“Yes, sir, the man whose treasure was lost.”

“I remember—­whose treasure was lost—­though it was reported that some of our own people got away with it,” and his eyes wandered wonderingly to the sail which hid the burden on the cart.

“Sir,” went on Foy, “you heard right; Red Martin and I, with a pilot man who was killed, were they who got away with it, and by the help of the waterwife, who now is dead, and who was known as Mother Martha, or the Mare, we hid it in Haarlemer Meer, whence we recovered it after we escaped from Haarlem.  If you care to know how, I will tell you later, but the tale is long and strange.  Elsa Brant was with us at the time——­”

“She is Hendrik Brant’s only child, and therefore the owner of his wealth, I believe?” interrupted the Prince.

“Yes, sir, and my affianced wife.”

“I have heard of the young lady, and I congratulate you.  Is she in Leyden?”

“No, sir, her strength and mind were much broken by the horrors which she passed through in the siege of Haarlem, and by other events more personal to her.  Therefore, when the Spaniards threatened their first leaguer of this place, I sent her and my mother to Norwich in England, where they may sleep in peace.”

“You were wise indeed, Heer van Goorl,” replied the Prince with a sigh, “but it seems that you stopped behind?”

“Yes, sir, Martin and I thought it our duty to see this war out.  When Leyden is safe from the Spaniards, then we go to England, not before.”

“When Leyden is safe from the Spaniards——­” and again the Prince sighed, adding, “well, you have a true heart, young sir, and a right spirit, for which I honour both of you.  But I fear that things being thus the Jufvrouw cannot sleep so very peacefully in Norwich after all.”

“We must each bear our share of the basket,” answered Foy sadly; “I must do the fighting and she the watching.”

“It is so, I know it, who have both fought and watched.  Well, I hope that a time will come when you will both of you do the loving.  And now for the rest of the story.”

“Sir, it is very short.  We read your proclamation in the streets this morning, and learned from it for certain what we have heard before, that you are in sore want of money for the defence of Leyden and the war at large.  Therefore, hearing that you were still in the city, and believing this proclamation of yours to be the summons and clear command for which we waited, we have brought you Hendrik Brant’s treasure.  It is there upon the cart.”

The Prince put his hand to his forehead and reeled back a step.

“You do not jest with me, Foy van Goorl?” he said.

“Indeed no.”

“But stay; this treasure is not yours to give, it belongs to Elsa Brant.”