One of the sailors seized the rope and pulled it. It came to him without resistance.
"The cable is cut!" exclaimed the man; "the boat is gone."
"The boat gone!" repeated Groslow; "impossible!"
"It is nevertheless true," returned the sailor. "See here; nothing in our wake, and here is the end of the rope."
It was then that Groslow uttered the cry which the guardsmen heard from their boat.
"What is the matter?" demanded Mordaunt, emerging from the hatchway, his torch in his hand, and rushing towards the stern.
"The matter is, that your enemies
have escaped you. They have cut the rope, and saved themselves in the boat."
With a single bound Mordaunt was at the cabin-door, which he burst open with his foot. It was empty.
"We will follow them," said Groslow; "they cannot be far off. We will give them the stem; sail right over them."