Captain Passford stopped short, and seemed to be confounded when he found the dock was not occupied.
"I am afraid we are too late, and that the steamer has sailed on her mission of destruction," said he, almost overcome by the discovery.

"She was here last night, and was watched till this morning.

She has already cleared, bound to Wilmington, Delaware, with a cargo of old iron." "Do you know her name, Captain Passford ?" asked the commander of the Chateaugay.
"She was a screw steamer of about six hundred tons, and was called the Ionian, but she is American." It was useless to remain there any longer, for the steamer certainly was not there.

Captain Passford hailed a passing-tug-boat, and they were taken on board.

The master of the boat was instructed to steam down the East River, and the party examined every steamer at anchor or under way.
The tug had nearly reached the Battery before the leader of the trio saw any vessel that looked like the Ionian.