is affair. One part of the boat will
be just as safe as another."

"Don't mind me, Captain. You will have your duties to attend to, and I
will not bother if I am 'only a girl.'"

"Ah! that touched you, did it?" laughed the Captain. "But I do mind you,
child. I don't half like this idea of your going. You are sure that you
won't stay here?"

"Sure, Captain. Indeed, I must get to New Orleans, and there is no other
way, is there?"

"No; to try to make it by land on either side the river would be through
the enemy's country with every chance in favor of capture. This is a
desperate risk but sometimes desperate chances stand the best show of
success. Once past Vicksburg and the rest is easy."

"Then please don't say anything more about my staying," pleaded Jeanne. "I
will try not to be the least bit in the way."

And so it came about that the transport made ready to run the batteries
of Vicksburg with Jeanne on board. The girl watched the men as they
worked, and waited impatiently for the time to come for them to start. At
last night fell. There was no moon, and a little before midnight a gunboat
drifted out of Miliken's Bend where the fleet lay, and, showing no light
from its chimney, moved like some great bird down the noiseless current,
while the transport, hugging the western shore under the cover of the
friendly darkness, followed close in the rear.

No sound could be heard from the heights of Vicksburg, nor could any
lights be seen. The city lay in the brooding darkness as calmly quiet
as though no dread batteries lay at her feet waiting but the word of
command to belch forth their terrible fire. An hour passed, and Jeanne,
sitting in the darkness of the cabin listening with strained ears to
catch the least sound, began to believe that they would get safely past
the city undiscovered.

Suddenly there came a flash followed by a crash that shook the shores.
Lights danced along the heights. Thunder answered thunder and the
roar of batteries from land and water rent the air. Presently a blaze
flickered, flashed and then sprang up in a great sheet of flame upon the
heights throwing the gunboat and the transport into a strong light,
and turning the gloom of the black midnight into the brilliancy of day.
The Confederates had fired a mass of combustibles with which to spy
out the whereabouts of their enemies.

With the first burst of the artillery Jeanne ran up on deck.

"Back to the cabin, girl," shouted the Capta