“I see: I understand you perfectly, Tom, my darlint; and I am much obliged to you for the trouble you have taken to say all this. Give me your flipper! I like you betther than ever, if you are a millionnaire; for it’s a good friend that will point out another’s faults.” “I don’t point out your faults, O’Hara. I am afraid, if I were the commander of this steamer, I should be a little ‘airy;’ and I was dreading lest you might be, though, upon my honor, I haven’t seen any thing of the kind in you.” “It’s moighty aisy y’are on me, Tom; and I believe I have been airy; but, upon my sowl, I’ll never do it again! I like you better than if you had given me the half of your three millions; and I wish you were the captain of the steamer, instead of myself.” “Nonsense, captain! You are ten times as fit to command her as I am; and I am glad it is as it is.” “Whisht!” “Vessel dead ahead!” shouted the lookout, on the jib-boom of the steamer, where the officer of the deck had sent him when the bell began to be heard very distinctly on the forecastle of the steamer. The officer of the deck hastily repeated the cry, and ordered the quartermaster to put the helm hard down. At the same time he rushed into the pilot-house, and rang the speed-bell for the engine to “slow down.” “Can you make her out?” said the captain, gazing into the dense fog ahead. “I don’t see any thing; but we are more than a hundred feet farther from the vessel than the man on the forecastle.” “I will go forward, then,” added O’Hara, suiting the action to the words. Tom Speers saw Gregory and Clinch come out of the cabin, and follow the captain forward, and he concluded to remain where he was; for he was off duty, and he did not care to have the other officers of the steamer regard him as the adviser of the captain, if the commander asked him any questions. The Ville d’Angers slowed down in obedience to the will of the assistant engineer in charge. If the lookout had been less vigilant, the steamer would have struck the vessel ahead square on the broadside, and that would have been the end of her. But Raymond, as the officer of the deck, was always exceedingly careful; and he had spent most of his time at the heel of the bowsprit since the position of the craft was clearly indicated by the sound of the bell. The whistle had been sounded on the steamer at short intervals; and, as it came nearer, the bell was rung more vigorously, so that each vessel had a clear idea of the position of the other. Gregory and Clinch went forward behind the captain, and they could not help being considerably excited over the prospect of some sort of an adventure. But they said nothing to O’Hara; and it was evident from their actions that they were a little “disgruntled.” “I believe O’Hara has lost his wits,” said Gregory, in a prudently low tone. “It beats me to know what he is chasing this vessel for, running some miles off the course.”