“My lan’ o’ grashus!” whispered the little darky, and then called loudly, “I’se a-comin’, Missy Sylvia.”  And now Sylvia called again.  Back and forth sounded the voices of the two girls, each one moving toward the other, for at the welcome sound of Estralla’s call Sylvia had sprung up and hurried in the direction from which the voice seemed to come.

It was now so nearly dusk that as they came in sight of each other they were like dark shadows.

“Oh, Estralla!  Where is my father?” Sylvia cried as Estralla ran toward her and flung both arms about her little mistress.

“He’s a-waitin’ fer yo’, Missy!  Don’ be skeered; I’se gwine to take keer of yo’.”

“Do you know the way back, Estralla?” asked Sylvia.  “I couldn’t find the fort.”

“No, Missy; I reckon we couldn’t fin’ nuthin’ now, ’tis too nigh dark.  But thar’s a cabin an’ a boat jes’ over t’other side o’ dis san’ heap.  I kin fin’ them,” responded Estralla, turning back.  They walked very slowly, for Estralla wanted to be quite sure that they were going in the right direction, and not until they were in sight of the cabin and the shadowy outlines of the boat did she feel safe.  Then with a sigh of relief she exclaimed: 

“Wat I tell yo’, Missy Sylvia!  Ain’t dar a boat, like what I said?  An’ don’ yo’ know all ‘bout a boat?  Course yo’ does.  Now yo’ can sail us right off home.  An’ when yo’ pa comes home ‘mos’ skeered to def, ’cos he cyan’t fin’ yo’, thar’ yo’ll be,” and Estralla chuckled happily as if all their troubles were over.

But Sylvia was not so sure.  Unless there was a sail or a pair of oars the boat would be of little use, and even with oars and sail could she guide the boat safely to Charleston?

They soon discovered that there was a pair of oars in the boat, but there was no sail or tiller.  Sylvia could row, but Estralla could not be of any use.  But it seemed the only way in which they could reach either Fort Moultrie or their home, for both the little girls realized that they might wander about the sand-hills all night without finding their way back to the fort.  It was chilly and dark, and the old cabin with its sagging roof and open doorway was not a very inviting shelter.  Indeed, Estralla was quite sure that a lion, or at the very least a family of wolves, was at that moment safely hidden in one of the dark corners of the cabin.

“The moon is out!  Look!” said Sylvia, “and there goes a steamer.”

Sylvia did not know that this steamer was a guard-boat which Governor Pickens of South Carolina had ordered stationed between Sullivan’s Island and Fort Sumter to prevent, if possible, any United States troops being landed at that fort.

“I can see the fort!” declared Sylvia.  “That’s it off beyond the boat,” and she pointed down the harbor.  “Now, we will start.  I know I can row the boat that far, and I am sure my father will not go home without us.  To-morrow we will send this boat back.”