English
CaptainBreakertookChristybyhisrightarmtosupporthimastheyreturnedtothedeckoftheBellevite,andtoassisthimoverthebulwarks.
Thewoundedhadallbeencaredfor,andthecrewwereswabbingupthedeck;butthemomenttheydiscoveredthecaptainandtheexecutiveofficerontherail,theysuspendedtheirlaborandalleyeswerefixeduponthelatter.
“ThreecheersforMr.Passford!”shoutedthequartermasterwhohadbeenatthewheelwhenChristysprangintothemizzenrigging.
Threeheartiercheerswerenevergivenonthedeckofanyshipthanthosewhichgreetedtheherooftheactionasheappearedontherail.
Notsatisfiedwiththisdemonstration,theyallswungtheircaps,andthengavetwovolleysmore.
Therewasnotamanthatdidnottakepartinthistriplesalute,andeventheofficersjoinedwiththeseameninthistribute.
“IhopeMr.Passfordisnotbadlywounded,sir,”saidQuartermasterThompson,touchinghiscapmostrespectfully.“AndIspeakforthewholeship’scompany,sir.”
“Mr.Passfordisnotveryseverelywounded,Thompson,”repliedthecommander,whileChristywasacknowledgingthesalute.
“Hedidnotmentionthefactthathewashurt,andlostmorebloodthanwasnecessary,sothatheisveryweak.”
Thequartermasterreportedtheanswerofthecaptaintotheship’scompany,whereupontheygavethreemorecheers,asChristyandhissupporterdescendedtothedeck;andtheheroacknowledgedthesalute.
AtthecompaniontheyencounteredDr.Linscott,whohadjustcomeondeckfromthecockpit.
Graineswasstandingnear,waitingforanopportunitytospeaktohislateassociateintheexpedition.
“Yougaveusabadfright,Mr.Passford,”saidthesurgeon,ashetooktherighthandofthewoundedofficer.“Butyouwilldoverywellnow.
Ihavesomethingherewhichwillkeepyoucomfortable;”andheproceededtoplacetheleftarminasling,whichheadjustedwithgreatcare,passingabandfromitaroundhisbodysoastopreventthememberfromswinging,orotherwisegettingoutofposition.
“IsitnecessarythatIshouldtaketomyberth,Dr.Linscott?”askedthepatient.“Iamfeelingverynicelynow;andsincemyarmwasdresseditgivesmeverylittlepain.”
“Dr.Davidsonorderedyoutoyourberthbecauseyouweresoweakyoucouldnotstand,”repliedthesurgeon.
“ButIhavegotoverthat,andIfeelstrongernow.”
“Wewillseeaboutthatlater,Mr.Passford.CaptainBreaker,allourwoundedexceptafewlightcases,whichmymatescantreataswellasIcan,aredisposedof,”addedthedoctor.
“Iamverygladtohearit,”repliedthecaptain.
“MayIstayondeck,doctor?”askedChristy,whodidnotliketheideaofbeingshutupinhisstateroomwhilethearrangementsforthedisposaloftheprizewereinprogress.
“Youmayforthepresentifyoufeelabletodoso,”answeredthesurgeon.“Butyoumusthaveaberth-sackoraneasychairondeck,andkeepveryquiet.”
“Punch!”calledthecommander;andthiswasthenameofthecabinsteward,whowasnot,however,asbibulousashissurnameindicated.“PassthewordforPunch.”
Thesteward,likeeverybodyelseonboardabletobethere,wasondeck,andimmediatelypresentedhimself.
“Bringupthelargeeasy-chairatmydesk,andplaceitabreastofthemizzenmast,”addedthecommander.
SomethingelsecalledofftheattentionofCaptainBreakeratthismoment,andthesurgeonremainedinconversationtillPunchreportedthechairinposition.
Dr.LinscottconductedChristytoit,andadjustedhimcomfortably,sendingforablankettocoverhislowerlimbs.
Thecaptainsoonreturned,andsawthatthepatientwaseasyinapositionwherehecouldseeallthattranspiredonthedeck.
