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Itwasafavorablenightforrunningtheblockade,forthefoghadsettleddownmoredenselyupontheregioninthevicinityoftheshipchannel,thoughitoccasionallylifted,andpermittedthoseonboardoftheBellevitetoseethetalltoweroftheSandIslandLighthouse,whichhadnotbeenilluminatedforthreeyears.
Themistsweregenerallythickerandremainedlongertowardsdaylightthanatanyothertime,andthiswastheevidentreasonwhythreeo’clockinthemorninghadbeenfixeduponforthedepartureoftheTrafalgarandtheWestWindintow.
Theengineer’sheadwasasclearasithadeverbeen,notwithstandingthetipsyswayinganddoubling-upofhisbodywhichhesimulated,andherealizedthathiscompanionandhimselfhadobtainedveryimportantrevelationsfromtherevellers.
Thehouratwhichthesteamerwastoleave,evidentlybyarrangementwiththeofficersofthefort,wasvaluableknowledge,andhehopedtheywouldbeabletocarryorsendseasonablewarningofthetimetotheBellevite,forshewastheonlyshipontheblockadethatcouldbecountedupontooverhaultheTrafalgar,ifthereportsofhergreatspeedhadbeencorrectlygiven.
BothChristyandGraineshadlistenedattentivelytotherevelationsofBirdRiley;butneitherofthemcouldunderstandwhythefourmen,includingthemate,haddesertedtheWestWindonlyafewhoursbeforeshewastodepartonhervoyagetoNassau,whereshewasbelievedtobebound.
Thereasonassignedbythetipsymatewasthatshewasgoingoutintowofthesteamer,andwassuretobetakenbytheblockaders.
Bothofthelistenersthoughtthisfactimprovedherchancesofgettingclearofanypossiblepursuers.
BirdRileyhadfallenbackontheground;buthestillcontinuedtotalk,thoughhisspeechwasverynearlyincoherent.
Graineswasveryanxioustoknowwhattimeitwas,forthemostimportantpartoftheenterprisewastogivetheBellevitetimelynoticeofthecomingoftheTrafalgar.
Hestruckamatchandlightedacigar,offeringonetothemate,whichhetookandlighted.
Itwashalf-pasttwelvebyhiswatch,asheinformedBird,thoughhedidsomorefortheinformationofthelieutenantthanofthemate.
“Ireckonweareallaboutfullenoughtogotosleep,andwemightaswellturnin,”saidGraines.“ButIsupposeyouunsmeantosleeponboardoftheWestWind.”
“Idon’treckonwe’lldonothin’o’thatsort,”hiccoughedthemate.“Wedonegotap’inttokerry,andIreckonwe’regwinetokerryit.”
“Allright,”gobbledtheengineer,whooverdidhispart,ifanything.“What’sthep’int,shipmate?”
“Cap’nSull’dine’ssho’thanded,”repliedthemate,hisspeechturningsomersetsashelaboredtoutterthewords,forhestillhadaportionofhissensesleft.
“Isee,”addedGraines,tumblingover,butregaininghisperpendicularitywithatryingeffort.“Onlysixmenleftafteryoufourdonerunnedaway.”
“Six!”exclaimedBird,raisinghimselfupwithadesperatestruggle,likeawoundedhawk.“Nosixinit;onlytwoleft.
Hedon’t,can’tnohow,gotoseawithonlytwomen.
I’llpilottheschooneroutbytheBelicanChannelan’Mis’sip’Sound.
Cap’nSull’dine’n’Ifitoverit,an’Ileft,withmostofthecrew.Hah,ha,ha!Hedonegot’nuffon’t!
Let’stakeaswigger,andthenwegwinetogotosleep,likethereston’em.”
WithnolittledifficultyBirdRileygotthebottletohislips,wastingnolittleoftheliquorintheoperation.Hewasentirely“full”then.
Hehandedthebottletotheengineer,anddroppedoveronhisback,overcomebyhisfrequentpotions.
Grainesdidnotfinditnecessarytogothroughtheformofputtingthebottletohislipsagain,andafterwaitingafewminuteshewassatisfiedthatthematewasinadeepslumber,fromwhichhewasnotlikelytowakeforseveralhours.
