About half a mile from the shore, she lay to, and very soon a boat was lowered.
Edna's heart beat rapidly and her face flushed as, with Ralph's spy-glass to her eyes, she scanned the people in the boat as it pulled away from the ship.
"Can you make out the captain ?" cried Ralph, at her side.
She shook her head, and handed him the glass.

For full five minutes the boy peered through it, and then he lowered the glass.
"Edna," said he, "he isn't in it." "What!" exclaimed Mrs.Cliff, "do you mean to say that the captain is not in that boat ?" "I am sure of it," said Ralph.

"And if he isn't in the boat, of course he is not on the ship.

Perhaps he did not have anything to do with that vessel's coming here.

It may have been tacking in this direction, and so come near enough for people to see my signal." "Don't suppose things," said Edna, a little sharply.