neighborhood of Travers' plantation. The men engaged in that night's
bloody business, would have been compelled to carry it out under many
obstacles; they would be delayed by consternation at the discovery of
their dead leader lying on the sand, and by their lack of knowledge
regarding the interior of the house on the summit of the bluff. Quite
likely also this lack of a guide would result in an alarm, and
consequent struggle, perhaps even in the serious injury of some among
them before they secured possession of the money, and the girl. In any
case it must have resulted in delay. Convinced of this, and confident
that I was already well in advance of them, I drew in as closely as I
dared to the dim outline of shore, and studied it carefully, in an
endeavor to learn my exact position.

Although the sloop in its voyage up the Bay had never been out of
sight of this coast, had indeed skirted it closely all the way, yet my
memory of its more prominent landmarks was extremely vague. I had made
no effort to impress them on my mind. Therefore at first I could
identify nothing, but finally, out of the grotesque, shifting shadows,
dimly appearing against the slightly lighter sky beyond, there
suddenly arose, clearly defined, the gaunt limbs of a dead tree,
bearing a faint resemblance to a gigantic cross. I recalled that Sam
had chanced to point this out to me on our upward voyage, and this
glimpse obtained of it again now told me exactly where I had made
shore. This peculiar mark was at the extremity of the first headland
lying north of the point itself, and consequently a straight course
across the Bay, would land me within five hundred yards of where the
_Namur_ had last been seen at anchor.

To a degree my immediate plan of action had been definitely mapped
out within my own mind while toiling at the oars. At least I had