Ratcliffe made out the red and white flag indicating H, the triangular blue with the white ball, the red cross on a white ground, and the white with the blue square,—H. D. V. S.
“What are they trying to say?” he asked.
“Oh, them flags,” replied Satan. “They’re not tryin’ to say anythin’, only flyin’ to show time’s up. Cark hasn’t got a full set of the c’mercial code; wouldn’t know how to use them, neither. Now if you’re ready we’ll put off. Jude will stick here to keep ship.”
Jude protested.
“Why, you’ll see the blow-up from here a durned sight better than from the boat,” said Satan.
“I want to see her innards when the deck’s off,” said Jude.
“Why, Lord bless me! you’ll have days to see them in,” said Satan, “and there’s no knowin’ what may happen when the blow-up comes, what with flyin’ timbers and muck. I’ll come back and bring you off when the powder’s fired. I can’t say fairer than that.”
They got into the dinghy and shoved off, Jude watching them.
Sellers was waiting for them on the reef, and Cleary. Their boats were on the strip of beach surrounded by the crews, and a couple of fellows on the wreck were putting the last touches to the preparation of the charge. Sellers was holding what seemed a length of thick white cord in his hand.
“Here’s the fuse,” said he. “I had it left over with the barrel from that last wrecking business we did in the fall. It’s a five-minutes’ fuse.”