by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXI
CAPTAIN SULLENDINE BECOMES VIOLENT
French ascended the gangway followed by Captain Sullendine. The seamanwho had acted as prize-master of the West Wind touched his cap veryrespectfully to the first officer he met when he came on board. Christyhad asked the chief engineer to send Mr. Graines to him, and he wastalking to him about the prize and the chief prisoner when Frenchpresented himself before them.
"I have come on board to report, sir," said the prize-master of the WestWind.
"Is all well on board, French?" asked the wounded lieutenant.
"All well now, sir," replied the seaman, with a suggestive emphasis onthe last word. "I am very sorry to learn that you have been wounded, Mr.Passford."
"Not severely, French," replied Christy. "I am ready to hear yourreport."
"I have something to say about this business, Jerry Sandman," interposedthe captain of the West Wind, whose wrath had suddenly got the better ofhis judgment, interlarding his brief remark with a couple of ringingoaths.
"I will hear the prize-master first," replied Christy very quietly.
The discomfited master of the schooner called down a shockingmalediction upon the prize-master just as Captain Breaker presentedhimself before the group assembled at the arm-chair of the lieutenant,and had heard the last oaths of the angry man.
"Who is this man, Mr. Passford?" asked the commander.
"I'll let you know who I am!" exclaimed Captain Sullendine, with anothercouplet of oaths.
"I do not permit any profane language on the deck of this ship," saidCaptain Breaker. "Pass the word for the master-at-arms," he added to thenearest officer.
"Oh, you are the cap'n of this hooker," added the master of the WestWind, this time without any expletives. "I have somethin' to say to you,Cap'n, and I want to complain of your officers."
"When you have learned how to behave yourself, I will hear you," repliedthe commander, as the master-at-arms, who is the chief of police onboard a ship of war, presented himself, touching his cap to the supremeauthority of the steamer. "What is the trouble here, Mr. Passford?"asked Captain Breaker in a very gentle tone, in contrast with the quietsternness with which he had spoken to Captain Sullendine.
"No trouble at all, sir; I was about to hear the report of French, theprize-master of the schooner, when the captain of her interfered,"replied Christy.
"My story comes in before the prize-master's, as you call him, though heain't nothin' but a common sailor," interposed Captain Sullendine again.
"Will you be silent?" demanded the commander.
"No, I will not! This is an outrage!" stormed the captain of the WestWind, with a liberal spicing of oaths in his speech.
"Put this man in irons, master-at-arms, and commit him to the brig,"added Captain Breaker.
The petty officer called upon the ship's corporal, whom he had broughtwith him, and placed his hand on the arm of the rebellious master, whoshowed fight. A couple of seamen were called to assist the police force,and Captain Sullendine was dragged below with his wrists ironed behindhim.
"Now you can proceed, French," said the captain.
"When I left you, all was quiet on board of the West Wind," addedChristy, beginning to make a slight explanation for the benefit of thecommander. "Captain Sullendine was very drunk, asleep in his berth, withthe door of his stateroom securely fastened upon him. Bokes the seamanand Sopsy the cook were in the same condition. Go on, French."
"I picked up the boat you set adrift, Mr. Passford, and then headed forthe eastward of Sand Island lighthouse, where you ordered me to anchor.The Holyoke followed the schooner, and came to anchor near the WestWind. She sent a boat on board, and I told my story to the secondlieutenant. We did not need any assistance, and he left us.
"Captain Sullendine was dragged below." Page 238.]
"About four bells in the forenoon watch I heard a tremendous racket inthe cabin, and I went below. Captain Sullendine was doing his best tobreak down the door of his stateroom, cursing hard enough to make theblood of a Christian run cold. But he had nothing to work with, and Ilet him kick and pound till he got tired of it. I put Vogel in the cabinto keep watch of him, and went on deck.
"He kept it up for half an hour or more, and then he seemed to haveenough of it. Vogel came on deck and told me the prisoner was veryhumble then, and wanted to come out. I knew you did not mean that Ishould starve him, and I made Sopsy put his breakfast on the table inthe cabin; but I did not do so till I had locked the liquor closet andput the key in my pocket.
"I let him out then, and his first move was to get at his whiskey; butthe door was locked. He begged like a child for a drink; but I did notgive him a drop. Sopsy and Bokes, who were tied up forward, did thesame; but they did not get any. Captain Sullendine ate his breakfast,and I told him his vessel was a prize to the United States steamerBellevite. Then he was so furious that we had to shut him up in hisstateroom again.
"After a while he promised to behave himself, and I let him out again.He declared that his vessel was not a legal prize, and got off a lot ofstuff that I did not take any notice of. He wanted to make a protest tothe commander of the Bellevite, and when he promised to behave like agentleman, I let him come on board with me."
