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HavingassuredhimselfthattheshipwasfullyupwithCapeHenlopen,Christyretiredtohiscabin,andstill“aloneinhisglory,”hebrokethesealoftheofficialenvelope.
Hewastocruiseoutsideoftheblockaders,andreporttotheflag-officerwhenopportunitypresented.
JustthenitwasbelievedthatRichmond,whichreceivedallitsforeignsuppliesfromWilmington,couldnotlongholdoutifitwascaptured;andtheSecretaryoftheNavywasgivingspecialattentiontothefortswhichprotectedit.
Itwasevidenttotheyoungcommanderthathewasnottorustininactivity,ashadbeenthecaseoflateoffMobileBay,andawidefieldofoperationswasopentohim.
Hisinstructionswereminute,buttheydidnotconfinehisshiptotheimmediatevicinityofthemouthoftheCapeFearRiver.
ItwasevidentthatthespeedoftheSt.Regishadbeenanimportantfactorinframingthesecretorders.
Ifablockade-runnereludedoroutsailedthevesselsofthefleetnearthecoast,theSt.Regiswasexpectedto“pickherup.”
Ontheotherhand,thefastestofthevesselsweresentoutfartherfromtheshore,andtheshipwasexpectedtosupportthem.
Christyrealizedthatheshouldbecalledupontoexercisehisjudgmentinmanydifficultsituations,andhecouldonlyhopethatheshouldbeequaltosuchoccasions.
“Good-morning,CaptainPassford,”saidPaulVapoor,salutinghimonthequarter-deck.“Ihopeyousleptwellinyourbriefwatchbelow.”
“Ididnotsleepawink,Iwassoanxioustoreadmyorders.ButIknowthemnow,andIfeelascoolasanarcticiceberg.IshallsleepwhenIturninagain.”
“Well,wherearewegoing,Captain,ifitisnolongerasecret?”askedtheengineer.
“Itisnotasecretnow;andwearetocruiseoffthemouthoftheCapeFearRiver,”repliedthecommander,asheproceededtogivetheinformationmoreindetail.
“Wearenotlikelytohaveanyhotworkthenifweareonlytochaseblockade-runners,”addedPaul.
“Probablywecanrendergreaterservicetoourcountryinthismannerthaninanyotherway,orweshouldnothavebeensenttothisquarter,”saidChristy,withalonggape.
Paulsawthathisfriendwassleepy,andhebadehimgood-night.
Thecommanderwenttohisstateroom,andwassoonfastasleep,fromwhichhedidnotwaketilleighto’clockinthemorning.
Whenhewentondecktheshipwascarryingallsail.
Thesecondlieutenanthadthedeck,andheaskedhimwhatspeedthesteamerwasmaking.
“Thelastlogshowedseventeenknotsanhour,”repliedMr.Makepeace.
“Ihopeyousleptwell,CaptainPassford,”saidthechiefengineer,salutinghimatthisminute.
“Isleptlikealogtilleightbellsthismorning,”repliedChristy.
“Mr.Makepeacereportsthelastlogatseventeenknots,”continuedPaul.
“Buttheshipisnotmakingrevolutionsenoughperhourformorethanfifteen,forIhavegotthehangofherrunningnow.
Thewindisblowinghalfagale,andthecanvasisgivinghertwoknots.”
Noeventstranspiredonboardworthyaspecialchronicleduringtheday.
Themenweredrilledinvariousexercises,andgaveexcellentsatisfactiontotheirofficers.
ThenextmorningtheSt.RegiswasoffCapeHatteras,andthoughitisagreaterbugbearthanitgenerallydeserves,itgavetheshipatasteofitsquality.
Thewindhadhauledaroundtothesouth-west,andwasblowingalivelygale.
Thesailshadbeenfurledinthemorningwatch,andoffthecapethecoursehadbeenchangedtosouth-west.
Justbeforeeightbellsintheafternoonwatch,whentheshipwasmakingfifteenknotsanhour,thelookoutmanonthetop-gallantforecastlecalledout“Sail,ho!”andalleyesweredirectedahead.
“Whereaway?”demandedtheofficerofthedecksharply.
