eleven o'clock in the morning
In fact , when the Captain saw that he was near enough to Morris Island , and before a line of guns , the range of which he did not know , he turned his rudder quickly , and the ship resumed her northerly course , leaving the cruisers two miles to windward of her ; the latter , seeing this manoeuvre , understood the steamer 's object , and began to pursue her in earnest , but it was too late . The _ Dolphin _ doubled her speed under the action of the screws , and distanced them rapidly . Going nearer to the coast , a few shell were sent after her as an acquittal of conscience , but the Federals were outdone , for their projectiles did not reach half-way . At eleven o'clock in the morning , the steamer ranging near Sullivan Island , thanks to her small draft , entered the narrow strait full steam ; there she was in safety , for no Federalist cruiser dared follow her in this channel , the depth of which , on an average , was only eleven feet at low tide . `` How ! '' cried Crockston , `` and is that the only difficulty ? '' `` Oh !