and she could not carry sail; but the "bone in her teeth"
indicated that she was going through the water at great speed.

"A gun from the chaser, sir!" shouted the man aloft.

The cloud of smoke was seen, and the report of the gun reached the ears
of all on board the St. Regis.

"There is no mistaking what all that means, Mr. Baskirk," said Christy
when he had taken in the situation.

At the first announcement of the sail ahead, the commander had ordered
the chief engineer to get all the speed he could out of the ship. The
smoke was pouring out of the smoke stacks, for the St. Regis had two,
and presently she indicated what was going on in the fire room by
beginning to shake a little.

"Another sail dead ahead, sir!" called the man on the fore cross trees.

The glasses were directed to the third sail, and she proved to be a
steamer, also pursuing the one first seen. It was soon evident to the
observers that the blockade-runner, for the man aloft who had so defined
her was entirely correct, was gaining all the time on her pursuers. If
she had nothing but her two pursuers to fear, her troubles were really
over.

Both of the Federal ships were firing at the chase; but they might as
well have spared their powder and shot, for they could not reach her
into at least a quarter of a mile. The wind was still at the south-west,
and already there were signs of fog. The rakish steamer had probably
come from the Bermudas, where she must have obtained a skilful pilot,
for without one she would have had no chances at all; and she stood
boldly on her course as though she had nothing to fear on account of
the navigation.

"What are we going to have for weather, Mr. Makepeace?" asked Christy,
after a long look to windward.

"It looks a little nasty off towards the shore, sir," replied the second
lieutenant. "I should say it was going to be just what that pirate would
like to have."

"Why do you call her a pirate?" asked the commander with a smile.
"Probably she is not armed."

"I call her a pirate because she looks like one; but I think a
blockade-runner is a hundred degrees better than a pirate; and our
British friends plainly look upon them as doing a legitimate business.
I rather think that highflyer will run into a fog before she gets to the
shore."

"She has nothing to fear from the two steamers that are chasing her,"
added Christy. "We are to have a finger in this pie."

"No doubt of that; and I hope we shall make