o him. The other prisoners were sent on board,
and Captain Breaker had ordered Christy to anchor the prize near the
Bellevite.

"I don't feel as though I had quite finished my work," said Christy,
as he walked towards the gangway to obey the order.

"What more is there to do?" asked the commander.

"It would take me a little time to tell the story of my trip into the
bay, sir, and I think you would not understand what more is to be done
until you have heard it," replied Christy.

"Then I will hear you before you anchor the Teaser," said the captain,
leading the way to his cabin.

The lieutenant narrated the events of his trip across Santa Rosa Island.
Captain Breaker was not a little amused at his scheme to get rid of the
portion of the crew of the privateer before he captured her.

"I never suspected that you were the possessor of so much audacity,
Christy," said he, when the lieutenant had put him in possession of all
the facts.

"I did not know that I had more than my fair share, sir, and I don't
know what I have done that is at all audacious," replied Christy, very
meekly.

"It is a very dark and foggy night, but I don't believe that I have
another officer who would have cheek enough to pretend to be a pilot
in Pensacola Bay, and to be in possession of the guard-boat at the same
time."

"Captain Folkner put the idea into my head, and I think I should have
been an idiot not to make use of it, considering the nature of my
mission on board of the Teaser."

"It is a wonder that no one knew you were not Gilder."

"The men in the guard-boat did not expose me, and admitted by their
silence that I was the person I claimed to be," replied Christy, with
a twinkle of the eyes.

"Your scheme would have failed ninety-nine times out of a hundred."

"If it had failed, I had force enough to clean out the enemy on board,
so that I ran no risk; but I was ordered to avoid a fight, and I did
so," argued Christy.

"You were exceedingly fortunate; and the next time you try such a trick,
it may lead you into a rebel prison."

"It was not my fault that the ship's company of the Teaser were at issue
among themselves, and I should have been an imbecile to fail to profit
by it."

"I approve all you have done, Mr. Passford."

"Thank you, sir. Though I was of Captain Folkner's opinion that the
sound was the best way out of the bay in the first place, I abandoned
that view before I started on the expedition. I was sorry th