"He can tell you what he is going to do a great deal better than I can."

"He is not within ear-shot of me just now: if he were, I would ask him without stopping to soap my tongue."

"You may see him before long. I don't know what your brother is about just now; and, for aught I know, he may intend to capture the Bellevite."

"I reckon he will have a good time doing it, if your father and Captain Breaker haven't a mind to let him do it."

"They will not wish to fight, even for their steamer, here in Mobile Bay. I know that my father intended to keep the peace. Besides, your brother may think there are few men on board of the vessel."

"I want to get on board of the Bellevite anyhow!" exclaimed Percy, bluntly coming to the point at which he had been aiming for some time.

"I shall not do any thing to prevent you from doing so," added Christy.

"I don't say that I want to go into the Yankee navy, or that I will lift a finger against my country, mind you."

He seemed to be equally unwilling to lift a finger for it.

"I don't ask you to do any thing against your conscience, Percy."

"If the Bellevite gets out of the bay with you and me on board, I believe I can find some way to get back to Na.s.sau. That is what I am driving at."

"I can't say that the steamer will not go there," added Christy, who did not mean to commit himself.

Suddenly, without any bell from the pilot-house, the engine of the Leopard stopped; but Christy was not at all surprised at the failure of the power, though Percy began to make himself very indignant over the stoppage of the engine.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD

"What is the matter now?" demanded Percy Pierson, when the tug ceased to shake under the pressure of the engine, and began to roll rather smartly in the sea, though it was not heavy enough to be at all dangerous.

"It appears that the engine has stopped," replied Christy quietly.

"What has it stopped for?" asked the other.

"You will have to put that conundrum to your brother; but doubtless the needs of the Confederate States require that it should stop."

"Which is the bell, Christy?" inquired Percy, looking at the pulls on the frame of the wheel.

"The large one is the gong bell, the other is the speed bell, and the latter is a jingler."

"Well, which one do you ring to start her?"

"One pull at the gong bell to stop or to start her," replied Christy, who was rather anxious to have his companion learn the secrets of the pilot-house.

"One bell to stop or start her," repeated Percy.

"Two bells to back her," added the acting captain.

"Two bells to back her. I can remember all that without writing it down.

But what is the other pull for. There don't seem to be any need of any more bells."

"I think there is; at least, it saves striking too many strokes on the gong when there is an emergency. The other is the speed bell."

"What is that for, to make her go faster?"

"Yes, or slower. If you start the engine, the engineer will run it slowly at first, and continue to do so till he gets the speed bell, or jingler, which he can never mistake for the gong."

"I see; and that is a good scheme."

"If you are approaching a wharf or another vessel, or if a fog come up, you ring the jingler, if the boat is going at full speed, and the engineer slows her down. If there is any danger, and you wish to stop her as quick as you can, you ring one bell on the gong, which stops the engine, and then two bells on the same, which reverses the engine. Now let me see if you know all about it; for your brother may want you to steer the Leopard, and become her captain, after he has tied my hands behind me again."

"If he does that, I will cut you loose, Christy."

"Thank you, Percy. I don't know what he will do, but it seems to me that he is going to do something;" and Christy proceeded to examine his pupil in the use of the bell-pulls.

Percy made some mistakes, which were carefully corrected; and, as he did so, the captain wrote down the directions in full, placing the paper on the shelf with the chart.

The student of bell-pulls signalized the completion of his examination by giving one pull at the gong; but it produced no effect at all upon the engine or the engineer, and the Leopard, having fallen off into the trough of the sea, had begun to roll more violently than at first.

"What is the matter with that engineer?" pouted Percy, who did not feel flattered that his first experience with the bell-pulls produced no effect, though he had distinctly heard the sound of the gong.

"They haven't sent any word up to the pilot house that the engine is disabled, and we shall have to apply to Major Pierson for further information."

"That engineer must have gone to sleep!" exclaimed Percy, whose vexation was in proportion to his zeal.

He rang the gong again; but Christy understood why the screw did not turn, though he deemed it wise to keep his own counsel for the present.

Percy was rousing himself to a pa.s.sion at the neglect of the engineer to heed his bell.

"Keep cool, Percy," interposed Christy. "Don't say a word to your brother that you have learned to steer a steamer; and you may have a chance to surprise him, and show that you are a good deal more of a fellow than he takes you to be."

"I don't believe he will get such a chance if he don't have it now.

I wonder what he is up to," added Percy, restraining his impatience.

"We can only wait till his plans come out," added Christy. "But I will go to the side of the hurricane deck, and tell him that the engine does not respond to the bells."

"I should think he might see that for himself," said Percy.

"Don't you say a word, and don't you show yourself to any one. Sit down on that stool, and keep quiet."

"I will do just what you tell me, Christy, for I believe you will be able to get me out of this sc.r.a.pe," replied Percy, as he seated himself, and began to read over the instructions relating to the bells.

In fact, he was so interested in the new occupation he had taken up, that he soon forgot all about his brother, and the trouble that lay in his path. He read the paper, and applied his fingers to the pulls in a great many different ways, supposing all the various situations of the boat which Christy had suggested.

Christy went to the side of the upper deck, and saw that the soldiers had hauled in the boat that had been used by the lieutenant and his two men. It was a large and clumsy affair, big enough to hold a dozen men, and provided with four oars. But the Leopard was in the trough of the sea, and it was not an easy matter for the soldiers to handle it; and just then the major declared that the boat would be smashed against the side of the tug.