274 A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 



" Vassilli, nye govorit," ^ hissed Miss Curtis fiercely ; 

 and Vassilli, who had a wholesome awe of our 

 "Artist Mees," as he called her, subsided into the 

 crowd. 



But just then something occurred which took our 

 attention away from the Prokopchuks. Captain Ello 

 called us up on to the bridge to look at a faint smudge, 

 which might have been smoke, on the northern horizon. 

 The English steamers ! Our hopes immediately rose 

 high. Presently a second wreath appeared beside the 

 first, and we were jubilant. But when a third came 

 into view, we became suspicious, and soon, to our 

 disgust, the whole northern horizon was dotted with 

 smoke puffs. What we had seen was nothing more 

 than the birth of a flock of little cumulus clouds from 

 the surface of the Yenesei. One by one they floated 

 away into the sunset, and as they rose, our spirits 

 sank. 



We went below, and invited Marusia and her 

 brother to supper in the saloon. It was not a cheerful 

 meal. The young Prokopchuks were silent and de- 

 pressed. We were uncertain about our future plans, 

 and were besides full of anxiety as to what was 

 happening at home. Suddenly the captain called 

 us again : " Ship in sight ! " Upstairs we rushed, 

 binoculars in hand. Yes, there was not a shadow of 

 doubt this time. On the horizon, just where we had 

 seen the first " smoke wreaths," were two vessels. In 

 the glamour of the sunset, they seemed to be uplifted 

 above the water, and float in the air like the wraiths of 



1 Do not talk ! 



