t I have thought of sending the detective on such a
mission since the remarkable success you and he had in your former
venture. But you escaped hanging or a Confederate prison only by the
skin of your teeth. The difficulty in another enterprise of that sort
would be for Mr. Gilfleur to put the information he obtained where it
would do the most good. If he wrote letters, they would betray him; and
if he went off in a Bahama boat, as he did before, we should have to
keep a steamer cruising in the vicinity of his field of operations to
meet him when he came off. I came to the conclusion that the scheme was
impracticable, for it was only a combination of favorable circumstances
that rendered your operations successful. I prefer to trust to the speed
of the St. Regis to enable you to accomplish the same results off the
coast," said Captain Passford, as they left the library.

"I should really like to see Monsieur, for he is a very agreeable
companion," replied Christy.

"He would be exceedingly pleased to meet you again, for he had become
very much attached to you."

After lunch the same party that had visited the St. Regis the day before
left on the train for New York, and proceeded to the navy yard from the
foot of Grand Street, for all of them wished to see Christy off. Captain
Passford, Junior, was received on board of his ship with all due form
and ceremony. Paul Vapoor had been to his home for a brief visit to his
mother and sisters; but he had gone to Bonnydale as early in the morning
as it was decent to do so, and was all devotion to Florry.

Mr. Baskirk, the executive officer, had the ship in first-rate order
when the commander went on board with his party; and as there was
nothing for him to do, Christy devoted himself to the entertainment of
his friends. The ladies with their escorts went all over the steamer
again; the commander and Paul opened their staterooms for their
examination, and Charley Graines showed them that of the first assistant
engineer in the steerage.

"But you have a whole cabin to yourself, Christy," said Bertha, after
she looked into all the other rooms.

"I have the honor to be the commander of the ship," replied Christy
lightly. "I have two state-rooms, so that if I had the happiness to
relieve a forlorn maiden from captivity on board of one of the enemy's
vessels, as I did in your case, Bertha, I should have a better apartment
to offer her than I had then."

The first half of the af