th of water was three or four fathoms close up to this part
of the island. The soundings indicated that the steamer was as near
as it was prudent to go in the dense fog. Christy was sure that the
privateer's crew could not have gone any farther to the eastward by this
time, and the screw was stopped, while all hands made an anxious use of
their ears to detect any sounds that came from the shore. But nothing
could be heard at first, and Mr. Blowitt again intimated that they were
engaged in a "wild-goose chase." But he had hardly uttered this cooling
reflection before Beeks came aft to report that a number of pistol
shots, as he thought they were, had been heard in the distance.

"Nobody can tell what they mean," said the sceptical Mr. Blowitt. "They
may be a part of the affair we heard going on soon after we left the
ship."

"In what direction were the shots, Beeks?" asked Christy.

"They sounded as though they were about half a mile or less to the
westward of us," replied the quartermaster.

"Blow the whistle in short blasts, Beeks," added Mr. Blowitt, who seemed
to have gathered a little faith from the report of the quartermaster.

The order was obeyed, and Beeks again reported that pistol shots had
been heard from the westward. The third lieutenant was in a hurry to
have the business finished, for he felt confident that the Bellevite
would soon be engaged in an affair of more importance than picking up
a couple of score of prisoners. He ordered the steamer to come about,
and move to the westward; but after she had been under way about five
minutes, he rang to stop her, and then sounded the whistles again.
Several pistol shots responded to this signal. Again he started the
screw, and pointed the bow of the Teaser squarely to the north.

The steamer moved very slowly, and two men sounded all the time till
they reported "by the mark two," when there could not have been more
than three feet of water under the keel of the vessel. The screw was
stopped and backed so that she might not run upon any shoal place ahead
of her, and the officers waited with interest and anxiety for further
action on the part of the party on shore. By this time no one doubted
that there were men on this part of the island; but whether they were
the crew of the privateer or not was yet to be proved.

"Steamer, ahoy!" shouted some one on the shore.

"On the island!" replied Christy, as he was instructed to do by his
superior.

"What steame