“But dey von’t get onto us, you fool.  Dey vouldn’t take it demselves if it vas handed to dem.  Dey’re too honest, yes.  Vell, don’t dey say ve’re honest, too?  Vell, vat more you vant?  Dey don’t know how much money und rubies dere is in der bank.  Ve von’t take all of it—­und dey von’t know der difference.  Ve burn der books.  Das is all.  Ve get in by der bank to-night, boys.”

“I don’t like id,” said Joost.  “Id’s stealing from our freunds, Yacob.  Besides, if der oder heirs should go before der government mit der story.  Vat den?”

“Der oder heirs vill never get der chance, boys.  Dey vill die mit der plague—­ha, ha!  Sure!  Dere von’t be no oder heirs.  Rasula says it must be so.  Ve can’d vait, boys.  It vill be years before der business is settled.  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—­”