Will selected eight of them and sent them to the stern of the steamer. It was evident that something was to be done, and the students wondered what it was. The captain was not asleep, and it was clear that he was conscious of the perils of the tow. Thad had observed with admiration the conduct of Dory in the former engagements with the Chesterfields and Topovers, and he had strictly obeyed every order without asking a question. He was glad of the present opportunity to distinguish himself, and he hoped to give a good account of himself.
"Mr. Pilot, I wish you would hug the port side of the channel, and get the tow as far as possible from the shoal water," said Captain Glovering, entering the pilot-house as soon as he had given his orders to the first officer. "I wish to stop her as soon as possible."
"I have been doing that, Captain Glovering," replied Dory. "It will be safe to stop her as soon as you give the order."
"Thank you," added the captain, with more politeness than is usual on board of vessels.
Captain Glovering hastened to the stern of the hurricane deck where he could see the tow. Will and his eight hands were on the rail ready to do the duty intrusted to them. The captain called to the pilot to stop her. The order was promptly obeyed, but the headway of the Sylph kept her at the same relative distance from the caisson. Then a few strokes back were called for. The first officer had put fenders over the stern; but the captain did not allow the tow to come in contact with the steamer.
As soon as the caisson was near enough, Will and his party leaped on board of it. The captain had given the order to go ahead before they did so. The steamer straightened the tow-lines, and in a few moments everything was moving on as before. The wind was light from the northwest, and Dory hugged the weather side of the channel; but the Sylph was still half a mile from the nearest point of land at the entrance of the river.
"The captain has done something, but I haven't the least idea what it is," said Oscar, as the tow-lines began to stretch.
"Neither have I, for I have not even looked behind me to see what he was about," replied the first pilot, who never neglected his own duty to attend to other people's business.
"He has put the first officer and eight of the fellows on board of the caisson," added Oscar. "But there are thirty-five fellows in the barges, and the captain don't expect to beat them off with only nine of ours. I wonder he did not send the whole crowd except what are needed to work the steamer."
"Don't be in a hurry to criticise, Oscar," laughed Dory, without even looking out at the rear windows of the pilot-house to see what the captain was about.