by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VI
CAPTAIN SULLENDINE OF THE WEST WIND
Weeks and his companions divided up as they had been ordered to do incoming to the fort, and departed in different directions. The lieutenantpointed out to them the locality of the bivouac where he had passed somuch of the evening, so that they might avoid it. It was about oneo'clock in the morning when they left, and Christy calculated thatthey would reach the ship in an hour and a half, which would give thecommander ample time to get up steam from the banked fires, and movedown four or five miles to the southward of his present position.
The chief of the expedition had sent no message to the captain of theBellevite in regard to his own movements, but simply that he wouldreport to him later. He had already grasped an idea, though he had hadno time to work it up in detail. It looked practicable to him, and hehad jumped to a conclusion as soon as he was in possession of the factscovering the situation in the vicinity of Fort Morgan.
With only a plan not yet matured in his mind, perhaps he had been morerash than usual in sending away the whaleboat before he had provided forhis own retreat from the enemy's territory; but he had considered thisdifficulty, and had come to the conclusion that the Trafalgar must becaptured if possible, even if he and his associates were sent to aConfederate prison.
But he did not anticipate any such result. He had three pairs of theseamen left; and the party still consisted of eight men, all well armed.If the plan he had considered should fail, he had force enough to carrya light boat from Pilot Town, or any other point on the inner shore,in which they could make their escape to the Bellevite or some otherblockader. He did not feel, therefore, that he had "burned his bridges,"and left open no means of retreat in case of disaster.
Christy and Graines were left alone in the darkness and the fog, a bankof which was just then sweeping over the point; but they could hear theviolent talk of Captain Sullendine in the distance, as he declaimedagainst the perfidy of his mate and the three seamen just at the pointwhere he needed them most. Evidently he could not reconcile himself tothe idea of being left behind by the Trafalgar, which seemed to beinevitable under present circumstances.
"The skipper of the West Wind seems to be in an ocean of trouble, andhe is apparently resolved not to submit to the misfortune which hasovertaken him," said Christy, as he led the way towards the knot of menwho were the auditors of the rebellious captain.
"He may jaw as much as he pleases, if it makes him feel any better, butI don't see how he can help himself," replied Graines. "The schoonerlooked like a rather large one when I got a sight of her just before Icame back to you, which I did as soon as I saw the four men leave you."
"I sent Weeks as a messenger to Captain Breaker, to inform him that theTrafalgar would sail at three in the morning," added Christy.
"I concluded that was the mission upon which you sent him," replied theengineer; and, whatever doubts the lieutenant's action might have raisedin his mind, he asked no questions.
Every man on board of the Bellevite was well acquainted with therecord and reputation of the executive officer; and he concluded atonce that Christy had already arranged his method of operations. It wasnot "in good form" to ask his superior any questions in regard to hisintentions.
"Did you go down to the shore, Charley?" asked Christy, as they walkedin that direction.
"I did not, but I went far enough to hear what the captain of the WestWind was talking about. I had no orders, and as soon as I saw the fourmen leave you, I thought I had better rejoin you," answered Graines.
"Quite right," said the lieutenant as he halted; for they were as nearthe group on the shore as it was prudent to go, for the fog was lifting."What did the captain say?"
"He offered ten dollars apiece for the recovery of the men who haddeserted, if they were brought back within two hours," replied Graines."He did an immense amount of heavy swearing; and it was plain that hewas mad all the way through, from the crown of his head to the sole ofhis foot."
"Was any one inclined to accept his offer, and go in search of therunaways?"
"I can't say, but I saw no one leave on that or any other mission. I wasthere but a few minutes, and the fog dropped down on the party so that Icould not see them at all."
"We must join that assemblage, and we may be able to help CaptainSullendine out of his dilemma," said Christy.
"Help him out of it!" exclaimed Graines.
"Not a word more, Charley. I have an idea or two left, but it is notprudent to say a word about it here," replied the lieutenant cautiously."You know the cut of my jib in my present rig, and I want you to keep aneye on me, for we must separate now. When you see me take off this oldsoft hat with my left hand, and scratch my head with my right, movingoff a minute later, you will follow me. By that time I shall know whatwe are to do."
"All right, Christy; I will follow the direction to the letter," addedGraines.
"While you go off to the left of that pile of rubbish yonder, I willgo to the right of it. If you speak to any of our men, do so with theutmost caution."
"They have been down there some time, and they have full information inregard to what is going on in this locality," suggested Graines.
"Use your own judgment, Charley, only be careful not to give us away,"replied the lieutenant, as he moved towards the pile of rubbish.
A walk of a few minutes brought him to the group on the shore, whichconsisted of not more than a dozen persons, and half of them belonged tothe Bellevite. Christy halted before he reached the assemblage, in orderto listen to the eloquence of the captain of the West Wind. He talkedvery glibly; and it did not take his outside auditor long to perceivethat he had been drinking somewhat freely, though he was not whatnon-temperance men would have called intoxicated.
