"I'll answer for the boy."
"You'd best do it quickly, then, or there'll be one or two riding back into Sturatzberg as yesterday they rode out."
"If that is their spirit I'd sooner have lads like yonder beside me in a tight place," Ellerey answered angrily. Then he went to the men who were looking to their saddle girths preparatory to mounting. "Comrades, we have a journey before us which may run smoothly, but which may bring us hard knocks. The reward is generous to those who win through. Are we prepared to take our chances one and all?" He paused, but only a grunt of tardy consent answered him.
"Last night I brought two others to join in our enterprise."
"What need of them?" growled one man, "and one of them a boy."
"They go with me whoever else stays behind," said Ellerey, turning quickly to the man who had spoken. "Haven't you faith enough in me to trust my discretion?"
There was no reply.
"It must be tacit obedience, swift action to my command from every man who bears me company. Mount."
In a moment every one was in his saddle excepting Ellerey himself, who stood with his horse's bridle over his arm.
"Yonder lies the Breslen road, an easy morning's canter into Sturatzberg. Who likes may ride that way and free himself from my authority."