had reached the first bend in the river. Once past that there would be no hope of rescuing the Queen. The Buccaneers were again training their cannon on the approaching yacht, this time with a more determined aim, and Tommy, as he stood manfully at the helm, felt for the first time that he had been beaten, and for the safety of the ladies aboard the yacht he should keep out of range of the next shot. Quickly throwing over the helm, he allowed the yacht to head up into the teeth of the wind, and gave up the chase. Hardly had the yacht changed her course before there was a flash and a boom from the deck of the

, and a big shot plowed through the water only a few feet astern, drenching King Tommy with a sheet of spray. But for this quick maneuver, the

would un­doubt­ed­ly have been hit be­low the water line and sunk.

When the Buccaneers now saw that the chase had been abandoned they waved their hats and shouted in wildest glee, and the next minute, reaching the bend in the river, were lost to sight behind the overhanging trees.