English
Thekindlyexpressionsoffeelingwhichpassedbetweenthehostsandtheirguestswerefarfrombeingmerecompliments,fortheConfederatecommanderandsurgeonhadmadethemselvesveryagreeable.
QuiteanumberofpleasantpartieshadbeengivenincomplimenttothemandChristy.
Butthefamilyfeltthattheyowedadebtofgratitudetotheirguestswhichtheycouldnotrepay;andenemiesthoughtheywere,themosteminentpersonagesontheFederalsidecouldnothavebeenbettertreated.
“Iamsorryyouaregoing,thoughIcongratulateyouontheprospectnowbeforeyouofreturningtoyourfriends,”saidCaptainPassford,aftertheconversationhadcontinuedforhalfanhour.
“ButIdidnotcomeintoreceiveyouradieus;onlytointroducetoyou,andtoMrs.PassfordandFlorry,anewcharacter,whohasjuststeppeduponthestageofaction.”
“Drawitmild,papa,”interposedChristy,shrugginghisshoulders.
“IhavethepleasureofpresentingtoyouLieutenant-CommanderChristopherPassford.”
CaptainRomboldandDr.Davidsonsettoclappingtheirhandsasthoughtheyhadsuddenlygonecrazy.
Whentheformerhadnearlyblisteredhisown,herushedtothenewly-promoted,andgraspedhishandswithapressurewhichmadetherecipientofhiswarmgreetingsquirmwithpain.
“Icongratulateyouwithallmyheartandmind,CommanderPassford,”headded,withexceedingwarmth.
“Iknowthatyoudeservedthispromotion,andIwassureyouwouldgetitfromthemomentIsawyouinthemizzenriggingoftheBellevite,andwithinthesameminuteleapingovertherailoftheTallahatchie,closelyfollowedbythirtyorfortyofyourseamen.
Ilostallhopeoftakingyourshipthen,foralmostatthesameinstantcamethedischargeofthethirty-pounderIhadpreparedtolaylowhalfyourboarders.
Itoldyouthiswouldcome,butyouseemedtobedoubtfulofit;andIrepeatwhatIhavesaidbefore,thatGodmakessomefully-developedmenbeforetheyaretwenty-one.”
Thesurgeonfollowedtheexampleofhisfellow-prisoner;andthenChristy’smotherandsisterhuggedandkissedhim,andheheartilyreturnedtheiraffectionateembraces.
“IhaveonlytoaddthatmysonhasbeenappointedtothecommandoftheSt.Regis,asteamerofovereighthundredtons,andreputedtohaveaspeedoftwentyknotsanhour,thoughIhavesomedoubtsinregardtothelastitem,”saidCaptainPassford.
“Icannotwishhimsuccessinhisnewcommand,forthatwouldbetreason;butIhavenodoubthewilldamageourcauseevenmorethanhehasinthepast;andsofarasheispersonallyconcerned,Icanwishhimsuccesswithallmyheart,”addedCaptainRombold.
“IhavekeptalistofthenamesofthevesselsintheFederalnavysofarasIcouldobtainthem;butitdoesnotincludetheSt.—Whatyoucallher?Ineverheardthenamebefore.”
“TheSt.Regis,afterariverintheAdirondacks,”saidCaptainPassford,laughing.“ButIcanassureyou,Captain,thatyouknowherbetterthananyoftherestofus,forIneverevensawher.”
“TheSt.Regis?”interrogatedthecommander,puzzledbytheassertion.
“Justnowthissteamerissomethinglikeanewly-marriedwidow,forsheisenteringuponherthirdname,”continuedthehost,verylightly.
"FormerlyshewastheTrafalgar,ahighlyhonorednameinBritishhistory;butmorerecentlyshereceivedthenameofTallahatchie;andnowshebecomestheSt.Regis.”
“Isee,”repliedtheConfederatecommander,evidentlytryingtohidehisintensechagrinthatthemagnificentsteamer,purchasedbyColonelHomerPassfordforhim,hadsosoonbecomeashipbelongingtotheFederalnavy.
“Youexpressedadoubtinregardtoherspeed,mydearCaptain.”
“Isimplydoubtedifshecouldmaketwentyknotsanhour,fortheBelleviteoverhauledherwithoutdifficulty.”
