by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XI
ANOTHER READING OF THE SEALED ORDERS
Christy finished the reading of the orders, folded up the document, andput it in his pocket. But he immediately took it out and unfolded itagain, as though a new thought had struck him. Flint watched him withthe utmost attention, and he realized that the bearing of the commanderwas quite different from his usual manner; but he attributed it to thevery unexpected nature of the orders he had just read. He was distinctlydirected to attempt no operations on the passage, and to proceed to thedestination indicated with all reasonable despatch.
The wording of the order was rather peculiar, and somewhat clumsy,Flint thought; but then he had been a schoolmaster, and perhaps hewas inclined to be over-critical. But the meaning of the first clausecould not be mistaken, however, though the word "operations" seemedto indicate something on a grander scale and more prolonged than anencounter with a blockade-runner, or a Confederate man-of-war; somethingin the nature of a campaign on shore, or a thorough scouring of theocean in search of the vessels of the enemy.
But any such interpretation of the order was rendered impossible by whatfollowed. The commander was distinctly forbidden to engage the enemy ifsuch an encounter could be avoided "with honor." The first lieutenantknew that a combat could be easily avoided simply by not following upany suspicious craft, unless a fully manned and armed Confederatecruiser presented herself, and then it might be honorable to run awayfrom her. There was no mistaking the meaning of the orders, and therewas no chance to strain a point, and fall upon one or both of theexpected steamers.
The captain was strictly enjoined from meddling with them, even if theycame in his way. If they chased the Bronx, she would be justified indefending herself under the orders; and that was the most she could do.Flint was terribly disappointed, and he regarded the commander with thedeepest interest to learn what interpretation he would give to theorders, though there seemed to him to be no room even to take advantageof any fortunate circumstance.
The appearance of the commander did not throw any new light upon thecontents of the document. After he had finished the reading of thepaper, Christy sat in his chair, apparently still looking it over, asthough he did not fully comprehend its meaning. But he made no sign andindulged in no remark of any kind, and in a few moments folded the orderand put it back into his pocket. Undoubtedly he was thinking veryenergetically of something, but he did not reveal the nature of hisreflections.
Flint concluded that he was utterly dissatisfied with his orders, andeven regarded them as a slight upon himself as the commander of thesteamer for the time being. It was not customary to direct captainsto avoid the enemy under all circumstances that were likely to bepresented. The first lieutenant began to realize the disadvantage ofsailing with a captain so young, for it looked to him as though thestrange order had been issued on account of the youth of the commander.
When Christy had restored the paper to his pocket, he rose from hisseat, and thus indicated that there was to be no consultation with theofficers in regard to the unusual instructions. The two officers rose atthe same time, and closely observed the face of the commander; but thistime Flint could find nothing there as serious as he had observedbefore; in fact, there was a twinkle in his eye that looked promising.
"Gentlemen, it is dinner time in the ward room, and I will not detainyou any longer," said Christy, as politely as he usually spoke to hisofficers, though the opera of "Pinafore" had not been written at thattime.
Flint bowed to his captain, and left the cabin; and his example wasfollowed by Baskirk. Christy certainly did not look as though he wereembarrassed by his orders, or as if he were disappointed at therestrictions they imposed upon him. He left the cabin so that Dave couldprepare his table for dinner as he had the time to do so. He left thecabin; but in the passage he called the steward to him, and whispered abrief sentence to him.
He then ascended to the deck, and proceeded to take a "constitutional"on the windward side of the quarter deck. The gale had moderated verysensibly, though the wind was still from the southward. The sea wasstill quite rough, though it was likely to subside very soon. After thecaptain had walked as long as he cared to do, he mounted the bridge.
"What do you think of the weather, Mr. Lillyworth?" he asked of theofficer of the deck, after he had politely returned his salute.
"I don't believe we shall have any more wind today," replied the secondlieutenant, as he looked wisely at the weather indications the skypresented. "But it don't look much like fairing off, and I shall lookfor fog as long as the wind holds where it is."
"I have been expecting to be buried in fog," added the captain, as hetook a survey of the deck beneath him. "I see by the log slate that weare making fifteen knots an hour, and we certainly are not driving her."
"There can be no doubt that this is a very fast vessel," said Mr.Lillyworth. "Well, she ought to be, for I understand that she was builtfor a nobleman's yacht, and such men want speed, and are willing to payfor it."
"By tomorrow, we shall be in the latitude of the Bermudas, and most ofthe blockade runners put in there, or some more southern port, to getthe news, and obtain a pilot, if they don't happen to have one onboard."
"That seems to be the way they do it."
"This fog is favorable to blockade runners if they have a skilful piloton board; and they all contrive to have such a one," added the captain,as he moved towards the steps to the deck.
"I suppose you have opened your sealed orders, Captain Passford," saidthe second lieutenant, who seemed to be interested in this subject. "Wehave crossed the thirty-eighth parallel."
