by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XII
HOW THE BELLEVITE PASSED FORT MORGAN
Major Lindley Pierson was plainly very much disturbed when the ownerof the Bellevite was pointed out to him by the commander. He hadpractically retreated from the position he had taken with his brother,and had apparently given up the idea of sending him to the fort to bemade a soldier.
From the point which the steamer had reached, just north of LittlePelican Island, Captain Breaker had directed Mr. Dashington to head thevessel to the eastward, through Sand Island Channel; and she was nowmoving towards the main ship-channel, which passed under the very gunsof Fort Morgan.
The tug had picked up the boat from the fort on the other side of thebay, and was following the Bellevite, though she had fallen a long waybehind her in a very short time. It was about two miles to the moreformidable fort, and the steamer was going at full speed, so that itcould not be long before a shot would interrupt the harmony of hermovements.
In the mean time the commander of Fort Gaines was really a prisoner onboard of the Bellevite, for Captain Breaker had started her screw beforehe could get any of his force on board. But the major was not half somuch disturbed by this fact as he was by the consciousness that he hadbehaved in a very rude, brutal, and tyrannical manner in the presence ofColonel Passford's brother, who had thus far spoken not a word to him.
"Captain Breaker, may I ask you to present me to the owner of thesteamer?" said Major Pierson, after he had looked about him for a time,and perhaps considered how he should atone for his rudeness.
"Certainly, if you desire it," replied the commander, who was as politeas though he had been brought up in Paris, though he was hardly anexception to all naval officers.
"Will you excuse me if I say that you are running at great speed, sir,and a shot from Fort Morgan cannot be much longer postponed," added themajor, as he glanced at the fort on the right.
"I did not willingly start the steamer, sir; but it was my duty toprotect the agent in whose charge the steamer comes into port. If yousay that he shall suffer no further annoyance, either on your own partor that of your people, I will stop the screw and wait your pleasure,"said the commander.
"I have had some difficulty with my brother, and it looked incredibleto me that he had come into Mobile Bay in charge of this fine vessel.I apologize to you and the owner for my rudeness, and assure you that Iwill not trouble Percy again while he remains on board," continued MajorPierson, with no little embarrassment in his manner.
"I accept the apology, and your explanation is entirely sufficient. Whathappens to Mr. Percy after he leaves the steamer does not concern me,"answered Captain Breaker with a polite bow, as he went to the quarterand rang the bell to stop her.
When he had done this, he conducted Major Pierson to the quarter-deck,where Captain Passford and Christy were seated, and formally presentedhim to both of them.
"I am most happy to make your acquaintance, Captain Passford," said thecommander of Fort Gaines, as he extended his hand to the owner, whichwas taken, though the expression of the gentleman from the North did notindicate that he was very well pleased with him.
To Christy he was as polite as to his father, and to both he was almostobsequious. It was rather difficult for father or son to realize thatthis was the man who had threatened to send his own brother to the fortas a soldier, to say nothing of the abusive language he had used.
"I am very glad to see you in the State of Alabama, Captain Passford,and especially at this time," the major began; and it looked as thoughthe cordiality of his welcome was to compensate for former rudeness.
"I am not a total stranger here," added the owner rather coldly.
"It affords me a degree of pleasure I cannot express to see you comehere, as events are getting big all around us, and with such a finesteamer. I am sure the Government will regard you as one of its greatestand truest benefactors," continued Major Pierson.
"It is my intention to serve the good cause with whatever measure ofability I may possess; but I do not care to say any thing at all aboutmy purpose till I have talked with my brother. I hope I shall find mybrother Homer in full sympathy with me in my views," added the owner,though it was not a pleasure to him even to deceive an enemy.
"Colonel Passford!" exclaimed the major. "Have you any doubt about him?"
"Hardly any, though I prefer to talk with him before I say much on myown account."
"Colonel Passford is not a very demonstrative man, but no one in thevicinity of Glenfield has any doubt as to how he stands on the greatquestion."
"I think no one will have any doubt as to how I stand, as soon as I takemy position."
"Certainly, sir, you will give no doubtful sound."
"I hope not."
"I came on board to examine this steamer before we permitted her topass the forts," continued Major Pierson. "I find her in charge ofmy brother, in the absence of any letter from my father or otherConfederate agent. I humbly apologize for the rudeness of which I wasguilty, though I assure you I have had abundant provocation for it."
"That is a family affair with which we have nothing to do beyond theproper protection of the young agent in charge of the steamer."
