by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIII.
A YANKEE TRICK.
The rebel officers and crew of the Ben Lomond were greatly astonishedwhen the order was given to let go the anchor. They were not in acondition to appreciate the policy of stopping the wheels, and waitingfor daylight within hail of the blockading squadron, reenforced as ithad been for the attack on the forts; but as the captain had thereputation of being a perfect tiger, a fire-eater of the most ravenoussort, they did not venture to grumble or make any complaints.
Captain Column, the pilot, chuckled, and declared it was all right; thecommander knew what he was about, and would get the steamer out of thescrape without even a shot from the Yankee men-of-war.
Somers had kept up his dignity and maintained his self-possession in theexciting scenes through which he had just passed; but it must not bethought that he was as easy in mind as he appeared to be. Every momenthad been burdened with its own peculiar anxiety. The least slip, theslightest accident, would expose him and his brave followers to greatperil, if not to capture and death. He had won the day thus far by themere force of impudence and self-possession; but it was not without afear of failure, disgrace, and captivity.
But everything, up to this time, had worked admirably. He had met andsuccessfully turned aside the obstacles which beset him; and when theBen Lomond came to anchor, the prospect looked more hopeful than at anyprevious hour. It was now about two o'clock in the morning. As there wasnothing to do, he devoted an hour to an examination of the vessel, whichhad been fitted up at Mobile as a rebel cruiser. She had a heavy rifledpivot gun amidships, and four broadside guns, and was in every respectwell provided for the work in which she was to engage.
She was a vessel of about four hundred tons measurement, long, narrow,and very sharp. Her rig was that of a topsail schooner, and hersmoke-stack raked with her masts. She was a beautiful craft, and nolabor or expense had been spared to make her the fastest and mostelegant vessel afloat.
Even in the darkness, Somers could see enough of her shape and fittingsto excite his admiration. He passed from the spar deck to the berthdeck, where everything was in keeping with her appearance above. Theward-room was small, but it was comfortable and well arranged, and thecaptain's cabin was fitted up like that of a royal yacht. Probably Mr.Pillgrim had spent some of his own money on these arrangements beforeshe left the Clyde; but what contributed distinctly to make her a warsteamer had been done after her arrival at Mobile.
Somers was delighted with the arrangements of the prize, and as heexamined the commander's cabin, he could not help envying the man whowas permitted to occupy this sumptuous and convenient apartment; thatis, if the stars and stripes floated at the peak above him, for he wouldrather have been a coal-heaver in a loyal ship, than in command of theBen Lomond under the flag of the Confederacy.
Mr. Swayne had conducted Somers over the vessel, and pointed out to himthose features which were most worthy of notice.
"She is a splendid vessel," said the young commander, as they paused inthe ward-room.
"Yes, sir; I am but too happy in being appointed to such a ship. If weonly get clear of the Yankee squadron, we shall give a good account ofher."
"We shall have no quarrel with the Yankee ships," replied Somers, as heled the way to the spar deck again, for he was not disposed, just yet,to let Pillgrim and Langdon, who were confined there, hear his voice.
"Captain Pillgrim, you seem to be more confident on this point than yourofficers," replied Swayne, in a gentle tone, which more than insinuatedthat he would like to know more of the commander's plans.
Somers was very anxious that he should know more of them, so as toprevent any suspicions which his subsequent course might excite.
"From what point did you expect me to come, before my arrival?" askedSomers.
"I had no idea. Mr. Langdon seemed to be familiar with all yourmovements, but he did not say much about them. He did remark, at onetime, that you were coming down as second lieutenant of one of theYankee men-of-war."
"Did he, indeed? Well, he was a prudent man, and he will have his rewardwithin a few days. Did he really say that?"
"He did."
"I was deceived in him; he was not to be trusted. I placed everyconfidence in him. What else did he tell you?" asked Somers, artfully.
"Nothing else, sir. He said more to me than to any other officer, andhardly anything to me."
"He has betrayed me."
"He told only me that you were to come in a Yankee man-of-war."
"Yes, he did; the pilot knew it--spoke to me of it; and very likelyevery man in the ship has the news. But, Mr. Swayne, the statement wastrue."
"Mr. Langdon afterwards contradicted it, and said you were in Richmond,and were coming down by land."
"Probably he thought he had made a blunder. I did come down in theYankee ship, the Chatauqua. I am third lieutenant of her, not second. Iwas sent off by the captain, at my own suggestion, of course, to bringout this vessel. I have done it--haven't I?"
"You have," laughed Swayne. "Then you are expected by the Yankees?"
"Of course I am."
The first lieutenant of the Ben Lomond indulged in a laugh highlycomplimentary to the skill and cleverness of his commander. Somerslaughed with him. It was an excellent joke to both parties, though, likethe Druid shield, it was seen from different points of view.
"Capital!" exclaimed Mr. Swayne, when he had evaporated the foam of hismirth.
"If the fog clears off, I shall let up some rockets, which will preventthe Yankees from firing at us. You understand?"
"I see, sir: you have the Yankee signals?" chuckled Mr. Swayne.
"Every one of them. No doubt they are on the lookout for me in everyship in the squadron."
"Excellent, Captain Pillgrim. This is, by all odds, the best joke of theseason."
"Now, Mr. Swayne, you will hoist the Yankee flag over the Confederate."
"I don't like to do that, captain," added Mr. Swayne, with a burst ofpatriotic enthusiasm.
