ed to a share of the prize as a member of the blockading fleet at
the time of her capture. But she could prevent her from being retaken by
any boat expedition sent from the shore, as her lonely position where
the Bellevite had been for several days might tempt some enterprising
Confederate officer to do.

Although the last heaving of the log showed twenty knots, it was a quiet
time of the deck of the Bellevite, and all the excitement on board was
confined to the engine and fire rooms. With sundry gapes Christy had
taken in the situation, and then he concluded to avail himself of the
commander's permission to retire to his stateroom, where he was soon in
a sound slumber.

Just before, Captain Breaker had retired to his cabin, where he had a
chart of the Gulf of Mexico spread out on his table. Assuming the point
where the Tallahatchie had changed her course to the south-west, he drew
a line in that direction, and realized that the chase could not go clear
of the Passes of the Mississippi River; and she was likely to sight some
Federal steamer in that locality.

As the daylight increased the weather improved so far as the fog was
concerned and it promised to be a clear day, for the stars had not
been obscured at any time during the night. The only alternative the
commander could see for the chase, as he studied the chart, was to go
to the southward before he could sight the Pass a l'Outre. He was so
confident that this must be his course, that he decided to take
advantage of the situation, and he went on deck at once, where he
ordered the officer of the deck to make the course south south-west.

CHAPTER XIII

THE FIRST SHOT OF BLUMENHOFF

Captain Breaker watched the Tallahatchie with the most earnest
attention; and it was not five minutes after he had given out the new
course before she changed her direction, though not to the south, but
enough to carry her clear of the Passes of the Mississippi. Paul Vapoor
was still crowding the engine to the utmost that could be done with
safety, and he spent no little of his time in the fire room, personally
directing the men in the work of feeding the furnaces.

It was evident to the commander that his ship was gaining on the
Tallahatchie, at least a knot an hour, as he estimated it, and the chase
could not now be more than four miles distant. This was within the range
of her Armstrong gun, if it was of the calibre reported by Bokes, whose
information was mere hearsay,