generously made available by the kentuckiana digital library) the blue and the gray--afloat two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . taken by the enemy within the enemy's lines on the blockade stand by the union fighting for the right a victorious union the blue and the gray--on land two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . brother against brother in the saddle a lieutenant at eighteen (other volumes in preparation) any volume sold separately. lee and shepard publishers boston [illustration: "three cheers for captain passford" (page )] the blue and the gray series [illustration] by oliver optic taken by the enemy _the blue and the gray series_ taken by the enemy by oliver optic author of "the army and navy series" "young america abroad" "the great western series" "the woodville stories" "the starry-flag series" "the boat-club stories" "the onward and upward series" "the yacht-club series" "the lake-shore series" "the riverdale series" "the boat-builder series" etc. _with illustrations_ boston lee and shepard publishers copyright, , by lee and shepard _all rights reserved._ taken by the enemy. to my nephew, herbert w. adams, this book is affectionately dedicated. preface "taken by the enemy" is the first of a new series of six volumes which are to be associated under the general title of "the blue and the gray series," which sufficiently indicates the character of the books. at the conclusion of the war of the rebellion, and before the writer had completed "the army and navy series," over twenty years ago, some of his friends advised him to make all possible haste to bring his war stories to a conclusion, declaring that there could be no demand for such works when the war had come to an end. but the volumes of the series mentioned are as much in demand to-day as any of his other stories, though from their nature the field of their circulation is more limited. surprising as this may appear, it is still the fact; and certainly the author has received more commendatory letters from young people in regard to the books of this series than concerning those of any other. among these letters there has occasionally been one, though rarely, in which the writer objected to this series for the reason that he was "on the other side" of the great issue which shook the nation to the centre of its being for four years. doubtless the writers of these letters, and many who wrote no letters, will be surprised and grieved at the announcement of another series by the author on war topics. the writer had little inclination to undertake this task; for he has believed for twenty years that the war is over, and he has not been disposed to keep alive old issues which had better remain buried. he has spent some time in the south, and has always found himself among friends there. he became personally acquainted with those who fought on the confederate side, from generals to privates, and he still values their friendship. he certainly is not disposed to write any thing that would cause him to forfeit his title to the kind feeling that was extended to him. it is not, therefore, with the desire or intention to rekindle the fires of sectional animosity, now happily subdued, that the writer begins another series relating to the war. the call upon him to use the topics of the war has been so urgent, and its ample field of stirring events has been so inviting, that he could not resist; but, while his own opinions in regard to the great question of five-and-twenty years ago remain unchanged, he hopes to do more ample justice than perhaps was done before to those "who fought on the other side." the present volume introduces those which are to follow it, and presents many of the characters that are to figure in them. though written from the union standpoint, the author hopes that it will not be found unfair or unjust to those who looked from the opposite point of view. dorchester, june , . contents page chapter i. astounding news from the shore chapter ii. the brother at the south chapter iii. dangerous and somewhat irregular chapter iv. the first mission of the bellevite chapter v. the bellevite and those on board of her chapter vi. mr. percy pierson introduces himself chapter vii. a complication at glenfield chapter viii. a disconsolate purchaser of vessels chapter ix. christy matures a promising scheme chapter x. the attempt to pass into mobile bay chapter xi. the major in command of fort gaines chapter xii. how the bellevite passed fort morgan chapter xiii. a decided difference of opinion chapter xiv. the blue and the gray chapter xv. brother at war with brother chapter xvi. christy finds himself a prisoner chapter xvii. major pierson is puzzled chapter xviii. the morning trip of the leopard chapter xix. the report of the scout from the shore chapter xx. a rebellion in the pilot-house chapter xxi. the sick captain of the leopard chapter xxii. the proceedings on the lower deck chapter xxiii. the expedition from the leopard chapter xxiv. the engineer goes into the forecastle chapter xxv. the first lesson for a sailor chapter xxvi. the post of duty and of danger chapter xxvii. a cannon-ball through the leopard chapter xxviii. the american flag at the fore chapter xxix. on board of the bellevite chapter xxx. running the gantlet taken by the enemy chapter i astounding news from the shore "this is most astounding news!" exclaimed captain horatio passford. it was on the deck of the magnificent steam-yacht bellevite, of which he was the owner; and with the newspaper, in which he had read only a few of the many head-lines, still in his hand, he rushed furiously across the deck, in a state of the most intense agitation. it would take more than one figure to indicate the number of millions by which his vast wealth was measured, in the estimation of those who knew most about his affairs; and he was just returning from a winter cruise in his yacht. his wife and son were on board; but his daughter had spent the winter at the south with her uncle, preferring this to a voyage at sea, being in rather delicate health, and the doctors thought a quiet residence in a genial climate was better for her. the bellevite had been among the islands of the atlantic, visiting the azores, madeira, the canary islands, and was now coming from bermuda. she had just taken a pilot fifty miles from sandy hook, and was bound to new york, for the captain's beautiful estate, bonnydale, was located on the hudson. as usual, the pilot had brought on board with him the latest new-york papers, and one of them contained the startling news which appeared to have thrown the owner of the bellevite entirely off his balance; and it was quite astounding enough to produce this effect upon any american. "what is it, sir?" demanded christopher passford, his son, a remarkably bright-looking young fellow of sixteen, as he followed his father across the deck. "what is it, horatio?" inquired mrs. passford, who had been seated with a book on the deck, as she also followed her husband. the captain was usually very cool and self-possessed, and neither the wife nor the son had ever before seen him so shaken by agitation. he seemed to be unable to speak a word for the time, and took no notice whatever of his wife and son when they addressed him. for several minutes he continued to rush back and forth across the deck of the steamer, like a vessel which had suddenly caught a heavy flaw of wind, and had not yet come to her bearings. "what is the matter, horatio?" asked mrs. passford, when he came near her. "what in the world has happened to overcome you in this manner, for i never saw you so moved before?" but her husband did not reply even to this earnest interrogatory, but again darted across the deck, and his lips moved as though he were muttering something to himself. he did not look at the paper in his hands again; and whatever the startling intelligence it contained, he seemed to have taken it all in at a glance. christy, as the remarkably good-looking young man was called by all in the family and on board of the bellevite, appeared to be even more astonished than his mother at the singular conduct of his father; but he saw how intense was his agitation, and he did not follow him in his impulsive flights across the deck. though his father had always treated him with great consideration, and seldom if ever had occasion to exercise any of his paternal authority over him, the young man never took advantage of the familiarity existing between them. his father was certainly in a most extraordinary mood for him, and he could not venture to speak a word to him. he stood near the companion way, not far from his mother, and he observed the movements of his father with the utmost interest, not unmingled with anxiety; and mrs. passford fully shared with him the solicitude of the moment. the steamer was going at full speed in the direction of sandy hook. captain passford gave no heed to the movement of the vessel, but for several minutes planked the deck as though he were unable to realize the truth or the force of the news he had hastily gathered from the head-lines of the newspaper. at last he halted in the waist, at some distance from the other members of his family, raised his paper, and fixed his gaze upon the staring announcement at the head of one of its columns. no one ventured to approach him; for he was the magnate of the vessel, and, whatever his humor, he was entitled to the full benefit of it. he only glanced at the head-lines as he had done before, and then dropped the paper, as though the announcement he had read was all he desired to know. "beeks," said he, as a quartermaster passed near him. the man addressed promptly halted, raised his hand to his cap, and waited the pleasure of the owner of the steamer. "tell captain breaker that i wish to see him, if you please," added captain passford. the man repeated the name of the person he was to call, and hastened away to obey the order. the owner resumed his march across the deck, though it was evident to the anxious observers that he had in a great measure recovered his self-possession, for his movements were less nervous, and the usual placid calm was restored to his face. in another minute, captain breaker, who was the actual commander of the vessel, appeared in the waist, and walked up to his owner. though not more than forty-five years old, his hair and full beard were heavily tinted with gray; and an artist who wished for an ideal shipmaster, who was both a gentleman and a sailor, could not have found a better representative of this type in the merchant or naval service, or on the deck of the finest steam-yacht in the world. "you sent for me, captain passford," said the commander, in respectful but not subservient tones. "you will take the steamer to some point off fire island, and come to anchor there," replied the owner, as, without any explanation, he walked away from the spot. "off fire island," added captain breaker, simply repeating the name of the locality to which his order related, but not in a tone that required an exclamation-point to express his surprise. whatever the captain of the bellevite thought or felt, it was an extraordinary order which he received. it was in the month of april, and the vessel had been absent about five months on her winter pleasure cruise. in a few hours more the yacht could easily be at her moorings off bonnydale on the hudson; but when almost in sight of new york, the captain had been ordered to anchor, as though the owner had no intention of returning to his elegant home. if he was surprised, as doubtless he was, he did not manifest it in the slightest degree; for he was a sailor, and it was a part of his gospel to obey the orders of his owner without asking any questions. no doubt he thought of his wife and children as he walked forward to the pilot-house to execute his order, for he had been away from them for a long time. the three papers brought on board by the pilot had all been given to the owner, and he had no hint of the startling news they contained. the course of the bellevite was promptly changed more to the northward; and if the pilot wished to be informed in regard to this strange alteration in the immediate destination of the vessel, captain breaker was unable to give him any explanation. captain passford was evidently himself again; and he did not rush across the deck as he had done before, but seated himself in an armchair he had occupied before the pilot came on board, and proceeded to read something more than the headlines in the paper. he hardly moved or looked up for half an hour, so intensely was he absorbed in the narrative before him. mrs. passford and christy, though even more excited by the singular conduct of the owner, and the change in the course of the steamer, did not venture to interrupt him. the owner took the other two papers from his pocket, and had soon possessed himself of all the details of the astounding news; and it was plain enough to those who so eagerly observed his expression as he read, that he was impressed as he had never been before in his life. before the owner had finished the reading of the papers, the bellevite had reached the anchorage chosen by the pilot, and the vessel was soon fast to the bottom in a quiet sea. "the tide is just right for going up to the city," said the pilot, who had left his place in the pilot-house, and addressed himself to the owner in the waist. "but we shall not go up to the city," replied captain passford, in a very decided tone. "but that shall make no difference in your pilot's fees.--captain breaker." the captain of the steamer, who had also come out of the pilot-house, had stationed himself within call of the owner to receive the next order, which might throw some light on the reason for anchoring the steamer so near her destination on a full sea. he presented himself before the magnate of the yacht, and indicated that he was ready to take his further orders. "you will see that the pilot is paid his full fee for taking the vessel to a wharf," continued captain passford. the captain bowed, and started towards the companionway; but the owner called him back. "i see what looks like a tug to the westward of us. you will set the signal to bring her alongside," the magnate proceeded. this order was even more strange than that under which the vessel had come to anchor so near home after her long cruise; but the captain asked no questions, and made no sign. calling beeks, he went aft with the pilot, and paid him his fees. when the american flag was displayed in the fore-rigging for the tug, captain passford, with his gaze fixed on the planks of the deck, walked slowly to the place where his wife was seated, and halted in front of her without speaking a word. but there was a quivering of the lip which assured the lady and her son that he was still struggling to suppress his agitation. "what is the matter, horatio?" asked the wife, in the tenderest of tones, while her expression assured those who saw her face that the anxiety of the husband had been communicated to the wife. "i need hardly tell you, julia, that i am disturbed as i never was before in all my life," replied he, maintaining his calmness only with a struggle. "i can see that something momentous has happened in our country," she added, hardly able to contain herself, for she felt that she was in the presence of an unexplained calamity. "something has happened, my dear; something terrible,--something that i did not expect, though many others were sure that it would come," he continued, seating himself at the side of his wife. "but you do not tell me what it is," said the lady, with a look which indicated that her worst fears were confirmed. "is florry worse? is she"-- "so far as i know, florry is as well as usual," interposed the husband. "but a state of war exists at the present moment between the north and the south." chapter ii the brother at the south even five months before, when the bellevite had sailed on her cruise, the rumble of coming events had been heard in the united states; and it had been an open question whether or not war would grow out of the complications between the north and the south. only a few letters, and fewer newspapers, had reached the owner of the yacht; and he and his family on board had been very indifferently informed in regard to the progress of political events at home. captain passford was one of those who confidently believed that no very serious difficulty would result from the entanglements into which the country had been plunged by the secession of the most of the southern states. he would not admit even to himself that war was possible; and before his departure he had scouted the idea of a conflict with arms between the brothers of the north and the brothers of the south, as he styled them. captain passford had been the master of a ship in former times, though he had accumulated his vast fortune after he abandoned the sea. his father was an englishman, who had come to the united states as a young man, had married, raised his two sons, and died in the city of new york. these two sons, horatio and homer, were respectively forty-five and forty years of age. both of them were married, and each of them had only a son and a daughter. while horatio had been remarkably successful in his pursuit of wealth in the metropolis, he had kept himself clean and honest, like so many of the wealthy men of the great city. when he retired from active business, he settled at bonnydale on the hudson. his brother had been less successful as a business-man, and soon after his marriage to a northern lady he had purchased a plantation in alabama, where both of his children had been born, and where he was a man of high standing, with wealth enough to maintain his position in luxury, though his fortune was insignificant compared with that of his brother. between the two brothers and their families the most kindly relations had always existed; and each made occasional visits to the other, though the distance which separated them was too great to permit of very frequent exchanges personally of brotherly love and kindness. possibly the fraternal feeling which subsisted between the two brothers had some influence upon the opinions of horatio, for to him hostilities meant making war upon his only brother, whom he cherished as warmly as if they had not been separated by a distance of over a thousand miles. he measured the feelings of others by his own; and if all had felt as he felt, war would have been an impossibility, however critical and momentous the relations between the two sections. though his father had been born and bred in england, horatio was more intensely american than thousands who came out of plymouth rock stock; and he believed in the union of the states, unable to believe that any true citizen could tolerate the idea of a separation of any kind. the first paper which captain passford read on the deck of the bellevite contained the details of the bombardment and capture of fort sumter; and the others, a record of the events which had transpired in the few succeeding days after the news of actual war reached the north. this terrible intelligence was unexpected to the owner of the yacht, believing, as he had, in the impossibility of war; and it seemed to him just as though he and his cherished brother were already arrayed against each other on the battle-field. the commotion between the two sections had begun before his departure from home on the yacht cruise, but his brother, perhaps because he was fully instructed in regard to the union sentiment of horatio, was strangely reticent, and expressed no opinions of his own. but captain passford, measuring his brother according to his own standard, was fully persuaded that homer was as sound on the great question as he was himself, though the excitement and violence around him might have caused him to maintain a neutral position. certainly if the northern brother had anticipated that a terrible war was impending, he would not have permitted his daughter florence, a beautiful young lady of seventeen, to reside during the winter in a hot-bed of secession and disunion. the papers informed him what had been done at the north and at the south to initiate the war; and the thought that florry was now in the midst of the enemies of her country was agonizing to him. though he felt that his country demanded his best energies, and though he was ready and willing to give himself and his son to her in her hour of need, he felt that his first duty was to his own family, within reasonable limits; and his earliest thoughts were directed to the safety of his daughter, and then to the welfare of his brother and his family. "war!" exclaimed mrs. passford, when her husband had announced so briefly the situation which had caused such intense agitation in his soul. "what do you