The Leopard was now within about half a mile of the Bellevite. The latter turned her screw a few times once in a while to keep from drifting, and Christy saw from his chart that the water was too shallow for her in the direction in which the tug was approaching her. Of course his father was aware that, by this time, his own and his daughter's departure from his uncle's mansion was known. His own absence, therefore, must be the only thing that detained her in these waters.
"I think I can steer this thing pretty well, Mr. Pierson," said Percy, when the new captain joined him.
"You do it very well indeed for a beginner, Percy; but you need not call me 'Mr. Pierson' any longer, for it takes too long to say it. Everybody calls me Christy, and you had better follow the fashion," replied the captain.
"All right, Christy, and I will do so; for there are more Piersons on board of this boat now than I wish there were," added Percy, glancing at the face of his companion.
"What is your brother going to do, Percy? He seems to be arranging something on the lower deck," continued Christy.
"I don't know: he didn't tell me any thing at all about it. He wanted to use me: so he soaped me."
"If he knew you could steer this steamer, he would have something more for you to do."
"Then I won't tell him. All I want is to get away from him. He will make a common soldier of me, and I shall never get out of the ranks."
"But you will fight like a brave fellow, and you will be promoted," suggested Christy.
"If I get a bullet through my carcass, they will make a corporal of me. Then if I had half my head shot off, they might make a sergeant of me. I am not thirsting for any such glory as that, and I expected to stay with my father at Nassau."