ow our
heels to either of the gunboats."

Leigh and Monsieur Flambard turned in. The latter slept soundly,
but Leigh went frequently on deck.

"She is doing well," the captain said gleefully, "she is going
fully seven knots an hour. You see, Master Leigh, I still keep to
Captain Martin's terms, and count by knots instead of by leagues.
The tide is giving us another two knots. I reckon that, at the rate
we are going, we shall keep it pretty nearly down to the mouth of
the river. Seven and two are nine, and as I have just been looking
up the chart, and as I find that it is but thirty-seven from the
village where we started, we shall do it in five hours at the
outside.

"The river is wide at the mouth, and by heading south directly we
get there, and running so for a couple of miles before we put
straight out to sea, there will be no chance whatever of our being
seen. Once away, we shall of course lay a course inside the islands
till we are off Finisterre; then we can either strike out into the
Channel, or coast along as far as Cape la Hague, and thence sail
straight for Poole. But there is no occasion to discuss that, at
present."

Satisfied with the assurance of the captain, Leigh turned in again
at two o'clock, and this time slept soundly. When he awoke the
motion of the vessel told him he was at sea, and he saw that it was
broad daylight. Leaping off the sofa, he saw by his watch that it
was eight o'clock, and he was speedily on deck. The mate was in
charge.

"The captain turned in half an hour ago, sir. Do you wish him to be
called?"

"Certainly not. Where are we now?"

"We are just passing between the island of Oleron and the
mainland."

"Oh, yes, I see. When I came down, of course we saw it from the
other way; and I did not recognize it, at first. So we managed to
get past Cordouan without being seen?"

"Yes, we rounded the south point of the river before six o'clock,
laid her head southwest for an hour and, just as it became light,
changed our course north and passed three miles to seaward of the
tower. They doubtless supposed that we were coming up from Bayonne.
At any rate, they paid no attention to us."

"The wind is blowing pretty strongly."

"Yes, sir, we should have had a rough tumble of sea if it had been
from the west, and should have had to lie up under shelter of the
island; but as it is blowing right off shore, it is just about the
right strength for us, and we shall make a quick run of