by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIII
THE EXPEDITION FROM THE LEOPARD
"What is the matter now?" demanded Percy Pierson, when the tug ceased toshake under the pressure of the engine, and began to roll rather smartlyin the sea, though it was not heavy enough to be at all dangerous.
"It appears that the engine has stopped," replied Christy quietly.
"What has it stopped for?" asked the other.
"You will have to put that conundrum to your brother; but doubtless theneeds of the Confederate States require that it should stop."
"Which is the bell, Christy?" inquired Percy, looking at the pulls onthe frame of the wheel.
"The large one is the gong bell, the other is the speed bell, and thelatter is a jingler."
"Well, which one do you ring to start her?"
"One pull at the gong bell to stop or to start her," replied Christy,who was rather anxious to have his companion learn the secrets of thepilot-house.
"One bell to stop or start her," repeated Percy.
"Two bells to back her," added the acting captain.
"Two bells to back her. I can remember all that without writing it down.But what is the other pull for. There don't seem to be any need of anymore bells."
"I think there is; at least, it saves striking too many strokes on thegong when there is an emergency. The other is the speed bell."
"What is that for, to make her go faster?"
"Yes, or slower. If you start the engine, the engineer will run itslowly at first, and continue to do so till he gets the speed bell,or jingler, which he can never mistake for the gong."
"I see; and that is a good scheme."
"If you are approaching a wharf or another vessel, or if a fog comeup, you ring the jingler, if the boat is going at full speed, and theengineer slows her down. If there is any danger, and you wish to stopher as quick as you can, you ring one bell on the gong, which stops theengine, and then two bells on the same, which reverses the engine. Nowlet me see if you know all about it; for your brother may want you tosteer the Leopard, and become her captain, after he has tied my handsbehind me again."
"If he does that, I will cut you loose, Christy."
"Thank you, Percy. I don't know what he will do, but it seems to me thathe is going to do something;" and Christy proceeded to examine his pupilin the use of the bell-pulls.
Percy made some mistakes, which were carefully corrected; and, as he didso, the captain wrote down the directions in full, placing the paper onthe shelf with the chart.
The student of bell-pulls signalized the completion of his examinationby giving one pull at the gong; but it produced no effect at all uponthe engine or the engineer, and the Leopard, having fallen off into thetrough of the sea, had begun to roll more violently than at first.
"What is the matter with that engineer?" pouted Percy, who did not feelflattered that his first experience with the bell-pulls produced noeffect, though he had distinctly heard the sound of the gong.
"They haven't sent any word up to the pilot house that the engine isdisabled, and we shall have to apply to Major Pierson for furtherinformation."
"That engineer must have gone to sleep!" exclaimed Percy, whose vexationwas in proportion to his zeal.
He rang the gong again; but Christy understood why the screw did notturn, though he deemed it wise to keep his own counsel for the present.Percy was rousing himself to a passion at the neglect of the engineer toheed his bell.
"Keep cool, Percy," interposed Christy. "Don't say a word to yourbrother that you have learned to steer a steamer; and you may have achance to surprise him, and show that you are a good deal more of afellow than he takes you to be."
"I don't believe he will get such a chance if he don't have it now.I wonder what he is up to," added Percy, restraining his impatience.
"We can only wait till his plans come out," added Christy. "But I willgo to the side of the hurricane deck, and tell him that the engine doesnot respond to the bells."
"I should think he might see that for himself," said Percy.
"Don't you say a word, and don't you show yourself to any one. Sit downon that stool, and keep quiet."
"I will do just what you tell me, Christy, for I believe you will beable to get me out of this scrape," replied Percy, as he seated himself,and began to read over the instructions relating to the bells.
In fact, he was so interested in the new occupation he had taken up,that he soon forgot all about his brother, and the trouble that lay inhis path. He read the paper, and applied his fingers to the pulls in agreat many different ways, supposing all the various situations of theboat which Christy had suggested.
Christy went to the side of the upper deck, and saw that the soldiershad hauled in the boat that had been used by the lieutenant and his twomen. It was a large and clumsy affair, big enough to hold a dozen men,and provided with four oars. But the Leopard was in the trough of thesea, and it was not an easy matter for the soldiers to handle it; andjust then the major declared that the boat would be smashed against theside of the tug.
"Major Pierson, this steamer has stopped without any bell from thepilot-house, and I have been unable to start her again," said Christy,hailing the commander of the fort.
