tel."

At the request of the commander, Christy repeated the story of his
adventure in Nassau as briefly as possible, up to the time he had been
picked up by the Chateaugay's cutter, and conveyed on board of the ship.
The detective was deeply interested, and listened to the narration with
the closest attention. At the end of it, he pressed the hand of the
young officer again, and warmly congratulated him upon his escape from
the enemy.

Mr. Gilfleur then reported more in detail than he had done before, the
result of his mission. He gave the names of all the intending
blockade-runners in the harbor of Nassau; but the captain declared that
he could not capture them on any such evidence as the detective had been
able to obtain, for it would not prove the intention.

"The Ovidio may not come out of Nassau for two months to come, and then
she will proceed to Green Cay," said Captain Chantor. "I do not think I
should be justified in waiting so long for her, especially as she is to
run her cargo into Mobile. The blockaders will probably be able to pick
her up. I think my mission in the Bahama Islands is finished, and the
Chateaugay must proceed to more fruitful fields."

"But you have not made a bad voyage of it so far, Captain Chantor,"
added Christy. "You sent in the Ionian, sunk the Dornoch, and captured
the Cadet and the Snapper, to say nothing of bagging a Confederate
commissioner, and the son of another. I should have been glad if you had
sent in Colonel Pierson, for he has already done our commerce a great
deal of mischief."

"I am entirely satisfied, and doubtless the information obtained here
and at the Bermudas will enable our fleet to pick up some more of the
steamers you have spotted," added the captain, as he rose from his seat,
and dismissed his guests.

The Frenchman was so exhausted by his labors, and the want of sleep,
that he retired at once to his room, while Christy went on deck with the
commander. The ship had been working to the eastward for over an hour;
but the order was given for her to come about, and the course was laid
for the light at the Hole in the Wall.

"Now, Mr. Passford, we are bound for the Gulf of Mexico, putting in at
Key West for the purpose of attending to the affair of the Snapper,"
said Captain Chantor. "In a few days more no doubt you will be able to
report for duty on board of the Bellevite."

"I shall not be sorry to be on duty again, and especially in the
Bellevite," repl