“But Clarette has kept Maurie a prisoner.  She wouldn’t let him come back to the ship.”

“He was certainly at liberty to-night,” answered Beth.  “Isn’t this escape liable to be rather embarrassing to us, Uncle John?”

“I’m afraid so,” was the reply.  “We agreed to keep him safely until the authorities demanded we give him up; and now, at the last minute, we’ve allowed him to get away.”

Anxiety was written on every countenance as they considered the serious nature of this affair.  Only Gys seemed composed and unworried.

“Is it too late to go in chase of the launch?” asked Ajo, breaking a long pause.  “They’re headed for Ostend, without a doubt, and there’s a chance that they may run into a sand-bank in the dark, or break down, or meet with some other accident to delay them.”

“I believe it’s worth our while, sir,” answered Carg.  “The launch we have is the faster, and the trip will show our good faith, if nothing more.”

“Then make ready to start at once,” said Ajo, “and I’ll dress and go along.”

Carg hurried away to give orders and the boy ran to his stateroom.  Five minutes later they were away, with four sailors to assist in the capture of the fugitives in case they were overtaken.

It was a fruitless journey, however.  At daybreak, as they neared Ostend, they met their stolen launch coming back, in charge of a sleepy Belgian who had been hired to return it.  The man frankly stated that he had undertaken the task in order to get to Dunkirk, where he had friends, and he had been liberally paid by a German on crutches, who had one foot missing, and a little Belgian whom he had never seen before, but who, from the description given, could be none other than Maurie.

They carried the man back with them to the Arabella, where further questioning added nothing to their information.  They now had proof, however, that Elbl was safe with his countrymen at Ostend and that Maurie had been his accomplice.

“I would not believe,” said Patsy, when she heard the story, “that a Belgian could be so disloyal to his country.”

“Every nation has its quota of black sheep,” replied Uncle John, “and from what we have learned of Maurie’s character he is not at all particular which side he serves.”

CHAPTER XX

THE DUNES

The escape of a prisoner of war from the American hospital ship was made the subject of a rigid inquiry by the officials and proved extremely humiliating to all on board the Arabella.  The commandant showed his irritation by severely reprimanding Mr. Merrick for carelessness, while Captain Carg had to endure a personal examination before a board of inquiry.  He was able to prove that he had been at headquarters during the evening of the escape, but that did not wholly satisfy his inquisitors.  Finally an order was issued forbidding the Americans to take any more wounded Germans or Austrians aboard their ship, and that seemed to end the unpleasant affair.