"Mulgrum is to copy this letter," said Flint, suppressing his laughter.
"I have written the letter in order to have something for him to copy,
and at the same time to give him and his confederate something to think
about," replied Christy; and he could hardly help chuckling when he
thought of the effect the contents of the letter would produce in the
minds of those for whom the missive was really intended.
"Do you think they will swallow this fiction, Captain Passford?" asked
the first lieutenant.
"Why shouldn't they swallow it, hook, bait, and sinker? They are
Confederate agents beyond the possibility of a doubt; and they are
looking for a ship in which they intend to ravage the commerce of the
United States," replied Christy; and the question had done something to
stimulate his reasoning powers. "They want a vessel, and the Bronx would
suit them very well."
"But they will not attempt to capture her under present circumstances,
I am very confident. They know that we have about twenty seamen extra
on board."
"They know that certainly; but possibly they know some things in this
connection that we do not know," added Christy, as he put his hand on
his forehead, and leaned over the table, as though his mind were
strongly exercised by some serious question he was unable to answer
satisfactorily to himself.
Pages:
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97