"I wish to say that I am entirely satisfied, Captain Passford, and I amheartily delighted to learn that you are about to make your residence inthis section of the country," said the major, who seemed to have assuredhimself on this point without much assistance from those most deeplyconcerned.
The owner looked at him, and tried to ascertain what was passing inhis mind; and it was not a very difficult enterprise to accomplish hispurpose. The hint he had received about the frequent visits of MajorPierson at Glenfield seemed to explain the present operations of hismind. Florry Passford was a beautiful young lady of eighteen, and anyyoung man of twenty-six could easily have been excused for making hisvisits very often at the mansion in which she resided.
Though the fond father was not disposed to interfere unnecessarily withthe choice of his daughter, even the hint that she might be entangledmore than a thousand miles from her home had given him a positive shock.Now that he had seen the young man, and observed his conduct on board ofthe Bellevite, he most earnestly hoped that she was not in any degreecommitted to him. He had an additional inducement to get her away fromthe home of his brother, and the thought of it nerved him to increasedexertion. What he had seen of the commander of Fort Gaines, though heappeared to be a faithful, patriotic, and energetic young man, as heunderstood his duty to his country, assuredly he was not the person hewould have chosen for Florry. But his brother could tell him more aboutit, and how far the matter had gone, when he saw him.
By the time Captain Passford had settled his conclusions as far as hecould, the tug came up to the steamer, towing the boat from the fort,Percy felt that he had won a victory over his brother, and a Bantamrooster could not have made a wider spread on the deck. He seemed tofeel that he was in command of the steamer, though he did not ventureto interfere with any thing on board.
"I am very sorry to have given you any annoyance, Captain Passford,"said the major, as the tug came up to the gangway. "I think we shouldhave understood each other better if your steamer had not got aground."
"We have suffered little or no inconvenience, sir."
"Whether you have or not, you shall suffer no more. The tug has comealongside, and I will see that you are not delayed a moment after Ican get to Fort Morgan, which will certainly fire upon you if I do notinterfere; and I will go to it in the tug," continued the major, who wasstill struggling to make all the atonement in his power for his formerconduct.
"You are very kind, Major Pierson, and I am under obligations to you.I have not seen my daughter for nearly six months, or my brother; andthe sooner I meet them, the better I shall like it," replied the owner.
"I have had the pleasure of meeting your daughter several times, asyour brother's plantation is next to my father's. It is possible that,if the exigencies of the coming war permit, I may desire to address ac
ommunication to you at no distant day," said Major Pierson, withconsiderable embarrassment in his manner.
Captain Passford made no reply to this remark; for he thought it wasentirely out of place under present circumstances, and hoped matters hadnot gone far enough even to think of future formalities. The major shookhands with the owner and his son, and then with the commander, and wentover the side. As he did so, he requested Captain Breaker not to advancetill he reached the fort, or at least not to attempt to pass it.
The tug-boat went off on its course, but it was nearly half an hourbefore it got near enough to the fort to allow the Bellevite to starther screw. As there was nowhere less than three fathoms of water, andCaptain Breaker knew every inch of bottom, he directed Mr. Vapoor tohurry the engine, so that no one should have time to change his mind.The steamer shot by the fort as though she did not like the looks of it,and in another half an hour she was out of the reach of its guns.
The commander had piloted the steamer to her present destination before;and there was plenty of water till she nearly reached the wharf, wherethe planter could load small vessels with cotton. It was not within thecity of Mobile, though it was not far from it; and it was a sort oflow-ground paradise, which money and taste had made very beautiful.
"What am I to do now, Mr. Pierson?" asked Percy, when the steamer hadcome to her moorings alongside the wharf.
"That will be for you to decide, Mr. Percy: but you had better take thatuniform off before you live any longer, for I am afraid some one willmistake your character if you wear it on shore," replied Christy.
"I don't know that I shall go on shore," replied the agent doubtfully."I got by my brother very nicely, thanks to Captain Breaker; for Ishould have been sent to the fort if he had not started the screw."
"Do you think you are in any danger here?" asked Christy.
"I know I am. My father's house is over in that direction about halfa mile. My brother can leave the fort any time he likes; and he willeither do so, or send some of his men up here in the fast tug to catchme."
"Why don't you go into the army, if your brother is so anxious about it,Percy?"
"That is just what I want to do, but my father positively forbid mydoing so," replied the volunteer agent. "I should like to get back toNassau; for I know I shall be forced into the army, in spite of myfather, if I stay here."
"My boy," called his father, "I am going on shore now, and I should liketo have you go with me to see your uncle."
Christy was glad to do so; and he departed with the owner, leaving Percyin charge of the commander.
