federates had almost overcome him.

For a few moments he was silent as he thought of this tremendous idea.
It was appalling to think of going into action with the Scotian or the
Arran, or both of them, and have a part of his own force turn against
him on his own deck. This was possible, but he could hardly believe it
was probable. Dave had reported very faithfully to him all the details
of the conversation between the Confederates, and they had claimed only
six men. If they had any hold on the extra men on board, they would have
been likely to say so, or at least to speak more indefinitely than they
had of their expectations.

"Have you any friends on board, Mr. Flint, among the crew?" asked
Christy suddenly, as though a solution of the difficult question of the
loyalty of the men had suggested itself to him.

"I have at least half a dozen whom I worked hard to have drafted into
the Bronx, for I know that they are good and true men, though they may
not be able to pass the technical examination of the naval officers,"
replied the first lieutenant promptly. "I can trust every one of them as
far as I could trust myself. One of them was the mate of my vessel at
the time I sold her, and he has since been in command of her."

"Who is he?"

"His name is Baskirk; and he is a quartermaster now. I wrote to him, and
promised to do the best I could to advance him. He is not a graduate of
a college, but he is a well-informed man, well read, sober, honest, and
a man of good common-sense."

"The others?"

"McSpindle was a classmate of mine in college, and he is a capital
fellow. Unfortunately, he got into the habit of drinking more than was
good for him, and spoiled his immediate future. He has made two foreign
voyages, and he is a good seaman. He came home second mate of an
Indiaman, promoted on his merit. He is also a quartermaster," said
Flint, who was evidently very deeply interested in the persons he
described.

"Any more?"

"Luffard is a quartermaster, for I selected the best men I had for these
positions. He is a young fellow, and the son of a rich man in Portland.
He is a regular water bird, though he is not over eighteen years old."

"His age is no objection," added Christy with a smile.

"I suppose not; but I have taken Luffard on his bright promise rather
than for anything he has ever done, though I have seen him sail a
forty-footer in a race and win the first prize. The other men I happen
to think of just now