English
AlthoughheanticipatedadisagreeablescenewiththecaptainoftheWestWind,who,hesupposed,hadsleptoffthefumesoftheinordinatequantityofliquorhehaddrunk,hedidnotconsiderthattherewasanyperilinthesituation,forhehadplentyofforcetohandlehimeasily.
Hiscuriositywasexcited,andhewalkedovertothecompanion,whereGrainesappearedtobegazingintothedarknessofthecabin;buthedidnotinterferewiththeproceedingsofhisfellow-officer.
“Wedon’tneedthemenyouhavecalledfromthewaist,”saidtheengineerinalowtone.
Christysentthetwomenbacktotheirformerstation.
Ashewasreturningtohischosenpositionabaftthecompanion,hesawaglimmeroflightinthegloomofthecabin.
Grainesinvitedhimtotakeaplaceathisside,chucklingperceptiblyashemaderoomforhim.
Thelieutenantstoopeddownsothathecouldseeintothecabin,anddiscoveredamanwithalightedmatchinhishand,fumblingatthedooroftheclosetwhereCaptainSullendinekepthiswhiskey.
“Isthatthecaptain?”whisperedChristy,whocouldnotmakeouttheman,thoughhewasnotastallasthemasteroftheWestWind.
“No;itisBokes,”repliedGraines.“Hemusthavegotoutofthedeck-housethroughoneofthewindows.
HefoundthebottleFrenchgavehimwasempty,andIhavenodoubthisnervesareinaveryshakycondition.”
Bothoftheofficershadleanedback,sothattheirwhispersdidnotdisturbtheoperatorinthecabin.
Hisfirstmatchhadgoneout,andhelightedanother.
CaptainSullendinehadbeentoomuchovercomebyhispotationstotakehisusualprecautionsforthesafetyofhisspirit-room,andtheobserverssawthatthekeywasinthedoor.
Bokestookoneofthebottles,andcarriedittothetable.
Hismatchwentout,andhepokedaboutforsometimeinthecabin.
Presentlyhewasseenagain,comingoutofthepantrywithalightedlanterninhishand,whichheplacedonthetable.
Hehadacorkscrewintheotherhand,withwhichheproceeded,ashurriedlyashistremblinghandswouldpermit,toopenthebottle,forthemasterhaddrainedthelastone.
Thenhepouredoutatumblerfulofwhiskey,astheobserversjudgeditwasfromitscolor,anddrankitoff.
AtthispointGrainesdescendedtothecabinandconfrontedthefellow.
Christy,aftertakingalonglooktothesouth-east,followedtheengineerintothecabin,foritwaspossiblethathiscompanionintendedtolookintotheconditionofCaptainSullendine,andhedesiredtobepresentattheinterview.
“Good-morning,Bokes,”saidGraines,asheplacedhimselfinfrontoftheseaman.
“Mornin’,Mr.Balker,”repliedBokes;andtheheavydrinkhehadjusttakenappearedtohavedonenothingmorethansteadyhisnerves,forheseemedtohavethefulluseofhisfaculties.
“Howdoyoufeelthismorning,myfriend?”continuedtheengineer;andChristythoughthewasmakinghimselfveryfamiliarwiththeboozingseaman,whowasatleastfiftyyearsold.
“Fine’safiddle-string,”repliedBokes.“Wedonegotoutallright,Ireckon;”anditwasplainthathehadnottakennoticethattheschoonerwasnolongerintowofthesteamer.
“Allright,”repliedGraines,asheplacedhimselfonastool,andpushedanothertowardsthesailor,whoseatedhimself.
“Bytheway,friendBokes,IsupposeyouhavebeenonboardoftheTallahatchie?”
“More’nadozentimes,here’n’upinMobile.Myfustcousin’san’ileraboardonher,”repliedBokes.
“Howmanygunsdoesshecarry?”askedtheengineerinaveryquiettone,thoughthemandidnotseemtobeatallsuspiciousthathewasintheactofbeingusedforapurpose.
