by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXI
THE SICK CAPTAIN OF THE LEOPARD
Christy Passford now realized, for the first time, that he hadbeen taken by the enemy. War had actually been declared against theBellevite, and Major Pierson would undertake to perform the dutyassigned to him by Colonel Passford. The young man was determined to betrue to his colors under all possible circumstances; and therefore hecould do nothing, directly or indirectly, to assist in the capture ofthe steamer.
Captain Passford, while he recognized the irregularity of his mission,had come into the waters of Mobile Bay with no intention of committingany depredations on the persons, property, or vessels of theConfederacy. The Bellevite had not fired a shot, or landed a force,in the enemy's country.
Indeed, the owner of the steamer had taken especial pains to conceal anyappearance of using force on coming into the bay; and all the guns onthe deck of the vessel, that could not be easily lowered into the hold,had been covered up and concealed. Though Major Pierson had spent sometime on board of the Bellevite, he did not know whether or not she wasarmed. He was no wiser than the owner's brother.
The major went to the lower deck of the Leopard, where Christy saw himquestioning the soldiers there, though he could not hear any thing thatwas said. Of course he was inquiring for some hand who had steered asteamer; but he soon returned alone, and it looked as though he had notfound the person he sought.
"It looks like bad weather, Mr. Passford, since you decline to be calledcaptain any longer," said the major, as he came into the pilot-house,and looked at the sky in all directions.
Christy had noticed the weather signs before; and the wind was beginningto pipe up a rather fresh blast, though the sun had been out for an houror more earlier in the morning. It came from the southward, and it wasalready knocking up a considerable sea, as it had the range of the wholelength of the bay.
"I was thinking that we should have a storm before long when I looked atthe signs this morning," replied Christy rather indifferently.
"How many men does your father have on board of his steamer, Mr.Passford?" asked the major, in a careless sort of way.
"Not as many, I should say, as you have in Fort Gaines. By the way, howmany have you under your command there?" returned Christy with a twinkleof the eye.
"We have two thousand four hundred and twenty-six, including myself,"replied the major.
"That is quite a force; my father has only seven hundred and forty-two,without counting me."
"Where do you put them all?"
"We stow them away in the hold, after the manner of packing sardines ina box. We only let them out one at a time, when we feed them with saltfish and baked beans."
"That makes a good many men to a gun," suggested the major.
"Lots of them," answered Christy.
"How many guns does the steamer carry?"
"Only two hundred; of course I mean heavy guns,--sixty and eighty-fourpounders. I think there must be small arms enough to supply all your menin the fort."
"I was on board of the Bellevite for half an hour or more, and I reallydid not see a single heavy gun," added the major, biting his lip.
"Didn't you notice the one hundred and twenty pounder in the waist? Itis big enough for you to have seen it."
It was plain enough to the young Unionist that the major really desiredto know something about the force and metal of the Bellevite, and thathe was disappointed when he found that the son of the owner was on hisguard. No information was to be obtained from him.
"I think you said there was a doctor on board of the steamer," continuedMajor Pierson, changing the subject of the conversation.
"Yes, sir; and a very skilful surgeon he is,--Dr. Linscott," repliedChristy.
"I went in to see Captain Pecklar when I was below, and I found him in avery bad condition. I am afraid he will die before we can get him to theshore; and he is suffering terribly," added the major, looking earnestlyinto the face of the young man.
"I am sorry for him," replied Christy; and his pity and sympathy wereapparent in his face.
He had noticed the captain of the tug in the morning, and one of thesoldiers had told him he was a Northern man who had come to this regionfor his health. He appeared to have no scruples at doing the dutyassigned to him, though he had been only two years at the South. But heseemed to be of no use to either side in the contest, for he was toosick to work any longer.
Christy was filled with pity for the sufferings of the captain of thetug, and he thought the major's questions suggested that something wasto be required of him in connection with the sick man. He was willing todo any thing he could for the aid of the captain, if he could do itwithout sacrificing his principles.
"It was a part of my purpose to obtain assistance from the surgeon ofthe steamer for poor Pecklar," continued the major. "But you have mooredus all here by refusing to steer the boat, and the captain will diewithout our being able to do a single thing for him. There is not even adrop of brandy on board of this boat to restore him."
"What do you propose to do, Major Pierson?" asked Christy.
"Just now, all I desire is to procure assistance for poor Pecklar,"replied the major. "But we are as helpless as though we were all babies,for we can't handle the steamer, and cannot run down to the Bellevite.I hope you will not have the death of this poor fellow on yourconscience."
