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Thecommanderoftheenemy’sshipcouldnotknowthattheBelleviteintendedtoboard;buthecouldhardlyhelpregardingwithanxietytherapidprogressshewasmakingthroughthewater.
Theloyalshipwasgettingnearertohim,andCaptainRomboldcouldnotavoidseeingthathissituationwasbecomingdesperate.
Itwasabsolutelynecessaryforhimtodosomething,unlesshewasreadytohauldownhisflag,whichChristy,forone,havingbeenpresentatabattlewithhim,didnotexpecthimtodoyet.
Theexecutiveofficerkeptaclosewatchupontheenemy,frequentlyusinghisglass,evenwhilehewasdiscussinghissuggestionwiththecaptain.
TherewasgreatactivityondecknearthesternoftheTallahatchie,andhercommandermusthavebeenatleasthopefulthatthesteeringapparatuscouldberestoredtosomedegreeofefficiency.
InthemeantimehecouldnotbringhisbroadsidegunstobearontheBelleviteforhewasunabletocomeabout.
TheFederalshipwasheadeddirectlyfortheenemy,andasCaptainBreakerwasimpatienttoboard,hecouldnotfiretheParrotorthebroadsidebatterywithoutlosingtimetoputhisvesselinpositionforthrowingshotorshell.
“Sheisstartingherscrewagain!”exclaimedChristysuddenly,ashediscoveredthestirringupofthewaterasternoftheenemy.
“Iseesheis,”addedthecommander.“Shehasnotgotherextrawheelinpositionyet,andprobablyshehaspriedhertillerover,orhauleditoverwithapurchase.Makethecoursewest,Mr.Passford.”
Christygavetheordertothequartermaster,andwithoutcheckingherspeed,theBellevitedescribedaquarterofacircleandcametothedesiredcourse.
Thethreegunsofherportbatterywereimmediatelydischarged,loadedwithshellasonthelastoccasion.
Oneofthemwasseentoexplodeinthemidstofthegangofmenwhowereatworkontheextrawheel.
Theothertwoburstintheair,toofarofftodoanyseriousdamage.
Veryslowly,andapparentlywithgreatdifficulty,theTallahatchieswungaround,sothatherportgunscouldbebroughttobearupontheBellevite,andthetwoshipswereabreastofeachothersothatneithercouldraketheother.
Theloyalshipcontinuedonhercoursetothewestward,andintenminutesshehadmadethreemilesandahalf,whichplacedheroutofthereachofthebroadsidegunsoftheTallahatchie.
Christydidnotabatehiswatchfulnessoverthemovementsoftheenemy.
Theshotfromthesixty-pounderwhichhadstruckonthequarteroftheConfederate,hadevidentlycreatedagreatdealofconfusioninthatpartofthevessel.
Shehadintendedtodescribeaquarterofacircleinordertorenderherportbroadsidegunsavailable,butshehadnotmademorethantheeighthofthecircuitbeforesheappearedtobegoingahead,andherdirectionwasdiagonaltothatoftheBellevite.
“Whatdoesthatmean?”askedChristyofthecommanderwhostoodnearhim,thoughhehadaverydecidedopinionofhisownonthesubject.
“Itsimplymeansthatthelastshotwhichstruckherderangedwhateverexpedienthercaptainhadadoptedforcontrollingtherudder,”repliedthecommander.
“Itfailedwhenshewashalfround,andthenshewentahead.”
“Shehasstoppedherscrewagain,sir,”addedthefirstlieutenant.
“Itistimeforhertohauldownherflag;butshedoesnotseemtobedisposedtodoit,”continuedCaptainBreaker.“Itiscertainlyahopelesscase,andheoughttosparehismenifnothimself.”
“CaptainRomboldisnotoneofthatsort.ThoughheisaBriton,heisa‘lastditch’man.”
“Probablyaverylargemajorityofhisship’scompanyareEnglish,oranythingbutSouthernAmericans,andheoughttohaveaproperregardforthem.”
“Ithinkhemustseesomechanceofredeeminghimselfandhisship,forInevermetamorehigh-tonedandgentlemanlymaninallmylife,andIdon’tbelievehewouldsacrificehispeopleunlesswithahopethatheconsidersareasonableone.”
