sounded like locking the stable door too late. After that, I learned how
to make pistol cartridges until the company prepared to go ashore.
The chests of the deserters were locked up in the lazaret, or store
cupboard, so that if the men came aboard again they might not take away
their things.

"Before we start," the Duke said, "I must just say this. We know, from
this morning's work, that the spies of the English court know much more
than we supposed. We may count it as certain that this ship is being
watched at this moment. Now, we must put them off the scent, because I
must see Argyle without their knowledge. It is not much good putting to
sea again, as a blind, for they can't help knowing that we are here
to see Argyle. They have only to watch Argyle's house to see us enter,
sooner or later. I suggest this as a blind. We ought to ride far out
into the country to Zaandam, say, by way of Amsterdam. That's about
twenty miles. Meanwhile Argyle shall come aboard here. The schooner
shall take him up to Egmont; he'll get there this afternoon. He must
come aboard disguised though. At Zaandam, we three will separate, Jermyn
will personate me, remaining in Zaandam. The boy shall carry letters in
a hurry to Hoorn; dummy letters, of course. While I shall creep off to
meet Argyle--somewhere else. If we start in a hurry they won't have
time to organize a pursuit. There are probably only a few secret agents
waiting for us here. What do you say?"

"Yes," said Mr. Jermyn. "I myself should say this. Send the boy on at
once to Egmont with a note to Stendhal the merchant there. They won't
suspect the boy. They won't bother to follow him, probably. Tell
Stendhal to send Out a galliot to take Argyle off the schooner while
at sea. The galliot can land Argyle somewhere on the coast. That would
puzzle them rarely. She can then ply to England, or elsewhere, so that
her men won't have a chance of talking. As for the schooner, she can
proceed north to anchor at the Texel till further orders. At the same
time, we could ride south to Noordwyk; find a barge there going north.
Hide in her cabin till she arrives, say, at Alkmaar. Meet Argyle
somewhere near there. Then remain hidden till it is time to move. We can
set all the balls moving, by sticking up a few bills in the towns."
I did not know what he meant by this. Afterwards I learned that the
conspirators took their instructions from advertisements for servants,
or of things lost, which were st