tovitch compromised. There was an inn perhaps half a mile
from the farm. They could alight there and the king could get brandy,
and rest his nerves for a time. And if he still thought fit to go back
he could go back.

'See,' said Pestovitch, 'the light has gone again.'

The king peered up. 'I believe he's following us without a light,' said
the king.

In the little old dirty inn the king hung doubtful for a time, and was
for going back and throwing himself on the mercy of the council. 'If
there is a council,' said Pestovitch. 'By this time your bombs may have
settled it.

'But if so, these infernal aeroplanes would go.'

'They may not know yet.'

'But, Pestovitch, why couldn't you do all this without me?'

Pestovitch made no answer for a moment. 'I was for leaving the bombs
in their place,' he said at last, and went to the window. About their
conveyance shone a circle of bright light. Pestovitch had a brilliant
idea. 'I will send my secretary out to make a kind of dispute with the
driver. Something that will make them watch up above there. Meanwhile
you and I and Peter will go out by the back way and up by the hedges to
the farm....'

It was worthy of his subtle reputation and it answered passing well.

In ten minutes they were tumbling over the wall of the farm-yard, wet,
muddy, and breathless, but unobserved. But as they ran towards the barns
the king gave vent to something between a groan and a curse, and all
about them shone the light--and passed.

But had it passed at once or lingered for just a second?

'They didn't see us,' said Peter.

'I don't think they saw us,' said the king, and stared as the light went
swooping up the mountain side, hung for a second about a hayrick, and
then came pouring back.

'In the barn!' cried the king.

He bruised his shin against something, and then all three men were
inside the huge steel-girdered barn in which stood the two motor
hay lorries that were to take the bombs away. Kurt and Abel, the two
brothers of Peter, had brought the lorries thither in daylight. They had
the upper half of the loads of hay thrown off, ready to cover the bombs,
so soon as the king should show the hiding-place. 'There's a sort of
pit here,' said the king. 'Don't light another lantern. This key of mine
releases a ring....'

For a time scarcely a word was spoken in the darkness of the barn.
There was the sound of a slab being lifted and then of feet descending a
ladder into a pit. The