English
AlthoughtheRavenhadnotyetbeendisposedof,theship’scompanywereimmediatelyinterestedinthevesselwhichthelookouthadtardilyannounced;andthevigorwithwhichhehadgiventhehailtothedeckindicatedthathewasconsciousofthedefect.
“Whereaway?”returnedMr.Baskirk;thoughitwasasuperfluousquestion,forallonthedeckwhocasttheireyestothewestwardcouldseethesail.
“Onthestarboard,sir.”
CommanderPassfordwasalreadyexaminingthedistantsailwithhisglass,aswerealltheofficerswhowerenototherwiseoccupied.
Therewerefogbanksinthatdirection;andthecraftmighthavesuddenlyloomedupoutofthem,thoughthisdidnotappeartohavebeenthecase.
Thesailwastoofarofftobemadeoutwithanythinglikedistinctness.
Itwasasteamerheadedtotheeast,andthequantityofsmokethattrailedintheairaboveindicatedthatshehadbeenliberalintheuseofcoalinherfurnaces.
AsthesailwasdiminishingherdistancefromtheSt.Regis,Christyturnedhisattentionagaintotheprizealongsidehisship.
ThetwochasersthathadbeenpursuingtheRaven,neitherofwhichappearedtobecapableofmakingmorethanfourteenknotsanhour,werenowalmostwithinhailingdistance.
TheRavenwasasteamerofnearlythesizeoftheSt.Regis.
Shewasnotarmed,andhadaship’scompanyofaboutthirtymen,includingofficers.
Hercargowasmiscellaneousinitscharacter,consistingofsuchmerchandiseaswasmostneededintheConfederacy,especiallyinthearmy.
Awatchhadbeensetbelowonboardofhertoextinguishfiresifanymoreappeared;butthisperilhadbeeneffectuallyremoved.
Theattempttodestroythesteamerandhercargolookedlikemaliceandrevenge,andsomeoftheofficersoftheshipthoughtitoughttoberegardedandtreatedasanactofwar.
Toburn,scuttle,blowup,runashore,orotherwisedestroyablockade-runnerafterhersituationhasbecomeabsolutelyhopelesscanresultonlytothebenefitoftheenemy,sinceitdeprivedtheFederalsofthepropertythatwouldotherwisebeconfiscatedunderinternationallaw.
Butblockade-runnersareregardedasneutralsunlessprovedtobeAmericans,inwhichcasetheyaresubjecttothepenaltiesoftreason,andtheforfeitureoftheshipandcargoistheonlypunishment.
Christyhadneverbeenabletoregardthisclassofpersonswithmuchrespect,fortheyappearedtobeinleaguewiththeenemy.
CaptainBristlerhadnotonlyattemptedtobreakthroughtheblockade,whichheandmanyofhiscountrymenregardedasalegitimatebusiness;buthehadattemptedtoburnhisvessel.
Hehadgotouthisboats;andwhenshewaswrappedinflames,heevidentlyexpectedtheFederalvictortopickuphimselfandhisship’scompany,andtreatthewholeofthemasthoughtheyhadnotbeen,atleastconstructivelyifnotreally,intheserviceoftheenemy.
“ThecoldwaterappliedtothecommanderoftheRavenhashadagoodeffectuponhim,”saidthefirstlieutenant,ashetouchedhiscaponthequarter-deckoftheSt.Regis.
“Hesendswordthatheregretshisconduct,andaskstobereleasedfromconfinement.”
“Hehasbehavedhimselfmorelikeaswinethanagentleman;butIhavenoill-willtowardshim,forIregardedhimasbeneathmycontempt,”repliedCaptainPassford.
“Icanunderstandhiscondition,forofcourseheissufferingunderatremendousdisappointment;butthatdoesnotatoneforhisbrutality.”
“Certainlynot,sir.Hewasrunningawayfromthetwoblockadersthatwerepursuinghim,andhadbeatenthemboth.
HewasabsolutelysureofhisescapetillheencounteredthefleetinshorewhentheSt.Regiscameuponthescene,”addedMr.Baskirk.
“Hercaptainhadnoparticularrespectforoursteamerwhenhesawher,andkeptonhiscourseasifincontemptofher,tillwedroppedashotnearhim.
