the long-boat, with the increased experience of its crew, was doing very well, and it would soon be within hailing-distance of the bellevite. but major pierson could hardly help discovering that the leopard was under way, though he seemed to give his whole attention to the boat and the steamer ahead of him.
christy went aft to ascertain the situation of the steamer from the north-west, and with the glass he satisfied himself that she was not exactly a river steamer, such as he had seen on the alabama; or, if she was, she had been altered to fit her for duty on the bay.
he could see that she had brass guns on her forward deck, and a considerable force of soldiers or sailors. but she was a nondescript craft, and he was unable to make her out accurately, though 290 by this time she was not more than half a mile distant. no immediate danger was to be apprehended from her, unless she opened fire with the field-pieces on her deck. as the leopard was in the service of the forts, she was not likely to do this till she knew more of the present situation on board of her.
christy had made up a new course for the tug when he saw the change in the working of the long-boat, and the approaching steamer had an influence in his calculations. he had directed the new pilot to head her directly for the bellevite, only taking care to give the long-boat a sufficiently wide berth to prevent the soldiers from boarding her, and with steam it would be an easy thing to keep out of its way.
christy went below to the engine-room to ascertain the condition of captain pecklar. he found him eating his breakfast, which he took from a basket he had evidently brought with him from the shore the day before. he seemed to have an appetite; and, from the food he consumed, the acting captain did not believe he could be in a desperate situation.
"how do you get on, captain pecklar?" 291 asked christy, as he glanced at the engine, and judged that it was moving more rapidly than at any time before.
"i am a good deal better, christy: in fact, the thought of getting out of this country is almost enough to cure me; for i have come to the conclusion that i had rather die at home than live here," replied the captain, as he put an enormous piece of beef into his mouth, which his companion thought would be almost enough for his breakfast.
"i am glad you are better. how does the engine work?" asked christy.
"i have been stirring it up, and i just filled up the furnaces. i think she is doing her best, though that is not saying a great deal. but, christy, have you tried to get a look over beyond the bellevite?"
"no, i haven't seen any thing in that direction," replied christy, a little startled by the question.
"i believe there is another steamer over there; and, if there is, it must be the dauphine."
"what of her?" asked christy anxiously.
"she is a steam-yacht of four hundred tons, 292 and the fastest steamer in these waters. they have been fitting her up for the war, though i don't know whether she is to be a man-of-war or a blockade-runner."
"what makes you think it is she?"
"because she has been over to the town you may have seen in that direction. she is behind the bellevite, so that you can hardly see her."
"i am inclined to think the bellevite can take care of herself," replied christy.
"why, the bellevite cannot do any thing but run away; and major pierson says she will never do that till you have been taken on board of her. i heard him and lieutenant dallberg talk it all over near the door of my room."
"perhaps the bellevite can do something more than run away," added christy with a smile.
"what do you mean, my friend?" asked the captain, suspending the operation of his jaws, he was so interested in the answer to his question. "the major said distinctly that she was a gentleman's pleasure-yacht, and that she was not armed."
"the major has a right to his opinion, and i shall not argue the point against him. my father 293 came into the bay on a peaceful errand, and he had no intention to be aggressive."
"all right, christy; i can see through plain glass even when there isn't a hole in it," said captain pecklar, laughing; for he seemed to be entirely satisfied with the situation, in spite of the fact that two hostile steamers appeared to menace the bellevite, which he hoped would bear him to his home.
"now, what do you know of the steamer astern of us?" asked christy.
"that must be the belle. she is no match for an armed steamer, but she may do a great deal of mischief. she used to run down the bay in the summer."
"i will go up to the pilot-house, and see if i can make out the dauphine. if she is a sea-going yacht, she is the one we have to fear," said christy, as he left the engine-room.
"see here, christy; there is another steamer over beyond the bellevite, and she is pretty near her, too," said percy, as he entered the pilot-house.
the acting captain brought his glass to bear over the bellevite, and he was satisfied that the 294 approaching vessel was the yacht described by captain pecklar. but he had hardly got his eye on the dauphine, before he saw that the bellevite had started her screw. it looked as though she deemed it advisable to change her position in view of the approach of the steamers on each side of her.
"where is she going, christy?" asked percy.
"i am sure i cannot tell you. you can see all that i can see," replied christy, who was very anxious about the situation.
