“Sure,” he would cry, with enthusiasm. “Today’s the great day.”
Simon followed the search with interest from his corner.
“Try here — try there,” he would suggest.
Only the Duke remained uninterested in this perpetual treasure hunt; his thoughts were busy with more vital matters. When the food was exhausted they would have to make a move in some direction — but how? How, without horses, in a hostile area, were they to get away? In vain he racked his brains over this impossible problem, while he beat his chilled hands against his sides to restore some semblance of warmth.
The days passed, but the treasure seekers came no nearer to their goal; the fire had calcined all the ironwork, just as Prince Shulimoff had meant that it should. Fifteen successive winters had completed the work of locking the bolts and nuts into a rusty partnership that it was impossible to sever.
Rex wrenched and hammered, much to the annoyance of the Duke, who feared that the ringing clang of the iron might betray their hiding-place to some passing peasant. With his great strength, Rex levered whole sections apart, so that the rusty mass became more tortuous than before, but it seemed that the task was hopeless. None of the pipes or cylinders gave forth the tiniest brilliant or seed pearl.
Simon endeavoured to persuade Rex that someone had been before him, and that the treasure was no longer there, but he would not have it. He wished to remove the iron sheeting from the walls, piece by piece, and would have done so had not the Duke, on the fifth afternoon, called him into conference.
“My friends,” said De Richleau, as they sat on the floor by Simon’s bedside. “The time has come when we must once more make a plan; after tomorrow our provender will be exhausted. Simon’s leg is far from well, but at least, with care, he will be able to travel without danger. Rex is rested, so, also, am I. Have you any suggestions to offer?”
“Rakov,” said Simon. “If he values his skin he’ll hand over his horses and sleigh. We could take him with us, part of the way — make certain that he doesn’t let us down.”
De Richleau nodded. “I had thought of that, but Marie Lou says the man has a family — we could hardly get his sleigh without their knowledge, and we cannot take them all!”