he boat keeping way with the Greek brig, which still
glided slowly ahead, till he began to lose his patience, and at last he
grew alarmed at the non-arrival of his commander. Could any treachery
have been practised? he thought, and had Fleetwood's generous boldness
led to his destruction? He longed to penetrate the intention of that
dark mass ahead of him, which lay rolling uneasily, as the glassy swell
at long intervals heaved noiselessly under her keel, as it glided
onwards. He remembered, too, all the suspicions which had been
entertained of the craft, and he longed to pull alongside, and to demand
what had become of his captain. But he had been directed to remain
where he was till his return, and he was too good a disciplinarian not
to obey orders. The gig, he believed, was still alongside, with the
people in her, but it was so dark, it was difficult to make that out.
He had almost resolved to send Tompion in the second gig to ascertain
this, when he heard the splash of oars in the water, and his doubts were
soon after relieved by the return of Captain Fleetwood.

"I have kept you some time, gentlemen," said the captain. "But I have
gained some important information to guide our proceedings. Now give
way and follow me."

The boats were soon on board, and hoisted in, and during the night a
breeze from the northward springing up, the _Ione_ continued her voyage
to Cephalonia, which it was expected she would make during the course of
the day. The forenoon watch had just been set, and the officers were
going to breakfast, when the look-out at the mast-head, who had just
gone aloft, hailed the deck to say that there was an object on the lee
bow, floating deep in the water, but he could not distinguish what it
was.

"What does it look like, though?" asked the first lieutenant.

"It's more like a boat bottom up, or a thick piece of timber, than
anything else," was the answer; "but I think it's a boat, sir."

"It's not worth while going out of our course to ascertain," observed
Linton.

"I am not so certain of that," exclaimed Saltwell. "It may be part of
the wreck of the _Zodiac_. At all events, I shall inform the captain."

He accordingly went into the cabin, and on his return the ship was kept
away, and Captain Fleetwood came on deck.

"Aloft there, can you see it now?" hailed Mr Saltwell.

"Yes, sir, we're steering right for it, and I make no doubt it's a
boat."

The brig was making good way throug