the Spaniards, or that they have tried to
catch me, and found that they had a Will-o'-the-Wisp to deal with; but
this was an easy task, and nothing to boast of." Hans was saying this
while he was assisting Berthold to replace the bit in the horse's mouth,
and to tighten the girth of his saddle, the landlord rendering the same
service to Captain Van der Elst. The next moment they were in the
saddle and pushing full speed through the village to the southward.
Should they be discovered, they would not only run the risk of being
shot at, but would expose the landlord to punishment for having
entertained them. Looking back, they could see no one following, and
hoped, therefore, that they had escaped observation, while their horses,
refreshed, made up for the short delay by getting on at full speed.
They soon passed the village of Bleiswijk, between which and the next
place ran a broad causeway forming the high road to Rotterdam. Though
the gloom of evening was increasing, there was still sufficient light to
enable them to see objects at some distance. Berthold, who knew the
road best, was leading, when suddenly he reined in his horse, and made a
sign with his right hand for his companion to do the same.

"See, just coming from the right, are a score of horsemen; they may be
Hollanders, or Free Lances, though from the height of their helmets they
look more like Spaniards," he exclaimed. "We had better avoid them."

"How is that to be done?" asked Captain Van der Elst.

"We passed just now on the left a narrow dyke, which runs, I know, in a
south-westerly direction; at the farther end is a bridge which leads
across the Rotte. If we are pursued, we must leave the road and ride
across the country. We can without difficulty swim the river, when the
Spaniards, with the heavy trappings of their horses, would not be able
to follow."

Scarcely had Berthold said this when they could see against the sky the
figures of a large number of horsemen moving along a road to the right.

"We might even now, by dismounting, lead our horses down into the plain,
and perhaps escape observation," said Berthold.

"No, no, as we can see them they must have discovered us," said the
captain. "Lead the way across the dyke you spoke of; I will follow
closely at your heels."

As there was no time for further deliberation, Berthold, turning his
horse's head and passing the captain, galloped along the way they had
come for a few minutes and t