your appointment."

"Mr. Vapoor has already spoken a good word for me."

"All right, Sampson; then you are sure of the position. I am very sure
that we shall get the order before morning to move the steamer over
to the navy yard, and I think you had better start the fires at once,
Sampson," continued Corny, making himself as much at home on board of
the steamer as though he had really been the person he was supposed
to be.

"All right, Christy; and if the order don't come as soon as you expect
it, we can bank the fires, and no harm will be done," replied the oiler,
for such was his position on board, though he was evidently expecting
something better.

By this time Captain Carboneer had finished taking the measure of the
gun-carriage, though he had not been able to see anything. But he had
been through all the forms, and that answered his purpose just as well.
He declared that he had no further business on board, and the trio went
to the accommodation ladder. Sampson had called his sleeping companion,
and already the black smoke began to pour out of the smokestack.

"That was all very handsomely done," said Major Pierson, as they stepped
on board of the Florence.

"Everything worked very well; but it was all owing to the fact that the
ship-keeper thought that Corny was some other person," replied the
captain.

"I know that he took him for Christy Passford, and I have had some
experience with Christy," replied the major, recalling his attempts to
prevent the Bellevite from escaping from Mobile Bay. "He is a smart
fellow, as the Yankees would say, and it is fortunate that he is not
here at the present time."

"He can't be very far off," suggested Corny. "He was expected back to
supper, and I wanted to see him, for he is my cousin. He must be about
here somewhere."

"Never mind whether he is or not; we have finished our business here,
and the harvest is ripe for the sickle. We will leave this boat just
where we found it, for I have a rowboat a little farther down the
river," continued Captain Carboneer.

"I suppose I ought to return to my uncle's house," suggested Corny.
"If they miss me they will be looking about here to ascertain what has
become of me."

"I think you had better not try to relieve their anxiety to-night.
If they are worried about you, they will get over it in the morning
when they find the steamer is missing," said Captain Carboneer, with
something like a chuckle in his tones when he pictur