f
felt in the increasing speed of the Bellevite. Captain Breaker estimated
that the steamer which had just come out of port was all of five miles
ahead. It was only seven o'clock in the early darkness of this latitude.
Whether the chase was the Killbright or not, it was impossible to make
out in the darkness.

If it was the Killbright, Captain Passford's correspondent wrote that
she was capable of making twenty knots an hour, as she had been built
more for speed than anything else, though she could hardly be a
profitable commercial venture. But even accepting this speed as the
difficulty to be overcome, the Bellevite would probably overhaul her in
two or three hours. The engineer felt that his reputation and that of
the ship were at stake, and could not think of such a thing as failure
in the first actual encounter with the enemy.

"We are gaining on her without the ghost of a doubt, Mr. Passford," said
Boxie, who was ready for duty at the gun.

"No doubt of that, Tom Boxie," replied the third lieutenant. "But she is
taking it very coolly. She has not yet even put out her lights."

"I suppose you know why she hasn't, Mr. Passford," added the captain of
the gun.

"I am sure I don't know," replied Christy. "If I was in command of that
steamer, and wanted to do just what she does, I should not proceed as
she does. But I am nothing but a boy."

"But you have got a long head on your shoulders, Mr. Passford, and I
should like to know, if you please, what you would do."

"I would put her lights out before I winked twice."

"Right, Mr. Passford!" exclaimed the sheet-anchor man. "I am glad to
hear you say that. The trouble with most of the boys is, when they go to
sea to fight the battles of their country, they are as reckless as young
wildcats."

"I think it is possible to use proper caution without being a coward,
Tom Boxie; and my father gave me a lesson on that subject not long ago."

"Eight bells, sir; and that steamer has had a good hour of running so
far. I will wager my day's grub that we are two knots nearer to her than
when she laid her course," added Boxie, delighted with the situation.

"I have no doubt of it. I think they are beginning to see it on board of
her. There go her lights! She has not a ghost of a glow in sight; and I
suppose there is going to be some monkeying about it, if she has
ascertained that she cannot run away from us."

"Most likely, sir; but this is not a good night to play tricks,