“Well, captain, did his Excellency of Pfalz leave you anything at all?”
“Not a rag,” replied the captain. “The barge is empty as a drum.”
“In that case there is nothing for it but a speedy return to Frankfort. I do not regret the cloth, which has been paid for over and over again, but I am mercenary enough to grudge Stahleck our two barrels of gold.”
“Oh, as to the gold,” replied the captain gravely, “I took the liberty of reversing your plan at Lorch.”
“What plan?”
“Your honor poured gold into wine barrels, but I poured the red wine of Lorch into the gold barrels, and threw the empty cask overboard. Perhaps you know that the Pfalzgraf grows excellent white wine round his Castle of Stahleck, and despises the red wine of Lorch and Assmannshausen. He tasted the wine, which had not been improved by being poured into the dirty gold barrels, spat it out with an oath, and said we were welcome to keep it. He has also promised to send me a cask of good white wine to Frankfort.”
“Captain, despite your quiet, unassuming manner, you are the most ingenious of men.”
“Indeed, I but copied your honor’s ingenuity.”
“However it happened, you saved the gold, and that action alone will make a rich man of you, for you must accept my third share of the money.”
By this time the bags had been heaved aboard. Greusel followed them, and stood ready to receive further orders.