"Whew!" exclaimed Crockston, "it must have come from the citadel. Let us wait."
A second, then a third shot was fired in the direction of the first, and almost the same signal was repeated a mile in front of the shore-boat.
"That is from Fort Sumter," cried Crockston, "and it is the signal of escape. Urge on the men; everything is discovered."
"Pull for your lives, my men!" cried James Playfair, urging on the sailors, "those gun-shots cleared my route. 'The Dolphin' is eight hundred yards ahead of us. Stop! I hear the bell on board. Hurrah, there it is again! Twenty pounds for you if we are back in five minutes!"
The boat skimmed over the waves under the sailors' powerful oars. A cannon boomed in the direction of the town. Crockston heard a ball whiz past them.
The bell on the "Dolphin" was ringing loudly. A few more strokes and the boat was alongside. A few more seconds and Jenny fell into her father's arms.
The shore-boat was immediately raised, and James Playfair sprang on to the poop.
"Is the steam up, Mr. Mathew?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Have the moorings cut at once."
A few minutes later the two screws carried the steamer towards the principal channel, away from Fort Sumter.
T2
