Captain Vesey and Pearl Hawlinshed seemed to be holding a consultation. Dory imagined that Pearl was trying to persuade the captain to venture in among the rocks. If so, he was not successful; for the Missisquoi did not come any nearer to the ledge. "What is she going to do next, Dory?" asked Corny Minkfield, while the boys were waiting for the next move of the steamer. "That's more than I know," replied Dory, chuckling at the success of his plan. "I think Captain Vesey had enough of getting aground yesterday, and he don't want to spend the day laid up on one of these ledges. I believe the steamer would go over Champion Rock all right; but her captain is shy, and I don't think he will come any nearer than he is now." Dory had headed the Goldwing to the east. As he had predicted, the wind was increasing, and the schooner carried quite a bone in her teeth. It looked a little like a game of chess, where each player has to wait a long time for the other to make his move. The captain and his passenger appeared to be still engaged in the discussion in the bow of the boat. Dory thought he could quicken their movements; and, hauling in his sheets, he stood to the south. "There she goes!" exclaimed Thad, as the steamer started her propeller again. "I think we can keep her moving," replied Dory. "She will go to the southward as fast as we do, to head us off. We can play this game as long as she can." "But who wants to stay here all day fooling with that steamer?" said Corny. "I don't know that we have any thing better to do," added Dick Short. "We have got enough to eat to last us all day." "I think we shall have some variety in this thing. Captain Vesey has to deliver the Missisquoi to her new owner to-night, and he can't stay here much after noon," replied Dory. In fifteen minutes the steamer was well to the southward of Champion Rock, and began to turn to the eastward. "She is coming around to pick us up on this side of the rocks," said Thad. "That's all right, but she won't pick us up," answered Dory. "I am afraid it will get very monotonous before she overhauls us by her present tactics." Dory put the boat about, and stood to the north. He continued on this tack until the Missisquoi was directly south of Stave Island, and of both ledges, which were in a line with the island. She had gone half a mile farther to the southward than was necessary to avoid Champion Rock; but her pilots were not well posted, and they seemed to be determined to keep on the safe side. The skipper waited until the steamer was half a mile to the eastward of the ledges, and then he proceeded to beat across the dangerous ground. He took a southerly tack first, so as to bother the pilot of the steamer as to his intentions. The Missisquoi kept on her course, and Pearl was evidently bothered.