It was answered. The boat dropped alongside and the Earl climbed
upon deck. Turning at the top of the ladder, he gave his boatman the
order to wait for half an hour, and acknowledging the sentry's
salute, made his way aft, and down the companion-stairs to the cabin
set apart for him.
In the passage below was a second sentry, pacing up and down; and by
the Earl's door an orderly standing ready.
"Send Captain Salt to me. After that, you may retire."
The man saluted and went off on his errand, and the Earl stepped into
his cabin. The furniture of this narrow apartment consisted of a
hanging-lamp, a chair or two, a chest heaped with dispatch-boxes and
a swing-table upon which a map of the Low Countries was spread amid
regimental lists and reports, writing materials, works on
fortification, official seals and piles of papers not yet reduced to
order. Pushing aside the map and a treatise by the Marechal de
Vauban that lay face downwards upon it, the Earl drew a blank sheet
of paper towards him, dipped pen in ink, and after a moment's
consideration scribbled a sentence. Then, sprinkling it quickly with
sand, he folded the paper, and was about to seal it, when a light tap
sounded on the cabin-door.
"Come in," said the Earl quietly, holding the sealing-wax to the
flame, and without troubling to turn.
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