English
ChristyPassfordwasstirringatanearlyhourthenextmorning,andsowasBerthaPembroke;fortheSt.Regiswastosailthatday,thoughthetidedidnotservetillfourintheafternoon.
Afterbreakfasthisfathercalledhimintothelibrary,andclosedthedoor.
CaptainPassfordhadremainedinthecitytheeveningbeforetillthelasttrain,anditwasevidentthathehadsomethingtosaytohisson.
“Ihavenoinformationtogiveyouthistime,Christy,inregardtothecomingofblockade-runnersorsteamersfortheConfederatenavy,”saidhe.
“ButIhavebeeninstructedtousemyownjudgmentinregardtowhatImaysaytoyouaboutyourorders.
OfcourseyouhaveobservedthattheblockadingsquadronsintheGulfhavebeengreatlyreduced.”
“OnlytheBelleviteandHolyokeremainedofftheentrancetoMobileBay,”addedChristy.
“WehavehadaveryquiettimeofitsinceIjoinedtheBellevite,andtheactionwiththeTallahatchiewasreallytheonlyeventofanygreatimportanceinwhichIhavebeenengaged.”
“TheenemyandtheirBritishallieshavebeensounfortunateintheGulfthattheyhavechosenasaferapproachtotheshoresoftheSouth.
Nearlyalltheblockade-runnersatthepresenttimegoinattheCapeFearRiver,wheretheshoalwaterfavorsthem.
AclassofsteamersoflightdraftandgreatspeedareconstructedexpresslytogointoWilmington.
Over$65,000,000havebeeninvestedinblockade-running;andinspiteofthecaptureofatleastoneaweekbyourships,thebusinessappearstopayimmenseprofits.
TheportofCharlestonisclosedtothemnow,aswellasmanyothers.”
“IhavestudiedthislocalityofthecoastatthemouthoftheCapeFearRiver,andtheblockade-runnerscertainlyhavetheirbestchancethere,”saidChristy.
“Thewholeattentionofthegovernment,sofarasblockade-runningisconcerned,hasbeendirectedtotheapproachesofWilmington.
FortsFisher,Caswell,andSmithaffordabundantprotectiontothelightdraftsteamersassoonastheygetintotheshoalwaterwhereourgunboatsasarulecannotfollowthem.
Theonethingweneeddownthereisfaststeamers.
Itisastormycoast,andoursmallergunboatscannotsafelylieoffthecoast.”
“Ihavereadthatasinglesuccessfulventureinthisbusinesssometimespaysforthesteamermanytimesover.”
“Thatisquitetrue,andthebusinessprospers,thoughtherearefiftyormoreFederalcruisersandgunboatspatrollingtheshore.
Now,Christy,youaretobesenttothislocalitywiththeSt.Regis;butyouaretobeintheoutercircleofblockaders,sotospeak,asyoursealedorderswillinformyou.”
“OfcourseIshallobeymyorders,whatevertheyare,”addedthecommander.
“Ihavenothingmoretosay,andyouwillregardwhathaspassedbetweenyouandmeasentirelyconfidential,”saidCaptainPassford,asherosetoleavethelibrary.
“Bytheway,father,whathasbecomeofMonsieurGilfleur?”askedChristy.“Ihavenotseenhimsincemyreturn.”
“JustnowheisworkingupacaseoftreasoninBaltimore,thoughIexpectedhimhomebeforethistime,”repliedthecaptain.
“IamsorryIhavenotseenhim,forheandIhadbecomegreatfriendsbeforeweparted.Ithinkheisinsomerespectsaremarkableman.”
“Inhisprofessionheisunexcelled;andwhatismoreinthatline,heishonestandreliable.”
“Ilearnedallthatofhimwhilewewereoperatingtogether.
Itissaid,andIsupposeitistrue,thatabouteveryoneoftheblockadersmakesaportatHalifax,theBermudas,orNassau,asmuchtolearnthenewsandobtainapilot,astoreplenishtheircoalandstores.”
“Thatisunfortunatelytrue;andtheneutralityoftheseplacesisstrainedtoitsutmosttension,tosaynothingofitsmanifestviolations.”
