ation magnified the danger while tormenting us with
needless fears. In Germany the banks open at 9 o'clock, and we knew they
would receive soon after 8 the letter we had deposited in the mail in
London. We decided that it would be best for Mac to enter the banker's
at five minutes after 9. We had discovered the night before the location
of the firm. During breakfast Mac went carefully through his pockets,
taking out every scrap of paper and turning everything over to me; then
taking out from among the others in our bag the letters of credit and
introduction we made our last scrutiny of them. We had not settled upon
the amount he should ask for, but agreed that it should not in any case
be less than 25,000 gulden ($10,000). If everything seemed favorable
then Mac was to use his own judgment and demand any sum under 100,000
gulden ($40,000). His letter of credit was for L10,000, and we did not
want to leave it behind. Of course, if we drew any less sum than the
amount the credit called for, the sum we drew would be indorsed on the
letter, and it would be returned to Mac and be instantly destroyed. So
with the documents in his pockets and giving me a smile, out he went,
and I followed after, keeping him in sight, and very anxious I was. We
were on Unter den Linden. Walking one square and turning to the left
half a block away were the bankers--Hebrew, by the way. I saw Mac
saunter up the steps and disappear from view. Outside of America money
transactions are carried on with the utmost deliberation; to an American
with exasperating slowness; so I thought it possible he might remain
invisible for a whole half-hour, and a long half-hour it would be to me.
In order to have my anxiety shortened by even a half minute we had
arranged that when he came out if he had the money he was to stroke his
beard as a signal. If it was all right, but delayed, he was to put his
handkerchief to his face, but if everything was wrong he was to clasp
his hands across his breast for a moment.

[Illustration: "BOYS, THAT IS THE SOFTEST MARK IN THE WORLD."--Page
145.]

In that event I was to keep a lookout to see if he was followed; if so,
I was to give him a signal, when he would go straight to his hotel--in
passing through would dispose of his tall hat, and put on the soft hat
he had in his pocket--then pass out the back entrance and hasten to a
certain hat shop, where I would meet him, and take a cab to a little
town six miles away, called Juter