"All right, Mr. Passford: I told the engineer to stop her," repliedthe major, who appeared to be in a hurry, though he could not make thelong-boat work as he desired. "Oblige me by remaining in the pilot-housefor the present, and keep a sharp lookout for the Bellevite."
"Certainly, Major Pierson, if you desire it; but permit me to suggestthat you will not be able to do any thing with that boat while the tugremains in the trough of the sea," replied Christy, who was more afraidthat the major would not carry out his plan than that he would do so.
"I don't see that it can be helped, though I am no sailor," replied thecommandant, looking up with interest to the acting captain. "For reasonsof my own, which I cannot stop to explain, I don't wish to take this tugany nearer to the Bellevite; and I am going off in the boat after Dr.Linscott. But it looks now as though the boat would be smashed inpieces."
"I should say that it would be," added Christy. "If you will start theengine again, I think I can help you out of this difficulty."
"How do you expect to do it?" asked the major, who seemed to beincredulous on the point.
"If you will let me get the tug out of the trough of the sea, you caneasily haul the boat up on the lee side of her," Christy explained. "Thesteamer will shelter the water on that side of her."
"Spikeley!" called the major, in a loud voice; and the engineer came outof his den. "Start her up now."
"Run her at about half speed, major," and the commandant repeated hisdirection to the engineer.
Christy retreated to the pilot-house, and threw over the wheel of theboat; so that, when the screw began to turn, the bow of the tug soonheaded to the southward, which gave her the wind ahead. Then he broughther so that the water was comparatively smooth on her port quarter,where the long-boat was.
Without the loss of a moment, the major drove all his men into the boat,and they shoved off. The men were soldiers, and they had had but littlepractice in rowing, having taken it up at the fort. They made ratherbad work of it; but, more by luck than skill, the boat cleared the tugwithout being stove.
"Spikeley!" shouted the major.
"Here, sir," replied the engineer, hobbling out of his room.
"Stop the engine, and remember what I told you," added the commandant.
"All right, sir: I will do just as you ordered me."
"What does he want to stop the engine for?" asked Percy. "She don't rollso badly when the engine is going."
"That is very true; but your brother knows what he is about," repliedChristy, his eyes beginning to light up with an unwonted fire.
"Well, what is he about?"
"He is going to capture the Bellevite."
"He will have a nice time of it!" exclaimed Percy. "That steamer canblow him out of the water a dozen times before he gets
near her."
"I don't believe your brother has any idea that the Bellevite is heavilyarmed," added Christy.
"But he has been on board of her."
"That is very true; but the two heavy guns were covered up, and theothers were sent down into the hold. All the soldiers in the boatwith your brother have their muskets; and he would not have taken thelieutenant and six men with him if he were simply going for the doctorfor Captain Pecklar, as he told me he was."
"I believe Lindley is a fool to think of such a thing as capturing theBellevite with eight men," added Percy.
"I don't know what else he can intend to do, but I do know why he don'ttake the tug any nearer to the steamer. He don't want my father to knowwhat has become of me."
"Can't you make some sort of a signal to him, Christy?"
"I can do something better than that."
"What's that?"
"I can show myself to him. But, before I do that, I must know how youstand, Percy."
"How I stand? You know as much about me as I know about myself. I wantto get on board of the Bellevite, and I am not a bit anxious to fight mybrother's battle for him. I know what he is after, now I think of it."
"Well, what is he after?"
"He is after the Bellevite; and if he can take her, he is sure of acolonel's commission."
"I should say that he could not do any thing better for the Confederacythan to present it with the finest steamer in the world. But you are notwith him, you say, Percy."
"I am not. I belong to the Confederacy the same as he does; but I wantto get aboard of the Bellevite, and then I shall have a good chance toreach Nassau," replied Percy.
Christy had a good deal better opinion of Major Pierson than he had ofhis brother in the pilot-house with him; but just then the latter wasable to be more useful to him than the commandant of the fort.
"I can now almost promise that you shall be put on board of theBellevite, if I succeed in reaching her myself," said Christy.
"That is all I can expect of you; and I will do whatever you tell me, ifit be to sink the Leopard. But we can't do a thing. The engineer willnot start the engine for us; and I don't see but what we must stay heretill my brother comes back from his errand, whatever it may be."
"I don't feel quite so helpless as that," added Christy, as he took arevolver from his hip-pocket, where he had carried it all the time sincethe steamer left Nassau, and while she was there.
"What are you going to do with that, Christy?" asked Percy, impressedwith the sight of the weapon.
"I am going to start this tug with it, if necessary. Now hear me."
Percy was all attention.