by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VII
MIDSHIPMAN CHRISTY PASSFORD
"In a word, Sampson, an attempt will be made to-night to capture theBellevite, and you have been getting up steam for the conspirators,"said Christy, when the ship-keeper had finished his narrative of thevisit of the trio to the ship.
"Is that so?" exclaimed Sampson, opening his mouth and his eyes verywide at the same time. "Why, I had no more doubt that the young man whowas talking to me was Christy than I have that he is talking to me now."
"You had better look at me again, and be sure that you make no mistake,"replied Christy, rather disgusted at the failure of the man to identifyhim.
"I never once thought that it was not you. When the sailboat camealongside, I knew it was the Florence, and I supposed you were in her,"pleaded Sampson. "But I spoke to you, as I supposed, when the boat camealongside."
"Did you? What did you say?" asked Christy.
"I said 'Is that you, Christy?' And you said 'Yes.'"
"Of course I did! What else could I say after you had told the enemyjust how to proceed. You could not have expected any other answer."
"I suppose I was very stupid; but I hope no harm has been done, for theyhave not got the steamer yet," added Sampson, very much disconcerted atthe blunder he had made, though an older officer than Christy might havehad more charity for the ship-keeper.
Seen in broad daylight, there was no striking resemblance between Cornyand Christy, though they were of about the same size, and had sometraits in common. As Corny and his companions came in the Florence,it was not very strange that Sampson should take it for granted thatChristy was one of the evening visitors. The voices of the two cousinswere not unlike, and the sound was all he had to guide his judgment.Then he was not in the enemy's country, and he could hardly have beenon the lookout for an enemy several miles up the river.
"Certainly no harm has been done, Sampson; but it is yet to be decidedwhether or not the Bellevite is to go into the navy of the United Statesor the navy of the Confederate States," added Christy, leaving theengine-room.
"If we have snuffed the whole thing, I don't believe this steamer willever wear anything but the Stars and Stripes," said Sampson stoutly; andthere could be no doubt in regard to his loyalty, judging from hisspeech, though that is not always to be trusted in time of war.
"Bellevite, ahoy!" shouted some one at the foot of the accommodationsteps.
"Have they come again so soon?" asked Sampson, as he rushed to the rail."It is only a small canoe."
"Is Christy on board?" called the visitor alongside.
"That is Mr. Vapoor: tell him I am on board," added Christy.
"Christy is on board, sir," replied Sampson to the hail. "Will you comeon board, sir?"
Paul Vapoor would and did come on board, and Christy gave him a heartywelcome, for he was more glad to see him than he had ever been before inhis life.
"Where have you been all day and all the evening, Christy?" asked theengineer. "Your mother and sister are very much worried about you, forthey have not seen you for a long time, and they fear that something hashappened to you."
"Something is likely to happen to me and all the rest of us who expectto go to sea in this steamer," replied Christy, as he proceeded toinform his friend as briefly as he could of the great event of theevening.
"Well, if we are not in the enemy's country, the enemy are in ours,"replied Paul. "What is to be done?"
"That is what I have been thinking of. I listened very attentively toall that passed between Major Pierson and Captain Carboneer, and I amsatisfied that the latter has a considerable force somewhere on theriver, and their headquarters are at the mouth of a creek five milesdown the river."
"How many have they?" asked the engineer.
"I don't know; they did not mention the number in figures, but they haveenough to work the ship, and even to fight her," replied Christy, veryseriously.
"That means forty or fifty, at least," added Paul. "This looks like aheavy matter, and it is quite time that something was done about it."
"But what shall we do is the question," said Christy anxiously. "We havetwo men on board beside ourselves, and we can hardly expect to hold ourown against fifty."
"Who is this Captain Carboneer?"
"I saw him at Nassau, and he looked like a man of decision andcharacter. I don't know anything about him, but I have no doubt he isa naval officer, both from the circumstances and from what I heard.I should say that he knows what he is about. You said that my fatherhas not yet returned from the city?"
"He had not come at ten o'clock, and if he comes at all, the late traindoes not arrive till after twelve."
"It may be too late to do anything at that time," said Christy. "But Idon't mean to give up the ship."
"Good! I am with you on that point, Christy. I called at your house toinform you that you had been appointed a midshipman in the navy, and youare likely to have a chance to christen your commission to-night. Thiswas all the rank they could give you, though you will really be a passedmidshipman, and be a master very soon."
