Brave Old Salt; or, Life on the Quarter Deck: A Story of the Great Rebellion

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XI.

  AFTER GENERAL QUARTERS.

  At eleven o'clock, when the master-at-arms knocked at the door of thefourth lieutenant, to inform him that it was time to put out his light,the calculations in regard to the position of the Ben Nevis had beenmade and verified. Mr. Hackleford, after counselling prudence andprecaution, retired to his state-room. Somers threw himself on his cot,and having eased his mind of the heavy burden which had rested upon it,he went to sleep. But there was only an hour of rest for him, for attwelve o'clock he was to take the deck.

  When eight bells struck, he turned out, much refreshed by his short nap,to relieve Mr. Garboard. It was a beautiful night, with only a gentlebreeze from the westward, and the ship was doing her ten knots withoutmaking any fuss about it. Somers took the trumpet, which the officer ofthe deck always carries as the emblem of his office, and commenced hiswalk on the weather side.

  Though he carefully watched the compasses, and saw that the sheets werehauled close home, he could not help thinking of the startling eventswhich had transpired on the preceding evening. But he was satisfied withhimself now. He had purged himself of all appearance of complicity withthe enemies of his country, and he fully expected that Pillgrim would beput under arrest within the next forty-eight hours. The consciousness ofduty done made him happy and contented. The first lieutenant had evenpraised him for the manner in which he had conducted the delicatebusiness, and did not lay any stress on the oath of allegiance, or thecommander's commission.

  For his four hours he "planked the deck," thinking of the past andhopeful of the future. At eight bells he sent a midshipman down to callMr. Pillgrim. While he was waiting to be relieved, he could not helpconsidering what a risk it was to leave that noble ship in the hands ofa traitor; but Somers had given all the information he had to Mr.Hackleford, and the responsibility did not rest upon himself. The firstlieutenant was an able and discreet officer, and would not permit theChatauqua to be imperilled even for a moment.

  "Good morning, Mr. Somers," said Lieutenant Pillgrim, as he came ondeck.

  "Good morning, Mr. Pillgrim," replied Somers, with all the courtesy dueto the quarter deck.

  "A fine morning."

  "Beautiful weather."

  "You have had a good opportunity to think over our business. How do youfeel about it?"

  "Just right, I hope."

  "I am glad to hear it. Have you seen anything of the Ben Nevis?"

  "Of the Ben Nevis! No, sir; I don't expect to see her here."

  "We may," replied Pillgrim, as he took the trumpet.

  "Isn't she going to Mobile?"

  "We'll talk of her during the forenoon watch," added the secondlieutenant, as he turned on his heel and walked forward.

  Somers went below. As he entered the ward-room, Mr. Hackleford came outof his state-room. This gentleman evidently intended to keep a sharplookout for the officer of the deck during his watch. He asked therelieved officer if anything more had transpired, and the unimportantconversation which had just taken place was fully reported to him.

  "Mr. Somers, I haven't slept an hour during the night. There are one ortwo points in your statement which were a little dark to me," said Mr.Hackleford.

  "More than that of it is dark to me. I do not profess to understand thewhole of it. I only state the facts from my own point of view."

  "You listened to this talk between Coles and Langdon at the sailors'boarding-house in Front Street?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "If you saw Coles there, how could--"

  "I didn't see him, sir; I only heard him."

  "That accounts for it," said Mr. Hackleford, musing. "Didn't yourecognize Mr. Pillgrim's voice?"

  "No, sir; I think he changed it; though the two tones were so similarthat I might have recognized it, if I had suspected they were the sameperson."

  Mr. Hackleford asked other questions, which Somers answered with strictregard to the truth, rather than with the intention of removing thefirst lieutenant's doubts. He wanted only facts himself, and he wascareful not to distort them, in order to confirm any theory of his ownor of his superior officer.

  Mr. Hackleford went on deck, and Somers turned in. He was in conditionto sleep now, and he improved his four hours below to the bestadvantage.

  After general quarters, when the crew were dismissed, he went down tohis state-room, prepared to meet Mr. Pillgrim. He was surprised to knowhow little curiosity he felt to learn what the traitor wanted andexpected of him. Punctual to the appointed time, which exhibited theinterest he felt in the expected interview, the treacherous secondlieutenant made his appearance. Somers received him as one officershould receive another, though it was hard work for him to disguise thecontempt and detestation with which he regarded the traitor.

  "Well, Somers, now I am to tell you what I want of you. It isn't much,as I warned you before; and I am very glad to see that you are in such ahappy frame of mind."

  "I am ready to hear you, and do the best I can," replied Somers,carefully following the instructions of Mr. Hackleford with regard tomatter and manner.

  He had been cautioned to be ready enough in listening to the chiefconspirator, but not too ready, so as to betray his object.

  "Good! I think you understand me now."

  "I think I do, sir."

  "I am sorry to do it, but it is necessary for me to remind you againthat your fate is in my hands; that a word from me would subject you toa trial by court martial for treason, and probably to more hemp ropethan would feel good about your neck."

  "Though I don't think I am in so much danger as you represent, I willgrant your position."

  "Don't grant it, if you think it is not correct;" and Mr. Pillgrimminutely detailed the evidence which could be brought to bear againsthim.

  Somers appeared to be overwhelmed by this array of testimony. Hegroaned, looked hopeless, and finally granted the traitor's position infull.

  "I am in your power. Do with me as you will. Of course the moment I putmy foot on a rebel deck I am ruined."

  "You can do as you please about going into the Confederate service. WhatI want of you will not compromise you as a loyal man in the slightestdegree."

  "What do you want of me?"

  "Not quite so loud, if you please, Mr. Somers," said the lieutenant,glancing at the door. "To me, Somers, you have been a thorn. You lost methe Snowden, and the valuable cargo of the Theban."

