imace, but Ranjoor Singh bade them
throw the straw inside for all that.

"In Germany we were required to set our names to paper," he said,
and Tugendheim looked him in the eyes again for a full half minute.
"Do you expect better conditions than were offered us?" asked
Ranjoor Singh.

"I will sign!" said Tugendheim.

"What will you sign?" asked Ranjoor Singh.

"Anything in reason," answered Tugendheim.

"Let me tell you what I have here, then," said Ranjoor Singh, and he
groped in his inner pocket for a paper, that he brought out very
neatly folded, sheltering it from the rain under his cape. "This,"
said he, "is signed by the Turkish captain and mate of that sunken
steamer. It is a receipt for all our money, to be taken and divided
equally between you--mentioned by name--and them--mentioned also by
name, on condition that the ship be sunk and we be let go. If you
will sign the paper--here--above their signatures--it will entitle
you to one-third of all that money. They would neither of them dare
to refuse to share with you!"

"What if I refuse to sign?" asked Tugendheim, making a great savage
wrench to free his wrists, but failing.

"The suggestion is yours," said Ranjoor Singh. "You have only your
own judgment for a guide."

"If I sign it, will you let me go?" he asked.

"No," said Ranjoor Singh, "but we will not burn you alive if you
sign. Here is a fountain-pen. Your hands shall be loosed when you
are ready."

Tugendheim nodded, so I went and cut his hands loose; and when I had
chafed his wrists for a minute or two he was able to write on my
shoulder, I bending forward and Ranjoor Singh watching like a hawk
lest he tear the paper. But he made no effort to play tricks.

When Ranjoor Singh had folded the paper again he said: "Those two
Turks quite understood that you were to be asked to sign as well. In
fact, if there is any mishap they intend to lay all the blame on
you. But it is to their interest as much as yours to keep us from
being captured."

"You mean I'm to help you escape?" asked Tugendheim.

"Exactly!" said Ranjoor Singh. "Now that you have signed that, I am
willing to bargain with you. We intend to find Wassmuss."

Tugendheim pricked up his ears and began to look almost willing.

"We have heard of this Wassmuss, and have taken quite a fancy to
him. Your friends proposed to send us to the trenches, but we have
already had too much of that work and we intend to find Wassmuss and
take part