“AsyouhavefinishedyourdutiesonboardoftheBellevite,IdesiretoreciprocatethekindnessofCaptainRomboldinattendingtoMr.Passfordwhenperhapsheneededtheattentionofhisownsurgeonmorethanourpatient,andIdesiretohaveyoudresstheConfederatecommander’swound,”saidCaptainBreaker.
“Withallmyheart!”exclaimedthesurgeonearnestly.“Iwillbewithyouinamoment,assoonasIprocuremymaterial;”andhehurriedbelow.
“YouwillfindmewithCaptainRombold,”addedthecommander,ashehastenedtothedeckoftheprize.
“Iamgladtoseeyouagain,CaptainBreaker,”saidtheConfederatechiefverypolitely.
“Ihavecometotendertheservicesofoursurgeon,whohasdisposedofallourseriouslyinjuredmen,todressyourwound,inthefirstinstance,forIfearyouweremoreinneedofsuchassistancethanmyofficerwhenyousomagnanimouslycalledDr.DavidsontodressMr.Passford’swound.
Hewillbehereinafewminutes,”returnedCaptainBreaker,proceedingtobusinessatonce.
“Iamexceedinglyobligedtoyou,Captain,forIambeginningtofeelthenecessityofattendingtomywound.
Thethirty-pounder,whichwastohavereducedtheranksofyourcrewbyone-half,asIamassureditwouldhavedone,madeterriblehavocamongmyownmen.
Inadditiontothedeadwhohavealreadybeencommittedtothedeep,wehaveagreatnumberwounded,”repliedCaptainRombold.
“Thecockpitisfull,andIhavegivenupmycabintothesurgeon,whoisextremelybusy.
IaccepttheservicesofDr.Linscottverygratefully.”
“Heisextremelyhappytoserveyou.”
BythistimethesurgeonoftheBelleviteappearedwithoneofhismates,andsomepleasantwordspassedbetweenhimandhisnewpatient.
“Now,whereisyourwound,CaptainRombold?”askedDr.Linscott.
“Intherightthigh,”repliedthepatient;andthebulletholeinhistrousersindicatedtheprecisespot.
“Itwillbenecessarytoremoveyourclothing,Captain,”continuedthesurgeon.
“Mycabinisalreadyturnedintoahospital,andDr.Davidsonishardatworkthere,”repliedthepatient.“Ishallhavetosendforaberth-sack,andletyouoperateondeck,for”—
“Mycabinisentirelyatyourservice,CaptainRombold,”interposedthecommanderoftheBellevite.“Itwillaffordmetheverygreatestpleasureintheworldtogiveituptoyou.”
“Oh,no,Captain!”exclaimedthesufferer,ashereallywasbythistime.“Thatistoogreatasacrifice.”
“Notatall;dometheverygreatfavortoaccepttheuseofmycabin,”persistedCaptainBreaker.“Howshallwemovehim,doctor?”
“Callfourofyourmen;wewillcarryhimtoyourcabininhischair,justashesits;andwecandoitwithoutincommodinghimatall,”answeredDr.Linscott,ashesenthismatetocallthemenrequired.
“Really,Captain,”—thesuffererbegan,butratherfaintly.
“Thesurgeonthinksyouhadbetternottalkanymore,CaptainRombold,”interposedthecommander.“Herearethemen,andwewillhandleyouastenderlyasaninfant.”
“Youareaskindasthemotheroftheinfant,”addedthesuffererwithaslightsmile;buthemadenofurtheropposition.
Thefourmenliftedthechair,andthedoctorinstructedthemhowtocarryit.
TheBellevitehadbeenmovedaftalittlesoastobringthegangwaysofthetwoshipsabreastofeachother.
Thecommanderwassointerestedandsofullofsympathyforhisinjuredenemy,nowafriend,thathecouldnotrefrainfromassistingwithhisownhands,andhedirectedtheoperationsoftheseamenwhentheycametothesteps.
Theyliftedthechairdowntothedeckoftheship,andthenitwasbornetothecaptain’scabin.
Thewoundedcommanderwasplacedinthebroadberthofthecabin,andtheseamensentondeck.
