xpression that he was greatly affected by the condition of his
executive officer. Mr. Dashington, his first officer in the yacht, had
been killed in action the year before, and now another of his intimate
associates might soon be registered in the Valhalla of the nation's dead
who had perished while fighting for the right.

"We have sad news for you, Mr. Passford," said the commander, who seemed
to be struggling with his emotions.

"But I hope there is a chance for Mr. Blowitt's recovery, Captain
Breaker," added Christy.

"I am afraid there is not. Dr. Linscott has very little hope that he
will live. But we have no time to mourn even for our best friends. You
have captured a steamer and brought her out; but I saw that you were
coming up from the southward when I first discovered the steamer. What
does that mean, Mr. Passford?"

"I hardly know, Captain, whether I brought her out, or she brought me
out," replied Christy, who felt very tender over the Southern Yankee
trick which had been played upon him. "The steamer is the Reindeer,
Captain Stopfoot. My boat's crew were overpowered by her ship's company,
and we were all made prisoners; but we rebelled against the humiliating
circumstances, and recaptured the steamer."

"Then you have redeemed yourself," added the captain.

Christy gave a detailed report of all the events that had occurred
during his absence from the ship. The commander listened to him with the
deepest interest; for the young officer was in some sense his _protege_,
and had sometimes been his instructor in navigation and seamanship. In
spite of the sadness of the hour, there was a smile on his face when he
comprehended the scheme of the captain of the Reindeer to get his vessel
out of the bay in the face of two men-of-war.

While Christy was still on the quarter-deck, Mr. Lobscott came on board,
and reported the capture of the schooner Sylphide, full of cotton. Her
ship's company, consisting of six men, were on board of the Bronx.
Captain Breaker planked the deck for some time, evidently making up his
mind what to do with the prizes and with their crews, for he did not
regard these men as prisoners of war. He asked the second lieutenant
some questions in regard to the character of the Reindeer. She was an
old-fashioned craft, but a good vessel.

"We are rather overburdened with prisoners, and I desire only to get rid
of them," said the captain.

"Captain Stopfoot was considerate enough to announc