round to the north side of the islands,
it was a five-miles' run; and it would take her half an hour to do it.

After thinking the matter over for some time, he concluded that his
uncle was using strategy. If he was really going around the islands, he
had left the boats where they could intercept him if he resorted to the
old dodge. He decided not to be caught in any trap, and therefore he
continued on his way to the northward. Ahead of him was Wood's Island,
and he changed his course enough to carry the boat to the leeward of it.

It was getting to be quite dark, and the chase could not be continued
much longer. It was less than two miles to Wood's Island, and he was
soon up with the southern point of it. It was now too dark for him to
see the boats, if they had come through from the bay. Dead to windward
he at last discovered a green light, which he had no doubt was the
starboard signal-lantern of the Sylph.

The steamer was really going around the islands. He watched this light
with deep interest, and in a few minutes he made out the red light.
Both the port and the starboard lights were now to be seen, and this
indicated that the Sylph was coming towards him. But she was nearly
three miles distant, and at present he had nothing to fear from her.

The Goldwing was now up with the cape that extends out from the east
side of the island. For half a mile beyond it, was a shoal of rocks and
sand; so that the steamer could not come within that distance of the
shore until after she had passed this shoal. The coast-line of the
island now trended to the west. Taking another look in the direction of
the steamer, he found he could see only her red, or port, light. This
indicated that she had headed to the eastward, and was going towards the
place where Dory had anchored.

The schooner carried no lights, and it was impossible that those on
board of the Sylph had seen her in the darkness. She had gone in to the
shoals between the large island and the main shore to pick up her boats.
Dory was quite satisfied with the present aspect of his case. The
darkness would fight out the rest of the battle for him.

A quarter of a mile behind the point on Wood's Island there was a bay,
into which he ran the schooner. He hauled the centre-board entirely up,
and then worked the boat as far as he could towards the land. When she
grounded, he lowered the foresail, and made every thing snug on board.
His craft was completely sheltered from t