Sentence:  After Captain Docherty sent Arleigh Griffith for Hoag he was able to complete his detailed inspection of the third floor and to receive a report from his man <WSD>covering</WSD> the floors above before Griffith returned , buoyed up by a brief stop for another glass of champagne . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  maintain a check on; especially by patrolling