Grace watched her admiringly.
"I believe you could steer in the dark," she declared.
"Of course she could if she had a compass and was familiar with the
stars," said Mr. Fulton; and he called Grace's attention to the compass
fastened securely near Sylvia's seat, and explained the rules of
navigation.
"Is that the way the big ships know how to find their harbors?" asked
Grace, when Mr. Fulton told her of the stars, and how the pilots set
their course.
"Yes, and if Sylvia understood how to steer by the compass she could
steer the Butterfly as well at night as she can now."
Sylvia looked at the compass with a new interest; she was sure that
navigation would be a much more interesting study than grammar, and
resolved to ask her father to teach her how to "box the compass."
There had been many changes at Fort Moultrie since Sylvia's last visit.
A deep ditch had been dug between the fort and the sand-bars, and many
workmen were busy in strengthening the defences, and Sylvia and Grace
wondered why so many soldiers were stationed along the parapet.
Captain Carleton seemed very glad to welcome them, and sent a soldier to
escort the girls to the officers' quarters, while Mr. Fulton went in
search of Major Anderson. Sylvia wondered if she would have a chance to
tell Mrs. Carleton that she had safely delivered the message.
Mrs. Carleton was in her pleasant sitting-room and declared that she had
been wishing for company, and held up some strips of red and white
bunting.
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