looks like business. The admiral may come here now and inspect the
vessel as soon as he pleases."

The next morning, as Frank sat at the table in the wardroom, engaged in
answering the letters he had received by the dispatch-boat, and Archie
was in his office straightening out his books and papers, a bullet came
suddenly crashing through the cabin--a signal that the rebels had again
made their appearance. Frank, who had become accustomed to such
interruptions, deliberately wiped his pen, corked his ink-stand, and was
carefully putting away his letters, when there was a hurrying of feet in
the office; the door flew open, and Archie, divested of his coat,
bounded into the cabin, exclaiming:

"A fellow can't tell when he's safe in this country. I wish I was back
in the fleet-paymaster's office. I wouldn't mind a good fair fight, but
this thing of being shot at when you least expect it isn't pleasant."

As Archie spoke, he hurriedly seized a gun from the rack, which had been
put up in the cabin in order to have weapons close at hand, and sprang
up the ladder that led into the pilothouse. Frank, although he laughed
heartily at his cousin's rapid movements, was a good deal surprised, for
he had always believed him to be possessed of a good share of courage.
It would, however, have tried stronger nerves than Archie's; but men who
had become familiar with such scenes, who had learned to regard them
merely as something disagreeable which could not be avoided, could not
sympathize with one in his situation, and many a wink was exchanged, and
many a laugh indulged in, at the expense of the "green paymaster."

When Frank had put away his writing materials, he ran below to see that
the ports were all closed; after which he returned to the wardroom, and,