by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XV
THE GENTLEMAN WITH A GRIZZLY BEARD
The addition of about sixty persons to the full complement of the ship'scompany of the Chateaugay made a considerable crowd on board of her; butaccommodations were provided for all, and in three days the ship woulddeliver her human freight to the authorities in New York. The Dornochhad gone to the bottom with all her valuable cargo; but her captorswould be remunerated in prize-money by the government, so that in amaterial point of view she was not lost to them, and there was one lesscruiser to prey upon the commerce of the loyal nation.
Captain Rombold and Colonel Passford remained in the cabin all the restof the day; but the next morning both of them went on deck to take thefresh air. Christy and Mr. Gilfleur were in the waist, and noticed themas soon as they appeared. They had had some conversation the eveningbefore in regard to confronting the two most important prisoners, thoughwithout arriving at a conclusion.
"Of course I must meet my uncle," said Christy. "I am not inclined toskulk and keep out of sight rather than meet him. Though I have assistedin doing him and his cause a great deal of mischief, I have done it inthe service of my country; and I have no excuses to offer, and noapologies to make."
"I was not thinking of excusing myself, or apologizing for what I havedone," replied the detective quite earnestly. "That is not the point Idesire to make. Since I went to New York I have looked upon your countryas my own; and I would do as much to serve her as I ever would have donefor France."
"What is your point, Mr. Gilfleur?" asked Christy.
"I do not object to your fraternizing with your uncle, Mr. Passford, ifyou are so disposed," continued the Frenchman; "but the case is quitedifferent with me. In the hotel at St. George's you were not presentedto Captain Rombold, and you did not allow the Confederate commissionerto see and identify you. Neither of these gentlemen recognized you; butthe captain of the Dornoch would certainly know me, for I talked withhim a long time."
"Suppose both of them know us: what difference will that make?" demandedthe young lieutenant.
"It will explain to them in what manner we obtained our knowledge of theforce and weight of metal of the Dornoch. While we had as good a rightto be on shore in the Bermudas as the Confederates, if we wererecognized our method of operations would be betrayed, and in my opinionthat would be very bad policy, especially as we are to adopt the samestrategy in the Bahamas."
"I see; and I agree with you, Mr. Gilfleur, that it will be good policyto keep our own counsel in regard to what we have done in the islands,"added Christy, as he saw Captain Chantor approaching him.
"Good-morning, Mr. Passford. You and your uncle do not appear to be onvery friendly terms, for I notice that you do not speak to each other."
"Our relations have always been friendly, even while I was in a rebelprison; but I have not happened to meet him since he came on board ofthe Chateaugay."
"I will present you to him as his nephew, if you desire me to do so,"continued the commander with a smile.
"I thank you, Captain: I intended to speak to him when an opportunitycame. But you will pardon me if I make a suggestion without being askedto do so," said Christy, speaking in a low tone; and he proceeded tostate what had passed between him and Mr. Gilfleur. "I hope you have notmentioned the fact that Mr. Gilfleur and myself have been in theBermudas."
"I have not, for it came to my mind that it would be very unwise to doso," replied the captain. "Besides, I was not at all inclined to tellCaptain Rombold that I knew all about his ship, her size, the number ofher ship's company, and the weight of his guns. A man does not feel justright when he finds he has been made the victim of a bit of strategy;and I was disposed to spare his feelings. He charges his misfortunealtogether to his antiquated steamer, her failure in her promised speed,and the neglect of the Confederate commissioners to provide him with asuitable vessel."
"Mr. Gilfleur will keep out of the captain's sight during the run to NewYork; but I was acting as a servant when we met him, and did not sit atthe same table. I will speak to my uncle now."
Captain Chantor attended him to the quarter-deck, where the commissionerwas taking his morning walk. They fell in behind him as he was movingaft, so that he did not observe his nephew.
"Colonel Passford, I have a young gentleman on board of my ship whobears your name; allow me to present to you Lieutenant ChristopherPassford, who is simply a passenger on the Chateaugay," said thecaptain, directing the attention of the commissioner to the young man.
"My nephew!" exclaimed Colonel Passford, as he recognized Christy, andextended his hand to him.
"I am very glad to see you, Uncle Homer, though I am sorry to meet youunder present circumstances," replied the nephew, taking the offeredhand. "I hope you are very well, sir."
"Not very well, Christy; and I am not likely to improve in health in aYankee prison," answered the colonel with a very sickly smile.
"Probably my father will be able to obtain a parole for you, and he willbe extremely glad to have you with him at Bonnydale," added Christy.
"The last time I met you, Christy, you looked upon me as anon-combatant, released me, and sent me on shore."
"I am not sure that I did wisely at that time."
"I was not taken in arms; and I could hardly be regarded as a prisonerof war."
