she was off Sandy Hook. Mr. Watson and Mr. Gayles
arrived a day earlier, but did not deem it prudent to commence the
search till the next day, fearful that the Caribbee might slip away
before the yacht arrived; but they were not idle. They visited all the
small ports in the vicinity; but Captain Gauley kept the vessel away
from any harbor.

Constable Cooke could not settle his mind in regard to the letter in
his pocket, and he kept it there till the day after the examination.
Mr. Watson and Mr. Gayles had both neglected, and even snubbed him.
They did not ask his advice; they did not employ him to assist in the
search. They had gone off without him, and he saw no chance to make any
money with the information in his possession. If Mr. Watson wanted Mr.
Gayles to do his business for him, he might employ him. Mr. Cooke
enclosed the pencilled note, directed it, and then mailed it in
Gloucester.

Mr. Watson commenced his search in the steamer he had engaged for the
purpose. He went a dozen miles up North River, examining every vessel
in the stream, passed down the bay, through The Kills, up Newark Bay,
through Staten Island Sound to Amboy, scoured Raritan Bay and River,
without success, and thus used up the first day of the search. The next
day--that on which Mat Mogmore went to the city and brought off the
letter--she followed East River to Throg's Point; ran into Harlem
River, Flushing Bay, and all the inlets, examining the Long Island
shore as far as Rockaway, but with no better results than on the
preceding day. Off Coney Island she spoke The Starry Flag. The captain
of the steamer was confident that the Caribbee was not in the vicinity;
it was more probable that she had come through the Sound, and put into
Cow Bay, or some other waters beyond Throg's Point; and the steamer
returned to the city, to renew the search on the third day.

Captain Gauley changed his anchorage every day or two. On the first day
he had been behind Coney Island, but had moved over to a point south of
Staten Island that evening, and thus, by accident, escaped discovery.

Mat brought the letter to him, and the Caribbee went to sea instantly;
but it was only to encounter The Starry Flag, lying in wait for her.
The quick eye of Levi immediately recognized her, and his orders to
come about were given in sharp, quick tones. He was excited; Bessie was
almost within hail of him; indeed, he saw her standing on deck, with
Mrs. Vincent and the children.