"What! you are thinking of going away already."
"Yes, General, business must be attended to; as soon as my cargo of cotton is on board I shall be out to sea again. I was fortunate enough to enter the bay, but the difficulty is in getting out again. The 'Dolphin' is a good ship; she can beat any of the Federal ships for speed, but she does not pretend to distance cannon-balls, and a shell in her hull or engine would seriously affect my enterprise."
"As you please. Captain," replied Beauregard; "I have no advice to give you under such circumstances. You are doing your business, and you are right. I should act in the same manner were I in your place; besides a stay at Charleston is not very pleasant, and a harbour where shells are falling three days out of four is not a safe shelter for your ship; so you will set sail when you please; but can you tell me what is the number and the force of the Federal ships cruising before Charleston?"
James Playfair did his best to answer the General, and took leave of him on the best of terms; then he returned to the "Dolphin" very thoughtful and very depressed from what he had just heard.
"What shall I say to Miss Jenny? ought I to tell her of Mr. Halliburtt's terrible situation? or would it be better to keep her in ignorance of the trial which is awaiting her? Poor child!"
He had not gone fifty steps from the governor's house
