"I have a number of letters sent over from England relating to blockade runners that I wish to have copied for the use of any naval officers with whom I may fall in; and I have not the time to do it myself." "Mulgrum writes a very handsome hand, and no one could do the work any better than he." Christy thought enough had been said to satisfy the curiosity of Mulgrum if he was still active in seeking information, and both of the officers were silent.

The captain had enough to think of to last him a long while.

The result of the inquiry into the auditory and vocal powers of the scullion, as Flint called him, had convinced him that the deaf mute was a fraud.

He had no doubt that he could both speak and hear as well as the rest of the ship's company.

But the puzzling question was in relation to the reason why he pretended to be deaf and dumb.