ith the crew, except
two who were officers, and they were put in the ward room. The ship then
proceeded on her course.

"The Ionian is about two miles ahead of us, Mr. Passford," said the
captain, after he had used his glass diligently for some time. And he
spoke in a very low tone.

"We have no business with her at present," added Christy.

"None, except to watch her; and, fortunately, we have fine, clear
weather, so that will not be a difficult job. By the way, Mr. Passford,
the envelope I received was from your father, and he gives me
information of another steamer expected in the vicinity of Bermuda about
this time; and he thinks we had better look for her when she comes out
from those islands," said the captain, evidently delighted with the
prospect before him.

"What are these men for that were sent off in the tug?" Christy
inquired; for he felt that he had a right to ask the question.

"They are to take the Ionian back to New York, if we have to capture
her."

Captain Passford appeared to be afraid the Chateaugay would be
shorthanded if she had to send a prize crew home with the Ionian.

CHAPTER IV

MONSIEUR GILFLEUR EXPLAINS

The two officers and ten men that had been sent off to the Chateaugay
after she got under way, had evidently been considered necessary by the
authorities on shore after the receipt of the intelligence that another
vessel for the Confederates had been sent to Bermuda. A steamer had
arrived that day from Liverpool, and Captain Passford must have received
his mail after he landed from the tug. Captain Chantor had waited
several hours for the signal to get under way, and there had been time
enough to obtain the reinforcement from the Navy Yard.

The officer in command of the detachment of sailors said that he had
been ordered to follow the Chateaugay, and he had been provided with a
fast boat for this purpose. The steamer proceeded on her course as soon
as the transport boat had cast off her fasts, and everything suddenly
quieted down on board of her. The distance between the Ionian and the
man-of-war was soon reduced to about a mile. It was beginning to grow
dark, but the crew had been stationed and billed while the ship lay off
the Navy Yard; but the new hands sent on board were assigned to watches
and quarter-watches, stationed and billed, as though they were a part of
the regular ship's company. One of the two additional officers was
placed in each of the watches.

Be