From the southwest a fresh wind arose and swept clean the blue heavens; and, with the early sunbeams sparkling on the ripples of the tide, the canoes darted on toward the river's mouth. A heron flew up from the marshes suddenly, and sailed over our heads on its strong white wings. As I watched it dip out of sight in the river far beyond us I caught sight of another gleaming wing that slowly unfurled itself toward the sky. Touching the padre's arm, I pointed to it. "A sail!" he said. Our canoes quickly sought the curve of the shore and crept with caution toward the unknown vessel. "It can scarcely be the Habana ship," murmured the padre, "for the _Virgen de la Mar_ was at anchor in the harbour when we left San Augustin, and ere morning the storm had risen, so she would hardly have ventured forth to sea." "There are other vessels carrying sail that ply between the fort and these coast islands. We came from Santa Catalina aboard one of them," I whispered. "Yes," said the padre, "but this is too large." He paused for some moments, and then added: "Do you see the long, straight lines of her hull, and the square stern? This is no Spanish galley, but a frigate of English build." "'Tis the _Carolina_!" I exclaimed, "'tis the _Carolina_!" "Oh! the blessed, blessed English ship!" sobbed the good dame. Then all energies were bent to reach her, for it was plain that she was making ready to leave her anchorage. "If we could only signal to those on board!" I cried. "Loose your neck-kerchief, Barbara, and wave it--wave it in the sunlight!" "We are too close to the shore," the padre said. "She can scarce distinguish us until we strike out into the open." "But how plainly we can perceive her crew! And see the stir upon the decks--are they not drawing up the anchor? Oh, Padre Felipe!" I cried piteously, "wave to them! signal them! or they will leave us after all!" The friar rose carefully to his feet; he, too, was heartily glad of this chance to be rid of his charges, and in no mind to let it slip by. With Barbara's white kerchief in his hand he was about to make another effort to attract the notice of the _Carolina_, when suddenly he glanced over his shoulder toward the land, his hand fell quickly to his side, and he dropped back into his seat with an exclamation of dismay. One of the Indians rose immediately, and with shaded eyes gazed along the beach as it stretched away southward to San Augustin. He gave a grunt of acquiescence and sat down, and the motion of the paddles ceased. "What have you seen?" I cried in agony, struggling also to my feet. We were so near the river's mouth--almost upon the blue waves of the ocean rolling out to the shining east! Under the lee of the northern shore lay the English ship; and south of us the coast spun out its gleaming line of sandy beach away, away back to the prison we had left. But what were those dark forms that swarmed the sands?