"About two months, sir."
"Where did this steamer come from?"
"Captain Folkner bought her somewhere in the West Indies, and brought her here before the blockade was fairly established."
"Then she is an English-built steamer?"
"I suppose she is, sir; but I don't know anything about it."
"Then she has been here a long while. What has Captain Folkner been doing all this time?" asked Christy curiously.
"Inventing, sir," replied Dave, chuckling.
"I see; he has that on the brain."
"The government threatened to take his vessel if he did not fit her out and take her to sea. Then he hurried up, and got a crew ready; but they had a quarrel last night, and most of the men would not come on board."
"Yes; I know all about that," added Christy, as he looked at his watch by the light of the shaded lamp in the cabin. "I suppose you insist upon serving the Confederacy, Dave?"