"Sire, the prisoner spoke his name out boldly to me. He said, sire, when he took my sword from me, that I might keep his in exchange, and boast that I was the only man who ever took aught from El Beauvallet against his will." There was another pause. "He must be captured," said the King at length, and struck a silver handbell at his side. "Remembering, sire, that he has no money wherewith to buy him a horse, and must therefore be hiding in Madrid, I sent at once to Fermosa to request him to search the town." Philip inclined his head. "You did well, señor." A man came in, and stood attentively at the King's elbow. Philip was already writing a laborious memorandum. His pen moved unhurriedly. He remarked without raising his eyes from the paper: "Yet so desperate a man as this might not hesitate to steal a horse. A runner must be sent to the Frontier." From what he had seen of Beauvallet Don Cristobal did not think that he would hesitate for a moment. "With submission, sire, I would suggest that a runner be sent to the ports, in especial Vigo and Santander." "Runners will be sent at once," said Philip calmly, "to all the ports with orders to the Alcaldes to apprehend this man. But we shall do well to remember, Don Cristobal, that we have to do with one who has evil arts at command." Whatever doubts Don Cristobal might cherish as to Beauvallet's supposed wizardry he merely bowed his head respectfully. Father Allen, until now a silent listener over against the window, came forward. "Your Majesty has forgotten that there is the servant to be reckoned with." The King's brain did not work fast, but it never forgot. "The servant fled, Father," he said positively. Father Allen bowed. "So we were led to believe, sire." Philip had to digest this. A shade of annoyance crossed his face. "I cannot think that I have been well-served in this," he said, and motioned to the secretary to write at his dictation. The various despatches were at last ready; messengers were to ride to the Frontier, and to any port of size. Through the length and breadth of Spain would run the news that a famous pirate was at large. Philip leaned back in his chair with a thin-lipped smile of satisfaction. "He will run into a net," he said with unwonted urbanity. "We shall presently draw the strings tight." This was all very well, but there were others who did not share the King's optimism. Perinat, when he heard next day of the escape, fairly danced with mortification, and predicted disaster to an awestruck circle. "To hold him and to let him slip through the fingers!" raved Perinat. "He should have been shackled and handcuffed, and never left! What do you know of him? Nothing! I knew, ah, I knew! but I was not heeded. Oh devil and fiend! oh warlock, you are away yet once again!"