“You see?” said Hammersley. “But I’m going to make him as comfortable as possible.” And taking him by the armpits he dragged his cousin over to the corner and laid him gently on the bed of balsam, and then stood beside the bed looking down at him thoughtfully, addressing him impersonally in English, as though thinking aloud. “What’s to become of you, when we go, old chap--that’s what’s bothering me now.” The German’s shoulders moved slightly. “Oh, that’s all very well, but I can’t leave you up here to rot, my cousin. No one knows the way to the Crag of the Thorwald. You might be here a thousand years if Lindberg shouldn’t come.” Von Winden made no sign. It was obvious that he had no further intention of helping in the solution of the difficulty. “Let me stay here with him, Cyril,” Doris was pleading again. “It can do me no harm, and when you are well on your way, I will release him and go back to Blaufelden.” “I can’t take that chance. You’re going with me.” “Where?” “To England.” “But how?” “Leave that to me. At present we must have breakfast. Do you know it’s almost ten o’clock?” Bewildered, she watched him go to the large tin box in the corner of the cavern, from which he brought forth some dry salt biscuit and several pieces of chocolate. “It isn’t much, but it’s the best I can do. There’s tea, too, but I don’t dare light the fire.” She ate, slowly at first, for the food seemed to choke her, but she recalled the fact that except for two pieces of toast and the chocolate of von Stromberg she had eaten nothing since yesterday morning. Cyril, who never seemed at a loss for anything, produced a metal pitcher and going outside the cave for a moment returned with it full of water. “Lindberg’s,” he said in reply to her question. “His food, too. Good old Lindberg.” He frowned and then went over to the prisoner. “You needn’t tell me if you don’t care to, Udo, but I’d like to know how Lindberg is. Will you answer me?” Von Winden nodded. “He is able to be about?” He nodded again. “Did His Excellency suspect?” He shook his head. “Thank God. Then Lindberg is at liberty?” Udo replied in the affirmative. Hammersley gave a gasp of relief. “That is well. I need not worry. He will come and release you.” Von Winden only frowned. “Listen, Udo,” went on Hammersley quickly, “Fräulein Mather and I are going down from here, leaving you alone. It can’t be helped. You’ve stumbled up here and you’ve got to take your chance. In time you may wear the strings through against a rock. If you don’t return to Blaufelden by tomorrow, Lindberg will find you.” “But suppose anything happened to Lindberg,” Doris was whispering. “Ah, Cyril, it would be terrible to leave him here. I should dream of it every night of my life.” Udo’s eyes smiled at her. “There is little danger. Graf von Winden is not a man to be so easily beaten. He will get away by tonight. But in the meanwhile we will have gone far enough to be out of his reach.”