n with the engine, and the party so hastily
gathered were not strong enough to beat off the force of the enemy if
they attempted to board the vessel.

"Now, Paul, I want you to understand the whole affair before we go any
farther; and I wish you would go on board and take the command there,"
said the midshipman, as soon as the engineer had reported the result of
his mission.

"But are you not going to be on board, Christy? I don't pretend to be a
sailor or a gunner," said Paul.

"I shall go on board as soon as I can," replied Christy. "You will find
a boat on the shore, near the steamer, and you will go on board in that;
but have the boat sent back for me."

"All right, Christy; I will obey orders," added Paul, as he dismounted
from his horse.

"Mr. Watts will take your horse, and ride with me down the shore. We can
see the river all the way, for we shall not stick to the road when it
leads us away from it. As soon as we discover the steamer that is to
bring up the enemy, I will run my horse back to this point, and go on
board."

"That is all easy enough," added Paul.

"Easy enough; but I can form no idea as to when the steamer will come.
We may have to wait till morning for it, and perhaps the plan of the
enemy will fail, and they will not come at all."

"If they don't come to-night, they never will; and there will be time
enough for the home guard to scour the woods, and arrest all suspicious
persons."

"I said what I did so that you need not be impatient if you have to
wait a long time. You will have a watch kept from the moment you get
on board, and no stranger is to be allowed to put a foot on the deck.
Captain Carboneer may send some one of his party to see that everything
is working right on board for his side of the affair."

"I will do that."

"See that the steam is well up, so that we can move off in good time if
we find it necessary to get under way," continued Christy.

"I thought that was a settled point, and the ship was to be taken down
the river in any case," said Paul.

"I supposed so myself in the beginning; but if it is not necessary to
run away, I don't care to do so. Let Boxie see that the cable is buoyed
and ready to run out at a moment's notice."

"All right, midshipman," replied Paul, as he hastened to the boat.

"Why does he call you midshipman?--that is a new name," said the chief
steward.

"He brought me the news this evening that I had been appointed in the
navy with tha