CHAPTER V.
ON BOARD THE "MINNESOTA."
When the crash came, Terry was standing at the stern, a little in frontof Captain Afleck, who held the wheel. The shock hurled him to thedeck; but he instantly leaped to his feet again, and as he did so thecaptain's voice rang out,--
"Jump for the martingale, Terry! quick!"
The great bowsprit of the colliding vessel overhung the shattered andsinking schooner like the outreaching branch of a tree. It offered theone possible chance of escape from death. Already two of the sailorswere frantically striving for it. Terry had not lost his wits despitethe suddenness of the catastrophe. Just before him were themain-shrouds, tense and taut with the tremendous strain upon them.Springing into these, he climbed hand over hand with a celerity born offrequent practice on vessels lying at the docks, until he reached theangles made by the shackling of the martingale stays to thedolphin-striker of the other vessel. Into these he put his feet, andclasping the dolphin-striker tightly with both arms he held on insafety, while with a strange, grinding, crashing sound the big steamer,having regained her impetus after the brief check, passed over the poor_Sea-Slipper_, sending her down into the dark depths beneath!
The moment his own safety was assured, Terry thought of Captain Afleck,and in the silence which for a moment followed the noise of thecollision, his clear, strong voice made itself hoard calling,--
"Captain Afleck, where are you? are you all right?"
It was too dark for him to see beyond the length of his arm, but hehoped that the captain had, like himself, got hold of the steamersomewhere, and thus saved his own life.
Nor was his hope unfounded. Out of the darkness below came thecaptain's answer,--
"I'm here, Terry, holding on for dear life. Where are you yourself?"
Before Terry could answer there was a flashing of lights above, andeager hands were stretched out holding ropes with a bight at the end,one of which Terry caught, while another was grasped by the captain,and presently they were both drawn up to the deck amid the cheers of acrowd of sailors anxiously watching the operation.
Not only so, but in like manner two of the sailors were found clingingto the bowsprit rigging. The other two, unhappily, were in theforecastle at the time of the collision, and before they could reachthe deck their chance was gone, and the poor fellows had been drawndown to death with the ill-fated schooner.
As soon as Captain Afleck had got his feet firmly on the deck, helooked about at the circle of smiling sailors, and with as cheerful anexpression as though being run down were quite a common experience, heexclaimed,--
"Well, you did me up on short notice; and serve me well right too, Isuppose, for not having my lights up. But who may you be, and whereaway?"
A jaunty little midshipman who had just pressed his way through thecrowd responded at once,--
"We're the United States war-ship _Minnesota_, and we're extremelysorry we ran you down; but you had no lights out, you know, and wedidn't see you until we were right upon you. Are you all safe? I'msure I hope so."
Captain Afleck looked round about him, and then, with a sorrowful shakeof his head, replied,--
"We're all here but two. Joe and Alec were in the foc'sle when youstruck us, and I guess they hadn't time to get out. Poor chaps! it's amean way to die, ain't it?--like rats in a hole."
The look of importance on the middy's face changed to one of genuineconcern at this, and with a courteous bow he said,--
"Will you please come astern and be presented to the captain?"
As they traversed the deck, Terry's keen eyes would have told him thecharacter of the vessel on board which he had been thus suddenly andstrangely flung, so to speak, even if the boyish officer, who seemedlittle older than himself, had not already done so.
The long black cannon stood close together upon their heavy carriages,with everything at hand, ready for immediate action if need be. Standsof rifles were ranged around the masts and the base of the funnels; andthe whole ship had the appearance, as revealed by the light of manylanterns, of being in readiness for an expected foe.
"_The whole ship had the appearance of being inreadiness for an expected foe._"]
More than one ship similarly equipped had Terry seen in Halifaxharbour, and being, like all the other boys of the city, a ferventsympathizer with the South in the lamentable Civil War, he hadcordially hated them, and heartily wished them at the bottom of the sea.
Now, by an odd stroke of fate, he found himself a waif on board one ofthese very vessels, and he didn't like the idea at all. Blinded by hisprejudice in favour of their antagonists, he had been wont to look uponthe Northern men as ruffians and bullies and cut-throats. Naturallyenough, he felt some apprehensions as to his safety in their midst.
But there was no retreat for him now. He had no alternative save toaccept the situation, which, to his credit be it told, he strove to dowith a brave countenance, even though it hid a beating heart.
Following in the wake of Captain Afleck, who on his part was troubledwith no such misgivings, his relations with the New England peoplehaving always been so satisfactory that his sympathies leaned to theirside in the struggle, Terry presently was ushered into a roomy andhandsome cabin, brilliantly lit, where several officers in rich uniformwere seated at a table, listening to a report of the collision justbeing presented by the navigating lieutenant, who had been on thebridge at the time.
The entrance of two of the survivors of the disaster caused theofficers to rise to their feet, and the one who evidently held thehighest rank to say in a tone of sincere interest, as he held out hishand,--
"I presume you are the captain of the schooner we have been sounfortunate as to collide with. I assure you I profoundly regret themishap. If the blame lies with us, you may rely upon my giving youevery assistance in obtaining due reparation. Won't you please beseated?"
