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diff --git a/18678.txt b/18678.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b110c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/18678.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8531 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Victorious Union, by Oliver Optic + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Victorious Union + SERIES: The Blue and the Gray--Afloat + +Author: Oliver Optic + +Release Date: June 25, 2006 [EBook #18678] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VICTORIOUS UNION *** + + + + +Produced by Louise Hope, David Garcia, Juliet Sutherland +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Kentuckiana Digital +Library) + + + + + + +THE BLUE AND THE GRAY--AFLOAT + +Two colors cloth Emblematic Dies Illustrated +Price per volume $1.50 + + TAKEN BY THE ENEMY + WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES + ON THE BLOCKADE + STAND BY THE UNION + FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT + A VICTORIOUS UNION + +THE BLUE AND THE GRAY--ON LAND + +Two colors cloth Emblematic Dies Illustrated +Price per volume $1.50 + + BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER + IN THE SADDLE (In Press) + A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN (In Press) + (Other volumes in preparation) + +Any Volume Sold Separately. +Lee and Shepard Publishers Boston + + + + + [Illustration: "Christy leaped upon the rail." Page 181.] + + + + + The + + BLUE AND THE GRAY + + Series + + [Illustration] + + By Oliver Optic + + A VICTORIOUS UNION + + + + + _The Blue and the Gray Series_ + + A VICTORIOUS UNION + + by + OLIVER OPTIC + + Author of +"The Army And Navy Series" "Young America Abroad, +First And Second Series" "The Great Western Series" +"The Woodville Stories" "The Starry Flag Series" +"The Boat-Club Stories" "The Onward and Upward Series" +"The Yacht-Club Series" "The Lake Shore Series" +"The Riverdale Stories" "The Boat-Builder Series" +"Taken by the Enemy" "Within the Enemy's Lines" +"On the Blockade" "Stand By the Union" +"Fighting for the Right" "A Missing Million" +"A Millionaire at Sixteen" "A Young Knight-Errant" + "Strange Sights Abroad" etc. + + + BOSTON + + LEE AND SHEPARD Publishers + 10 Milk Street + + 1894 + + + + + Copyright, 1893, by Lee and Shepard + _All Rights Reserved_ + + A Victorious Union + + + Type-Setting and Electrotyping by + C. J. Peters & Son, Boston + S. J. Parkhill & Co., Printers, Boston + + + + + To My Friend + + FRANK L. HARRIS + +Who came from the cold of the Arctic regions, where he + was a member of the Hayes expedition, and went + into the heat of the War of the Rebellion, + serving as a Naval officer + until the end of the strife, + +To whom I am greatly indebted for much valuable + information relating to his profession, + + This Book + + Is Gratefully Dedicated. + + + + +PREFACE + + +"A VICTORIOUS UNION" is the sixth and last of "The Blue and the Gray +Series." While the volume is not intended to be a connected historical +narrative of the particular period of the War of the Rebellion in which +its scenes are laid, the incidents accurately conform to the facts, +and especially to the spirit, of the eventful years in which they are +placed, as recorded in the chronicles of the great struggle, and as they +exist in the memory of the writer. It is more than thirty years since +the war began, and thousands upon thousands of the active participants +in the strife as soldiers and sailors, including nearly all the great +commanders, have passed on to their eternal reward. Thousands upon +thousands of men and women have been born and reached their maturity +since the most tremendous war of modern times ended in A Victorious +Union. The knowledge of the stirring events of those four years of +conflict, and of the patriotic spirit which inspired and underlaid +them, has come, or will come, to at least one-half the population +of this vast nation of sixty-five millions from the printed page or +through the listening ear. The other moiety, more or less, either as +children or adults, lived in the period of action, saw the gathering +battalions, and heard or read the daily reports from the ensanguined +battle-fields. + +In some of the States that remained loyal to the Union throughout the +long struggle, a military parade had been regarded by many as something +very much in the nature of a circus display, as "fuss and feathers," +such as tickled the vanity of both officer and private. Military +organizations, except in our small regular army, were disparaged and +ridiculed. When the war came, the Northern people were unprepared for +it to a very great degree. The change of public opinion was as sudden +as the mighty event was precipitate. Then the soldier became the most +prominent and honored member of the community, and existing military +bodies became the nucleus of the armies that were to fight the battles +of the Republic. + +During the last thirty years the military spirit has been kept alive as +a constituent element of patriotism itself. The love of country has been +diligently fostered and nurtured in the young, and public opinion has +been voiced and energized in the statutes of many States, and in the +educational machinery of many municipalities. Over vast numbers of +schoolhouses in our land floats the American flag, the symbol of the +Union and the principles that underlie it. + +The flag, the banner now of a reunited nation, means something more than +the sentiment of loyalty to the Union as the home of freedom; for it +implies the duty of defending the honor of that flag, the representative +idea of all we hold dear in Fatherland. In the East and the West a +considerable proportion of the high schools make military tactics a part +of their educational course. Companies, battalions, and regiments of +young men in their teens parade the streets of some of our cities, +showing in what manner the military spirit is kept alive, and, at the +same time, how the flag floating over our educational institutions, +which means so much more than ever before to our people, is to be +defended and perpetuated in the future. + +The author of the six volumes of "The Blue and the Gray Series," as well +as of "The Army and Navy Series," the latter begun in the heat of the +war thirty years ago, earnestly believes in keeping active in the minds +of the young the spirit of patriotism. In the present volume, as in +those which have preceded it, he has endeavored to present to his +readers, not only a hero who is brave, skilful, and ready to give his +life for his country, but one who is unselfishly patriotic; one who is +not fighting for promotion and prize-money, but to save the Union in +whose integrity and necessity he believes as the safeguard and substance +of American liberty. + +Peace has reigned in our land for nearly thirty years, and the +asperities of a relentless war have been supplanted by better and more +brotherly relations between the North and the South. The writer would +not print a word that would disturb these improving conditions; and if +he has erred at all in picturing the intercourse between Americans as +enemies, he has made sure to do so in the interests of justice and +magnanimity on both sides. + +In the series of which this volume is the last, the author has confined +his narrative of adventures to the navy. It has been suggested to him +that another series, relating exclusively to incidents in the army, +should follow. After forty years of labor in this particular field, and +having already exhausted the threescore and ten of human life, he cannot +be assured that he will live long enough to complete such a series, +though still in excellent health; but he intends to make a beginning +of the work as soon as other engagements will permit. + + William T. Adams. + + Dorchester, March 16, 1893. + + + + +CONTENTS + + Page +CHAPTER I. +The Mission to Mobile Point 15 + +CHAPTER II. +The Departure of the Expedition 26 + +CHAPTER III. +A Bivouac near Fort Morgan 37 + +CHAPTER IV. +The Revelations of the Revellers 48 + +CHAPTER V. +In the Vicinity of the Confederate Fort 59 + +CHAPTER VI. +Captain Sullendine of the West Wind 70 + +CHAPTER VII. +A Powerful Ally of the Belleviters 81 + +CHAPTER VIII. +On Board of the Cotton Schooner 92 + +CHAPTER IX. +The Departure of the Tallahatchie 103 + +CHAPTER X. +The Casting off of the Towline 114 + +CHAPTER XI. +A Happy Return to the Bellevite 125 + +CHAPTER XII. +A Lively Chase to the South-West 136 + +CHAPTER XIII. +The First Shot of Blumenhoff 147 + +CHAPTER XIV. +The Progress of the Action 158 + +CHAPTER XV. +A Flank Movement Undertaken 169 + +CHAPTER XVI. +The Lieutenant's Daring Exploit 180 + +CHAPTER XVII. +A Magnanimous Enemy 191 + +CHAPTER XVIII. +The Reign of Christianity 202 + +CHAPTER XIX. +Colonel Homer Passford of Glenfield 213 + +CHAPTER XX. +A Very Melancholy Confederate 224 + +CHAPTER XXI. +Captain Sullendine Becomes Violent 225 + +CHAPTER XXII. +The Disposition of the Two Prizes 246 + +CHAPTER XXIII. +The Welcome Home at Bonnydale 257 + +CHAPTER XXIV. +Lieutenant-Commander Christopher Passford 268 + +CHAPTER XXV. +The Principal Officers of the St. Regis 279 + +CHAPTER XXVI. +The St. Regis in Commission 290 + +CHAPTER XXVII. +Captain Passford Alone in his Glory 301 + +CHAPTER XXVIII. +Off the Coast of North Carolina 312 + +CHAPTER XXIX. +The First Prize of the St. Regis 323 + +CHAPTER XXX. +Another Sailing Contest Inaugurated 334 + +CHAPTER XXXI. +A Victorious Union 345 + + + + +A VICTORIOUS UNION + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE MISSION TO MOBILE POINT + + +"I almost wish you were the second or the third lieutenant of the +Bellevite, instead of the executive officer, Christy," said Captain +Breaker, the commander of the steamer, as they were seated together +one day on the quarter-deck. + +"Do I fail in the discharge of my duty in my present position, Captain?" +asked Christy, very much astonished, not to say startled, at the remark +of the commander. + +"Not in the slightest degree, my dear boy!" returned Captain Breaker +with very decided emphasis. "You have served in your present capacity +for four months; and if you were fifty years old, and had twenty years +of naval experience behind you, it would be hardly possible for you to +be more correct and dignified in the performance of the details of your +office." + +"I thank you, Captain, for the partial view you take of what I have +done," added Christy, taking off his cap and bowing to his superior. + +"Well, you ought to be a good officer in any situation, my dear fellow," +continued the commander. "I doubt if there is another officer in the +navy who has enjoyed the advantages you have had in preparing himself +for the duties of his profession. You were brought up, so to say, on +board of the Bellevite. You were a good scholar in the first place. +Without including myself, you have had excellent teachers in every +department of science and philosophy, among whom your father was one +of the wisest. Poor Dashington was one of the best seamen that ever trod +a deck; and he took especial delight in showing you how to make every +knot and splice, as well as in instructing you in the higher details of +practical seamanship. Blowitt and myself assisted him, and old Boxie, +who gave his life to his country, was more than a grandfather to you." + +"I have certainly been very grateful to you and to them for all they did +for me," replied Christy with a sad expression on his handsome face as +the commander recalled the three shipmates of both of them who slept in +heroes' graves. + +"Perhaps the brilliant genius of our engine-room did quite as much for +you as any other person, though not many years your senior." + +"Paul Vapoor is my friend and crony; and if he had been my professor in +a college he could have done no more for me. I assure you, Captain, that +I keep alive my gratitude to all my instructors, including some you have +not mentioned." + +"I was only explaining why you are what you ought to be, for you have +had very exceptional opportunities, better by far than any other officer +in the service. But it is altogether to your credit that you have used +those opportunities wisely and well." + +"I should have been a blockhead if I had not." + +"That is very true; but the mournful wrecks of wasted opportunities +strew the tracks of many, many young men. I think you can look back +upon as few of them as any one within my knowledge," said the commander, +bestowing a look of genuine affection upon his chief officer. "More than +once, even before we entered upon this terrible war, I have told your +father how happy he ought to be in having such a son as you are." + +"Come, come, Captain Breaker, you are praising me!" exclaimed Christy +impatiently. + +"I am speaking only the simple truth, and I have very rarely said as +much as I say now. It was when you asked me if you had failed in the +discharge of the duties of your present position that I was led into +this line of remark; and I am sure you will not be spoiled by honest +and just praise," replied the captain. + +"Then, to go back to the point where you began, why do you almost wish +that I were second or third lieutenant, instead of executive officer, +of the Bellevite, Captain?" continued Christy, rising from his seat, and +fixing an earnest gaze upon the face of the commander, for he was very +sensitive, and he could not help feeling that he had been lacking in +something that would make him a better executive officer than he was. + +"Mr. Ballard, the second lieutenant, and Mr. Walbrook, the third, are +gentlemen of the highest grade, and excellent officers; but they are +both somewhat wanting in dash and cool impetuosity." + +"'Cool impetuosity' is very good, Captain," added Christy with a laugh. + +"But that is precisely what I mean, my boy, and no two words could +express the idea any better. You cannot carry an enemy by boarding with +the same precision you man the yards on a ceremonious occasion, or as a +regiment of soldiers go on dress parade. It requires vim, dash, spirit. +The officers named have this quality in a very considerable degree, yet +not enough of it. But what they lack more is ingenuity, fertility in +expedients, and the expansive view which enables them to take advantage +promptly of circumstances. You never lose your head, Christy." + +"I never knew the gentlemen named to lose their heads, and I have always +regarded them as model officers," replied the first lieutenant. + +"And so they are: you are quite right, my dear boy; but it is possible +for them to be all you say, and yet, like the young man of great +possessions in the Scripture, to lack one thing. I should not dare to +exchange my second and third lieutenants for any others if I had the +opportunity." + +"I confess that I do not understand you yet, Captain." + +The commander rose from his seat, stretched himself, and then looked +about the deck. Taking his camp-stool in his hand he carried it over to +the port side of the quarter-deck, and planted it close to the bulwarks. +The second lieutenant was the officer of the deck, and was pacing the +planks on the starboard side, while the lookouts in the foretop and on +the top-gallant forecastle were attending closely to their duty, +doubtless with a vision of more prize money floating through their +brains. + +The Bellevite, with the fires banked in the furnaces, was at anchor +off the entrance to Mobile Bay, about two miles east of Sand Island +Lighthouse, and the same distance south of the narrow neck of land on +the western extremity of which Fort Morgan is located. Her commander had +chosen this position for a purpose; for several weeks before, while the +Bellevite was absent on a special mission, a remarkably fast steamer +called the Trafalgar had run the blockade inward. + +Captain Passford, Senior, through his agents in England, had some +information in regard to this vessel, which he had sent to Captain +Breaker. Unlike most of the blockade-runners built for this particular +service, she had been constructed in the most substantial manner for an +English millionaire, who had insisted that she should be built as strong +as the best of steel could make her, for he intended to make a voyage +around the world in her. + +Unfortunately for the owner of the Trafalgar, who was a lineal +descendant of a titled commander in that great naval battle, he fell +from his horse in a fox chase, and was killed before the steamer was +fully completed. His heir had no taste for the sea, and the steamer was +sold at a price far beyond her cost; and the purchaser had succeeded in +getting her into Mobile Bay with a valuable cargo. She was of about +eight hundred tons burden, and it was said that she could steam twenty +knots an hour. She was believed to be the equal of the Alabama and the +Shenandoah. The Bellevite had been especially notified not to allow the +Trafalgar to escape. She had recently had her bottom cleaned, and her +engine put in perfect order for the service expected of her, for she was +the fastest vessel on the blockade. + +When Captain Breaker had assured himself that he was out of hearing of +the officer of the deck, he invited Christy to take a seat at his side. +He spoke in a low tone, and was especially careful that no officer +should hear him. + +"Perhaps I meddle with what does not concern me, Christy; but I cannot +help having ideas of my own," said the commander, when he was satisfied +that no one but the executive officer could hear him. "There is Fort +Morgan, with Fort Gaines three miles from it on the other side of the +channel. Mobile Point, as it is called at this end of the neck, extends +many miles to the eastward. It is less than two miles wide where it is +broadest, and not over a quarter of a mile near Pilot Town." + +"I have studied the lay of the land very carefully, for I have had some +ideas of my own," added Christy, as the commander paused. + +"If Fort Morgan had been Fort Sumter, with bad memories clinging to it, +an effort would have been made to capture it, either by bombardment by +the navy, or by regular approaches on the part of the army," continued +Captain Breaker. "They are still pounding away at Fort Sumter, because +there would be a moral in its capture and the reduction of Charleston, +for the war began there. Such an event would send a wave of rejoicing +through the North, though it would be of less real consequence than the +opening of Mobile Bay and the cleaning out of the city of Mobile. Except +Wilmington, it is the most pestilent resort for blockade-runners on the +entire coast." + +"Then you think Fort Morgan can be reduced from the land side?" asked +Christy, deeply interested in the conversation. + +"I have little doubt of it; and while I believe Farragut will resort to +his favorite plan of running by the forts here, as he has done by those +of the Mississippi, the army will be planted in the rear of both these +forts. As we have lain here for months, I have studied the situation, +and I want to know something more about the land on the east of Mobile +Point." + +"I should say that it would be easy enough to obtain all the information +you desire in regard to it," suggested Christy. + +"There is an unwritten tradition that the commander must not leave his +ship to engage in any duty of an active character, and I cannot explore +the vicinity of the fort myself." + +"But you have plenty of officers for such duty." + +"I have no doubt there are pickets, and perhaps a camp beyond the rising +ground, and the exploration would be difficult and dangerous. The two +officers I have mentioned before lack the dash and ingenuity such an +enterprise requires; and a blunder might involve me in difficulty, for +I have no orders to obtain the information I desire." + +"The officers named are prudent men within reasonable limits." + +"They are; but I would give up my idea rather than trust either of them +with this duty," replied Captain Breaker very decidedly. "But I have a +further and nearer object in this exploration; in fact, examining the +ground would be only secondary." + +"What is the real object, Captain?" asked the first lieutenant, his +curiosity fully awakened. + +"I feel that it will be necessary to use extraordinary efforts to +capture the Trafalgar, for no steamer of her alleged speed has ever run +into or out of Mobile Bay. After I informed the flag-officer in regard +to her, which your father's information enabled me to do, the Bellevite +was especially charged with the duty of capturing her, if she had to +chase her all over the world." + +"I have not much doubt that you will do it, Captain." + +"I mean to do so if possible. Now these blockade-runners usually anchor +near the lower fleet, or under the guns of the fort in five fathoms of +water. Sometimes they remain there two or three days, waiting for a +favorable opportunity to run out. Perhaps the Trafalgar is there now. +I wish to know about it." + +"I infer that you consider me fitted for this duty, Captain Breaker," +said Christy earnestly. + +"For that reason only I almost wished you were second or third +lieutenant, rather than first," replied the commander with some +earnestness in his manner. + +There was no unwritten tradition that the first lieutenant should not be +sent on any duty. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION + + +The conversation between the captain and the executive officer of the +Bellevite was continued till they were called to supper; but a decision +had been reached. On important occasions, as when several boats were +ordered upon an expedition, it was not unusual to send the first +lieutenant in command. Though only a single whaleboat would be required +for the enterprise in which the commander was so deeply interested, its +importance appeared to justify the selection of the executive officer to +conduct it; and Christy was directed to suit himself. + +Of course the expedition was to be sent out at night, for the cover of +the darkness was necessary to render it effectual. In the afternoon the +wind had come around to the south-west, and already a slight fog had +obscured the Sand Island Lighthouse. It promised to be such a night as +a blockade-runner would select for getting to sea. + +Christy was especially warned that the principal business of his +expedition was to obtain information in regard to the Trafalgar, though +it was probable that a new name had been given to her for the service +in which she was to be engaged. The examination of the surroundings of +the fort, the captain strongly impressed upon his mind, was entirely +subsidiary to the discovery of the intending blockade-runner. In fact, +the commander seemed to have serious doubts as to whether it was proper +for him even to reconnoitre without special orders for the use of the +army. + +It was several months that Christy had been on board of the Bellevite in +his present capacity, and he had become very well acquainted with all +the petty officers and seamen of the ship's company, now composed of one +hundred and twenty men. After he had finished his supper he walked about +the spar-deck to refresh his memory by a sight at all of the men, and +selected those who were to take part in his enterprise. + +One of the first persons he encountered in his promenade was the third +assistant engineer, Charles Graines, whom he had known as a boy, before +the war. He was not only a machinist, but a sailor, having served in +both capacities, though now only twenty-five years of age. Through his +father Christy had procured his appointment as an engineer, and his +assignment to the Bellevite. The young man was exceedingly grateful to +him for this service, and entirely devoted to him. + +Paul Vapoor, the chief engineer, spoke of Graines in the highest terms, +not only in his official capacity, but as a high-toned, patriotic, and +thoroughly reliable man. The moment the executive officer put his eye on +the assistant engineer, he decided that Graines should be his right-hand +man. As a matter of precaution the proposed expedition was to be a +profound secret, for there were white men and negroes about the deck who +had been picked up in various ways, and were retained till they could be +disposed of. They could not be trusted, and doubtless some of them were +Confederates at heart, if not engaged in secret missions. + +Christy invited Graines to the ward room for a conference. There were +several officers there, and they retired to the stateroom of the first +lieutenant, which is the forward one on the starboard side. The plan, +as it had been matured in the mind of the one appointed to carry it +out, was fully explained, and the engineer was delighted to be chosen to +take part in its execution. The selection of the seamen to compose the +expedition was not an easy matter, though every sailor on board would +have volunteered for such duty if the opportunity had been presented +to him. + +Graines was not so familiar with the merits of the seamen as he was with +those of the men in the engineer department. It became necessary for the +executive officer to take another walk on the spar-deck, in order to +revive his recollection of the men; and he soon returned to the +stateroom with a complete list of those he had selected. The engineer +suggested an oiler by the name of Weeks as a most excellent man; and +Christy accepted him, completing the number from those of his own +choice. Seated at his desk, he wrote out the names of the ten men +chosen. + +"Of course if we should be caught on shore in our ordinary uniforms it +would be all night with us," said Christy, as he completed the writing +out of the list. "I believe you have never seen the inside of a +Confederate prison, Mr. Graines." + +"Never; though I came pretty near it once while I was an oiler on board +of the Hatteras," replied the engineer. + +"You have been fortunate, and I hope you will come out of this excursion +as well. I spent a short time in a Confederate lock-up; but I did not +like the arrangements, and I took leave of it one night. It was in +Mobile, and I don't care to be sent up there again. Therefore we must +clothe ourselves in the worst garments we can find; and I carry a suit +for just this purpose, though I have not had occasion to use it lately." + +"I have to wear old clothes when at work on the machinery, and I have a +plentiful supply on hand," added Graines. "Perhaps I could help out some +of the others." + +"All the seamen have old clothes, and they will need no assistance in +arranging their wardrobes. Now, Mr. Graines, it will excite remark if I +instruct the ten men we have selected, and I must leave that part of the +work to you," continued Christy. "But all the instruction you need give +them is in regard to their dress, and require them to be at the main +chains on the starboard side at ten o'clock to-night precisely." + +"As I have plenty of time I will take the men, one at a time, to my room +in the steerage, and instruct them," replied the engineer. + +"You can tell each one to send in the next one wanted. Above all, +make them promise not to speak to any person whatever in regard to the +expedition," said the executive officer as his companion retired. + +Mr. Graines lost no time in discharging the important duty assigned +to him. Christy reported to the commander, as soon as he found an +opportunity to speak to him privately, what progress he had made in +carrying out the duty assigned to him. Captain Breaker looked over the +list of the men selected, and gave it his hearty approbation. He was a +man of elevated moral and religious character; he had always exercised a +sort of fatherly supervision over his ship's company, and he was better +acquainted with those under his command than most commanders. + +"It looks as though it was going to be a good night for +blockade-runners, Mr. Passford," said Captain Breaker, as he looked +over to windward and saw the banks of fog, not yet very dense, rolling +up from the open gulf. + +"It is not known, I suppose, whether or not the Trafalgar has come down +from Mobile?" inquired Christy. + +"I have been unable to obtain any definite information; but a negro who +came off from the shore yesterday assured me there was a black steamer +at anchor between the Middle Ground and Mobile Point. That is all the +information I have been able to obtain, though I have examined all who +came on board during the last week. It is certainly time for the +Trafalgar to come out, as the Confederates are in great haste to +re-enforce the Alabama, the Shenandoah, and other cruisers; for these +vessels have made a tremendous impression upon our mercantile marine. +She has been in port long enough to rebuild her already, and I am +confident she must be ready for service." + +"If I don't find her ready to come out to-night, would it not be well to +repeat my visit to the shore until we learn something about her?" asked +Christy. + +"That is my purpose," replied the commander. + +"I should like to have the scope of my powers as the officer of this +expedition a little more definitely defined, Captain Breaker," continued +the first lieutenant. + +"I thought I had fully instructed you, Christy," answered the commander +with a smile. + +"Am I to confine myself solely to the two points assigned to me?" + +"I don't understand what you have in your mind, my boy." + +"I have nothing in my mind, Captain. I have not laid out any plan of +operations outside of the instructions you have given me, sir; and I do +not purpose to do so. If I had the intention to do anything but the duty +assigned to me, I should assuredly inform you of it, and obtain your +orders." + +"I know you would, my dear boy." + +"But if I see an opportunity to do anything for the benefit of my +country"-- + +"Such as the capture of a sloop of war," interposed the commander with +a suggestive laugh. "When you were sent to look out for a small steamer, +simply to obtain information in regard to her, in Pensacola Bay, you +went on your mission, and brought out the Teaser, which afterwards +became the Bronx, and rendered very valuable service to the country +under your command." + +"I could not very well help doing so when I saw my opportunity," replied +Christy, in an apologetic tone, as though he had been reproved for +exceeding his instructions. + +"You did precisely right, Christy; and that act did more to make the +deservedly high reputation you have won than almost anything else you +have done, unless it was your achievements at Cedar Keys," added Captain +Breaker heartily. + +"I am glad you have brought up the Teaser matter, Captain, for it just +illustrates what I have in my mind. If I see an opportunity to do such +a thing as that on the present occasion, I simply wish to know whether +or not I am to confine my operations to the strict letter of my +instructions. Of course, if so instructed, I shall obey my orders to the +letter." + +"'The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life,' my boy. Your mission +always and everywhere is to serve your country, and you are to do this +on the present occasion. What I said about ingenuity in speaking of my +officers is covered in this case. If you can capture and send out the +Trafalgar, do it by all means, for that is the object in view in sending +off this expedition. Your head is level, Christy; and that is the reason +why I desired you to command this enterprise rather than either of the +other officers. I can trust you, and you have full powers to act on your +own judgment." + +"I thank you for your abundant confidence, Captain; and I shall +endeavor not to abuse it," replied Christy. "But it is not even remotely +possible that I shall capture the Trafalgar; yet sometimes unexpected +opportunities are presented, and the letter of my orders might prevent +me from embracing them. I am very glad to know where I stand." + +The night came on, and with it more fog; but it was of that flitting +kind which settles down and then blows away. It seemed to come in banks +that were continually in motion. The men who were to go to the shore had +all been instructed, and at precisely ten o'clock they were seated in +the whaleboat, with Mr. Graines in the stern sheets. They were all armed +with two revolvers apiece, and there was a cutlass for each in the boat. +The men had not only changed their dress, but they had disguised +themselves, smooching their faces with coal dust, and tearing their +garments till they were in tatters. + +Christy had dressed himself in his old garments, but added to them a +gray coat he had obtained on board of a prize. The watch on deck had +been ordered to the forecastle, so that they need not too closely +observe the crew of the whaleboat. The chief of the expedition had +quietly descended to the platform of the after gangway, and when the +boat dropped astern, he stepped into it, selecting his place by the side +of the engineer, who had taken the tiller lines. The boat pulled away +at once, with four hands at the oars, and Mr. Graines headed it to the +north-east by the compass, the side lights of which were covered so that +they should not betray the approach of the boat to the shore, if any one +was there. + +On the way Christy gave the men full instructions in regard to their +conduct; and in less than an hour the party landed. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A BIVOUAC NEAR FORT MORGAN + + +The expedition landed about two miles east of Fort Morgan. The sea was +not heavy, as it sometimes is on these sand islands, and the debarkation +was effected without any difficulty. At this distance from the defences +of the bay not a person was to be seen. The fog banks still swept over +the waters of the gulf as during the latter part of the afternoon, and +if any number of persons had been near the shore, they could hardly have +been seen. + +"We are all right so far, Mr. Graines," said Christy, as the bowmen +hauled up the boat on the beach. + +"It is as quiet as a tomb in this vicinity," replied the engineer, as he +led the way to the shore. + +"Now, my men, haul the boat out of the water. I think we need not use +any of our small force as boat-keepers, for we can hardly spare them for +this purpose, Mr. Graines," Christy proceeded very promptly. + +"It does not look as though the boat, or anything else, would ever be +molested in this lonely locality," replied Graines, as the men lifted it +from the water. + +"Now carry it back about half a cable from the shore," continued the +principal of the party. "If one or two strollers should happen this way, +they would not be able to put it into the water, though four men can +carry it very easily." + +The whaleboat was borne to a spot indicated by the lieutenant, and left +as it had been taken from the surf. Everything in it was arranged in +order, so that it could be hastily put into the water if circumstance +demanded a hurried retreat from the scene of operations. Near the spot +was a post set up in the sand, which might have been one of the corners +of a shanty, or have been used years before by fishermen drying their +nets or other gear. + +"Do you see that post, my men?" asked Christy, as he pointed to it, not +twenty feet from the spot where the boat had been deposited. + +"Ay, ay, sir!" the seamen responded, in low tones, for they had been +warned not to speak out loud. + +"That will be your guide in finding the boat if we should get +scattered," added the officer. "Now, do you see the two stars about +half way between the horizon and the zenith?" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" answered Weeks, the oiler. "The Band of Orion." + +"Quite right, Weeks," added Christy. "Fort Morgan lies about west of +us; and a course from there in the direction of the two stars will bring +you to the coast and the boat. Every man must act for himself to some +extent, and you are expected to be prudent, and use your own judgment. +It will not be safe for us to keep together, for a dozen men seen all at +once would be likely to awaken suspicion." + +"If there is not a crowd of men over by the fort, we can hardly expect +to avoid coming together," suggested Weeks, who proved to be a very +intelligent man, with excellent judgment. + +"I cannot tell whether or not we shall find any gathering of men in the +vicinity of the fort," replied Christy. "We shall be obliged to govern +ourselves according to circumstances. If you find any number of people +over there, you can mingle with them. Some of you are very good +scholars; but if any of you are disposed to indulge in fine talk, don't +do it. Make your speech correspond with your dress, and let it be rough +and rude, for that is the fashion among the laboring class in this +region." + +"I suppose sea-slang will not be out of order," said Weeks. + +"Not at all. Simply consider that you are sailors and laborers, and +do not forget it," answered Christy; and he was confident that he had +selected only those who were competent to conduct themselves as the +occasion might require. "Now, Mr. Graines, tell off five men--any five." + +The engineer called off five of the seamen, whose names he had learned +from the list given him by his superior officer. + +"Now these five men will each choose his partner, who is to be his +companion while we are on shore, and who is to act with him," continued +Christy. "I do not know yet any better than you do what you are to do; +but if you are called upon to do any difficult or dangerous work, +remember that you are American seamen, and do your best for your +country. If you are required to do any fighting, as I do not expect you +will, our success depends upon your strong arms and your ready wills. +You will do your whole duty, whatever it may be, and do it like true +American sailors." + +"Ay, ay, sir!" came in a unanimous voice from the knot of men, though in +subdued tones. + +"Call the first name again, Mr. Graines," added Christy. + +"Weeks," replied the engineer. + +"Select your man, Weeks." + +"Bingham," said the oiler. + +The names of the other four men who had been selected were called in +turn, and each of them selected his partner, each one of course choosing +his best friend, if he had not already been appropriated. + +"Now, my men, Weeks and Bingham, the first couple, to be called simply +'One' when wanted, and they will answer to this designation, will start +first. The next couple, to be called 'Two,' will follow them; and so on, +the other pairs coming in order," continued Christy, designating each by +name and number. "Two will start in ten or fifteen minutes after One, as +nearly as you can guess at the time, for it is too dark to see watches +if you have them." + +"Are we to choose our own courses?" asked Weeks. + +"No; I was coming to that next. Each couple will stroll due north us +nearly as he can make it out, till they come to the waters of Mobile +Bay. If you see any houses or tents, avoid them, and keep clear of any +collection of people before you reach the vicinity of the fort. The bay +is the first point you are to reach; then follow the shore to the fort. +If you meet any person, talk to him in a friendly way, if necessary, and +be as good Confederates as any in this region, even inside of Fort +Morgan." + +Weeks and Bingham took up the line of march in the direction indicated, +and soon disappeared beyond the rising ground in the middle of the neck +of land, which was here about three-eighths of a mile wide. A quarter of +an hour later Lane and McGrady followed them. While they were waiting, +each of the pairs gave a specimen of the dialect they intended to use. +McGrady was an Irishman, educated in the public schools of the North, +and his language was as good as that of any ordinary American; but now +he used a very rich brogue. + +Every man followed his own fancy. Lane had lived in the South, and +"mought" and "fotch" came readily to his aid. The Crackers of Florida, +the backwoodsmen of North Carolina, the swaggering Kentuckian, the wild +Texan, were all represented; and Christy could easily have believed he +had a company of comedians under his command, instead of a band of loyal +Northerners. + +The executive officer and the engineer had decided before this time to +keep together; and, as soon as they had seen the second couple depart, +they set out on their wandering march to the fort in a direction +different from that of the others of the party. They walked directly +towards the fort, for Christy intended to make his examination of the +ground to the eastward of the fortification, on his way to some spot +where he could ascertain what vessels were at anchor between the point +and the Middle Ground. He discharged this duty very faithfully; and +before he reached his objective point he was confident he could draw a +map of the region, with what information he had obtained before, which +would meet the requirements of Captain Breaker. + +"What's that?" demanded Graines, suddenly placing his hand on the arm of +his companion, and stopping short, as they were approaching the crown of +the elevation. + +A fire was burning on the ground in a depression of the surface, which +doubtless concealed its light from persons in the vicinity of the fort, +if there were any there. Around it could be seen four men, as the two +officers looked over the crest of the hill, who appeared to be engaged +in eating and drinking; and they were doing more of the latter than of +the former, for the bottle passed very frequently from one to another. + +"It looks like a bivouac on the part of those fellows," said Christy in +a low tone. + +"But who and what are they?" asked Graines. + +"They may be deserters from Fort Morgan, though if they were they would +hardly bivouac so near it," replied Christy, who did not seem to his +companion to be at all disturbed by the discovery of the men. "They are +more likely to be sailors from some intending blockade-runner at anchor +off the point, who have come on shore to make a night of it; and they +appear to have made considerable progress in the debauch." + +"They are not soldiers, for you can see by the light of the fire that +they are not dressed in uniform," added the engineer. + +"This is the third year of the war, and uniforms for the soldiers are +not particularly abundant in the Confederacy." + +"We can't see the waters of the bay till we reach the top of the knoll +yonder, and we don't know whether there are any vessels at anchor there +or not. But we can easily avoid these fellows by keeping behind the +ridge till we get where they cannot see us." + +"I don't know that we want to avoid them, for I should like very much +to know who and what they are. They must be tipsy to a greater or less +degree by this time, for they do twice as much drinking as eating," +answered Christy, as he advanced a little way farther up the hill. "They +have a basket of food, and I do not believe they are mere tramps. They +are more likely to be engaged in some occupation which brought them to +this point, and I think we had better fraternize with them. They may be +able to give us some valuable information; and it looks as though they +were drunk enough to tell all they know without making any difficulty +about it." + +"Do you think it is quite prudent, Mr. Passford, to approach them?" +asked the engineer. + +"When we come on an excursion of this kind we have to take some risk. +If I were alone I should not hesitate to join them, and take my chances, +for they must know something about affairs in this vicinity," replied +Christy in a quiet tone, so that his answer might not be interpreted as +a boast or a reproach to his companion. + +"I am ready to follow you, Mr. Passford, wherever you go, and to depend +upon your judgment for guidance," said Graines very promptly. "If it +comes to a fight with those fellows, I beg you to understand that I will +do my full share of it, and obey your orders to the letter." + +"Of course I have no doubt whatever in regard to your courage and your +readiness to do your whole duty, Mr. Graines," added Christy, as he led +the way to the summit of the elevation. "Now lay aside your grammar and +rhetoric, and we must be as good fellows as those bivouackers are making +themselves. We are simply sailors who have just escaped from a captured +blockade-runner." + +"I don't see anything around the fire that looks like muskets," said the +engineer, as they descended from the elevation. + +"I see nothing at all except the provision-basket and the bottles," +replied Christy. + +"But they may be armed for all that." + +"We must take our chances. They are so busy eating and drinking that +they have not seen us yet. Perhaps we had better be a little hilarious," +continued the lieutenant, as he began to sing, "We won't go home till +morning," in which he was joined by his companion as vigorously as the +circumstances would permit. + +Singing as they went, and with a rolling gait, they approached the +revellers. