"Let me tell him you will go, Lawry?" whispered Ben. "He may be hard on you if you don't." "I will not. I must see Mr. Sherwood at once." "What's the matter?" asked Ethan. Lawry was explaining what had happened, when Ben came down with Taylor. "I shall not go in her till I have seen Mr. Sherwood," added Lawry, as he finished his brief statement. "Then I shall not," said Ethan. "I can steer her myself," said Ben to Taylor. "Certainly you can." "Mr. Sherwood will be down soon, and we must be off before he gets here." "Go up, and start her then," added Taylor. Without noticing Lawry and Ethan, Ben rushed up to the wheel-house, and ordered the deck-hands to cast off the fasts, which was done. He knew how to steer a boat, and understood the bells, having had considerable experience on board the large steamers. He rang to back her, supposing Ethan was at his post in the engine-room. She did not back, and he rang again, but with no better success than before. "Back her!" shouted he, through the speaking-tube. There was no answer; and, filled with anger, the new captain rushed down to the engine-room to "blow up" the engineer. He found Ethan on the main-deck. "What are you doing there?" demanded Ben. "Don't you hear the bells?" "I heard them," replied Ethan quietly. "Why don't you start her, then?" "I've nothing to do with her." "Don't you run that engine?" "I don't." "What do you mean?" "I mean that I will have nothing to do with the engine as things are now." Ben raved and stormed at Ethan; then he tried to coax him to take his place; but the engineer was as firm as the pilot had been. Taylor offered him ten dollars if he would run the engine that day; but he positively refused. The new captain then went down to the fire-room, where the man in charge of the furnaces was promoted to the position of engineer. "Now we can go it," said Ben. "No; don't start her," said the sheriff. "Why not?" "I am responsible for the safety of this boat, and she shall not go with neither pilot nor engineer." Taylor and the new captain swore terribly; but the sheriff was immovable. CHAPTER XVI THE EXCURSION TO WHITEHALL Lawry was no lawyer, and was therefore unable to form an opinion in regard to the legality of the steps by which the _Woodville_ had been taken from him. It was an accomplished fact, and he was as disconsolate as though he had lost his best friend. He went on shore, and until the peremptory order of the sheriff was given, he expected to see the steamer shoot out from the wharf and disappear beyond the point, in charge of another person than himself.