crystal and the fluttering of white napery. If the figure-head at the

pier end, with its perpetual gesture and its leprous whiteness, reigned

alone in that hamlet as it seemed to do, it would not have reigned long.

Men's hands had been busy, men's feet stirring there, within the circuit

of the clock. The Farallones were sure of it; their eyes dug in the deep

shadow of the palms for some one hiding; if intensity of looking might

have prevailed, they would have pierced the walls of houses; and there

came to them, in these pregnant seconds, a sense of being watched and

played with, and of a blow impending, that was hardly bearable.

The extreme point of palms they had just passed enclosed a creek, which

was thus hidden up to the last moment from the eyes of those on board;

and from this, a boat put suddenly and briskly out, and a voice hailed.

'Schooner ahoy!' it cried. 'Stand in for the pier! In two cables'

lengths you'll have twenty fathoms water and good holding ground.'

The boat was manned with a couple of brown oarsmen in scanty kilts of

blue. The speaker, who was steering, wore white clothes, the full dress

of the tropics; a wide hat shaded his face; but it could be seen that he

was of stalwart size, and his voice sounded like a gentleman's. So much

could be made out. It was plain, besides, that the Farallone had been

descried some time before at sea, and the inhabitants were prepared for

its reception.

Mechanically the orders were obeyed, and the ship berthed; and the three

adventurers gathered aft beside the house and waited, with galloping

105

The Ebb-Tide