Finally, in September it was decided to return to Holland; but Warwick followed the Royalist fleet closely, and there ensued a curious race for the possession of the Helvoetsluys harbour. Warwick gained, and seemed likely to win the day; but a Captain Allen, who happened to be on the shore, came to the aid of the Royalists. As Warwick's ship drew near, Allen signed for the line to draw him in, and, when it was thrown to him, contrived to let Warwick slip back, so that Rupert's ship came in before him. After that, Rupert successfully hauled up all the rest of his fleet, except the "Convertine," which came in with the next tide; {224} nevertheless Warwick followed him into the harbour, and for more than a month the hostile fleets remained in this curious position; so close that the sailors could shout to one another, and yet unable to proceed to hostilities, because they were in a neutral harbour.[3] Sometimes the sailors met on shore, and then brawls arose amongst them. But much worse was the frequent desertion of Rupert's men. Warwick spared no pains to win them over, and once he even sent an officer to the Prince, with a request that he might speak to his men. Rupert's reply was characteristic: "The Prince told him, 'Yes, in his hearing; but, if he spake anything amiss he would throw him overboard'." Needless to add, the man retired without speaking at all.[4] Yet in spite of Rupert's vigilance, bribes and other temptations drew some of the ships over to the enemy, until only nine remained. Thereupon the Prince manned the "Convertine" with his most loyal men, furnished her with cannon, and laid her athwart the rest of his fleet. The Dutch remonstrated against this warlike action, but Rupert answered that if they promised him protection, he would rely on their word; if not, he would himself protect the fleet entrusted to him by the King. And the Dutch, who seem to have been very compliant towards the young Prince who had grown up amongst them, let him have his way. The Hague was now the head-quarters of the Prince of Wales, and thither flocked all his old Councillors, besides many other Cavaliers. Faction raged amongst them as violently as ever. "It was," says Clarendon, "no hard matter to get anything disliked that was resolved in the Council."[5] That the administration of affairs was bad was a point on which every one agreed, but they concurred in nothing else. {225}