Fighting for the Right | Page 4

in which you take passage to the Gulf; but she
will not go there directly."
"Captain Chantor," said Gates, as he opened the door for the visitor.

"I am happy to see you, Captain Chantor, though I have not had the
pleasure of meeting you before," said the captain, as he rose from his
chair, and bowed to the gentleman, who was in the uniform of a
lieutenant.
"I presume I have the honor to address Captain Horatio Passford," said
the visitor, as he took a letter from his pocket, bowing very respectfully
at the same time, and delivering the letter.
"I am very glad to meet you, Captain Chantor," continued Captain
Passford, taking the hand of the visitor. "Allow me to introduce to you
my son, Lieutenant Passford, who will be a passenger on your ship to
the Gulf."
"I am very happy to make your acquaintance, Mr. Passford, for I need
hardly say that I have heard a great deal about you before, and this is a
very unexpected pleasure," replied Captain Chantor.
"Thank you, Captain, and I am equally happy to meet you, as I am to be
a passenger on your ship," added Christy, as they shook hands very
cordially.
"I had three other passengers on board, but they have been transferred
to the store-ship, which sails to-day, and you will be my only
passenger."
"At my suggestion," said Captain Passford smiling, doubtless at the
puzzled expression of the captain of the Chateaugay at his statement.
"I am to attend to some special service on my voyage to the Gulf, and I
am ordered to take my instructions from you," added Captain Chantor.
"Precisely so; but I hold no official position, and your orders will be put
in proper form before you sail," replied Christy's father. "Now, if you
will be patient for a little while, I will explain the nature of the special
service."
"I shall be very glad to understand the subject, and I am confident my

patience will hold out to any extent you may require."
The conversation so far had taken place in the library. The owner of
Bonnydale rose from his arm-chair, opened the door into the hall, and
looked about him very cautiously. Then he closed a window which the
unusual warmth of an April day had rendered it necessary to open. He
conducted his companions to the part of the room farthest from the
door, and seated them on a sofa, while he placed his arm-chair in front
of them. Even Christy thought his father was taking extraordinary
precautions, and the visitor could make nothing of it.
"As I have had occasion to remark before to-day, there are traitors in
and about New York," the captain began.
"If you have any private business with Captain Chantor, father, I am
perfectly willing to retire," suggested Christy.
"No; I wish you to understand this special service, for you may be
called upon to take a hand in it," replied Captain Passford; and the son
seated himself again. "There are traitors in and about New York, I
repeat. I think we need not greatly wonder that some of the English
people persist in attempting to run the blockade at the South, when
some of our own citizens are indirectly concerned in the same
occupation."
This seemed to the captain of the Chateaugay an astounding statement,
and not less so to Christy, and neither of them could make anything of
it; but they were silent, concluding that the special service related to
this matter.
"In what I am about to say to you, Captain Chantor, I understand that I
am talking to an officer of the utmost discretion," continued Captain
Passford, "and not a word of it must be repeated to any person on board
of the Chateaugay, and certainly not to any other person whatever."
"I understand you perfectly, sir," replied the officer. "My lips shall be
sealed to all."

"I wish to say that the command of the Chateaugay would have been
offered to my son, but I objected for the reason that he prefers not to
have a command at present," said the captain.
"That makes it very fortunate for me."
"Very true, though the change was not made for your sake. You were
selected for this command as much on account of your discretion as for
your skill and bravery as an officer."
"I consider myself very highly complimented by the selection."
"Now to the point: I have information that a fast steamer, intended to
carry eight guns, called the Ovidio, sailed from the other side of the
ocean some time since, and she is to be a vessel in the Confederate
navy. Her first port will be Nassau, New Providence."
"Does that prove that any Americans are traitors in and about