“Carramba! Secure me that, and I swear—”
“You needn’t set about swearing yet. You can do that when the occasion calls for it; and, I promise, you shall have the opportunity soon. Till then I’ll take your word. With one in love, as you believe yourself, that should be binding as any oath; especially when it promises such a rich reward.”
“You’re sure about Diaz and Rocas?”
“Quite so. With them there won’t be need for any prolonged conference. When a man sees the chance of getting sixty thousand dollars in a lump lot, he’s pretty certain to act promptly, and without being particular as to what that action is.”
“Sixty thousand dollars! That’s to be the share of each?”
“That, and more, maybe.”
“It makes one crazy—even to think of such a sum!”
“Don’t go crazed till you’ve got it; then you may.”
“If I do, it won’t be with grief.”
“It shouldn’t; since it will give you a fresh lease of sweet life; and renew your hopes of having the wife you want. But come; we must get away if we wish to avoid being taken away—though, I fancy, there’s nothing to apprehend for some hours yet. The gringos have gone on board their ship, and are not likely to come on shore again before breakfast. What with their last night’s revelry, it’ll take them some time to clear the cobwebs out of their eyes after waking up. Besides, if they should make it a law matter, there’ll be all the business of looking up warrants, and the like. They do such things rather slowly in San Francisco. Then there’s the ten miles out here; even if they strike our trail straight. No; we needn’t be in a hurry so far as that goes. But the other’s a thing that won’t keep, and must be set about at once. Fortunately, the road that takes us to a place of concealment, is the same we have to travel upon business; and that is to the rancho of Rocas. There I’ve appointed to meet Diaz, who’d have come with us here, but that he preferred staying all night in the town. But he’ll be here betimes, and we can all remain with old Rafael till this ugly wind blows past; which it will in a week, or soon as the English ship sails off. If not, we must keep out of sight a little longer, or leave San Francisco for good.”