English
Probablysome,ifnotall,ofthesixmeninthedeck-houseoftheWestWindwereinthehabitoftakingintoxicatingliquorswhentheywereashore,andwhenitwasservedoutonboardoftheshipinconformitywiththerulesandtraditionsofthenavy.
Thecommanderandhisexecutiveofficerlaboredforthepromotionoftotalabstinenceamongtheofficersandcrew.
Morethantheusualproportionofthemencommutedtheir“grogration”formoney,throughtheinfluenceoftheprincipalofficers.
Whilethecommanderofthepresentexpeditionacceptedtheaidofthepowerfulally,“apple-jack,”intheserviceofhiscountry,drinkingfreelyappearedtohimtobeaboutthesamethingasgoingovertotheenemy;andhecouldnotpermithismentoturntraitorsinvoluntarily,whenheknewtheywouldnotdosooftheirownfreewillandaccord.
Hehadsettledtheliquorquestiontohisownsatisfactioninthedeck-house,returningthebottletoFrench.
WhenGraineswentbelow,aminuteortwolaterthanCaptainSullendine,hesawhisnewsuperiorintheactoftossingoffanotherglassofwhiskey,asheconcludeditwasfromthelabelonthebottlewhichstoodonthecabintable.
Hehadbeenconsiderablyexhilaratedbefore,andhewasinafairwaytostrengthentheallyoftheloyalistsbycarryinghispowerfulinfluencetotheheadofthecommanderoftheintendingblockade-runner.
Thecaptainseatedhimselfatthetable,andChristysawthathehadaflatbottleinhisbreast-pocket.
“Now,Mr.Balker,wehadbettersealupthebargainwe’vemadewithfortydropsfromthisbottle,”saidhe,ashepouredoutaglassforhimself,regardlessofthefactthathehadjustindulged;andatthesametimehepushedthebottleandanotherglasstowardsthenewmate.
Grainescoveredthelowerpartoftheglasswithhishand,andpouredafewdropsintoit.Puttingsomewaterwithitfromthepitcher,heraisedthetumblerinimitationofthecaptain.
“Here’ssuccesstotherightside,”addedthemaster,ashedrankoffthecontentsoftheglass.
“Idrinkthattoastwithallmymind,heart,andsoul,”addedtheengineer,withdecidedemphasis,thoughheknewthat“therightside”didnotalwaysconveythesameidea.
“Helpyourself,Mr.—I’veforgotyourname,SecondMate,”headdedashemovedtowardsthecompanionladder.
“JerrySandman,sir,andIwillhelpmyselftowhatIwant,”repliedChristy.
“That’sright,Mr.Sandman;makeyourselfathomeinthiscabin.ImustgoondeckandtakealookattheTallahatchie,”addedthemasterashewentuptheladder,followedbyGraines.
Thelieutenanthelpedhimselftoaglassofwater,afterrinsingthetumbler,forthatwaswhathewanted.
Sopsythecookimmediatelyappeared,bearingatrayonwhichwereseveraldishesofeatables,breadandhambeingtheprincipal.
Thebottlewasinhisway;andafterhehaddrunkoffhalfatumblerfulofitscontents,heremovedittothepantry.Heproceededtosetthetable.
“Oftinderchizzlynight,’foreslumber’syokehabtookenme,’hummedSopsyasheworkedatthetable.
“Whereisthisschoonerbound,Sopsy?”askedChristy.
“Boundtodatboonwharnotrab’lerreturns,”repliedthecook,pausinginhisoccupationandstaringthesecondmatefullintheface.
“ThatbournisNassau,Ireckon,”laughedthelieutenant.
“Is’poseshe’sgwinedarifshedon’tgotodatboonwherenotrab’lerscomebackagin,”answeredSopsyseriously.“BeyouMeth’dis’o’Bab’tis’,MassaMate?”
“Both,Sopsy.”
“Can’tbebof,Massa.”
“ThenI’meitheroneyoulike.”
“Thatain’tright,MassaSecon’Mate,’cordin’asyouwasbrungup,’saidthecook,shakinghisheadviolently,asthoughheutterlydisapprovedofthemate’stheology.
“I’matheosophist,Sopsy.”
