by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIV
THE ENGINEER GOES INTO THE FORECASTLE
The wind from the southward seemed to be increasing in force, though itwas not yet what old salts would call any thing more than half a gale,and hardly that; but the long-boat from the Leopard made bad weather ofit, and rolled wildly in the trough of the sea. The soldiers pulledbadly, for they had had no training in the use of the oars, and verylittle experience.
The boat had made very little progress towards the Bellevite, andChristy was in no hurry to put his plan in operation. He showed hisrevolver to Percy, and then restored it to his hip-pocket. But hewatched the expression of his companion in the pilot-house very closely;for, as the case then stood, one of them belonged to the blue, while theother was of the gray. But Percy's patriotism was hardly skin deep, andhe had already spoken freely enough to make himself understood.
"I don't see how you are going to start the tug with that pistol if thefellow at the engine don't look at it in that light," said Percy, as hiscompanion restored the weapon to his pocket.
"I don't intend to use it if it can be avoided," replied Christy."I shall not ask Spikeley to start the engine, and if he don't interferewith me, I shall not harm him; for he seems to be a cripple, and itwould hurt my feelings to have to lay hands on him, or even to point arevolver at his head."
"If Spikeley don't start the engine, I reckon it will not start itself,"suggested Percy.
"I don't believe it will."
"What are you going to do, then?"
"I am going to start it myself."
"Start it yourself! You will blow the whole thing up!" exclaimed Percy,who did not see how the same young fellow of sixteen could know how tosteer, and run the engine.
"I have been on board the Bellevite a great deal of the time for thelast three years, and my mother says I was born a sailor, as my fatherwas before me. I always took a deep interest in every thing connectedwith the steamer."
"I should think you might, on board of such a fine vessel as theBellevite."
"I have stood my trick at the wheel for weeks together; and thequartermasters taught me all they knew about steering, the compass,the log, the lead, and the signals."
"Those things have nothing to do with the engine," suggested Percy.
"That is very true; but, when I had learned enough in the pilot-house,I went down into the engine and fire rooms. Mr. Vapoor, the chiefengineer, and I were in the same school together; and, though he is sixyears older than I am, we have been cronies for four years."
"And he told you about the engine?"
"I made a regular study of the engine, in connection with physics, andPaul"--
"Paul? That's another fellow?"
"No: it's the same fellow,--Paul Vapoor. Everybody that knows him sayshe is a genius. He was my teacher. But he told me that all the theory inthe world would not make me an engineer: I must have the experience; andfor weeks together I took the place of one of the assistant engineers.That's how I happen to know something about an engine; and I have beenon board of all sorts of steamers with Paul, for the purpose of studyingthe engines, from a launch up to the biggest ocean-steamers."
"Did you take any lessons of the cook on board of the Bellevite,Christy?" asked Percy, laughing.
"I used to ask questions of him; but I have served as cook on board of asmall yacht, and I know how to get up a chowder or bake a pot of beans."
"All right; then I will take it for granted that you can start theengine of the Leopard," continued Percy, coming back to the topic whichinterested him most. "What are you going to do after you have startedthe engine?"
"I am going to get on board of the Bellevite, and get you on board ofher."
"That will suit me first rate," replied Percy. "But I don't want you tothink I am a Yankee, for I am not."
"But I want you to think I am a Yankee, as you call it; and I am one,"added Christy.
"After we get on board of the Bellevite, what do you suppose she willdo?"
"That is more than I can tell you; but I have no doubt my father willtry to get out of the bay, and then he will go to New York. It is abouttime to make a beginning, for the boat will not trouble us now," repliedChristy, as he took a look all around the tug.
"What am I to do?"
"I haven't told you all I know about steering the boat for nothing,Percy, and you will remain at the wheel. But I wonder what that is overin the north-west," added Christy, as he took the glass from the shelf,and pointed it out the after window of the pilot-house.
"I think I can steer her all right now. What do you see over there?"
"I believe there is a steamer coming down from that direction," repliedChristy anxiously, as he brought the glass to bear on the object insight.
"A steamer!" exclaimed Percy. "That will mix things with us."
"Perhaps it will. It is a steamer, but it looks like a river boat, atany rate, it is not a tug. She is headed this way."
Christy was a good deal disturbed by the discovery he made; and givingno further attention to his companion, he continued to study theapproaching craft, at the same time endeavoring to account for herappearance. His uncle Homer had gone to find some one who was to renderassistance in preventing the Bellevite from leaving the bay, andbecoming a part of the navy of the Union.
