air on his violin. He
gladly complied, and elicited general applause, greatly to the annoyance
of Mynheer Bunckum, who, getting up, retired to a distance, and sat
himself down, fishing-rod in hand, on a point which projected into the
lake, as if such music was not worth listening to.

Meantime a boat had arrived on the beach containing three or four
urchins from a neighbouring village, one of whom climbed up on a bank
overlooking the spots where the party were collected, and the dinner
cloth was spread. He had so placed himself that he could make a signal
to his companions: two of these shortly afterwards getting out of their
boat, and seeing him beckon, cautiously crept along the shore towards
where the party had been enjoying their meal. There was no doubt about
their object: they filled not only their capacious pockets, but some
large handkerchiefs which they had brought, with everything on which
they could lay their hands, especially the silver spoons and forks and
other plate. Then at a sign from their companion they rapidly
retreated, he quickly following, unnoticed by Mynheer Bunckum or any one
else. On reaching their boat, away they pulled with their booty, and
were soon out of sight. The Baron and two or three other gentlemen,
whose appetites had not been fully satisfied, returned shortly after
this to the table, if so it could be called, and though they observed
that some of the things had been disarranged, it did not occur to them
that the spot had been visited by robbers. The Baron was the last to
leave and return to the ladies. Not till the servants came to pack up
the plates and dishes, and knives and forks, was the robbery discovered.
Just then Mynheer Bunckum, who had got tired of fishing, and had
returned to the table, on hearing that several articles were missing,
exclaimed:

"I know who is the robber, I saw what that Baron was about. I shall now
be able to prove that my suspicions were correct!"

He, however, made no further remark at the time, so that the harmony
which had prevailed during the picnic was not disturbed. On the
approach of evening the various parties separated to their different
homes. The Count and the Baron accompanied Mynheer Van Arent and his
family to theirs, whence after a friendly farewell they returned to
their inn.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

The day following the picnic on the Meer, the Count and the Baron set
out to pay a visit to the Van Arent family. As yet,