CHAPTER VII.
On a Gun-boat.
When the Milwaukee was fairly out of range of the bullets of the guerrillas, Frank put his gun back in the rack, and started in search of the doctor's steward.

He ran into the cabin without ceremony, and was about to enter the steward's room, when he discovered a pair of patent-leather boots, which he thought he recognized, sticking out from under a mattress which lay on the cabin floor; and, upon examination, he found that it concealed the steward, who was as pale as a sheet, and shaking as though he had been seized with the ague.
"What do you want here ?" he asked, in a trembling voice, as Frank raised the mattress.
"Simpson is shot," answered Frank, "and I would like to have you come down and see him." "Do you suppose I am fool enough to go out on deck, and run the risk of being shot?
No, sir; I'll stay here, where I am safe;" and the steward made an effort to draw his head under the mattress again.
"There's no danger now," said Frank; "the rebels have stopped firing.
Besides, we are out of"-- "Go away, and let me alone," whined the steward.
"I am not going to expose myself." "You're a coward," exclaimed Frank, now fairly aroused "But I guess the captain can"-- "Oh, don't," entreated the steward; "I haven't been here a minute.

I started to get a gun, to pay the rebels back in their own coin; but the bullets came through the cabin so thick that I thought it best to retreat to a safe place;" and the steward threw off the mattress, and arose, tremblingly, to his feet.
"You went after a gun, did you ?" inquired Frank, in a tone of voice which showed that he did not believe the steward's story.
"Yes; and I would have given them fits, for I am a dead shot." "Where did you put your gun when you found that you had to retreat ?" "I put it back in the rack again." This was a likely story; for a person as badly frightened as was the steward would not have stopped to put the gun back in its place; and, in his heart, Frank despised the man who could be guilty of such a falsehood.
As they were about to go out on deck, the steward drew back, exclaiming: "I don't hardly believe it is safe to go out there just yet.

Let us wait a few moments." "I shan't wait an instant," said Frank.

"Simpson has been neglected too long already.