captain, who
had come into the waist to observe the fleet.

"That is the flag-ship, I think, anchored the farthest from the shore,"
replied Mr. Galvinne, to whom the remark had been addressed.

"I suppose that is the Bronx astern of her," added Captain Battleton.
"It is the smallest of the three, at any rate. Mr. Salisbury, you will
run directly for the flag-ship," he added to the executive officer on
the quarter-deck.

Christy recognized the Bronx if others did not, for none of the officers
had been on this station before. He wondered if the present deception
was likely to be carried out to the accomplishment of the end the
conspirators had in view. He could see nothing to prevent its
accomplishment.

"I must ask you to report below, Mr. Passford," said the captain rather
sternly; and perhaps he did not care to be charged with over-indulgence
of his prisoner.

He bowed submissively, and went to his berth in the men's quarters. The
anchor had been cast loose, and the cable put in condition to run out.
Christy had hardly reached his berth before he heard the rattle of the
chain, and the voyage was ended.

CHAPTER X

A CHANGE OF QUARTERS IN THE CONFUSION

Christy obeyed the order of Captain Battleton when he was directed to
report below; but he felt that he was permitting the plot of his cousin
to be carried out without any opposition, and without any attempt to
check its progress. But he was a prisoner, and he realized that he could
do nothing. His case had been tried, and he had been condemned to his
present condition. It was useless to appeal to the captain, for he had
already passed upon all the facts that had been presented before him.

Seated on the side of his berth he considered the situation very
faithfully. The Bronx lay off St. Rosa's Island; she was on the
blockade, evidently ready to trip her anchor, whenever occasion should
require. In regard to her officers Christy only knew that Mr. Flint was
in temporary command of her, in place of Mr. Blowitt, who had become the
executive officer of the Bellevite. The other officers must have been
appointed for temporary service.

As Christy viewed the matter, there appeared to be no obstacle to the
success of Corny's scheme for the capture of the Bronx, unless it was
Mr. Flint, who might or might not discover that the new commander was an
impostor. If his old associate saw the two cousins together, he would
have no difficulty in determining which wa