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE REVELATIONS OF THE REVELLERS + + +"'We won't go home till morning,'" sang the two counterfeit revellers, +as they approached the fire of the bivouackers. + +The four carousel's sprang to their feet when the first strain reached +their ears. They were not as intoxicated as they might have been, for +they were able to stand with considerable firmness on their feet, after +the frequency with which the bottle had been passed among them. They did +not do what soldiers would naturally have done at such an interruption, +grasp their muskets, and it was probable they had no muskets to grasp. + +"'We won't go home till morning, till daylight doth appear,'" continued +the two officers, without halting in their march towards the revellers. + + [Illustration: "The two counterfeit revellers." Page 48.] + +No weapons of any kind were exhibited; but the tipplers stood as though +transfixed with astonishment or alarm where they had risen, but were +rather limp in their attitude. They evidently did not know what to make +of the interruption, and they appeared to be waiting for further +developments on the part of the intruders. + +"It isn't mornin' yit, but we just emptied our bottle," said Christy, +with a swaggering and slightly reeling movement, and suiting his speech +to the occasion. "How are ye, shipmates?" + +"Up to G, jolly tars," replied one of the men, with a broad grin on his +face. "We done got two full bottles left, at your sarvice." + +"Much obleeged," returned the lieutenant, as he took the bottle the +reveller passed to him. "Here's success to us all in a heap, and success +to our side in the battle that's go'n' on." + +"I'm with you up to the armpits," added Graines, as another of the four +handed him a bottle. + +One sniff at the neck of the bottle was enough to satisfy Christy, who +was a practical temperance man of the very strictest kind, and he had +never drank a glass of anything intoxicating in all his life. The bottle +contained "apple-jack," or apple-brandy, the vilest fluid that ever +passed a tippler's gullet. He felt obliged to keep up his character, +taken for the occasion, and he retained the mouth of the bottle at his +lips long enough to answer the requirement of the moment; but he did not +open them, or permit a drop of the nauseous and fiery liquor to pollute +his tongue. It was necessary for him to consider that he was struggling +for the salvation of his beloved country to enable him even to go +through the form of "taking a drink." + +Graines was less scrupulous on the question of temperance, and he took a +swallow of the apple-jack; but that was enough for him, for he had never +tasted anything outside of the medicine-chest which was half as noxious. +If he had been compelled to keep up the drinking, he would have realized +that his punishment was more than he could bear. Fortunately the +tipplers had no tumblers, so that the guests were not compelled to pour +out the fluid and drink it off. All drank directly from the bottles, +so that the two officers could easily conceal in the semi-darkness the +extent of their indulgence. + +"Who be you, strangers?" asked the man who had acted thus far as +spokesman of the party. + +"My name is Tom Bulger, born and brought up in the island of Great +Abaco, and this feller is my friend and shipmate, Sam Riley," replied +Christy, twisting and torturing his speech as much as was necessary. +"Now who be you fellers?" + +"Born and fetched up in Mobile: my name is Bird Riley; and I reckon +t'other feller is a first cousin of mine, for he's got the same name, +and he's almost as handsome as I am. Where was you born, Sam?" + +"About ten miles up the Alabama, where my father was the overseer on a +plantation before the war," replied Graines as promptly as though he had +been telling the truth. + +"Then you must be one of my cousins, for I done got about two hundred +and fifty on 'em in the State of Alabammy. Give us your fin, Sam." + +Bird Riley and Sam shook hands in due and proper form, and the +relationship appeared to be fully established. The names of the three +other revellers were given, but the spokesman was disposed to do all the +talking, though he occasionally appealed to his companions to approve +of what he said. It was evident that he was the leading spirit of the +party, and that he controlled them. He was rather a bright fellow, while +the others were somewhat heavy and stupid in their understanding. The +bottles were again handed to the guests, both of whom went through the +form of drinking without taking a drop of the vile stuff. + +"What be you uns doin' here?" asked Bird Riley, after the ceremony with +the bottle had been finished. + +"We was both tooken in a schooner that was gwine to run the blockade," +answered Christy. "We was comin' out'n Pass Christian, and was picked +up off Chand'leer [Chandeleur] Island, and fotched over hyer. We didn't +feel too much to hum after we lost our wages, and we done took a +whaleboat and came ashore here, with only one bottle of whiskey atween +us. That's all there is on't. Now, how comes you uns hyer?" + +"I'm the mate of the topsail schooner West Wind, and t'others is the +crew; all but two we done left on board with the cap'n," replied Bird, +apparently with abundant confidence in his newly found friends. + +"You left her?" asked Christy. + +"That's just what we done do." + +"Where is the West Wind now?" inquired Christy, deeply interested in the +subject at this point. + +"She done come down from Mobile three days ago, and done waited for a +chance to run the blockade. Her hole is full o' cotton, and she done got +a deck-load too," answered Bird Riley without any hesitation. + +"Where does the West Wind keep herself now, Bird?" + +"Just inside the p'int, astern of the Trafladagar." + +"The Trafladagar?" repeated Christy. + +"That's her name, or sunthin like it. I never see it writ out." + +"She's a schooner, I reckon," continued Christy, concealing what +knowledge he possessed in regard to the vessel. + +"She ain't no schooner, you bet; she's jest the finist steamer that ever +runned inter Mobile, and they've turned her into a cruiser," Bird Riley +explained. + +"How big is she?" + +"I heerd some un say she was about eight hun'ed tons: an' I'll bet +she'll pick up every Yankee craft that she gits a sight on." + +"And you say the Trafladagar is at anchor off the p'int?" added Christy, +not daring to call the steamer by her true name. + +"That's jest where she is; and the West Wind is hitched to her, like a +tandem team," replied Bird Riley. "Look yere, Tom Bulger, you don't make +love to that bottle as though you meant business. Take another drink, +and show you done got some manhood in yer." + +The bottle went the rounds again, and the guests apparently took long +pulls; but really they did not taste a drop of the infernal liquid. + +"That's good pizen, Bird Riley; but it is not jest the stingo that I +like best," said Christy, as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve in +proper form, for he did not like the smell of the fluid lightning that +clung to his lips. + +"Whiskey suits me most; but they waste the corn makin' bread on't, and +there ain't much on't left to make the staff of life. Howsomever, we +don't choke to death on apple-jack, when we can get enough on't," argued +Bird Riley. + +"Jest now you got a tandem team hitched up out on the Trafladagar and +the West Wind," continued Christy cautiously, and with apparent +indifference, drawing the mate of the schooner back to the matter in +which he was the most deeply interested. "What's this team hitched up +that way for? Is the steamer go'n' to tow the schooner up to Mobile?" + +"I reckon you're a little more'n half drunk, Tom Bulger," replied Bird +Riley, with a vigorous horse laugh. "Tow the schooner up to Mobile! +Didn't I tell yer the Trafladagar's been waiting here three days for a +good chance to run out?" + +"You said that as true as you was born," added Graines, who thought it +necessary to say something, for he had been nearly silent from the +beginning. + +"Sam Riley ain't quite so drunk as you be, Tom Bulger; an' he knows +what's what; and thar he shows the Riley blood in his carcass," chuckled +the mate. + +"And you said the West Wind was loaded with cotton, in the hole and on +deck," added Graines, hoping to hurry the conference along a little more +rapidly. + +"That's jest what I said. I reckon you ain't much used to apple-jack, +fur it fusticates your intelleck, and makes yer forget how old y'are. +Come, take another, jest to set your head up right," said Bird, passing +the bottle to Christy, who was doing his best to keep up the illusion by +talking very thick, and swaying his body about like a drunken man. + +Both the guests went through the ceremony of imbibing, which was only a +ceremony to them. The fire had exhausted its supply of fuel, and it was +fortunate that the darkness prevented the revellers from measuring the +quantity left in the bottles as they were returned to the owners, or +they might have seen that the strangers were not doing their share in +consuming the poison. + +"Sam Riley does honor to the blood as runs in his body, for he ain't no +more drunk'n I am; an' he knows what we been talkin' about," said the +mate, who seemed to be greatly amused at the supposed effect of the +liquor upon Christy. "You won't know nothin' about the Trafladagar or +the West Wind in half an hour from now, Tom Bulger. I reckon it don't +make no difference to you about the tandem team, and to-morrer mornin' +you won't know how the team's hitched up." + +"I don't think I will," replied Christy boozily, as he rolled over +on the sand, and then struggled for some time to resume his upright +position, to the great amusement of Bird Riley and his companions. "But +Sam Riley's got blood in him, the best blood in Alabammy, and he kin +tell you all about it if yer want ter know. He kin stan' up agin a whole +bottle o' apple-jack." + +"I say, Cousin Bird, what's this tandem team hitched up fer?" asked +Graines, permitting his superior officer to carry out the illusion upon +which he had entered, in order more effectually to blind the mate, and +induce him to talk with entire freedom. + +"I reckon you ain't too drunk to un'erstan' what I say, Sam, as t'other +feller is." + +"I'm jest drunk enough to un'erstan' yer, Cousin Bird; but I cal'late I +won't know much about it by to-morrer mornin'," added Graines. + +"Let's take another round, Sam; but I reckon Tom Bulger's got more'n he +can kerry now," continued the mate. + +Bird took a long draught from the bottle, and then passed it to his +guest. Three of the four revellers had already toppled over at full +length on the ground; and Christy thought he could hurry matters by +doing the same thing, and he tumbled over all in a heap. Graines drank +nothing himself, though he contrived to spill a quantity of the fluid on +the ground, so that it might not seem too light to his only remaining +wakeful companion. The last dram of Bird had been a very heavy one, and +the engineer realized that he could not hold out much longer. + +"What's that tandem team fer?" asked Graines, in the thickest of tones, +while he swayed back and forth as Bird was doing by this time. + +"The Trafladagar's gwine to tow the West Wind out; and both on 'em's +sure to be tooken," stammered the mate. "We uns don't bleeve in't, and +so we runned away, and left Captain Sullendine to paddle his own punt. +They get off at three in the morn in'." + +Bird Riley took another drink, and then he toppled over. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +IN THE VICINITY OF THE CONFEDERATE FORT + + +It was a favorable night for running the blockade, for the fog had +settled down more densely upon the region in the vicinity of the ship +channel, though it occasionally lifted, and permitted those on board of +the Bellevite to see the tall tower of the Sand Island Lighthouse, which +had not been illuminated for three years. The mists were generally +thicker and remained longer towards daylight than at any other time, and +this was the evident reason why three o'clock in the morning had been +fixed upon for the departure of the Trafalgar and the West Wind in tow. + +The engineer's head was as clear as it had ever been, notwithstanding +the tipsy swaying and doubling-up of his body which he simulated, and he +realized that his companion and himself had obtained very important +revelations from the revellers. The hour at which the steamer was to +leave, evidently by arrangement with the officers of the fort, was +valuable knowledge, and he hoped they would be able to carry or send +seasonable warning of the time to the Bellevite, for she was the only +ship on the blockade that could be counted upon to overhaul the +Trafalgar, if the reports of her great speed had been correctly given. + +Both Christy and Graines had listened attentively to the revelations +of Bird Riley; but neither of them could understand why the four men, +including the mate, had deserted the West Wind only a few hours before +she was to depart on her voyage to Nassau, where she was believed to be +bound. The reason assigned by the tipsy mate was that she was going out +in tow of the steamer, and was sure to be taken by the blockaders. Both +of the listeners thought this fact improved her chances of getting clear +of any possible pursuers. + +Bird Riley had fallen back on the ground; but he still continued to +talk, though his speech was very nearly incoherent. Graines was very +anxious to know what time it was, for the most important part of the +enterprise was to give the Bellevite timely notice of the coming of the +Trafalgar. He struck a match and lighted a cigar, offering one to the +mate, which he took and lighted. It was half-past twelve by his watch, +as he informed Bird, though he did so more for the information of the +lieutenant than of the mate. + +"I reckon we are all about full enough to go to sleep, and we might as +well turn in," said Graines. "But I suppose you uns mean to sleep on +board of the West Wind." + +"I don't reckon we'll do nothin' o' that sort," hiccoughed the mate. "We +done got a p'int to kerry, and I reckon we're gwine to kerry it." + +"All right," gobbled the engineer, who overdid his part, if anything. +"What's the p'int, shipmate?" + +"Cap'n Sull'dine's sho't handed," replied the mate, his speech turning +somersets as he labored to utter the words, for he still had a portion +of his senses left. + +"I see," added Graines, tumbling over, but regaining his +perpendicularity with a trying effort. "Only six men left after you four +done runned away." + +"Six!" exclaimed Bird, raising himself up with a desperate struggle, +like a wounded hawk. "No six in it; only two left. He don't, can't no +how, go to sea with only two men. I'll pilot the schooner out by the +Belican Channel an' Mis'sip' Sound. Cap'n Sull'dine 'n' I fit over it, +an' I left, with most of the crew. Hah, ha, ha! He done got 'nuff on't! +Let's take a swigger, and then we gwine to go to sleep, like the rest on +'em." + +With no little difficulty Bird Riley got the bottle to his lips, wasting +no little of the liquor in the operation. He was entirely "full" then. +He handed the bottle to the engineer, and dropped over on his back, +overcome by his frequent potions. Graines did not find it necessary to +go through the form of putting the bottle to his lips again, and after +waiting a few minutes he was satisfied that the mate was in a deep +slumber, from which he was not likely to wake for several hours. + +But all the information he appeared to be capable of giving had been +imparted, and Graines rose to his feet as steady as he ever was in his +life, having taken hardly a swallow of the repulsive poison. He walked +away from the sleeping group on the ground, halting about twenty feet +from them. Christy saw him, for his eyes were open all the time, and he +had listened with intense interest to the conversation between the +engineer and the mate of the West Wind. + +The lieutenant straightened himself up and looked about him. The fire +was entirely extinguished; the four men lay with their feet to the +embers, and not one of them showed any signs of life. Carefully raising +himself to his feet, so as not to disturb the sleeper nearest to him, he +crept away to the spot where his associate awaited him. Christy led the +way in the direction of the fort, but both of them were silent till they +reached the summit of the knoll which concealed the inner bay from their +vision, or would have done so if the fog had not effectually veiled it +from their sight. + +"I suppose you heard all that was said, Mr. Passford, after you ceased +to lead the conversation," said Graines, as he glanced back at the foot +of the hollow where the revel had taken place. + +"Every word of it; and I could insert a good deal of what might have +been read between the lines if the talk had been written out," replied +the lieutenant. "As you were the cousin of the mate, he seemed to be +more communicative to you than to me, and I thought it best to leave you +to conduct the conversation. You did it extremely well, Charley, and +there was no occasion for me to interfere. I find that you have no +little skill as a detective, as well as a sailor and an engineer, and +I shall make a good report of you to Captain Breaker. I could almost +believe that we were boys together again as we were carrying on the +farce this evening." + +"Thank you, Christy--Mr. Passford," added Graines. + +"You need not stand on ship formalities while we are alone, Charley. +But we must put together the threads we have gathered this evening, and, +if I mistake not, we shall make a net of them, into which the Trafalgar, +or whatever her new name may be, will tumble at no very distant time. It +appears that she is not to tow out the West Wind, for Captain Sullendine +cannot go to sea with only two men before the mast, and no mate." + +"Bird Riley played his cards very well to accomplish the purpose he had +in view, which was to keep the West Wind from going to sea in tow of the +steamer," replied Graines, keeping up with the lieutenant, who had taken +a very rapid pace. + +"I should say that the schooner would have a much better chance to get +through the blockaders in tow of the Trafalgar than in going on her own +hook. Bird is a big fellow in his own estimation; but it struck me that +Captain Sullendine had an ignorant and self-willed fellow for a mate, +and probably he took the best one he could find; for I think good +seamen, outside of the Confederate navy, must be very scarce in the +South." + +"The fellow had a notion in his head that he could take the schooner out +by Pelican Channel, and he quarrelled with the captain on this point. +It occurred to me that he deserted his vessel on account of the quarrel +rather than for any other reason." + +"We need not bother our heads with that question, for it does not +concern us; and we will leave the captain and his mate to fight it out +when they meet to-morrow, for it is plain enough that the West Wind +cannot go to sea with no mate and only two hands before the mast," +returned Christy, who was hastening forward to discharge what he +considered his first duty thus far developed by the events of the night. +"What time is it now, Charley? I have a watch, but no matches." + +The engineer's cigar had gone out when he lighted it before, and he had +put it in a pocket of his sack coat. Putting it in his mouth, he struck +a match, and consulted his watch. + +"Quarter of one, Christy; and we have plenty of time," he replied as +he lighted his cigar; for he thought it would help him to maintain his +indifference in whatever event might be next in order. + +"But we have no time to spare," added the lieutenant, as he increased +the rapidity of his pace. "Our five pairs of men must have readied the +vicinity of the fort before this time, for we have had a long conference +with those spreeists." + +"About an hour and a half; and the information we have obtained will +fully pay for the time used." + +"No doubt of it; and we must hurry up in order to make a good use of +it," said Christy. "The fog is lifting just now, as it has been doing +all the evening, and we can see the fort. There are very few people +about; for it cannot be an uncommon event to see a blockade-runner get +under way." + +It was not probable that any of the persons in sight were soldiers, for +they had abundant opportunity to see all there was to be seen within the +solid walls that sheltered them. The rapid pace at which the lieutenant +led his companion soon brought them to the group of people near the +shore of the channel leading to Pilot Town. The five pairs of seamen +were well scattered about, as they had been instructed to be, and they +did not appear to have attracted the attention of the others in the +vicinity. + +Pair No. Three were the first of the party the officers encountered, and +no others appeared to be near them. One of them was smoking his pipe, +and both of them were taking it very easily. Not far from them was a +knot of men who seemed to be disturbed by some kind of an excitement. +As the couple encountered manifested no interest in the affair, Christy +concluded that they must know something about it, unless they were +extremely scrupulous in adhering to the orders given them. + +"What is the row there, French?" asked Christy in a low and guarded +tone, though there was no stranger very near him. + +"The man in the middle is the captain of that schooner you see off the +shore, sir. His mate and three of his crew have deserted the vessel, and +he can't go to sea without them," replied French. + +"They say the steamer ahead is to tow the schooner out; but the captain +cannot go because he has only two men left," added Lines, the other man +of the pair. + +"Do you know where to find Nos. One and Two?" continued the leader of +the expedition. + +"I do not, sir; for we keep clear of each other, as we were ordered," +answered French, as he looked about him for the men designated. + +"You two will separate, and find One and Two. Send them to me, and I +will wait here for them," added Christy; and the men departed on the +errand. "While I am waiting for them, Mr. Graines, you may go down to +that group, and pick up what information you can." + +The engineer sauntered down the declivity, smoking his cigar, and making +himself as much at home on the enemy's territory as though he had been +the commander of the Confederate fort. Christy was not kept long in +waiting, and the first pair that reported to him were Weeks and Bingham. +No. One. The former was the oiler who had been selected on account of +his ingenuity and good judgment by Graines. + +"Are you a sailor as well as a machinist, Weeks?" asked Christy. + +"I am not much of a sailor, sir, though I have handled a schooner. +I have been a boatman more or less of the time all my life," replied +the oiler modestly. + +By this time No. Two, Lane and McGrady, reported, but French and Lines +kept their distance, in conformity with the spirit of their orders. + +"Nos. One and Two will return to the whaleboat, and Weeks will be in +command of the party," continued Christy. "The rest of you will obey him +as your officer. Is this understood?" + +"Ay, ay, sir," responded the three men. + +"Weeks, you will carry the boat to the water, and return to the ship +with all possible haste. Inform Captain Breaker that the Trafalgar will +sail at three o'clock in the morning. I will report to him later." + +The four men started off as though they meant to obey this order to the +letter. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +CAPTAIN SULLENDINE OF THE WEST WIND + + +Weeks and his companions divided up as they had been ordered to do in +coming to the fort, and departed in different directions. The lieutenant +pointed out to them the locality of the bivouac where he had passed so +much of the evening, so that they might avoid it. It was about one +o'clock in the morning when they left, and Christy calculated that +they would reach the ship in an hour and a half, which would give the +commander ample time to get up steam from the banked fires, and move +down four or five miles to the southward of his present position. + +The chief of the expedition had sent no message to the captain of the +Bellevite in regard to his own movements, but simply that he would +report to him later. He had already grasped an idea, though he had had +no time to work it up in detail. It looked practicable to him, and he +had jumped to a conclusion as soon as he was in possession of the facts +covering the situation in the vicinity of Fort Morgan. + +With only a plan not yet matured in his mind, perhaps he had been more +rash than usual in sending away the whaleboat before he had provided for +his own retreat from the enemy's territory; but he had considered this +difficulty, and had come to the conclusion that the Trafalgar must be +captured if possible, even if he and his associates were sent to a +Confederate prison. + +But he did not anticipate any such result. He had three pairs of the +seamen left; and the party still consisted of eight men, all well armed. +If the plan he had considered should fail, he had force enough to carry +a light boat from Pilot Town, or any other point on the inner shore, +in which they could make their escape to the Bellevite or some other +blockader. He did not feel, therefore, that he had "burned his bridges," +and left open no means of retreat in case of disaster. + +Christy and Graines were left alone in the darkness and the fog, a bank +of which was just then sweeping over the point; but they could hear the +violent talk of Captain Sullendine in the distance, as he declaimed +against the perfidy of his mate and the three seamen just at the point +where he needed them most. Evidently he could not reconcile himself to +the idea of being left behind by the Trafalgar, which seemed to be +inevitable under present circumstances. + +"The skipper of the West Wind seems to be in an ocean of trouble, and +he is apparently resolved not to submit to the misfortune which has +overtaken him," said Christy, as he led the way towards the knot of men +who were the auditors of the rebellious captain. + +"He may jaw as much as he pleases, if it makes him feel any better, but +I don't see how he can help himself," replied Graines. "The schooner +looked like a rather large one when I got a sight of her just before I +came back to you, which I did as soon as I saw the four men leave you." + +"I sent Weeks as a messenger to Captain Breaker, to inform him that the +Trafalgar would sail at three in the morning," added Christy. + +"I concluded that was the mission upon which you sent him," replied the +engineer; and, whatever doubts the lieutenant's action might have raised +in his mind, he asked no questions. + +Every man on board of the Bellevite was well acquainted with the +record and reputation of the executive officer; and he concluded at +once that Christy had already arranged his method of operations. It was +not "in good form" to ask his superior any questions in regard to his +intentions. + +"Did you go down to the shore, Charley?" asked Christy, as they walked +in that direction. + +"I did not, but I went far enough to hear what the captain of the West +Wind was talking about. I had no orders, and as soon as I saw the four +men leave you, I thought I had better rejoin you," answered Graines. + +"Quite right," said the lieutenant as he halted; for they were as near +the group on the shore as it was prudent to go, for the fog was lifting. +"What did the captain say?" + +"He offered ten dollars apiece for the recovery of the men who had +deserted, if they were brought back within two hours," replied Graines. +"He did an immense amount of heavy swearing; and it was plain that he +was mad all the way through, from the crown of his head to the sole of +his foot." + +"Was any one inclined to accept his offer, and go in search of the +runaways?" + +"I can't say, but I saw no one leave on that or any other mission. I was +there but a few minutes, and the fog dropped down on the party so that I +could not see them at all." + +"We must join that assemblage, and we may be able to help Captain +Sullendine out of his dilemma," said Christy. + +"Help him out of it!" exclaimed Graines. + +"Not a word more, Charley. I have an idea or two left, but it is not +prudent to say a word about it here," replied the lieutenant cautiously. +"You know the cut of my jib in my present rig, and I want you to keep an +eye on me, for we must separate now. When you see me take off this old +soft hat with my left hand, and scratch my head with my right, moving +off a minute later, you will follow me. By that time I shall know what +we are to do." + +"All right, Christy; I will follow the direction to the letter," added +Graines. + +"While you go off to the left of that pile of rubbish yonder, I will +go to the right of it. If you speak to any of our men, do so with the +utmost caution." + +"They have been down there some time, and they have full information in +regard to what is going on in this locality," suggested Graines. + +"Use your own judgment, Charley, only be careful not to give us away," +replied the lieutenant, as he moved towards the pile of rubbish. + +A walk of a few minutes brought him to the group on the shore, which +consisted of not more than a dozen persons, and half of them belonged to +the Bellevite. Christy halted before he reached the assemblage, in order +to listen to the eloquence of the captain of the West Wind. He talked +very glibly; and it did not take his outside auditor long to perceive +that he had been drinking somewhat freely, though he was not what +non-temperance men would have called intoxicated. + +"I use my men well, and give 'em enough to eat and drink, and what's +good enough," the nautical orator declaimed with a double-handed +gesture. "Why, my friends, I gave each of the villains that deserted +the schooner a bottle of apple-jack. I don't drink it myself, but it is +good enough for niggers and sailors; in fact, my men liked it better'n +whiskey, because it's stronger. They served me a mighty mean trick, and +I'll give ten dollars apiece to have 'em fetched back to me. That's a +good chance for some on you to make some money tonight." + +His audience listened to him as they would have done to a preacher with +whom they had no sympathy, and no one was tempted by the reward to go in +search of the deserters. Christy moved up nearer to the speaker. In his +disguise, with his face smooched with some of the color he had received +as a present from Mr. Gilfleur, the French detective, with whom he had +been associated on his cruise some months before, he did not appear at +all different from most of those who listened to Captain Sullendine. +He had laid aside his gentlemanly gait and bearing, and acted as though +he had lately joined the "awkward squad." + +"How d'e?" called the orator to him, as he saw him join the group of +listeners. "I see you come from the other side of the p'int." + +"Well, is that agin the laws o' war?" demanded Christy. + +"Not a bit on't," replied the captain pleasantly, as though his +potations of whiskey were still in full effect upon him. "If you come +from that way, have you seen anything of my four men that deserted the +schooner?" + +"I wasn't lookin' for 'em; didn't know ye'd lost some men," replied +Christy, staring with his mouth half open at the orator. "Was one on +'em the mate?" + +"Yes!" exclaimed the captain eagerly. + +"Well, I hain't seen nothin' on em," added Christy in a mumbling tone. + +"I'll bet you have!" protested the skipper of the West Wind. "How'd you +know one on 'em was the mate if you didn't see 'em?" + +"I didn't know one on 'em was the mate; I only axed yer so's ter know." + +"I reckon you know sunthin about my men," persisted the captain; and by +this time the attention of all the party had been directed to him. + +"I don't know nothin' about yer men, and I hain't been interduced to +'em. If you want to ship a new crew, I'm ready to jine with yer." + +"One man ain't enough," added the skipper. + +"Some o' these men'll jine too, I reckon," suggested Christy, who +had proceeded in this manner in order to attract the attention of the +disconsolate master of the West Wind. + +"I don't reckon they can ship, 'cause most on 'em belongs to the +Tallahatchie, and they can't leave." + +"That's so," shouted several of the group, including some of the crew of +the Bellevite. + +"What's the Talla-what-you-call-her?" demanded Christy. + +"She's the steamer you can see when the fog lifts," answered Captain +Sullendine. "The Tallahatchie is her name. Are you a sailor, my lively +lad?" + +"I reckon I know the bobstay from the mainmast." + +"You know sumthin about my mate and men, my jolly tar, and I'll give you +five dollars apiece for any news on 'em that will help me to ketch 'em; +and I'll ship you into the bargain, for I want more hands," the captain +proceeded in a more business-like manner, though at the expense of his +oratory. + +Just at this moment three short and sharp whistles sounded from off the +shore, and about half of the skipper's audience turned upon their heels +and walked down to the water, where they embarked in a boat. They were +evidently members of the ship's company of the Tallahatchie, on shore on +leave, and the whistles were the signal for their return. The remainder +of the group, with two or three exceptions, were the seamen of the +blockader. + +"Where'd you come from, my hearty?" demanded the captain of the +schooner, turning to Christy again. + +"I was tooken in a blockader, eight on us. We done stole a whaleboat and +comed ashore," replied Christy, enlarging upon the story he had told the +bivouackers. + +"Eight on you!" exclaimed the master of the schooner. "Where's the rest +on ye?" + +"They're all about here somewhar, and I reckon I kin find em. They're +lookin for sunthin t'eat. They all want to ship, and the mate of the +Rattler's one on 'em," continued Christy, guiding himself by the +circumstances as they were developed to him. + +"What's your name, my man?" + +"My name's Jerry Sandman; and I ain't ashamed on't." + +"Are your men all sailors, Jerry?" + +"Every one on 'em." + +"I want eight good men, Jerry, the mate bein' one on 'em." + +"Then we kin fix you like a 'possum in a hole." + +"I've got two boats on the shore; the deserters stole one on 'em, and I +come ashore in t'other arter 'em. I reckon I'll get a steamer in Nassau, +and I want all the good men I can find to man her. I'll ship the whole +on you. Find your men, Jerry, and fetch 'em down to the boats. I'll give +'em all sumthin t'eat. Now be lively about it," said Captain Sullendine, +as he walked away towards the shore. + +"I'll find 'em in no time," replied Christy, as he removed his soft hat +with his left hand, and scratched his head with the other. + +The rest of the party scattered, and Graines joined the lieutenant. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A POWERFUL ALLY OF THE BELLEVITERS + + +The seamen of the Bellevite had listened with intense interest to the +conversation between the commander of the West Wind and the lieutenant; +and there was not a single one of them who did not comprehend the +purpose of the chief of the expedition. They were greatly amused at the +manner in which Christy conducted himself, and especially at the mongrel +dialect he had used. It was a little difficult for them to realize that +the awkward fellow who was in conversation with the skipper of the +schooner was the gentlemanly, well-spoken officer they had been +accustomed to see on the quarter-deck of the Bellevite. + +They separated as they had been instructed to do; but they were careful +not to go to any great distance from the spot, for they understood that +they should be wanted in a few minutes. Graines had not spoken a word on +this occasion, though he had done most of the talking at the bivouac. +He was ready to do his part; but the skipper had addressed his companion +first, introducing the subject, and he had no opportunity to get in a +single word. + +"I suppose you understand it all, Charley," said Christy as soon as they +were alone. + +"I could not very well have helped doing so if I had tried. The only +thing that bothered me was when you appeared to be betraying yourself +by alluding to the mate," replied Graines. + +"I did not do that by accident; but I desired to get the whole attention +of the captain, and I got it. The rest all followed in due course. Now +tell all the men to go down to the shore, and wait a little distance +from the two boats till you and I join them. Tell them all to be hungry. +Your name is Mr. Balker, the mate of the Rattler, the blockade-runner +from which we escaped in a whaleboat. My name is Jerry Sandman, the +second mate, for the want of a better. Tell them not to forget any of +these names," continued Christy. + +"They heard the whole story, and they were deeply interested in it, for +they could not help seeing what was coming," added the engineer, as he +went to carry out the order he had just received. + +The seamen still kept together in pairs, and Graines instructed them by +twos, impressing them with the necessity of remembering the names they +had heard in the lieutenant's story, which was a "story" in the double +sense of the word. As each couple received their lesson, they sauntered +in the direction of the shore. + +"What's going to be done, Mr. Graines?" asked French, who was one of the +second pair the engineer instructed. + +"That is none of your business, French. You are to remember the names I +have given you, and then obey orders," replied Graines rather sharply, +for it was a very unusual thing for a seaman, or even an officer, to ask +such a question of his superior; and the discipline of the Bellevite was +as exacting as it was kind and fatherly. + +"Excuse me, Mr. Graines; I only wanted to be ready for whatever was +coming," pleaded French. + +"Excused; but don't ask such questions. You listened to the conversation +between your officer and the captain of the schooner; and if you cannot +comprehend the meaning of it, ask Lines, and he will explain it," added +the engineer, "Where are Londall and Vogel?" + +"Right by that pile of rubbish, sir," replied French, as he led the way +to the shore. + +The last pair were instructed and sent with the others, and they asked +no questions. Graines joined the lieutenant, who had seated himself on a +log, and reported that all was going on right. + +"As I said before, Charley, you will be the mate of the Rattler, and +will no doubt be engaged for the same position on board of the West +Wind. I will ship as second mate, if one of the two men now on board of +the vessel is not shipped as such, for I wish to be among the men," said +Christy, after looking about him to see that no one was within hearing +distance of them. + +"I take it I shall not make a long voyage as mate," replied Graines. + +"Probably not, though I cannot tell how long you will have to serve in +that capacity. I purpose to have the Tallahatchie tow the schooner as +far down as practicable; but we shall doubtless have business on our +hands before it is time to cut the towline. Now we will wait upon the +captain." + +They found him walking up and down the shore, apparently somewhat +excited; and doubtless he had not entire confidence in the promises of +"Jerry Sandman." The six seamen had not joined Captain Sullendine on the +shore, but had placed themselves behind a coal shanty quite near the +water. + +"I've brought the mate down, Cap'n Sull'dine," Christy began, as he and +the engineer halted in front of the master of the schooner. "Here he is, +an' I reckon there ain't no better sailor in the great Confed'racy. This +yere is Mr. Balker." + +"How are ye, Mr. Balker? You are just the man I want more'n I want my +supper. Now tell me something about yourself." + +Graines invented a story suited to the occasion. Then the conversation +was about wages; and the candidate haggled for form's sake, but finally +accepted the lay the captain offered. + +"By the way, Captain Sullendine, do you happen to have a second mate?" +asked the engineer when the terms were arranged. + +"I had one; but he run away with Bird Riley. He wa'n't good for nothin', +and I'm glad he's gone," replied the skipper. + +"The man you talked with is Jerry Sandman, and he was the other mate of +the Rattler. He isn't a showy fellow, but he was a first-class second +mate," continued Graines. + +"Then I ship him as second mate;" and they arranged the wages without +much difficulty. + +The six seamen were promptly shipped. The whole party then embarked in +the two boats, Captain Sullendine dividing them into two parties for the +purpose. The fog had settled down very densely upon the shore; but the +West Wind was easily found, and they went on board, where one boat was +hoisted up to the stern davits, and the other on the port quarter. + +"Here you be, Mr. Balker," said Captain Sullendine when the party +reached the quarter-deck; and he was so lively in his movements, and +so glib in his speech, as to provoke the suspicion that he had imbibed +again at the conclusion of his oration on shore. "Here, you, Sopsy!" +he continued in a loud voice. + +A lantern was burning on the companion, which enabled the party to see +that the waist of the vessel was compactly packed with bales of cotton. +The schooner seemed to be of considerable size, and Christy thought she +must be loaded with a very large cargo of the precious merchandise. In +answer to the captain's call, Sopsy, who proved to be the negro cook of +the vessel, presented himself. + +"All these people want something to eat, Sopsy. Let the crew eat in +the deck-house for'ad, and bring a lunch into the cabin right off," +continued Captain Sullendine. + +"Yis, sar," replied the cook with emphasis. "Git 'em quicker'n a man kin +swaller his own head. Libes dar a man wid soul so dead"-- + +"Never mind the varse, Sopsy," interposed the captain. + +"--As never to hisself have said"-- + +"Hurry up, Sopsy!" + +"He don't say dat, Massa Cap'n," added the cook, as he shuffled off over +the bales of cotton. + +"Hullo there, Bokes! Where are you, Bokes?" called the captain again. + +"On deck, Cap'n," replied a white man, crawling out from a small opening +in the bales. + +"Wake up, Bokes! You ain't dead yet." + +"No, sir; wide awake's a coon in a hencoop," added the man, who appeared +to be one of the two left on board by the deserters, the cook being the +other. + +"Be alive, Bokes! Here, wait a minute!" and the captain ran down the +companion ladder to the cabin, from which he presently appeared with +a bottle in each hand. "Do you see them men on the cotton, Bokes?" he +asked, pointing with one of them at the six Belleviters, who stood where +they had taken their stations after hoisting up the quarter-boat. + +"I see sunthin over thar," replied the seaman, who seemed to be hardly +awake yet. + +"Them's the new crew I shipped to-night--six on 'em, or seven with the +second mate," added the captain. "Show 'em over to the deck-house, and +let 'em pick out their bunks." + +"Seven on 'em; the cook and me makes nine, and they ain't but eight +berths in the deck-house, Cap'n," replied Bokes, who seemed to be afraid +of losing his own sleeping quarters. + +"You can sleep on the deck, then. These are all good men, and they must +have good berths," added the captain. "You can sleep as well in the +scuppers as anywhere else, Bokes; and you ain't more'n half awake any +time." + +"Must have my berth, Cap'n, or I go ashore," persisted the seaman. + +"Small loss anyhow," growled the captain. + +"How is the cabin, Captain Sullendine?" interposed Graines. + +"Two staterooms and four berths," replied the master. + +"Then why can't the second mate take one of the berths in the cabin?" +suggested the new mate. "He is a first-rate fellow, and I reckon he's a +better sailor than I am, for he's been to sea about all his life." + +"'Tain't reg'lar to have the second mate in the cabin. He'll have t'eat +with us if he bunks there," argued the master. + +"He'll have to keep his watch on deck when we eat, and I reckon he'll +have to take his grub alone," reasoned the mate. + +"I'd ruther live in the deck-house with the crew," said Christy. + +"But there ain't no room thar," added Graines, who thought his superior +had made the remark simply to keep up his character. + +"Let him come into the cabin, then," said Captain Sullendine, in order +to settle the question. "Now, Bokes, take this apple-jack, and show the +other six to the deck-house. Give 'em one or two drinks all round. It'll +do 'em good." + +Bokes obeyed the order, after the master had lighted another lantern for +his use, and he went over the bales of cotton to the seamen. + +Captain Sullendine remarked with great complacency that he always +treated his men well, gave them enough to eat and drink, and he thought +the apple-jack he had sent them would do them good. He liked to be +liberal with his crew, for he believed a tot of grog would go further +with them than "cussin' 'em;" and the two mates did not gainsay him, +though they believed in neither grog nor "cussin'." + +Though Christy never drank a drop of intoxicating fluid under any +circumstances, and Graines almost never, both of them believed that +"apple-jack" had been a very serviceable ally during the night so far. +Rut they considered it useful only in the hands of the enemy, and they +were sorry to see the bottles sent forward for the use of Belleviters; +for they were afraid some of them might muddle and tangle their brains +with the fiery liquor. + +"Come, mates, let's go down into the cabin now," continued the captain, +descending the ladder without waiting for them. + +"I will go forward for a few minutes, Charley," whispered Christy in the +ear of the engineer, who followed the captain below. + +When the lieutenant reached the deck-house he found the men there, with +Bokes in the act of taking a long pull at one of the bottles, while +French was holding the other. + +"Here's the second mate," said the seaman with the bottle. + +"You can keep the bottle you have, Bokes," said Christy. "Now go aft +with it." The sleepy sailor was willing enough to obey such a welcome +order, and the lieutenant took the other bottle to the side and emptied +it into the water. The men did not object, and the new second mate +joined the master in the cabin. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ON BOARD OF THE COTTON SCHOONER + + +Probably some, if not all, of the six men in the deck-house of the West +Wind were in the habit of taking intoxicating liquors when they were +ashore, and when it was served out on board of the ship in conformity +with the rules and traditions of the navy. The commander and his +executive officer labored for the promotion of total abstinence among +the officers and crew. More than the usual proportion of the men +commuted their "grog ration" for money, through the influence of the +principal officers. + +While the commander of the present expedition accepted the aid of the +powerful ally, "apple-jack," in the service of his country, drinking +freely appeared to him to be about the same thing as going over to the +enemy; and he could not permit his men to turn traitors involuntarily, +when he knew they would not do so of their own free will and accord. +He had settled the liquor question to his own satisfaction in the +deck-house, returning the bottle to French. + +When Graines went below, a minute or two later than Captain Sullendine, +he saw his new superior in the act of tossing off another glass of +whiskey, as he concluded it was from the label on the bottle which stood +on the cabin table. He had been considerably exhilarated before, and he +was in a fair way to strengthen the ally of the loyalists by carrying +his powerful influence to the head of the commander of the intending +blockade-runner. The captain seated himself at the table, and Christy +saw that he had a flat bottle in his breast-pocket. + +"Now, Mr. Balker, we had better seal up the bargain we've made with +forty drops from this bottle," said he, as he poured out a glass for +himself, regardless of the fact that he had just indulged; and at the +same time he pushed the bottle and another glass towards the new mate. + +Graines covered the lower part of the glass with his hand, and poured +a few drops into it. Putting some water with it from the pitcher, he +raised the tumbler in imitation of the captain. + +"Here's success to the right side," added the master, as he drank off +the contents of the glass. + +"I drink that toast with all my mind, heart, and soul," added the +engineer, with decided emphasis, though he knew that "the right side" +did not always convey the same idea. + +"Help yourself, Mr.