IfhehadheadedtothesouthwhenhefirstmadeouttheSt.Regis,hewouldhaveimprovedhischances,buthewouldonlyhavegivenusalongerchase.
LetCaptainBristleroutofthebrig,Mr.Baskirk;wewillseeifhecanbehavehimselfanybetter;butIwillnotallowanymantoswearatmeifIcanhelpmyself.”
AlittlelaterCaptainBristlercameondeckinchargeoftheship’scorporal.Hewasdressedinhisbestclothes,andhispersonalappearancehadbeengreatlyimproved.
“CaptainPassford,”saidhe,raisinghiscaptothecommander,“undertheinfluenceofmyawfuldisappointmentatthefailureoftheRaventooutsailyou,Iwasrudeandungentlemanly,andsomeofmyforecastlehabitscamebacktome.
Ibegyourpardon;andIshallshowyouthatIknowhowtobeagentleman,ifIdidforgetmyselfforatime.”
“Thatissufficient,andIacceptyourapology,CaptainBristler,”repliedChristywithabundantdignity.
“IdidnotbelievetherewasashipintheFederalnavythatcouldoutsailtheRaven,forshewasbuiltmoreforspeedthanforcargo,”continuedthecaptainoftheprize.
“TheSt.RegisisnottheonlyonethatcanoutsailtheRaven.Ihaveservedinasteamerthatcouldbeatherfourknotsanhourinanemergency,”addedChristy.
“Whatsteameristhat,Captain?”askedCaptainBristler.
“Thatisnotimportant,butitwastheonethatoutsailedandcapturedtheSt.Regiswhenshehadanothername.”
“Thenyourshipwasablockade-runner?”
“Shewas,andalsoaConfederateman-of-war;shewastheTrafalgar.”
“Ah!ThenIknowherverywell;andthecompanyowningtheRaven,ofwhichIamamember,offerednearlydoublewhatitcosttobuildtheRavenforher,”repliedCaptainBristler.
“IcanunderstandnowhowIhappenedtobesothoroughlybeateninthelastchase.
Shewasbuiltforayacht,andnomoneywasspareduponher.”
BythistimethetwosteamersthathadfirstchasedtheRavenhadstoppedtheirscrews,andaboatwasonitswayfromeachofthem.
Thetwocutterscameuptothegangway,andtheofficerineachascendedtothedeck.
ChristypermittedthecaptainoftheRaventotakecareofhimself,whilehewaitedforthevisitorstopresentthemselves.
“Iamverygladtoseeyou,Mr.Amblen!”exclaimedChristy,asheextendedhishand;forherecognizedinthefirstofficerthegentlemanwhohadbeenhisthirdlieutenantintheBronx.
“Iamdelightedtoseeyouagain,CaptainPassford,”repliedLieutenantAmblen,forsuchwashispresentrank.
“IamnowtheexecutiveofficeroftheMuskegon.
IhavethepleasureofpresentingtoyouMr.Cartright,firstlieutenantoftheSt.Croix.”
“Iamhappytomeetyou,Mr.Cartright.”
“Ihaveoftenheardofyou,CaptainPassford,andIamgladtoseeyouincommandofsofineandfastasteamerastheSt.Regis,thoughIneverheardofherbefore,”addedtheexecutiveofficeroftheSt.Croix.
“Ofcourseyouareawarethatthereisasteamerinsighttothewestwardofus.”
“Iamawareofit;andforthatreasonweshouldhastenourpresentbusiness,”repliedChristy,asheglancedatthesteamerinthedistanceandthetrailsofsmokeasternofher.
“Idonotknowwhoistherankingofficerhere;andIhavenotyetreportedtotheadmiral,forItookpartinthechasefromthemomentofmyarrival.”
“Youarealieutenant”—Mr.Amblenbegan.
“Alieutenant-commander,ifyouplease,”interposedChristywithasmile.
“Thenyouaretherankingofficer,CaptainPassford,forbothoftheothercommandersarelieutenants,”addedtheexecutiveofficeroftheMuskegon.
“Wearereadytotransmityourorderstooursuperiors.”
