the crisis was at hand; for the dauphine was darting in between the leopard and the bellevite, between father and son. on the port rail of the former, as if ready to leap upon the deck of the tug, were at least twenty men; and, for the first time, the plan of the enemy became apparent to christy passford.
he hastened to the hurricane deck of the leopard, where he could see more clearly; and it was evident to him that the question before them would be settled within a very few minutes. if he and his companions fell into the hands of the enemy, nothing less than a severe fight with the dauphine, perhaps aided by the belle, on the part of the bellevite could undo the mischief.
christy was disposed to leave nothing to be undone. rushing into the pilot-house, he seized 323 the wheel, and threw it over, determined to redeem the fate of the tug while he could. captain pecklar had crowded on all the steam he could, and doubtless the boat was doing her very best. she flew round like a top, careening till her rail was under water.
"hard up, percy!" cried he, while the tug was still whirling. "those men will drop on board of us if we don't get out of the dauphine's way."
"the bellevite is almost into her," added the volunteer pilot.
paul vapoor evidently understood the situation, and must have been preparing for it for some time, though the shoal-water had prevented the steamer from taking advantage of his effort. she had suddenly begun to dart ahead as though she had been an object shot from one of her biggest guns; and she seemed almost to leap out of the water in her struggle to come between the leopard and the dauphine.
the bellevite was certainly making two miles to her rival's one in the race, and it looked as though she would strike her sharp bow into the broadside of the enemy. she seemed to rely on a vigorous blow with her stem rather than on 324 her guns; for as yet she had not fired a shot, though she was fully prepared to do so.
the leopard came about in double-quick time; and as soon as her keel was at right angles with that of the dauphine, christy righted the helm, and let her go in the direction of the disabled belle. she rolled, pitched, and plunged in the sea, which had been increasing very sensibly within a short time; but she went ahead at her best speed, and that was all christy wanted of her.
the bellevite was still rushing down upon the dauphine as though she intended to annihilate her when the crash came, as come it must within a minute or two. christy's heart was in his throat, for he felt that his own safety depended upon the events of the next two minutes. a tremendous collision was impending, and thus far the dauphine had done nothing to avoid it. doubtless her commander had gauged the speed of the bellevite by what she had been doing in the shoal water, and had not believed she could overhaul him before he had thrown a force on board of the leopard.
"now, keep her as she is, percy, and we shall 325 soon know what is going to happen," said christy, when the tug had come about so that he could not readily see the movements of the other steamers.
"we are running right into the belle," suggested percy.
"this thing will be settled before we can come within hail of her, and i don't think she wants any thing more of us at present," replied christy, as he left the pilot-house, and hastened aft, where he could get a better view of the situation.
"there is a row on board of the dauphine," said captain pecklar, who had come to the stern for the same purpose as christy. "those men are leaping down from the rail."
"what has happened on board of her?" asked christy.
"nothing; but the bellevite is coming into her full tilt, and they know that the shock will knock all those men overboard; and i think they don't want to have to stop to pick them up," answered the captain.
at this moment several sharp orders were given on board of the dauphine, and her head began to swing around to the northward.
326 "that's what's the matter!" exclaimed the captain. "they think they won't wait for the rap the bellevite is ready to give them."
the helm of the enemy's steamer had been put hard-a-port; and as she promptly came about, the sharp bow of the bellevite shot past her quarter, and she barely escaped the blow. it look as though those on board of either vessel could have leaped to the deck of the other.
"what is the reason she don't fire upon the bellevite?" asked christy, when he felt that the crisis was past.
"i don't believe she has any guns on board yet, though i don't know," replied the captain.
"what is she going to do now, i wonder."
"i think she will come about and try to board the bellevite now. it seems to me that if she had any guns on board, she would have opened fire before this time."
"we must look out, or the bellevite will run into us," added christy, as he went forward to the pilot-house.
"that steamer has come about," said percy, as he joined him.
"if she had not come about, the bellevite 327 would have cut through her starboard quarter," replied christy. "but we are all right now, and i think the excitement is about over."
by this time the bellevite was abreast of the leopard, and not half a cable's length from her; but there was no demonstration at all of any sort on board of her. her high bulwarks concealed the whole ship's company; and no one could be seen but the lookouts forward, and a couple of officers in the rigging of the mainmast.
"now we will get a little nearer to her," said christy, as he threw the wheel over. "she is coming about."
the bellevite was blowing off steam, and she had reduced her speed as soon as she went clear of the dauphine. in a minute more, when she had come a little nearer to the leopard, she stopped her screw.
