when you come
back."

"You will not be lost as long as I know where you are," added the major
with a chuckle.

"Are you coining back to-day, major?"

"I don't know when I shall return. All you have to do is to obey orders,
and leave all the rest to me."

"Shall I be all alone on board?"

"That young fellow at the wheel will remain on board; but you are not to
mind what he says to you. Do you understand that?"

"I reckon I do," replied Spikeley.

"My brother, who was down here a little while ago, will also remain on
board; and Captain Pecklar will be in his room, for he cannot leave it.
That is all that will be on board. But no one will bother you, unless it
should be the fellow now at the wheel; and he can't do any harm as long
as you don't start the engine for him."

"I reckon I won't start the engine for him, or anybody else but you,
major. You can bet your commission on that," added the engineer, with
more vim in his speech than he had used before.

"All right, Spikeley; and I will see that you don't lose any thing,
if you are faithful to your duty. You must keep a sharp lookout for
Passford: that's the young fellow at the wheel. He is the only one that
can do any mischief, and I would not have him go near that steamer for a
thousand dollars."

Christy thought he understood what was in progress; at any rate, he
dared not remain any longer away from the wheel, and he returned to
the pilot-house. Percy was still interested in his occupation. He was
steering the tug very well for a beginner, and his brother was too busy
organizing his expedition to notice that the steering was a little wild;
for the waves caused the boat to yaw somewhat in the absence of a
skilled hand at the helm.

The Leopard was now within about half a mile of the Bellevite. The
latter turned her screw a few times once in a while to keep from
drifting, and Christy saw from his chart that the water was too shallow
for her in the direction in which the tug was approaching her. Of course
his father was aware that, by this time, his own and his daughter's
departure from his uncle's mansion was known. His own absence,
therefore, must be the only thing that detained her in these waters.

"I think I can steer this thing pretty well, Mr. Pierson," said Percy,
when the new captain joined him.

"You do it very well indeed for a beginner, Percy; but you need not call
me 'Mr. Pierson' any longer, for it takes too long to say it. Everybody
call