“The fortune is large enough,” answered Dirk. “But, oh! what a burden has Hendrik Brant laid upon our backs, for under this will the wealth is left, not straight to the lawful heiress, Elsa, but to me and my heirs on the trusts started, and they are heavy. Look you, wife, the Spaniards know of this vast hoard, and the priests know of it, and no stone on earth or hell will they leave unturned to win that money. I say that, for his own sake, my cousin Hendrik would have done better to accept the offer of the Spanish thief Ramiro and give him three-fourths and escape to England with the rest. But that is not his nature, who was ever stubborn, and who would die ten times over rather than enrich the men he hates. Moreover, he, who is no miser, has saved this fortune that the bulk of it may be spent for his country in the hour of her need, and alas! of that need we are made the judges, since he is called away. Wife, I foresee that these gems and gold will breed bloodshed and misery to all our house. But the trust is laid upon us and it must be borne. Foy, to-morrow at dawn you and Martin will start for The Hague to carry out the command of your cousin Brant.” “Why should my son’s life be risked on this mad errand?” asked Lysbeth. “Because it is a duty, mother,” answered Foy cheerfully, although he tried to look depressed. He was young and enterprising; moreover, the adventure promised to be full of novelty. In spite of himself Dirk smiled and bade him summon Martin. A minute later Foy was in the great man’s den and kicking at his prostrate form. “Wake up, you snoring bull,” he said, “awake!” Martin sat up, his red beard showing like a fire in the shine of the taper. “What is it now, Master Foy?” he asked yawning. “Are they after us about those two dead soldiers?” “No, you sleepy lump, it’s treasure.” “I don’t care about treasure,” replied Martin, indifferently. “It’s Spaniards.” “That sounds better,” said Martin, shutting his mouth. “Tell me about it, Master Foy, while I pull on my jerkin.” So Foy told him as much as he could in two minutes. “Yes, it sounds well,” commented Martin, critically. “If I know anything of those Spaniards, we shan’t get back to Leyden without something happening. But I don’t like that bit about the women; as likely as not they will spoil everything.” Then he accompanied Foy to the upper room, and there received his instructions from Dirk with a solemn and unmoved countenance. “Are you listening?” asked Dirk, sharply. “Do you understand?” “I think so, master,” replied Martin. “Hear;” and he repeated sentence by sentence every word that had fallen from Dirk’s lips, for when he chose to use it Martin’s memory was good. “One or two questions, master,” he said. “This stuff must be brought through at all hazards?” “At all hazards,” answered Dirk. “And if we cannot bring it through, it must be hidden in the best way possible?” “Yes.”