a diagram and a few words
chalked upon the slate Macintyre was soon made to comprehend what Jack
meant, and then they both climbed up and, with considerable difficulty,
arranged themselves in the required position. Then, bracing their
shoulders against the vessel's hull, the two men thrust with all their
might, with the result that the nut suddenly started, and the spanner
fell off, dropping to the bottom of the harbour and leaving the two
operators hanging by the rudder chains. The drop from thence to the
sand, however, was not above six feet--a mere trifle in water--so they
let go, recovered the spanner, and got to work again. Once started, the
nut gave them very little further difficulty, and ten minutes later it
was off and safely buried out of sight in the sand. The propeller,
however, still remained on the shaft, and might quite possibly continue
to remain there for a time, even should the boat get under way; but the
moment that she stopped her engines after once getting under way, or if
she should happen to attempt to go astern, the propeller would at once
slip off and be lost. Three-quarters of an hour from the moment of
leaving the yacht, Jack and Macintyre were safely on board her again,
with their task accomplished, much to the satisfaction of the party.

It was well on toward lunch-time ere the yacht's bunkers were full and
she was able to haul off from the coal hulk, and the greater part of the
afternoon was occupied by the crew in washing down the decks and paint
work, cleaning up generally, polishing brasswork, and restoring the
little vessel to her normal state of immaculate neatness; during which
Jack and the two Montijos took a final run ashore, for it had been
decided that, failing the occurrence of anything to cause an alteration
of their plans, they would leave for Cuba on the following day.

No attempt was made to preserve secrecy as to the yacht's movements;
nor, on the other hand, were the preparations for her departure
ostentatiously displayed. Soon after eight o'clock in the morning a
thin film of smoke was seen to issue from the vessel's funnel, gradually
increasing in density, and it became quite apparent to all who chose to
interest themselves in the matter that the _Thetis_ was getting up steam
in readiness to take her departure. And that she intended to leave
almost immediately was further indicated by the arrival alongside her of
a boat containing fresh water, and other boats conta