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_.
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