e steamer. The boat-house was
near the mansion, and to the float attached to it a variety of small
craft were made fast. But the water was not deep enough there for the
Bellevite. Corny had been to Bonnydale, and passed many weeks there,
so that he was familiar with the localities.

As he passed the boat-house, he noticed that the Florence, which was
Christy's favorite sailing craft, was not at her moorings, and he
concluded that his cousin was away in her on some excursion. When he
reached the boundary line of the estate, he discovered the sailboat with
her bow on the beach, though her mainsail was still set. A gentle breeze
was blowing, with which the Florence could make good headway; but there
seemed to be no one on board of her. Corny watched her for some time,
waiting for the appearance of Christy. It was not an easy matter to
climb the high fence which bounded the estate, and the planter's son
could hail the boat, and be taken on board of her as soon as she got
under way again.

But Christy did not appear, and it was getting darker and darker every
minute. Something must have attracted the attention of the skipper on
shore, and he had doubtless landed. But while Corny was waiting for his
cousin, he saw two men making their way through the grove on the other
side of the fence towards the river. One of them he recognized, and gave
a peculiar whistle, which drew the two men in the direction from which
it came.

"Is that you, major?" asked Corny, in a low tone.

"Hush! You are a simpleton, Corny!" exclaimed one of the men, as he came
up to the palisades of the fence. "Didn't I tell you not to call me by
name?"

"I didn't call you by name," replied Corny, smartly.

"You called me major, and that is about the same thing," added the
speaker on the other side of the fence.

"The woods are full of majors now, both in the North and the South, and
no one knows you especially by that name. But I will remember in future,
Mr. Mulgate," replied Corny.

"That sounds better, Neal. If we lose the game it will be by your
blundering," continued the major, or Mulgate, as he preferred to be
called on the present occasion.

"I suppose you have no talent for blundering, Mulgate; and that is the
reason why you happen to be here at the present moment," retorted Corny,
not at all pleased with the speech of the other.

"None of your impudence, Neal!" said Mulgate, sharply.

"If you lose the game, you say that it will be by my b