not rapidly, but sufficiently to make it certain, while yet we were a
mile offshore, that we would easily make the river entrance, if such was
his intention. But evidently not so, for he now ordered the gig ready
for lowering and had Mr. Cunningham's strong-box brought on deck.

"Shall I also take that package you spoke of?" asked Mr. Cunningham.

"Surely. It is ready in my room." And he went below and came up with it,
a great beribboned and bewaxed envelope, saying, "Deliver it when the
time comes, Gad. Or wait, let Miss Shiela do it," and handed it to her
instead.

She blushed vividly and placed it in her portmanteau. "Thank you, sir,"
she said.

I had difficulty in keeping my eyes off her, even though I was again
acting as first officer of the _Bess_, and my first duty just now was to
keep an eye on the two ships and render judgment as to their intentions.

"That fellow to the south seems to have decided to bid up for the
Savannah River entrance on the next tack, sir," I reported.

"Yes." He was busy with the Cunninghams and spoke absently, though it
was also likely that he saw better than I did what the man-o'-war would
be at. "That's good. Let him stretch that tack all he pleases."

"Then we are not to stand in yet, sir?"

"Not yet, not till the northerly fellow comes into stays. We'll tack
then, but not for the river."

The frigate to the north came into the wind, and as she did we wore ship
and stood up; not a great divergence from our old course, but enough to
make them think we might yet come about and try for the open sea. The
ship to the south of us took notice then and came into the wind, and
while they were hanging there we eased off and headed straight for the
white beach to the north of the river.

Both ships, after the loss of some minutes in irons, once more filled
their sails and made straight for our wake. Now they seemed to say,
"Another half-mile on that leg and you won't make either the river or
the open water."

As we neared the white shore an inlet opened up before us. "There's
something, Gad, no chart will show you," observed Captain Blaise.
"There's a channel, carved round an island since the last government
chart was plotted. They're doing some puzzling aboard those war-dogs
now, I'll warrant. They're thinking we're going to beach and abandon
her, I'll wager."

The _Bess_ held straight on. It was an inlet which went on for half a
mile or so before turning obliquely to the north.