Page:Augusta Seaman--Jacqueline of the carrier pigeons.djvu/140

116 for two or three days, so thou must explain it as best thou canst to Vrouw Voorhaas. I do not care much now what thou dost tell her,  for she can do little to prevent my getting  away if I choose.”

“Ah, brother, I dread to have thee go! These be evil times, and I have a foreboding that all will not go well whilst thou art away. And yet I would not keep thee, for ’tis more than wicked that our Prince should  be so ill and so cruelly deceived. But thou must take a pigeon with thee, and send him  to me with a message, if thou art detained  over long, else I shall break my heart with  anxiety, watching for thee.’’

At dawn next morning Gysbert set forth in his usual disguise carrying the pigeon “William of Orange” at the bottom of his bag of  herbs. Passing out through the gate of the Tower of Burgundy, he chose a route  through a part of the army near that of his  first attempt, since that way lay nearer to  the road for Delft and Rotterdam. The