"We've come too far; port your helm and ease her a bit, Orphan. Get that lantern ready--stand by to light it," he told the signalman.
The picket-boat turned in towards the darkness of the land, and moved through the black water with just a little rippling gurgle under her bows, whilst the crew, for'ard, strained their eyes to find the mark-buoy--the mark-buoy which the Turks had shifted.
"We ought to see it--it's white," muttered the Sub impatiently, but their eyes were rather blinded by looking at "Glaring Gertrude", and they could not pick it up.
The Sub kept his eyes shut for a minute, and then looked again.
The line of shore was very close now, and it was inconceivable that the Turkish look-outs at their guns, all along it, could not see the picket-boat. Round and round, first this way and then that, she steamed, hunting everywhere for that mark-buoy--without success.
To seaward the _Swiftsure_, "Peeping Tom" and his sister were still keeping up their noisy game of "Peep Bo", I spot you!--Bang! No, you don't!
But for that, and the gurgling under the bows, and the soft grating of the engines, there wasn't a sound. Not a sound came from the shore close to them, not even a dog barked.
The Sub grew restless. He knew that the two trawlers and the _Swiftsure's_ picket-boat must already be sweeping through the mine-field and expecting to see the red light to guide them.
He swore at the Turks, cursed himself, and above all he cursed "Glaring Gertrude" and the fort for making the darkness so pitch black round the picket-boat.
He steered out towards the opposite shore until he almost ran into the big search-light's beam, swung her round, and made another "cast", but the blackness away from the glare and in the shadow of the fort was absolutely inky.
He looked at the luminous face of his wrist watch. "It's getting on for eleven," he said bitterly. "The trawlers must have nearly finished."
"There's a light, sir! Look, sir! To seaward!" a man called excitedly.
"Keep quiet, you fool," growled Jarvis, "or you'll wake them Turks."
They all looked back towards the mine-field, and saw a small white light--like a small star twinkling low down on the water--between them and the _Swiftsure_.