ll depend upon the
steamer Haslett engages, though he told me he had bargained for an old
one with a walking-beam; but that will answer our purpose. I believe he
had to buy her, though she was of no great value."

At a creek which appeared to be the rendezvous of the conspirators,
the boat left the river; but there was no steamer, though quite a number
of men had gathered there. Leaving the party in the boat to follow out
the remaining details of their enterprise, which, by this time, in the
absence of anything like an obstacle, they regarded as so many mere
formalities, it becomes necessary to make another visit to the mansion
of Captain Passford. This gentleman had gone to the city upon important
business connected with the fitting out of the Bellevite, and he had not
returned when the clock in the great hall struck ten, which was at about
the time Captain Carboneer and his companions went into the creek five
miles down the river.

"There is no knowing when your father will come home, Florry," said Mrs.
Passford, as she suspended her work on a stocking she was knitting for
the soldiers. "But I can't imagine what has become of Christy. He never
stays out as late as this unless he tells us of it beforehand."

"I am really worried about him, mother," replied the beautiful daughter,
looking up from the stocking on which she was employed. "He went away in
the Florence, and something may have happened to him."

"I think not, Florry: there has been no storm, or heavy blow, and
he thinks he is as safe in his boat as he is on shore," added Mrs.
Passford, with an effort to control the fears of the daughter. "He may
have gone down to the city. He is very indignant at the delay in giving
the order to have the steamer sent to the navy yard, and wherever he is,
I am confident he is doing something in connection with the steamer."

"I wish I knew whether the Florence was at the boathouse," continued
Florry. "He said he was going out in the boat; but perhaps he did not.
Perhaps he is with father."

"There is the front-door bell," added Mrs. Passford, with a start.
"It cannot be your father or Christy, for both of them have latch-keys.
Who could come here at this time in the evening?"

"Mr. Paul Vapoor," said the man-servant, who answered the bell.

The gentleman announced walked into the sitting-room without any
ceremony, for he had long been a familiar visitor. He was dressed in
the full uniform of a chief engineer of the na