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Thefog,whichhadbeencomingandgoingduringthewholeofthenight,hadnowliftedsothateverythinginthevicinityofthefortcouldbeseen;butacrossthepoint,downtheshipchannel,itwasdense,dark,andblack.
Thewindwasfreshfromthesouth-west,whichrolledupthefogbanks,andthenrolledthemaway.
SuchwastheatmosphericconditionnearMobilePoint,andChristybelieveditwasthesameatthesouthward.
HethoughtitprobablethatthecommanderoftheTallahatchiewouldwaitforamorefavorabletimethanthepresentappearedtobebeforehegotunderway.
“Allhandstotheforecastle,”hecalledtothemenonthecottonbales.
Allofthem,knowinghisvoiceaswellastheyknewtheirownnames,hastenedtoanswertothecall.
“Wehavetoheaveuptheanchorwithawindlass,Mr.Graines,”saidhetotheengineer.“Wehadbettergetthehangofitwhilewehavetimetodoso.Shipthehandspikes,mymen.”
Doubtlessallofthemhadworkedawindlassbefore,foreveryoneofthemwasanableseaman,whichhadbeenoneoftheelementsintheirselection,andtheywenttoworkveryhandily.
Aturnortwowasgiven,whichstartedthevesselahead,showingthattheanchorwasnothoveentirelyshort.
Graineswenttothebow,andreportedaconsiderableslantofthecablewiththesurfaceofthewater.
Christyorderedthesixseamentoworkthewindlass,withFrenchtotakeintheslack.
Theycontinuedtoheaveoverwiththehandspikesforsometimelonger.
“Cableupanddown,sir,”reportedGraines.
“Avastheaving!”addedthelieutenant;andhehadtakenthecommand,payingnoattentiontothefactthathewasthesecondmateundertheneworderofthings,andtheengineerdidnotremindhimthathewasthechiefofficer.
“Letoffthecableacoupleofnotches,sothattheanchorwillnotbreakout.
Makefasttothebitts,French,butdon’tfoulitwiththetowline.”
“Weareallrightnow,”saidGraines,ashemovedaftfromtheheelofthebowsprit.
“Whattimeisitnow?”askedthelieutenant.“Bringthatlanternforward,Lines.”
“Tenminutesofthree,”repliedtheengineer,holdinghiswatchuptothelight.
“Thefogissettlingdownagain,andIhavenodoubtthecaptainofthesteamerwillgetunderwayataboutthehournamed,”saidChristy,puttinghishandonthewiretowline,andgivingitashake,toassurehimselfthatitwasallclear.
“Now,Mr.Graines,orrather,Mr.Balker,asyouarethemateandIamonlythesecondmate,Ithinkyouhadbettergoaftandseethatallgoeswellthere.”
“Verywell,Mr.Sandman;Iwillleaveyouinchargeoftheforecastle,”repliedtheengineer,withalightlaugh;buttheyhadbeenboystogether,andunderstoodeachotherperfectly.
“CaptainSullendineistheonlydangerousmanonboard,andIthinkyouhadbetterlookafterhim,”addedChristy.
“Ifthereisanylockonthedoorofhisstateroom,itwouldbewelltoturnthekey.”
“Iwilllookafterhimatonce,sir,”answeredGraines,asheleapeduponthecottonbalesandmadehiswaytothequarter-deck.
OnthewayheexaminedtheconditionofSopsy,andfoundhimsnoringlikearoaringlion,inanuneasyposition.
Heturnedhimoveronhisside,andthenwenttothelairofBokes,whowasinthesamecondition;andheconcludedthatneitherofthemwouldcometohissensesforacoupleofhoursatleast.
CaptainSullendinehadbeenassistedtoacomfortablepositionwhenheturnedin,andhewassleepingwithnothingtodisturbhim.
Therewasnolockonthedoor,andGrainescouldnotturnthekey.
Theinteriorofthecabinwasfinishedinthemostprimitivemanner,forthevesselhadnotbeenbuilttoaccommodatepassengers.
