every inlet where they would be likely to anchor."

Pedro was awaiting them when they returned to the boat, and was
accompanied by a big negro, who, by the grin on his good-natured
face, was evidently highly satisfied with the bargain that he had
made.

"This is the man, senor," Pedro said. "I met one of the port
officers I know, and he told me that he was considered to be the
best pilot in the island. He speaks a little English--most of the
pilots do, for several of the Virgin Islands belong to your
people--and, of course, when he goes down to the Windward
Islands--"

"The Windward Islands!" Frank repeated. "Why, they are not anywhere
near here."

"I should have said the Leeward Islands, senor. The English call
them so, but we and the Danes and the Dutch all call them the
Windward Islands."

"Oh, I understand.

"What is your name, my man?"

"Dominique, sar. Me talk English bery well. Me take you to any port
you want to go. Me know all de rocks and shoals. Bery plenty dey
is, but Dominique knows ebery one of dem."

"That is all right. You are just the man I want. Well, are you
ready to go on board at once?"

"Me ready in an hour, sar. Go home now, say goodbye to wife and
piccaninnies. Pedro just tell me that boat go off with water in
one, two hours. Dominique go off with him. Me like five dollars to
give wife to buy tings while me am away."

"All right, Dominique, here you are. Now don't you miss the boat,
or we shall quarrel at starting, and I shall send ashore at once
and engage someone else."

"Dominique come, sar, that for sure. Me good man; always keep
promise."

"Well, here is another couple of dollars, Dominique; that is a
present. You give that to the wife, and tell her to buy something
for the piccaninnies with it."

So saying, Frank, George Lechmere, and Pedro stepped on board the
boat; while the pilot walked off, his black face beaming with
satisfaction.

He came off duly with the last water boat, and while the contents
of the barrels were being transferred to the tanks--for now that
the long run was accomplished there was no longer any necessity for
carrying a greater supply than these could hold--Frank had a talk
with him.

"Now, Dominique, this is, you know, a yacht cruising about on
pleasure."

"Yes, sar, me know dat."

"At the same time," Frank went on, "we have an object in view. Just
at present we want to find that schooner or brigantine that put in
here nearly a month ago.