Horatio, and had made a comfortable fortune besides. The two families
had visited each other as much an possible, and the captain, with his
little family, had been almost to the plantation in the Bellevite, the
magnificent steam-yacht of the Northerner.

During the preceding winter, Captain Passford, his wife and son, had
visited most of the islands of the Atlantic; but the health of Miss
Florry was considerably impaired, and the doctors would not permit her
to make this sea-voyage, but recommended her to keep quiet in some
southern locality. She had therefore passed the winter at Glenfield,
which was the name of Homer Passford's plantation. On his return from
this long cruise, the owner of the Bellevite obtained his first news
that war existed between the North and the South from the pilot. The
three members of the family on board of the steamer were greatly
distressed over the fact that Florry was still at the home of her
uncle in Alabama, within the enemy's lines.

Without going on shore, Captain Passford decided to arm his yacht, which
was large enough for a man-of-war, and hasten to Mobile Bay to bring
back his daughter. He was in doubt with regard to the political feeling
of Homer, but believed that he would still adhere to the government and
the Union. It was a part of his mission to bring his brother and his
family to his own home at Bonnydale. Mrs. Passford was sent on shore in
a tug, and Christy, the son, was to go with her; but the young man, just
entering his seventeenth year, protested against being left at home, and
as the captain believed that a patriotic citizen ought to be willing to
give his all, even his sons, to his country, the young man went with his
father. The mother was as devoted to her country as the father, and
terrible as was the ordeal, she consented to part with him for such a
duty.