by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER V
AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIDENCE
Captain Passford had certainly kept his own counsel with punctiliouscare; for he had never even mentioned the skilful detective in hisfamily, though the members of it had met the gentleman in Paris and inHavre. Mr. Gilfleur was in constant communication with him while he wasworking up the exposure of the treason of Davis, who might have been arelative of the distinguished gentleman at the head of the SouthernConfederacy, though there was no evidence to this effect.
"If the captain of this steamer manages his affair well with the Ionian,I expect to find letters on board of her signed by Davis," continued Mr.Gilfleur. "From the information I obtained, your father put Americandetectives on the scent of Davis, who dogged him day and night till theyfound the Ionian, and ascertained in what manner she obtained her cargo;but she had been partly loaded before they reached a conclusion, and itis suspected that she has arms under the pieces of machinery, perhapscannon and ammunition."
The detective continued to explain his operations at greater length thanit is necessary to report them. Christy listened till nearly midnight,and then he went on deck to ascertain the position of the chase beforehe turned in. He found the captain on the quarter-deck, vigilant andfaithful to his duty, and evidently determined that the Ionian shouldnot elude him.
"You are up late, Mr. Passford," said the captain, when he recognizedhis passenger in the gloom of the night.
"I have been busy, and I came on deck to see where the Ionian was beforeI turned in," replied Christy.
"I think the rascal has a suspicion that we have some business with him,for at four bells he turned his head in for the shore," added thecommander. "If you go forward you will see that we have dowsed everyglim on board, even to our mast-head and side lights."
"You are carrying no starboard and port light?"
"None; but we have a strong lookout aloft, and in every other availableplace. When the chase headed for the shore, we kept on our course forhalf an hour, and then put out the lights. We came about and went off tothe eastward for another half-hour. Coming about, we went to thewestward till we made her out, for she has not extinguished her lights.It is dark enough to conceal the ship from her, and no doubt she thinkswe are still far to the southward of her. At any rate, she has resumedher former course, which was about south, half west."
Christy was satisfied with this explanation, for the Ionian was doingjust what she was expected to do. She was not inclined to be overhauledby a gunboat, and she had attempted to dodge the Chateaugay. Besides, ifshe were bound to Wilmington, as her clearance stated, she would turn tothe south-west two or three points by this time. The young officerseated himself in his room, and figured on the situation. If the steamerwere making an honest voyage she would not be more than twenty miles offAbsecum light at this time, and ought to be within ten of the coast.
At two bells Christy was still in his chair, and when he heard the bellshe decided to go on deck again, for he felt that the time would sooncome to settle every doubt in regard to the character of the Ionian. Hefound the commander still at his post, and he looked out for the chase.It was not more than a mile distant, and hardly to be seen in the gloomof a dark night.
"On deck again, Mr. Passford?" said Captain Chantor.
"Yes, sir; I am too much interested in this affair to sleep; besides,I feel as though I had slept at home enough to last me six months,"replied the passenger. "It seems to me that the question of thatvessel's destination is to be decided about this time, or at leastwithin an hour or two."
Christy explained the calculation he had been making, in which thecaptain agreed with him, and declared that he had been over the samecourse of reasoning. Both of them thought the Ionian would not wait tilldaylight to change her course, as it would be more perilous to do sothen than in the darkness.
"I am confident that she has not seen the Chateaugay since we put outthe lights," said the captain. "At the present moment we must be offAbsecum; but we cannot see the light. She is far off her course forWilmington."
"That is plain enough."
"What she will do depends upon whether or not she suspects that aman-of-war is near her. We shall soon know, for she is already in aposition to justify her capture."
"Better make sure of her course before that is done," suggested Christy,who felt that he was permitted to say as much as this.
"I don't intend to act till we are south of Cape Henlopen," added thecommander promptly. "Before we do anything, I shall formally consultyou, Mr. Passford, as I am advised to do."
"I shall be happy to serve as a volunteer, and I will obey your orderswithout question, and as strictly as any officer on board."
"That is handsome, considering the position in which you have beenplaced on board, Mr. Passford, and I appreciate the delicacy of yourconduct."
Christy remained on deck another hour, and at the end of that time aquartermaster came aft to report that the chase had changed her coursefarther to the eastward. This proved to be the fact on examination bythe officers on the quarter-deck, and as nearly as could be made out shewas now headed to the south-east.
"But that will not take her to the Bahama Islands," suggested Christy.
"Certainly not; and she may not be bound to Nassau, as stated in thoseletters. But it is useless to speculate on her destination, for we shallbe in condition in the morning to form an opinion," replied the captain."I shall keep well astern of her till morning; and if there should beany change in her movements, I will have you called, Mr. Passford."
