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 much
larger booty than we should in a lifetime spent in these wretched
adventures upon travellers.
"Now, it is for you to say whether these terms will suit you, and
whether you are ready to follow my orders and obey me implicitly.
The whole task of making the necessary arrangements, or finding out
the habits of the families one of whose members we intend carrying
off, of bribing nurses or duennas, will be all my business. You
will simply have to meet when you are summoned to aid in the actual
enterprise, and then, when our captive is safely housed, to return
here or scatter where you will and live at ease until again summoned.
The utmost fidelity will be necessary. Large rewards will in many
cases be offered for the discovery of the missing persons, and
one traitor would bring ruin upon us all; therefore it will be
absolutely necessary that you take an oath of fidelity to me, and
swear one and all to punish the traitor with death. Do you agree
to my proposal?"
There was a unanimous exclamation of assent. The plan seemed to
offer probabilities of large booty with a minimum of trouble and
risk. One or two suggested that they should like to join in the
first capture on the same terms as the others, but Gerald at once
pronounced this to be impossible.
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