Brave Old Salt; or, Life on the Quarter Deck: A Story of the Great Rebellion

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER I.

  LIEUTENANT PILLGRIM.

  "Well, Prodigy, I congratulate you on your promotion. I even agree withyour enthusiastic admirers, who say that no young man better deserveshis advancement than you," said Miss Kate Portington, standing in theentry of her father's house at Newport, holding Mr. Ensign John Somersby the hand.

  "Thank you, Miss Portington," replied the young officer, with a blushcaused as much by the excitement of that happy moment, as by thehandsome compliment paid by the fair girl, who, we are compelled toacknowledge, had formed no inconsiderable portion of the young man'sthoughts, hopes, and aspirations during the preceding year.

  John Somers had been examined by the board of naval officers appointedfor the purpose, had been triumphantly passed, and promoted to the rankhe now held. A short furlough had been granted to him, and he had justcome from Pinchbrook, where he had spent a week. A visit to Newport wasnow almost as indispensable as one to the home of his childhood, and onhis way to join the ship to which he had been ordered, he paused todischarge this pleasing duty.

  Ensign Somers was dressed in a new uniform, and a certain boyish look,for which he was partly indebted to the short jacket he had worn as amidshipman, had vanished. Perhaps Miss Portington felt that thepertness, not to say impudence, with which she had formerly treated him,though allowable, under a liberal toleration, towards a boy, wouldhardly be justifiable in her intercourse with a young man. Though, fromthe force of habit, she called him "Prodigy," there was a certainmaidenly reserve in her manner, which rather puzzled Somers, and hecould not help asking himself what he had done to cause this slightchill in her tones and actions.

  Undoubtedly it was the frock coat which produced this refrigeratingeffect; but it was a very elegant and well-fashioned garment, having theshoulder straps on which glistened the "foul anchor," indicating his newrank, and each sleeve being adorned with a single gold band on thecuff, also indicative of his new position. The cap, which he now held inhis hand, was decorated with a band of gold lace, and bore on its frontthe appropriate naval emblem. In strict accordance with the traditionsof the navy, he wore kid gloves, without which a naval officer, on aceremonial occasion, would be as incomplete as a ship without a rudder.

  We have no means of knowing what Mr. Ensign Somers thought of himself inhis "new rig," which certainly fitted with admirable nicety, and gavehim an appearance of maturity which he did not possess when we last sawhim on the quarter deck of the Rosalie. We will venture to assert,however, that he felt like a man, and fully believed that he was one--acommendable sentiment in a person of his years, inasmuch as, if he feelslike a man, he is the more likely to act like one. As we can hardlysuppose he soared above all the vanities of his impressible period oflife, it is more than probable that he regarded himself as a very goodlooking young fellow; which brilliant suggestion was, no doubt, whollyor in part due to the new uniform he wore.

  If not wholly above the weakness of a young man of twenty, possibly hehad a great deal of confidence in his own knowledge and ability,regarded some of the veterans of the navy as "old fogies," and lookedupon his own father as "a slow coach." But we must do Mr. Somers thejustice to say that he tried to be humble in his estimate of himself,and to bear the honors he had won with meekness; that he endeavored tocrush down and mortify that overweening self-sufficiency which distortsand disfigures the character of many estimable young men. His nativebashfulness had, in some measure, been overcome by his intercourse withthe world, and the humility of his nature, though occasionally assaultedby the accident of a new coat and an extra supply of gold lace, or bythe hearty commendations of his superiors, was genuine, and, in themain, saved him from the besetting sin of his years.

  Standing in the presence of Miss Kate Portington, after an absence ofseveral months, wearing a new coat glittering with the laurels he hadwon on the bloodstained decks of the nation's ships, he would have beenmore than human if he had not felt proud of what he was, and what he haddone--proud, not vain. He was happy, holding the hand of her who hadoccupied so large a place in his thoughts, and whose image had fringedwith roseate hues his brightest hopes and strongest aspirations.

