rim, it
would not bear thinking of, and we could only hope and pray for the
best. Having by this time obtained all the light which it was possible
to gain on the matter, we prepared to return to the _Virginia_, Don
Manuel eagerly accepting Smellie's invitation to accompany us. But
before doing this, there lay before us the melancholy task of burying
poor Pedro's body, and with the aid of half a dozen men from the gig
this was accomplished as speedily as possible, after which the house was
shut up, and we hastened down to the boat and made the best of our way
back to our ship.

Poor Smellie behaved most admirably under the very trying circumstances.
That he was fearfully agitated and anxious, I, who knew him so well,
could easily see; but with a determination and firmness of will which I
heartily envied he resolutely put aside all other considerations and
devoted all his energies to the solution of the problem of what it would
be best to do. We were a silent and thoughtful party as we wended our
way back to the ship; but once there, the skipper promptly led the way
to his cabin and informed Don Manuel and me that he had decided upon a
plan of action.

It was exceedingly simple. He was, he said, more firmly convinced than
ever that the _Black Venus_ would sail that night. The weather was
clear and fine, the barometer high; and we might therefore reckon with
certainty upon the springing up of the land-breeze shortly after sunset.
This breeze would be a fair wind _out_ of the river; but so long as it
lasted no ship could re-enter against it and the strong current.
Smellie's plan, therefore, was simply to go outside as soon as the
evening mists gathered sufficiently to conceal our movements, and there
await the _Black Venus_, trusting to the speed of the _Virginia_ and our
own manoeuvring to enable us to get promptly alongside her.

The plan looked very promising, and it was adopted. The messenger was
at once passed, and the ship hove short; after which we awaited with
such patience as we could muster for the gathering of the mist. At
length, about seven p.m., the anchor was tripped, and the _Virginia_
glided gracefully out of the creek to seaward, under topsails, jib, and
boom mainsail. We knew almost to a hair's-breadth the course which the
_Black Venus_ must steer for the first seven or eight miles after
clearing Shark Point, and Smellie placed us right across this track,
jamming the vessel close upon a wind an