English
“‘Wewon’tgohometillmorning,’”sangthetwocounterfeitrevellers,astheyapproachedthefireofthebivouackers.
Thefourcarousel’ssprangtotheirfeetwhenthefirststrainreachedtheirears.
Theywerenotasintoxicatedastheymighthavebeen,fortheywereabletostandwithconsiderablefirmnessontheirfeet,afterthefrequencywithwhichthebottlehadbeenpassedamongthem.
Theydidnotdowhatsoldierswouldnaturallyhavedoneatsuchaninterruption,grasptheirmuskets,anditwasprobabletheyhadnomusketstograsp.
“‘Wewon’tgohometillmorning,tilldaylightdothappear,’”continuedthetwoofficers,withouthaltingintheirmarchtowardstherevellers.
Noweaponsofanykindwereexhibited;butthetipplersstoodasthoughtransfixedwithastonishmentoralarmwheretheyhadrisen,butwereratherlimpintheirattitude.
Theyevidentlydidnotknowwhattomakeoftheinterruption,andtheyappearedtobewaitingforfurtherdevelopmentsonthepartoftheintruders.
“Itisn’tmornin’yit,butwejustemptiedourbottle,”saidChristy,withaswaggeringandslightlyreelingmovement,andsuitinghisspeechtotheoccasion.“Howareye,shipmates?”
“UptoG,jollytars,”repliedoneofthemen,withabroadgrinonhisface.“Wedonegottwofullbottlesleft,atyoursarvice.”
“Muchobleeged,”returnedthelieutenant,ashetookthebottletherevellerpassedtohim.“Here’ssuccesstousallinaheap,andsuccesstooursideinthebattlethat’sgo’n’on.”
“I’mwithyouuptothearmpits,”addedGraines,asanotherofthefourhandedhimabottle.
OnesniffattheneckofthebottlewasenoughtosatisfyChristy,whowasapracticaltemperancemanoftheverystrictestkind,andhehadneverdrankaglassofanythingintoxicatinginallhislife.
Thebottlecontained“apple-jack,”orapple-brandy,thevilestfluidthateverpassedatippler’sgullet.
Hefeltobligedtokeepuphischaracter,takenfortheoccasion,andheretainedthemouthofthebottleathislipslongenoughtoanswertherequirementofthemoment;buthedidnotopenthem,orpermitadropofthenauseousandfieryliquortopollutehistongue.
Itwasnecessaryforhimtoconsiderthathewasstrugglingforthesalvationofhisbelovedcountrytoenablehimeventogothroughtheformof“takingadrink.”
Graineswaslessscrupulousonthequestionoftemperance,andhetookaswallowoftheapple-jack;butthatwasenoughforhim,forhehadnevertastedanythingoutsideofthemedicine-chestwhichwashalfasnoxious.
Ifhehadbeencompelledtokeepupthedrinking,hewouldhaverealizedthathispunishmentwasmorethanhecouldbear.
Fortunatelythetipplershadnotumblers,sothattheguestswerenotcompelledtopouroutthefluidanddrinkitoff.
Alldrankdirectlyfromthebottles,sothatthetwoofficerscouldeasilyconcealinthesemi-darknesstheextentoftheirindulgence.
“Whobeyou,strangers?”askedthemanwhohadactedthusfarasspokesmanoftheparty.
“MynameisTomBulger,bornandbroughtupintheislandofGreatAbaco,andthisfellerismyfriendandshipmate,SamRiley,”repliedChristy,twistingandtorturinghisspeechasmuchaswasnecessary.“Nowwhobeyoufellers?”
“BornandfetchedupinMobile:mynameisBirdRiley;andIreckont’otherfellerisafirstcousinofmine,forhe’sgotthesamename,andhe’salmostashandsomeasIam.Wherewasyouborn,Sam?”
“AbouttenmilesuptheAlabama,wheremyfatherwastheoverseeronaplantationbeforethewar,”repliedGrainesaspromptlyasthoughhehadbeentellingthetruth.
“Thenyoumustbeoneofmycousins,forIdonegotabouttwohundredandfiftyon‘emintheStateofAlabammy.Giveusyourfin,Sam.”
