he next business of the expedition was
to examine the bay, and ascertain what vessels were at the landing
place. The boats shoved off, and pulled around the point.

CHAPTER XXIV

CAPTAIN LONLEY OF THE STEAMER HAVANA

The two twelve-pounders in each boat were believed to weigh about six
hundred pounds each, while the ordinary bronze boat gun of the same
calibre weighs seven hundred and sixty pounds. The four guns, therefore,
were rather too heavy a burden for the size of the cutters. But Christy
was unwilling to throw the two without carriages overboard, for the
water in this locality was so clear that they could have been seen at a
depth of two or three fathoms. They were useless for the duty in which
the expedition was engaged, and the commander of the expedition decided
to land them on the Seahorse Key till he had completed his operations in
the bay, when they could be taken off and transported to the Bronx as
trophies, if for nothing better.

Mr. Flint was disposed to object to this plan, on account of the time it
would require; but he yielded the point when Christy informed him that
it was only half past two, as he learned from the repeater he carried
for its usefulness on just such duty as the present expedition.

The guns and all that belonged to them were landed on the Key, and the
boats shoved off, the lieutenants happy in the thought that they were no
longer embarrassed by their weight, while they could not be brought to
bear upon them.

The boats had hardly left the little island behind them when the noise
of paddle wheels ahead was reported by one of the trio in the bow of the
first cutter. Christy listened with all his ears, and immediately heard
the peculiar sounds caused by the slapping of the paddle wheels of a
steamer upon the water.

"We are in for something," said he to the pilot, as he listened to the
sounds. "What might that be?"

"It is a steamer without any doubt coming around the point, and she will
be in sight in a moment or two," replied Mr. Amblen. "It may be a river
steamer that has brought a load of cotton down the Suwanee, and is going
out on this tide."

"Then we may need those guns we have left on the key," suggested
Christy.

"If she is a river steamer, there is not much of a force on board of
her," replied the pilot.

"We might return to the island, and use the two guns with carriages
there."

"If she is a river steamer, we shall not need great guns to capture
he