“I wonder where he is,” said Belford. “I can’t remember seeing him for several hours past. Mr. Sharp was on watch the first four hours after we left Boston, and I stood watch the next four. Black ought to be on duty now. But there’s been so much excitement I never thought about whose watch it was.”
“You don’t suppose he went in one of the boats, do you?” asked Henry.
“No, I don’t,” said Belford. “And yet he might. I’ll see.”
He went to the stateroom. Soon he reappeared with a peculiar expression on his face. “He’s in bed,” he said, “and has been abed all the while we’ve been trying to save the Capitol City.”
The two young operators looked at each other. The same sickening suspicion was in the mind of each. But both hesitated to put it into words.
At that moment the quartermaster entered the room. “The captain wants you to talk to the Capitol City,” he said, “and find out how fast she is taking water, and how deep it is where she lies.”
“You do that,” said Henry to his companion. “You’ve had lots of experience with the blinkers. I haven’t had any.”
Young Belford set the blinkers to winking merrily. The response was immediate. Colored