“Closeontheleebow,sir!”returnedthelookout.
ThecommanderwasinhiscabinstudyingthechartofthecoastofNorthCarolina;butthereportwaspromptlysenttohim,andhehastenedondeck.
“Anothersailontheportbow,sir!”shoutedaseamanwhohadbeensenttotheforecrosstreeswithaspy-glass.
“Whatarethey?”askedChristy,maintaininghisdignityinspiteoftheexcitementwhichhadbeguntoinvadehisbeing.
“Bothsteamers,sir,”repliedtheofficerofthedeck.
“Theheadoneisablockade-runner,Iknowbythecutofherjib,sir,”shoutedthemanwiththeglassonthecrosstrees.
Alltheglassesonboardwereimmediatelydirectedtothetwovessels.
Christycouldplainlymakeoutthesteamerthathadthelead.
Shewasapiratical-lookingcraft,settingverylowinthewater,withtwosmokestacks,bothrakingatthesameangleashertwomasts.
Thewindwasnotfair,andshecouldnotcarrysail;butthe“boneinherteeth”indicatedthatshewasgoingthroughthewateratgreatspeed.
“Agunfromthechaser,sir!”shoutedthemanaloft.
Thecloudofsmokewasseen,andthereportofthegunreachedtheearsofallonboardtheSt.Regis.
“Thereisnomistakingwhatallthatmeans,Mr.Baskirk,”saidChristywhenhehadtakeninthesituation.
Atthefirstannouncementofthesailahead,thecommanderhadorderedthechiefengineertogetallthespeedhecouldoutoftheship.
Thesmokewaspouringoutofthesmokestacks,fortheSt.Regishadtwo,andpresentlysheindicatedwhatwasgoingoninthefireroombybeginningtoshakealittle.
“Anothersaildeadahead,sir!”calledthemanontheforecrosstrees.
Theglassesweredirectedtothethirdsail,andsheprovedtobeasteamer,alsopursuingtheonefirstseen.
Itwassoonevidenttotheobserversthattheblockade-runner,forthemanaloftwhohadsodefinedherwasentirelycorrect,wasgainingallthetimeonherpursuers.
Ifshehadnothingbuthertwopursuerstofear,hertroubleswerereallyover.
BothoftheFederalshipswerefiringatthechase;buttheymightaswellhavesparedtheirpowderandshot,fortheycouldnotreachherintoatleastaquarterofamile.
Thewindwasstillatthesouth-west,andalreadythereweresignsoffog.
TherakishsteamerhadprobablycomefromtheBermudas,whereshemusthaveobtainedaskilfulpilot,forwithoutoneshewouldhavehadnochancesatall;andshestoodboldlyonhercourseasthoughshehadnothingtofearonaccountofthenavigation.
“Whatarewegoingtohaveforweather,Mr.Makepeace?”askedChristy,afteralonglooktowindward.
“Itlooksalittlenastyofftowardstheshore,sir,”repliedthesecondlieutenant.“Ishouldsayitwasgoingtobejustwhatthatpiratewouldliketohave.”
“Whydoyoucallherapirate?”askedthecommanderwithasmile.“Probablysheisnotarmed.”
“Icallherapiratebecauseshelookslikeone;butIthinkablockade-runnerisahundreddegreesbetterthanapirate;andourBritishfriendsplainlylookuponthemasdoingalegitimatebusiness.
Iratherthinkthathighflyerwillrunintoafogbeforeshegetstotheshore.”
“Shehasnothingtofearfromthetwosteamersthatarechasingher,”addedChristy.“Wearetohaveafingerinthispie.”
“Nodoubtofthat;andIhopeweshallmakeaholethroughherbeforeshegetstothecoast.”
“Sheisnotmorethanamileandahalffromusnow,andourmidshipgunisgoodformorethanthat;butIdon’tthinkitisadvisabletowasteourstrengthinfiringatherjustyet.”
“That’sjustmywayofthinking,”saidMr.Makepeace,withsomethinglikeenthusiasminhismanner;andhewasevidentlydelightedtofindthatthecommanderknewwhathewasabout,ashewouldhavephrasedit.
