Christy Passford had not gone out of his uncle's house for any particular purpose; though he saw Percy, and joined him as he left the mansion. He had visited Glenfield before, and he had some curiosity to see familiar objects again. It was nearly dark, and he wondered where the major's brother was going at that hour.
"Where are you going now, Mr. Percy," he asked, as he approached the agent.
"I thought I would go up to the house and see my mother," replied Percy. "Won't you go over with me? It is only a short distance."
"No, I think not: I don't care to go a great way from the house."
"It isn't above half a mile, and I am coming directly back again."
"I will not go as far as you are going, but I will take a little stroll as far as the gate. Where is your brother now?"
"I suppose he is at the fort. If I thought he were about here, I should not leave the steamer. He has got it into his head that I must join the army, and he will never be satisfied till I am there."
"He is certainly very much in earnest, judging by his conduct on board of the Bellevite," added Christy.
"He pretends to believe that my not joining the army will be a disgrace to the family; but, if my father don't think so, Lindley need not worry his head about the matter."
"Your brother seems to have a very strong will of his own," suggested Christy.
"He will send me into the army in spite of my father and mother; and, for that reason, I don't mean to go where he can put his finger on me. Of course, the Bellevite is going into the Confederate navy."
Percy looked his companion in the face, as though he had been thinking of something which would benefit his own case.
"You will have to ask my uncle about that," replied Christy, not willing to say any more than was necessary on this subject.
"There can be no doubt of it, and I would rather be in the navy than in the army. I hope your uncle will be able to do something for me."
"I don't know whether he can or not. For aught I know, the steamer may be sent to England, or to some other country," replied Christy, as they approached the gate, which was to be the end in that direction of his walk.
"At any rate, I mean to stay on board of the Bellevite; and I shall take my chances of getting a position of some kind on board of her."
"What kind of a position do you desire?"
"I am willing to be one of the lieutenants, or something of that kind," replied Percy with becoming condescension.
"One of the lieutenants!" exclaimed Christy. "Of course you know all about handling a ship or a steamer."
"I can't say I do. In fact, I never went on the sea till I went to Nassau with my father," replied Percy candidly. "But I can soon learn all about it."
"A nice lieutenant you will make! Why don't you apply for the position of commander of her?"
"I am willing to take a subordinate position till I learn something about the business."
"That's right! Be humble at first, and you will be great afterwards."
"I should have been willing to go into the army as a captain, or even as a lieutenant; but I couldn't quite stand it to go in as a common soldier, while my brother made a beginning as a major."
"I think I will not go any farther, Mr. Percy," said Christy, as he halted near the gate.
"Oh, don't leave me now, Mr. Pierson! We are half way to my father's house," Percy objected.
"I can't go any farther, for I may be wanted."
"You will be safe enough, Mr. Pierson, My mother is at home, and she will be glad to see you."
"I think I will not see your mother to-night," added Christy, as he turned, and began to retrace his steps towards the mansion of his uncle.
illustration of quoted sceneFour Men Sprang in Front of Him(Page 183)
They had halted in the road near the gate, and on both sides of it was a thick undergrowth ofsmall trees and bushes; and in the shade of this foliage it had become quite dark. Christy had not taken three steps before four men sprang out of the thicket in front of him, all of them armed with muskets, and wearing a uniform of gray. Two placed themselves in front of Christy; while the other two rushed after Percy, who took to his heels as soon as he saw them.
The gate was an impediment to the latter; and before he could get over or through it, the two soldiers had laid violent hands on him. He could offer no effectual resistance, and it was evident that he was frightened out of his wits; for he looked and acted like the ghost of despair itself. The two men immediately tied his hands behind him; and, though they did not use any undue harshness, they did their work thoroughly.
Christy was even more astonished than his companion at this sharp discipline. He did not regard himself as a fit subject for such treatment, and he could not understand why he had been subjected to it. He was not liable to do military duty, and Major Pierson could hardly think of pressing him into the service of the Confederacy. His two captors were as prompt in their actionas the two who had taken Percy, and his hands were also tied behind him.
"Good-evening, gentlemen," said Christy, as soon as the soldiers had bound him, and then stood in front to take a look at him. "Don't it strike you that you are indulging in rather sharp practice?"
"We haven't any thing to do with the practice: all we have to do is to obey orders," replied one of the men.
