came to him (having been despatched by Short), to
inform Mr Vanslyperken that a frigate was coming in with the royal
standard at the main, indicating that King William was on board of her.

This intelligence obliged Mr Vanslyperken to hasten on board, as it was
necessary to salute, and also to pay his respects on board of
the frigate.

The frigate was within a mile when Mr Vanslyperken arrived on board of
the cutter, and when the batteries saluted, the cutter did the same.
Shortly afterwards the frigate dropped her anchor and returned the
salute. Mr Vanslyperken, attired in his full uniform, ordered his boat
to be manned and pulled on board.

On his arrival on the quarter-deck Vanslyperken was received by the
captain of the frigate, and then presented to King William of Nassau,
who was standing on the other side of the deck, attended by the Duke of
Portland, Lord Albemarle, and several others of his courtiers, not all
of them quite as faithful as the two whom we have named.

When Mr Vanslyperken was brought forward to the presence of his Majesty,
he trembled almost as much as when he had beheld the supposed spirit of
Smallbones, and well he might, for his conscience told him as he bowed
his knee that he was a traitor. His agitation was, however, ascribed to
his being daunted by the unusual presence of royalty. And Albemarle, as
Vanslyperken retreated with a cold sweat on his forehead, observed to
the king with a smile,

"That worthy lieutenant would show a little more courage, I doubt not,
your Majesty, if he were in the presence of your enemies."

"It is to be hoped so," replied the king, with a smile. "I agree with
you, Keppel."

But his Majesty and Lord Albemarle did not know Mr Vanslyperken, as the
reader will acknowledge.

Chapter XLI

In which is shown how dangerous it is to tell a secret.

Mr Vanslyperken received orders to attend with his boat upon his
Majesty's landing, which took place in about a quarter of an hour
afterwards, amidst another war of cannon.

King William was received by the authorities at the landing-stairs, and
from thence he stepped into the carriage, awaiting him, and drove off to
his palace at the Hague; much to the relief of Mr Vanslyperken, who felt
ill at ease in the presence of his sovereign. When his Majesty put his
foot on shore, the foremost to receive him, in virtue of his office, was
the syndic Mynheer Van Krause, who, in full costume of gown, chains, and
per