English
ChristyPassfordwasastoundedandconfoundedwhenhereadthecommission.
Hemodestlybelievedthathehadalreadybeenpromotedbeyondhisdeserving,thoughnooneelse,notevenhisfather,thoughtso.
Hehadnotsoughtpromotionatanytime,andhehadbeenhurriedthroughfourgradesinsomethingoverthreeyears.
Hewastheheirofmillions,andhehadgivenallhispaytowoundedsailorsandthefamiliesofthosewhohadfalleninnavalactions.
Hisshareoftheprizemoneyresultingfromthecapturesinwhichhehadtakenpartascommanderorinsomesubordinatepositionhadmadehimarichman;andwithhismother’sassistance,hewasdisbursingnosmallportionofhiswealthamongthosewhohadbeendeprivedoftheirsupportbythecasualtiesofthewar.
Hehadnotexpectedorevenhopedforanyfurtherpromotion,thoughthenewspaperhadextolledtotheskieshisbrilliantexploitintheGulf.
“Whatdoesthismean,father?”askedChristy,droppingintoachairasifoverwhelmedbythecontentsoftheenvelope.
“Itmeansjustwhatitsays,myson,”repliedCaptainPassford.
“ButIknowthatitisnecessarynowformetoexplainthatthispromotionisnoneofmydoing;forIhavenotaskedit,Ihavenoturgedit,Ihavenotmadetheremotestsuggestionthatyoushouldbemadealieutenant-commander,asIhavenotdoneonanyformeroccasion.”
“Thatisenough,father;yourpleaofnotguiltywouldhavebeenenoughtosatisfyme,”addedChristy.
“IpreventedyourappointmenttothecommandoftheChateaugay,andprocuredyourpositionassecondlieutenantoftheBellevite;andthesetwoinstancesareabsolutelyalltherequestsIhaveevermadetothedepartmentinrelationtoyou,”protestedthecaptain.
“Thathelpsthematterverymuch,”answeredChristy.“Ihavebeenthevictimofsupposedpartiality,‘afriendatcourt’andallthatsortofthing,tillIamdisgustedwithit.”
“Andallthathasbeeninconsequenceofyourover-sensitivenessratherthananythingthateverwassaidaboutyou.”
“Perhapsitwas.Butasalieutenant-commanderImightstillremainasexecutiveofficeroftheBellevite,forCaptainBreakerhasbeenacommanderforovertwoyears,”suggestedChristy.
“Thedepartmenthasmadeanotherdispositionofyou,andwithoutanyhintorsuggestionfromme,myson,”saidCaptainPassford,ashetookanotherenvelopefromhispocket,andpresentedittohisson.
“Thiscametomebythismorning’smail;andIhavewithheldthecommissiontillIreceivedit.”
“Andwhatmaythisbe,father?”askedChristy,lookingfromthemissivetothecaptain’sface,whichwasglowingwithsmiles,forhewasasproudofhisonlysonasheoughttohavebeen.
“Christy,youremindmeofsomeoldladiesIhavemet,who,whentheyreceivealetter,wonderforfiveortenminuteswhomitisfrombeforetheybreaktheenvelope,whenasightofthecontentswouldinformtheminstantly,”addedthecaptain,laughing.
“ButIamafraidthecontentsofthisenvelopewillbeliketheexplosionofaminetome,andthereforeIamnotjustliketheoldladiesyouhavemet,”returnedthelieutenant-commander.
“OnemineadayletoffinmyfaceisaboutallIcanstand.”
“Opentheenvelope!”urgedhisfatherratherimpatiently.
“Itneverrainsbutitpours!”exclaimedChristy,whenhehadlookedoverthepaperitenclosed.
“IamappointedtothecommandoftheSt.Regis!
IthinksomeonewhogivesnamestoournewvesselsmusthavespentasummerwithPaulSmithathishotelbytheriverandlakeofthatname;andthesamemanprobablyselectedthenameofChateaugay.
IsupposeitissomelittlesnappinggunboatliketheBronx;butIdon’tobjecttoheronthataccount.”
