by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER II
THE DEPARTURE OF THE EXPEDITION
The conversation between the captain and the executive officer of theBellevite was continued till they were called to supper; but a decisionhad been reached. On important occasions, as when several boats wereordered upon an expedition, it was not unusual to send the firstlieutenant in command. Though only a single whaleboat would be requiredfor the enterprise in which the commander was so deeply interested, itsimportance appeared to justify the selection of the executive officer toconduct it; and Christy was directed to suit himself.
Of course the expedition was to be sent out at night, for the cover ofthe darkness was necessary to render it effectual. In the afternoon thewind had come around to the south-west, and already a slight fog hadobscured the Sand Island Lighthouse. It promised to be such a night asa blockade-runner would select for getting to sea.
Christy was especially warned that the principal business of hisexpedition was to obtain information in regard to the Trafalgar, thoughit was probable that a new name had been given to her for the servicein which she was to be engaged. The examination of the surroundings ofthe fort, the captain strongly impressed upon his mind, was entirelysubsidiary to the discovery of the intending blockade-runner. In fact,the commander seemed to have serious doubts as to whether it was properfor him even to reconnoitre without special orders for the use of thearmy.
It was several months that Christy had been on board of the Bellevite inhis present capacity, and he had become very well acquainted with allthe petty officers and seamen of the ship's company, now composed of onehundred and twenty men. After he had finished his supper he walked aboutthe spar-deck to refresh his memory by a sight at all of the men, andselected those who were to take part in his enterprise.
One of the first persons he encountered in his promenade was the thirdassistant engineer, Charles Graines, whom he had known as a boy, beforethe war. He was not only a machinist, but a sailor, having served inboth capacities, though now only twenty-five years of age. Through hisfather Christy had procured his appointment as an engineer, and hisassignment to the Bellevite. The young man was exceedingly grateful tohim for this service, and entirely devoted to him.
Paul Vapoor, the chief engineer, spoke of Graines in the highest terms,not only in his official capacity, but as a high-toned, patriotic, andthoroughly reliable man. The moment the executive officer put his eye onthe assistant engineer, he decided that Graines should be his right-handman. As a matter of precaution the proposed expedition was to be aprofound secret, for there were white men and negroes about the deck whohad been picked up in various ways, and were retained till they could bedisposed of. They could not be trusted, and doubtless some of them wereConfederates at heart, if not engaged in secret missions.
Christy invited Graines to the ward room for a conference. There wereseveral officers there, and they retired to the stateroom of the firstlieutenant, which is the forward one on the starboard side. The plan,as it had been matured in the mind of the one appointed to carry itout, was fully explained, and the engineer was delighted to be chosen totake part in its execution. The selection of the seamen to compose theexpedition was not an easy matter, though every sailor on board wouldhave volunteered for such duty if the opportunity had been presentedto him.
Graines was not so familiar with the merits of the seamen as he was withthose of the men in the engineer department. It became necessary for theexecutive officer to take another walk on the spar-deck, in order torevive his recollection of the men; and he soon returned to thestateroom with a complete list of those he had selected. The engineersuggested an oiler by the name of Weeks as a most excellent man; andChristy accepted him, completing the number from those of his ownchoice. Seated at his desk, he wrote out the names of the ten menchosen.
"Of course if we should be caught on shore in our ordinary uniforms itwould be all night with us," said Christy, as he completed the writingout of the list. "I believe you have never seen the inside of aConfederate prison, Mr. Graines."
"Never; though I came pretty near it once while I was an oiler on boardof the Hatteras," replied the engineer.
"You have been fortunate, and I hope you will come out of this excursionas well. I spent a short time in a Confederate lock-up; but I did notlike the arrangements, and I took leave of it one night. It was inMobile, and I don't care to be sent up there again. Therefore we mustclothe ourselves in the worst garments we can find; and I carry a suitfor just this purpose, though I have not had occasion to use it lately."
"I have to wear old clothes when at work on the machinery, and I have aplentiful supply on hand," added Graines. "Perhaps I could help out someof the others."
"All the seamen have old clothes, and they will need no assistance inarranging their wardrobes. Now, Mr. Graines, it will excite remark if Iinstruct the ten men we have selected, and I must leave that part of thework to you," continued Christy. "But all the instruction you need givethem is in regard to their dress, and require them to be at the mainchains on the starboard side at ten o'clock to-night precisely."
"As I have plenty of time I will take the men, one at a time, to my roomin the steerage, and instruct them," replied the engineer.
"You can tell each one to send in the next one wanted. Above all,make them promise not to speak to any person whatever in regard to theexpedition," said the executive officer as his companion retired.
