such a place, Alick," asked my
father.

"I think not, sir," I answered. "I have a chart with the soundings on
it, and I am sure I can run into the inlet in the day-time; and it will
not be dark at seven, when we get there."

No further objection was raised to my plan. Just before the time set
for reaching the point off the inlet, all hands were on the lookout for
it. From my chart I learned that the inlet, on account of the shifting
sand, had moved to the southward about a quarter of a mile. For a
considerable distance on each side of the narrow channel leading into
the inlet and river, there were breakers, such as we had seen on the
coast of North Carolina, and at various points south of it.

Washburn was the first to discover the opening, and point it out to me.
I looked on the shore for a couple of wrecks whose positions were laid
down on the chart; but I could not find them. The shoals were caused by
the sand brought out of the inlet by the current of the river. The bar
changed with every storm; but I could plainly see the channel, for its
waters were less disturbed and broken by the rollers from the sea.

"It looks a little risky," said Washburn, shaking his head.

"I think not; the tide will be high in about an hour, and that will
give about eight feet and a half on the shoalest places," I replied. "I
don't think we are drawing over eight feet now."

"Eight and a half, sure. We might scrape over the bottom an hour from
now; but we shall stick as sure as we run into that narrow channel. The
worst place is just on the edge of the breakers."

"Sail on the port bow, sir," said Ben Bowman.

It was a small schooner, which I thought might be a fisherman. She was
headed directly for the narrow channel. As we were nearly up with the
opening, I rang for the engineer to stop and back her. But the little
schooner had to beat up, and as she was still about two miles off, I
was soon tired of waiting for her. I rang to go ahead again, and headed
the Sylvania in a direction to intercept the schooner. A few minutes
brought us within hail of her.

"Schooner ahoy!" shouted Washburn.

[Illustration: "'Schooner ahoy!' shouted Washburn." _Page 122._]

"On board of the steamer!" replied the skipper of the craft.

"Where are you bound?" demanded the mate.

"Into New Smyrna. We have been out fishing."

"When did you leave the town?"

"This morning, at four o'clock. Be you the steamer that tried to get
into the inlet yest