mean by war, horatio?" "i mean all that terrible word can convey of destruction and death, and, worse yet, of hate and revenge between brothers of the same household!" replied the husband impressively. "both the north and the south are sounding the notes of preparation. men are gathering by thousands on both sides, soon to meet on fields which must be drenched in the gore of brothers." "but don't you think the trouble will be settled in some way, horatio?" asked the anxious wife and mother; and her thoughts, like those of her husband, reverted to the loving daughter then in the enemy's camp. "i do not think so; that is impossible now. i did not believe that war was possible: now i do not believe it will be over till one side or the other shall be exhausted," replied captain passford, wiping from his brow the perspiration which the intensity of his emotion produced. "a civil war is the most bitter and terrible of all wars." "i cannot understand it," added the lady. "is it really war, sir?" asked christy, who had been an interested listener to all that had been said. "it is really war, my son," replied the father earnestly. "it will be a war which cannot be carried to a conclusion by hirelings; but father, son, and brother must take part in it, against father, son, and brother." "it is terrible to think of," added mrs. passford with something like a shudder, though she was a strong-minded woman in the highest sense of the words. captain passford then proceeded to inform his wife and son in regard to all the events which had transpired since he had received his latest papers at bermuda. they listened with the most intense interest, and the trio were as solemn as though they had met to consider the dangerous illness of the absent member of the family. the owner did not look upon the impending war as a sort of frolic, as did many of the people at the north and the south, and he could not regard it as a trivial conflict which would be ended in a few weeks or a few months. to him it was the most terrible reality which his imagination could picture; and more clearly than many eminent statesmen, he foresaw that it would be a long and fierce encounter. "from what you say, horatio, i judge that the south is already arming for the conflict," said mrs. passford, after she had heard her husband's account of what had occurred on shore. "the south has been preparing for war for months, and the north began to make serious preparation for coming events as soon as fort sumter fell. doubtless the south is better prepared for the event to-day than the north, though the greater population and vast resources of the latter will soon make up for lost time," replied the captain. "and florry is right in the midst of the gathering armies of the south," added the fond mother, wiping a tear from her eyes. "she is; and, unless something is done at once to restore her to her home, she may have to remain in the enemy's country for months, if not for years," answered the father, with a slight trembling of the lips. "but what can be done?" asked the mother anxiously. "the answer to that question has agitated me more than any thing else which has come to my mind for years, for i cannot endure the thought of leaving her even a single month at any point which is as likely as any other to become a battle-field in a few days or a few weeks," continued captain passford, with some return of the agitation which had before shaken him so terribly. "of course your brother homer will take care of her," said the terrified mother, as she gazed earnestly into the expressive face of the stout-hearted man before her. "certainly he will do all for florry that he would do for his own children, but he may not long be able to save his own family from the horrors of war." "do you think she will be in any actual danger, horatio?" "i have no doubt she will be as safe at glenfield, if the conflict were raging there, as she would be at bonnydale under the same circumstances. from the nature of the case, the burden of the fighting, the havoc and desolation, will be within the southern states, and few, if any, of the battle-fields will be on northern soil, or at least as far north as our home." "from what i have seen of the people near the residence of your brother, they are neither brutes nor savages," added the lady. "no more than the people of the north; but war rouses the brute nature of most men, and there will be brutes and savages on both sides, from the very nature of the case." "in his recent letters, i mean those that came before we sailed from home, homer did not seem to take part with either side in the political conflict; and in those which came to us at the azores and bermuda, he did not say a single word to indicate whether he is a secessionist, or in favor of the union. do you know how he stands, horatio?" "my means of knowing are the same as yours, and i can be no wiser than you are on this point, though i have my opinion," replied captain passford. "what is your opinion?" "that he is as truly a union man as i am." "i am glad that he is." "i do not say that he is a union man; but judging from his silence, and what i know of him, i think he is. and it is as much a part of my desire and intention to bring him and his family out of the enemy's country as it is to recover florry." "then we shall have them all at bonnydale this summer?" suggested mrs. passford. "nothing could suit me better." "though i am fully persuaded in my own mind that homer will be true to his country in this emergency, i may be mistaken. he has lived for many years at the south, and has been identified with the institutions of that locality, as i have been with those of the north. though we both love the land of our fathers on the other side of the ocean, we have both been strongly american. as he always believed in the whole country as a unit, i shall expect him to be more than willing to stand by his country as it was, and as it should be." "i hope you will find him so, but i am grievously sorry that florry is not with us." "tug-boat alongside, captain passford," said the commander. the owner of the bellevite wished the tug to wait his orders. chapter iii dangerous and somewhat irregular in various parts of the deck of the bellevite, the officers, seamen, engineers, and coal-passers of the steamer were gathered in knots, evidently discussing the situation; for the news brought on board by the pilot had been spread through the ship. captain passford hardly noticed the announcement made to him by the commander, that the tug was alongside, for he was not yet ready to make use of it. even the wife and the son of the owner wondered what the mission of the little vessel was to be; but the husband and father had not yet disclosed his purpose in coming to anchor almost in sight of his own mansion. "why have you come to anchor here, horatio?" asked mrs. passford, taking advantage of the momentary pause in the interesting, and even exciting, conversation, to put this leading question. "i was about to tell you. i have already adopted my plan to recover florry, and bring my brother and his family out of the enemy's country," replied the owner, looking with some solicitude into the face of his wife, as though he anticipated some objection to his plan. "you have adopted it so quick?" inquired the lady. "you have not had much time to think of it." "i have had all the time i need to enable me to reach the decision to rescue my child from peril, and save my brother and his family from privation and trouble in the enemy's country. but i have only decided what to do, and i have yet to mature the details of the scheme." "i hope you are not going into any danger," added the wife anxiously. "danger!" exclaimed captain passford, straightening up his manly form. "war with all its perils and hardships is before us. am i a villain, a poltroon, who will desert his country in the hour of her greatest need? i do not so understand myself." "of course i meant any needless exposure," added mrs. passford, impressed by the patriotic bearing of her husband. "you may be assured, julia, that i will incur no needless peril, and i think i am even more careful than the average of men. but, when i have a duty to perform, i feel that i ought to do it without regard to the danger which may surround it." "i know you well enough to understand that, horatio," said the lady. "i believe there will be danger in my undertaking, though to what extent i am unable to say." "but you do not tell me how you intend to recover florry." "i intend to go for her and my brother's family in the bellevite." "in the bellevite!" exclaimed the lady. "of course; there is no other possible way to reach glenfield," which was the name that homer passford had given to his plantation. "but fort morgan, at the entrance of mobile bay, is in the hands of the confederates, and has been for three or four months," said christy, who had kept himself as thoroughly posted in regard to events at home as the sources of information would permit. "i am well aware of it; and i have no doubt, that, by this time, the fort is strongly garrisoned, to say nothing of other forts which have probably been built in the vicinity," replied captain passford. "it says in this paper that the ports of the south have been blockaded," said christy, glancing at the journal in his hand. "the president has issued a proclamation to this effect, but there has hardly been time to enforce it to any great extent yet. but of these matters i have nothing to say yet. the important point now is that i shall go in the bellevite to mobile bay, and by force or strategy i shall bring off my daughter and the family of my brother." "then i suppose christy and i are to be sent on shore in the tug alongside," suggested mrs. passford. "that is precisely what i wanted the tug for," added the husband. "i should be willing to go with you, and share whatever dangers you may incur," said the lady, who had by this time come to a full realization of what war meant. "i should be a heathen to allow you to do so. a woman would be more of a burden than a help to us. you had better return to bonnydale, julia, where i am sure you can render more service to your country than you could on board of the steamer. all that i am, all that i have, shall be at the service of the union; and i wish you to act for me according to your own good judgment." "i shall do whatever you wish me to do, horatio," added the lady. "my mission will be a dangerous one at best, and the deck of the steamer will be no place for you, julia." "very well; christy and i will take the tug as soon as you are ready to have us leave you." "am i to go on shore, father?" demanded christy, with a look of chagrin on his handsome face, browned by exposure to the sun on the ocean. "i want to go with you; and i am sure i can do my share of the duty, whatever it may be." "you are rather young to engage in such an enterprise as that before me, christy," added his father, as he gazed with pride at the face and form of his son, who had thrown back his head as though he felt the inspiration of all the manliness in his being. "if there is to be a war for the union, i am a union man, or boy, as you like; and it would be as mean and cowardly for me to turn my back to the enemy as it would be for you to do so, sir," replied christy, his chest heaving with patriotic emotion. "i am willing you should go with me," added captain passford, turning from the young man to his mother. there was a tear in the eyes of the lady as she looked upon her son. it was hard enough to have her husband leave her on such a mission: it was doubly so to have christy go with him. "christy might be of great service to me," said his father. "i look upon this war as a very solemn event; and when a man's country calls upon him to render his time, his comfort, even his life, he has no moral right to put himself, his father, his brother, or his son in a safe place, and leave mere hirelings, the thoughtless, reckless adventurers, to fight his battle for him." "i am ready to go, sir," added christy. "he may go with you, if you think it best," said the mother with a quivering lip. "i shall miss him, but i am sure you would miss him more." "my first mission is hardly in the service of my country; at least, it is not directly so, though i hope to be of some use to her during my absence. as i said before, i think my first duty--a duty committed to me by the almighty, which takes precedence over all other duties--is, within reasonable limits, to my own family. i will not spare myself or my son, but i must save florry and my brother's family." "i think you are right, horatio." "on my return i shall present the bellevite to the government, which is in sore need of suitable vessels at the present time, and offer my services in any capacity in which i can be useful," continued captain passford. "captain breaker," he called to the commander. "here, sir." "pipe the entire ship's company on the forecastle, and see that no one from the tug is near enough to hear what is said there." captain breaker had formerly been a lieutenant in the navy, and the forms and discipline of a man-of-war prevailed on board of the steam-yacht. in a minute more the pipe of the boatswain rang through the vessel, and all hands were mustered on the forecastle. the tug was made fast on the quarter of the steamer, and no one from her had come on board. captain passford and christy walked forward, leaving the lady with her own thoughts. she was a daughter of a distinguished officer in the navy, and she had been fully schooled in the lesson of patriotism for such an emergency as the present. she was sad, and many a tear dropped from her still handsome face; but she was brave enough to feel proud that she had a husband and a son whom she was willing to give to her country. the ship's company gathered on the forecastle; and every one of them seemed to be deeply impressed with the solemnity of the occasion, for not a light word was spoken, not a laugh played on any face. they had just learned that the country was in a state of war; and the present occasion indicated that the owner had some serious question in his mind, which was now to be presented to them. the bellevite was heavily manned for a yacht; but every person had been selected for his position, from the highest to the lowest, with the utmost care by captain breaker, assisted by the owner. every one of them had been attached to the steamer for at least a year, and some of them for a longer period. all of them were personally known to the owner and the members of the family, who had taken the greatest pleasure in improving and assisting them and their families, if they had any. they were all devoted to the owner and the members of his family, who had taken such a strong personal interest in them and theirs. many instances of the kindness of the lady in times of sickness and death, as well as in the brighter days of prosperity and happiness, could be related; and in return for all this generous and considerate treatment, there was not a man on board who would not have laid down his life for the family. it was certainly a model ship's company; and if there had ever been another owner and captain like those of the bellevite, there might also have been such another collection of officers and seamen. but every one of them had been selected for his moral character, not less than for his nautical skill and knowledge. in fact, the personal history of any one of them would have been interesting to the general reader. these men composed the audience of captain passford when he took his place at the bowsprit bitts; and, if the occasion had been less solemn, they would have cheered him, as they were in the habit of doing on every suitable opportunity, and even when it was not suitable. the owner prefaced his remarks with a statement of the events which had occurred in the country since the last dates they had received, and then proceeded to describe his mission as indicated to his wife and son. he fully stated the perils of the enterprise, with the fact that his operations would be somewhat irregular; though he intended to make an immediate tender of the vessel to the government, with his own services in any capacity in which he might be needed. in spite of the solemnity of the occasion, the men broke out into cheers, and not a few of the sailors shouted out their readiness to go with him wherever he might go, without regard to danger or hardship. one old sheet-anchor man declared that he was ready to die for miss florry; and he was so lustily cheered that it was evident this was the sentiment of all. "i have called the tug at the quarter alongside to convey mrs. passford to the shore, though christy will go with me," added the owner. at this point he was interrupted by a volley of cheers, for christy was a universal favorite on board, as florry had always been; and the ship's company regarded her as a sort of mundane divinity, upon whom they could look only with the most profound reverence. "in view of the danger and the irregularity of the enterprise, i shall not persuade or urge any person on board to accompany me; and the tug will take on shore all who prefer to leave the vessel, with my best wishes for their future. those who prefer to go on shore will go aft to the mainmast," continued captain passford. officers and seamen looked from one to the other; but not one of them took a step from his place on the forecastle, to which all seemed to be nailed. chapter iv the first mission of the bellevite captain passford looked over his audience with no little interest, and perhaps with considerable anxiety; for he felt that the success of his enterprise must depend, in a great measure, upon the fidelity and skill of the individual members of the ship's company. "my remarks are addressed to every person in the ship's company, from captain breaker to the stewards and coal-passers; and any one has a perfect right to decline to go with me, without prejudice to his present or future interests," continued the owner. more earnestly than before the officers and men gazed at each other; and it looked as though not one of them dared to move a single inch, lest a step should be interpreted as an impeachment of his fidelity to one who had been a christian and a trusty friend in all his relations with him. "i know that some of you have families, mothers, brothers, and sisters on shore; and i assure you that i shall not regard it as a disgrace or a stigma upon any man who does his duty as he understands it, without regard to me or mine," the owner proceeded. still not a man moved, and all seemed to be more averse than before to change their positions a particle; and possibly any one who was tempted to do so expected to be hooted by his shipmates, if he took the treacherous step. "i sincerely hope that every man of you will be guided by his own sense of duty, without regard to what others may think of his action. i will not allow any man to suffer from any reproach or indignity on account of what he does in this matter, if by any means i can prevent it," continued captain passford, looking over his audience again, to discover, if he could, any evidence of faltering on the part of a single one. still officers and men were as immovable as a group of statuary; and not a face betrayed an expression indicating a desire to leave the vessel, or to falter in what all regarded as the allegiance they owed to the owner and his family. "we will all go with you to the end of the world, or the end of the war!" shouted the old sheet-anchor man, who was the spokesman of the crew when they had any thing to say. "if any man offers to leave"-- "he shall go with my best wishes," interposed captain passford. "none of that, boxie; you have heard what i said, and i mean every word of it. there shall be no persuasion or intimidation." "beg pardon, captain passford; but there isn't a man here that would go to the mainmast if he knew that the forecastle would drop out from under him, and let him down into davy jones's locker the next minute if he staid here," responded boxie, with a complaisant grin on his face, as if he was entirely conscious that he knew what he was talking about. "every man must act on his own free will," added the owner. "that's just what we are all doing, your honor; and every one of us would rather go than have his wages doubled. if any dumper here has a free will to go to the mainmast, he'd better put his head in soak, and"-- "avast heaving, boxie!" interposed the owner, smiling in spite of himself at the earnestness of the old sailor. "i hain't got a word more to say, your honor; only"-- "only nothing, boxie! i see that not one of you is inclined to leave the vessel, and i appreciate in the highest degree this devotion on your part to me and my family. i have some writing to do now; and, while i