by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXII
THE PROCEEDINGS ON THE LOWER DECK
Christy Passford did not consider Percy Pierson a competent helmsman,for he had spent but a few minutes in instructing him in handling thewheel; in fact, only long enough to induce him to "steer small." For themoment, Percy was interested in the occupation, and gave his whole mindto it; and Christy intended to remain where he could reach the wheel ina moment if occasion should require. His companion in the pilot-housedid not seem to care what he did.
The Bellevite, as the new captain had observed before, had stopped herscrew: and she appeared to be waiting for the tug to come up, as it washeaded towards her. Christy had examined her with the glass, but hecould see nothing which gave him any idea of what was going on upon herdecks. As Florry was now on board of her, he was satisfied that hisfather could only be waiting for him; and he intended to do his best toreport on board some time during the day.
Major Pierson and his little force were gathered under thehurricane-deck, in the space from which opened the door of the captain'slittle cabin. Christy could not see a single one of them from the upperdeck; but he had gone but a few steps aft before he heard the voice ofthe major who seemed to be "laying down the law" in a forcible manner tohis men.
"Do you understand me, Spikeley?" demanded the major slowly and loudly,as though he were talking to a deaf man.
Christy had not heard the name of Spikeley before; but he concluded thathe must be one of the soldiers, probably one of the two who had come onboard with Lieutenant Dallberg.
"I don't think I do," replied the man addressed, in a tone quite as loudas that of the military officer.
"You are not to start the engine under any circumstances," continued themajor, in a louder tone than before, as if the man had failed to hearhim.
The man addressed as Spikeley must be the engineer then, and not asoldier, Christy realized at once.
"Don't I mind the bells, Major Pierson?" asked the engineer, whose tonesindicated that he was not a little astonished at the positive order hehad received.
"You will not mind the bells. You will take no notice of them after thispresent moment. When I tell you to stop the engine, you will stop it,not without, no matter how many times the bells ring," said the majorwith emphasis.
"I hear you, and I understand now what I am to do," replied Spikeley.
"All right, so far; but do you understand what you are not to do?"demanded the officer sharply, as though he fully comprehended theobtuseness of the engineer.
"I reckon I do: I am not to start the engine till you tell me to startit," answered the dull engineer.
"Not if you don't start it for a month!" added the major sternly.
"But you are going off, Major Pierson," suggested Spikeley. "If thatsteamer over yonder looks like she was going to run over the Leopard,I am not to start the engine to keep her from being sent to the bottomof the bay?"
"No!" exclaimed the officer.
"All right, major; then you may find me on the bottom when you comeback."
"You will not be lost as long as I know where you are," added the majorwith a chuckle.
"Are you coining back to-day, major?"
"I don't know when I shall return. All you have to do is to obey orders,and leave all the rest to me."
"Shall I be all alone on board?"
"That young fellow at the wheel will remain on board; but you are not tomind what he says to you. Do you understand that?"
"I reckon I do," replied Spikeley.
"My brother, who was down here a little while ago, will also remain onboard; and Captain Pecklar will be in his room, for he cannot leave it.That is all that will be on board. But no one will bother you, unless itshould be the fellow now at the wheel; and he can't do any harm as longas you don't start the engine for him."
"I reckon I won't start the engine for him, or anybody else but you,major. You can bet your commission on that," added the engineer, withmore vim in his speech than he had used before.
"All right, Spikeley; and I will see that you don't lose any thing,if you are faithful to your duty. You must keep a sharp lookout forPassford: that's the young fellow at the wheel. He is the only one thatcan do any mischief, and I would not have him go near that steamer for athousand dollars."
Christy thought he understood what was in progress; at any rate, hedared not remain any longer away from the wheel, and he returned tothe pilot-house. Percy was still interested in his occupation. He wassteering the tug very well for a beginner, and his brother was too busyorganizing his expedition to notice that the steering was a little wild;for the waves caused the boat to yaw somewhat in the absence of askilled hand at the helm.
The Leopard was now within about half a mile of the Bellevite. Thelatter turned her screw a few times once in a while to keep fromdrifting, and Christy saw from his chart that the water was too shallowfor her in the direction in which the tug was approaching her. Of coursehis father was aware that, by this time, his own and his daughter'sdeparture from his uncle's mansion was known. His own absence,therefore, must be the only thing that detained her in these waters.
