TWO DAYS AT SEA I31I

ladder, and I put my foot on the deck at the moment the
men were closing the hatches.

I looked round for the Count. He was not there; he
had not left his cabin. :

Captain Spade and Serké, the engineer, were superintend-
ing the stowage away aft of some bales, which had doubt-
less just been taken out of the hold. This would explain
the noise I heard on awakening. It was evident that the
crew had begun to bring up the ee: so our arrival must
be near at hand.

We were then not far from the port, and the schooner
would anchor there in a few hours.

And the sailing vessel that was on our port quarter—it
should be there still, for the wind had not risen since the
night before.

I turned my eyes in that direction.

The merchantman had disappeared. Nota ship was in
sight, not even a sail on the horizon, either to the north
or to the south.

On reflection the only explanation I could find, and that
was to be accepted with reserve, was that, unknown to me,
the £da had continued her course while I slept, leaving
the three-master behind, since she was becalmed.

I shall beware of questioning either Captain Spade or
Serko on the subject ; they would not deign to favour me
with an answer.

Besides, at that moment the Captain approached the
signal apparatus, and pressed one of the buttons on the
upper side. Almost immediately the Adda received a

K 2