three o'clock
These suspicions , neither the director nor the _ personnel _ of the establishment had at first liked to give expression to , but when the _ Ebba _ was seen to weigh anchor and head for the open sea , they appeared to be confirmed . They were communicated to the authorities of New-Berne , who immediately ordered the commander of the _ Falcon _ to intercept the schooner , to search her minutely high and low , and from stem to stern , and on no account to let her proceed , unless he was absolutely certain that Roch and Gaydon were not on board . Assuredly the Count d'Artigas could have had no idea that his vessel was the object of such stringent orders ; but even if he had , it is questionable whether this superbly haughty and disdainful nobleman would have manifested any particular anxiety . Towards three o'clock , the warship which was cruising before the inlet , after having sent search parties aboard a few fishing-smacks , suddenly manoeuvred to the entrance of the pass , and awaited the approaching schooner . The latter surely did not imagine that she could force a passage in spite of the cruiser , or escape from a vessel propelled by steam . Besides , had she attempted such a foolhardy trick , a couple of shots from the _ Falcon 's _ guns would speedily have constrained her to lay to . Presently a boat , manned by two officers and ten sailors , put off from the cruiser and rowed towards the _ Ebba _ .