t rank," replied Christy. "Now we will ride down the river.
Do you happen to know what time it is, Mr. Watts?"

"I don't know, but I think it is about half-past eleven. I am not much
of an equestrian," replied the steward, as he mounted the horse, "for I
have been to sea all my life; but I think I can stay on if the beast
don't run away with me."

"He is perfectly gentle, and he will not run away with you. We have no
occasion to ride fast, and we may not have to go more than two or three
miles."

They rode along the river for a few minutes, and then Christy reined in
his steed and dismounted. He went to the water side, at a point where
there was a bend, and carefully examined the surroundings, both above
and below. He could not see the Bellevite in the darkness, for he had
directed the engineer to allow no light to be shown on board of her.
He had brought a little mathematics into his calculations, and he had
pointed the big gun of the steamer so as to cover the craft with the
walking-beam when she came in sight around this turn of the stream. By
this plan she was sure to come into the range of the piece, no matter on
which side of the channel she was moving.

"Now, Mr. Watts, I have a further duty for you to perform," said
Christy, as he explained his plan to the steward. "We shall go down the
river till we meet this steamer which conveys the enemy. As you are a
sailor as well as a caterer, you have a nautical eye, and when you have
seen this steamer you will know her again."

"Trust me for that. If it is the old tub I think it is, I know her
already," answered the steward.

"What steamer do you think it is?"

"The old Vampire; and if you give her much of a rap, she will go to the
bottom without the least difficulty."

"I don't care where she goes to, provided she don't put her passengers
on board of the Bellevite. But I am taking you down the river with me in
order that you may see her and know her."

"I shall know her as soon as I see her."

"As I said before, I shall run my horse back and get aboard of the
Bellevite as soon as I am satisfied that the enemy are moving up the
river," continued Christy.

"I am afraid I shall not be able to keep up with you if you run your
horse," suggested the steward.

"I don't want you to keep up with me. You can come along as leisurely as
you please, though you must not let the enemy get ahead of you."

"If the enemy are in the old Vampire, I could keep ahead of her