  Kate was not so free with him as she had been, and her reserve annoyedand perplexed him. He had anticipated a much warmer welcome than thatwhich greeted him on his arrival. He was slightly disappointed, thoughthere was nothing in her manner for which he could have reproached her,even if their relations had been more intimate than they were. She wasless stormy, but still gentle and kind; a little more distant in manner,though her looks and words assured him she regarded him withundiminished interest. Had he known that the elegant frock coat he woreproduced the chill in the lady which so vexed and disconcerted him, hewould willingly have exchanged it for the short jacket in which he hadwon his promotion.

  They were standing in the entry. When the servant admitted Mr. Somers,Kate had heard his voice, and perhaps from prudential motives--for therewas a visitor in the parlor--she had preferred to meet him in the hall.

  "You have been very fortunate, Mr. Somers," added she, gently releasingher hand from that of the ensign.

  Mr. Somers, instead of "Prodigy"!

  "I have. I don't deserve my promotion, I know; but I could not helptaking it when it was within my reach," replied Somers; and her words,though so slightly chilled that the frigid tone could not have beennoticed by any one who did not expect an unreasonable warmth, took halfthe conceit out of him, and let him down a long reach from the highhopes and brilliant expectations with which he had looked forward tothis meeting.

  "On the contrary, Mr. Somers, I think you deserve even more than youhave received."

  "Thank you, Miss Portington; you were always more lavish of kind wordsthan I deserved."

  "Why, Prodigy--"

  She suddenly checked herself. It was evident to Somers that she intendedto say something pert or saucy. Perhaps she choked down the impertinentwords from the fear that the honorable secretary of the navy, if suchwild and wayward young ladies as herself were permitted to contaminatethe plushy air of Newport society, would remove the Naval Academy backto Annapolis, where it is better to be "proper" than to be loyal.

  "You were about to say something, Miss Portington," said Somers.

  "I was, but it was saucy."

  "I am sorry you did not say it."

  "I am glad I did not, for you must know, Mr. Somers, that mother hasscolded me so much for being saucy, that I have solemnly resolved to beproper in all things henceforth and forevermore."

  "I am sorry for it," answered Somers, with unaffected earnestness.

  "Sorry, you wretch?"

  Somers laughed.

  "There's another slip. I have done my best to reform my life. I amafraid I shall never succeed. Now, Prodigy--"

  Somers laughed again.

  "Again!" exclaimed Kate.

  "I wish to ask one favor of you, Miss Portington."

  "It would afford me more pleasure to grant it, than it does you to askit. Name it."

  "That you will never call me Prodigy again."

  "I had firmly resolved before you came never to do it," laughed she.

  "Well, I only asked it in order to help along your good resolutions."

  "Then you are making fun of me?"

  "Like yourself, I am very serious."

  "But I am in earnest, Mr. Somers; I mean to reform. Now, father andmother will be very glad to see you, Mr. Somers."

  "Your father?"

  "He was temporarily relieved to attend a court martial. He is going awayagain to-morrow."

  "You have other visitors?"

  "Only Lieutenant Pillgrim."

  "I have not the pleasure of his acquaintance."

  "He is a Virginian, I believe; at any rate he is from the South, and hasjust been restored to his rank in the navy."

  Kate led the way into the parlor, where he was first welcomed by hermother.

  "Mr. Somers, I am glad to see you, and to congratulate you on yourpromotion," said the
commodore, as he grasped the hand of the youngofficer.

  "Thank you, sir," replied Somers. "The only ungratified wish I had wasthat I might be appointed to your ship."

  "My ship!"

  "I should have been glad to serve under so able and distinguished acommander."

  "I wouldn't have you in my ship," promptly returned the commodore,shaking his head energetically.

  Somers looked abashed, and Kate wore a troubled expression.

  "I should endeavor to do my duty," he added.

  "I have no doubt of it, but I wouldn't have you in my ship."

  "Your remark is not very complimentary," said Somers, his face beginningto flush with indignation at what seemed to be an assault upon hisprofessional character.

  "It is the most complimentary thing I could say to you. And I mean whatI say: I wouldn't have you in my ship."