"You acted with very good judgment, French, and Mr. Passford has alreadycommended your good conduct in the expedition last night," said thecommander.
"Thank you, sir," replied the prize-master, touching his cap, andbacking away without another word.
"Loring," called the captain to the master-at-arms, who had justreturned to the quarter-deck, or as near it as etiquette permitted himto go. "How is your prisoner?"
"He broke down completely after he had been in the brig a few minutes,and promised to behave like a gentleman if the commander would hearhim."
"Bring him to the quarter-deck," added the captain.
In a few minutes, the ship's corporal conducted him into the presenceof the commander. He began with a very lame apology for his previousconduct, and then declared that he was the victim of a "Yankee trick,"and that the West Wind had not been fairly captured.
"Your officers imposed upon me," he continued. "Mr. Balker and JerrySandman"--
"Who are they?" inquired Captain Breaker, interrupting him.
"I was Mr. Balker, engaged as mate of the West Wind, selected for thatposition by Mr. Passford, while the lieutenant was Jerry Sandman, secondmate, which he chose to be himself so that he could be with the men,"interposed Mr. Graines.
"I did not know what their names was, and I reckoned all was honestand square. These men, whoever they were, got me drunk, and got drunkthemselves; and while I was taking a nap, waiting for the steamer to getunder way, they fastened me into my stateroom so I couldn't get out."
"I went through the forms, but I did not take a drop of liquor into mymouth," said Christy.
"I did not take more than a tablespoonful both on board and at the campof the runaways," added Mr. Graines.
"Then you cheated me more'n I thought."
"Is this all the complaint you have to make, Captain Sullendine?" askedCaptain Breaker, turning to the master of the West Wind.
"I reckon that's enough!" protested the complainant. "I say it was nota fair capture, and you ought to send my vessel back to Mobile Point,where your officers found her."
"I shall not do that, but I will compromise the matter by sending you toMobile Point, as I have no further use for you," replied the commander."You are a non-combatant, and not a prisoner of war."
French was ordered to leave Captain Sullendine, Bokes, and Sopsy at theshore where the whaleboat had made a landing, as soon as it was dark.For some reason not apparent, the master of the West Wind protestedagainst this sentence; but no attention was given to his protest. Thecommander was confident that he had evidence enough to secure thecondemnation of the prize, and he regarded such an unreasonable fellowas her late captain as a nuisance. That night the order in regard to himand his companions were carried out.
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br /> Captain Breaker asked some questions in regard to French, which Christyand Mr. Graines were able to answer. He was one of those men, of whomthere were thousands in the army and navy who had become soldiers andsailors purely from patriotic duty, and at the sacrifice of brighterpresent prospects. French had been the mate of a large coaster, whosecaptain had become an ensign in the navy, and he might have had thecommand of her if he had not shipped as an able seaman in the sameservice.
He understood navigation, and had been the second mate of an Indiaman.The commander said nothing when he had learned all he could about theprize-master; but it was evident that he had something in view whichmight be of interest to the subject of his inquiries. He turned hisattention to the condition of his first lieutenant then, asking abouthis arm.
"It does not feel quite so easy as it did," replied Christy, who hadbeen suffering some pain from his wound for the last two hours, thoughhe was so interested in the proceedings on board, and especially in thereport from the West Wind, that he had not been willing to retire to hisstateroom.
"Then you must turn in at once, Mr. Passford," said the commander, withmore energy than he had spoken to the lieutenant before. "I am afraidyou have delayed it too long."
"I think not, sir." replied the wounded officer.
"Mr. Graines shall go with you and assist you," added the captain."I will send Dr. Linscott to you as soon as you get into your berth."
Christy had been sitting so long that he was quite stiff when heattempted to get out of his chair, and the engineer assisted him. Hewas still very weak, and Mr. Graines supported him, though he presentlyrecovered himself. The ship's company, by this time relieved of allheavy work, had been observing him with affectionate admiration, andrehearsing the daring exploit in which he had received his wound, gavethree rousing cheers as he rose to leave the quarter-deck.
Christy turned his pale face towards them, raised his cap, and bowed tothem. Another cheer followed, and then another. The men knew that hisprompt action in mounting the mizzen rigging, boarding the Tallahatchie,and firing the thirty-pounder after he had reversed its position, hadsaved the lives or limbs of a great number of them, and they wereextremely grateful to him.
With the assistance of his friend the engineer, Christy was soon betweenthe sheets in his berth. Dr. Linscott came in as soon as he was in hisbed, spoke very tenderly to him, and then proceeded to dress his injuredarm. He found the member was somewhat swollen, and the patient's pulseindicated some fever.
"I must send you home, Mr. Passford," said the surgeon. "You are thehero of the day, you have earned a vacation, and you will need yourmother's care for the next three weeks."
In spite of Christy's protest, the doctor insisted, and left him.
