ank first, and was about to land, but detected the officers and their
intent, chaffed them a little space, treading water, then turned and
swam wearily all across, and at last was obliged to get out, for very
shame, or else acknowledge himself a pike; so permitted himself to land,
exhausted: and the pressure relaxed.

It was eleven o'clock, an unheard-of hour, but they took no note of time
this night; and Denys had still much to tell them, when the door was
opened quietly, and in stole Cornelis and Sybrandt looking hang-dog.
They had this night been drinking the very last drop of their mysterious
funds.

Catherine feared her husband would rebuke them before Denys; but he only
looked sadly at them, and motioned them to sit down quietly.

Denys it was who seemed discomposed. He knitted his brows and eyed them
thoughtfully and rather gloomily. Then turned to Catherine. "What say
you, dame? the rest to-morrow; for I am somewhat weary, and it waxes
late."

"So be it," said Eli. But when Denys rose to go to his inn, he was
instantly stopped by Catherine. "And think you to lie from this house?
Gerard's room has been got ready for you hours agone; the sheets I'll
not say much for, seeing I spun the flax and wove the web."

"Then would I lie in them blindfold," was the gallant reply. "Ah, dame,
our poor Gerard was the one for fine linen. He could hardly forgive the
honest Germans their coarse flax, and whene'er my traitors of countrymen
did amiss, a would excuse them, saying, 'Well, well; bonnes toiles sont
en Bourgogne:' that means, there be good lenten cloths in Burgundy.' But
indeed he beat all for bywords and cleanliness.

"Oh, Eli! Eli! doth not our son come back to us at each word?"

"Ay. Buss me, my poor Kate. You and I know all that passeth in each
other's hearts this night. None other can, but God."

CHAPTER XLVII

Denys took an opportunity next day and told mother and daughter the
rest, excusing himself characteristically for not letting Cornelis and
Sybrandt hear of it. "It is not for me to blacken them; they come of
a good stock. But Gerard looks on them as no friends of his in this
matter; and I'm Gerard's comrade and it is a rule with us soldiers not
to tell the enemy aught--but lies."

Catherine sighed, but made no answer.

The adventures he related cost them a tumult of agitation and grief, and
sore they wept at the parting of the friends, which even now Denys could
not tell without faltering.