He stated that the crew of the cutter had been accustomed to frequent the Lust Haus of a certain widow Vandersloosh, and that he had made her acquaintance, by several times going there to look after his seamen.

That this widow had often hinted to him, and at last proposed to him, that he should take letters for some friends of hers—­at last she had told him plainly that it was for the Jacobite party, and he pretended to consent.

That he had been taken by her to the house of a Jesuit, 169, in the Bur street, nearly opposite to her Lust Haus, and that the Jesuit had given him some letters and fifty guineas for his trouble.

He then stated, that he had opened, copied, and resealed them; further, that he had brought over one of the confederates, who was now residing in the house of the syndic, Van Krause.  That he should have made all this known before, only that he waited till it was more important.  That the last letters appeared of such consequence, that he deemed it his duty no longer to delay.

“You have done well, Mr Vanslyperken,” replied his Majesty.

“And played a bold game,” observed Lord Albemarle, fixing his eyes upon Vanslyperken.  “Suppose you had been found out co-operating with traitors, before you made this discovery!”

“I might have forfeited my life in my zeal,” replied Mr Vanslyperken, with adroitness; “but that is the duty of a king’s officer.”

“That is well said,” observed the Duke of Portland.

“I have a few questions to put to you, Mr Vanslyperken,” observed his Majesty.

“What is the cave they mention so often?”

“It is on the bank of the Isle of Wight, your Majesty.  I did not know of its existence, but from the letters—­but I once laid a whole night in the cove underneath it, to intercept the smugglers, upon information that I had received, but the alarm was given, and they escaped.”

“Who is their agent at Portsmouth?”

“A Jew of the name of Lazarus, residing in little Orange Street, at the back of the Point, your Majesty!”

“Do you know of any of the names of the conspirators?”

“I do not, your Majesty, except a woman, who is very active, one Moggy Salisbury—­her husband not a month back, was the boatswain of the cutter, but by some interest or another, he has obtained his discharge.”

“My Lord of Portland, take a memorandum to inquire who it was applied for the discharge of that man.  Mr Vanslyperken you may retire—­we will call you in by-and-bye—­you will be secret as to what has passed.”

“I have one more duty to perform,” replied Vanslyperken, taking some rouleaus of gold out of his pocket; “this is the money received from the traitors—­it is not for a king’s officer to have it in his possession.”

“You are right, Mr Vanslyperken, but the gold of traitors is forfeited to the crown, and it is now mine, you will accept it as a present from your king.”