"But I think you have mistaken your orders," suggested the prisoner.
"I think not: if we have, we will set things to rights at once," replied the man, who appeared to be the sergeant in command of the party. "But our business is not so much with you as with the other young fellow."
Upon this, Christy was conducted to the gate, where Percy had not yet recovered any of his self-possession. For his own part, he felt that a mistake had been made, which must soon be corrected. He knew nothing of the wide difference of opinion which had suddenly become apparent between his father and his uncle, and he was sure that the latter could soon effect his release.
"This is an outrage!" exclaimed Percy, who perhaps felt that it was necessary for him to say something, now that Christy had come within hearing distance.
"Perhaps it is, Mr. Pierson," replied the sergeant. "But that isn't any of my business."
"You will be held responsible for it, sir!" protested Percy.
"Perhaps I shall; but I shall obey my orders," replied the soldier doggedly.
"Who gave you your orders?" demanded Percy imperatively.
"Well, I don't belong to the class in catechism, and I don't answer all the questions that are put to me."
"My father will have something to say about this business."
"He can say all he likes, but he need not say it to me; for I only obey my orders, and I have nothing to do with giving them."
"What are you going to do with me?" asked Percy, when he found he could make nothing of the sergeant.
"I don't know what they will do with you; but I reckon they won't shoot you, as they might afellow whose father was not a man of some consequence," replied the sergeant, as he ordered one of his men to open the gate.
"Shoot me!" exclaimedPercy, evidently appalled at the bare possibility of such an event.
"I reckon they won't do that," added the soldier.
"This is my father's plantation, and my mother is in the house," continued Percy.
"She can stay there: we shall not meddle with her."
"But you are going to take me away from her."
"You look like a stout young fellow, and you ought to be able to get along for a while without your mother," chuckled the sergeant. "You belong in the army; and I reckon you will have to go back to it, in spite of your mother."
"I don't belong to the army," protested Percy.
"Well, they call you a deserter, anyhow."
Percy seemed to be overcome by this statement, and Christy thought there was something more of his story than he had told on board of the Bellevite. It was possible, after all, that Major Pierson was not as much of a brute as be had appeared to be. But, if his companion was adeserter, he certainly did not come under that head himself, and he could not understand why he had been arrested.
"I suppose you don't claim me as a deserter, do you?" asked Christy good-naturedly.
"I don't think they do," replied the sergeant, as pleasantly as he had spoken himself.
"Then, why do you arrest me?"
"My orders were to arrest any person with Mr. Pierson; and that is all I know about your case, and I am very sorry to give you any annoyance. Things are a little mixed, and I hope they will soon get them levelled down. If you don't object, we will march."
"I suppose you will march all the same, if I do object," added Christy. "I was not aware that it was a crime here to be in the company of that young man."
"I reckon I was ordered to arrest you as a matter of precaution; and I dare say they will let you return as soon as we report to the major," said the sergeant, leading his prisoner through the gateway.
The other men took Percy by the arm; and, after they had closed the gate, they followed the road for a considerable distance, and then struckacross the fields. Not far ahead, Christy saw many lights; and he concluded that this must be the location of the mansion of Colonel Pierson, the father of Percy, and for some reason best known to himself, the sergeant desired to avoid going very near it.
A march of a short distance farther across the field brought them to a road, which they followed till they came to a wagon drawn by two horses. The animals were hitched at the side of the road, and no one seemed to be in charge of the team. But the sergeant halted his party at this point; and, leaving the prisoners in charge of his men, he went to the wagon.
"Major Pierson," said he; but no answer came to his question, and he repeated it with no better success.
Then he mounted the seat in front of the wagon, and looked over into the body of it. Then he reached over; and a moment later the form of a man was seen to rise from a quantity of hay which filled the body.
"Is that you, Spottswood?" demanded the rising form.
"Yes, sir, I am here; and I have two prisoners.One of them is your brother, and I don't know who the other is," replied the sergeant.
"Are you sure that one of them is my brother?" asked the major.
"I am as sure as I can be, for I heard the other fellow call him Percy two or three times before I stepped in front of them."
"Don't you know who the other one is?"
"I haven't the least idea. I arrested him as you told me, but I did not question him."
The major ordered him to put his prisoners into the wagon.
