might be allowed to remain on shore after dark.

"Certainly," replied the admiral, "certainly. If you succeed, young man,
we shall have one less of these secret-service fellows to fear." Then,
turning to one of his clerks, he gave him an order which Frank did not
hear, after which he asked:

"How did you discover the whereabouts of this man Abbott, Mr. Nelson?"

Frank then proceeded to give the admiral an account of all he had done,
how he had seen the rebel's name on the sign, learned his residence, and
secured the note. To all of which the latter listened with attention.

"I hope you will succeed in capturing him," said he. "If you do, bring
him here; I want a look at him. Here," he continued, as his clerk handed
him a letter, "is a request that the provost-marshal will furnish you
with a pass. Good luck to you, young man."

Their business being finished, Frank followed the captain out of the
cabin, and returned on board the Michigan.

All that afternoon Frank was in a fever of excitement. He was impatient
for the night to come, that he might know whether or not his attempt was
to be crowned with success. A hundred things might happen to prevent it.
The rebel might not come home, or the note might have been written with
the intention of having it intercepted, in order to throw the one into
whose hands it might fall on the wrong scent; or it might be written in
cipher, and mean directly opposite to what Frank had supposed. But he
consoled himself with the thought that he had done, and would still
continue to do, all in his power to obey the admiral's general order,