"What do you propose to do, Major Pierson?" asked Christy. "Just now, all I desire is to procure assistance for poor Pecklar," replied the major. "But we are as helpless as though we were all babies, for we can't handle the steamer, and cannot run down to the Bellevite. I hope you will not have the death of this poor fellow on your conscience." "I will not. I will take the Leopard alongside of the Bellevite, if you like," replied Christy; and he regarded this as a mission of humanity which he had no right to decline. "The steamer has turned about!" shouted one of the soldiers on the forecastle. Christy had noticed that the Bellevite was coming about before the announcement came from below, for his nautical eye enabled him to see her first movement. He did not feel that the service he was about to render would benefit the enemy, on the one hand; and he hoped that his father or some other person on board of the Bellevite would see him in the pilot-house, on the other hand. If he could only let his father know where he was, he felt that he should remove a heavy burden from his mind and that of his sister. What else might come from getting near to the steamer, he did not venture to consider. But he could not help figuring up the number of soldiers on board of the tug; the force which had captured him and Percy consisted of four men, and two men were with the lieutenant. Two officers and six men was the available force of the enemy on board of the little steamer, for neither the captain nor the engineer was fit for duty. "I accept your offer, Captain Passford; and we have no time to spare, or the sick man may die," said the major. Christy made no reply, but went to the wheel, and rang the bell to go ahead. Heading the Leopard for the Bellevite, he gave himself up to a consideration of the situation. Major Pierson immediately left the pilot-house, and did not return. No stipulations of any kind had been made, and no terms had been imposed upon Christy. All that he desired was that his father should see him, and know where he was. No one but himself on board could handle the steamer; and he could not be sent out of the pilot-house, or concealed so that he should not be seen. On the other hand, it did not seem to him that the officer could do any thing towards capturing the Bellevite. The major desired to ascertain what force she had, and had asked some questions calculated to throw light on the subject. If the steamer had come into the bay on a peaceful errand, as Christy insisted that she had, the major might easily believe that she was not armed, and that she had only men enough to man her. But Christy could not tell what his captor was thinking about, and he could not yet enlarge his plans for the future; but he was very certain in his own mind, that he should not let pass any opportunity to escape, even at great risk, from his present situation.