"Yes, sir; she is open to ladies and gentlemen to-day," replied the man.

The commander ascended the steps to the bulwarks, where the seaman was
evidently doing duty as a sentinel, though he was not armed.

"What steamer is this?" asked the visitor; for he had not yet seen the
name of the steamer.

"The Blanche, sir," replied the man very respectfully; for the
commander's uniform had made its proper impression.

"The Blanche!" exclaimed the captain of the Guardian-Mother, starting
back as though a red-hot shot had struck him.

[Illustration: "CAPTAIN RINGGOLD, I AM DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU." Page
337.]

It was very remarkable that the steamer should have that name; but he
preserved his dignity, and concluded that the name had been given for
some member of the owner's family; and he saw a lady seated near the
rudder-head, who might be the owner of the name. He looked about the
deck,--what of it could be seen,--though most of it was covered by the
house, extended nearly from stem to stern, as on the Guardian-Mother.
Everything was as neat and trim as though she had been a man-of-war. He
could see two twelve-pounders on the side where he was; and he concluded
there were two more on the other side.

But if this craft was to chase and annoy his party, she was not well
enough armed to be a match for his own ship; and with the feeling he had
stirred up in his mind, he congratulated himself on the superiority of
the ship he commanded. The seaman informed him that he was at liberty to
look over the vessel, for it was believed to be the finest her
celebrated builders had ever completed.

"I desire to see the captain of this steamer," replied Captain Ringgold,
declining the permission extended to him.

"He is in his cabin, sir, and I will call him down," replied the man.

The captain gave him his card, and the sailor mounted to the promenade
deck. He had not been gone two minutes before the captain rushed down
the steps as though he were in a desperate hurry.

"Captain Ringgold, I am delighted to see you!" shouted the captain of
the Blanche before the visitor had time to make out who he was. "I am
glad to see you on the deck of my ship!" And he extended his hand to the
commander of the Guardian-Mother.

"Captain Sharp!" roared the visitor, seizing the offered hand, and
warmly pressing it.

It was a tremendous let-down for him, after he had roused all his
belligerent nature into action, to find Captain W. Penn Sharp in c