andsoulwithusonyouroathonthecrossoftheChristians,oryourbodythisnightshallbethrownintotheditchandweshallpassovertoourbrothersintherebelarmy.Thereisnomiddleway.Whichisittobe,deathorlife?Wecanonlygiveyouthreeminutestodecide,forthetimeispassing,andallmustbedonebeforetheroundscomeagain.’
“‘HowcanIdecide?’saidI.‘Youhavenottoldmewhatyouwantofme.ButItellyounowthatifitisanythingagainstthesafetyofthefortIwillhavenotruckwithit,soyoucandrivehomeyourknifeandwelcome.’
“‘Itisnothingagainstthefort,’saidhe.‘Weonlyaskyoutodothatwhichyourcountrymencometothislandfor.Weaskyoutoberich.Ifyouwillbeoneofusthisnight,wewillsweartoyouuponthenakedknife,andbythethreefoldoathwhichnoSikhwaseverknowntobreak,thatyoushallhaveyourfairshareoftheloot.Aquarterofthetreasureshallbeyours.Wecansaynofairer.’
“‘Butwhatisthetreasure,then?’Iasked.‘Iamasreadytoberichasyoucanbe,ifyouwillbutshowmehowitcanbedone.’
“‘Youwillswear,then,’saidhe,‘bythebonesofyourfather,bythehonourofyourmother,bythecrossofyourfaith,toraisenohandandspeaknowordagainstus,eithernoworafterwards?’
“‘Iwillswearit,’Ianswered,‘providedthatthefortisnotendangered.’
“‘ThenmycomradeandIwillswearthatyoushallhaveaquarterofthetreasurewhichshallbeequallydividedamongthefourofus.’
“‘Therearebutthree,’saidI.
“‘NoDostAkbarmusthavehisshare.Wecantellthetaletoyouwhileweawaitthem.Doyoustandatthegate,MahometSingh,andgivenoticeoftheircoming.Thethingstandsthus,Sahib,andItellittoyoubecauseIknowthatanoathisbindinguponaFeringhee,andthatwemaytrustyou.HadyoubeenalyingHindoo,thoughyouhadswornbyallthegodsintheirfalsetemples,yourbloodwouldhavebeenupontheknife,andyourbodyinthewater.ButtheSikhknowstheEnglishman,andtheEnglishmanknowstheSikh.Hearken,then,towhatIhavetosay.
“‘Thereisarajahinthenorthernprovinceswhohasmuchwealth,thoughhislandsaresmall.Muchhascometohimfromhisfather,andmorestillhehassetbyhimself,forheisofalownatureandhoardshisgoldratherthanspendit.Whenthetroublesbrokeouthewouldbefriendsbothwiththelionandthetiger,—withtheSepoyandwiththeCompany’sRaj.Soon,however,itseemedtohimthatthewhitemen’sdaywascome,forthroughallthelandhecouldhearofnothingbutoftheirdeathandtheiroverthrow.Yet,beingacarefulman,hemadesuchplansthat,comewhatmight,halfatleastofhistreasureshouldbelefttohim.Thatwhichwasingoldandsilverhekeptbyhiminthevaultsofhispalace,butthemostpreciousstonesandthechoicestpearlsthathehadheputinanironbox,andsentitbyatrustyservantwho,undertheguiseofamerchant,shouldtakeittothefortatAgra,theretolieuntilthelandisatpeace.Thus,iftherebelswonhewouldhavehismoney,butiftheCompanyconqueredhisjewelswouldbesavedtohim.Havingthusdividedhishoard,hethrewhimselfintothecauseoftheSepoys,sincetheywerestronguponhisborders.Bydoingthis,markyou,Sahib,hispropertybecomesthedueofthosewhohavebeentruetotheirsalt.
“‘Thispretendedmerchant,whotravelsunderthenameofAchmet,isnowinthecityofAgra,anddesirestogainhiswayintothefort.Hehaswithhimastravelling-companionmyfoster-brotherDostAkbar,whoknowshissecret.DostAkbarhaspromisedthisnighttoleadhimtoaside-posternofthefort,andhaschosenthisoneforhispurpose.Herehewillcomepresently,andherehewillfindMahometSinghandmyselfawaitinghim.Theplaceislonely,andnoneshallknowofhiscoming.TheworldshallknowofthemerchantAchmetnomore,butthegreattreasureoftherajahshallbedividedamongus.Whatsayyoutoit,Sahib?’
“InWorcestershirethelifeofamanseemsagreatandasacredthingbutitisverydifferentwhenthereisfireandbloodallroundyouandyouhavebeenusedtomeetingdeathateveryturn.WhetherAchmetthemerchantlivedordiedwasathingaslightasairtome,butatthetalkaboutthetreasuremyheartturnedtoit,andIthoughtofwhatImightdointheoldcountrywithit,andhowmyfolkwouldstarewhentheysawtheirne’er-do-wellcomingbackwithhispocketsfullofgoldmoidores.Ihad,therefore,alreadymadeupmymind.AbdullahKhan,however,thinkingthatIhesitated,pressedthemattermoreclosely.
“‘Consider,Sahib,’saidhe,‘thatifthismanistakenbythecommandanthewillbehungorshot,andhisjewelstakenbythegovernment,sothatnomanwillbearupeethebetterforthem.Now,sincewedothetakingofhim,whyshouldwenotdotherestaswell?ThejewelswillbeaswellwithusasintheCompany’scoffers.Therewillbeenoughtomakeeveryoneofusrichmenandgreatchiefs.Noonecanknowaboutthematter,forherewearecutofffromallmen.Whatcouldbebetterforthepurpose?Sayagain,then,Sahib,whetheryouarewithus,orifwemustlookuponyouasanenemy.’
“‘Iamwithyouheartandsoul,’saidI