Two of the soldiers were placed at the rear of the wagon, one took his place on the hay with Percy, while the major and the sergeant seated themselves on the cushion in front. Spottswood took the reins; and the officer told him to drive on, without saying a word to the prisoners.
It was quite dark; and Christy had not the least idea where he was, or where he was going. He could see that Major Pierson had sent this party to arrest his brother, as Percy seemed to fear that he would do, and had remained and slept away the time in the wagon himself. He had been introduced to the major, and had been treated with "distinguished consideration" by him. In view of the possible relations between him and Florry, he did not feel much concerned about his own safety, though he was sorry to have his father and sister worry over his absence.
"Then, it seems you have been in the army, after all," said he to his fellow-prisoner, after they had gone some distance.
"I never belonged to the army," he replied decidedly.
"Did you put your name down?"
"Yes, I did; but I supposed I was to be a captain, or something of that sort. When I found I must go as a common soldier, mixed up with all sorts of people, I couldn't stand it. I applied for my discharge; but they would not give it to me, and I went home without it."
"That looks very much like desertion," added Christy, and the major went up somewhat in his estimation.
"But it was not desertion; for I applied for my discharge, and all they had to do was to give it to me. They understood it so, for they did not come to the house after me," argued Percy. "Then, when my father went to Nassau, he took me with him. But the surgeon said I was not fit for the army, for I had indications of varicose veins. My father sent the certificate to the authorities, and applied for my discharge."
"Was it ever granted?"
"I suppose it was, but I don't know."
"If it had been, your brother would know about it."
"Will your uncle make you join the army, Mr. Pierson?"
"No: my uncle has no authority over me, and he cannot make me join the army," replied Christy.
"Where is your father?"
"He was at my uncle's plantation. I think we have kept up this farce long enough, Percy," said Christy, laughing. "My father is the owner of the Bellevite."
"What did you tell me your name was Percy Pierson for?" demanded the other prisoner.
"For the same reason that I told you the steamer belonged to the Chinese government, and a dozen other things of the same sort."
"What is your name, then?"
"Christopher Passford; but I am commonly called Christy."
"Then, you have been fooling me?"
"You knew very well that I had been fooling you."
"Then, you are the son of the owner of the Bellevite."
"I am."
"Then, you can get me a place on board of her."
"Perhaps I can. We will see about that."
Christy doubted if their political opinions would permit them to serve on the deck of the same vessel, but he did not suggest any thing of this kind. He had been introduced to Major Pierson under his real name, and he was certain to be identified by him as soon as the light permitted him to see his face; and he had made the best of it by telling Percy the truth before he found it out himself.
"You haven't told me who the other prisoner is, Spottswood," said the major, when they had ridden some distance in silence.
"I don't know who he is," replied the sergeant. "I never saw him before in my life, so far as I know."
"Didn't he tell you who he was?"
"He did not, and I did not ask him any questions."
That was all that was said about it; and the major relapsed into silence, and Christy concluded that he had gone to sleep again. The wagon continued on the journey, though at a very slowpace, for the road could hardly have been any worse. At the end of about two hours more, the vehicle halted near a sheet of water which looked as though it might be a river, or an arm of Mobile Bay.
The road appeared to end at a rude sort of wharf; but there was no person in the vicinity, no house, and no craft of any kind in the water, so far as Christy could see when he was helped out of the wagon. Percy was assisted to the ground also; and the two soldiers at the rear of the wagon, who had gone to sleep, were waked, and ordered to get out.
"We shall not want the wagon any more," said the major. "You can send Boyce back to the house with it."
"It is five miles from here, and he will not get back till nearly morning."
"We can wait for him. The Leopard will not be here for some time."
"I think we ought to send two men, major," suggested the sergeant.
"Why two?"
"For company: one of them may get asleep, and two will get back sooner than one."
"They might as well all of them go, for they can do nothing here," added the major with a terrific yawn.
Two men were sent away with the wagon. The most of the hay in it was taken out; and with it the superior officer made a bed for himself, and was soon asleep again. The sergeant and the remaining soldier took their knapsacks from a tree where they had put them before, and it was decided that one of them might sleep while the other kept guard over the prisoners. Spottswood was the first to take his turn, and his companion stretched himself on the planks of the wharf.
