Amblen.
"You are doubtless quite right, Mr. Amblen, and I shall adopt your
suggestion," replied Christy. "There she comes, and she is no river
steamer."
She had not the two tall funnels carried by river steamers, and that
point was enough to settle her character. There could be no doubt she
would have been a blockade runner, if there had been any blockade to
run at the entrance to the port. Christy decided to board the steamer
between the two keys, the channel passing between Snake and Seahorse.
The first cutter fell back so that Christy could communicate with Mr.
Flint, and he instructed him to take a position off the Snake Key, where
his boat could not be discovered too soon, and board the steamer on the
port side, though he did not expect any resistance. Each cutter took its
position and awaited in silence the approach of the blockade runner. The
only thing Christy feared was that she would come about and run back to
the port, though this could only delay her capture.
The steamer, as well as the officers could judge her in the distance,
was hardly larger than the Bronx. They concluded that she must be loaded
with cotton, and at this time it was about as valuable a cargo as could
be put on board of her.
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