Stand By The Union

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XII

  A LESSON IN ORDINARY POLITENESS

  Though the second lieutenant of the Bronx had not been to breakfast, itwas not his stomach that made the first demand upon him. He directed thesteward to remain in the gangway and apprise him of the coming of anyperson in the direction of the cabin and ward room. Dave took hisstation on the steps. Mr. Flint entered the stateroom, and the firstthing he did was to drop down on his knees and thrust his right handinto the space under the berth. It was instantly grasped by Christy, andgiven a warm pressure.

  "Is it really you, Captain Passford?" asked the second lieutenant.

  "No doubt of it," replied Christy.

  "I thought you were somewhat changed in your looks when I saw you comeon board of the Bronx, and then I felt that the greeting you gave me wasrather stiff for an old comrade who had passed some time with you in aConfederate prison," added Mr. Flint.

  "We have no time to talk sentiment now. It is necessary for you tounderstand the situation better than you do," interposed Christy; and heproceeded to explain in what manner his cousin Corny happened to be incommand of the Bronx, while he was himself nominally a prisoner of war.

  "Your absence from the between decks of the Vernon has been discovered,and Captain Battleton has caused the strictest search to be made for youon board of all three of the ships. The last I saw of him he wasevidently talking with the flag-officer about you, as I judged from hislooks and gestures," replied the second lieutenant.

  "He has not found me yet; and I think that the stateroom of thecommander of the Bronx is the last place he will think of looking forme. But I have no time to talk of merely selfish matters, for I am notat all worried about my personal safety while we are within Unionlines. If this plot succeeds, and the conspirators get the ship into aConfederate port, I shall feel differently about this matter. Has anythird lieutenant been appointed, Mr. Flint?"

  "There has, captain; he is a young man by the name of Byron; but I didnot learn his rank."

  "Byron!" exclaimed Christy, recalling Walsh, and the name he hadinsisted was his own when he first encountered him on board of theVernon. "He may have a rank in the Confederate navy, but he has nonein that of the Union. In other words, he is a Confederate officer orseaman, and he is the man who helped Corny steal my commission andorders."

  "We have a nest of them in the cabin--the captain and two officers.What is to be done? We cannot allow the Bronx to be captured by anysuch trick as this, with forty-five loyal seamen on board of her,to say nothing of myself as a loyal officer."

  "All the crew are not loyal," replied Christy, as he explained theinstructions he had given to the steward.

  "But most of the crew must be loyal, for twenty of the old seamenremain on board, and every one of them is as true as steel," Mr. Flintinsisted.

  "But the conspirators do not intend that any issue shall be raiseduntil the vessel is under the guns of a Confederate fort. Doubtless Mr.Galvinne, whom I look upon as the actual commander of the steamer, forCorny is no sailor, will run into Pensacola Bay under the American flag.Probably he is a pilot in these waters, and knows what signal to make tothe Confederate forts."

  "I don't believe he would attempt to run in while it is broad daylight,"suggested Mr. Flint. "Captain Corny already has his sailing orders. Theyare sealed, but he is to proceed to the eastward. I should say that hewould obey orders, and when it is time for him to break the seals thisevening, he will come about, hug the shore of St. Rosa's till he comesto the entrance of the bay, when he will go in."

  "If he does that, so much the better, for we shall have more time toprepare for a decided stroke," replied Christy. "I have my plan allready, though of course it may fail, and to-night we may all beprisoners of war."

  "But don't you believe it will be better to appeal to the flag-officer?"asked the second lieutenant.

  "What good will that do?" demanded Christy. "My cousin has made out hiscase before the captain of the Vernon."

  "But you had no witnesses then. You have twenty or thirty of them now.I know you, and so do all the members of the old crew."

  "But it appears that you promptly accepted your commander in the personof my cousin," said Christy, laughing in spite of the gravity of thesituation.

  "If I had seen you and Corny together, I should have known which waswhich," pleaded Mr. Flint.

  "Do you think if I should present myself on deck at this moment, wearingthe frock and shirt of a common seaman, the men would identify mealongside Corny, who wears the uniform of an officer?"

  "I am not so sure of that."

  "I don't see how the commodore could go behind the commission whichCorny carries in his pocket, with the orders of the department, any morethan Captain Battleton could. I have thought of this, and I am afraid totrust myself to the chance," replied Christy very decidedly. "Besides,I desire to take the conspirators in the very act of running away withthe Bronx; then I can make out a good case."

  "But how is this desirable end to be accomplished?" inquired the secondlieutenant, who seemed to be troubled with some doubts.

  "Very easily, I think."

  "But you must not be rash, captain."

  "Will it be the highest prudence to permit the conspirators to takethe Bronx into a Confederate port, Pensacola, or any other?" demandedChristy with more earnestness than he had yet manifested.