am engaged upon it, mr. watts shall take the name and residence of every man on board. i shall give this list to my wife, and charge her to see that those dependent upon you need nothing in your absence. she will visit the friends of every one of you, if she has to go five hundred miles to do so. i have nothing more to say at present." the men cheered lustily for the owner, and then separated, as the captain went aft to draw up his papers to send on shore by mrs. passford. he was followed by captain breaker, while little groups formed in various parts of the deck to discuss the situation. "i intended to have some talk with you, breaker, before i said any thing to the ship's company; but, you know, it is very seldom that i ever say any thing directly to them," said captain passford, as the commander came up with him. "this was an extraordinary occasion; and i am very glad that you did the business directly, instead of committing it to me," replied captain breaker; "and i have not the slightest objection to make. but i have a word to say in regard to myself personally. as you are aware, i was formerly an officer of the navy, with the rank of lieutenant. i wish to apply to the department to be restored to my former rank, or to any rank which will enable me to serve my country the most acceptably. i hope my purpose will not interfere with your enterprise." "not at all, i think, except in the matter of some delay. i shall tender the bellevite as a free gift to the government in a letter i shall send on shore by my wife," replied captain passford. "but i shall offer to do this only on my return from a trip i feel obliged to make in her. i shall also offer my own services in any capacity in which i can be useful; though, as i am not a naval officer like yourself, i cannot expect a prominent position." "your ability fits you for almost any position; and, after a little study of merely routine matters, you will be competent for almost any command," added captain breaker. "i do not expect that, and i am willing to do my duty in a humble position," said the owner. "all that i am and all that i have shall be for my country's use." "i knew very well where we should find you if the troubles ended in a war." "my present enterprise will be rather irregular, as i have already said; but the delay it would cause alone prevents me from giving the vessel to the government at once." "as a man-of-war, the bellevite could not be used for the purpose you have in mind. the plan you have chosen is the only practicable one." "very well, breaker. you had better pass the word through the ship's company that the bellevite will sail in an hour or two,--as soon as i can finish my business; and if officer or seaman wishes to leave the vessel, let him do so," added the owner, as he moved towards the companionway. "not one of them will leave her under any circumstances," replied the commander, as he went forward. the word was passed, as suggested by the owner, and the result was to set the greater part of the officers and men to writing letters for their friends, to be sent on shore by the tug; but the captain warned them not to say a word in regard to the destination of the steamer. in another hour captain passford had completed his letters and papers, including letters to the secretary of the navy, a power of attorney to his wife which placed his entire fortune at her command, and other documents which the hurried movements of the writer rendered necessary. the owner and his son bade adieu to the wife and mother in the cabin; and it is not necessary to penetrate the sacred privacy of such an occasion, for it was a tender, sad, and trying ordeal to all of them. all the letters were gathered together and committed to the care of the lady as she went over the side to leave the floating home in which she had lived for several months, for the family did not often desert their palatial cabin for the poorer accommodations of a hotel on shore. the pilot departed in the tug, and he was no wiser than when he came on board in regard to the intentions of the owner of the steam-yacht. there was an abundant supply of coal and provisions on board, for the vessel was hardly three days from bermuda when she came up with sandy hook; and the commander gave the order to weigh anchor as soon as the tug cast off her fasts. "i suppose we are bound somewhere, captain passford," said captain breaker, as soon as the vessel was fully under way. "but you have not yet indicated to me our destination." "bermuda. the fact is that i have been so absorbed in the tremendous news that came to us with the pilot, that i have not yet come to my bearings," replied the owner with a smile. "my first duty now will be to discuss our future movements with you; and when you have given out the course, we will attend to that matter." captain breaker called mr. joel dashington, the first officer, to him, and gave him the course of the ship, as indicated by the owner. he was six feet and one inch in height, and as thin as a rail; but he was a very wiry man, and it was said that he could stand more hunger, thirst, exposure, and hardship than any other living man. he was a gentleman in his manners, and had formerly been in command of a ship in the employ of captain passford. he was not quite fifty years old, and he had seen service in all parts of the world, and in his younger days had been a master's mate in the navy. the second officer was superintending the crew as they put things to rights for the voyage. his person was in striking contrast with his superior officer; for he weighed over two hundred pounds, and looked as though he were better fitted for the occupancy of an alderman's chair than for a position on the deck of a sea-going vessel. he was under forty years of age, but he had also been in command of a bark in the employ of his present owner. "of course we cannot undertake the difficult enterprise before us, breaker, without an armament of some sort," said captain passford, as they halted at the companionway. "i should say not, and i was wondering how you intended to manage in this matter," replied the commander. "i will tell you, for our first mission renders it necessary to give some further orders before we go below," continued the owner. "we have not a day or an hour to waste." "the sooner we get at the main object of the expedition, the better will be our chances of success." "you remember that english brig which was wrecked on mills breaker, while we were at hamilton?" "very well indeed; and she was said to be loaded with a cargo of improved guns, with the ammunition for them, which some enterprising britisher had brought over on speculation, for the use of the confederate army and navy,--if they ever have any navy," added captain breaker. "that is precisely the cargo to which i allude. the brig had a hole in her bottom, but only a part of her was under water. the officers of the vessel were confident that the entire cargo would be saved, with not much of it in a damaged condition," added the owner. "there has been no violent storm since we left st. george, hardly three days ago," said the commander. "i wish to obtain as much of this cargo as will be necessary to arm the bellevite properly for the expedition; and i have a double object in obtaining it, even if i have to throw half of it into the atlantic ocean." "the fact that we need the guns and ammunition is reason enough for trying to obtain the cargo." "but i have the additional inducement of keeping it out of the hands of the enemy, so that the guns shall be turned against the foes of the union instead of its friends. we must make a quick passage, so that, if we lose this opportunity, it will not be our fault." "i understand. pass the word for mr. vapoor," added the commander to a quartermaster who was taking in the ensign at the peak. mr. vapoor was the chief engineer; though he was the youngest officer on board, and really looked younger than christy passford. chapter v the bellevite and those on board of her paul vapoor was a genius, and that accounted for his position as chief engineer at the age of twenty-two. he was born a machinist, and his taste in that direction had made him a very hard student. his days and a large portion of his nights, while in his teens, had been spent in studying physics, chemistry, and, in fact, all the sciences which had any bearing upon the life-work which nature rather than choice had given him to do. his father had been in easy circumstances formerly, so that there had been nothing to interfere with his studies before he was of age. up to this period, he had spent much of his time in a large machine-shop, working for nothing as though his daily bread depended upon his exertions; and he was better qualified to run an engine than most men who had served for years at the business, for he was a natural scientist. there was scarcely a part of an engine at which he had not worked with his own hands as a volunteer, and he was as skilful with his hands as he was deep with his head. paul's father was an intimate friend of captain passford; and when a sudden reverse of fortune swept away all the former had, the latter gave the prodigy a place as assistant engineer on board of his steam-yacht, from which, at the death of the former incumbent of the position, he had been promoted to the head of the department. while his talent and ability were of the highest order, of course his rapid promotion was due to the favor of the owner of the bellevite. captain breaker, who had rather reluctantly assented to the placing in charge of the engineer department a young man of only twenty-one, had no occasion to regret that he had yielded his opinion to that of his owner. paul vapoor had been found equal to all the requirements of the situation, for the judgment of the young chief was almost as marvellous as his genius. paul was gentle in his manners, and possessed a very lovable disposition; in fact, he was almost a woman in all the tender susceptibilities of his nature; and those who knew him best knew not which to admire most, his genius or his magnetic character. mr. leon bolter, the first assistant engineer, was thirty-six years old; and mr. 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 his superior; and they recognized the god-given genius of the chief more fully than others could, for their education enabled them to understand it better. paul vapoor and christy passford were fast friends almost from the first time they met; and they had been students together in the same institution, though they were widely apart in their studies. they were cronies in the strongest sense of the word, and the chief engineer would have given up his very life for the son of his present employer. the owner favored this intimacy, for he felt that he could not find in all the world a better moral and intellectual model for his son. mr. vapoor, as he was always called when on duty, even by the members of the 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 of the commander. he was neatly dressed in a suit of blue, with brass buttons, though some of the oil and grime of the engine defaced his uniform. he bowed, and touched his cap to the commander, in the most respectful manner as he presented himself before him. "for reasons which you will understand better, mr. vapoor, at a later period, captain passford is in a great hurry to reach bermuda, where we are bound, at the earliest possible moment," the captain began. "our ordinary rate of speed is fourteen knots when we don't hurry her." "that is what i make her do when not otherwise instructed," replied the chief 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 this engine than i have ever been in any other, and it has fully realized my strongest hopes." "what speed did you get out of her on the trial trip?" "eighteen knots; but her machinery was new then. the order of captain passford included the requirement that the engine of the vessel should give her the greatest speed ever produced in a sea-going steamer, and the bellevite was built strong enough to bear such an engine. i believe the 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 she can make more than twenty knots, possibly twenty-two. you remember that captain passford was in a desperate hurry to get from messina to marseilles a year ago this month, and the bellevite logged twenty knots during nearly the whole of the trip," replied the engineer, with a gentle smile of triumph on his handsome face, for he looked upon the feat 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, were on board then, and, if any thing had happened, i should have charged myself with murder. i do not know what the bellevite could do if the occasion warranted me in taking any risk." "i do not wish you to be reckless on the present emergency; but it is of the utmost importance to save every hour we can, and the success or failure of the expedition may depend upon a single hour. i will say no more, though an accident to the engine would be a disaster to the enterprise. i leave the matter with you, mr. vapoor," added the commander, as he moved off. "i understand you perfectly, captain breaker, and there shall be no failure in the engine department to meet your wishes," replied the chief, as he touched his cap and retired to the engine-room. "i am waiting for you, breaker," said captain passford, who was standing near the companionway with christy. "excuse me for a few minutes more, for there seems to be a strong breeze coming up from the north-east, and i want to take a look at the situation," replied the commander, and he hastened forward. it had been bright sunshine when the pilot came on board: but suddenly the wind had veered to an ugly quarter, and had just begun to pipe up into something like half a gale. captain breaker went to the pilot-house, looked at the barometer, and then directed mr. dashington to crowd on all sail, for he intended to drive the vessel to her utmost capacity. the bellevite was rigged as a barkantine; that is, she was square-rigged on her foremast, like a ship, while her main and mizzen masts carried only fore-and-aft sails, including gaff-topsails. the shrill pipe of the boatswain immediately sounded through the vessel, and twenty-four able seamen dashed to their stations. in a few minutes, every rag of canvas which the steamer could carry was set. but the commander did not wait for this to be done, but hastened to join the owner. "i suppose you don't want me, sir," said christy, as his father led the way into the cabin. "on the contrary, i do want you, christy," replied captain passford, as he halted, and the commander passed him on his way to the cabin. "i wish you 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, pleased with the confidence his father reposed in him in connection with the serious undertaking before him. "in the work i have to do, you stand nearer to me than any other person on board," continued captain passford. "i know what you are, and you are older than your sixteen years make you. it was at your age that charles xii. took command of the armies of sweden, and he was more than a figure-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 never hurried you by putting you in an important place, though at one time i thought of having a third officer, and assigning you to the position, for the practice it would give you in real life; but i concluded that you had better not be driven forward." "i think i know something about handling a steamer, father." "i know you do; though i have never told you so, for i did not care to have you think too much of yourself. now, in common with all the rest of us, you are hurled into the presence of mighty events; and in a single day from a boy you must become a man. you are my nearest representative on board; and if any thing should happen to me, in the midst of the perils of this expedition, a responsibility would fall upon you which you cannot understand now. i wish to prepare you for it," said captain passford, 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 as elegant and luxurious as money and taste could make it. in the large state-room of the owner there was every thing to make a sea-voyage comfortable and pleasant to one who had a liking for the ocean. leading from the main cabin were the state-rooms of florence and christy. one of the four others was occupied by dr. linscott, the surgeon of the ship, who had had abundant experience in his profession, who had been an army surgeon in the mexican war, though his health did not permit him to practise on shore. another was occupied by the chief steward, who was a person of no little consequence on board; while the others were appropriated to guests when there were any, as was often the case when the bellevite made short voyages. the trio at the table began the discussion of the subject before them without delay; but it is not necessary to enter into its details, since, whatever plans were made, they must still be subject to whatever contingencies were presented when the time for action came. forward of the main cabin was what is called in naval parlance the ward-room, and it was called by this name on board of the bellevite. in this apartment the officers next in rank below the commander took their meals; and from it opened the state-rooms of the first and second officers on the starboard-side, with one for the chief engineer on the port-side, and another for his two assistants next abaft it. the commander was an old friend of the owner, and messed with him in the main cabin, though his state-room was a large apartment between the cabin and the ward-room; the space on the opposite side of the ship being used for the pantries and the bath-room. before the conference in the cabin had proceeded far, the motion of the steamer, and the creaking of the timbers within her, indicated that mr. vapoor was doing all that could be required of him in the matter of speed, though the pressure of canvas steadied the vessel in the heavy sea which the increasing breeze had suddenly produced. before night, the wind was blowing a full gale, and some reduction of sail became necessary. the bellevite had the wind fair, and the most that was possible was made of this accessory to her speed. at one time she actually logged the twenty-two knots which the chief engineer had suggested as her limit, and inside of two days she reached her destination. christy had suddenly become the active agent of his father, and he was the first to be sent on shore to obtain information in regard to the guns and ammunition, for it was thought that he would excite less suspicion than any other on board. chapter vi mr. percy pierson introduces himself christy procured the desired information on shore; and being but a boy, he obtained no credit for the head he carried on his shoulders, so that no attention was given to him when he made his investigation. at the proper time captain passford appeared; but, as the guns and other war material were intended for the other side in the conflict, he was obliged to resort to a little strategy to obtain them. but they were obtained, and the bellevite was as fully armed and prepared for an emergency as though she had been in the employ of the government, as it was intended that she should be when her present mission was accomplished. during her stay at st. george, such changes as were necessary to adapt the vessel to her enterprise--such as the fitting up of a magazine--were completed, and the steamer sailed. after a quick passage, the bellevite arrived at new providence, nassau, where she put in to obtain some needed supplies, as it was directly on her course. already there was not a little activity at the principal foreign ports nearest to the southern states, created by the hurried operations of speculators anxious to profit by the war that was to come; and later these harbors were the refuge of the blockade-runners. the arrival of the bellevite at new providence created not a little excitement among the confederate sympathizers who had hastened there to take advantage of the maritime situation, and to procure vessels for the use of the south in the struggle. the steamer was painted black, and, as she had been built after plans suggested by her owner, she was peculiar in her construction to some extent, and her appearance baffled the curiosity of the active confederate patriots and speculators alike; for both classes were represented there, though not yet in large numbers. captain passford had instructed the commander to conceal all the facts in regard to her, and no flag or any thing else which could betray her nationality or character was allowed to be seen. the business of obtaining the needed stores required many of the officers and men to go on shore, but all of them were instructed to answer no questions. no one was allowed to come on board. "good-morning, my