ions, and he had given all his pay to wounded sailors and the
families of those who had fallen in naval actions.

His share of the prize money resulting from the captures in which he had
taken part as commander or in some subordinate position had made him a
rich man; and with his mother's assistance, he was disbursing no small
portion of his wealth among those who had been deprived of their support
by the casualties of the war. He had not expected or even hoped for any
further promotion, though the newspaper had extolled to the skies his
brilliant exploit in the Gulf.

"What does this mean, father?" asked Christy, dropping into a chair as
if overwhelmed by the contents of the envelope.

"It means just what it says, my son," replied Captain Passford. "But
I know that it is necessary now for me to explain that this promotion
is none of my doing; for I have not asked it, I have not urged it,
I have not made the remotest suggestion that you should be made a
lieutenant-commander, as I have not done on any former occasion."

"That is enough, father; your plea of not guilty would have been enough
to satisfy me," added Christy.

"I prevented your appointment to the command of the Chateaugay, and
procured your position as second lieutenant of the Bellevite; and these
two instances are absolutely all the requests I have ever made to the
department in relation to you," protested the captain.

"That helps the matter very much," answered Christy. "I have been the
victim of supposed partiality, 'a friend at court' and all that sort of
thing, till I am disgusted with it."

"And all that has been in consequence of your over-sensitiveness rather
than anything that ever was said about you."

"Perhaps it was. But as a lieutenant-commander I might still remain as
executive officer of the Bellevite, for Captain Breaker has been a
commander for over two years," suggested Christy.

"The department has made another disposition of you, and without any
hint or suggestion from me, my son," said Captain Passford, as he took
another envelope from his pocket, and presented it to his son. "This
came to me by this morning's mail; and I have withheld the commission
till I received it."

"And what may this be, father?" asked Christy, looking from the missive
to the captain's face, which was glowing with smiles, for he was as
proud of his only son as he ought to have been.

"Christy, you remind me of some old ladies I have met, who, when they