Unless he works his steering gear, we have her where she is utterly helpless," said the commander.
"I wonder she does not get a couple of her heaviest guns in position on her quarter-deck, and use them as stern chasers," said Christy, after he had obeyed the captain's order, and the Bellevite was again headed directly for the enemy.
"She appears to require all the space there for the work on her steering appliances," replied Captain Breaker.

"In ten minutes more I hope we shall be able to board her; and I think we can then make very short work of this business.

About the flanking movement you propose, Mr.Passford, I have never seen anything of the kind done, for most of my fighting experience with blockade-runners has been at long range, though I was in the navy during the Mexican war, where our operations were mostly against fortifications and batteries." "I do not consider the plan practicable except under peculiar circumstances, like the present," returned Christy.

"I am confident that we outnumber the enemy, and the men for the flank movement are available." "If we were boarding in boats we should naturally attack both on the starboard and port sides.

But, Mr.Passford, the executive officer cannot be spared to command the launch and its crew." "I was not thinking of commanding the flanking party myself, sir." "Neither can the officers of divisions be spared." "I think I can find a volunteer, not in the sailing department, who would conduct the movement to a successful issue, Captain," added Christy, very confidently.
"Mr.Vapoor?
But we cannot spare him from the engine room for a minute," protested the commander, who was well aware that the chief engineer was the lieutenant's especial crony.