He discharged this duty very faithfully; and
before he reached his objective point he was confident he could draw a
map of the region, with what information he had obtained before, which
would meet the requirements of Captain Breaker.
"What's that?" demanded Graines, suddenly placing his hand on the arm of
his companion, and stopping short, as they were approaching the crown of
the elevation.
A fire was burning on the ground in a depression of the surface, which
doubtless concealed its light from persons in the vicinity of the fort,
if there were any there. Around it could be seen four men, as the two
officers looked over the crest of the hill, who appeared to be engaged
in eating and drinking; and they were doing more of the latter than of
the former, for the bottle passed very frequently from one to another.
"It looks like a bivouac on the part of those fellows," said Christy in
a low tone.
"But who and what are they?" asked Graines.
"They may be deserters from Fort Morgan, though if they were they would
hardly bivouac so near it," replied Christy, who did not seem to his
companion to be at all disturbed by the discovery of the men. "They are
more likely to be sailors from some intending blockade-runner at anchor
off the point, who have come on shore to make a night of it; and they
appear to have made considerable progress in the debauch.
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