Facing the Flag · Chapter
III: Kidnapped explained
Count d'Artigas and Captain Spade finalize their plan to kidnap Thomas Roch and his warder Gaydon from Healthful House.
What happens
Count d'Artigas and Captain Spade finalize their plan to kidnap Thomas Roch and his warder Gaydon from Healthful House. Spade has stolen the key to a rear door and unbolted it earlier. That night, he leads five sailors to the pavilion, where they find Roch incapacitated and Gaydon present. They successfully abduct both men, bringing them to the schooner Ebba.
Themes in this chapter
Imprisonment and Escape
The chapter details the planned abduction of Roch and Gaydon, moving them from the confinement of Healthful House to the captivity of the Ebba.
Deception and Identity
Count d'Artigas and Captain Spade use deception—stealing a key, unbolting a door, and moving under cover of darkness—to carry out the kidnapping.
Characters to notice
- Captain Spade
Leads the kidnapping operation, having stolen the key and unbolted the door earlier.
- Count d'Artigas
Orchestrates the kidnapping plan and insists on capturing both Roch and Gaydon.
- Thomas Roch
The target of the kidnapping; is incapacitated by a fit and lies on a sofa in the pavilion.
- Gaydon
Roch's warder, who is ministering to him and is also kidnapped as planned.
- Engineer Serko
Appears on deck with the Count and jokes about the kidnapping operation.
- Effrondat
Boatswain left in charge of the boat during the kidnapping.
Key passages
“Captain Spade drew the key from his pocket, inserted it in the lock and turned it noiselessly.”
Spade silently unlocked the door with the key he had taken.
Shows the stealth and preparation for the kidnapping.
“The plan to kidnap them both was thus settled, and appeared to have every chance of being successful.”
The scheme to abduct both Roch and Gaydon was finalized and seemed likely to succeed.
Summarizes the conspirators' confidence in their plan.