ng a kettle of boiling water in his
hand, while the rest had armed themselves with various weapons.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" asked Captain Jan Dunck, in a loud
voice.

"I am that most ill-used person, Johanna Klack, the housekeeper, once
honoured, respected, and trusted, of the noble Count Funnibos, who has
been inveigled away with treachery and guile by that false friend of
his, the Baron Stilkin. I've proof positive of the fact, for as I
hurried along searching for the truants I met a brave mariner, who told
me that he had not only spoken with them, but had seen them go on board
this very vessel, and that, if I did not make haste, I should be too
late to catch them. There's the Baron; I know him well, and I am very
sure that my master is not far off. I must have him, I will have him
back!" and, making a spring, she endeavoured to mount the side of the
vessel.

"Will you?" exclaimed the skipper, bestowing a rap on her knuckles which
made the poor woman let go her hold of the rigging.

"Give it her," cried the Baron, lunging at her with his boathook, at
which the small ship's boy rushed forward with the steaming kettle in
his hand.

The unfortunate Johanna Klack, alarmed at what might be the
consequences, sprang back to the other side of the boat, and, losing her
balance, overboard she went, amid the jeers of the hard-hearted skipper
and crew of the galiot _Golden Hog_. The hapless Vrouw, as she
descended into the far from limpid water, screamed loudly for help, the
waterman who had brought her off being too much astonished at first to
render it.

"Shove off," cried the skipper, "and hook the woman out of the water,
but do not bring her alongside this vessel again, if you value your
skull."

The man obeyed, and, stretching out his boathook, got hold of the
Vrouw's garments and hauled her on board. The moment she had recovered
her breath she insisted on being taken back to the galiot; but the old
boatman was suddenly seized with a fit of deafness, and wisely pulled
away in an opposite direction.

"Take me back! take me back!" cried Johanna Klack.

"I am rowing as hard as I can," answered the boatman.

"Take me back to the vessel, on board which my honoured master is a
prisoner," shouted Johanna Klack.

"We shall soon be at the shore; you can then run home and change your
wet garments," answered the old boatman.

"I tell you I want to go back to that vessel," cried the housekeeper,
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