"Here we are!" cried cabby, and we tumbled out. He had done his best to earn his tip, and got it.
The pier was crowded, but we forced our way along it with scant regard for the feelings of other people. Had the ship sailed—were we in time——
"She's gone," said Mr. Royce, as we gained the front of the crowd. "See there."
There she was, headed squarely down the stream, just gathering speed. There was a flutter of hand-kerchiefs from her deck, we could see the people crowding against the rail in their eagerness to wave a last good-bye——
Curtiss, who had been staring at her stupidly, suddenly flushed and pulled himself erect.
"There she is!" he cried. "See—standing alone by that forward boat."
I stared with all my eyes. There was indeed a figure there—a woman clad in black—but the face was the merest blur.
"You think so?" I asked incredulously.
"I know so!" and he swung sharp round, his face alight with eagerness. "Come—there must be some way to catch her—a tug——"
He accosted the first blue-coated official he could find, but that worthy shook his head. No tug could catch the Umbria now; besides, there was none at hand to make the trial. By the time one could be secured, the ship would be far down the bay, settling into her speed. What was the trouble—a lady on board?