friend," said a young man to christy, as he landed on the day after the arrival. "good-morning," replied the owner's son, civilly enough, as he looked over the person addressing him, who appeared to be a young man not more than eighteen years old. "what steamer is that?" continued the stranger, pointing to the steam-yacht. christy looked at his interlocutor, who was a pleasant-looking young man, though there was something which did not appear to be quite natural in his expression; and he suspected that he had been placed at the landing to interrogate him or some other person from the steamer, in regard to her character and nationality. possibly he derived this idea from the fact that he had himself been employed on a similar duty at st. george. "do you mean that schooner?" asked christy carelessly, as he pointed at a vessel much nearer the shore than the bellevite. "no, not at all," replied the stranger. "i mean that steamer, off to the north-east," replied the young man, pointing out into the bay. "north-east?" added the owner's son. "that is this way;" and he turned about, and directed his finger towards the interior of the island. "that would put the craft you mean on the shore, wouldn't it?" "not a bit of it! i don't mean that way. don't you know the points of the compass?" "i learned them when i was young, but i forget them now." "pray how old are you, my friend?" asked the stranger, who thought his companion was stupid enough to answer any question he might put to him. "i was forty-two yesterday; and in a year from yesterday, i shall be forty-three, if i don't die of old age before that time," replied christy, looking the other full in the face, and with as serious an expression as he could command. "forty-two! you are chaffing me. didn't you come from that steamer over there?" demanded the young man, pointing at the bellevite again. "no, sir. i came from china, from a place they call shensibangerwhang. were you ever there?" "i never was there, and i question if you were ever there." "do you mean to question my veracity?" demanded christy, knitting his brow. "oh, no, not at all!" "very well; and when you go to shensibangerwhang, i shall be glad to see you; and then i will endeavor to answer all the questions you desire to ask." "i thought you came from that steamer over there." "thought made a world, but it wasn't your thought that did it." "of course you know the name of that steamer." "oh, now i think of her name! that is the chicherwitherwing, and she belongs to the chinese navy. she is sent out on a voyage of discovery to find the north pole, which she expects to reach here in the west indies. when she finds it, i will let you know by mail, if you will give me your address," rattled christy with abundant self-possession. "no, no, now! you are chaffing me." "do you know, brother mortal of mine, that i suspect you are a yankee; for they say they live on baked beans, and earn the money to buy the pork for them by asking questions." "i am not a yankee; i am a long way from that." "then perhaps you sympathize with the meridonial section of the nation on the other side of the gulf stream." "which section?" asked the stranger, looking a little puzzled. "the meridonial section." "which is that? i don't know which meridian you mean." "i mean no meridian. perhaps the word is a little irregular; i studied french when i was in the bangerwhangerlang college in china, and i am sometimes apt to get that language mixed up with some other. let me see, we were speaking just now, were we not?" "i was." "sometimes i can't speak any english, and i had forgotten about it. if you prefer to carry on this conversation in hebrew or hindostanee, i shall not object," added christy gravely. "i think i can do better with english." "have your own way about it; but 'meridonial' in french means 'southern,' if you will excuse me for making the suggestion." "then i am meridonial," replied the stranger, and he seemed to make the admission under the influence of a sudden impulse. "your hand on that!" promptly added christy, extending his own. "all right!" exclaimed the other. "my name is percy pierson. what is yours?" "percy pierson!" exclaimed christy, starting back with astonishment, as though his companion had fired a pistol in his face. "what is the matter now?" demanded percy pierson, surprised at the demonstration of the other. "what did you say your name was? did i understand you aright?" "i said my name was percy pierson. is there any thing surprising about that?" asked percy, puzzled at the demeanor of christy. "see here, my jolly high-flyer, who told you my name?" demanded the son of the owner of the bellevite, with a certain amount of indignation in his manner. "you did not, to be sure, though i asked you what it was." "what sort of a game are you trying to play off on me? i am an innocent young fellow of sixteen, and i don't like to have others playing tricks on me. who told you my name, if you please?" "no one told me your name; and i don't know yet what it is, though i have asked it of you." "oh, get away with you! you are playing off something on me which i don't understand, and i think i had better bid you good-morning," added christy, as he started to move off. "then you won't tell me your name. stay a minute." "you know my name as well as i do, and you are up to some trick with me," protested christy, halting. "'pon my honor as a southern gentleman, i don't know your name." "if you are a southern gentleman, i must believe you, for i did not come from as far north as i might have come. my name is percy pierson," added christy seriously; for he felt that this was actually war, and that the strategy that does not always or often speak the truth was justifiable. "percy pierson!" exclaimed the real owner of the name. "didn't i just tell you that was my name?" "undoubtedly you did, and that is the reason why i thought you were making game of me." "but how can that be when my name is percy pierson?" "give it up; but i suggest that in london, where i came from, there are acres of king streets, almost as many queens; and, though you may not be aware of the fact, there are seven thousand two hundred and twenty-seven native and foreign born citizens of the name of john smith. possibly you and i are the only two percy piersons in the country, or in the world." "now you say you are from london, and a little while ago you said you were from farther north than i am. which is it?" "isn't london farther north than any southern state?" "enough of this," continued percy impatiently. "quite enough of it," assented christy. "will you tell me what steamer that is, where she is bound, and what she is here for?" "my dear mr. pierson, it would take me forty-eight hours to tell you all that," replied the representative of the bellevite, taking out his watch. "if you will meet me here to-morrow night at sundown, i will make a beginning of the yarn, and i think i can finish it in two days. but really you must excuse me now; for i have to dine with the chinese admiral at noon, and i must go at once." "i can put the owner of that craft in the way of making a fortune for himself, if he is willing to part with her," added percy, as his companion began to move off. "that is just what the owner of that steamer wants to do: he desires to part with her, and he is determined to get rid of her. i have the means of knowing that he will let her go just as soon as he can possibly get rid of her." "then he is the man my father wants to see; that is, if the vessel is what she appears to be, for no one is allowed to go on board of her." "i am sorry to tear myself away from you, but positively i must go now; for the chinese admiral will get very impatient if i am not on time, and i have some important business with him before dinner," said christy, as he increased his pace and got away from mr. percy pierson, though he was afraid he would follow him. but he did not; instead of doing so, he began to talk with a boatman who had some kind of a craft at the landing. christy was not in so much of a hurry as he had appeared to be, and he waited in the vicinity till he saw his southern friend embark in a boat which headed for the bellevite. he concluded that his communicative friend meant to go on board of her, thinking the vessel was for sale. chapter vii a complication at glenfield the boat in which christy had come on shore carried off to the steamer the last load of supplies, and she sailed in the middle of the afternoon. captain passford and christy were standing on the quarter deck together; and, as the latter had not had time to tell his father his adventure before, he was now relating it. the captain was amused with the story, and told his son that he had been approached by a gentleman who said his name was pierson, and he was probably the father of the enterprising young man who had been so zealous to assist in the purchase of a suitable vessel for the service of the confederates. "let me alone! take you hands off of me!" shouted a voice that sounded rather familiar to christy, as he and his father were still talking on the deck. "let me alone! i am a southern gentleman!" "i know you are," replied mr. dashington, as he appeared on deck, coming up from the companionway that led to the cabin and ward-room, holding by the collar a young man who was struggling to escape from his strong grasp. "don't make a fuss, my hearty: i want to introduce you to the captain." "what have you got there, mr. dashington?" asked captain breaker, who was standing near the owner. "i have got a young cub who says he is a southern gentleman; and i suppose he is," replied the first officer. "but he is a stowaway, and was hid away under my berth in the ward-room.--here you are, my jolly frisker: and that gentleman is the captain of the steamer." as he spoke, the officer set his victim down rather heavily on the deck, and he sprawled out at full length on the planks. but he was sputtering with rage at the treatment he had received; and he sprang to his feet, rushing towards mr. dashington as though he intended to annihilate him. but, before he reached his intended victim, he stopped short, and eyed the tall and wiry first officer from head to foot. he concluded not to execute his purpose upon him, for he could hardly have reached his chin if he resorted to violence. but he turned his back to the captain, so that the owner and his son did not get a look at his face. captain breaker walked up to him and began to question him. "if you are a southern gentleman, as i heard you say you were, don't you think it is a little irregular to be hid in the ward-room of this vessel?" was the first question the commander asked. "i am what i said i was, and i am proud to say it; and i don't allow any man to put his hands on me," blustered the prisoner. "but i think you did allow mr. dashington to put his hands on you," replied the captain. "of course i did not know that he was a southern gentleman when i snaked him out from under the berth," added the first officer. "i accept your apology," said the prisoner, coming down from his high horse with sudden energy; possibly because he felt that he had a mission on board of the steamer. all present laughed heartily at the apology of the giant mate, and christy changed his position so that he could see the front of the stowaway. "why, that is the gentleman i met on shore,--mr. percy pierson!" exclaimed the owner's son, as soon as he saw the face of his late companion at the landing. "i am glad to see you again, mr. percy pierson," said the original of that name, as he extended his hand to christy. "i did not expect to meet you again so soon, and under such circumstances," replied he, taking the offered hand; for his father had proclaimed his own principle on board, that, though the war was not to be conducted on peace principles, it was to be carried on in an enlightened, and even gentlemanly manner, so far as he was concerned. "i am right glad to see you, mr. percy pierson, for i think you can assist me in the object i have in view," said the first officer's victim, looking now as though he was entirely satisfied with himself. "what do you mean by calling each other by the same name?" inquired captain breaker, somewhat astonished at this phase of the conversation. "that is the most astonishing thing in the world, that my friend here should have the same name i have; and he even thought i was playing a game upon him when i told him what my name was," replied percy, laughing, and apparently somewhat inflated to find a friend on board. "precisely so," interposed captain passford, before the commander had time to say any thing more about the name. "but, as you both have the same name, it will be necessary to distinguish you in some manner, or it may make confusion while you remain on board." "i see the point, sir, though i do not expect to remain on board for any great length of time; or possibly you may not," answered percy. "then, i suggest that you be called simply percy, for that is a noble name; and the other young man shall be addressed as pierson. by doing this we shall not sacrifice either of you," continued the owner, who did not understand what his son had been doing. "i have not the slightest objection. my friend pierson gave me some information in regard to this steamer which made me very desirous to get on board of her. that must explain why i was found here under circumstances somewhat irregular, though a true gentleman can sacrifice himself to the needs of his suffering country." "to what country do you allude, mr. percy?" asked captain passford. "to _our_ country," replied percy with strong and significant emphasis, as though he were sure that this would cause him to be fully understood. "exactly so," added the owner. "but i see that you are sailing away from nassau as fast as you can, and i think i had better explain my business as soon as possible," continued percy, who seemed to be as confident as though he had already accomplished his purpose as hinted at in his conversation with christy. "i shall have to ask you to excuse me for a few minutes, for i have a little business with the captain of the steamer and this young man," said captain passford. "the tall gentleman who so gracefully apologized for his seeming rudeness to you will entertain you while i am absent." the owner presented the tall first officer by name to his late victim, and at the same time gave him a look which mr. dashington understood to the effect that he was to keep the young man where he was. with a signal to his son and to the captain, he went below. "i do not understand this masquerade, christy," said he, as he seated himself at the cabin table. "what have you been telling this young fellow?" christy had only informed his father that he had been approached by percy, and that he had, as well as he could, evaded his questions, and he had fooled the young man. he then gave the substance of the conversation at the landing, which amused both the owner and the commander very much; though he could not recall the chinese names, invented on the spot, which he had used. "all right, christy. this young man is evidently the son of the gentleman by the name of pierson who approached me for the purpose of purchasing the bellevite. i went so far as to tell him that the vessel was for service in southern waters. at any rate, he inferred that she was intended for the navy of the confederate states, and i did not think it necessary to undeceive him. with this belief, he sought no further to buy the vessel, and i had no difficulty in shaking him off. it seems that the same mission absorbs the attention of the son, and that he has come on board to purchase the steamer." [illustration: "let me alone, i am a southern gentleman" (page )] "i told him that you wanted to get rid of her, and that you would do so soon, by which, of course, i meant that she was to go into the service of the government," added christy. "i should not have taken this young man on board; but, as he is here, he may be of use to us. but it is necessary to conceal from him the real character of the bellevite, and we will keep up the farce as long as we please. so far as he is concerned, christy, you may be my nephew instead of my son." captain passford led the way back to the deck, where they found the first officer evidently on the best of terms with his prisoner. but mr. dashington had been as discreet as a man could be, and percy had not obtained a particle of information from him. "now, mr. percy, i am at your service," said the owner, when he reached the deck. "i think you said you had some business with me." "i have not the pleasure of knowing who or what you are, sir; and mr. dashington and my friend mr. pierson are all i know on board by name," added percy. "then you must be made better acquainted before any thing can be done," replied the owner, pointing to the captain of the steamer. "mr. percy, this is captain breaker, the commander of the steamer." "and this," added captain breaker, pointing at the owner, "is captain passford, who is the fortunate owner of this vessel, though she is soon to pass into other hands." "captain passford!" exclaimed percy, bowing to both gentlemen as he was presented to them. "that is a familiar name to me; and upon my word, i thought it was colonel passford of glenfield when i first looked at him." "he is my brother; but i never heard him called 'colonel' before," added the owner, laughing at the odd-sounding title, as it was to him. "colonel homer passford is the name by which he is often called near his residence," percy explained. "he is the nearest neighbor of my father, colonel richard pierson." "indeed! then you probably know my brother," said captain passford, interested in spite of himself. "as well as i know any gentleman in the state of alabama," replied percy. "by the great palmetto! you are colonel passford's brother; and i think you must know miss florence passford, who has been staying all winter with her uncle." "she is my daughter," replied the owner with some emotion, which he could not wholly conceal when he thought of his mission in the south. "i have met her several times, though not often, for i have been away from home at school. but my brother, major lindley pierson, i learn from my letters, is a frequent visitor at your brother's house: and they even say"-- but percy did not repeat what they said, though he had gone far enough to give the father of florry something like a shock. "what were you about to say, mr. percy?" he asked. "i think i had better not say it, for it may have been a mere idle rumor," answered percy, who was now beginning to disclose some of his better traits of character. "does it relate to my daughter, sir?" asked the captain rather sternly; for, in the present condition of the country, he was more than ordinarily anxious about his daughter. "i ought not to have said any thing, sir; but what i was about to say, but did not say, does relate to miss florence," replied percy, not a little embarrassed by the situation. "but i assure you, sir, that it was nothing that reflects in the slightest degree upon her. as i have said so much, i may as well say the rest of it, or you will think more than was intended was meant." "that is the proper view to take of it, mr. percy." "it was simply said that my brother lindley was strongly attracted to your brother's house by the presence of your daughter. that is all." but the fond father was very anxious. of course the major was a confederate. chapter viii a disconsolate purchaser of vessels the information in regard to florry was very meagre and very indefinite. she was a very beautiful young lady of eighteen; and it was not at all strange that a young confederate officer should be attracted to her, though the thought of it was exceedingly disagreeable to her father, under present circumstances. percy evidently was not satisfied with the situation; and after he had given the information which had so disturbed the owner of the steamer, he desired to change the subject of the conversation, to which captain passford only assented after he realized that nothing could be ascertained from him in regard to his daughter. "i don't think i quite understand the situation on board of this steamer," said percy, when he had told all he knew about the visits of his brother at glenfield. "what further do you desire to know in regard to her?" asked captain passford; for the commander, when he saw that there was a family matter involved in the conversation, was disposed to be very reticent. "i did not come on board of this vessel in the manner i did--i do not even know her name yet," continued percy; and when he found that he was talking to a brother of colonel passford, he dropped all his rather magnificent airs, and became quite sensible. "the steamer is called the bellevite," replied the