When four days had passed they began to look for the Russian relief boat, which they knew would set out the moment the Governor’s telegram reached St. Petersburg.
On the fifth day Jack shouted down to Drummond, who was standing by the door.
“The Russian is coming: heading direct for us. She’s in a hurry, too, crowding on all steam, and eating up the distance like a torpedo-boat destroyer. I think it’s a cruiser. It’s not the old tub I came on, anyway.”
“Come down, then,” answered Alan, “and we--”
A cry from above interrupted him. Jack, having at first glance spied the vessel whose description he had shouted to Drummond, had now turned his eyes eastward and stood staring aghast toward the sunrise.
“Matter?” echoed Jack. “They must be sending the whole Russian Navy here in detachments to capture our unworthy selves. There’s a second boat coming from the east--nearer by two miles than the yacht. If I hadn’t been all taken up with the other from the moment I climbed here I’d have seen her before.”
“No. Looks like a passenger tramp. Dirty and--”
“Merchantman fitted out for privateersman, probably. That’s the sort of craft Russia would be likeliest to send to a secret prison like this. What flag does--”
“No flag at all. Neither of them. They’re both making for the rock, full steam, and from opposite sides. Neither can see the other, I suppose. I--”
“From opposite sides? That doesn’t look like a joint expedition. One of those ships isn’t Russian. But which?”
Jack had clambered down and stood by Alan’s side.
“We must make ready for defense in either case,” he said. “In a few minutes we’ll be able to see them both from the platform below.”
“One of those boats means to blow us out of existence if it can,” mused Jack. “The other cannot know of our existence. And yet, if she doesn’t, what is she doing here, headed for the rock?”
With that Jack scrambled, slid and jumped down. Drummond was very quiet and serious. Repeating rifles stood in a row on the opposite wall, easy to get at, but as far off as might be from the effects of a possible shell. The two young men now mounted the stone bench by the door, which allowed them to look over the ledge at the eastern sea. Presently the craft appeared round the end of the island, pure white, floating like a swan on the water, and making great headway.