He realized that the commander of the Scotian had been very careless in the discharge of his duty in permitting any vessel to come alongside of her without considering that she might be an enemy.

This inefficiency was doubtless the cause of his distress.

Christy had kept uppermost in his mind the advice of his father at the last moment before he sailed, and he asked himself if, while the prisoner was thus exciting his sympathy and compassion, the latter was not expecting the Arran would appear and reverse the fortunes of war.
"I am sorry you take such a severe view of your situation," added the captain of the Bronx.

"But my first duty is to ascertain the character of the vessel which you surrender." "You shall have no doubt in regard to that, Captain Passford," answered the commander of the Scotian, proudly.

"I am not a dickering merchant, trying to make money out of the situation of my country.