“I think that is not the steamer you have described,” said Mr. Lowington, in heavy tones; for he was very sad at heart.
“I don’t think it is, myself,” added the vice-principal. “This one has only two masts, if I mistake not. She is a very fast sailer though.”
For half an hour longer all hands watched the approaching steamer, which left a long line of dense black smoke for miles astern of her. It was settled that it was not the Ville d’Angers, for she was rigged as a topsail schooner. She was a very jaunty-looking craft, with raking masts, and smoke-stack; and she cut her way through the water like a fish, creating hardly any commotion in the waves around her. Outside she was painted a shining black, while inboard she was milk-white. Her rigging was hauled taut, and every thing about her was as neat and ship-shape as on board a man-of-war.
“That is not the Ville d’Angers; but, as she comes down from the north-east, she may have seen her,” said Mr. Lowington, putting away his glass, which was no longer needed to observe the approaching craft.
“She is so trim and taut, I think she must be a man-of-war,” added Mr. Fluxion. “She looks like one of our smaller gunboats. I see she has the American flag at her peak.”
“She carries a private signal at her foremast head,” continued the principal, taking his glass from the brackets on the companion-way. “Can you make it out, Mr. Fluxion?”
“It blows out straight from us, so that I cannot see the letters upon it.”
“Young gentlemen, can you make out the letters on the private signal of that steamer?” asked the principal, turning to the students, who were as much interested in the new-comer as the faculty were.
“I have it, sir,” replied one of the sharp-eyed students, who had been studying this signal for some time. “It is an arrow, with the word ‘Marian’ above, and an ‘R’ below it.”
“Then it is not the Ville d’Angers, nor a man-of-war,” said Mr. Lowington very sadly. “I hoped it might be the latter, at least; for she would have been more likely to be able to give us some information in regard to the missing vessel.”