hem, and they may stay on the key till
doomsday, so far as I am concerned," replied Christy. "We don't regard
the men employed on blockade-runners as of much account. But it is time
to get under way, Captain; I have men enough to do all the work, and I
think I have learned the channel well enough to find the way out into
the deep water of the bay."

"As I said before, Lieutenant Passford, I am willing to assist you, for
I am anxious to get back among my own people, and to find a position in
the old navy. I have been master of a vessel for the last ten years, and
I know the Southern coast better than most of your officers."

"No doubt you will find a place when you want one, for all competent men
are taken," replied Christy, as he went to the quarter to see if the
Bellevite's cutter was in condition to be towed by the Reindeer.

He had left the boat in charge of Quimp, or rather he had left him in it
without assigning any particular duty to him. He was no longer in the
cutter, and the officer concluded that he had taken to the long key, and
was fraternizing with the renegades who had deserted the Reindeer. The
long painter of the boat was taken to the stern and made fast in a
suitable place, and Christy hastened to the forward part of the vessel
with six of his men, leaving a quartermaster, who was the cockswain of
the cutter, with two others, in charge of the after part.

On his way he went into the engine-room, which opened from the main
deck, where he had before seen the two engineers, the chief of whom had
received him very politely. He suggested to the captain that he had made
no arrangement with these officers, and he was not quite sure that they
would be willing to do duty now that the steamer was a prize.

"There will be no trouble about them, for they are Englishmen, engaged
at Nassau, and they will do duty as long as they are paid for it, as
they have no interest in the quarrel between the North and the South,"
said Captain Stopfoot; and Christy could not help seeing that he was
making everything very comfortable for him.

"We are willing to work for whoever will pay us," added the chief
engineer, "and without asking any hard questions."

"I will see that you are paid," returned Christy. "You will attend to
the bells as usual, will you?"

"Yes, sir; we will do our duty faithfully," answered the chief.

Christy and the captain proceeded to the pilot-house, which appeared to
have been recently added to t