y 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 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.

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 ca