He was very polite to the lieutenant, and it was evident that he had no personal interest in the success of the Teaser in the business for which she had been fitted out.
He was the cabin steward, and he had heard everything that had been said in regard to the vessel since he came on board of her.
"What is your name, my man ?" asked Christy, addressing the steward.
"My name is Davis Talbot; but no one ever calls me anything but Dave," replied the man, with a cheerful smile, as though he was not at all disconcerted by the change which had come about in the ownership of the Teaser.
"How long have you been on board of this steamer, Dave ?" asked the officer, much pleased with the intelligent face of the steward.
"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 ?" "I don't insist on anything, sir; I go where the ship takes me, and I don't mean to quarrel with anybody." "In other words, will it be necessary to put you under guard ?" asked Christy.
"I don't think it would do me any good, sir," replied Dave, laughing.
"Which side do you belong on ?" demanded the officer, rather impatiently.
"I belong on Dave's side, sir." "Which is Dave's side ?" "The side of freedom," replied the steward, with some embarrassment.
"I don't know you, sir; you don't wear the uniform of a Yankee or a rebel, and the darkey gets crushed between the upper and the nether millstone." "Then to make the matter plainer to you, I am the third lieutenant of the United States steamer Bellevite, and I have captured this vessel as an officer of the United States Navy," replied Christy.
"That's all I want to know: the darkey knows where to go, when it is safe to go there," replied Dave.
"Then if it is safe for you to go to the pilot-house, you may come with me," added the lieutenant, as he led the way to the deck.
Beeks, with the men who had not been assigned to other duty, was cutting away the ropes that held the casks in place, and had already turned adrift all the raft of them alongside.

All the rubbish the nautical inventor had collected to carry out his famous scheme of floating the vessel through the sound was cleared from the deck, and cut loose from the side.
"I think everything is clear, sir," reported Beeks, as Christy appeared on deck with Dave.
"Stand by to get up the anchor, then," added the lieutenant.
"No anchor down, sir," interposed Dave.