The guns were repeated every half-hour as before; and it was evident that the two vessels were coming nearer together. The rain had ceased, but a thick fog had settled down upon the ocean, and concealed the two craft from each other. But the captain could not sleep, weary as he was, in his anxiety about the wreck to windward of the Tritonia. He went on deck. The gun sounded as though the vessel in distress was not more than a mile distant. There was no gun on board of the schooner, or he would have used it to inform the sufferers that assistance was at hand. The Tritonia had tacked several times in the heavy sea; and, after the captain came on deck the second time, he had ordered the addition of a close-reefed mainsail to the vessel, for the wind seemed to have abated a trifle. “I see her!” shouted the lookout forward. “Where away?” demanded the fourth master, springing upon the rail of the vessel, ready to get into the fore-rigging. “Sharp on the weather-bow.” “I see her,” added Richards, as he made out the dim outline of the craft in the fog, which had lifted a little as if to reveal the presence of the sufferer. “She is a steamer!” shouted Richards, as he jumped down upon the deck, and hurried aft as rapidly as the uneasy motion of the Tritonia would permit. He reported to the first lieutenant the position of the steamer; and immediately all the officers leaped upon the rail, and looked intently to windward to obtain a view of her. “What do you make of her, Mr. Greenwood?” asked Capt. Wainwright, who was of course too dignified to leave the quarter-deck. “She is a steamer, barkentine rig. She is heeled over to port, with her stern settled deep in the water,” replied the first lieutenant. “Down from the rail!” shouted the captain. The order was repeated by the officer of the deck, and the momentary panic caused by the appearance of the wreck gave place to the usual order on board of the schooner. The captain sent the fourth master to call Marline; and this old salt was greatly surprised when he learned what had been done while he slept. “How do we happen to be headed to the nor’ard, captain?” asked he, after he had glanced at the compass. “We have been working to windward for the last four hours in search of this vessel, for we heard her signal-guns at two bells in the morning watch,” replied the captain, with a smile at the blank look of astonishment on the face of the boatswain. “Mr. Primback desired me to confer with you as soon as you came on deck.” “Why was I not called before?” “I thought it best not to disturb you after you had been all night on deck.” “And you were on deck all night also.” “I was; but I was called at two bells. I propose to lie to under the lee of the steamer, and send a boat on board of her as soon as practicable,” continued the captain. “What do you think of that idea?” “I don’t think much of it,” replied the old sailor bluntly. “Do you think of sending a boat on board of the wreck at once?”