at his side,
left him, and hastened to the companion, where he stooped down and gazed
into the cabin. Christy had heard nothing to attract his attention, but
he concluded that Captain Sullendine had escaped from his prison, and
he called the two men who had been stationed in the waist to the
quarter-deck to render such assistance as the engineer might need; but
this officer remained at the entrance to the cabin, and made no further
movement.

CHAPTER XI

A HAPPY RETURN TO THE BELLEVITE

Although he anticipated a disagreeable scene with the captain of the
West Wind, who, he supposed, had slept off the fumes of the inordinate
quantity of liquor he had drunk, he did not consider that there was any
peril in the situation, for he had plenty of force to handle him easily.
His curiosity was excited, and he walked over to the companion, where
Graines appeared to be gazing into the darkness of the cabin; but he did
not interfere with the proceedings of his fellow-officer.

"We don't need the men you have called from the waist," said the
engineer in a low tone.

Christy sent the two men back to their former station. As he was
returning to his chosen position abaft the companion, he saw a glimmer
of light in the gloom of the cabin. Graines invited him to take a
place at his side, chuckling perceptibly as he made room for him.
The lieutenant stooped down so that he could see into the cabin, and
discovered a man with a lighted match in his hand, fumbling at the door
of the closet where Captain Sullendine kept his whiskey.

"Is that the captain?" whispered Christy, who could not make out the
man, though he was not as tall as the master of the West Wind.

"No; it is Bokes," replied Graines. "He must have got out of the
deck-house through one of the windows. He found the bottle French gave
him was empty, and I have no doubt his nerves are in a very shaky
condition."

Both of the officers had leaned back, so that their whispers did not
disturb the operator in the cabin. His first match had gone out, and
he lighted another. Captain Sullendine had been too much overcome by
his potations to take his usual precautions for the safety of his
spirit-room, and the observers saw that the key was in the door. Bokes
took one of the bottles, and carried it to the table. His match went
out, and he poked about for some time in the cabin.

Presently he was seen again, coming out of the pantry with a lighted
lantern in his hand, whi