On The Blockade

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER X

  THE UNEXPECTED ORDERS

  Christy sat for some minutes watching the expression of Mulgrum as heread the letter he was to copy. Like a careful man, he was evidentlytaking a glance at it as a whole. The interested observer could see thathe fixed his gaze upon the last part of the letter, the extract from themissive of Warnock, relating to the twelve loyal American seamen andtheir officer. In fact, he seemed to be paralyzed by what he read.

  The commander was satisfied with what he had seen, and he rose from hischair. His movement seemed to restore the self-possession of the deafmute, and he began to write very rapidly. Christy went into his stateroom, where he kept all his important papers in his desk. He gavehimself up to a consideration of the situation in which he was placed.He had partly closed the door. But he had not been in the room half anhour before he heard a knock.

  "Come in," said he, supposing the caller was Dave.

  The door was pushed open, and Mulgrum came in with his tablet in hishand. The deaf mute had certainly heard his reply to the knock, forhe had heeded it instantly, and he smiled at the manner in which theconspirator had "given himself away." The scullion presented his tabletto the captain with a very deferential bow.

  "There is an error in the copy of the letter you gave me--in theextract. If you will give me the original letter from Mr. Warnock,I will correct the mistake," Christy read on the tablet. It was notimpossible that he had made a mistake in copying his letter; but theobject of Mulgrum in desiring to see the original of the letter fromEngland was sufficiently apparent. "Bring me my copy of the letter,"he wrote on the tablet, and handed it back to the owner.

  The captain took from his desk a bundle of letters and selected one,which he opened and laid on the table, though not where his copyistcould see it. Mulgrum returned and presented him the letter, pointingout the mistake he had discovered. He looked at the blind letter, andthen at the other. There was certainly an error, for his letter said"and they comprise about one of crew of each vessel." This was nonsense,for he had accidentally omitted the word "half" after "one." He insertedthe word above the line in its proper place, and gave it back to thecopyist. It was clear enough that Mulgrum was disappointed in the resultof this interview; but he took the letter and returned to the table.

  At the end of another quarter of an hour, he brought the first copy ofthe letter. He knocked as before, and though Christy told him in a loudtone to come in, he did not do so. He repeated the words, but theconspirator, possibly aware of the blunder he had made before, didnot make it again. Then he wrote on his tablet, after the captain hadapproved his work, that he found the table very uncomfortable to writeupon while the ship was pitching so smartly, and suggested that heshould be allowed to make the rest of the copies on the desk inthe state room, if the captain did not desire to use it himself.Unfortunately for the writer, he did desire to use it himself, and hecould not help smiling at the enterprise of the deaf mute in his attemptto obtain an opportunity to forage among the papers in his drawers.

  Mulgrum certainly did his work nicely and expeditiously, for he hadfinished it at three bells in the forenoon watch. He was dismissedthen, for his presence was not particularly agreeable to the commander.Christy locked his desk and all the drawers that contained papers, notas against a thief or a burglar, but against one who would scorn toappropriate anything of value that did not belong to him, for he had nodoubt now that Mulgrum was a gentleman who was trying to serve what heregarded as his country, though it was nothing but a fraction of it.

  In fact, inheriting, as it were, the broad and generous policy of hisfather, Christy had no personal prejudices against this enemy of hiscountry, and he felt just as he would if he had been sailing a boatagainst him, or playing a game of whist with him. He was determined tobeat him if he could. But he was not satisfied with locking his papersup; he called Dave, and set him as a watch over them. If the conspiratoroverhauled his papers, he would have been more concerned about what hedid not find than in relation to what he did find, for the absence ofthe original of Warnock's letter would go far to convince him that theextract from it was an invention.

  When he had taken these precautions he went on deck. The wind wasblowing a moderate gale; but the Bronx was doing exceedingly well,lifting herself very lightly over the foaming billows, and conveyingto one walking her deck the impression of solidity and strength. Thecaptain went to the bridge after a while, though not till he had noticedthat something was going on among the crew; but he was not disposed toinquire into the matter, possibly regarding it as beneath the dignity ofa commander to do so.

  Christy mounted the steps to the bridge. This structure is hardlya man-of-war appendage. It had been there, and it had been permittedto remain. The first shot in action might carry it away, and thiscontingency had been provided for, as she was provided with a duplicatesteam-steering apparatus, as well as a hand wheel at the stern. Theproper position of the officer of the watch, who is practically incommand for the time being, is on the quarter deck, though he isrequired during his watch to visit all parts of the deck. On board ofthe Bronx this officer was placed on the bridge, where he could overlookall parts of the ship.

