"What's that?"
"I can show myself to him. But, before I do that, I must know how you stand, Percy."
"How I stand? You know as much about me as I know about myself. I want to get on board of the Bellevite, and I am not a bit anxious to fight my brother's battle for him. I know what he is after, now I think of it."
"Well, what is he after?"
"He is after the Bellevite; and if he can take her, he is sure of a colonel's commission."
"I should say that he could not do any thing better for the Confederacy than to present it with the finest steamer in the world. But you are not with him, you say, Percy."
"I am not. I belong to the Confederacy the same as he does; but I want to get aboard of the Bellevite, and then I shall have a good chance to reach Nassau," replied Percy.
Christy had a good deal better opinion of Major Pierson than he had of his brother in the pilot-house with him; but just then the latter was able to be more useful to him than the commandant of the fort.
"I can now almost promise that you shall be put on board of the Bellevite, if I succeed in reaching her myself," said Christy.
"That is all I can expect of you; and I will do whatever you tell me, if it be to sink the Leopard. But we can't do a thing. The engineer will not start the engine for us; and I don't see but what we must stay here till my brother comes back from his errand, whatever it may be."