Indeed, the owner of the steamer had taken especial pains to conceal any appearance of using force on coming into the bay; and all the guns on the deck of the vessel, that could not be easily lowered into the hold, had been covered up and concealed. Though Major Pierson had spent some time on board of the Bellevite, he did not know whether or not she was armed. He was no wiser than the owner's brother.

The major went to the lower deck of the Leopard, where Christy saw him questioning the soldiers there, though he could not hear any thing that was said. Of course he was inquiring for some hand who had steered a steamer; but he soon returned alone, and it looked as though he had not found the person he sought.

"It looks like bad weather, Mr. Passford, since you decline to be called captain any longer," said the major, as he came into the pilot-house, and looked at the sky in all directions.

Christy had noticed the weather signs before; and the wind was beginning to pipe up a rather fresh blast, though the sun had been out for an hour or more earlier in the morning. It came from the southward, and it was already knocking up a considerable sea, as it had the range of the whole length of the bay.

"I was thinking that we should have a storm before long when I looked at the signs this morning," replied Christy rather indifferently.

"How many men does your father have on board of his steamer, Mr. Passford?" asked the major, in a careless sort of way.

"Not as many, I should say, as you have in Fort Gaines. By the way, how many have you under your command there?" returned Christy with a twinkle of the eye.

"We have two thousand four hundred and twenty-six, including myself," replied the major.

"That is quite a force; my father has only seven hundred and forty-two, without counting me."

"Where do you put them all?"

"We stow them away in the hold, after the manner of packing sardines in a box. We only let them out one at a time, when we feed them with salt fish and baked beans."

"That makes a good many men to a gun," suggested the major.

"Lots of them," answered Christy.

"How many guns does the steamer carry?"

"Only two hundred; of course I mean heavy guns, - sixty and eighty-four pounders. I think there must be small arms enough to supply all your men in the fort."

"I was on board of the Bellevite for half an hour or more, and I really did not see a single heavy gun," added the major, biting his lip.

"Didn't you notice the one hundred and twenty pounder in the waist? It is big enough for you to have seen it."

It was plain enough to the young Unionist that the major really desired to know something about the force and metal of the Bellevite, and that he was disappointed when he found that the son of the owner was on his guard. No information was to be obtained from him.