director, the latter declaring himself greatly honored by their visit, and the former thanking him warmly for his courteous reception. A hundred-dollar bill left as a tip for the staff of the est

and which was high enough to preclude the possibility of climbing it. Not a word passed between them for some time;

behind which, though it was not visible, the C

ghly explore the place, and are ac

plied Captain Spade,

rfectly sur

eyes shut. If you still persist in carrying out

ersist,

Thomas Roch's m

dition; and if we succee

e to enter the park of Healthful House, and then t

entran

n this

t, how are you going to get over it again with Thomas Roch? What if the ma

t about that. We have only got to

paces distant, and which was doubtless used by the staff of t

go in. It's much easier than s

door is

ill o

t no b

were strolling about, and the dire

pen it?" queried the Co

y," replied Spa

ock, where it happened to be,

s will be easier than I expected. Let us get back to the schooner.

enough of them to effect our object even if the keeper is

you must, but it would be better to seize him too and bring him aboard th

ru

im, and I don't propose to make hi

smile that Captain Spade could entertain no doubt as

hours of daylight that yet remained it was noticed that the key of the door had been stolen and the bolts drawn back, Captain Sp

ll the other invalids lived in the main building, or occupied pavilions in the front of the park. The

two cable lengths from the shore, her sails neatly rolled upon her yards, which were squared as neatly as those of a pleasure yacht or o

They climbed on deck and going forward to the jib-boom, leaned over the starboard bulwark and gazed at an object that fl

gn of rain. The lights gleamed out one by one in the houses of the town. The fishing smacks came slowly up the river to their anchorage, impelled by the oars of their crews which struck the water with sharp, rhythmical strokes, and with their sails distende

on the schooner's deck accompanied by a man

ime to g

ill tell Spade,

t the captain

get ready to go,

is re

matters so that no one will for a minute suspect that Thom

m," observed Serko, shrugging his shoulders and laugh

er not to arouse their su

Four of the latter got out the oars. The boatswain, Effrondat, who was to remain

"and don't make more noise about it than if y

less that G

h and Gaydon," insiste

erstood," re

the deck of the schooner watched it ti

fter the men had been kidnapped. Besides, how could the vessel have reached the open sea? Not a breath of air was now stirrin

to it, for the water was deep enough, and this would have facilitated the task of the kidnappers when they returned from th

all of Healthful House estate, was equally deserted. The boat was made fast to the shore. Then Captai

o turn the key in the lock and push the door, unless one of the servants, noticing that the door was not secured as usual, h

is ear to the key

tling in the branches of the beeches under which they were stand

ed it in the lock and turned it noiselessly. Then

had left them, and no one ha

ide open, so that they could beat a hurried and uninterrupted retreat in case of necessity. The trees and bushes in this shady part of the park wer

n, Gaydon, seeing that the latter never left the patient placed in his ch

g on a twig, the noise of which might have revealed their presence. In this way they reached the d

. He had no key, and to attempt to effect an entrance through the window would be hazardous, for

sion of Roch. If they could kidnap Gaydon, too, in conformity with

standing on tiptoe, looked in. Through an apertu

had been attacked during the Count d'Artigas' visit. His condition necessitated special att

nt to the pavilion by the director when Roch's paroxysm came on. His presence of cours

now fairly calm. The paroxysm, which was abating, woul

ptain heard him say to Gaydon that his (the doctor's) presence was not likely to be required any mo

front of which Spade and his men were standing. If they remained where they were they could not

d hidden themselves behind the bushes, while Spade himself crouched in the shadow beneath the window.

e of Gaydon, the doctor stop

has had. One or two more like that and he wi

visitors from entering the pavilion. Roch owes his present attack to a

's attention to the matte

leaving the door of the pavilion ajar,

tain Spade stood up, a

m to enter the room and secure Roch, who was in a semi-comatose conditi

g and raise an alarm; the doctor would come running back; the whole staff of Healthful House would turn out

thing to be done was to spring upon him as he passed and stifle his cries and overpower him before he could attempt to offer any resistanc

to mount the steps the four sailors sprang upon him, bore him backwards to the ground, and had gagged h

over him, while Captain Spade a

side. Reclining at full length, with his eyes closed, he might have been taken for a dead man but for his heavy breathing. There wa

he lamp and closing the door behind him. In this way there was no

and bore him quietly but rapidly down the path to the door in the wall. The park was pitch dark. Not

burdens to pass through, then followed and closed and locked the door. He put the key in his

the road, nor on t

und that Effrondat, the boatswain,

he bottom of the boat, and the sailor

nd cast off the painter

pushed the boat off with h

the schooner, which was easily distinguishable

tes they we

as leaning on the bul

Spade?" he

ir, all

of t

adman and h

know about it up

a s

Artigas and Captain Spade. Nor did he have the chance to. No attempt was immediately made to hoist him on board. He had been lying in the bottom of the

ed for the Ebba to weigh anchor, descend the estuary and make her way out

isoners so securely as to preclude the possibility of their being discovered if the Ebba, whose presence in

y soul on board save the watch-the Count d'Artigas, Serko, and Captain Spade i