We have sailed together too long to be anything but the best of friends; and the fate of poor Dashington reminds me that we may never meet again in this world." "Whatever you say and whatever you do, Captain Blowitt, we can never be anything but the best of friends, and, so far as you are concerned, I never had an instant of doubt or suspicion." "Now, Christy," interposed Paul Vapoor, "you entirely mistake the motive which has led to your appointment to the Vixen, for I happen to know something about it.

You are not sent simply as a prize-master to New York, but you are put in temporary command of the Vixen because an able, vigilant, courageous officer was required." "Then I wonder all the more that I was selected," added Christy.
"You wonder!" exclaimed Paul, looking intently into the brown face of the young officer, apparently to discover if there was not some affectation in this manifestation of modesty.
There was nothing like affectation in the composition of Christy Passford, and whatever he had done to distinguish himself, he had done strictly in the line of his duty, and from the purest of patriotic motives.

It was the most difficult thing in the world to make him believe that he had done "a big thing," though all others on board of his ship believed it with all their might.

Paul Vapoor knew what everybody thought of his friend, and he was surprised that he should be so innocent and ignorant of the great reputation he had won.
"I do wonder," replied Christy, earnestly and honestly.

"I believe I am about the youngest officer in the fleet, and if this service requires an able officer, it seems very strange to me that I should have been selected." "Captain Breaker was consulted in regard to you, though he was not asked to name a commander, for the flag-officer had thought of you himself, and no doubt he had just been reading your report of your voyage to the Gulf in the Bronx," said Paul, laughing.