Thedoorofthecaptain’sstateroomwasmadeofinchandahalfboards,withthreebattens,andthehandlewasanold-fashionedbow-latch.
Therewasaheavyboltontheinside,asthoughtheapartmenthadbeenbuilttoenablethemastertofortifyhimselfincaseofamutiny.
Theengineercouldnotfastenthedoorwithanyofthefixturesonit;butitopenedinward,asisgenerallythecaseonshipboard,andthisfactsuggestedtotheingeniousofficerthemeansofsecuringitevenmoreeffectuallythanitcouldhavebeendonewithalockandkey.
Inthepantryhefoundarolling-pin,whichthecookmusthaveleftthereforsomeotherpurpose.
Thisimplementheappliedtothebow-handleofthefixtureonthedoor.
Itwouldnotfittheironloop,buthewhittleditdownononesidewithhispocket-knifetillhemadeitfitexactlyinitsplacewithsomehardpressure.
Butshakingthedoormightcauseittodropout,andhecompletedthejobbylashingittothehandleofthedoorwithalanyardhehadinhispocket.
Whenhehadfinishedhisworkhewasconfidentthecaptaincouldnotgetoutofhisroomunlesshebrokedownthedoor,whichhelackedthemeanstoaccomplish.
“WestWind,ahoy!”shoutedsomeonefromthesternofthesteamerbeforetheengineerhadcompletedhisworkinthecabin.
ChristythoughtthatFrench’svoicewasabetterimitationofCaptainSullendine’sthanhisown,andhedirectedhimtoreplytothehail,tellinghimwhattosay.
“OnboardtheTallahatchie!”returnedtheseamanatthelieutenant’sdictation.
“Areyouallready?”shoutedthesameofficer.
“Allready,sir!”repliedFrench.
“CaptainRomboldwillgetunderwayinfiveminutes!”calledthespeakeronthesternofthesteamer.“Waitforthreeshortwhistles,andthenheaveupyouranchor!”
“Understood,andallright,”addedthespokesmanoftheWestWind.
“CaptainRombold!”exclaimedChristytohimself,asheheardforthefirsttimethenameofthecommanderoftheTallahatchie.
Thelieutenant,actingastheservantoftheFrenchdetectiveatSt.George’sintheBermudas,hadseenCaptainRombold,andhadheardhimconverseforanhourwithMr.Gilfleur,whenhewasincommandoftheDornoch,whichhadbeencapturedbytheChateaugay,onboardofwhichChristywasapassenger.
Hewasknowntobeaveryableandbraveofficer,andhisdefeatwasowingmoretotheheaviermetaloftheloyalshipthantoanylackofskillorcourageonthepartoftheConfederatecommander.
Thelasttheyoungofficerknewabouthim,hewasaprisonerofwarinNewYork,andhaddoubtlessbeenexchangedforsomeloyalofficerofequalrank,fortheenemyhadplentyofthemonhand.
“Manthewindlass,mylads,”saidChristyinaquiettone,thoughhewasstillthinkingofthecommanderofthesteamerwhichwastotowouttheschooner.
Whilehewaswaitingforthethreeshortwhistles,Grainescameforwardandreportedinwhatmannerhehadsecuredthecaptain,andthatthetwomenonthecottonbaleswerestillinsensible.
“Youmaybesurethecaptainwillnotcomeoutofhisstateroomuntilwelethimout,”addedtheengineer;andChristyproceededtoexplainwhathadpassedbetweentheschoonerandthesteamer.
“TheTallahatchiehasoneoftheablestcommandersthatsailtheocean,forIhaveseenandknowhim,”continuedthelieutenant.
“ItisCaptainRombold,noworformerly,oftheBritishNavy.
Heisagentlemanandascholar,aswellasabraveandskilfulofficer.”
“ThenCaptainBreakermayhavehishandsfullbeforehecapturesthesteamer,”addedtheengineer.
“Hecertainlywill;butagreatdealdependsupontheweightoftheTallahatchie’smetal.”
“Weshallsoonhaveachancetojudgeofthat.”
