“I have always found you faithful, and have no hesitation in trusting you again; but this time I have a peculiar request to make of you, one that may lead to business out of the ordinary line of operations to which you have been accustomed.  Can I rely on you in any emergency?”

“Yes, to the very death.”

“Are you easily moved by the tears and prayers of persons in distress?”

“Do we look tender-hearted, your honor?”

“Well, no; I can’t say that you do; but then the looks are not always a true criterion by which to judge of the heart.  A smooth face and a hard heart may go together, so may a rough visage and warm sympathies.”

“You may rely on us in that particular.”

“Even if the suppliant be a helpless and beautiful woman?”

“Well, I must confess, I don’t fancy meddling with feminines much.  What do you say to it, Dick; shall we pledge?”

“Dang the women!  It allers looked kinder cowardly to me to see men turn agin’ the weak things and abuse ’em; it don’t seem nateral, but ’pears like a feller didn’t remember his mother, or his sisters, if he had any.  But if the lieutenant has any work to do, we’ll do it, women or no women.  Them’s my sentiments, Bill, exactly.”

“Give us your hand on it, then,” said Bill.  “And now, give us yours, lieutenant, and the thing’s settled.”

With this, they all shook hands in token of agreement, and thus their faith was pledged.  But what a rebuke Dick inadvertently administered to Duffel in his quaint remarks!  How his vicious heart, bad as it was, must have felt the blow, and all the more severely that it came from such a source!  However, the villain was not to be turned from his purpose, and so, pocketing the unintentional affront, he proceeded: 

“As you have already heard, our most worthy captain will be absent on important business for some time to come, and during the period of his absence the duties of command will devolve on me.  I have long been contemplating a measure, which, if carried out, will be of great and lasting benefit to our order.  In order to conduct the affair to a successful termination, it may become necessary to imprison a female, a young lady of great beauty and accomplishments, in this cave.  I do not know that it will require such extreme measures as this, I hope it will not, but should it become needful to go to this extreme, I shall desire your aid in carrying her off.”

“We’ll be with you, as we have already pledged ourselves; but we must ask, as a favor in return, that you allow us to settle a personal affair with Amos Duval.”

“Of what nature?  You know he is a member of the League, and that it is a crime to lift a hand against him.”

“We know all about that; but Duval is a traitor at heart, and we can prove him such.”

“Then proceed against him in the order, and I will stand by you.”

“That’s just what we want; first to prove him worthy of death by our laws, and secondly, to be allowed to execute the sentence pronounced against him.”