"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.