English
AssoonasthebattleonthedeckoftheTallahatchiehadbeendecided,Graines,incommandoftheflankingparty,hadreturnedtotheengineroomoftheBellevite.
Heandhismenhadfoughtbravelyandeffectivelyintheaction,thoughthefulleffectofthemovementunderhischargecouldnotberealizedinthechangeofcircumstances.
Theengineoftheshiphadnowcooledoff,andPaulVapoorhastenedtothedecktoseehisfriendandcrony,thenewsofwhosewoundhadbeenconveyedtotheengineroominduetime.
Hewasheartilyrejoicedtofindthatitwasnoworse,andhehadnewsforthepatient.
Justbeforetheburialofthedeadhehadbeensentbythecommandertoexamineandreportupontheconditionoftheengineoftheprize.
CaptainRomboldhadprotecteditwithchaincablesdroppedovertheside,sothatitremaineduninjured,andtheBritishengineersdeclaredthatitwasinperfectworkingorder.
“ButwhomdoyousupposeIsawonboardtheprize,Christy?”askedthechiefengineer,afterhehadincidentallystatedtheconditionoftheengine.
“Icannotguess;butitmayhavebeenmycousinCornyPassford,thoughhehasalwaysbeeninthemilitaryserviceoftheConfederacy,”repliedthewoundedlieutenant.
“ItwasnotCorny,buthisfather,”addedPaul.
“Hisfather!”exclaimedChristy.“UncleHomerPassford?”
“Itwashe;Iknowhimwell,forIusedtomeethimatGlenfieldinotherdays.Iamasfamiliarwithhisfaceaswiththatofyourfather,thoughIhavenotseeneitherofthemforoverthreeyears.”
“Wherewashe?Whatwashedoing?”askedChristycuriously.
“Hewasjustcomingupfrombelow;andMr.Hungerford,thesecondlieutenant,toldmehehadbeenturnedoutofthecaptain’scabin,whichhadbeenmadeintoahospitalforthewounded,”addedPaul.
“Ihadnoopportunitytospeaktohim,forheavertedhisgazeandmovedoffinanotherdirectionassoonashesawme.
Helookedpaleandthin,asthoughhehadrecentlybeenverysick.”
“PoorUncleHomer!”exclaimedthelieutenant.“Hehasbeenveryunfortunate.
ThelasttimeIsawhim,Iconductedhimtomyfather’splaceatBonnydale,afterhehadbeenaprisoneronboardoftheChateaugay.
Hewasonparolethen,andIsupposeheandCaptainRomboldwerebothexchanged.”
“Doubtlesshewilltellyouallaboutitwhenyouseehim,asyouwillsoon.”
“HehadhiseyesopenedwhenhepassedthroughNewYorkCitywithme,forhedidnotfindthegrassgrowinginthestreets,ashehadexpected,inspiteofallIhadsaidtohimatsea.
Hewasastonishedandconfoundedwhenhefoundbusinessmorelivelythaneverbeforethere;butheremainedasvirulentarebelasever;andIamsureheregardsitasapiousdutytostandbytheSouthernConfederacyaslongasthereisanythingleftofit.
IknownomanmoresincerelyreligiousthanUncleHomer.”
“Heisasgoodamanaseverwalkedtheearth,”addedPaulheartily.
“Forhissake,iffornootherreason,Ishallrejoicewhenthiswarisover,”saidChristy,withaverysadexpressiononhispaleface.
“WasMr.Grainesofanyusetoyouondeck,Christy?”askedthechiefengineer,asheturnedtotakehisleave.
“Hebehavedhimselflikealoyalofficer,andfoughtlikeatigeronthedeckoftheTallahatchie.
Ishallgiveaverygoodreportofhimtothecaptainforhisconductintheaction,andforhisvaluableservicesintheexpeditionlastnight.
Ididnotover-estimatehimwhenIselectedhimforbothofthepositionstowhichhewasappointed.”
“Hewantstoseeyou,andItoldhimheshouldcomeondeckwhenIreturned,”addedPaul,ashetookthehandofChristyandretired.
“Howdoyoufeelnow,Mr.Passford?”askedCaptainBreaker,comingtohissidethemomentthechiefengineerlefthim.
