with a cheerful smile, as though he was not at all
disconcerted by the change which had come about in the ownership of the
Teaser.

"How long have you been on board of this steamer, Dave?" asked the
officer, much pleased with the intelligent face of the steward.

"About two months, sir."

"Where did this steamer come from?"

"Captain Folkner bought her somewhere in the West Indies, and brought
her here before the blockade was fairly established."

"Then she is an English-built steamer?"

"I suppose she is, sir; but I don't know anything about it."

"Then she has been here a long while. What has Captain Folkner been
doing all this time?" asked Christy curiously.

"Inventing, sir," replied Dave, chuckling.

"I see; he has that on the brain."

"The government threatened to take his vessel if he did not fit her out
and take her to sea. Then he hurried up, and got a crew ready; but they
had a quarrel last night, and most of the men would not come on board."

"Yes; I know all about that," added Christy, as he looked at his watch
by the light of the shaded lamp in the cabin. "I suppose you insist upon
serving the Confederacy, Dave?"

"I don't insist on anything, sir; I go where the ship takes me, and I
don't mean to quarrel with anybody."

"In other words, will it be necessary to put you under guard?" asked
Christy.

"I don't think it would do me any good, sir," replied Dave, laughing.

"Which side do you belong on?" demanded the officer, rather impatiently.

"I belong on Dave's side, sir."

"Which is Dave's side?"

"The side of freedom," replied the steward, with some embarrassment.
"I don't know you, sir; you don't wear the uniform of a Yankee or a
rebel, and the darkey gets crushed between the upper and the nether
millstone."

"Then to make the matter plainer to you, I am the third lieutenant of
the United States steamer Bellevite, and I have captured this vessel as
an officer of the United States Navy," replied Christy.

"That's all I want to know: the darkey knows where to go, when it is
safe to go there," replied Dave.

"Then if it is safe for you to go to the pilot-house, you may come with
me," added the lieutenant, as he led the way to the deck.

Beeks, with the men who had not been assigned to other duty, was cutting
away the ropes that held the casks in place, and had already turned
adrift all the raft of them alongside. All the rubbish the nautical
inventor had collected to carry out his