“Aseehossofist!”exclaimedthecook,droppingaplateinhisastonishment.“Wedon’thabnoneo’demonshoreindeSouf.Ireckondeylibsindewater.”
“No;theyliveonthemountains.”
“Wehain’tgotnomount’nsdownhere,anddat’sdereasonwedon’thabnoneon’em,”addedSopsyashewenttothepantry;butpresentlyreturnedwithaplateofpicklesinonehandandthewhiskeybottleintheother.
“Doesdemsea-hossesdrinkwhisker,MassaSecon’Mate?”
“Theyneverdrinkadropofit.”
“Discoloredpussonain’tnosea-hoss,andhedodrinkwhiskeywhenhekingitit,”addedthecook;andhehalffilledatumblerwiththecontentsofthebottle,anddrankitoffatasinglegulp.
Hehadhardlyplaceditonthetableinthemiddleofthedishesbeforethecaptaincamebelow.
Hisfirststepwastotakealiberalpotationfromthebottle.
Asheraisedittotheswinginglamp,hediscoveredthatthefluidhadbeenfreelyexpendedinhisabsence.
“You’vepunishedthisbottleallitdeserves,”saidhewhenheperceivedthatitslevelhadbeenconsiderablylowered,andhedidnotaskthenewofficertojoinhim.
“That’sallright,Mr.Sandman;butIdon’twantyoutotakemorethanyoucanmanageto-night,forwehaveabigjobonourhands,andwewantourheadswhereweshallbeabletofindthem.
Nowgoondeck,andlearnwhatyoucanaboutthevessel,forwehain’tgotbuthalfanhourmorebeforetheTallahatchiegoestosea.
Wemayhavelotsofmusicafterwegetoutside;butIreckonoursteamercanoutsailanythingtheYankeeshavegotontheblockade.
Don’tdrinknomore,Mr.Sandman;andwhenwegittoNassauyoucanhaveareg’larblowout.”
“Iwon’ttouchanotherdropbeforewegetoutofthebay,Cap’nSullendine,”protestedChristy,withoutbetrayingthemisdemeanorofthecook,asdoubtlessitwas.
“That’sright,Mr.Sandman;wemustallhaveourheadsonourshouldersto-night,”saidthecaptain,ashedrankoffthepotionhehadprepared.
Christywishedtoholdthecommandertohisownadvice;butthatwouldhavebeenfightingonthewrongsideforhim,andSopsyescapedareprimand,ifnotakickortwo,byhisforbearance.
Bythistimethebottlewasnearlyempty;buttheskipperputitunderlockandkeyinacloset,whichseemedtobewellfilledwithotherslikeit.
Christywentondeck,inobediencetotheorderhehadreceived,andfoundtheengineeronthequarter-deckburiedinthefog,whichwasjustthenmoredensethanatanytimebefore.
“Thecaptain’sprettywellset’up,’isn’theChristy?”saidGrainesinalowtone.
“Abouthalfseasover;butheknowswhatheisabout,thoughhetookanotherheavypotionjustnow,”repliedthelieutenant.
“Allright;Ithinkwecanmanagethiscraftverywellwithouthim,”addedGraineswithasmile,whichcouldnotbeseeninthedarkness.
Buttheconversationwasinterruptedatthispointbytheappearanceofthecook,whoselegsweremoretangledupbyhistipplesthanhismaster’s.
HedeliveredtherequestofCaptainSullendinethattheyshouldcomeintothecabin,andpartakeofthelunchwhichhadbeensetoutforthem.
Astheymovedtowardsthecompanion,theysawSopsycreepovertothealleywhereBokeshadbeensleeping,andtakeupthebottleofapple-jackChristyhadgivenhim,anddrinkfromit.
Itwasevidenttothemthatthecookcouldnotbemuchlongerinconditionforanyduty.
Thetwomateswentbelowasinvited,andfoundthecaptainatthetable.Hehadbroughtoutthebottleofwhiskey,andwaseatingofthedishesbeforehim,butplainlywithlittlerelish.
“Haveanotherlittledrink,Mr.Balker;butIthinkMr.Sandmanhadbetternottakeanymore,”saidthemaster,whosespeechwasratherthickbythistime.
“Thankyou,CaptainSullendine;Iwilldoalittleinthatway,forwearelikelytohaveaverydampnightofit,”repliedGraines,ashehelpedhimself,thoughhedidnottaketendrops.
