I should have proposed it myself if I had not feared that the idea
would be charged to my audacity," replied Christy. "I will take only
Flint with me, as he was with me before."

The canoe was brought up to the gangway, and Flint took his place at the
oars. Mr. Blowitt charged the young officer in the most serious manner
not to run any risks, and the boat was shoved off. It required but a few
strokes of the oars to bring it into shoal water by the beach. Only a
single man could be seen on the shore, and this one must be Lonley.
There seemed to be no risk, and Christy landed.

CHAPTER XXV

CHRISTY BECOMES A VICTIM

Everything was perfectly still on the island, and only a single man
was in sight; but Christy put his hand upon his revolver as he went
on shore. Though he had never been a fighting young man, he had the
impression that he should not tamely submit to the assault of an enemy,
or run away from any single man that stood up in front of him. He had
always been prudent, even while he had been daring, and he hardly needed
the solemn admonition of the second lieutenant to be extremely cautious.

"Is that you, Captain Gilder?" asked the man on the shore, who stood a
little way from the waterside.

"Yes; and I take it for granted that you are Lonley," replied Christy,
advancing towards the other. "You have done all the talking this night,
and I ought to know you."

"All the talking except what you have done, and I ought to know you,"
replied Lonley. "I am Lieutenant Lonley, of the Teaser, and our men are
all ready to go on board."

"And Captain Folkner is all ready to have them go on board," returned
Christy, who had no doubt of the truth of what he said, though he
understood that he was telling a "story" all the same.

"I have no doubt he is. But I don't quite understand how you happen to
be on this side of the island, and so far to the westward at this time
in the morning. We expected to find the Teaser burrowing through the
sound, and we had about made up our minds to take possession of her and
run the blockade, as other Christians do. We did not believe she would
get through the sound in a week, if she ever did."

"I succeeded in persuading Captain Folkner that he had better come out
by the main channel; and that is the way we did come out, and that
explains how we happen to be here at this time in the morning," replied
Christy, very cheerfully.

"You must have very strong powers of persuasion,