"But you are going off, Major Pierson," suggested Spikeley. "If that steamer over yonder looks like she was going to run over the Leopard, I am not to start the engine to keep her from being sent to the bottom of the bay?" "No!" exclaimed the officer. "All right, major; then you may find me on the bottom when you come back." "You will not be lost as long as I know where you are," added the major with a chuckle. "Are you coming back to-day, major?" "I don't know when I shall return. All you have to do is to obey orders, and leave all the rest to me." "Shall I be all alone on board?" "That young fellow at the wheel will remain on board; but you are not to mind what he says to you. Do you understand that?" "I reckon I do," replied Spikeley. "My brother, who was down here a little while ago, will also remain on board; and Captain Pecklar will be in his room, for he cannot leave it. That is all that will be on board. But no one will bother you, unless it should be the fellow now at the wheel; and he can't do any harm as long as you don't start the engine for him." "I reckon I won't start the engine for him, or anybody else but you, major. You can bet your commission on that," added the engineer, with more vim in his speech than he had used before. "All right, Spikeley; and I will see that you don't lose any thing, if you are faithful to your duty. You must keep a sharp lookout for Passford: that's the young fellow at the wheel. He is the only one that can do any mischief, and I would not have him go near that steamer for a thousand dollars." Christy thought he understood what was in progress; at any rate, he dared not remain any longer away from the wheel, and he returned to the pilot-house. Percy was still interested in his occupation. He was steering the tug very well for a beginner, and his brother was too busy organizing his expedition to notice that the steering was a little wild; for the waves caused the boat to yaw somewhat in the absence of a skilled hand at the helm. The Leopard was now within about half a mile of the Bellevite. The latter turned her screw a few times once in a while to keep from drifting, and Christy saw from his chart that the water was too shallow for her in the direction in which the tug was approaching her. Of course his father was aware that, by this time, his own and his daughter's departure from his uncle's mansion was known. His own absence, therefore, must be the only thing that detained her in these waters. "I think I can steer this thing pretty well, Mr. Pierson," said Percy, when the new captain joined him. "You do it very well indeed for a beginner, Percy; but you need not call me 'Mr. Pierson' any longer, for it takes too long to say it. Everybody calls me Christy, and you had better follow the fashion," replied the captain. "All right, Christy, and I will do so; for there are more Piersons on board of this boat now than I wish there were," added Percy, glancing at the face of his companion.