English
Thesurgeonreportedtheconditionofthefirstlieutenanttothecommanderatonce,andalongconversationbetweenthemfollowed.
DevotedasCaptainBreakerwastohisexecutiveofficer,andfilledwithadmirationashewasforthegallantexploitofthatday,hewasnotwillingtodoanythingthatcouldbefairlyinterpretedasfavoritismtowardsthesonofCaptainPassford.
ThesummerweatheroftheSouthwascomingon,andtheheatwasalreadyoppressive,evenonboardoftheshipsofwaratanchorsomuchofthetimeontheblockade,andthiswasthestrongpointofthedoctorincaringforhispatient.
Dr.Linscottwasveryearnestininsistinguponhispoint;andthecommanderyielded,forhecouldhardlydootherwiseinthefaceofthesurgeon’srecommendation,forthelatterwastheresponsibleperson.
Thenextmorning,afterthewoundedofficerhadpassedafeverishnight,CaptainBreakervisitedhiminhisstateroom,andannouncedthedecision.Christybegantofightagainstit.
“Iamnotsobadlyoffasmanyofficerswhohavebeentreatedinthehospitaldownhere;andifIamsenthomeitwillberegardedasfavoritismtothesonofmyfather,”protestedthelieutenant.
“Youaretoosensitive,mydearboy,asyouhavealwaysbeen;andyouareentirelymistaken.
Youhaveearnedafurloughifyouchoosetoaskforit,andeveryofficerandseamanwhohasservedwithyouwouldsayso,”arguedthecaptain.
“Ishallinsertinmyreport,withothermatterconcerningyou,Christy,thatyouweresenthomeonthecertificateofthesurgeon;andevenanunreasonablepersoncannotcallitfavoritism.”
“Idon’tknow,”addedChristy,shakinghishead.
“Iknow,myboy.MercifulHeaven!”exclaimedCaptainBreaker.
“Youdidenoughyesterdaytoentitleyoutoanyfavoritispossibleforthedepartmenttoextendtoyou.
Yousavedthelivesofaquarterorathirdoftheship’scompany.
Butitwasnotsimplyabraveanddaringexploit,myboy,thougheventhatwouldentitleyoutothefullestcommendation;butitincludedsoundjudgmentontheinstant,lightninginvention,andconsummatelyskilfulaction;”andthecommanderbecamepositivelyeloquentasheproceeded.
“Come,come,CaptainBreaker!Youarepilingitonaltogethertoothick,”criedChristy,overwhelmedbythetorrentofpraise.“IonlydidwhatIcouldnothelpdoing.”
“Nomatterifyoudid;itwastherightthingtodo,anditwasdoneatpreciselytherightinstant.
Amoment’sdelaywouldhavebroughtthewholeforceoftheenemydownuponyou.
Itwasabsolutelywonderfulhowyougotthatgunoffinsuchashortspaceoftime.
IreportCaptainRombold’swordstoyou.”
“Heisamagnanimousgentleman,”saidChristy.
“Hesays,too,thatadozenmusketsandrevolversweredischargedatyou,anditisamiraclethatonlyonebulletstruckyou.”
“Ifoundabullet-holeinmycap,andtwomoreintheskirtofmycoat,”addedthepatientwithasmile,ashepointedtohiscoatandcap.
“Butweareoffthesubject;andIwasonlytryingtoshowthatyouareentitledtoafurlough,”saidthecommander;butthediscussionwascontinuedforsometimelonger,thoughChristyconsentedtobesenthomeintheend.
ThethoughtofgoingtoBonnydalewasexceedinglypleasanttohim,andheallowedhismindtodwelluponeachmemberofthefamily,andtopictureinhisimaginationthegreetingtheywouldallgivehim.
Nottothemembersofhisfamilyalonedidheconfinehisthoughts;fortheyincludedthebeautifulBerthaPembroke,whom,withherfather,hehadtakenfromthecabinofacottonsteamerhehadcaptured.
Heconcludedthatthesurgeon’scertificatewouldshieldhimfromadversecriticism,afterhehadfullyconsideredthematter.
Theflag-officeroftheEasternGulfSquadronwasnotoffMobilePoint;andCaptainBreaker,astheseniorofficerpresent,wasobligedtodisposeofhisprizeshimself.
