on, for he had not been sick an hour, and he had never seen the
commander of the Vernon in his life. The petty officer had told him that
he appeared to be quite sick when he came on board the night before.

What he had learned within the last few moments was even more perplexing
than the mysterious visitation at Bonnydale. Then the appearance of
Walsh on board, and his denial of his identity, were still in his mind,
and he wondered whether or not all these strange circumstances had any
connection. But he was standing in the presence of the commander of the
steamer, and he had no time to reach a conclusion of any kind,
satisfactory or otherwise.

Christy took the offered hand of Captain Battleton, and looked earnestly
into his face to determine whether he had ever seen him before; but the
face was entirely new to him. He was quite confident that he had never
seen the commander before. There was something rather ludicrous in the
situation, and he felt as though he was taking part in a farce; at any
rate, there was nothing serious or compromising in it, and in spite of
the confusion in his mind, he could not help smiling.

"I thank you, Captain Battleton, for your very kind interest in the
state of my health, but with the exception of the first signs of a cold
in the head, I never was better in my life," said Christy in reply to
the salutation of the commander, still holding his hand.

"Then you have improved wonderfully since last evening," added Captain
Battleton.

"I am glad to be informed of the fact, for I am not conscious of any
such improvement as you describe. In fact, I am not in quite so good
condition in a sanitary point of view as I was last evening, for I took
my cold about midnight, or a little later, last night," added Christy,
his smile becoming a little more pronounced.

It was now the turn of Captain Battleton to be puzzled, if not
mystified, by the statement of his passenger, and he looked inquiringly
into his face as if to ascertain if he was not the victim of a practical
joke. But naval officers on duty are not given to pleasantries; and if
he had any such suspicion, he banished it at once, for there was nothing
in the appearance of the lieutenant to warrant it.

"Pardon me, Mr. Passford, but were you not sick when you came on board
of the Vernon last evening?" asked the commander, with something like a
frown upon his brow as the situation became more bewildering.

"If you will excuse me for ma