They crept along the passage to the cell in which Tsu-Hi and the Tartar lay together, where Dick quickly arrayed himself in the finery of the fallen governor.
'How do I look, old chap?' he asked, posing beneath the lantern, and before the eyes of the man he was representing. 'A bit of a sport, I think. What? Ain't I handsome?'
'You're an idiot!' declared David crossly, though he was bound to laugh. 'Tsu-Hi looks as if beheading wouldn't be enough for you. But let's get to business. Tie your own clothing into a bundle. Now, let me have it.'
Gripping the rope which dangled from the window-frame, and holding the bundle between his teeth, David swarmed up till he was able to get a grip of the edge above. He straddled it at once, and then whistled softly. At once Jong's figure shot from the shadow. The Chinaman crept into the centre of the road.
'Catch!' called David, tossing the bundle; 'and pick up the one I threw before. 'Listen to this, Jong. Mr. Dick and I have captured Tsu-Hi. We'll be coming out in a moment, when we shall go direct to the palace. Once there, you'll have to bring out the ponies without delay, and get our goods packed on them. I shall want a cart also.'
He waved to the man, and slid into the room again, slipping down the rope as if he were a sailor.
'Where'd it come from?' asked Dick, nodding to the dangling cord. 'Who fixed it?'
'I did. Jong is outside; he threw it up to me.'
'Then you could have slipped down then and there, and got clear away? Ain't that it?'
'I suppose so,' admitted David grudgingly.
Dick turned sharply upon him, his face serious, a flush on his cheeks.
'Because--oh, look here,' said David lamely, 'we're wasting time. What's the good of jawing?'
'Why didn't you?' demanded Dick again, his manner resolute, ignoring his comrade's efforts to change the conversation; then, finding that David did not answer, he clapped a hand on his shoulder.
'All right,' he said, with a curtness which matched that of the lad who had released him. 'I know well enough. It's one up for you, anyway. Could have escaped, but wouldn't, simply because there was a wretched beggar owning to the name of Dick still left in the building. Right, my boy, I'm not going to forget it. Now, what orders?'