Somenecessaryrepairshadtobemadeuponbothshipsbeforeanythingcouldbedone;andthecarpenterandhisgang,withalltheotherseamenwhocouldhandleanaxeoranadze,werehurryingforwardthework.
Theprizehadlosthermizzenmast,hersteeringgearhadbeenknockedtopiecesbothforwardandaft,shehadbeenriddledinadozenplaces,andshot-holesinthehullhadbeenhastilypluggedduringtheaction.
HerArmstronggunamidshipshadbeendisabledbyBlumenhoffathisfirstfire.
Christyhadnotfoundtheopportunitytoexaminethispiece,ashedesired;butMr.Graineshaddonesoforhim;anditwasfoundthattheguncarriagehadbeenknockedintoashapelessmasssothatitcouldnotbeputinconditionforuse.
Themachinistsfromtheengineroomofbothvessels,forthoseoftheTallahatchiehadnofeelingonthesubject,wererestoringthesteeringapparatus,andwerelikelytohavetheworkcompletedthenextday.
CaptainBreakerwasingreatdoubtastowhatheoughttodowithColonelPassford.
Hewascertainlyanon-combatant;anditcouldnotbeshownthathehadanymissiontoNassauorelsewhereintheserviceoftheConfederacy,thoughitwouldhavebeenotherwiseifthesteamerandtheWestWindhadnotbeencaptures,forhewastosellthecottoninEngland,andpurchaseasteamerwiththeproceeds;buthismissionendedwiththelossofthevessels.
HefinallydecidedtosendhimtoFortMorganunderaflagoftruce.
Beforehelefthecalleduponhisnephew.
Hewasstillinastateofdespondencyoverhisownlosses,andhisfailurestobenefittheConfederacy,whoselosshecountedasgreaterthanhisown.
Hestatedthatthecommanderhadannouncedhisintentiontosendhimonshore.
Christyhadseenhimbutforamoment,forhisunclehadnotdesiredtomeethimagain.
“Wewillnottalkaboutthewar,UncleHomer,”saidChristy.“HowareAuntLydia,Corny,andGerty?Ihopetheyareallverywell.”
“Yourauntisnotverywell,forthehardshipsofthewarhavewornuponher.
ExceptUncleJerryandAuntyChloe,thecook,allournegroeshaveleftus,orbeentakenbythegovernmenttoworkonfortifications,andmywifeandGertyhavetodomostofthehousework,”repliedUncleHomerverygloomily;anditwasplaintoChristythatthemansionatGlenfieldwasnotwhatithadbeeninformeryears.
“HowisCorny?Ihavenotheardfromhimlately.”
“CornyisnowacaptainintheArmyofVirginia,andisdoinghisdutylikeaman,”answeredthecolonelproudly;andthisfactseemedtobealmosttheonlypleasantfeatureofhisexperience.
“Wehavebeencalledupontoendureagreatmanyhardships;butwestillfeelthattheGodofjusticewillgiveusthevictoryintheend,andwetrytobearourburdenswithresignation.
Thecaptaininformsmethatyouaregoinghome,Christy.”
“ThesurgeonhasorderedmetotheNorthonaccountoftheheatinthislocality.”
“IlearnedinNassauaswellaswhenIwasatBonnydale,thatyourfatherholdsaveryprominentandinfluentialpositionamongyourpeople,andyouradvancementseemstobemadesure,”addedtheplanter.
“HehasneverheldanyofficeundertheUnitedStatesgovernment,andIhopeIdonotowemyadvancementtohim;andhehasoftenassuredmethatheneveraskedformypromotionorappointment,”saidChristy.
“Youhavebeenofverygreatservicetoyourgovernment,asIknowtomysorrow,andIhavenodoubtyoudeservedwhateverpromotionyouhaveobtained,”addedthecolonel,observingthathehadtouchedhisnephewinaverytenderspot.
“ButIsupposetheboatiswaitingforme,andImustbidyougood-by.
Remembermeinthekindliestmannertoyourfatherandmother,andtoMissFlorry.
TheywereallasgoodtomewhenIwasonparoleatBonnydaleasthoughnowarhadeverdividedus.”
ThecoloneltookChristybythehand,andbetrayednolittleemotionastheyparted.
Thelieutenantrealizedthathisunclewassufferingseverelyunderthehardshipsandanxietiesofthewar,andhewasprofoundlysorryforhim,thoughheutterednocomplaint.