“Ishouldliketoknowsomethingmoreaboutthissteamer,thoughmyfather’slettergivesustheprincipaldetails;butwehavenotimenowtoexamineher,”continuedChristy.
“Who’sthat?”demandedGraines,ashesawamanwalkingforwardoverthebalesofcotton.
ItprovedtobeBokes,whohadsleptoffapartoftheeffectsofthedebauch;butSopsyhadprobablyconsumedalargeportionofthecontentsofhisbottle.
“Doesyouunshappentohaveanymoreapple-jack?”askedthefellow."SomehowIlostnighallo’mine,andI’msufferin’,dyin’foradrink.”
“French,takehimtothedeck-house,andfastenhimin,”saidChristyinalowtone.
“Comewithme,myhearty,andwe’llseewhatthereisinthedeck-house,”saidtheseaman,ashetookthemanbythearmandledhimtotheplaceindicated.“Nowgoinandfindyourbunk.
Getintoit,andIwilllookforabottlehere.”
Bokescrepttohisbunk,andstretchedhimselfoutthere.
Frenchtookthebottlethelieutenanthademptiedintothebay,andgaveittohim.
Thenheclosedthedoor,andfindingapadlockandhasponit,helockedhimin.
Twoofthethreemenwhohadremainedonboardoftheschoonerwerenowprisoners;andSopsywasconsideredasharmlessasafishworm.
Frenchhadhardlyreportedwhathehaddonebeforethethreeshortwhistlesweresounded,andChristygavetheordertoheaveuptheanchor.
“WestWind,ahoy!”shoutedthesameofficerwhohadspokenbefore.
“Onboardthesteamer!”repliedFrench,whenhewasdirectedtoreply.
“Dowsethatglimonyourfo’castle!”shoutedtheofficer,aswithaliberaldoseofprofanityhedemandediftheywereallfoolsonboardoftheschooner.“Putouteverylightonboard!”
“Ay,ay,sir!”respondedFrench,asGrainesextinguishedthelanternontheforecastle;andChristydirectedhimtodothesamewiththecabinlamp.
Helookedathiswatchbeforeheputitout,andfounditwasquarter-pastthree.
Thecaptainofthesteamerhadevidentlywaitedforafavorablemomenttostartonhisperilousvoyage,andtheengineernoticedwhenhewentforwardafterhehadsecuredCaptainSullendine,thatthefogwasagainsettlingdownonthebay.
“Onboardthesteamer!”shoutedFrench,asdirected.“Anchoraweigh,sir!”Thenaminutelater,“Allclear,andthetowlineslack!”
Fromthesoundsthatcamefromtheforwardpartofthesteamer,itwasevidentthatshehadheavedupheranchorbeforeshegavethethreewhistlesfortheschoonertodoso.
“WestWind,ahoy!”calledtheofficerfromtheTallahatchie.“Standbyyourhelmwithyourbestman!”
Graineshadjustgoneaft,andhadtakenthewheelofthevessel;butChristysentFrenchtotakehisfirsttrickatthehelm.
Thetidewasstillsettingintothebay,anditwaswithinhalfanhouroftheflood.
Theschoonerwasbeginningtoswayofffromtheshoreasthetidestruckher,whenthegongbellintheengine-roomofthesteamerwasheard.
Shewentaheadveryslowly,andstraightenedthetowline.
Christytookacarefulsurveyofitsfastenings,toassurehimselfthatitwasallright,andthenmountedthecottonbales,toobservetheprogressofthevessel.
Ofcoursethesteamerwasunderthedirectionofaskilfulpilot,doubtlessthebestthatcouldbehad,forthepresentventurewasanexceedinglyimportantonetotheConfederatecause.
TheTallahatchiewasperhapsabettervesselthananyofthosewhichhaddonesomuchmischiefamongtheshipsoftheloyalAmericanmarine,andinnomannercouldtheSoutherncausebemoreeffectuallyassistedthanbythesecruisers.
Asthevesselsheadedtothesouthward,Christywenttothebinnacle,andwatchedthecourse.
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