I hope you will excuse the little
fictions in which I indulged for your amusement. I was born in the very
heart of the State of Alabama, and never saw Long Island in all my
life," continued the captain. "By the way, my mate is not part owner of
the Reindeer, though he is just as faithful to her interests as though
he owned the whole of her; and it was he that pounced down upon you at
the right moment. I assure you he is a very good fellow, and I hope you
will not have any grudge against him."
"Not the least in the world, Captain Stopfoot," replied Christy.
"I hope I shall not be obliged to detain you long, Mr. Passford; and I
shall not unless one of your gunboats chases me. I shall endeavor to put
you and your men on shore at the Gasparilla Pass, where you can hail one
of the gunboats as it comes along in pursuit of the Reindeer, though I
hope they will not sail for this purpose before night."
"The Bellevite is not likely to discover the absence of the prize at
present, for she will have to remain up the bay over one tide," said the
mate.
"That is what I was calculating upon," added the captain. "Now, Mr.
Passford, I shall be compelled to take my leave of you, for we have to
stow the cotton over again before we go to sea.
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