trying to make it out now that I bought the Skylark with the
money taken from the letter," answered the skipper, as he proceeded to
give the substance of the conversation with the squire and Captain
Chinks.

"Then the captain is going to Bar Harbor--is he?" laughed Mr. Hines. "I
hope he will go. I may want to use him there."

"Are you going to Bar Harbor, sir?" asked Bobtail.

"That's where we are bound."

"But I am not a pilot beyond Sedgwick. I have been there, but never to
Mount Desert," said the skipper.

"No matter, my lad; I'm a pilot to Bar Harbor, and it's quite time you
learned the way there," replied Mr. Hines. "Now get ready as fast as you
can, Bobtail, and don't say where you are going or who is going with
you; for I don't believe Captain Chinks would go to Bar Harbor if he
expected to meet me there."

The skipper purchased some provisions and stores for the yacht, which
Monkey had sailed up to the wharf at the head of the harbor, as he had
been instructed to do. Bobtail sent word to his mother that he should
be gone two or three days, and went on board. But his passengers did not
appear, and he waited impatiently for them. Captain Chinks was loafing
about the wharf, and Bobtail concluded that this was the reason they did
not come. The captain was evidently curious to know who were to go in
the Skylark. After waiting half an hour, a boy brought a note to the
skipper. It was from Mr. Hines, desiring him to sail at once, and to
stand up towards North-East Point. He obeyed his written order, and
beyond the point, a boat with his passengers came off from the shore.
Mr. Hines and the deputy sheriff went below, so as not to be recognized
by any persons in the boats which were sailing about in the vicinity.
The skipper laid his course for the northern point of Deer Island, and
the Skylark went off flying on her cruise.

"I began to think you were not coming," said Bobtail to Mr. Hines, who
sat near the cabin door.

"We couldn't get on board at that wharf without being seen by everybody;
and Captain Chinks was watching us," replied the custom-house official.
"Mr. Philbrook drove us round to the point, where we got a boy to bring
us off. Are there any boats near you, Bobtail?"

"Not a single one, sir. There is a lot of mackerel catchers half a mile
to the southward of us, and the Portland steamer is coming round the
point."

"All right," said Mr. Hines, taking a seat in the standing-room opposite
the ski