by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIX
THE NEW MATE OF THE COTTON SCHOONER
Christy had given himself credit for more physical strength, or Flintfor less weight, than the circumstances warranted, and found that hecould not draw up his companion as he intended. He made several effortsto accomplish his purpose, but he failed every time. The fear of makinga noise cramped his efforts to some extent.
"Let go, Mr. Passford," whispered Flint, when he realized that hisavoirdupois was too much for the young officer. "I will get that box,and then I can manage it myself."
"All right; but don't make a particle of noise," added Christy.
It required some time for the mate to find the box in the darkness, buthe had it in position at last, standing upon one end. Mounting it, hefound that his head was on a level with the roof, and he could easilydraw himself up; but he did not do so at once.
"What are you waiting for, Flint?" asked Christy, rather impatiently.
"If I leave the box where it is, the guard will see where we have gonewhen they inspect the prison at ten o'clock," replied Flint.
"That's so; I did not have the box in my plan, and that would tell theguard where to look for us," replied Christy. "We must make a line, andhaul it up after you."
"Here are two big handkerchiefs," added Flint, as he removed hisneck-cloth, and passed up his pocket handkerchief with it.
Christy tied the handkerchiefs together with great care, adding two moreof his own to the length, which he thought would reach the box, Flintmade it fast to the broken end of a board on the side, and then, withoutthe least difficulty or noise, sprang lightly to the roof of thewarehouse. With the aid of his companion, Christy drew up the box,careful that it should not strike against the frame of the scuttle. Thedoor was closed, though of course they were unable to hook it on theinside, as they had found it; but the guard were not likely to noticethat it was not fastened before morning.
"What next, Mr. Passford?" asked the master's mate, after they hadrested for a few minutes from their labors, though they had not beenvery arduous.
"The next thing is to get down into the street, where we shall be assafe as though we were as patriotic, over the left, as my Uncle Homer.The burden of the work is done, but I hope we shall be able to kill twobirds with one stone," replied Christy, though his meaning wasmysterious to his companion.
"It don't seem to me that we are much better off than we were in theloft," suggested the mate.
"I believe we are, though I don't think we had better indulge in anylong speeches just now. We have a favorable night, and we must make thebest of it. I don't intend to be seen in this town in the morning, butwe have the whole night before us."
"There will be a lively time looking for us to-morrow, for I don't thinkthey will be willing that you should get off, though it won't make muchdifference to them about me."
"They would not be willing to part with you, my friend."
"But you made yourself rather noted in helping the Bellevite out lastMay, and they will have a history of the loss of the Teaser in thenewspapers in due time, if they have not had it already; and they willnot like it a bit when they find that you have stepped out."
"They are welcome to their own reflections," replied the lieutenant.
"And they will send a searching party out to your uncle's estate atGlenfield; but of course we shall not go near there," said Flint.
"That is just where I am going," replied Christy, decidedly, "for thatis where I expect to kill one of the birds with the stone I fire. But wehad better be moving, for we have a long tramp before us."
The midshipman led the way, and though the roof, which was nearly flat,was wet with the falling rain, they walked, still in their stockingedfeet, to the farther end of the block. Neither of them wore his uniform,as they remained as they had dressed for the duty they were to do onboard of the Teaser. This was a point in their favor in the course theywere to pursue, for their uniform would have betrayed them as soon asthey were seen.
Before they reached the end of the block of warehouses, they had foundand tried all the scuttles on the roof, but they had not discovered onewhich had been left unfastened. At the last one this became a seriousquestion. The scuttle at the end warehouse was securely hooked on theinside; but neither of the pair felt discouraged at this circumstance.Looking about them they found a piece of joist about ten feet long,which might have been left there when the building was finished. Christyexamined the scuttle with the greatest care, to determine on which sidethe hooks were placed.
While he was doing this, Flint detached a couple of bricks from theparty-wall, which were used as a fulcrum for the lever, made of thejoist. The building was not inhabited, and there was little to be fearedat that height above the street from any noise they might make. Flintsat down on the end of the lever, and the scuttle flew up at once, thestaple drawn out of the wood.
The master's mate was the first to enter; and he "hung off" to the floorbelow. Then he assisted Christy to descend, and to close the scuttleafter him. Acting upon their belief that all the warehouses wereconstructed on the same plan, they easily found the door by which theyreached the staircase. On the lower floor, they opened a window andpassed out into the alley in the rear of the building. They were on theground, and Christy soon ascertained where he was. He made his way to awharf where he was fortunate enough to find a boat.
