by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER V
THE BELLEVITE AND THOSE ON BOARD OF HER
Paul Vapoor was a genius, and that accounted for his position as chiefengineer at the age of twenty-two. He was born a machinist, and histaste in that direction had made him a very hard student. His days anda large portion of his nights, while in his teens, had been spent instudying physics, chemistry, and, in fact, all the sciences which hadany bearing upon the life-work which nature rather than choice had givenhim to do.
His father had been in easy circumstances formerly, so that there hadbeen nothing to interfere with his studies before he was of age. Up tothis period, he had spent much of his time in a large machine-shop,working for nothing as though his daily bread depended upon hisexertions; and he was better qualified to run an engine than most menwho had served for years at the business, for he was a naturalscientist.
There was scarcely a part of an engine at which he had not worked withhis own hands as a volunteer, and he was as skilful with his hands as hewas deep with his head. Paul's father was an intimate friend of CaptainPassford; and when a sudden reverse of fortune swept away all the formerhad, the latter gave the prodigy a place as assistant engineer on boardof his steam-yacht, from which, at the death of the former incumbent ofthe position, he had been promoted to the head of the department. Whilehis talent and ability were of the highest order, of course his rapidpromotion was due to the favor of the owner of the Bellevite.
Captain Breaker, who had rather reluctantly assented to the placing incharge of the engineer department a young man of only twenty-one, had nooccasion to regret that he had yielded his opinion to that of his owner.Paul Vapoor had been found equal to all the requirements of thesituation, for the judgment of the young chief was almost as marvellousas his genius.
Paul was gentle in his manners, and possessed a very lovabledisposition; in fact, he was almost a woman in all the tendersusceptibilities of his nature; and those who knew him best knew notwhich to admire most, his genius or his magnetic character. Mr. LeonBolter, the first assistant engineer, was thirty-six years old; andMr. Fred Faggs, the second, was twenty-six. But there was neither envy,jealousy, nor other ill-feeling in the soul of either in respect to hissuperior; and they recognized the God-given genius of the chief morefully than others could, for their education enabled them to understandit better.
Paul Vapoor and Christy Passford were fast friends almost from thefirst time they met; and they had been students together in the sameinstitution, though they were widely apart in their studies. They werecronies in the strongest sense of the word, and the chief engineer wouldhave given up his very life for the son of his present employer. Theowner favored this intimacy, for he felt that he could not find in allthe world a better moral and intellectual model for his son.
Mr. Vapoor, as he was always called when on duty, even by the members ofthe owner's family in spite of the fact that he seemed to be only a boy,appeared on the quarter-deck of the steamer in answer to the summons ofthe commander. He was neatly dressed in a suit of blue, with brassbuttons, though some of the oil and grime of the engine defaced hisuniform. He bowed, and touched his cap to the commander, in the mostrespectful manner as he presented himself before him.
"For reasons which you will understand better, Mr. Vapoor, at a laterperiod, Captain Passford is in a great hurry to reach Bermuda, where weare bound, at the earliest possible moment," the captain began. "Ourordinary rate of speed is fourteen knots when we don't hurry her."
"That is what I make her do when not otherwise instructed," replied thechief engineer.
"You assisted as a volunteer in building the engine of the Bellevite,and you were in the engine-room during the whole of the trial trip,three years ago," continued Captain Breaker with a smile on his face;and a smile seemed to be a necessity in the presence of the young man.
"That is all very true, captain; and I was more interested in thisengine than I have ever been in any other, and it has fully realized mystrongest hopes."
"What speed did you get out of her on the trial trip?"
"Eighteen knots; but her machinery was new then. The order of CaptainPassford included the requirement that the engine of the vessel shouldgive her the greatest speed ever produced in a sea-going steamer, andthe Bellevite was built strong enough to bear such an engine. I believethe company that built it fully met the requirement."
"What do you believe to be her best speed, Mr. Vapoor?"
"I have never had the opportunity to test it, but I believe that shecan make more than twenty knots, possibly twenty-two. You rememberthat Captain Passford was in a desperate hurry to get from Messina toMarseilles a year ago this month, and the Bellevite logged twenty knotsduring nearly the whole of the trip," replied the engineer, with agentle smile of triumph on his handsome face, for he looked upon thefeat of the engine as he would upon a noble deed of his father.
"You made her shake on that trip, Mr. Vapoor."
"Not very much, sir. All the owner's family, including Miss Florry, wereon board then, and, if any thing had happened, I should have chargedmyself with murder. I do not know what the Bellevite could do if theoccasion warranted me in taking any risk."
"I do not wish you to be reckless on the present emergency; but it isof the utmost importance to save every hour we can, and the success orfailure of the expedition may depend upon a single hour. I will say nomore, though an accident to the engine would be a disaster to theenterprise. I leave the matter with you, Mr. Vapoor," added thecommander, as he moved off.