owner. "the bellevite. it is an odd name, but i think i can remember it. i was about to say that i did not come on board of her, as i did, without an object; for i assure you that i am high-toned enough not to do any thing in an irregular manner unless for the most weighty reasons," said percy, with an anxious look directed towards the island, which was now almost out of sight. "i do not ask your reasons; but, if you wish to give them, i will hear all you have to say, mr. percy," replied the owner. "i talked with mr. pierson on shore; and though he was disposed at first to chaff me, and avoid giving me any information in regard to this steamer, he afterwards informed me that the gentleman who owned her intended to get rid of her as soon as he could." "and you came on board for the purpose of buying her?" suggested captain passford. "i did not expect to buy her myself, of course; but my father is exceedingly anxious to obtain a steamer like this one, and he asked me to do what i could to obtain any information in regard to her. that was the object which brought me on board of her in a clandestine manner." "you were very zealous in meeting the wishes of your father." "more than that, i was at work in a good cause; and i think i have patriotism enough to do my duty to my country in the hour of her need," added the young man, with a swell of the chest. "after his family, a man's first duty is to his country," said the owner. "i wanted to go into the army, for i am eighteen years old; but my father insisted that i could be of more service to the confederacy as his assistant in obtaining vessels for its use." "i understand your motives." "from what i learned from mr. pierson,--though i do not yet know who or what he is," said percy, bestowing a smiling glance upon christy. "you may look upon him as my nephew," added captain passford, glancing at his son, who gave a slight bow for the benefit of the guest on board. "from what i could learn from your nephew, sir, i concluded that this steamer could be bought, if i could only obtain an interview with the owner," continued percy, with an inquiring glance at all who were present "i understand you are the owner of the vessel, captain passford." "you are quite right: she has been my yacht since she was built, and a stronger and more able vessel was never put into the water." "mr. pierson gave me to understand that he was in sympathy with the confederacy; and since i came on board, and learned that you were a brother of our nearest neighbor, i have no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that you are a devoted friend of the southern cause." "what i am, for the present, i do not feel at liberty to say," replied captain passford, who was certainly reluctant to play a double part before the young man, though he felt that the necessities of the occasion required him to do so. "quite right, sir; one cannot be too cautious in these times. but it is time for me to say that i did not intend to take passage in the bellevite, and i am sure my father will be very anxious in my absence." "may i ask how you did intend to proceed?" "i can hardly tell myself, sir; but my object was to see the owner as soon as i could discover who he was. but i have found you now, captain passford, and i am glad to find in you a friend of our holy cause." the owner only bowed; and it was as true as it could be that the representative of the intended purchaser of vessels jumped at nearly all of his conclusions, giving the captain but little occasion to say any thing that was not literally true; though the deception was just as real as though it had been carried on with actual falsehood. "may i ask you for a few minutes in private, captain passford?" continued percy. "certainly;" and the owner retired with him to the weather-rail. "i have seen this vessel, and i have heard what you say of her. now i am better informed in regard to her than my father is. i am not authorized to name a price, but i am very sure that he will buy her." "so he said to me himself, mr. percy," added the owner with a smile. "he said so to you, sir!" exclaimed the young man, starting back; for he believed that he had accomplished all that had been done towards buying the vessel. "i had an interview with him, and stated most explicitly that the bellevite could not be purchased by any person at any price; and when i hinted very guardedly to him, as i do to you, in the strictest confidence, that i am hound for mobile bay, he did not urge the matter. he was satisfied that the steamer was to be used in a good cause; and i can give you the same assurance, mr. percy." the young man looked positively humble after he had listened to the remark of the owner, for he felt that his father had "taken all the wind out of his sails." he looked in the direction of the receding island of nassau, and realized that he had been wasting his time, to say nothing of the wasted strategy he had bestowed on his enterprise. "you have stated that you are bound for mobile bay, sir," said he. "that is a long distance from new providence, as i have learned from experience." "but this trip will give you the satisfaction of being restored to your own home in a very short time, for there is no faster vessel afloat than the bellevite," added captain passford. "it will put me into the army," said mr. percy; but he felt at once that he had made a slip of the tongue, and he hastened to correct the effect of his involuntary speech. "of course, i wanted to go into the army of my country, as every patriotic fellow in the south does; but my father objects simply because i can be of more service to the good cause in another field of action, and i had to yield the point." the owner thought he had not been guilty of a very savage yielding of his own inclination, but he said nothing. he was evidently the youngest child of the family, and doubtless the pet of his parents; and it was hard for them to put him in a position to be shot, or to endure the hardships of the camp. "i see now that my mission is a failure, though with no detriment to the good cause. i wish i was in new providence again," continued mr. percy, looking very much discontented with himself. "i am sorry you did not speak to me on shore as your father did, and that would have saved you from all annoyance." "but i must beg you to do me the favor to put me ashore again, for my father will suffer untold agonies when he misses me to-night." "put you on shore!" exclaimed captain passford. "you are a sensible and reasonable young gentleman, and you will readily see that this is quite impossible." "we have not been out above two hours, sir," suggested percy. "but we have made thirty-six miles, at least, in that time; and to return would delay me about four or five hours,--long enough, perhaps, to defeat the object of my voyage. i assure you that it is wholly impossible for us to return." "do you think so, sir?" asked the enterprising purchaser of vessels, looking very disconsolate indeed. "i not only think so, but i am perfectly sure on this point. you can see for yourself that i cannot sacrifice the object of my voyage--for the vessel has a special mission at her destination--by a delay of some hours. i am not responsible for your being on board, and i am sorry that i cannot do any thing for you." "but you can put me ashore at key west, and i may find some vessel bound to nassau," suggested percy, becoming more and more disconsolate, as he realized the difficulties of his situation, for he was plainly very much averse to returning to his home. "but, my dear mr. percy, the bellevite will not go within fifty miles of key west; and if she did, i should not dare to put in there, for the port is a naval station of the united states, and my vessel might be taken from me in the absence of any regular papers to explain her character." "i suppose you are right," added percy gloomily. captain passford was really more afraid of falling in with any naval vessel of the nation than of meeting any of the confederate tugs or other vessels which had been hurriedly fitted out, even at this early period of the war; for he knew that his mission, however justifiable under the circumstances, was quite irregular. he had decided to keep at least fifty miles from key west, and the usual course of vessels bound into the gulf of mexico. "we may meet some vessel, and you could put me on board of her," the disconsolate young man proposed. "my mission compels me to give every vessel a wide berth, and i can incur no risks. but it cannot be a great hardship for you to be conveyed back to your own home." "but my father needs me with him, and he will suffer terrible anxiety when he fails to find me. he will even think i am dead." "i know he must be anxious, but i think some way will be found to send a letter to him." "but i shall be compelled to go into the army, and my father is utterly opposed to that." "but you have a brother who is a major in the army, and i should say that he will be able to save you." "my brother is the one who insists that i shall go into one of the regiments forming in the state. he called me a coward because i yielded to my father and mother." "all that is your own family affair, and i am sorry that i can do nothing for you, mr, percy.--mr. watts," he called to the chief steward, who was planking the lee-side of the deck. "here, sir," replied the official. "give mr. percy the best stateroom available, and see that he is made as comfortable and happy as possible," added the owner. the involuntary guest on board was conducted to the cabin. chapter ix christy matures a promising scheme however interesting the voyage of the bellevite might prove to be, the purpose of this story does not admit of its details. mr. vapoor was instructed to the effect that a quick run was desirable, and he governed himself accordingly. at daylight on a bright may morning, the lofty light tower of sand island, off the entrance to mobile bay, was reported by the lookout, and the captain was called. on the passage from nassau, the guns of the steamer had been mounted; for, as a measure of prudence, they had been put in the hold. though the owner hoped to avoid any close scrutiny of his outfit, and had succeeded in doing so, he was not inclined to tempt fate by any carelessness. but when the first watch was called, the night before her arrival off the bay, every thing was in condition for active service. captain passford had not a particle of the foam generated by the excitement of the times, and he sincerely hoped he should have no occasion to use the guns which it had cost him so much trouble to procure. fort morgan was on one side of the entrance to the bay, and fort gaines on the other side. he had seen a paragraph in one of his papers, to the effect that one or both of these works had been garrisoned by confederate troops, and it was not likely to be an easy matter to get into the bay. as it looked to the owner and the commander, the only way to accomplish this feat was by running the gauntlet of both forts, which were just three nautical miles apart. a shot from either of them might go through the boiler or engine of the bellevite, which would render her utterly helpless, and subject all on board to the fate of prisoners-of-war. it looked like a terrible alternative to the owner, so overburdened with anxiety for the safety of his daughter; but he was prepared to run even this risk for her sake. the method of getting into the bay had been fully considered by the owner and the captain; and as soon as the latter came on deck, he ordered the course of the vessel to be changed to the westward, as they had decided to enter the bay by the middle channel. for the danger from fort gaines was believed to be less than that from fort morgan, though either of them doubtless had the means of sinking the steamer with a single shot. the water was shoal in the middle channel, and it was not prudent to attempt to go into the bay at any other time than high tide; though captain breaker was thoroughly acquainted with the channel, having once been engaged in a survey of the shifting shoals in this locality, and he had once before taken the bellevite by this passage on a trip to new orleans. as he could not foresee the time of the steamer's arrival off the bay, he was obliged to consult his almanac, and make his calculations in regard to the tide, which rises and falls less than three feet at this point. it would not be safe to attempt the passage before nine o'clock in the forenoon, and he headed the vessel away from the land. percy had tried to make the best of his situation, annoying as it was; and christy amused him with more chinese reminiscences. both of them came on deck at an unusually early hour on the morning that the sand island light was made out; for there was more commotion than usual on board, and even in the cabin, where the owner and commander discussed the situation. "here we are, my chinese friend," said percy, as he joined christy on deck, and made out the tall tower in the distance. "i wish i was on the island of nassau, instead of here." "why, mr. percy, this is your own, your native land; and in china we always used to have a warm affection for our own country," replied christy. "you didn't have to go into the army there," said percy with a sigh. "but don't you want to go into the army?" "certainly i do; that is the dearest wish of my heart. but my father would not let me, and what could i do?" "if you were bent on it, like a patriot, as you must be, you could run away and enlist. i don't know but i shall do that when i get back to china." "i don't like to do any thing to make my poor father unhappy. i am afraid my absence now, without his knowing where i am, or whether i am dead or alive, will bring on a fit of sickness." "but i am sure he would be very proud of you if you should run away and join the army." "perhaps he would; but i should not feel very proud of myself if i did a thing like that. i am only afraid i shall meet my brother, major pierson, and that he will make me go into some regiment against the wishes of my father and mother. he is not willing to hear a word from either of them," replied percy, disgusted with the prospect before him. "he is very patriotic," suggested christy. "he is altogether too patriotic for me. but don't misunderstand me: i am really very anxious to go into the army, and fight the enemies of my country." "i see that you are, and perhaps you and i had better run away and enlist." "my conscience would not let me do that contrary to the wishes of my parents," replied percy, shaking his head vigorously. "but you may not see your brother the major; for probably he has been ordered away with his regiment before this time," said his companion in comforting tones, though he was not as sincere as he generally was. "i am afraid i shall; and i fear, that, in the absence of my father, he would put me into the ranks in spite of all i could do." "but your mother is at home." "lindley don't care a rush for what she says in this matter, for he insists that a boy of eighteen ought not to be tied to his mother's apron-strings when his country needs his services, i may see my brother before we get fairly into the bay." "where in the world are you going to see him before you get on shore?" asked christy, becoming more interested in the conversation. "i believe he is in command of the garrison at fort gaines, though i am not sure," replied percy, suddenly looking more disconsolate than ever at the prospect of meeting his patriotic brother. "what makes you think he is?" asked christy, with the feeling that he might be on the point of obtaining some useful information. "they talked of sending him there before father and i left for new providence." "i supposed your brother was a young fellow like yourself." "i believe he is twenty-six years old; but he has been two years in a military school in north carolina, and they say he is a good soldier, and knows all about guns and forts and such things." "where do you think we are likely to overhaul him?" "i don't know much about this business; but don't a boat have to come out from the fort and see that this vessel is all right before she can go into the bay?" asked percy. "i don't know about that. we may run into the bay without waiting for any boat." "then they fire on you from the fort," suggested the disconsolate. "we rather expect that," added christy quietly. "you do?" "of course, a shot from the fort may blow us out of the water; but we can't help that, and we must take our chances of being hit." "but that is terribly risky business, and the whole of us may be killed before we get by the fort." "of course: that may be the case; but we have no papers, and we have to take things as they come." "it isn't pleasant to take cannon-balls as they come, for they are apt to hit hard. but they won't fire at us if a boat comes off to examine the vessel." "but in that case you will have the pleasure of meeting your brother the major." "and whatever he may do with the steamer, he will take me to the fort with him, and put me into the ranks." "perhaps we can save you from such a fate in some way," suggested christy, who was already doing some heavy thinking on his own account. "i wish you would!" exclaimed percy, catching at the straw held out to him. "there is time enough, and i will see you again," added christy, as he joined his father on the forecastle, where lie was taking a survey. the owner's son had an idea, and he thought it was a good one. without losing any time, he laid it before his father, explaining it in detail. he was even ready to remove objections to the scheme, and was confident that it would succeed. captain passford called the commander, and informed him what his son had suggested. captain breaker heartily approved it; for, if it failed, it would leave the steamer in no worse position than before, with all her chances of running the gauntlet successfully still open to her. christy was the best person on board to manage the details, for he was the most intimate with the son of the purchaser of vessels. he returned to that part of the deck where he had left his companion. he found that percy was very anxious to see him again, for he had founded a hope on what had been said before. "i think we can manage it, mr. percy, if you will do just what you are told to do," christy began. "i will do all that to the letter," protested percy; and a smile actually lighted up his face at the prospect of escaping the fate to which his father and mother objected so strongly. "you see the trouble with the bellevite is that she has no papers; not even a letter from the confederate agent who is picking up vessels for the navy. but i think we can manage it if you will learn your part correctly." "i will do that. do you think you can really keep my brother from taking me to the fort?" asked percy, his tones and manner burdened with anxiety. "i feel almost sure of it." "good for you!" "you must go into the cabin now with me. they are just starting up the steamer again, and she will soon reach the channel where she is going into the bay." the owner and the commander were busy in instructing the ship's company in regard to what would be expected of them as soon as the bellevite was in motion again. all the men spoken to smiled as they heard what was said to them, and they evidently regarded the whole affair as a decided pleasantry. but they all promised to be very discreet, and to say only what they had been told to say if they were called on for any information by confederate officials. in the mean time christy was very busy with his pupil, who entered heartily into the plan which promised to save him from shouldering a musket in one of the companies of his brother's regiment. he had been quite enthusiastic from the first; and, as he was deeply interested in the result of the adventure, he was a very apt pupil. as the bellevite approached the middle channel, a tug-boat was discovered off fort gaines, which immediately began to move towards the approaching steamer. examined with the glass, a heavy gun was seen on her forecastle. chapter x the attempt to pass into mobile bay the tug appeared to be one of the craft which had been hastily prepared for service, and she did not look like a formidable vessel. captain breaker was sure he could blow her out of the water with his heavy guns, on an emergency; but this would be bad policy, and he did not propose to do any thing of this kind. he was not as confident as captain passford and his son were that the plan adopted would be an entire success, with the assistance of percy; but there could be no harm in trying it. he intended to pass as near fort gaines as possible, for it was not probable that the works were yet in the best condition; and two miles from fort morgan, which was doubtless much stronger, would afford a better chance of escaping any shots fired from it. as the bellevite approached the channel, where there could not be more than a foot of water under her keel, christie came on deck, followed by percy. the latter wore a sort of naval uniform, which his instructor had borrowed for him from his own stock. it fitted him well; for he was no larger than the owner's son, though he was two years older. percy was to be on duty, on board of the steamer, as a confederate agent taking the vessel into the bay for service. he was not a little inflated by the position which had been assigned to him, though he had no powers whatever, except in appearance. he had been instructed to conduct himself boldly, and to insist that the vessel was in his charge, when she was boarded by officers from the tug or from the fort. his very nature inclined him to play this part to the best advantage. the blockade had been established at some of the northern ports of the seceded states, but not yet at the cities on the gulf of mexico; and the only real obstacle to the passage of the bellevite into the bay consisted of the two forts, for the tug-boats were not regarded as of any consequence to an armed steamer of great speed like the bellevite, "we are approaching the shoal water now," said captain breaker to mr. vapoor, as the steamer came near the south-eastern end of pelican island. "we may take the ground, for the shoals have an ugly trick of changing their position. let her go at about half speed." "half speed, sir," replied the chief engineer, as he descended to the engine-room. "is it fully high tide now, breaker?" asked captain passford, who was watching the movements of the vessel with the most intense interest, for it seemed to him that the critical moment in his enterprise had come. "not quite; it will not be full sea for about half an hour," replied the commander. "if we take the ground, we shall have some small chance of getting off.