ny," replied Christy,
who began to comprehend the object of his cousin; but there was
something so ludicrous in the situation that he was more disposed
to laugh than to look upon it seriously.

"I am very glad to see you, Corny," continued he who bore that name in
reality. "I did not expect to find you on board of the Vernon. How are
uncle Homer, aunt Lydia, and Gerty?"

"I have not seen _my_ uncle Homer for several months; but I had not the
remotest idea that you had an uncle Homer," replied Christy, laughing
heartily, for the situation seemed so amusing to him that the serious
part of his cousin's obvious plan had so far hardly dawned upon him.
"I should like to inquire of you, as one good turn deserves another,
in regard to the health of your father and mother and Gerty."

"My father is quite well, but he left Bonnydale last Tuesday to go to
Washington, and had not returned when I left home. My mother is quite
well, and so is Florry," replied the sick officer, who did not appear
to be suffering from a very severe headache just then, for he was quite
cheerful and animated.

"This appears to be a family party," interposed Captain Battleton, who
was very much amused to hear each of the young officers call the other
by the same name, and both of them appeared to be Corny Passford.

"It is a family party, captain," replied the sick officer, smiling as
cheerfully as though he had never had any practical knowledge of
headache and pains in the bones, which was the description of his malady
given to the surgeon. "As I have hinted before, my cousin Corny is a
rebel of the first order; and you can imagine my astonishment at finding
him in the uniform of a lieutenant on board a United States naval
vessel."

"Good, Corny!" exclaimed Christy, dropping upon the divan of the cabin
and laughing heartily.

"I can easily imagine your astonishment, Mr. Passford, for it seems to
me to be a very remarkable state of things," added the captain, as he
looked from one to the other of the claimants. "One thing seems to be
admitted by both of you, that you are both Passfords, and that you are
cousins."

"So far we do not disagree by the breadth of a hair. My cousin Corny was
_raised_ in the South, while I was raised in the North," continued the
sick passenger.

"I don't like to contradict my cousin, but I was _brought up_ in the
North," said Christy, hoping Captain Battleton would notice the
difference in the phraseology.

"Then y