  The first lieutenant, who had the forenoon watch, saluted him, but therewas nothing of interest to report. Christy asked the meaning of themovement he had observed among the seamen and petty officers, and wastold that Baskirk was getting up an association on board, the firstrequirement to which was for all who wished to become members to signthe oath of allegiance to the United States government, "as representedby and presided over by the President at Washington." It was to be asecret society, and Flint added that it was really a branch of the UnionLeague. Christy did not think it wise to ask any more questions, but heunderstood that this was really a movement to ascertain the sentimentsof the members of the ship's company as to the extent of their duty insupporting the government.

  "Mr. Flint, I am not a little dissatisfied with the manner in which weare compelled to carry on our duty on board of the Bronx, though noblame is to be attached to the naval department on account of it," saidChristy, after he had walked the bridge for a time.

  "Is anything going wrong, Captain Passford?" asked the first lieutenantanxiously.

  "Oh, no: I have no fault to find with any one, and least of all withyou," added the captain promptly. "The trouble is that we are short ofofficers, though all that could be spared for this vessel were sent onboard of her. As the matter now stands, Dr. Spokeley and I are the onlyidlers on board in the cabin and ward room. The first lieutenant has tokeep a watch, which is not at all regular, and I foresee that thisarrangement will be a very great disadvantage to me. It could not behelped, and the Bronx was evidently regarded as of no great importance,for she is little more than a storeship just now, though the flagofficer in the Gulf will doubtless make something more of her."

  "We have a big crew for this vessel, but we are short of officers,"added Flint.

  "From the best calculations I have been able to make, with my father tohelp me, we ought to fall in with the Scotian and the Arran; and in viewof such an event, I propose to prepare for the emergency by appointing atemporary third lieutenant."

  "I think that would be a very wise step to take," added Flint verycordially.

  "Of the men you mentioned to me, who is the best one for this position?"asked Christy.

  "I have no hesitation in saying that Baskirk is the right man for theposition."

  "Very well; he shall be appointed," added Christy, as he left thebridge. But in a few minutes he returned, and handed an order to thefirst lieutenant.

  Baskirk was sent for, and the captain had a long talk with him. Hefound that the candidate had more knowledge of naval discipline thanhe had supposed, and he was pleased with the man. He was the leadingquartermaster in rank, having been appointed first. After another talkwith Flint, the latter gave the order to pass the word for Mr. Giblock,who was the acting boatswain, though in rank he was only a boatswain'smate. He was directed t
o call all hands. When the ship's company wereassembled on the forward deck, though this is not the usual place forsuch a gathering, the first lieutenant read the order of the commanderappointing George Baskirk as acting third lieutenant of the Bronx, anddirecting that he should be respected and obeyed as such. A smart cheerfollowed the announcement, though the second lieutenant, who had takena place on the bridge, looked as though he did not approve the step thecaptain had taken. The officer of the deck next appointed Thomas McLinna quartermaster. The ship's company were then dismissed.

  Just before noon by the clocks, Lieutenant Baskirk appeared on thebridge, dressed in a brand-new uniform, with a sextant in his hands.Christy, who did not depend upon his pay for the extent of his wardrobe,had not less than three new suits, and he had presented one of them tothe newly appointed officer, for there was no material difference in thesize of the two persons. All the officers who kept watches were requiredto "take the sun," and at the moment the meridian was crossed, thecaptain gave the word to "make it noon," and the great bell sounded outeight bells. The officers proceeded to figure up the results of theobservations. The longitude and latitude were entered on the log slate,to be transferred to the log book. Baskirk was directed to take thestarboard watch, and he was formally presented to the second lieutenantby the captain; and whatever his feeling or opinions in regard to thestep which had just been taken, he accepted the hand of the new officerand treated him with proper courtesy.

  "Latitude 37 deg. 52'," said the captain significantly, as he led the waydown from the bridge, attended by the first and third lieutenants.

  They followed him to the captain's cabin. Christy gave them seats atthe table, and then went into his state room for the ponderous envelopewhich contained his orders. He seated himself between his two officers;but before he broke the great seal, he discovered Dave in the passagewaymaking energetic signs to him. He hastened to him, and followed him intothe ward room.

  "Pink is under your berth in the state room," whispered the steward inthe most impressive manner.

  "All right, Dave; you have been faithful to your duty," said Christy,as he hastened back into his cabin.

  Resuming his place at the table, he broke the seal of the huge envelope.He unfolded the inclosed instructions, and ran over them withoutspeaking a word.

  "We have nothing to do on this cruise," said he, apparently taking hisidea from the paper in his hand. "I will read the material parts of it,"he continued in a much louder tone than the size of the cabin and thenearness of his auditors seemed to demand. "'You will proceed with allreasonable despatch to the Gulf of Mexico, and report to the flagofficer, or his representative, of the eastern Gulf Squadron. You willattempt no operations on your passage, and if an enemy appears you willavoid her if possible with honor.' That's all, gentlemen."

  The two listeners seemed to be utterly confounded.