CAPTAIN SULLENDINE OF THE WEST WIND Weeks and his companions divided up as they had been ordered to do in coming to the fort, and departed in different directions.

The lieutenant 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.