"Letters!" exclaimed the young lieutenant, laughing as he recalled some
such missives on two former occasions. "Do you still keep your three
agents in the island of Great Britain?"

"I don't keep them, for they are now in the employ of the government,
though they still report to me, and we use the system adopted some two
years ago."

"What is it this time, father?" asked Christy, his curiosity as well as
his patriotism excited by this time at the prospect of capturing a
Confederate man-of-war, or even a blockade-runner.

"There are traitors in and about the city of New York," answered Captain
Passford, as he returned the letters to his pocket. "We had a rebel in
the house here at one time, you remember, and it is not quite prudent
just now to explain the contents of the letters."

"All right, father; but I suppose you will read them to me before I sail
for the South."

"I will talk to you about it another time," added the captain, as a
knock was heard at the door. "Come in!"

It was the man-servant of the house, and he brought in a tray on which
there was a card, which Captain Passford took.

"Captain Wilford Chantor," the captain read from the card. "Show him in,
Gates. Lieutenant Chantor is appointed to the command of the Chateaugay,
Christy, in which you take passage to the Gulf; but she will not go