English
FrenchascendedthegangwayfollowedbyCaptainSullendine.
Theseamanwhohadactedasprize-masteroftheWestWindtouchedhiscapveryrespectfullytothefirstofficerhemetwhenhecameonboard.
ChristyhadaskedthechiefengineertosendMr.Grainestohim,andhewastalkingtohimabouttheprizeandthechiefprisonerwhenFrenchpresentedhimselfbeforethem.
“Ihavecomeonboardtoreport,sir,”saidtheprize-masteroftheWestWind.
“Isallwellonboard,French?”askedthewoundedlieutenant.
“Allwellnow,sir,”repliedtheseaman,withasuggestiveemphasisonthelastword.“Iamverysorrytolearnthatyouhavebeenwounded,Mr.Passford.”
“Notseverely,French,”repliedChristy.“Iamreadytohearyourreport.”
“Ihavesomethingtosayaboutthisbusiness,JerrySandman,”interposedthecaptainoftheWestWind,whosewrathhadsuddenlygotthebetterofhisjudgment,interlardinghisbriefremarkwithacoupleofringingoaths.
“Iwillheartheprize-masterfirst,”repliedChristyveryquietly.
Thediscomfitedmasteroftheschoonercalleddownashockingmaledictionupontheprize-masterjustasCaptainBreakerpresentedhimselfbeforethegroupassembledatthearm-chairofthelieutenant,andhadheardthelastoathsoftheangryman.
“Whoisthisman,Mr.Passford?”askedthecommander.
“I’llletyouknowwhoIam!”exclaimedCaptainSullendine,withanothercoupletofoaths.
“Idonotpermitanyprofanelanguageonthedeckofthisship,”saidCaptainBreaker.“Passthewordforthemaster-at-arms,”headdedtothenearestofficer.
“Oh,youarethecap’nofthishooker,”addedthemasteroftheWestWind,thistimewithoutanyexpletives.“Ihavesomethin’tosaytoyou,Cap’n,andIwanttocomplainofyourofficers.”
“Whenyouhavelearnedhowtobehaveyourself,Iwillhearyou,”repliedthecommander,asthemaster-at-arms,whoisthechiefofpoliceonboardashipofwar,presentedhimself,touchinghiscaptothesupremeauthorityofthesteamer.
“Whatisthetroublehere,Mr.Passford?”
askedCaptainBreakerinaverygentletone,incontrastwiththequietsternnesswithwhichhehadspokentoCaptainSullendine.
“Notroubleatall,sir;IwasabouttohearthereportofFrench,theprize-masteroftheschooner,whenthecaptainofherinterfered,”repliedChristy.
“Mystorycomesinbeforetheprize-master’s,asyoucallhim,thoughheain’tnothin’butacommonsailor,”interposedCaptainSullendineagain.
“Willyoubesilent?”demandedthecommander.
“No,Iwillnot!Thisisanoutrage!”stormedthecaptainoftheWestWind,withaliberalspicingofoathsinhisspeech.
“Putthismaninirons,master-at-arms,andcommithimtothebrig,”addedCaptainBreaker.
Thepettyofficercalledupontheship’scorporal,whomhehadbroughtwithhim,andplacedhishandonthearmoftherebelliousmaster,whoshowedfight.
Acoupleofseamenwerecalledtoassistthepoliceforce,andCaptainSullendinewasdraggedbelowwithhiswristsironedbehindhim.
“Nowyoucanproceed,French,”saidthecaptain.
“WhenIleftyou,allwasquietonboardoftheWestWind,”addedChristy,beginningtomakeaslightexplanationforthebenefitofthecommander.
“CaptainSullendinewasverydrunk,asleepinhisberth,withthedoorofhisstateroomsecurelyfasteneduponhim.
BokestheseamanandSopsythecookwereinthesamecondition.Goon,French.”
“Ipickeduptheboatyousetadrift,Mr.Passford,andthenheadedfortheeastwardofSandIslandlighthouse,whereyouorderedmetoanchor.
TheHolyokefollowedtheschooner,andcametoanchorneartheWestWind.