Butalltheinformationheappearedtobecapableofgivinghadbeenimparted,andGrainesrosetohisfeetassteadyasheeverwasinhislife,havingtakenhardlyaswallowoftherepulsivepoison.
Hewalkedawayfromthesleepinggroupontheground,haltingabouttwentyfeetfromthem.
Christysawhim,forhiseyeswereopenallthetime,andhehadlistenedwithintenseinteresttotheconversationbetweentheengineerandthemateoftheWestWind.
Thelieutenantstraightenedhimselfupandlookedabouthim.
Thefirewasentirelyextinguished;thefourmenlaywiththeirfeettotheembers,andnotoneofthemshowedanysignsoflife.
Carefullyraisinghimselftohisfeet,soasnottodisturbthesleepernearesttohim,hecreptawaytothespotwherehisassociateawaitedhim.
Christyledthewayinthedirectionofthefort,butbothofthemweresilenttilltheyreachedthesummitoftheknollwhichconcealedtheinnerbayfromtheirvision,orwouldhavedonesoifthefoghadnoteffectuallyveileditfromtheirsight.
“Isupposeyouheardallthatwassaid,Mr.Passford,afteryouceasedtoleadtheconversation,”saidGraines,asheglancedbackatthefootofthehollowwheretherevelhadtakenplace.
“Everywordofit;andIcouldinsertagooddealofwhatmighthavebeenreadbetweenthelinesifthetalkhadbeenwrittenout,”repliedthelieutenant.
“Asyouwerethecousinofthemate,heseemedtobemorecommunicativetoyouthantome,andIthoughtitbesttoleaveyoutoconducttheconversation.
Youdiditextremelywell,Charley,andtherewasnooccasionformetointerfere.
Ifindthatyouhavenolittleskillasadetective,aswellasasailorandanengineer,andIshallmakeagoodreportofyoutoCaptainBreaker.
Icouldalmostbelievethatwewereboystogetheragainaswewerecarryingonthefarcethisevening.”
“Thankyou,Christy—Mr.Passford,”addedGraines.
“Youneednotstandonshipformalitieswhilewearealone,Charley.
Butwemustputtogetherthethreadswehavegatheredthisevening,and,ifImistakenot,weshallmakeanetofthem,intowhichtheTrafalgar,orwhateverhernewnamemaybe,willtumbleatnoverydistanttime.
ItappearsthatsheisnottotowouttheWestWind,forCaptainSullendinecannotgotoseawithonlytwomenbeforethemast,andnomate.”
“BirdRileyplayedhiscardsverywelltoaccomplishthepurposehehadinview,whichwastokeeptheWestWindfromgoingtoseaintowofthesteamer,”repliedGraines,keepingupwiththelieutenant,whohadtakenaveryrapidpace.
“IshouldsaythattheschoonerwouldhaveamuchbetterchancetogetthroughtheblockadersintowoftheTrafalgarthaningoingonherownhook.
Birdisabigfellowinhisownestimation;butitstruckmethatCaptainSullendinehadanignorantandself-willedfellowforamate,andprobablyhetookthebestonehecouldfind;forIthinkgoodseamen,outsideoftheConfederatenavy,mustbeveryscarceintheSouth.”
“ThefellowhadanotioninhisheadthathecouldtaketheschooneroutbyPelicanChannel,andhequarrelledwiththecaptainonthispoint.
Itoccurredtomethathedesertedhisvesselonaccountofthequarrelratherthanforanyotherreason.”
“Weneednotbotherourheadswiththatquestion,foritdoesnotconcernus;andwewillleavethecaptainandhismatetofightitoutwhentheymeetto-morrow,foritisplainenoughthattheWestWindcannotgotoseawithnomateandonlytwohandsbeforethemast,“returnedChristy,whowashasteningforwardtodischargewhatheconsideredhisfirstdutythusfardevelopedbytheeventsofthenight.
“Whattimeisitnow,Charley?Ihaveawatch,butnomatches.”
Theengineer’scigarhadgoneoutwhenhelighteditbefore,andhehadputitinapocketofhissackcoat.Puttingitinhismouth,hestruckamatch,andconsultedhiswatch.
“Quarterofone,Christy;andwehaveplentyoftime,”herepliedashelightedhiscigar;forhethoughtitwouldhelphimtomaintainhisindifferenceinwhatevereventmightbenextinorder.
