Harbor and Bay, and out through the Narrows, past Sandy Hook and Fire
Island.

The route to Cuba is _down_ the Bay. To attempt to make the journey by
the Sound route is to go a good day's journey out of the way, so it
never entered the heads of the officers on the cutter that the _Silver
Heels_ would start for Cuba by any such out-of-the-way route.

Putting off from the Battery, which is the extreme lower point of New
York city, they steamed up and down the Bay, looking out for their
prize.

The _Silver Heels_ did not put in an appearance, however, and after
waiting about three hours, the officers decided to go up the East River,
and intercept the vessel while she was still in the river.

The night was dark, and the river full of shipping, but every craft that
approached was carefully inspected, and still no _Silver Heels_ was
discovered.

After several tedious hours of waiting had been passed, the officers
decided to steam up to the wharf and find out what had happened to the
ship.

On reaching the pier it was learned, to the consternation of the
marshals, that the _Silver Heels_ had cleared nearly four hours before,
and had been towed up the Sound, instead of down the Bay.

With such a start as that it was felt to be useless to attempt to
overtake her, and the marshals left the cutter, and returned to their