Page:Guy Boothby - The Beautiful White Devil.djvu/284

 reported that she was anxious to know our name and where we hailed from.

"Shall I answer?" he inquired.

"By all means," Alie replied; "did you bring the signals with you? "

"I have them in my berth," he answered, and dived below, to reappear a moment later with a bundle of bunting under his arms.

Having asked the skipper's permission, he bent them on to the halliards and ran them up to the gaff end. They streamed out upon the breeze, and as he watched them Walworth cried to Alie, with the first and only sign of excitement I have ever known him show:

"That will let them know that you are safe aboard!"

"Do you wish me to bring the yacht as close alongside as I can?" asked our skipper, who had been made aware of our intention to say good-bye to him immediately we sighted the Lone Star.

"If you will be so kind," I answered.

The necessary manœuvre was thereupon executed, and presently the two yachts lay less than half a mile apart.

"What a lovely craft that is," said Janet, who had just come on deck and was watching her with increasing admiration.

"That is the Lone Star," said Alie, putting her arm round Janet's waist in her usual affectionate manner. "The boat which is to carry us to our home, dear Janet! May you be as happy on board as I have been."

"I think," I said, taking the opportunity of a pause in their conversation to make a practical suggestion, "if you ladies will allow me to say such a thing, it would be as well if we facilitated our transhipping by getting our