BothonhisownaccountandonthatoftheConfederacy,hehadshippedseveralcargoesofcottontoNassautobesentfromtheretoEngland;buteveryoneofthemhadbeencaptured,mostofthembyhisnephewwhileincommandoftheBronx.
ButhewasstillconfidentthattheConfederacywouldtriumph.
ColonelPassfordhadbeensenttothefortunderaflagoftruce,andhadbeenreceivedbythecommandant.
Inacoupleofdaystherepairsofbothshipshadbeencompleted.
CaptainRombold,thoughhiswoundwasquitesevere,wasgettingalongverywell.
CaptainBreakerhadcompletedhisarrangementsforthedisposaloftheprizesandprisoners;anditbecamenecessarytoremovethewoundedcommandertothecabinoftheTallahatchie,towhichhedidnotobject,forthewoundedinhiscabinhadbeenplacedinatemporaryhospitalbetweendecks.
Hewaspermittedtooccupythestateroomhehadusedwhileincommand,whiletheotherwasreservedfortheprize-master.
EnsignPalmerDrake,theseniorofthetwoofficerswaitingappointments,wasmadeprize-masteroftheTallahatchie,forhehadprovedtobeanableandbravemanintherecentaction.
Mr.BallardbecameexecutiveofficeroftheBellevite,andMr.Walbrookthesecondlieutenant,whiletheplaceofthethirdwasfilledbyMr.Bostwick,whohadbeenmaster.
Frenchwasappointedprize-masteroftheWestWind,withacrewoffivemen,asshewastobetowedbytheprizesteamer.
ItwasfoundthattheTallahatchiehadgoneintotheactionwithninety-fivemen,includingtheforwardofficers.
Morethanone-thirdofthemhadbeenkilledordisabled,withoutcountingthosewhowerestillabletokeepthedeckandsleepintheirhammocks.
Fiftyofthemwereinconditiontododuty;andCaptainBreakerdidnotconsideritprudenttosendsomanyprisonerstotheNorthintheprize.
HethereforesentfortyofthemtoKeyWestintheHolyoke,assuredthattheBellevitewasabundantlyabletomaintaintheblockade,evenwithherreducedship’scompany,duringtheabsenceofhisconsort.
Theengineersoftheprizewerewillingtocontinuetheirservicesattheexpenseoftheirnewemployer,oreventoacceptpermanentappointments;fortheydidnotbelongtotheupperclassesinEnglandwhofavoredthecauseoftheConfederacy,andwereonlylookingforthehighestwages.
Weeks,theoiler,andBingham,aboatswain’smate,wereappointedfirstandsecondofficersoftheTallahatchie,andtwentyseamenweredetailedasaprizecrew.
ToinsurethefidelityofthefourforeignengineersMr.Graineswassentasasortofsupervisor,withtheknowledgeandassentofthoseinactualchargeofthemachinery.
Whenallwasreadyforherdeparture,ChristywentonboardoftheTallahatchieinthesameboatwiththeengineer,afterarathersadpartingwiththecaptainandhisfellow-officers,andamidthecheersoftheseamen,whohadmountedtherailandtheriggingtoseehimoff.
Mr.Drakeconductedhimtothecaptain’scabinwhenhewentonboardoftheprize,wherehemetCaptainRombold,withwhomheexchangedfriendlygreetings.
“Fellowpassengersagain,Mr.Passford;butyouaregoingtoyourreward,andItomypunishment,”saidthelatecommanderverycheerfully.
“Hardlytomyreward,forIneitherdesirenorexpectanyfurtherpromotion,”repliedChristy.“Iamnotyettwentyyearsold.”
“ButGodmakessomefully-developedmenbeforetheyaretwenty-one,andyouareoneofthem.”
“Thankyou,Captain.”
“IamwillingtowagerthesalaryIhavelostthatyouwillbepromotedwhetheryoudesireitornot.”
“Ihopenot,”repliedthelieutenant,ashewenttothetemporarystateroomwhichhadbeenpreparedforhim.
Theapartmentwasmuchlargerthanthepermanentones,anditwasprovidedwitheverythingthatcouldcontributetohiscomfort.
WhileMr.Graineswasassistinghimtoarrangehisbaggage,thesteamergotunderway.
Share this article to
FINISH