pointed out to them the locality of the bivouac where he had passed so
much of the evening, so that they might avoid it. It was about one
o'clock in the morning when they left, and Christy calculated that
they would reach the ship in an hour and a half, which would give the
commander ample time to get up steam from the banked fires, and move
down four or five miles to the southward of his present position.

The chief of the expedition had sent no message to the captain of the
Bellevite in regard to his own movements, but simply that he would
report to him later. He had already grasped an idea, though he had had
no time to work it up in detail. It looked practicable to him, and he
had jumped to a conclusion as soon as he was in possession of the facts
covering the situation in the vicinity of Fort Morgan.

With only a plan not yet matured in his mind, perhaps he had been more
rash than usual in sending away the whaleboat before he had provided for
his own retreat from the enemy's territory; but he had considered this
difficulty, and had come to the conclusion that the Trafalgar must be
captured if possible, even if he and his associates were sent to a
Confederate prison.

But he did not anticipate any such result. He had three pairs of the
seamen left; and the party still consisted of eight men, all well armed.
If the plan he had considered should fail, he had force enough to carry
a light boat from Pilot Town, or any other point on the inner shore,
in which they could make their escape to the Bellevite or some other
blockader. He did not feel, therefore, that he had "burned his bridges,"
and left open no means of retreat in case of disaster.

Christy and Graines were left alone in the darkness and the fog, a bank