Lois foresaw that bitter need might drive him away at last, but as yet she could not bid him go, for Giles was slowly dying. CHAPTER XII Philip sought out Christian secretly, to hint that on a venture three gold pieces might be his. Christian understood him well enough. In the veiled language of the coast, a venture signified honourable service for brave men, though the law of the land held otherwise, and rewarded it as felony. A well-knit League carried on far and near a contraband trade in the lives of proscribed men, and even the scrupulous honesty of Christian brought no reluctance to engage. 'When, and with whom?' he asked. 'To-morrow, you and I,' said Philip, and watched him anxiously. 'Then are you of the League?' said Christian indifferently, nettling the other, still in the young pride of a desired association. The Alien at his best, he knew, would never have been reckoned fit; for though he excelled in strength, he lacked head. 'You and I together,' he said, 'are fairly equal to any other three, and so can our gains be the larger.' Yet Christian would not readily close on the rich relief. He fixed on the other a thoughtful eye, pondering a question of fairness that might not be imparted. Philip flushed a little. 'I am answerable to the League,' he said nervously; 'and though from outsiders we exact oaths, I will take it upon me to accept as sufficient your bare word for good faith and secrecy.' This was no more than Christian's credit had established; for from boyhood, under the strict schooling of Lois, he had kept to his word as sacredly as others to their oaths, and from pride and a scruple had ever refused to be sworn. Long seemed the pause and the trying scrutiny before Christian sighed and said, 'So be it.' 'And secrecy?' 'I promise secrecy.' 'And you will not refuse a strict promise to obey orders--mine?' A vague foreboding warned Christian to stay, but reason could not sufficiently uphold it against his dire need of the gold. He promised. 'I take it,' said Philip carelessly, 'that your boat would be the easier to handle. Mine is over heavy for two.' 'I cannot risk what is not wholly mine.' 'The League makes good all loss. And remember,' he looked away, and his voice had a strange note, 'if we do not come back--for long--or ever--the League sees to it that our folk do not want.' Christian looked at him hard. 'Agreed,' he said first; and then, 'You think that likely?' 'A venture is a venture; and, well, I may say that two ventures have miscarried, so many and brisk are the chasers; and I know of some who have fought shy of this one. I volunteered,' he said with pride. So they went their ways, Philip bidding his conscience lie still and mute, Christian questioning his.