ich the military
found nobody but an old tom-cat, and then desired Mr Vanslyperken to
hold the cutter in readiness to embark troops and sail that afternoon;
but troops do not move so fast as people think, and before one hundred
men had been told off by the sergeant with their accoutrements,
knapsacks, and sixty pounds of ammunition, it was too late to embark
them that night, so they waited until the next morning. Moreover, Mr
Vanslyperken had orders to draw from the dock-yard three large boats for
the debarkation of the said troops; but the boats were not quite ready,
one required a new gunnel, another three planks in the bottom, and the
third having her stern out, it required all the carpenters in the yard
to finish it by the next morning. Mr Vanslyperken's orders were to
proceed to the cave, and land the troops, to march up to the cave, and
to cover the advance of the troops, rendering them all the assistance in
his power in co-operating with the major commanding the detachment; but
where the cave was, no one knew, except that it was thereabouts.

The next morning, at eight o'clock, the detachment, consisting of one
hundred men, were embarked on board of the cutter, but the major
commandant finding that the decks were excessively crowded, and that he
could hardly breathe, ordered section first, section second, and section
third, of twenty-five men each, to go into the boats and be towed.
After which there was more room, and the cutter stood out for
St Helen's.

Chapter XLVIII

In which there is a great deal of correspondence, and the widow is
called up very early in the morning.

We must now return to Mynheer Krause, who, after he had delivered over
his gold, locked up his counting-house and went up to the saloon,
determining to meet his fate with all the dignity of a Roman senator. He
sent for his daughter, who sent word back that she was packing up her
wardrobe, and this answer appeared but reasonable to the syndic, who,
therefore, continued in his chair, reflecting upon his approaching
incarceration, conning speeches, and anticipating a glorious acquittal,
until the bell of the cathedral chimed the half-hour after ten. He then
sent another message to his daughter, and the reply was that she was not
in the room, upon which he despatched old Koop to Ramsay, requesting his
attendance. The reply to this second message was a letter presented to
the syndic, who broke the seal and read as follows:

"MY