by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XX
CAPTAIN DE BANYAN FINDS AN OLD FRIEND
Both Somers and De Banyan flew to the rescue, and made a mostenthusiastic attempt to check the fire; but the raging element was nowpast control. The flames spread through the combustible material whichhad been stored on the deck; and they were compelled to abandon theill-starred steamer with the utmost precipitation, in order to save theirown lives.
De Banyan had rolled up an old newspaper, making of it a kind of torch,some three feet in length, which he had inserted in a mass of pitch-woodshavings, and set the end on fire. It had burned long enough to removesuspicion from him; and, when the pilot and crew went on shore, CaptainOsborn had no idea of the trick of which he had been made the victim. Ourscouts kept up appearances in the most remarkable manner, and Somers wasonly afraid that his zealous companion would overdo the matter.
"What do you mean by that, Captain Osborn?" demanded Somers, as he shookthe cinders from his clothes in the presence of the rebel officer. "Didyou intend to sacrifice our lives?"
"Yes; burn us up before we had time to leave the old hulk!" added DeBanyan furiously. "I thought we were to light the fire ourselves."
"I didn't do it," replied Captain Osborn.
"You didn't? Who did do it, then?" persisted Somers.
"I don't know."
"Well, I don't know; but, in my opinion, you did it yourself."
"You are an idiot! Do you think I would destroy the work of my ownhands?" added the rebel warmly.
"Well, I supposed you fired the train so as to be sure the thing was doneright."
"You are a fool, or else you didn't suppose any such thing."
"I didn't know but what you had one of those clock machines, that touch athing off at a certain time. Well, how did it happen, then?"
"I don't know; perhaps from a spark from the fire. No matter how it wasdone now. It is done, and can't be helped. I have lost the satisfactionof seeing half the Yankee fleet burnt up. I would rather have given ayear's pay than have had this accident happen."
"Haven't they got most ready for the Yankee fleet above here?" askedSomers as carelessly as he could.
"What do you mean?"
"They are building batteries up above, to knock the Yankees into pieces,aren't they?"
"Perhaps they are."
"Well, Captain Osborn, I don't believe your plan would have succeeded ifthe steamer hadn't caught afire."
"Don't you? Why not?"
"Suppose the Yankees had stopped us on our way up, and come on board thesteamer. Don't you think they would have known what she was for?"
"Perhaps they would."
"Of course they would. Why didn't you fit out your steamer up the river?"
"We haven't so many steamers that we can afford to burn them up. We tookthis one because she happened to be in the creek, where the Yankees couldcapture her at any time they pleased."
"It wouldn't need a steamer above the fleet; a raft would do just aswell. I think I shall go up the river, and see what can be done. Well,boys," added Somers to the men in the boat, "there will be no funto-night, and you may as well go home."
As this order was in conformity with previous instructions, the menpulled down the creek to its mouth, where they could remain concealedtill their officers returned.
By the light of the burning steamer, Captain Osborn had attentivelyscanned the features of the pilot and his companion, apparently for thepurpose of determining where he had seen the former. As they had bothdressed themselves for the occasion, they submitted to his scrutinywithout fear. When he had finished his survey, he mounted his horse,which was fastened to a tree near the creek, and had become very restiveas the glaring fire scattered burning cinders near him. As the rider hadno further use for our enterprising operatives, he bestowed no furthernotice upon them, and rode off to report to his commanding officer thefailure of the hopeful enterprise.
"Well, we have done some good by coming over here," said Captain deBanyan as the officer galloped up the road above the creek.
"Hush, captain!" replied Somers. "You forget where you are."
"No, I don't; we are alone."
"Perhaps not; the trees have ears sometimes."
"Well, where are you going now?"
"Up the river. We will take a walk up to the batteries, if there are anythere."
They proceeded in the direction indicated for about three miles withoutbeing molested, or even challenged by a sentinel. The Army of the Potomachad been on the other side of the river nearly a month, and had ceased tobe a curiosity to the rebel inhabitants in the vicinity; and likesensible people, as they were in this respect if in no other, theydevoted the hours of darkness to sleep. On the shore opposite the camp,they found a battery of artillery. Rude field-works had been constructednear the water, on which the guns of the company had been placed. Ourtravelers were too modest to make the acquaintance of the rebels, andkept at a respectful distance from them, crawling on the ground nearenough to ascertain the force of the enemy.
