toward it on the wind.

"Keep him in sight, Jan," he commanded, "until he goes to the house of
Mynheer Hals in the Peuselaarsteg, whither he means to go for supper.
There you may safely leave him for an hour, and go directly to the
house of my Lord of Heemskerk whom you know. Ask him for half a dozen of
his foreign mercenaries; tell him they are for my immediate service.
These men will then help you to keep our knave in sight. He will leave
Haarlem at moonrise, and you must never lose his track for a moment.
Presently he should be escorting a lady in the direction of Rotterdam.
If he does this--if he travel south toward that city, do not molest him,
only keep him in sight, and the moment he arrives at Rotterdam come and
report to me at Ryswyk. But," he added more emphatically, "if at any
time it appears to you that he is turning back with the lady toward
Haarlem come upon him at once with your men and seize him together with
any companions he may have with him. You understand?"

"Perfectly, my lord. While he travels southwards with the lady, we are
only to keep him in sight; when he and the lady arrive at Rotterdam we
must report to you at Ryswyk, but the moment he turns back toward
Haarlem we are to fall on him and seize him and his companions."

"The lady you will treat with the utmost respect," resumed Stoutenburg
with an approving nod, "the rascal and his companions you may mishandle
as much as you like, without, however, doing them mortal injury. But,
having taken the whole party prisoner, you will forthwith convey them to
the molens at Ryswyk, where you will find me. Now is all that clear?"

"Nothing could be clearer, my lord," repeated Jan firmly. "We follow him
while he travels south, but seize him with his company and the lady if
he turn back toward Haarlem. Nothing could be easier."

"You will not let him slip through your fingers, Jan?" said Stoutenburg
earnestly.

Jan laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

"You said that this work would help to forward our cause," he said
simply. "I ask no questions. I believe you and obey."

"That's brave! And you will take great care of the lady, when she falls
into your hands?"

"I understand that she is my lord's future lady," rejoined Jan, with the
same calm simplicity which makes the perfect soldier and the perfect
servant, and which promised obedience without murmur and without
question.

"Yes, Jan. The lady is my future wife," said Stoutenburg. "Treat her as