“Therakishsteamerseemstobeheadedtothewestsouth-west,andsheisexactlysouth-eastofus.
Wecanseethatsheissailingveryfast;buthowfasthasnotyetbeendemonstrated.
Howhighshouldyourateherspeed,Mr.Makepeace?”
“Ishouldsay,CaptainPassford,thatshewasmakingeighteenknotsanhour.Sheiskickingupabigfussaboutit;andI’llbetalong-ninecigarthatsheisdoingherlevelbest.”
“Idon’tbelievesheisdoinganybetterthanthat,”addedChristy.“Makethecoursesouthsouth-west,Mr.Baskirk.”
“Southsouth-west,sir,”repliedtheexecutiveofficer.
Thecourseoftheshipwaschanged,andChristyplankedthedeckfromthequarter-decktotheforecastleinordertoobtainthebestviewhecouldoftherelativepositionsoftheSt.Regis,thechase,andthetwosteamersasternofher.
Theblockade-runnershowednocolors;andnoflagcouldhavebeenofanyservicetoher.
Sheappearedstilltobeveryconfidentthatshewasinnodanger,evidentlyrelyingwhollyuponhergreatspeedtocarryherthroughtoherdestination.
The“highflyer,”asthesecondlieutenantcalledhereverytimehealludedtotheblockade-runner,andthetwopursuers,occupiedthethreeanglesofatriangle.
Thelatterwerebothsendingneedlesscannonballsinthedirectionofthechase,butnotoneofthemcameanywherenearher.
Ontheotherhand,thehighflyerandtheSt.Regisformedtwoanglesofanothertriangle,thethirdofwhichwasthepointwheretheywouldcometogether,ifnothingoccurredtoderangetheirrelativepositions.
BythistimePaulVapoorhaddevelopedallthepoweroftheship’sboilers,andthescrewwasmakingmorerevolutionsaminutethanherhighestrecord,whichwasfoundinabooktheformerchiefengineerhadleftinhisstateroom.
“Idon’tthinkthathighflyerquiteunderstandsthesituation,Mr.Baskirk,”saidthecommander,asheobservedthatshedidnotvaryhercourse,andstoodontoherdestination,apparentlywithperfectconfidence.
“Idon’tthinkshedoes,sir,”repliedthefirstlieutenant.
“ShecanseetheAmericanflagatthepeak,andsheknowswhatweare.
DoubtlesssheismakingthemistakeofbelievingthatalltheFederalshipsareslowcoaches.”
“Heavethelog,Mr.Baskirk,”addedChristy,andhewalkedforward.
Itwasamatterofangleswhenitwasdesirabletocomedowntoaclosecalculation,andtheyoungcommanderfoundhistrigonometryveryuseful,andfortunatelynotforgotten.
Withanapparatusfortakingrangeshehadprocuredthebearingofthehighflyeraccuratelyassoonasthelastcoursewasgivenout,perhapshalfanhourbefore.
Hetooktherangeagain,andfoundtherewasaslightdifference,whichwas,however,enoughtoshowthattheformofthetrianglehadbeendisturbed.
Bothshipswereheadedforthesamepoint,andthesidesofthetrianglewereequalatthefirstobservation.
NowtheSt.Regis’ssideofthefigurewasperceptiblyshorterthanitsopposite.
Thisprovedtothecaptainthathisshiphadgainedontheother.
Thetwochasershadbeenlosingonthechaseforthelasthalf-hour,andChristyregardedthemasoutofthegame.
Therewassomeappearanceoffoginthesouth-west,andnolandcouldbeseeninanydirection.
ForanotherhourtheSt.Regisdroveaheadfuriouslyonhercourse,andthehighflyerwasdoingthesame.
Thetwosteamers,regardlessofthespeedofeither,werenecessarilyapproachingeachotheraslongastheyfollowedthetwosidesofthetriangle.
Theyhadcomewithinhalfamiletheoneoftheother,whenthecommandergavetheordertobeattoquarters.
TenminuteslatertheframeoftheshipshookunderthedischargeofthebigParrot.
Theshotwentoverthechase;butshepromptlychangedhercoursetothesouthward.
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