She flew round like a top, careening till her rail was under water.
"Hard up, Percy!" cried he, while the tug was still whirling.

"Those men will drop on board of us if we don't get out of the Dauphine's way." "The Bellevite is almost into her," added the volunteer pilot.
Paul Vapoor evidently understood the situation, and must have been preparing for it for some time, though the shoal-water had prevented the steamer from taking advantage of his effort.

She had suddenly begun to dart ahead as though she had been an object shot from one of her biggest guns; and she seemed almost to leap out of the water in her struggle to come between the Leopard and the Dauphine.
The Bellevite was certainly making two miles to her rival's one in the race, and it looked as though she would strike her sharp bow into the broadside of the enemy.

She seemed to rely on a vigorous blow with her stem rather than on her guns; for as yet she had not fired a shot, though she was fully prepared to do so.
The Leopard came about in double-quick time; and as soon as her keel was at right angles with that of the Dauphine, Christy righted the helm, and let her go in the direction of the disabled Belle.

She rolled, pitched, and plunged in the sea, which had been increasing very sensibly within a short time; but she went ahead at her best speed, and that was all Christy wanted of her.
The Bellevite was still rushing down upon the Dauphine as though she intended to annihilate her when the crash came, as come it must within a minute or two.