneying on the road? You could then have your talk with her.If you find her willing to fly with you, you could leave the menyou have engaged and journey across the country in some sort ofdisguise to a port. If she objected, you could c
onduct her back tothe neighbourhood of the house and allow her to return. There isone difficulty: you must, of course, be prepared with a priest, sothat you can be married at once if she consents to accompany you."

  Gerald Burke was silent for some time. "The scheme seems a possibleone," he said at last; "it is the question of the priest that bothersme. You know, both in Seville and Cadiz there are Irish colleges,and at both places there are several priests whom I knew before theyentered the Church, and who would, I am sure, perform the servicefor me on any ordinary occasion; but it is a different thing askingthem to take a share in such a business as this, for they wouldrender themselves liable to all sorts of penalties and punishmentsfrom their superiors. However, the difficulty must be got oversomehow, and at any rate the plan seems to promise better thananything I had thought of. The first difficulty is how to get theruffians for such a business. I cannot go up to the first beetlebrowed knave I meet in the street and say to him, 'Are you disposedto aid me in the abduction of a lady?'"

  "No," Geoffrey laughed; "but fortunately you have an intermediaryready at hand."

  "How so?" Gerald exclaimed in surprise. "Why, how on earth can youhave an acquaintance with any ruffians in Cadiz?"

  "Not a very intimate acquaintance, Gerald; but if you take thetrouble to go into the courtyard of the inn when we get back youwill see one of those rascally muleteers who went in league withthe robbers who attacked us on the way. He was in conversation whenwe came out with a man who breakfasted with us, and was probablybargaining for a load for his mules back to Seville. I have nodoubt that through him you might put yourself into communicationwith half the cutthroats of the town."

  "That is a capital idea, Geoffrey, and I will have a talk with theman as soon as we get back; for if he is not still there, I am sureto be able to learn from some of the men about the stables whereto find him."

  "You must go very carefully to work, Gerald," Geoffrey said. "Itwould never do to let any of the fellows know the exact object forwhich you engaged them, for they might be sure of getting a farlarger sum from the marquis for divulging your plans to carry offhis daughter than you could afford to pay them for their services."

  "I quite see that, and will be careful."

  On their return to the inn Gerald Burke at once made inquiries asto the muleteer, and learned that he would probably return in anhour to see if a bargain could be made with a trader for the hireof his mules back to Seville. Gerald waited about until the mancame. "I want to have a talk with you, my friend," he said.

  The muleteer looked at him with a suspicious eye. "I am busy," hesaid in a surly tone; "I have no time to waste."

  "But it would not be wasting it if it were to lead to your puttinga dozen crowns in your pocket."

  "Oh, if it is to lead to that, senor, I can spare an hour, for Idon't think that anything is likely to come out of the job I camehere to try to arrange."

  "We will walk away to a quieter place," Gerald said. "There aretoo many people about here for us to talk comfortably. The rampartsare but two or three minutes' walk; we can talk there withoutinterruption."

  When they arrived upon the ramparts Gerald commenced the conversation.

  "I think you were foolish, my friend, not to have taken us intoyour confidence the other day before that little affair. You couldhave made an opportunity well enough. We stopped to luncheon; ifyou had drawn me aside, and told me frankly that some friends ofyours were about to make an attack upon the traders, and that youwould guarantee that they would make it worth my while--"

  "What do you mean by saying my friends, or that I had any knowledgeof the affair beforehand?" the man asked furiously.

  "I say so," Gerald replied, "because I had it on excellent authority.The wounded robber made a clean breast of the whole affair, and ofyour share in it, as well as that of the rascally clerk of one ofthe traders. If it had not been for me the merchants would havehanded you over to the magistrates at the place where we stoppedthat night; but I dissuaded them, upon the ground that they wouldhave to attend as witnesses against you, and that it was notworth their while to lose valuable time merely for the pleasure ofseeing you hung. However, all this is beside the question. What Iwas saying was, it is a pity you did not say to me frankly: 'Yourpresence here is inopportune; but if you will stand apart if anyunexpected affair takes place, you will get say two thousand crownsout of the twenty-five thousand my friends are going to capture.'Had you done that, you see, things might have turned out differently."

  "I did not know," the muleteer stammered.

  "No, you did not know for certain, of course, that I was a soldierof fortune; but if you had been sharp you might have guessed it.However, it is too late for that now. Now, what I wanted to askyou was if you could get me half a dozen of your friends to takeservice under me in a little adventure I have to carry out. Theywill be well paid, and I do not suppose they will have much troubleover it."

