Mr. Pillgrim raised his pistol, and fired at the rebellious officer; but he was too much excited to take good aim, if, indeed, he intended to do anything more than intimidate his inferior officer. The ball whistled within a few feet of Somers's head, and roused his belligerent spirit. He raised his revolver on the instant, before the second lieutenant was ready to repeat his experiment, and fired. The traitor sank down in the stern-sheets of the cutter. The men seemed to be paralyzed by this sharp work, and sat like statues on the thwarts. [Illustration: A Conflict of Authority.] "Haul in, bowman!" said Somers, in sharp and earnest tones, breaking the solemn silence of that awful moment. The man obeyed mechanically, and the others did the same when required to boat their oars; but probably there was not one of the crew of either cutter who did not believe that the fourth lieutenant would be hung at the yard-arm for his mutinous, murderous conduct. Somers directed the coxswain of the first cutter to pull in to the accommodation ladder of the steamer. He was obeyed, and Boatswain Longstone was ordered to take charge of the boat. Eight men, armed with cutlasses and revolvers, were sent on board the Ben Nevis, and Somers followed them. The captain protested against the capture, but his papers were not what they were represented to be by Pillgrim. The character of the steamer was evident, and she was taken possession of by the fourth lieutenant, and the crews of both cutters were ordered on board. "How is Mr. Pillgrim?" asked Somers of the boatswain. "Is he dead?" "No, sir; the ball only glanced along the side of his head. He bleeds badly, but he is not severely wounded." The second lieutenant was soon able to sit up, and was assisted on board the Ben Nevis, where he was conducted to a state-room, and two seamen placed as guards at the door. "Somers, you have played me false!" said Pillgrim, with a savage expression on his pale face, "but you are a doomed man." "As you please, Mr. Pillgrim. You will consider yourself under arrest," replied Somers, as the traitor passed into his state-room. CHAPTER XIV. THE PRIZE STEAMER. It was quite dark when the capture of the Ben Nevis was completed. Rockets were thrown up to inform the Chatauqua of her present position, and with guards of seamen in the engine and fire-rooms, the wheels of the captured steamer were set in motion, and she was headed to the north. Somers displayed his usual decision and energy, and perhaps the men began to think, by this time, that the young officer knew his duty and was competent to perform it.