Page:Augusta Seaman--Jacqueline of the carrier pigeons.djvu/282

256 army at this spot, there remained but a  few stragglers gathering up their possessions.

Gysbert concluded that the safest place for him was the tree to which he had tied  his boat, and he was soon among its branches. From here he watched the departure of the last Spaniard, and was just about to  descend, when one solitary sneaking shadow  attracted his attention. In the blackness of the night he could discover little of its intentions, but as it moved off in the direction of  the wall, he decided to get down and follow  it. The shadow glided along straight for the wall till it finally disappeared behind the bushes that hid the secret opening. When Gysbert arrived on the spot, there was not  even a shadow to be seen. Then a great light dawned on his mind.

“Dirk Willumhoog!” he whispered. “What on earth am I to do now?” For a moment he stood undecided. He dared not venture into the secret passage while his