“Keep it up till we catch sight of her again,” suggested Calvert. “I believe there are no more bridges between us and Wiscasset.”
Some three or four miles were passed at high speed, when they reached a portion of the river which opened a view of still greater extent. They saw two small sailboats at a distance, and a little steamer puffing northward, but nothing of the Water Witch.
“You may as well slow down,” remarked the detective, who, guarding a match with his hands behind the wind-shield, proceeded to light another cigar.
“What do you make of it?” asked Alvin, turning his head, as the pace became slower than before.
“We have passed the other boat; she is behind us instead of in front.”
“What shall we do?”
“For hiven’s sake don’t go back,” protested Mike. “Ye might find her—and then what would become of ye?”
The detective now gave his view of the situation.
“If we should turn round and find that boat, those on board would know we were looking for them. We don’t wish to give that impression, at least for some time to come. While we were going in one direction and they in another, they challenged us to a race. Any two boats might have done the same in the circumstances. We have to accept defeat and that’s all there is to it.”
Calvert looked at his watch.