vements of the enemy. It was not so dark as to prevent him from
seeing all that was going on upon her deck, for the Bellevite had to
pass within pistol-shot of her to avoid getting aground on the edge of
the channel.

Sampson and the rest of the old ship's company gathered near him, where
they could see over the rail. The oiler, as Paul Vapoor had instructed
him to do, had armed all these men with a cutlass and a revolver, and
very likely some or all of them would have been glad to make use of
them.

"They are loading into a boat on the port side of the Vampire, sir, and
it looks as though they intended to do something without delay," said
Sampson; and, as the steamer had come about since she was disabled, this
was the side nearest to the shore.

"I see that they are hurrying some movement with all their might,"
replied the midshipman, watching with the most intense interest the
operations of the enemy. "Sampson, get out half a dozen sixty-pound,
solid shot, and put them on the plankshear, twenty feet apart. Take all
hands with you, and hurry up."

The oiler asked no questions, though he might have been excused for
wondering what the young commander intended to do with shot without
powder. In a few minutes the shot were in place, as Christy had
directed. The midshipman was watching with all his eyes the movement of
the enemy, and, as the Bellevite approached the position of the wreck,
the boat darted out from the other side of her. It began to be exciting
for the middy, loaded with the responsibility of the safety of the
steamer, though he seemed to be as cool as Boxie himself, who had seen
some sea fights in his day.

Christy leaped on the rail of the ship, where he could obtain a full
view of the situation. The boat was approaching with all the speed the
oarsmen could command, and they seemed to be experienced hands. There
could be no doubt of the intentions of the enemy, and the midshipman
drew his heavy naval revolver from his pocket.

"Stand by to repel boarders!" he called to the seamen. "Pass up one of
those shot, Sampson. Have a hand mount the rail, each with a shot, at
the points where you have placed them."

"The ladies wish to know what is going on, Christy," said Paul, coming
from the engine-room.

"I have no time to talk now," replied Christy impatiently, as he saw the
approaching boat within ten feet of the side of the steamer. "Tell them
to stay where they are, and not come on deck!"

The boat