"Yes; I have opened the envelope, and found the orders very peculiarand very disappointing," replied the captain as he took a step on theladder. "But you will excuse me now from speaking of them, for I haveanother matter on my mind."
Christy thought Pink Mulgrum might as well tell him about the orders andhe could at least save his breath if he had no other motive for leavingthe second lieutenant in the dark for the present. He went to the deck,and then down into the cabin. His breakfast was ready, but Dave was notthere, and he walked forward into the ward room, from which he sawMulgrum replenishing the table in the steerage. He had evacuated hisplace under the berth in the state room, and the captain went to hisbreakfast in his cabin. Dave soon appeared with the hot dishes from thegalley, for he had seen Christy take his place at the table.
"What's the news, Dave?" asked the captain.
"No news, sir, except that I gave Pink a chance to get out of that stateroom," replied the steward, spreading out his broadest smile. "I spokeout loud just like I was calling to some one in the ward room, 'No, sir,I can't go now; I have to go to the galley for the dishes.' Then I leftthe cabin, and went forward; when I came back, I looked under yourberth, sir, and Pink wasn't there then."
"How did you know he was under the berth in the first place, Dave?"
"Just before eight bells I saw him cleaning the brasses on the door.I think he will wear those door knobs all out before the cruise is up.I knew he was up to something, and I just watched him. He went out ofsight and I did not know where he was. Then I took the feather duster,and worked about the cabin; but I couldn't find him. Then I dusted thestate room, and then I did find him."
"You have rendered good service, Dave, and I shall not forget it," addedChristy. "Where are Mr. Flint and Mr. Baskirk?"
"In the ward room, sir."
"Give my compliments to them, and say that I wish to see them in mycabin in about ten minutes," continued the captain.
Dave left the cabin, and Christy devoted himself to his breakfast; andin his haste to meet the officers indicated, he hurried the meal morethan was prudent for the digestion. The steward reported that he haddelivered the message, and Christy finished his hasty collation.
The table was hurriedly cleared by the steward, and the captain paid avisit to his state room, during which he did not fail to look under hisberth. He had a trunk there, and he saw that it had been
moved to thefront of the space, so that there was room enough for the conspirator toconceal his body behind it, though his was a good-sized body. Returningto the cabin, he took his usual seat at the table, facing the door. In afew minutes more Mr. Flint and Mr. Baskirk came to the door and wereinvited to come in. Dave had returned from the galley, and he wasinstructed to watch that door as he was told to close it.
Dave finds Mulgrum under the berth.]
Flint took the seat assigned to him, and Baskirk was placed opposite tohim. The first lieutenant appeared to be a great deal more dissatisfiedthan the captain; but then he was a poor man, and next to his duty tohis country, he was as anxious as the average officer to make all themoney he could out of the prizes captured by his ship. It looked to himas though all his chances had slipped beyond his reach for the present.
Flint had taken no little stock in the two steamers that were expectedon the coast at this time, and in spite of the treachery anticipated hehad counted upon a share in at least one of them. He knew very well thatthe commander, from sharp experience at his side some months before,would not pass by an opportunity to strike a blow, even in the face ofany reasonable risk. But now, as he looked at it, the wings of the youngcaptain had been clipped by the authorities at Washington, in the sealedorders.
"I am glad to meet you again, gentlemen; indeed I may say that I amparticularly glad to see you," said Christy in his most cheerful tones,as he looked about the cabin, and especially at the ports, to see ifthere was a spy looking in at one of them.
The thought came to him then and there that it was possible for a man tohang over the rail, and place one of his ears at an opening and listento what was going on; and besides there were, besides Mulgrum, sixothers who were capable of doing such a thing. He sent Mr. Baskirk ondeck to see that no man was at work over the side. He returned andreported that no one was in a position to hear what was said in thecabin.
Flint did not seem to be as much interested in the proceedings as onformer occasions, for he had had time to consider the effect of theorders, and he saw no way to evade them. They might pick up some cottonschooners, but no such prizes as the Scotian and the Arran were likelyto be taken when the steamer reached her station, wherever it might be,and the whole squadron shared the proceeds of the captures.
"You listened to the orders I read this noon," began Christy, with apronounced twinkling of his eyes.
"Yes, sir; and, Captain Passford, I have felt as if the gates of honorand profit had been closed against the Bronx," added Flint.
"Perhaps a second reading of the orders will put a different aspect onthe gates," said the captain with a significant smile, the force ofwhich, however, the first lieutenant failed to comprehend.
"Under these orders there seems to be no alternative but to hasten tothe Gulf of Mexico, and run away from any blockade runner we may happento see," growled Flint.
"You are not as amiable as usual, Mr. Flint."
"How can one be amiable under such orders?" added Flint, trying tosmile.
"I will read them over again, now that we have not as many auditors asbefore," said the captain.
Christy proceeded to read the document as it was written.