"I cannot help you," Kinkel whispered, "for the rope has fearfully
lacerated both my hands." I pulled out my dirk, and with great effort
I succeeded in cutting the rope, the long end of which, as soon as it
was free, was quickly pulled up. While I threw a cloak around Kinkel's
shoulders and helped him get into the rubber shoes, he looked
anxiously around. Hensel's carriage had turned and was coming slowly
back.
"What carriage is that?" Kinkel asked.
"Our carriage."
Dark figures showed themselves at the street corners and approached
us.
"For heaven's sake, what people are those?"
"Our friends."
At a little distance we heard male voices sing, "Here we sit gayly
together."
"What is that?" asked Kinkel, while we hurried through a side street
toward Kruger's hotel.
"Your jailers around a bowl of punch."
"Capital!" said Kinkel. We entered the hotel through a back door and
soon found ourselves in a room in which Kinkel was to put on the
clothes that we had bought for him--a black cloth suit, a big
bear-skin overcoat, and a cap like those worn by Prussian forest
officers. From a room near by sounded the voices of the revelers.
Kruger, who had stood a few minutes looking on while Kinkel was
exchanging his convict's garb for an honest man's dress, suddenly went
out with a peculiarly sly smile. When he returned carrying a few
filled glasses, he said, "Herr Professor, in a room near by some of
your jailers are sitting around a bowl of punch. I have just asked
them whether they would not permit me to take some for a few friends
of mine who have just arrived. They had no objection. Now, Herr
Professor, let us drink your health first out of the bowl of your
jailers." We found it difficult not to break out in loud laughter.
Kinkel was now in his citizen's clothes, and his lacerated hands were
washed and bandaged with handkerchiefs. He thanked his faithful
friends with a few words which brought tears to their eyes. Then we
jumped into Hensel's vehicle. The penitentiary officers were still
singing and laughing around their punch bowl.