e of
the brave citizens of Alkmaar, and hold out till he can send us
succour."

"I will faithfully deliver your message, mynheer, and you may rest
assured that if it depends on my freedom of action I will gladly return
to render you such assistance as I can give," answered Captain Van der
Elst, his countenance brightening as he spoke, his eyes once more
turning towards Jaqueline, who, with Baron Van der Arenberg and Albert,
stood a little distance apart.

"The citizens of Leyden can well dispense with the service of one who,
by his own showing, seems to have fled from the scene of battle,"
whispered Van Arenberg to Jaqueline in too low a tone for Captain Van
der Elst to hear him. On hearing this, without replying, she turned
away, and moved closer to her father.

"He is as brave a soldier as ever lived," exclaimed Albert, who had
overheard the remark, his countenance flushing as he spoke. "My father
knows and admires him, and was only the other day speaking of the many
gallant deeds he has performed. He was with De la Marck on board the
fleet of the `Beggars of the Sea,' when they captured Brill, he was at
Flushing when the standard of liberty was raised there, he assisted in
the defence of Alkmaar, and I scarcely know how many sea battles he has
been engaged in, while he served with Prince Louis during his campaign
in Friesland; and I am very sure that it was his good fortune, or rather
his courage and discretion, enabled him to escape from the Battle of
Mookerheyde."

The Lily's bright eyes sparkled, and she gave Albert an approving look
as he was speaking.

"You would make out this young captain a very Amadis," said Van
Arenberg, in a sarcastic tone. "Your father must have obtained the
report of his heroic deeds from himself I suspect, for I never heard him
spoken of in the same laudatory manner."

"Why, Baron, one would suppose, from the way you speak, that you were
jealous of him," said Albert, with the boldness of a brave boy who felt
that he was defending a maligned friend. "You insinuate that he ran
away from Mookerheyde, and I am very sure that he did nothing of the
sort. He went back to the field to look for the dead bodies of the
Count and his brother, and he could not have done that without running a
great risk of being killed or taken prisoner, and it was not till he had
assured himself of the sad fact that Count Louis and the rest were dead
that he led off his men, and came here to give us wa