'I must
have the consent of my three comrades. I tell you that it is
four or none with us.'
"'Nonsense!' he broke in. 'What have three black fellows to do
with our agreement?'
"'Black or blue,' said I, 'they are in with me, and we all go
together.'
"Well, the matter ended by a second meeting, at which Mahomet
Singh, Abdullah Khan, and Dost Akbar were all present. We talked
the matter over again, and at last we came to an arrangement. We
were to provide both the officers with charts of the part of the
Agra fort and mark the place in the wall where the treasure was
hid. Major Sholto was to go to India to test our story. If he
found the box he was to leave it there, to send out a small yacht
provisioned for a voyage, which was to lie off Rutland Island,
and to which we were to make our way, and finally to return to
his duties. Captain Morstan was then to apply for leave of
absence, to meet us at Agra, and there we were to have a final
division of the treasure, he taking the major's share as well as
his own. All this we sealed by the most solemn oaths that the
mind could think or the lips utter. I sat up all night with
paper and ink, and by the morning I had the two charts all ready,
signed with the sign of four,--that is, of Abdullah, Akbar,
Mahomet, and myself.
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