a passage that narrowed in more than one place to less than
a hundred yards. That would have been the obvious course to take had
we not been afraid of pursuit, had we dared get away by daylight, and
provided I had known the way. As it was I intended to add another
hundred miles to the distance between us and the northern shore of the
lake, by sailing well clear of and around Ukerewe, trusting to the less
frequented water and the wilder islands to make escape easier.

I judged it likely that the moment we were missed, the launch would be
sent off in search of us, and that the Germans would search the narrow
passage first. They would expect us to take the narrow passage, as the
shortest, and depend on their ability to steam a dozen miles an hour to
overhaul us, even should we get a long start on the outside course.

With gaining wind, a following sea, a little ship crowded to
suffocation, and a sail that might blow to shreds at any minute, it was
not long before I began to pray for the lee of Ukerewe, and to stand in
closer toward where I judged the end of the island ought to be than
perhaps I should have done. It was lucky, though, that I did.

In making calculations I had overlooked the obvious fact that, steaming
three miles to our one, the launch could very well afford to take the
outside course to start with. Then they could take a good look for us
in the open water next morning, and, failing to find us, steam all
around Ukerewe, come back down the inside passage, and catch us between
two banks.

It was Lady Saffren Waldon on my left hand, looking anywhere but at her
maid and sweeping the dark waste of water with eyes as restless as the
waves themselves, who gave the first alarm.

"What is that light?" she asked me.

Following the direction of her hand I saw a red glow on the water to
our left, not more than a mile behind.

"Reflection from the burning town," I answered, but I had no sooner
said it than I knew the answer was foolish. It was the glow that rides
above hot steamer funnels in the night.

"Fred!" I shouted, for fear took hold of the very roots of my heart,
"for the love of God make every one keep silence! Show no lights!
Don't speak above a whisper! Keep all heads below the gunwale! That
cursed German launch is after us!"

We were in double danger. I could hear surf pounding on rocks to
starboard. I did not dare to come up into the wind because nobody but
I knew how the spar would hav