CHAPTER X.
THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM.
"I think there must be some mistake," said Tristram, as he turned in surprise and saw a tall man of soldierly presence, with three stalwart comrades immediately behind him.
"No mistake at all," said the tall man, with conviction.

"My orders are to arrest and convey you back to The Hague." "But I am about to leave Holland, and this will cause me considerable delay." "Undoubtedly." "In that case," Tristram replied, springing back a pace and whipping out his sword, "I must decline to follow you." "Bah! This is folly." "On the contrary, it is the conclusion of a valid syllogism which I will explain to you if you have time." "Seize him!" was the only answer.

The four men drew their swords and rushed forward together.

Perceiving that he must be skewered against the shop door if he awaited their onset, Tristram contented himself with disarming his foremost assailant; then, springing wildly back on his left heel, he spun round and began to run down the street for dear life.
His movement had been so sudden that he gained a dozen yards before his enemies recovered from their surprise and set off in pursuit.
Sword in hand, Tristram flew along the causeway, under the high garden-walls, for the open country and the windmills ahead.

He heard the feet pounding after him, but luckily did not look behind.
Therefore he was ignorant that his leading pursuer carried a brace of pistols in his belt and was pulling one out as he ran.
It was so, however; and in half a minute the pistol cracked out behind him--as it seemed, at the very back of his ear.
He sped on nevertheless, not knowing if he were wounded or not, but very wisely deciding that this was the surest way to find out.
As it happened, this pistol-shot proved of the greatest service to him.