Dr.Linscott,withtheassistanceofhismate,proceededtoremovetheclothingofthepatient,CaptainBreakeraidingashewouldhardlyhavethoughtofdoingifthesuffererhadbeenoneofhisownofficers.
TheinjuryprovedtobeofaboutthesamecharacterasthatofChristy;itwasafleshwound,buttheballhadplougheddeeperthaninhiscase,andwasthereforesevere.
Astimulatingremedywasgiventothepatient,andthedoctordressedthewoundwiththeutmostcare,ashealwaysdid,whetherthepatientwasacommanderoracoal-heaverfromthebunkers.
Thesuffererhadrevivedsomewhatundertheinfluenceofthemedicineadministered;andaftertakingthehandofCaptainRombold,withaheartywishforhisearlyrecovery,thecaptainoftheBellevitetookhisleave,andwentondeck.
Heproceededfirsttothechairofthewoundedlieutenant,reportingtohimtheconditionoftheConfederatecommander.
Christywasextremelygladtohearsofavorableareportoftheconditionofthepatient,andsoexpressedhimselfintheheartiestterms.
“Federal”and“Confederate”seemedtobewordswithoutanymeaningatthepresenttime,forallhadbecomefriends.
Theofficerswerevyingwitheachotherinrenderingkindlyofficestothevanquished,andeventheseamenweredoingwhattheycouldtofraternizewiththecrewoftheTallahatchie,whilebothwereengagedinremovingtheevidencesofthehard-foughtaction.
Itwasnowonlynineo’clockinthemorning,andsixhourshadelapsedsincetheprize,withtheWestWindintow,hadsailedfromMobilePointonwhathadprovedtobeherlastvoyageintheserviceoftheConfederacy.
Eventshadsucceededeachotherwithgreatrapidity,asitmayrequireawholevolumetoreportindetailanavalbattlebegunandendedintheshortspaceofanhour.
Themenwerepipedtobreakfast;andduringthemealtherewasaninterchangeofgoodfeelingwhenitwasfoundthatthecrewoftheTallahatchiehadonlyashortsupplyofcoffeeandbread,intendingtosupplythesearticlesatNassau.
Theloyaltarswereasmagnanimousastheofficersofbothshipshadprovedthemselvestobe;andtheypassedtheneededarticlesovertherails,tilltheyexhaustedtheirownsupply,hungryastheywereaftersixhoursofactiveduty.
Thecommanderdiscoveredwhathismenweredoing;andheorderedtherationstobedoubled,besidessendingaquantityofshipbreadandcoffeeonboardoftheprize.
Warhadmantledhissavagefront,andChristianitywaspresidingovertheconductofthosewhohadsorecentlybeenthemostdeterminedenemies.
Therewassomethingforwardoftheforemasttoremindallwhoapproachedofthebattlewhichhadbeenfought.
Itwasasparesailwhichcoveredthesilentandmotionlessformsofthosewhoseloyaltytotheircountryhadledthemthroughthegatesofdeathto“theundiscoveredcountry,fromwhosebournnotravellerreturns,”butwhosefadelessrecordisinscribedintheheartsofagratefulnation.
Duringorafterasevereactiononboardashipofwar,thedeadareusuallydisposedofwithbutlittleornoceremony,astheexigencyofthehourmayrequire,ashadbeendoneonboardoftheprize.
ButCaptainBreakerwasmoreconsiderate,astheconditionspermittedhimtobe;andthekilledhadbeensewedupinhammocks,properlyweighted.
“Allhandstoburythedead;”pipedtheboatswainoftheBellevite,whenbreakfastwasfinished.
Bythistimethedeckhadbeencleanedup,anddriedoffunderthewarmsunwhichhaddissipatedthefogandthemorningmists.
Thebodiesoftheslainhadbeenpreviouslyplacedattheportgangway,coveredwiththeAmericanflag.
Theseamenremovedtheircaps,thecommanderreadtheservice,andthebodieswerecommittedtothedeep.
Theofficersandseamenwitnessedtheceremonywithuncoveredheads,andinreverentsilence.
Share this article to
FINISH