utter ordered the
bowman to sound with the small hand lead, after he had brought the boat
to a full stop. The man reported eight feet. The head of the boat was
then turned to the west, and the crew ordered to give way. In a quarter
of an hour more the course was checked, and the bowman directed to sound
again. Sixteen feet was reported.

Mr. Pennant stood up in the stern sheets, and gazed in the direction of
the fort. On the shore of the Grand Pass, above the fort, were three
buildings, formerly occupied by mechanics and laborers. The sailing
directions for entering the bay were to bring the fronts of these
structures in range, and proceed for a time on the course indicated.
Mr. Pennant had obtained this bearing after he had backed the boat a few
feet. The depth of water then informed him that he was in the channel.

But he had no intention of again approaching the fort, and he headed the
boat to the south-east, or nearly so, and then ordered the men to give
way. He called the attention of the coxswain to the range, and directed
him to keep it. The bowman was required to keep the lead going all the
time.

"Ten and a half feet!" reported the bowman.

"That is the shoalest we shall get," added the officer.

The crew had been ordered to ease off, and the cutter moved very slowly.
A quarter of an hour later the sounding was ten and three-quarters feet.
The next report was fourteen feet, and then no bottom at twenty feet.
The Bronx was approaching the boat with full steam, and stopped her
screw a short distance from the cutter. In a few moments more the boat
was at the davits, and the commander of the expedition reported to
Captain Passford.

"What have you here, Mr. Pennant?" asked the commander with a smile,
as he pointed to Uncle Job, who seemed to be as bashful as a young girl,
and utterly confounded by what he saw on the deck of the Bronx.

"That is Uncle Job, Captain Passford," replied the lieutenant. "He has
been of very great service to me, and he enables me to make a very full
report to you, sir. This is the captain of the gunboat, Uncle Job," he
added to the negro.

The old man had no hat to touch or take off, for the mass of hair was a
sufficient protection to his head; but he bowed almost to the deck, and
was too timid to say a single word.

"I am very glad to see you, Uncle Job," said Christy, taking the hand of
the venerable colored person. "I thank you for the service rendered to
my officer. Now, Mr