The sergeant brought out the knapsacks of the two absent soldiers, and gave the blankets to Christy and Percy, both of whom were sleepy enough to follow the example of the others. Spottswood assisted them very kindly, spreading out the blankets for them, and covering them afterwards; for, as their hands were tied behind them, they were almost helpless.
The two prisoners soon dropped asleep; and they knew nothing more till after daylight, when Christy was waked by the hissing of steam at therude wharf. The two soldiers who had been sent away with the wagon were asleep on the planks, though neither had a blanket. The major had not been disturbed by the noise, for he was farther from it than the others.
With some difficulty Christy got upon his feet, and looked about him. A tug-boat lay at the wharf, with the steam escaping from her pipe. There was nothing else to be seen in the vicinity. The sheet of water, which was apparently half a mile wide, had a bend some distance from the wharf, so that he could not see any farther; but he had no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that the water was an arm of the bay.
On board of the Leopard, for the name was on the front of the pilot-house, he could see only two men, one of whom came out of the engine-room; and he judged that they were the pilot and engineer. Doubtless the former was also the captain of the craft.
While one of the two men seated himself on the rail, the other came on shore. He was a man of very small stature, and looked as though his health was very poor. Indeed, his step was quite feeble, and he seemed to have hardly strengthenough to handle his frame. As the tug had just come in, doubtless he had been on duty the whole or a portion of the night, which may have explained his exhausted condition.
"Good-morning, Captain Pecklar," said the sentinel on duty at the wharf.
"Good morning, Tubbs. Where is Major Pierson?" asked the captain of the Leopard, in a very faint voice.
"He is still asleep, and he has his bed at the foot of that tree yonder," replied the sentinel, pointing at it. "How do you find yourself this morning? Any better?"
"About the same; I am about used up for this world," replied Captain Pecklar, continuing his painful walk towards the tree indicated.
"Is that the captain of the Leopard?" asked Christy.
"Yes, poor fellow! He came down here two years ago from somewhere North, almost gone in consumption. He got a little better; but he is worse again, and I don't believe he will last much longer," replied the sentry.
"Has he been out all night on the steamer?" inquired Christy, who felt that it was his duty toobtain all the information he could in regard to this steamer, as it was in the service of the commander of Fort Gaines.
"I don't know where he has been; but I suppose he has been on duty all night, and that don't agree with him at all. We came up here yesterday afternoon—Well, never mind what we have been about. I forgot that you were a prisoner; and you may be a Yankee, for aught I know."
Before Christy had time to make any reply, the sentinel walked away, and the major was seen coming from his bed with Captain Pecklar. They went to the wharf together, where they seated themselves on a box which lay there. The prisoner turned away from them; and the major took no notice of him, and did not appear to see him, or he would certainly have identified him.
Christy's bed was just behind them, when they had seated themselves; and he dropped down on his blanket, rolled it about him as well as he could, and then pretended to be asleep, as Percy was still, in spite of the noise of the escaping steam on board of the boat.
"What have you done with your men, Captain Pecklar?" asked the major.
"I have just told you that the steamer had changed her position," replied the captain.
"I did not understand you," returned the major. "Do you mean that she has left the wharf?"
"I do: she was out at least two miles from the shore," added Captain Pecklar.
"Two miles from the shore!" exclaimed Major Pierson. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know, sir. Lieutenant Dallberg did not know what to make of it; and he decided to take his two men to the shore, and investigate the matter. He directed me to report this to you."
"But when did the Bellevite leave the wharf?" asked the major, evidently very much puzzled at what he regarded as the singular conduct of the owner of the steamer.
"I don't know, sir. It was after ten o'clock in the evening when we first saw her out in the bay."
"Was she at anchor?"
"I think not. I was ordered not to go very near her, and I could not tell."
"Do you know whether or not Captain Passford is on board of her?"
"Of course I do not. In fact, I know nothing at all about her, except that she has left thewharf and come out into the bay. I think I heard her screw in motion, though I am not sure; and that makes me think that she is not at anchor. Mr. Dallberg thought he ought to go on shore, visit Colonel Passford, and obtain further information if he could."
The major ordered the captain to embark the party at once.
If Major Pierson had had any curiosity at all in regard to the person captured by the soldiers with his brother, he appeared to have forgotten all about him. He took no notice of him after he left his bed of hay, but then he was evidently very much disturbed by the fact that the Bellevite had left the wharf.
