d the lieutenant, as he took the
offered hand of the commander. "I hope all is well on board, sir."

"Entirely well, and your messenger came on board in good time, so that
we were in position to get the first sight of the Trafalgar when she
showed herself off Sand Island Lighthouse," replied the captain, as he
led the way to his cabin. "Mr. Ballard, keep a sharp lookout for the
chase," he added to the acting executive officer.

"Will you allow me to put on my uniform, Captain?" asked Christy.
"I don't feel quite at home on board the ship in the rigout I have worn
all night."

"Certainly; for I do not wish you to show yourself to the ship's company
while you look so little like a naval officer," replied the captain, as
he went to take another look at the darkness ahead.

The lieutenant hastened to his stateroom, and in a very short time he
had washed off the smut from his face and hands, and dressed himself in
his uniform, so that he looked like quite another person, Graines had
gone to his room in the steerage for the same purpose, for neither of
them desired to show himself as he had appeared before Captain
Sullendine.

Christy hurried to the deck as soon as he had made the change, and met
the commander on the quarter-deck. Lookouts were stationed aloft and on
the top-gallant forecastle, and all hands were in a state of healthy
excitement in view of the stirring event which was likely to transpire
before the lapse of many hours; and doubtless some of the men were moved
by the prospect of prize-money, not only from the proceeds of the sale
of the steamer they were chasing, but from the full freight of cotton on
board of the schooner, the deck load of which had been noted by some of
the crew.

The schooner which had come so close aboard of the Bellevite was a
mystery to all, from the captain down to the humblest seaman; but the
American ensign over the Confederate flag had been observed by a few,
and this settled her status. Not more than half of the seamen were aware
that an expedition had left the ship at ten o'clock the evening before,
and they had had no opportunity to notice the absence of the executive
officer during the night; and even yet all hands had not been called,
for the regular watch was enough to get the ship under way.

The commander conducted the executive officer to his own cabin, again
reminding Mr. Ballard to keep a sharp lookout for the chase. Christy
felt like himself again in his neat unif