Shesentaboatonboard,andItoldmystorytothesecondlieutenant.
Wedidnotneedanyassistance,andheleftus.
“AboutfourbellsintheforenoonwatchIheardatremendousracketinthecabin,andIwentbelow.
CaptainSullendinewasdoinghisbesttobreakdownthedoorofhisstateroom,cursinghardenoughtomakethebloodofaChristianruncold.
Buthehadnothingtoworkwith,andIlethimkickandpoundtillhegottiredofit.
IputVogelinthecabintokeepwatchofhim,andwentondeck.
“Hekeptitupforhalfanhourormore,andthenheseemedtohaveenoughofit.
Vogelcameondeckandtoldmetheprisonerwasveryhumblethen,andwantedtocomeout.
IknewyoudidnotmeanthatIshouldstarvehim,andImadeSopsyputhisbreakfastonthetableinthecabin;butIdidnotdosotillIhadlockedtheliquorclosetandputthekeyinmypocket.
“Ilethimoutthen,andhisfirstmovewastogetathiswhiskey;butthedoorwaslocked.
Hebeggedlikeachildforadrink;butIdidnotgivehimadrop.
SopsyandBokes,whoweretiedupforward,didthesame;buttheydidnotgetany.
CaptainSullendineatehisbreakfast,andItoldhimhisvesselwasaprizetotheUnitedStatessteamerBellevite.
Thenhewassofuriousthatwehadtoshuthimupinhisstateroomagain.
“Afterawhilehepromisedtobehavehimself,andIlethimoutagain.
Hedeclaredthathisvesselwasnotalegalprize,andgotoffalotofstuffthatIdidnottakeanynoticeof.
HewantedtomakeaprotesttothecommanderoftheBellevite,andwhenhepromisedtobehavelikeagentleman,Ilethimcomeonboardwithme.”
“Youactedwithverygoodjudgment,French,andMr.Passfordhasalreadycommendedyourgoodconductintheexpeditionlastnight,”saidthecommander.
“Thankyou,sir,”repliedtheprize-master,touchinghiscap,andbackingawaywithoutanotherword.
“Loring,”calledthecaptaintothemaster-at-arms,whohadjustreturnedtothequarter-deck,orasnearitasetiquettepermittedhimtogo.“Howisyourprisoner?”
“Hebrokedowncompletelyafterhehadbeeninthebrigafewminutes,andpromisedtobehavelikeagentlemanifthecommanderwouldhearhim.”
“Bringhimtothequarter-deck,”addedthecaptain.
Inafewminutes,theship’scorporalconductedhimintothepresenceofthecommander.
Hebeganwithaverylameapologyforhispreviousconduct,andthendeclaredthathewasthevictimofa“Yankeetrick,”andthattheWestWindhadnotbeenfairlycaptured.
“Yourofficersimposeduponme,”hecontinued.“Mr.BalkerandJerrySandman”—
“Whoarethey?”inquiredCaptainBreaker,interruptinghim.
“IwasMr.Balker,engagedasmateoftheWestWind,selectedforthatpositionbyMr.Passford,whilethelieutenantwasJerrySandman,secondmate,whichhechosetobehimselfsothathecouldbewiththemen,”interposedMr.Graines.
“Ididnotknowwhattheirnameswas,andIreckonedallwashonestandsquare.
Thesemen,whoevertheywere,gotmedrunk,andgotdrunkthemselves;andwhileIwastakinganap,waitingforthesteamertogetunderway,theyfastenedmeintomystateroomsoIcouldn’tgetout.”
“Iwentthroughtheforms,butIdidnottakeadropofliquorintomymouth,”saidChristy.
“Ididnottakemorethanatablespoonfulbothonboardandatthecampoftherunaways,”addedMr.Graines.
“Thenyoucheatedmemore’nIthought.”
“Isthisallthecomplaintyouhavetomake,CaptainSullendine?”askedCaptainBreaker,turningtothemasteroftheWestWind.
