e lowered. The colonel and the
major stared at each other in blank astonishment. "Russian!" they
gasped.

And true it was that the flag that floated at the head of yonder mast
was the blue cross of Russia.

CHAPTER XIV. SENSITIVE NATIONALITY

When the schooner had approached the island, the Englishmen were able
to make out the name "_Dobryna_" painted on the aft-board. A sinuous
irregularity of the coast had formed a kind of cove, which, though
hardly spacious enough for a few fishing-smacks, would afford the yacht
a temporary anchorage, so long as the wind did not blow violently from
either west or south. Into this cove the _Dobryna_ was duly signaled,
and as soon as she was safely moored, she lowered her four-oar, and
Count Timascheff and Captain Servadac made their way at once to land.

Colonel Heneage Finch Murphy and Major Sir John Temple Oliphant stood,
grave and prim, formally awaiting the arrival of their visitors. Captain
Servadac, with the uncontrolled vivacity natural to a Frenchman, was the
first to speak.

"A joyful sight, gentlemen!" he exclaimed. "It will give us unbounded
pleasure to shake hands again with some of our fellow-creatures. You, no
doubt, have escaped the same disaster as ourselves."

But the English officers, neither by word nor gesture, made the
slightest acknowledgment of this familiar greeting.

"What news can you give us of France, England, or Russia?" continued
Servadac, perfectly unconscious of the stolid rigidity with which his
advances were received. "We are anxious to hear anything you can tell
us. Have you had communications with Europe? Have you--"

"To whom have we the honor of speaking?" at last interposed Colonel
Murphy, in the coldest and most measured tone, and drawing himself up to
his full height.

"Ah! how stupid! I forgot," said Servadac, with the slightest possible
shrug of the shoulders; "we have not been introduced."

Then, with a wave of his hand towards his companion, who meanwhile had
exhibited a reserve hardly less than that of the British officers, he
said:

"Allow me to introduce you to Count Wassili Timascheff."

"Major Sir John Temple Oliphant," replied the colonel.

The Russian and the Englishman mutually exchanged the stiffest of bows.

"I have the pleasure of introducing Captain Servadac," said the count in
his turn.

"And this is Colonel Heneage Finch Murphy," was the major's grave
rejoinder.

More bows were interchanged and the c