I nodded.
“The other work need not take you long,” he continued. “I will at once send the ornaments and cases here to your room, and you may pack them at your leisure. Then my men will carry them for you to the border of Kwang-Kai-Nong, and there await your coming. They will arouse no suspicion, and you must disguise yourselves and travel separately to the meeting place. The signet ring of the House of Kai will doubtless protect you from interference on the journey. So, while the governor’s men are still guarding the exits of the palace, you will be on your way out of the country. Yes! That is a good plan to follow.”
“But how can we get away if Mai Lo guards all the exits?” inquired Joe.
“Ah, that is my secret. No one knows this palace as I do. There are secret ways of which the governor does not dream.”
This statement made me uneasy until I remembered that Prince Kai had assured me that the private passage to the underground vaults was unknown to any member of his household but himself.
To gain time we agreed to the suggestion of Wi-to, and the eunuch went away to issue his commands.
Before long all the ornaments, the two chests, and the packing-cases had been brought to our rooms and placed at our disposal. Also Wi-to sent our own gifts, and I was pleased to find that he had selected some exquisite ivory carvings that were of great artistic value. Perhaps they were worth more than all the other things we had chosen, and I was delighted at the evidence of the Chief Eunuch’s good will.
Our evening meal was served in our rooms as usual, and was as sumptuous as ever; but we had not our usual appetites and were glad when the dragging, ceremonious meal was ended.
“Of course,” said Archie, “we’ve got to make a trip to the vaults tonight and bring back all the treasure we can.”
That was inevitable; so we waited patiently until midnight and then removed our shoes and stole softly down the passage to the dragon tapestry. We took Bry with us and left Nux to guard our rooms.