ould not, he studied and practised till
he did believe it.

Be it vanity or pride, Christy certainly believed in himself to a very
liberal extent, though his character was fortunately leavened with a
large lump of modesty. What he believed, he believed for himself, and
acted upon it for himself; so that he was not inclined to boast of his
accomplishments, and permitted others to find out what he was rather
than made it known in words himself. But his father had found it
necessary to restrain him to some extent, and he had not pushed him
forward as rapidly as he might have done till the dread notes of war
were heard on the land and the sea; and then he thought it would be
wrong to hold him back.

When Christy sighted along the great gun, he believed he could hit the
Vampire almost to a certainty; but he was not self-sufficient, and did
not often believe that he knew a thing better than any other person, and
he was not above taking the advice and instruction of others. It was
dark, but Christy had fixed upon an object at the bend below, of which
he intended to make use in firing the gun. It was a tree which painted
its outline on the horizon, and the decisive moment was to come when
the Vampire was in range with this tree. He adjusted the gun just as he
wanted it, and he was satisfied it would do just what he required of it.

He was not inclined to act on his own judgment and skill alone, and he
called Boxie, the old sheet-anchorman, who had been the captain of a gun
years before the midshipman was born, and pointed out the tree to him,
asking him to sight along the gun. He explained his plan to the old
salt, and then asked his opinion.

"You have aimed it too high, Mr. Passford," said the veteran, after he
had squinted a long time along the piece.

"How is it otherwise?" asked Christy.

"It is all right, sir; but the shot will pass over the steamer. Drop the
muzzle a trifle, and the shot will hull her, if you pull the lockstring
at the right time."

"I shall see that the string is pulled at the right time; thank you,
Boxie," added Christy, without depressing the gun as the old man
suggested, for he had a theory of his own which he intended to carry
out.

"But the ship may change her position a trifle," added Boxie.

"Of course, I mean to sight the gun again at the very moment we fire,"
replied Christy, looking at his watch, though he was obliged to go into
the engine-room to see what time it was.

It was aft