"You have not given me the course, sir," replied the coxswain, as he obeyed the order.
"North-northeast," added Christy, as he settled back in the stern sheets.
No one was allowed to speak in the boat, and the lieutenant set the example of silence. But he kept his ears wide open, though the little noise made by the oars and the rippling of the water prevented him from hearing anything at first. It was so dark that one could hardly see another in the boat. It was in vain that Christy watched in the gloom for the glow of a light; for all was nearly total darkness in every direction.
In about half an hour they began to hear the sounds which had attracted their attention on the island, and they proceeded from directly ahead, indicating that the operations, whatever they were, came from the entrance to the sound. The workmen were not likely to hear the approach of the boat while they were making so much noise themselves. In addition to the sounds they had heard before, they recognized the noise of escaping steam.
This last discovery made it certain that a steamer was there, though the listeners could not know whether it was the Teaser or not. Both of the officers of the expedition, in the uselessness of their eyes, made the best use they could of their ears. Christy listened to ascertain if there was more than one steamer present. In a whisper he asked Flint to consider this question. There was no doubling of the sounds to indicate more than one steamer.
For ten minutes more Christy listened and was silent; but he was doing some very heavy thinking, for by this time the boat was very near the scene of operations, if it could be a scene in that dense darkness. Every sound, even to the speech of the men, could be distinctly heard. Still nothing could be seen, and Christy knew that there was a point of nearness where something could be discerned even in any gloom of night. He permitted the boat to continue on its course, till he could very dimly make out an object ahead.
"Way enough," he whispered to Beeks.
The coxswain raised both hands, and made a gesture with them, which was the signal for the men to cease rowing. The sounds were now more tangible. Occasionally there were a few raps with a hammer, but the most of them were the orders of the person in charge.
"I don't believe there are more than a dozen men there," whispered Flint.
"More than that, I should say; but even if there are two dozen, it is all the same. Take off the mufflers from the oars, Beeks," continued Christy. "Then give way with a will, and run for whatever may come in sight."