ou had taken possession of his steam-tug,
and that it was you who had fired the shot which disabled the Belle,"
continued Colonel Passford, evidently very much troubled and annoyed.

"I was made a prisoner by the major, and I have done what I could to
get out of his hands," replied Christy. "I suppose you came out in this
steamer for the purpose of capturing the Bellevite; but you have not
done it yet, and I don't believe you will."

"I should like to see your father," added the colonel.

"We are ordered to put these people on board of the Dauphine, and she
has just stopped her screw. I cannot disobey my orders, uncle Homer."

But Christy did not like to prolong the conversation, and he told his
men to give way. The sea had certainly increased till it made it lively
for the boats, and the colonel said no more. The passengers were put on
board of the Dauphine, and it was not necessary for more than two of the
boats to return to the Belle for the rest of the men on board of her.
Colonel Passford insisted upon boarding the Bellevite, after the others
had left the boat, and Christy yielded the point.

The Confederate brother was received by the Union brother as though
nothing had occurred to divide them. He was conducted to the cabin, as
it had just begun to rain, where he was greeted as kindly by Florry.

"I am sorry you left me in such an abrupt manner, Horatio," said Homer,
very much embarrassed. "I think you took a rather unfair advantage of
the circumstances."

"Unfair? What? When you said outright that you intended to take steps
for the capture of my steamer, the only means of reaching my family, and
conveying my daughter to her home, that were within my reach. I came
here on a peaceful mission, and I think the unfairness was all on the
other side," replied Horatio.

"I still believe that I had no moral right, before God and my
countrymen, to allow you to hand this fine steamer over to the Yankee
navy: but I was on board of the Belle for the purpose of seeing that no
harm came to you, or any member of your family," said Homer with deep
feeling.

"Then I thank you for your good intentions. But I believed, before God
and my countrymen North and South, that I bad no moral right to let this
vessel be taken for the use of the Confederacy, and I would have burned
her on the waters of Mobile Bay before I would have given her up," added
Horatio, quite as earnestly as the other had spoken.

"Fortune has favored you