by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXV
THE FIRST LESSON FOR A SAILOR
As the engineer was a cripple, Christy Passford had not expected to haveany difficulty in bringing him to terms; and the result justified hiscalculations. The Leopard was now practically in his possession, forCaptain Pecklar was the only person on board, except Percy, who couldgive him any trouble; and he was too feeble to do any thing.
Percy seemed to be very busy in the pilot-house, going through imaginaryevolutions at the wheel, and supposing all sorts of orders, and allkinds of positions in which the tug might be placed. He did not seemeven to observe what his companion was doing, though the engineer hadbeen driven into the forecastle in plain sight from the window of thepilot-house.
"The Engineer Obeyed" (Page 277)]
The long-boat was still struggling through the waves on her way tothe Bellevite, and could hardly have made any worse weather of such acomparatively mild sea. But she had made some considerable progress, forthe boat was now making a proper allowance for leeway, and the soldierswere improving in their rowing, possibly under the direction of themajor, who could not help seeing how badly they had been doing.
Christy decided to ascertain more definitely the condition of CaptainPecklar, for reports in in regard to him were conflicting. He went tohis state-room, and found him in his berth. He certainly looked like avery sick man, though he appeared to be in no immediate danger, so faras the new captain of the Leopard was able to judge from his appearance.
"How do you find yourself, Captain Pecklar?" asked Christy insympathetic tones; for he really pitied the poor man, far away fromhis friends, and apparently on the very brink of the grave.
"I am a great deal better," replied the invalid, looking earnestly intothe face of the young man in front of him.
"I am glad to hear it. Major Pierson has gone in the boat to theBellevite for Dr. Linscott, and I am sure he will be able to dosomething for you when he comes," added Christy.
"When he comes," repeated Captain Pecklar, with a smile on his thin andblue lips. "I don't expect to see him at present."
"But the major has gone for him; at least, he told me he should."
"I have no doubt he told you so; but he has not gone for the doctor,though I may see the surgeon of the steamer in the course of the day,"replied the captain, turning his gaze upon the floor of his room, asthough his mind troubled him as much as his body.
"If the major has not gone for the doctor, what has he gone for?" askedChristy.
"I know what he has gone for; and, as you belong on board of thatsteamer, I should think you might easily imagine."
"Perhaps I can," added Christy rather vaguely.
"Was it necessary for a major and a lieutenant, with six soldiers, togo for the doctor, when five at the most could have done it better? Buthave they gone?" asked the captain anxiously.
"They have; they started some time ago. They are making bad weather ofit, for they don't know how to handle the boat in a sea," repliedChristy.
"They have gone!" exclaimed Captain Pecklar, getting out of his bunk."Then I need not stay in my berth any longer."
Christy looked at him with astonishment when he saw him get out of hisberth without any apparent difficulty; for he certainly looked like avery sick man, though his appearance had somewhat improved since he leftthe pilot-house.
"Do you feel able to get up, captain?" asked he, as the sufferer put onhis coat.
"I was exhausted and worn out by being on duty all night, and I had afaint turn; but I am subject to them. If you are the son of the man thatowns that steamer, you will be able to understand me," replied thecaptain; and his feeble condition seemed to make him somewhat timid.
"I am the son of Captain Passford, who owns the Bellevite," addedChristy.
"I should not have been down here now, if I could have got away; butthey seem to hold on to me, for the reason that I am a pilot of thesewaters. I was brought up in the pilot-house of a steamer; and they say Iknow the bottom of this bay better than any other man, though I havebeen here but two years."
"Then you are not in sympathy with the secession movement?"
"In sympathy with it? I hate the very sound of the word! I will tell youabout it."
"Don't be long about it, for I have an affair on my hands," interposedChristy, though he was not sorry to have the advice of one who knewsomething about the situation in the vicinity.
"Only a minute. Major Pierson sent a glass of brandy to me, and I wasfit to take my place in the pilot-house then, for I felt a great dealbetter; in fact, I was as well as usual, and I am now. But I had an ideawhat the major was about, and I did not want to take any part in gettingyour father's steamer into trouble. That's the whole of it; all I wantis to get on board of her, and get out of this country."
"All right, Captain Pecklar!" exclaimed Christy, delighted at thefrankness of his companion. "The steamer, I mean the tug, is already inmy possession."
"In your possession! What do you mean by that?" asked the captain with alook of astonishment.
