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." Beeks obeyed the order, and in a couple of minutes the boat was driving into the gloom at her ordinary speed. Something came into view a moment later, and it was a small steamer. "Boat, ahoy!" shouted some one from the steamer. "On board of the steamer!" replied Christy. "Are you the pilot?" demanded the speaker from the vessel. "Ay, ay, sir," responded the lieutenant. "I shall not want you now," continued the man on the steamer. "How is that?" demanded Christy, as though this was an entirely unexpected reply. "I have concluded to make my way out through the sound, Gilder." "Then my name is Gilder," added Christy, in a low tone. "I have a plan of my own, and I reckon I shall make it go," proceeded the captain of the steamer. "The Teaser don't draw much water, and I know how to help her over the shoal places." "When do you expect to get through the sound?" asked Christy. "I don't know when; but I shall get through." "But you will find a blockader at the east end of the island; and then you will be as badly off as you are now," argued Christy. "I don't believe there is any blockader there. Who are all those men in the boat with you, Gilder?" "They belong to the water guard," replied Christy, at a venture, and he thought that would describe them as well as any terms at his command. "They expected you to go out by the main channel to-night." "No lie in that," chuckled Flint.