It would have been impossible to help hitting the Bellevite, with the three guns fired into her at so short a distance. But the cloud of smoke that enveloped both vessels prevented the captain from taking in the situation. The crew of the Killbright were ordered to reload their guns instantly. Whatever was to happen in the near or distant future, it was evident that the dangerous steamer had not yet been captured, and Christy did not think of her as a prize any more just then. The Killbright crowded on all the steam she could obtain, and she rapidly increased the distance between herself and the Bellevite. She fired her three broadside guns continually, but it was clear to Christy that the men had not been trained to this business, or they might perhaps have sunk the naval vessel by this time. The Bellevite fired her two broadside guns, and they made terrible havoc in the upper works of the Killbright. But the strangest thing of all to the young lieutenant, caught on board of the anticipated prize, was that the Bellevite did not go ahead, and give the boarding parties a chance to get on the deck of the enemy. "I don't understand it, Beeks," said Christy as he found himself by the side of the quartermaster. "Why don't the ship give chase?" "I think she must be disabled, sir," replied the warrant officer. "What could have disabled her?" "I suppose she might be hit as well as this vessel," replied Beets, no better pleased with the situation than his companion in trouble. "They fired three shots into her while she was alongside." "She must have been hit in a bad place, or she would have been alongside of us before this time. But here we are." The third lieutenant and quartermaster felt very much like prisoners, though they had no evidence that the Killbright was a ship-of-war, except that she had hoisted the Confederate flag, and fired upon the Bellevite. But the rakish-looking steamer continued on her course, while the Bellevite had not moved since the first broadside. She had already made a mile, and the shots from her enemy did not seem to disable her. She continued to run with all her speed, and the lieutenant felt the deck quiver as though it was in danger of being shaken out of her. But she was not followed by the Bellevite, and things began to look dark and somewhat cheerless to Christy. The firing came to an end, for the distance was becoming too great for it to be effectual on either side. "If we had not jumped down from the rail when we boarded, we might have escaped this scrape," said Beeks, who was even more disgusted than his companion. "It is no use to growl about it," added Christy, laughing. "Here we are, and we can't help ourselves at present." "I suppose they will let us go, won't they?" inquired the quartermaster. "Let us go where?" "Let us go back where we came from," replied Beeks, who seemed to be quite muddled by his misfortune. "You don't expect them to put you on board of the Bellevite again, do you?"