“IthinkifMonsieurGilfleurandmyselfcouldmakeanothervisittotheBermudasandNassau,wemightpickupinformationenoughtoinsurethecaptureofmanyblockade-runners,andperhapsofanoccasionalConfederatecruiser,”saidChristy,laughingashespoke.
“Thatisnotthesortofbusinessforalieutenant-commanderinthenavy,myson;butIhavethoughtofsendingthedetectiveonsuchamissionsincetheremarkablesuccessyouandhehadinyourformerventure.
ButyouescapedhangingoraConfederateprisononlybytheskinofyourteeth.
ThedifficultyinanotherenterpriseofthatsortwouldbeforMr.Gilfleurtoputtheinformationheobtainedwhereitwoulddothemostgood.
Ifhewroteletters,theywouldbetrayhim;andifhewentoffinaBahamaboat,ashedidbefore,weshouldhavetokeepasteamercruisinginthevicinityofhisfieldofoperationstomeethimwhenhecameoff.
Icametotheconclusionthattheschemewasimpracticable,foritwasonlyacombinationoffavorablecircumstancesthatrenderedyouroperationssuccessful.
IprefertotrusttothespeedoftheSt.Registoenableyoutoaccomplishthesameresultsoffthecoast,”saidCaptainPassford,astheyleftthelibrary.
“IshouldreallyliketoseeMonsieur,forheisaveryagreeablecompanion,”repliedChristy.
“Hewouldbeexceedinglypleasedtomeetyouagain,forhehadbecomeverymuchattachedtoyou.”
AfterlunchthesamepartythathadvisitedtheSt.RegisthedaybeforeleftonthetrainforNewYork,andproceededtothenavyyardfromthefootofGrandStreet,forallofthemwishedtoseeChristyoff.
CaptainPassford,Junior,wasreceivedonboardofhisshipwithalldueformandceremony.
PaulVapoorhadbeentohishomeforabriefvisittohismotherandsisters;buthehadgonetoBonnydaleasearlyinthemorningasitwasdecenttodoso,andwasalldevotiontoFlorry.
Mr.Baskirk,theexecutiveofficer,hadtheshipinfirst-rateorderwhenthecommanderwentonboardwithhisparty;andastherewasnothingforhimtodo,Christydevotedhimselftotheentertainmentofhisfriends.
Theladieswiththeirescortswentalloverthesteameragain;thecommanderandPaulopenedtheirstateroomsfortheirexamination,andCharleyGrainesshowedthemthatofthefirstassistantengineerinthesteerage.
“Butyouhaveawholecabintoyourself,Christy,”saidBertha,aftershelookedintoalltheotherrooms.
“Ihavethehonortobethecommanderoftheship,”repliedChristylightly.
“Ihavetwostate-rooms,sothatifIhadthehappinesstorelieveaforlornmaidenfromcaptivityonboardofoneoftheenemy’svessels,asIdidinyourcase,Bertha,IshouldhaveabetterapartmenttoofferherthanIhadthen.”
Thefirsthalfoftheafternoonpassedawayalltoosoonforthosewhoweretosailonthetide,andthosewhoweretoreturntoBonnydale.
Thecommandertookleaveofhisparents,hissister,andBerthainhiscabin,wherePaulpassedthroughthesameordealwithMissFlorry.
Thenavy-yardtenderwasalongside;andtheladieswereassistedonboardofherbytheofficers,whiletheseamenunderthedirectionofMr.Makepeacewereheavinguptheanchor.
“Cableupanddown,sir,”reportedthesecondlieutenant.
Thiswasthesignalforthedepartureofthetender;andanotherhastyadieufollowed,whenthecommanderandthechiefengineerhastenedtothedeck.
Themenforwardhadsuspendedtheirlaborwhenthecablewasupanddown.
Thecommandergavetheordertoweightheanchor.
Thetidewasstillontheflood,andtheheadoftheshipwaspointedverynearlyinthedirectionshewastosail.
“Anchoraweigh,sir!”reportedMr.Makepeace.
“Strikeonebell,Mr.Baskirk,”saidChristy;andtheorderwasrepeatedtothequartermasterwhowasconningthewheel.
ThescrewoftheSt.Regisbegantoturn,andshewentaheadveryslowly.