"we are not a great way from the long-boat," suggested percy, who was more afraid of that than he was of all the steamers in sight. "what am i to steer for now? shall i make her follow the bellevite?"
"head her off to the north-east," replied christy, opening the binnacle.
but he might as well have opened the book of the black art to percy, for he could not steer by compass. christy got the leopard on her new course, by which she would come somewhere near intercepting the bellevite; and then he found an object on the shore, many miles distant, for the guidance of the pilot.
295 but the long-boat was now almost within hailing-distance of the leopard. major pierson was certainly aware that the tug was under way, and he made the most energetic demonstrations for her to stop her screw. suddenly the bellevite changed her course again, and run directly towards the tug.
this movement was apparently noticed by the major; for his men doubled their efforts at the oars, pulling for the leopard. the boat was then out of the trough of the sea, and its progress was much better. then the bellevite changed her course again; and it was impossible to determine what she intended to do, though possibly she was following a crooked channel.
"leopard, ahoy!" shouted major pierson; and he was near enough now to be distinctly heard.
"in the boat!" returned christy, though he knew the parley could amount to nothing.
"stop her!" yelled the major.
"not yet!" replied the acting captain.
"stop, or i will fire into you!"
"i'm not going to stand here and be shot down!" exclaimed percy. "my brother don't 296 know that i am at the wheel, and i shall be the first one to get hit."
christy could not blame percy for not wishing to be shot by the party under his brother's command; and he had no more relish for being shot himself, quite in sight of his father's steamer. but to abandon the helm was to abandon the control of the tug, and the major could recover possession of her and of his prisoner within a few minutes.
"go below, percy, and put yourself in the fire-room, for you will be safe there," said christy.
at that moment the crack of a musket was heard, and a bullet crashed through the pine boards of the pilot-house. it was the first evidence of actual war which christy had seen, and it impressed him strongly.
"it isn't safe for me to show myself," said percy, as his companion took the wheel from him.
"you must be your own judge of that," replied christy, as he dropped down on the floor, with the compass in his hand.
"what are you going to do down there?" asked percy.
297 "i have no wish to be shot any more than you have. i am going to keep out of sight, and steer the steamer by compass," replied christy.
"i will steer her if i can keep out of sight," added percy.
"you can't steer by compass; but you can do something if you are willing," suggested the pilot.
"i am willing to do all i can; but i don't want my brother to shoot me, as much for his sake as my own. what shall i do?" asked percy.
"crawl out of the pilot-house on the port-side, where they can't see you from the boat, and then keep watch of all the other steamers. report to me just where they all are, and what they are doing."
"all right; i will do that," replied percy, as he obeyed the order.
the boat continued to fire at the pilot-house of the leopard, and though a shot came uncomfortably near christy, he stuck to his post; for to leave it was to give up the battle.
"the bellevite is headed directly towards us," called percy, outside of the pilot-house. "the other steamers are just as they were."
298 "all right; keep your eye on them all the time."
"the bellevite is headed directly towards us," said captain pecklar, coming to the top of the ladder on the port-side.
"so percy has just reported to me."
"but you will get killed if you stay here," said the captain, with genuine solicitude in his looks and manner.
"but i must stay here, all the same," replied christy, who felt too proud to desert the post of duty because it happened to be the post of danger at the same time.
"but let me take your place, christy," continued captain pecklar, finishing the ascent of the ladder.
"no, no, captain! don't expose yourself," protested christy. "it is as safe for me as it will be for you."
"but i have got about to the end of my chapter of life; and there is not more than a year, if there is as much as that, left for me. you are a young fellow, and the pride of your father, i have no doubt; at any rate, you ought to be. give me that place, and you will be safer in the engine-room."
299 captain pecklar insisted for some time, but christy obstinately refused to leave his post.
"men pulling in the boat with all their might!" shouted percy.
"i think i can bring their labors in that way to an end," added the captain. "but do you understand what the bellevite is doing, christy?"
"she is coming this way; that is all i know."
"she is coming this way because the major has been fool enough to fire on the leopard. the shooting assures your father that this tug is an enemy."
the captain went below again, leaving christy to consider his last remark. but he had not been gone five minutes before the report of a cannon shook the hull of the leopard, and the pilot saw that it was on the forecastle of the tug.