BirdRileyandSamshookhandsindueandproperform,andtherelationshipappearedtobefullyestablished.
Thenamesofthethreeotherrevellersweregiven,butthespokesmanwasdisposedtodoallthetalking,thoughheoccasionallyappealedtohiscompanionstoapproveofwhathesaid.
Itwasevidentthathewastheleadingspiritoftheparty,andthathecontrolledthem.
Hewasratherabrightfellow,whiletheothersweresomewhatheavyandstupidintheirunderstanding.
Thebottleswereagainhandedtotheguests,bothofwhomwentthroughtheformofdrinkingwithouttakingadropofthevilestuff.
“Whatbeyouunsdoin’here?”askedBirdRiley,aftertheceremonywiththebottlehadbeenfinished.
“Wewasbothtookeninaschoonerthatwasgwinetoruntheblockade,”answeredChristy.
“Wewascomin’out’nPassChristian,andwaspickedupoffChand’leer[Chandeleur]Island,andfotchedoverhyer.
Wedidn’tfeeltoomuchtohumafterwelostourwages,andwedonetookawhaleboatandcameashorehere,withonlyonebottleofwhiskeyatweenus.That’sallthereison’t.Now,howcomesyouunshyer?”
“I’mthemateofthetopsailschoonerWestWind,andt’othersisthecrew;allbuttwowedoneleftonboardwiththecap’n,”repliedBird,apparentlywithabundantconfidenceinhisnewlyfoundfriends.
“Youlefther?”askedChristy.
“That’sjustwhatwedonedo.”
“WhereistheWestWindnow?”inquiredChristy,deeplyinterestedinthesubjectatthispoint.
“ShedonecomedownfromMobilethreedaysago,anddonewaitedforachancetoruntheblockade.
Herholeisfullo’cotton,andshedonegotadeck-loadtoo,”answeredBirdRileywithoutanyhesitation.
“WheredoestheWestWindkeepherselfnow,Bird?”
“Justinsidethep’int,asternoftheTrafladagar.”
“TheTrafladagar?”repeatedChristy.
“That’shername,orsunthinlikeit.Ineverseeitwritout.”
“She’saschooner,Ireckon,”continuedChristy,concealingwhatknowledgehepossessedinregardtothevessel.
“Sheain’tnoschooner,youbet;she’sjestthefiniststeamerthateverrunnedinterMobile,andthey’veturnedherintoacruiser,”BirdRileyexplained.
“Howbigisshe?”
“Iheerdsomeunsayshewasabouteighthun’edtons:an’I’llbetshe’llpickupeveryYankeecraftthatshegitsasighton.”
“AndyousaytheTrafladagarisatanchoroffthep’int?”addedChristy,notdaringtocallthesteamerbyhertruename.
“That’sjestwheresheis;andtheWestWindishitchedtoher,likeatandemteam,”repliedBirdRiley.
“Lookyere,TomBulger,youdon’tmakelovetothatbottleasthoughyoumeantbusiness.
Takeanotherdrink,andshowyoudonegotsomemanhoodinyer.”
Thebottlewenttheroundsagain,andtheguestsapparentlytooklongpulls;butreallytheydidnottasteadropoftheinfernalliquid.
“That’sgoodpizen,BirdRiley;butitisnotjestthestingothatIlikebest,”saidChristy,ashewipedhismouthwithhissleeveinproperform,forhedidnotlikethesmellofthefluidlightningthatclungtohislips.
“Whiskeysuitsmemost;buttheywastethecornmakin’breadon’t,andthereain’tmuchon’tlefttomakethestaffoflife.
Howsomever,wedon’tchoketodeathonapple-jack,whenwecangetenoughon’t,”arguedBirdRiley.
“JestnowyougotatandemteamhitchedupoutontheTrafladagarandtheWestWind,”continuedChristycautiously,andwithapparentindifference,drawingthemateoftheschoonerbacktothematterinwhichhewasthemostdeeplyinterested.
“What’sthisteamhitchedupthatwayfor?
Isthesteamergo’n’totowtheschooneruptoMobile?”
“Ireckonyou’realittlemore’nhalfdrunk,TomBulger,”repliedBirdRiley,withavigoroushorselaugh.“TowtheschooneruptoMobile!
