"
Yet Williamson was on watch, under instructions, and he was a faithful
fellow who meant to do his full duty.
"Seems kinder tough, of course, to be so long out of one's bunk in the
middle of the night," the machinist admitted to himself.
Yet, had his vision been keen enough to know what was happening on shore,
almost directly opposite the "Benson," Williamson would have been
tenfold more alert.
Over there on the shore, in a clump of flowering, semi-tropical bushes,
crouched two men. On the ground with them lay a metal cylinder some two
feet long and seven inches in diameter. There was also a coil of wire
and a boxed magneto battery.
One of the pair held to his eyes a pair of night marine glasses.
Incessantly this watcher kept his gaze focused on Williamson.
About two o'clock in the morning Williamson found it necessary to go
below for a few moments. After reaching the conning tower he paused,
for a few moments, to look keenly all about him.
Yet, look as he would through the night, the machinist's vision could
not see that the bush hidden pair on shore, guessing his intention
from his stop by the conning tower, had silently taken to the water.
With them they towed the metal cylinder, which floated.
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