This locality seemed to be entirely deserted, and there was no one tochallenge them, and no one appeared to take any notice of them on theway. It was not yet nine o'clock, and many stores were open, one ofwhich they entered and bought a cooked ham and a large supply of bread.The woman in charge asked no questions, though Christy talked about afishing trip to blind her. The boat they found was a very good one, andas it was the property of the enemy, Christy had no scruples in regardto confiscating it. He had money enough in his pocket to pay for it, butas the owner did not appear to dispute his taking possession of it, hedispensed with this ceremony.
Taking the oars which they found in the boat, they pulled away from thewharf without interruption from any source. Christy took his bearingsas well as he could, and they passed out into the fog and darkness,to which experience within a few days had accustomed them both. Theycrossed the Alabama River, and then followed the land to the southward.Striking across an inlet they reached the land again, and by midnightthey reached a point of land where Christy felt entirely at home. Herecognized it by the dilapidated wharf, from which he had embarked inthe Leopard.
It was still a long pull to Glenfield, and they went ashore to partakeof a little refreshment. Flint was a smoker, and he had some dry matcheswhich enabled them to make a fire, more for its light than its heat. Theham was good and so was the bread to hungry men like the fugitives. Atthe end of an hour by the midshipman's watch, they felt like new men,and they resumed their places in the boat, and pulled two hours longer,which brought them to the inlet at Glenfield. At the rude pier where theBellevite had been moored lay a topsail schooner.
"I don't find any fault, Mr. Passford, but it seems to me that it israther dangerous for you to come here," said Flint, in a low tone, assoon as they had made out the schooner at the wharf. "I can't see whatyou are to make by it; and your uncle would hand you over to the rebelofficers as readily as he would eat his breakfast."
"I have no doubt he would do so; but I don't intend to give him thechance to do so," replied Christy, resting on his oar. "You see thisschooner. She is loaded with cotton, and she is going to run theblockade about this time. I intend to take passage in her."
"Then you knew about this vessel?" asked Flint curiously.
"I did; and that is the particular reason why I came here. Lonley toldme that my uncle had offered him the command of the schooner; and nowthat he has lost his position on board of the Teaser, I have no doubthe has already applied for the berth that was offered to him. I amconfident that he has seen my uncle, and it must have been he who toldhim that I was a prisoner."
"I begin to understand you no
w, Mr. Passford," added Flint.
"If you do, we will say no more about it just now, for there may be someone within earshot of us," replied Christy.
Nothing more was said, and the boat cautiously approached the schooner.No one appeared to be on board of her, and the fugitives found that shewas loaded with cotton, even carrying a deck-load of this staple of theSouth, the price of which had bounded up to an enormous figure in themarkets of the world. In the early morning the clouds and the fog wereswept away, and the sun came out. Christy found a hiding-place on theother side of the creek, in a dense mass of bushes, where the boat wasdrawn out of the water.
A spot which commanded a full view of the schooner had been selected,the boat was turned upside down so as to afford a shelter, and the wearyUnionists went to sleep, for they were not likely to be disturbed onthis side of the creek. It was noon when they woke, and it looked asthough something was going on at the vessel. About half a dozen negroeswere to be seen on the deck-load of cotton; and a little later in theday, Colonel Passford and Lonley were observed talking together. Butnothing was done that day, and the night came on. Christy was notsatisfied with his information, and as soon as it was dark, the boatwas launched, and the fugitives pulled over to the schooner.
"Who's in dat boat?" shouted a negro, showing himself at the rail of thevessel.
"I am," replied Christy, rather indefinitely.
"Be you de new mate, sar?" demanded the man.
"I am," answered Christy, at a venture.
"We done wait free days for you, an' Massa Lonley be mighty glad to seeyou."
"Where is Captain Lonley now?" asked the lieutenant.
"Stoppin' wid Massa colonel. He done tole me to call him if de matecome. Dis nigger gwine to do dat," added the man.
"Stop a little," added Christy, as he climbed on board of the vessel,followed by Flint. "How many men have you on board?"
"Six men wid de cook."
"Are these men sailors?"
"Dey all done work aboard a vessel, but dey ain't much sailors."
"All free niggers?"
"No, sar; wish dey was."
"Where are the rest of the men?"
"In de fo'castle, sar. De capin specks de mate come to-night, an' Ireckon we's gwine down de bay right off den."
"Go and call the captain then," added Christy, as confidently as thoughhe had stood on his own ground.
The negro hastened away as fast as his legs would carry him, and ina few minutes Colonel Passford and Captain Lonley came on board. Thelatter seemed to be hung on wires, he was so active; and even before hesaluted the new mate, he called all hands and directed them to hoist themainsail.
"I am glad to see you, Fetters," said the captain, extending his hand tohim. "I expected you yesterday."
"My business was such that I could not leave," replied Christy.
It was very dark, and the captain did not recognize him.