Martha smiled grimly as she answered, “Yes, many years. Well, what have you fat Leyden burghers to do with a poor old night-hag, except of course in times of trouble? Not that I blame you, for it is not well that you, or your parents either, should be known to traffic with such as I. Now, what is your business with me, for the signals show that you have business, and why does the corpse of Hendrik Brant’s foster-brother lie there in the stern?” “Because, to be plain, we have Hendrik Brant’s treasure on board, mother, and for the rest look yonder—” and he pointed to what his eye had just caught sight of two or three miles away, a faint light, too low and too red for a star, that could only come from a lantern hung at the masthead of a ship. Martha nodded. “Spaniards after you, poling through the gut against the wind. Come on, there is no time to lose. Bring your boat round, and we will tow the _Swallow_ to where she will lie safe to-night.” Five minutes later they were all three of them rowing the oar boat in which they had escaped from The Hague towards some unknown point in the darkness, slowly dragging after them the little ship _Swallow_. As they went, Foy told Martha all the story of their mission and escape. “I have heard of this treasure before,” she said, “all the Netherlands has heard of Brant’s hoard. Also dead Hans there let me know that perhaps it might come this way, for in such matters he thought that I could be trusted,” and she smiled grimly. “And now what would you do?” “Fulfil our orders,” said Foy. “Hide it if we can; if not, destroy it.” “Better the first than the last,” interrupted Martin. “Hide the treasure, say I, and destroy the Spaniards, if Mother Martha here can think of a plan.” “We might sink the ship,” suggested Foy. “And leave her mast for a beacon,” added Martin sarcastically. “Or put the stuff into the boat and sink that.” “And never find it again in this great sea,” objected Martin. All this while Martha steered the boat as calmly as though it were daylight. They had left the open water, and were passing slowly in and out among islets, yet she never seemed to be doubtful or to hesitate. At length they felt the _Swallow_ behind them take the mud gently, whereon Martha led the way aboard of her and threw out the anchor, saying that here was her berth for the night. “Now,” she said, “bring up this gold and lay it in the boat, for if you would save it there is much to do before dawn.”