w, as he looked at it, the wings of the young
captain had been clipped by the authorities at Washington, in the sealed
orders.

"I am glad to meet you again, gentlemen; indeed I may say that I am
particularly glad to see you," said Christy in his most cheerful tones,
as he looked about the cabin, and especially at the ports, to see if
there was a spy looking in at one of them.

The thought came to him then and there that it was possible for a man to
hang over the rail, and place one of his ears at an opening and listen
to what was going on; and besides there were, besides Mulgrum, six
others who were capable of doing such a thing. He sent Mr. Baskirk on
deck to see that no man was at work over the side. He returned and
reported that no one was in a position to hear what was said in the
cabin.

Flint did not seem to be as much interested in the proceedings as on
former occasions, for he had had time to consider the effect of the
orders, and he saw no way to evade them. They might pick up some cotton
schooners, but no such prizes as the Scotian and the Arran were likely
to be taken when the steamer reached her station, wherever it might be,
and the whole squadron shared the proceeds of the captures.

"You listened to the orders I read this noon," began Christy, with a
pronounced twinkling of his eyes.

"Yes, sir; and, Captain Passford, I have felt as if the gates of honor
and profit had been closed against the Bronx," added Flint.

"Perhaps a second reading of the orders will put a different aspect on
the gates," said the captain with a significant smile, the force of
which, however, the first lieutenant failed to comprehend.

"Under these orders there seems to be no alternative but to hasten to
the Gulf of Mexico, and run away from any blockade runner we may happen
to see," growled Flint.

"You are not as amiable as usual, Mr. Flint."

"How can one be amiable under such orders?" added Flint, trying to
smile.

"I will read them over again, now that we have not as many auditors as
before," said the captain.

Christy proceeded to read the document as it was written.

CHAPTER XII

A SAIL ON THE STARBOARD BOW

Before Captain Passford had read two lines of the document in his hands,
a noise as of a scuffle was heard in the passage way to the ward room.
Mr. Baskirk was sent to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and he
threw the door wide open. Dave was there, blocking the passage way, and
Pink Mu