"Five weeks back----?" Van Busch hinted.

"He has accounted for it five weeks back."

There are men who possess all the will to be rogues, but have not the
requisite courage. Such a man was Blinders, who emerged plus a sweetheart,
the approval of his Commandant, and the _eclat_ of having chaffed the
British Lion, out of the affair that was to prove so expensive to Mr. Van
Busch.

"And"--the big voice trumpeted, as Van Busch, like a stout pinned
butterfly, quivered, transfixed by the glare of the savage eyes--"you will
now account to me for the rest."

Van Busch faltered with a sickly smile:

"Fifty more, Myjnheer, that I was bringing you myself----"

"One hundred and fifty you have paid me, and fifty you were going to pay
me. Ik wil het--but where are the other hundreds you have paid Van Busch?"
bellowed the roaring voice. "Does not my old man-baboon at home pouch six
walnuts for every one that his wife gets to share with her youngster? When
I want to make the big thief spit them out, I squeeze him by the neck. So,
voor den donder! will I do to you. Only, geloof mij, I will not do it in
play. Pay Blinders the other five hundred pounds before kerk-time. If you
haven't got the cash about you, he and young Schenk Eybel shall ride with
you to Haargrond, where lives your friend Bough. They can bring back the
money and the mare and spider, too. Moreover, Eybel, who is a bright boy,
and has a head upon his shoulders, wants a slim rogue of a fellow that
talks Engelsch to worm himself in over yonder"--he jerked his gnarled
thumb in the direction of Gueldersdorp--"and bring back a plan of the
defences on the west, where the native stad lies. Perhaps I will let you
keep two hundred of that five hundred if you are the man to go.... But
whether you go or stay, by the Lord! you will find it best to be square
with Selig Brounckers."

And the redoubtable Brounckers stumped off. Verily, in times of scarcity,
when the lion is a-hungered, the jackal must lose his bone.

It would be well, thought the dispirited jackal ruefully, to remove the
unfavourable impression made, by a valuable service rendered to the United
Republics. It would be a good thing to stand well with Myjnheer Schenk
Eybel, who would, when Brounckers went south, be left in sole command. It
would be as well, also, to get a look at that girl that was living with
the nuns at Gueldersdorp.

"Mildare ..." That was the puzzle--her having the name so pat. But these
lit