Not deeming himself included in this invitation, and finding theatmosphere of the brilliant cabin by no means congenial, Terry beat aretreat to the maindeck, leaving Captain Afleck to give his version ofthe _Sea-Slipper's_ disaster.
On the deck he was soon surrounded by a number of the sailors, whoquestioned him about the schooner, and why no lights had been hung out.He felt very ill at ease amongst them for the reason indicated, butknew better than to show it, and answered every question as promptlyand as fully as was possible; so that the sailors voted him quite abright chap, and one of them was moved to ask,--
"Say, young fellow, wouldn't you like to be one of us? I reckon yecould join all right, for there's none too many boys aboard just now,and there's more wanted."
To this proposition Terry gave such an emphatic negative as to ratherraise the ire of the speaker, who, growing red with indignation,exclaimed,--
"Consarn you, my young turkey-cock, you needn't be so touchy. Betterboys than you would be glad enough of the chance."
Now it was not because he thought himself above the business that Terryhad so flatly declined the sailor's suggestion, although of course theprospect that had opened out before him at Drummond and Brown's hadentirely banished the notion he once cherished of following the sea.His reason was simply his antipathy to the North, which rendered theidea of entering its service most unwelcome.
With a boy's rashness, he was about to say something in reply to thesailor's taunt that would have made clear his mind in the matter, andprobably got him into trouble for being a "Secesh" sympathizer, whenhappily at that moment Captain Afleck appeared and called him to him.
Terry instantly noted the gravity of his face, and felt sure that hehad some bad news to tell; and so indeed it proved for both of them.
The war-ship _Minnesota_, on which they were passengers in spite ofthemselves, was on her way to Hampton Roads, Virginia, to strengthenthe Federal naval force there, it having been reported that some noveland menacing additions had recently been made to the Confederate navy.As an attack was expected any day, the _Minnesota_ had orders toproceed with the utmost spe
ed direct to Hampton Roads. It was,consequently, impossible for her to land the survivors of thecollision, and there was no alternative but for them to accompany herto her destination, and get back to Boston from there as best theymight manage.
For both the captain and Terry this was a very distressing state ofaffairs. The former's presence would be required at once in Boston, toprepare his claim against the company in which his vessel was insured;while the latter burned with impatience to get back to Halifax, andright himself at Drummond and Brown's.
"We're in a fix, and no mistake, Terry," said Captain Afleck, crackingthe knuckles of his big horny hands after a fashion he had whenperplexed of mind. "Of course, the captain of this ship is not toblame. He's got his orders, and he's bound to obey them, particularlyseeing it's war time. But it's mighty hard, all the same, for a fellowto be lugged off like this against his will, and to run the risk ofbeing killed into the bargain."
"Bein' killed!" exclaimed Terry, with a startled look on his face."Sure, an' what do you mane by that?"
"There now, my boy, don't get scared," replied the captain soothingly."I didn't mean to tell you just now, but it slipped out unbeknownst tome. You see, it's this way. This war-ship's bound for Hampton Roads,where there's goin' to be a big fight right away, if it hasn't begunalready, and it's not likely she'll have a chance to land us before shegoes into the thick of it herself; consequently, if it all comes out asthe captain expects--and he spoke right to me like an honest man--why,Terry, we're in for a battle, that's all, and not one of our ownchoosin' either."
The dismay expressed on Terry's countenance would have been comicalenough but for the real gravity of the situation. There would, ofcourse, be no call upon the two Nova Scotians to take any part in theconflict. But they would necessarily have to share the danger with theothers on board, and they could not expect the shot and shell or flyingsplinters to make any distinction on their behalf.
"Oh, but that's terrible altogether!" lamented poor Terry. "It's kiltwe'll be for sure, and"--here his voice suddenly took a note ofindignation, as if fate had been entirely too unkind--"on board aYankee man-of-war, too! Now, if it might be on a--"
Captain Afleck's hand suddenly clapped over his mouth cut off the restof the sentence.
"Whist, you young imp," he said in a deep whisper; "keep that toyourself, will you? You'll get knocked on the head if you talk thatway here."
He was evidently alarmed at the boy's rashness, and looked anxiouslyaround to see if the words had been overheard. As it chanced, thesailor who had proposed to Terry to join the crew was passing at themoment, and did catch his injudicious remark; but although he hadstopped to listen with pricked ears, he was somewhat in doubt as to theboy's exact meaning, and would have liked to hear more. CaptainAfleck's prompt action, however, having disappointed him in this, hemoved on, but with a scowl on his face that boded ill for Terry shouldhe be found expressing Southern sympathy in a more decided manner.
Having read his youthful companion a lecture upon the necessity ofkeeping his own counsel, Captain Afleck proceeded to lay out the courseof action he proposed to follow.
