"I should take him for a young man of twenty or twenty-one, but he says he is only eighteen. He is a very young officer to be put in charge of a steamer, for I understand that he is ordered to the command of the Bronx. But then he has made a reputation as the commander of that vessel, which doubtless justifies his appointment." "Does he talk at all?" "Oh, yes; he has told me about some of his exploits; and as he seems to forget his aches when he speaks of them, I have encouraged him to talk as much as possible." "Is he really sick, doctor?" asked Christy, with a smile which meant something. "He says he is, and I have to take his word for it," replied the surgeon, with a corresponding smile. "I heard you tell the captain that you could not make out the nature of his malady." "I cannot so far, though that does not prove that he is not sick; but I will venture to say he could not get his discharge from the navy on his present symptoms. He may have drunk too much wine or whiskey recently, though he certainly was not in liquor when he came on board." "How is your patient, Dr. Connelly?" asked Captain Battleton, joining them at this moment. "About the same the last time I saw him. He ate all the toast I sent to him, and seemed to enjoy it. I don't think he is in a dangerous condition," replied the surgeon. "I am glad to hear it. Have you informed him that we have another lieutenant on board of the Vernon?" continued the commander. "No, captain: I have not. That is not my affair, and I don't meddle with what does not concern me." "An excellent rule. Is he aware of the fact that there is another Richmond in the field?" "If he is, he has said nothing to me about the matter." "Do you think he could go out into the cabin, doctor?" asked the captain. "I wish to see him on a matter of the utmost importance. Is he dressed?" "He is; he dressed himself this morning, and sits up part of the time." "Then you will oblige me by getting him into the cabin; I mean my cabin. I will be there in ten minutes." The surgeon went below, leaving the commander and Christy together. "Can you make anything of this affair yet, Mr. Passford?" asked Captain Battleton. "I can come to no conclusion in regard to it, though I may be able to do so when I have seen my double," replied Christy, whose curiosity in regard to the sick officer was strongly excited. "It looks like a conspiracy of some kind, but I can go no farther in the direction of a solution." The commander looked at his watch after they had conversed a little while longer, and then invited Christy to visit his cabin with him. The other Lieutenant Passford was seated in an arm-chair at the table. Christy looked at him with the deepest interest, but the back of the other was turned to him, and he did not get a full view of his face. The sick man was dressed in the naval uniform with the shoulder straps of a lieutenant.