"The Tallahatchie has fired two shots at us, Mr. Passford; but she wasted her ammunition," said the commander. "I am inclined to agree with Mr. Ballard that she cannot swing her Armstrong gun so as to cover the Bellevite." "She has stopped her screw, sir!" exclaimed the first lieutenant, who was looking at the chase through the best glass. "Make the course west, Mr. Passford!" said the captain with energy. "Quartermaster, make it west!" shouted Christy. "West, sir!" repeated the quartermaster, as he caused the helmsmen to heave over the wheel. Directing his glass to the chase again, Christy saw the Tallahatchie swing around so that she was broadside to the Bellevite. Almost at the same moment the smoke rose from her deck, and the sound of the gun reached the ears of the officers and crew. The shot passed with a mighty whiz between the fore and main mast of the ship, cutting away one of the fore topsail braces, but doing no other damage. The seamen cheered as they had before. The Tallahatchie started her screw as soon as she had discharged her gun, and resumed her former course, the Bellevite doing the same. If the loyal ship had not promptly altered her course, the projectile would have raked her, and must have inflicted much greater injury in the spars and rigging. But both vessels promptly resumed their former relative positions, though the Tallahatchie had lost some of her advantage by coming to, while her pursuer had only made a small circuit without stopping her engine for a moment. "If she does that again, Mr. Passford, we must be ready to return her fire," said the captain. "Have the pivot gun ready, and aim for her Armstrong, which seems to be sufficiently prominent on her deck to make a good target." Christy hastened forward, and gave the order to Mr. Ballard, in whose division the great Parrot was included. The signal was promptly given for manning the gun, and seventeen men immediately sprang to their stations. The men were armed with cutlasses, muskets, battle-axes, pistols, and pikes, which were so disposed as to be in readiness for boarding the enemy, or repelling boarders. "A solid shot, and aim at the pivot gun of the enemy," said Christy in a low tone to the second lieutenant, who had the reputation of being an expert in the handling of guns of the largest calibre.