e way of making a fortune. I told him that the
owner was determined to get rid of the ship, though I only meant to say
that he intended to pass her over to the government. At any rate, Percy
believed she was for sale, and he smuggled himself on board of her. He
was not discovered till we were under way; and we had to take him with
us."

"What became of this Percy Pierson?" asked the detective.

"We brought him off with us when we fought our way out of Mobile Bay.
Off Carisfort Reef light we put him on board of a schooner belonging to
Nassau; and that was the last I know about him."

"But I hope he is not in Nassau now," said Mr. Gilfleur.

"I don't believe he is, for his brother was doing his best to get him
into the Confederate army."

"You must keep your eyes wide open for this fellow, Mr. Passford," added
the skipper earnestly. "If he should recognize you, our enterprise would
be ruined."

"I don't believe there is the least danger of that, for I am a
different-looking fellow from what I was two years ago. But I will look
out sharply for him, and for his father."

"We had better speak nothing but French between ourselves, and break up
our English when we are obliged to use it," Mr. Gilfleur concluded, as
he returned the basket of provisions to the cuddy, and locked the door.

The board was put down on the mud, and they walked ashore, dry-shod. The
temporary bridge was taken up, and concealed in a mass of mangroves. The
Eleuthera was so well covered up with trees and bushes that she was not
likely to be discovered, unless some wanderer penetrated the thicket
that surrounded her. A gentle elevation was directly before them, so
that they could not see the town.

"We must not walk ten miles in making five," said the detective, as he
produced a pocket compass. "Our course, as I took it from the chart, is
due north, though it may bring us in at the western end of the town."

"Then we can bear a little to the east, though if we get to the town it
will not make much difference where we strike it," added Christy.

The land showed the remains of plantations which had flourished there in
the palmy days of the island. The ruins of several mansions and many
small huts were seen. Cocoa-nut palms and orange-trees were abundant.
After they had walked about a mile, they came upon what had been a road
in former days, and was evidently used to some extent still. Taking this
road, they followed it till they were satisfied th