by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XX
A REBELLION IN THE PILOT-HOUSE
Captain Passford had obtained the idea, from the fact that Florry didnot like to have the major gaze at her all the time, that she was notvery deeply interested in him; and the conclusion afforded him a greatdeal of satisfaction. She did not like to leave her uncle and aunt andher two cousins without saying good-by to them; but she had not said aword about the military gentleman who was supposed to have made frequentvisits at the mansion on her account.
When Lieutenant Dallberg informed Major Pierson that Miss Florry hadleft the house, and that her trunk had been removed, indicating that shedid not intend to return, the effect upon him was very decided. Howeverit may have been with the young lady, it was plain enough that he wasstirred to the very centre of his being.
"Then Captain Passford has left the mansion?" said the Major, after hehad strode several times across the little pilot-house, as he halted infront of the lieutenant.
"No doubt of that; the family and the servants hunted the house all overin search of him and his daughter," replied Mr. Dallberg with a yawn.
"Well, what did Colonel Passford say about him?" demanded the major.
"He was not at the house when I got there. As I said, he had gone forassistance. I could do nothing till I had seen him. I sent my men onahead to look for him, and then I went myself. We did not find him tillone o'clock in the morning. He had given up all his horses for theservice, and we had to go on foot," continued the lieutenant.
"But you saw Colonel Passford?"
"I did; but he had been unable to find the persons of whom he hadbeen in search, and he could procure no such assistance as he wished.I walked back to his mansion with him. At first he was not inclined tosay any thing to me; but when I told him that you were over here in theLeopard to look out for the steamer, he had more confidence in me."
"Well, what did he say?" asked the major impatiently.
"He would not say any thing till I had told him all I knew, includingthe manner in which the steamer had passed the forts. By this time wehad reached his house, and we seated ourselves in the library."
"You need not stop to describe the chairs or the sofa," interposed theexcited commandant of the fort.
"I will not; but, if I omit any thing, it will not be my fault," saidthe younger officer with a long gape. "He told me he and his brother hadbeen discussing the great question, as he called it, for over six hours;and they understood each other perfectly in the end."
"Six hours! It is a wonder they did not talk each other to death!"exclaimed the major.
"At any rate, they talked enough to enable them to come to a perfectunderstanding. Colonel Passford is as true to the Confederacy as we allknow him to be, but Captain Passford is a Yankee to the marrow of hisbones; and the two brothers could not agree at all on the politicalquestion, though they profess still to be friends."
"Then the owner of the Bellevite is on the other side?"
"No doubt of that; and the steamer did not come down here to go into theservice of the Confederacy," added the lieutenant.
"But she will go into it, all the same," said the major, glancing at thenew captain of the Leopard.
Christy was quite as much excited over the conversation to which hecould not help being a listener, even if he had wished not to be so. Itwas clear enough to him that the whole object of the voyage to MobileBay had come out, and the major needed no further information to enablehim to act with promptness and decision. The fact that Miss Florry mustbe on board of the Bellevite was doubtless an additional incentive tomake him do his entire duty to the Confederacy.
"I think I have told you the whole story, Major Pierson," saidLieutenant Dallberg with another prodigious yawn.
"Then Captain Passford and his daughter are now on board of thesteamer," added the major; though he seemed to be musing on the fact,rather than saying it to his companion.
"There can be no doubt of that," replied the other.
"As Captain Passford is a Yankee at heart, of course he don't intendto remain in these waters much longer," continued the major, givingutterance to his reflections.
"There is something more than that, which I forgot to tell you; for youhurried me so that I could not keep my thoughts about me," interposedthe lieutenant.
"What more is there? You said you had told me the whole," said themajor, with a sneer on his lips.
"The Bellevite is intended for the Yankee navy, and she has already beentendered to the Government for that purpose. More yet, Captain Passfordand the commander of the steamer have offered their services. The owneris sure that all hands will be volunteers for the service as soon as shereturns from this trip," continued Dallberg, who had suddenly roused hisenergies to the requirements of the situation.
"I had no doubt that Captain Passford would be with his brother in thiswar," mused the major.
"He could not be any farther from him. He came down here after hisdaughter, and his brother says he expected to remove him and his familyto the North at the same time."
"His mission will be a failure in every sense," added Major Pierson, asthough he regarded it as a matter of course.
"The colonel said his duty to his country and her cause would not allowhim to suffer his brother to take the steamer back to the North to behanded over to the Yankee navy."
"That is where he was quite right."
