f us if we don't get out of the Dauphine's way."

"The Bellevite is almost into her," added the volunteer pilot.

Paul Vapoor evidently understood the situation, and must have been
preparing for it for some time, though the shoal-water had prevented the
steamer from taking advantage of his effort. She had suddenly begun to
dart ahead as though she had been an object shot from one of her biggest
guns; and she seemed almost to leap out of the water in her struggle to
come between the Leopard and the Dauphine.

The Bellevite was certainly making two miles to her rival's one in the
race, and it looked as though she would strike her sharp bow into the
broadside of the enemy. She seemed to rely on a vigorous blow with her
stem rather than on her guns; for as yet she had not fired a shot,
though she was fully prepared to do so.

The Leopard came about in double-quick time; and as soon as her keel was
at right angles with that of the Dauphine, Christy righted the helm, and
let her go in the direction of the disabled Belle. She rolled, pitched,
and plunged in the sea, which had been increasing very sensibly within a
short time; but she went ahead at her best speed, and that was all
Christy wanted of her.

The Bellevite was still rushing down upon the Dauphine as though she
intended to annihilate her when the crash came, as come it must within
a minute or two. Christy's heart was in his throat, for he felt that
his own safety depended upon the events of the next two minutes.
A tremendous collision was impending, and thus far the Dauphine had done
nothing to avoid it. Doubtless her commander had gauged the speed of the
Bellevite by what she had been doing in the shoal water, and had not
believed she could overhaul him before he had thrown a force on board of
the Leopard.

"Now, keep her as she is, Percy, and we shall soon know what is going to
happen," said Christy, when the tug had come about so that he could not
readily see the movements of the other steamers.

"We are running right into the Belle," suggested Percy.

"This thing will be settled before we can come within hail of her, and I
don't think she wants any thing more of us at present," replied Christy,
as he left the pilot-house, and hastened aft, where he could get a
better view of the situation.

"There is a row on board of the Dauphine," said Captain Pecklar, who
had come to the stern for the same purpose as Christy. "Those men are
leaping down from the rail