“Butwehavenotimetospare,”addedthelieutenant,asheincreasedtherapidityofhispace.
“Ourfivepairsofmenmusthavereadiedthevicinityofthefortbeforethistime,forwehavehadalongconferencewiththosespreeists.”
“Aboutanhourandahalf;andtheinformationwehaveobtainedwillfullypayforthetimeused.”
“Nodoubtofit;andwemusthurryupinordertomakeagooduseofit,”saidChristy.
“Thefogisliftingjustnow,asithasbeendoingalltheevening,andwecanseethefort.
Thereareveryfewpeopleabout;foritcannotbeanuncommoneventtoseeablockade-runnergetunderway.”
Itwasnotprobablethatanyofthepersonsinsightweresoldiers,fortheyhadabundantopportunitytoseealltherewastobeseenwithinthesolidwallsthatshelteredthem.
TherapidpaceatwhichthelieutenantledhiscompanionsoonbroughtthemtothegroupofpeopleneartheshoreofthechannelleadingtoPilotTown.
Thefivepairsofseamenwerewellscatteredabout,astheyhadbeeninstructedtobe,andtheydidnotappeartohaveattractedtheattentionoftheothersinthevicinity.
PairNo.Threewerethefirstofthepartytheofficersencountered,andnoothersappearedtobenearthem.
Oneofthemwassmokinghispipe,andbothofthemweretakingitveryeasily.
Notfarfromthemwasaknotofmenwhoseemedtobedisturbedbysomekindofanexcitement.
Asthecoupleencounteredmanifestednointerestintheaffair,Christyconcludedthattheymustknowsomethingaboutit,unlesstheywereextremelyscrupulousinadheringtotheordersgiventhem.
“Whatistherowthere,French?”askedChristyinalowandguardedtone,thoughtherewasnostrangerverynearhim.
“Themaninthemiddleisthecaptainofthatschooneryouseeofftheshore,sir.Hismateandthreeofhiscrewhavedesertedthevessel,andhecan’tgotoseawithoutthem,”repliedFrench.
“Theysaythesteameraheadistotowtheschoonerout;butthecaptaincannotgobecausehehasonlytwomenleft,”addedLines,theothermanofthepair.
“DoyouknowwheretofindNos.OneandTwo?”continuedtheleaderoftheexpedition.
“Idonot,sir;forwekeepclearofeachother,aswewereordered,”answeredFrench,ashelookedabouthimforthemendesignated.
“Youtwowillseparate,andfindOneandTwo.
Sendthemtome,andIwillwaithereforthem,”addedChristy;andthemendepartedontheerrand.
“WhileIamwaitingforthem,Mr.Graines,youmaygodowntothatgroup,andpickupwhatinformationyoucan.”
Theengineersauntereddownthedeclivity,smokinghiscigar,andmakinghimselfasmuchathomeontheenemy’sterritoryasthoughhehadbeenthecommanderoftheConfederatefort.
Christywasnotkeptlonginwaiting,andthefirstpairthatreportedtohimwereWeeksandBingham.No.One.
TheformerwastheoilerwhohadbeenselectedonaccountofhisingenuityandgoodjudgmentbyGraines.
“Areyouasailoraswellasamachinist,Weeks?”askedChristy.
“Iamnotmuchofasailor,sir,thoughIhavehandledaschooner.Ihavebeenaboatmanmoreorlessofthetimeallmylife,”repliedtheoilermodestly.
BythistimeNo.Two,LaneandMcGrady,reported,butFrenchandLineskepttheirdistance,inconformitywiththespiritoftheirorders.
“Nos.OneandTwowillreturntothewhaleboat,andWeekswillbeincommandoftheparty,”continuedChristy.“Therestofyouwillobeyhimasyourofficer.Isthisunderstood?”
“Ay,ay,sir,”respondedthethreemen.
“Weeks,youwillcarrytheboattothewater,andreturntotheshipwithallpossiblehaste.
InformCaptainBreakerthattheTrafalgarwillsailatthreeo’clockinthemorning.Iwillreporttohimlater.”
Thefourmenstartedoffasthoughtheymeanttoobeythisordertotheletter.
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