-- I've forgot your name, Second Mate," he added as +he moved towards the companion ladder. + +"Jerry Sandman, sir, and I will help myself to what I want," replied +Christy. + +"That's right, Mr. Sandman; make yourself at home in this cabin. I must +go on deck and take a look at the Tallahatchie," added the master as he +went up the ladder, followed by Graines. + +The lieutenant helped himself to a glass of water, after rinsing +the tumbler, for that was what he wanted. Sopsy the cook immediately +appeared, bearing a tray on which were several dishes of eatables, bread +and ham being the principal. The bottle was in his way; and after he had +drunk off half a tumblerful of its contents, he removed it to the +pantry. He proceeded to set the table. + +"Oft in der chizzly night, 'fore slumber's yoke hab tooken me," hummed +Sopsy as he worked at the table. + +"Where is this schooner bound, Sopsy?" asked Christy. + +"Bound to dat boon whar no trab'ler returns," replied the cook, pausing +in his occupation and staring the second mate full in the face. + +"That bourn is Nassau, I reckon," laughed the lieutenant. + +"I s'pose she's gwine dar if she don't go to dat boon where no trab'lers +come back agin," answered Sopsy seriously. "Be you Meth'dis' o' +Bab'tis', Massa Mate?" + +"Both, Sopsy." + +"Can't be bof, Massa." + +"Then I'm either one you like." + +"That ain't right, Massa Secon' Mate, 'cordin' as you was brung up," +said the cook, shaking his head violently, as though he utterly +disapproved of the mate's theology. + +"I'm a theosophist, Sopsy." + +"A seehossofist!" exclaimed the cook, dropping a plate in his +astonishment. "We don't hab none o' dem on shore in de Souf. I reckon +dey libs in de water." + +"No; they live on the mountains." + +"We hain't got no mount'ns down here, and dat's de reason we don't +hab none on 'em," added Sopsy as he went to the pantry; but presently +returned with a plate of pickles in one hand and the whiskey bottle in +the other. "Does dem sea-hosses drink whisker, Massa Secon' Mate?" + +"They never drink a drop of it." + +"Dis colored pusson ain't no sea-hoss, and he do drink whiskey when +he kin git it," added the cook; and he half filled a tumbler with the +contents of the bottle, and drank it off at a single gulp. + +He had hardly placed it on the table in the middle of the dishes before +the captain came below. His first step was to take a liberal potation +from the bottle. As he raised it to the swinging lamp, he discovered +that the fluid had been freely expended in his absence. + +"You've punished this bottle all it deserves," said he when he perceived +that its level had been considerably lowered, and he did not ask the new +officer to join him. "That's all right, Mr. Sandman; but I don't want +you to take more than you can manage to-night, for we have a big job on +our hands, and we want our heads where we shall be able to find them. +Now go on deck, and learn what you can about the vessel, for we hain't +got but half an hour more before the Tallahatchie goes to sea. We may +have lots of music after we get outside; but I reckon our steamer can +outsail anything the Yankees have got on the blockade. Don't drink no +more, Mr. Sandman; and when we git to Nassau you can have a reg'lar +blowout." + +"I won't touch another drop before we get out of the bay, Cap'n +Sullendine," protested Christy, without betraying the misdemeanor of +the cook, as doubtless it was. + +"That's right, Mr. Sandman; we must all have our heads on our shoulders +to-night," said the captain, as he drank off the potion he had prepared. + +Christy wished to hold the commander to his own advice; but that would +have been fighting on the wrong side for him, and Sopsy escaped a +reprimand, if not a kick or two, by his forbearance. By this time the +bottle was nearly empty; but the skipper put it under lock and key in +a closet, which seemed to be well filled with others like it. Christy +went on deck, in obedience to the order he had received, and found the +engineer on the quarter-deck buried in the fog, which was just then more +dense than at any time before. + +"The captain's pretty well set 'up,' isn't he Christy?" said Graines in +a low tone. + +"About half seas over; but he knows what he is about, though he took +another heavy potion just now," replied the lieutenant. + +"All right; I think we can manage this craft very well without him," +added Graines with a smile, which could not be seen in the darkness. + +But the conversation was interrupted at this point by the appearance +of the cook, whose legs were more tangled up by his tipples than his +master's. He delivered the request of Captain Sullendine that they +should come into the cabin, and partake of the lunch which had been set +out for them. As they moved towards the companion, they saw Sopsy creep +over to the alley where Bokes had been sleeping, and take up the bottle +of apple-jack Christy had given him, and drink from it. It was evident +to them that the cook could not be much longer in condition for any +duty. + +The two mates went below as invited, and found the captain at the table. +He had brought out the bottle of whiskey, and was eating of the dishes +before him, but plainly with little relish. + +"Have another little drink, Mr. Balker; but I think Mr. Sandman had +better not take anymore," said the master, whose speech was rather thick +by this time. + +"Thank you, Captain Sullendine; I will do a little in that way, for we +are likely to have a very damp night of it," replied Graines, as he +helped himself, though he did not take ten drops. + +"A little does one good; but it don't do to take too much when we +have very important business on our hands. After that one, Mr. Balker, +I advise you not to take any more till we get clear of the blockaders," +added the skipper, as he emptied the bottle into his glass. + +The ham on the table was of excellent quality, and the two mates ate +heartily of it, with the ship-bread. The last dose the captain had taken +appeared to cap the climax, and he could no longer eat, or talk so as to +be clearly understood. When the mates had finished their lunch, they saw +that the skipper had dropped asleep in his chair. They rose from their +places, and rattled the stools. The noise roused the sleeper, and he +sprang to his feet with a violent start. + +"What's time'z it, Mr. Zbalker?" he demanded, catching hold of the table +to avoid falling on the cabin floor. + +He seemed to be conscious that he was not presenting a perfectly regular +appearance to his new officers; and he dropped into his chair, making a +ludicrous effort to stiffen his muscles and put on his dignity, but it +was a failure. + +"Quarter-past two, Captain Sullendine," replied Graines in answer to the +question. + +"Most an hour more 'fore we git started," stammered the invalid. +"I didn't sleep none last night, I'm sleepy. I'm go'n to turn in for +half an hour, 'n then I'll be on deck ready for busi-- ready for +buzness." + +Graines assisted him to his stateroom, for he could not walk, and he was +afraid he would fall and hurt himself. He helped him into his berth, and +arranged him so that he could sleep it off, and he did not care if he +did not do so before the next day. He waited till he had dropped off +into a deep slumber, and then joined Christy in the cabin. + +"If I had not been a temperance man before, I should be now," said the +lieutenant. "It is just as well that the captain is clean over the bay, +for we might have been obliged to shoot him if he had been sober." + +"But we could have taken possession of the vessel in spite of him, if +the steamer had not interfered," replied Graines, as he led the way to +the deck. "I don't see that we have anything to do but wait for the +moving of the waters, or for the moving of the steamer. I suppose our +men are all right forward." + +"I have no doubt of it, though I have not seen them lately. I gave one +of the bottles of apple-jack the captain sent forward for them to Bokes, +and poured the contents of the other into Mobile Bay. I think we had +better go forward and look the vessel over," said Christy. + +They had gone but a few steps before they stumbled over the body of +Sopsy, who had evidently succumbed to the quantity of firewater he had +consumed. He had assisted Bokes to empty the bottle given to him, and +both of them were too far gone to give an alarm if they discovered at +any time that something was wrong about the movements of the West Wind. + +They found the Belleviters lounging about on the cotton bales, some of +them asleep, and others carrying on a conversation in a low tone. They +were glad to see their officers, who told them the time for some sort of +action was rapidly approaching. Then they went to the bow of the vessel, +where they found that she was anchored, though the chain had been hove +short. The hawser by which she was to be towed to sea was made fast to +the bowsprit bitts, and led to the stern of the steamer, where it was +doubtless properly secured. + +While they were looking over the bow, a boat approached from the +Tallahatchie, and an officer hailed, asking for Captain Sullendine. + +"He is in the cabin; I am the mate," replied the engineer, "and the +captain has shipped a new crew, we are all right now." + +"Weigh your anchor at three short whistles," added the officer. + +"Understood, and all right," said the new mate. + +The boat pulled back to the steamer. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE DEPARTURE OF THE TALLAHATCHIE + + +The fog, which had been coming and going during the whole of the night, +had now lifted so that everything in the vicinity of the fort could be +seen; but across the point, down the ship channel, it was dense, dark, +and black. The wind was fresh from the south-west, which rolled up the +fog banks, and then rolled them away. Such was the atmospheric condition +near Mobile Point, and Christy believed it was the same at the +southward. He thought it probable that the commander of the Tallahatchie +would wait for a more favorable time than the present appeared to be +before he got under way. + +"All hands to the forecastle," he called to the men on the cotton bales. + +All of them, knowing his voice as well as they knew their own names, +hastened to answer to the call. + +"We have to heave up the anchor with a windlass, Mr. Graines," said he +to the engineer. "We had better get the hang of it while we have time to +do so. Ship the handspikes, my men." + +Doubtless all of them had worked a windlass before, for every one of +them was an able seaman, which had been one of the elements in their +selection, and they went to work very handily. A turn or two was given, +which started the vessel ahead, showing that the anchor was not hove +entirely short. Graines went to the bow, and reported a considerable +slant of the cable with the surface of the water. Christy ordered the +six seamen to work the windlass, with French to take in the slack. They +continued to heave over with the handspikes for some time longer. + +"Cable up and down, sir," reported Graines. + +"Avast heaving!" added the lieutenant; and he had taken the command, +paying no attention to the fact that he was the second mate under the +new order of things, and the engineer did not remind him that he was +the chief officer. "Let off the cable a couple of notches, so that the +anchor will not break out. Make fast to the bitts, French, but don't +foul it with the towline." + +"We are all right now," said Graines, as he moved aft from the heel of +the bowsprit. + +"What time is it now?" asked the lieutenant. "Bring that lantern +forward, Lines." + +"Ten minutes of three," replied the engineer, holding his watch up to +the light. + +"The fog is settling down again, and I have no doubt the captain of +the steamer will get under way at about the hour named," said Christy, +putting his hand on the wire towline, and giving it a shake, to assure +himself that it was all clear. "Now, Mr. Graines, or rather, Mr. Balker, +as you are the mate and I am only the second mate, I think you had +better go aft and see that all goes well there." + +"Very well, Mr. Sandman; I will leave you in charge of the forecastle," +replied the engineer, with a light laugh; but they had been boys +together, and understood each other perfectly. + +"Captain Sullendine is the only dangerous man on board, and I think you +had better look after him," added Christy. "If there is any lock on the +door of his stateroom, it would be well to turn the key." + +"I will look after him at once, sir," answered Graines, as he leaped +upon the cotton bales and made his way to the quarter-deck. + +On the way he examined the condition of Sopsy, and found him snoring +like a roaring lion, in an uneasy position. He turned him over on his +side, and then went to the lair of Bokes, who was in the same condition; +and he concluded that neither of them would come to his senses for a +couple of hours at least. + +Captain Sullendine had been assisted to a comfortable position when he +turned in, and he was sleeping with nothing to disturb him. There was no +lock on the door, and Graines could not turn the key. The interior of +the cabin was finished in the most primitive manner, for the vessel had +not been built to accommodate passengers. The door of the captain's +stateroom was made of inch and a half boards, with three battens, and +the handle was an old-fashioned bow-latch. There was a heavy bolt on the +inside, as though the apartment had been built to enable the master to +fortify himself in case of a mutiny. + +The engineer could not fasten the door with any of the fixtures on it; +but it opened inward, as is generally the case on shipboard, and this +fact suggested to the ingenious officer the means of securing it even +more effectually than it could have been done with a lock and key. In +the pantry he found a rolling-pin, which the cook must have left there +for some other purpose. + +This implement he applied to the bow-handle of the fixture on the door. +It would not fit the iron loop, but he whittled it down on one side +with his pocket-knife till he made it fit exactly in its place with some +hard pressure. But shaking the door might cause it to drop out, and he +completed the job by lashing it to the handle of the door with a lanyard +he had in his pocket. When he had finished his work he was confident the +captain could not get out of his room unless he broke down the door, +which he lacked the means to accomplish. + +"West Wind, ahoy!" shouted some one from the stern of the steamer before +the engineer had completed his work in the cabin. + +Christy thought that French's voice was a better imitation of Captain +Sullendine's than his own, and he directed him to reply to the hail, +telling him what to say. + +"On board the Tallahatchie!" returned the seaman at the lieutenant's +dictation. + +"Are you all ready?" shouted the same officer. + +"All ready, sir!" replied French. + +"Captain Rombold will get under way in five minutes!" called the speaker +on the stern of the steamer. "Wait for three short whistles, and then +heave up your anchor!" + +"Understood, and all right," added the spokesman of the West Wind. + +"Captain Rombold!" exclaimed Christy to himself, as he heard for the +first time the name of the commander of the Tallahatchie. + +The lieutenant, acting as the servant of the French detective at St. +George's in the Bermudas, had seen Captain Rombold, and had heard him +converse for an hour with Mr. Gilfleur, when he was in command of the +Dornoch, which had been captured by the Chateaugay, on board of which +Christy was a passenger. He was known to be a very able and brave +officer, and his defeat was owing more to the heavier metal of the loyal +ship than to any lack of skill or courage on the part of the Confederate +commander. The last the young officer knew about him, he was a prisoner +of war in New York, and had doubtless been exchanged for some loyal +officer of equal rank, for the enemy had plenty of them on hand. + +"Man the windlass, my lads," said Christy in a quiet tone, though he was +still thinking of the commander of the steamer which was to tow out the +schooner. + +While he was waiting for the three short whistles, Graines came forward +and reported in what manner he had secured the captain, and that the two +men on the cotton bales were still insensible. + +"You may be sure the captain will not come out of his stateroom until we +let him out," added the engineer; and Christy proceeded to explain what +had passed between the schooner and the steamer. + +"The Tallahatchie has one of the ablest commanders that sail the ocean, +for I have seen and know him," continued the lieutenant. "It is Captain +Rombold, now or formerly, of the British Navy. He is a gentleman and a +scholar, as well as a brave and skilful officer." + +"Then Captain Breaker may have his hands full before he captures the +steamer," added the engineer. + +"He certainly will; but a great deal depends upon the weight of the +Tallahatchie's metal." + +"We shall soon have a chance to judge of that." + +"I should like to know something more about this steamer, though my +father's letter gives us the principal details; but we have no time now +to examine her," continued Christy. + +"Who's that?" demanded Graines, as he saw a man walking forward over the +bales of cotton. + +It proved to be Bokes, who had slept off a part of the effects of the +debauch; but Sopsy had probably consumed a large portion of the contents +of his bottle. + +"Does you uns happen to have any more apple-jack?" asked the fellow. +"Somehow I lost nigh all o' mine, and I'm sufferin', dyin' for a drink." + +"French, take him to the deck-house, and fasten him in," said Christy in +a low tone. + +"Come with me, my hearty, and we'll see what there is in the +deck-house," said the seaman, as he took the man by the arm and led him +to the place indicated. "Now go in and find your bunk. Get into it, and +I will look for a bottle here." + + [Illustration: "Dowse that glim in your fo'castle!" Page 111.] + +Bokes crept to his bunk, and stretched himself out there. French took +the bottle the lieutenant had emptied into the bay, and gave it to him. +Then he closed the door, and finding a padlock and hasp on it, he locked +him in. Two of the three men who had remained on board of the schooner +were now prisoners; and Sopsy was considered as harmless as a fishworm. + +French had hardly reported what he had done before the three short +whistles were sounded, and Christy gave the order to heave up the +anchor. + +"West Wind, ahoy!" shouted the same officer who had spoken before. + +"On board the steamer!" replied French, when he was directed to reply. + +"Dowse that glim on your fo'castle!" shouted the officer, as with a +liberal dose of profanity he demanded if they were all fools on board of +the schooner. "Put out every light on board!" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" responded French, as Graines extinguished the lantern on +the forecastle; and Christy directed him to do the same with the cabin +lamp. + +He looked at his watch before he put it out, and found it was +quarter-past three. The captain of the steamer had evidently waited for +a favorable moment to start on his perilous voyage, and the engineer +noticed when he went forward after he had secured Captain Sullendine, +that the fog was again settling down on the bay. + +"On board the steamer!" shouted French, as directed. "Anchor aweigh, +sir!" Then a minute later, "All clear, and the towline slack!" + +From the sounds that came from the forward part of the steamer, it was +evident that she had heaved up her anchor before she gave the three +whistles for the schooner to do so. + +"West Wind, ahoy!" called the officer from the Tallahatchie. "Stand by +your helm with your best man!" + +Graines had just gone aft, and had taken the wheel of the vessel; but +Christy sent French to take his first trick at the helm. The tide was +still setting into the bay, and it was within half an hour of the flood. +The schooner was beginning to sway off from the shore as the tide struck +her, when the gong bell in the engine-room of the steamer was heard. She +went ahead very slowly, and straightened the towline. Christy took a +careful survey of its fastenings, to assure himself that it was all +right, and then mounted the cotton bales, to observe the progress of the +vessel. + +Of course the steamer was under the direction of a skilful pilot, +doubtless the best that could be had, for the present venture was an +exceedingly important one to the Confederate cause. The Tallahatchie +was perhaps a better vessel than any of those which had done so much +mischief among the ships of the loyal American marine, and in no manner +could the Southern cause be more effectually assisted than by these +cruisers. + +As the vessels headed to the southward, Christy went to the binnacle, +and watched the course. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE CASTING OFF OF THE TOWLINE + + +Christy Passford had been through this channel at least half a dozen +times in the Bellevite, and knew all the courses and bearings, though +the latter did not count in the dense fog which had settled down on the +vicinity of the fort. The lights in the binnacle of the West Wind had +not been put out, though they could not be noticed outside of the +schooner. The great fortress could not be seen, and it was as silent +as a tomb. + +"How does she head, Christy?" asked Graines, as they met at the wheel. + +"South a quarter west," replied the lieutenant, "which is the correct +course. The fog is very dense just now. I think we have passed the +obstructions by this time, though I do not know precisely where they +are placed." + +"I should call it mighty ticklish navigation just here," added the +engineer. + +"It is all of that, or will be in five or ten minutes more. Sand Island +Lighthouse is not more than a quarter of a mile from the middle of the +channel, and at that point the course changes. Perhaps the pilot can +make out the lighthouse in the fog. If he don't he will run into five +or six feet of water in a few minutes, out of eight fathoms or more." + +"I suppose you are prepared to let go the towline if anything goes +wrong, Mr. Passford?" added the engineer, perhaps as a suggestion rather +than as a question. + +"I hope it will not come to that, for the schooner might get aground on +the Knoll before we could make sail," replied Christy. + +"The steamer has shifted her helm," said Graines, to the great relief of +the lieutenant. "The fog is lifting again, and the pilot must have seen +the lighthouse. We are headed more to the eastward now." + +"The course is south by west, three-quarters west, when the lighthouse +bears west by south. We are out of the woods now, and there will be no +trouble at all till some blockader stirs up the waters," said Christy. + +"I wonder where the Bellevite is just now," added Graines, as he looked +all about him as the fog lifted a little more, though it was still too +thick to make out any vessel, if there were any near. + +"If my messenger reached the ship in time, she will be found somewhere +near the channel," replied Christy. "Call Lines, if you please, Mr. +Graines." + +The seaman presently appeared; and the lieutenant directed him to take +the wheel, French instructing him how to keep the vessel in line with +the steamer. + +"I believe you have sailed a schooner, French," said Christy, when he +had taken the man to the quarter. + +"Yes, sir; I was mate of a coaster for three years, and I should have +become master of her if the war had not come, and I felt that I ought to +go into the navy, though I haven't got ahead much yet, as I expected I +should; but I am satisfied to fight for my country where I am." + +"That is patriotic; and I hope a higher position will be found for you. +But we have not time to talk about that now," continued Christy. "It may +be necessary or advisable for Mr. Graines and myself to leave the West +Wind at any moment now. In that case I shall place this vessel in your +charge, and you will take her off where the Bellevite was moored last +night, and come to anchor." + +"Thank you, sir; and I will endeavor to do my duty faithfully," replied +French, touching his cap. + +"Now call the men aft, and I will explain the matter to them." + +The lieutenant explained the situation, and directed the other five +seamen to respect and obey the man he had selected as captain. Then he +directed French to cast off the stops from the foresail and mainsail, +and have the jib and flying-jib ready to set at a moment's notice. + +"I don't think Captain Sullendine can get out of his stateroom, where +he has been confined, or Bokes out of the deck-house; but if either of +them should do so, you must secure them as you think best," continued +Christy. "Do you fully understand your orders, French?" + +"Perfectly, Mr. Passford; and I will do my duty as well as I know how," +answered the able seaman, who, like many others in the service, deserved +a better position. + +The new officer and crew went to work on the sails, and in a few minutes +they were ready to be set. Another bank of fog was rolling up, in which +the two vessels would soon be involved. But the Tallahatchie was in a +position where it was plain sailing now, and her future troubles would +all come from the blockaders. + +"There you are!" exclaimed the engineer, as the peal of a gun boomed +over the water from the westward. "The steamer has been seen by a +blockader, and she will catch it now." + +"I don't believe that was one of the Bellevite's guns," added Christy. +"Captain Breaker would not take a position over to the westward, for +that would give him the outside track, and he always goes at anything by +the shortest way." + +"We have the fog again for the next ten or fifteen minutes. The +blockader that fired that shot must have got a sight at the steamer, and +she is still pegging away at her. We may get knocked over by our own +guns," continued Graines. + +"There is no danger at present. She can't hit anything in this fog +except by a chance shot." + +"And one of them sometimes does the most mischief. The fog is heavier +just now than it has been at any time during the night. I can't see the +Tallahatchie just now." + +"It is blacker than a stack of blackbirds," added Christy. "I am +confident that we are at least a mile south of the lighthouse, and we +will take advantage of the gloom to hoist the mainsail, and then the +foresail if it holds as it is now;" and he gave the order to French, +who was assisted by the engineer in the work. + +The lieutenant took the wheel, and sent Lines to assist the others. +The blockader to the westward continued to discharge her guns; but her +people could see nothing, and her solid shot began to fall astern of +the West Wind, and the Tallahatchie took no notice of her or her guns. +Christy saw that the fog was lifting again, and this would reveal to the +steamer ahead what he had been doing. Besides, he had gone in tow as +long as he intended. Graines reported the two sails as set. + +"Stand by to hoist the jib!" he shouted, deeming it no longer necessary +to conceal his movements. + +"What are you doing there?" demanded the officer, who seemed to be in +charge of the after part of the steamer; and his tones, with the flood +of profanity he poured out, indicated that he was in a violent fit of +anger. + +"I reckon we won't tow any farther," replied Christy, who was still at +the wheel, and the officer yelled loud enough for him to hear at the +helm; but French repeated his answer. + +"All ready to hoist the jib," Graines reported. + +"Cast off the towline!" shouted Christy at the top of his lungs. "Hoist +the jib!" + +"Towline all clear!" called the engineer a moment later, and the jib +went up in a hurry. + +The jib filled on the starboard tack, and the West Wind went off to the +south-east as Christy put up the helm. The fog lifted just enough to +enable the officer at the stern of the steamer to see the West Wind +as she went off on her new course. No one on the former could have +suspected that the latter had changed hands; for French had answered for +Captain Sullendine every time a call was made, and his voice was not +unlike that of the master of the schooner. + +Christy could not understand why the officer who used so many expletives +should be dissatisfied, for the Tallahatchie could certainly make better +time when no longer encumbered by the towing of the West Wind. But it +must look to him just as though the schooner would be captured by the +steamer to the westward, which had been uselessly firing at the +blockade-runners in the densest of the fog. He could not help seeing +that the vessel in tow had set her sails, and therefore the casting off +of the wire rope could not have been caused by an accident. + +The action of the captain of the schooner, for they had no reason to +suppose the change on board of the schooner was not made by him, must +have bewildered the officers of the Tallahatchie. But the fog was +lifting, the steamer to windward was now under way, though moving very +slowly, and her solid shot fell very near to the Confederate vessel. + +By this time the sails of the West Wind were all drawing full, and the +craft was making very good headway through the water. The fog bank had +scattered, and appeared now to be in a dozen smaller masses, floating +off in the direction of Mobile Point. Christy still retained the wheel, +while Graines was putting everything in order forward and in the waist, +after setting the sails. + +"Send French aft to take the wheel, Mr. Graines," called Christy, as the +engineer came aft to see the main sheet. + +This man, who was the captain of the forecastle, one of the most +important and best-paid of the petty officers, hastened aft to relieve +the chief of the expedition, who went to work with his own hands when +the exigency of the service required. + +"Make the course south-west, French," said Christy, as he abandoned the +wheel to the petty officer. + +"South-west, sir," repeated the seaman. + +"Can you make out the Bellevite, Mr. Graines?" asked he, as he met the +engineer on the quarterdeck. + +"I have kept a sharp lookout for her, Mr. Passford, but I have not seen +her yet," replied Graines, as he looked earnestly in the direction in +which the schooner was headed. + +"If Captain Breaker received my message sent by Weeks, the ship must +have taken a position somewhere below the entrance to the channel, and +that is about four miles south of the fort, and out of the reach of any +of its guns," added the lieutenant. + +"There are half a dozen of those fog banks floating about near the water +in that direction, and she may be there," replied Graines, as he took a +spy-glass from the brackets in the companion. "Very likely she is down +that way somewhere, and the Tallahatchie may run right into her." + +"I don't think Captain Breaker would place his ship where anything of +this kind would be likely to happen," replied Christy. "It is still as +dark as Egypt ahead, and I think we shall see the Bellevite very soon." + +The Confederate steamer had sensibly increased her speed, and gave no +attention whatever to the schooner or the blockader to the westward of +her. Captain Rombold seemed to be possessed of a supreme confidence in +the speed of his steamer, and a complete assurance that he should escape +unscathed from all pursuers, if any attempted to follow him. He was not +aware that the Bellevite had recently had her bottom cleaned, and her +engine put in thoroughly good condition, so that she could make as many +knots in an hour as ever before; and that was saying more than could be +said of any other craft in the navy. + +"I would give my month's pay to know what the Tallahatchie has for a +midship gun," said Christy, still gazing at the Confederate vessel as +she continued to increase her speed. + +Suddenly, without saying anything, Graines, who had been at his side, +left him, and hastened to the companion, where he stooped down and gazed +into the cabin. Christy had heard nothing to attract his attention, but +he concluded that Captain Sullendine had escaped from his prison, and +he called the two men who had been stationed in the waist to the +quarter-deck to render such assistance as the engineer might need; but +this officer remained at the entrance to the cabin, and made no further +movement. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A HAPPY RETURN TO THE BELLEVITE + + +Although he anticipated a disagreeable scene with the captain of the +West Wind, who, he supposed, had slept off the fumes of the inordinate +quantity of liquor he had drunk, he did not consider that there was any +peril in the situation, for he had plenty of force to handle him easily. +His curiosity was excited, and he walked over to the companion, where +Graines appeared to be gazing into the darkness of the cabin; but he did +not interfere with the proceedings of his fellow-officer. + +"We don't need the men you have called from the waist," said the +engineer in a low tone. + +Christy sent the two men back to their former station. As he was +returning to his chosen position abaft the companion, he saw a glimmer +of light in the gloom of the cabin. Graines invited him to take a +place at his side, chuckling perceptibly as he made room for him. +The lieutenant stooped down so that he could see into the cabin, and +discovered a man with a lighted match in his hand, fumbling at the door +of the closet where Captain Sullendine kept his whiskey. + +"Is that the captain?" whispered Christy, who could not make out the +man, though he was not as tall as the master of the West Wind. + +"No; it is Bokes," replied Graines. "He must have got out of the +deck-house through one of the windows. He found the bottle French gave +him was empty, and I have no doubt his nerves are in a very shaky +condition." + +Both of the officers had leaned back, so that their whispers did not +disturb the operator in the cabin. His first match had gone out, and +he lighted another. Captain Sullendine had been too much overcome by +his potations to take his usual precautions for the safety of his +spirit-room, and the observers saw that the key was in the door. Bokes +took one of the bottles, and carried it to the table. His match went +out, and he poked about for some time in the cabin. + +Presently he was seen again, coming out of the pantry with a lighted +lantern in his hand, which he placed on the table. He had a corkscrew in +the other hand, with which he proceeded, as hurriedly as his trembling +hands would permit, to open the bottle, for the master had drained the +last one. Then he poured out a tumblerful of whiskey, as the observers +judged it was from its color, and drank it off. At this point Graines +descended to the cabin and confronted the fellow. + +Christy, after taking a long look to the south-east, followed the +engineer into the cabin, for it was possible that his companion intended +to look into the condition of Captain Sullendine, and he desired to be +present at the interview. + +"Good-morning, Bokes," said Graines, as he placed himself in front of +the seaman. + +"Mornin', Mr. Balker," replied Bokes; and the heavy drink he had just +taken appeared to have done nothing more than steady his nerves, for he +seemed to have the full use of his faculties. + +"How do you feel this morning, my friend?" continued the engineer; and +Christy thought he was making himself very familiar with the boozing +seaman, who was at least fifty years old. + +"Fine's a fiddle-string," replied Bokes. "We done got out all right, +I reckon;" and it was plain that he had not taken notice that the +schooner was no longer in tow of the steamer. + +"All right," replied Graines, as he placed himself on a stool, and +pushed another towards the sailor, who seated himself. "By the way, +friend Bokes, I suppose you have been on board of the Tallahatchie?" + +"More'n a dozen times, here 'n' up in Mobile. My fust cousin's an 'iler +aboard on her," replied Bokes. + +"How many guns does she carry?" asked the engineer in a very quiet tone, +though the man did not seem to be at all suspicious that he was in the +act of being used for a purpose. + +"I don't jest know how many guns she kerries; but she's got a big +A'mstrong barker 'midships that'll knock any Yankee ship inter the +middle o' next year 'n less time 'n it'll take you to swaller a tot +o' Kaintuck whiskey. It's good for five-mile shots." + +"This is her midship gun, you say?" + +"Midship gun, sir; 'n I heard 'em say it flung a shot nigh on to a +hundred pounds," added Bokes. + +Both Christy and Graines asked the man other questions; but he had not +made good use of his opportunities, and knew very little about the +armament of the Tallahatchie; yet he remembered what he had heard others +say about her principal gun. The lieutenant knew all about the Armstrong +piece, for he had in his stateroom the volume on "Ordinance and +Gunnery," by Simpson, and he had diligently studied it. + +"Mr. Passford," said one of the hands at the head of the companion +ladder. + +"On deck," replied Christy. + +"Steamer on the port bow," added the seaman. + +"That must be the Bellevite," said the lieutenant. + +"Now you may go on deck, Bokes," added Graines, as he drove the boozer +ahead of him, and followed his superior. + +He instructed the men in the waist to keep an eye on Bokes, and sent +him forward. Then he took the precaution to lock the doors at the +companion-way, and joined Christy on the quarterdeck. + +"That's the Bellevite without a doubt," said Christy, as he directed the +spy-glass he had taken from the brackets, and was still looking through +it. "But she is farther to the eastward than I expected to find her." + +"I suppose her commander knows what he is about," replied Graines. + +"Certainly he does; and I do not criticise his action." + +All the steamers on the blockade except the Bellevite and the one in +the west had been sent away on other duty, for it was believed that the +former would be enough to overhaul anything that was likely to come out +of Mobile Bay at this stage of the war. Sure of the steamer of which he +was the executive officer, Christy directed his glass towards the one +on the other side of the channel. She had received no notice of the +approach of a powerful blockade-runner, and she had not a full head of +steam when she discovered the Tallahatchie. Besides, she was one of the +slowest vessels in the service. + +The black smoke was pouring out of her smokestack as though she was +using something besides anthracite coal in her furnaces, and she was +doing her best to intercept the Confederate. She was still firing her +heaviest gun, though it could be seen that her shots fell far short of +the swift steamer. + +"They have seen the Bellevite on board of the Tallahatchie, and she has +changed her course," said Graines, while Christy was still watching the +movements of the blockader in the west. "Probably Captain Rombold knows +all about the Bellevite, and he is not anxious to get too near her." + +"She has pointed her head to the south-west, and the Bellevite is +changing her course. I hope we shall not miss her," added Christy. + +When the fog bank blew over and revealed her presence on board of the +West Wind, the Bellevite was not more than half a mile to the southward, +but she was at least two miles to the eastward of her. + +"Can we get any more sail on this craft, Mr. Graines?" asked the +lieutenant. + +"We can set her two gaff-topsails." + +"Do so as speedily as possible." + +Christy went to the wheel, and Graines, with three men at each sail, +assisting himself, soon had shaken out and set the gaff-topsails. The +effect was immediately apparent in the improved sailing of the schooner. +A Confederate flag was found in the signal chest, and it was set at the +main topmast head, with the American ensign over it, so that it could +be easily seen on board of the Bellevite. The lieutenant was now very +confident that he should intercept his ship. + +"Now clear away that quarter-boat, so that we can drop it into the water +without any delay," continued Christy, as he gave up the wheel to Lines +again. + +Graines hastened to obey the order, for the Bellevite was rushing +through the water at her best speed, and it was evident enough by this +time that Weeks had faithfully performed the duty assigned to him. + +"A small pull on the fore-sheet, Londall," called Christy to one of the +men on the forecastle. "Another on the main sheet," he added to Fallon +in the waist. + +The bow of the West Wind was thus pointed closer into the wind; and the +gaff-topsails enabled her to hold her speed after this change. Paul +Vapoor, the chief engineer of the Bellevite, was plainly doing his best +in the engine-room, and if the lieutenant had been a sporting man, +he would have been willing to wager that his ship would overhaul the +Tallahatchie; for on an emergency she had actually steamed twenty-two +knots an hour, and Christy believed she could do it now, being in +first-rate condition, if the occasion required. + +"What time is it now, Mr. Graines?" asked Christy. + +"Quarter-past four," replied the engineer, when he had lighted a match +and looked at his watch. + +"I thought it was later than that, and I have been looking for some +signs of daylight," replied the lieutenant. + +"It is just breaking a little in the east." + +"I suppose Captain Sullendine is still asleep." + +"No doubt of it; he has not had two hours yet in his berth, and he is +good for two hours more at least." + +"I think we shall be on board of the Bellevite in ten minutes more," +continued Christy, as he noted the position of the ship. "Have you +instructed French what to do with Captain Sullendine if he should +attempt to make trouble?" + +"I told him to keep him in his stateroom, and I feel pretty sure he +can't get out. If Bokes, who must have an idea of what is going on by +this time, is troublesome, I told French to tie his hands behind him, +and make him fast to the fore-rigging." + +"The fog is settling down again on the Tallahatchie; but Captain Breaker +knows where she is, and he will not let up till he has got his paw on +her," said Graines. "The blockader in the west isn't anywhere now. She +could not do a thing with such a steamer as that Confederate." + +The West Wind was now directly in the path of the Bellevite, and in +five minutes more she stopped her screw. Possibly her commander was +bewildered at the sight of the schooner, whose flag indicated that she +was already a prize, though he could hardly understand to what vessel; +for nothing was known on board of her in regard to the cotton vessel the +Tallahatchie was to tow to sea. + +"Stand by to lower the boat on the quarter!" shouted Christy, perhaps +a little excited at the prospect of soon being on the deck of his own +ship, as he and Graines took their places in the craft. + +The four men at the falls lowered the boat into the water in the +twinkling of an eye, and the two officers dropped the oars into the +water as soon as it was afloat. They pulled like men before the mast, +and went astern of the schooner, whose head had been thrown up into +the wind to enable the officers to embark in safety. French was now in +command of the schooner, and he filled away as soon as the boat pulled +off from her side. + +The Bellevite had stopped her screw a little distance from the West +Wind, and, as the boat approached her, she backed her propeller. Her +gangway had been lowered, and the two officers leaped upon the landing. +They had hardly done so before the great gong in the engine-room was +heard, and the steamer went ahead again. The boat was allowed to go +adrift; but Christy shouted to French to pick it up. The lieutenant's +heart beat a lively tattoo as he mounted the steps, and ascended to the +deck. