it, but his sword whirled
from his hand, the next instant he was driven overboard by a thrust from
a pike through his breast. A despairing cry was heard, and before the
people could clutch his clothes he was swept away by the current. In a
few words Jaqueline told of the outrage to which she had been subjected.
Captain Van der Elst accounted for the circumstance of his having so
providentially rescued her by saying that he had been sent to
reconnoitre the enemy's position, and supposing that the boat was manned
by Spaniards he had given chase. She entreated that he would proceed in
his duty.

"No harm can come to me while I am by your side," she said, scarcely
thinking of the interpretation which might be put upon the words she
uttered. He pressed her hand. Having ordered the villagers' boat to
follow at a distance, warning them of the punishment they would receive
should they attempt to escape, he continued on till he had performed the
duty on which he had been despatched. Morning was approaching when he
returned to the fleet, which had just broken through the second great
dyke and destroyed the villages of Zoetermeer and Benthuyzen, and now
borne on by the rising waters was advancing towards Leyden. Karl
conveyed Jaqueline on board the admiral's ship, manned by a
savage-looking crew, the wild Beggars of the Sea. Ferocious, however,
as they were to their foes, to her they were civil and courteous. Eight
hundred of them, mostly Zealanders, manned the fleet. The greater
number were scarred, hacked, and even maimed in the unceasing conflicts
in which their lives had been passed, while they were renowned far and
wide as much for their nautical skill as their ferocity. Their
appearance was both eccentric and terrific; they wore crescents in their
caps with the inscription, "Rather Turkish than Popish." They were
known never to give nor take quarter; they went to mortal combat only.
They had sworn to spare neither noble nor simple, neither King, Kaiser,
nor Pope, should they fall into their power. Each ship carried ten
guns, and was propelled, the smaller by ten, the larger by eighteen
oars, the whole fleet having on board 2,500 veterans, experienced both
on land and water. Jaqueline was conducted to the admiral's cabin; it
boasted neither of magnificence nor elegance; indeed, very little of
comfort, for the vessels had been fitted out for rough work, and no
ladies had been expected on board. The stout old ad