kely she will
count upon the darkness to enable her to give us the slip," suggested
Mr. Baskirk.

"Mr. Vapoor has come to his bearings, and in another half hour we shall
be within one mile of her. But I am afraid we shall not be able to
settle this affair finally to-night," replied Christy.

The darkness gathered around the two ships, and none of the steamers in
the distance could any longer be seen. The officers could just make out
the steamer ahead, which still kept on her course. The midship gun was
now brought into use, and a round shot was sent on its mission to her;
but with little chance of hitting her in the increasing gloom, for the
sky was obscured with clouds, and all the signs indicated fog during the
night, which would be exceedingly favorable to the chase. A flash was
seen in the distance, and then came the roar of a heavy gun.

"She is not merely a blockade-runner; for it appears now that she is an
armed vessel, and has some heavy metal on board," said Christy.

"But no shot has come within hearing," added Mr. Baskirk. "Perhaps she
only wished to inform us that she could bite as well as bark."

The St. Regis kept on her course for another hour. Christy was very
anxious, for the chase was plainly a Confederate man-of-war, or a
privateer; and if she escaped she might begin her work of destruction
the very next day. At two bells in the first watch she could not be
seen; but the commander kept on his course another half-hour, and then
he ran into a fog.

The log indicated that the ship was making her best speed; and if the
chase continued on her former course, she must have been within sight or
hearing by this time. Christy peered through the gloom of the night and
the fog, and listened for any sound. He kept up a tremendous thinking
all the time, and acted as though he was in doubt.

"Make the course east, Mr. Baskirk," said he, calling the executive
officer.

"East, Captain Passford?" interrogated the lieutenant; and if he tried
to conceal the astonishment he felt, his tones failed him.

"East, Mr. Baskirk," repeated the commander.

The course was given to the quartermaster at the wheel; and the St.
Regis came about gradually, and stood off in the direction indicated.
Christy had a theory of his own, in regard to the probable movements of
the chase, and he desired to be solely responsible for the result:
therefore he kept his plan to himself.

"Call all hands, Mr. Baskirk, but without any noise