second lieutenant,
and that they were making their preparations to go on board of her. In a
few minutes they appeared with the steward of the ward room carrying
their baggage.

Corny politely saluted Mr. Flint, the acting commander of the gunboat.
Mr. Galvinne was introduced, and there was plenty of bowing and formal
politeness. Corny presented his commission and orders for the inspection
of the officer in command, and for the present the formalities were
completed. Corny was evidently in command of the Bronx; but Christy
could not determine the position of Mr. Flint, and he watched his
movements with intense interest for some time.

The late acting-commander did not leave the deck, as he would have been
likely to do if he had been relieved and ordered to report on board of
the flag-ship, though he might have been superseded as executive
officer,--a position which he was clearly entitled to hold. A little
later, the draft of seamen were ordered to file on board of the Bronx.
Then the observer saw Mr. Galvinne, with a rather pompous gesture point
to the men who were coming on board, and say something he could not hear
to Mr. Flint. He had evidently directed him to receive the seamen as
they came on deck. This indicated that the late second lieutenant of the
Vernon had been appointed executive officer of the Bronx.

Christy felt that the time for action had come. Taking his valise in his
hand he joined the file of men, and cleverly inserting himself between
a couple of them, he went on the deck of the Bronx without being
challenged as to his right to do so. Doubtless Captain Battleton had
reported that he had a prisoner on board, though he had not had time to
tell the whole story of the investigation, which had probably been
postponed to a more convenient time. Mr. Flint went forward to receive
the seamen as they came on deck, and he ordered them to pipe below and
leave their bags there.

"Where is your bag?" asked Mr. Flint, as Christy, the actual commander
of the Bronx, passed him. "What are you doing with a valise?"

"I have no bag, sir," replied Christy in submissive tones.

"Find a bag, for we shall throw that valise overboard," added Mr. Flint.

"I don't think you will, sir, after the circumstances have been
explained."

Suddenly the officer started back, and began to look very sharply at the
presumed sailor. But the file pressed behind him, and Christy was too
glad to move with it to delay a moment longer.