Mr. Graines lost no time in discharging the important duty assignedto him. Christy reported to the commander, as soon as he found anopportunity to speak to him privately, what progress he had made incarrying out the duty assigned to him. Captain Breaker looked over thelist of the men selected, and gave it his hearty approbation. He was aman of elevated moral and religious character; he had always exercised asort of fatherly supervision over his ship's company, and he was betteracquainted with those under his command than most commanders.
"It looks as though it was going to be a good night forblockade-runners, Mr. Passford," said Captain Breaker, as he lookedover to windward and saw the banks of fog, not yet very dense, rollingup from the open gulf.
"It is not known, I suppose, whether or not the Trafalgar has come downfrom Mobile?" inquired Christy.
"I have been unable to obtain any definite information; but a negro whocame off from the shore yesterday assured me there was a black steamerat anchor between the Middle Ground and Mobile Point. That is all theinformation I have been able to obtain, though I have examined all whocame on board during the last week. It is certainly time for theTrafalgar to come out, as the Confederates are in great haste tore-enforce the Alabama, the Shenandoah, and other cruisers; for thesevessels have made a tremendous impression upon our mercantile marine.She has been in port long enough to rebuild her already, and I amconfident she must be ready for service."
"If I don't find her ready to come out to-night, would it not be well torepeat my visit to the shore until we learn something about her?" askedChristy.
"That is my purpose," replied the commander.
"I should like to have the scope of my powers as the officer of thisexpedition a little more definitely defined, Captain Breaker," continuedthe first lieutenant.
"I thought I had fully instructed you, Christy," answered the commanderwith a smile.
"Am I to confine myself solely to the two points assigned to me?"
"I don't understand what you have in your mind, my boy."
"I have nothing in my mind, Captain. I have not laid out any plan ofoperations outside of the instructions you have given me, sir; and I donot purpose to do so. If I had the intention to do anything but the dutyassigned to me, I should assuredly inform you of it, and obtain yourorders."
"I know you would, my dear boy."
"But if I see an opportunity to do anything for the benefit of mycountry"--
"Such as the capture of a sloop of war," interposed the commander witha suggestive laugh. "When you were sent to look out for a small steamer,simply to obtain information in
regard to her, in Pensacola Bay, youwent on your mission, and brought out the Teaser, which afterwardsbecame the Bronx, and rendered very valuable service to the countryunder your command."
"I could not very well help doing so when I saw my opportunity," repliedChristy, in an apologetic tone, as though he had been reproved forexceeding his instructions.
"You did precisely right, Christy; and that act did more to make thedeservedly high reputation you have won than almost anything else youhave done, unless it was your achievements at Cedar Keys," added CaptainBreaker heartily.
"I am glad you have brought up the Teaser matter, Captain, for it justillustrates what I have in my mind. If I see an opportunity to do sucha thing as that on the present occasion, I simply wish to know whetheror not I am to confine my operations to the strict letter of myinstructions. Of course, if so instructed, I shall obey my orders to theletter."
"'The letter killeth, the spirit giveth life,' my boy. Your missionalways and everywhere is to serve your country, and you are to do thison the present occasion. What I said about ingenuity in speaking of myofficers is covered in this case. If you can capture and send out theTrafalgar, do it by all means, for that is the object in view in sendingoff this expedition. Your head is level, Christy; and that is the reasonwhy I desired you to command this enterprise rather than either of theother officers. I can trust you, and you have full powers to act on yourown judgment."
"I thank you for your abundant confidence, Captain; and I shallendeavor not to abuse it," replied Christy. "But it is not even remotelypossible that I shall capture the Trafalgar; yet sometimes unexpectedopportunities are presented, and the letter of my orders might preventme from embracing them. I am very glad to know where I stand."
The night came on, and with it more fog; but it was of that flittingkind which settles down and then blows away. It seemed to come in banksthat were continually in motion. The men who were to go to the shore hadall been instructed, and at precisely ten o'clock they were seated inthe whaleboat, with Mr. Graines in the stern sheets. They were all armedwith two revolvers apiece, and there was a cutlass for each in the boat.The men had not only changed their dress, but they had disguisedthemselves, smooching their faces with coal dust, and tearing theirgarments till they were in tatters.
Christy had dressed himself in his old garments, but added to them agray coat he had obtained on board of a prize. The watch on deck hadbeen ordered to the forecastle, so that they need not too closelyobserve the crew of the whaleboat. The chief of the expedition hadquietly descended to the platform of the after gangway, and when theboat dropped astern, he stepped into it, selecting his place by the sideof the engineer, who had taken the tiller lines. The boat pulled awayat once, with four hands at the oars, and Mr. Graines headed it to thenorth-east by the compass, the side lights of which were covered so thatthey should not betray the approach of the boat to the shore, if any onewas there.
On the way Christy gave the men full instructions in regard to theirconduct; and in less than an hour the party landed.