Knowing this strong point on the part of his chum, Amos therefore was not at all surprised to hear him immediately mutter:
“It’s a good deal later than I expected. They said the boat would come any time after midnight; but right now it’s less than two hours to peep of dawn.”
“Ginger! that may play the dickens with our plans for getting ashore, Jack!” exclaimed Amos. It might be noticed that never for one instant did he question the accuracy of his comrade’s statement; for in truth he had seen the other prove his ability to tell time by the position of the stars again and again.
“Oh, let’s hope not,” Jack went on to say with his customary assurance, for he always saw the bright side of things. “They must know what they are doing, and just how long it’s going to take them to run across to Gallipoli.”
“Yes, and, Jack, you remember the commander assured you they would have to send a boat in to shore, no matter what happened, for certain things had to be delivered to the general in charge of the Territorials. I guess it’s going to be all right.”
“There’s the dispatch boat coming up now, and with only one light showing. All these movements look ghostly, let me tell you, Amos.”
“But there’s a good reason for every one of them,” remarked Amos, as they watched the swift boat drawing close to the bulky battleship.
“You can be sure there is,” said Jack. “If ever there was a case where constant vigilance is the price of safety, the British seamen know it during these exciting days. They never can tell when, without warning, a torpedo will smash against the side of their war vessel, sinking it inside of five minutes.”
“Or an aeroplane come sailing along overhead, and try to drop bombs down on the deck that might do a heap of damage. Whew! talk about living under a strain, I bet there’ll be a lot of old-young men after this war is over. Their hair will turn white in a year, from the constant suspense and worry.”
“There, the dispatch boat has halted, and they are sending a boat over to us, you can see. I make out the dip of the oars in the water, and can just barely hear the same in the rowlocks. We’re expected to go off in that same boat, Amos.”