"It means just what it says, my son," replied Captain Passford. "But
I know that it is necessary now for me to explain that this promotion
is none of my doing; for I have not asked it, I have not urged it,
I have not made the remotest suggestion that you should be made a
lieutenant-commander, as I have not done on any former occasion."
"That is enough, father; your plea of not guilty would have been enough
to satisfy me," added Christy.
"I prevented your appointment to the command of the Chateaugay, and
procured your position as second lieutenant of the Bellevite; and these
two instances are absolutely all the requests I have ever made to the
department in relation to you," protested the captain.
"That helps the matter very much," answered Christy. "I have been the
victim of supposed partiality, 'a friend at court' and all that sort of
thing, till I am disgusted with it."
"And all that has been in consequence of your over-sensitiveness rather
than anything that ever was said about you."
"Perhaps it was. But as a lieutenant-commander I might still remain as
executive officer of the Bellevite, for Captain Breaker has been a
commander for over two years," suggested Christy.
"The department has made another disposition of you, and without any
hint or suggestion from me, my son," said Captain Passford, as he took
another envelope from his pocket, and presented it to his son.
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