aid Christy, as the bowmen
hauled up the boat on the beach.

"It is as quiet as a tomb in this vicinity," replied the engineer, as he
led the way to the shore.

"Now, my men, haul the boat out of the water. I think we need not use
any of our small force as boat-keepers, for we can hardly spare them for
this purpose, Mr. Graines," Christy proceeded very promptly.

"It does not look as though the boat, or anything else, would ever be
molested in this lonely locality," replied Graines, as the men lifted it
from the water.

"Now carry it back about half a cable from the shore," continued the
principal of the party. "If one or two strollers should happen this way,
they would not be able to put it into the water, though four men can
carry it very easily."

The whaleboat was borne to a spot indicated by the lieutenant, and left
as it had been taken from the surf. Everything in it was arranged in
order, so that it could be hastily put into the water if circumstance
demanded a hurried retreat from the scene of operations. Near the spot
was a post set up in the sand, which might have been one of the corners
of a shanty, or have been used years before by fishermen drying their
nets or other gear.

"Do you see that post, my men?" asked Christy, as he pointed to it, not
twenty feet from the spot where the boat had been deposited.

"Ay, ay, sir!" the seamen responded, in low tones, for they had been
warned not to speak out loud.

"That will be your guide in finding the boat if we should get
scattered," added the officer. "Now, do you see the two stars about
half way between the horizon and the zenith?"

"Ay, ay, sir!" answered Weeks, the oiler. "The Band of Orion."

"Quite right, Weeks," added Christy. "Fort Morgan lies about west of
us; and a course from there in the direction of the two stars will bring
you to the coast and the boat. Every man must act for himself to some
extent, and you are expected to be prudent, and use your own judgment.
It will not be safe for us to keep together, for a dozen men seen all at
once would be likely to awaken suspicion."

"If there is not a crowd of men over by the fort, we can hardly expect
to avoid coming together," suggested Weeks, who proved to be a very
intelligent man, with excellent judgment.

"I cannot tell whether or not we shall find any gathering of men in the
vicinity of the fort," replied Christy. "We shall be obliged to govern
ourselves according to circumstances. If y