“My boy,” he cried, “you could have the coat if I had another here to put on! A button? Of course! And the quarter, too! Take it—keep it!”
He cut a button off his coat, and gave it to the boy, together with the quarter. The bundles were taken aboard, and soon the Fox was speeding out of the harbor, bound eastward.
“I am well satisfied now,” said Frank, “that the White Wings did not come down the bay.”
It was midday, and they ate on board the launch. As they were passing Lime Island they saw a schooner that was running in from the Eastern Bay. Frank directed Dustan to run close to the schooner, and he hailed the vessel, asking if the captain had seen anything of a sloop yacht named White Wings.
“Ay, ay,” was the answer. “Sighted such a schooner off the southern end of Deer Isle about nine o’clock. Made out her name after she passed.”
“Thunder!” cried Hodge, excitedly. “We’ve struck the trail at last!”
Diamond was excited.
“Which way was she headed, captain?” shouted Frank.
“Sou’ by sou’wes’, sir,” was the answer. “I reckon she was makin’ for Green’s Landing or the Reach.”
“Thank you, captain.”