sailed. Too late he sent his men aloft to loose the squaresail.
Before they could get the gasket off, I had to port the helm to prevent
striking the other steamer. All our hands were in position to do the
parts before assigned to them.

I kept a sharp watch upon the actions of the Islander to meet any
change in her course. I saw Captain Blastblow in the pilot-house at the
wheel. He looked very nervous and disturbed, and I did not wonder at
it.

"Sheer off, or you will be afoul of us!" shouted the captain of the
runaway steamer.

[Illustration: "Sheer off, or you will be afoul of us!" _Page 206._]

At the same moment he rang his gong to stop her. I rang mine also the
moment I heard the other. Moses was standing by his lever and wheel,
and I think the Sylvania was stopped before the Islander. Of course we
continued to go ahead under the impulse of the momentum given the two
boats.

Very cautiously I put the helm to starboard, and in a moment the two
boats touched each other, but without any shock or crash. The two hands
assigned to the duty sprang upon the forecastle of the Islander, and
made fast the rope they carried to the bowsprit-bitts. At the same
instant, Captain Cayo and Buck Lingley leaped into the waist of the
steamer. I saw Cornwood and Nick on the hurricane-deck, though they
began to make their exit as soon as we came alongside. The pilot knew
his men well, and before the Floridian could leave the hurricane-deck,
he had taken him rather unceremoniously by the collar.

Buck did not know Nick Boomsby, but the simple fact that he was with
Cornwood satisfied him that he was the person he wanted. I saw that
Cornwood began to look magnificent, and to show fight, while Nick acted
like a sick kitten.

Colonel Shepard hastened to follow the pilot on board, and met Captain
Blastblow coming out of the pilot-house to ascertain what the matter
was.

CHAPTER XVIII.

HOW NICK BOOMSBY MANAGED HIS CASE.

We had hardly accomplished our introductory work before I saw that both
steamers, which we had secured together with a stern as well as a bow
line, had been set back by the rapid current, and had begun to drift
down the river. I rang for the Sylvania to go ahead, and then called
upon Hop Tossford to take the wheel. I did not care to tow the Islander
against the swift current. I satisfied myself that the bow and stern
lines were properly made fast, and then went on board of the other
steamer.

I found t