--mr. dashington." "on duty, sir," responded the first officer. "beeks has the wheel, i believe?" "yes; and thayer is with him." "they are both reliable men; but i wish you would stand by the helm, and see that the steamer is headed directly towards the eastern end of dauphine island. that will give us the deepest water till we get to the spit. have a man in the port and starboard chains with directions to sound as fast as possible." "mr. blowitt," called the first officer, "let a hand sound in the port and starboard chains, and look out for it yourself, if you please." the second officer went forward and the first officer aft, each to perform the duties assigned to him by the captain. the speed of the bellevite had been reduced, and she was going along at a very easy rate. the tug was some distance beyond fort gaines when she was first seen, and she seemed to be incapable of making more than six knots an hour. the steamer had taken on board all the coal it was possible for her to stow away in her bunkers, and a large supply had been put into the hold; but she had used a considerable portion of it in her rapid passage, though she had still an abundant supply for her return voyage. the reduction in the quantity had made her draught somewhat less, and the owner and captain hoped she would get through the channel. but the thought had hardly passed through their minds before the bellevite came to a sudden stop, and her keel was heard grinding on the bottom. mr. vapoor heard the sound in the engine-room, and felt the jar; and before any bell came to him, he had stopped the machine, and reversed it so as to check the steamer's headway. "run her back with all the steam you can crowd on, mr. vapoor," said captain breaker, as he hastened to the door of the engine-room. "i don't think she hit the ground very hard, captain," added the chief engineer. "no; she will come off. the ground has shifted since i was here last," said the captain of the vessel. but it was half an hour before she yielded to the pressure brought to bear upon her, and then only because a few inches had been added by the tide to the depth of water. she went back, and came into depth enough to give her a foot under her keel. "it don't look very hopeful," said captain passford, as he joined the commander at the door of the engine-room. "oh, i think we shall be all right now!" replied captain breaker very cheerfully. "i have found where the shoal is now, and i know where to find deeper water.--keep her going astern, mr. vapoor." "a boat from the fort, sir," reported a messenger, who had been sent aft by the second officer on the forecastle. "that looks like an inquiry into our business here," added the owner. "now we are all right," said the commander, who was watching the position of the vessel very carefully. "i must go to the wheel, and look out for the course myself." again the bellevite went ahead; and she soon reached a point half way between the two forts, and her speed was reduced to not more than three knots. but the tug was approaching, and the worst part of the channel was still to be attempted. the two men in the chains reported the depth as rapidly as they could heave the lead, and it was soon evident that the steamer could not pass the extensive bar to the westward of the ship-channel. "steamer ahoy!" shouted the captain of the tug, as he stopped his screw within hailing-distance of the bellevite. "reply to that hail, mr. percy," said the commander to the young gentleman in uniform. "you must do all the talking." "i shall be very happy to do it, and i think i can do it to your satisfaction," replied percy confidently. "jump up on the rail nearest to the tug, where you can see and hear." "i am not much of a sailor, captain breaker, and i don't pretend to be one," added percy. "what shall i say to the captain of that boat?" "on board of the tug!" shouted the agent of his father, after the commander had instructed him in regard to his speech. "what steamer is that?" demanded the master of the tug. captain breaker instructed him in what manner to make his reply, though he did not tell him what to say. the young man was to explain the character of the vessel as he understood it; and neither the commander nor the owner was disposed to indulge in any unnecessary strategetical falsehood, though they felt that they could do so in the service of the union. "the bellevite from nassau," replied percy. "is she a federal vessel?" inquired the captain of the tug with the greatest simplicity. "a federal vessel!" exclaimed percy, evidently expressing by his manner some of the indignation he felt. "do you mean to insult me, sir?" "no, i do not mean to insult you; but it becomes necessary for me to ascertain something more in regard to the steamer," returned the other. "where are you from?" "i told you the vessel was from nassau." "but she don't hail from nassau. where did she come from before that?" "from bermuda," answered percy, as instructed. "but she don't belong to bermuda." the volunteer agent of the confederate cause was not able to answer any questions in this direction, and the commander did not tell him what more to say. "can you tell me who is in command of fort gaines at the present time?" demanded percy, branching out on his own account. "i can; but i want you to tell me something more about the steamer, before i answer any questions. is the steamer armed?" "she is armed; and she could blow your tug into ten thousand pieces in four minutes if she should open upon you," added percy; and the listeners were of the opinion that he was beginning to use strong speech. "that may be; but with a fort on each side of you, i don't think you will get into the bay in broad daylight," said the captain of the tug. "the commander of fort gaines is in that boat, and i suppose he is coming off to examine the steamer. as you are not disposed to answer my questions, you can wait for him; but if you try to get into the bay, you will find that a shot from both forts can reach you." "i am an agent of the confederate government, and my father has been sent to nassau to obtain vessels for our navy," continued percy, as he saw that the boat from the fort was still some distance from the vessel. "why didn't you say so before?" demanded the captain of the tug rather impatiently. "of course you have some papers from the agent at nassau, to show what the vessel is." "not a single paper; he had no time to give me any." "who is the agent?" the question was evidently put as a test; for if the young agent, as the captain could see that he was, gave a known name, it would be some evidence that he told the truth. "colonel richard pierson; and he is my father." "your father!" exclaimed the other, evidently impressed with the fact, and his tone was more respectful. "you can come on board and see her for yourself," suggested percy, prompted by the commander; for there was nothing on board to betray her true character, the guns having been concealed. "i will not do that, as the commander of the fort will soon be here, and he may make the examination for himself. but perhaps you will be willing to give me your name?" added the captain. "my name is percy pierson; and, as i told you, i am the son of colonel richard pierson." "then you are the brother of major pierson, who is in command of fort gaines. i think it must be all right." "of course it is all right. do you think i would bring a vessel into this bay if she were not all right?" inquired percy with becoming indignation. "i suppose you have heard there is going to be a war, and it is necessary to find out what vessels go into the bay," said the captain of the tug, when he had brought his craft quite near the steamer. "that is a very fine vessel." "it is the fastest and strongest steamer that floats, and she will give a good account of herself when the trouble begins in earnest." "here comes the boat from the fort, and i see that major pierson is in the stern sheets. i have no doubt he will find you all right," said the captain. the boat came alongside of the bellevite, and the major went on board. chapter xi the major in command of fort gaines percy pierson retained his position on the rail when his brother the major came up the gangway steps, which had been put over for him. as the latter went up, he could not help seeing him; and his astonishment evidently mounted to the highest degree, as manifested in his expression. the owner and the commander stood near the rail, to give the visitor a pleasant reception. but the major took no notice of them; for his attention was plainly absorbed in his surprise at seeing his brother, dressed in uniform, on the rail of the steamer. he halted as soon as he had mounted the rail, over which he must pass to reach the deck. he looked at percy for some time, without being able to say a word, and seemed to be not quite sure that it was he. the younger brother was as silent as the older one; for he had had some rather exciting times with him in the matter of enlisting, and he was not very confident of his reception at the hands of the commander of fort gaines. he looked at him with interest, not unmingled with some painful solicitude for the future. "percy!" exclaimed major pierson at last, when he was entirely satisfied that the young man was his brother, in spite of the uniform of blue he wore, though the gray had not yet come into extensive use. "lindley!" added the younger, evidently desiring to go no faster than the occasion might require of him. "i am glad to see you back again," continued the major, without offering to take his hand. "you deserted like a coward, and i have been ashamed of you ever since. a young fellow like you, eighteen years old, who will not fight for his country, ought to lose the respect of even his own brother." "that is a pleasant greeting," replied percy, with the suspicion of a sneer on his face. "it is all that a coward deserves," replied lindley severely. "i am no coward, any more than you are," protested percy. "you know that father did not wish me to join the army, though i wished to do so." "i know that you wished to do so just as any other coward does,--over the left." "what could i do when father told me not to go to the war?" "what could you do? you could have gone! if you had not been a poltroon, you would have joined the first regiment that came in your way." "i never was in the habit of disobeying my father," pleaded the young agent. "you were not? you ran away to new orleans last winter when your father told you not to go. you came home from the academy when he told you to remain there. you have spent the evening in mobile when he told you not to go there. i could tell you instances all day in which you disobeyed him, and mother too," continued the soldier warmly. "that was different." "it was different; and you could obey your father in a bad cause, but not in a good one. i am heartily ashamed of you, and i don't feel willing to own you as a brother of mine." "but my father told me that i could better serve the good cause by going with him than i could by joining the army." "and you were willing to go with him, for then you could keep out of danger. father is getting old, and he is not fit to serve in the army; and you have been his pet since you were born. but that is no excuse for you; and if i can get you back into the army, i mean to do so." percy was afraid he might succeed, and he did not feel as confident as he had been; and he lost, for the time, some of his self-possession. he was confronting the fate he had dreaded when he found the steamer was leaving nassau. "what are you doing here?" demanded the major, looking down upon the deck of the vessel for the first time. "i am taking this steamer into the bay, where she is to go into the service of the confederate states," answered percy, plucking a little more confidence from the nature of his present occupation. "you are taking her into the bay!" exclaimed the older brother. "that is what i said, and that is what i mean," added percy, glad to see that his mission had produced an impression. "taking this steamer into the bay!" repeated the major, evidently unable to comprehend the mission of his brother. "do you mean to say that _you_ are taking her in, percy?" "that is what i mean to say, and do say." "are you the pilot of the steamer? i should think you might have been, for she was aground just now," sneered the commander of the fort. "i am not the pilot, and i don't pretend to be a sailor; but the steamer is in my charge," replied percy, elevating his head to the need of the occasion. "in charge of the steamer! i would not trust a coward like you in charge of a sick monkey," added lindley, with his contempt fully expressed in his face. "see here, lindley, i don't mean to be insulted on board of this steamer by my own brother. if you can't be decent, i have nothing more to say to you!" cried percy, his wrath breaking out quite violently. "if you give me an impudent word, i will take you into the boat and put you into the fort," added the major, as he stepped down upon the deck. "no, you won't. i will jump overboard before i will be carried to the fort. i have done just what my father told me to do, to say nothing of my mother; and i won't be insulted by you. it is you who are the coward and the poltroon, to do so," continued percy, boiling over with rage. whatever provocation the major had had for his savage treatment of his brother, the owner of the bellevite thought his conduct was unjustifiable. the young man was under age; and whether or not his father was less a patriot than his older son, the latter was certainly unkind, ungenerous, and even brutal. without being a "milk-and-water man," captain passford was full of kindness, courtesy, and justice. he did not like the behavior of the major towards his brother. it looked like a family quarrel of the two brothers on board of the steamer; for percy was evidently "a weak chicken," after all, though he had become desperate under the stings and reproaches of the major. under present circumstances, it did not appear that percy could be of any service on board of the bellevite, for his brother would not hear a word he said. captain passford directed the commander to have every thing ready for a hurried movement at once, for there was but little hope of satisfying a man as unreasonable as the commander of the fort had proved himself to be in his dealing with his brother. the captain of the steamer went to mr. vapoor, who was standing near the door of the engine-room, and said something to him, which soon produced a lively effect among the coal-passers below. "i will attend to your case in a few minutes, percy, for i do not allow any one to be impudent to me," growled the major. "nor i either. if you put a finger on me, i will put a bullet through your head, if you are my brother!" yelled percy, as he took a small revolver from his hip-pocket. this demonstration increased the anger of lindley; and he ran up the steps to the rail again, where he called upon two soldiers to come on deck. at the same moment, captain breaker, as instructed by the owner, rang the bell on the quarter, and the engine began to move again. before the men from the boat could leave it, the steamer was moving, and it was no longer possible for them to obey the order. "what are you about, sir?" demanded major pierson, rushing to the commander, not a little excited by what had been done. "i think this thing has gone about far enough, sir," replied captain breaker, as calmly as though there had not been a ripple on the surface of affairs. "but i came on board of this steamer to make an examination of the character of the vessel," protested the major, who evidently did not like the present aspect of the situation. "i have waited for you to do so; but i do not care to lose the tide while you are quarrelling with your brother, sir," added the commander. "but i order you to stop, sir!" continued the major. "what am i to do, mr. percy?" asked captain breaker, addressing the young man with a revolver in his hand. there was something on the part of the commander which indicated that he was playing a part, as were all on board, though he seemed to be a little amused to find that he was taking his orders from a boy of eighteen. at the same time he nodded his head slightly, though very significantly, to the young agent. "go ahead just as fast as you can make the steamer travel, captain breaker," said percy, with as much energy as though he had been in command of a confederate fleet. "certainly, mr. percy; i shall obey your order, as you have charge of the vessel," added the commander. this passage between the authority of the steamer and his brother absolutely confounded the major, and for a couple of minutes he was unable to say any thing at all. but captain breaker, who was the only pilot on board, was obliged to leave the ship's guest in order to look out for the course of the steamer. it seemed to be useless to attempt to get over the bar where he had tried to do so; and he directed the vessel towards the main ship-channel, finding plenty of water to enable him to reach it. but he would have to run the gauntlet of fort morgan, and the chances of a shot were against him. "do you mean to say that percy is in charge of this steamer, captain breaker?" demanded major pierson, who had by this time recovered some portion of his self-possession. "that is what both he and i said to you," replied captain breaker. "and the vessel is to be in the service of the confederate states," added percy, with more pluck than he had displayed before. "if my brother will not let her pass into the bay, i will go on shore at fort morgan, and explain the situation to the officer in command," blustered percy; and perhaps he would have done just as much under the circumstances if he had known the vessel was on the other side in the coming conflict. "where are your papers, sir?" asked the major. "we have no papers; and that is why i am come in charge of the steamer," replied the agent, who seemed to be quite able to strain a point when necessary. "we met colonel richard pierson in nassau, and i believe he is your father and mr. percy's," answered captain breaker. "he is; but i can hardly understand how he happened to send my brother home in charge of this fine steamer," said the major, glancing at his brother. "going into the army is not all the duty a man has to do for his country," said percy warmly. "may i ask where this vessel came from?" inquired the commander of the fort. "from new york before she went to bermuda and nassau; before that, from england," replied the commander evasively. "if you are really in charge of the steamer, percy, i have nothing more to say," continued major pierson. "now may i ask who owns her?" "captain horatio passford, who stands there?" the officer in command of the fort started back as though he had received another surprise, greater than before. chapter xii how the