It was considered certain by Rupert and Van Duyk that Maria was
either already confined in that boat, or that she would be taken
there when it was considered safe to start. A close scrutiny of the
boat with a telescope showed that two men were on board her. They
appeared to be smoking, and idling about.
In the meantime, at the Town Hall the committee were busy in
examining the reports brought in by the horsemen--whose tales
agreed, inasmuch as in none of the villages visited by them had any
stir or unusual movement been heard through the night--and in
hearing the evidence of innumerable people, who were all anxious to
give information which appeared to them to bear upon the outrage.
Van Duyk himself, like one distracted, wandered from place to
place.
Presently the spy set to watch the fisherman came in with his
report. He said that it was clear that the man was anxious and ill
at ease; that after an hour's waiting, a man came and spoke a word
to him, and passed on; that the fisherman then got into a small
boat and rowed out towards his vessel, but that he did not watch
him further, thinking it better to follow the man up who had spoken
to him. After walking about aimlessly for a short time, as if to
see whether he was watched, he had proceeded some distance along
the quay, and had then gone into a large house used as a tavern and
sailors' boardinghouse, but which did but a small trade, the
landlord having a bad name in the place.
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