“Ifeelquiteweak,butmyarmdoesnotbothermemuch.TheConfederatesurgeondidagoodjobwhenhedressedit,”repliedChristywithasmile.
“Iwillgethimtosendyouaseconddoseoftherestorativethatstrengthenedyoubefore,”saidthecommander,ashepencilledanote,whichhetoreoutofhismemorandumbook,andsentitbyPunchtoDr.Davidson.
“Mr.Vapoorbroughtmeapieceofnews,Captain,”continuedChristy."UncleHomerPassfordisonboardoftheTallahatchie.”
“Youruncle!”exclaimedthecommander.“Isupposedhewasstillonparoleatthehouseofyourfather.”
“Ididnotknowtothecontrarymyself,forIhavehadnoletterfrommyfatherforalongtime.
HeandCaptainRomboldmusthavebeenexchangedsometimeago.
Mr.Vapoorsaysmyunclelookspaleandthin,asthoughhehadrecentlybeenverysick.”
“Iamverysorryforhim,forhewastheequalofyourfatherineveryrespect,excepthisloyaltytohistruecountry,”addedthecaptain.
“PoorUncleHomer!”exclaimedChristy,ashewipedatearfromhiseye.“HewastheguestofCaptainRombold;buthehasbeenturnedoutofhiscabintomakeroomforthewounded.”
“Dr.LinscottwithhistwomateshasgonetotheassistanceofDr.Davidson,whosehandsaremorethanfull,andperhapshewillseeyouruncle.Whereishenow?”inquiredthecaptain.
“Mr.Vapoorsawhimonthedeck,buthedidnotspeaktohim,forUncleHomeravoidedhim.
Thewardroomoftheprizehasatleasttwowoundedofficersinit,andIdon’tknowhowmanymore,sothatmypoorunclehasnoplacetolayhisheadifheissick,”saidChristy,fullofsympathyforhisfather’sbrother.
“Thatwillneverdo!”exclaimedthecommanderbruskly.
“Heshallhaveaplacetolayhishead,sickorwell.
CaptainRomboldoccupiesoneofthestateroomsinmycabin,andyouruncleshallhavetheother.”
“Butwherewillyouberth,captain?”demandedChristy.
“Nomatterwhere!Iwillgoandfindyouruncleatonce;”andChristysawhimnextmountingthegangwaysteps.
Thecommanderhadnodifficultyinfindingthegentlemanhesought;forhewaswanderingaboutthedeckoftheprize,andnooneseemedtotakeanynoticeofhim.
HehadbeenthehonoredguestofCaptainRombold,thoughhehadhardlyshownhimselfondecksincethesteamerleftMobile,andfewoftheship’scompanyseemedtoknowwhohewas.
“Good-morning,ColonelPassford,”saidCaptainBreaker,asheconfrontedhiminthemidstoftheruinsofthesparewheel,thewrecksofthemizzenmast,andthebulwarksonthequarterdeck.
“Good-morning,CaptainBreaker,”repliedtheplanter,takingtheofferedhandofthecommander,withafeebleefforttosmile.
“OfcourseIknewthatyouwerenear,foryouhavegivenabundantproofsofyourpresenceonboardofthisvessel.”
“Butwemeetnowasfriends,andnotasenemies.
Iknowthatyouhavedoneyourdutytoyourcountryasyouunderstandit,andIhavedonethesame,”continuedthecommander,stillholdingthehandofthecolonel.
“YouhavebeenverykindtoCaptainRombold,Gillinformsme,and”—
“Hesettheexampleforme,andIhavestriventofollowit,”interposedthecaptain.“Buthisgenerositywasfirstexercisedinbehalfofyournephew,Christy.”
“ThestewardinformedmethatChristyhadbeenwounded;andCaptainRomboldassuredmethattheTallahatchiewascapturedinconsequenceofaverydaringactonthepartofmynephew,”addedtheplanter.
“Ishouldnotstateitquitesostronglyasthat,thoughhisactioncertainlyenabledustocapturetheshipsooner,andwithlesslossonourpartthanwouldotherwisehavebeenthecase.
Astotheultimateresultofthebattle,CaptainRomboldandmyselfwoulddisagree.
