But the Bellevite did not seem to be making her best speed by a great deal. With his gla.s.s he could see that there was a hand in the fore-chains heaving the lead; and probably Captain Breaker feared that the bottom "might be too near the top of the water" for the draught of his vessel, and he was proceeding with caution.

Christy descended the ladder to the main-deck. He found Captain Pecklar in the fire-room, shovelling coal into the furnace. He seemed to be again nearly exhausted by the efforts he had made during the morning; and Christy took the shovel from him, and did the work himself.

"You must not kill yourself, Captain Pecklar. This is too hard work for you," said Christy.

"If I can only get out of this sc.r.a.pe, it will not make much difference what becomes of me," replied the invalid faintly.

"I will do this work myself. Don't you touch that shovel again."

"But things are looking very badly indeed for us, Christy," said the captain, bracing himself up as if for a renewed effort. "The Belle is almost up with the boat, and she will take Major Pierson and his party on board; and she is nearer to us than the Bellevite."

"Is that so? I have not looked astern for some time," replied Christy, rather startled by the information.

"The Bellevite is not sailing as fast as she has some of the time, and both the Belle and the Dauphine are nearer to us than she is," added Captain Pecklar. "I have been trying to get up more steam."

"If my father only knew that I was on board this tug, I should feel more hope," said Christy.

"Perhaps he suspects you are. He probably sent ash.o.r.e to obtain information in regard to you. But we don't know."

Just then a cannon-ball made the splinters fly all around them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "I have hit Her" (Page 315)]

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE FORE

Christy rushed out of the engine-room followed by Captain Pecklar, to ascertain what damage had been done to the tug by the shot. A cloud of smoke rising from the Belle, astern of the Leopard, informed them that the shot had come from her. It had struck the house on deck, carrying away the corner of the captain's state-room; but, beyond this, no damage appeared to be done.

But the tug had broached to, and it was evident that Percy had abandoned the wheel when the shot struck the vessel; and Christy hastened to the pilot-house to restore the vessel to her course. But he was closely followed by the acting engineer. They found the volunteer pilot lying on the deck, where he had been before when the vessel was fired upon.

"Is that the way you steer the boat, Percy?" said Christy reproachfully, as he went into the pilot-house, and righted the helm.

"Didn't you hear that cannon-shot that struck her just now?" demanded Percy, partly raising himself from his rec.u.mbent posture.

"Of course I heard it: I am not deaf; and, if I had been, I could have felt it. I don't believe we shall want you on board of the Bellevite, if that is the way you do your duty."

"I don't want to be shot by my own people," pleaded Percy. "Has the shot ruined the vessel?"

"Don't you see that she is going along the same as ever? No harm has been done to her so far as any further use to us is concerned," replied Christy. "But, Captain Pecklar, as things are now, we are running right into the fire."

Christy was more troubled than he had been at any time before; and he realized that it was necessary to make some change in the course of the Leopard, though she had the enemy on each side of her.

"It don't look as well as it might," added the captain gloomily.

"The Dauphine is getting altogether too near us, and we are making the distance between us less every minute," added Christy.

"There comes another shot from the Belle. She means business, and Major Pierson is certainly directing things on board of her. We can't stand that any longer. But she wasted her powder that time, and we must do better than that. What do you intend to do, Christy?"

"I mean to come about, and take a course between the Belle and the Dauphine: that is the most hopeful thing I can think of," replied Christy, after another careful survey of the positions of the enemy.

"I think you are right."

"We will come about, then;" and Christy threw over the wheel.

"That will bring our gun where we can use it; and we shall have a better chance at the Belle than she has at us, for she is larger, and has a crowd of men on her main deck," added Captain Pecklar, as he went to the ladder.

"If you are not afraid of those shots, I am not," said Percy, coming into the pilot-house again; and he was evidently ashamed of himself when he saw a fellow younger than himself taking no notice of them.

"I don't pretend to like them, or that I am not afraid of them; but I shall do my duty in spite of them," replied Christy. "I should be ashamed to meet my father, if I ever see him again, if I gave up the fight, and allowed myself to be kept as a prisoner."

"I want to get away from here as much as you do; and I will take the wheel again, if you will let me," continued Percy.

"I don't ask you to expose yourself; but, if you take the helm, you must stick to it till you are relieved. We have no time to fool with you."

"I will stick to it, Christy."

"Very well, then you shall take it; but if you desert your post again, I will shoot you the first time I set eyes on you."

"That is rough."

"If you think it is, don't take the helm."

"I will take it, for I had rather be shot by those in the other steamers than by you."

"I am going below to help Captain Pecklar; but the moment the tug goes wrong, I shall send a ball from my revolver up into the pilot-house."

"I understand you, and it looks as though we were getting into a hot place. I will do my duty as well as I know how. Now tell me how I am to steer."

"Run for that point you see far off to the northward."

Christy went to the main deck forward, where he found Captain Pecklar getting the field-piece ready for use. The Belle was now quite near on the one hand, while the Dauphine was hardly farther off on the other hand. The Bellevite was coming down from the north-east, with the lead still going in her chains. The immediate danger was to come from the Belle.

"That won't do!" exclaimed Captain Pecklar, when they had the gun in position for use.

"What won't do?" asked Christy.

"Didn't you notice that? They are firing rifle-b.a.l.l.s from the Belle. One of them just struck the bulkhead."

"I don't see that we can help ourselves, whether it will do or not."

"The chances are in our favor, however, for the men cannot handle their rifles to the best advantage while the Belle heaves in the sea," added the captain. "Don't stand up where they can see you, Christy, but get down on the deck with that lock-string in your hand. When I give you the word, pull it as quick as you can," said the captain, as he sighted the gun, and changed its position several times.

He was a sailor, and the artillery officers at the forts had trained the men employed on the tugs in handling the pieces put on board of them, to be used in bringing vessels to. Better than any soldier, he could make the proper allowance for the motion of the steamer in the sea, which was becoming heavier.