"We will, we will!" shouted the brigands, as though with one single voice.
"These English and these Americans shall die."
"They shall!"
"We"ll exterminate them, root and branch."
"Aye, aye."
"Firstly, these Harkaways shall fall, then--"
"They die."
"Does Mathias owe his death to Harkaway"s band?" demanded Hunston.
"Was not this Harkaway the prime mover in all our disasters?"
"Curse him!"
"Aye, curse him!"
Toro here stepped forward in the centre of the circle which the brigands had formed.
"If Harkaway is to be dealt with," he said, "I will undertake to lead you to triumph within three days."
Cheers greeted this speech until Tomaso stepped forward.
"If we want a leader," said he, "we can elect one; we are not in need of any man to elect himself."
"Stand back," said Toro angrily.
"Fall back yourself," retorted Tomaso, "and obey your superior."
"My superior? Ha, ha! He does not live here," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Toro fiercely.
The old brigand here once more stepped between the disputants and interfered.
"Why quarrel over a dead man"s shoes while his widow is still in sight?"
Tomaso fell back at the rebuke, but Toro, less thin-skinned, stuck boldly to his text.
"If I offer to lead you against the enemy," he said, "it is solely for our interest generally, not for mine alone."
"Oho!"
"Aye, and I can prove it."
"Do so."
"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?"
"Hurrah!"
A general cheer greeted this speech. "Tomaso! Tomaso!" they cried; "Tomaso for leader!"
Toro"s face flushed blood red.
"Hearken to me," he exclaimed, in a voice now hoa.r.s.e with pa.s.sion; "Mathias was a great leader, and I felt it no shame to serve under him, but I have been in command of as bold and brave a band as this, one far stronger in point of numbers, and if I am not elected for the command I shall withdraw altogether. Have me or not, you have the choice; only this is my determination; I will accept orders from no man here."
"Go, then," said Tomaso; "leave us. You came unbidden, and you may depart when you please."
A general silence succeeded this speech.
Toro"s aid was not to be despised.
His huge body and his muscular arm had gained him the consideration of most of those lawless men, who literally revered brute strength.
"Wait, wait," said a brigand, stepping forward. "Let us not be too hasty. Some are for Toro, and some are for Tomaso."
"Well?"
"Say on."
"Let us put it to the vote, and let each of the disputants pledge himself to abide by the decision."
"Good."
"What says Toro?"
"Agreed."