sels, father?" asked
Christy, his eyes sparkling with the interest he felt in the
information.

"Not a very full description, my son, for no strangers were allowed on
board of either of them, for very obvious reasons; but they are both of
less than five hundred tons burthen, are of precisely the same model and
build, evidently constructed in the same yard. Both had been pleasure
yachts, though owned by different gentlemen. Both sailed on the same
day, the Scotian from Greenock and the Arran from Leith, March 3."

Christy opened his pocket diary, and put his finger on the date
mentioned, counting up the days that had elapsed from that time to the
present. Captain Passford could not help smiling at the interest his son
manifested in the intelligence he had brought to him. The acting
commander of the Bronx went over his calculation again.

"It is fourteen days since these vessels sailed," said he, looking at
his father. "I doubt if your information will be of any value to me, for
I suppose the steamers were selected on account of their great speed, as
is the case with all blockade runners."

"Undoubtedly they were chosen for their speed, for a slow vessel does
not amount to much in this sort of service," replied Captain Passford.
"I received my letter day before yesterday, when the two vessels had
been out twelve days."

"If they are fast steamers, they ought to be approaching the Southern
coast by this time," suggested Christy.

"This is a windy month, and a vessel bound to the westward would
encounter strong westerly gales, so that she could hardly make a quick
passage. Then these steamers will almost certainly put in at Nassau or
the Bermudas, if not for coal and supplies, at least to obtain the
latest intelligence from the blockaded coast, and to pick up a pilot for
the port to which they are bound. The agent thinks it is possible that
the Scotian and Arran will meet some vessel to the southward of the Isle
of Wight that will put an armament on board of them. He had written to
another of my agents at Southampton to look up this matter. It is a
quick mail from the latter city to New York, and I may get another
letter on this subject before you sail, Christy."

"My orders may come off to me to-day," added the acting commander. "I am
all ready to sail, and I am only waiting for them."

"If these two steamers sail in company, as they are likely to do if they
are about equal in speed, and if they take on board an a