mething like a uniform.

"I will try to find out when I am well off, and then I will answer you,"
replied Christy.

"All fast, sir," reported Flint.

The commander of the expedition, turning his back to the fat man, went
forward to the pilot house.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE BATTLE WITH THE SOLDIERS

Mr. Amblen went to the pilot house, and rang two bells. Dolly responded
properly by starting the engine on the reverse, and the schooner
alongside began to move away from the wharf, for the stern of the Havana
pointed out into the bay.

"Stop, there! What are you about?" shouted the fat man on the deck of
the schooner.

"About going," replied Christy.

"These vessels are the property of a citizen of the Confederate States,
and I command you to stop," yelled the fat man with all the voice he
could muster.

"All right," replied Christy, as the gong sounded to stop her. "Now, Mr.
Flint, cast off the fasts, and let the schooner go astern," he added to
the second lieutenant.

"All clear, sir," replied Flint a moment later, and after the steamer
lost her headway, the vessel continued to back, though the Havana was
checked by the engine.

The fat man went adrift in the schooner, but Christy gave no further
attention to him. The steamer was started ahead again; her bow was run
alongside of the other vessel at the wharf, and Flint proceeded in the
same manner as with the first one.

"Orderly!" shouted the fat man, evidently addressing the man who had
come to the schooner with him, and had retreated to the wharf when the
vessel began to move.

"Captain Rowly!" replied the man, who was doubtless the orderly sergeant
of the company.

"Go to the barracks and have the men haul the four field pieces over to
the wharf," yelled the fat captain.

"All right, little one! Have them hauled over by all means," said
Christy, as the men made fast to the other schooner, and cast off the
fasts.

But it was soon evident that the sleepy soldiers had been roused from
their slumbers by some other agency than the orderly, though it was not
quite possible for them to haul over the four guns, as they happened
to be on the forward deck of the Havana. But the men were armed with
muskets, and were capable of doing a great deal of mischief with them.
Christy hurried up the men at the fasts, but they had about finished
their task.

"All clear, Mr. Passford," called Mr. Flint, as the soldiers
double-quicked across the railroad to the w