"Thank you very much indeed," Vincent said; "you will be doing a
good action. Upon what day do you sail?"

"I shall drop down on Monday into Hampton Roads, and shall get
up sail at daylight next morning. I shall pass Fortress Monroe at
about seven in the morning, and shall sail straight out."

"And how shall I know your ship?" Vincent asked. "There may be
others starting just about the same time."

The sailor thought for a moment. "When I am four or five miles
out I will hoist my owner's flag at the foremast-head. It is a red
flag with a white ball, so you will be able to make it out a
considerable distance away. You must not be less than ten or
twelve miles out, for the pilot often does not leave the ship till she
is some miles past Fortress Monroe, and the official will not leave
the ship till he does. I will keep a sharp lookout for you, but I
cannot lose my time in waiting. If you do not come alongside I
shall suppose that you have met with some interruption to your
plans."

"Thank you very much, sir. Unless something goes wrong I shall
be alongside on Tuesday."

"That's settled, then," the captain said, "and I must be off, or else I
shall lose my train. By the way, when you come alongside do not
make any sign that you have met me before. It is just as well that
none of my crew should know that it is a planned thing, for if we
ever happened to put in here again they might blab about it, and it