Christy was delighted with this news, though he had no time to make ademonstration of delight over it. He had narrowly escaped being thethird officer of the Bellevite the year before, because his father didnot believe in putting him forward as fast as his abilities would havewarranted him in doing. Captain Breaker and Paul Vapoor had made theapplication for a position in the navy; for his father would not do it,for the reason that he did not wish to ask any favors for a member ofhis own family.
"I thank you and Captain Breaker for all you have done for me, Paul, andI hope I shall be able to give a good account of myself. But we have notime to talk about that now. Captain Carboneer was waiting for a steamerwhich his naval associate, Lieutenant Haslett, was to charter or buy forthe use of the party," said Christy, as he led the way to the forwarddeck of the steamer.
He and the engineer mounted the top-gallant forecastle, and lookedintently down the river. The tide was coming in, so that the vessel, incoming up to her cable, pointed in that direction. But they could seenothing, not a craft of any description. Then Christy led the way tothe long gun mounted amidships. He sighted across the piece, and, in amoment more, his mind seemed to have settled on the policy to be pursuedin the present dangerous emergency. Perhaps the capture of a steamerunder such circumstances was a thing unheard of at that time, butdoubtless it looked simple enough to those who were engaged in theenterprise.
"Do you think of engaging the enemy at long range, Christy?" asked Paul,with a smile on his fine face, as seen by the light of the lantern whichSampson had brought to the place.
"I think of beating them off in any way we can," replied the middy,as his friends all called him from that time. "I have the gun pointingto a certain object on the river, which Captain Carboneer's steamer mustpass. He can't help putting his craft where the muzzle of this piecewill cover it; and if we pull the lock-string at that instant, the shotwill knock his steamer all to pieces, and spill the conspirators intothe river."
"If you hit her," suggested Paul.
"You can't very well help hitting her. Just squint along that gun, andsee where the shot will bring up."
Paul complied with this request, and took a long look over the greatgun.
"I should say that it was pointed a little too high," said he.
"Perhaps it is; I have not fixed it just as I mean to have it. We willput in the charge before we do that," added Christy, who was now asself-possessed as though there was no excitement attending the operationhe was arranging.
"Do you know what steamer Captain Carbine will have?" asked Paul.
"Not Carbine; Carboneer. No, I don't know what steamer he will have;only that she is an old one, and has a walking-beam," replied Christy.
"That is rather indefinite, midshipman," added Paul, with a smile. "Youcan't always tell what a steamer is by looking at her, especially in thenight; and a walking-beam is not a novelty on a steamer upon this river.You may send t
hat shot through the wrong vessel; and if you shouldhappen to kill a dozen or two of loyal citizens of the State of NewYork, they might be mean enough to hang you, or send you to the Stateprison for life for it. It won't do to fire off a shotted gun like thatbaby without knowing pretty well what you are shooting at."
"That is a long argument, Paul; and I have not the remotest idea ofdoing any such thing as you describe. I am going to know what we arefiring at before we pull the lock-string," replied Christy, ratherimpatiently. "But we have no time to dig up mare's nests. We will getup the ammunition and load this gun; then we will do the rest of thebusiness."
As ship-keeper and a member of the engineer's department for the lastyear, Sampson knew where everything was to be found. With all the usualprecautions, the magazine was opened, and ammunition enough for threecharges was conveyed to the deck, Warping having been called in toassist in the work. The gun was carefully loaded under the direction ofChristy, who had been fully instructed and drilled in the duty. It waspointed as nearly as practicable to the point in the channel which thehostile steamer must pass, though the aim was to be rectified at thelast moment.
Paul went to his stateroom and took off his handsome uniform, replacingit with a suit of his working garments. Then he hastened to the engine,examined it, and satisfied himself that it was in good condition for theoffice which was soon to be required of it. He gave Sampson particulardirections for his duty, and then went down the accommodation steps withthe midshipman.
"What are you going to do next, Christy?" asked Paul, for the youngnaval officer had been too busy with his preparations to develop hisplan in full.
"We will go ashore first, and I will take the Florence to theboat-house," replied Christy. "The next thing to be done is to makea reconnoissance down the river."
"Why not go down in the Florence?" suggested Paul.
"Because that would be too simple and innocent altogether," replied themiddy; and perhaps he felt some of the dignity of his new rank. "I thinkwe had better see without being seen, especially as Captain Carboneerhas seen and sailed the sloop. I have no doubt he has a sharp, nauticaleye, and that he will recognize her. He might be rash enough to captureher, and thus deprive the United States Navy of two young, but able andhopeful officers, to say nothing of bottling them up so that he couldmake short work of the Bellevite."
"You are right, Christy, as you always are. But see your mother beforeyou do anything, and I will obey orders. She worries about you."
They landed and hastened to the mansion.