ou to be on the
lookout for them. There is a knock at the door."

Christy opened the door, and found a naval officer waiting to see him.
He handed him a formidable looking envelope, with a great seal upon it.
The young commander looked at its address, and saw that it came from the
Navy Department. With it was a letter, which he opened. It was an order
for the immediate sailing of the Bronx, the sealed orders to be opened
when she reached latitude 38 deg. N. The messenger spoke some pleasant
words, and then took his leave. Christy returned to the cabin, and
showed the ponderous envelope to his father.

"Sealed orders, as I supposed you would have," said Captain Passford.

"And this is my order to sail immediately on receipt of it," added
Christy.

"Then I must leave you, my son; and may the blessing of God go with you
wherever your duty calls you!" exclaimed the father, not a little shaken
by his paternal feelings. "Be brave, be watchful; but be prudent under
all circumstances. Bravery and Prudence ought to be twin sisters, and
I hope you will always have one of them on each side of you. I am not
afraid that you will be a poltroon, a coward; but I do fear that your
enthusiasm may carry you farther than you ought to go."

"I hope not, father; and your last words to me shall be remembered. When
I am about to engage in any important enterprise, I will recall your
admonition, and ask myself if I am heeding it."

"That satisfies me. I wish you had such a ship's company as we had on
board of the Bellevite; but you have a great deal of good material, and
I am confident that you will make the best use of it. Remember that you
are fighting for your country and the best government God ever gave to
the nations of the earth. Be brave, be prudent; but be a Christian, and
let no mean, cruel or unworthy action stain your record."

Captain Passford took the hand of his son, and though neither of them
wept, both of them were under the influence of the strongest emotions.
Christy accompanied his father to the accommodation ladder, and shook
hands with him again as he embarked in his boat. His mother and his
sister had been on board that day, and the young commander had parted
from them with quite as much emotion as on the present occasion. The
members of the family were devotedly attached to each other, and in some
respects the event seemed like a funeral to all of them, and not less to
Christy than to the others, though he was ent