ptain.

"Stop, or I will fire into you!"

"I'm not going to stand here and be shot down!" exclaimed Percy. "My
brother don't know that I am at the wheel, and I shall be the first one
to get hit."

Christy could not blame Percy for not wishing to be shot by the party
under his brother's command; and he had no more relish for being shot
himself, quite in sight of his father's steamer. But to abandon the helm
was to abandon the control of the tug, and the major could recover
possession of her and of his prisoner within a few minutes.

"Go below, Percy, and put yourself in the fire-room, for you will be
safe there," said Christy.

At that moment the crack of a musket was heard, and a bullet crashed
through the pine boards of the pilot-house. It was the first evidence
of actual war which Christy had seen, and it impressed him strongly.

"It isn't safe for me to show myself," said Percy, as his companion took
the wheel from him.

"You must be your own judge of that," replied Christy, as he dropped
down on the floor, with the compass in his hand.

"What are you going to do down there?" asked Percy.

"I have no wish to be shot any more than you have. I am going to keep
out of sight, and steer the steamer by compass," replied Christy.

"I will steer her if I can keep out of sight," added Percy.

"You can't steer by compass; but you can do something if you are
willing," suggested the pilot.

"I am willing to do all I can; but I don't want my brother to shoot me,
as much for his sake as my own. What shall I do?" asked Percy.

"Crawl out of the pilot-house on the port-side, where they can't see you
from the boat, and then keep watch of all the other steamers. Report to
me just where they all are, and what they are doing."

"All right; I will do that," replied Percy, as he obeyed the order.

The boat continued to fire at the pilot-house of the Leopard, and though
a shot came uncomfortably near Christy, he stuck to his post; for to
leave it was to give up the battle.

"The Bellevite is headed directly towards us," called Percy, outside of
the pilot-house. "The other steamers are just as they were."

"All right; keep your eye on them all the time."

"The Bellevite is headed directly towards us," said Captain Pecklar,
coming to the top of the ladder on the port-side.

"So Percy has just reported to me."

"But you will get killed if you stay here," said the captain, with
genuine solicitude in his looks and manner