"Were you in charge of the sloop, uncle Homer?"
"I was not; I had nothing to do with the sloop. She belonged to Captain
Flanger."
"Who is Captain Flanger?" asked Christy.
"You have him on board, and perhaps he had better answer the question
himself," replied Colonel Passford with a smile.
"It was a superfluous question, for I know all about him. He is the
captain of the Floridian, though that would not make him a combatant
unless he fights his ship; and that is what he did on board of the
Magnolia. I regard him and his companions, except the skipper of the
sloop, as prisoners of war. You proved by your words and conduct that
you were not a combatant, and you are at liberty to depart when you
please."
The young commander did not feel entirely sure that his ruling was
correct, for a naval officer must be learned in a great variety of
subjects which he had not had time to study; but he was willing to take
the responsibility in the present instance.
"It is easy enough to say that I may depart; but how shall I do it?"
added the planter with a smile. "I cannot swim ashore."
"I will put you ashore in a boat at the nearest land when the fog clears
off," replied Christy.
"The nearest land is an island, and there is hardly anything like a
village on the entire Bay of St.
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