Christy did not wait for him, but put his steed into a dead run on the moment. The road was only a cart-path, and it was so soft that the horse's hoofs made no noise to betray his movements to the enemy. He urged the willing beast to his utmost speed, for he was as much at home in the saddle as he was in the rigging of a ship. Before the Vampire had made another eighth of a mile, he had reached the place where the boat had been left for his use. What to do with his horse was a question, for the report of the big gun would set him crazy. But he knew that the men must be at the house, and he turned the animal loose, satisfied that he would go to the stable without any guidance. Springing into the boat, he pulled to the Bellevite. At the accommodation steps, he was challenged by Sampson, who demanded like one in authority who and what he was, for the experience of the evening had greatly sharpened his wits. "Who is it?" he demanded, in a tone which implied his intention to have a satisfactory answer. "Advance and give the word." "Give the word!" exclaimed Christy. "I have no word to give." "Then you can't come on board," replied Sampson dogmatically. "I am Christy Passford, and I have not heard about any word," protested the midshipman. "You can't pour molasses down my back again," replied Sampson, with a self-satisfied air. "Don't be a fool, Sampson," added Christy, as he climbed upon the steps, the lower part of which had been hoisted up. "I have been a fool once, and I don't mean to be again," replied the sentinel. "On deck, there! Bring a lantern out of the engine-room!" "Don't bring a lantern in sight!" protested Christy impatiently. "What's the row there, Sampson?" called Paul Vapoor, mounting the rail, and looking through the darkness at the steps, down which the vigilant sentinel had descended more than half way to the water. "This fellow says he is Christy Passford; and I don't know whether it is Christy or not," replied Sampson. "Is that you, Christy?" asked Paul. "Of course it is," replied the middy. "We are wasting time." "He hasn't the word," added the sentinel. "Pass him, Sampson; he is all right," said the engineer; and Christy rushed up the steps, and leaped down upon the deck of the steamer. "I gave out a word for all who had to leave the ship for any purpose during the evening," Paul explained. "Never mind that now," interposed the midshipman in command. "Have you plenty of steam on?" "Enough to give her fifteen knots," replied the engineer. "The cable is buoyed, and the long gun loaded. I believe everything is in perfect order to carry out your instructions, though we did not point the gun when we loaded it, for I thought you would prefer to do that yourself," the engineer reported.