d blow with the oar.

"In any case," calmly interposes the skipper, "we may be thankful for
getting away from them."

"Yis, Capting," says Seagriff, his face still wearing an anxious
expression, "ef we hev got away from 'em, the which ain't sartin yit.
I've my fears we haven't seen the last o' that ugly lot."

While speaking, his eyes are fixed on the canoe in an earnest,
interrogating gaze, as though he sees something to make him uneasy.
Such a thing he does see, and the next instant he declares, in excited
tones, "No! Look at what they're doin'!"

"What?" asks the Captain.

"Sendin' up a signal smoke. Thet's thar trick, an' ne'er another."

Sure enough, a smoke is seen rising over the canoe, quite different from
that previously observed--a white, curling cloud more like steam or what
might proceed from straw set on fire. But they are not left long
conjecturing about it, ere their attention is called to another and
similar smoke on the land.

"Yonder!" exclaims Seagriff. "Thar's the answer. An' yonder an'
yonder!" he adds, pointing to other white puffs that shoot up along the
shore like the telegraphy of a chain of semaphores. [Note 2.]

"'Tair lookin' bad for us now," he says in undertone to the Captain, and
still gazing anxiously toward the shores. "Thar's Feweegins ahead on
both sides, and they're sure to put out fur us. Thet's Burnt Island on
the port bow, and Cath'rine to starboard, both 'habited by Ailikoleeps.
The open water beyant is Whale-boat Soun'; an' ef we kin git through the
narrer atween, we may still hev a chance to show 'em our starn. Thar's
a sough in the soun', that tells o' wind thar, an' oncet in it we'll get
the help o' the sail."

"They're putting out now," is the Captain's rejoinder, as through his
glass he sees canoe after canoe part from the shore, one shooting out at
every point where there is a smoke.

When clear of the fringe of overhanging trees, the canoes are visible to
the others; fifteen or twenty of them leaving the land on both sides,
and all making toward the middle of the strait, where it is narrowest,
evidently with the design of heading off the boat.

"Keep her well to starboard, Capting!" sings out the old sealer, "near
as may be to the p'int o' Cath'rine Island. Ef we kin git past thet
'fore they close on us, we'll be safe."

"But hadn't we better put about and put back? We can run clear of them
that way."

"Cl'ar o' the canoes ahead, yis! But not o'