, and we may as well put ourselves in safer
quarters, for we have two prisoners to lose," said Lonley. "Mr.
Passford, I shall have to trouble you to march to the other side of
the island."

"I am your prisoner, Mr. Lonley, and I must obey your orders, though
I am sorry to be away from my ship in the hour of victory," replied
Christy submissively.

But he felt that his plan had been fully carried out.

CHAPTER XXVII

A VISIT FROM COLONEL HOMER PASSFORD

With his arms securely tied behind him, Christy realized that he could
make no resistance to his captors. Flint was in the same unfortunate
situation, and both of them had been deprived of their revolvers. But
in spite of his unpleasant surroundings, the young lieutenant felt that
the balance of advantage was on the side of the Union. If the government
was deprived of the services of a midshipman and a master's mate, a
dangerous privateer had been captured, and about forty prisoners had
been taken from the employ of the Confederacy. In the face of this
decided gain, Christy felt that he had no right to complain.

By this time the light of day had begun to have some effect on the
darkness and fog, though the gloom seemed to be hardly less. Lonley
directed his two prisoners to walk side by side behind the wounded
lieutenant, while he and Levick took their places in the rear. The
second lieutenant of the Teaser was duly impressed by what the first
had said about a probable visit to the island in search of the missing
midshipman, and he directed Folkner to march as rapidly as he could. He
took the control of the party out of the hands of his superior, and very
likely he wished he had done so sooner.

Folkner, as he had before suggested, still had the use of his legs, and
he certainly used them well, for he travelled like a man who was in a
hurry; but both Christy and Flint were in excellent condition, though
they had been on active duty all night, and they had no difficulty in
keeping up with their leader.

Lonley and Levick were both armed, and they kept their weapons in
readiness for immediate use, for the former recognized the enterprising
character of the young officer in front of him, and knew that he would
escape if he could. But Christy did not feel called to take any
desperate chances in order to restore himself at once to the service of
his country, and he and his companion in captivity marched along very
quietly. The two armed men soon dropped seve