“Comeabout,Mr.Passford,andbeardownontheenemy.Unlessheworkshissteeringgear,wehaveherwheresheisutterlyhelpless,”saidthecommander.
“Iwondershedoesnotgetacoupleofherheaviestgunsinpositiononherquarter-deck,andusethemassternchasers,”saidChristy,afterhehadobeyedthecaptain’sorder,andtheBellevitewasagainheadeddirectlyfortheenemy.
“Sheappearstorequireallthespacetherefortheworkonhersteeringappliances,”repliedCaptainBreaker.
“IntenminutesmoreIhopeweshallbeabletoboardher;andIthinkwecanthenmakeveryshortworkofthisbusiness.
Abouttheflankingmovementyoupropose,Mr.Passford,Ihaveneverseenanythingofthekinddone,formostofmyfightingexperiencewithblockade-runnershasbeenatlongrange,thoughIwasinthenavyduringtheMexicanwar,whereouroperationsweremostlyagainstfortificationsandbatteries.”
“Idonotconsidertheplanpracticableexceptunderpeculiarcircumstances,likethepresent,”returnedChristy.
“Iamconfidentthatweoutnumbertheenemy,andthemenfortheflankmovementareavailable.”
“Ifwewereboardinginboatsweshouldnaturallyattackbothonthestarboardandportsides.But,Mr.Passford,theexecutiveofficercannotbesparedtocommandthelaunchanditscrew.”
“Iwasnotthinkingofcommandingtheflankingpartymyself,sir.”
“Neithercantheofficersofdivisionsbespared.”
“IthinkIcanfindavolunteer,notinthesailingdepartment,whowouldconductthemovementtoasuccessfulissue,Captain,”addedChristy,veryconfidently.
“Mr.Vapoor?Butwecannotsparehimfromtheengineroomforaminute,”protestedthecommander,whowaswellawarethatthechiefengineerwasthelieutenant’sespecialcrony.“Thatwouldnotdoatall.”
“IwasnotthinkingofMr.Vapoor,sir,”interposedChristy.
“Who,then?”demandedthecommander,loweringhisspy-glasstolookintotheyoungman’sface.
“MyassociateintheexpeditiontoMobilePoint,whodidquiteasmuchasIdid,ifnotmore,tomakeitasuccess.
ImeanMr.Graines,thethirdassistantengineer.
Iknowthatheisabravemanandanofficerofexcellentjudgment,”repliedthelieutenant,withmoreenthusiasmthanheusuallymanifestedwhennotinactualcombat.
“Verywell,Mr.Passford;Igiveyoutheordertocarryoutyourplan,andIhopeitwillworktoyoursatisfaction.
Butyoumustnottakemorethantwentymen,”saidthecommanderinconclusionofthewholematter.
“Mr.Walbrook,”calledChristywithoutlosingamomentinthepreparationsforcarryingouthisscheme,whichneitherthecaptainnorhimselfcouldsaywasanoriginalidea.
Thestationofthesecondlieutenantatquartersisontheforecastle,andofthethirdinthewaist,orthemiddleoftheship.
Thethirdlieutenantsteppedforwardatthecalloftheexecutiveofficer,touchedhiscap,for“thehonorsduethequarter-deckcannotbedispensedwith,”evenatexcitingtimes.
Christygavehimtheordertocastloosethelaunch,andhaveitinreadinesstolowerintothewateratamoment’snotice;andMr.Walbrookproceededtoobeyitwithoutdelay.
ThefirstlieutenantthencalledMr.Walters,amidshipman,anddirectedhimtogivehiscomplimentstoMr.Vapoor,andaskhimifhecouldsparethethirdassistantengineerforspecialdutyforacoupleofhours,moreorless.
ThemessengerreturnedwiththereplythatthechiefengineerwouldbehappytodetailMr.Grainesforspecialdutyatonce.
Infiveminutesmoretheassistantengineerappeareduponthequarter-deckinuniform,andtouchedhiscaptotheexecutiveofficer.
“Iamdirectedtoreporttoyou,Mr.Passford,forspecialduty,”addedGraines.