"But the colonel does not like to do any thing to injure his brotherand his two children who are with him; and he wished to find ColonelDalheath, who could manage the business without loss to the Confederacy,while he could favor the captain's escape. But he was satisfied that youwould feel an interest to prevent the departure of the steamer; whileyou would not be willing to do her owner or his family any injury intheir persons, however it might be in their property."
"I think I understand the situation perfectly now," said the major, ashe went to the front windows of the pilot-house. "Spottswood!" he calledto the sergeant.
"Here, sir."
"How is Captain Pecklar?"
"He has come to himself, but he is no better. I am afraid he is going todie." replied Spottswood, coming near the bulkhead, and speaking in alow tone.
"That's bad," added the major, shaking his head.
"There's the steamer, sir!" called one of the soldiers.
The Leopard had just passed a point of land beyond which the Bellevitewas discovered, apparently going at full speed, and headed to thesouth-west. Christy brought his glass to bear upon her, but he could seenothing which afforded him any information in regard to her movements orintentions.
"I suppose it is not difficult to determine what your father's steameris waiting in the bay for, Mr. Passford," said Major Pierson, as helooked into the face of his pilot.
"I am sure I don't know what he is waiting for," replied Christy.
"Don't you, indeed?" added the major, laughing.
"I am sure I do not."
"Then, it has not occurred to you that he misses you, and don't like toleave without you?" chuckled the major. "I did not intend to have youcaptured by my men, and I gave them no definite orders to that effect;but, as things look just now, it is rather fortunate that I have you onboard of the Leopard, not only for the sake of your father's waiting foryou, but you are a good pilot, and are of great service to me."
Christy rang the bell with a sudden impulse, which made it look asthough he had not fully taken in the situation before. The engineer,though he was one of the army of the disabled in whole or in part,obeyed the summons of the bell, and the propeller ceased to revolve.
"What's that for, Captain Passford?" asked the major good-naturedly.
"With your permission, Major Pierson, I will resign my office as captainof the Leopard," replied Christy, as he stepped back from the wheel.
"But I cannot give you my permission," laughed the major.
"I am sorry to disoblige you, Major Pierson; but then I am compelled toresign the position without your permission," replied Chr
isty without aninstant's hesitation; for he clearly understood what he was doing now,and neither really nor constructively was he willing to do any thing inthe service of the enemies of the Union.
"But you can't resign in the face of the enemy, Captain Passford; andyou accepted the position which I assigned to you," said the major,beginning to look a little more serious.
"In the face of the enemy!" exclaimed Christy, glancing at theBellevite, as she dashed furiously over the waves at a distance of notmore than a mile from the tug. "May I ask what you mean by the enemy,Major Pierson?"
"Yon must have heard all the information which was brought to me byLieutenant Dallberg; and by this time you are aware that the steameryonder is an enemy of the Confederate States," continued the major.
"She did not come into these waters as an enemy, or with any warlikeintentions, sir. She came on a peaceful mission; and now it appears thatmy uncle is guilty of treachery towards my father," replied Christy withdeep emotion.
"Do you think it would be right or proper for your uncle to allow thatfine steamer, which I am told is one of the strongest and fastest everbuilt, to be handed over to the Yankee navy?" demanded the major, withenergy enough to assure his auditor that he meant all he said.
"I happen to know that my father had several hundred dollars about himin gold; and my uncle would have done no worse to rob him of that, thanto have his steamer taken from him when it was not engaged in acts ofwar. In either case, Homer Passford is a thief and a robber!"
"That's plain speech, young man," said the major, biting his lips.
"I meant it should be plain, sir," said Christy, gasping for breath inhis deep emotion. "I am ashamed of my uncle, and I know that my fatherwould not be guilty of such treachery."
"I see that it is useless to reason with you, Passford."
"You have come to a correct conclusion. When you call my father'ssteamer an enemy, you define my duty for me; and I have nothing furtherto do on board of this tug," replied Christy. "I am in your power, andof course you can do with me as you please."
Major Pierson was certainly very much embarrassed. The events of thenight, and the information obtained on shore, to say nothing of thespecific request from Colonel Passford to "manage the business," imposedupon him the duty of capturing the Bellevite; and he was all ready to doit. But the Leopard might as well have been without an engine as withouta pilot; for all the men on board were from the interior of the country,and not one of them, not even the officers, knew how to steer the boat.
The marks and figures on the chart of the bay, which Christy had put onthe shelf in front of the wheel, were all Greek to them. Possibly theymight get the tug to the shore, or aground on the way to it; but thesteamer was practically disabled.