These preparations made, he went to apprise Eveline of their readiness for departure, intending while she was making the few preparations necessary for starting, to go out and see after Dick.

When he opened the door to the captain’s room, he was struck with the profound stillness which everywhere pervaded the place.  No Eveline was there; but he remembered having seen the door to the small room open on a former occasion, and supposing her to be within, went and rapped on the door, at first gently.  No answer.  Then louder, and louder.  All was still.  He called her.  No response came.  Wondering if she was asleep, or what could prevent or deter her from answering his call, he proceeded to break open the door.  This he succeeded in doing, after considerable effort; but when he perceived she was not there, his surprise and astonishment were unbounded.  He knew not that while he was robbing robbers, and placing powder for the demolition of the cave, she had left its dismal precincts by a way unknown to him or Duffel, and was now far away in the wilderness.

“Where is she?  What does it mean?”

These questions he put to himself, but could not answer.  A thousand conjectures rushed through his brain; but no satisfactory clue to the mystery was hit upon.  Had Duffel deceived them?  No, his anger and earnestness were too real for that.  Had she other friends?  Had not the sentinel turned traitor, and having liberated the prisoner, was anxious to get away, lest his perfidy should be discovered, or to gain a reward for his treachery?  This, though hardly probable, was the most plausible supposition, and Bill concluded to act upon it.  He was resolved to carry out his plans in, all their details; except that Eveline could not be taken with them; for he was not going to yield up his stolen gold, nor forego his revenge on Duffel.

Looking at his watch, in the midst of these perplexing reflections and strengthened resolves, he saw that it was time for him to be off to see Duffel, as the place of meeting was some ten miles from the cave, and a part of the distance had to be gone over on foot.  He reached the spot about the hour appointed, and found the miscreant already there, impatiently awaiting his arrival.

“What success?” inquired Duffel, the moment he came up.

“None at all, your honor.”

“How?”

“Bad news, very.”

“What?”

“I fear there is treason in the League.  The doors of the cave are all open, even to the inner door of the inner room, and no living person is within its walls!”

Duffel was speechless with surprise and terror, the astonishing intelligence seeming to paralyze all his powers; at last he made out to loosen his tongue and queried: 

“She is gone, then?”

“Yes, and the sentinel, too!”

“Then we are betrayed!  What shall we do?”

The terrible news Bill brought, completely unmanned Duffel, and his presence of mind entirely forsook him; hence his last query, which was propounded with all the imbecility of helplessness.