“It is terrible; it is unkind. I cannot stay alone; no longer am I as I vas; I lose pounds in ze prison. I am not made for zis. Some vun muss remain viz me; I care not who: some vun to give me courage.”
Here Abdul stepped into the breach and volunteered to stay with the German.
“I have it!” cried Oliphant. “The trapdoor that covers the opening is at the other end of the roof, by the parapet there. We can shut that down and bolt it. And, by George! the stones of the parapet are pretty loose. Abdul and Mr. Schwab can pile some of them on the trap; we’ll leave them our revolvers, and with a little pluck they can keep the blackguards at bay until we get back.”
“That’s it. You’ll be as safe as the Bank of England, Mr. Schwab. Quick! Out with you! Here’s my revolver!”
“Ach! I am man of peace; vunce I vas var gorresbondent, and——”
“For goodness’ sake get out, man. Don’t you see you’re endangering the whole lot of us, yourself included. Oliphant, we shall have to fling him out.”
But at this threat Schwab rose and stepped on to the roof, his face a very picture of woe. Oliphant assisted Abdul to place the trapdoor over the opening, and of course made the discovery that the bolts were on the inside.
“But the stones will do,” said Oliphant. “Buck up, Mr. Schwab; you’re not absolutely helpless, are you?”
“It is true, I have carried stones, but zey vere small,” said Schwab lugubriously, remembering the means by which he had mounted the fence at Midfont in pursuit of business. Leaving him to it, Oliphant got back into the car. Tom pressed the lever, and the airship, relieved of near two hundredweight of German subject and the lesser bulk of the Moor, soared into the air. Tom’s last view, as the vessel rose clear of the kasbah, was Schwab limping across the roof under the burden of a large stone from the coping.
“A most singular proceeding!” murmured Sir Mark, as the airship whirred over the hills. “I wonder how I stand—diplomatically considered. The vessel goes with consummate ease. There is positively no roll—nothing to cause seasickness.”