Five
minutes later they were away, with four sailors to assist in the capture
of the fugitives in case they were overtaken.

It was a fruitless journey, however. At daybreak, as they neared Ostend,
they met their stolen launch coming back, in charge of a sleepy Belgian
who had been hired to return it. The man frankly stated that he had
undertaken the task in order to get to Dunkirk, where he had friends,
and he had been liberally paid by a German on crutches, who had one foot
missing, and a little Belgian whom he had never seen before, but who,
from the description given, could be none other than Maurie.

They carried the man back with them to the _Arabella_, where further
questioning added nothing to their information. They now had proof,
however, that Elbl was safe with his countrymen at Ostend and that
Maurie had been his accomplice.

"I would not believe," said Patsy, when she heard the story, "that a
Belgian could be so disloyal to his country."

"Every nation has its quota of black sheep," replied Uncle John, "and
from what we have learned of Maurie's character he is not at all
particular which side he serves."

CHAPTER XX

THE DUNES

The escape of a prisoner of war from the American hospital ship was made
the subject of a rigid inquiry by the officials and proved extremely
humiliating to all on board the _Arabella_. The commandant showed his
irritation by severely reprimanding Mr. Merrick for carelessness, while
Captain Carg had to endure a personal examination before a board of
inquiry. He was able to prove that he had been at headquarters during
the evening of the escape, but that did not wholly satisfy his
inquisitors. Finally an order was issued forbidding the Americans to
take any more wounded Germans or Austrians aboard their ship, and that
seemed to end the unpleasant affair.

However, a certain friction was engendered that was later evidenced on
both sides. The American ambulance was no longer favored on its trips
to the front, pointed preference being given the English and French Red
Cross Emergency Corps. This resulted in few wounded being taken to the
_Arabella_, as the Americans confined their work largely to assisting
the injured on the field of battle. The girls were not to be daunted in
their determined efforts to aid the unfortunate and every day one of
them visited the trenches to assist the two doctors in rendering first
aid to the wounded.

The work was no longer arduous, f