song and dance.

"Are you the party who talked with me at my construction camp?"

"We talk most of the time. We eat food. We whistle. We drink.
We laugh!" said I.

"Because I think you are the people I am seeking. These are Turkish
officials with me. I have authority to modify their orders, only
let me in!"

"How many of you?" I asked. I was leaning over at risk of my life,
for any fool could have seen my head to shoot at it against the luminous
dark sky; but I could not see to count them.

"Never mind how many! Let us in! I am Hans von Quedlinburg. My
name is sufficient."

So I lied, emphatically and in thoughtful detail.

"You are covered," I said, "by five rifles from this roof. If you
don't believe it, try something. You'd better wait there while I
wake my chief."

"Only be quick!" said the German, and I saw him light a cigarette,
whether to convince me he felt confident or because he did feel so
I could not say. I went below, and found Monty and Kagig standing
together close to the outer door. They had not heard the whole of
the conversation because of the noise the owner's sons had made removing,
at their orders, the obstructions they had piled against the door