"I am delighted to see you again, Captain Passford," replied Lieutenant Amblen, for such was his present rank. "I am now the executive officer of the Muskegon. I have the pleasure of presenting to you Mr. Cartright, first lieutenant of the St. Croix."
"I am happy to meet you, Mr. Cartright."
"I have often heard of you, Captain Passford, and I am glad to see you in command of so fine and fast a steamer as the St. Regis, though I never heard of her before," added the executive officer of the St. Croix. "Of course you are aware that there is a steamer in sight to the westward of us."
"I am aware of it; and for that reason we should hasten our present business," replied Christy, as he glanced at the steamer in the distance and the trails of smoke astern of her. "I do not know who is the ranking officer here; and I have not yet reported to the admiral, for I took part in the chase from the moment of my arrival."
"You are a lieutenant"—Mr. Amblen began.
"A lieutenant-commander, if you please," interposed Christy with a smile.
"Then you are the ranking officer, Captain Passford, for both of the other commanders are lieutenants," added the executive officer of the Muskegon. "We are ready to transmit your orders to our superiors."
"My orders will depend somewhat upon the steamer astern of us; and if you will excuse me a few moments, I shall soon be ready to issue them," replied Christy, as he took his spy-glass from the brackets, and directed it to the approaching steamer from the west. "What do you make of her, Mr. Baskirk?"
The executive officer had been observing the steamer astern with his glass; and she was not more than four miles distant by this time.
"She is a large vessel, I judge, not less than a thousand tons. She has all sail set and drawing, and she seems to be making very rapid progress through the water," replied the first lieutenant. "But there are not less than three steamers pursuing her, though they are a long way astern of her."