s still
making eleven and a half knots an hour. I calculated that we had gained
two knots on the Islander, one by taking the shorter course, and one by
outsailing her.

"I think we had better keep her more to the southward," said Captain
Cayo, after he had taken a survey of the horizon, especially in the
southwest, where a pile of clouds seemed to be gathering.

"Why to the southward?" I asked.

"I think the captain of the Islander must see by this time that we are
gaining on him, and that it is only a question of three or four hours
when we shall overhaul her," replied the pilot. "If I were in his
place, I should steer for the Tortugas, and leave you five or ten miles
behind by dodging into some shallow channel. By keeping to the
southward, we shall be in a better position to head her off."

"I see; and we are almost up with the Tortugas. If we keep to the
southward, we shall be right in her course if she attempts to run for
those islands."

"Right you are, Captain Alick," added the pilot, as he changed the
course to due west. "There is a breeze coming up from the southward,
which is quite a regular thing towards night. It will blow fresh for
some hours, just about a whole sail breeze. I think you had better get
your sails set, for the one that uses the wind first will make the
most."

I told the mate to call all hands, and put on every rag of canvas we
could set. Before he had the foretopsail shaken out, the breeze came,
though it was very light. By the time the rest of the sails were set,
it was blowing lively. It was five o'clock in the afternoon, and we
were fairly up with the Tortugas, and at least a mile to the southward
of the Islander. If she attempted to get in among the islands, she must
run across our course, and less than a mile ahead of the Sylvania. We
could easily cut her off.

"She can't get in among those islands now without running into us," I
said, after I had carefully surveyed the situation.

"That is as true as preaching," added Captain Cayo, laughing, when he
saw that the other steamer was checkmated if she had intended to resort
to any stratagem to avoid us. "We may as well put the steamer on her
course for the South-east Pass."

He suited his action to the words. The wind was freshening, and the log
indicated that we were making twelve knots strong. Moses was still
crowding on all the steam the boiler would bear, and I am sure the
yacht never sailed any faster.

At six I estimated