“SheisnothingliketheBronx,forsheismorethantwiceaslarge;andyouhavealreadyseensomeserviceonherdeck.”
“Somesteamerthathashadhernamechanged.ButIhaveservedregularlyonlyonboardoftheBelleviteandtheBronx,anditcannotbeeitherofthem,”saidChristy,withapuzzledexpression.
“Sheisneithertheonenortheother.Shehashadthreenames:thefirstwastheTrafalgar,thesecondtheTallahatchie,andthethirdtheSt.Regis,”continuedthecaptain.
“Isitpossible!”exclaimedChristy,relapsingintosilentthoughtfulness,forhecouldhardlybelievethepaperfromwhichhehadreadhisappointment;andofficersfarhisseniorinyearswouldhaverejoicedtoreceivethecommandofsuchaship.
“Notonlypossible,butanaccomplishedfact;andtheonlysadthingaboutitisthatyoumustsailintheSt.Regisdayafterto-morrow.”
“Iaminformedthatmyorderswillcomebyto-morrow,”addedthelieutenant-commander.
“Theshipisallreadyforsea.Aneight-inchParrothasbeensubstitutedfortheArmstronggun,thesameasthemidshipgunoftheBellevite,”thecaptainexplained.
“Perhapsyouwouldliketoknowsomethingaboutyourfellow-officers,Christy.”
“Icertainlyshould,father,forwhateversuccessImayhavewilldependlargelyuponthem,”repliedtheembryocommanderoftheSt.Regis.
“YourexecutiveofficerwillbeLieutenantGeorgeBaskirk,”continuedCaptainPassford,readingfromapaperhetookfromhispocket.
“Good!HewasthesecondlieutenantoftheBronxwhenIwasincommandofher;andabetterorbraverofficerneverplankedadeck.”
“Hewasavailable,andIsuggestedhim.YoursecondlieutenantisJoelMakepeace,justpromotedfromtherankofmaster.
Heisfifty-twoyearsold,butasactiveaseverhewas.
Heisaregularoldseadog,andcommandedanIndiamanformefifteenyearsago;butyounevermethim.
Hehasmadeagoodrecordinthewar,andIfeelsurethatyouwilllikehim.”
“IhavenodoubtIshall,father;andIliketheideaofhavinganofficerwhoisoldenoughtobemyfather,andwhohashadagreatdealofexperienceatsea,”repliedChristy.
“Hewasanableseamanandpettyofficerinthenavyforthreeyearswhenhewasayoungman,andhasservedasamasterfromthebeginningofthewar,”continuedCaptainPassford.
“Probablyhedoesnotliketheideaofbeingunderthecommandofonewhohasnotyetreachedhismajorityinyears,”suggestedthecommanderoftheSt.Regis.
“Onthecontrary,heseemedtobedelightedwithhisappointment.YourthirdlieutenantisEnsignPalmerDrakewhobroughthomeyourprize.”
“Heisagoodmanandagoodofficer,andIamentirelysatisfiedwithhim.”
“EnsignBartonFrenchistoserveasmasteronboardofyourship.Somedoubtswereexpressedinregardtohisknowledgeofnavigation,andhepassedaverycreditableexamination.”
“Iamverygladindeedthathehasobtainedhispromotion,andthatheistosailwithme,”addedChristy,whohadtakenquiteaninterestinhimasanableseaman,andhadprocuredhisappointmentasprize-masteroftheWestWind.
“Dr.Connolly,whowaswithyouintheBronx,isyoursurgeon.ThechiefengineeroftheSt.RegisisonePaulVapoor,”continuedCaptainPassford,withaveryobvioustwinkleoftheeyes.
“PaulVapoor!”exclaimedChristy,leapingoutofthechairinwhichhehadjustsettledhimselfaftertheexcitementofhisfather’sfirstannouncementhadpartlysubsided.
“PaulVapoor,”repeatedthecaptain.
“Itcanhardlybepossible,”persistedChristy.
“Whatisthematter?HasCaptainBreakerfallenoutwithhim?”
