that he was
quite willing to accept this euphemism.

"I assure you, gentlemen, that I have had no hand in this kidnapping."

"We can no longer believe so, Monsieur the Count, and will withdraw."

"As you please. Is the _Ebba_ now free to proceed?"

"Certainly."

"Then _au revoir_, gentlemen, _au revoir_, for I am an _habitue_ of
this coast and shall soon be back again. I hope that ere my return you
will have discovered the author of the outrage, and have Thomas Roch
safely back in Healthful House. It is a consummation devoutly to be
wished in the interest of the United States--I might even say of the
whole world."

The two officers courteously saluted the Count, who responded with a
nod. Captain Spade accompanied them to the gangway, and they were soon
making for the cruiser, which had steamed near to pick them up.

Meanwhile the breeze had freshened considerably, and when, at a sign
from d'Artigas, Captain Spade set sail again, the _Ebba_ skimmed
swiftly through the inlet, and half an hour after was standing out to
sea.

For an hour she continued steering east-northeast, and then, the wind,
being merely a land breeze, dropped, and the schooner lay becalmed,
her sails limp, and her flag drooping like a wet rag. It seemed that
it would be impossible for the vessel to continue her voyage that
night unless a breeze sprang up, and of this there was no sign.

Since the schooner had cleared the inlet Captain Spade had stood in
the bows gazing into the water, now to port, now to starboard, as if
on the lookout for something. Presently he shouted in a stentorian
voice:

"Furl sail!"

The sailors rushed to their posts, and in an instant the sails came
rattling down and were furled.

Was it Count d'Artigas' intention to wait there till daybreak brought
a breeze with it? Presumably, or the sails would have remained hoisted
to catch the faintest puff.

A boat was lowered and Captain Spade jumped into it, accompanied by
a sailor, who paddled it towards an object that was floating on the
water a few yards away.

This object was a small buoy, similar to that which had floated on the
bosom of the Neuse when the _Ebba_ lay off Healthful House.

The buoy, with a towline affixed to it, was lifted into the boat that
was then paddled to the bow of the _Ella_, from the deck of which
another hawser was cast to the captain, who made it fast to the
towline of the buoy. Having dropped the latter overboard again, the
captain