"I have driven the engineer into the forecastle, and fastened him down.The major's brother is in the pilot-house, and he has learned somethingabout handling the wheel. I am going to start the boat now; and if Ican do nothing more, I can show myself to my father on board of theBellevite."
"I am glad to hear it. I intended to do something, though I hardly knewwhat, as soon as I was sure that the major and his men had gone," addedCaptain Pecklar. "I can take the wheel now."
"Percy Pierson takes a great deal of interest in his new occupation,and I think it will be best to let him occupy his mind in that way. Hesteered the tug for some time, while I was ascertaining what was goingon in this part of the boat."
"Just as you think best, Mr. Passford."
"Call me Christy, for that will sound more natural to me."
"As you please, Christy. I am competent to run an engine, and did itonce for a couple of years, though the business does not agree with me."
"Very well, Captain Pecklar; then you shall run the engine, and I willkeep the run of what is going on around us," said Christy, as he walkedtowards the stern of the tug. "There is a new danger off in thenorth-west."
"What's that?" asked the captain.
"There is another steamer coming in this direction, and I suppose shehails from Mobile. There she is."
Christy was somewhat disturbed to find that the approaching steamer wasoverhauling the tug very rapidly. It looked as though she would prove tobe a more important factor in the immediate future than he had supposed.If he could only get on board of the Bellevite, he was sure that shecould run away from any thing that floated. But there was not anothermoment to be lost, and he hastened on deck to have the Leopard started.He found Percy still engaged with his problems in steering, goingthrough all the forms as though the boat were actually under way.
"Now you may do it in earnest, Percy," said he. "We are all ready to goahead. Strike your gong."
"It will be no use to strike it while you are up here," replied thepilot, looking at Christy with interest.
"We have not a second to spare; strike your gong, and we will talk aboutit afterwards," continued Christy impatiently.
"But I am not a fool, Christy, and I don't"--
"But I do!" interposed the acting captain sharply, as he reached overand pulled the bell.
"I don't like to have a fellow fool with me when I am in earnest. Whatgood will it do to ring the bell while you are in the pilot-house,Christy?"
But before the captain could answer the question, if he intended to doso, the boat began to shake under the pressure of the engine, and thetug moved ahead at half speed. Percy was so much astonished that hecould hardly throw over the wheel, and Christy took hold of it himself.
"I don't understand it," said he, as he took hold of the spokes, andlooked ahead to get the course of the boat.
"You will never make a sailor till you mend your ways," added Christy.
"There must be some one in th
e engine-room," said Percy.
"Of course there is."
"Why didn't you say so, then? I did not suppose the boat could go aheadwhile you were up here."
"I told you to ring the gong, didn't I?"
"What was the use of ringing it when you were in the pilot-house?"
"What was the use of ringing it when I did?" demanded Christy, who hadbut little patience with this kind of a sailor.
"You knew there was some one in the engine-room."
"But the engine would have started just the same if you had rung thegong."
"Well, I didn't know it; and if you had only said you had an engineer,I should have understood it."
"You will never make a sailor, as I said before," added Christy.
"What is the reason I won't?"
"Because you don't obey orders, and that is the first and only businessof a sailor."
"If you had only told me, it would have been all right."
"If the captain, in an emergency, should tell you to port the helm, youcould not obey the order till he had explained why it was given; and bythat time the ship might go to the bottom. I can't trust you with thewheel if you don't do better than you have; for I have no time toexplain what I am about, and I should not do it if I had."
"It would not have taken over half an hour to tell me there was anengineer in the engine-room," growled Percy.
"That is not the way to do things on board of a vessel, and I object tothe method. I don't know what there is before us, and I don't mean togive an order which is not likely to be obeyed till I have explained itsmeaning."
"I will do as you say, Christy," said Percy rather doggedly. "DidSpikeley agree to run the engine?"
"No, he did not; he is locked up in the forecastle. Captain Pecklar isat the engine; but he is all ready to take the wheel when I say theword."
"I can keep the wheel, for I think I understand it very well now."
"I did not wish to take you away from the wheel, for I saw that youliked the work; and I said so to Captain Pecklar. If you have learnedthe first lesson a sailor has to get through his head, all right; ifnot, Captain Pecklar will take the wheel."
"I understand the case better now, and I will do just what you tell me,"protested Percy.
"And without asking any questions?"
"I won't ask a question if the whole thing drops from under me."
Percy steered very well, and Christy had enough to do to watch thesteamer astern and the boat ahead.