"I use my men well, and give 'em enough to eat and drink, and what'sgood enough," the nautical orator declaimed with a double-handedgesture. "Why, my friends, I gave each of the villains that desertedthe schooner a bottle of apple-jack. I don't drink it myself, but it isgood enough for niggers and sailors; in fact, my men liked it better'nwhiskey, because it's stronger. They served me a mighty mean trick, andI'll give ten dollars apiece to have 'em fetched back to me. That's agood chance for some on you to make some money tonight."
His audience listened to him as they would have done to a preacher withwhom they had no sympathy, and no one was tempted by the reward to go insearch of the deserters. Christy moved up nearer to the speaker. In hisdisguise, with his face smooched with some of the color he had receivedas a present from Mr. Gilfleur, the French detective, with whom he hadbeen associated on his cruise some months before, he did not appear atall different from most of those who listened to Captain Sullendine.He had laid aside his gentlemanly gait and bearing, and acted as thoughhe had lately joined the "awkward squad."
"How d'e?" called the orator to him, as he saw him join the group oflisteners. "I see you come from the other side of the p'int."
"Well, is that agin the laws o' war?" demanded Christy.
"Not a bit on't," replied the captain pleasantly, as though hispotations of whiskey were still in full effect upon him. "If you comefrom that way, have you seen anything of my four men that deserted theschooner?"
"I wasn't lookin' for 'em; didn't know ye'd lost some men," repliedChristy, staring with his mouth half open at the orator. "Was one on'em the mate?"
"Yes!" exclaimed the captain eagerly.
"Well, I hain't seen nothin' on em," added Christy in a mumbling tone.
"I'll bet you have!" protested the skipper of the West Wind. "How'd youknow one on 'em was the mate if you didn't see 'em?"
"I didn't know one on 'em was the mate; I only axed yer so's ter know."
"I reckon you know sunthin about my men," persisted the captain; and bythis time the attention of all the party had been directed to him.
"I don't know nothin' about yer men, and I hain't been interduced to'em. If you want to ship a new crew, I'm ready to jine with yer."
"One m
an ain't enough," added the skipper.
"Some o' these men'll jine too, I reckon," suggested Christy, whohad proceeded in this manner in order to attract the attention of thedisconsolate master of the West Wind.
"I don't reckon they can ship, 'cause most on 'em belongs to theTallahatchie, and they can't leave."
"That's so," shouted several of the group, including some of the crew ofthe Bellevite.
"What's the Talla-what-you-call-her?" demanded Christy.
"She's the steamer you can see when the fog lifts," answered CaptainSullendine. "The Tallahatchie is her name. Are you a sailor, my livelylad?"
"I reckon I know the bobstay from the mainmast."
"You know sumthin about my mate and men, my jolly tar, and I'll give youfive dollars apiece for any news on 'em that will help me to ketch 'em;and I'll ship you into the bargain, for I want more hands," the captainproceeded in a more business-like manner, though at the expense of hisoratory.
Just at this moment three short and sharp whistles sounded from off theshore, and about half of the skipper's audience turned upon their heelsand walked down to the water, where they embarked in a boat. They wereevidently members of the ship's company of the Tallahatchie, on shore onleave, and the whistles were the signal for their return. The remainderof the group, with two or three exceptions, were the seamen of theblockader.
"Where'd you come from, my hearty?" demanded the captain of theschooner, turning to Christy again.
"I was tooken in a blockader, eight on us. We done stole a whaleboat andcomed ashore," replied Christy, enlarging upon the story he had told thebivouackers.
"Eight on you!" exclaimed the master of the schooner. "Where's the reston ye?"
"They're all about here somewhar, and I reckon I kin find em. They'relookin for sunthin t'eat. They all want to ship, and the mate of theRattler's one on 'em," continued Christy, guiding himself by thecircumstances as they were developed to him.
"What's your name, my man?"
"My name's Jerry Sandman; and I ain't ashamed on't."
"Are your men all sailors, Jerry?"
"Every one on 'em."
"I want eight good men, Jerry, the mate bein' one on 'em."
"Then we kin fix you like a 'possum in a hole."
"I've got two boats on the shore; the deserters stole one on 'em, and Icome ashore in t'other arter 'em. I reckon I'll get a steamer in Nassau,and I want all the good men I can find to man her. I'll ship the wholeon you. Find your men, Jerry, and fetch 'em down to the boats. I'll give'em all sumthin t'eat. Now be lively about it," said Captain Sullendine,as he walked away towards the shore.
"I'll find 'em in no time," replied Christy, as he removed his soft hatwith his left hand, and scratched his head with the other.
The rest of the party scattered, and Graines joined the lieutenant.