Occasionally Vincent had raised his hand over his head, and then dropped it to his left, indicating to the officer in command that the sounds came from farther to the southward, and the cockswain was directed to change the course.
In another half hour the noises could be distinctly heard by the third lieutenant, and he directed the course of the cutter without the need of any more signals from the bow.

His first move was to make a more decided course to the southward.

Then he hastened the crew in their work.
"Sail, ho!" called Vincent, who had not abated his vigilance on the lookout; and he pointed with his right hand in the direction he had seen the craft.
Mr.Pennant concluded that the sail could not be far off, or it could not be seen, and it would be useless to maintain the dead silence, which was painful to all in the boat.

He stood up in his place, and, after looking for a couple of minutes, he made out the sail himself.

So far as he could judge from what he saw, the craft was a small sloop of not more than thirty-five feet in length.
"Give way now, lively!" said the third lieutenant, in his ordinary tones.