The Wizard was run up to the island, the wounded men on shore conveyed to the cabin, and the field-piece placed in position on the forward-deck. In addition to this armament, two of the boat-howitzers were hoisted on board, and other preparations made, which indicated sharp work, and that Mr. Granger intended the steamer should be used for fighting purposes. The expedition was, to some extent, re-organized. Gun-crews were placed at the battery, and men detailed to serve in the boats, which were to be towed by the steamer. Mr. Granger had noticed the strong friendship subsisting between Tom Longstone and Jack; and, when he made the former captain of one of the captured guns, he ordered Jack to serve as first train-tackleman, which gave him a position alongside the veteran. “You’ll do, quartermaster,” said the commander. “I know I can trust you.” “Thank you, sir,” replied Tom, reverently. “I beg your honor’s pardon; but I must ax permission to go and see the doctor for a couple of seconds.” “Are you wounded, my man?” “Nothing to speak of, your honor: only a slash in the hand with a soger’s bagonet. But I could work better if the doctor would put a bit of plaster on it.” “Go: we can spare you for an hour or more.” “Thank your honor; but I won’t be gone above two minutes,” answered Tom, saluting the officer, and running up the stairs to the cabin-deck. “Goin’ to lose this here steamer now we’ve got it,” said the inevitable Grummet, who was captain of one of the howitzers, when Mr. Granger went up to the wheel-house to superintend the steering of the Wizard. “Well, he aren’t fit for nothin’ else,” he added, as he glanced round him at the build of the steamer. “She’s a good enough boat, isn’t she?” asked Jack. “What’s she good for? What was the lubber thinkin’ of when he built such a top-heavy, top-sided consarn as this? I wouldn’t trust the cap’n’s monkey in her.” “She is a fresh-water steamer, built to run on the rivers and lakes about here.” “I wouldn’t cross a mud-puddle in her. A five-knot breeze would blow her over. She looks more like a grocery-store nor she do like a wessel.” “This is the kind of steamer they use on all the Western rivers,” added Jack, who had often seen pictures of this kind of craft in the illustrated newspapers; which, by the way, have done an important work in making up the history of this war. “I don’t care where they use ’em: they aren’t shipshape. They may do for sogers and marines, and such lubbers; but they aren’t fit for sailors. Howsomever, there won’t be much left of her in half an hour from now.” “Why not, Mr. Grummet?” asked Jack. “Avast there! Don’t you go for to _mistering_ me. I aren’t a dandy nor an officer,” said Grummet fretfully. “I meant no harm.” “I know you didn’t, my lad; and, if you did, we can’t afford to quarrel. Some of us will wake up in eternity in less nor an hour from now; and this crazy old craft will go to the bottom!” “What makes you think so?”