by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XVII
MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED
Two of the soldiers were placed at the rear of the wagon, one took hisplace on the hay with Percy, while the major and the sergeant seatedthemselves on the cushion in front. Spottswood took the reins; and theofficer told him to drive on, without saying a word to the prisoners.
It was quite dark; and Christy had not the least idea where he was, orwhere he was going. He could see that Major Pierson had sent this partyto arrest his brother, as Percy seemed to fear that he would do, andhad remained and slept away the time in the wagon himself. He had beenintroduced to the major, and had been treated with "distinguishedconsideration" by him. In view of the possible relations between him andFlorry, he did not feel much concerned about his own safety, though hewas sorry to have his father and sister worry over his absence.
"Then, it seems you have been in the army, after all," said he to hisfellow-prisoner, after they had gone some distance.
"I never belonged to the army," he replied decidedly.
"Did you put your name down?"
"Yes, I did; but I supposed I was to be a captain, or something of thatsort. When I found I must go as a common soldier, mixed up with allsorts of people, I couldn't stand it. I applied for my discharge; butthey would not give it to me, and I went home without it."
"That looks very much like desertion," added Christy, and the major wentup somewhat in his estimation.
"But it was not desertion; for I applied for my discharge, and all theyhad to do was to give it to me. They understood it so, for they did notcome to the house after me," argued Percy. "Then, when my father wentto Nassau, he took me with him. But the surgeon said I was not fit forthe army, for I had indications of varicose veins. My father sent thecertificate to the authorities, and applied for my discharge."
"Was it ever granted?"
"I suppose it was, but I don't know."
"If it had been, your brother would know about it."
"Will your uncle make you join the army, Mr. Pierson?"
"No: my uncle has no authority over me, and he cannot make me join thearmy," replied Christy.
"Where is your father?"
"He was at my uncle's plantation. I think we have kept up this farcelong enough, Percy," said Christy, laughing. "My father is the owner ofthe Bellevite."
"What did you tell me your name was Percy Pierson for?" demanded theother prisoner.
"For the same reason that I told you the steamer belonged to the Chinesegovernment, and a dozen other things of the same sort."
"What is your name, then?"
"Christopher Passford; but I am commonly called Christy."
"Then, you have been fooling me?"
"You knew very well that I had been fooling you."
"Then, you are the son of the owner of the Bellevite."
"I am."
"Then, you can get me a place on board of her."
"Perhaps I can. We will see about that."
Christy doubted if their political opinions would permit them to serveon the deck of the same vessel, but he did not suggest any thing of thiskind. He had been introduced to Major Pierson under his real name, andhe was certain to be identified by him as soon as the light permittedhim to see his face; and he had made the best of it by telling Percy thetruth before he found it out himself.
"You haven't told me who the other prisoner is, Spottswood," said themajor, when they had ridden some distance in silence.
"I don't know who he is," replied the sergeant. "I never saw him beforein my life, so far as I know."
"Didn't he tell you who he was?"
"He did not, and I did not ask him any questions."
That was all that was said about it; and the major relapsed intosilence, and Christy concluded that he had gone to sleep again. Thewagon continued on the journey, though at a very slow pace, for the roadcould hardly have been any worse. At the end of about two hours more,the vehicle halted near a sheet of water which looked as though it mightbe a river, or an arm of Mobile Bay.
The road appeared to end at a rude sort of wharf; but there was noperson in the vicinity, no house, and no craft of any kind in the water,so far as Christy could see when he was helped out of the wagon. Percywas assisted to the ground also; and the two soldiers at the rear of thewagon, who had gone to sleep, were waked, and ordered to get out.
"We shall not want the wagon any more," said the major. "You can sendBoyce back to the house with it."
"It is five miles from here, and he will not get back till nearlymorning."
"We can wait for him. The Leopard will not be here for some time."
"I think we ought to send two men, major," suggested the sergeant.
"Why two?"
"For company: one of them may get asleep, and two will get back soonerthan one."
"They might as well all of them go, for they can do nothing here," addedthe major with a terrific yawn.
Two men were sent away with the wagon. The most of the hay in it wastaken out; and with it the superior officer made a bed for himself, andwas soon asleep again. The sergeant and the remaining soldier took theirknapsacks from a tree where they had put them before, and it was decidedthat one of them might sleep while the other kept guard over theprisoners. Spottswood was the first to take his turn, and his companionstretched himself on the planks of the wharf.
