ooked like a trim little
steamer of about two hundred tons. She was rather long, and she had a
very sharp bow. The reports gave her the reputation of being a very fast
sailer.

"Let every man have his arms in order," said Christy impressively, in a
low tone. "Give way with a will, and when you unship your oars have your
weapons ready, though I hardly think you will have to use them at
present."

As the boat dashed towards the little steamer, the sounds of an
altercation came over the water. The angry voice of the captain, if
the late speaker was the captain, and several others were heard in a
dispute; and as the boat came alongside the report of a pistol indicated
that the belligerents were in earnest.

Christy sprang upon the deck of the Teaser, with his revolver in his
hand. Half a dozen men stood in a group by the side of the engine-room,
confronting the man who had done the talking with the boat, as Christy
knew by the sound of his voice.

"We are not held by any papers we signed!" protested one of the men
forward. "We are willing to do our duty, Captain Folkner, but we did not
ship to burrow through the sand, and run the risk of being captured by
the Yankees. We shipped to run the blockade, and that risk is in the
papers."

"I shall take my vessel out as I think best, Lonley; and my men are not
to dictate to me what I am to do," replied Captain Folkner angrily.

"I am willing to leave it to Captain Gilder. You know as well as I do
that the rest of the ship's company would not come on board till the
Teaser was outside of Santa Rosa Island. We appeal to you, Captain
Gilder," said Lonley.

"Why do you object to going out through Santa Rosa Sound?" asked
Christy, willing to do the fair thing, since the mutineers had appealed
to him.

"The Teaser draws ten feet of water with her coal in, and she cannot get
through the sound in a week, if ever."

"Are you willing to go to sea by running the blockade, Lonley?"

"Perfectly willing; and so are the whole ship's company."

"But I won't take the risk of running the blockade. They put a fast
steamer on there to-day, and it is useless," replied Captain Folkner.

The situation was certainly interesting to Christy and his companions.

CHAPTER XX

COMING TO THE POINT

Captain Folkner of the Teaser was evidently somewhat timid, and he had
heard of the arrival of the Bellevite. Just now the large ships-of-war
which had been there were absent on their duty,