"I am very glad indeed that he has obtained his promotion, and that he is to sail with me," added Christy, who had taken quite an interest in him as an able seaman, and had procured his appointment as prize-master of the West Wind. "Dr. Connolly, who was with you in the Bronx, is your surgeon. The chief engineer of the St. Regis is one Paul Vapoor," continued Captain Passford, with a very obvious twinkle of the eyes. "Paul Vapoor!" exclaimed Christy, leaping out of the chair in which he had just settled himself after the excitement of his father's first announcement had partly subsided. "Paul Vapoor," repeated the captain. "It can hardly be possible," persisted Christy. "What is the matter? Has Captain Breaker fallen out with him?" "Not at all; the commander of the Bellevite thinks as much of him as ever he did, and even a great deal more." "Then how under the canopy does Paul happen to be appointed to the St. Regis?" demanded Christy. Captain Passford took from his pocket a letter he had received from Captain Breaker, and proceeded to read portions of it, as follows: "If Christy is not promoted and given an adequate independent command, I shall be disappointed; and given such whether he consents or not. He has never been wanting in anything; and though I say it to his father, there is not a more deserving officer in the service, not even one who is ten years older. I have expressed myself fully in my report. I believe his gallant exploit in the late action with the Tallahatchie saved the lives of at least one-fourth of my ship's company; and it thinned out the ranks of the enemy in about the same proportion. Captain Rombold insists that he should have captured the Bellevite if the tide had not been thus turned against him; but I do not admit this, of course. "I still set the highest value upon the services of Chief Engineer Paul Vapoor, and I should regret exceedingly to lose him. But Christy and Paul have been the most intimate friends from their school days; and if your son is appointed to an independent command, as I believe he ought to be, it would do something towards reconciling him to his appointment if his crony were in the same ship with him. For this reason, and this alone, I am willing to sacrifice my own wishes to the good of the service. I have talked with Paul about the matter, and he would be delighted to be the companion of Christy, even in a small steamer." "Captain Breaker is very kind and very considerate, as he always was; and I shall certainly feel more at home on board of the St. Regis with Paul Vapoor as her chief engineer," replied Christy; and the effect seemed to be what the commander of the Bellevite anticipated. "Go on with the list, father." "Paul's first assistant engineer will be Charles Graines," continued Captain Passford.