by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XIX
COLONEL HOMER PASSFORD OF GLENFIELD
As soon as the battle on the deck of the Tallahatchie had been decided,Graines, in command of the flanking party, had returned to the engineroom of the Bellevite. He and his men had fought bravely and effectivelyin the action, though the full effect of the movement under his chargecould not be realized in the change of circumstances. The engine of theship had now cooled off, and Paul Vapoor hastened to the deck to see hisfriend and crony, the news of whose wound had been conveyed to theengine room in due time.
He was heartily rejoiced to find that it was no worse, and he had newsfor the patient. Just before the burial of the dead he had been sent bythe commander to examine and report upon the condition of the engine ofthe prize. Captain Rombold had protected it with chain cables droppedover the side, so that it remained uninjured, and the British engineersdeclared that it was in perfect working order.
"But whom do you suppose I saw on board the prize, Christy?" asked thechief engineer, after he had incidentally stated the condition of theengine.
"I cannot guess; but it may have been my cousin Corny Passford, thoughhe has always been in the military service of the Confederacy," repliedthe wounded lieutenant.
"It was not Corny, but his father," added Paul.
"His father!" exclaimed Christy. "Uncle Homer Passford?"
"It was he; I know him well, for I used to meet him at Glenfield inother days. I am as familiar with his face as with that of your father,though I have not seen either of them for over three years."
"Where was he? What was he doing?" asked Christy curiously.
"He was just coming up from below; and Mr. Hungerford, the secondlieutenant, told me he had been turned out of the captain's cabin, whichhad been made into a hospital for the wounded," added Paul. "I had noopportunity to speak to him, for he averted his gaze and moved off inanother direction as soon as he saw me. He looked pale and thin, asthough he had recently been very sick."
"Poor Uncle Homer!" exclaimed the lieutenant. "He has been veryunfortunate. The last time I saw him, I conducted him to my father'splace at Bonnydale, after he had been a prisoner on board of theChateaugay. He was on parole then, and I suppose he and Captain Romboldwere both exchanged."
"Doubtless he will tell you all about it when you see him, as you willsoon."
"He had his eyes opened when he passed through New York City with me,for he did not find the grass growing in the streets, as he hadexpected, in spite of all I had said to him at sea. He was astonishedand confounded when he found business more lively than ever beforethere; but he remained as virulent a rebel as ever; and I am sure heregards it as a pious duty to stand by the Southern Confederacy as longas there is anything left of it. I know no man more sincerely religiousthan Uncle Homer."
"He is as good a man as ever walked the earth," added Paul heartily.
"For his sake, if for no other reason, I shall rejoice when this war isover," said Christy, with a very sad expression on his pale face.
"Was Mr. Graines of any use to you on deck, Christy?" asked the chiefengineer, as he turned to take his leave.
"He behaved himself like a loyal officer, and fought like a tiger on thedeck of the Tallahatchie. I shall give a very good report of him to thecaptain for his conduct in the action, and for his valuable services inthe expedition last night. I did not over-estimate him when I selectedhim for both of the positions to which he was appointed."
"He wants to see you, and I told him he should come on deck when Ireturned," added Paul, as he took the hand of Christy and retired.
"How do you feel now, Mr. Passford?" asked Captain Breaker, coming tohis side the moment the chief engineer left him.
"I feel quite weak, but my arm does not bother me much. The Confederatesurgeon did a good job when he dressed it," replied Christy with asmile.
"I will get him to send you a second dose of the restorative thatstrengthened you before," said the commander, as he pencilled a note,which he tore out of his memorandum book, and sent it by Punch to Dr.Davidson.
"Mr. Vapoor brought me a piece of news, Captain," continued Christy."Uncle Homer Passford is on board of the Tallahatchie."
"Your uncle!" exclaimed the commander. "I supposed he was still onparole at the house of your father."
"I did not know to the contrary myself, for I have had no letter from myfather for a long time. He and Captain Rombold must have been exchangedsome time ago. Mr. Vapoor says my uncle looks pale and thin, as thoughhe had recently been very sick."
"I am very sorry for him, for he was the equal of your father in everyrespect, except his loyalty to his true country," added the captain.
"Poor Uncle Homer!" exclaimed Christy, as he wiped a tear from his eye."He was the guest of Captain Rombold; but he has been turned out of hiscabin to make room for the wounded."
"Dr. Linscott with his two mates has gone to the assistance of Dr.Davidson, whose hands are more than full, and perhaps he will see youruncle. Where is he now?" inquired the captain.
"Mr. Vapoor saw him on the deck, but he did not speak to him, for UncleHomer avoided him. The ward room of the prize has at least two woundedofficers in it, and I don't know how many more, so that my poor unclehas no place to lay his head if he is sick," said Christy, full ofsympathy for his father's brother.
"That will never do!" exclaimed the commander bruskly. "He shall have aplace to lay his head, sick or well. Captain Rombold occupies one of thestaterooms in my cabin, and your uncle shall have the other."