“Myorderswilldependsomewhatuponthesteamerasternofus;andifyouwillexcusemeafewmoments,Ishallsoonbereadytoissuethem,”repliedChristy,ashetookhisspy-glassfromthebrackets,anddirectedittotheapproachingsteamerfromthewest.“Whatdoyoumakeofher,Mr.Baskirk?”
Theexecutiveofficerhadbeenobservingthesteamerasternwithhisglass;andshewasnotmorethanfourmilesdistantbythistime.
“Sheisalargevessel,Ijudge,notlessthanathousandtons.
Shehasallsailsetanddrawing,andsheseemstobemakingveryrapidprogressthroughthewater,”repliedthefirstlieutenant.
“Buttherearenotlessthanthreesteamerspursuingher,thoughtheyarealongwayasternofher.”
“Imakeoutthechasers,andIshouldjudgethatsheisgettingawayfromthem,”addedChristy.
“Theleadingsteameristurningherheadtothesouth!”exclaimedMr.Baskirk,withnolittleexcitementinhismanner.
“Ionlywondershehasnotdonesobefore,”addedthecommander,rejoiningtheofficersoftheothersteamers.
“IbelieveCaptainWrightoftheMuskegonoutranksCaptainBoydenoftheSt.Croix,”hecontinued.
“Hedoes,CaptainPassford,”repliedMr.Amblen.
“Ifyouwillexcusemeamoment,Iwillwriteanorderforhim;”andChristyretiredtohiscabinforthispurpose.
HiscommunicationdirectedCaptainWrighttotakepossessionoftheRaven,andtreatherpreciselyasthoughsheweretheprizeoftheMuskegonandherconsort;andconstructivelyshewasconcernedinthecaptureofthevessel,especiallyinthedistributionoftheprize-money.
Headdedtotheorderthefactthatwhatappearedtobeablockade-runnerasternofhisshipwasoutsailingherpursuers,andtheSt.Regisbeingaveryfaststeamer,hisdutydidnotpermithimtomakeanyfurtherdelayintakingpartinthechase.
WiththisorderinthehandsofMr.Amblen,Christytookleaveofthetwoofficersandtheydepartedintheirboats.
Buthewasobligedtoawaitthearrivalofoneorbothoftheblockadersbeforestartingthescrew,forhewasnotwillingtoleaveanynumberofhiscrewinchargeoftheprize.
Whilehewaswaiting,hewrotealettertotheactingadmiralofthestation,announcinghisarrival,andcopyingintoitthematerialportionofhisordersfromthedepartment.
TheMuskegonwasthefirsttocomealongsideoftheRaven,whichshedidonthestarboardside.
CaptainWright,crossingthedeckoftheRaven,presentedhimselftoCaptainPassfordonthequarter-deckoftheSt.Regis;hewasreceivedwithChristy’saccustomedpoliteness,andtheprizewashandedovertohimverbally,asithadbeendonebeforeinwriting.
CaptainWrightbegantocomplimentCaptainPassford,withwhosebrilliantreputationhewasalreadyveryfamiliar;butChristyinterposed,declaringthathewasinagreathurry,andcouldhearnomore,ifhisorderswereclearlyunderstood.
Mr.Baskirkhaddirectedtherecallofalltheship’scompany,withtheexceptionofamaster’smate,whowastoremainonboardtogiveanyfurtherinformationneededtotheofficersoftheMuskegon,andtobeawitnessinNewYorkattheprizecourt.
CaptainBristlerandhiseffectsweresentbacktotheRaven,thegrapplingironsandthefastswerecastoff,andtheSt.Regisbackedoutfromherpositionontheportsideoftheprize.
DuringallthistimeChristywasverybusywithhisglass.
AsMr.Baskirkhaddiscovered,theleadingsteamerhadthreeblockadersinchaseofher.
Shewasnowheadedtothesouth,havingdonesoassoonasshesawthefourvesselslyinginhercourse.
“Makethecoursesouth-westbysouth,Mr.Baskirk,”saidtheyoungcommander,afterhehadbroughthistrigonometryintouseagain.
Thenitbecameaveryexcitingquestiontoascertainwhichwasthefastersteamerofthetwo.
Share this article to
FINISH