"That's it," said Lupin to himself. "This window has been contrived in the Broker's lumber-room, right up at the top, and from here Louis de Malreich sees, hears and watches his accomplices, without being seen or heard by them. I now understand how it is that they do not know their leader." Having found out what he wanted, he put out his light and was on the point of leaving, when a door opened opposite him, down below. Some one came in and lit a lamp. He recognized the Broker. He thereupon resolved to stay where he was, since the expedition, after all, could not be done so long as that man was there. The Broker took two revolvers from his pocket. He tested the triggers and changed the cartridges, whistling a music-hall tune as he did so. An hour elapsed in this way. Lupin was beginning to grow restless, without, however, making up his mind to go. More minutes passed, half an hour, an hour. . . . At last, the man said aloud: "Come in." One of the scoundrels slipped into the shed; and, one after the other, a third arrived and a fourth. . . . "We are all here," said the Broker. "Dieudonne and Chubby will meet us down there. Come, we've no time to lose. . . . Are you armed?" "To the teeth." "That's all right. It'll be hot work." "How do you know, Broker?" "I've seen the chief. . . . When I say that I've seen him, no . . . but he spoke to me. . . ." "Yes," said one of the men, "in the dark, at a street-corner, as usual. Ah, Altenheim's ways were better than that. At least, one knew what one was doing." "And don't you know?" retorted the Broker. "We're breaking in at the Kesselbach woman's." "And what about the two watchers? The two coves whom Lupin posted there?" "That's their look-out: there's seven of us. They had better give us as little trouble as possible." "What about the Kesselbach?" "Gag her first, then bind her and bring her here. . . . There, on that old sofa. . . . And then wait for orders." "Is the job well paid?" "The Kesselbach's jewels to begin with." "Yes, if it comes off . . . but I'm speaking of the certainty." "Three hundred-franc notes apiece, beforehand, and twice as much again afterwards." "Have you the money?" "Yes." "That's all right. You can say what you like, but, as far as paying goes, there's no one to equal that bloke." And, in a voice so low that Lupin could hardly hear, "I say, Broker, if we're obliged to use the knife, is there a reward?" "The same as usual, two thousand." "If it's Lupin?" "Three thousand." "Oh, if we could only get him!" One after the other, they left the lumber-room. Lupin heard the Broker's parting words: "This is the plan of attack. We divide into three lots. A whistle; and every one runs forward. . . ." Lupin hurriedly left his hiding-place, went down the ladder, ran round the house, without going in, and climbed back over the railings: "The Broker's right; it'll be hot work. . . . Ah, it's my skin they're after! A reward for Lupin! The rascals!"