Capt. O’Hara could not reconcile himself to the sound of the bell; but he thought, as had been suggested, that the condition of the atmosphere might alter the tone of the Tritonia’s bell. He concluded that the schooners had fallen off their course as the wind veered, and the Ville d’Angers had run ahead of them. This was the only explanation he could give; and, in the absence of a better one, it satisfied him for the time. The firemen did their duty now, though Shakings showed himself to them once in a while so that they need not forget him. Every thing seemed to be going well on board, and a sharp lookout was kept for the rest of the fleet ahead. The bell to the northward sounded more and more distinctly as the steamer advanced; and the nearer she came to it, the louder it sounded. “That can’t be the bell of the Tritonia,” said Tom Speers, as he met the captain on the poop-deck. “Begorra, I don’t believe it is!” exclaimed O’Hara, in whose mind the question had been raised anew. “Upon my sowl, it is big enough for a church-bell; and we have come nearer to it than we were when we first heard it.” “It must be some other vessel,” added Speers. “It isn’t a steamer, or she would whistle in such a fog as this.” “No: sure it’s not a steamer; and what the blazes is it?” queried the captain, very much puzzled. “I hope we shall not miss the rest of the fleet.” “I hope not; but, if the schooners stood down to the southward, we have very little chance of seeing them again, unless this fog lifts soon,” replied Speers. “Have you seen Gregory and Clinch since the ship’s company was stationed?” asked O’Hara, suddenly changing the topic of the conversation, though he did not cease to peer into the dense fog ahead. “Neither of them has been on deck since the second part of the starboard watch took the deck,” answered Speers. “Where are they?” “I don’t know. They went into the cabin, and I suppose they are there now. They have a state-room together.” “I don’t quite like the conduct of Gregory, who is the first officer,” added O’Hara, in a low tone. “He took the trouble to tell me he did not approve the arrangement of the watches as I had made it.” “I dare say he will assent to it,” added Tom. “I don’t know him at all, and never served in the same vessel with him.” “He used to be a mighty hard boy at the time he was in the steerage of the Young America; but when he got into the Josephine, he reformed; and Mr. Fluxion believes he has made a man of him. Perhaps he has: I don’t know. If he has, there has been a big change in him.” “Let us hope he will be a good officer while he is on board of the steamer.” “Certainly we will hope so; but it was a bad beginning for him to object to the arrangement of the watches before he had been on board two hours.” “What does he object to?” asked Tom Speers; and he was willing to believe there might be something wrong about the arrangement, for it would not be at all strange if a mistake had been made.