  "Why not, father?" demanded Kate.

  "Because I like the young dog, and because I believe in discipline. Inever indulge in partiality on board my ship, and it is better to keepout of temptation. I am under obligations to you, Mr. Somers; I am happyto acknowledge them, but they must not come between me and duty. Mr.Somers, Lieutenant Pillgrim," continued Commodore Portington, turning tothe visitor.

  Somers looked at the officer thus indicated, and as his eyes restedupon him, he started back with a momentary astonishment, for the facehad a strange look of familiarity to him.

  "Mr. Somers, I am happy to meet and to know you. Your name andreputation are already familiar to me."

  "I am glad to know you, sir," replied Somers, with some confusion. "Yourface looks so familiar to me, that I think we must have met before."

  "Never, to my knowledge," answered the lieutenant, with easyself-possession.

  "I was quite sure I had seen you before."

  "Possibly; I do not remember it, however."

  "If I had met you without the favor of an introduction, I shouldcertainly have claimed the honor of your acquaintance."

  "I should have been proud to be so claimed, but I must confess you wouldhave had the advantage of me."

  "Of course, I must be mistaken, as you suggest."

  "It is not unlikely that we have met in some ante-room where we weredancing attendance on the powers that be, in search of employment; but Iam quite sure, Mr. Somers, that I should have been proud and happy tonumber you among my friends."

  "It is not too late now," said the commodore.

  "Certainly not. I should be but too happy to have as my friend one whohas served his country so faithfully," added Mr. Pillgrim, as he bowedgracefully to Somers, "especially as I understand we are appointed tothe same ship."

  "Indeed!"

  "I am ordered to the Chatauqua."

  "So am I."

  "Then, Mr. Pillgrim, you will take care of our Prodigy; you will beexcellent friends, I trust," said Kate, beginning very impulsively inher old way, and suddenly checking herself when her resolution to be"proper" interposed itself.

  "What is the matter, Kate? Have you and Mr. Somers had a falling out?"demanded the commodore.

  "O, no, father."

  "You talk as though you had had a quarrel, and for a moment hadforgotten to be savage."

  "We have had no quarrel, pa," replied Kate, blushing. "I was going to besaucy, but ma says I must not be saucy, and I shall not be saucy anymore. I only hoped the two gentlemen who are going to live together inthe same ship would be good friends."

  "Of course they will. Officers never quarrel."

  "Perhaps they don't; but they are not always as good friends as I hopethese gentlemen will be," laughed Kate.

  "Perhaps he will be my friend for your sake, if he is not for mine,"added Pillgrim.

  "I do not wish that. I don't like to have anybody do anything for mysake, unless it be to take paregoric when I am sick."

  "I trust I shall not be paregoric to him," said Pillgrim.

  "Then he will not take you for my sake."

  "As Lieutenant Pillgrim is my superior officer, I should be likely tocourt his good will, and prize his friendship very highly. If we are notfriends, I am sure it will not be my fault."

  At this moment the dinner bell rang; and although Somers did not feelintimate enough with the family to invite himself to dine, he was easilyprevailed upon to remain, and gallantly gave his arm to Mrs. Portington,as Kate, for some wayward reason of her own, had already seized uponthat of Lieutenant Pillgrim.

  At the table Somers sat opposite the lieutenant, and he found itimpossible to avoid looking upon him with a strange and undefinableinterest. Since his first glance at the commodore's visitor, who seemedto be on the best of terms with the family, he had been perplexed bysome strange misgivings. He could not banish from his mind an assurancethat he had seen him before; that he had talked with him, and even been,to some extent, intimate with him.

  The thought that Kate was somewhat changed in her demeanor towards himdid not contribute to increase his satisfaction. She had contrived totake the lieutenant's arm instead of his own, and perhaps he had come asthe successor of Phil Kennedy, who had been reputed to be high in hergood graces. But Mr. Pillgrim was a gentleman of thirty-five, at least,and this was not probable, in his view of the matter. Somers, beingdisinterested, was more worried to know when, where, and under whatcircumstances he had met the lieutenant.