"I don't know. He seems to have slipped away after the first two or
three shots."

"I suppose he considered the two or three enough. Look, Harry! The
ship is turning! The cannon have driven her off!"

He was right. The Star of the West, a small steamer, unable to face
heavy guns, had curved about and was making for the open sea. There was
another tremendous shout from the crowd, and then silence. Smoke from
the cannon drifted lazily over the town, and, caught by a contrary
breeze, was blown out over the sea in the track of the retreating
steamer, where it met the black trail left by that vessel's own funnel.
The crowd, not cheering much now, but talking in rather subdued tones,
dispersed.

Harry felt the chill down his spine again. These were great matters.
He had looked upon no light event in the harbor of Charleston that day.
He and Arthur lingered on the wall, watching that trailing black dot on
the horizon, until it died away and was gone forever. The blue figures
on the walls of Sumter had disappeared within, and the fortress stood up,
grim and silent. Beyond lay the blue sea, shimmering and peaceful in
the wintry sunshine.

"I suppose there is nothing to do but go back to Madame Delaunay's,"
said Harry.

"Nothing now," replied St. Clair, "but I fancy that later on we'll have
all we can do."