“Alittledoesonegood;butitdon’tdototaketoomuchwhenwehaveveryimportantbusinessonourhands.
Afterthatone,Mr.Balker,Iadviseyounottotakeanymoretillwegetclearoftheblockaders,”addedtheskipper,asheemptiedthebottleintohisglass.
Thehamonthetablewasofexcellentquality,andthetwomatesateheartilyofit,withtheship-bread.
Thelastdosethecaptainhadtakenappearedtocaptheclimax,andhecouldnolongereat,ortalksoastobeclearlyunderstood.
Whenthemateshadfinishedtheirlunch,theysawthattheskipperhaddroppedasleepinhischair.
Theyrosefromtheirplaces,andrattledthestools.
Thenoiserousedthesleeper,andhesprangtohisfeetwithaviolentstart.
“What’stime’zit,Mr.Zbalker?”hedemanded,catchingholdofthetabletoavoidfallingonthecabinfloor.
Heseemedtobeconsciousthathewasnotpresentingaperfectlyregularappearancetohisnewofficers;andhedroppedintohischair,makingaludicrousefforttostiffenhismusclesandputonhisdignity,butitwasafailure.
“Quarter-pasttwo,CaptainSullendine,”repliedGrainesinanswertothequestion.
“Mostanhourmore’forewegitstarted,”stammeredtheinvalid.
“Ididn’tsleepnonelastnight,I’msleepy.
I’mgo’ntoturninforhalfanhour,’nthenI’llbeondeckreadyforbusi—readyforbuzness.”
Grainesassistedhimtohisstateroom,forhecouldnotwalk,andhewasafraidhewouldfallandhurthimself.
Hehelpedhimintohisberth,andarrangedhimsothathecouldsleepitoff,andhedidnotcareifhedidnotdosobeforethenextday.
Hewaitedtillhehaddroppedoffintoadeepslumber,andthenjoinedChristyinthecabin.
“IfIhadnotbeenatemperancemanbefore,Ishouldbenow,”saidthelieutenant.
“Itisjustaswellthatthecaptainiscleanoverthebay,forwemighthavebeenobligedtoshoothimifhehadbeensober.”
“Butwecouldhavetakenpossessionofthevesselinspiteofhim,ifthesteamerhadnotinterfered,”repliedGraines,asheledthewaytothedeck.
“Idon’tseethatwehaveanythingtodobutwaitforthemovingofthewaters,orforthemovingofthesteamer.
Isupposeourmenareallrightforward.”
“Ihavenodoubtofit,thoughIhavenotseenthemlately.
Igaveoneofthebottlesofapple-jackthecaptainsentforwardforthemtoBokes,andpouredthecontentsoftheotherintoMobileBay.
Ithinkwehadbettergoforwardandlookthevesselover,”saidChristy.
TheyhadgonebutafewstepsbeforetheystumbledoverthebodyofSopsy,whohadevidentlysuccumbedtothequantityoffirewaterhehadconsumed.
HehadassistedBokestoemptythebottlegiventohim,andbothofthemweretoofargonetogiveanalarmiftheydiscoveredatanytimethatsomethingwaswrongaboutthemovementsoftheWestWind.
TheyfoundtheBellevitersloungingaboutonthecottonbales,someofthemasleep,andotherscarryingonaconversationinalowtone.
Theyweregladtoseetheirofficers,whotoldthemthetimeforsomesortofactionwasrapidlyapproaching.
Thentheywenttothebowofthevessel,wheretheyfoundthatshewasanchored,thoughthechainhadbeenhoveshort.
Thehawserbywhichshewastobetowedtoseawasmadefasttothebowspritbitts,andledtothesternofthesteamer,whereitwasdoubtlessproperlysecured.
Whiletheywerelookingoverthebow,aboatapproachedfromtheTallahatchie,andanofficerhailed,askingforCaptainSullendine.
“Heisinthecabin;Iamthemate,”repliedtheengineer,“andthecaptainhasshippedanewcrew,weareallrightnow.”
“Weighyouranchoratthreeshortwhistles,”addedtheofficer.
“Understood,andallright,”saidthenewmate.
Theboatpulledbacktothesteamer.
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