give you a crew of thirty, and I cannot spare
any more until more men are sent down. I may add that I have taken some
of them from the Bellevite."

"I am quite satisfied, sir, with the number, though ten more would be
acceptable," replied the commander of the Bronx.

The two officers were then dismissed and ordered on board of their ship.
A little later the draft of seamen was sent on board, and among them
Christy was not sorry to see Boxie, the old sheet-anchor man of the
Bellevite, who had made him a sort of pet, and had done a great deal to
instruct him in matters of seamanship, naval customs, and traditions not
found in any books.

The commander and the executive officer paid their final visit to the
Bellevite the next day, and the order was given to weigh anchor. When
all hands were called, Christy thought he had never seen a better set of
men except on board of the Bellevite, and the expedition, whatever it
was, commenced under the most favorable auspices.

The Bronx sailed in the middle of the forenoon, and the flag officer was
careful not to reveal the destination of the steamer to any one, for
with the aid of the telegraph, the object of the expedition might reach
the scene of operations in advance of the arrival of the force. At four
o'clock in the afternoon Captain Blowitt opened his envelope in presence
of the executive officer. He looked the paper through before he spoke,
and then handed it to Christy, who read it with quite as much interest
as the commander had.

"Cedar Keys," said the captain, glancing at his associate.

"That is not a long run from the station," added Christy. "We are very
likely to be there before to-morrow morning."

"It is about two hundred and eighty statute miles, I had occasion to
ascertain a week ago when something was said about Cedar Keys," replied
Captain Blowitt. "We have been making about fifteen knots, for the Bronx
is a flyer, and we ought to be near our destination at about midnight.
That would be an excellent time to arrive if we only had a pilot."

"Perhaps we have one," added Christy with a smile.

"Are you a pilot on this coast, Mr. Passford?" asked the commander,
mistaking the smile.

"No, sir, I am not; but I remember a conversation Mr. Flint and I had
with Mr. Amblen, who was engaged in some sort of a speculation in
Florida when the war came on. He was so provoked at the treatment he
received that he shipped in the navy at once. I only know that he had a