Christy Passford was quite as much astonished as the major when he learned that the steamer had left her berth at the wharf, and he was utterly unable to account for the change of position. The movement had been made since he left his uncle's mansion; for at that time the two brothers were still in the library, and he had no knowledge whatever of what was passing between them.
The major ordered all his men on board the Leopard, and directed the sergeant to conduct theprisoners to the deck of the tug. Percy was waked when he was wanted, and he had slept soundly till that time. With their hands still tied behind them, they were conducted to the after-deck of the tug, where there was a small space from which opened the stateroom of the captain.
"I might as well jump overboard first as last," said Percy bitterly, as he seated himself in the place assigned to him by Spottswood.
"It is hardly worth your while to do that, Percy. I don't think your brother is likely to do you any harm," replied Christy.
"I would rather be drowned in deep water than be sent into the army as a common soldier," said the victim, as he went to the rail and looked over into the water.
But his companion was perfectly confident that he would not jump overboard while his hands were tied behind him; for the chances were all against him, though he might be willing to punish his brother by making a demonstration in the direction indicated.
"The water is too cold at this time in the morning, Percy," said Christy with a smile. "I think you ought to give your brother the credit of havingthe reputation of your family at heart. If I had a brother, I had about as lief have him drown himself as desert from the army."
"I don't call it deserting," replied Percy rather warmly.
"You can call it what you like, but that is what it was."
"It is no use to talk with you about it. Where are we going now?" demanded Percy impatiently.
"We are going to look out for the Bellevite, and perhaps you can get on board her again," suggested Christy.
"Do you think I can?" asked the deserter with renewed interest.
"I am afraid your brother will look out too sharply for you. He has you now, and he will hold on this time."
Christy had little sympathy for his companion. He was an able-bodied young man of eighteen, with influence enough behind him to give him a good show in the ranks if he did his duty. But he was the youngest child of his father and mother; and he had evidently been spoiled by indulgence, so that he was not fit for the stern duties of the present emergency.
The steamer seemed to be very short handed, and doubtless part of the work on board was done by the soldiers, for the tug seemed to be in the employ of the fort. There was no crew, so far as Christy could judge, except the captain and engineer; and both of these seemed to be invalids, for the latter was so lame he could hardly go. The soldiers hauled in the fasts, and seemed to be at home with this sort of work.
The Leopard backed out from the wharf, came about, and headed down the inlet, or whatever it was. She had hardly left the pier before Major Pierson appeared on the quarter-deck, which had been assigned for the use of the prisoners. His gaze was first fixed on Percy; for the other prisoner was looking astern, in order to obtain some idea of where he was, if he could, for he thought such information might be of some use to him in the future.
"Well, Percy, how goes it now?" asked the major.
Christy heard the voice, which was the first he knew of the presence of a third person, and he turned about. The major started back asthough he had seen his father with his hands tied behind him by his order.
"Good Heaven! Mr. Passford!" exclaimed the major; and Christy was satisfied that his astonishment was sincere.
"That is certainly my name: I haven't forgotten it, if I am a prisoner with my hands tied behind me," replied Christy, as good-naturedly as though he had had no grievance.
"This is all a mistake!" ejaculated Major Pierson, evidently greatly disturbed by the discovery he had just made, as he rushed upon the prisoner, turned him around, and proceeded to untie the line which bound him.
"I thought it must be a mistake," added Christy.
"You must have been with this brother of mine. I told Spottswood to arrest Percy, for be has disgraced himself and his family; and I told him to capture whoever might be with him, for I did not care to leave behind an informant of what had been done, for it would only have made my mother feel badly. That is really the whole of it. I am very sorry indeed that you were subjected to this annoyance, Mr. Passford;and I assure you I will do all in my power to atone for my offence."
"I am satisfied, Major Pierson; and the only thing that disturbs me is the fact that my father and sister will worry about my absence," replied Christy.
"You are no longer a prisoner, Mr. Passford, and you are at liberty to go where you please."
"But my limits are rather circumscribed on board this tug."
"But I will soon put you on board your father's steamer."
"Thank you, sir; that is all I can desire."
"Can't you do as much as that for me, Lindy?" asked Percy, when he saw that his brother was about to leave him.
"If you say that you will return to your place in your regiment, I will release you at once," replied the brother.