“Idon’tjestknowhowmanygunsshekerries;butshe’sgotabigA’mstrongbarker’midshipsthat’llknockanyYankeeshipinterthemiddleo’nextyear’nlesstime’nit’lltakeyoutoswalleratoto’Kaintuckwhiskey.It’sgoodforfive-mileshots.”
“Thisishermidshipgun,yousay?”
“Midshipgun,sir;’nIheard’emsayitflungashotnighontoahundredpounds,”addedBokes.
BothChristyandGrainesaskedthemanotherquestions;buthehadnotmadegooduseofhisopportunities,andknewverylittleaboutthearmamentoftheTallahatchie;yetherememberedwhathehadheardotherssayaboutherprincipalgun.
ThelieutenantknewallabouttheArmstrongpiece,forhehadinhisstateroomthevolumeon“OrdinanceandGunnery,”bySimpson,andhehaddiligentlystudiedit.
“Mr.Passford,”saidoneofthehandsattheheadofthecompanionladder.
“Ondeck,”repliedChristy.
“Steamerontheportbow,”addedtheseaman.
“ThatmustbetheBellevite,”saidthelieutenant.
“Nowyoumaygoondeck,Bokes,”addedGraines,ashedrovetheboozeraheadofhim,andfollowedhissuperior.
HeinstructedthemeninthewaisttokeepaneyeonBokes,andsenthimforward.Thenhetooktheprecautiontolockthedoorsatthecompanion-way,andjoinedChristyonthequarterdeck.
“That’stheBellevitewithoutadoubt,”saidChristy,ashedirectedthespy-glasshehadtakenfromthebrackets,andwasstilllookingthroughit.
“ButsheisfarthertotheeastwardthanIexpectedtofindher.”
“Isupposehercommanderknowswhatheisabout,”repliedGraines.
“Certainlyhedoes;andIdonotcriticisehisaction.”
AllthesteamersontheblockadeexcepttheBelleviteandtheoneinthewesthadbeensentawayonotherduty,foritwasbelievedthattheformerwouldbeenoughtooverhaulanythingthatwaslikelytocomeoutofMobileBayatthisstageofthewar.
Sureofthesteamerofwhichhewastheexecutiveofficer,Christydirectedhisglasstowardstheoneontheothersideofthechannel.
Shehadreceivednonoticeoftheapproachofapowerfulblockade-runner,andshehadnotafullheadofsteamwhenshediscoveredtheTallahatchie.
Besides,shewasoneoftheslowestvesselsintheservice.
Theblacksmokewaspouringoutofhersmokestackasthoughshewasusingsomethingbesidesanthracitecoalinherfurnaces,andshewasdoingherbesttointercepttheConfederate.
Shewasstillfiringherheaviestgun,thoughitcouldbeseenthathershotsfellfarshortoftheswiftsteamer.
“TheyhaveseentheBelleviteonboardoftheTallahatchie,andshehaschangedhercourse,”saidGraines,whileChristywasstillwatchingthemovementsoftheblockaderinthewest.
“ProbablyCaptainRomboldknowsallabouttheBellevite,andheisnotanxioustogettoonearher.”
“Shehaspointedherheadtothesouth-west,andtheBelleviteischanginghercourse.Ihopeweshallnotmissher,”addedChristy.
WhenthefogbankblewoverandrevealedherpresenceonboardoftheWestWind,theBellevitewasnotmorethanhalfamiletothesouthward,butshewasatleasttwomilestotheeastwardofher.
“Canwegetanymoresailonthiscraft,Mr.Graines?”askedthelieutenant.
“Wecansethertwogaff-topsails.”
“Dosoasspeedilyaspossible.”
Christywenttothewheel,andGraines,withthreemenateachsail,assistinghimself,soonhadshakenoutandsetthegaff-topsails.
Theeffectwasimmediatelyapparentintheimprovedsailingoftheschooner.
AConfederateflagwasfoundinthesignalchest,anditwassetatthemaintopmasthead,withtheAmericanensignoverit,sothatitcouldbeeasilyseenonboardoftheBellevite.
Thelieutenantwasnowveryconfidentthatheshouldintercepthisship.
