now that you
have friends."

"It is madness; you shall not go," said Maqueda. "You will fall and be
dashed to pieces. I say that you shall not go."

"Why should he not go, my niece?" interrupted Joshua. "Shadrach is
right; we have heard much of the courage of this Gentile. Now let us see
him do something."

She turned on the Prince like a tiger.

"Very good, my uncle, then you shall go with him. Surely one of the
ancient blood of the Abati will not shirk from what a 'Gentile' dares."

On hearing this Joshua relapsed into silence, and I have no clear memory
of what he did or said in connection with the rest of that thrilling
scene.

Now followed a pause in the midst of which Oliver sat down and began to
take off his boots.

"Why do you undress yourself, friend?" asked Maqueda nervously.

"Because, Lady," he answered, "if I have to walk yonder road it is safer
to do so in my stockings. Have no fear," he added gently, "from boyhood
I have been accustomed to such feats, and when I served in my country's
army it was my pleasure to give instruction in them, although it is true
that this one surpasses all that ever I attempted."

"Still I do fear," she said.

Meanwhile Quick had sat down and begun to take off _his_ boots.

"What are you doing, Sergeant?" I asked.

"Getting ready to accompany the Captain upon forlorn hope, Doctor."

"Nonsense," I said, "you are too old for the game, Sergeant. If any one
goes, I should, seeing that I believe my son is over there, but I can't
try it, as I know my head would give out, and I should fall in a second,
which would only upset everybody."

"Of course," broke in Oliver, who had overheard us, "I'm in command
here, and my orders are that neither of you shall come. Remember,
Sergeant, that if anything happens to me it is your business to take
over the stores and use them if necessary, which you alone can do. Now
go and see to the preparations, and find out the plan of campaign, for I
want to rest and keep quiet. I daresay the whole thing is humbug, and we
shall see nothing of the Professor; still, one may as well be prepared."

So Quick and I went to superintend the lashing of two of the light
ladders together and the securing of some planks which we had brought
with us upon the top of the rungs, so as to make these ladders easy to
walk on. I asked who would be of the party besides Shadrach and Orme,
and was told no one, as all were afraid. Ultimately, however, a man
name