  "And what would you pay me, caballero?" the muleteer asked humbly;for he had been greatly impressed with the valour displayed by theyoung Irishman and his servant in the fray, and thought that heintended to get together a company for adventures on the road, inwhich case he might be able to have some profitable dealings withhim in the future.

  "I will give you twenty crowns," Gerald replied; "and consideringthat you owe your life to my interposition, I think that you oughtnot to haggle about terms."

  "The party who attacked us," the muleteer said, "lost their captainand several of their comrades in that fray, and would I doubt notgladly enter into your service, seeing that they have received suchproof of your worship's valour."

  "Where could I see them?" Gerald asked.

  "I think that they will be now in Jeres, if that would suit you,senor; but if not I could doubtless find a party of men in thistown equally ready for your business."

  "Jeres will do very well for me," Gerald said; "I shall be travellingthat way and will put up at the Fonda where we stopped as we camethrough. When are you starting?"

  "It depends whether I make my bargain with a man at your hotel,"the muleteer replied; "and this I doubt not I shall do, for withthe twenty crowns your honour is going to give me I shall not standout for terms. He is travelling with clothes from Flanders, and ifyour worship thought--"

  "No," Gerald said. "I do not wish to undertake any adventures ofthat sort until I have a band properly organized, and have arrangedhiding places and methods of getting rid of the booty. I will goback with you to the inn, and if you strike your bargain you cantell me as you pass out of the gate what evening you will meet meat Jeres."

  On arriving at the inn Gerald lounged at the gate of the courtyarduntil the muleteer came out.

  "I will meet your worship on the fifth night from this at Jeres."

  "Very well; here are five crowns as an earnest on our bargain. Ifyou carry it out well I shall very likely forget to deduct themfrom the twenty I promised you. Do not be surprised if you find mesomewhat changed in appearance when you meet me there."

  At the appointed time the muleteer with his train of animalsentered the courtyards of the Fonda at Jeres. Gerald was standingon the steps of the inn. He had altered the fashion of his hair,had fastened on large bushy eyebrows which he had obtained from askilful perruquier in Cadiz, and a moustache of imposing size turnedup at the tips; he wore high buff leather boots, and there was anair of military swagger about him, and he was altogether so changedthat at the first glance the muleteer failed to recognize him. Assoon as the mules were unburdened, Gerald found an opportunity ofspeaking with him.

  "I will go round at once," the man said, "to the place where I shallcertainly obtain news of my friends if they are here. I told yourhonour that they might be here, but they may have gone away onsome affair of business, and may be on the road or at Seville. Theyalways work between this town and Seville."

  "I understand that you may not meet them tonight; if not, I willmeet you again in Seville. How long will you be finding out aboutthem?"

  "I shall
know in half an hour, senor; if they are not here I shallbe back here in less than an hour, but if I find them I shallbe detained longer in order to talk over with them the offer yourworship makes."

  "Very well; in an hour you will find me in the street opposite theinn. I shall wait there until you come. If all is well make a signand I will follow you. Do not mention to them that I have in anyway disguised myself. Our acquaintance was so short that I don'tfancy they had time to examine me closely; and I have my own reasonsof wishing that they should not be acquainted with my ordinaryappearance, and have therefore to some extent disguised myself."

  "I will say nothing about it," the muleteer replied. "Your worshipcan depend upon my discretion."

  "That is right," Gerald said. "We may have future dealings together,and I can reward handsomely those I find trustworthy and punishthose who in the slightest degree disobey my orders."

  In an hour and a half the muleteer returned, made a signal to Geraldand passed on. The latter joined him at a short distance from thehotel.

  "It is all settled, senor. I found the men much dispirited at theloss of their captain and comrades; and when I proposed to themto take service under the caballero who wrought them such mischiefthe other day, they jumped at the idea, saying that under such avaliant leader there was no fear of the failure of any enterprisethey might undertake."

  A quarter of an hour's walking took them to a small inn ofvillainous appearance in one of the smallest lanes of the town.Gerald was wrapped from head to foot in his cloak, and only his facewas visible. He had a brace of pistols in his belt, and was followedat a short distance, unnoticed by the muleteer, by Geoffrey, whohad arranged to keep close to the door of any house he entered, andwas to be in readiness to rush in and take part in the fray if heheard the sound of firearms within.

