ng all
reasonable precautions in the discharge of my duty," replied Flint.
"Mr. Lillyworth was in a state of mutiny just now, and spoke to me."

"What did he say?"

"He declared that he was second lieutenant of the ship, and it was his
right to command the first division of boarders. He wouldn't stand it.
I told him he was to be in command of the guns. He insisted that you did
not intend to fire a gun if you could help it. I replied that we should
not board the vessel either if we could help it. But I had no time to
argue with him, and referred him to the captain. Then he moved towards
the ladder of the bridge, and I forbade him to leave his station. That
is the whole of it. I have seen him speak to each of the six men we now
know to be his friends, to say nothing of Mulgrum. I left him then."

"All right so far, Mr. Flint. Return to the deck, if you please, and be
sure that the boarders are kept out of sight from this moment," added
Christy. "Quartermaster, ring four bells," he added, turning to the
pilot house.

"Four bells, sir," repeated McSpindle, who was at the wheel.

The Bronx soon began to feel the effect of this order, and the smoke
poured out in increased volume from the smokestack, affected by the
stronger draught produced by the additional speed.

"On the topsail yard!" called the captain, directing his speaking
trumpet aloft.

"On the bridge, sir!" replied the man.

"Can you make out the steamer?"

"No, sir; only her topmasts and fore rigging."

"How does she lie from the Bronx?"

"Still on the starboard bow, sir."

"Port the helm, quartermaster," added the captain.

"Port, sir," replied McSpindle.

For about five minutes more, the Bronx went ahead at full speed, and
Christy was confident that she was again making fifteen knots.

"On the bridge, sir!" called the man on the fore yard.

"Aloft!"

"I make her out now; she has the Confederate flag at the peak."

"All right!" exclaimed Christy to himself, though he spoke out loud.

The steamer had set her colors, and there was no longer any doubt in
regard to her character. The flag also indicated that she was not a
blockade runner in the ordinary sense of the word, but a Confederate
man-of-war. Warnock reported that she had taken her armament on board
from another vessel at some point south of England, and the colors also
assured Christy that the steamer was one of the pair expected.

Still the Bronx went ahead at full speed, and prese