lty, the Tallahatchie
swung around, so that her port guns could be brought to bear upon the
Bellevite, and the two ships were abreast of each other so that neither
could rake the other. The loyal ship continued on her course to the
westward, and in ten minutes she had made three miles and a half, which
placed her out of the reach of the broadside guns of the Tallahatchie.

Christy did not abate his watchfulness over the movements of the enemy.
The shot from the sixty-pounder which had struck on the quarter of the
Confederate, had evidently created a great deal of confusion in that
part of the vessel. She had intended to describe a quarter of a circle
in order to render her port broadside guns available, but she had not
made more than the eighth of the circuit before she appeared to be going
ahead, and her direction was diagonal to that of the Bellevite.

"What does that mean?" asked Christy of the commander who stood near
him, though he had a very decided opinion of his own on the subject.

"It simply means that the last shot which struck her deranged whatever
expedient her captain had adopted for controlling the rudder," replied
the commander. "It failed when she was half round, and then she went
ahead."

"She has stopped her screw again, sir," added the first lieutenant.

"It is time for her to haul down her flag; but she does not seem to
be disposed to do it," continued Captain Breaker. "It is certainly a
hopeless case, and he ought to spare his men if not himself."

"Captain Rombold is not one of that sort. Though he is a Briton, he is a
'last ditch' man."

"Probably a very large majority of his ship's company are English, or
anything but Southern Americans, and he ought to have a proper regard
for them."

"I think he must see some chance of redeeming himself and his ship, for
I never met a more high-toned and gentlemanly man in all my life, and I
don't believe he would sacrifice his people unless with a hope that he
considers a reasonable one."

"Come about, Mr. Passford, and bear down on the enemy. Unless he works
his steering gear, we have her where she is utterly helpless," said the
commander.

"I wonder she does not get a couple of her heaviest guns in position on
her quarter-deck, and use them as stern chasers," said Christy, after he
had obeyed the captain's order, and the Bellevite was again headed
directly for the enemy.

"She appears to require all the space there for the work on her steering