  "I only did my duty," pleaded Somers.

  "Bah! don't use that word to me again. Through you a fortune slippedthrough my fingers. I should have got the Snowden into Wilmington, ifyou had not meddled with the matter. I have lost eighty thousand dollarsby you."

  "Of course I had no ill will against you personally."

  "Very true; if you had, you would have been a dead man before this time.Phil Kennedy was a fool, but he was my best friend. I have his bond forforty thousand dollars, which is waste paper just now. Phil fell by yourhand."

  "It was in fair fight."

  "Nonsense! What matter is it to me how he fell, whether it was in fairfight or foul? He is dead; that is all."

  "What has all this to do with me?" asked Somers, with seemingimpatience.

  "Much, my dear fellow. Phil was to marry Kate Portington; was to pockether fortune. You have cut him out. You will marry her, and in due timecome into possession of a million. The commodore is apoplectic, and willnot live many years. Do you see my point?"

  "I do not," answered Somers, disgusted with this heartless statement.

  "As you cheated me out of the Snowden, as you killed Phil Kennedy, asyou will marry Kate Portington, I propose that you assume and pay Phil'sbond."

  "I?"

  "Certainly--you; Mr. Somers; Kate's prodigy," laughed Pillgrim.

  "Never!" exclaimed Somers, jumping to his feet.

  "You speak too loud, Mr. Somers."

  "Am I a dog, or a snake, or a toad, that I should do such an uncleanthing?"

  The traitor took from his pocket the oath of alle
giance, opened it, andin silence thrust it into his companion's face.

  "I have sold myself."

  "You have, Somers. Think of it. If I have to make out a case againstyou, of course you will never see Kate again. Let me add, that thecommodore sets his life by me. We were old friends before the war. Youmay marry his daughter with my consent, but not without it."

  "I never thought of such a thing."

  "Perhaps not. We waste time. Will you sign the bond?"

  "The bond is good for nothing. No court--"

  "That is my affair. If you agree to it, I will run all risks. I troubleno courts. If you don't pay, I have only to speak, and hang you then."

  "I am lost," groaned Somers.

  "No, you are not. Sign, and you have found fortune and a friend."

  "I dare not sign."

  "You dare not refuse."

  Somers walked up and down the state-room, apparently in great mentalagony.

  "Shall I sign?" said he, in a loud tone, as though he were speaking tothe empty air.

  "Not so loud, man!" interposed Pillgrim, angrily.

  At that instant two light raps were distinctly heard.

  "What's that?" demanded the traitor, greatly alarmed.

  "I will sign it," promptly added Somers, to whom the two raps seemed tobe perfectly intelligible.

  "What was that noise?" asked Pillgrim, fearfully. "Is there any one inGarboard's state-room?"

  "I think not."

  The second lieutenant was not satisfied. He opened the door and lookedinto the adjoining state-room, but there was no person there, and theward-room was empty. There was no one within hearing, and theconspirator recovered his wonted self-possession.

  "You will sign?" said he.

  "I will."

  "I knew you would, and therefore I prepared the document; read it," hecontinued, taking a paper from his pocket.

  Somers read. It was simply an agreement to pay forty thousand dollars,when he married Kate Portington, in consideration of certain assistancerendered the signer, but without any allusion to the circumstances underwhich it was given. As a legal document, of course it was good fornothing, as both parties well understood. Somers signed it.

  "Now, Mr. Somers, we are friends," said Pillgrim, as he folded up thepaper, and restored it to his pocket. "You have done me a good turn, andI have done you one."

  Somers, unwilling to regard Pillgrim as a fool, believed that this paperwas intended to ruin him in the estimation of the Portington family, andthat the villain intended to marry her himself when her apparent suitorwas disposed of.

  "Is this all you expect of me?" asked Somers.

  "This is the principal thing. I may have occasion to use you again; ifI do, I shall not hesitate to call upon you. You are in my confidencenow."

  "Will you tell me, then, where the Ben Nevis is bound? I may want tofind her, for I haven't much taste for the old navy now."

  "Ah, you make better progress than I anticipated. She is bound to St.Marks."

  This was a lie, as Somers well knew.

  "Coles and Langdon said she was to make Mobile."

  "The plan was changed. You must not lay much stress on what you heardthat night. It was all a blind,--or most of it was."

  "Indeed?"

  "The conversation at the house in Front Street was carried on for yourespecial benefit," added Pillgrim, laughing and rubbing his hands."Langdon wrote both letters about the wounded sailor; there was no suchperson. The old woman that kept the house was in my pay. When I spoke sowarmly in your praise to Langdon, I knew that you were listening to allI said; indeed, I said it to you rather than to Langdon."

  "Why did you tell me beforehand, if you intended to catch me with thetreasonable offer?" asked Somers, rather mortified to learn that he hadbeen duped from the beginning.

  "I knew you would pretend to accept it. All I wanted was to get you totake the commission, orders, and oath. As you agreed to sign thelatter, Langdon did it for you, for I could not wait."

  "The Ben Nevis is no humbug?"

  "No; I bought her and two other steamers on the Clyde, in Scotland. TheBen Nevis was captured, but my friends bought her after she wascondemned. As there had been a great deal said about her in thenewspapers, I used her because it was probable you had heard of her."

  "I had."

  "Everything works as I intended."

  "Not exactly," thought Somers.

  "The captain of the coaster that pounded you that night was Langdon,"laughed Pillgrim.

  "Why was that done?"

  "That I might take you back to the hotel, and be your friend. We did notintend to hurt you much. It was important that you should think well ofme. You do--don't you?"

  "Of course."

  "All right now; remember you are mine, Somers," said Pillgrim, as heleft the room.