Butwithyourassent,ColonelPassford,Ithinkwehadbetterceasetodiscusstheaction,whichisnowaneventofthepast.
Iaminformedthatyouhavebeencompelledtoleavethecaptain’scabin.”
“AndIcannotfindarestingplaceinthewardroomorsteerage,”addedtheplanter.
“IhavecomeonboardoftheprizetoinviteyoutosharemycabinwithCaptainRombold,forIhavetwostaterooms,”saidCaptainBreaker,suddenlychangingthesubjectofconversation.
“Youareverykind,mydearsir;butyourarrangementwouldincommodeyourself,”suggestedthecolonel.
“Mycabinisquitelarge,andIshallbeabletomakeampleaccommodationsformyself,”persistedthecommander,ashetookthearmoftheplanter.“Permitmetoconductyoutoyournewquarters.”
“AsIamoncemoreaprisoner”—
“Hardly,”interposedthecaptain,asheledtheplantertothegangway,“Ishallregardyouasanon-combatant,atleastforthepresent;andIdesireonlytomakeyoucomfortable.
Theflag-officermustdecideuponyourstatus.”
ColonelPassfordallowedhimselftobeconductedtothedeckoftheBellevite;andhewasnostrangeronboardoftheship,forwhenshewasayachthehadmadeseveralexcursionsinherincompanywithhisfamily.
Thefirstpersonheobservedwashisnephew,seatedinhisarm-chairwherehecouldoverlookallthattookplaceonthedeck.
Hehastenedtohim,detachinghisarmfromthehandofthecaptain,andgavehimanaffectionategreeting.
“Iwasverysorrytolearnthatyouwerewounded,Christy,”saidhe,holdingtherighthandoftheyoungofficer.
“Notbadlywounded,UncleHomer,”repliedChristy.“Ihopeyouarewell.”
“Iamnotverywell,thoughIdonotcallmyselfsick.Haveyouheardfromyourfatherlately,Christy?”askedhisuncle.
“Notforalongtime,fornostore-shiporothervesselhascometooursquadronforseveralmonths,thoughwearewaitingforavesselatthepresenttime.Youlookverypaleandthin,UncleHomer.”
“PerhapsIlookworsethanIfeel,”repliedtheplanterwithafaintsmile.“ButIhavesufferedagreatdealofanxietylately.”
“Excuseme,ColonelPassford,butifyouwillallowmetoinstallyouinyourstateroom,youwillhaveabundanceoftimetotalkwithyournephewafterwards,”interposedCaptainBreaker,whowasverybusy.
“Certainly,Captain;pardonmefordetainingyou.
Iamaprisoner,andIshallneedmytrunk,whichisinmystateroomonboardoftheTallahatchie.
Gillwillbringitonboardifyousendwordtohimtodoso,”repliedthecolonel.
Hefollowedthecaptaintohiscabin.ThedooroftheConfederatecommander’sroomwasopen,andtheplanterexchangedafewwordswithhim.
Hewasshowntotheotherstateroom,andPunchwasorderedtodoallthathecouldforthecomfortofthepassenger.
CaptainBreakerspokeafewpleasantwordswiththewoundedcommander,andthenhastenedondeck.
Mr.Ballard,thesecondlieutenant,hadagainbeendulyinstalledastemporaryexecutiveofficer;Mr.Walbrookhadbeenmovedup,andMr.Bostwick,master,hadbecomethirdlieutenant.
Asusual,theengineerswereEnglishmen,whohadcomeoverintheTrafalgar,aswellasthegreaterpartofthecrew,thoughtheotherofficerswereSoutherngentlemenwhohad“retired”fromtheUnitedStatesNavy.
Theforeignerswerewillingtoremainintheengineroom,andpromisedtodotheirdutyfaithfullyaslongastheirwageswerepaid;butLeonBolter,thefirstassistantengineeroftheBellevite,wassentonboardoftheprizetoinsuretheirfidelity.
EnsignsPalmerDrakeandRichardLeyton,whowereservingonboardofthesteamerwhilewaitingforpositions,weresenttotheTallahatchie,thefirstnamedasprizemaster,andtheotherashisfirstofficer,withaprizecrewoftwentymen,andthetwosteamersgotunderway.
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