Taking to the fields for greater safety, the scouts went up the riverseveral miles farther, without making any discoveries worthy of notice.The object of the excursion had been fully accomplished; and they beganto retrace their steps towards the creek, where the boat was waitingtheir return. When we are well employed, time passes away very rapidly;and our adventurers had taken no note of its passage. Before they hadmade a single mile, the bright streaks of day in the east warned themthat they had remained too long for their own safety.
The prospect of being examined by rebel officers in broad daylight wasnot pleasant; and, increasing their speed, they walked by the shortestway towards the creek. When they had passed the battery of artillery,they abandoned the fields, through which they could make but slowprogress, for the road. They had three miles farther to go, and it wasnow nearly sunrise.
"I think we must have lost two or three hours," said Somers as theyhastened on their way. "I had no idea that it was more than two o'clockin the morning when we turned about."
"Nor I," replied De Banyan. "We must have spent two or three hours incrawling on the ground about that battery."
"I don't see where the time is all gone."
"It goes fast when we are busy. When I was in the Crimea----"
"Never mind the Crimea now," protested Somers, who was in no mood for hiscompanion's fibs.
"Don't be crusty, Somers."
"I did not mean to be crusty; but you know my opinion about those storiesof the Crimea and the Italian war, and I don't think it is a good plan totalk so much over here."
"As you please; it is your turn to speak next."
"I meant no offense."
"I know you didn't, Somers; but you reproved me, and I can only hold mypeace; for you are the commander of this expedition."
"You know I like you as a brother; but I don't like those silly yarnsabout your impossible achievements. Hark! What's that?"
This last remark was caused by the sound of horses' feet behind them; andour travelers looked back with eager interest to ascertain what wasapproaching. It was a body of cavalry, which had just swept round a bendof the road, and was now in plain sight of them.
"That won't do," said De Banyan with energy. "We must conceal ourselves."
"I think they have seen us, and we may as well make the best of it. If wehide, they will certainly suspect us."
"They have not seen us yet. They are half a mile off," replied thecaptain, as he retired to the field by the side of the road.
Somers followed him, though he did not fully approve the policy of hisfriend. They walked a short distance till they came to a covert ofbushes, in which they concealed themselves.
"I think we have made a mistake. The dog always bites when you attempt torun away from him," said Somers.
"I don't think they saw us," persisted De Banyan. "If they did, we cantell as good a story here as we could in the road."
"I always believe in facing the music. I have found that impudence wi
llcarry a man a great deal farther and a great deal faster than his legscan."
"Perhaps you are right, Somers. When I was in Italy----"
"Bah! Don't say Italy or Crimea again till we reach the other side of theriver," interposed Somers, who was too seriously affected by the perilsof their situation to be willing to listen to any of his companion'shallucinations.
"Just as you please, Somers," answered the captain, unmoved by therebuff; "but, when I was doing scout duty before the battle of Magenta, Isaw the advance of the Austrians coming up behind me. I crawled into ahaystack, and remained there while the whole army of the Austrians, aboutfour hundred thousand men, passed by me."
Somers could not but smile at the infatuation of his friend, who at sucha perilous moment could indulge in such a vicious practice as that ofinventing great stories. He did not even ask him how long it took theAustrian army to pass the haystack, whether they had haystacks in Italy,nor if it was probable that such an army would pass over a single road.He waited patiently, or impatiently, for the approach of the rebelcavalry, which soon reached the road near the bushes where they werehidden.
To his consternation, they came to a dead halt; and he could see the mengazing earnestly in the direction they had retired. Then half a dozen ofthe troopers entered the field, and rode directly towards the covert ofbushes.
"We are caught!" whispered Somers.
"That's so. Just after the battle of Palestro, when I----"
"Hush!"
