four or five ruffians, Captain Flanger being
one of them, and conveyed to the vessel, where I was locked up in a
stateroom till after she had sailed."

"That is a proper question for the British government to deal with, and
I hope it will be put in the way of adjustment by the proper officials,
though I am inclined to regard it as an act of war, which will justify
me in holding the men engaged in the outrage as prisoners. Do you know
who they are, Mr. Passford?"

"I can designate only three of them,--the captain, Mr. Dawbin, the mate,
who is now on the ledge, and Percy Pierson. I am sure they were all in
the carriage that conveyed me to the beach where I was put into the
boat. The others were sailors, and I could not identify them."

"I will hold the three you name as prisoners," added Captain Chantor,
as he moved forward, followed by the executive officer.

It was getting dark, and Christy made his way to the shadow of the
mainmast, where he obtained a position that enabled him to hear all that
passed without being seen himself. Captain Flanger seemed to be more
subdued than he had been reported to be on board of the Snapper, and the
commander ordered the irons to be taken from his wrists.

"Captain Flanger, I have concluded to make a prize of the Snapper; but I
am willing to hear anything you may wish to offer," Captain Chantor
began.

"I protest; you have no more right to make a prize of my vessel than you
have to capture a British man-of-war, if you were able to do such a
thing," replied the commander of the Snapper.

"Do you claim that the Snapper is a British vessel?"

"Yes, I do!" blustered Captain Flanger recklessly.

"Are you a British subject?"

"No, I am not; but I am not attempting to run the blockade."

"For what port are you bound?"

"Havana."

"Have you a clearance for that port?"

"For Havana, and a market."

"But you have no more idea of going to Havana than you have of going to
China," added the captain of the Chateaugay. "You are bound to Mobile,
and you intend to run the blockade; and that intention proved, you are
liable to capture."

"You seem to know my business better than I know it myself," said
Captain Flanger, with a sneer in his tones.

"Perhaps I know it quite as well as you do, at least so far as the
voyage of the Snapper is concerned," replied the commander of the
Chateaugay, who proceeded to explain international law in relation to
the intention to run the blockade.