"I think I can steer this thing pretty well, Mr. Pierson," said Percy,when the new captain joined him.
"You do it very well indeed for a beginner, Percy; but you need not callme 'Mr. Pierson' any longer, for it takes too long to say it. Everybodycalls me Christy, and you had better follow the fashion," replied thecaptain.
"All right, Christy, and I will do so; for there are more Piersons onboard of this boat now than I wish there were," added Percy, glancing atthe face of his companion.
"What is your brother going to do, Percy? He seems to be arrangingsomething on the lower deck," continued Christy.
"I don't know: he didn't tell me any thing at all about it. He wanted touse me: so he soaped me."
"If he knew you could steer this steamer, he would have something morefor you to do."
"Then I won't tell him. All I want is to get away from him. He will makea common soldier of me, and I shall never get out of the ranks."
"But you will fight like a brave fellow, and you will be promoted,"suggested Christy.
"If I get a bullet through my carcass, they will make a corporal of me.Then if I had half my head shot off, they might make a sergeant of me.I am not thirsting for any such glory as that, and I expected to staywith my father at Nassau."
"Did your brother ask you any thing about the Bellevite, Percy?"
"Not a thing: he would hardly speak to me, for he says I have disgracedthe family. But, Christy, now I think of it, you are not on the Southside of this question."
"How do you know I am not?" asked Christy, laughing.
"I heard my brother say so; and that he did not wish to have you, on anyaccount, go near that other steamer."
"I think we won't talk about that just now," added Christy cautiously,for he was not inclined to have Percy know too much about his affairs atpresent.
"Why not? After all my brother has done, and is trying to do, to me,I don't think I am exactly on the South side of the question any morethan you are," said Percy, looking with interest into the face of hiscompanion. "If your father is a Union man, as Lindley says he is, hedon't mean to have the Bellevite go into the service of theConfederacy."
"That is not bad logic, with the premises on which you base it."
"Just talk English, if you please, Christy."
"The English of it is, that if my father is a Union man, as your brothersays he is, the Bellevite is not going into the Southern navy," repliedChristy, willing to encourage the major's brother.
"I can understand that, Christy. Now, you are going on board of yourfather's steamer if you can get there."
"I certainly don't want to stay on board of this little tub any longerthan I am obliged to do so, for you can see that I am really aprisoner."
"So am I; and that is just where we ought to be friends, and stand byeach other," said Percy with a good deal of enthusiasm. "I can seethrough a bri
ck wall, when there is a hole in it."
"Good eyes you have, Percy, and you don't have to wear glasses."
"I don't know much about logic; but if the Bellevite is not going intothe Confederate navy, as I supposed when we came into Mobile Bay, I canfigure it out that she is not going to stay in these parts at all."
"That's your logic, Percy, not mine; but I don't think I care to arguethe question on the other side," said Christy, making very light of thewhole matter, though he was vastly more interested than he was willingto acknowledge.
"She is going to get out of Mobile Bay, and she is going to do it justas soon as she can. Now, the question is, where is she going then?"
"You will have to put that question to my father, Percy," said Christy."He can tell you what he is going to do a great deal better than I can."
"He is not within ear-shot of me just now: if he were, I would ask himwithout stopping to soap my tongue."
"You may see him before long. I don't know what your brother is aboutjust now; and, for aught I know, he may intend to capture theBellevite."
"I reckon he will have a good time doing it, if your father and CaptainBreaker haven't a mind to let him do it."
"They will not wish to fight, even for their steamer, here in MobileBay. I know that my father intended to keep the peace. Besides, yourbrother may think there are few men on board of the vessel."
"I want to get on board of the Bellevite anyhow!" exclaimed Percy,bluntly coming to the point at which he had been aiming for some time.
"I shall not do any thing to prevent you from doing so," added Christy.
"I don't say that I want to go into the Yankee navy, or that I will lifta finger against my country, mind you."
He seemed to be equally unwilling to lift a finger for it.
"I don't ask you to do any thing against your conscience, Percy."
"If the Bellevite gets out of the bay with you and me on board,I believe I can find some way to get back to Nassau. That is what Iam driving at."
"I can't say that the steamer will not go there," added Christy, who didnot mean to commit himself.
Suddenly, without any bell from the pilot-house, the engine of theLeopard stopped; but Christy was not at all surprised at the failure ofthe power, though Percy began to make himself very indignant over thestoppage of the engine.