"I won't do that," answered Percy without any hesitation. "But I want to go into the navy. I am better fitted for a sailor than I am for a soldier."
"The first thing is to wipe out the disgrace you have cast upon yourself and your family,"added the major warmly. "I induced your officers to look upon it as a freak of a boy, and by returning to your duty you can soon wipe out the stigma."
"I shall not become a common soldier if I can help it. My father and mother will stand by me, if the rest of you do not," said Percy.
"That's enough; and you will go back to the army, whether or not you are willing," added the major, as he turned on his heel.
Christy followed him to the forecastle of the tug, where a rather heavy gun was mounted, which took up most of the space.
"Take a seat, Mr. Passford," said the major, giving him a stool, while he took another himself. "It looks as though your father changed his plans rather suddenly last evening."
"I was not aware of it," replied Christy.
"The Bellevite was taken from the wharf where you landed some time in the evening, and came out into the bay, where she seems to be waiting for something, I don't know what. As I understand the matter, your father has sold the steamer to the Confederacy."
"Where did you learn that, Major Pierson?"asked Christy, who had not heard any such story.
"You certainly came from Nassau?"
"We did."
"And you met my father there?"
"I did not meet him, but my father did."
"I understood that my father bought this steamer, or that he bargained for her in some manner, for the use of the Confederacy."
"I was not present at the interview between your father and mine, and I do not know just what passed between them."
"And I understood that he sent Percy to act as a sort of agent for the delivery of the vessel; though it still puzzles me to comprehend how my father should do such a thing, especially when he knew that the boy would be arrested as a deserter if he showed his face anywhere near Mobile."
Christy felt that his tongue might be a dangerous member, and he was not disposed to talk about the matter at all. All the information which the major had derived from Captain Passford and others had been accepted from inference; for the owner of the Bellevite certainly had not said that the steamer was for the use of the Confederacy,and he would have blown her up rather than admit any thing of the sort.
"It looked to me as though every thing was all right about the steamer, or I would not have let her pass the fort; and the commander at Fort Morgan was as well satisfied as I was, after I had explained the situation to him."
Major Pierson looked at Christy as though he expected him to talk on the subject before them; but the latter would not say any thing, for he saw that he was in an extremely delicate position. He made some sort of answers, but they amounted to nothing.
"I cannot understand why Captain Passford has moved the Bellevite from the wharf," continued the major.
"I am as much in the dark as you are, sir. I spent the afternoon with my sister, and my uncle Homer and my father were in the library together all this time," replied Christy. "I have no idea what they were talking about. Just at dark, I saw Percy pass the window; and I went out for a little walk. I was arrested by your men soon after. Not a word had been said in my hearing about moving the steamer. That is all I know about thematter, and I am as much surprised as you can be at the change which has been made."
"I have no doubt that every thing connected with the steamer is all right. I know that your father is a Northern man, but I am confident that he will be on the right side in this conflict," added the major.
"He will certainly be on the right side," said Christy; but he had gone far enough to know that there were two right sides to the question, and one seemed to him to be as honest, earnest, and resolute as the other.
"We shall soon know something more about it," added the major, evidently disappointed at not being able to obtain any information from the owner's son.
The tug went out into the bay, and then changed her course to the eastward. One of the soldiers went to the galley, and breakfast was served to the major and his guest in the captain's room; and Percy was released long enough to take the meal with them. But he was sullen, and even morose, in view of the fate that awaited him.
"Boat just come round that point," said thecaptain from the pilot-house, when the party had returned to the forecastle.
Captain Pecklar seemed to be hardly able to speak; he was so exhausted by his night watch, and by constant fits of coughing, that he could hardly make himself heard.
"What boat is it, Pecklar?" asked the major, straining his eyes to discover it. "I don't see it."
"Take my glass, and you can see it," added the captain, more faintly than before. "I don't think I can stand it any longer, Major Pierson."
"But we can't get along without you, Pecklar. We haven't another hand that knows how to steer," replied the major, as he hastened up to the pilot-house, followed by Christy.
Captain Pecklar had fainted and fallen from the wheel.
Captain Pecklar had held out as long as it was possible for him to stand it, and he had only given up when his senses deserted him. Major Pierson raised him from his position on the floor of the pilot-house, and, with Christy's assistance, bore him out into the air.