“Iwishyoutoassumethisduty,Mr.Graines,asavolunteer,ifatall,”repliedChristy.
“Alltheofficersondeckarerequiredattheirstations,andthecommanderhasauthorizedwhatIcallaflankingmovement,whichIpurposetosendoutunderyourorders.”
“Iamverymuchobligedtoyou,Mr.Passford,forthehonoryoudomeinselectingmeforthisduty;andIacceptthepositionwithpleasure,”answeredtheengineer,touchinghiscapagain.
“Butthisisafightingposition,Mr.Graines,”addedChristywithasmile.
“Somuchthebetter,sir;andifmyeducationpermitted,Ishouldprefertobeinthethickestofthefightratherthanshutupintheengineroom,”returnedtheengineer;andthiswasjusttheestimatethelieutenanthadmadeofhim.
Hehadbeenwelleducated;buthehadlearnedthetradeofamachinist,andthewantofanynavaltrainingratherthanhisowninclinationhaddrivenhimintotheengineroom.
Buthehadbeenthreeyearsatseaasasailor,andcamehomeassecondmateofanIndiaman.
Christyexplainedtohimveryfullytheplanhehadsuggested,andGrainesreadilygraspedtheidea.
Heprovidedhimselfwithacutlassandrevolver,andbecameveryenthusiasticinthedischargeofhisspecialduty.
Withtheaidofthefirstlieutenantheselectedthemenforthemovement,thoughChristywouldnotpermitthedetailtoconsistofallthebestmen,forthatwouldnotbefairorgeneroustotheofficersofdivisions.
Theywereafairaverageofthequalityoftheseamen.
TheTallahatchiemadeanattempttocomeaboutinordertomakehergunsavailable;butforsomeunknownreasonitappearedtobeafailure,forshepresentlystoppedherscrewagain.
TheBellevitewasrapidlyapproachingher,andhercommanderevidentlyrealizedthattheloyalshipintendedtoboard,forhemadehispreparationstomeettheonslaught.
CaptainRombold,inspiteofhismisfortuneintheDornochtheyearbefore,wasinclinedtodisparagethebraveryandskilloftheofficersoftheUnitedStatesNavy,andtoregardtheseamenasinferiortothoseofhisowncountry,thoughhewastoogentlemanlytoexpresshimselfdirectlytothiseffect.
ChristyhaddrawnthisinferencefromwhathesaidintheconversationswithhimwhenColonelPassfordandhewereprisonersonboardoftheChateaugay.
Holdingthisview,asChristywasconfidenthedid,itwasplainfromhisactionthatheexpected,oratleasthoped,towinavictoryinthehand-to-handencounterwhichwasimpending.
Ofcourseitwaspossiblethathemightdoso,andcomeintopossessionoftheBellevite,winchhadoutsailedhim,anddisabledhisshipforacombatatlongerrange.
AstheFederalsteamerdrewneartotheenemyavolleyofmusketrywaspouredintoher,whichwaspromptlyreturned,andseveralofthecrewonbothsidesdroppedtothedeck,andwerebornetothecockpit,thoughtherelativestrengthofeachremainedaboutasbefore,asnearlyastheofficersonthequarter-deckoftheBellevitecouldjudge.
ThespeedoftheattackingshiphadbeengreatlyreducedasshenearedtheTallahatchie,andthelaunchwasalreadyinthewaterwithitscrewoftwentymenonboard.
Thecrewofthelatterwerearmedwithalltheboardingweaponsinuse,andbeforethehandsondeckhadfastenedtotheenemy,theflankingpartywereworkingtheirheavycraftaroundthesternofthesteamer.
TheloyalshipcameincontactwiththesideoftheConfederate.
Thegrapplingironswerecast,andinanincrediblyshortspaceoftimethetwovesselswerefirmlyattachedtoeachother.
Thesuprememomenthadcome,asallthought,butforsomereasonnotapparent,thecommandtoboardwaswithheld.
CaptainBreakerwhostoodonthequarterdeckwithChristy,appearedtobeperplexed.
Hesawthattheseamenoftheenemyweredrawnuponthestarboardside,insteadofattheportbulwarks.
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