o do that also," continued Christy, as
unblushingly as though he had not been strictly in the habit of
telling the truth all his lifetime.

"Good for you, Captain Gilder!" exclaimed Lonley, grasping the hand of
his companion as though he had been his brother. "You beat all the men
I ever knew on power of persuasion; and when I get the command of the
Teaser, as I expect to have before this year ends, I shall want you to
serve as my first lieutenant."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Lonley; you are very kind; and if I ever go into
the privateering service, I shall certainly go in with you," replied
Christy.

"An officer with your power of persuasion will be invaluable to me,"
replied Lonley, still holding the hand of the other. "If I were gifted
in this respect as you are, Captain Gilder, do you know what I would
do?"

"I am sure I have not the least idea, unless it would be to persuade
Jeff Davis to send you a commission as a captain in the regular navy,"
said Christy, laughing at the idea.

"I am afraid I should have too little cheek to attempt to do that, for
the president is a rather obstinate man, and I fear he would not see the
point. Besides, I am a very modest man, though you may not have observed
this shining trait in my character. No; I am too diffident to ask for a
place I have not won by service."

"Then what would you do in the way of persuasion?" asked Christy, though
he wondered why he was prolonging the interview.

"I should use my powers of persuasion upon you, Captain Gilder, in the
first place."

"I don't think it would be of any use, for I am too well posted in that
way of doing it to be influenced," replied Christy, trying to withdraw
his hand from the grasp of the privateersman. "I must go on board of the
Teaser again when you have delivered your message to me, as that was
what you wished to see me for."

"I did say I had a message for you, didn't I? Well, upon my life, I have
quite forgot what it was, but it was from President Jefferson Davis,
and he was particular that I should deliver it to you to-night or this
morning. Isn't it very strange that I should forget a message of so much
importance that it could not be trusted to writing?"

"Passing strange, I should say," answered Christy, who began to
understand that he had fallen into a trap of some sort. "While you are
thinking of it, I will go on board, and persuade Captain Folkner not to
run the Teaser to the eastward if he should take it in