"I will not. I will take the Leopard alongside of the Bellevite, if youlike," replied Christy; and he regarded this as a mission of humanitywhich he had no right to decline.
"The steamer has turned about!" shouted one of the soldiers on theforecastle.
Christy had noticed that the Bellevite was coming about before theannouncement came from below, for his nautical eye enabled him to seeher first movement. He did not feel that the service he was about torender would benefit the enemy, on the one hand; and he hoped that hisfather or some other person on board of the Bellevite would see him inthe pilot-house, on the other hand. If he could only let his father knowwhere he was, he felt that he should remove a heavy burden from his mindand that of his sister.
What else might come from getting near to the steamer, he did notventure to consider. But he could not help figuring up the number ofsoldiers on board of the tug; the force which had captured him andPercy consisted of four men, and two men were with the lieutenant. Twoofficers and six men was the available force of the enemy on board ofthe little steamer, for neither the captain nor the engineer was fit forduty.
"I accept your offer, Captain Passford; and we have no time to spare, orthe sick man may die," said the major.
Christy made no reply, but went to the wheel, and rang the bell to goahead. Heading the Leopard for the Bellevite, he gave himself up to aconsideration of the situation. Major Pierson immediately left thepilot-house, and did not return. No stipulations of any kind had beenmade, and no terms had been imposed upon Christy. All that he desiredwas that his father should see him, and know where he was.
No one but himself on board could handle the steamer; and he could notbe sent out of the pilot-house, or concealed so that he should not beseen. On the other hand, it did not seem to him that the officer coulddo any thing towards capturing the Bellevite. The major desired toascertain what force she had, and had asked some questions calculatedto throw light on the subject.
If the steamer had come into the bay on a peaceful errand, as Christyinsisted that she had, the major might easily believe that she was notarmed, and that she had only men enough to man her. But Christy couldnot tell what his captor was thinking about, and he could not yetenlarge his plans for the future; but he was very certain in his ownmind, that he should not let pass any opportunity to escape, even atgreat risk, from his present situation.
As the Leopard went off on her course, considerably shaken by the freshbreeze which had stirred up a smart sea, the acting captain of the tugsaw that all the men who had been on the forecastle had disappeared,with a single exception. The major was not to be seen, and doubtlesshe was taking c
are of the sick captain, or arranging his plan for theinterview with the people of the Bellevite. In a few minutes more, thislast man disappeared, and Percy Pierson took his place on theforecastle.
"So you are a Yank, are you, Mr. Pierson?" said he of that name, lookingup to the window at which Christy stood.
"Whatever I am, I am in command of a Confederate steamer," repliedChristy, laughing. "What is your brother doing, Mr. Percy?"
"I am sure I don't know: he is only talking to the men," answered theyoung man, who had evidently been put there to act as a lookout.
At that moment a voice was heard from farther aft, and Percy wenttowards the stern of the boat. A few minutes later he ascended to thepilot-house. On the sofa abaft the wheel was Lieutenant Dallberg, wherehe had dropped asleep as he finished his report of what he had learnedon shore.
"Mr. Dallberg!" shouted Percy; but the lieutenant did not show any signsof life till the messenger had shaken him smartly. "Major Pierson wantsyou down below."
The officer rubbed his eyes for a moment, and then rose from the sofa,and left the apartment. The summons for the lieutenant made it look toChristy as though something was in progress below. There was only onething which the major could think of doing; and that was to capture theBellevite, either by force or by strategy. He would have given a gooddeal to know what the plan was, but it seemed to him to be quiteimpossible to leave the wheel.
"How is the sick man, Percy?" asked Christy, when he found that themessenger was not disposed to leave the pilot-house.
"He is a good deal better: they have just given him another glass ofbrandy," replied Percy.
This statement did not agree with that of the major, who had told himthe captain was likely to die, and that there was not a drop of brandyon board of the boat. The commandant of the fort had evidently beenacting in the pilot-house with a purpose.
"Didn't your brother order you to stay on the forecastle, Mr. Percy?"asked Christy, when his companion came to the wheel on the opposite sidefrom the helmsman.
"No: he said if I would help him, he would do what he could for me; andhe told me to keep a lookout at this end of the tug. I can see aheadbetter here than I can down below," replied Percy, as he tried to turnthe wheel. "I believe I could steer this thing."
"I know you could, Percy. Do you see the Bellevite?"
"Of course I do: I'm not blind."
"She has stopped her screw, and is not going ahead now," added Christy,as he let go the spokes of the wheel, and proceeded to instruct hispupil.
A few minutes later, Christy left the pilot-house to take a look below.
