nt prize."

"And yet a failure!" cried Captain Van der Laen, "We ought to have
captured and brought in all the provision ships on the Leyden Lake! And
the Kaag! To think that this fort on the island should be in the hands
of the enemy."

"But the people have held out bravely," said von Warmond.

"There are real devils among them," replied Van der Laen, laughing. "One
struck a Spaniard down and, in the midst of the battle, took off his red
breeches and pulled them on his own legs."

"I know the man," added the landlord, "his name is Van Keulen; there
he sits yonder over his beer, telling the people all sorts of queer
stories. A fellow with a face like a satyr. We have no lack of comfort
yet! Remember Chevraux' defeat, and the Beggars' victory at Vlissingen
on the Scheldt."

"To brave Admiral Boisot and the gallant Beggar troops!" cried Captain
Van der Laen, touching glasses with Colonel Mulder. The latter turned
with upraised beaker towards the Thuringian and, as the Junker who
had relapsed into his reverie, did not notice the movement, irritably
exclaimed:

"Well, Herr Dornburg, you require a long time to pledge a man."

Georg started and answered hastily:

"Pledge? Oh! yes. Pledge. I pledge you, Colonel!" With these words he
raised the goblet, drained it at a single draught, made the nail test
and replaced it on the table.

"Well done!" cried the old man; and Herr Aquanus said:

"He learned that at the University; studying makes people thirsty."

As he uttered the words, he cast a friendly glance of anxiety at the
young German, and then looked towards the door, through which Wilhelm
had just entered the Angulus. The landlord went to meet him and
whispered:

"I don't like the German nobleman's appearance. The singing lark has
become a mousing night-bird. What ails him?"

"Home-sickness, no news from his family, and the snare into which the
war has drawn him in his pursuit of glory and honor. He'll soon be his
old self again."

"I hope so," replied the host. "Such a succulent little tree will
quickly rebound, when it is pressed to the earth; help the fine young
fellow."

A guest summoned the landlord, but the musician joined the officers and
began a low conversation with Georg, which was drowned by the confused
mingling of loud voices.

Wilhelm came from the Van der Werff house, where he had learned that the
next day but one, June fourteenth, would be the burgomaster's birthday.
Adrian had told Henr