The sergeant brought out the knapsacks of the two absent soldiers, andgave the blankets to Christy and Percy, both of whom were sleepy enoughto follow the example of the others. Spottswood assisted them verykindly, spreading out the blankets for them, and covering themafterwards; for, as their hands were tied behind them, they were almosthelpless.
The two prisoners soon dropped asleep; and they knew nothing more tillafter daylight, when Christy was waked by the hissing of steam at therude wharf. The two soldiers who had been sent away with the wagon wereasleep on the planks, though neither had a blanket. The major had notbeen disturbed by the noise, for he was farther from it than the others.
With some difficulty Christy got upon his feet, and looked about him.A tug-boat lay at the wharf, with the steam escaping from her pipe.There was nothing else to be seen in the vicinity. The sheet of water,which was apparently half a mile wide, had a bend some distance from thewharf, so that he could not see any farther; but he had no difficulty incoming to the conclusion that the water was an arm of the bay.
On board of the Leopard, for the name was on the front of thepilot-house, he could see only two men, one of whom came out of theengine-room; and he judged that they were the pilot and engineer.Doubtless the former was also the captain of the craft.
While one of the two men seated himself on the rail, the other came onshore. He was a man of very small stature, and looked as though hishealth was very poor. Indeed, his step was quite feeble, and he seemedto have hardly strength enough to handle his frame. As the tug had justcome in, doubtless he had been on duty the whole or a portion of thenight, which may have explained his exhausted condition.
"Good-morning, Captain Pecklar," said the sentinel on duty at the wharf.
"Good morning, Tubbs. Where is Major Pierson?" asked the captain of theLeopard, in a very faint voice.
"He is still asleep, and he has his bed at the foot of that treeyonder," replied the sentinel, pointing at it. "How do you find yourselfthis morning? Any better?"
"About the same; I am about used up for this world," replied CaptainPecklar, continuing his painful walk towards the tree indicated.
"Is that the captain of the Leopard?" asked Christy.
"Yes, poor fellow! He came down here two years ago from somewhere North,almost gone in consumption. He got a little better; but he is worseagain, and I don't believe he will last much longer," replied thesentry.
"Has he been out all night on the steamer?" inquired Christy, who feltthat it was his duty to obtain all the information he could in regard tothis steamer, as it was in the service of the commander of Fort Gaines.
"I don't k
now where he has been; but I suppose he has been on duty allnight, and that don't agree with him at all. We came up here yesterdayafternoon--Well, never mind what we have been about. I forgot that youwere a prisoner; and you may be a Yankee, for aught I know."
Before Christy had time to make any reply, the sentinel walked away, andthe major was seen coming from his bed with Captain Pecklar. They wentto the wharf together, where they seated themselves on a box which laythere. The prisoner turned away from them; and the major took no noticeof him, and did not appear to see him, or he would certainly haveidentified him.
Christy's bed was just behind them, when they had seated themselves; andhe dropped down on his blanket, rolled it about him as well as he could,and then pretended to be asleep, as Percy was still, in spite of thenoise of the escaping steam on board of the boat.
"What have you done with your men, Captain Pecklar?" asked the major.
"I have just told you that the steamer had changed her position,"replied the captain.
"I did not understand you," returned the major. "Do you mean that shehas left the wharf?"
"I do: she was out at least two miles from the shore," added CaptainPecklar.
"Two miles from the shore!" exclaimed Major Pierson. "What does thatmean?"
"I don't know, sir. Lieutenant Dallberg did not know what to make of it;and he decided to take his two men to the shore, and investigate thematter. He directed me to report this to you."
"But when did the Bellevite leave the wharf?" asked the major, evidentlyvery much puzzled at what he regarded as the singular conduct of theowner of the steamer.
"I don't know, sir. It was after ten o'clock in the evening when wefirst saw her out in the bay."
"Was she at anchor?"
"I think not. I was ordered not to go very near her, and I could nottell."
"Do you know whether or not Captain Passford is on board of her?"
"Of course I do not. In fact, I know nothing at all about her, exceptthat she has left the wharf and come out into the bay. I think I heardher screw in motion, though I am not sure; and that makes me think thatshe is not at anchor. Mr. Dallberg thought he ought to go on shore,visit Colonel Passford, and obtain further information if he could."
The major ordered the captain to embark the party at once.