The wheel had gone over when the sick man could no longer hold it, and the tug was beginning to whirl about in an erratic manner, when the major rang the bell to stop the engine. The captain was carried down to his room, and put into his berth, where one of the soldiers was detailed to act as his nurse.
"I haven't a man on board that knows the first thing about handling a steamboat; and I am not a bit wiser myself," said the major, when the sick man had been disposed of. "Every manthat is fit to be made into a soldier is sent to the army; and we have nothing but the lame, and the halt, and the blind to handle these boats."
"It does not look like good policy," added Christy.
"Dallberg and his two men are soldiers, and they know no more about a steamboat than the rest of us," continued Major Pierson. "It looks as though we should have to stay here till some other boat comes along; and that may be in three days or a week, for steamers have no occasion to come up here now."
"Perhaps you may find a pilot among the men in that boat," suggested Christy, as he looked about the pilot-house, where the conversation took place.
The captain's glass was lying on a shelf in front of the wheel, and he took a look through it in order to find the boat. After searching in every direction, he discovered the boat, which was pulled by two men, with a third in the stern-sheets. He indicated the position of it to the major, and gave him the glass.
"That's Dallberg, without any doubt; but he must be five miles off. He can't reach thesteamer for a long time," said the major, when he had examined the boat. "But we shall be no better off than we are now when she gets here, for not one of those in it is a sailor."
Christy was not a little interested in the situation; for he thought his father must have gone on board of the Bellevite, or she would not have changed her position. It was all a mystery to him as well as to the commandant of Fort Gaines, and the boat in the distance had been to the shore for the purpose of investigating it.
He had an idea in his head, and he continued to examine the interior of the pilot-house till he found a number of paper rolls in a drawer, which looked very much like local charts of the bay. He examined several of them, and found one which covered the portion of the waters around him. He had noted the direction taken by the Bellevite the day before, and he had no difficulty in placing the inlet where she had moored at the wharf.
"What have you got there, Mr. Passford?" asked the major, who had been looking on the floor, thinking what he should do in his present dilemma.
illustration of quoted scene"You a Sailor?"(Page 215)
"It is a chart of these waters, which appears to have been considerably improved with a pen and ink," replied Christy, still examining it.
"That is the work of Captain Pecklar. They call him the best pilot for Mobile Bay there is about here, though he has been here but two years."
"Here is the inlet, or river, where we passed the night; and the captain has marked the wharf on it."
"What good is the chart without a man that knows how to steer a steamer?" asked the major, who was becoming very impatient in the presence of the delay that confronted him; for the illness of Captain Pecklar deprived him of the ability to do any thing, even to return to the fort.
"You forget that I am a sailor, Major Pierson," said Christy.
"You a sailor? I thought you were the son of a millionnaire, who could not possibly know any thing except how to eat and sleep," replied the soldier, laughing.
"I have steered the Bellevite for a great many hundred miles, and my father says I am competent to do duty as a quartermaster."
"You astonish me; and, as we are both engaged in the same good cause, I am heartily delighted to find that you are a sailor."
"Probably I shall astonish you still more before we have got through. With this chart before me, I have no doubt I can find my way about here in the Leopard," said Christy.
"Then I give you the command of the steamer in the absence of Captain Pecklar," continued the major. "This boat and another are in the service of the forts; and if you don't want to join the army with Percy, perhaps I can obtain the appointment for you, especially as you are hardly old enough to go into the ranks. We will see about that."
"We will leave all that open for future action, if you please, Major Pierson," replied Christy, as he rang the bell for the steamer to go ahead.
The major watched him with the most intense interest, as though he feared that the young man would prove to be a failure as a steamboat captain. But the steamer went ahead at the sound of the bell, and in a minute or two Christy had her on her course in the direction of the approaching boat. He examined the chart very carefully, andsatisfied himself that there was water enough for the tug anywhere outside the headlands which projected into the hay.
The Leopard held her course as steadily as though the sick captain were still at the wheel; and the major was entirely satisfied with the qualifications of the new master, after he had watched him for a while.
"Spottswood, how is the captain?" called the major from the pilot-house.
"Just the same: he don't seem to be any better," replied the sergeant.
"He ought to have a doctor; for the poor fellow may die here, away from any proper attendance," said the major, with more feeling than the new captain supposed he possessed.
