igned him as orderly a strong, active young fellow,
named Joe Sedley, who was delighted at his appointment, for the
"little cornet" was, since his defeat of the German champion, the
pride of the regiment. Joe was a Londoner, one of those fellows who
can turn their hand to anything, always full of fun, getting
sometimes into scrapes, but a general favourite with his comrades.

The campaign over, Rupert, who was now a lieutenant, asked and
obtained leave to go home for the winter; he had long since been
reconciled with his mother; and it was two years and a half since
he had left home. Hugh and Joe Sedley had also obtained leave, upon
Rupert's application on their behalf.

On his way down Rupert resolved to pay a visit for a few days to
his kind friends at Dort. They had written begging him to come and
see them; and a postscript which Maria had put in her last letter
to him, to the effect that she had reason to believe that her old
persecutor was in the neighbourhood, and that her father had taken
renewed precautions for her safety, added to his desire to visit
Dort.

"That fellow's obstinacy is really admirable in its way," Rupert
said, on reading this news. "He has made up his mind that there is
a fortune to be obtained by carrying off Maria van Duyk, and he
sticks to it with the same pertinacity which other men display in
the pursuit of commerce or of lawful trade, or that a wild beast
shows in his tireless pursuit of his prey."

Had it not been for the postscript, Rupert would have deferred his
visit to Dort until after his return from England, but the news
caused him serious uneasiness. He knew but too well the
unscrupulous nature of this desperate man, whom he had heard of
since his last attempt upon his life as being a leader of one of
the bands of freebooters who, formed of deserters and other
desperate men, frequented the Black Forest, the Vosges mountains,
the Ardennes, and other forests and hill districts. That he would
dare lead his band down into the plains of Holland, Rupert had no
fear; still he could have no difficulty in finding men of ruined
fortunes even there to join in any wild attempt.

Leaving the army when it went into winter quarters, Rupert
travelled by land to Bonn, and there picked up Hugh, who was now
completely restored to health, and then, taking boat, journeyed
down the Rhine. Then he took horse again, and rode to Dort.

Mynheer van Duyk and Maria were delighted to see him; and Hugh