“Thatwasbecauseourcoalwasverybad.TheTrafalgarmadetwentyknotsanhourseveraltimeswhenshewasundermycommand.”
“Somuchthebetter,Captain;ifthespeedisinher,hernewengineerwillgetitoutofher,”repliedthehost.
“ButImusttakethenexttrainforNewYork,andIamgoingovertoseetheSt.Regis,forshehasbeenputinthebestofrepair.
Perhapsyouwouldliketogowithme,Christy.”
“Ishould,father;IwasexpectingCharleyGrainesoverthismorning,andhewouldliketoseehisfuturehomeonthedeep,”repliedthelieutenant-commander.
“Heisinthereception-roomnow,waitingtoseeyou,”saidFlorry.
“Ihavehisappointmentinmypocket,andyoumaygiveittohim,myson,”addedthecaptain.
Theguestswerenottoleaveatonce,andthetriohastenedtothetrain.
Assoonastheywereseated,Christygavehisfriendtheenvelopecontaininghisappointment,andCharleyGraineswasquiteashappyasthefuturecommanderoftheSt.Regis.
Onthewaythelattergavetheotherallthenewsthathadcomeoutthatmorning.
“IsupposePaulVapoorwillnotcomeonboardtillwegettotheGulf,father,”saidChristy.
“Youwillreceiveyourordersto-morrow,asyouhavebeenadvised;andthoughIcannotproperlyinformyouwhereyouwillbebound,Icantellyouwhereyouarenotbound;youarenotgoingtotheGulfofMexico,”answeredCaptainPassford.
“NottotheGulf?AllmyservicesofarinblockadershasbeenintheGulf,andthiswillbeatremendouschangeforme.Butwhereshallwepickupourchiefengineer?”
“AboutallthebusinessgrowingoutofthecaptureoftheTallahatchie,includingthepromotions,wasdoneverynearlyfourweeksago.
IwasinWashingtonwhenCaptainBreaker’sveryfullreportcame,andtheofficerswerepromotedthen.
Theappointmentswerealsomadethen;butIhavebeenobliged,forreasonsnotnecessarytobenamed,tokeepthemtomyself.
Thesteamerthatcarriedacargoofcoal,provisions,andstorestotheEasternGulfsquadron,wasthebearerofPaul’sappointmenttotheSt.Regis,andMr.Bolter’scommissionaschiefengineeroftheBellevite.
YourfriendwasorderedtoreportattheBrooklynNavyYardatonce.
ThesteamerinwhichhecameputinatDelawareBreakwater,shortofcoal.
Hewillbeherebyto-morrowmorning,orsooner.”
AfteravisitathisofficeCaptainPassfordandhiscompanionsproceededtothenavyyard.
TheSt.Regiswasofftheshoreatanchor.
Shewasamagnificentsteamer;andthecaptainindulgedinanexclamation,whichheseldomdid,whenshewaspointedouttohim.
Shewasallreadyforsea,andwouldgointocommissionassoonashercommanderpresentedhimself.
Theywentonboardofher,andwereheartilywelcomedbysuchofficersashadalreadyoccupiedtheirstaterooms.
CaptainPassfordwentalloverher,accompaniedbyChristy,whilethenewfirstassistantengineerconfinedhisattentiontotheengine.
Thelieutenant-commanderinformedtheproperofficeroftheyardthathewouldhoisttheflagonboardoftheSt.Regisatnoonthenextday.
Thepartytooktheirleave,andintheafternoonreturnedtoBonnydale.
Theguestswerenowrelievedfromtheirparole,andtheytooktheirleavebeforenight,witharepetitionofthegoodwisheswhichhadbeenexpressedbefore.
ThenextmorningChristywasattherailroadstationonthearrivalofthetrainfromNewYork,andthefirstpersonthatrushedintohisarmslikeaschool-girlwasPaulVapoor.
OfcourseChristywasdelightedtoseehim,buthekeptwatchingthestepsoftheprincipalcarallthetime.
AtlasthediscoveredBerthaPembroke,andherushedtoher,leavingPaultalkingintotheair.
Hegraspedthebeautifulmaidenbybothhands,andbothofthemblushedlikeacarnationpink.
Theyoungofficerwasnotgiventodemonstrationsinpublic,andhereservedthemtoamoresuitableoccasion.
