"I hope you are feeling better this evening." "Hardly better, Captain Passford, though I am trying to reconcile myself to my situation," replied the late captain of the Ocklockonee.
"Supper is all ready, sir," interposed Dave, as he passed by the captain, after he had brought in the dishes from the galley.
"Take a seat at the table, Captain Dinsmore," continued Christy, placing a chair for him, and looking over the table to see what cheer he had to offer to his guest.
It looked as though the cook, aware that the commander had a guest, or thinking that he deserved a better supper than usual after the capture of a prize, had done his best in honor of the occasion.

The broiled chickens looked especially inviting, and other dishes were quite tempting to a man who was two hours late at the meal.
"Thank you, captain," replied the guest, as he took the seat assigned to him.

"I can't say that I have a very fierce appetite after the misfortune that has befallen me; but I am none the less indebted to you for your courtesy and kindness." "I acknowledge that I am in condition to be very happy this evening, Captain Dinsmore, and I can hardly expect to be an agreeable companion to one with a burden on his mind; but I can assure you of my personal sympathy." "You are very kind, captain.

I should like to ask if many of the officers of the old navy are young gentlemen like yourself ?" inquired the guest, looking at his host very curiously.
"There are a great many young officers in the navy at the present time, for the exigency has pushed forward the older ones, and there are not enough of them to take all the positions.

But we shall all of us grow older," replied Christy good-naturedly, as he helped the officer to a piece of the chicken, which had just come from the galley fire.
"Perhaps you are older than you appear to be," suggested the guest.
"I should judge that you were not over twenty, or at least not much more." "I am eighteen, sir, though, unlike a lady, I try to make myself as old as I can." "Eighteen!" exclaimed Captain Dinsmore.
But Christy told something of his experience on board of the Bellevite which had prepared him for his duties, and his case was rather exceptional.
"You have physique enough for a man of twenty-five," added the guest.
"And you have been more fortunate than I have." "And I have been as unfortunate as you are, for I have seen the inside of a Confederate prison, though I concluded not to remain there for any length of time," added Christy, laughing.
"You are a fortunate young man, and I do not belong to that class," said Captain Dinsmore, shaking his head.