noon, noon
Four men from the yacht 's boat jumped on board the destroyer and hauled hers up . The other was backed to the ladder and they came on board . A silent salute passed between Oscarovitch and the lieutenant , and a few minutes later the yacht 's boat was hoisted to the davits , and the white shape was growing smaller and dimmer amidst the light haze that lay on the water shimmering under the slanting rays of the rising sun . Morning grew into noon , noon faded into evening , and evening darkened into night . The yacht ran into a wide-opening gulf between two forest-clad points , on the southern of which twinkled the lights of a large town . These were soon left behind by the flying yacht , and as a vast sea of fleecy cloud drifted up from the north-east and spread its veil across the path of the half moon , a little cluster of lights gleamed out on the port bow . Her bowsprit swerved to the left till it pointed directly to them .