The crew were all armed with a cutlass and revolver in the belt.
"Lay her aboard!" said Christy, quietly enough, as he led the way himself, for he was a bold leader, and was not content to follow his men.

As he leaped down from the bulwarks to the deck, he confronted the person who had hailed him in the boat.
"What is your business on board of the Reindeer ?" demanded, in a very tame tone, the man in front of him.
"I am an officer of the United States navy, and my business is to make a prize of this steamer and her cargo," replied Christy.
"Is that so?
You did not give me your name, sir," added the man.
"Lieutenant Passford, attached to the United States steamer Bellevite.
Do me the favor to explain who you are, sir," returned Christy.
"I am Captain Solomon Stopfoot, in command of the Reindeer, at your service, born and brought up on Long Island," answered the commander of the steamer.
"Then what are you doing here ?" demanded the naval officer.

"Where were you born on Long Island ?" "In Babylon, on the south shore." "Then Babylon is fallen!" exclaimed Christy, indignant to find a man born so near his own home doing the dirty work of the Confederate government.
"Perhaps not; and perhaps you may change your view of me when you have heard my story," added Captain Stopfoot.
"Well, Captain, there is only one story that I care to hear just now, and its title is simply 'Surrender,'" replied Christy rather impatiently.

"You understand my business on board of the Reindeer; and if you propose to make any resistance, it is time for you to begin." "It would be folly for me to make any resistance, and I shall not make any.

I have only two engineers, two firemen, foreigners, hired in Nassau, who would not fight if I wished them to do so, and two deck-hands.