he
burghers, and let us consult."

In another minute or two four of the principal magistrates of Dort
had joined the party, and Van Duyk told them what had happened.

"I told her to lock the door, and not to open until she heard my
voice. Doubtless she was standing there listening to the strife
without, when the men burst in at the window, and seized her
before, in her surprise and terror, she had time to unlock the
door. Now what is to be done to recover her? They have, no doubt,
carried her off by boat, for they could not pass through the
landward gate of the town.

"Will you order two fast boats, to be manned by strong parties of
rowers, with well-armed men? One had better go up the river, one
down; for we know not in which direction they will take their
flight.

"What think you, Master Holliday?"

"I think that a boat had better go either way, without a moment's
loss of time," Rupert said. "But I doubt whether either will find
them. But send the boats without a moment's delay, with orders to
overhaul and search every craft they overtake."

The magistrates at once called in an officer of the guard, and gave
him the necessary instructions.

"And why do you not think that either up or down the river they
will overtake them?" Van Duyk asked Rupert, as the officer left the
room.

"Because they will know that a fleet horseman will pass them; and
that by morning the people at the towns on the banks will all be on
the lookout for them. So, having sent off the boats, I should now
send off horsemen up and down the river, with a letter from you,
sirs, to the authorities at all the towns, begging them to stop and
search every boat."

Again the necessary orders were given.

"It was right to take these steps," Rupert said, "for they may be
greater fools than I take them to be; but I think that they have
done one of two things. They have gone either up or down the river
to some place, probably not far away, where horses are in
readiness, or--or, they may be still in the town."

"Still in the town!"

"Yes," Rupert said; "they will know that we should pursue them up
and down the river; that we should scour the country round; but
they may think that we should not suspect that she is still here.
There must be lots of secure hiding places in an old town like
this; and they may well think it safer to keep her hidden here
until they force her into marriage, or wring a fabulous ransom from
you."

"We will search every