“The chances are, as Mr. Pelham suggests, that the Ville d’Angers will return to Funchal at once; and you had better remain here a few days at least. If the steamer does not appear in three days, I am inclined to think I shall run over to Lisbon, or some other port, where I shall be likely to obtain some intelligence of the missing vessel. If we could get at the ship-news for the last week, we should know whether this steamer had gone into Southampton or not.” “Then I will remain here a short time,” said the judge. “The African mail-steamer is due here in a few days; and she will bring the latest ship-news.” “We have almost taken it for granted that the steamer towing the dismasted vessel was the Ville d’Angers; but we may be mistaken, after all. Any other vessel may have had her side planked up; and it is not a very unusual thing for a steamer to have her bow stove in,” added the principal. But he was hopeful that the vessel described would prove to be the missing steamer; and it removed in a measure a heavy load from his mind. After breakfast the principal and some of the young officers visited the Marian by invitation. In the afternoon Scott and his party visited the quinta of Don Roderigue; and the second lieutenant of the Tritonia felt sufficiently at home there to invite the judge and the doctor to accompany them, for he had been assured that any of his friends would be welcome there. Three days passed away in the enjoyment of the scenery and the hospitalities of Madeira; but the Ville d’Angers did not arrive. CHAPTER XIII. A MUTINY IN THE FIRE-ROOM. As no one could see the Ville d’Angers and the two schooners in the dense fog that settled down upon them after the crew of the steamer had been re-organized, it would be difficult to determine precisely in what manner they were separated. Capt. O’Hara did not start the screw of the steamer until he had stationed his ship’s company in accordance with his instructions given by the senior vice-principal. If there was any fault anywhere, it was in the instructions. Observations had been taken on board of all the vessels at noon, and the course for the Madeira Islands was ascertained to be south-west, half-west; and the two schooners went off in this direction, with the wind from the southward, but veering to the west. O’Hara used up about two hours in stationing his crew, arranging the quarters of the officers and seamen, and in giving his instructions. By this time the Tritonia and the Josephine were a dozen miles on their way, and they looked like white specks on the ocean to the naked eye. The young captain believed that the Ville d’Angers, from what she had done, would sail twelve knots an hour; and at this rate he could overhaul the rest of the fleet in a couple of hours. But the Ville d’Angers was hardly under way before the fog settled down upon her, and shut out the schooners from view.