"Strange. His name doesn't appear in the Department as attached to
the service. Hark! There's a gun. It announces, in all probability,
the arrival of the ship ---- at the Navy Yard."

Jenny instantly became pale.

"Perhaps," suggested the Secretary, "your best way will be to take a
carriage and drive down, at once, to the Navy Yard. Shall I direct
the messenger to call a carriage for you?"

"I will thank you to do so," replied Jenny, faintly.

The carriage was soon at the door. Jenny was much agitated when she
arrived at the Navy Yard. To her question as to whether the ship
---- had arrived, she was pointed to a large vessel which lay moored
at the dock. How she mounted its side she hardly knew; but, in what
seemed scarcely an instant of time, she was standing on the deck. To
an officer who met her, as she stepped on board, she asked for Mark
Clifford.

"What is he? A sailor or marine?"

"A sailor."

"There is no such person on board, I believe," said the officer.

Poor Jenny staggered back a few paces, while a deadly paleness
overspread her face. As she leaned against the side of the vessel
for support, a young man, dressed as a sailor, ascended from the