  Gerald himself had not at first entertained any idea of treachery;but Geoffrey had pointed out that it was quite possible thatthe robbers and the muleteer had but feigned acquiescence in hisproposals in order to get him into their power, and take revengefor the loss of their captain and comrades, and of the valuablebooty which had so unexpectedly slipped through their fingers owingto his intervention.

  The appearance of the six ruffians gathered in the low room, lightedby a wretched lamp, was not very assuring, and Gerald kept his handon the butt of one of his pistols.

  The four robbers who had been engaged in the fray, however, salutedhim respectfully, and the other two members of the band, who hadbeen absent on other business, followed their example. They hadheard from those present of the extraordinary valour with whichthe two travelling companions of the trader had thrown themselvesinto the fray, and had alone disposed of their four comrades,and being without a leader, and greatly disheartened by their illluck, they were quite ready to forgive the misfortunes Gerald hadbrought upon them, and to accept such a redoubtable swordsman astheir leader.

  Gerald began the conversation. "You have heard," he said, "fromour friend here of the offer I make you. I desire a band of six menon whom I can rely for an adventure which promises large profit.Don't suppose that I am going to lead you to petty robberies onthe road, in which, as you learned to your cost the other day, onesometimes gets more hard knocks than profit. Such adventures maydo for petty knaves, but they are not suited to me. The way toget wealthy is to strike at the rich. My idea is to establish someplace in an out of the way quarter where there is no fear of pryingneighbours, and to carry off and hide there the sons and daughtersof wealthy men and put them to ransom. In the first instance Iam going to undertake a private affair of my own; and as you willreally run no risk in the matter, for I shall separate myself fromyou after making my capture, I shall pay you only a earnest moneyof twenty crowns each. In future affairs we shall act upon theprinciple of shares. I shall take three shares, a friend who workswith me will take two shares, and you shall take one share apiece.The risk will really be entirely mine, for I shall take charge ofthe captives we make at our rendezvous. You, after lending a handin the capture, will return here and hold yourself in readiness tojoin me, and carry out another capture as soon as I have made allthe necessary arrangements. Thus, if by any chance we are tracked,I alone and my friend will run the risk of capture and punishment.In that way we may, in the course of a few months, amass a muchlarger booty than we should in a lifetime spent in these wretchedadventures upon travellers.

  "Now, it is for you to say whether these terms will suit you, andwhether you are ready to follow my orders and obey me implicitly.The whole task of making the necessary arrangements, or finding outthe habits of the families one of whose members we intend carryingoff, of bribing nurses or duennas, will be all my business. Youwill simply have to meet when you are summoned to aid in the actualenterprise, and then, when our captive is safely housed, to returnhere or scatter where you will and live at ease until again summoned.The utmost fidelity will be necessary. Large rewards will in manycases be offered for the discovery of the missing persons, andone traitor would bring ruin upon us all; therefore it will beabsolutely necessary that you take an oath of fidelity to me, andswear one and all to punish the traitor with death. Do you agreeto my proposal?"

  There was a unanimous exclamation of assent. The plan seemed tooffer probabilities of large booty with a minimum of trouble andrisk. One or two suggested that they should like to join in thefirst capture on the same terms as the others, but Gerald at oncepronounced this to be impossible.

  "This is my own affair," he said, "and money is not now my object.As you will only be required to meet at a given hour some evening,and to carry off a captive who will not be altogether unwillingto come, there will be little or no risk in the matter, and twentycrowns will not be bad pay for an evening's work. After that youwill, as I have said, share in the profits of all future captureswe may undertake."

  The band all agreed, and at once took solemn oaths of fidelity totheir new leader, and swore to punish by death any one of theirnumber who should betray the secrets of the body.

  "That is well," Gerald said when the oaths had been taken. "Itmay be a week before you receive your first summons. Here are fivecrowns apiece for your expenses up to that time. Let one of yoube in front of the great church as the clock strikes eight morningand evening. Do not wait above five minutes; if I am coming Ishall be punctual. In the meantime take counsel among yourselvesas to the best hiding place that can be selected. Between you youno doubt know every corner and hole in the country. I want a placewhich will be at once lonely and far removed from other habitations,but it must be at the same time moderately comfortable, as thecaptives we take must have no reason to complain of their treatmentwhile in my hands. Think this matter over before I again see you."

  Gerald then joined Geoffrey outside, and found that the latterwas beginning to be anxious at his long absence. After a few wordssaying that everything had been successfully arranged, the twofriends returned together to their inn.