“Ireckonthat’senough!”protestedthecomplainant.“Isayitwasnotafaircapture,andyououghttosendmyvesselbacktoMobilePoint,whereyourofficersfoundher.”
“Ishallnotdothat,butIwillcompromisethematterbysendingyoutoMobilePoint,asIhavenofurtheruseforyou,”repliedthecommander.“Youareanon-combatant,andnotaprisonerofwar.”
FrenchwasorderedtoleaveCaptainSullendine,Bokes,andSopsyattheshorewherethewhaleboathadmadealanding,assoonasitwasdark.
Forsomereasonnotapparent,themasteroftheWestWindprotestedagainstthissentence;butnoattentionwasgiventohisprotest.
Thecommanderwasconfidentthathehadevidenceenoughtosecurethecondemnationoftheprize,andheregardedsuchanunreasonablefellowasherlatecaptainasanuisance.
Thatnighttheorderinregardtohimandhiscompanionswerecarriedout.
CaptainBreakeraskedsomequestionsinregardtoFrench,whichChristyandMr.Graineswereabletoanswer.
Hewasoneofthosemen,ofwhomtherewerethousandsinthearmyandnavywhohadbecomesoldiersandsailorspurelyfrompatrioticduty,andatthesacrificeofbrighterpresentprospects.
Frenchhadbeenthemateofalargecoaster,whosecaptainhadbecomeanensigninthenavy,andhemighthavehadthecommandofherifhehadnotshippedasanableseamaninthesameservice.
Heunderstoodnavigation,andhadbeenthesecondmateofanIndiaman.
Thecommandersaidnothingwhenhehadlearnedallhecouldabouttheprize-master;butitwasevidentthathehadsomethinginviewwhichmightbeofinteresttothesubjectofhisinquiries.
Heturnedhisattentiontotheconditionofhisfirstlieutenantthen,askingabouthisarm.
“Itdoesnotfeelquitesoeasyasitdid,”repliedChristy,whohadbeensufferingsomepainfromhiswoundforthelasttwohours,thoughhewassointerestedintheproceedingsonboard,andespeciallyinthereportfromtheWestWind,thathehadnotbeenwillingtoretiretohisstateroom.
“Thenyoumustturninatonce,Mr.Passford,”saidthecommander,withmoreenergythanhehadspokentothelieutenantbefore.“Iamafraidyouhavedelayedittoolong.”
“Ithinknot,sir.”repliedthewoundedofficer.
“Mr.Grainesshallgowithyouandassistyou,”addedthecaptain.“IwillsendDr.Linscotttoyouassoonasyougetintoyourberth.”
Christyhadbeensittingsolongthathewasquitestiffwhenheattemptedtogetoutofhischair,andtheengineerassistedhim.
Hewasstillveryweak,andMr.Grainessupportedhim,thoughhepresentlyrecoveredhimself.
Theship’scompany,bythistimerelievedofallheavywork,hadbeenobservinghimwithaffectionateadmiration,andrehearsingthedaringexploitinwhichhehadreceivedhiswound,gavethreerousingcheersasherosetoleavethequarter-deck.
Christyturnedhispalefacetowardsthem,raisedhiscap,andbowedtothem.
Anothercheerfollowed,andthenanother.
Themenknewthathispromptactioninmountingthemizzenrigging,boardingtheTallahatchie,andfiringthethirty-pounderafterhehadreverseditsposition,hadsavedthelivesorlimbsofagreatnumberofthem,andtheywereextremelygratefultohim.
Withtheassistanceofhisfriendtheengineer,Christywassoonbetweenthesheetsinhisberth.
Dr.Linscottcameinassoonashewasinhisbed,spokeverytenderlytohim,andthenproceededtodresshisinjuredarm.
Hefoundthememberwassomewhatswollen,andthepatient’spulseindicatedsomefever.
“Imustsendyouhome,Mr.Passford,”saidthesurgeon.“Youaretheherooftheday,youhaveearnedavacation,andyouwillneedyourmother’scareforthenextthreeweeks.”
InspiteofChristy’sprotest,thedoctorinsisted,andlefthim.
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