s drawing.
Christy "turned in" at nine o'clock; but he was excited, and he had not
slept a wink when he was called at the hour he had indicated.

CHAPTER XXVIII

OFF THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA

Having assured himself that the ship was fully up with Cape Henlopen,
Christy retired to his cabin, and still "alone in his glory," he broke
the seal of the official envelope. He was to cruise outside of the
blockaders, and report to the flag-officer when opportunity presented.
Just then it was believed that Richmond, which received all its foreign
supplies from Wilmington, could not long hold out if it was captured;
and the Secretary of the Navy was giving special attention to the forts
which protected it.

It was evident to the young commander that he was not to rust in
inactivity, as had been the case of late off Mobile Bay, and a wide
field of operations was open to him. His instructions were minute, but
they did not confine his ship to the immediate vicinity of the mouth of
the Cape Fear River. It was evident that the speed of the St. Regis had
been an important factor in framing the secret orders.

If a blockade-runner eluded or outsailed the vessels of the fleet near
the coast, the St. Regis was expected to "pick her up." On the other
hand, the fastest of the vessels were sent out farther from the shore,
and the ship was expected to support them. Christy realized that he
should be called upon to exercise his judgment in many difficult
situations, and he could only hope that he should be equal to such
occasions.

"Good-morning, Captain Passford," said Paul Vapoor, saluting him on the
quarter-deck. "I hope you slept well in your brief watch below."

"I did not sleep a wink, I was so anxious to read my orders. But I know
them now, and I feel as cool as an arctic iceberg. I shall sleep when I
turn in again."

"Well, where are we going, Captain, if it is no longer a secret?" asked
the engineer.

"It is not a secret now; and we are to cruise off the mouth of the
Cape Fear River," replied the commander, as he proceeded to give the
information more in detail.

"We are not likely to have any hot work then if we are only to chase
blockade-runners," added Paul.

"Probably we can render greater service to our country in this manner
than in any other way, or we should not have been sent to this quarter,"
said Christy, with a long gape.

Paul saw that his friend was sleepy, and he bade him good-night. The
comma