bellevite passed fort morgan major lindley pierson was plainly very much disturbed when the owner of the bellevite was pointed out to him by the commander. he had practically retreated from the position he had taken with his brother, and had apparently given up the idea of sending him to the fort to be made a soldier. from the point which the steamer had reached, just north of little pelican island, captain breaker had directed mr. dashington to head the vessel to the eastward, through sand island channel; and she was now moving towards the main ship-channel, which passed under the very guns of fort morgan. the tug had picked up the boat from the fort on the other side of the bay, and was following the bellevite, though she had fallen a long way behind her in a very short time. it was about two miles to the more formidable fort, and the steamer was going at full speed, so that it could not be long before a shot would interrupt the harmony of her movements. in the mean time the commander of fort gaines was really a prisoner on board of the bellevite, for captain breaker had started her screw before he could get any of his force on board. but the major was not half so much disturbed by this fact as he was by the consciousness that he had behaved in a very rude, brutal, and tyrannical manner in the presence of colonel passford's brother, who had thus far spoken not a word to him. "captain breaker, may i ask you to present me to the owner of the steamer?" said major pierson, after he had looked about him for a time, and perhaps considered how he should atone for his rudeness. "certainly, if you desire it," replied the commander, who was as polite as though he had been brought up in paris, though he was hardly an exception to all naval officers. "will you excuse me if i say that you are running at great speed, sir, and a shot from fort morgan cannot be much longer postponed," added the major, as he glanced at the fort on the right. "i did not willingly start the steamer, sir; but it was my duty to protect the agent in whose charge the steamer comes into port. if you say that he shall suffer no further annoyance, either on your own part or that of your people, i will stop the screw and wait your pleasure," said the commander. "i have had some difficulty with my brother, and it looked incredible to me that he had come into mobile bay in charge of this fine vessel. i apologize to you and the owner for my rudeness, and assure you that i will not trouble percy again while he remains on board," continued major pierson, with no little embarrassment in his manner. "i accept the apology, and your explanation is entirely sufficient. what happens to mr. percy after he leaves the steamer does not concern me," answered captain breaker with a polite bow, as he went to the quarter and rang the bell to stop her. when he had done this, he conducted major pierson to the quarter-deck, where captain passford and christy were seated, and formally presented him to both of them. "i am most happy to make your acquaintance, captain passford," said the commander of fort gaines, as he extended his hand to the owner, which was taken, though the expression of the gentleman from the north did not indicate that he was very well pleased with him. to christy he was as polite as to his father, and to both he was almost obsequious. it was rather difficult for father or son to realize that this was the man who had threatened to send his own brother to the fort as a soldier, to say nothing of the abusive language he had used. "i am very glad to see you in the state of alabama, captain passford, and especially at this time," the major began; and it looked as though the cordiality of his welcome was to compensate for former rudeness. "i am not a total stranger here," added the owner rather coldly. "it affords me a degree of pleasure i cannot express to see you come here, as events are getting big all around us, and with such a fine steamer. i am sure the government will regard you as one of its greatest and truest benefactors," continued major pierson. "it is my intention to serve the good cause with whatever measure of ability i may possess; but i do not care to say any thing at all about my purpose till i have talked with my brother. i hope i shall find my brother homer in full sympathy with me in my views," added the owner, though it was not a pleasure to him even to deceive an enemy. "colonel passford!" exclaimed the major. "have you any doubt about him?" "hardly any, though i prefer to talk with him before i say much on my own account." "colonel passford is not a very demonstrative man, but no one in the vicinity of glenfield has any doubt as to how he stands on the great question." "i think no one will have any doubt as to how i stand, as soon as i take my position." "certainly, sir, you will give no doubtful sound." "i hope not." "i came on board to examine this steamer before we permitted her to pass the forts," continued major pierson. "i find her in charge of my brother, in the absence of any letter from my father or other confederate agent. i humbly apologize for the rudeness of which i was guilty, though i assure you i have had abundant provocation for it." "that is a family affair with which we have nothing to do beyond the proper protection of the young agent in charge of the steamer." "i wish to say that i am entirely satisfied, captain passford, and i am heartily delighted to learn that you are about to make your residence in this section of the country," said the major, who seemed to have assured himself on this point without much assistance from those most deeply concerned. the owner looked at him, and tried to ascertain what was passing in his mind; and it was not a very difficult enterprise to accomplish his purpose. the hint he had received about the frequent visits of major pierson at glenfield seemed to explain the present operations of his mind. florry passford was a beautiful young lady of eighteen, and any young man of twenty-six could easily have been excused for making his visits very often at the mansion in which she resided. though the fond father was not disposed to interfere unnecessarily with the choice of his daughter, even the hint that she might be entangled more than a thousand miles from her home had given him a positive shock. now that he had seen the young man, and observed his conduct on board of the bellevite, he most earnestly hoped that she was not in any degree committed to him. he had an additional inducement to get her away from the home of his brother, and the thought of it nerved him to increased exertion. what he had seen of the commander of fort gaines, though he appeared to be a faithful, patriotic, and energetic young man, as he understood his duty to his country, assuredly he was not the person he would have chosen for florry. but his brother could tell him more about it, and how far the matter had gone, when he saw him. by the time captain passford had settled his conclusions as far as he could, the tug came up to the steamer, towing the boat from the fort, percy felt that he had won a victory over his brother, and a bantam rooster could not have made a wider spread on the deck. he seemed to feel that he was in command of the steamer, though he did not venture to interfere with any thing on board. "i am very sorry to have given you any annoyance, captain passford," said the major, as the tug came up to the gangway. "i think we should have understood each other better if your steamer had not got aground." "we have suffered little or no inconvenience, sir." "whether you have or not, you shall suffer no more. the tug has come alongside, and i will see that you are not delayed a moment after i can get to fort morgan, which will certainly fire upon you if i do not interfere; and i will go to it in the tug," continued the major, who was still struggling to make all the atonement in his power for his former conduct. "you are very kind, major pierson, and i am under obligations to you. i have not seen my daughter for nearly six months, or my brother; and the sooner i meet them, the better i shall like it," replied the owner. "i have had the pleasure of meeting your daughter several times, as your brother's plantation is next to my father's. it is possible that, if the exigencies of the coming war permit, i may desire to address a communication to you at no distant day," said major pierson, with considerable embarrassment in his manner. captain passford made no reply to this remark; for he thought it was entirely out of place under present circumstances, and hoped matters had not gone far enough even to think of future formalities. the major shook hands with the owner and his son, and then with the commander, and went over the side. as he did so, he requested captain breaker not to advance till he reached the fort, or at least not to attempt to pass it. the tug-boat went off on its course, but it was nearly half an hour before it got near enough to the fort to allow the bellevite to start her screw. as there was nowhere less than three fathoms of water, and captain breaker knew every inch of bottom, he directed mr. vapoor to hurry the engine, so that no one should have time to change his mind. the steamer shot by the fort as though she did not like the looks of it, and in another half an hour she was out of the reach of its guns. the commander had piloted the steamer to her present destination before; and there was plenty of water till she nearly reached the wharf, where the planter could load small vessels with cotton. it was not within the city of mobile, though it was not far from it; and it was a sort of low-ground paradise, which money and taste had made very beautiful. "what am i to do now, mr. pierson?" asked percy, when the steamer had come to her moorings alongside the wharf. "that will be for you to decide, mr. percy: but you had better take that uniform off before you live any longer, for i am afraid some one will mistake your character if you wear it on shore," replied christy. "i don't know that i shall go on shore," replied the agent doubtfully. "i got by my brother very nicely, thanks to captain breaker; for i should have been sent to the fort if he had not started the screw." "do you think you are in any danger here?" asked christy. "i know i am. my father's house is over in that direction about half a mile. my brother can leave the fort any time he likes; and he will either do so, or send some of his men up here in the fast tug to catch me." "why don't you go into the army, if your brother is so anxious about it, percy?" "that is just what i want to do, but my father positively forbid my doing so," replied the volunteer agent. "i should like to get back to nassau; for i know i shall be forced into the army, in spite of my father, if i stay here." "my boy," called his father, "i am going on shore now, and i should like to have you go with me to see your uncle." christy was glad to do so; and he departed with the owner, leaving percy in charge of the commander. chapter xiii a decided difference of opinion if homer passford was not a rich man in the sense that his brother was, he was still a wealthy man, and lived in a style as elegant as that of any nabob in the south. more than this, and of vastly more consequence, he was a good and true man. he was a member of his church, and his brother believed that he was a genuine and true religious man. the same principles of justice, humanity, and fairness had been born into both of the brothers, and inherited from the same father. this was the brother whom he from the north was about to visit on the most solemn and momentous questions which could unite or separate the only two sons of the same father. though horatio had reasoned himself into the belief that homer was as strongly a union man as he was himself, he had argued without any adequate premises; and now, when he was almost on the threshold of his door, he did not feel sure of the position of his brother, though his hope was very strong. it was with no little trepidation on this account that he rang the bell at the front door of glenfield. a few minutes or an hour or two would settle the momentous question, and decide whether or not all the family, as well as florry, would take passage in the bellevite for a more northern clime. "de lo'd!" exclaimed the venerable colored man that came to the door. "de hull family done be wery glad to see you, massa 'ratio." "i hope you are very well, pedro," replied captain passford, as he gave his hand to the old servant. "here is christy." "de lo'd bless massa christy!" and he shook hands with the son as he had with the father. "is your master at home, pedro?" asked the visitor, in haste to see his brother. "yes, sar; all de folks to home; jes' gwine to lunch. i spects dey all wery glad to see massa 'ratio and massa christy. walk in, sar; took a seat in de parlor; and i done reckon we call massa homer and de rest ob de folks afore you gits to sleep in yer char, thar," said pedro, as he scurried out of the room where he had shown the visitors. it was florry who caught the first sound of the visitors who had arrived, and she rushed into the drawing-room before the others could be called from up-stairs. she bounded into the room like a fawn, with her eyes swimming with tears, and threw herself into her father's arms. she could not speak a word, and the captain was as dumb as she was. for a moment she remained folded in his arms, and then she gently disengaged herself, to render the same wealth of affection in its manifestation to her brother, who was standing by her father when she darted into the room. but christy was a boy, and not as demonstrative as his father, though he discharged the duties of the affecting occasion with becoming fidelity, so that the loving girl was sure that his heart was where it had always been. "why, papa, i had no idea of seeing you to-day!" exclaimed florry, when she had wiped away her abundant tears. "i did not know that i should ever see you again, for they say that all the roads to the north have been closed to travel." "we did not come by land, either by railroad or otherwise; and the bellevite lies at the wharf near this house," the captain explained. "i was terribly afraid i should never see you again, and that i should have to stay here till this war is ended, papa; but they say it will soon be over," said the fair girl. "i am afraid it will not be over for a long time, for each side is firmly united in its own cause. but i could not leave you here. do you want to go back to bonnydale, florry?" "do i want to go back? what a funny question, papa!" exclaimed she. "why is it a funny question?" asked the anxious father, recalling the rather presumptuous suggestion the gallant major from fort gaines had made. "don't you think i want to see mamma? you have not told me a word about her; and it is a long time now since i have heard any thing. i do want to go home, and especially i want to see mamma." "then you shall see her." "is she here, papa?" exclaimed florry, leaping out of the chair in which she had seated herself. "she is not here, my child. she is at home, but it will not take many days to bear you to her," replied the devoted father, embracing her again, while she kissed him over and over again. "can i see her before the war is over, papa?" she asked. "certainly you can, if no accident interferes with my plans. you really want to go home?" "to be sure i do. how cruel it is of you to ask me such a question!" "then i won't ask it again. but perhaps you will not be able to come to glenfield again for years," added captain passford, looking earnestly into her face. "what makes you look at me so, papa? what have i done? you look just as you did when i was little and pulled the kitten's tail." "it is a long time since i have seen you, florry and i want to look at you all i can." [illustration: "she was clasped in her father's arms" (page )] "then you may look at me as much as you wish; and i shall be thankful it is not that major pierson who comes here, for he has stared me out of countenance every time he came," replied she, blushing a little. "then you don't like him, do you?" asked her father, with more interest than he cared to display. "i like him well enough, but i wish he would not stare at me all the time. he seems to think i am good for nothing but to look at," replied florry smartly. but the entrance of mr. and mrs. passford turned aside the inquiries the captain was making before he had satisfied himself, though he had obtained enough to afford him some hope. the greeting extended to the brother and nephew was all that could be expected or desired; and if the country had not been riven into two bitterly hostile sections, the interview could not have been more brotherly and affectionate. a full hour was used in talking about the trip of the bellevite, so anxious were the family, including florry, to hear the particulars of the voyage. "but how in the world did you get here, horatio, when every public conveyance that leads into the south has been discontinued?" asked homer. "i came as i came before," replied horatio. "you came in the bellevite!" exclaimed homer. "i did." "but how did you get by the forts? both of them have been garrisoned, and they have been ordered to allow no vessel to pass unless she give a good account of herself," continued the planter. "in other words, it is war now," added horatio. "undoubtedly it is war; and, in my judgment, it will be a terrible conflict before it is finished." "i fully agree with you, homer." "but you did not tell me in what manner you passed the two forts, which are already strong enough to blow your steamer into a thousand pieces," suggested homer. "i did not tell you, and i think we had better understand each other a little better before i say any thing at all about the passage of the forts; though i can assure you that not a single shot was fired at the bellevite," said horatio, somewhat embarrassed by the situation. "de lunch am ready, saw," said a darky at the door at this moment; and perhaps the summons saved the owner of the bellevite from some further annoyance. an hour was spent at the table, for there was enough to talk about without meddling with delicate subjects. when the repast was over, florry invited her brother to look at the flower-garden, which was in the height of its glory, and she was followed by gerty her cousin, and by mrs. passford. as in the northern family, there were only two children; but cornelius, or corny as he was generally called, was not at home, though nothing at all was said about him. horatio was invited into the library by his brother, and they seated themselves for a long talk. the owner of the bellevite was confident that he should soon know on which side the planter belonged, though he was still confident in his former views. "i suppose there is no other way for you to get here at the present time except in your yacht, and not many men can command so elegant and substantial a vessel as the bellevite," said homer, when they were seated. "but what in the world do you expect to do with her down here?" "i intend to return to my home in her, and to take my daughter back to her mother," replied horatio, as unmoved as though he had uttered a commonplace expression. "take florry back to her mother!" exclaimed homer, springing out of his armchair as though his five-and-forty years counted for nothing. "i hope that nothing at all is the matter with your brain, horatio." "nothing at all, so far as i am aware, homer. you seem to think it is a great undertaking to take my daughter home," added horatio. "but it is war in this country, and all along the coast. you will certainly be captured, and your daughter sent to a prison, at least till she can be sent home. you have not more than one chance in ten to get to new york." "do you think so?" asked horatio, smiling. "if you don't know it, i do, my dear brother, that the southern confederacy has sent out agents to buy up all the suitable vessels they can find, to do duty as cruisers and privateers. you are almost sure to be captured, and think what florry would suffer in such an event." "you seem to think that the north is going to hold still, and let you do all this, homer," added the owner of the bellevite. "i don't see how the north can help itself." "my information is rather meagre; but i am informed that the government of the united states has proclaimed the blockade, and even that it is enforced farther north, as i am sure it will be on the south." "that is all nonsense, horatio, and you know it." "i don't understand it so." "how is it possible for the yankee government to station ships-of-war on the coast of the southern states? it is simply impossible," said homer, warming up with the argument. "the business of fitting out vessels is already begun, i read in the newspapers; and