Christy considered this a sage conclusion, and he turned in on thestrength of it. He was not disturbed during the remaining hours of thenight. He had taken more exercise than usual that day, and he sleptsoundly, as he was in the habit of doing. The bell forward indicatedeight o'clock when he turned out. Breakfast was all ready, but hehastened on deck to ascertain the position of the chase. The captain wasnot on the quarter-deck, but the first lieutenant was planking the deckfor his morning "constitutional."
"Good-morning, Mr. Birdwing," said Christy.
"Good-morning, Mr. Passford; I hope you are very well this morning,"replied the executive officer.
"Quite well, I thank you, sir. But what has become of the chase?" askedthe passenger, for the Ionian did not appear to be in sight, and hebegan to be anxious about her.
"Still ahead of us, sir; but she cannot be seen without a glass. I wascalled with the morning watch, when the captain turned in. His policy isto keep the Ionian so that we may know just where she is, and also togive her the idea that she is running away from us," replied Mr.Birdwing, as he took a glass from the brackets and handed it to Christy.
The young officer could just make out the steamer with the aid of theglass. The Chateaugay was following her; and a glance at the compassgave her course as south-east, half south. Christy had sailed the Bronxover this course, and he knew where it would bring up.
"It is plain enough, Mr. Birdwing, that the Ionian is not bound toNassau," said he.
"So Captain Chantor said when I came on deck," replied the firstlieutenant.
"And it is equally plain where she is bound," added Christy. "Thatcourse means the Bermuda Islands, and doubtless that is herdestination."
"So the captain said."
The passenger was satisfied, and went below for his breakfast. He foundMr. Gilfleur at the table; and as the fact that the Chateaugay waschasing the Ionian was well understood in the ward room, Christy did nothesitate to tell him the news. The Frenchman bestowed one of hispenetrating glances upon his associate, and said nothing. After the mealwas finished they retired to the detective's room. Mr. Gilfleur lookedover his papers very industriously for a few minutes.
"This affair is not working exactly as it should," said he, as heselected a letter from his files. "I supposed this steamer would proceeddirectly to Nassau. Read this letter, Mr. Passford."
"Colonel Richard Pierson!" exclaimed Christy, as he saw to whom theletter was addressed.
"Anything strange about the address?" asked the detective.
"Perhaps nothing strange; but I saw this gentleman in Nassau two yearsago," replied Christy, as he recalled the events of his first trip toMobile in the Bellevite. "I can say of my own knowledge that he is aConfederate agent, and was trying to purchase vessels there. This letteris signed by Hillman Davis."
"The American traitor," added Mr. Gilfleur; and both of them were usingthe French language.
"He says he shall send the machinery and other merchandise to Nassau tobe reshipped to Mobile," continued Christy, reading the letter. "He addsthat he has bought the steamer Ionian for this purpose, and he expectsto be paid in full for her. I think that is quite enough to condemn thesteamer."
"Undoubtedly; but what is the Ionian to do in the Bermudas? That is whatperplexes me," said the detective.
"Possibly Captain Chantor can solve the problem, for I am sure Icannot," answered the young officer, as he rose from his seat.
He was as much perplexed as his companion, and he went on deck to waitthe appearance of the commander. About nine o'clock he came upon thequarter-deck. The Ionian remained at the same relative distance from theChateaugay, for the captain had given an order to this effect before heturned in.
"I am glad to see you, Captain Chantor," said Christy. "Can you explainwhy the Ionian is headed for the Bermudas, for you have laterinformation than any in my possession?"
"I think I can," replied the captain, taking a letter from his pocket."This is the contents of the last envelope brought off from the shore.The writer of it says he has just addressed a letter to 'our friend inNew York,' directing him, if it is not too late, to send the steamerwith the machinery and other merchandise to the Bermudas, where thecargo will be transferred to the Dornoch; for the Ovidio had beenobliged to sail without her armament, and the cargo was too valuable tobe risked without protection."
"That is the reason why the reinforcement was sent off at the lastmoment," Christy remarked.
"The Dornoch carries six guns and fifty men," added the captain, readingfrom the letter. "I think we need not wait any longer to take possessionof the Ionian, Mr. Passford. What is your opinion?"
"I concur entirely with you," replied Christy.
"Quartermaster, strike four bells," continued the captain to the man whowas conning the wheel.
"Four bells," repeated the quartermaster; and the gong could be heard ondeck as he did so.
In the course of half an hour, for the steam had been kept rather lowfor the slow progress the ship was obliged to make in order not to alarmthe chase, the Chateaugay began to show what she could do in the matterof speed, and before noon she had overhauled the Ionian.