44 FOR THE FLAG

Count d’Artigas hastened aft to his cabin while Captain
Spade went forward to give his last orders.

As he drew near the forecastle he leant over the star-
board side and his eye sought an object floating at some
fathoms’ distance.

It was a small buoy.

The night was falling slowly. On the left bank of the
winding river the uncertain outline of Newburn was
beginning to fade. The houses looked black against the
horizon still lighted by a ray that edged the clouds in
the west. Onthe other side the sky was dark with thick
masses of vapour. ' But it did not seem like ale for these
masses were hanging high i in the sky.

Towards seven o’clock the first lights of Newburn
clittered in the windows of the upper floors of the houses,
while the glimmer from the ground floors was reflected in long
ziezags that scarcely wavered on the waters, for the wind.
had fallen with the night. The fishing-boats were coming
in slcwly to gain the coves of the harbour, some striving to
catch a last breath in their sails, others pulled by oars,
whose strokes, clear and rhythmic, were heard from afar.
Two steamers passed, emitting a stream of sparks from
their double funnels crowned with black smoke, and beat-
ing the water with their powerful paddles.

At eight o’clock the Count reappeared on deck, accom-
panied by a man about fifty years of age, to whom he
said,—

“Tt is time, Serko.”

“Tl go and tell Spade,” replied Serko.