“If that one-masted schooner ever got in,” said Phœnix, “she’d let them know there was something wrong with us, for she must have seen or heard us blowing off steam.” “I don’t know about that,” said Chap, “for before I turned into my sick-bed, the vessel was pretty well out of sight. We were going in opposite directions, as well as I could make out.” “That was because she was sailing against the wind, and had to make long tacks,” said Phœnix. “Do you suppose I didn’t know that?” asked Chap, drawing himself up in such an erect position that a great lurch of the vessel nearly threw him off his feet. “We might as well make the best of it,” said Phil, “and have a good time. In a couple of days we will be in Savannah, and when we have telegraphed home, everybody’ll be all serene, if they are not now.” “Your head’s level, Phil,” said Chap. “Let’s go and explore the ship.” On the breezy deck of the steamer, none of the boys felt in the least degree sea-sick, and they went about in high spirits. The purser, a good-natured man, took them in charge, and showed them the engine-room and various parts of the vessel, but it was not long before he gave them a piece of information which nearly took their breath away. In answer to an inquiry in regard to the time at which they might expect to reach Savannah, the purser told them that the vessel could not stop at that port at all. The captain of the tug-boat had been right in saying that this was a Savannah steamer, but she had been temporarily withdrawn from that line, and was now bound for Nassau, in the Bahamas. “When will we get there?” asked Chap. “Can we telegraph from Nassau?” “We shall reach Nassau in about four days,” said the purser, “but there is no cable from those islands. You will have to carry the news of your safety yourselves when we bring you back to New York.” “Can’t we send a letter?” asked Phil. “Not any sooner than you can come yourselves,” said the purser, “for we shall bring back the mail from Nassau to the United States.” “And how long will it be before you get back to New York?” asked Phil. “I don’t know just how long we shall lie at Nassau,” said the good-natured purser; “but I think it will be ten or twelve days before we are in New York again.” “Won’t we meet some ship that will take us back or carry a letter?” asked Phœnix. “I can’t say,” replied the purser. “The captain will do what he can for you, but I don’t know that he will have a chance of putting you on board a northern-bound steamer, or of sending news of you to your friends.” [Illustration] CHAPTER III. “A CONTINENT BEFORE US.” It was very hard for the boys to get their spirits up after the news they had just heard. “Ten days before our folks hear from us!” ejaculated Phœnix. “That’s simply dreadful! They’ll give us up long before that time.” “We will find them all in black when we get back,” said Chap, with a doleful face.