Christy still retained the wheel,
while Graines was putting everything in order forward and in the waist,
after setting the sails.
"Send French aft to take the wheel, Mr. Graines," called Christy, as the
engineer came aft to see the main sheet.
This man, who was the captain of the forecastle, one of the most
important and best-paid of the petty officers, hastened aft to relieve
the chief of the expedition, who went to work with his own hands when
the exigency of the service required.
"Make the course south-west, French," said Christy, as he abandoned the
wheel to the petty officer.
"South-west, sir," repeated the seaman.
"Can you make out the Bellevite, Mr. Graines?" asked he, as he met the
engineer on the quarterdeck.
"I have kept a sharp lookout for her, Mr. Passford, but I have not seen
her yet," replied Graines, as he looked earnestly in the direction in
which the schooner was headed.
"If Captain Breaker received my message sent by Weeks, the ship must
have taken a position somewhere below the entrance to the channel, and
that is about four miles south of the fort, and out of the reach of any
of its guns," added the lieutenant.
"There are half a dozen of those fog banks floating about near the water
in that direction, and she may be there," replied Graines, as he took a
spy-glass from the brackets in the companion.
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