"I will."
"Hear him," said Tomaso derisively: "hear our general benefactor speak up for us all."
Toro turned upon the speaker savagely. "I can speak to you presently," he said significantly, tapping his sword hilt.
"You'll find me ready to answer you in any way," retorted Tomaso boldly, also tapping his sword.
"I doubt not; meanwhile, I offer myself as the leader, for several reasons: firstly, I know these Harkaways well, and am more fit to cope with them than those who have never met them."
Tomaso laughed.
"I doubt that," he said; "why, by your own showing, you have never gained any signal successes with them."
"No, but I start where you would have to begin; I am armed by experience, which you lack."
"True, true," exclaimed several of the brigands.
"That sounds fairly enough," replied Tomaso, "but you have ever met with such signal discomfiture that I, for one, should have small confidence in your leadership. I don't speak to uphold myself; let any other leader be chosen—let one of ourselves to wit, not an Italian, or any other foreigner. Why should not a Greek lead Greeks?"