Thetenderwasashortdistancefromher,andalltheladieswerewavingtheirhandkerchiefswithalltheirmight;andtheirsignalswerereturned,notonlybyChristyandPaul,butbyalltheofficersondeck.
Theseamencouldnotcomfortably“holdin,”andtheysalutedthetenderwiththreerousingcheers,fortheyknewthatthefamilyoftheiryoungcommanderwereonboardofher.
ThelittlesteamerfollowedtheshiptillshehadpassedtheBattery,arepetitionoftheformersalute,andthenthetendersheeredoff,andwentupNorthRiver,theshipproceedingonhercourseforthesceneofherfutureexploits.
ThepartingofChristywithhisfather,mother,andsisterhadbeenlesssadthanonformeroccasions;fortheybelieved,whetherwithgoodreasonornot,thattheson,brother,andloverwastobeexposedtolessperilthanusual.
Christyhadreceivedhissealedordersonboardfromanofficersentspeciallytodeliverthemtohiminperson;andhewasinstructedtoopentheenvelopeoffCapeHenlopen.
Atsixo’clocktheSt.RegiswasoffSandyHook.
Fourbells,whichwasthesignaltotheengineroomtogoaheadatfullspeed,hadbeensoundedassoonastheshiphadpassedthroughtheNarrows.
Aftertheyoungcommanderhadtakenhissupper,solitaryandaloneinhisgreatcabin,hewentondeck.
Noonesharedhisspaciousapartmentwithhim,andhewasliterallyaloneinhisglory.
Buthedidnotobjecttohissolitude,forhehadenoughtothinkof;andthoughhedidnotbetrayitinhisexpression,hewasinastateofexcitement,forwhatyoungfellow,evenif“fullydevelopedbeforehewastwenty-one,”couldhavehelpedbeingexhilaratedwhenhefoundhimselfincommandofsuchanexceptionallyfineandfastshipastheSt.Regis.
Whenhewentondeck,forheseemedtoneedmoreairthanusualtosupporttheimmenseamountofinternallifethatwasstirringhisbeing,hemetPaulVapoorcomingupfromthewardroom,wherehemessedwithsevenotherofficers.
“Ihopeyouarefeelingverywell,CaptainPassford,”saidPaul,ashetouchedhiscaptothecommander,forallfamiliaritiesweresuspendedunlesswhentheywerealone;andhabitgenerallybanishedthemeventhen.
“Aswellasusual,Mr.Vapoor,”repliedChristy.“Howdoyoufindtheengine?”
“Inexcellentcondition,Captain.Itwasthoroughlyoverhauledattheyard,boilersandmachinery,andIhaveexamineditdowntotheminutestdetails.”
“Ihaveanideathatourspeedwillbemoreindemandthanourfightingstrengthonthiscruise,”addedChristy.
“Wearereadyforspeedintheengineroom.
Thecoalthatremainedonboardonthearrivaloftheshipattheyardwasverybad;butithasallbeentakenout,andourbunkersarefilledwiththebestthatcouldbehad,themaster-machinistinformedmeyesterday,”repliedthechiefengineer.
“Idon’tbelieveshecouldoverhaultheBellevite,forIamoftheopinionthatsheisthefastestsea-goingsteamerinthenavy.”
“Idon’tthinkweshallfindanyblockade-runnerthatcanrunawayfromtheBellevite;forshehasoverhauledeveryoneshechasedoffMobileBay,andmadeaprizeofher.
IamtoopenmyordersoffHenlopen,andthenweshallknowwhatourworkistobe.”
“AbouteighthoursfromSandyHook,aswearerunningnow,”addedPaul.
“Iamveryimpatienttoreadmyorders,andIshallbecalledatoneo’clockforthatpurpose,”addedChristy,ashebegantoplankthedeckontheweatherside.
Thewindwasfromthenorth-west,andquitefresh.
Themenhadhadtheirsuppers,andheorderedMr.Baskirktomakesail.
TheSt.Regiswasbarkrigged,andcouldspreadalargesurfaceofcanvas.
Hedesiredtotestthequalitiesofhiscrew;andinashorttimeeverythingwasdrawing.
Christy“turnedin”atnineo’clock;buthewasexcited,andhehadnotsleptawinkwhenhewascalledatthehourhehadindicated.
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