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Carleton and we will take it," suggested Sylvia, and then she told him Uncle Peter's news: that the President was sending ships to the aid of the fort. "That is great news," said the Captain; "if it is only true we may keep the fort for the Union." Within the hour of their arrival Sylvia and Estralla were on their way home.
"Probably Estralla is there before this, and they will be looking for me," she thought, and climbed another sandy slope, expecting to see the houses and barracks directly in front of her. But she found herself facing the open sea, and look which way she would there was only shore, sand heaps and blue water. But Sylvia was not at all alarmed.
Fulton hastened home thinking it possible that Sylvia might be in her own room. No one paid any attention to the little colored girl in the faded blue cotton gown who wandered about the paths and around the summer-house. Estralla noticed two of the older girls talking together, and heard the taller one say: "Well, wherever she is, she needn't think we will ever take back one word.
It seemed a very long time before the front door opened, and Estralla reached out and clutched at the brown cape. Noiselessly they crept up the stairs, Estralla leading the way. It was she who opened the door of Sylvia's room, and then with a whispered "Yo'se all right now, Missy," closed it behind her. Sylvia hung up the brown cape in the closet, and slipped off her dress.
Robert Waite asking him to remain at home until Mr. Waite arrived. "What is the matter, Father?" Sylvia asked. "He isn't coming to take back Estralla, is he?" "No, of course not, child. It is trouble over the forts," responded her father. And in a short time Mr. Waite arrived. But he was not smiling this morning. He was very grave and serious.
When Estralla brought the hot water the next morning she found a very sober little mistress.
A party of soldiers, headed by Captain Carleton, had started to search for her on Sullivan's Island, but this had not been determined upon until late in the evening, at about the time when Estralla and Sylvia were embarking upon their adventurous voyage to Fort Sumter. No one had given a thought to the little darky girl. She was supposed to be somewhere about the fort.
"Uncle Pete he say as de soldiers at Fort Sumter mus' be gettin' hungry," said the little colored girl. "I wish you and I could take Captain Carleton some of these cookies," responded Sylvia. "If you was black like I is we could go a-sailin' right off to de fort in plain daylight," said Estralla. Sylvia sprang to her feet so quickly that she nearly upset the plate of cookies. "Could we?
She awoke early, before Estralla appeared with the usual pitcher of hot water and to light the fire in the grate, and in a moment was out of bed and at her desk. She opened the envelope very carefully, expecting to see the pictured face of her kind friend smiling at her, But there was no picture.
She helped herself to the rich creamy chocolate and the little frosted cakes, and then curled up on a broad couch near the window with a book full of wonderful pictures. The pictures were of a tall man on horseback, and a short, fat man on a donkey. "The Adventures of Don Quixote," was the title of the book, and after Grace began to read she entirely forgot Sylvia, Estralla, and Mrs. Carleton.
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