re what he is; if he were a gentleman, as you call him,
I would treat him like one; but he is a brute, and I shall treat him as
such," replied Christy, as two of his men, attended by two more, laid
hands on the dripping captain. "You may send his clothes on board of
this ship, Mr. Victor. Have him committed to the brig, Master-at-Arms."

There was no appeal from the decision of Commander Passford, for his
authority was supreme. The refractory commander was committed to the
brig of the St. Regis, and his own steward was sent to him with his
clothes, with order to exchange his wet garments for dry ones.

"Sail, ho!" shouted the man on the cross trees, who had remained there
during the scene which had just transpired, while the commander was
descending from the rail.

Possibly the lookout man had been more attentive to the proceedings on
the deck of the Raven than to his duty, for the sail must have been in
sight some little time before he reported it. The two steamers, which
had been vainly chasing the prize, were now within half a mile of the
St. Regis.

CHAPTER XXX

ANOTHER SAILING CONTEST INAUGURATED

Although the Raven had not yet been disposed of, the ship's company
were immediately interested in the vessel which the lookout had tardily
announced; and the vigor with which he had given the hail to the deck
indicated that he was conscious of the defect.

"Where away?" returned Mr. Baskirk; though it was a superfluous
question, for all on the deck who cast their eyes to the westward could
see the sail.

"On the starboard, sir."

Commander Passford was already examining the distant sail with his
glass, as were all the officers who were not otherwise occupied. There
were fog banks in that direction; and the craft might have suddenly
loomed up out of them, though this did not appear to have been the case.
The sail was too far off to be made out with anything like distinctness.
It was a steamer headed to the east, and the quantity of smoke that
trailed in the air above indicated that she had been liberal in the use
of coal in her furnaces.

As the sail was diminishing her distance from the St. Regis, Christy
turned his attention again to the prize alongside his ship. The two
chasers that had been pursuing the Raven, neither of which appeared to
be capable of making more than fourteen knots an hour, were now almost
within hailing distance.

The Raven was a steamer of nearly the size of the St. Regis. Sh