"That shot was fired from the ship." Another flash, evidently from half-a-mile away in quite a different direction.
"That is from the ship," whispered Morgan as the report of the gun went vibrating through the dark night air.
"No, no, man; from the shore," said the major pettishly.
"I stake my life, sir, it is from the ship," said Morgan, straining his eyes in the direction from which the last signal had been made.
"Morgan's right, major," said Gregory firmly.
"Yes; that there last shot was from seaward," whispered the boatswain.
"I haven't not no doubt about that." "Steady, my lads, and give way now," whispered Gregory; and the boat was turned and rowed steadily for quite a quarter of an hour as nearly as they could tell in the direction from which the last shot had come.
At the end of that time, though, they were as badly off, it seemed, as ever, for they ceased rowing, to find that the darkness was more dense, for a soft mist was gathering overhead and blotting out the stars.
"If we only dared hail," muttered Gregory.

"Major, this is horrible.
Pst!" This was consequent upon a faint flash of light appearing not twenty yards away; then it seemed as if there was a tiny flame burning, and directly after complete darkness.
"The _Petrel_ or a prau," said Mr Gregory in a low voice, and with his lips to the major's ear.
"The ship," said Mark excitedly, striking in.
"How do you know, lad ?" "By the height up." "You're right, boy; so it is." "And there," said Mark softly, "it was someone lighting a cigar." "Yes; I can smell it.

But hist!" "It was my father," said Mark excitedly.

"I know what he's doing: smoking at the cabin-window." "May be," whispered back the mate cautiously.

"Here, pull that starboard oar, Small." The boatswain obeyed, and the one impulse seemed to send them all into a greater darkness, while the odour of tobacco pervaded the air quite strongly and a little point of light shone above their heads.
"Father!" whispered Mark, for he could not control himself, and the word slipped from his tongue.
"Mark?
Hush!" came back to set all doubts at rest.
"Here, hook on, Small, keep the boat as she is," said Mr Gregory; and this was done in silence; but it was some few minutes before they were in their former position, all being done with the most extreme caution.
"Have you a rope, Strong ?" said Gregory in a low voice.
There was no reply, but the glowing end of the cigar disappeared from where it shone some fifteen feet above their heads, and at the end of a few minutes something was lowered down, which proved to be so many sheets tightly rolled up and knotted together.
The first-mate seized the extemporised cord and drew hard upon it to see if it would bear.