company, and at one of his banquets I met, as I expected, Count
Hendrick Luitken.

As a merchant's clerk, and afterwards as a seaman, the Count had taken
no notice of me, but now that I was rich and betrothed to Anna, he
could do no less than treat me with consideration when he met me at her
father's house.

The banquet was sumptuous, and no effort was spared to make it worthy
of the late Governor's hospitality. Only men were invited, no women
being present, so that free scope was given for the gluttony and
drunkenness which usually prevailed at such entertainments. Great
joints of beef and venison vanished like melting snow before the
keen-set appetites of the diners, and goblets of wine disappeared down
thirsty throats until all present were more or less under the influence
of liquor. Toward the end of the entertainment, some horse-play was
indulged in by the younger guests, among whom Count Hendrick Luitken
was conspicuous. I could see he was the worse for liquor, and as often
happens to those under the influence of strong drink, his veneer gave
place to a quarrelsome arrogance in which his true disposition was
displayed. Accompanied by some of his friends as boisterous as himself,
he came over to where I was sitting, and, planting himself in a vacant
chair on the other side of the table in front of me, he asked rudely
how the fishing trade prospered at Urk.

I felt the blood mount to my face as I answered that for all I knew to
the contrary it prospered well enough, although I had for some years
past been away from Urk, and could therefore not answer the question as
fully as I might otherwise have done.

"You've been a pirate since you gave up the fishing," sneered the
Count, "and to some purpose if report speaks true."

For answer I threw the wine which stood in a half-emptied goblet at my
elbow in his face.

The Count sprang to his feet, the red wine dripping from his handsome
doublet, while his face worked with passion.

"Insolent!" he cried, when he had mastered himself sufficiently to
articulate. "My rank will not let me fight you, but I have influence
enough to punish you as you deserve."

"No difference in rank exists between us, my lord," I answered, "and I
claim the right to cross swords in an affair of honour with all save
those of royal blood. Grant me the satisfaction I demand, or I will
brand you as a braggart and a coward throughout every town of the
Netherlands."

I could see that the Cou