Hepickedupherhand-bagandbundleswhichshehaddroppedwhenthelovertookpossessionofher,andconductedhertohisfather’scarriage.
ChristypresentedhertoPaul,whohadheardmuchabouther,buthadneverseenher.
Hewassimplypolite,thoughtherewasmischiefinhiseye,andthecommanderwasindangerofbeingteasedverynicelywhentheywerealonetogether.
BothBerthaandPaulwerecordiallywelcomedbyMrs.PassfordandFlorry,andChristyneedednothingmoretocompletehishappiness.
Buttherewasnotimetospare,andCaptainPassfordhurriedthemwithoutmercy,andwithoutconsideringthatthelovershadnotmetbeforeforseveralmonths;butthecommanderoftheSt.Regiswastohoisthisflagatnoon,andtherewasnoroomforlongspeeches.
ChristyandPaulhurriedthemselvesintotheirnewuniforms,notmadefortheoccasion,butkeptinstore.
Theengineer’suniformwasallrightasitwas,forhehadbeforereachedthetopoftheladderinhisprofession,butFlurryhadchangedtheshoulder-strapsofherbrother.
CaptainPassfordwasnotremorselessinseparatingthenewlyreunitedfriends;forPaulandFlorahaddonesomeblushing,andhadcreptawayintoacornerofthegreatdrawing-roomassoonashehadputonhisbestuniform,andhefinallyinsistedthatalltheladiesshouldgotothenavyyardandwitnesstheceremony.
Thecompanywereratherlate;butthecaptainhadsentamantothestationinadvance,andthetrainwasheldforthem.
Itishardlynecessarytostateinwhatmannertheseatsinthecarwereoccupied;butthecaptainandMrs.Passfordhadtosittogether.
AnavyyardtugboatwasatthefootofGrandStreetonthearrivaloftheparty,forithadbeentelegraphedforearlyinthemorning.
CaptainPassfordwasaverydistinguishedmagnateintheeyesofallnavalofficers,notonlyonaccountofhisgreatwealth,butbecausehewasthemostinfluentialmaninthecityatthedepartment.
HalfanhourbeforethetimethepartywereonthedeckoftheSt.Regis.
Alltheofficerswerenowonboard;andwhilePaulwasshowingtheladiesoverthevessel,thecommanderwasrenewinghisacquaintancewithMr.Baskirk,theexecutiveofficer.
HisfatherintroducedMr.Makepeacetohim;andhefoundhimasturdyoldsalt,withoutasmuchpolishasmanyoftheofficers,butagentlemanineveryrespect.
“Iamverygladtoknowyou,CaptainPassford,”saidMr.Makepeace.
“Wehaveoneofthemostbrilliantcommandersintheservice,andIsupposehewillmakethingshumonboardoftheSt.Regis,ifwegetintoaction,aswearelikelytodounderhislead.”
“Ishalltrytodomywholeduty,andIshallendeavornottomakeanysensationaboutit,”repliedChristy,asheturnedfromthesecondtogreetthethirdlieutenant,Mr.Drake,whohadbeenhisshipmateonboardoftheBellevite,andthecommanderoftheTallahatchiewhilehewasapassengeronboard.
Theship’scompanyhadalreadybeenmusteredondeck.
Theyweredressedintheirbestuniforms,andtheywereafine-lookingsetofmen.
TheyhadallheardofLieutenantPassford,andtheywereproudandhappytoserveunderhiscommand.
Promptlyatnoon,asthechurchbellsonshorewerestrikingthehour,CommanderPassfordmountedadais,andhiscommissionwasreadtotheship’scompany.
Hethenmadeashortspeechsuitedtotheoccasion,andorderedthecolorstoberunuptothepeak.
Theshipwasthenincommission,andshewastosailonthetidethenextday.
Thesubordinateofficersandseamenthengavethreecheers,inwhicheverypersonseemedtoputhiswholeheart.
ChristyconductedBerthatothecaptain’scabin,whichhadbeenrestoredtoitsoriginalconditionandrefurnished.
Alunchwasservedtothewholepartyunderanawningonthequarter-deck.
Mr.Drake,aneye-witnessandactorinthebattle,foughtitoverforthebenefitoftheladies;andbeforenighttheyallreturnedtoBonnydale,whereitrequiredatleastthreeroomstoaccommodatethemduringtheevening.
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