It is said,
and I suppose it is true, that about every one of the blockaders makes a
port at Halifax, the Bermudas, or Nassau, as much to learn the news and
obtain a pilot, as to replenish their coal and stores."
"That is unfortunately true; and the neutrality of these places is
strained to its utmost tension, to say nothing of its manifest
violations."
"I think if Monsieur Gilfleur and myself could make another visit to the
Bermudas and Nassau, we might pick up information enough to insure the
capture of many blockade-runners, and perhaps of an occasional
Confederate cruiser," said Christy, laughing as he spoke.
"That is not the sort of business for a lieutenant-commander in the
navy, my son; but I have thought of sending the detective on such a
mission since the remarkable success you and he had in your former
venture. But you escaped hanging or a Confederate prison only by the
skin of your teeth. The difficulty in another enterprise of that sort
would be for Mr. Gilfleur to put the information he obtained where it
would do the most good. If he wrote letters, they would betray him; and
if he went off in a Bahama boat, as he did before, we should have to
keep a steamer cruising in the vicinity of his field of operations to
meet him when he came off. I came to the conclusion that the scheme was
impracticable, for it was only a combination of favorable circumstances
that rendered your operations successful.
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