"We've got to stay by this ship for the present, Terry, that's clear.But I don't mean to go into action with her if I can any way helpmyself. So I'll just keep a sharp look-out for a chance to get ashoreas soon as we make Hampton Roads. There'll be sure to be someshore-boats coming off to us, and I'll get a passage in one of them."
"And leave me here?" cried Terry, laying hold of his arm with bothhands, as though he thought he were about to go at once.
"No, you young rogue," responded the captain, taking him by the collarand shaking him just for fun; "of course not. I won't go without you,seein' that I'm mainly to blame for your being here."
Greatly relieved in his mind, and putting implicit faith in his bigfriend's ability to get them both out of their present complications,Terry, with the volatility of his race, dismissed all further concernon that point from his mind, and stood ready for the next thing thatmight turn up.
His was a happy nature in many ways. He liked the idea that"sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." He was not given totaking much thought for the morrow. To do this was one of the lessonsin life he had to learn. In the meantime he lived in the present hour,getting the most out of it he knew how, and leaving the future to takecare of itself.
That night he had nothing better than a coil of rope for a bed and abit of tarpaulin for a coverlet; but he slept as soundly as if on hisstraw mattress at home, and woke up in the morning with an appetitethat many a millionaire might envy.
Awaking at dawn next morning, he hastened on deck to find the powerful_Minnesota_ steaming at full speed southward, with the coast hardlyvisible on the right. His heart sank as he realized that every minutewas taking him further from home, and nearer the indefinite dangerswhich he must share so long as he remained on board the war-ship.
He had gone up to the bow, and was leaning over the bulwarks lost inperplexing thought, when a voice behind him said tauntingly,--
"Well, young 'un, have you been thinkin' over what I said about takingservice with us?"
And Terry turned round to face the sailor who had overheard hisinterrupted utterance the night before.
He did not at all like the look of the man. He had a crafty, cruelface, and apparently relished the prospect of having a good chance totease the Bluenose boy who had been thrown in his way. The North waswell aware how strongly sympathy with the South ran in Halifax; and asTerry came from that city, the Yankee sailor would have taken it forgranted that the boy sided with the enemy, even though he had had noother ground for the belief.
Not knowing what reply to make, Terry discreetly kept silence, and hisquestioner continued,--
"You're kinder bashful, I reckon, and don't like to say how glad you'dbe of the chance."
Now this, of course, was far from being Terry's state of mind, as thesailor well knew; yet the boy shrank from admitting it. Had the placebeen Long Wharf, he would not have hesitated for a moment to give aRoland for the other's Oliver, and then trusted to his legs to carryhim out of danger. But on the deck of the sailor's own ship it was analtogether different matter.
His position was certainly calculated to teach him a fine lesson inself-control. But it is very doubtful if he would have been equal tothe strain. Happily, before he was tempted overmuch, Captain Afleckappeared upon the scene, and taking in the situation at a glance,called him to him, as though he had something to communicate ofimportance.
Glad of this diversion, Terry turned his back upon the sailor, andjoined the captain, who, when they had moved apart a little, proceededto say,--
"You mustn't be talkin' with the sailors, my boy, any more than you canhelp, or you'll be puttin' your foot in it for sure. They're a mightytouchy lot, I can tell you; and if they find you letting on that youwant the Southerners to win, there's no sayin' how hot they'll make itfor you."
Terry promised to be careful, adding with a rueful face,--
"Oh! but it's meself that wants to be off the botherin' ship. Sure Inever axed to be aboard her, and it's sick I am of her entirely."
Captain Afleck could not keep back a laugh. The boy seemed so deeplyconcerned about his perplexities whenever he stopped to think of them,although he could forget them so completely when something else engagedhis mind.
"Keep your heart up, Terry," he said, in a cheering tone. "We're on alosin' tack now seemingly, but we may 'bout ship soon. Come along withme and see if they won't give us some breakfast."
They found a ready welcome at one of the sailors' messes, and a bigpiece of bread washed down with steaming coffee perceptibly lightenedTerry's spirits, for the time being at all events.
All that day and the next the _Minnesota_ maintained her strenuousspeed; and as the afternoon wore on, the signs of bustle and excitementon board, and the earnest way in which the men talked together, showedthat they were rapidly nearing their destination.
The a
pproach of battle is a serious enough matter when the forces onboth sides are pretty well known, and the character of the undertakingcan be at least measurably estimated; but it is a very different matterwhen neither of these things is known, and when the affair is very muchof a leap in the dark.
Now this was just the state of things on the _Minnesota_. No one onboard, not even her captain, had any clear knowledge of the perils anddifficulties to be encountered. The Confederate naval force might befound overwhelmingly strong or miserably weak. Moreover, there werecertain disturbing rumours afloat about an alarming novelty, in the wayof a naval monster, against which no wooden vessel would have theslightest chance. Of this mystery the Norfolk navy-yard still held thesecret, although it was generally believed to be about ripe forrevelation.
Terry's Trials and Triumphs Page 5
