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There was no one on the road, nor on the bank of the river. The party made for the boat, and found that Effrondat, the boatswain, had made all ready to receive them. Thomas Roch and Gaydon were laid in the bottom of the boat, and the sailors again took their places at the oars. "Hurry up, Effrondat, and cast off the painter," ordered the captain.
All the pirates were making for the passage, in front of which were Ker Karraje, Engineer Serko, Captain Spade, Boatswain Effrondat, Engine-driver Gibson and the Count d'Artigas' big Malay attendant. I soon learn the reason for the tumult, for the sentries rush in with shouts of alarm. Several vessels have been sighted to the northwest warships steaming at full speed in the direction of Back Cup.
It goes without saying, that Captain Spade has also begun to take in sail, and the work, under the direction of the boatswain Effrondat, is executed with the same precision and promptness that struck me before. When the twilight deepens into darkness, only a mile and a half separates the vessels.
Are we not going to leave this island, which appears to be isolated, to the west? It does not seem likely, since it is still broad daylight, and the hour at which the Ebba was timed to arrive. All the sailors are drawn up on deck, awaiting orders, and Boatswain Effrondat is making preparations to anchor. Ere a couple of hours have passed I shall know all about it.
And had you asked him the name of the captain of the Ebba, he would have replied, Spade, and would doubtless have added that that of the boatswain was Effrondat, and that of the ship's cook, Helim all singularly dissimilar and indicating very different nationalities. Could any plausible hypothesis be deducted from the type presented by Count d'Artigas? Not easily.
The boatswain, Effrondat, who was to remain in charge of the boat, went to the stern beside Captain Spade and took the tiller. "Good luck, Spade," said Serko with a smile, "and don't make more noise about it than if you were a gallant carrying off his lady-love." "I won't unless that Gaydon chap " "We must have both Roch and Gaydon," insisted the Count d'Artigas.
From the extremity of New-Berne quay the crew might have been seen holystoning the deck, after which they loosened the reef lines, under the direction of Effrondat, the boatswain, hoisted in the boats and cleared the halyards. At eight o'clock the Count d'Artigas had not yet appeared on deck. His companion, Serko the engineer, as he was called on board, had not quitted his cabin.
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