away. They have looted her completely, and are giving her a
parting salute. The robbers evidently bear no malice against our popular
captain. Hear them inviting him to call again!"

They listened to the rattle of the big chain. It was more amenable than
that at Furstenberg, confirming Roland in his belief that Stahleck was
the inventor of the device. They saw half a dozen men paying out a rope,
while the first section of the chain sank, leaving a passage-way for the
barge. Silhouetted against the torchlight, the boatmen were getting
ready with their sweeps, prepared to dip them into the water as soon as
the vessel got clear of the rocky island.

"We will paddle alongside before they begin to row," said Roland; and
Captain Blumenfels was gently hailed from the river, much to his
astonishment.

"Make for the eastern bank, captain," whispered Roland, "and keep a
lookout ahead for a number of small boats like this."

Presently, rowing up the river strenuously, close to the shore, the
barge came upon the flotilla. Here Roland bade Hilda remain where she
was, and leaving Ebearhard in charge of the skiff, he clambered up on
the barge, ordering Greusel to range his boats alongside and fling
aboard the treasure.

"Well, captain, did his Excellency of Pfalz leave you anything at all?"

"Not a rag," replied the captain. "The barge is empty as a drum."

"In that case there is nothing for it but a speedy return to Frankfort.
I do not regret the cloth, which has been paid for over and over again,
but I am mercenary enough to grudge Stahleck our two barrels of gold."

"Oh, as to the gold," replied the captain gravely, "I took the liberty
of reversing your plan at Lorch."

"What plan?"

"Your honor poured gold into wine barrels, but I poured the red wine of
Lorch into the gold barrels, and threw the empty cask overboard. Perhaps
you know that the Pfalzgraf grows excellent white wine round his Castle
of Stahleck, and despises the red wine of Lorch and Assmannshausen. He
tasted the wine, which had not been improved by being poured into the
dirty gold barrels, spat it out with an oath, and said we were welcome
to keep it. He has also promised to send me a cask of good white wine to
Frankfort."

"Captain, despite your quiet, unassuming manner, you are the most
ingenious of men."

"Indeed, I but copied your honor's ingenuity."

"However it happened, you saved the gold, and that action alone will
make a rich man of you, for y