omless blue
of the midday sea, with the white marblings from the bow wave, never
ceased to draw Mac's gaze. Down in its depths the red jelly-fish went
sailing past, and from there, too, came the terrified flying-fish,
which went winging away out to the beam, glittering in the bright sun.
The rumbling of the ship's engines filled the air with a sleepy
monotone; and Mac was hard put to keep awake. From his cool perch he
looked down on snowy awnings stretching fore and aft, though here and
there through openings he caught glimpses of mens' bare bodies as they
lay sleeping on deck, and of horses' heads hanging low with half-closed
eyes. The other signaller on duty was buried behind the flag-locker,
probably intending that it should be thought that he was busy putting
away the flags used in the last hoists, though that might have been
finished a full hour ago. The officer of the watch took an occasional
turn the length of the bridge, and now and then rang down to the
engine-room for one more or one less revolution per minute; while the
quartermaster periodically put the wheel a few spokes this way or that
to keep the ship in station with the vessel ahead.

Mac had certainly drifted away to places other than the bridge of a
ship in the Indian Ocean, when he was speedily brought back to the
present by a vigorous poke in his ribs. He turned hurriedly; and the
officer of the watch with perfect clearness conveyed to him by a jerk
of his thumb, and a quizzical expression, that the flagship was making
a general signal. Mac shoved up the answering pennant, roused the
other drowsy signaller, and elicited the information that the New
Zealand ships would anchor 1 1/2 miles S.S.E. of Ras Marshag at 17.50.

Mac looked ahead and saw the jagged blue outline of land above the
horizon. Towards four o'clock the heads awoke from their siestas, and
the signallers were kept busy. The forms on the decks below also
commenced to stir, whistles sounded, and soon hoses and brooms were
busy cleaning the horse-boxes. Half-naked men were at work with
brushes and combs in the narrow spaces between the animals; and others
poured cooling streams of water about their legs. Feeding time came
with an excited whinnying, snorting and trampling, while the men stood
along the deck in front with a long line of feed boxes. Then there was
a whistle and a chorus of neighing. The men went forward and attached
the boxes. Comparative silence followed, whil