Her full white sails still shivered in the sun, and the boys could see the blue light that passed up under her keel and was reflected upon her snow-white side as she ceased to move just in front of them.
A big man with a red beard and a white shirt stood at the helm and fixed his eyes on the point where the lads were hiding.

He evidently saw them, for he nodded to a man near him and gave an order.

In a moment the dingy was launched and a sailor came ashore.

He jumped nimbly out, holding the painter of his boat in one hand, glanced at the boys, who stood up as soon as they saw that they were discovered, and cast off the end of the rope, keeping hold of it lest it should run.

Then without paying any more attention to the boys, he went on board again taking the end with him.
"And we ?" shouted Ruggiero after him, as he pulled away facing them.
"I do not know you," he answered.
"But we know you and Don Antonino," said Sebastiano, who was quick-witted.
"Wait a while," replied the sailor.
The man at the helm spoke to him while the others were hauling up the bundles out of the water and getting them on board.