“Rite on de bar, massa,” said Clem, thrusting his head out of the side-window, and taking three long snuffs. “Dar’s de pint ober dar.” “By the mark, one!” repeated Tom as he threw the lead again. “Needn’t sound no more down dar. Dis chile knows all about it hisself,” cried Clem, who appeared to think that the precaution was an imputation upon his skill or his loyalty. But Tom did not suspend the operation; and soon the depth increased to eight feet. “All right now, massa cap’n,” said Clem a few minutes later, as he fixed his eye on the compass. The binnacle-lamp had been lighted: but it was not to be supposed that Clem knew anything about the compass; yet great was the astonishment of the captain when it was observed that now he steered entirely by that instrument. “What is your course, Clem?” asked Captain McBride. “No’th-east by no’th, massa,” replied the black pilot. “Can you box the compass?” “Yes, sar, no’th, no’th by east, nor’-nor’-east, no’th-east by no’th, nor’-east by east, east-nor’-east, east by no’th, east,” chattered Clem without hesitation. “That will do. Where did you learn that?” “’Board vessel down t’ de Keys.” Clem was certainly a prize; and Captain McBride was duly grateful that this “intelligent contraband” had concluded to run away at the precise time he did. “Steamer on the port-bow!” shouted the lookout on the forecastle. “Dems ’em, massa cap’n; and de fort’s right ober dar,” said Clem, pointing out of the window. “We had better not wake up the fort, if we can help it,” said the captain. “I think not, sir,” added Mr. Dickey. The fog was not quite so dense up the river as it had been outside; and the blockade-runner could be distinctly seen, at anchor. But there was a great deal of confusion on board of her, as it now appeared from the noise which reached the Middy. Probably her captain was not a little surprised to find a United States steamer at his heels on such a night and in such a place; and it must be acknowledged that Captain McBride was scarcely less surprised. “Can you run alongside that steamer?” asked the captain of the pilot. “No, sar: dat steamer don’t draw no more’n four foot ob water.” “Clear away the first cutter, Mr. Dickey!” added the captain. “Send Mr. Brackett to board the steamer.” In a few moments, the first cutter, as the starboard quarter-boat was designated, was pulling towards the blockade-runner. It contained, besides the second-lieutenant, an engineer, a master’s mate, and fifteen seamen, all armed to the teeth. As the boat approached the prize, a rocket went up from her forecastle, and she began to move up the river again. But, before she had got full headway on, Mr. Brackett boarded her. No resistance was made, though some of the crew jumped overboard, and swam towards the shore.