e old navy are young gentlemen like yourself?" inquired
the guest, looking at his host very curiously.

"There are a great many young officers in the navy at the present time,
for the exigency has pushed forward the older ones, and there are not
enough of them to take all the positions. But we shall all of us grow
older," replied Christy good-naturedly, as he helped the officer to a
piece of the chicken, which had just come from the galley fire.

"Perhaps you are older than you appear to be," suggested the guest.
"I should judge that you were not over twenty, or at least not much
more."

"I am eighteen, sir, though, unlike a lady, I try to make myself as old
as I can."

"Eighteen!" exclaimed Captain Dinsmore.

But Christy told something of his experience on board of the Bellevite
which had prepared him for his duties, and his case was rather
exceptional.

"You have physique enough for a man of twenty-five," added the guest.
"And you have been more fortunate than I have."

"And I have been as unfortunate as you are, for I have seen the inside
of a Confederate prison, though I concluded not to remain there for any
length of time," added Christy, laughing.

"You are a fortunate young man, and I do not belong to that class,"
said Captain Dinsmore, shaking his head. "I have lost my steamer, and
I suppose that will finish my career."

"Perhaps not;" but Christy was satisfied that he had lost his vessel by
a want of care, and he could not waste any compliments upon him, though
he had profited by the other's carelessness.

"I was confident when the Bronx approached the Ocklockonee that she was
another vessel," continued the guest.

"What vessel did you take her to be?"

"You will excuse me if I decline to go into particulars. I can only say
that I was sure your steamer was another, and I had no suspicion that I
was wrong till that man mounted the rail of the Bronx, and began to tell
us to the contrary," replied Captain Dinsmore. "A bolt in the engine was
broken, and the engineer could not find another on board. We expected to
obtain one when the Bronx approached us. I was deceived; and that is the
reason why I am here instead of in the cabin of my own ship."

The guest seemed to feel a little better after he had made this
explanation, though it contained nothing new to the commander of the
Bronx. Possibly the excellent supper, of which he had partaken heartily
in spite of his want of appetite, had influenced his