"But you were engaged in the Confederate service, Uncle Homer, for youwere shipping cotton for the benefit of the cause."
"But I was merely a passenger on board of the Dornoch."
"Yet you are a Confederate commissioner, seeking a passage in somevessel bound to England, for the purpose of purchasing steamers to servein your navy," added Christy with considerable energy, and withoutthinking that he was in danger of compromising himself and his companionin the visit to the Bermudas.
Colonel Passford stopped short, and gazed into the face of his nephew.He appeared to be utterly confounded by the statement, though he did notdeny the truth of it.
"Without admitting the truth of what you say, Christy, I desire to askupon what your statement is founded," said the commissioner, after somehesitation.
"As you are on one side in this great conflict, and I am on the other,you must excuse me for not answering your question," replied Christyvery promptly, and declining to commit himself any farther.
"It is very sad to have our family divided so that we should be enemies,however friendly we may be personally," added Colonel Passford in a tonethat indicated his profound grief and sorrow.
"I know how useless it is for us to discuss the question, Uncle Homer,for I am sure you are as honest in your views as my father is in his."
"I have no desire to argue the question; but I believe the North willcome to its senses in good time--when the grass grows in the streets ofNew York, if not before."
"You will have an opportunity to see for yourself, Uncle Homer, that NewYork was never so busy, never so prosperous, as at the present time; andthe same may be truthfully said of all the cities of the North," repliedChristy with spirit.
"Sail, ho!" shouted the lookout forward.
An hour later the sail was reported to be a steamer, bound to thewestward, and her streak of black smoke indicated that she was English.She was low in the water, had two smoke-stacks, and presented a veryrakish appearance. She was a vessel of not more than eight hundred tons,and her build was quite peculiar. It was evident that she was a veryfast steamer. But she seemed to have no suspicions in regard to thecharacter of the Chateaugay.
Christy left his uncle, and went to the ward room, where he found Mr.Gilfleur in his stateroom. He desired the advice of the Frenchman beforehe said anything to the captain in regard to the approaching sail.Together they had looked over all the steamers in the harbor of St.George's, and those on board of them were not disposed to conceal thefact that they were to run the blockade as soon as they could get overto the coast of the United States.
"What have you been doing to yourself, Mr. Gilfleur?" asked Christy, assoon as he discovered
the detective, for he had completely changed hisappearance, and looked like an elderly gentleman of fifty, with a fullbeard, grizzled with the snows of many winters.
"I don't care to be shut up in this stateroom during the voyage to NewYork," replied the Frenchman with a pleasant laugh. "This is one of myuseful costumes, and I don't believe Captain Rombold will recognize menow."
"I am very sure he will not," added Christy, looking him over, andwondering at the skill which could so completely change his appearance.
"I want you to see the steamer which is approaching, bound to thewestward. If I am not mistaken, we have seen her before."
"I am all ready, and I will go on deck with you; but you must contriveto let the captain know who I am, or he will order me below, or have toomuch to say about me," replied the detective, as he followed Christy tothe quarter-deck.
Colonel Passford and Captain Rombold had seated themselves abaft themizzenmast, and seemed to be interested in the reports respecting theapproaching steamer. Christy called Captain Chantor to the rail, andexplained what the commander had already scented as a mystery in regardto the gentleman with the grizzled beard. He laughed heartily as hegazed at the apparent stranger, and declared that he thought he might beanother Confederate commissioner, for he looked respectable anddignified enough to be one.
"I think that steamer is the Cadet, Captain Chantor; and I have broughtMr. Gilfleur on deck to take a look at her."
The Frenchman had no doubt the steamer was the Cadet, for she waspeculiar enough in her build to be identified among a thousand vesselsof her class. For some time they discussed the character of the vessel,and minutely examined her build and rig. Neither of them had any doubtas to her identity, and the passenger reported the result of theconference to the commander, who immediately ordered the American flagto be displayed at the peak; and gave the command to beat to quarters.
"We are over six hundred miles from any Confederate port, Mr. Passford,"said the captain. "I should not like to have one of my capturessurrendered to her owners."
"Of course you have your law books in your cabin, Captain; but I havestudied them so much that I can quote literally from one bearing on thiscase," continued Christy. "'The sailing for a blockaded port, knowing itto be blockaded, is, it seems, such an act as may charge the party witha breach of the blockade.' Besides the evidence of her course, and thatof the nature of her cargo, there are two witnesses to the declarationof the captain that he was intending to run into Wilmington."
"She has come about, and is running away from you, Captain!" exclaimedthe passenger, who was the first on the quarter-deck to notice thischange.
The commander ordered a gun to be fired across her bow, for the Cadetwas hardly more than a quarter of a mile from the Chateaugay. No noticewas taken of the shot, and a moment later the midship gun sent a shotwhich carried away her pilot-house and disabled the wheel.