lgrum. He believed that the Bronx was to hasten to the Gulf,
as the former course indicated. It was plain enough to Lillyworth that
the captain was disregarding his instructions; but his lips were sealed
in regard to this disobedience, for he could not indicate in any manner
that he knew the purport of the sealed orders; and doubtless it did not
occur to him that the deaf mute had been blinded, in addition to his
other infirmities. The course was given out to the quartermaster at the
wheel. The steamer promptly fell off, and began to ride quartering over
the smart billows, brought out by the wind from the south-southwest, as
it had blown for the last hour or more.

Christy believed that he had put everything in train for accomplishing
the mission of the Bronx on the new course he had just ordered. There
were no more orders to be read, and he did not see that the conspirators
could do anything more to derange the plans of the loyal officers and
seamen on board. All they had attempted so far was to obtain information
in regard to the movements of the vessel; and Christy had taken care
that they should receive all the information they wanted, though not as
reliable as it might have been. He was satisfied with the situation as
it must remain till some decided event should call for energetic action.

The captain and the two ward-room officers in his confidence were
obliged to conduct themselves with the utmost caution and discretion in
order not to undo anything which had been done in blinding the eyes of
the conspirators. Christy had an abundance of writing to do, and it was
of a kind that would not betray any of his secrets; he called upon
Mulgrum to do this work, in order to keep up appearances. He did not
call any more conferences with his friends in the cabin, for there was
no need of any, and entire silence was the more prudent.

The Bronx proceeded on the course the captain had given out until the
twentieth of the month, when the steamer was a little to the southward
of the Bermudas. She had not been near enough to the islands to be made
out from the shore. On this day, when the Bronx was three days from
Sandy Hook, the fog which Mr. Lillyworth had been predicting settled
down on the steamer, not as dense as it might be, but thick enough to
prevent those on board of her from seeing anything at any great distance
from her. The second lieutenant, in charge of the deck, suggested to the
captain that the whistle should b