struck De Boer into further good humor. "Hah--we
have an audience! Bring down the prisoner, Gutierrez! Let us see if
his wits can get him out of this plight. Come down, Grant!"

Gutierrez shoved me down the ladder ahead of him. De Boer stood up and
seized me. His great fingers dug into my shoulders.

"Sit down, American! It seems you are not to die. _Perhaps_ not."

The strength of his fingers was hurting me: he hoped I would wince.
Mine was now an ignominious role, indeed, yet I knew it was best.

I gasped. "Don't do that: you hurt!"

He chuckled and cast me loose. I added, with a show of spirit, "You
are a bullying giant. Just because you are bigger than I am--"

"Hear that, Jetta? The American finds courage with his coming ransom!"

* * * * *

He shoved me to the ground. Gutierrez grinned, and withdrew a trifle.
Jetta avoided meeting my gaze.

"Have some coffee," De Boer offered. "Alcohol is not good for you. Now
say: have you any suggestions on how I can safely ransom you?"

It seemed that Jetta was holding her breath with anxiety. But I
answered with an appearance of ready eagerness. "Yes. I have. I can
arrange it with complete safety to you, if you give me a chance."

"You've got your chance. Speak out."

"You promise you will return me alive? Not hurt me?"

"De duvel--yes! You have my promise. But your plan had better be very
good."

"It is."

I told it carefully. The details of it grew with my words. Jetta
joined in it. But, most of all, it did indeed sound feasible. "But it
must be done at once," I urged. "The weather is right; to-night it
will be dark; overcast; not much wind. Don't you think so?"

He sent Gutierrez to the cave's instrument room to read the weather
forecast instruments. My guess was right.

"To-night then," I said. "If we linger, it only gives Hanley more time
to plan trickery."

"Let us try and raise him now," Jetta suggested.

The Dutchman, Hans, had joined us. He too, seemed to think my ideas
were good.

Except for the guards at the cave entrance, all the other bandits were
far gone in drink. With Hans and Gutierrez, we went to the instrument
room to call Hanley. As we crossed the cave, with Hans and De Boer
walking ahead together, De Boer spoke louder than he realized, and the
words came back to me.

"Not so bad, Hans? We will use him--but I am not a fool. I'll send him
back dead, not alive! A little knife-thrust, just at the end! S