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76 "Horatio Passford," replied Christy with a smile.
āļŠāļđāļāļĢ āļāļē āļāļē āļĢāđāļē āđāļĄāđāļĄāļĩ āļ§āļąāļ āđāļāđ "West north-west, sir," repeated the executive officer, as he gave it to the quartermaster at the wheel. "I cannot explain itâhow can I?" replied Christy. "Whoever took out my papers and put the blanks in their place, did not make me his confidant in the operation." "I don't like the responsibility, in the first place, and the inactivity, in the second. When I am forty or fifty years old, I shall like a command better. Others seem to look upon me now as a boy, capable of any sort of quixotism, however prudent I may be, and point at me as one who has been 367 made a commander of a steamer by influence at court. There is a vacancy at the present time on board of the Bellevite, for the second lieutenant will be compelled to resign on account of his health." Christy was not stunned or overwhelmed by this impudent speech. He looked at the speaker, and promptly recognized his cousin Corny. He was astonished at the brazen assurance of the other, for he had always seemed to him to be a fairly modest young man. Corny extended his hand to Christy, and it was accepted. He finished the narrative, and the officers were discussing it when there was a knock at the door. The rattle of musketry became quite sharp, and the bullets were penetrating the bulwarks. Two had been wounded at one of the guns, and carried below. Christy stepped over to the end of the 355 bridge to call a hand to take the place of Boxie, and at that moment he felt a sharp sting, as it were, in his right arm, above the elbow. Involuntarily he raised his hand to the place, and felt the warm blood oozing from the wound. It produced a momentary faintness; but he braced himself up, and wound his handkerchief around his arm, calling upon the wheelman to tie it, as he hastened to the aid of Vincent. He said not a word about the accident. CHAPTER XXX THE ATTACK UPON THE FORT