"For a purpose, Mr. Swayne. Of course, when the men-of-war see that flagover the other, they will not fire. We shall run through the squadron,as though we belonged to it; and then--well, you will see what you willsee."
"Exactly so!" exclaimed Mr. Swayne, who seemed to enjoy the prospectexceedingly, even independent of his desire to flatter and "toady" tohis commander.
The flags were hoisted as Somers directed, and the "captain" for acouple of hours planked the deck in silence, impatiently waiting for thefog to lift, or for the daylight to come. It was his policy to anchor,because he was fearful that the steamer would run by the squadron, inthe fog and darkness, and it would excite suspicion to return to thefleet, after safely passing through it. If Mr. Swayne had suspected anytreachery, or that everything was not as it appeared to be, it wouldhave gone hard with Somers and his men, for he could call in double theloyal force to assist him, besides releasing Pillgrim and Langdon.
At four o'clock in the morning, the fog lifted, and Somers directed therockets to be discharged, and the steamer to be got under way. Thoughanxious to keep up appearances, he quietly directed Tom Longstone tomake as much delay as possible, and by some accident the messengerparted when the anchor was apeak, and it was necessary to do the workover again.
"Captain Pillgrim, what shall be done with the men who came on boardwith you?" asked Mr. Swayne, while the crew were walking round thecapstan.
"What shall be done with them?" asked Somers, apparently notcomprehending the meaning of the question.
"They are Yankees--are they not?"
"They are true men, Mr. Swayne. I selected them for this very duty, andI know them."
"Excuse me, sir, I heard one of them singing a Yankee song, just now."
"They have been in the habit of singing such songs lately; but they aretrue men, and will stand by me to the last. If I had wanted them, Imight have brought off a hundred of the crew of the Chatauqua."
Somers told a great many truths in the course of the night,
for thepurpose of deceiving the enemies of his country, which is a veryanomalous duty for truth to perform.
The anchor was at the hawse hole, was "catted and fished;" and the BenLomond moved on again, with the pilot on the bridge. As the fog lifted,and the daylight increased, the squadron of "Brave Old Salt" was seen bySomers and his companions. As he had promised, not a ship fired on thesteamer, or offered to molest her. The first lieutenant, pilot, andother officers were entirely satisfied that everything was working inexact accordance with the plans of their "smart" commander, as theyalready called him.
The exciting moment when all the delusion would be swept away, and therebel officers and seamen find themselves prisoners, and their ship aprize, was at hand. Somers had already arranged his final movements withthe boatswain, and certain of the men were instructed to performparticular parts in the closing scene of the drama.
"Now, Captain Column," said Somers to the pilot, "we must run down forthe Chatauqua. She is the last vessel in the squadron, and if we appearto be moving towards her, nothing will be suspected."
"Exactly so, captain," replied the pilot, shaking his fat sides withlaughter at the Yankee trick which they were playing off upon theoriginators of this species of pleasantry.
"It is quite smooth this morning. The wind has all gone down. Run rightunder the quarter of the Chatauqua."
"I can take her within six feet of the ship, if you like."
"Not too close."
"They will give us three cheers, won't they?" laughed the pilot.
"Very likely."
"Port!" shouted the pilot, as the Ben Lomond approached the Chatauqua.
"Port!" yelled the quartermaster at the helm, at whose side stood TomLongstone.
"Port!" repeated the pilot with greater energy, when he saw that thehead of the steamer was swinging off from the Chatauqua.
"Port!" again responded the quartermaster.
"Starboard a little more," said Tom, in a low tone.
Captain Column began to storm because the helm did not go to port as heordered.
"Can't help it, sir. The tiller chains are jammed, sir," replied thequartermaster.
"Now hard a port!" said Tom Longstone.
"Starboard! Hard a starboard!" screamed the pilot, in tones of fury.
"Helm is jammed, sir!" returned the boatswain.
At this moment the bells were rung to stop, and then to back the engine.To all but the half dozen loyal seamen who stood near the helm,everything seemed to be in confusion. The Ben Lomond ran up on the leeside of the Chatauqua, and stopped within a few feet of her. A stroke ofthe wheels and a turn of the helm brought her alongside, before therebels could clearly apprehend the situation. The twenty-four men, withtheir revolvers and cutlasses, stood ready to check any demonstration onthe part of officers or crew, but none was made. Their weapons were inthe armory, and they suspected nothing till an instant before thesteamer touched the ship's side.
Conant, as instructed, leaped on board the Chatauqua, and reportedSomers's wish to the officer of the deck. In another moment, the watchon deck of the man-of-war poured into the prize, and secured everyofficer and seaman. Then came the three rousing cheers which the pilothad expected, and the work was done.
If ever a rebel was disappointed, disheartened, and disgusted, it wasMr. Swayne. He had been bewildered by the sudden change in the course ofthe steamer, and actually believed that it was caused by the wheelchains being jammed, until the watch from the Chatauqua poured in uponher decks.
"Well, Mr. Swayne, I suppose you are satisfied that I spoke the truth.The Yankees have not fired upon us; I came down in the Chatauqua; I wassent off to bring out this vessel; I have done it," said Somers.
"I had no suspicion you were a Yankee," replied the first lieutenant."Where did you get your commission?"
"It was given me by Mr. Langdon and Mr. Pillgrim, both of whom are underguard below."
Swayne used some expletives more forcible than polite, and Somers wenton board the Chatauqua to report.