"Hush it is," replied De Banyan, as coolly as though he had been underhis shelter tent on the other side of the James.
Taking a knife from his pocket, he began to cut away at a straight bushwhich grew near him, and was thus busily employed when the soldiersreached the spot. Somers stretched himself on the ground, and waited theissue of the event; deciding to let his companion, who had got him intothe scrape, extricate him from it. The coolness of the captain, and thepeculiar manner he assumed, convinced him that he had some resources uponwhich to draw in this trying emergency.
"Hallo, there!" shouted one of the troopers savagely, as though heintended to carry consternation in the tones of his voice.
"How are you, old hoss?" inquired De Banyan, as impudently as though hehad been the lord of the manor.
"What ye doin' in here?" demanded the horseman, as he forced his animalinto the bushes far enough to obtain a full view of both of thefugitives.
"Well, old hoss, if Heaven gin you two eyes, what were they gin to yefur?" replied the captain, still hacking away at the sapling.
"What d'ye run for when you saw us coming?"
"Didn't run."
"Yes, yer did."
"You know best, then."
"What d'ye come in here fur?"
"Don't ye see what I came in here for?" replied De Banyan, as he finishedcutting off the bush, and proceeded to trim off the branches.
"Who are you?"
"Well, old hoss, I'm the brother of my father's oldest son."
"What's yer name?"
"Hain't got any; had a difficulty with the district attorney in ourcounty, and lost it."
"Come out here, and show yerself. The cap'n wants to see yer down to theroad."
"Just goin' down there. Say, you hain't got a spare hoss in your caravan,have you? I'm gettin' amazin' tired."
"Come out, both of you. I can't stay here all day."
"Needn't wait for me; I'm in no hurry," answered the captain, as heslowly emerged from the bushes, followed by Somers.
"But I shall wait for yer; and, if yer don't step along lively, I'll letyer know how this cheese-knife feels."
"Don't distress yourself to do anything of the sort," said De Banyan; andhe hobbled along on his new-made cane.
A walk of a few rods brought them to the road, where the commander of thecompany was impatiently awaiting their arrival. He looked daggers at thetravelers, and evidently intended to annihilate them by the fierceness ofhis visage.
"Give an account of yourself," said he.
"We're no account," replied De Banyan.
"I've seen you before," continued the cavalry commander, gazing intentlyat the captain.
"No; you saw me behind."
"That sounds like you. Why, really, it is Barney Marvel."
"Who?" demanded De Banyan with an expression of humor.
"Barney Marvel! Don't you know your own name? Give us your hand, Barney,"added the officer, as he extended his own.
"Well, cap'n, perhaps I'm Barney what's-his-name; but, 'pon my word, Idon't think I am;" and De Banyan wore a troubled expression, even to theeyes of his anxious companion.
"Don't be modest about it, Barney. You left us rather unceremoniously;but I hope you'll be able to show that it was all right."
"'Pon my word it was all right, though I haven't the least idea what youmean."
"Haven't you, indeed, Barney?" laughed the captain, who, in spite of hispresent happy manner, was evidently as much puzzled as the other party.
"'Pon my word, I haven't."
"Do you mean to say you are not Barney Marvel, formerly a lieutenant inthe Third Tennessee?"
"Not if I know it."
"I suppose I understood your position, Barney; but I advise you not todeny facts."
"I never deny facts, captain; you haven't told me your name yet."
"No need of that. Now, be honest, Barney. Tell us all about it. Therewasn't an officer in the regiment that didn't mourn you as a brother whenyou left us."
"I'm very much obliged to them," replied De Banyan lightly; but evenSomers began to have some doubts in regard to his popular friend.
"How are Magenta, Solferino, and the Crimea, now-a-days?" demanded theofficer.
"Never heard of such places. Don't know much about geography," answeredthe captain.
Somers was confounded when the officer repeated these words, which wasproof positive that he was the man whom the captain represented him tobe.
"Sergeant, dismount, and tell me if you find B. M. on that man's rightarm."
The sergeant obeyed, and, with the assistance of another, bared thecaptain's arm, where they found, plainly marked in India ink, theinitials B. M.
