220 A JACOBITE EXILE

“I think you are right, Ladislas, and I promise you
that we will not attempt to leave you during our journey
east. As you say, it would be impossible for us to
travel after winter had once set in. It is now the end of
September.”

“And it will be November before we reach our destina-
tion. We shall not travel fast; we have no motive for
doing so. We have to live by the way, and to gather a
little money to help us through the winter. We may shoot
a bear or an elk sometimes, a few deer, and hares, but we
shall want two or three sacks of flour and some spirits.
For these we must either get money or take the goods.
The first is the best, for we have no means of dragging
heavy weights with us, and it would not do to infuriate the
peasants by plundering any of them within twenty miles of
the place where we mean to winter. ‘Chat would set them
all against us.”

“T tell you frankly, Ladislas, that we shall not be willing
to aid in any acts of robbery. Of course, when one is with
an army one has to plunder on a large scale, and it has
often gone terribly against the grain when I have had to
join parties sent out to forage. But it has to be done; I
would rather not join men in taking food, yet I understand
that it may be necessary. But as to taking money, I will
have nothing to do with it. At the same time I understand
that we cannot share your food and be with you without
doing something. Stanislas has brought me a little money
from Warsaw, and I shall be ready to pay into the common
treasury a sum sufficient to pay for our share of the food.
As to money taken, we shall not expect any share of it. If
you are attacked we shall of course fight, and shall be ready
to do our full share in all work. So at any rate you will not
be losers by taking us with you.”

“That is fair enough,” the captain said when Stanislas
had translated what Charlie said, suppressing, however, his