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A LIVELY CHASE TO THE SOUTH-WEST + + +Captain Breaker had been in the main rigging with his night-glass, +watching the movements of the chase; but he recognized the voice of +Christy when he shouted to French to pick up the quarter-boat of the +schooner, as he could no longer make out the Tallahatchie in the fog. + +"Good-morning, Mr. Passford," said he, as he met Christy when he +descended from the rail. "I am glad to see you again." + +"Good-morning, Captain Breaker," replied the lieutenant, as he took the +offered hand of the commander. "I hope all is well on board, sir." + +"Entirely well, and your messenger came on board in good time, so that +we were in position to get the first sight of the Trafalgar when she +showed herself off Sand Island Lighthouse," replied the captain, as he +led the way to his cabin. "Mr. Ballard, keep a sharp lookout for the +chase," he added to the acting executive officer. + +"Will you allow me to put on my uniform, Captain?" asked Christy. +"I don't feel quite at home on board the ship in the rigout I have worn +all night." + +"Certainly; for I do not wish you to show yourself to the ship's company +while you look so little like a naval officer," replied the captain, as +he went to take another look at the darkness ahead. + +The lieutenant hastened to his stateroom, and in a very short time he +had washed off the smut from his face and hands, and dressed himself in +his uniform, so that he looked like quite another person, Graines had +gone to his room in the steerage for the same purpose, for neither of +them desired to show himself as he had appeared before Captain +Sullendine. + +Christy hurried to the deck as soon as he had made the change, and met +the commander on the quarter-deck. Lookouts were stationed aloft and on +the top-gallant forecastle, and all hands were in a state of healthy +excitement in view of the stirring event which was likely to transpire +before the lapse of many hours; and doubtless some of the men were moved +by the prospect of prize-money, not only from the proceeds of the sale +of the steamer they were chasing, but from the full freight of cotton on +board of the schooner, the deck load of which had been noted by some of +the crew. + +The schooner which had come so close aboard of the Bellevite was a +mystery to all, from the captain down to the humblest seaman; but the +American ensign over the Confederate flag had been observed by a few, +and this settled her status. Not more than half of the seamen were aware +that an expedition had left the ship at ten o'clock the evening before, +and they had had no opportunity to notice the absence of the executive +officer during the night; and even yet all hands had not been called, +for the regular watch was enough to get the ship under way. + +The commander conducted the executive officer to his own cabin, again +reminding Mr. Ballard to keep a sharp lookout for the chase. Christy +felt like himself again in his neat uniform, and his vigorous and well +knit, as well as graceful form, did more to show off the dress than the +dress did to adorn his person. + +"I am very glad to see you again, Christy," said Captain Breaker, +seating himself and pointing to an arm-chair for the lieutenant, while +he came down from the stately dignity of the commander of a man-of-war +to the familiarity with which he treated his chief officer when they +were alone. "I had no doubt that you would give a good account of +yourself, as you always do. You were going on the enemy's territory, and +you were in peril all the time. Now you come off in a schooner, which +appears to be loaded with cotton, and how or where you picked her up is +a mystery to me;" and the commander indulged in a laugh at the oddity of +the young officer's reappearance. "Your messenger reported that the +Trafalgar would sail at three o'clock in the morning, and I judge that +she left at about that hour." + +"Within ten minutes of it, and probably made an arrangement with the +commandant of the fort to that effect," added Christy. "But they do not +call her the Trafalgar now; though Weeks was not aware of the fact when +I sent him on board. She is now the Tallahatchie, though I noticed that +some in the vicinity of the fort still called her by her old name." + +"Never mind the name; she will answer our purpose as well under one +appellation as another. When I asked your messenger about you and the +other six men of your party, he was unable to give me any information +in regard to your movements; and he could not tell me how you had +ascertained the hour at which the steamer was to sail," continued the +captain. + +"Graines and myself separated from the party as soon as we landed on the +point; and we had obtained our information before we joined them again +on the shore of Mobile Bay, sir. At the same time we had learned all +about the West Wind"-- + +"The what?" interposed the commander. + +"I mean the schooner West Wind, the one from which we came on board of +the Bellevite, which was to be towed out by the Tallahatchie, and which +was towed out by her till we on board of her cast off the towline." + +"Perhaps you had better narrate the events of your expedition +_seriatim_, for all you say in this disconnected manner only thickens +the mystery," said the commander: and he knew that his officer had an +excellent command of the English language, and could make a verbal +report in a very attractive and telling style, though perhaps his +fatherly interest in the young man had something to do with the matter. + +Christy began his narrative with the departure from the ship, passing +lightly over the minor details till he came to the meeting with the +deserters from the West Wind, bivouacking in the hollow. He described +the drinking bout which followed, in which he and Graines had pretended +to join, stating the information he had obtained from them. He rehearsed +a portion of Captain Sullendine's speech, adding that most of his +auditors were the seamen from the Bellevite, though he had sent four +of them back to the ship before he reached the shore. + +He detailed his interview with the master of the West Wind, explaining +how he had shipped the new crew with him. The scenes in the cabin were +described in full; in fact, every incident of any importance which had +transpired during the night was related. The commander was deeply +interested, and listened without comment to the narrative up to the +moment when the narrator had come on board of the Bellevite. He was not +sparing in his praise of the engineer, and separated what he had said +and done as far as he could from his own words and actions. + +The commander then questioned him in regard to the armament of the +Tallahatchie, and he repeated the meagre information he had obtained +from Bokes. Some conversation concerning Armstrong guns followed; but +both of them were well posted in regard to this long-range piece. +Christy read the satisfaction with which the captain heard his +statements on his face. + +A knock at the door of the cabin disturbed the conference, and the +lieutenant was directed to open the door. The shaking and straining of +the ship had for some time indicated that Paul Vapoor was fully alive to +the importance of getting the Bellevite's best speed out of her on the +present occasion; and he did not intrust the duty to his subordinates. +Christy opened the cabin door, and Midshipman Walters asked for the +commander, and was admitted. + +"Mr. Ballard directs me to inform you, sir, that we are gaining on the +chase," said the young officer. "The fog has lifted again, and we can +make her out very clearly. The Holyoke has abandoned the chase, and +appears to be headed for the schooner that came to on the starboard +of the ship." + +"Tell Mr. Ballard to keep the ship as she is, headed for the +Tallahatchie," replied Captain Breaker. + +"The Tallahatchie, sir?" queried the midshipman. + +"Formerly the Trafalgar," added the commander. + +The young officer touched his cap and retired. + +"This Captain Sullendine is still secured in his stateroom on board of +the West Wind, is he?" asked the captain, rising from his arm-chair. + +"He was when I left the schooner, sir," replied Christy. "French, the +captain of the forecastle, is in charge of the vessel, with orders to +anchor her a couple of miles to the eastward of the lighthouse. I have +already commended French to your attention, Captain, as a faithful and +reliable man, and I think he deserves promotion." + +"Your recommendation will go a great way to procure it for him," added +the commander with a significant smile. + +"He is a thorough seaman, has been the mate of a large coaster, and +would have become master of her if his patriotic duty had not led him +to ship in the navy." + +"He is a resolute and brave fellow in action, as I have had occasion to +observe, and I shall remember him. When you are writing to your father +it would be well for you to mention him; and the thing will be done at +your request if not at mine." + +"It certainly would not be done without your indorsement, for my father +will not indulge in any favoritism aside from real merit," protested the +lieutenant, with some warmth. + +"You are quite right, Christy. We must go on deck now," added Captain +Breaker, as he moved towards the door. "You have been up all night, my +boy; it will be some hours before we come within reach of the chase, and +you can turn in and get a little sleep before anything stirring takes +place on board." + +The excitement which had animated the young officer during the night +had subsided with the rendering of his report, and the responsibility +of a command no longer rested upon him, and for the first time since he +embarked in the whaleboat, he began to feel tired and sleepy. He went on +deck with the commander, and took a survey, first of the chase, then of +the Holyoke, and finally of the West Wind. + +Captain Breaker thought the Tallahatchie was about five miles distant. +Seen through the glass, for the fog had all blown away, and the daylight +had begun to obscure the stars, the steamer seemed to be doing her best. +The Holyoke was headed to the eastward, evidently intending to chase the +West Wind, for she could not yet make out her flags, indicating that she +was already a prize. She need not have troubled herself to pursue the +schooner if she had known the facts in regard to her, for she was +entitled to a share of the prize as a member of the blockading fleet at +the time of her capture. But she could prevent her from being retaken by +any boat expedition sent from the shore, as her lonely position where +the Bellevite had been for several days might tempt some enterprising +Confederate officer to do. + +Although the last heaving of the log showed twenty knots, it was a quiet +time of the deck of the Bellevite, and all the excitement on board was +confined to the engine and fire rooms. With sundry gapes Christy had +taken in the situation, and then he concluded to avail himself of the +commander's permission to retire to his stateroom, where he was soon in +a sound slumber. + +Just before, Captain Breaker had retired to his cabin, where he had a +chart of the Gulf of Mexico spread out on his table. Assuming the point +where the Tallahatchie had changed her course to the south-west, he drew +a line in that direction, and realized that the chase could not go clear +of the Passes of the Mississippi River; and she was likely to sight some +Federal steamer in that locality. + +As the daylight increased the weather improved so far as the fog was +concerned and it promised to be a clear day, for the stars had not +been obscured at any time during the night. The only alternative the +commander could see for the chase, as he studied the chart, was to go +to the southward before he could sight the Pass a l'Outre. He was so +confident that this must be his course, that he decided to take +advantage of the situation, and he went on deck at once, where he +ordered the officer of the deck to make the course south south-west. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE FIRST SHOT OF BLUMENHOFF + + +Captain Breaker watched the Tallahatchie with the most earnest +attention; and it was not five minutes after he had given out the new +course before she changed her direction, though not to the south, but +enough to carry her clear of the Passes of the Mississippi. Paul Vapoor +was still crowding the engine to the utmost that could be done with +safety, and he spent no little of his time in the fire room, personally +directing the men in the work of feeding the furnaces. + +It was evident to the commander that his ship was gaining on the +Tallahatchie, at least a knot an hour, as he estimated it, and the chase +could not now be more than four miles distant. This was within the range +of her Armstrong gun, if it was of the calibre reported by Bokes, whose +information was mere hearsay, and was open to many doubts. + +"She is changing her course again, Captain Breaker," said Mr. Ballard, +who had been observing the chase with the best glass on board. + +"Probably she has discovered a man-of-war in the distance," added the +captain. + +"I cannot make out anything to the westward of her," said Mr. Ballard, +who had directed his glass that way. + +"She knows very well that she is liable to encounter a Federal ship on +the course she is running. How does she head now?" + +"As nearly south as I can make it out." + +"Then we have made something on her by going to the south south-west +in good season; and I am sorry I did not do it sooner," replied the +commander, as he went into a fine calculation, estimating sundry angles, +and figuring on the gain he was confident he had already made. + +"I think she is headed due south now, Captain," said Mr. Ballard. + +"So I should say, and we are headed a little too much to the westward. +Make the course south by west half west, Mr. Ballard." + +This course was given to the quartermaster conning the wheel. For +another hour the two steamers kept on the course taken, at the end of +which time the captain believed they were within three miles of each +other; and the appearance, as viewed by skilful and experienced +officers, verified his estimate of the relative speed of both--that +the Bellevite was gaining about a knot an hour on the chase. + +They had hardly agreed upon the situation before a cloud of smoke was +seen to rise from the waist of the Tallahatchie, followed by the report +of a heavy gun. The projectile struck the water at least a quarter of +a mile ahead of the Bellevite, at which the watch on deck gave a +half-suppressed cheer. + +"They must have better gunners than that indicates on board of that +steamer, for she has been fitted out as a cruiser," said the commander +with a quiet smile. + +Twenty minutes later another puff of smoke, followed by a second report, +excited the attention of an officer on the deck of the loyal ship. The +shot struck the water only a little less ahead of the ship than the +former, and the crew gave a more vigorous cheer: but it was observed +that it hit the sea a little on the starboard bow, so that if it had +been better aimed it would not have reached the ship. + +"She is wasting her ammunition," said the captain. "She seems to be +jesting, or else she is trying to frighten us." + +"I think it is some thing worse than that, Captain Breaker," replied Mr. +Ballard. + +"What could be worse?" + +"I am inclined to the opinion that she cannot swing the gun around so as +to make it bear on an object so far astern of her as this ship is at the +present moment." said the lieutenant. + +"He has an all sufficient remedy for that," added the captain. "He can +swing his ship's head around so his gun will bear on us." + +"But that would cause him to lose a quarter of a mile or more of his +advantage; and she seems to be more inclined to run away from the +Bellevite than to fight her," suggested the lieutenant. + +"Call all hands, Mr. Ballard," said the commander; and in a few minutes +all the officers and seamen were at their stations. + +The call awoke Christy from his slumber, which the report of the gun and +the cheering of the men had failed to do. But he understood the summons, +and thought the action was about to begin. He adjusted his dress and +hastened to the quarter deck, where he reported in due form to the +captain. Mr. Ballard was relieved of his duties as acting executive +officer, and went to his proper station to take command of his division. +Christy took a careful survey of the situation, and saw that the +Bellevite had gained at least two knots on the chase. The Holyoke and +the West Wind were no longer in sight, though the fog seemed to be still +hanging about the entrance to Mobile Bay. + +"The Tallahatchie has fired two shots at us, Mr. Passford; but she +wasted her ammunition," said the commander. "I am inclined to agree with +Mr. Ballard that she cannot swing her Armstrong gun so as to cover the +Bellevite." + +"She has stopped her screw, sir!" exclaimed the first lieutenant, who +was looking at the chase through the best glass. + +"Make the course west, Mr. Passford!" said the captain with energy. + +"Quartermaster, make it west!" shouted Christy. + +"West, sir!" repeated the quartermaster, as he caused the helmsmen to +heave over the wheel. + +Directing his glass to the chase again, Christy saw the Tallahatchie +swing around so that she was broadside to the Bellevite. Almost at the +same moment the smoke rose from her deck, and the sound of the gun +reached the ears of the officers and crew. The shot passed with a mighty +whiz between the fore and main mast of the ship, cutting away one of the +fore topsail braces, but doing no other damage. The seamen cheered as +they had before. The Tallahatchie started her screw as soon as she had +discharged her gun, and resumed her former course, the Bellevite doing +the same. + +If the loyal ship had not promptly altered her course, the projectile +would have raked her, and must have inflicted much greater injury in +the spars and rigging. But both vessels promptly resumed their former +relative positions, though the Tallahatchie had lost some of her +advantage by coming to, while her pursuer had only made a small circuit +without stopping her engine for a moment. + +"If she does that again, Mr. Passford, we must be ready to return her +fire," said the captain. "Have the pivot gun ready, and aim for her +Armstrong, which seems to be sufficiently prominent on her deck to make +a good target." + +Christy hastened forward, and gave the order to Mr. Ballard, in whose +division the great Parrot was included. The signal was promptly given +for manning the gun, and seventeen men immediately sprang to their +stations. The men were armed with cutlasses, muskets, battle-axes, +pistols, and pikes, which were so disposed as to be in readiness for +boarding the enemy, or repelling boarders. + +"A solid shot, and aim at the pivot gun of the enemy," said Christy in +a low tone to the second lieutenant, who had the reputation of being an +expert in the handling of guns of the largest calibre. + +There were two captains to the pivot gun, one on each side, stationed +nearest to the base of the breech. Seventeen men were required to work +the pivot gun, whose duties were defined in the names applied to them, +the powderman being the odd one. The first and second captains were +numbers one and two; the odd numbers being on the right, and the even +on the left of the piece: number three was the first loader, four the +first sponger, five the second loader, six the second sponger, seven the +first shellman, eight the second shellman, nine the first handspikeman, +ten the second handspikeman, eleven the first train tackleman, twelve +the second train tackleman (the last two at the breech, next to +the captains), thirteen first side tackleman, fourteen second side +tackleman, fifteen first port tackleman, sixteen second port tackleman. + +The gun crew had been frequently drilled in the management of the piece, +and the men were entirely at home in their stations. Other hands had +been trained in serving the gun, so that the places of any disabled in +action could be replaced. The service at the Parrot was not all that was +required of the men forming the gun crew, for each was also a first or +second boarder, a pumpman, or something else, and to each number one +or two weapons were assigned, as musket and pike, sword and pistol, +battle-axe. When the order to board the enemy was given, every man +knew his station and his proper officer. + +"Silence, men!" commanded the second lieutenant, "Cast loose and +provide!" + +These orders were repeated by the first captain of the gun. It is his +duty to see the piece cleared and cast loose, and everything made ready +for action. He and the second captain "provide" themselves with waist +belts and primers, and the first with some other implements. But the +handling of one of these great guns is about as technical as a surgical +operation would be, and it would be quite impossible for the uninitiated +to understand it, though it is every-day work to the ordinary +man-of-war's-man. + +Prompted by the executive officer, who had been further instructed by +the captain, all the series of steps had been taken which put the piece +in readiness to be discharged, and all that remained to be done was to +adjust the aim, which is done by the first captain. At this time the +distance between the two ships had been considerably reduced. The +captain and the first lieutenant were closely watching the chase with +glasses. + +The crew of the Tallahatchie could be seen at work at the long gun, and +another shot from it was momentarily expected. The instant the bow of +the enemy began to swerve to port, the captain of the Bellevite gave the +order to put the helm to starboard. Almost at the same instant the enemy +stopped her screw, swung round and fired her long gun. The projectile +crashed through the bulwarks between the foremast and top-gallant +forecastle, wounding two men with the splinters which flew in every +direction. + +Dr. Linscott and his mates had established themselves in the cockpit, +to which the wounded are conveyed, in action, for treatment. The two men +who had been injured by the splinters were not disabled, and they were +ordered to report to the surgeon. Before the enemy could resume her +course, the captain of the pivot gun had caught his aim, and discharged +the Parrot. All hands watched for the result of the shot, and the +glasses of the captain and the first lieutenant were directed to the +chase. + +She was near enough now to be observed with the naked eye with tolerable +accuracy, and a shout went up from the men at the pivot gun, in which +the rest of the crew on deck joined, as they saw that the shot had +struck the midship gun of the enemy, or very near it; and this was the +point where old Blumenhoff, the captain of the gun, had been directed +to aim. He was a German, but he had served for twenty-one years in +the British navy, and had won a brilliant reputation in his present +position. + +It could not be immediately determined whether or not the Armstrong had +been disabled. The Tallahatchie had swung round again and resumed her +flight; but her commander must have realized by this time that he was +getting the worst of it. Paul Vapoor had not left his post in the engine +and fire room, to ascertain how the battle was going, but still plied +all his energies in driving the Bellevite to the utmost speed she could +possibly attain. The log was frequently heaved, and the last result had +been sent down to him by Midshipman Walters, and it was twenty-one +knots. + +During the next hour the long gun of the enemy was not again discharged, +and the officers of the loyal ship were assured that it had been +rendered useless by Blumenhoff's only shot. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE PROGRESS OF THE ACTION + + +The tremendous speed of the Bellevite had been telling with prodigious +effect upon the distance between the two steamers, which was now reduced +to not more than a mile and a half. Captain Rombold could not help +realizing by this time that the American-built vessel outsailed the +English-built. If the Trafalgar was good for twenty knots an hour, as +represented, she had hardly attained that speed, as Captain Breaker +judged by comparison with that of his own ship. + +The Armstrong gun was still silent and it was pretty well settled that +it had been disabled. In this connection Christy recalled something he +had read in Simpson about the "inability of the Armstrong gun to resist +impact," and he sent Midshipman Walters to bring the volume from his +state-room. When it came he found the place, and read that three shots +had been fired into one of them from a nine-pounder, either of which +would have been fatal to the piece; and the section described the effect +of each upon it. + +He showed the book open at the place to Captain Breaker; but he had read +it, and carried the whole matter in his mind. The gun quoted was weak, +though the one on the deck of the Tallahatchie was vastly larger; but a +correspondingly heavy force had been brought to bear upon it. + +"I am satisfied that the enemy's long gun has been disabled; and while +she continues the attempt to run away from us, she is unable to use her +broadside guns to advantage, for she cannot bring them to bear upon us +without coming to," said the commander. "But we are gaining at least a +knot and a half an hour on her, and she must soon change her tactics." + +"That is evident enough, sir," added Christy. + +"The captain of that ship is a brave fellow, and I am confident he will +fight as long as there is anything left of him," continued the captain +as he occasionally directed his glass at the chase. + +"He certainly will, sir, for I have seen his ship knocked out from under +him, when he had abundant excuse for hauling down his flag before he did +so; and we had hardly time on board of the Chateaugay to save his people +before his vessel went to the bottom," continued Christy. "More than +that, he is a gentleman and a scholar." + +"You have told me about him, Christy; and I believe you suggested to +Captain Chantor his best plan of action." + +"I simply indicated what I should do in his place, and he adopted the +method I mentioned," added Christy modestly. + +"We may find it advisable to resort to the same plan, though I must add +that it is by no means original with you. It was adopted in the war of +1812 with England." + +"I did not claim the method as original, and knew very well that it was +not so," replied the lieutenant. + +"The conditions on both sides must be favorable to the method or it +cannot be adopted. One of the ships must have heavier metal than the +other, so that she can knock her enemy to pieces at her leisure, and at +the same time greater speed, so that she can keep out of the reach of +guns of shorter range." + +"I am sorry I could not obtain more definite information in regard to +the broadside guns of the Tallahatchie," added Christy. "Bokes was a +stupid fellow, drunk whenever he could obtain liquor, and could remember +very little of what he heard on board of the steamer. But you have the +long range Parrot, and I have no doubt you can knock her to pieces in +your own time, since it has been demonstrated that we can outsail her." + +But at this moment the conversation was disturbed by the movement of the +chase, which appeared to be again preparing to come about. The commander +ordered the helm to be put to starboard to avoid being raked, and +directed that the pivot gun should be discharged at the enemy. The enemy +fired a broadside of three guns in quick succession, the solid shots +from all them striking the Bellevite between wind and water. The +carpenter's gang was hurried below to plug the shot holes. + +Blumenhoff secured his aim and fired; but this time he was less happy +than on the former occasion, and though the shot went between the masts, +no great damage appeared to be done. The enemy started her screw +immediately, and swung around so as to present her starboard broadside +before the Parrot could be made ready for another shot. The Tallahatchie +delivered another three shots, two of which went wide of the mark. The +third struck the carriage of the pivot gun, but fortunately it was not +disabled, for it had been built to resist a heavier ball than the one +which had struck it. + +The captain of the Bellevite gave the order to Christy to swing to the +ship, and give the enemy a broadside. The order was promptly executed as +the enemy came about and resumed her course to the southward, which was +certainly a very bad movement on her part. The four guns on the port +side, two sixties and two thirties, sent their solid shots over the +stern of the Tallahatchie. + +A moment later, as the fresh breeze carried away the smoke to the +north-east, the crew set up a lively cheer, for the mizzen mast of the +chase toppled over into the water, and the pilot house seemed to have +been knocked into splinters. + +"Well done!" exclaimed Captain Breaker, clapping his hands as he +faced the guns' crews on the port side, and Christy joined him in the +demonstration. + +The men of the division gave another lusty cheer in response to the +approval of the two chief officers. The captain had already ordered the +ship to be put about so as to deliver the starboard broadside, and the +other division of guns were impatient to have their chance at the enemy. + +Christy had clapped his hands with his spy-glass under his arm; and +when he had rendered his tribute of applause, he directed the instrument +to the enemy. A squad of men were at work over the ruins of the pilot +house, which was still forward, as the vessel had been built for a +pleasure yacht, and another gang were getting the extra wheel at the +stern ready for use. + +The Bellevite came about in obedience to the order Christy had given to +the quartermaster conning the wheel, and the guns on the starboard side +were all ready to deliver their messengers of death and destruction. + +"Aim at that extra wheel," said the captain; and Christy delivered the +order to the officers of the division. + +The broadside was of the same metal as on the port side, and the result +was looked for with even more interest than before. The appearance was +that all three shots had struck at or near the wheel at the stern, and +Christy promptly directed his glass to that part of the steamer, the +captain doing the same thing. + +"There is nothing of the wheel left in sight," said the lieutenant. +"The taffrail is knocked away, and at least one of those shots must have +knocked the captain's cabin into utter confusion." + +"Go ahead at full speed, Mr. Passford," said Captain Breaker, after he +had fully measured with his eye the damage done to the enemy. + +"Her steering gear seems to be entirely disabled, sir," continued +Christy, after he had given the order to the chief engineer. "She does +not appear to be able to come about, as no doubt she would if she could, +so as to bring her broadside guns to bear upon us." + +The order had been given before to load the broadside and pivot guns +with shells. The enemy had not started her screw for the reason that the +ship was unmanageable with her steering gear disabled. The action had +certainly gone against her; but she gave no indication that she was +ready to surrender for the Confederate flag, which had been hoisted at +the mainmast head when the mizzen was shot away, still floated in the +breeze. + +A gang of men were still at work where the extra wheel had been, and the +commander evidently expected he should be able to repair the damage in +some manner so that he could steer his ship. Captain Breaker gave the +command to stop the screw, and a mighty hissing and roaring of steam +followed when Christy transmitted it to the engine room. The order to +come about on the headway that remained succeeded, and the three shells +immediately exploded on the deck or in the hull of the enemy; but the +extent of the damage could not be estimated. + +The three from the starboard guns were next sent on their mission; but +so far as could be seen no damage was done. The big Parrot was next +discharged; but the expert captain of the gun was unfortunate this time, +for the projectile dropped into the water beyond the steamer, though it +seemed to pass very near the stern. For the next half hour the midship +piece was kept busy, and its shots made destructive work about the deck +of the Tallahatchie. + +"I think we had better finish this business at once, and before the +enemy has time to rig a new steering apparatus, Mr. Passford," said +Captain Breaker, as they came together on the quarter-deck. + +"I think we can knock her all to pieces with the Parrot gun, sir," +replied Christy. + +"But it might take all day to do that; and the Tallahatchie exhibits an +astonishing power of resistance. Besides, she will soon repair her extra +wheel, and have it ready for use. I am inclined to believe that we are +wasting time, which will make it all the worse for us in the end," +reasoned the commander. "I am prepared to board her, for I think she +must have lost a great many men." + +"No doubt of it, sir," added the lieutenant. + +"Lay her aboard on the port side, and have everything ready," continued +Captain Breaker. + +Christy gave the necessary orders for this decided action, and the +officers and the crew seemed to be delighted with the prospect of a +hand-to-hand fight with the enemy. The lieutenant was not wholly +confident that the commander was right in his reasoning, but like a +loyal officer and a true sailor who knows no duty but obedience, he +heartily supported his superior. He walked the deck in the discharge of +his duty; but he was thinking of something since the order to board had +been given. + +"Is there anything like a flank movement in boarding, Captain Breaker?" +he asked, as he halted at the side of the commander. + +"Of course the officers do their best to flank the enemy after they +reach the deck," replied the captain, looking with some astonishment at +the lieutenant. + +"I have reference to another sort of flanking," added the inquirer. + +"Of course in a squadron some of the ships may be ordered to operate in +that manner; but a single ship acting against another can hardly do any +flanking." + +"But I mean in boarding." + +"You had better explain yourself a little more definitely, for I do not +understand you," replied the commander with a puzzled expression on his +face. + +"We have one hundred and twenty men, with six absent on other duty," +continued the lieutenant. "Judging by what I learned from Bokes, +I believe the Tallahatchie has less than a hundred, for he said she +expected to recruit twenty or thirty men at Nassau. She has lost more +men so far than we have, sir." + +"Grant all that you say, and where does the flanking come in?" + +"Your order is to board on the port side of the enemy, which will bring +the starboard side of the Bellevite alongside of her. Suppose you put +twenty men or more into the launch, on the port side of the ship, where +it cannot be seen by the enemy, just before the order to board is given. +At the right time let this boat hurry to the starboard side of the +Tallahatchie, where the twenty men or more will board, and take the +enemy in the rear." + +The commander took off his cap and rubbed his bald head as if to +stimulate his ideas; but he made no answer then to the suggestion. + +Paul Vapoor was driving the engine to its utmost, and the ship was +rapidly approaching the enemy. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A FLANK MOVEMENT UNDERTAKEN + + +The commander of the enemy's ship could not know that the Bellevite +intended to board; but he could hardly help regarding with anxiety the +rapid progress she was making through the water. The loyal ship was +getting nearer to him, and Captain Rombold could not avoid seeing that +his situation was becoming desperate. It was absolutely necessary for +him to do something, unless he was ready to haul down his flag, which +Christy, for one, having been present at a battle with him, did not +expect him to do yet. + +The executive officer kept a close watch upon the enemy, frequently +using his glass, even while he was discussing his suggestion with the +captain. There was great activity on deck near the stern of the +Tallahatchie, and her commander must have been at least hopeful that +the steering apparatus could be restored to some degree of efficiency. +In the meantime he could not bring his broadside guns to bear on the +Bellevite for he was unable to come about. The Federal ship was headed +directly for the enemy, and as Captain Breaker was impatient to board, +he could not fire the Parrot or the broadside battery without losing +time to put his vessel in position for throwing shot or shell. + +"She is starting her screw again!" exclaimed Christy suddenly, as he +discovered the stirring up of the water astern of the enemy. + +"I see she is," added the commander. "She has not got her extra wheel in +position yet, and probably she has pried her tiller over, or hauled it +over with a purchase. Make the course west, Mr. Passford." + +Christy gave the order to the quartermaster, and without checking her +speed, the Bellevite described a quarter of a circle and came to the +desired course. The three guns of her port battery were immediately +discharged, loaded with shell as on the last occasion. One of them was +seen to explode in the midst of the gang of men who were at work on the +extra wheel. The other two burst in the air, too far off to do any +serious damage. + +Very slowly, and apparently with great difficulty, the Tallahatchie +swung around, so that her port guns could be brought to bear upon the +Bellevite, and the two ships were abreast of each other so that neither +could rake the other. The loyal ship continued on her course to the +westward, and in ten minutes she had made three miles and a half, which +placed her out of the reach of the broadside guns of the Tallahatchie. + +Christy did not abate his watchfulness over the movements of the enemy. +The shot from the sixty-pounder which had struck on the quarter of the +Confederate, had evidently created a great deal of confusion in that +part of the vessel. She had intended to describe a quarter of a circle +in order to render her port broadside guns available, but she had not +made more than the eighth of the circuit before she appeared to be going +ahead, and her direction was diagonal to that of the Bellevite. + +"What does that mean?" asked Christy of the commander who stood near +him, though he had a very decided opinion of his own on the subject. + +"It simply means that the last shot which struck her deranged whatever +expedient her captain had adopted for controlling the rudder," replied +the commander. "It failed when she was half round, and then she went +ahead." + +"She has stopped her screw again, sir," added the first lieutenant. + +"It is time for her to haul down her flag; but she does not seem to +be disposed to do it," continued Captain Breaker. "It is certainly a +hopeless case, and he ought to spare his men if not himself." + +"Captain Rombold is not one of that sort. Though he is a Briton, he is a +'last ditch' man." + +"Probably a very large majority of his ship's company are English, or +anything but Southern Americans, and he ought to have a proper regard +for them." + +"I think he must see some chance of redeeming himself and his ship, for +I never met a more high-toned and gentlemanly man in all my life, and I +don't believe he would sacrifice his people unless with a hope that he +considers a reasonable one." + +"Come about, Mr. Passford, and bear down on the enemy. Unless he works +his steering gear, we have her where she is utterly helpless," said the +commander. + +"I wonder she does not get a couple of her heaviest guns in position on +her quarter-deck, and use them as stern chasers," said Christy, after he +had obeyed the captain's order, and the Bellevite was again headed +directly for the enemy. + +"She appears to require all the space there for the work on her steering +appliances," replied Captain Breaker. "In ten minutes more I hope we +shall be able to board her; and I think we can then make very short work +of this business. About the flanking movement you propose, Mr. Passford, +I have never seen anything of the kind done, for most of my fighting +experience with blockade-runners has been at long range, though I was +in the navy during the Mexican war, where our operations were mostly +against fortifications and batteries." + +"I do not consider the plan practicable except under peculiar +circumstances, like the present," returned Christy. "I am confident +that we outnumber the enemy, and the men for the flank movement are +available." + +"If we were boarding in boats we should naturally attack both on the +starboard and port sides. But, Mr. Passford, the executive officer +cannot be spared to command the launch and its crew." + +"I was not thinking of commanding the flanking party myself, sir." + +"Neither can the officers of divisions be spared." + +"I think I can find a volunteer, not in the sailing department, who +would conduct the movement to a successful issue, Captain," added +Christy, very confidently. + +"Mr. Vapoor? But we cannot spare him from the engine room for a minute," +protested the commander, who was well aware that the chief engineer was +the lieutenant's especial crony. "That would not do at all." + +"I was not thinking of Mr. Vapoor, sir," interposed Christy. + +"Who, then?" demanded the commander, lowering his spy-glass to look into +the young man's face. + +"My associate in the expedition to Mobile Point, who did quite as much +as I did, if not more, to make it a success. I mean Mr. Graines, the +third assistant engineer. I know that he is a brave man and an officer +of excellent judgment," replied the lieutenant, with more enthusiasm +than he usually manifested when not in actual combat. + +"Very well, Mr. Passford; I give you the order to carry out your plan, +and I hope it will work to your satisfaction. But you must not take more +than twenty men," said the commander in conclusion of the whole matter. + +"Mr. Walbrook," called Christy without losing a moment in the +preparations for carrying out his scheme, which neither the captain nor +himself could say was an original idea. + +The station of the second lieutenant at quarters is on the forecastle, +and of the third in the waist, or the middle of the ship. The third +lieutenant stepped forward at the call of the executive officer, touched +his cap, for "the honors due the quarter-deck cannot be dispensed with," +even at exciting times. + +Christy gave him the order to cast loose the launch, and have it in +readiness to lower into the water at a moment's notice; and Mr. Walbrook +proceeded to obey it without delay. The first lieutenant then called Mr. +Walters, a midshipman, and directed him to give his compliments to Mr. +Vapoor, and ask him if he could spare the third assistant engineer for +special duty for a couple of hours, more or less. + +The messenger returned with the reply that the chief engineer would be +happy to detail Mr. Graines for special duty at once. In five minutes +more the assistant engineer appeared upon the quarter-deck in uniform, +and touched his cap to the executive officer. + +"I am directed to report to you, Mr. Passford, for special duty," added +Graines. + +"I wish you to assume this duty, Mr. Graines, as a volunteer, if at +all," replied Christy. "All the officers on deck are required at their +stations, and the commander has authorized what I call a flanking +movement, which I purpose to send out under your orders." + +"I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Passford, for the honor you do me +in selecting me for this duty; and I accept the position with pleasure," +answered the engineer, touching his cap again. + +"But this is a fighting position, Mr. Graines," added Christy with a +smile. + +"So much the better, sir; and if my education permitted, I should prefer +to be in the thickest of the fight rather than shut up in the engine +room," returned the engineer; and this was just the estimate the +lieutenant had made of him. + +He had been well educated; but he had learned the trade of a machinist, +and the want of any naval training rather than his own inclination had +driven him into the engine room. But he had been three years at sea as a +sailor, and came home as second mate of an Indiaman. + +Christy explained to him very fully the plan he had suggested, and +Graines readily grasped the idea. He provided himself with a cutlass and +revolver, and became very enthusiastic in the discharge of his special +duty. With the aid of the first lieutenant he selected the men for the +movement, though Christy would not permit the detail to consist of all +the best men, for that would not be fair or generous to the officers of +divisions. They were a fair average of the quality of the seamen. + +The Tallahatchie made an attempt to come about in order to make her +guns available; but for some unknown reason it appeared to be a failure, +for she presently stopped her screw again. The Bellevite was rapidly +approaching her, and her commander evidently realized that the loyal +ship intended to board, for he made his preparations to meet the +onslaught. + +Captain Rombold, in spite of his misfortune in the Dornoch the year +before, was inclined to disparage the bravery and skill of the officers +of the United States Navy, and to regard the seamen as inferior to those +of his own country, though he was too gentlemanly to express himself +directly to this effect. Christy had drawn this inference from what he +said in the conversations with him when Colonel Passford and he were +prisoners on board of the Chateaugay. + +Holding this view, as Christy was confident he did, it was plain from +his action that he expected, or at least hoped, to win a victory in the +hand-to-hand encounter which was impending. Of course it was possible +that he might do so, and come into possession of the Bellevite, winch +had outsailed him, and disabled his ship for a combat at longer range. + +As the Federal steamer drew near to the enemy a volley of musketry was +poured into her, which was promptly returned, and several of the crew on +both sides dropped to the deck, and were borne to the cockpit, though +the relative strength of each remained about as before, as nearly as the +officers on the quarter-deck of the Bellevite could judge. + +The speed of the attacking ship had been greatly reduced as she neared +the Tallahatchie, and the launch was already in the water with its crew +of twenty men on board. The crew of the latter were armed with all the +boarding weapons in use, and before the hands on deck had fastened to +the enemy, the flanking party were working their heavy craft around the +stern of the steamer. + +The loyal ship came in contact with the side of the Confederate. The +grappling irons were cast, and in an incredibly short space of time the +two vessels were firmly attached to each other. The supreme moment had +come, as all thought, but for some reason not apparent, the command to +board was withheld. Captain Breaker who stood on the quarter deck with +Christy, appeared to be perplexed. He saw that the seamen of the enemy +were drawn up on the starboard side, instead of at the port bulwarks. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE LIEUTENANT'S DARING EXPLOIT + + +Captain Breaker was perplexed when his ship came alongside the enemy and +was made fast to her, for things were not working according to the usual +rules made and provided for such occasions, and Captain Rombold was +evidently resorting to some unusual tactics. The two steamers were of +about the same height above water, so their decks were very nearly on a +level. + +The men with muskets on both sides were reloading their weapons, and +those with navy revolvers were discharging them at the enemy; but the +officers of divisions concealed their men behind the bulwarks when the +order to board did not come. + +Christy saw the perplexity of the commander at his side, and it was +evident to both of them that some unusual strategy was to be adopted, +and Captain Breaker did not intend to fall into a trap if he could avoid +it. They could see nothing that looked suspicious except the position of +the enemy's force on the starboard side of the ship. + +Before the captain could stop him, the first lieutenant had leaped into +the mizzen rigging, and ascended far enough to obtain a view of the +quarter deck over the bulwarks, while the commander walked aft far +enough to accomplish the same purpose by looking through the aperture +made by the shot which had carried away the wheel of the enemy, without +exposing himself to the fire of the seamen on board of her. + +Christy's action occupied but the fraction of a minute; but several +muskets and revolvers were discharged at him in this brief time. Letting +go his hold of the rigging, he dropped to the deck before the captain +could see what he was doing; and it was supposed that the daring officer +had been brought down by the shots fired at him. + +"Second division, follow me!" he cried, as he picked up the cutlass he +had dropped. + +About thirty men rushed to the quarter-deck, hurried on by Mr. Walbrook. +Christy leaped upon the rail, with the cutlass in his right hand, and +the revolver in his left, and dropped down upon the quarter deck of +the Tallahatchie, upon a squad of seamen who were lying low behind a +thirty-pounder, whose carriage was close to the bulwark, the piece +pointed forward. + +The first lieutenant had seen from his position in the mizzen rigging +the trap which had been set for the crew of the Bellevite. They were +expected to leap to the rail, and cut away the boarding nettings--not +always used, but were on this occasion--and then drop down to the deck. +The first command would naturally have been to "Repel boarders;" but +this was not given, and no fighting was to be done till the boarders +reached the ship, when the thirty-pounder, doubtless loaded with grape +or shrapnel, was to mow down the invaders of the deck. + +Christy's men poured down after him, and before the crew of the gun, who +had no doubt been ordered to conceal themselves, could get upon their +feet they were cut down by the impetuous tars from the Bellevite. It +was the work of but a moment. Christy had taken some pains to have the +opinion of Captain Rombold that American seamen were inferior to British +circulated, and the men evidently intended to prove that they were the +equals of any sailors afloat. + +"Swing the muzzle of the gun to starboard!" shouted Christy, as he took +hold with his own hands to point the piece, which was in position in a +moment. + +Captain Rombold stood but a short distance from the stump of the mizzen +mast with a cutlass in his hand. He rushed forward to rally his crew; +and he seemed to be rendered desperate by the failure of the scheme to +which he had resorted. At this moment Christy heard Captain Breaker +shout the order to board, and the men were springing to the rail, and +tearing away the boarding netting. + +"Stand by the lanyard!" cried the first lieutenant on the quarter-deck +of the enemy, and he had sighted the piece himself in the absence of any +regular gun crew. "Fire!" + +The cloud of smoke concealed all of the deck forward of the mizzen mast, +and Christy could not see what effect had been produced by the charge of +grape, or whatever it was. At any rate the men the commander had rallied +for a charge did not appear. + +The smoke was blown away in a minute or so, and the Bellevite's sailors +had made a lodgment on the deck of the enemy. They were led by the +officers of the divisions, and were rushing over to the starboard, where +the enemy's men had been concentrated. They were brave men, whether +English or not, and the moment they could see the boarders, they rushed +at them by command of their officers; but they pushed forward, as it +were, out of a heap of killed and wounded, those who had fallen by the +grape-shot intended to decimate the ranks of the loyal band. + +Christy rallied his men as soon as they had done their work in the +vicinity of the thirty-pounder, and ordered them to join their division +under the command of the third lieutenant. But the seamen on the part of +the Confederates seemed to be dispirited to some extent by the bad +beginning they had made, and by the heap of slain near them. Captain +Rombold lay upon the deck, propped up against the mizzen mast. He looked +as pale as death itself; but he was still directing the action, giving +orders to his first lieutenant. Two of his officers were near him, but +both of them appeared to be severely wounded. + +The battle was raging with fearful energy on the part of the loyal tars, +and with hardly less vigor on the part of the enemy, though the latter +fought in a sort of desperate silence. The wounded commander was doing +his best to reinspire them; but his speech was becoming feeble, and +perhaps did more to discourage than to strengthen them. + +At this stage of the action Graines, closely followed by his twenty men, +sprang over the starboard bulwarks, and fell upon the enemy in the rear. +Finding themselves between an enemy in front and rear, they could do no +more; for it was sure death to remain where they were, and they fled +precipitately to the forecastle. + +"Quarter!" shouted these men, and the same cry came from the other parts +of the deck. + +"Haul down the flag, Mr. Brookfield!" said the commander in a feeble +tone. + +The first lieutenant of the Tallahatchie, with his handkerchief tied +around his leg, directed a wounded quartermaster to strike the colors, +and three tremendous cheers from the victorious crew of the Bellevite +rent the air. Captain Breaker had come on board of the enemy, sword in +hand, and had conducted himself as bravely as the unfortunate commander +of the prize. + +The moment he saw Christy he rushed to him with both hands extended, and +with a smile upon his face. The four hands were interlocked, but not a +word was spoken for the feelings of both were too big for utterance. +A loyal quartermaster was ordered to hoist the American ensign over the +Confederate flag which had just been hauled down. + +The situation on board of the prize was so terrible that there was no +danger of an attempt to recapture the vessel, and immediate attention +was given to the care of the wounded, the survivors in each vessel +performing this duty under its own officers. + +Mr. Brookfield, the executive officer of the Tallahatchie, was wounded +in the leg below the knee, but he did not regard himself as disabled, +and superintended the work of caring for the sufferers. Mr. Hungerford, +the second lieutenant, appeared to be the only principal officer who had +escaped uninjured; while Mr. Lenwold, the third lieutenant, had his arm +in a sling in consequence of a wound received from a splinter in the +early part of the action. These gentlemen, who had seemed like demons +only a few minutes before, so earnest were they in the discharge of +their duties, were now as tender and devoted as so many women. + +Captain Breaker directed his own officers to return to the deck of the +Bellevite and provide for the wounded there; but they were few in number +compared with those strewed about the deck of the prize. While the +Confederate ship had been unable to discharge her guns, and the officers +were using their utmost exertions to repair the disabled steering +apparatus, the Bellevite had had a brief intermission of the din of +battle, during which the wounded had been carried below where the +surgeon and his mates had attended to their injuries. + +It was ascertained that only six men had been killed during the action, +and their silent forms had been laid out in the waist. Seventeen men +were in their berths in the hospital or on the tables of the surgeon, +eight of whom had been wounded by the muskets and revolvers of the enemy +as the ship came alongside the prize. Four others had just been borne to +the cockpit with wounds from pikes and cutlasses. + +The loss of the enemy was at least triple that of the Bellevite, a +large number of whom had fallen before the murderous discharge of the +thirty-pounder on the quarter-deck, which had been intended to decimate +the ranks of the loyal boarders; and, raking the column as the men +poured into the ship, it would probably have laid low more than one in +ten of the number. This was an original scheme of Captain Rombold; and +but for the coolness and deliberation of Captain Breaker, and the daring +of his chief officer, it must have been a terrible success. As it was, +the Confederate commander, who was the only foreign officer on board, +"had been hoisted by his own petard." + +Christy had done all that required his attention on board of the +Bellevite, and he paid another visit to the deck of the Tallahatchie, +where he desired to obtain some information which would enable him the +better to understand the action which had just been fought. He was +especially anxious to ascertain the condition of the Armstrong gun which +had been disabled by the first shot of Blumenhoff with the midship +Parrot. As he went on deck, he saw Captain Rombold, seated in an +arm-chair his cabin steward had brought up for him, with his right +leg resting on a camp stool. + +"Good-morning, Mr. Passford," said the wounded commander, with a slight +smile on his pale face. "_Comment allez-vous ce matin?_" (How do you do +this morning?) + +"_Tres bien, Monsieur le capitaine. Je suis bien fache que vous etes +blesse._ (Very well, Captain. I am very sorry that you are wounded.) You +need the attention of the surgeon, sir," replied the loyal officer. + +"I take my turn with my men, Mr. Passford, and my officers do the same. +The fortune of war is with you again, and I congratulate you on the +success which has attended you. I saw that it was you who upset my plan +for receiving your boarders. I was confident, with that device of mine, +I should be able to beat off your boarders, and I intended to carry your +deck by boarding you in turn. I think your commander can give you the +credit of winning the victory for the Bellevite in his despatches; for +I should have killed more of your men with that thirty-pounder than you +did of mine, for I should have raked the column. You saved the day for +the United States when you ran up the mizzen rigging and unmasked my +battery. You are a gentleman and a magnanimous enemy, Mr. Passford, and +I congratulate you on your promotion, which is sure to come. But you +look pale this morning." + +"One of your revolvers had very nearly pinked me when I was in the +rigging; for the ball passed between my arm and my side, and took out +a piece of the former, Captain Rombold," replied Christy, who was +beginning to feel languid from the loss of blood, for the drops of red +fluid were dropping from the ends of his fingers. "But you exaggerate +the service I rendered; for Captain Breaker, suspecting something from +the position in which your men were drawn up, had dropped a hawser port, +and intended to look through the aperture made by one of our solid +shots. He would have discovered your trap." + +"He could not have seen the gun or the men." At that moment Christy sank +down upon the deck. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A MAGNANIMOUS ENEMY + + +It had not occurred to Christy Passford before Captain Rombold mentioned +it that his daring exploit had in any especial manner assisted in the +final and glorious result of the action. He was confident that, if he +had not unmasked the plan of the Confederate commander, Captain Breaker +would have discovered it, and perhaps had already done so when, without +any order, he had impetuously leaped over the rail, followed by a +portion of the second division, urged forward by lieutenant Walbrook, +to capture the gun before it could be discharged. + +He realized, as the thought flashed through his brain like a bolt of +lightning, that the Confederate commander's scheme must be counteracted +on the instant, or Captain Breaker might give the command to board, for +which the impatient seamen on his deck were waiting. He had accomplished +his purpose in a few seconds; and the enemy's force, huddled together on +the starboard side, were suddenly piled up in a heap on the planks, +weltering in their gore, and a large proportion of them killed. + +Captain Rombold was standing abreast of the stump of his mizzen mast +observing the whole affair, and he had a better opportunity to observe +it than any other person on the deck of either ship. He had ordered up +his men to receive the boarders on the quarter-deck when the gun was +discharged, and before he believed it could be done. Christy had only to +reverse the direction of the carriage, hastily sight the piece, and pull +the lanyard. The missiles with which the thirty-pounder was loaded cut +down the advancing column, rushing to obey their commander's order, and +then carried death and destruction into the crowd of seamen in their +rear. + +"Good Heavens, Mr. Passford!" exclaimed the Confederate commander, +rising with difficulty from his seat. "You are badly wounded!" + +"Not badly, Captain Rombold," replied the young officer, gathering up +his remaining strength, and resting his right arm upon the planks. + +"But my dear fellow, you are bleeding to death, and the blood is running +in a stream from the ends of the fingers on your left hand!" continued +the Confederate commander, apparently as full of sympathy and kindness +as though the sufferer had been one of his own officers. "Gill!" he +called to his steward, who was assisting in the removal of the injured +seamen. "My compliments to Dr. Davidson, and ask him to come on deck +instantly." + +Christy had hardly noticed the ball which passed through the fleshy part +of his arm above the elbow at the time it struck him. While he kept the +wounded member raised the blood was absorbed by his clothing. It had +been painful from the first; but the degree of fortitude with which a +wounded person in battle endures suffering amounting to agony is almost +incredible. So many had been killed, and so many had lost legs and arms +on both sides, that it seemed weak and pusillanimous to complain, or +even mention what he regarded as only a slight wound. + +"This is the executive officer of the Bellevite, Dr. Davidson," said +Captain Rombold when the surgeon appeared, not three minutes after he +had been sent for. "But he is a gentleman in every sense of the word, +and the bravest of the brave. It was he who defeated my scheme; but I +admire and respect him. Attend to him at once, doctor." + +"If he saved the day for the Yankees, it is a pity that his wound +had not killed him," added the surgeon, with a pleasant smile on his +handsome face. "But that is taking the patriotic rather than the humane +view of his case." + +"It would have been better for us, and especially for me, if he had been +killed; but I am sincerely glad that he was not," added the commander. + +"Thank you, Captain Rombold," said Christy. "You are the most +magnanimous of enemies, and it is a pleasure to fight such men as you +are." + +"Good-morning, Mr. Passford," continued Dr. Davidson, as he took the +right hand of the patient. "I like to serve a brave man, on whichever +side he fights, when the action is finished." + +"You are very kind, doctor," added Christy faintly. + +With the assistance of Gill, the surgeon removed the coat of the +lieutenant, and tore off the shirt from the wounded arm. + +"Not a bad wound at all, Mr. Passford," said Dr. Davidson, after he had +examined it. "But it has been too long neglected, and it would not have +given you half the trouble if you had taken it to your surgeon as soon +as the action was decided. You have lost some blood, and that makes you +faint. You will have to lie in your berth a few days, which might have +been spared to you if you had had it attended to sooner." + +The doctor sent for needed articles; and as soon as Gill brought them +he dressed the wound, after giving the patient a restorative which made +him feel much better. While the surgeon was still at work on his arm, +Captain Breaker rushed in desperate haste to the scene of operations, +for some one had informed him that the surgeon of the Tallahatchie was +dressing a wound on his executive officer. + +"Merciful Heaven, Mr. Passford!" exclaimed the loyal commander. "Are you +wounded?" + +"Nothing but a scratch in the arm, Captain. Don't bother about me," +replied Christy, whose spirits had been built up by the medicine Dr. +Davidson had given him; but he did not know that it was half brandy, the +odor of which was disguised by the mixture of some other ingredient. + +"I did not know that you were wounded, my dear boy," said his commander +tenderly; so tenderly that the patient could hardly restrain the tears +which were struggling for an outflow. + +"Mr. Watts," called Captain Breaker to the chief steward of the +Bellevite, who happened to be the first person he saw on the deck of his +own ship. + +"On deck, Captain," replied the steward, touching his cap to the +commander. + +"My compliments to Dr. Linscott, and ask him to come to the deck of the +prize without any delay," added the captain. + +Such a message implied an emergency; and the surgeon of the Bellevite, +who was a man well along in years, hastened with all the speed he could +command to the place indicated. The captain, who had heard the name of +the Confederate medical officer, introduced his own surgeon, with an +apology for summoning him. + +"My executive officer, the patient in your hands, is the son of my best +friend on earth, for whom I sailed for years before the war, and I hope +you will pardon my great anxiety for your patient, Dr. Davidson," +said he. + +"The most natural thing in the world, Captain Breaker, and no apology or +explanation is necessary," politely added the Confederate surgeon, as he +and Dr. Linscott shook hands. "My patient is not severely wounded; but I +should be happy to have you examine his injury. It was too long +neglected, and he is rather weak from the loss of blood." + +"Mr. Passford was too proud a young man to mention his wound or to call +upon the surgeon of his ship; but I was determined that he should no +longer be neglected," interposed Captain Rombold. + +Christy was aware that the two commanders had never met before, and he +introduced them while Dr. Linscott was examining his arm. They were both +brave and noble men, and each received the other in the politest and +most gentlemanly manner. It was evident to all who witnessed the +interview that they met with mutual respect, though half an hour before +they had been engaged in a desperate fight the one against the other. +But enemies can be magnanimous to each other without any sacrifice of +their principles on either side. + +"I thank you most heartily, Captain Rombold, for your kindness to my +principal officer; and if the opportunity is ever presented to me, +I shall reciprocate to the extent of my ability," continued Captain +Breaker. "You have been more than magnanimous; you have been a +self-sacrificing Christian, for you have required your surgeon to +bind up the wound of an enemy before he assuaged your own. This is +Christianity in war; and I shall strive to emulate your noble example." + +"You are extremely considerate, Captain; and we are friends till +the demands of duty require us to become technical enemies on the +quarter-deck each of his own ship," said Captain Rombold, as he grasped +the hand of the loyal commander. + +"I heartily approve of the treatment of my friend Dr. Davidson, and +fully indorse his opinion that the wound of Mr. Passford is not a +dangerous or very severe one," interposed Dr. Linscott. "I agree with +him that the patient had better spend a couple of days or more in his +berth." + +The Confederate surgeon had finished the dressing of Christy's wound, +and he was in a hurry to return to his duty in the cockpit. He shook +hands with Dr. Linscott, and both of them hastened to their posts. The +patient had been seated on a bench, and Captain Rombold had returned to +his former position. He had tied his handkerchief around his thigh, and +both of them appeared to be very comfortable. + +"Well, Mr. Passford, if you are ready to return to the Bellevite, I will +assist you to the ward room," said Captain Breaker. + +"Excuse me, Captain, if I detain you a few minutes, for I desire to +settle a point in dispute between Mr. Passford and myself, though it is +doubtless his extreme modesty which creates this difference between us," +interposed the Confederate commander. + +He proceeded to state his view of the exploit of Christy, by which he +had rendered inutile the scheme to slaughter the loyal boarders. + +"I was absolutely delighted, Captain Breaker, when I realized that you +intended to board the Tallahatchie." he continued. "I was confident that +I should defeat your boarders, and board and carry your deck in my turn. +I have not yet changed my view of the situation. You can judge of my +consternation when I saw Mr. Passford leap into the mizzen rigging with +the agility of a cat, and especially when the order to board my ship was +withheld." + +"Mr. Passford acted without orders, for I should hardly have sent him +into the rigging while we were alongside, for it was almost sure death, +for your men, armed with muskets and revolvers, were all looking for the +firing of the thirty-pounder," added Captain Breaker. + +"He was as nimble as a cat, and it seemed to me that he was twice as +quick. But all he needed to unearth my scheme was a single glance at +the gun and its crew on the quarter-deck. In the twinkling of an eye he +dropped to the deck, called his boarders, and leaped over the rail into +our midst. It was the most daring and quickly executed manoeuvre I ever +observed," continued the Confederate commander with enthusiasm. + +"I quite agree with you, Captain Rombold," replied Captain Breaker, +as he looked with an affectionate expression upon the pale face of the +patient. + +"Now, Mr. Passford chooses to regard his brilliant exploit as a matter +of little consequence, for he declares that you had discovered, or would +have discovered, my plan to annihilate your boarders." + +"Mr. Passford is entirely in the wrong so far as I am concerned," +protested Captain Breaker with a good deal of earnestness. "To make the +matter clear, I will explain my own actions. When the Bellevite ranged +alongside the Tallahatchie, everything was in readiness for boarding. +I was about to give the order to do this when I discovered that the crew +of your ship were drawn up on the starboard side, instead of the port, +and it suggested to me that something was wrong, and I withheld the +command. In order to obtain more information, I went further aft, where +I hoped to get a view of a portion of the deck of your ship. I had +raised a hawser port with the assistance of a quartermaster; but I could +see only the wreck of your spare wheel. At this moment Mr. Passford was +in the mizzen rigging. He did all; I did nothing." + +"I hope your report of the action will do him full justice, for he +deserves promotion," added Captain Rombold. + +"My admiration of the conduct of Mr. Passford is equal to yours." + +They separated after some further conversation, and her commander and +Christy returned to the Bellevite. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE REIGN OF CHRISTIANITY + + +Captain Breaker took Christy by his right arm to support him as they +returned to the deck of the Bellevite, and to assist him over the +bulwarks. The wounded had all been cared for, and the crew were swabbing +up the deck; but the moment they discovered the captain and the +executive officer on the rail, they suspended their labor and all eyes +were fixed upon the latter. + +"Three cheers for Mr. Passford!" shouted the quartermaster who had been +at the wheel when Christy sprang into the mizzen rigging. + +Three heartier cheers were never given on the deck of any ship than +those which greeted the hero of the action as he appeared on the rail. +Not satisfied with this demonstration, they all swung their caps, and +then gave two volleys more. There was not a man that did not take part +in this triple salute, and even the officers joined with the seamen in +this tribute. + +"I hope Mr. Passford is not badly wounded, sir," said Quartermaster +Thompson, touching his cap most respectfully. "And I speak for the whole +ship's company, sir." + +"Mr. Passford is not very severely wounded, Thompson," replied the +commander, while Christy was acknowledging the salute. "He did not +mention the fact that he was hurt, and lost more blood than was +necessary, so that he is very weak." + +The quartermaster reported the answer of the captain to the ship's +company, whereupon they gave three more cheers, as Christy and his +supporter descended to the deck; and the hero acknowledged the salute. +At the companion they encountered Dr. Linscott, who had just come on +deck from the cockpit. Graines was standing near, waiting for an +opportunity to speak to his late associate in the expedition. + +"You gave us a bad fright, Mr. Passford," said the surgeon, as he took +the right hand of the wounded officer. "But you will do very well now. +I have something here which will keep you comfortable;" and he proceeded +to place the left arm in a sling, which he adjusted with great care, +passing a band from it around his body so as to prevent the member from +swinging, or otherwise getting out of position. + +"Is it necessary that I should take to my berth, Dr. Linscott?" asked +the patient. "I am feeling very nicely now; and since my arm was dressed +it gives me very little pain." + +"Dr. Davidson ordered you to your berth because you were so weak you +could not stand," replied the surgeon. + +"But I have got over that, and I feel stronger now." + +"We will see about that later, Mr. Passford. Captain Breaker, all our +wounded except a few light cases, which my mates can treat as well as I +can, are disposed of," added the doctor. + +"I am very glad to hear it," replied the captain. + +"May I stay on deck, doctor?" asked Christy, who did not like the idea +of being shut up in his stateroom while the arrangements for the +disposal of the prize were in progress. + +"You may for the present if you feel able to do so," answered the +surgeon. "But you must have a berth-sack or an easy chair on deck, and +keep very quiet." + +"Punch!" called the commander; and this was the name of the cabin +steward, who was not, however, as bibulous as his surname indicated. +"Pass the word for Punch." + +The steward, like everybody else on board able to be there, was on deck, +and immediately presented himself. + +"Bring up the large easy-chair at my desk, and place it abreast of the +mizzen mast," added the commander. + +Something else called off the attention of Captain Breaker at this +moment, and the surgeon remained in conversation till Punch reported the +chair in position. Dr. Linscott conducted Christy to it, and adjusted +him comfortably, sending for a blanket to cover his lower limbs. The +captain soon returned, and saw that the patient was easy in a position +where he could see all that transpired on the deck. + +"As you have finished your duties on board of the Bellevite, I desire to +reciprocate the kindness of Captain Rombold in attending to Mr. Passford +when perhaps he needed the attention of his own surgeon more than our +patient, and I desire to have you dress the Confederate commander's +wound," said Captain Breaker. + +"With all my heart!" exclaimed the surgeon earnestly. "I will be with +you in a moment, as soon as I procure my material;" and he hurried +below. + +"You will find me with Captain Rombold," added the commander, as he +hastened to the deck of the prize. + +"I am glad to see you again, Captain Breaker," said the Confederate +chief very politely. + +"I have come to tender the services of our surgeon, who has disposed +of all our seriously injured men, to dress your wound, in the first +instance, for I fear you were more in need of such assistance than my +officer when you so magnanimously called Dr. Davidson to dress Mr. +Passford's wound. He will be here in a few minutes," returned Captain +Breaker, proceeding to business at once. + +"I am exceedingly obliged to you, Captain, for I am beginning to feel +the necessity of attending to my wound. The thirty-pounder, which was +to have reduced the ranks of your crew by one-half, as I am assured it +would have done, made terrible havoc among my own men. In addition to +the dead who have already been committed to the deep, we have a great +number wounded," replied Captain Rombold. "The cockpit is full, and I +have given up my cabin to the surgeon, who is extremely busy. I accept +the services of Dr. Linscott very gratefully." + +"He is extremely happy to serve you." + +By this time the surgeon of the Bellevite appeared with one of his +mates, and some pleasant words passed between him and his new patient. + +"Now, where is your wound, Captain Rombold?" asked Dr. Linscott. + +"In the right thigh," replied the patient; and the bullet hole in his +trousers indicated the precise spot. + +"It will be necessary to remove your clothing, Captain," continued the +surgeon. + +"My cabin is already turned into a hospital, and Dr. Davidson is hard +at work there," replied the patient. "I shall have to send for a +berth-sack, and let you operate on deck, for"-- + +"My cabin is entirely at your service, Captain Rombold," interposed +the commander of the Bellevite. "It will afford me the very greatest +pleasure in the world to give it up to you." + +"Oh, no, Captain!" exclaimed the sufferer, as he really was by this +time. "That is too great a sacrifice." + +"Not at all; do me the very great favor to accept the use of my cabin," +persisted Captain Breaker. "How shall we move him, doctor?" + +"Call four of your men; we will carry him to your cabin in his chair, +just as he sits; and we can do it without incommoding him at all," +answered Dr. Linscott, as he sent his mate to call the men required. + +"Really, Captain,"--the sufferer began, but rather faintly. + +"The surgeon thinks you had better not talk any more, Captain Rombold," +interposed the commander. "Here are the men, and we will handle you as +tenderly as an infant." + +"You are as kind as the mother of the infant," added the sufferer with a +slight smile; but he made no further opposition. + +The four men lifted the chair, and the doctor instructed them how to +carry it. The Bellevite had been moved aft a little so as to bring the +gangways of the two ships abreast of each other. The commander was so +interested and so full of sympathy for his injured enemy, now a friend, +that he could not refrain from assisting with his own hands, and he +directed the operations of the seamen when they came to the steps. They +lifted the chair down to the deck of the ship, and then it was borne to +the captain's cabin. + +The wounded commander was placed in the broad berth of the cabin, and +the seamen sent on deck. Dr. Linscott, with the assistance of his mate, +proceeded to remove the clothing of the patient, Captain Breaker aiding +as he would hardly have thought of doing if the sufferer had been one of +his own officers. The injury proved to be of about the same character as +that of Christy; it was a flesh wound, but the ball had ploughed deeper +than in his case, and was therefore severe. A stimulating remedy was +given to the patient, and the doctor dressed the wound with the utmost +care, as he always did, whether the patient was a commander or a +coal-heaver from the bunkers. + +The sufferer had revived somewhat under the influence of the medicine +administered; and after taking the hand of Captain Rombold, with a +hearty wish for his early recovery, the captain of the Bellevite took +his leave, and went on deck. + +He proceeded first to the chair of the wounded lieutenant, reporting to +him the condition of the Confederate commander. Christy was extremely +glad to hear so favorable a report of the condition of the patient, and +so expressed himself in the heartiest terms. "Federal" and "Confederate" +seemed to be words without any meaning at the present time, for all had +become friends. The officers were vying with each other in rendering +kindly offices to the vanquished, and even the seamen were doing what +they could to fraternize with the crew of the Tallahatchie, while both +were engaged in removing the evidences of the hard-fought action. + +It was now only nine o'clock in the morning, and six hours had elapsed +since the prize, with the West Wind in tow, had sailed from Mobile +Point on what had proved to be her last voyage in the service of the +Confederacy. Events had succeeded each other with great rapidity, as it +may require a whole volume to report in detail a naval battle begun and +ended in the short space of an hour. + +The men were piped to breakfast; and during the meal there was an +interchange of good feeling when it was found that the crew of the +Tallahatchie had only a short supply of coffee and bread, intending to +supply these articles at Nassau. The loyal tars were as magnanimous as +the officers of both ships had proved themselves to be; and they passed +the needed articles over the rails, till they exhausted their own +supply, hungry as they were after six hours of active duty. The +commander discovered what his men were doing; and he ordered the rations +to be doubled, besides sending a quantity of ship bread and coffee on +board of the prize. War had mantled his savage front, and Christianity +was presiding over the conduct of those who had so recently been the +most determined enemies. + +There was something forward of the foremast to remind all who approached +of the battle which had been fought. It was a spare sail which covered +the silent and motionless forms of those whose loyalty to their country +had led them through the gates of death to "the undiscovered country, +from whose bourn no traveller returns," but whose fadeless record is +inscribed in the hearts of a grateful nation. + +During or after a severe action on board a ship of war, the dead are +usually disposed of with but little or no ceremony, as the exigency of +the hour may require, as had been done on board of the prize. But +Captain Breaker was more considerate, as the conditions permitted him to +be; and the killed had been sewed up in hammocks, properly weighted. + +"All hands to bury the dead;" piped the boatswain of the Bellevite, when +breakfast was finished. + +By this time the deck had been cleaned up, and dried off under the warm +sun which had dissipated the fog and the morning mists. The bodies of +the slain had been previously placed at the port gangway, covered with +the American flag. The seamen removed their caps, the commander read the +service, and the bodies were committed to the deep. The officers and +seamen witnessed the ceremony with uncovered heads, and in reverent +silence. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +COLONEL HOMER PASSFORD OF GLENFIELD + + +As soon as the battle on the deck of the Tallahatchie had been decided, +Graines, in command of the flanking party, had returned to the engine +room of the Bellevite. He and his men had fought bravely and effectively +in the action, though the full effect of the movement under his charge +could not be realized in the change of circumstances. The engine of the +ship had now cooled off, and Paul Vapoor hastened to the deck to see his +friend and crony, the news of whose wound had been conveyed to the +engine room in due time. + +He was heartily rejoiced to find that it was no worse, and he had news +for the patient. Just before the burial of the dead he had been sent by +the commander to examine and report upon the condition of the engine of +the prize. Captain Rombold had protected it with chain cables dropped +over the side, so that it remained uninjured, and the British engineers +declared that it was in perfect working order. + +"But whom do you suppose I saw on board the prize, Christy?" asked the +chief engineer, after he had incidentally stated the condition of the +engine. + +"I cannot guess; but it may have been my cousin Corny Passford, though +he has always been in the military service of the Confederacy," replied +the wounded lieutenant. + +"It was not Corny, but his father," added Paul. + +"His father!" exclaimed Christy. "Uncle Homer Passford?" + +"It was he; I know him well, for I used to meet him at Glenfield in +other days. I am as familiar with his face as with that of your father, +though I have not seen either of them for over three years." + +"Where was he? What was he doing?" asked Christy curiously. + +"He was just coming up from below; and Mr. Hungerford, the second +lieutenant, told me he had been turned out of the captain's cabin, which +had been made into a hospital for the wounded," added Paul. "I had no +opportunity to speak to him, for he averted his gaze and moved off in +another direction as soon as he saw me. He looked pale and thin, as +though he had recently been very sick." + +"Poor Uncle Homer!" exclaimed the lieutenant. "He has been very +unfortunate. The last time I saw him, I conducted him to my father's +place at Bonnydale, after he had been a prisoner on board of the +Chateaugay. He was on parole then, and I suppose he and Captain Rombold +were both exchanged." + +"Doubtless he will tell you all about it when you see him, as you will +soon." + +"He had his eyes opened when he passed through New York City with me, +for he did not find the grass growing in the streets, as he had +expected, in spite of all I had said to him at sea. He was astonished +and confounded when he found business more lively than ever before +there; but he remained as virulent a rebel as ever; and I am sure he +regards it as a pious duty to stand by the Southern Confederacy as long +as there is anything left of it. I know no man more sincerely religious +than Uncle Homer." + +"He is as good a man as ever walked the earth," added Paul heartily. + +"For his sake, if for no other reason, I shall rejoice when this war is +over," said Christy, with a very sad expression on his pale face. + +"Was Mr. Graines of any use to you on deck, Christy?" asked the chief +engineer, as he turned to take his leave. + +"He behaved himself like a loyal officer, and fought like a tiger on the +deck of the Tallahatchie. I shall give a very good report of him to the +captain for his conduct in the action, and for his valuable services in +the expedition last night. I did not over-estimate him when I selected +him for both of the positions to which he was appointed." + +"He wants to see you, and I told him he should come on deck when I +returned," added Paul, as he took the hand of Christy and retired. + +"How do you feel now, Mr. Passford?" asked Captain Breaker, coming to +his side the moment the chief engineer left him. + +"I feel quite weak, but my arm does not bother me much. The Confederate +surgeon did a good job when he dressed it," replied Christy with a +smile. + +"I will get him to send you a second dose of the restorative that +strengthened you before," said the commander, as he pencilled a note, +which he tore out of his memorandum book, and sent it by Punch to Dr. +Davidson. + +"Mr. Vapoor brought me a piece of news, Captain," continued Christy. +"Uncle Homer Passford is on board of the Tallahatchie." + +"Your uncle!" exclaimed the commander. "I supposed he was still on +parole at the house of your father." + +"I did not know to the contrary myself, for I have had no letter from my +father for a long time. He and Captain Rombold must have been exchanged +some time ago. Mr. Vapoor says my uncle looks pale and thin, as though +he had recently been very sick." + +"I am very sorry for him, for he was the equal of your father in every +respect, except his loyalty to his true country," added the captain. + +"Poor Uncle Homer!" exclaimed Christy, as he wiped a tear from his eye. +"He was the guest of Captain Rombold; but he has been turned out of his +cabin to make room for the wounded." + +"Dr. Linscott with his two mates has gone to the assistance of Dr. +Davidson, whose hands are more than full, and perhaps he will see your +uncle. Where is he now?" inquired the captain. + +"Mr. Vapoor saw him on the deck, but he did not speak to him, for Uncle +Homer avoided him. The ward room of the prize has at least two wounded +officers in it, and I don't know how many more, so that my poor uncle +has no place to lay his head if he is sick," said Christy, full of +sympathy for his father's brother. + +"That will never do!" exclaimed the commander bruskly. "He shall have a +place to lay his head, sick or well. Captain Rombold occupies one of the +staterooms in my cabin, and your uncle shall have the other." + +"But where will you berth, captain?" demanded Christy. + +"No matter where! I will go and find your uncle at once;" and Christy +saw him next mounting the gangway steps. + +The commander had no difficulty in finding the gentleman he sought; for +he was wandering about the deck of the prize, and no one seemed to take +any notice of him. He had been the honored guest of Captain Rombold, +though he had hardly shown himself on deck since the steamer left +Mobile, and few of the ship's company seemed to know who he was. + +"Good-morning, Colonel Passford," said Captain Breaker, as he confronted +him in the midst of the ruins of the spare wheel, the wrecks of the +mizzen mast, and the bulwarks on the quarterdeck. + +"Good-morning, Captain Breaker," replied the planter, taking the offered +hand of the commander, with a feeble effort to smile. "Of course I knew +that you were near, for you have given abundant proofs of your presence +on board of this vessel." + +"But we meet now as friends, and not as enemies. I know that you have +done your duty to your country as you understand it, and I have done the +same," continued the commander, still holding the hand of the colonel. + +"You have been very kind to Captain Rombold, Gill informs me, and"-- + +"He set the example for me, and I have striven to follow it," interposed +the captain. "But his generosity was first exercised in behalf of your +nephew, Christy." + +"The steward informed me that Christy had been wounded; and Captain +Rombold assured me that the Tallahatchie was captured in consequence of +a very daring act on the part of my nephew," added the planter. + +"I should not state it quite so strongly as that, though his action +certainly enabled us to capture the ship sooner, and with less loss on +our part than would otherwise have been the case. As to the ultimate +result of the battle, Captain Rombold and myself would disagree. But +with your assent, Colonel Passford, I think we had better cease to +discuss the action, which is now an event of the past. I am informed +that you have been compelled to leave the captain's cabin." + +"And I cannot find a resting place in the ward room or steerage," added +the planter. + +"I have come on board of the prize to invite you to share my cabin with +Captain Rombold, for I have two staterooms," said Captain Breaker, +suddenly changing the subject of conversation. + +"You are very kind, my dear sir; but your arrangement would incommode +yourself," suggested the colonel. + +"My cabin is quite large, and I shall be able to make ample +accommodations for myself," persisted the commander, as he took the arm +of the planter. "Permit me to conduct you to your new quarters." + +"As I am once more a prisoner"-- + +"Hardly," interposed the captain, as he led the planter to the gangway, +"I shall regard you as a non-combatant, at least for the present; and I +desire only to make you comfortable. The flag-officer must decide upon +your status." + +Colonel Passford allowed himself to be conducted to the deck of the +Bellevite; and he was no stranger on board of the ship, for when she +was a yacht he had made several excursions in her in company with his +family. The first person he observed was his nephew, seated in his +arm-chair where he could overlook all that took place on the deck. He +hastened to him, detaching his arm from the hand of the captain, and +gave him an affectionate greeting. + +"I was very sorry to learn that you were wounded, Christy," said he, +holding the right hand of the young officer. + +"Not badly wounded, Uncle Homer," replied Christy. "I hope you are +well." + +"I am not very well, though I do not call myself sick. Have you heard +from your father lately, Christy?" asked his uncle. + +"Not for a long time, for no store-ship or other vessel has come to our +squadron for several months, though we are waiting for a vessel at the +present time. You look very pale and thin, Uncle Homer." + +"Perhaps I look worse than I feel," replied the planter with a faint +smile. "But I have suffered a great deal of anxiety lately." + +"Excuse me, Colonel Passford, but if you will allow me to install you in +your stateroom, you will have abundance of time to talk with your nephew +afterwards," interposed Captain Breaker, who was very busy. + +"Certainly, Captain; pardon me for detaining you. I am a prisoner, +and I shall need my trunk, which is in my stateroom on board of the +Tallahatchie. Gill will bring it on board if you send word to him to do +so," replied the colonel. + +He followed the captain to his cabin. The door of the Confederate +commander's room was open, and the planter exchanged a few words with +him. He was shown to the other stateroom, and Punch was ordered to do +all that he could for the comfort of the passenger. Captain Breaker +spoke a few pleasant words with the wounded commander, and then hastened +on deck. + +Mr. Ballard, the second lieutenant, had again been duly installed as +temporary executive officer; Mr. Walbrook had been moved up, and Mr. +Bostwick, master, had become third lieutenant. As usual, the engineers +were Englishmen, who had come over in the Trafalgar, as well as the +greater part of the crew, though the other officers were Southern +gentlemen who had "retired" from the United States Navy. The foreigners +were willing to remain in the engine room, and promised to do their duty +faithfully as long as their wages were paid; but Leon Bolter, the first +assistant engineer of the Bellevite, was sent on board of the prize to +insure their fidelity. + +Ensigns Palmer Drake and Richard Leyton, who were serving on board of +the steamer while waiting for positions, were sent to the Tallahatchie, +the first named as prizemaster, and the other as his first officer, with +a prize crew of twenty men, and the two steamers got under way. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A VERY MELANCHOLY CONFEDERATE + + +Notwithstanding his military title, Colonel Homer Passford was not a +soldier, though he had once been a sort of honorary head of a regiment +of militia. His brother, Captain Horatio Passford, Christy's father, was +a millionaire in the tenth degree. More than twenty years before the war +he had assisted Homer to all the money he required to buy a plantation +in Alabama, near Mobile, where he had prospered exceedingly, though his +possessions had never been a tenth part of those of his wealthy brother. + +Homer had married in the South, and was the father of a son and +daughter, now approaching their maturity, and Corny, the son, was a +soldier in the Confederate army. The most affectionate relations had +always subsisted between the two families; and before the war the +Bellevite had always visited Glenfield, the plantation of the colonel, +at least twice a year. + +Florry Passford, the captain's daughter, being somewhat out of health, +had passed the winter before the beginning of the war at Glenfield, and +was there when the enemy's guns opened upon Fort Sumter. Captain +Passford had not supposed that his brother in Alabama would take part +with the South in the Rebellion, and with great difficulty and risk he +had gone to Glenfield in the Bellevite, for the purpose of conveying his +daughter to his home at Bonnydale on the Hudson, not doubting that Homer +and his family would be his passengers on the return to the North. + +He was entirely mistaken in regard to the political sentiments of the +colonel, and found that he was one of the most devoted and determined +advocates of the Southern cause. The southern brother did not conceal +his opinions, and it was plain enough to the captain that he was +entirely sincere, and believed with all his mind, heart, and soul, that +it was his religious, moral, and social duty to espouse what he called +his country's cause; and he had done so with all his influence and his +fortune. He had even gone so far in his devotion to his duty as he +understood it, as to attempt to hand over the Bellevite, though she was +not in Mobile Bay on a warlike mission, to the new government of the +South, and had taken part personally in an expedition extended to +capture her. + +The steam-yacht had been armed at the Bermudas, and fought her way out +of the bay; and on her return to New York her owner presented her to the +Government of the United States. She had done good service, and Christy +had begun his brilliant career as a naval officer in the capacity of a +midshipman on board of her. In spite of the hostile political attitude +of the brothers to each other, the same affectionate relations had +continued between the two families, for each of them believed that +social and family ties should not interfere with his patriotic duty to +his country. + +The commander of the Confederate forces at Hilton Head--one of the +highest-toned and most estimable gentlemen one could find in the North +or the South--informed the author that his own brother was in command of +one of the Federal ships that were bombarding his works. While Commodore +Wilkes, of Mason and Slidell memory, was capturing the Southern +representatives who had to be given up, his son was in the Confederate +navy, and then or later was casting guns at Charlotte for the use of +the South: and the writer never met a more reasonable and kindly man. +Fortunately our two brothers were not called upon to confront each other +as foes on the battlefield or on the sea, though both of them would have +done their duty in such positions. + +The last time Christy had seen his Uncle Homer was when he was captured +on board of the Dornoch with Captain Rombold, as he was endeavoring to +obtain a passage to England as a Confederate agent for the purchase of +suitable vessels to prey upon the mercantile marine of the United +States. He and the commander of the Tallahatchie had been exchanged +at about the same time; and they had proceeded to Nassau, where they +embarked for England in a cotton steamer. There they had purchased +and fitted out the Trafalgar; for the agent's drafts, in which the last +of his fortune had been absorbed, could not be made available to his +captors. Colonel Passford had an interview with Captain Rombold after +Gill had brought his trunk on board; and it was a very sad occasion +to the planter, if not to the naval officer. They had not had an +opportunity to consider the disaster that had overtaken the Confederate +steamer, which had promised such favorable results for their cause; for +the commander had been entirely occupied till he received his wound, and +even then he had attended to his duties, for, as before suggested, he +was a "last ditch" man. He was not fighting for the South as a mere +hireling; for he had married a Southern wife, and she had enlisted all +his sympathies in the cause of her people. + +"I suppose we have nothing more to hope for, Captain Rombold; and we +can only put our trust in the All-Wise and the All-Powerful, who never +forsakes his children when they are fighting for right and justice," +said Colonel Passford, after he had condoled with the commander on his +wounded condition. + +"We shall come out all right in the end, Colonel; don't be so cast +down," replied the captain. + +"I raised the money by mortgaging my plantation and what other +property I had left for all the money I could get upon it to a wealthy +Englishman, the one who came to Mobile with us from Nassau, to obtain +the cargoes for this steamer. I had borrowed all I could before that for +the purchase of the Trafalgar; and if the current does not change in our +favor soon, I shall be a beggar," added the colonel bitterly. + +"The tide will turn, my good friend; and it would have turned before now +if all the planters had been as self-sacrificing as you have," said the +captain. + +"Cotton and gold are about the same thing just now; and with the +large cargo on board of the West Wind, which I induced my friends to +contribute to the good cause, and that in the hold of the Tallahatchie, +I was confident that I could purchase the Kilmarnock, which you say is +good for eighteen knots an hour. Now the West Wind and the Tallahatchie +are both prizes of the enemy, and there is no present hope for us," +continued the colonel; and there was no wonder that he had become pale +and thin. + +"We are in a bad situation, Colonel Passford, I admit, for both of us +are prisoners of war, so that we can do nothing, even if we had the +means; but everything will come out right in the end," replied the +wounded officer, though he could not explain in what manner this result +was to be achieved. + +"Well, Captain Rombold, how are you feeling?" asked Dr. Linscott, +darkening the door when the conversation had reached this gloomy point. + +"Very comfortable, Doctor," replied the commander. "My friend is Colonel +Passford." + +"Bless me!" exclaimed the surgeon, as he extended his hand to the +visitor. "I am very glad to see you, and I hope you are very well. I am +happy to inform you that your nephew, who was wounded in the engagement, +is doing very well." + +"Yes; I met him on deck," replied the planter very gloomily. + +"What is the matter, Colonel Passford? You look quite pale, and you have +lost flesh since I met you last. Can I do anything for you?" + +"Nothing, Doctor; I am not very well, though nothing in particular +ails me. With your permission I will retire to my stateroom," said the +colonel, as he rose from his seat. + +"By the way, Colonel Passford, the captain wished me to ascertain if you +have been to breakfast," added the surgeon, following him out into the +cabin. + +"I have not, Doctor; but it was because I wanted none, for I do not feel +like eating," replied the pale planter. + +"Punch, go to the galley, get a beefsteak, a plate of toast, and a cup +of coffee. Set out the captain's table, and call this gentleman when it +is ready." + +"Yes, sir," replied Punch, who was a very genteel colored person. + +The colonel attempted to protest, but the surgeon would not hear him. +He remained with the planter, whom he already regarded as a patient, and +though he could not say anything to comfort him, he talked him into a +pleasanter frame of mind. Punch set the table, and in due time brought +the breakfast. The doctor sat down opposite to him at the table, and +actually compelled him to eat a tolerably hearty meal. He was decidedly +less gloomy when he had finished, and it was plain to his companion that +his empty stomach was responsible for a portion of his depression of +spirits. + +The surgeon had remained on board of the prize till the order to get +under way was given, and then Captain Breaker sent for him; but the +two medical gentlemen had disposed of most of the wounds among the +Confederate crew. As the English engineer had reported, the machinery +and boilers of the Tallahatchie were in good condition, and the two +steamers went on their course towards the entrance to Mobile Bay, where +French had been ordered to anchor the West Wind, at full speed, though +neither was driven; but the log showed that they were making about +eighteen knots. + +After the brief talk with his uncle, Christy had waited for him to +return to the deck, as he supposed he would after what the captain had +said to him; but he did not appear. In fact, Colonel Passford was too +much cast down by the capture of the two vessels, and the loss of his +fortune thereby, that he was not disposed to see any person if he could +avoid it. + +"Don't you think you had better turn in, Mr. Passford?" asked the +commander, as he halted in his walk at the side of the lieutenant. + +"I have been waiting here to see my uncle; for I thought, after what you +said to him, that he would come back," added Christy. + +"I sent Dr. Linscott down to see him, for he looks so pale and feeble +that I thought he must be sick. The surgeon reported to me half an hour +ago that he had made him eat his breakfast against his will, and he was +feeling better and more cheerful. He thinks your Uncle Homer's trouble +is entirely mental, and he does not feel like seeing any person," +answered the commander. + +"What mental trouble can he have?" asked Christy, as he gazed into the +face of the captain, wondering if his father's brother was insane. + +"The colonel has shipped a vast amount of cotton intending to use the +proceeds of its sale to purchase ships for the Confederacy; and he has +lost most of them, for you captured quite a number of them when you +were in command of the Bronx. I have no doubt he was interested in the +cargoes of the prize and the West Wind; and the capture of these two +vessels involves a fearful loss. I believe that is all that ails him," +the captain explained. "Doubtless he feels as kindly towards his nephew +as ever before in his life; but he does not care to see him just now." + +Early in the afternoon the Bellevite and her prize came in sight of the +West Wind, anchored in accordance with French's orders, with the Holyoke +almost within hail of her; for the captain of the steamer had doubtless +considered the possibility of a recapture of the schooner by boats from +the shore, if she was left unprotected. + +In due time the Bellevite let go her anchor at about a cable's length +from the West Wind, and the prize-master of the Tallahatchie had done +the same at an equal distance from the ship. Mr. Graines, who had not +met his late associate on shore since he was wounded, came to his side +as soon as the steamer had anchored; for both Christy and he were +anxious to hear the report of French in regard to the prisoners left in +his care. + +The anchor of the Bellevite had hardly caught in the sand before a boat +put off from the West Wind containing four persons. Two of the ship's +seamen were at the oars, French was in the stern sheets, and the +engineer soon recognized Captain Sullendine as the fourth person. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +CAPTAIN SULLENDINE BECOMES VIOLENT + + +French ascended the gangway followed by Captain Sullendine. The seaman +who had acted as prize-master of the West Wind touched his cap very +respectfully to the first officer he met when he came on board. Christy +had asked the chief engineer to send Mr. Graines to him, and he was +talking to him about the prize and the chief prisoner when French +presented himself before them. + +"I have come on board to report, sir," said the prize-master of the West +Wind. + +"Is all well on board, French?" asked the wounded lieutenant. + +"All well now, sir," replied the seaman, with a suggestive emphasis on +the last word. "I am very sorry to learn that you have been wounded, Mr. +Passford." + +"Not severely, French," replied Christy. "I am ready to hear your +report." + +"I have something to say about this business, Jerry Sandman," interposed +the captain of the West Wind, whose wrath had suddenly got the better of +his judgment, interlarding his brief remark with a couple of ringing +oaths. + +"I will hear the prize-master first," replied Christy very quietly. + +The discomfited master of the schooner called down a shocking +malediction upon the prize-master just as Captain Breaker presented +himself before the group assembled at the arm-chair of the lieutenant, +and had heard the last oaths of the angry man. + +"Who is this man, Mr. Passford?" asked the commander. + +"I'll let you know who I am!" exclaimed Captain Sullendine, with another +couplet of oaths. + +"I do not permit any profane language on the deck of this ship," said +Captain Breaker. "Pass the word for the master-at-arms," he added to the +nearest officer. + +"Oh, you are the cap'n of this hooker," added the master of the West +Wind, this time without any expletives. "I have somethin' to say to you, +Cap'n, and I want to complain of your officers." + +"When you have learned how to behave yourself, I will hear you," replied +the commander, as the master-at-arms, who is the chief of police on +board a ship of war, presented himself, touching his cap to the supreme +authority of the steamer. "What is the trouble here, Mr. Passford?" +asked Captain Breaker in a very gentle tone, in contrast with the quiet +sternness with which he had spoken to Captain Sullendine. + +"No trouble at all, sir; I was about to hear the report of French, the +prize-master of the schooner, when the captain of her interfered," +replied Christy. + +"My story comes in before the prize-master's, as you call him, though he +ain't nothin' but a common sailor," interposed Captain Sullendine again. + +"Will you be silent?" demanded the commander. + +"No, I will not! This is an outrage!" stormed the captain of the West +Wind, with a liberal spicing of oaths in his speech. + +"Put this man in irons, master-at-arms, and commit him to the brig," +added Captain Breaker. + +The petty officer called upon the ship's corporal, whom he had brought +with him, and placed his hand on the arm of the rebellious master, who +showed fight. A couple of seamen were called to assist the police force, +and Captain Sullendine was dragged below with his wrists ironed behind +him. + +"Now you can proceed, French," said the captain. + +"When I left you, all was quiet on board of the West Wind," added +Christy, beginning to make a slight explanation for the benefit of the +commander. "Captain Sullendine was very drunk, asleep in his berth, with +the door of his stateroom securely fastened upon him. Bokes the seaman +and Sopsy the cook were in the same condition. Go on, French." + +"I picked up the boat you set adrift, Mr. Passford, and then headed for +the eastward of Sand Island lighthouse, where you ordered me to anchor. +The Holyoke followed the schooner, and came to anchor near the West +Wind. She sent a boat on board, and I told my story to the second +lieutenant. We did not need any assistance, and he left us. + + [Illustration: "Captain Sullendine was dragged below." Page 238.] + +"About four bells in the forenoon watch I heard a tremendous racket in +the cabin, and I went below. Captain Sullendine was doing his best to +break down the door of his stateroom, cursing hard enough to make the +blood of a Christian run cold. But he had nothing to work with, and I +let him kick and pound till he got tired of it. I put Vogel in the cabin +to keep watch of him, and went on deck. + +"He kept it up for half an hour or more, and then he seemed to have +enough of it. Vogel came on deck and told me the prisoner was very +humble then, and wanted to come out. I knew you did not mean that I +should starve him, and I made Sopsy put his breakfast on the table in +the cabin; but I did not do so till I had locked the liquor closet and +put the key in my pocket. + +"I let him out then, and his first move was to get at his whiskey; but +the door was locked. He begged like a child for a drink; but I did not +give him a drop. Sopsy and Bokes, who were tied up forward, did the +same; but they did not get any. Captain Sullendine ate his breakfast, +and I told him his vessel was a prize to the United States steamer +Bellevite. Then he was so furious that we had to shut him up in his +stateroom again. + +"After a while he promised to behave himself, and I let him out again. +He declared that his vessel was not a legal prize, and got off a lot of +stuff that I did not take any notice of. He wanted to make a protest to +the commander of the Bellevite, and when he promised to behave like a +gentleman, I let him come on board with me." + +"You acted with very good judgment, French, and Mr. Passford has already +commended your good conduct in the expedition last night," said the +commander. + +"Thank you, sir," replied the prize-master, touching his cap, and +backing away without another word. + +"Loring," called the captain to the master-at-arms, who had just +returned to the quarter-deck, or as near it as etiquette permitted him +to go. "How is your prisoner?" + +"He broke down completely after he had been in the brig a few minutes, +and promised to behave like a gentleman if the commander would hear +him." + +"Bring him to the quarter-deck," added the captain. + +In a few minutes, the ship's corporal conducted him into the presence +of the commander. He began with a very lame apology for his previous +conduct, and then declared that he was the victim of a "Yankee trick," +and that the West Wind had not been fairly captured. + +"Your officers imposed upon me," he continued. "Mr. Balker and Jerry +Sandman"-- + +"Who are they?" inquired Captain Breaker, interrupting him. + +"I was Mr. Balker, engaged as mate of the West Wind, selected for that +position by Mr. Passford, while the lieutenant was Jerry Sandman, second +mate, which he chose to be himself so that he could be with the men," +interposed Mr. Graines. + +"I did not know what their names was, and I reckoned all was honest +and square. These men, whoever they were, got me drunk, and got drunk +themselves; and while I was taking a nap, waiting for the steamer to get +under way, they fastened me into my stateroom so I couldn't get out." + +"I went through the forms, but I did not take a drop of liquor into my +mouth," said Christy. + +"I did not take more than a tablespoonful both on board and at the camp +of the runaways," added Mr. Graines. + +"Then you cheated me more'n I thought." + +"Is this all the complaint you have to make, Captain Sullendine?" asked +Captain Breaker, turning to the master of the West Wind. + +"I reckon that's enough!" protested the complainant. "I say it was not +a fair capture, and you ought to send my vessel back to Mobile Point, +where your officers found her." + +"I shall not do that, but I will compromise the matter by sending you to +Mobile Point, as I have no further use for you," replied the commander. +"You are a non-combatant, and not a prisoner of war." + +French was ordered to leave Captain Sullendine, Bokes, and Sopsy at the +shore where the whaleboat had made a landing, as soon as it was dark. +For some reason not apparent, the master of the West Wind protested +against this sentence; but no attention was given to his protest. The +commander was confident that he had evidence enough to secure the +condemnation of the prize, and he regarded such an unreasonable fellow +as her late captain as a nuisance. That night the order in regard to him +and his companions were carried out. + +Captain Breaker asked some questions in regard to French, which Christy +and Mr. Graines were able to answer. He was one of those men, of whom +there were thousands in the army and navy who had become soldiers and +sailors purely from patriotic duty, and at the sacrifice of brighter +present prospects. French had been the mate of a large coaster, whose +captain had become an ensign in the navy, and he might have had the +command of her if he had not shipped as an able seaman in the same +service. + +He understood navigation, and had been the second mate of an Indiaman. +The commander said nothing when he had learned all he could about the +prize-master; but it was evident that he had something in view which +might be of interest to the subject of his inquiries. He turned his +attention to the condition of his first lieutenant then, asking about +his arm. + +"It does not feel quite so easy as it did," replied Christy, who had +been suffering some pain from his wound for the last two hours, though +he was so interested in the proceedings on board, and especially in the +report from the West Wind, that he had not been willing to retire to his +stateroom. + +"Then you must turn in at once, Mr. Passford," said the commander, with +more energy than he had spoken to the lieutenant before. "I am afraid +you have delayed it too long." + +"I think not, sir." replied the wounded officer. + +"Mr. Graines shall go with you and assist you," added the captain. +"I will send Dr. Linscott to you as soon as you get into your berth." + +Christy had been sitting so long that he was quite stiff when he +attempted to get out of his chair, and the engineer assisted him. He +was still very weak, and Mr. Graines supported him, though he presently +recovered himself. The ship's company, by this time relieved of all +heavy work, had been observing him with affectionate admiration, and +rehearsing the daring exploit in which he had received his wound, gave +three rousing cheers as he rose to leave the quarter-deck. + +Christy turned his pale face towards them, raised his cap, and bowed to +them. Another cheer followed, and then another. The men knew that his +prompt action in mounting the mizzen rigging, boarding the Tallahatchie, +and firing the thirty-pounder after he had reversed its position, had +saved the lives or limbs of a great number of them, and they were +extremely grateful to him. + +With the assistance of his friend the engineer, Christy was soon between +the sheets in his berth. Dr. Linscott came in as soon as he was in his +bed, spoke very tenderly to him, and then proceeded to dress his injured +arm. He found the member was somewhat swollen, and the patient's pulse +indicated some fever. + +"I must send you home, Mr. Passford," said the surgeon. "You are the +hero of the day, you have earned a vacation, and you will need your +mother's care for the next three weeks." + +In spite of Christy's protest, the doctor insisted, and left him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE DISPOSITION OF THE TWO PRIZES + + +The surgeon reported the condition of the first lieutenant to the +commander at once, and a long conversation between them followed. +Devoted as Captain Breaker was to his executive officer, and filled with +admiration as he was for the gallant exploit of that day, he was not +willing to do anything that could be fairly interpreted as favoritism +towards the son of Captain Passford. The summer weather of the South was +coming on, and the heat was already oppressive, even on board of the +ships of war at anchor so much of the time on the blockade, and this was +the strong point of the doctor in caring for his patient. + +Dr. Linscott was very earnest in insisting upon his point; and the +commander yielded, for he could hardly do otherwise in the face of the +surgeon's recommendation, for the latter was the responsible person. The +next morning, after the wounded officer had passed a feverish night, +Captain Breaker visited him in his stateroom, and announced the +decision. Christy began to fight against it. + +"I am not so badly off as many officers who have been treated in the +hospital down here; and if I am sent home it will be regarded as +favoritism to the son of my father," protested the lieutenant. + +"You are too sensitive, my dear boy, as you have always been; and you +are entirely mistaken. You have earned a furlough if you choose to ask +for it, and every officer and seaman who has served with you would say +so," argued the captain. "I shall insert in my report, with other matter +concerning you, Christy, that you were sent home on the certificate of +the surgeon; and even an unreasonable person cannot call it favoritism." + +"I don't know," added Christy, shaking his head. + +"I know, my boy. Merciful Heaven!" exclaimed Captain Breaker. "You did +enough yesterday to entitle you to any favor it is possible for the +department to extend to you. You saved the lives of a quarter or a third +of the ship's company. But it was not simply a brave and daring exploit, +my boy, though even that would entitle you to the fullest commendation; +but it included sound judgment on the instant, lightning invention, and +consummately skilful action;" and the commander became positively +eloquent as he proceeded. + +"Come, come, Captain Breaker! You are piling it on altogether too +thick," cried Christy, overwhelmed by the torrent of praise. "I only did +what I could not help doing." + +"No matter if you did; it was the right thing to do, and it was done at +precisely the right instant. A moment's delay would have brought the +whole force of the enemy down upon you. It was absolutely wonderful how +you got that gun off in such a short space of time. I report Captain +Rombold's words to you." + +"He is a magnanimous gentleman," said Christy. + +"He says, too, that a dozen muskets and revolvers were discharged at +you, and it is a miracle that only one bullet struck you." + +"I found a bullet-hole in my cap, and two more in the skirt of my coat," +added the patient with a smile, as he pointed to his coat and cap. + +"But we are off the subject; and I was only trying to show that you are +entitled to a furlough," said the commander; but the discussion was +continued for some time longer, though Christy consented to be sent home +in the end. + +The thought of going to Bonnydale was exceedingly pleasant to him, and +he allowed his mind to dwell upon each member of the family, and to +picture in his imagination the greeting they would all give him. Not to +the members of his family alone did he confine his thoughts; for they +included the beautiful Bertha Pembroke, whom, with her father, he had +taken from the cabin of a cotton steamer he had captured. He concluded +that the surgeon's certificate would shield him from adverse criticism, +after he had fully considered the matter. + +The flag-officer of the Eastern Gulf Squadron was not off Mobile Point; +and Captain Breaker, as the senior officer present, was obliged to +dispose of his prizes himself. Some necessary repairs had to be made +upon both ships before anything could be done; and the carpenter and his +gang, with all the other seamen who could handle an axe or an adze, were +hurrying forward the work. The prize had lost her mizzen mast, her +steering gear had been knocked to pieces both forward and aft, she had +been riddled in a dozen places, and shot-holes in the hull had been +hastily plugged during the action. + +Her Armstrong gun amidships had been disabled by Blumenhoff at his first +fire. Christy had not found the opportunity to examine this piece, as he +desired; but Mr. Graines had done so for him; and it was found that the +gun carriage had been knocked into a shapeless mass so that it could not +be put in condition for use. The machinists from the engine room of both +vessels, for those of the Tallahatchie had no feeling on the subject, +were restoring the steering apparatus, and were likely to have the work +completed the next day. + +Captain Breaker was in great doubt as to what he ought to do with +Colonel Passford. He was certainly a non-combatant; and it could not be +shown that he had any mission to Nassau or elsewhere in the service of +the Confederacy, though it would have been otherwise if the steamer and +the West Wind had not been captures, for he was to sell the cotton in +England, and purchase a steamer with the proceeds; but his mission ended +with the loss of the vessels. He finally decided to send him to Fort +Morgan under a flag of truce. + +Before he left he called upon his nephew. He was still in a state +of despondency over his own losses, and his failures to benefit the +Confederacy, whose loss he counted as greater than his own. He stated +that the commander had announced his intention to send him on shore. +Christy had seen him but for a moment, for his uncle had not desired to +meet him again. + +"We will not talk about the war, Uncle Homer," said Christy. "How are +Aunt Lydia, Corny, and Gerty? I hope they are all very well." + +"Your aunt is not very well, for the hardships of the war have worn upon +her. Except Uncle Jerry and Aunty Chloe, the cook, all our negroes have +left us, or been taken by the government to work on fortifications, and +my wife and Gerty have to do most of the housework," replied Uncle Homer +very gloomily; and it was plain to Christy that the mansion at Glenfield +was not what it had been in former years. + +"How is Corny? I have not heard from him lately." + +"Corny is now a captain in the Army of Virginia, and is doing his duty +like a man," answered the colonel proudly; and this fact seemed to be +almost the only pleasant feature of his experience. "We have been called +upon to endure a great many hardships; but we still feel that the God of +justice will give us the victory in the end, and we try to bear our +burdens with resignation. The captain informs me that you are going +home, Christy." + +"The surgeon has ordered me to the North on account of the heat in this +locality." + +"I learned in Nassau as well as when I was at Bonnydale, that your +father holds a very prominent and influential position among your +people, and your advancement seems to be made sure," added the planter. + +"He has never held any office under the United States government, and +I hope I do not owe my advancement to him; and he has often assured me +that he never asked for my promotion or appointment," said Christy. + +"You have been of very great service to your government, as I know to my +sorrow, and I have no doubt you deserved whatever promotion you have +obtained," added the colonel, observing that he had touched his nephew +in a very tender spot. "But I suppose the boat is waiting for me, and I +must bid you good-by. Remember me in the kindliest manner to your father +and mother, and to Miss Florry. They were all as good to me when I was +on parole at Bonnydale as though no war had ever divided us." + +The colonel took Christy by the hand, and betrayed no little emotion +as they parted. The lieutenant realized that his uncle was suffering +severely under the hardships and anxieties of the war, and he was +profoundly sorry for him, though he uttered no complaint. Both on his +own account and on that of the Confederacy, he had shipped several +cargoes of cotton to Nassau to be sent from there to England; but every +one of them had been captured, most of them by his nephew while in +command of the Bronx. But he was still confident that the Confederacy +would triumph. + +Colonel Passford had been sent to the fort under a flag of truce, and +had been received by the commandant. In a couple of days the repairs of +both ships had been completed. Captain Rombold, though his wound was +quite severe, was getting along very well. Captain Breaker had completed +his arrangements for the disposal of the prizes and prisoners; and it +became necessary to remove the wounded commander to the cabin of the +Tallahatchie, to which he did not object, for the wounded in his cabin +had been placed in a temporary hospital between decks. He was permitted +to occupy the stateroom he had used while in command, while the other +was reserved for the prize-master. + +Ensign Palmer Drake, the senior of the two officers waiting +appointments, was made prize-master of the Tallahatchie, for he had +proved to be an able and brave man in the recent action. Mr. Ballard +became executive officer of the Bellevite, and Mr. Walbrook the second +lieutenant, while the place of the third was filled by Mr. Bostwick, who +had been master. French was appointed prize-master of the West Wind, +with a crew of five men, as she was to be towed by the prize steamer. + +It was found that the Tallahatchie had gone into the action with +ninety-five men, including the forward officers. More than one-third of +them had been killed or disabled, without counting those who were still +able to keep the deck and sleep in their hammocks. Fifty of them were +in condition to do duty; and Captain Breaker did not consider it prudent +to send so many prisoners to the North in the prize. He therefore sent +forty of them to Key West in the Holyoke, assured that the Bellevite was +abundantly able to maintain the blockade, even with her reduced ship's +company, during the absence of his consort. + +The engineers of the prize were willing to continue their services at +the expense of their new employer, or even to accept permanent +appointments; for they did not belong to the upper classes in England +who favored the cause of the Confederacy, and were only looking for the +highest wages. Weeks, the oiler, and Bingham, a boatswain's mate, were +appointed first and second officers of the Tallahatchie, and twenty +seamen were detailed as a prize crew. To insure the fidelity of the four +foreign engineers Mr. Graines was sent as a sort of supervisor, with the +knowledge and assent of those in actual charge of the machinery. + +When all was ready for her departure, Christy went on board of the +Tallahatchie in the same boat with the engineer, after a rather sad +parting with the captain and his fellow-officers, and amid the cheers of +the seamen, who had mounted the rail and the rigging to see him off. Mr. +Drake conducted him to the captain's cabin when he went on board of the +prize, where he met Captain Rombold, with whom he exchanged friendly +greetings. + +"Fellow passengers again, Mr. Passford; but you are going to your +reward, and I to my punishment," said the late commander very +cheerfully. + +"Hardly to my reward, for I neither desire nor expect any further +promotion," replied Christy. "I am not yet twenty years old." + +"But God makes some fully-developed men before they are twenty-one, and +you are one of them." + +"Thank you, Captain." + +"I am willing to wager the salary I have lost that you will be promoted +whether you desire it or not." + +"I hope not," replied the lieutenant, as he went to the temporary +stateroom which had been prepared for him. + +The apartment was much larger than the permanent ones, and it was +provided with everything that could contribute to his comfort. While Mr. +Graines was assisting him to arrange his baggage, the steamer got under +way. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE WELCOME HOME AT BONNYDALE + + +Even with the West Wind in tow, the Tallahatchie could make fifteen +knots an hour; for the sea was smooth, with every prospect of continued +fine weather. Dr. Davidson was a prisoner of war, but he remained on +board in charge of the wounded of both sides. He was very devoted to +Christy, and dressed his wound every morning as tenderly as his mother +could have done it. He was a gentleman in the highest sense of the word, +and belonged to one of the best families in the South. + +Captain Rombold was a very agreeable person; and most of the +conversation in the cabin was carried on in French, for the commander +was delighted when he could obtain an opportunity to practise the +language, and Dr. Davidson spoke it as fluently as a Frenchman, though +Captain Drake was unable to understand a word of it. If one had looked +in upon them he would have supposed they were enjoying a yachting +excursion, and could not have told who were prisoners and who were not. + +The two wounded officers passed a portion of every day on deck, and the +time slipped away very pleasantly. Mr. Graines spent much of his days +and some of his nights in the engine-room, and was on the best of terms +with the English engineers; but he could discover no signs of treachery +on their part. The prisoners forward were well treated and well cared +for, and they made no trouble. + +The ship made a quick passage to New York, and went into the harbor +with the American flag flying over the Confederate; but this was not an +uncommon sight, and it did not attract much attention. The pilot brought +a file of newspapers, and the lieutenant learned that Grant was still +"hammering away" at the Confederate forces in Virginia, though without +any decided success. The ship came to anchor at the navy yard, and +Captain Drake reported to the commandant. + +Lieutenant Passford was well known there, though the intelligence of his +latest achievement had not yet reached there. Christy had written out +his report of the expedition to Mobile Point, and Captain Drake brought +that of Captain Breaker of the action with the Tallahatchie. The +lieutenant had no official duty to perform, and he was at liberty to go +where he pleased. He procured leave of absence for Mr. Graines; for he +was himself still on fever diet, and was rather weak so that he needed +his assistance. + +"Home again, Charley!" exclaimed Christy, when they had landed at the +navy yard. + +"That's so, and my folks at home will not expect to see me," replied the +engineer. + +"Neither will any one at Bonnydale anticipate a visit from me," added +Christy. "We know all about the sharp action of the Bellevite with the +Tallahatchie; but no one in these parts can have heard a word about it. +Now, Charley, see if you can find a carriage for me;" and the wounded +officer went into an office to wait for it. + +The uniform of the messenger carried him past all sentinels; and in half +an hour he returned in a carriage, which was permitted to enter the yard +on Mr. Graines's statement of its intended use. Christy was assisted +into it. "Wall Street Ferry," said the lieutenant to the driver. + +"Why do you go there?" asked the engineer. "You wish to go to the +railroad station, do you not?" + +"I want to find my father if I can, and I think he must be in the city," +replied Christy, as he gave his companion the location of the office +where he did his business with the government, though he made frequent +visits to Washington for consultation with the officials of the Navy +Department. + +The carriage was retained, and in another hour they reached the office. +Captain Passford was not there; he had gone to Washington three days +before, and no one knew when he would return. Christy was prepared for +this disappointment, and he had arranged in his mind the wording of +a telegraphic message to his father. While he was writing it out a +gentleman came out of the office whom the lieutenant had met before. + +"I am delighted to see you, Mr. Passford!" exclaimed the gentleman, who +was in the uniform of a naval officer, as he extended his hand to the +visitor. "One of our people informed me that the son of Captain Passford +was at the door, and I hastened out to see you. Won't you come into the +office?" + +"No, I thank you; I am not very well, for I was wounded in the left arm +in our last action, and I am sent home by the surgeon on a furlough," +replied Christy. "Permit me, Captain Bentwick, to introduce my friend, +Mr. Graines, third assistant engineer of the Bellevite." + +"I am very happy to know you, Mr. Graines," added Captain Bentwick, +taking his hand. "I am very sorry you are wounded, Mr. Passford. What +can I do for you?" + +"Nothing, I thank you, at present. I am writing a message to send to my +father. I was just finishing it when you came," replied Christy, as he +added the finishing words, and passed it to the official. + +"'Sent home on furlough, slightly wounded. Wish paroles for Captain +George Rombold and Dr. Pierre Davidson,'" Captain Bentwick read from the +paper. "I will have it sent at once from this office. But, Mr. Passford, +I can parole these officers, and it is not necessary for you to trouble +your father with such a matter. Who and what are the officers?" + +"Captain Rombold was the commander of the Tallahatchie, prize to the +Bellevite," answered Christy. "When I was in danger of fainting after +the action on the deck of his ship, he sent for his surgeon, Dr. +Davidson, though his own wound had not been dressed. Both he and the +surgeon were extremely kind to me, and I desire to reciprocate their +good offices by inviting them to my father's house." + +"Where are these gentlemen now, Mr. Passford?" + +"I left them on board of the prize at the navy yard, sir. I am not sure +that they will accept parole, for I have not spoken to them about it; +but I am very anxious to serve them." + +"I know what your father would say if he were here, and I will send an +officer authorized to take their parole to the navy yard at once. I will +instruct him to represent your desire to them in the strongest terms, +and if they accept, to conduct them to Bonnydale, for I know you must be +in a hurry to get there," continued Captain Bentwick, as he shook the +hands of both officers, and returned to the office. + +"That shows what it is to have powerful friends," said Mr. Graines, when +his companion had directed the driver to the railroad station. + + [Illustration: "Mrs. Passford rushed down the steps." Page 264.] + +"I have not asked anything unreasonable, Charley," replied Christy, +sensitive as usual in regard to influential assistance. + +"Certainly not; but if I had asked to have your Confederate friends +paroled, a thousand yards of red tape would have to be expended before +it could be done," added the engineer with a laugh. + +They reached the station, and discharged the carriage; but they found +they had to wait two hours for a train to Bonnydale. As it was after +noon, they went to a hotel for dinner, and passed the time very +impatiently in waiting for the train. Both of them were burning with the +desire to see their friends at home; but the train started in due time, +and they left it at the nearest station to Bonnydale, proceeding there +in a carriage. + +Christy gave the bell a very vigorous pull, and the servant that came to +the door was a stranger to him. He wished to see Mrs. Passford; and the +man was about to conduct him to the reception room, when he bolted from +him. + +"Mrs. Passford is engaged just now, sir; but she will be down in a few +minutes," said the servant, laying his hand on his arm for the purpose +of detaining him. + +"But I cannot wait," returned the lieutenant very decidedly, and he +shook off the man, and began to ascend the stairs. + +An instant later there was a double scream on the floor above, and Mrs. +Passford rushed down the steps, followed by Florry. Christy retreated to +the hall, and a moment later he was folded in the arms of his mother and +sister, both of whom were kissing him at the same time. + +"But, my son, your arm is in a sling!" exclaimed Mrs. Passford, falling +back with an expression of consternation on her face. + +"You are wounded, Christy!" cried Florry, as a flood of tears came into +her eyes. + +"Only a scratch, mother; don't be alarmed," protested the lieutenant. +"It was all nonsense to send me home on a furlough; but it was the +commander's order, at the recommendation of Dr. Linscott." + +"But you are wounded, my son," persisted his mother. + +"You have been shot in the arm, Christy," added Florry. + +"But I was not shot through the head or the heart; it is not a bit of +use to make a fuss about it; and Paul Vapoor was not wounded, for he had +to stay in the engine room during the action, and he is as hearty as a +buck," rattled the lieutenant, and making his pretty sister blush like a +fresh rose. + +"I am really worried about it, my son. Where is the wound?" asked his +mother. + +"Here, Charley, tell them all about it," called Christy to his +companion, who had been forgotten in the excitement of the moment. + +"Why, Charley Graines!" exclaimed Florry, rushing to him with an +extended hand. "I did not know you were here." + +"I am glad to see you, Charley, especially as you have been a friend and +associate of my son, as you were before the war," added Mrs. Passford. + +"I am very glad to see you, Mrs. Passford and Miss Passford," said he, +bowing to both of them. "I have been on duty recently with Christy, and +I have been looking out for him on the voyage home." + +"Charley has been a brother to me, and done everything under the canopy +for me. I am somewhat fatigued just now," added the lieutenant, as he +seated himself on a sofa in the hall. "He will answer your questions +now, and tell you that I am not killed." + +"But come into the sitting-room, my son, for we can make you more +comfortable there," said his mother, taking him by the right arm, and +assisting him to rise. + +"I don't need any help, mamma," added Christy playfully, as he rose from +the sofa. "I have not been butchered, and I haven't anything but a +little bullet-hole through the fleshy part of my left arm. Don't make a +baby of me; for a commander in the Confederate navy told me that God +made some fully-developed men before they were twenty-one, and that I +was one of them. Don't make me fall from my high estate to that of an +overgrown infant, mother." + +"I will not do anything of the kind, my son," replied Mrs. Passford, as +she arranged the cushions on the sofa for him. "Now, Florry, get a wrap +for him." + +Christy stretched himself out on the sofa, for he was really fatigued by +the movements of the forenoon and the excitement of his return to the +scenes of his childhood. + +"Tell them what the doctors said about my wound, Charley," he continued, +as he arranged himself for the enjoyment of a period of silence. + +"Mr. Passford has had two surgeons," Mr. Graines began. + +"Then he must have been very badly wounded!" ejaculated Florry, leaping +to a very hasty conclusion. + +"Not at all," protested the engineer. "Both of them said he was not +severely wounded." + +"Why was he sent home on a furlough?" asked Mrs. Passford. + +"Because the weather was getting very hot in the Gulf of Mexico, and +it was believed that he would do better at home. He has been somewhat +feverish; but he is improving every day, and in a couple of weeks he +will be as well as ever." + +"Thank God, it is no worse!" exclaimed Mrs. Passford. + +Then she insisted that he should be quiet, and they all retired to the +library. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER CHRISTOPHER PASSFORD + + +Christy Passford dropped asleep when left alone in the sitting-room, and +his slumber lasted a full hour. During this time Mr. Graines had related +the incidents of the action in which he had been wounded, and given a +full account of the expedition to Mobile Point. He was not sparing in +his praise; but he brought it out in what had been said by others, +especially by the commanders of both vessels and in the demonstrations +of the seamen of the Bellevite. + +When the wounded officer awoke it was with a start, and he was surprised +to find he had been asleep in the midst of such happy surroundings. He +rose from his couch, and found that his mother and sister had left the +room. He passed out into the hall, and there heard the voice of the +engineer in the library which he entered at once. + +"I hope you feel better, my son," said his mother, as she and Florry +rose from their chairs rejoicing anew at his return home after the +fearful peril through which he had passed, for the recital of his +brilliant exploits by his friend had been intensely thrilling to both +of them. + +"I'm all right, mother dear; I was only tired a little, for I have +taken more exercise to-day than usual lately," replied Christy, as Mrs. +Passford kissed him again and again, and Florry followed her example. + +"Charley Graines has told us all about it, Christy," said his sister. + +"So you have been spinning a yarn, have you, Charley?" asked the hero. + +"I have related only the simple truth, Christy, for I knew you would not +tell them the whole of it," replied the engineer. + +"I am afraid you were reckless, my son," added Mrs. Passford. + +"Reckless!" exclaimed Christy. "When I saw my duty there was no +alternative but to do it; and that was all I did. You have been +decorating your yarn, Charley." + +"Not a particle; and Captain Breaker would confirm everything I have +said," protested Mr. Graines. "So would Captain Rombold, if he were +here, as I suppose he will be soon." + +"That reminds me, mother, that you are to have some visitors; for I +expect Captain Rombold and Dr. Davidson will be here some time to-day, +for I have spoken to have them paroled," interposed Christy. + +"Who is Dr. Davidson, my son?" asked his mother. + +"He was the surgeon of the Tallahatchie. Both of your visitors are +rebels to the very core," added the lieutenant playfully. "I was hit in +the arm by a bullet when I was in the mizzen rigging; but I did not +report to the surgeon"-- + +"As you ought to have done," interrupted the engineer. + +"Dr. Linscott had his hands full, and I did not want to bother him then. +I went on board of the prize to take a look at the disabled Armstrong +gun. Captain Rombold, who was wounded in the right thigh, was sitting on +the quarter-deck. He spoke to me, for I was well acquainted with him. +While we were talking, I began to feel faint, and slumped down on the +deck like a woman. The captain sent for his surgeon, though his own +wound had not been dressed; and Dr. Davidson was the gentleman who came, +and very soon I felt better. They treated me like a brother; and that is +the reason I have asked to have them both sent here." + +"I am very glad you did, Christy; and we will do everything we can for +them," added Mrs. Passford. + +The father and mother of Mr. Graines lived in Montgomery, two miles +distant, and he was anxious to see them. Leaving Christie in the hands +of his mother and sister, he took his leave early in the afternoon. +Later in the day a carriage stopped at the mansion, and the expected +visitors, attended by the naval officer who had paroled them, were +admitted by the servant. As soon as they were announced, Christy +hastened to the hall, followed by his mother and sister. The captain +carried a crutch, and was also supported by the doctor and the naval +lieutenant. + +"I am very glad to see you, Captain Rombold," said Christy, as he gave +his hand to the commander. "And you, Dr. Davidson;" and he proceeded to +present them to his mother and sister. + +"This is Lieutenant Alburgh of your navy, Mr. Passford; and he has been +very attentive to us," interposed the surgeon, introducing the paroling +officer. + +"I am very happy to know you, Mr. Alburgh;" and he presented him to Mrs. +Passford and Florry. + +The lieutenant declined an invitation to dinner; for he was in haste to +return to New York, going back to the station in the carriage that had +brought him. Mrs. Passford invited the party to the sitting-room, and +Christy and the doctor assisted the wounded commander. He was placed +upon the sofa, where he reclined, supported by the cushions arranged by +the lady of the house. + +"I am extremely grateful to you both, gentlemen, for your kindness to my +son when he was beyond my reach, and it affords me very great pleasure +to obtain the opportunity to reciprocate it in some slight degree," said +Mrs. Passford, when the captain declared that he was very comfortable in +his position on the sofa. + +"And I thank you with all my heart for what you did for my brother," +added Florry. + +"You more than repay me; and, madam, permit me to congratulate you on +being the mother of such a son as Lieutenant Passford," replied Captain +Rombold warmly. "I am still a rebel to the very centre of my being; but +that does not prevent me from giving the tribute of my admiration to +an enemy who has been as brave, noble, and generous as your son. The +brilliant exploit of Mr. Passford, I sincerely believe, cost me my ship, +and at least the lives or limbs of a quarter of my ship's company. It +was one of the most daring and well-executed movements I ever witnessed +in my life, madam." + +"Please to let up, Captain," interposed Christy, blushing as Florry +would have done if Paul Vapoor had entered the room at that moment. + +"He is as modest as he is brave, Mrs. Passford. It was sheer admiration +for the young officer which compelled me to send for my own surgeon when +he sank fainting upon the deck, with the blood streaming from the ends +of his fingers," added the commander. + +"If you are going to talk about this matter the rest of the day, Captain +Rombold, I must beg you to excuse me if I retire," interposed Christy, +rising from his chair. + +"I won't say another word about it, Mr. Passford!" protested the +captain. "But I hope your mother will have a chance to read Captain +Breaker's report of the action, for he and I are of the same opinion in +regard to the conduct of your son." + +"My husband will doubtless bring me a copy of it," added the lady. + +In deference to the wishes of Christy, nothing more was said about +the action, at least so far as it related to him. After some general +conversation, the surgeon suggested that he had not dressed the wounds +of his patients that day, and the commander was assisted to the +principal guest chamber, while the lieutenant went to his own apartment. + +Captain Passford was detained three days in Washington by important +business at the Navy Department. Captain Breaker's report of the +action resulting in the capture of the Tallahatchie had reached its +destination, and the proud father was in possession of all the details +of the battle. He telegraphed and wrote to his son; and it was another +joyful occasion at Bonnydale when he arrived there. + +Dr. Davidson remained at the mansion for three weeks, until his patients +were convalescent, though he went every day to the hospital of the +prisoners of war to see the wounded of his ship. Captain Passford had +given the visitors a very cordial and hearty welcome on his return, and +expressed his gratitude to them for their kindness to his son in the +strongest terms. He did every possible thing to promote their comfort +and happiness, and the reign of Christianity continued at Bonnydale as +it had been begun on board of the Bellevite and the Tallahatchie. + +In two weeks Christy's wound had practically healed, though his arm was +not yet the equal of the other. His father spent all the time he could +spare at home, and long talks between father and son were the order of +the day. The lieutenant had been informed on his arrival of the death of +Mr. Pembroke, Bertha's father, two months before; but she had gone to +visit an uncle in Ohio, and Christy had not yet seen her. + +"I expect Miss Pembroke will be here to-morrow, Christy," said Captain +Passford one day, about three weeks after his return. "I suppose you are +of the same mind in regard to her." + +"I am, father," replied Christy, for he was about the same as a younger +brother in his relations with him. "But I have not heard a word from +her, any more than from you, since I left home." + +"There has been no occasion to send a store-ship or other vessel to +the Eastern Gulf squadron, though one sailed about a week before your +arrival, and letters were forwarded to you," replied the captain. +"Doubtless one or more went from her to you. She cannot have heard of +your arrival; for I lost the address of her uncle in Ohio, and we could +not write to her. Her father had a little property; and at her request I +have been appointed her guardian, and she will reside at Bonnydale in +the future." + +Bertha Pembroke arrived the next day, and what Christy needed to +complete his happiness was supplied, and now his cup was overflowing. +But he did not forget that he still owed a duty to his suffering +country. Even the fascinations of the beautiful girl could not entice +him to remain in his beloved home while his arm was needed to help on +the nation's cause to a victorious Union. + +At the end of four weeks, he felt as well as ever before in his life, +and he was impatient to return to the Bellevite. For a week before he +had been talking to his father about the matter; and Bertha knew her +betrothed, as he was by this time, too well to make any objection to his +intended departure. + +The Tallahatchie had been promptly condemned, and the fact that she was +a superior vessel for war purposes, and her great speed compared with +most vessels in the navy, had caused her to be appropriated to the use +of the government. Orders had been given weeks before for her thorough +repair and better armament, all of which had been hastily accomplished. +Christy had not been to New York since his return; and for some reason +of his own, his father had said very little to him about the service, +perhaps believing that his son had better give his whole mind to the +improvement of his health and strength. + +"I hope you have found a vessel by which I can return to the Eastern +Gulf squadron, father," said Christy one morning, with more earnestness +than usual. "I begin to feel guilty of neglect of duty while I am +loafing about home." + +"Don't trouble yourself, my son," replied Captain Passford, who seemed +to be rather exhilarated about something. "You shall return to your duty +in due time, though not in exactly the same position as before." + +"Am I to be appointed to some other ship, father?" asked Christy, gazing +earnestly into the captain's face to read what was evidently passing in +his mind, for it made him very cheerful. + +"You are to sail in another ship, Christy; but wait a minute and I will +return," said Captain Passford, as he left the sitting-room and went to +his library. + +Opening his safe he took from it a ponderous envelope bearing official +imprints, and returned to the sitting-room. Handing it to his son, he +dropped into an arm-chair and observed him with close attention. + +"What's this, father?" asked the young officer. + +"I have had it about three weeks, but waited for your entire recovery +before I gave it to you," replied the captain. "Open it." + +Christy did so, read it, and then in his excitement, dropped it on the +floor. It was his commission as a lieutenant-commander. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF THE ST. REGIS + + +Christy Passford was astounded and confounded when he read the +commission. He modestly believed that he had already been promoted +beyond his deserving, though no one else, not even his father, thought +so. He had not sought promotion at any time, and he had been hurried +through four grades in something over three years. He was the heir of +millions, and he had given all his pay to wounded sailors and the +families of those who had fallen in naval actions. + +His share of the prize money resulting from the captures in which he had +taken part as commander or in some subordinate position had made him a +rich man; and with his mother's assistance, he was disbursing no small +portion of his wealth among those who had been deprived of their support +by the casualties of the war. He had not expected or even hoped for any +further promotion, though the newspaper had extolled to the skies his +brilliant exploit in the Gulf. + +"What does this mean, father?" asked Christy, dropping into a chair as +if overwhelmed by the contents of the envelope. + +"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. "This +came to me by this morning's mail; and I have withheld the commission +till I received it." + +"And what may this be, father?" asked Christy, looking from the missive +to the captain's face, which was glowing with smiles, for he was as +proud of his only son as he ought to have been. + +"Christy, you remind me of some old ladies I have met, who, when they +receive a letter, wonder for five or ten minutes whom it is from before +they break the envelope, when a sight of the contents would inform them +instantly," added the captain, laughing. + +"But I am afraid the contents of this envelope will be like the +explosion of a mine to me, and therefore I am not just like the old +ladies you have met," returned the lieutenant-commander. "One mine a day +let off in my face is about all I can stand." + +"Open the envelope!" urged his father rather impatiently. + +"It never rains but it pours!" exclaimed Christy, when he had looked +over the paper it enclosed. "I am appointed to the command of the St. +Regis! I think some one who gives names to our new vessels must have +spent a summer with Paul Smith at his hotel by the river and lake of +that name; and the same man probably selected the name of Chateaugay. +I suppose it is some little snapping gunboat like the Bronx; but I don't +object to her on that account." + +"She is nothing like the Bronx, for she is more than twice as large; and +you have already seen some service on her deck." + +"Some steamer that has had her name changed. But I have served regularly +only on board of the Bellevite and the Bronx, and it cannot be either of +them," said Christy, with a puzzled expression. + +"She is neither the one nor the other. She has had three names: the +first was the Trafalgar, the second the Tallahatchie, and the third the +St. Regis," continued the captain. + +"Is it possible!" exclaimed Christy, relapsing into silent +thoughtfulness, for he could hardly believe the paper from which he had +read his appointment; and officers far his senior in years would have +rejoiced to receive the command of such a ship. + +"Not only possible, but an accomplished fact; and the only sad thing +about it is that you must sail in the St. Regis day after to-morrow." + +"I am informed that my orders will come by to-morrow," added the +lieutenant-commander. + +"The ship is all ready for sea. An eight-inch Parrot has been +substituted for the Armstrong gun, the same as the midship gun of the +Bellevite," the captain explained. "Perhaps you would like to know +something about your fellow-officers, Christy." + +"I certainly should, father, for whatever success I may have will depend +largely upon them," replied the embryo commander of the St. Regis. + +"Your executive officer will be Lieutenant George Baskirk," continued +Captain Passford, reading from a paper he took from his pocket. + +"Good! He was the second lieutenant of the Bronx when I was in command +of her; and a better or braver officer never planked a deck." + +"He was available, and I suggested him. Your second lieutenant is Joel +Makepeace, just promoted from the rank of master. He is fifty-two years +old, but as active as ever he was. He is a regular old sea dog, and +commanded an Indiaman for me fifteen years ago; but you never met him. +He has made a good record in the war, and I feel sure that you will like +him." + +"I have no doubt I shall, father; and I like the idea of having an +officer who is old enough to be my father, and who has had a great deal +of experience at sea," replied Christy. + +"He was an able seaman and petty officer in the navy for three years +when he was a young man, and has served as a master from the beginning +of the war," continued Captain Passford. + +"Probably he does not like the idea of being under the command of one +who has not yet reached his majority in years," suggested the commander +of the St. Regis. + +"On the contrary, he seemed to be delighted with his appointment. Your +third lieutenant is Ensign Palmer Drake who brought home your prize." + +"He is a good man and a good officer, and I am entirely satisfied with +him." + +"Ensign Barton French is to serve as master on board of your ship. Some +doubts were expressed in regard to his knowledge of navigation, and he +passed a very creditable examination." + +"I am very glad indeed that he has obtained his promotion, and that he +is to sail with me," added Christy, who had taken quite an interest in +him as an able seaman, and had procured his appointment as prize-master +of the West Wind. + +"Dr. Connolly, who was with you in the Bronx, is your surgeon. The +chief engineer of the St. Regis is one Paul Vapoor," continued Captain +Passford, with a very obvious twinkle of the eyes. + +"Paul Vapoor!" exclaimed Christy, leaping out of the chair in which he +had just settled himself after the excitement of his father's first +announcement had partly subsided. + +"Paul Vapoor," repeated the captain. + +"It can hardly be possible," persisted Christy. + +"What is the matter? Has Captain Breaker fallen out with him?" + +"Not at all; the commander of the Bellevite thinks as much of him as +ever he did, and even a great deal more." + +"Then how under the canopy does Paul happen to be appointed to the St. +Regis?" demanded Christy. + +Captain Passford took from his pocket a letter he had received from +Captain Breaker, and proceeded to read portions of it, as follows: +"If Christy is not promoted and given an adequate independent command, +I shall be disappointed; and given such whether he consents or not. He +has never been wanting in anything; and though I say it to his father, +there is not a more deserving officer in the service, not even one +who is ten years older. I have expressed myself fully in my report. +I believe his gallant exploit in the late action with the Tallahatchie +saved the lives of at least one-fourth of my ship's company; and it +thinned out the ranks of the enemy in about the same proportion. Captain +Rombold insists that he should have captured the Bellevite if the tide +had not been thus turned against him; but I do not admit this, +of course. + +"I still set the highest value upon the services of Chief Engineer Paul +Vapoor, and I should regret exceedingly to lose him. But Christy and +Paul have been the most intimate friends from their school days; and if +your son is appointed to an independent command, as I believe he ought +to be, it would do something towards reconciling him to his appointment +if his crony were in the same ship with him. For this reason, and this +alone, I am willing to sacrifice my own wishes to the good of the +service. I have talked with Paul about the matter, and he would be +delighted to be the companion of Christy, even in a small steamer." + +"Captain Breaker is very kind and very considerate, as he always was; +and I shall certainly feel more at home on board of the St. Regis with +Paul Vapoor as her chief engineer," replied Christy; and the effect +seemed to be what the commander of the Bellevite anticipated. "Go on +with the list, father." + +"Paul's first assistant engineer will be Charles Graines," continued +Captain Passford. + +"That is very good; but Charley is a sailor as well as a machinist, +and I may borrow him of Paul on some special occasions, for he has what +Captain Breaker calls ingenuity, as well as bravery and skill." + +"The second assistant is Amos Bolter, a brother of Leon, who has been +first assistant of the Bellevite from the beginning of the war, and who +has been promoted to chief at the suggestion of the commander in the +letter from which I have just read. The third assistant is John +McLaughlin, whom Paul knows if you do not. These are your principal +officers; and we had better go and see your mother and Florry now." + +"I have good news for you and your family, Captain Passford, for I am +informed that I have been exchanged, and need trespass no longer upon +your generous and kindly hospitality," said the commander. + +"That is no news to me, Captain Rombold, for I had the pleasure of +suggesting the officers for whom you and the doctor might be exchanged," +replied the host with a pleasant laugh. "But I assure you in all +sincerity that you have both of you been the farthest possible from +trespassers." + +"I do not feel that I have yet half reciprocated the kindness you +extended to my son," added Mrs. Passford. + +"I wish I could do ten times as much for you as I have been able to do," +said Florry. + +"Though wounded I have passed four of the pleasantest weeks of my life +here; and I shall never forget your kindness to me," said the commander, +grasping the hand of his host; and his example was followed by the +surgeon. + +"We have been made happier by your presence with us than we could have +made you, gentlemen," added Mrs. Passford. + +Not a word about politics or the cause of the war had been spoken. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE ST. REGIS IN COMMISSION + + +The kindly expressions of feeling which passed between the hosts and +their guests were far from being mere compliments, for the Confederate +commander and surgeon had made themselves very agreeable. Quite a number +of pleasant parties had been given in compliment to them and Christy. +But the family felt that they owed a debt of gratitude to their guests +which they could not repay; and enemies though they were, the most +eminent personages on the Federal side could not have been better +treated. + +"I am sorry you are going, though I congratulate you on the prospect now +before you of returning to your friends," said Captain Passford, after +the conversation had continued for half an hour. "But I did not come in +to receive your adieus; only to introduce to you, and to Mrs. Passford +and Florry, a new character, who has just stepped upon the stage of +action." + +"Draw it mild, papa," interposed Christy, shrugging his shoulders. + +"I have the pleasure of presenting to you Lieutenant-Commander +Christopher Passford." + +Captain Rombold and Dr. Davidson set to clapping their hands as though +they had suddenly gone crazy. When the former had nearly blistered his +own, he rushed to the newly-promoted, and grasped his hands with a +pressure which made the recipient of his warm greeting squirm with pain. + +"I congratulate you with all my heart and mind, Commander Passford," he +added, with exceeding warmth. "I know that you deserved this promotion, +and I was sure you would get it from the moment I saw you in the mizzen +rigging of the Bellevite, and within the same minute leaping over the +rail of the Tallahatchie, closely followed by thirty or forty of your +seamen. I lost all hope of taking your ship then, for almost at the same +instant came the discharge of the thirty-pounder I had prepared to lay +low half your boarders. I told you this would come, but you seemed to be +doubtful of it; and I repeat what I have said before, that God makes +some fully-developed men before they are twenty-one." + +The surgeon followed the example of his fellow-prisoner; and then +Christy's mother and sister hugged and kissed him, and he heartily +returned their affectionate embraces. + +"I have only to add that my son has been appointed to the command of the +St. Regis, a steamer of over eight hundred tons, and reputed to have a +speed of twenty knots an hour, though I have some doubts in regard to +the last item," said Captain Passford. + +"I cannot wish him success in his new command, for that would be +treason; but I have no doubt he will damage our cause even more than he +has in the past; and so far as he is personally concerned, I can wish +him success with all my heart," added Captain Rombold. "I have kept a +list of the names of the vessels in the Federal navy so far as I could +obtain them; but it does not include the St.-- What you call her? +I never heard the name before." + +"The St. Regis, after a river in the Adirondacks," said Captain +Passford, laughing. "But I can assure you, Captain, that you know her +better than any of the rest of us, for I never even saw her." + +"The St. Regis?" interrogated the commander, puzzled by the assertion. + +"Just now this steamer is something like a newly-married widow, for she +is entering upon her third name," continued the host, very lightly. +"Formerly she was the Trafalgar, a highly honored name in British +history; but more recently she received the name of Tallahatchie; and +now she becomes the St. Regis." + +"I see," replied the Confederate commander, evidently trying to hide his +intense chagrin that the magnificent steamer, purchased by Colonel Homer +Passford for him, had so soon become a ship belonging to the Federal +navy. "You expressed a doubt in regard to her speed, my dear Captain." + +"I simply doubted if she could make twenty knots an hour, for the +Bellevite overhauled her without difficulty." + +"That was because our coal was very bad. The Trafalgar made twenty knots +an hour several times when she was under my command." + +"So much the better, Captain; if the speed is in her, her new engineer +will get it out of her," replied the host. "But I must take the next +train for New York, and I am going over to see the St. Regis, for she +has been put in the best of repair. Perhaps you would like to go with +me, Christy." + +"I should, father; I was expecting Charley Graines over this morning, +and he would like to see his future home on the deep," replied the +lieutenant-commander. + +"He is in the reception-room now, waiting to see you," said Florry. + +"I have his appointment in my pocket, and you may give it to him, my +son," added the captain. + +The guests were not to leave at once, and the trio hastened to the +train. As soon as they were seated, Christy gave his friend the envelope +containing his appointment, and Charley Graines was quite as happy as +the future commander of the St. Regis. On the way the latter gave the +other all the news that had come out that morning. + +"I suppose Paul Vapoor will not come on board till we get to the Gulf, +father," said Christy. + +"You will receive your orders to-morrow, as you have been advised; and +though I cannot properly inform you where you will be bound, I can tell +you where you are not bound; you are not going to the Gulf of Mexico," +answered Captain Passford. + +"Not to the Gulf? All my service so far in blockaders has been in the +Gulf, and this will be a tremendous change for me. But where shall we +pick up our chief engineer?" + +"About all the business growing out of the capture of the Tallahatchie, +including the promotions, was done very nearly four weeks ago. I was in +Washington when Captain Breaker's very full report came, and the +officers were promoted then. The appointments were also made then; but I +have been obliged, for reasons not necessary to be named, to keep them +to myself. The steamer that carried a cargo of coal, provisions, and +stores to the Eastern Gulf squadron, was the bearer of Paul's +appointment to the St. Regis, and Mr. Bolter's commission as chief +engineer of the Bellevite. Your friend was ordered to report at the +Brooklyn Navy Yard at once. The steamer in which he came put in at +Delaware Breakwater, short of coal. He will be here by to-morrow +morning, or sooner." + +After a visit at his office Captain Passford and his companions +proceeded to the navy yard. The St. Regis was off the shore at +anchor. She was a magnificent steamer; and the captain indulged in an +exclamation, which he seldom did, when she was pointed out to him. She +was all ready for sea, and would go into commission as soon as her +commander presented himself. They went on board of her, and were +heartily welcomed by such officers as had already occupied their +staterooms. + +Captain Passford went all over her, accompanied by Christy, while the +new first assistant engineer confined his attention to the engine. The +lieutenant-commander informed the proper officer of the yard that he +would hoist the flag on board of the St. Regis at noon the next day. The +party took their leave, and in the afternoon returned to Bonnydale. + +The guests were now relieved from their parole, and they took their +leave before night, with a repetition of the good wishes which had been +expressed before. The next morning Christy was at the railroad station +on the arrival of the train from New York, and the first person that +rushed into his arms like a school-girl was Paul Vapoor. Of course +Christy was delighted to see him, but he kept watching the steps of the +principal car all the time. At last he discovered Bertha Pembroke, and +he rushed to her, leaving Paul talking into the air. + +He grasped the beautiful maiden by both hands, and both of them blushed +like a carnation pink. The young officer was not given to demonstrations +in public, and he reserved them to a more suitable occasion. He picked +up her hand-bag and bundles which she had dropped when the lover took +possession of her, and conducted her to his father's carriage. + +Christy presented her to Paul, who had heard much about her, but had +never seen her. He was simply polite, though there was mischief in his +eye, and the commander was in danger of being teased very nicely when +they were alone together. Both Bertha and Paul were cordially welcomed +by Mrs. Passford and Florry, and Christy needed nothing more to complete +his happiness. + +But there was no time to spare, and Captain Passford hurried them +without mercy, and without considering that the lovers had not met +before for several months; but the commander of the St. Regis was to +hoist his flag at noon, and there was no room for long speeches. Christy +and Paul hurried themselves into their new uniforms, not made for the +occasion, but kept in store. The engineer's uniform was all right as it +was, for he had before reached the top of the ladder in his profession, +but Flurry had changed the shoulder-straps of her brother. + +Captain Passford was not remorseless in separating the newly reunited +friends; for Paul and Flora had done some blushing, and had crept away +into a corner of the great drawing-room as soon as he had put on his +best uniform, and he finally insisted that all the ladies should go to +the navy yard and witness the ceremony. The company were rather late; +but the captain had sent a man to the station in advance, and the train +was held for them. + +It is hardly necessary to state in what manner the seats in the car were +occupied; but the captain and Mrs. Passford had to sit together. A navy +yard tugboat was at the foot of Grand Street on the arrival of the +party, for it had been telegraphed for early in the morning. Captain +Passford was a very distinguished magnate in the eyes of all naval +officers, not only on account of his great wealth, but because he was +the most influential man in the city at the department. + +Half an hour before the time the party were on the deck of the St. +Regis. All the officers were now on board; and while Paul was showing +the ladies over the vessel, the commander was renewing his acquaintance +with Mr. Baskirk, the executive officer. His father introduced Mr. +Makepeace to him; and he found him a sturdy old salt, without as much +polish as many of the officers, but a gentleman in every respect. + +"I am very glad to know you, Captain Passford," said Mr. Makepeace. "We +have one of the most brilliant commanders in the service, and I suppose +he will make things hum on board of the St. Regis, if we get into +action, as we are likely to do under his lead." + +"I shall try to do my whole duty, and I shall endeavor not to make any +sensation about it," replied Christy, as he turned from the second to +greet the third lieutenant, Mr. Drake, who had been his shipmate on +board of the Bellevite, and the commander of the Tallahatchie while he +was a passenger on board. + +The ship's company had already been mustered on deck. They were dressed +in their best uniforms, and they were a fine-looking set of men. They +had all heard of Lieutenant Passford, and they were proud and happy to +serve under his command. Promptly at noon, as the church bells on shore +were striking the hour, Commander Passford mounted a dais, and his +commission was read to the ship's company. He then made a short speech +suited to the occasion, and ordered the colors to be run up to the peak. +The ship was then in commission, and she was to sail on the tide the +next day. The subordinate officers and seamen then gave three cheers, +in which every person seemed to put his whole heart. + +Christy conducted Bertha to the captain's cabin, which had been +restored to its original condition and refurnished. A lunch was served +to the whole party under an awning on the quarter-deck. Mr. Drake, an +eye-witness and actor in the battle, fought it over for the benefit of +the ladies; and before night they all returned to Bonnydale, where it +required at least three rooms to accommodate them during the evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +CAPTAIN PASSFORD ALONE IN HIS GLORY + + +Christy Passford was stirring at an early hour the next morning, and +so was Bertha Pembroke; for the St. Regis was to sail that day, though +the tide did not serve till four in the afternoon. After breakfast +his father called him into the library, and closed the door. Captain +Passford had remained in the city the evening before till the last +train, and it was evident that he had something to say to his son. + +"I have no information to give you this time, Christy, in regard to the +coming of blockade-runners or steamers for the Confederate navy," said +he. "But I have been instructed to use my own judgment in regard to what +I may say to you about your orders. Of course you have observed that the +blockading squadrons in the Gulf have been greatly reduced." + +"Only the Bellevite and Holyoke remained off the entrance to Mobile +Bay," added Christy. "We have had a very quiet time of it since I joined +the Bellevite, and the action with the Tallahatchie was really the only +event of any great importance in which I have been engaged." + +"The enemy and their British allies have been so unfortunate in the +Gulf that they have chosen a safer approach to the shores of the South. +Nearly all the blockade-runners at the present time go in at the Cape +Fear River, where the shoal water favors them. A class of steamers of +light draft and great speed are constructed expressly to go into +Wilmington. Over $65,000,000 have been invested in blockade-running; +and in spite of the capture of at least one a week by our ships, the +business appears to pay immense profits. The port of Charleston is +closed to them now, as well as many others." + +"I have studied this locality of the coast at the mouth of the Cape Fear +River, and the blockade-runners certainly have their best chance there," +said Christy. + +"The whole attention of the government, so far as blockade-running is +concerned, has been directed to the approaches of Wilmington. Forts +Fisher, Caswell, and Smith afford abundant protection to the light draft +steamers as soon as they get into the shoal water where our gunboats as +a rule cannot follow them. The one thing we need down there is fast +steamers. It is a stormy coast, and our smaller gunboats cannot safely +lie off the coast." + +"I have read that a single successful venture in this business sometimes +pays for the steamer many times over." + +"That is quite true, and the business prospers, though there are +fifty or more Federal cruisers and gunboats patrolling the shore. Now, +Christy, you are to be sent to this locality with the St. Regis; but you +are to be in the outer circle of blockaders, so to speak, as your sealed +orders will inform you." + +"Of course I shall obey my orders, whatever they are," added the +commander. + +"I have nothing more to say, and you will regard what has passed between +you and me as entirely confidential," said Captain Passford, as he rose +to leave the library. + +"By the way, father, what has become of Monsieur Gilfleur?" asked +Christy. "I have not seen him since my return." + +"Just now he is working up a case of treason in Baltimore, though I +expected him home before this time," replied the captain. + +"I am sorry I have not seen him, for he and I had become great friends +before we parted. I think he is in some respects a remarkable man." + +"In his profession he is unexcelled; and what is more in that line, he +is honest and reliable." + +"I learned all that of him while we were operating together. 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. I prefer to trust to the speed +of the St. Regis to enable you to accomplish the same results off the +coast," said Captain Passford, as they left the library. + +"I should really like to see Monsieur, for he is a very agreeable +companion," replied Christy. + +"He would be exceedingly pleased to meet you again, for he had become +very much attached to you." + +After lunch the same party that had visited the St. Regis the day before +left on the train for New York, and proceeded to the navy yard from the +foot of Grand Street, for all of them wished to see Christy off. Captain +Passford, Junior, was received on board of his ship with all due form +and ceremony. Paul Vapoor had been to his home for a brief visit to his +mother and sisters; but he had gone to Bonnydale as early in the morning +as it was decent to do so, and was all devotion to Florry. + +Mr. Baskirk, the executive officer, had the ship in first-rate order +when the commander went on board with his party; and as there was +nothing for him to do, Christy devoted himself to the entertainment of +his friends. The ladies with their escorts went all over the steamer +again; the commander and Paul opened their staterooms for their +examination, and Charley Graines showed them that of the first assistant +engineer in the steerage. + +"But you have a whole cabin to yourself, Christy," said Bertha, after +she looked into all the other rooms. + +"I have the honor to be the commander of the ship," replied Christy +lightly. "I have two state-rooms, so that if I had the happiness to +relieve a forlorn maiden from captivity on board of one of the enemy's +vessels, as I did in your case, Bertha, I should have a better apartment +to offer her than I had then." + +The first half of the afternoon passed away all too soon for those who +were to sail on the tide, and those who were to return to Bonnydale. +The commander took leave of his parents, his sister, and Bertha in his +cabin, where Paul passed through the same ordeal with Miss Florry. The +navy-yard tender was alongside; and the ladies were assisted on board of +her by the officers, while the seamen under the direction of Mr. +Makepeace were heaving up the anchor. + +"Cable up and down, sir," reported the second lieutenant. + +This was the signal for the departure of the tender; and another hasty +adieu followed, when the commander and the chief engineer hastened to +the deck. The men forward had suspended their labor when the cable was +up and down. The commander gave the order to weigh the anchor. The tide +was still on the flood, and the head of the ship was pointed very nearly +in the direction she was to sail. + +"Anchor aweigh, sir!" reported Mr. Makepeace. + +"Strike one bell, Mr. Baskirk," said Christy; and the order was repeated +to the quartermaster who was conning the wheel. + +The screw of the St. Regis began to turn, and she went ahead very +slowly. The tender was a short distance from her, and all the ladies +were waving their handkerchiefs with all their might; and their signals +were returned, not only by Christy and Paul, but by all the officers on +deck. The seamen could not comfortably "hold in," and they saluted the +tender with three rousing cheers, for they knew that the family of their +young commander were on board of her. + +The little steamer followed the ship till she had passed the Battery, +a repetition of the former salute, and then the tender sheered off, and +went up North River, the ship proceeding on her course for the scene of +her future exploits. The parting of Christy with his father, mother, and +sister had been less sad than on former occasions; for they believed, +whether with good reason or not, that the son, brother, and lover was to +be exposed to less peril than usual. + +Christy had received his sealed orders on board from an officer sent +specially to deliver them to him in person; and he was instructed to +open the envelope off Cape Henlopen. At six o'clock the St. Regis was +off Sandy Hook. Four bells, which was the signal to the engine room to +go ahead at full speed, had been sounded as soon as the ship had passed +through the Narrows. + +After the young commander had taken his supper, solitary and alone in +his great cabin, he went on deck. No one shared his spacious apartment +with him, and he was literally alone in his glory. But he did not object +to his solitude, for he had enough to think of; and though he did not +betray it in his expression, he was in a state of excitement, for what +young fellow, even if "fully developed before he was twenty-one," could +have helped being exhilarated when he found himself in command of such +an exceptionally fine and fast ship as the St. Regis. + +When he went on deck, for he seemed to need more air than usual to +support the immense amount of internal life that was stirring his being, +he met Paul Vapoor coming up from the ward room, where he messed with +seven other officers. + +"I hope you are feeling very well, Captain Passford," said Paul, as he +touched his cap to the commander, for all familiarities were suspended +unless when they were alone; and habit generally banished them even +then. + +"As well as usual, Mr. Vapoor," replied Christy. "How do you find the +engine?" + +"In excellent condition, Captain. It was thoroughly overhauled at the +yard, boilers and machinery, and I have examined it down to the minutest +details." + +"I have an idea that our speed will be more in demand than our fighting +strength on this cruise," added Christy. + +"We are ready for speed in the engine room. The coal that remained on +board on the arrival of the ship at the yard was very bad; but it has +all been taken out, and our bunkers are filled with the best that could +be had, the master-machinist informed me yesterday," replied the chief +engineer. "I don't believe she could overhaul the Bellevite, for I am of +the opinion that she is the fastest sea-going steamer in the navy." + +"I don't think we shall find any blockade-runner that can run away from +the Bellevite; for she has overhauled every one she chased off Mobile +Bay, and made a prize of her. I am to open my orders off Henlopen, and +then we shall know what our work is to be." + +"About eight hours from Sandy Hook, as we are running now," added Paul. + +"I am very impatient to read my orders, and I shall be called at one +o'clock for that purpose," added Christy, as he began to plank the deck +on the weather side. + +The wind was from the north-west, and quite fresh. The men had had their +suppers, and he ordered Mr. Baskirk to make sail. The St. Regis was bark +rigged, and could spread a large surface of canvas. He desired to test +the qualities of his crew; and in a short time everything was drawing. +Christy "turned in" at nine o'clock; but he was excited, and he had not +slept a wink when he was called at the hour he had indicated. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +OFF THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA + + +Having assured himself that the ship was fully up with Cape Henlopen, +Christy retired to his cabin, and still "alone in his glory," he broke +the seal of the official envelope. He was to cruise outside of the +blockaders, and report to the flag-officer when opportunity presented. +Just then it was believed that Richmond, which received all its foreign +supplies from Wilmington, could not long hold out if it was captured; +and the Secretary of the Navy was giving special attention to the forts +which protected it. + +It was evident to the young commander that he was not to rust in +inactivity, as had been the case of late off Mobile Bay, and a wide +field of operations was open to him. His instructions were minute, but +they did not confine his ship to the immediate vicinity of the mouth of +the Cape Fear River. It was evident that the speed of the St. Regis had +been an important factor in framing the secret orders. + +If a blockade-runner eluded or outsailed the vessels of the fleet near +the coast, the St. Regis was expected to "pick her up." On the other +hand, the fastest of the vessels were sent out farther from the shore, +and the ship was expected to support them. Christy realized that he +should be called upon to exercise his judgment in many difficult +situations, and he could only hope that he should be equal to such +occasions. + +"Good-morning, Captain Passford," said Paul Vapoor, saluting him on the +quarter-deck. "I hope you slept well in your brief watch below." + +"I did not sleep a wink, I was so anxious to read my orders. But I know +them now, and I feel as cool as an arctic iceberg. I shall sleep when I +turn in again." + +"Well, where are we going, Captain, if it is no longer a secret?" asked +the engineer. + +"It is not a secret now; and we are to cruise off the mouth of the +Cape Fear River," replied the commander, as he proceeded to give the +information more in detail. + +"We are not likely to have any hot work then if we are only to chase +blockade-runners," added Paul. + +"Probably we can render greater service to our country in this manner +than in any other way, or we should not have been sent to this quarter," +said Christy, with a long gape. + +Paul saw that his friend was sleepy, and he bade him good-night. The +commander went to his stateroom, and was soon fast asleep, from which he +did not wake till eight o' clock in the morning. When he went on deck +the ship was carrying all sail. The second lieutenant had the deck, and +he asked him what speed the steamer was making. + +"The last log showed seventeen knots an hour," replied Mr. Makepeace. + +"I hope you slept well, Captain Passford," said the chief engineer, +saluting him at this minute. + +"I slept like a log till eight bells this morning," replied Christy. + +"Mr. Makepeace reports the last log at seventeen knots," continued Paul. +"But the ship is not making revolutions enough per hour for more than +fifteen, for I have got the hang of her running now. The wind is blowing +half a gale, and the canvas is giving her two knots." + +No events transpired on board worthy a special chronicle during the +day. The men were drilled in various exercises, and gave excellent +satisfaction to their officers. The next morning the St. Regis was off +Cape Hatteras, and though it is a greater bugbear than it generally +deserves, it gave the ship a taste of its quality. The wind had hauled +around to the south-west, and was blowing a lively gale. The sails had +been furled in the morning watch, and off the cape the course had been +changed to south-west. + +Just before eight bells in the afternoon watch, when the ship was making +fifteen knots an hour, the lookout man on the top-gallant forecastle +called out "Sail, ho!" and all eyes were directed ahead. + +"Where away?" demanded the officer of the deck sharply. + +"Close on the lee bow, sir!" returned the lookout. + +The commander was in his cabin studying the chart of the coast of North +Carolina; but the report was promptly sent to him, and he hastened on +deck. + +"Another sail on the port bow, sir!" shouted a seaman who had been sent +to the fore cross trees with a spy-glass. + +"What are they?" asked Christy, maintaining his dignity in spite of the +excitement which had begun to invade his being. + +"Both steamers, sir," replied the officer of the deck. + +"The head one is a blockade-runner, I know by the cut of her jib, sir," +shouted the man with the glass on the cross trees. + +All the glasses on board were immediately directed to the two vessels. +Christy could plainly make out the steamer that had the lead. She was a +piratical-looking craft, setting very low in the water, with two smoke +stacks, both raking at the same angle as her two masts. The wind was +not fair, and she could not carry sail; but the "bone in her teeth" +indicated that she was going through the water at great speed. + +"A gun from the chaser, sir!" shouted the man aloft. + +The cloud of smoke was seen, and the report of the gun reached the ears +of all on board the St. Regis. + +"There is no mistaking what all that means, Mr. Baskirk," said Christy +when he had taken in the situation. + +At the first announcement of the sail ahead, the commander had ordered +the chief engineer to get all the speed he could out of the ship. The +smoke was pouring out of the smoke stacks, for the St. Regis had two, +and presently she indicated what was going on in the fire room by +beginning to shake a little. + +"Another sail dead ahead, sir!" called the man on the fore cross trees. + +The glasses were directed to the third sail, and she proved to be a +steamer, also pursuing the one first seen. It was soon evident to the +observers that the blockade-runner, for the man aloft who had so defined +her was entirely correct, was gaining all the time on her pursuers. If +she had nothing but her two pursuers to fear, her troubles were really +over. + +Both of the Federal ships were firing at the chase; but they might as +well have spared their powder and shot, for they could not reach her +into at least a quarter of a mile. The wind was still at the south-west, +and already there were signs of fog. The rakish steamer had probably +come from the Bermudas, where she must have obtained a skilful pilot, +for without one she would have had no chances at all; and she stood +boldly on her course as though she had nothing to fear on account of +the navigation. + +"What are we going to have for weather, Mr. Makepeace?" asked Christy, +after a long look to windward. + +"It looks a little nasty off towards the shore, sir," replied the second +lieutenant. "I should say it was going to be just what that pirate would +like to have." + +"Why do you call her a pirate?" asked the commander with a smile. +"Probably she is not armed." + +"I call her a pirate because she looks like one; but I think a +blockade-runner is a hundred degrees better than a pirate; and our +British friends plainly look upon them as doing a legitimate business. +I rather think that highflyer will run into a fog before she gets to the +shore." + +"She has nothing to fear from the two steamers that are chasing her," +added Christy. "We are to have a finger in this pie." + +"No doubt of that; and I hope we shall make a hole through her before +she gets to the coast." + +"She is not more than a mile and a half from us now, and our midship gun +is good for more than that; but I don't think it is advisable to waste +our strength in firing at her just yet." + +"That's just my way of thinking," said Mr. Makepeace, with something +like enthusiasm in his manner; and he was evidently delighted to find +that the commander knew what he was about, as he would have phrased it. + +"The rakish steamer seems to be headed to the west south-west, and she +is exactly south-east of us. We can see that she is sailing very fast; +but how fast has not yet been demonstrated. How high should you rate her +speed, Mr. Makepeace?" + +"I should say, Captain Passford, that she was making eighteen knots an +hour. She is kicking up a big fuss about it; and I'll bet a long-nine +cigar that she is doing her level best." + +"I don't believe she is doing any better than that," added Christy. +"Make the course south south-west, Mr. Baskirk." + +"South south-west, sir," replied the executive officer. + +The course of the ship was changed, and Christy planked the deck from +the quarter-deck to the forecastle in order to obtain the best view he +could of the relative positions of the St. Regis, the chase, and the two +steamers astern of her. The blockade-runner showed no colors; and no +flag could have been of any service to her. She appeared still to be +very confident that she was in no danger, evidently relying wholly upon +her great speed to carry her through to her destination. + +The "highflyer," as the second lieutenant called her every time he +alluded to the blockade-runner, and the two pursuers, occupied the three +angles of a triangle. The latter were both sending needless cannon balls +in the direction of the chase, but not one of them came anywhere near +her. + +On the other hand, the highflyer and the St. Regis formed two angles of +another triangle, the third of which was the point where they would come +together, if nothing occurred to derange their relative positions. By +this time Paul Vapoor had developed all the power of the ship's boilers, +and the screw was making more revolutions a minute than her highest +record, which was found in a book the former chief engineer had left +in his stateroom. + +"I don't think that highflyer quite understands the situation, Mr. +Baskirk," said the commander, as he observed that she did not vary her +course, and stood on to her destination, apparently with perfect +confidence. + +"I don't think she does, sir," replied the first lieutenant. "She can +see the American flag at the peak, and she knows what we are. Doubtless +she is making the mistake of believing that all the Federal ships are +slow coaches." + +"Heave the log, Mr. Baskirk," added Christy, and he walked forward. + +It was a matter of angles when it was desirable to come down to a close +calculation, and the young commander found his trigonometry very useful, +and fortunately not forgotten. With an apparatus for taking ranges he +had procured the bearing of the highflyer accurately as soon as the last +course was given out, perhaps half an hour before. He took the range +again, and found there was a slight difference, which was, however, +enough to show that the form of the triangle had been disturbed. + +Both ships were headed for the same point, and the sides of the triangle +were equal at the first observation. Now the St. Regis's side of the +figure was perceptibly shorter than its opposite. This proved to the +captain that his ship had gained on the other. The two chasers had been +losing on the chase for the last half-hour, and Christy regarded them as +out of the game. + +There was some appearance of fog in the south-west, and no land could +be seen in any direction. For another hour the St. Regis drove ahead +furiously on her course, and the highflyer was doing the same. The +two steamers, regardless of the speed of either, were necessarily +approaching each other as long as they followed the two sides of the +triangle. They had come within half a mile the one of the other, when +the commander gave the order to beat to quarters. Ten minutes later the +frame of the ship shook under the discharge of the big Parrot. The shot +went over the chase; but she promptly changed her course to the +southward. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +THE FIRST PRIZE OF THE ST. REGIS + + +The shot from the Parrot passed between the funnel and the mainmast of +the chase, as judged by the splash of the ball in the water just beyond +her. It had come near enough to the mark to wake up the captain of the +highflyer. He appeared to believe that the pursuer from the northward +had simply cut him off by approaching on the shorter side of the +triangle, and that all he had to do was to escape to the southward, +evidently satisfied that no steamer in the Federal navy could overhaul +him in a fair and square race. + +"Now comes the tug of war," said Mr. Baskirk, when the St. Regis had +been headed for the chase. + +"The game will not last all day," added Christy. "If I owned that +highflyer, I should not employ her present captain to sail her for me. +He is overloaded with a blind confidence, and he has made a very bad use +of his opportunities. If I had been in command of that steamer I should +have made her course so as to run away from all three of my pursuers as +soon as I made them out. It is six o'clock now, and I should have got +far enough into the darkness to give them all the slip, and gone into +Wilmington on a new track." + +"Her captain appears to trust entirely to his heels, and to look +with contempt upon anything like manoeuvring," replied the first +lieutenant. + +"But we must finish him up before the darkness enables him to give us +the slip. I have no doubt we could knock her all to pieces with the +midship gun in the next fifteen minutes; but if she can make eighteen +knots an hour, which we seem to be all agreed that she can do, she will +not be a useless addition to the United States Navy, and it would be a +pity to smash her up, for she is a good-looking craft. We are gaining +two knots an hour on her, and Mr. Vapoor is keeping things warm in the +engine and fire rooms." + +"That is taking an economical view of the subject," added Mr. Baskirk, +laughing at the commander's utilitarian views. + +"If we continue to fire into her, we must swing to every shot we send, +and that would take so much from our speed," argued Christy. "We are as +sure of her as though we already had her in our clutches. There are +plenty of officers in the navy who would like to command her when she is +altered over into a cruiser." + +"You are quite right, Captain Passford; and there are some of them on +the deck of the St. Regis at this moment," said the first lieutenant, +laughing. + +"Heave the log, Mr. Baskirk," said the captain. + +The report from the master, who attended to this duty, was soon reported +to the executive officer, who transmitted it to the commander. + +"Rising twenty knots, sir," said he. + +"That will do," replied Christy. "That is enough to enable us to +overhaul the chase within half an hour." + +Within fifteen minutes it could be seen that the St. Regis was rapidly +gaining on the Raven, for the latter was near enough now to enable the +pursuers to read the name on her stern, and the captain of the highflyer +could not help realizing that he had not the slightest chance to escape. +The chaser was within the eighth of a mile of her, and the result was +only a matter of minutes. + +"She has stopped her screw, sir!" reported the third lieutenant in the +waist, passing the word from the second lieutenant on the forecastle. + +"She has stopped her screw, Captain," repeated Mr. Baskirk. + +"That means mischief," replied Christy, as he directed his gaze to the +Raven. + +"She is getting out two boats on her port side!" shouted Mr. Makepeace +from the top-gallant forecastle; and the report was repeated till it +reached the commander, though he had heard it before it was officially +communicated to him. "That means more mischief." + +"Ready to stop and back her!" he cried through the speaking-tube to the +chief engineer. + +"All ready, sir," replied Paul. + +"Some of these blockade-runners are desperate characters, and that +captain intends either to burn or sink his ship," continued Christy, +with a trifle of excitement in his manner, though he looked as dignified +as a college professor in the presence of his class. + +The St. Regis was still rushing with unabated speed towards her prey, +and a minute or two more would decide whether or not she was to be a +prize or a blazing hulk on the broad ocean. + +"Lay him aboard on the port side, Mr. Baskirk!" + +"The two boats are there, Captain, as you can see," replied the +executive officer. + +"Board on the port side, Mr. Baskirk!" repeated the commander very +decidedly, and somewhat sharply; and at the same time he rang one bell +on the gong to slow down the engine. "Board on the port side, Mr. +Baskirk!" he repeated again. "Mr. Drake, have the steam pump and long +hose ready to extinguish fire!" + +Whether the captain of the Raven had ordered his men to scuttle the +steamer, or to fire her in several places, Christy could not know; and +he did not much care, for he was ready to meet either emergency. The St. +Regis was bearing down on her victim with a reduced speed. The men +forward and in the waist were all ready with the grappling irons to +fasten to her, and the boarders were all prepared to leap upon her deck, +though no fighting was expected. + +The bow of the St. Regis was near the stem of the Raven, and Christy +rang one bell to stop her, and then two to back her. Then he sprang upon +the starboard rail of the ship where he could observe his men as they +boarded the other steamer. + +"What are you about, sir?" yelled a man on the quarter-deck of the +Raven, who appeared to be the captain of the vessel, in a rude voice. +"Don't you see that you are crushing my two boats and the men in them?" + +"I did not order the boats or the men there," replied Christy calmly, +and in a gentle tone, for the captain of the blockade-runner was not ten +feet from him. + +"I did," added the captain of the prize, for such she really was by this +time. + +"Then you are responsible for them," said the commander of the St. +Regis. + +"Do you mean to murder them?" gasped the other captain furiously. + +"If they are killed you have sent them to their death!" + +But the commander had no time to argue the matter with the irate +captain. He had rung three bells, and the ship was backing at full +speed. The momentum had not been sufficiently checked to stop her, and +the two boats were crushed to splinters. The seamen who were in them saw +what was coming, and they seized the ropes which had been dropped to +them by the boarders on the rail at the command of the captain, who did +not wish them to be sacrificed to the madness of their commander, and +they climbed to the chains of the Federal ship with the aid of the +boarders. + +"Lay her aboard!" shouted Christy as soon as the headway of the ship had +been checked, and the grappling irons had been made fast. + +The willing and active seamen poured from the rails to the deck of the +prize, their officers leading the way. The main hatch had been removed +and a light smoke was coming up through the opening. The hose from the +steam pump of the ship had been drawn on board, and the master was in +charge of it. At the command of the officers the men leaped below at all +the openings in the deck, and it was found that she had been fired in +half a dozen places. + +In most of them the combustibles had only been lighted a few moments +before, and they had not become well-kindled. Except at the main hatch, +the men extinguished the flames with their hands and feet, and a stream +from the hose put out the one amidships. The hoseman shut off the water, +and the ship's company of the St. Regis were in full possession of the +prize. + +"Anything more to be done, Captain Bristler?" asked the mate, as he +approached the commander. + +"Nothing more can be done, Mr. Victor," replied the captain, who +appeared to be overwhelmed with wrath at the unexpected termination of +his voyage. "It is too late to scuttle her, and that vampire of a Yankee +has smashed both of our boats into kindling wood. We did not begin the +end soon enough." + +But the beginning had evidently ended sooner than had been expected, and +the Raven was the prize of the St. Regis. Christy still stood on the +rail, and saw that all his orders had been executed to the letter. Mr. +Makepeace had sent the carpenter and his gang into the hold, or as far +as they could get, to ascertain if the steamer had been scuttled. It +could not have been done without breaking out a portion of the cargo, +and this would have been a work of no little time. The carpenter +reported that everything was all right below the deck of the Raven, +and the commander on the rail was so informed. + + [Illustration: "The stream struck the commander with force." + Page 331.] + +"This is a heathenish outrage, Captain, if a young cub like you can be +the commander of a ship like that!" exclaimed Captain Bristler, foaming +with rage over the result of the affair; and he interlarded his speech +with all the oaths in the vocabulary of a pirate. + +"Captain Bristler, when you address me as one gentleman should another, +I will talk with you; but not till then," replied Christy with dignity. + +"A gentleman!" gasped the other captain. "You tried to murder half a +dozen of my men! You are a Yankee pirate! That's what you are!" + +We cannot soil this page with even a description of the oaths and curses +with which he mixed his language. Christy was disgusted with him; and +while he still continued his impious ravings, he sent a midshipman with +an order to Mr. Makepeace who was in charge of the hose pipe on board of +the Raven. While Captain Bristler was pouring forth anathemas that made +the blood of the loyal officers run cold in their veins, the man who +held the hose pipe directed it to him, and the water was turned on. + +The stream struck the commander with force enough to knock him down. +But the bath was not suspended on that account, and it was continued +till it had extinguished the fire of profanity. Christy made a sign, +and the steam-pump ceased to work. The mate rushed to the assistance of +the captain, put him on his feet, and was conducting him towards the +companion, seeking a retreat in his cabin; but he was silent, perhaps +from his inability to speak. + +"Stop, Mr. Victor!" called Christy to the mate. "I cannot trust that man +to remain on board of the Raven"; and at the same time he directed Mr. +Baskirk to have him arrested and put in irons, if he was violent. + +"But this gentleman is the commander of the steamer," interposed the +mate. + +"I don't care what he is; if he were a gentleman, as you call him, +I would treat him like one; but he is a brute, and I shall treat him as +such," replied Christy, as two of his men, attended by two more, laid +hands on the dripping captain. "You may send his clothes on board of +this ship, Mr. Victor. Have him committed to the brig, Master-at-Arms." + +There was no appeal from the decision of Commander Passford, for his +authority was supreme. The refractory commander was committed to the +brig of the St. Regis, and his own steward was sent to him with his +clothes, with order to exchange his wet garments for dry ones. + +"Sail, ho!" shouted the man on the cross trees, who had remained there +during the scene which had just transpired, while the commander was +descending from the rail. + +Possibly the lookout man had been more attentive to the proceedings on +the deck of the Raven than to his duty, for the sail must have been in +sight some little time before he reported it. The two steamers, which +had been vainly chasing the prize, were now within half a mile of the +St. Regis. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +ANOTHER SAILING CONTEST INAUGURATED + + +Although the Raven had not yet been disposed of, the ship's company +were immediately interested in the vessel which the lookout had tardily +announced; and the vigor with which he had given the hail to the deck +indicated that he was conscious of the defect. + +"Where away?" returned Mr. Baskirk; though it was a superfluous +question, for all on the deck who cast their eyes to the westward could +see the sail. + +"On the starboard, sir." + +Commander Passford was already examining the distant sail with his +glass, as were all the officers who were not otherwise occupied. There +were fog banks in that direction; and the craft might have suddenly +loomed up out of them, though this did not appear to have been the case. +The sail was too far off to be made out with anything like distinctness. +It was a steamer headed to the east, and the quantity of smoke that +trailed in the air above indicated that she had been liberal in the use +of coal in her furnaces. + +As the sail was diminishing her distance from the St. Regis, Christy +turned his attention again to the prize alongside his ship. The two +chasers that had been pursuing the Raven, neither of which appeared to +be capable of making more than fourteen knots an hour, were now almost +within hailing distance. + +The Raven was a steamer of nearly the size of the St. Regis. She was not +armed, and had a ship's company of about thirty men, including officers. +Her cargo was miscellaneous in its character, consisting of such +merchandise as was most needed in the Confederacy, especially in the +army. A watch had been set below on board of her to extinguish fires if +any more appeared; but this peril had been effectually removed. The +attempt to destroy the steamer and her cargo looked like malice and +revenge, and some of the officers of the ship thought it ought to be +regarded and treated as an act of war. + +To burn, scuttle, blow up, run ashore, or otherwise destroy a +blockade-runner after her situation has become absolutely hopeless can +result only to the benefit of the enemy, since it deprived the Federals +of the property that would otherwise be confiscated under international +law. But blockade-runners are regarded as neutrals unless proved to be +Americans, in which case they are subject to the penalties of treason, +and the forfeiture of the ship and cargo is the only punishment. + +Christy had never been able to regard this class of persons with much +respect, for they appeared to be in league with the enemy. Captain +Bristler had not only attempted to break through the blockade, which he +and many of his countrymen regarded as a legitimate business; but he had +attempted to burn his vessel. He had got out his boats; and when she was +wrapped in flames, he evidently expected the Federal victor to pick up +himself and his ship's company, and treat the whole of them as though +they had not been, at least constructively if not really, in the service +of the enemy. + +"The cold water applied to the commander of the Raven has had a good +effect upon him," said the first lieutenant, as he touched his cap on +the quarter-deck of the St. Regis. "He sends word that he regrets his +conduct, and asks to be released from confinement." + +"He has behaved himself more like a swine than a gentleman; but I have +no ill-will towards him, for I regarded him as beneath my contempt," +replied Captain Passford. "I can understand his condition, for of course +he is suffering under a tremendous disappointment; but that does not +atone for his brutality." + +"Certainly not, sir. He was running away from the two blockaders that +were pursuing him, and had beaten them both. He was absolutely sure of +his escape till he encountered the fleet in shore when the St. Regis +came upon the scene," added Mr. Baskirk. + +"Her captain had no particular respect for our steamer when he saw her, +and kept on his course as if in contempt of her, till we dropped a shot +near him. If he had headed to the south when he first made out the St. +Regis, he would have improved his chances, but he would only have given +us a longer chase. Let Captain Bristler out of the brig, Mr. Baskirk; we +will see if he can behave himself any better; but I will not allow any +man to swear at me if I can help myself." + +A little later Captain Bristler came on deck in charge of the ship's +corporal. He was dressed in his best clothes, and his personal +appearance had been greatly improved. + +"Captain Passford," said he, raising his cap to the commander, "under +the influence of my awful disappointment at the failure of the Raven to +outsail you, I was rude and ungentlemanly, and some of my forecastle +habits came back to me. I beg your pardon; and I shall show you that I +know how to be a gentleman, if I did forget myself for a time." + +"That is sufficient, and I accept your apology, Captain Bristler," +replied Christy with abundant dignity. + +"I did not believe there was a ship in the Federal navy that could +outsail the Raven, for she was built more for speed than for cargo," +continued the captain of the prize. + +"The St. Regis is not the only one that can outsail the Raven. I have +served in a steamer that could beat her four knots an hour in an +emergency," added Christy. + +"What steamer is that, Captain?" asked Captain Bristler. + +"That is not important, but it was the one that outsailed and captured +the St. Regis when she had another name." + +"Then your ship was a blockade-runner?" + +"She was, and also a Confederate man-of-war; she was the Trafalgar." + +"Ah! Then I know her very well; and the company owning the Raven, of +which I am a member, offered nearly double what it cost to build the +Raven for her," replied Captain Bristler. "I can understand now how I +happened to be so thoroughly beaten in the last chase. She was built for +a yacht, and no money was spared upon her." + +By this time the two steamers that had first chased the Raven had +stopped their screws, and a boat was on its way from each of them. The +two cutters came up to the gangway, and the officer in each ascended to +the deck. Christy permitted the captain of the Raven to take care of +himself, while he waited for the visitors to present themselves. + +"I am very glad to see you, Mr. Amblen!" exclaimed Christy, as he +extended his hand; for he recognized in the first officer the gentleman +who had been his third lieutenant in the Bronx. + +"I am delighted to see you again, Captain Passford," replied Lieutenant +Amblen, for such was his present rank. "I am now the executive officer +of the Muskegon. I have the pleasure of presenting to you Mr. Cartright, +first lieutenant of the St. Croix." + +"I am happy to meet you, Mr. Cartright." + +"I have often heard of you, Captain Passford, and I am glad to see you +in command of so fine and fast a steamer as the St. Regis, though I +never heard of her before," added the executive officer of the St. +Croix. "Of course you are aware that there is a steamer in sight to the +westward of us." + +"I am aware of it; and for that reason we should hasten our present +business," replied Christy, as he glanced at the steamer in the distance +and the trails of smoke astern of her. "I do not know who is the ranking +officer here; and I have not yet reported to the admiral, for I took +part in the chase from the moment of my arrival." + +"You are a lieutenant"--Mr. Amblen began. + +"A lieutenant-commander, if you please," interposed Christy with a +smile. + +"Then you are the ranking officer, Captain Passford, for both of the +other commanders are lieutenants," added the executive officer of the +Muskegon. "We are ready to transmit your orders to our superiors." + +"My orders will depend somewhat upon the steamer astern of us; and if +you will excuse me a few moments, I shall soon be ready to issue them," +replied Christy, as he took his spy-glass from the brackets, and +directed it to the approaching steamer from the west. "What do you +make of her, Mr. Baskirk?" + +The executive officer had been observing the steamer astern with his +glass; and she was not more than four miles distant by this time. + +"She is a large vessel, I judge, not less than a thousand tons. She has +all sail set and drawing, and she seems to be making very rapid progress +through the water," replied the first lieutenant. "But there are not +less than three steamers pursuing her, though they are a long way astern +of her." + +"I make out the chasers, and I should judge that she is getting away +from them," added Christy. + +"The leading steamer is turning her head to the south!" exclaimed Mr. +Baskirk, with no little excitement in his manner. + +"I only wonder she has not done so before," added the commander, +rejoining the officers of the other steamers. "I believe Captain Wright +of the Muskegon outranks Captain Boyden of the St. Croix," he continued. + +"He does, Captain Passford," replied Mr. Amblen. + +"If you will excuse me a moment, I will write an order for him;" and +Christy retired to his cabin for this purpose. + +His communication directed Captain Wright to take possession of the +Raven, and treat her precisely as though she were the prize of the +Muskegon and her consort; and constructively she was concerned in +the capture of the vessel, especially in the distribution of the +prize-money. He added to the order the fact that what appeared to be a +blockade-runner astern of his ship was outsailing her pursuers, and the +St. Regis being a very fast steamer, his duty did not permit him to make +any further delay in taking part in the chase. + +With this order in the hands of Mr. Amblen, Christy took leave of the +two officers and they departed in their boats. But he was obliged to +await the arrival of one or both of the blockaders before starting the +screw, for he was not willing to leave any number of his crew in charge +of the prize. While he was waiting, he wrote a letter to the acting +admiral of the station, announcing his arrival, and copying into it the +material portion of his orders from the department. + +The Muskegon was the first to come alongside of the Raven, which she did +on the starboard side. Captain Wright, crossing the deck of the Raven, +presented himself to Captain Passford on the quarter-deck of the St. +Regis; he was received with Christy's accustomed politeness, and the +prize was handed over to him verbally, as it had been done before in +writing. + +Captain Wright began to compliment Captain Passford, with whose +brilliant reputation he was already very familiar; but Christy +interposed, declaring that he was in a great hurry, and could hear no +more, if his orders were clearly understood. Mr. Baskirk had directed +the recall of all the ship's company, with the exception of a master's +mate, who was to remain on board to give any further information needed +to the officers of the Muskegon, and to be a witness in New York at the +prize court. + +Captain Bristler and his effects were sent back to the Raven, the +grappling irons and the fasts were cast off, and the St. Regis backed +out from her position on the port side of the prize. During all this +time Christy was very busy with his glass. As Mr. Baskirk had +discovered, the leading steamer had three blockaders in chase of her. +She was now headed to the south, having done so as soon as she saw the +four vessels lying in her course. + +"Make the course south-west by south, Mr. Baskirk," said the young +commander, after he had brought his trigonometry into use again. + +Then it became a very exciting question to ascertain which was the +faster steamer of the two. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +A VICTORIOUS UNION + + +The fog was coming and going in the distance, and at times the land +could be just discerned. In spite of the number and vigilance of the +blockading fleet, several hundred blockade-runners had succeeded in +making their way into Cape Fear River, though several hundred also had +been captured, not to mention a very considerable number that had been +run ashore or burned when escape became hopeless. + +It was the policy of the Confederacy to send out vessels to prey upon +the commerce of the United States. Some of them began their depredations +without making a port in the South, and a few of the swift steamers that +succeeded in getting into Mobile, Wilmington, and other safe places, +were fitted out for the work of destruction. The fog that prevailed +inshore was favorable to blockade-runners; and if there was a vessel of +this character in Cape Fear River, the early morning had been such as to +tempt her to try to make her way through the blockaders to sea. + +"She is not one of the ordinary steamers that run in and out of the +river," said Mr. Baskirk, while he and the commander were still watching +the progress of the chase, and Paul Vapoor was warming up the engine as +he had done before. + +"She is larger than the St. Regis, but hardly equal in size to the +Bellevite," added Christy. "She cannot draw more than twelve or fourteen +feet of water, or she could not have come out through those shallow +channels at the mouth of Cape Fear River. She seems to have the speed +to run away from her pursuers; but probably not one of them can make +fifteen knots an hour." + +The three pursuers of the blockade-runner had changed their course when +the chase did so; but it was already evident that they had no chance to +overhaul her. They were still three miles astern of her, while the St. +Regis, at sunset, was not more than three. Not a shot had been fired by +any one of the steamers, and it would have been a waste of ammunition to +do so. + +"We are gaining on her," said Christy, half an hour later. "That steamer +is making sixteen knots at least." + +"If she has found out that we can outsail her, very likely she will +count upon the darkness to enable her to give us the slip," suggested +Mr. Baskirk. + +"Mr. Vapoor has come to his bearings, and in another half hour we shall +be within one mile of her. But I am afraid we shall not be able to +settle this affair finally to-night," replied Christy. + +The darkness gathered around the two ships, and none of the steamers in +the distance could any longer be seen. The officers could just make out +the steamer ahead, which still kept on her course. The midship gun was +now brought into use, and a round shot was sent on its mission to her; +but with little chance of hitting her in the increasing gloom, for the +sky was obscured with clouds, and all the signs indicated fog during the +night, which would be exceedingly favorable to the chase. A flash was +seen in the distance, and then came the roar of a heavy gun. + +"She is not merely a blockade-runner; for it appears now that she is an +armed vessel, and has some heavy metal on board," said Christy. + +"But no shot has come within hearing," added Mr. Baskirk. "Perhaps she +only wished to inform us that she could bite as well as bark." + +The St. Regis kept on her course for another hour. Christy was very +anxious, for the chase was plainly a Confederate man-of-war, or a +privateer; and if she escaped she might begin her work of destruction +the very next day. At two bells in the first watch she could not be +seen; but the commander kept on his course another half-hour, and then +he ran into a fog. + +The log indicated that the ship was making her best speed; and if the +chase continued on her former course, she must have been within sight or +hearing by this time. Christy peered through the gloom of the night and +the fog, and listened for any sound. He kept up a tremendous thinking +all the time, and acted as though he was in doubt. + +"Make the course east, Mr. Baskirk," said he, calling the executive +officer. + +"East, Captain Passford?" interrogated the lieutenant; and if he tried +to conceal the astonishment he felt, his tones failed him. + +"East, Mr. Baskirk," repeated the commander. + +The course was given to the quartermaster at the wheel; and the St. +Regis came about gradually, and stood off in the direction indicated. +Christy had a theory of his own, in regard to the probable movements of +the chase, and he desired to be solely responsible for the result: +therefore he kept his plan to himself. + +"Call all hands, Mr. Baskirk, but without any noise at all," continued +the commander, while the ship was still driving ahead at the rate of +twenty knots an hour. + +The ship's company silently took their stations, and no one on the deck +spoke a loud word, though no order to this effect had been given. All +the white cotton cloth that could be found on board was brought to the +waist, where it was torn into strips about three inches wide, and two +feet in length. These two pieces were distributed among the ship's +company, with the order to tie them around the left arm, above the +elbow. + +The fog was deep and dense; and the lookouts, who were stationed on the +top-gallant forecastle and aloft, could not see a ship's length ahead. +Christy had gone forward, and made his way out on the bowsprit, in order +to get as far as possible from the noise of the engine. He listened +there for a full half-hour, and while the ship had made ten miles. + +"Starboard a little, Mr. Baskirk," he called to the executive officer, +who had followed him forward. + +"Starboard, sir," repeated the officer, as he sent the order aft. + +"Port! Port!" exclaimed the commander with more energy. + +The orders were passed rapidly through the line of officers till they +reached the quartermaster conning the wheel. The captain continued to +listen for another quarter of an hour. + +"Steady!" he shouted aloud, and left his position on the bowsprit to +take another on the top-gallant forecastle. "We are close aboard of her, +Mr. Baskirk! Have your grappling irons ready! Lay her aboard as we come +alongside!" + +By this time all hands forward could see the dark hull of the enemy. The +St. Regis was rapidly running alongside of her, for the chase did not +seem to be going at her former speed; and no doubt her commander was +busy working out some manoeuvre he had devised to escape from his +pursuers. The boarders threw their grappling-irons, and fastened to the +side of the enemy. + +The drum was heard on board of her, beating to quarters; but it was too +late, for the boarders were springing over her rail. Christy heard one +bell on the gong of the other ship, and instantly made the same signal +on his own. It was evidently a surprise to the enemy, but the ship's +company were promptly rallied. The enemy was overwhelmed in a few +minutes, though not till several had fallen on both sides. The captain +seemed to have been too busy with his manoeuvre to escape to attend to +present conditions. + +While the commander of the St. Regis remained on the deck, or even on +the top-gallant forecastle, the clang of his own engine prevented him +from hearing any other sounds; and the enemy appeared not to have seen +the ship till she emerged from the fog. The crew of the prize, as she +was by this time, were all driven below, and the victory was complete. + +"Do you surrender?" demanded Mr. Baskirk of the officer who appeared to +be the captain. + +"There appears to be no alternative," replied the commander very +gloomily: and he did not attempt to explain how his misfortune had come +upon him. He had counted upon the fog to insure his salvation; but it +appeared to have been the primary cause of his capture, though he +certainly had not been as vigilant as a commander should be. Christy +came on board, and Mr. Baskirk introduced him. + +"I am glad to see you, Captain Passford," said the commander as a matter +of form. "I was absolutely sure that you would chase me to the westward, +sir; and I had not the slightest expectation of encountering you on this +course." + +"I took my chances of finding you in this direction rather than in the +opposite one," replied Christy. "It appears that I correctly interpreted +your strategy, though I dared not even mention my plan to my executive +officer." + +"I have fallen into my own trap, and being captured as I was, is +disgraceful to me," added Captain Winnlock, as his name proved to be; +and the steamer was the Watauga. + +Christy's opinion of the capture did not differ from that of the +commander of the prize, but he made no remark upon it. The Watauga was +loaded with cotton, which was to be sent to England from Nassau, while +the steamer was to go on a cruise in search of defenceless merchantmen +of the United States. + +"I have a passenger on board, Captain Passford, who bears the same name +that you do, and possibly he may be one of your relatives, though he is +by no means a Federalist," said Captain Winnlock. + +"Indeed! May I ask his name?" replied Christy very much surprised. + +"Colonel Homer Passford, sir." + +"My uncle again!" + +Mr. French, the master, had already been appointed prize-master; and +while Mr. Baskirk was making the arrangements for her departure for New +York, Christy accompanied the captain to the cabin. Colonel Passford had +learned the fate of the Watauga; and he sat at a table, his face covered +with both hands. + +"I have brought down to see you, Colonel Passford, your nephew," said +the commander; and his uncle sprang to his feet, and gazed at his +brother's son as though he had been a spectre. + +"Christy!" he exclaimed; but he could say no more, and groaned in his +anguish. + +"He is a lieutenant-commander now, and captain of the steamer St. Regis, +formerly the Tallahatchie. The Watauga is now unfortunately the prize of +his ship," added Captain Winnlock, as he retired from the cabin. + +"Captured again by my nephew," groaned the unhappy colonel. "I believe +you are the emissary of the Evil One, sent to torment me." + +"I am sent by the opposite Power, Uncle Homer," replied Christy very +gently. "But I am more astonished to see you here than you ought to be +to see me, for I go wherever the fortunes of war carry me." + +"I was still trying to serve my country in her misfortunes. I raised +another cargo of cotton among my friends, and it is now on board of this +vessel. It has fallen into your hands, where most of my cotton has +gone." + +The victorious commander inquired for his aunt and cousins in the South, +and informed him that his mother and sister were very well. He added +that he should be obliged to send him to New York in the prize, and +insured him a brotherly welcome at Bonnydale. He parted with his uncle +pitying him very much; but he had chosen for himself which side he would +take in the great conflict. + +The Watauga had a crew of sixty men, who were to be re-enforced at +Nassau, and a large prize-crew had to be sent with her; but French +returned with his force in three weeks, and the St. Regis was again +fully manned. Christy received a letter from the flag-officer, who +commended him very highly for the service he had rendered; and the St. +Regis was continued on her present station through the remainder of the +summer, and during the winter on the outer limit of the blockaders. + +She made several captures, though all of them without any fighting, for +no more Confederate men-of-war, actually or intended as such, came out +of Wilmington, or attempted to enter the Cape Fear; but he sent a large +number of blockade-runners, loaded with cotton coming out, or with +supplies for the Confederate armies going in, to New York. + +One day in August a large steamer was reported to the commander of the +St. Regis as coming from the South. Christy was all ready for a battle +if she proved to be a Confederate cruiser; but to his great joy she +turned out to be the Bellevite. The ocean was as smooth as glass, and +she came alongside the St. Regis. The young commander hastened on board +of her, followed by his chief engineer. + +Captain Breaker actually hugged him amid the repeated cheers and +applause of the ship's company, and Paul Vapoor was received with hardly +less enthusiasm. Christy had to shake hands for the next half-hour. + +"But how do you and the Bellevite happen to be in this latitude, Captain +Breaker?" asked the young commander when he had an opportunity to speak. + +"Haven't you heard the news, Captain Passford?" demanded the captain of +the Bellevite. + +"What news? We don't get the news so far off shore," replied Christy. + +"There was no farther use for my ship in the Gulf, and I am sent here +to report to the flag-officer. Admiral Farragut turned his attention to +Mobile Bay with his fleet; and I gave him the information you procured +for me. The Bellevite took part in the battle, and it was the hottest +action in which I was ever engaged. My ship was badly cut up in her +upper works, but she came out all right." + +"This is glorious news, Captain Breaker!" exclaimed Christy, waving his +hat, whereupon the tars in the waist broke out in a volley of cheers. + +"The carpenters have been busy since the action, and the Bellevite is as +good as new," added her commander, as he proceeded to tell the story of +the great battle, to which Christy and Paul listened with breathless +interest. "Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines surrendered, and the bay is open +to our ships." + +The narrative has gone into history, and it is not necessary to repeat +it. The Bellevite reported to the flag officer; and as her great speed +fitted her for duty like that in which the St. Regis was engaged, she +was employed as a cruiser till the end of the war, though she and +Christy's ship took part in the bombardment and capture of Fort Fisher +in January. The end was rapidly approaching. The Bellevite continued to +cruise until the end of the war, announced to the world by the surrender +of General Lee. + +Among the steamers ordered up the James River were the Bellevite and +the St. Regis, and the sailors of both were among those who put out the +fire which threatened to consume the city of Richmond. Christy saw the +President there, and was presented to him, which he will remember as +long as he lives. In due time the St. Regis was ordered to the navy yard +at New York. As early as possible he hastened to Bonnydale, where all +the family and Bertha Pembroke were waiting for him. It was a sort of +united embrace which welcomed him; and all the day and half the night +were given to the narrative of the young commander's adventures. They +were all supremely happy. + +Peace had come, and the whole North was ringing with the rejoicings of +the people. Thousands upon thousands had laid down their lives in the +army and the navy in their devotion to their country, and were laid in +graves far from home and kindred, or committed to the silent depths of +the ocean. + +They had won Peace and A Victorious Union. + +It was far otherwise in the South, though Peace spread her mantle over +the whole united nation. Her people had fought valiantly, and made +sacrifices which no one beyond their borders can understand or +appreciate. If the devotion and self-sacrifice of the South, the bravery +and determination with which her sons fought, and the heroism with which +they suffered and died, were the only considerations, they deserved +success. But thirty years of peace have made the South more prosperous +than ever before, and her people enjoy the benefits of the Victorious +Union. + + [Illustration: "Amid the cheers and applause of the ship's company." + Page 356.] + +Homer Passford, like thousands of others in the South, was a ruined man +at the close of the war. He had lost his plantation, and he and his +family had nowhere to lay their heads. But he was a true Southerner, +and he did not regret or repent of what he had done for what he called +his country. His brother chartered a steamer to bring the family to +Bonnydale, but only for a friendly visit. The reunion was a happy one; +and neither brother was disposed to talk politics, and those of the +North did not indulge in a single "I told you so!" in the presence of +their defeated relatives. They were the same as they had been before the +war; and it is needless to say that Horatio generously helped out Homer +financially; and now he is as wealthy and prosperous as ever before. + +When it came to disposing of the vessels that were no longer needed for +the navy, Christy bought the St. Regis, for in a moderate way compared +with his father he was a rich man. On the day he was twenty-one years +old, Bertha Pembroke became his wife; and Paul Vapoor became the husband +of Florry Passford on the same occasion. Over a year had elapsed since +the war, and the St. Regis had been entirely reconstructed in her +interior, and furnished in the most elegant manner. + +Her first mission was a voyage to Mobile to bring the family of Uncle +Homer to the wedding. It was the grandest occasion that had ever been +known in the region of Bonnydale. The young couple were to spend the +summer on their bridal trip on board of the elegant steam-yacht, +visiting various ports of Europe. + +In the multitude who came to Bonnydale to assist at the marriage of the +young hero was Monsieur Gilfleur, who was received with distinguished +consideration by all the family, including the bride elect; and it can +be safely asserted that he was one of the happiest of the guests who +rejoiced in the felicity of the ex-lieutenant-commander, for he had +resigned his commission at the close of the war. This was not the first +time they had met since their memorable campaigns in Bermuda and Nassau; +for the detective had spent a fortnight at Bonnydale with his young +friend, during which they had told the stories of their experience in +secret service. They are fast friends for life. + +Captain Passford, senior, presented to his son an elegant house, built +and magnificently furnished while Christy and his wife were voyaging in +European waters. It is on the Bonnydale estate: and the grandfather of +two boys and a girl does not have to go far to visit the family, for he +is nearly eighty years old. Christy is somewhat grizzled with iron gray +hair and whiskers; but he is still the same as when he was a young +officer, and still as devoted as ever to the country he helped to make +A Victorious Union. + + + + +OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS. + +Sold in Sets or Separate Volumes. Each Set in a Neat Box +with Illuminated Labels. + + +ARMY AND NAVY STORIES. + +A Library for Young and Old, in six volumes. 16mo. Illustrated. + Per volume $1.50 + + The Soldier Boy. + The Sailor Boy. + The Young Lieutenant. + The Yankee Middy. + Fighting Joe. + Brave Old Salt. + + +FAMOUS "BOAT-CLUB" SERIES. + +A Library for Young People. Handsomely illustrated. Six volumes, + in neat box. 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Per volume 1.25 + + All Adrift; or, the Goldwing Club. + Snug Harbor; or, the Young Mechanics. + Square and Compasses; or, Building the House. + Stem to Stern; or, Building the Boat. + All Taut; or, Rigging the Boat. + Ready About; or, Sailing the Boat. + + +LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS, BOSTON. + + + * * * * * + * * * * + * * * * * + +Errata Noted by Transcriber: + +Invisible punctuation--chiefly quotation marks--has been silently +supplied. + +which had been captured by the Chateaugay + _text reads "Chataugay"_ +CHAPTER XVI + _text reads "CHPATER"_ +after he had examined it + _text reads "exaimed"_ +"That will never do!" exclaimed the commander bruskly. + _spelling as in original_ +"You have been very kind to Captain Rombold, Gill informs me, and"-- + _original has no punctuation with close quote_ +Your second lieutenant is Joel Makepeace + _text reads "Makepiece"_ +beginning to shake a little + _text reads "begining"_ +he sent a midshipman + _text reads "he send"_ +look at the darkness + _text reads "look at the the darkness"_ + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Victorious Union, by Oliver Optic + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VICTORIOUS UNION *** + +***** This file should be named 18678.txt or 18678.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/8/6/7/18678/ + +Produced by Louise Hope, David Garcia, Juliet Sutherland +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Kentuckiana Digital +Library) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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