He had not succeeded in finding the person he sought, but he had hadabundance of time to go to Mobile; and Christy feared that this steamercoming down from the north-west might be intended for the capture of theBellevite, in which case she must be armed and provided with an ampleforce for the purpose.
"That is not a tug-boat: she is a river or a bay steamer, and I amafraid she is faster than this thing," said Christy, when he hadobtained all the information he could at the present time. "At any rate,we have no time to spare. Do you think you can steer the Leopard,Percy?"
"I know I can," replied he confidently.
"The boat with the major in it is losing a good deal by lee-way, for heseems to be making no allowance for it."
"What does that mean?" asked Percy, puzzled by the statement.
"She has the wind on her beam, and she drifts to the north almost asmuch as she goes ahead. He ought to head her for some point to thesouthward of the Bellevite; but the more mistakes he makes, the betterit will be for us."
"I see that he don't seem to be headed anywhere in particular."
"Now, Percy, I am going below to have it out with Spikeley," continuedChristy, taking the revolver from his pocket, while he drew a box ofcartridges from another. "The Bellevite drifts as well as the boat; butthey don't let her go far to the north where the shoal water is, andthey turn the screw enough to keep her pretty nearly in the sameposition."
"I am to steer for her, of course," added Percy.
"No: there is something that looks like buildings on the shore, at leastfive miles beyond the steamer. Do you see them?"
"I do."
"Run for them; and this course will carry you a considerable distance tothe southward of the boat. I shall be near you all the time; and if youget bothered, sing out for me, and I will help you out."
"Don't you think I had better go below with you, so as to make a surething with the engineer?"
"I can handle him alone; or, if I find that I cannot, I will call foryou. Now, look out very closely for your steering, and don't let herwobble any more than you can help."
Christy left the pilot-house, after he had put six cartridges into hisrevolver, and restored the weapon to his pocket. He had already made uphis mind as to the manner in which he proposed to dispose of theengineer. He descended the ladder to the forecastle of the tug; butbefore he proceeded to the important task before him, he made a carefulsurvey of the accommodations of the steamer, though she did not appearto be different from a score of similar vessels he had visited in makinghis studies.
Under the pilot-house was the galley, which was also the mess-room ofthe crew when she had any. Forward of this, and under the forward deck,was the forecastle, to which
the inquirer descended. It was fitted upwith bunks, and there was only one entrance to it, by a ladder from ascuttle in the deck.
The scuttle was the interesting point with him; and he saw that it wasprovided with a hasp and staple, so that the entrance could be securedby a padlock, though that was missing. Getting a piece of wood from thedeck, he made a toggle that would fit the staple, and put the scuttlein a convenient place. Leaving the forward deck, he went aft, takinganother look at the steamer in the north-west; but he could hardly seeher with the naked eye, and he thought she must be at least five milesoff.
"Where is your bunk, Mr. Spikeley?" asked Christy, as he went to thedoor of the engine-room.
"What's that to you, youngster?" demanded the engineer; and possibly itdid not comport with his dignity to be bossed by a boy.
"It is rather important for me to know just now," replied Christy,looking as savage as it was possible for a good-natured boy to look.
"What do you want to know for?" asked Spikeley.
"I happen to be in command of this tug for the present moment, and Iwant an answer without stopping all day to talk about it."
"Well, youngster, I don't reckon I'll tell you any thing about it. I getmy orders from Major Pierson," replied the engineer sourly.
"The Leopard is in my charge, and I must ask you to show me where yourbunk is; and after you have done that, I shall ask you to get into it,and stay there," said Christy, with decision enough for the needs of theoccasion.
At the same time he took the revolver from his pocket, and pointed ittowards the head of the engineer.
"You can take your choice, Mr. Spikeley: you can get into your bunk, orhave your carcass thrown into the bay; and you haven't got a great whileto think of it."
The engineer seemed to be properly impressed by the sight of the weapon,and he could see that the chambers contained cartridges. He rose fromhis seat, and moved towards the door of the engine-room.
"I heard some of the men say you was a Yank, and I reckon you be," saidSpikeley. "What are you go'n to do?"
"I am going to get you into your bunk, where you will be morecomfortable than you are here. Move on!"
The man obeyed; for he was unarmed, and he did not like the looks of therevolver. Without another word, he moved forward, and descended to theforecastle. As soon as he was below the deck, Christy closed thescuttle, and secured it with the toggle.