The Leopard came about in double-quick time; and as soon as her keel was at right angles with that of the Dauphine, Christy righted the helm, and let her go in the direction of the disabled Belle. She rolled, pitched, and plunged in the sea, which had been increasing very sensibly within a short time; but she went ahead at her best speed, and that was all Christy wanted of her. The Bellevite was still rushing down upon the Dauphine as though she intended to annihilate her when the crash came, as come it must within a minute or two. Christy's heart was in his throat, for he felt that his own safety depended upon the events of the next two minutes. A tremendous collision was impending, and thus far the Dauphine had done nothing to avoid it. Doubtless her commander had gauged the speed of the Bellevite by what she had been doing in the shoal water, and had not believed she could overhaul him before he had thrown a force on board of the Leopard. "Now, keep her as she is, Percy, and we shall soon know what is going to happen," said Christy, when the tug had come about so that he could not readily see the movements of the other steamers. "We are running right into the Belle," suggested Percy. "This thing will be settled before we can come within hail of her, and I don't think she wants any thing more of us at present," replied Christy, as he left the pilot-house, and hastened aft, where he could get a better view of the situation. "There is a row on board of the Dauphine," said Captain Pecklar, who had come to the stern for the same purpose as Christy. "Those men are leaping down from the rail." "What has happened on board of her?" asked Christy. "Nothing; but the Bellevite is coming into her full tilt, and they know that the shock will knock all those men overboard; and I think they don't want to have to stop to pick them up," answered the captain. At this moment several sharp orders were given on board of the Dauphine, and her head began to swing around to the northward. "That's what's the matter!" exclaimed the captain. "They think they won't wait for the rap the Bellevite is ready to give them." The helm of the enemy's steamer had been put hard-a-port; and as she promptly came about, the sharp bow of the Bellevite shot past her quarter, and she barely escaped the blow. It look as though those on board of either vessel could have leaped to the deck of the other. "What is the reason she don't fire upon the Bellevite?" asked Christy, when he felt that the crisis was past. "I don't believe she has any guns on board yet, though I don't know," replied the captain. "What is she going to do now, I wonder." "I think she will come about and try to board the Bellevite now. It seems to me that if she had any guns on board, she would have opened fire before this time." "We must look out, or the Bellevite will run into us," added Christy, as he went forward to the pilot-house. "That steamer has come about," said Percy, as he joined him.