A couple of steamers passed, sending up volumes of black smoke and myriads of sparks from their double stacks, and lashing the water into foam with their powerful paddles.
At eight o'clock the Count d'Artigas appeared on the schooner's deck accompanied by a man about fifty years of age, to whom he remarked: "It is time to go, Serko." "Very well, I will tell Spade," replied Serko.
At that moment the captain joined them.
"You had better get ready to go," said the Count.
"All is ready." "Be careful to prevent any alarm being given, and arrange matters so that no one will for a minute suspect that Thomas Roch and his keeper have been brought on board the _Ebba_." "They wouldn't find them if they came to look for them," observed Serko, shrugging his shoulders and laughing heartily as though he had perpetrated a huge joke.
"Nevertheless, it is better not to arouse their suspicion," said d'Artigas.
The boat was lowered, and Captain Spade and five sailors took their places in it.

Four of the latter got out the oars.

The boatswain, Effrondat, who was to remain in charge of the boat, went to the stern beside Captain Spade and took the tiller.
"Good luck, Spade," said Serko with a smile, "and don't make more noise about it than if you were a gallant carrying off his lady-love." "I won't--unless that Gaydon chap--" "We must have both Roch and Gaydon," insisted the Count d'Artigas.
"That is understood," replied Spade.
The boat pushed off, and the sailors on the deck of the schooner watched it till it was lost to sight in the darkness.
Pending its return, no preparations for the _Ebba's_ departure were made.

Perhaps there was no intention of quitting the port after the men had been kidnapped.

Besides, how could the vessel have reached the open sea?
Not a breath of air was now stirring, and in half an hour the tide would be setting in again, and rising strongly and rapidly for several miles above New-Berne.
Anchored, as has already been said, a couple of cable-lengths from the shore, the _Ebba_ might have been brought much nearer to it, for the water was deep enough, and this would have facilitated the task of the kidnappers when they returned from their expedition.