“Good Heaven!” exclaimed the captain, who could not but be impressed by the danger he had just escaped. “You have done well, Jack. Here comes Longstone. Keep her off short a few minutes longer, and we shall be clear of the battery.” “Ay, ay, sir. There is water enough for us anywhere on the starboard hand. We are all right now, sir.” “Keep her steady, Jack, and be very careful. Don’t stop her again if you can help it.” “I will not, sir.” “Here, Longstone: roll this traitor out of the wheel-house, and then stand by with Somers.” “Ay, ay, sir;” and Tom pitched the carcass of the pilot out of the wheel-house, very much as though it had been the body of a dead dog. “What’s the matter, my darling?” asked Tom as he joined Jack at the wheel. “Nothing particular, Tom. I’ll tell you all about it, by and by,” replied Jack, still keeping his eyes fixed upon the water ahead. The clouds of smoke obstructed his vision; but he made the most of the brief intervals when the wind opened a clear space for him. He felt that the safety of the Middy depended as much upon him as upon the captain; for, if she got aground, it would insure her destruction in a very few moments. The rebels were improving in their practice, and two or three shots had struck the steamer. One had passed through the cabin on the main-deck; and another had ploughed up several feet of the hurricane-deck, abaft the smoke-stack. The Middy soon passed the most dangerous point, and the guns of the rebels had begun to fall short of the mark. Only the port quarter-gun of the steamer could be brought to bear upon the battery; and the action seemed to be over, unless Captain Bankhead chose to renew it. “Where is the pilot?” asked the captain, opening the door of the wheel-house. “I dunno, sir: I pitched him out on the hurricane-deck,” replied Tom, stepping out to look for his victim. “He is not here now.” “I dropped him down there,” added Tom, pointing to the place where he had deposited the senseless form of the pilot. “We must find him before he has a chance to do any further mischief.” The captain and quartermaster walked aft to ascertain what had become of Lunsley, who had evidently come to his senses, and taken himself off. He was not on the hurricane-deck; and they were about to descend to the main-deck, when the pilot’s canoe, which had been towing astern, was discovered some distance down the river, pulling towards the battery. The villain, who had in some measure recovered from the effects of Jack’s blow, had crept down from the hurricane-deck during the excitement of the action, and taken to his canoe. A twenty-four-pound shot from one of the quarter-guns was sent after him; but the object was so small, and the distance so great, that the gunner failed to hit it.