the warning note that had appeared in their song, faint, almost buried,
but nevertheless there.

He put the glasses to his eyes a third time. The ship was tacking, but
that was necessary, and it was just as certain as ever that her
destination was the island. Owing to the shifts and flaws in the wind it
would be night before she arrived, but that did not matter to him.
Having waited months he could wait a few hours longer. Likely as not she
was an English ship out of the Barbadoes, bound for the Carolinas. He
must be somewhere near just such a course. Or, maybe she was a colonial
schooner, one of those bold craft from Boston. There was a certain
luxury in speculating on it, and in prolonging a doubt which would
certainly be solved by midnight, and to his satisfaction. It was not
often that in real life one looked at a play bound to develop within a
given time to a dramatic and satisfying finish.

He remained on the crest until late in the afternoon, watching the ship
as she tacked with the varying winds, but, in the end, always bearing
toward the island. He was quite sure now that her arrival would be after
dark. She would come through the opening in the reefs that he and the
slaver had made so hardly in the storm, but on the night bound to follow
such a day it would be as easy as entering a drawing room, with the
doors held open, and the guest made welcome. He would be there to give
the welcome.

He was able to see more of the ship now. As he had surmised, she was a
schooner, apparently very trim and handled well. Doubtless she was fast.
The faster the better, because he was eager to get back to the province
of New York.

Late in the afternoon, he left the hill and went swiftly back to his
house, where he ate an early supper in order that he might be on the
beach to give welcome to the guest, and perhaps lend some helpful advice
about making port. There was none better fitted than he. He was the
oldest resident of the island. Nobody could be jealous of his position
as adviser to the arriving vessel.

This was to be a great event in his life, and it must be carried out in
the proper manner with every attention to detail. He put on the uniform
of an English naval officer that he had found on the ship, and then
rifle on shoulder and small sword in belt went through the forest toward
the inlet.

The night was bright and beautiful, just fitted for a rescue, and an
escape from an island. All the stars had come out to