In a few moments more the cutter had gained a position where the steamer could be fully seen. She was a side-wheeler, and appeared to be a very handsome vessel. She had a considerable deck-load of cotton, and doubtless her hold was filled with the same valuable commodity.
"Is that steamer armed, Quimp?" asked Christy, who could see no signs of life on board of her.
"She don't got no arms, but she hab two field-pieces on her for'ad deck," replied the negro.
"How many men has she on board?"
"L'em me see: the cap'n and de mate is two, two ingineers, two firemen; dat makes six; and den she hab two deck-hands."
"But that makes only eight in all," replied Christy. "Are you sure that is all?"
"Dead shoar dat's all, Massa Ossifer."
"But that is not enough to handle the steamer on a voyage to a foreign port, for I dare say she is going to Nassau," added Christy, who was on the lookout for some piece of strategy by which his boat and its crew might be destroyed.
"I don't know not'ing about dat, sar; but Cap'n Stopfoot is a pow'ful smart man; and he's Yankee too. I done hear him say he gwine to j'in de Yankee navy."
What Quimp said was rather suspicious; but Christy could see nothing to justify his doubts. He directed the cockswain to steer the cutter as closely to the side of the Reindeer as the movement of the oars would permit, so that the field-pieces could not be brought to bear upon it. The steamer lay at a sort of temporary pier, which had evidently been erected for her accommodation, and the cotton had doubtless been brought to the key by river steamers by the Suwanee and other streams from cotton regions.