"tug, ahoy!" shouted some one, in whose voice christy recognized that of captain breaker.
"on board the bellevite!" responded christy.
"come alongside!" added the commander of the steamer.
"that's just what i was going to do," added christy to his companion.
328 "i suppose we are all right now, are we not, christy?" asked percy.
"i don't know what will come up next. the dauphine is still afloat, and in good condition; and i don't believe she is going to let the bellevite off without doing something."
captain pecklar was letting off steam also; for he realized that the battle, so far as the leopard was concerned, was finished. christy steered the tug alongside of the steamer; and when he rang the bell finally to stop her, after a rope had been heaved on board of her, he left the engine, with the steam still escaping from the boiler, and the furnace-door wide open, and went to the pilot-house.
"hurry up!" shouted captain breaker, appearing on the rail of the bellevite, at the gangway.
captain pecklar looked astern of the tug, and saw that the dauphine was rapidly approaching. she had come about, and her captain did not appear to be satisfied with saving his own vessel from the collision, and intended to make another movement. but he had gone some distance before he came about, though he was now rather 329 too near for the comfort of the bellevite after she had stopped her screw.
"what shall we do with this tug?" asked christy, who had some doubts whether or not he ought to leave the leopard in condition for further use by the enemy.
"we have no time to bother with her, and she don't amount to any thing. come on board as quick as you can," replied captain breaker.
"go on board, captain pecklar," said christy, pointing to the gangway. "come, percy, your troubles are over for the present."
the captain went up the ladder, followed by percy, and christy went the last; for he felt that he must see his friends through before he abandoned the leopard himself. the moment the owner's son showed himself on the rail, a burst of cheers came from the ship's company, to which he replied by taking off his cap and bowing.
"i am glad to see you again, christy," said his father, as he descended to the deck and found himself in the arms of captain passford. "i was afraid i should have to leave you here, though i did not intend to do that as long as a plank of the bellevite remained under me."
330 christy found his father a great deal more demonstrative than he had ever known him to be before, and he fully realized that he had had a very narrow, and even a wonderful escape since he had been taken by the enemy.
captain breaker did not wait for father and son to finish their affectionate greetings; but as soon as christy put his foot on the rail he directed the line to the tug to be cast off, and the order was given to start the screw. the bellevite went ahead again, and the commander gave out the course for her.
before captain passford was ready to think of any thing except the joyful meeting with his son, captain pecklar suddenly dropped to the deck as though a bullet from the enemy had finished his career in the very moment of victory. christy broke from his father, and hastened to his assistance. he had fainted again from exhaustion after the efforts of the day. dr. linscott was at his side almost as soon as christy, and the sufferer was borne to the cabin, where he was placed in one of the vacant state-rooms.
"who is that man, christy?" asked captain passford, as soon as the invalid had been cared for.
331 "that is captain pecklar; and he is a union man, though he has been in charge of that tug in the service of the forts. but he is in consumption, and he does not believe he can live much longer. he says he would rather die at home than live down here," replied christy.
"he looks like a sick man," added the owner.
"he is, and he has worked altogether beyond his strength. but i believe i should not have been here, father, at this moment, if he had not worked with me, and acted with the utmost courage and devotion."
"then he shall want for nothing while he is on board of the bellevite."
"but i am sure that the doctor can improve his condition; at least, i hope he can."
"he can if any one can. but how happens percy to be with you in the tug?" asked captain passford, as he looked about him for the young man, who was standing near the mainmast, watching the approaching smoke-stack of the dauphine.
"percy has not been as reliable as captain pecklar; but he has done well, and has rendered good service. he has steered the tug for some 332 time," replied christy, calling to him the subject of the last remarks.
"i am glad to see you again, mr. percy," said the owner, giving him his hand. "i am under obligations to you for all you have done to assist my son on board of that tug."
"i was at work too for myself," said percy, taking the offered hand, "i don't belong on this side of the question, and all i want is to get back to nassau. i have nothing to expect from my brother, major pierson, and my mother cannot protect me."
"in consideration of the service you have rendered to my son, i shall be glad to do all i can to assist you in getting there."
"thank you, sir."
"but where is florry, father?" asked christy, looking about the deck.
"i could not allow her to be on deck when a shot was liable to come on board. she is in the cabin, and she will be as glad to see you as i have been," replied captain passford.
christy hastened to the cabin.