“Nowclearawaythatquarter-boat,sothatwecandropitintothewaterwithoutanydelay,”continuedChristy,ashegaveupthewheeltoLinesagain.
Graineshastenedtoobeytheorder,fortheBellevitewasrushingthroughthewateratherbestspeed,anditwasevidentenoughbythistimethatWeekshadfaithfullyperformedthedutyassignedtohim.
“Asmallpullonthefore-sheet,Londall,”calledChristytooneofthemenontheforecastle.“Anotheronthemainsheet,”headdedtoFalloninthewaist.
ThebowoftheWestWindwasthuspointedcloserintothewind;andthegaff-topsailsenabledhertoholdherspeedafterthischange.
PaulVapoor,thechiefengineeroftheBellevite,wasplainlydoinghisbestintheengine-room,andifthelieutenanthadbeenasportingman,hewouldhavebeenwillingtowagerthathisshipwouldoverhaultheTallahatchie;foronanemergencyshehadactuallysteamedtwenty-twoknotsanhour,andChristybelievedshecoulddoitnow,beinginfirst-ratecondition,iftheoccasionrequired.
“Whattimeisitnow,Mr.Graines?”askedChristy.
“Quarter-pastfour,”repliedtheengineer,whenhehadlightedamatchandlookedathiswatch.
“Ithoughtitwaslaterthanthat,andIhavebeenlookingforsomesignsofdaylight,”repliedthelieutenant.
“Itisjustbreakingalittleintheeast.”
“IsupposeCaptainSullendineisstillasleep.”
“Nodoubtofit;hehasnothadtwohoursyetinhisberth,andheisgoodfortwohoursmoreatleast.”
“IthinkweshallbeonboardoftheBelleviteintenminutesmore,”continuedChristy,ashenotedthepositionoftheship.
“HaveyouinstructedFrenchwhattodowithCaptainSullendineifheshouldattempttomaketrouble?”
“Itoldhimtokeephiminhisstateroom,andIfeelprettysurehecan’tgetout.
IfBokes,whomusthaveanideaofwhatisgoingonbythistime,istroublesome,ItoldFrenchtotiehishandsbehindhim,andmakehimfasttothefore-rigging.”
“ThefogissettlingdownagainontheTallahatchie;butCaptainBreakerknowswheresheis,andhewillnotletuptillhehasgothispawonher,”saidGraines.
“Theblockaderinthewestisn’tanywherenow.
ShecouldnotdoathingwithsuchasteamerasthatConfederate.”
TheWestWindwasnowdirectlyinthepathoftheBellevite,andinfiveminutesmoreshestoppedherscrew.
Possiblyhercommanderwasbewilderedatthesightoftheschooner,whoseflagindicatedthatshewasalreadyaprize,thoughhecouldhardlyunderstandtowhatvessel;fornothingwasknownonboardofherinregardtothecottonvesseltheTallahatchiewastotowtosea.
“Standbytolowertheboatonthequarter!”shoutedChristy,perhapsalittleexcitedattheprospectofsoonbeingonthedeckofhisownship,asheandGrainestooktheirplacesinthecraft.
Thefourmenatthefallsloweredtheboatintothewaterinthetwinklingofaneye,andthetwoofficersdroppedtheoarsintothewaterassoonasitwasafloat.
Theypulledlikemenbeforethemast,andwentasternoftheschooner,whoseheadhadbeenthrownupintothewindtoenabletheofficerstoembarkinsafety.
Frenchwasnowincommandoftheschooner,andhefilledawayassoonastheboatpulledofffromherside.
TheBellevitehadstoppedherscrewalittledistancefromtheWestWind,and,astheboatapproachedher,shebackedherpropeller.
Hergangwayhadbeenlowered,andthetwoofficersleapeduponthelanding.
Theyhadhardlydonesobeforethegreatgongintheengine-roomwasheard,andthesteamerwentaheadagain.
Theboatwasallowedtogoadrift;butChristyshoutedtoFrenchtopickitup.
Thelieutenant’sheartbeatalivelytattooashemountedthesteps,andascendedtothedeck.
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