"Midnight, sir!" cried the mate.
"Go ahead!"
Archie heard the tinkle of the bell in the engineer's room below: then the answering signal on the bridge. The crew raised a cheer; the mate pulled the whistle rope; there was a muffled hurrah from the shore.
"Half speed! Port a little!"
The steamer gathered headway. She was now making for the harbour entrance on a straight course.
"Full speed!"
Then the Dictator charged the barrier.