the most intense interest, for
it seemed to him that the critical moment in his enterprise had come.

"Not quite; it will not be full sea for about half an hour," replied the
commander. "If we take the ground, we shall have some small chance of
getting off.--Mr. Dashington."

"On duty, sir," responded the first officer.

"Beeks has the wheel, I believe?"

"Yes; and Thayer is with him."

"They are both reliable men; but I wish you would stand by the helm,
and see that the steamer is headed directly towards the eastern end of
Dauphine Island. That will give us the deepest water till we get to the
spit. Have a man in the port and starboard chains with directions to
sound as fast as possible."

"Mr. Blowitt," called the first officer, "let a hand sound in the port
and starboard chains, and look out for it yourself, if you please."

The second officer went forward and the first officer aft, each to
perform the duties assigned to him by the captain. The speed of the
Bellevite had been reduced, and she was going along at a very easy rate.
The tug was some distance beyond Fort Gaines when she was first seen,
and she seemed to be incapable of making more than six knots an hour.

The steamer had taken on board all the coal it was possible for her to
stow away in her bunkers, and a large supply had been put into the hold;
but she had used a considerable portion of it in her rapid passage,
though she had still an abundant supply for her return voyage. The
reduction in the quantity had made her draught somewhat less, and the
owner and captain hoped she would get through the channel.

But the thought had hardly passed through their minds before the
Bellevite came to a sudden stop, and her keel was heard grinding on
the bottom. Mr. Vapoor heard the sound in the engine-room, and felt the
jar; and before any bell came to him, he had stopped the machine, and
reversed it so as to check the steamer's headway.

"Run her back with all the steam you can crowd on, Mr. Vapoor," said
Captain Breaker, as he hastened to the door of the engine-room.

"I don't think she hit the ground very hard, captain," added the chief
engineer.

"No; she will come off. The ground has shifted since I was here last,"
said the captain of the vessel.

But it was half an hour before she yielded to the pressure brought to
bear upon her, and then only because a few inches had been added by the
tide to the depth of water. She went back, and came into depth