"But where will you berth, captain?" demanded Christy.
"No matter where! I will go and find your uncle at once;" and Christysaw him next mounting the gangway steps.
The commander had no difficulty in finding the gentleman he sought; forhe was wandering about the deck of the prize, and no one seemed to takeany notice of him. He had been the honored guest of Captain Rombold,though he had hardly shown himself on deck since the steamer leftMobile, and few of the ship's company seemed to know who he was.
"Good-morning, Colonel Passford," said Captain Breaker, as he confrontedhim in the midst of the ruins of the spare wheel, the wrecks of themizzen mast, and the bulwarks on the quarterdeck.
"Good-morning, Captain Breaker," replied the planter, taking the offeredhand of the commander, with a feeble effort to smile. "Of course I knewthat you were near, for you have given abundant proofs of your presenceon board of this vessel."
"But we meet now as friends, and not as enemies. I know that you havedone your duty to your country as you understand it, and I have done thesame," continued the commander, still holding the hand of the colonel.
"You have been very kind to Captain Rombold, Gill informs me, and"--
"He set the example for me, and I have striven to follow it," interposedthe captain. "But his generosity was first exercised in behalf of yournephew, Christy."
"The steward informed me that Christy had been wounded; and CaptainRombold assured me that the Tallahatchie was captured in consequence ofa very daring act on the part of my nephew," added the planter.
"I should not state it quite so strongly as that, though his actioncertainly enabled us to capture the ship sooner, and with less loss onour part than would otherwise have been the case. As to the ultimateresult of the battle, Captain Rombold and myself would disagree. Butwith your assent, Colonel Passford, I think we had better cease todiscuss the action, which is now an event of the past. I am informedthat you have been compelled to leave the captain's cabin."
"And I cannot find a resting place in the ward room or steerage," addedthe planter.
"I have come on board of the prize to invite you to share my cabin withCaptain Rombold, for I have two staterooms," said Captain Breaker,suddenly changing the subject of conversation.
"You are very kind, my dear sir; but your arrangement would incommodeyourself," suggested the colonel.
"My cabin is quite large, and I shall be able to make ampleaccommodations for myself," persisted the commande
r, as he took the armof the planter. "Permit me to conduct you to your new quarters."
"As I am once more a prisoner"--
"Hardly," interposed the captain, as he led the planter to the gangway,"I shall regard you as a non-combatant, at least for the present; and Idesire only to make you comfortable. The flag-officer must decide uponyour status."
Colonel Passford allowed himself to be conducted to the deck of theBellevite; and he was no stranger on board of the ship, for when shewas a yacht he had made several excursions in her in company with hisfamily. The first person he observed was his nephew, seated in hisarm-chair where he could overlook all that took place on the deck. Hehastened to him, detaching his arm from the hand of the captain, andgave him an affectionate greeting.
"I was very sorry to learn that you were wounded, Christy," said he,holding the right hand of the young officer.
"Not badly wounded, Uncle Homer," replied Christy. "I hope you arewell."
"I am not very well, though I do not call myself sick. Have you heardfrom your father lately, Christy?" asked his uncle.
"Not for a long time, for no store-ship or other vessel has come to oursquadron for several months, though we are waiting for a vessel at thepresent time. You look very pale and thin, Uncle Homer."
"Perhaps I look worse than I feel," replied the planter with a faintsmile. "But I have suffered a great deal of anxiety lately."
"Excuse me, Colonel Passford, but if you will allow me to install you inyour stateroom, you will have abundance of time to talk with your nephewafterwards," interposed Captain Breaker, who was very busy.
"Certainly, Captain; pardon me for detaining you. I am a prisoner,and I shall need my trunk, which is in my stateroom on board of theTallahatchie. Gill will bring it on board if you send word to him to doso," replied the colonel.
He followed the captain to his cabin. The door of the Confederatecommander's room was open, and the planter exchanged a few words withhim. He was shown to the other stateroom, and Punch was ordered to doall that he could for the comfort of the passenger. Captain Breakerspoke a few pleasant words with the wounded commander, and then hastenedon deck.
Mr. Ballard, the second lieutenant, had again been duly installed astemporary executive officer; Mr. Walbrook had been moved up, and Mr.Bostwick, master, had become third lieutenant. As usual, the engineerswere Englishmen, who had come over in the Trafalgar, as well as thegreater part of the crew, though the other officers were Southerngentlemen who had "retired" from the United States Navy. The foreignerswere willing to remain in the engine room, and promised to do their dutyfaithfully as long as their wages were paid; but Leon Bolter, the firstassistant engineer of the Bellevite, was sent on board of the prize toinsure their fidelity.
Ensigns Palmer Drake and Richard Leyton, who were serving on board ofthe steamer while waiting for positions, were sent to the Tallahatchie,the first named as prizemaster, and the other as his first officer, witha prize crew of twenty men, and the two steamers got under way.
