The commandant of the fort had evidently been acting in the pilot-house with a purpose.
"Didn't your brother order you to stay on the forecastle, Mr.Percy ?" asked Christy, when his companion came to the wheel on the opposite side from the helmsman.
"No: he said if I would help him, he would do what he could for me; and he told me to keep a lookout at this end of the tug.

I can see ahead better here than I can down below," replied Percy, as he tried to turn the wheel.

"I believe I could steer this thing." "I know you could, Percy.

Do you see the Bellevite ?" "Of course I do: I'm not blind." "She has stopped her screw, and is not going ahead now," added Christy, as he let go the spokes of the wheel, and proceeded to instruct his pupil.
A few minutes later, Christy left the pilot-house to take a look below..