.

"Then I have lost my senses. Didn't you tell me to get up steam, because
the steamer would be moved to the navy yard before daylight in the
morning?" demanded Sampson, bewildered by the denial of the young man.

"I see now," added Christy. "You mistook Corny for me."

Sampson gave him all the details of the visit of the strangers.

CHAPTER VII

MIDSHIPMAN CHRISTY PASSFORD

"In a word, Sampson, an attempt will be made to-night to capture the
Bellevite, and you have been getting up steam for the conspirators,"
said Christy, when the ship-keeper had finished his narrative of the
visit of the trio to the ship.

"Is that so?" exclaimed Sampson, opening his mouth and his eyes very
wide at the same time. "Why, I had no more doubt that the young man who
was talking to me was Christy than I have that he is talking to me now."

"You had better look at me again, and be sure that you make no mistake,"
replied Christy, rather disgusted at the failure of the man to identify
him.

"I never once thought that it was not you. When the sailboat came
alongside, I knew it was the Florence, and I supposed you were in her,"
pleaded Sampson. "But I spoke to you, as I supposed, when the boat came
alongside."

"Did you? What did you say?" asked Christy.

"I said 'Is that you, Christy?' And you said 'Yes.'"

"Of course I did! What else could I say after you had told the enemy
just how to proceed. You could not have expected any other answer."

"I suppose I was very stupid; but I hope no harm has been done, for they
have not got the steamer yet," added Sampson, very much disconcerted at
the blunder he had made, though an older officer than Christy might have
had more charity for the ship-keeper.

Seen in broad daylight, there was no striking resemblance between Corny
and Christy, though they were of about the same size, and had some
traits in common. As Corny and his companions came in the Florence,
it was not very strange that Sampson should take it for granted that
Christy was one of the evening visitors. The voices of the two cousins
were not unlike, and the sound was all he had to guide his judgment.
Then he was not in the enemy's country, and he could hardly have been
on the lookout for an enemy several miles up the river.

"Certainly no harm has been done, Sampson; but it is yet to be decided
whether or not the Bellevite is to go into the navy of the United States
or the navy of the Confederate States," added Chr