"There is a very skilful surgeon on board of the Bellevite," suggested Christy. "Dr. Linscott served in the army in Mexico, and had a large practice in New York."
"Then he shall see Pecklar. Dr. Linscott is just the sort of a surgeon we want in our army; and I suppose he would not be on board of the Bellevite if he was not of our way of thinking," added the major.
Christy knew he was nothing but a Union man, and not of the way of thinking which the soldier suggested: so he said nothing. The Leopard was a faster tug than the one which had come off from Fort Gaines, and she came up with the boat which contained Lieutenant Dallberg and his two men, the latter of whom were nearly exhausted with the long pull they had taken; for, as they were not sailors, they did not row to the best advantage.
The new captain rang the bell to stop her, as soon as the boat came near, and the party came on board. The two men seated themselves on the rail as though they never intended to do another stroke of work, for they had been using the oars most of the time since the evening before.
"Come up here, Dallberg," called the major from the pilot-house.
The lieutenant looked as though he had just been through one war; for he had slept none the night before, and had been on duty without intermission. He came to the hurricane-deck, and entered the pilot-house, where he dropped on the sofa abaft the wheel as though he were not in much better condition than the captain when he fell at his post.
"You have made a night of it, Dallberg," the major began, seating himself by the side of the lieutenant.
"I am about used up, major. I believe I walked ten miles on shore; and I am not as strong as I wish I was," replied Mr. Dallberg. "But I found out all I wanted to know, and I expected the Leopard would be somewhere near the creek."
"I beg your pardon, Major Pierson," said Christy, who was standing at the wheel. "What am I to do now?"
"I will tell you in a moment.—Can you tell me, Dallberg, where the Bellevite is at the present time?" asked the major, turning to the lieutenant.
"She seems to be running up and down across the head of the bay. She is beyond that point now, and you will see her when you go within a mile of the land," replied the lieutenant.
"Have you been near her?"
"Not within a mile of her, I should say."
"All right, you may head her within a mile of that point, Captain Passford," added the major; and Christy rang to go ahead.
When the major applied this high-soundingtitle to the new captain, the lieutenant opened his eyes a little; but he asked no questions, for he had learned as he came on board that Captain Pecklar had fainted at his post.
"Well, what have you been about, Dallberg?" asked the major rather impatiently, as soon as the boat was under way again.
"Walking, talking, and rowing most of the time. As the poet says, 'Things are not what they seem,'" replied the scout; for such appeared to be the duty in which he had been engaged.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Major Pierson, opening his eyes very wide.
"We discovered that the steamer had left the wharf last night, and you sent me to investigate when you started off in that wagon."
"That's so; and Pecklar reported to me early this morning that the steamer had left the wharf, and was standing off and on in the bay."
"I went ashore in the evening, leaving Pecklar to watch the steamer. I don't know any thing about his movements."
"He reported to me this morning about daylight. It is all right as far as he is concerned. What have you done?"
"I landed at the wharf where the Bellevite had been moored, about eleven o'clock, I should say, for I could not see my watch. I went up to Colonel Passford's house, and found it all in commotion."
"What was the matter?"
"Colonel Passford was not there: he had gone off to procure assistance."
"Assistance for what?" demanded the major. "You are sleepy, Dallberg, and you are mixing your story."
"I am sleepy and exhausted, but I will try to do better. I saw Mrs. Passford. She told me that her brother-in-law, Captain Horatio Passford, had come to the house that day, with his son; and you are aware, I believe, that his daughter, Miss Florence, has been there all winter."
"I know all about that. Go ahead, Dallberg."
"The two brothers had been shut up in the library all the afternoon, engaged in an earnest discussion; though the colonel's wife did not know what it was about. Captain Horatio left Colonel Homer in the library some time in the evening, and the colonel remained there till after ten. Then it was found that the captain had left thehouse secretly, with his daughter and his son; though some of the servants had seen the young man going up the road with Percy Pierson."
"Exactly so; never mind the young man now. The captain had left the house, and his daughter went with him?" repeated the major, beginning to be a good deal excited.
"The house was searched, but they could not be found; and the young lady's trunk had been removed from her room. Then the colonel went down to the wharf, and found that the Bellevite had left."
Major Pierson sprang to his feet, hardly able to contain himself.