y. Have the halters ready, to throw upon his neck,
drag him to the ground and bind him. The black-bearded strong man must
be dealt with suddenly, with the butt of your gun on his head, if not
otherwise. But we must take the old man alive, for we shall make him
confess."

[Footnote 81: Blub-cheeked.]

[Footnote 82: Bully.]

[Footnote 83: Butcher.]

[Footnote 84: Leech.]

[Footnote 85: Wild-boar.]

"Just leave him to me," said a fellow with a pox-pitted face, in a tone
of entire confidence.

"I shall be there too," continued Kandur: "and if we cannot enter the
castle stealthily, if some one should make a noise, if those within wake
up, then the first whistle is for you four: two come with me to break
open the garden door. Have you got the 'jimmies'?"

"Yes," said a robber, displaying the crowbars.

"Piocza, and Agyaras, your business is to answer any fire of people from
the windows.--If I whistle twice, that means that something's up, then
you must run from all sides to help me. If I cannot break open the door,
or if those robbers defend themselves well, set the roof on fire over
their heads and give them a dose of singeing. That will do just as well.
Don't forget the tarred hay."

"Ha ha! The gentlemen will be warm."

"Well Pofok, perhaps you're cold? You'll soon get warm. Hither with the
canteen. Let's drink a little Dutch courage first. Begin. Hentes. A long
draught of brandy is, you know, good before a feast."

The tin went round and returned to Kandur almost empty.

"Look, I have hardly left you any," said the last drinker in a tone of
apologetic modesty.

"To-day I don't drink brandy. The private must drink that he may be
blind when he receives orders, but the general must not drink, that he
may see to give orders. I shall drink something else when it is all
over. Now look to the masking."

They understood what that meant.

Each one took off his sheepskin jacket, reversed it and put it on again.
Then dipping their hands in the strewn ashes, they blackened their
faces, making themselves unrecognizable.

Only Kandur did not mask himself.

"Let them recognize me. And anyone who does not recognize me, shall
learn from my own lips, 'I am Kandur, the mad Kandur, who will drink thy
blood, and tear out thy entrails. Know who I am!' How I shall look into
their eyes! How I shall gnash upon them with my teeth, when they are
bound. How tenderly I shall say to the young gentleman: 'Well, my boy,
my gypsy