Clinch did not say any thing; but he thought the captain had not much encouragement to consult his first officer, who had done nothing but object and protest when he did any thing.
“I suppose he had made up his plan; but he hasn’t said any thing to me about it,” continued Gregory. “He has put the Frisbones on board of the wreck, and sent off all the vegetables we had on board. We may get the scurvy for the want of them. Now we are as fast here as though we were aground.”
“What are we waiting for?” asked Clinch.
“I don’t know. Don’t I keep saying the captain don’t tell me what is going on?” snarled Gregory, as though he were anxious to find a sufficient cause for getting up a mutiny.
And so the day wore away. In the evening the fog lifted; but nothing could be seen of the two schooners, for they were far on their way to Madeira. But O’Hara was not quite satisfied to undertake such an enterprise as had been agreed upon, until it was no longer possible to confer with the vice-principals of the squadron. As the night was clear, he decided to run for three hours to the south-west, and return if he found nothing of the rest of the fleet. At midnight, when the steamer was over forty miles from the Castle William, nothing could be seen of the lights of the Josephine and Tritonia; and, very unwillingly, he ordered the Ville d’Angers to be headed to the north-east. After a run of less than three hours, the wreck was readily found, for lights were exhibited on board as before she lost her masts. Raymond, who was in charge of the deck of the Ville d’Angers, hailed the wreck, and was answered by Mr. Frisbone. The wind was freshening, but the sea was tolerably smooth.
O’Hara was still up, though he had taken a little nap, and directed the steamer to be run as close as possible to the hulk; and a small line was heaved to her deck by Shakings. With this the heavy hawser of the ship was drawn over the stern of the steamer, where it was made fast. While the boatswain was attending to the securing of the hawser, O’Hara and the Prince had some talk about the condition of the sick. They were all comfortable; and Mrs. Frisbone had worked out a revolution in the state of things between decks. The captain laughed when the Prince said he had been at work whitewashing since he came on board.
When the hawser was ready, O’Hara gave the order to go ahead; and the steamer started on her voyage to England.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE WINE-ROOM OF THE VILLE D’ANGERS.
THE VILLE D’ANGERS had been under way hardly an hour when the quartermaster in the pilot-house struck eight bells; and the first part of the port-watch was called to relieve the second part of the starboard. Gregory was the officer of this division, as Raymond had been of the last.
“North, half east,” said Raymond, giving the course to his successor in charge of the vessel.