had the range of the whole
length of the bay.

"I was thinking that we should have a storm before long when I looked at
the signs this morning," replied Christy rather indifferently.

"How many men does your father have on board of his steamer, Mr.
Passford?" asked the major, in a careless sort of way.

"Not as many, I should say, as you have in Fort Gaines. By the way, how
many have you under your command there?" returned Christy with a twinkle
of the eye.

"We have two thousand four hundred and twenty-six, including myself,"
replied the major.

"That is quite a force; my father has only seven hundred and forty-two,
without counting me."

"Where do you put them all?"

"We stow them away in the hold, after the manner of packing sardines in
a box. We only let them out one at a time, when we feed them with salt
fish and baked beans."

"That makes a good many men to a gun," suggested the major.

"Lots of them," answered Christy.

"How many guns does the steamer carry?"

"Only two hundred; of course I mean heavy guns,--sixty and eighty-four
pounders. I think there must be small arms enough to supply all your men
in the fort."

"I was on board of the Bellevite for half an hour or more, and I really
did not see a single heavy gun," added the major, biting his lip.

"Didn't you notice the one hundred and twenty pounder in the waist? It
is big enough for you to have seen it."

It was plain enough to the young Unionist that the major really desired
to know something about the force and metal of the Bellevite, and that
he was disappointed when he found that the son of the owner was on his
guard. No information was to be obtained from him.

"I think you said there was a doctor on board of the steamer," continued
Major Pierson, changing the subject of the conversation.

"Yes, sir; and a very skilful surgeon he is,--Dr. Linscott," replied
Christy.

"I went in to see Captain Pecklar when I was below, and I found him in a
very bad condition. I am afraid he will die before we can get him to the
shore; and he is suffering terribly," added the major, looking earnestly
into the face of the young man.

"I am sorry for him," replied Christy; and his pity and sympathy were
apparent in his face.

He had noticed the captain of the tug in the morning, and one of the
soldiers had told him he was a Northern man who had come to this region
for his health. He appeared to have no scruples at doing the duty
assigned to him,