CHAPTER VI.
A QUEER CHRISTMAS-DAY.
All night long the Nancy Bell sailed back and forth within sight of the light that marked the mouth of the river.

Soon after day-light a pilot-boat was seen approaching her in answer to the signal which was flying from the main rigging.

As the boat ran alongside, a colored pilot clambered to the deck and declared it did him good to see a big schooner waiting to come into the St.Mark's once more.
"Uster be a plenty of 'em," said he to "Captain Li," "but dey's scurcer'n gole dollars now-adays, an' I'se proud to see 'em comin' ag'in." By the time breakfast was over and the Elmers came on deck, they found the schooner running rapidly up a broad river, between wide expanses of low salt-marshes, bounded by distant pine forests, and studded here and there with groups of cabbage palms.

The channel was a regular zig-zag, and they ran now to one side and then far over to the other to escape the coral reefs and oyster bars with which it is filled.

This occupied much time; but the breeze was fresh, and within an hour they had run eight miles up the river, and were passing the ruins of the old Spanish Fort of St.Mark's.