When he
has been taken in, Count d'Artigas and Engineer Serko follow.
Captain Spade and the crew of the _Ebba_ remain behind, with the
exception of four men who man the dinghy, which has been lowered. They
have hold of a long hawser, with which the schooner is probably to be
towed through the reef. Is there then a creek in the middle of the
rocks where the vessel is secure from the breakers? Is this the port
to which she belongs?
They row off with the hawser and make the end fast to a ring in the
reef. Then the crew on board haul on it and in five minutes the
schooner is so completely lost to sight among the rocks that even the
tip of her mast could not be seen from the sea.
Who in Bermuda imagines that a vessel is accustomed to lay up in
this secret creek? Who in America would have any idea that the rich
yachtsman so well known in all the eastern ports abides in the
solitude of Back Cup mountain?
Twenty minutes later the dinghy returns with the four men towards the
tug which was evidently waiting for them before proceeding--where?
They climb on board, the little boat is made fast astern, a movement
is felt, the screw revolves rapidly and the tug skims along the
surface to Back Cup, skirting the reefs to the south.
Three cable's lengths further on, another tortuous canal is seen that
leads to the island. Into this the tug enters. When it gets close
inshore, an order is given to two men who jump out and haul the dinghy
up on a narrow sandy beach out of the reach of wave or weed, and where
it will be easily get-at-able when wanted.
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