"What was that last bell for?" he asked, hailing me in the wheel-house.
"To go ahead," I replied.
"You haven't got the hang of the bells, commodore," said he, with a smile; "but come down, and we will talk the matter over, and find out what we are going to do."
I went down to the forward deck, quite as anxious as any one else to know what was to be done, for it seemed to me that we had "drawn an elephant" as a prize. When I reached the deck, Vallington was writing with his pencil, and handed me the paper as I joined him.
"Here are your directions, Mr. Pilot," said he.
"I know the lake, but I never had any experience in a steamer," I replied, in self-defence, as I read the paper, on which was written:—
"One bell—ahead, slowly.
Two bells—stop.
Three bells—back.
Four bells—ahead, full speed."