brother."

"It is terrible to think of," added Mrs. Passford with something like
a shudder, though she was a strong-minded woman in the highest sense of
the words.

Captain Passford then proceeded to inform his wife and son in regard to
all the events which had transpired since he had received his latest
papers at Bermuda. They listened with the most intense interest, and the
trio were as solemn as though they had met to consider the dangerous
illness of the absent member of the family.

The owner did not look upon the impending war as a sort of frolic, as
did many of the people at the North and the South, and he could not
regard it as a trivial conflict which would be ended in a few weeks
or a few months. To him it was the most terrible reality which his
imagination could picture; and more clearly than many eminent statesmen,
he foresaw that it would be a long and fierce encounter.

"From what you say, Horatio, I judge that the South is already arming
for the conflict," said Mrs. Passford, after she had heard her husband's
account of what had occurred on shore.

"The South has been preparing for war for months, and the North began to
make serious preparation for coming events as soon as Fort Sumter fell.
Doubtless the South is better prepared for the event to-day than the
North, though the greater population and vast resources of the latter
will soon make up for lost time," replied the captain.

"And Florry is right in the midst of the gathering armies of the South,"