Vampire is coming up the river. If
you listen, you will hear a hoarse puffing; and nothing but that old ark
could make such a wheezy noise," replied the steward.

The middy heard it and was satisfied.

CHAPTER IX

THE APPROACH OF THE VAMPIRE

The Vampire, as the steward had no doubt it was, could not be less than
a mile distant from the spot where the two horsemen had halted in the
road. Christy was very familiar with this portion of the river, and
after he had listened a few moments, he was satisfied from the direction
of the sound he heard, that a mile was very nearly the exact distance.
The approaching steamer had to come around a small bend, the arc of
which made just a mile.

"I don't wish to blow up a dozen or twenty loyal citizens, and I must
make sure in some way that Captain Carboneer's party is on board of that
steamer," said Christy, as he led his horse into a field, and tied him
to a tree, the steward following his example.

"That would be a very bad thing to do," added Mr. Watts, as they walked
back to the river. "But I don't see why it is necessary to blow up even
any rebels on the present occasion. If that naval officer has forty men,
as you think he has, a shot from that long gun would make terrible havoc
among them if you succeeded in hitting her. You might kill half of
them."

"If we do they, and not we, will be responsible for it," added Christy,
somewhat appalled by the suggestion of his companion.

"If you have steam up on board of the Bellevite, why not get under way
and run down the river," continued Mr. Watts.

"Perhaps I am a coward, but I am afraid to do that," replied the
midshipman, thoughtfully.

"We all know that you are no coward, Christy, and if you don't send a
shot into the Vampire, it will not be because you are afraid."

"Although I know the river as well as any pilot in this vicinity, I
should not dare to run the Bellevite at full speed around such a bend
as the one off this spot," Christy explained. "We have not above half a
dozen trained sailors who know how to handle a cutlass on board, and all
the others will be needed in working the steamer. The coal-passers would
be good for nothing in repelling boarders."

"You think Captain Carboneer would board the steamer, do you?"

"I have no doubt he would. He is a naval officer, and he knows what
he is about. There are several ways that he might get a hold on the
Bellevite, and, if he got alongside of her, I am af