ed his vessel on account of the quarrel
rather than for any other reason."

"We need not bother our heads with that question, for it does not
concern us; and we will leave the captain and his mate to fight it out
when they meet to-morrow, for it is plain enough that the West Wind
cannot go to sea with no mate and only two hands before the mast,"
returned Christy, who was hastening forward to discharge what he
considered his first duty thus far developed by the events of the night.
"What time is it now, Charley? I have a watch, but no matches."

The engineer's cigar had gone out when he lighted it before, and he had
put it in a pocket of his sack coat. Putting it in his mouth, he struck
a match, and consulted his watch.

"Quarter of one, Christy; and we have plenty of time," he replied as
he lighted his cigar; for he thought it would help him to maintain his
indifference in whatever event might be next in order.

"But we have no time to spare," added the lieutenant, as he increased
the rapidity of his pace. "Our five pairs of men must have readied the
vicinity of the fort before this time, for we have had a long conference
with those spreeists."

"About an hour and a half; and the information we have obtained will
fully pay for the time used."

"No doubt of it; and we must hurry up in order to make a good use of
it," said Christy. "The fog is lifting just now, as it has been doing
all the evening, and we can see the fort. There are very few people
about; for it cannot be an uncommon event to see a blockade-runner get
under way."

It was not probable that any of the persons in sight were soldiers, for
they had abundant opportunity to see all there was to be seen within the
solid walls that sheltered them. The rapid pace at which the lieutenant
led his companion soon brought them to the group of people near the
shore of the channel leading to Pilot Town. The five pairs of seamen
were well scattered about, as they had been instructed to be, and they
did not appear to have attracted the attention of the others in the
vicinity.

Pair No. Three were the first of the party the officers encountered, and
no others appeared to be near them. One of them was smoking his pipe,
and both of them were taking it very easily. Not far from them was a
knot of men who seemed to be disturbed by some kind of an excitement.
As the couple encountered manifested no interest in the affair, Christy
concluded that they must know something