on and Dixon's line than there are
north of it. Now, if we understand each other, trot out your grub."

The steward ran up the ladder, at the top of which he found the second
mate, standing back out of the light so that the midshipman could not
see him if he chanced to look toward the deck.

"Did you notice that he would not sit where I wanted him to?" whispered
the steward. "The old man is in his state-room, waiting for a chance to
rush out and grab him, but I am afraid that move on the Confederate's
part will knock the whole thing in the head."

"Not by a long shot," replied Jack. "We've got firearms of our own now,
and if the worst is forced upon us, we'll engage them in a regular
battle. But we don't want to shoot if we can help it, for that might
bring the _Sumter_ upon us."

The steward vanished in the galley, and while he was gone Jack thought
seriously of giving him the revolver he had taken from the captured
rebel, and telling him to watch his chance to put it to the head of the
midshipman while he was eating his supper, and demand his surrender on
pain of death. That would have been just the thing to do. Jack thought,
if he were only sure that the steward's courage would not fail him when
the critical moment came; but unfortunately he was not quite positive on
that point. He had never had an opportunity to see how the steward would
act in an emergency, and after a little reflection he concluded that he
had better keep the weapon in his own possession.

In a few minutes the steward came out of the galley, carrying a tray
upon which he had placed a tempting supper, and Jack saw him descend
into the cabin and put it on the table.

"Here, you fellow, that won't do," he heard the midshipman exclaim.
"Don't take quite so much pains to get behind me, if you please. Stand
around on the other side of the table, so that I can see everything you
do."

"Certainly, sir," answered the steward, as he hastened to take the
position pointed out to him.

If Jack Gray had been in the cabin at that moment he would have seen
that he did a wise thing when he decided to hold fast to his revolver
instead of handing it over to the steward and depending upon him to
capture the midshipman, for when the latter emphasized his commands by
pulling his six-shooter from under his leg and raising and lowering the
hammer with one hand, keeping the muzzle pointed toward the steward's
head all the while, the latter grew as white as a shee