"By the way, old man Schmick and his family haven't been paid for
nearly two years. They have put in a claim. The late owner assured
them they'd get their money from the next--"

"Discharge them at once," said I.

"We can't get on without them," protested he. "They know the ropes,
so to speak, and, what's more to the point, they know all the keys.
Yesterday I was nearly two hours in getting to the kitchen for a
conference with Mrs. Schmick about the market-men. In the first place,
I couldn't find the way, and in the second place all the doors are
locked."

"Please send Herr Schmick to me in the--in the--" I couldn't recall
the name of the administration chamber at the head of the grand
staircase, so I was compelled to say: "I'll see him here."

"If we lose them we also are lost," was his sententious declaration.
I believed him.

On the fifth day of our occupancy, Britton reported to me that he had
devised a plan by which we could utilise the tremendous horse-power
represented by the muscles of those lazy giants, Rudolph and Max. He
suggested that we rig up a huge windlass at the top of the incline,
with stout steel cables attached to a small car which could be hauled
up the cliff by a hitherto wasted human energy, and as readily lowered.
It sounded feasible and I instructed him to have the extraordinary
railway built, but to be sure that the safety device clutches in the
cog wheels were sound and trusty. It would prove to be an infinitely