s
certain that they would have laid their plans for escape so well
that the law would never have laid hands upon them. I put my hand
mechanically to my watch to see the time, and to my astonishment
discovered that I still had it in my pocket, and was equally surprised
to find that the money in my trousers' pockets was also untouched. The
watch had, of course, stopped. I first of all went down to the water and
had a good wash; then I proceeded to the town, and, going to a hotel,
ordered breakfast."

"Why, I thought you said that you had had nothing to eat, Mark."

"Yes? Well, I had forgotten all about that breakfast. The people looked
a good deal surprised at an Englishman walking in in that way. While
I was eating my breakfast two men--who were, I suppose, authorities of
some kind--who spoke English, came and questioned me. As I had made up
my mind to say nothing more about the affair, I merely told them that I
had come for a sail from Amsterdam, and that I wanted a carriage to take
me back. They were evidently astonished at my choosing a dark night for
such a trip, but I said that I had some curiosity to see how the boatmen
navigated their vessel when there were no lighthouses or anything to
steer by. They asked a few more questions, and then went away, evidently
thinking that I was a little mad. However, they must have spoken to the
landlord, who in a short time made signs that the carriage was at the
door.

"I had avoided asking the men either the name of the place or how far
it was from any big town, because that would have made the whole affair
more singular. It was a quarter past eight when I started, and beyond
the fact that I know by the sun we came pretty nearly due east, I have
not the slightest idea of the road. The coachman could not speak a word
of English. I should say we came about seven miles an hour and stopped
once to bait the horses, so I suppose that it must have been between
four and five miles from Rotterdam when I landed."

Lunch had by this time been laid on the table, and at Dick's invitation
the Lieutenant joined them.

"It is an extraordinary story!" he said. "That your life should have
been spared is altogether beyond my comprehension, still more so why
they should have left you your money and watch."

"The whole story is extraordinary," Dick Chetwynd said; "for we have
every reason to believe that those fellows, or at least one or two of
them, have been patiently watching for a chance