-day?" asked the spokesman
of the pilot.

"Not to-day," I answered, perceiving what it was that bewildered the
pilots. They had evidently seen the Islander, and supposed the
Sylvania was the same steamer.

"We came out here after a steamer we heard whistling in the fog,"
continued the speaker. "We got near enough to hail her; and if this is
not the same steamer, she is as near like the other as one pea is like
another."

"She is the twin sister of this vessel. Did you see who was on board of
her?" I inquired.

"I saw no one but the captain, and he said he was bound south, and was
not going into St. Augustine."

"Did he tell you where he was bound?"

"He didn't say a word about it, but kept on his course."

"Good-day," I added, as I told Hop to ring the speed-bell.

We filled away again, and were soon going through the water at our
former speed. The pilot-boat was almost swamped in the heavy sea, and I
have no doubt her crew were a little out of sorts after coming out for
a vessel and getting nothing for their pains.

"That's good as far as it goes," said Washburn, when we were on our
course again. "We are sure now that the Islander has not gone into
port."

"And we are sure the Islander is not a great way ahead of us," I added.

"Just seven miles," replied the mate, glancing at the log-slate. "I
could stick a pin in the chart at exactly the point where she is."

"But it may be that Captain Blastblow has not blown his blast entirely
in vain, and may have been able to get more speed out of the Islander
than anybody else has," I suggested.

"But the pilots said she was only half an hour or so ahead of us. She
got off at least an hour ahead of us; and if we have not been gaining
on her, she ought to be about ten miles ahead," argued Washburn. I was
willing to accept his logic, for we had been over the reasoning times
enough to understand the case in precisely the same way.

"The fog is lifting, sir," reported the second engineer, who was doing
voluntary duty on the top-gallant forecastle.

This was agreeable news, and all hands directed their gaze to the point
where the Islander was believed to be. The gale was increasing in force
every moment. Though I had no fears for the safety of the vessel, I
knew how fearfully so small a steamer as the Sylvania leaped and rolled
in a heavy gale, and I was not a little concerned about the comfort of
my passengers. We had had a very thorough trial of her pitching and