  "We may not be able to help ourselves."

  "By taking the bull by the horns in good season, I am confident we canprevent this mischief."

  Without discussing this matter any farther, Christy detailed his plan toMr. Flint, which was certainly very simple, and the second lieutenantcould raise no objection to it. He was requested to select the men whowere to take part in the enterprise, and all the particulars weredefinitely arranged. There was nothing more to be done, and Christy wasleft to himself to consider what he had done. The hungry officer helpedhimself hastily from the table which was waiting for him in the wardroom, and then hastened on deck.

  The transfer of cargo, so far as the Bronx was concerned, was completed.It appeared that the flag-officer was hurrying the departure of thesteamer on her mission, whatever it was. He had just had a long talkwith Corny, and doubtless there was danger that the object of the cruisemight be defeated by delay. In a short time the Bronx was under way,headed to the eastward, in accordance with her verbal orders, for thesealed envelope was not to be opened till nine o'clock in the evening,as Christy learned from Mr. Flint.

  The deck was in charge of the second lieutenant, who was seeing thateverything was put in order. But it might have been observed that he wasmore familiar with the men than was his habit. For the first time sincehe came on board, Corny went below to take a look at his quarters, Davebearing his valise before him. At the same time Mr. Galvinne presentedhimself in the ward room to take possession of the stateroom of thefirst lieutenant, which was the farthest forward on the starboard side.It had been Christy's room during his service in the Gulf, though he hadmade himself at home in the captain's cabin when he was acting commanderon the voyage from New York.

  "This is my cabin, is it?" said Corny, as he followed the steward intothe apartment.

  "I think you ought to know it by this time, Captain Passford," answeredDave; and the remark was enough to condemn the impostor in the opinionof the servant. "You lived in here when you were in command of thevessel."

  "All right. You may go into the ward room and ask Mr. Galvinne to comein here," added Corny, who did not feel quite at home in the cabin, andwas in mortal terror of committing some indiscretion in his unaccustomedposition.

  "Invite the first lieutenant to the captain's cabin," said Dave. "Yes,sir;" and the steward left the cabin.

  It was some little time before Mr. Galvinne presented himself, forprobably he did not feel bound to obey the orders of the bogus captainwith especial promptness. However, he came after a quarter of an hour,and seated himself familiarly in an arm-chair at the table. He had thebearing of the superior officer, to which
Corny made no objection.

  "We are all right so far," said Corny.

  "Perhaps we are; but you talk too much by half, Passford, and I havebeen dreading that you would make a slip of some kind," replied Mr.Galvinne rather crustily. "You were as stupid as a Kentucky mule whenyou stopped to talk with Byron in the waist."

  "And you were as stupid as an Alabama mule when you snapped at me fordoing so in the presence of some of the sailors," replied Corny, withconsiderable spirit; and Christy, who heard all that was said, was gladto have him maintain the dignity of the family in his new situation.

  "I hope you will not make a donkey of yourself before we have finishedthis business," added the executive officer for the time being. "Nowhave you looked at your orders?"

  "I have not; they are sealed orders, and I am not to open them till nineo'clock this evening," replied Corny.

  "I believe you have lost all the wits you ever had, Passford," said Mr.Galvinne contemptuously.

  "If I did, you did not pick them up."

  "I am not going to banter with you, Passford. Where are your orders?"demanded the first lieutenant in a tyrannical manner.

  "They are in my pocket," replied Corny sourly.

  "Hand them over to me, and let us have no more fooling."

  "I will take care of the orders myself."

  "What! Are you not going to give them to me?" demanded Mr. Galvinne,apparently as much in astonishment as in anger.

  "Not till you change your tone. I wish you to understand that I am incommand of this ship, and I have my commission in my pocket. I intend tobe treated with decency at least."

  "Well, this is pleasant; and it will be my duty to report your conductto my superior officer. In command of this ship! Why, you don't knowenough to lay off the course of the ship, or even to box the compass."

  "I know enough to understand when I am treated like a gentleman. Changeyour manners, or I will order you to leave my cabin. You talk to me asthough I were a small boy, and had nothing to do with the enterprise inwhich we are engaged," returned Corny.

  "Do you expect me to obey your orders?" demanded the executive officerin a sneering tone.

  "If you don't, I will send for the second lieutenant and a file of mento put you out of my cabin."

  There was a silence for a few moments.

  "This will never do, Passford," said the tyrannical officer.

  "I don't think it will, Galvinne. Behave like a gentleman, and we shallhave no difficulty," added Corny.

  "Will you permit me to see your orders, Mr. Passford?" said the officer.

  The breach was closed, and Corny produced the sealed envelope.