in that direction had made him a very hard student. His days and a large portion of his nights, while in his teens, had been spent in studying

to this period, he had spent much of his time in a large machine-shop, working for nothing as though his daily bread depended upon his exe

ain Passford; and when a sudden reverse of fortune swept away all the former had, the latter gave the prodigy a place as assistant engineer on board of his steam-yacht, from which, at the death of the former incu

ly twenty-one, had no occasion to regret that he had yielded his opinion to that of his owner. Paul Vapoor had been found

most, his genius or his magnetic character. Mr. Leon Bolter, the first assistant engineer, was thirty-six years old; and Mr. Fred Faggs, the second, was twenty-six. But there was neither envy, jealousy, nor o

were widely apart in their studies. They were cronies in the strongest sense of the word, and the chief engineer would have given up his very life for the son

the quarter-deck of the steamer in answer to the summons of the commander. He was neatly dressed in a suit of blue, with brass buttons, though some of the oil

rd is in a great hurry to reach Bermuda, where we are bound, at the earliest possible moment

hen not otherwise instructed,

gine-room during the whole of the trial trip, three years ago," continued Captain Breaker wi

rested in this engine than I have ever been in any o

u get out of her o

engine of the vessel should give her the greatest speed ever produced in a sea-going steamer, and the Bellevite

ve to be her best

as in a desperate hurry to get from Messina to Marseilles a year ago this month, and the Bellevite logged twenty knots during nearly the whole of the trip," re

hake on that tr

en, and, if any thing had happened, I should have charged myself with murder. I do n

nd the success or failure of the expedition may depend upon a single hour. I will say no more, though an accident to the en

no failure in the engine department to meet your wishes," replied

d Captain Passford, who was standing

breeze coming up from the north-east, and I want to take a look

just begun to pipe up into something like half a gale. Captain Breaker went to the pilot-house, looked at the baromet

sails, including gaff-topsails. The shrill pipe of the boatswain immediately sounded through the vessel, and twenty-four able seamen dashed to their stations.

sir," said Christy, as his fat

s he halted, and the commander passed him on his way to the cabin. "I

sty, pleased with the confidence his father reposed in h

ssford. "I know what you are, and you are older than your sixteen years make you. It was at your age th

older than I am,"

portant place, though at one time I thought of having a third officer, and assigning you to the position, f

thing about handling

e of mighty events; and in a single day from a boy you must become a man. You are my nearest representative on board; and if any thing should happen to me, in the midst of the per

s near him. The cabin was as elegant and luxurious as money and taste could make it. In the large state-room of t

cupied by Dr. Linscott, the surgeon of the ship, who had had abundant experience in his profession, who

consequence on board; while the others were appropriated to guests when t

it is not necessary to enter into its details, since, whatever plans were made, they must

In this apartment the officers next in rank below the commander took their meals; and from it opened the state-rooms of the first and se

though his state-room was a large apartment between the cabin and the ward-room; the

Vapoor was doing all that could be required of him in the matter of speed, though the pressure of canvas steadied the vessel in the heavy sea

chief engineer had suggested as her limit, and inside of two days she reached her destination. Christy had suddenly become the active agent of his father, and he was