"I understand you perfectly, Captain Breaker, and there shall be nofailure in the engine department to meet your wishes," replied thechief, as he touched his cap and retired to the engine-room.
"I am waiting for you, Breaker," said Captain Passford, who was standingnear the companionway with Christy.
"Excuse me for a few minutes more, for there seems to be a strongbreeze coming up from the north-east, and I want to take a look atthe situation," replied the commander, and he hastened forward.
It had been bright sunshine when the pilot came on board: but suddenlythe wind had veered to an ugly quarter, and had just begun to pipeup into something like half a gale. Captain Breaker went to thepilot-house, looked at the barometer, and then directed Mr. Dashingtonto crowd on all sail, for he intended to drive the vessel to her utmostcapacity.
The Bellevite was rigged as a barkantine; that is, she was square-riggedon her foremast, like a ship, while her main and mizzen masts carriedonly fore-and-aft sails, including gaff-topsails. The shrill pipe of theboatswain immediately sounded through the vessel, and twenty-four ableseamen dashed to their stations. In a few minutes, every rag of canvaswhich the steamer could carry was set. But the commander did not waitfor this to be done, but hastened to join the owner.
"I suppose you don't want me, sir," said Christy, as his father led theway into the cabin.
"On the contrary, I do want you, Christy," replied Captain Passford, ashe halted, and the commander passed him on his way to the cabin. "I wishyou to understand as well as I do myself what we are going to do."
"I shall be very glad to know more about it," added Christy, pleasedwith the confidence his father reposed in him in connection with theserious undertaking before him.
"In the work I have to do, you stand nearer to me than any other personon board," continued Captain Passford. "I know what you are, and you areolder than your sixteen years make you. It was at your age that CharlesXII. took command of the armies of Sweden, and he was more than afigure-head in his forces."
"Sometimes I feel older than I am," suggested the boy.
"I believe in keeping a boy young as long as possible, and I have neverhurried you by putting you in an important place, though at one time Ithought of having a third officer, and assigning you to the position,for the practice it would give you in real life; but I concluded thatyou had better not be driven forward."
"I think I know something about handling a steamer, father."
"I know you do; though I ha
ve never told you so, for I did not care tohave you think too much of yourself. Now, in common with all the rest ofus, you are hurled into the presence of mighty events; and in a singleday from a boy you must become a man. You are my nearest representativeon board; and if any thing should happen to me, in the midst of theperils of this expedition, a responsibility would fall upon you whichyou cannot understand now. I wish to prepare you for it," said CaptainPassford, as he went down into the cabin.
The commander was already seated at the table, waiting for the owner;and Captain Passford and Christy took places near him. The cabin was aselegant and luxurious as money and taste could make it. In the largestate-room of the owner there was every thing to make a sea-voyagecomfortable and pleasant to one who had a liking for the ocean.
Leading from the main cabin were the state-rooms of Florence andChristy. One of the four others was occupied by Dr. Linscott, thesurgeon of the ship, who had had abundant experience in his profession,who had been an army surgeon in the Mexican war, though his health didnot permit him to practise on shore.
Another was occupied by the chief steward, who was a person of no littleconsequence on board; while the others were appropriated to guests whenthere were any, as was often the case when the Bellevite made shortvoyages.
The trio at the table began the discussion of the subject before themwithout delay; but it is not necessary to enter into its details, since,whatever plans were made, they must still be subject to whatevercontingencies were presented when the time for action came.
Forward of the main cabin was what is called in naval parlance theward-room, and it was called by this name on board of the Bellevite. Inthis apartment the officers next in rank below the commander took theirmeals; and from it opened the state-rooms of the first and secondofficers on the starboard-side, with one for the chief engineer on theport-side, and another for his two assistants next abaft it.
The commander was an old friend of the owner, and messed with him inthe main cabin, though his state-room was a large apartment between thecabin and the ward-room; the space on the opposite side of the shipbeing used for the pantries and the bath-room.
Before the conference in the cabin had proceeded far, the motion of thesteamer, and the creaking of the timbers within her, indicated thatMr. Vapoor was doing all that could be required of him in the matter ofspeed, though the pressure of canvas steadied the vessel in the heavysea which the increasing breeze had suddenly produced. Before night, thewind was blowing a full gale, and some reduction of sail becamenecessary.
The Bellevite had the wind fair, and the most that was possible was madeof this accessory to her speed. At one time she actually logged thetwenty-two knots which the chief engineer had suggested as her limit,and inside of two days she reached her destination. Christy had suddenlybecome the active agent of his father, and he was the first to be senton shore to obtain information in regard to the guns and ammunition, forit was thought that he would excite less suspicion than any other onboard.