Then, hoisting the sail, he put out the larger paddle which answered as a rudder, took his seat, and, waving his hand to Oliver, began his voyage.  The wind was but light, and almost too favourable, for he had determined to sail to the eastward; not for any specific reason, but because there the sun rose, and that was the quarter of light and hope.  His canoe, with a long fore-and-aft sail, and so well adapted for working into the wind, was not well rigged for drifting before a breeze, which was what he was now doing.  He had merely to keep the canoe before the wind, steering so as to clear the bold headland of White Horse which rose blue from the water’s edge far in front of him.  Though the wind was light, the canoe being so taper and sharp at the prow, and the sail so large in comparison, slipped from the shore faster than he at first imagined.

As he steered aslant from the little bay outwards into the great Lake, the ripples rolling before the wind gradually enlarged into wavelets, these again increased, and in half an hour, as the wind now played upon them over a mile of surface, they seemed in his canoe, with its low freeboard, to be considerable waves.  He had purposely refrained from looking back till now, lest they should think he regretted leaving, and in his heart desired to return.  But now, feeling that he had really started, he glanced behind.  He could see no one.

He had forgotten that the spot where they had launched the canoe was at the end of an inlet, and as he sailed away the creek was shut off from view by the shore of the Lake.  Unable to get to the mouth of the bay because of the underwood and the swampy soil, Oliver had remained gazing in the direction the canoe had taken for a minute or two, absorbed in thought (almost the longest period he had ever wasted in such an occupation), and then with a whistle turned to go.  The serfs, understanding that they were no longer required, gathered their things together, and were shortly on their way home.  Oliver, holding Felix’s horse by the bridle, had already ridden that way, but he presently halted, and waited till the three men overtook him.  He then gave the horse into their charge, and turning to the right, along a forest path which branched off there, went to Ponze.  Felix could therefore see no one when he looked back, and they were indeed already on their way from the place.

He now felt that he was alone.  He had parted from the shore, and from all the old associations; he was fast passing not only out upon the water, but out into the unknown future.  But his spirit no longer vacillated; now that he was really in the beginning of his long contemplated enterprise his natural strength of mind returned.  The weakness and irresolution, the hesitation, left him.  He became full of his adventure, and thought of nothing else.