At dawn they awoke and began to look out for the revenue boat. But she
did not appear in sight. The hours were very long and it was very hot,
and they had nothing to eat or drink. Then all at once they saw what
seemed to them the most beautiful vision they could remember. A big
felucca shot round the rocks, still under way from the breeze she had
found in the little bay. Her full white sails still shivered in the sun,
and the boys could see the blue light that passed up under her keel and
was reflected upon her snow-white side as she ceased to move just in
front of them.
A big man with a red beard and a white shirt stood at the helm and fixed
his eyes on the point where the lads were hiding. He evidently saw them,
for he nodded to a man near him and gave an order. In a moment the dingy
was launched and a sailor came ashore. He jumped nimbly out, holding the
painter of his boat in one hand, glanced at the boys, who stood up as
soon as they saw that they were discovered, and cast off the end of the
rope, keeping hold of it lest it should run. Then without paying any
more attention to the boys, he went on board again taking the end with
him.
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