Ve must get vat ve can now and vait for der decision
aftervards. Brodney has wrote to Rasula, saying dat dot Chase feller is
to stay here vedder ve vant him or not. He says Chase is a goot man! By
tarn, it makes me cry to fink of vot he has done by me--dot goot man!"

To the amazement of all, the burly German began to blubber.

"Don't cry, Yacob," cried Joost, coming to his master's side and shaking
him by the shoulder. "You can get oder vives some day--besser as dese,
yes!"

"Joost, I can't help crying--I can't. Ven I t'ink how I got to kill dem
yet! I hates to kill vimmens."

They permitted him to weep and swear for a few minutes. Then, without
offering further consolation, the three foremen made ready to take up
the remaining chests.

"Come on, Yacob," said Jan gruffly.

Von Blitz shook his fist at the door across the chamber and thundered
his final maledictions.

"Sir John says in der letter to Misder Chase dere is a movements on foot
in London to settle der contest out of court," volunteered Joost.

"Sure, but he also say dat ve all may die mit old age before it is over
yet."

"Don't forget der plague!" said Jan.

They groaned mightily as they lifted the heavy chests to their shoulders
and started for the door.

"Close der door, Jan," commanded Von Blitz from the passage. "Ve vill
light der fuse ven ve haf got beyond der first bend. Vat? Look! By tam,
von of you swine has broke der fuse. Vait! Ve vill fix him now."

The door was closed behind them, but the listeners could hear them
repairing the damage that Selim had done to the fuse.

Led by Selim, the four made a rush for the door leading into the
chateau. They threw it open and passed through, flying as if for their
lives. No one could tell how soon an explosion might bring disaster to
the region; they put distance between them and the powder keg. Selim
paused long enough to drop the bolts and turn the great key with the
lever. At the second turn in the narrow corridor, he overtook Chase and
the scurrying women.

"Is there nothing to be done?" cried the Princess. "Can we not prevent
the explosion? They will cut off our means of escape in that--"

"I know too much about gunpowder, Princess," said Chase drily, "to fool
with it. It's like a mule. It kicks hard. 'Gad, it was hard to stand
there and hear those brutes planning it all and not be able to stop
them."

The Princess was once more at his side; he had clasped her arm to lead
her securel