g had evidently ended sooner than had been expected, and
the Raven was the prize of the St. Regis. Christy still stood on the
rail, and saw that all his orders had been executed to the letter. Mr.
Makepeace had sent the carpenter and his gang into the hold, or as far
as they could get, to ascertain if the steamer had been scuttled. It
could not have been done without breaking out a portion of the cargo,
and this would have been a work of no little time. The carpenter
reported that everything was all right below the deck of the Raven,
and the commander on the rail was so informed.

[Illustration: "The stream struck the commander with force."
Page 331.]

"This is a heathenish outrage, Captain, if a young cub like you can be
the commander of a ship like that!" exclaimed Captain Bristler, foaming
with rage over the result of the affair; and he interlarded his speech
with all the oaths in the vocabulary of a pirate.

"Captain Bristler, when you address me as one gentleman should another,
I will talk with you; but not till then," replied Christy with dignity.

"A gentleman!" gasped the other captain. "You tried to murder half a
dozen of my men! You are a Yankee pirate! That's what you are!"

We cannot soil this page with even a description of the oaths and curses
with which he mixed his language. Christy was disgusted with him; and
while he still continued his impious ravings, he sent a midshipman with
an order to Mr. Makepeace who was in charge of the hose pipe on board of
the Raven. While Captain Bristler was pouring forth anathemas that made
the blood of the loyal officers run cold in their veins, the man who
held the hose pipe directed it to him, and the water was turned on.

The stream struck the commander with force enough to knock him down.
But the bath was not suspended on that account, and it was continued
till it had extinguished the fire of profanity. Christy made a sign,
and the steam-pump ceased to work. The mate rushed to the assistance of
the captain, put him on his feet, and was conducting him towards the
companion, seeking a retreat in his cabin; but he was silent, perhaps
from his inability to speak.

"Stop, Mr. Victor!" called Christy to the mate. "I cannot trust that man
to remain on board of the Raven"; and at the same time he directed Mr.
Baskirk to have him arrested and put in irons, if he was violent.

"But this gentleman is the commander of the steamer," interposed the
mate.

"I don't ca