were
muttering something to himself. He did not look at the paper in his
hands again; and whatever the startling intelligence it contained, he
seemed to have taken it all in at a glance.

Christy, as the remarkably good-looking young man was called by all in
the family and on board of the Bellevite, appeared to be even more
astonished than his mother at the singular conduct of his father; but
he saw how intense was his agitation, and he did not follow him in his
impulsive flights across the deck.

Though his father had always treated him with great consideration, and
seldom if ever had occasion to exercise any of his paternal authority
over him, the young man never took advantage of the familiarity existing
between them. His father was certainly in a most extraordinary mood for
him, and he could not venture to speak a word to him.

He stood near the companion way, not far from his mother, and he
observed the movements of his father with the utmost interest, not
unmingled with anxiety; and Mrs. Passford fully shared with him the
solicitude of the moment.

The steamer was going at full speed in the direction of Sandy Hook.
Captain Passford gave no heed to the movement of the vessel, but for
several minutes planked the deck as though he were unable to realize
the truth or the force of the news he had hastily gathered from the
head-lines of the newspaper.

At last he halted in the waist, at some distance from the other members
of his family, raised his paper, and fixed his gaze upon the staring
announcement at the head of one of its columns. No one ventured to
approach him; for he was the magnate of the vessel, and, whatever his
humor, he was entitled to the full benefit of it.

He only glanced at the head-lines as he had done before, and then
dropped the paper, as though the announcement he had read was all he
desired to know.

"Beeks," said he, as a quartermaster passed near him.

The man addressed promptly halted, raised his hand to his cap, and
waited the pleasure of the owner of the steamer.

"Tell Captain Breaker that I wish to see him, if you please," added
Captain Passford.

The man repeated the name of the person he was to call, and hastened
away to obey the order. The owner resumed his march across the deck,
though it was evident to the anxious observers that he had in a great
measure recovered his self-possession, for his movements were less
nervous, and the usual placid calm was restored to his fac