ne,
had passed to the south with a prize, and Rhett's first course was laid
along the coast in that direction. Two or three days of search in the
creeks and inlets failed to reveal any sign of the buccaneer, however,
and much to the relief of the impatient Mr. Curtis, they put about for
Cape Fear on the eighteenth. The progress of the fleet up the coast was
slow. Constant rumors of pirates were received, and every hiding place
on the shore was examined as they went along.

Bob and Jeremy, wild with suppressed excitement, could hardly brook this
delay, for, as they warned the officers of the expedition repeatedly,
there was every reason to expect that Bonnet would leave the river soon,
if he had not gone already. For this reason the _Indian Queen_ went on
in advance of the others and patrolled the waters off the headland for
four days, until Rhett should come up.

On the evening of the twenty-sixth he made his appearance and as there
was still light they decided to enter the river-mouth. The tide was just
past flood. Rhett's flagship, the _Henry_, nosed in first over the bar
and was followed by the _Sea Nymph._ The great, deep-draughted _Queen_
advanced to within a few lengths of the entrance, but the soundings
showed that even there she had only a fathom or two to spare, and would
certainly come to grief if she adventured further. As it was, even the
lighter sloops ran aground fifteen minutes later and were not launched
again till nearly dawn. Captain Ghent had anchored the big ship as close
in as he dared and she sat bow-on to the channel-mouth. Her two consorts
were in plain sight a few hundred yards inside. Rhett came back during
the night in a small boat and held a council of war with Curtis, Ghent
and Job Howland. He reported that a party of pirates in longboats had
come down river during the evening to reconnoitre, but had beat a
retreat as soon as they had seen the _Henry's_ guns.

It was decided about half the crew of the _Queen_ should be added to the
force of men on the two sloops, while the big vessel herself was forced
to be content with standing guard off the entrance. This was a bitter
blow not only to Mr. Curtis, but to Job and the boys, who had looked
forward to the battle with zest.

Bob and Jeremy had been ordered to bed about midnight, but they rose
before light, in their excitement, and sunrise found them in the bows
with Job, watching the long point of sand behind which they knew the
pirates lay