“Ay,” said Dick, “and to the death, too, I guess.”

“Quite likely, quite likely!” rejoined Duffel.  “Do you think you will have the nerve to perform this extreme act Should it become necessary?”

“Does Lieutenant Duffel take us to be cowards, that he makes such a white-livered insinuation?”

“By no means; I only wished to know if you were now prepared for any emergency that might come up?”

“Yes, any time and always.  Go on.”

“My plan is this:  So soon as the horses are in our possession, we must convey them to the middle of the ‘Swamp,’ and be back by morning, or noon at furthest, and show ourselves.  If we are about early, say as soon as possible after the animals are missed, and take part in the search, few, if any, will think of us as being the thieves, as they are pleased to term such operators, while we can, at the same time, turn the hunt after the horses in the direction in which they are not to be found, if we can do so without exciting suspicions of our aims.  Mark that! we must be cautious and not overdo the thing, or it will be worse for us than to do nothing.”

“We understand.”

“Well, that is all on that point; but there is something more to be done; we must direct suspicion to some one else; some one must be accused, and he must not be about.  You comprehend?”

“Perfectly.”

“Well, I have the sheep already prepared for the sacrifice.”

“Who is he, and where will we find him?”

“Charles Hadley is the man, and you will find him just in the right place—­the dark passage in the road to C——­; he passes that point every night about nine or ten o’clock.  You know what to do with him.”

“Would it not be as well to carry him to the save and imprison him?  You know, it would not be murder, then.”

“I had thought of that; but if we take him there, it will not do to let him out again, for, if we did, it would be the end of us all; so we should have to both imprison and murder him in the end, which would be much worse than to put him out of the way at once, let alone the risk attending the plan you suggest.”

“Right.”

“You see, then, we will have some one on whom to lay the theft?”

“Exactly!  Huzza for Lieutenant Duffel!”

“Silence!”

“I beg pardon.”

“Remember the time, next Thursday night, and don’t fail to be at the ’dark passage’ in time.”

“We’ll be there, don’t fear; and the thing shall be done up handsomely.”

“But what’s to be done with the feller’s body when he’s dead, I’d like to know?” interposed Dick.

“Sure enough,” replied Duffel; “I had forgotten to instruct you on that point.  Take him to the sink in that black swamp, and be sure to make him stay under.  We want no tell-tale carcasses showing themselves.”

“You need have no fears on that point; once there and he’ll never see the light again, nor the light him.”