Didn’tItellyertheTrafladagar’sbeenwaitingherethreedaysforagoodchancetorunout?”
“Yousaidthatastrueasyouwasborn,”addedGraines,whothoughtitnecessarytosaysomething,forhehadbeennearlysilentfromthebeginning.
“SamRileyain’tquitesodrunkasyoube,TomBulger;an’heknowswhat’swhat;andtharheshowstheRileybloodinhiscarcass,”chuckledthemate.
“AndyousaidtheWestWindwasloadedwithcotton,intheholeandondeck,”addedGraines,hopingtohurrytheconferencealongalittlemorerapidly.
“That’sjestwhatIsaid.Ireckonyouain’tmuchusedtoapple-jack,furitfusticatesyourintelleck,andmakesyerforgethowoldy’are.
Come,takeanother,jesttosetyourheadupright,”saidBird,passingthebottletoChristy,whowasdoinghisbesttokeepuptheillusionbytalkingverythick,andswayinghisbodyaboutlikeadrunkenman.
Boththeguestswentthroughtheceremonyofimbibing,whichwasonlyaceremonytothem.
Thefirehadexhausteditssupplyoffuel,anditwasfortunatethatthedarknesspreventedtherevellersfrommeasuringthequantityleftinthebottlesastheywerereturnedtotheowners,ortheymighthaveseenthatthestrangerswerenotdoingtheirshareinconsumingthepoison.
“SamRileydoeshonortothebloodasrunsinhisbody,forheain’tnomoredrunk’nIam;an’heknowswhatwebeentalkin’about,”saidthemate,whoseemedtobegreatlyamusedatthesupposedeffectoftheliquoruponChristy.
“Youwon’tknownothin’abouttheTrafladagarortheWestWindinhalfanhourfromnow,TomBulger.
Ireckonitdon’tmakenodifferencetoyouaboutthetandemteam,andto-morrermornin’youwon’tknowhowtheteam’shitchedup.”
“Idon’tthinkIwill,”repliedChristyboozily,asherolledoveronthesand,andthenstruggledforsometimetoresumehisuprightposition,tothegreatamusementofBirdRileyandhiscompanions.
“ButSamRiley’sgotbloodinhim,thebestbloodinAlabammy,andhekintellyouallaboutitifyerwantterknow.
Hekinstan’upaginawholebottleo’apple-jack.”
“Isay,CousinBird,what’sthistandemteamhitchedupfer?”
askedGraines,permittinghissuperiorofficertocarryouttheillusionuponwhichhehadentered,inordermoreeffectuallytoblindthemate,andinducehimtotalkwithentirefreedom.
“Ireckonyouain’ttoodrunktoun’erstan’whatIsay,Sam,ast’otherfelleris.”
“I’mjestdrunkenoughtoun’erstan’yer,CousinBird;butIcal’lateIwon’tknowmuchaboutitbyto-morrermornin’,”addedGraines.
“Let’stakeanotherround,Sam;butIreckonTomBulger’sgotmore’nhecankerrynow,”continuedthemate.
Birdtookalongdraughtfromthebottle,andthenpassedittohisguest.
Threeofthefourrevellershadalreadytoppledoveratfulllengthontheground;andChristythoughthecouldhurrymattersbydoingthesamething,andhetumbledoverallinaheap.
Grainesdranknothinghimself,thoughhecontrivedtospillaquantityofthefluidontheground,sothatitmightnotseemtoolighttohisonlyremainingwakefulcompanion.
ThelastdramofBirdhadbeenaveryheavyone,andtheengineerrealizedthathecouldnotholdoutmuchlonger.
“What’sthattandemteamfer?”askedGraines,inthethickestoftones,whileheswayedbackandforthasBirdwasdoingbythistime.
“TheTrafladagar’sgwinetotowtheWestWindout;andbothon’em’ssuretobetooken,”stammeredthemate.
“Weunsdon’tbleevein’t,andsowerunnedaway,andleftCaptainSullendinetopaddlehisownpunt.Theygetoffatthreeinthemornin’.”
BirdRileytookanotherdrink,andthenhetoppledover.
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