The day now rapidly developing, full opportunity was afforded the mariners to survey the strict nature of their position.  To all appearance they were yet in the middle of the lake, for around them lay the belting sweep of forest that bounded the perspective of the equidistant circle, of which their bark was the focus or immediate centre.  The wind was dying gradually away, and when at length the sun rose, in all his splendour, there was scarce air enough in the heavens to keep the sails from flapping against the masts, or to enable the vessel to obey her helm.  In vain was the low and peculiar whistle of the seamen heard, ever and anon, in invocation of the departing breeze.  Another day, calm and breathless as the preceding, had been chartered from the world of light; and their hearts failed them, as they foresaw the difficulty of their position, and the almost certainty of their retreat being cut off.  It was while labouring under the disheartening consciousness of danger, peculiar to all, that the anxious boatswain summoned Captain de Haldimar and Sir Everard Valletort, by a significant beck of the finger, to the side of the deck opposite to that on which still lay the suffering and nearly broken-hearted girls.

“Well, Mullins, what now?” enquired the former, as he narrowly scanned the expression of the old man’s features:  “that clouded brow of yours, I fear me, bodes no agreeable information.”

“Why, your honour, I scarcely knows what to say about it; but seeing as I’m the only officer in the ship, now our poor captain is killed, God bless him!  I thought I might take the liberty to consult with your honours as to the best way of getting out of the jaws of them sharks of Ingians; and two heads, as the saying is, is always better than one.”

“And now you have the advantage of three,” observed the officer, with a sickly smile; “but I fear, Mullins, that if your own be not sufficient for the purpose, ours will be of little service.  You must take counsel from your own experience and knowledge of nautical matters.”

“Why, to be sure, your honour,” and the sailor rolled his quid from one cheek to the other, “I think I may say as how I’ll venture to steer the craft with any man on the Canada lakes, and bring her safe into port too; but seeing as how I’m only a petty officer, and not yet recommended by his worship the governor for the full command, I thought it but right to consult with my superiors, not as to the management of the craft, but the best as is to be done.  What does your honour think of making for the high land over the larboard bow yonder, and waiting for the chance of the night-breeze to take us through the Sinclair?”

“Do whatever you think best,” returned the officer.  “For my part, I scarcely can give an opinion.  Yet how are we to get there?  There does not appear to be a breath of wind.”

“Oh, that’s easily managed; we have only to brail and furl up a little, to hide our cloth from the Ingians, and then send the boats a-head to tow the craft, while some of us lend a hand at her own sweeps.  We shall get close under the lee of the land afore night, and then we must pull up agin along shore, until we get within a mile or so of the head of the river.”