"All right; come over here."
In a twinkling the two had changed places. As Mike assumed his duty, he added:
"I've been obsarving ye so close that I belave I can run the battleship as well as yersilf. I have noted that whin ye wish to turn to the right, ye move the wheel around that way, sarving it according whin ye wish to head t'other way. 'Spose now ye find it nicessary to go backward?"
"Pull over the reversing lever; the wheel has nothing to do with that."
"I'll remimber the same. Hullo!" added Mike in some excitement. "I obsarve a ship ahead; do ye think it's a pirate?"
His companions laughed and Alvin answered:
"That is the steamer Enterprise, which runs from Portland to East Boothbay and back on alternate days, calling at different points."
"I mustn't run her down," said Mike, swinging over the wheel so as to pass her bow; "she's right in our path."
"Don't change your course; she has plenty of time to get out of your way."
"Begorrah! do ye maan to say she is moving?"