n carried off. No one else from outside had been near the pavilion
that day. It was admitted that it would have been an easy matter for
the Count's companion, while the former distracted the director's
attention, to push back the bolts of the door in the wall and steal
the key. Then the fact that the _Ebba_ was anchored in rear of, and
only a few hundred yards from, the estate, was in itself suspicious.
Nothing would have been easier for the desperadoes than to enter by
the door, surprise their victims, and carry them off to the schooner.

These suspicions, neither the director nor the _personnel_ of the
establishment had at first liked to give expression to, but when
the _Ebba_ was seen to weigh anchor and head for the open sea, they
appeared to be confirmed.

They were communicated to the authorities of New-Berne, who
immediately ordered the commander of the _Falcon_ to intercept the
schooner, to search her minutely high and low, and from stem to stern,
and on no account to let her proceed, unless he was absolutely certain
that Roch and Gaydon were not on board.

Assuredly the Count d'Artigas could have had no idea that his vessel
was the object of such stringent orders; but even if he had, it is
questionable whether this superbly haughty and disdainful nobleman
would hove manifested any particular anxiety.

Towards three o'clock, the warship which was cruising before the
inlet, after having sent search parties aboard a few fishing-smacks,
suddenly manoeuvred to the entrance of the pass, and awaited the
approaching schooner. The latter surely did not imagine that she could
force a passage in spite of the cruiser, or escape from a vessel
propelled by steam. Besides, had she attempted such a foolhardy
trick, a couple of shots from the _Falcon's_ guns would speedily have
constrained her to lay to.

Presently a boat, manned by two officers and ten sailors, put off from
the cruiser and rowed towards the _Ebba_. When they were only about
half a cable's length off, one of the men rose and waved a flag.

"That's a signal to stop," said Engineer Serko.

"Precisely," remarked the Count d'Artigas.

"We shall have to lay to."

"Then lay to."

Captain Spade went forward and gave the necessary orders, and in a few
minutes the vessel slackened speed, and was soon merely drifting with
the tide.

The _Falcon's_ boat pulled alongside, and a man in the bows held on to
her with a boat-hook. The gangway was lowered by a coup