he bay;
but she was to do what she could to capture the cotton vessels and the
steamer when they came out.

Mr. Flint went to his stateroom, and turned in; but Christy spread his
chart of the Gulf of Mexico, and using his parallel ruler, he found that
the present course of the Bronx would take her to the Pass a Loutre, the
most northerly entrance of the Mississippi River. He went to the bridge
at once, and directed the officer of the deck to make the course
south-west by south. Everything was going well on deck, and Mr. Pennant
had proved that he was a competent officer.

By this time the commander began to feel that sleep was a necessity for
him, for he had hardly rested at all the night before, and he turned in
at two bells. He dropped asleep almost instantly, and did not wake
till he heard eight bells in the morning. It was quite light in his
stateroom, and he realized that it was eight o'clock, instead of four,
as he at first supposed.

Dressing himself hastily, Christy hastened on deck, and to the bridge,
where he found Mr. Flint, who informed him that the Bronx was off the
South Pass of the Mississippi. The fleet of the flag-officer of the
Western Gulf squadron had gone up the river, with the exception of a
single vessel, which had not been able to get over the bar. There were a
few sail in sight.

"We are all right on the course, Mr. Flint; now make it west," said
Christy to the executive officer; and then went to his cabin for his
breakfast, directing the officer of the deck to report to him when the
steamer was off the South West Pass.

When he had finished his morning meal, he proceeded to study his
chart again. He had never been to the westward of the mouths of the
Mississippi; but he had a chart of the entrance to Barataria Bay. He
examined it with the greatest care, and made himself familiar with the
bearings and distances. In about an hour after he left the deck, a
messenger came to the door of the cabin to inform him that the South
West Pass was in sight, bearing due north.

"Make the course west north-west," said he to the first lieutenant,
as he joined him on the bridge.

"West north-west, sir," repeated the executive officer, as he gave it to
the quartermaster at the wheel.

"We shall soon be where our operations begin; but I am afraid we are to
have a lazy time of it," added Christy, as soon as the vessel's head had
been pointed in the direction indicated.

"Why so, Captain Passford?" aske