I have not the honor to be personally acquainted with him, and therefore I am unable to decide which of the gentlemen who report to me under that name is the real one." "Precisely so." "You will pardon me if I add that I think one or the other of them must be an impostor," added Captain Battleton with some diffidence.
"That is a perfectly justifiable conclusion; and it rests with you to decide which is the genuine Lieutenant Passford, and which is the impostor," replied Christy frankly.

"You will be perfectly justified in calling upon both for all the evidence they are able to present.
I suggest that each of them must carry his commission about him, as well as his orders from the department; and it seems to me that these documents will enable you to decide without any delay;" and Christy involuntarily put his hand upon his breast pocket, where he carried these valuable papers.
He could feel the envelope that contained them, and he was satisfied of the triumph which awaited him when the evidence should be required of the two claimants of the name.

At the same time he felt that he was moving in a cloud of mystery, which had begun to enfold him in the middle of the preceding night.
"I thank you for the suggestion, Mr.Passford, and I must say that you seem to be entirely fair," said the commander.
"If I am the impostor, I do not know myself; but I have no desire to forestall your decision.

You saw the sick officer when he came on board last evening, and you have visited him in his stateroom to-day.

Do I look enough like him to be taken for him ?" asked Christy with a smile, as he placed himself in an attitude to be scrutinized by the commander.
"I am sure that you do, sir; and when I saw you on the quarter-deck for the first time, I had no doubt you were the officer who came on board sick last evening," replied Captain Battleton.
"That makes it all the more remarkable, for I was not aware that there was any officer in the navy who resembled me so closely," added Christy more bewildered than before, and beginning to scent a plot of some kind against him or his country.
"I must say that any man who will take upon himself the position and reputation of the real Lieutenant Passford is a bold man, and even, if he succeeds in taking his place, he will fail in playing the _role_." "I should thank you, Captain Battleton, for the compliment, if I were not under suspicion of being some other person.