As soon as it was quite dark the anchor was hauled up, and Vincent and Dan took the oars, the wind having now completely dropped.

For some time they rowed steadily, keeping the land in sight on their right hand.
Tony was most anxious to help, but as he had never had an oar in his hand in his life, Vincent thought that he would do more harm than good.
It was, he knew, some ten miles from the mouth of the York River to Fortress Monroe, at the entrance to Hampton Roads, and after rowing for three hours he thought that he could not be far from that point, and therefore turned the boat's head toward the sea.

They rowed until they could no longer make out the land astern, and then laying on their oars waited till the morning, Vincent sitting in the stern and often nodding off to sleep, while the two negroes kept up a constant conversation in the bow.
As soon as it was daylight the oars were again got out.

They could clearly make out the outline of the coast, and saw the break in the shore that marked the entrance to Hampton Roads.

There was a light breeze now, but Vincent would not hoist the sail lest it might attract the attention of someone on shore.