"
This observation was accompanied by such a significant smile that
Captain Spade could entertain no doubt as to the role reserved for the
warder of Healthful House.
The plan to kidnap them both was thus settled, and appeared to have
every chance of being successful; unless during the couple of hours of
daylight that yet remained it was noticed that the key of the door had
been stolen and the bolts drawn back, Captain Spade and his men could
at least count upon being able to enter the park, and the rest, the
captain affirmed, would be easy enough.
Thomas Roch was the only patient in the establishment isolated and
kept under special surveillance. All the other invalids lived in the
main building, or occupied pavilions in the front of the park. The
plan was to try and seize Roch and Gaydon separately and bind and gag
them before they could cry out.
The Count d'Artigas and his companion wended their way to a creek
where one of the _Ebba's_ boats awaited them. The schooner was
anchored 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 of a man-of-war. At the peak of the mainmast a narrow red
pennant was gently swayed by the wind, which came in fitful puffs from
the east.
The Count and the captain jumped into the boat and a few strokes of
the four oars brought them alongside of the schooner. They climbed
on deck and going forward to the jib-boom, leaned over the starboard
bulwark and gazed at an object that floated on the water a few strokes
ahead of the vessel.
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