“Notatall;thecommanderoftheBellevitethinksasmuchofhimaseverhedid,andevenagreatdealmore.”
“ThenhowunderthecanopydoesPaulhappentobeappointedtotheSt.Regis?”demandedChristy.
CaptainPassfordtookfromhispocketaletterhehadreceivedfromCaptainBreaker,andproceededtoreadportionsofit,asfollows:“IfChristyisnotpromotedandgivenanadequateindependentcommand,Ishallbedisappointed;andgivensuchwhetherheconsentsornot.
Hehasneverbeenwantinginanything;andthoughIsayittohisfather,thereisnotamoredeservingofficerintheservice,notevenonewhoistenyearsolder.
Ihaveexpressedmyselffullyinmyreport.
IbelievehisgallantexploitinthelateactionwiththeTallahatchiesavedthelivesofatleastone-fourthofmyship’scompany;anditthinnedouttheranksoftheenemyinaboutthesameproportion.
CaptainRomboldinsiststhatheshouldhavecapturedtheBelleviteifthetidehadnotbeenthusturnedagainsthim;butIdonotadmitthis,ofcourse.
“IstillsetthehighestvalueupontheservicesofChiefEngineerPaulVapoor,andIshouldregretexceedinglytolosehim.
ButChristyandPaulhavebeenthemostintimatefriendsfromtheirschooldays;andifyoursonisappointedtoanindependentcommand,asIbelieveheoughttobe,itwoulddosomethingtowardsreconcilinghimtohisappointmentifhiscronywereinthesameshipwithhim.
Forthisreason,andthisalone,Iamwillingtosacrificemyownwishestothegoodoftheservice.
IhavetalkedwithPaulaboutthematter,andhewouldbedelightedtobethecompanionofChristy,eveninasmallsteamer.”
“CaptainBreakerisverykindandveryconsiderate,ashealwayswas;andIshallcertainlyfeelmoreathomeonboardoftheSt.RegiswithPaulVapoorasherchiefengineer,”repliedChristy;andtheeffectseemedtobewhatthecommanderoftheBelleviteanticipated.“Goonwiththelist,father.”
“Paul’sfirstassistantengineerwillbeCharlesGraines,”continuedCaptainPassford.
“Thatisverygood;butCharleyisasailoraswellasamachinist,andImayborrowhimofPaulonsomespecialoccasions,forhehaswhatCaptainBreakercallsingenuity,aswellasbraveryandskill.”
“ThesecondassistantisAmosBolter,abrotherofLeon,whohasbeenfirstassistantoftheBellevitefromthebeginningofthewar,andwhohasbeenpromotedtochiefatthesuggestionofthecommanderintheletterfromwhichIhavejustread.
ThethirdassistantisJohnMcLaughlin,whomPaulknowsifyoudonot.
Theseareyourprincipalofficers;andwehadbettergoandseeyourmotherandFlorrynow.”
“Ihavegoodnewsforyouandyourfamily,CaptainPassford,forIaminformedthatIhavebeenexchanged,andneedtrespassnolongeruponyourgenerousandkindlyhospitality,”saidthecommander.
“Thatisnonewstome,CaptainRombold,forIhadthepleasureofsuggestingtheofficersforwhomyouandthedoctormightbeexchanged,”repliedthehostwithapleasantlaugh.
“ButIassureyouinallsinceritythatyouhavebothofyoubeenthefarthestpossiblefromtrespassers.”
“IdonotfeelthatIhaveyethalfreciprocatedthekindnessyouextendedtomyson,”addedMrs.Passford.
“IwishIcoulddotentimesasmuchforyouasIhavebeenabletodo,”saidFlorry.
“ThoughwoundedIhavepassedfourofthepleasantestweeksofmylifehere;andIshallneverforgetyourkindnesstome,”saidthecommander,graspingthehandofhishost;andhisexamplewasfollowedbythesurgeon.
“Wehavebeenmadehappierbyyourpresencewithusthanwecouldhavemadeyou,gentlemen,”addedMrs.Passford.
Notawordaboutpoliticsorthecauseofthewarhadbeenspoken.
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