"Thank you, Captain Battleton; I shall be very happy to make the
acquaintance of Lieutenant Passford," said the occupant of the cabin,
rising as he spoke, and approaching Christy. "Corny Passford!" exclaimed
the sick officer. "I did not expect to see you here. This gentleman is
my own cousin, Captain Battleton, though I am sorry to say that he is
a rebel; but for all that he is one of the finest fellows in the known
world, and you will appreciate everything about him except his politics,
which I do not admire myself."
Christy was not stunned or overwhelmed by this impudent speech. He
looked at the speaker, and promptly recognized his cousin Corny. He was
astonished at the brazen assurance of the other, for he had always
seemed to him to be a fairly modest young man. Corny extended his hand
to Christy, and it was accepted.
"I am very glad to see you, Corny," said he of the South, "and not the
less glad because the meeting is so unexpected."
"It is certainly very unexpected on my part, Corny," replied Christy,
who began to comprehend the object of his cousin; but there was
something so ludicrous in the situation that he was more disposed
to laugh than to look upon it seriously.
"I am very glad to see you, Corny," continued he who bore that name in
reality.
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