ated that
his little plan was not working as well as he had expected, and Mrs.
Vincent and Bessie saw that Captain Gauley and Mat were becoming very
anxious.

On the tenth day after the arrival of the Caribbee, Mat Mogmore, who
had been on shore, returned with a letter, directed, in a strange hand,
to Captain Gauley. He opened it in the cabin. It contained but a few
lines, which he read and then hastened upon deck, leaving the letter on
the table. The rattling of ropes and the flapping of sails were
immediately heard; and it was plain to Bessie that the vessel was
getting under way.

"I wonder what is to be done now," said Mrs. Vincent, coming out of her
state-room.

"I don't know. Captain Gauley read the letter which lies on the table,
and then hurried on deck," replied Bessie.

"A letter!" exclaimed Mrs. Vincent, who was continually on the lookout
for news; for she was hardly less a prisoner than Bessie.

She took it from the table, and without hesitation opened it.

"It is from my husband," said she, glancing at the signature. "Things
are going wrong with me, and you will sail for Australia without me,"
she read, "the moment you get this letter. Keep things as before, and
_do not let any one leave the vessel_. If you don't do this, my only
chance is lost. Be careful, for they are after you. I shall get the
money, and go to Australia by steamer from England, and shall probably
be there before you."

"Then we are actually starting for Australia!" exclaimed Bessie, with a
deep sigh.

"I suppose so."

Bessie went into her state-room and wept bitterly, as all hope deserted
her. She cried, and she prayed, and then endeavored to reconcile
herself anew to her situation. The sails were hoisted, and the Caribbee
was standing out to sea.

Captain Gauley was at the helm, and Mat Mogmore was at his side,
talking with him about the prospect.

"If he wrote a letter at all, he ought to have told us all about it,"
said Mat, disappointed at the meagreness of the news from Dock.

"He says things are going against him."

"And he says they are after us; but he don't say who, nor what," added
Mat. "I would like to know what has gone wrong, and who is after us."

"Do you see that schooner on the weather bow?" said Captain Gauley,
pointing to a trim-looking craft. "She has an eye on us, and we must
give her a wide berth. She came about just now, and is running across
our fore-foot."

"That's the yacht, as true as I live