"I saw your steamer yesterday afternoon," said the captain; "but she had
several other vessels near her, and I thought she might have a whole
blockading squadron with her. I kept off, and put about in the night.
When I saw the Vixen early this morning, I thought she would just answer
my purpose, and I wanted her. A nearer view of her assures me she is
exactly the steamer I needed."
"For your sake, captain, I am sorry I cannot accommodate you," replied
Christy, laughing at the cheerful expressions of Captain Linden.
"I presume you are an officer of the Confederate Navy?"
"No, sir; I am not; but I am a Confederate to the backbone. It was my
intention to set up a navy on my own hook. The Pedee was the first
vessel, and I intended that the Vixen should be the second, and become
my flag-ship."
"Then you came out as a privateer?"
"That's just the color of it. If you hadn't unhorsed my big gun I should
have been as polite to you about this time as you are to me. The fact of
it is, Captain Passford, you did not manage your ship just right."
"Indeed? In what respect?" asked Christy.
"Well, you see, you knocked my big gun all to pieces, and then, instead
of running down and boarding the Pedee, you stood off out of range of my
side guns, and knocked the starch all out of us.
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