it will be pushed to the utmost." "i am confident that every confederate port in the united states will be invested by one or more vessels within a reasonable time." "but your steamer will be captured before you can get home, even if you get out of mobile bay." "i don't apprehend any difficulty on that account. if the bellevite can't keep out of the way of any thing that floats, she deserves to be captured. she will belong to the government within a few weeks," added horatio quietly. "the bellevite!" exclaimed homer. "the bellevite, certainly. i should be ashamed to retain her a month after i knew that the union needs her, and the union shall have her as a free gift," added horatio, quite as warmly as his brother had spoken. "you will give your steamer to the yankee government!" gasped homer, rising from his chair again, and darting across the room, as though he was both shocked and disgusted at the conduct of horatio. "you will allow her to be used in subduing a free people? i am sorry." homer was very deeply grieved, and horatio hardly less so. chapter xiv the blue and the gray to captain passford the question seemed to be settled; and he could no longer doubt that his brother fully sympathized with the leaders of the rebellion, if he was not one of them himself. he was certainly the most enthusiastic person he had yet seen on that side of the question. but homer was thoroughly sincere, for he never was any thing else on any subject. horatio was unable to understand how his brother could reason himself into the belief that secession was right, when the duty of saving the union was to him paramount; and certainly homer was equally puzzled over the political faith of horatio. until the darkness of evening began to gather, they argued the tremendous question; and they discussed it ably, for both of them were thinking and reasoning men. but, when the darkness gathered, they were not one hair's-breadth nearer an agreement; and probably if they had continued to argue till morning, or even till the end of the year, they would have come no nearer together. each had a sort of horror of the views of the other, though they had lived in peace and harmony all the days of their lives. "homer, you are my brother; and i am sure that an unpleasant word never passed between us," said horatio, when the sun had gone down on the fruitless discussion. "certainly not, brother; and it grieves me sorely to find that you are upon one side, while i am on the other," replied homer with a strong manifestation of feeling. "i did not expect to see you at glenfield; but i felt sure that you would not be found, actually or constructively, in the ranks of the enemies of the south." "and i was equally sure that you would be found on the side of your country,--the whole country, and not a miserable fraction of it," added horatio, with quite as much warmth as his brother. "i came here in the bellevite as much to convey you to a place of safety, as to restore florry to her mother." "my country is here in the south. i have no other country; and i shall stand by it to the last ditch, wherein i am ready to cast all that i have and all that i am. if you thought it possible for me to desert the cause of the south, you strangely misjudged me; and i do not feel at all complimented by the formation of your opinion of me," said homer, with a trifle more of bitterness in his tone and manner than he had used before. "i see how it is with you, homer; and i realize that it is worse than folly for us to discuss this important question. your mind is made up, and so is mine; and i fear that we might quarrel if we should continue to bandy words on the subject. we had better drop it entirely, once for all." "perhaps we had; but it grieves me sorely, even to think of my only brother taking part with the hirelings of the north in an attempt to subdue the free, untamed, and untamable south. it would not hurt my feelings more to know that you were a buccaneer, roving on the ocean for the plunder of all nations." "you should also consider my feelings when i think of you in armed rebellion against the best government god ever allowed to exist; that my own brother is a rebel and a traitor, who is liable to be shot or hung for his armed treason." this was too much for homer, and he gave vent to his emotion in a laugh at the picture his brother had drawn. he walked the library, and chuckled as though he were actually amused at the remarks of the other; and perhaps he was. "i am really and heartily sorry for you, horatio. your future, i fear, will be terribly dark. of course, all business will cease at the north: the grass will grow in the streets of new york and other large cities. you have an immense fortune, which i do not believe you can retain a single year; for the war is not to be confined to southern soil, but will be carried into the north, where the expenses of our men will be paid by the enemy." "i think we had better confine our attention to the present, and let the future take care of itself," said horatio, with a smile at the prophetic croakings of his brother. "be that as it may, though i feel confident that all i predict will come to pass, i desire to have one thing understood: when you have lost your fortune, or wasted it on the hireling armies of the north, or on ships for its navy, you may always be sure of a home at glenfield for yourself and all your family." "if you do not lose or waste all that you have on the army of the other side," added horatio with a smile. "but i am ready to drop this subject." "it seems to be useless to continue it; though, if there were any possible way to convert you from the error of your way of thinking, i would struggle all night with you," said homer. "you cannot make a traitor of me, brother. but i must tell florry to pack her trunk at once." "pack her trunk? why are you in such a hurry?" demanded homer. "because this is not a safe place for me and mine; and i have my two children with me." "you ought to have left christy at home." "i think not. though he is only sixteen, he has seen so much of the world, and is so bright, that he is almost a man. he will go into the navy within a few weeks, and i shall expect him to give a good account of himself." "he is rather young. corny is eighteen, and he has already enlisted with his mother's blessing and mine. but i think you need not be in such a hurry, horatio, to get away from here; for it is a long time since we met." "i have expressed my political sentiments very freely to you, homer, and you know as well as i do, that, if they were known, i should not be safe a single day." "not quite so bad as that, for i think i should have sufficient influence to save you from arrest," added homer. "the bellevite cost me over half a million dollars, and she is worth all she cost. if i were safe a single day, the steamer and ship's company on board of her would not be. i brought them down here, and i intend to take them back." "and then you present this fine vessel to the yankee government, and doubtless the men on board of her will go into the service of the navy." "i certainly expect as much as that of them." "then i question whether i ought to allow such a prize to pass out of the bay for such a purpose," said homer. "then, with such a doubt as that in your mind, i ought not to remain here another hour," added horatio quietly. "if you have gone far enough in treason to betray your own brother, coming here to your home for no warlike purpose, into the hands of the enemy, why, all i can do is to look out for myself." "i did not say that i should betray you, horatio. it is simply a question with me whether my duty to my country will allow me to let your steamer leave these waters. i have not settled the question in my own mind." "i hope you will settle it soon. if i am to take my first step in this fratricidal war by defending myself against my own brother, let him speak, and i am ready," replied horatio, shaken by an emotion deeper than he had ever experienced before. "horatio, whatever you may do, whatever i may do, each in the discharge of his duty to his country, his country as he understands it, let us have no unfraternal feeling," continued homer, almost as much disturbed in his feelings as his brother. "in other words, if you hand me and my vessel over to your leaders, and consequently take from me the means of bearing my daughter to a place of safety, i am to put my hand on my heart, and say that my brother has done right, for i will not use any stronger terms," said horatio, struggling with his emotion. "i must do my duty as i understand it," protested homer. "the question i put to myself is this: can i justify myself, before god and my country, if i permit the finest steamer in the world, as you state it, to be transferred to the yankee navy, to be used in killing, ravaging, and destroying within the free south? the steamer is here, and within my reach. after all you have said, she would be the lawful prize of any tug-boat in the bay that could capture her. i begin to realize that i should be guilty of treason to my country in letting her go." "you must be your own judge in regard to that," replied horatio bitterly, as he rose from his chair and walked towards the door. "one word more, horatio. i look upon the bellevite as already belonging to the southern confederacy. of course, being a private yacht, she is not armed?" homer paused and looked at his brother as though he expected an answer to this question; but the owner of the steamer made no reply. "do you say that the bellevite is armed, horatio?" repeated homer. "i do not say any thing about it. i find that i am in the presence of an enemy, though he is my own brother." "do not assume that tone to me, horatio: it wounds me to the heart," said homer, in a deprecatory tone. "if we are enemies because you choose to oppress our people, i cannot help it; but we will still be brothers." "the attack upon fort sumter was made by the south; and thus far, at least to the extent that i have been informed, the south has been the assailant; and you say that i choose to oppress your people. they have taken the sword, and they will perish by the sword." captain passford could not trust his feelings any longer to remain with his brother, and he left the room. in the hall he met florry, who had been lying in wait for him for over an hour. she threw herself on his neck as she had done before; but she found her father full of energy, and he was not even willing to use his minutes to caress her. "what is the matter, papa?" asked the fair girl, astonished at the manner of her father, for she had never before seen him so agitated. "do not ask me any questions, florry, for i have not time to answer them now," said he hastily. "go to your room and pack all your things as quick as you possibly can, and without saying a word to any one." "why, papa!" "not a word, my dear child," he added, kissing her. "it will not take me five minutes, papa; for i have been packing my trunk this afternoon, when i had nothing else to do." "where is your room, florry?" "it is on the lower floor, next to the library." "i will be there in a few minutes. dress yourself, and be ready to leave at a minute's notice," continued captain passford. "where is christy?" "he went out about an hour ago, when he saw from the window a young man i did not know," replied florry, as she passed into her room. captain passford wondered who the young man was whom his son had gone out to meet; for no one was allowed to leave the deck of the bellevite who belonged to her, and he was not aware that christy had any friend in the vicinity. he was annoyed at his absence, for he wanted him at that very moment. mrs. passford and gerty were up-stairs, where nimble fingers were busily at work for the soldiers of the southern confederacy, as they were also in the north for the union. the captain looked all about the house, but he could not see or hear of his son. chapter xv brother at war with brother captain passford was very much annoyed at the absence of christy at that particular moment, for it seemed to be heavily laden with momentous events to him and his family; though christy could not possibly know what had transpired in the library between the two brothers. he waited very uneasily in the hall, after his return from his search. homer passford did not come out of his library, and he sat brooding over the remarkable interview which had taken place between the brothers. no doubt he would have been glad to believe that he had been wrong; for he had nothing but the kindest feelings in the world towards his brother, and had never had in all his life. he was five years older than horatio; and, in their earlier life, he had been to some extent his guardian and protector, and he had never lost the feeling of boyhood. but he had proved himself to be a patriot of the severest type, and proposed to rob his brother of his steamer, his only means of conveying his daughter to his home, for the benefit of the fraction of the nation which he called his country, and more to prevent her from being transferred to the navy of the union. while the captain was waiting in the hall, the library door opened, and homer presented himself. he invited his brother to return to the apartment, for he had something to say to him; but horatio positively declined to do so, fearful that they might come to an open rupture if the exciting discussion was continued. "but you will hear me a moment or two, will you not, horatio?" asked homer; and his lips quivered under the influence of his active thought. "i will as long as that," replied horatio. "i have been thinking of the subject of our conversation in relation to the bellevite; and i have something to propose to you, which i hope will satisfy you, and at the same time will not rob our government of what now belongs to it." "i am listening," added horatio, as homer paused to note the effect of his proposal. "you did not tell me how you got by the forts in your steamer, and perhaps you are ready to do so now." "i am not ready now; and i am not likely to be ready at any future time to do so, homer. you have indicated that we are enemies, and each should keep his own counsels." "of course you will do as you think proper. i cannot reconcile myself to the idea of permitting a fine steamer like the bellevite, now virtually in possession of the confederacy, to sail away out of the bay. i feel that i should be guilty of treason to my country to do so." "and you propose to steal her from your own brother, if you can. you have done a large business in stealing forts, and one ought not to be surprised when you propose to steal a ship," replied horatio mildly but sternly. "i pass over the injustice and unkindness on your part of that remark, and i hope you will accept my offer." "let me hear it as soon as possible." "in spite of your present, unfortunate position, horatio, i believe you are still a man of truth, honor, and integrity." "thank you, homer." "i do not wish to keep florry here when her mother desires so much to see her, and i have hit upon a plan by which you can do this without making me a traitor to my country." "it must have been a happy thought," added horatio, somewhat interested in what the other was saying. "i think it was a happy thought, and i sincerely hope you will be able to accept the plan. i have some little influence in this section, and i have no doubt i can procure a pass for your steamer to go to sea," continued homer, pausing to study the expression of his brother. "do i understand that you propose to do this, homer?" asked captain passford, not a little astonished at the apparent change his brother had made in his position. "on a certain condition, which you can easily meet." "it looks as though you were becoming more reasonable. what is the condition on which you will do this? for i should certainly prefer to have no shots fired at the bellevite while florry is on board of her." "as i have said, your word is as good as your bond; and i am willing to accept the consequences of the step i propose to take, since the confederacy will not suffer any loss or detriment on account of it." "it will not!" exclaimed the captain, beginning to see that he could not accept the conditions. "it will not. i could not injure or cheat my country, even to serve my only brother, greatly as i desire to do all i can for him." "but what is the condition, homer?" asked captain passford, who had by this time lost all hope of the plan. "you shall take florry to some point,--bermuda, for instance,--from which she can obtain passage to new york. before you go, you shall give me your simple word that you will return to mobile bay with the bellevite, and surrender her to the confederate authorities. i am entirely willing to accept your promise to do this, without any bond or other writing." "is that all?" asked horatio, hardly able to contain himself. "that is all; what more do you desire?" "nothing; that is enough. i have already tendered my steamer to the government of the united states; do you think me capable of surrendering my vessel to rebels and traitors, under any possible circumstances? i would blow her up with all on board of her, before i would do such a thing. you insult me by proposing such treachery to me. not another word about it, if you please!" homer returned to his library, and closed the door after him; for the last remark of the owner of the bellevite had excited him, and he could not trust himself to remain any longer in the presence of his union brother. "i am all ready, papa," said florry, who had opened the door once before, and found that her father was engaged. "i cannot find christy, but i hope he is not far off," added captain passford, as he went into the room, and, to the astonishment of his daughter, bolted the door after him. "i did not know the young man he went out to see, but i noticed that he looked something like major pierson," said florry. "then it was the major's brother, and he came from nassau with us on board of the steamer. i hope neither of them will get into any trouble, for all this country is in a very excited condition," said the captain, as he carefully opened the window at the side of the apartment. this was quite as singular a movement as bolting the door; and the fair girl, who had heard some of the energetic conversation in the hall, began to think that something strange was about to transpire in the mansion. her father spent some time in looking out the window; for it was now quite dark, and he could not make out objects outdoors very readily. the window opened upon a lawn covered with orange, magnolia, and other ornamental trees. the house was low on the ground, and it was not more than three feet from the window-sill to the lawn. without explaining any thing, captain passford took his daughter's trunk, carried it to the window, and then dropped it upon the lawn beneath. "now, florry, i want you to get out at this window; and you can easily step down upon the trunk," continued the owner of the bellevite. "get out of the window, papa?" demanded the maiden, with a look of intense astonishment at her father. "do just as i tell you, my child, and don't ask any questions now; for all will be explained to your satisfaction," replied he, as he assisted her to a chair, by which she mounted to the window-stool. she dropped lightly down upon the trunk, which had been placed in a convenient position for her, and then to the ground. her father followed her; though he stopped long enough to close the window after him, and leave every thing as it had been before. "i think i can understand something about it, papa," said florry, as the captain joined her. "but am i to leave this house, where i have been for six months, without saying good-by to uncle or aunt?" "not a word to any one, my child. i am sorry it must be so; but this is a time of war, and i have no time to stand on ceremonies," replied her father, as he picked up the trunk, and tossed it on his shoulder as though he had done that kind of work before. he walked off with a firm step, in spite of his burden, taking the nearest way to the wharf where he had left the bellevite. the distance was considerable, and the millionnaire was obliged to stop and rest two or three times; and, though florry insisted upon helping him, he would not allow her to do so. it was nearly ten o'clock at night when the wanderers reached their destination, and were hailed by the vigilant watch on the deck. "florence!" called the owner of the steamer when he was challenged, and gave the word that had been agreed upon. "pass, florence," replied the sentinel. all the officers were still upon board, and florry received a very respectful greeting from all of them. her trunk was carried to her stateroom; and she soon followed it, for the excitement of the afternoon and evening was rather too much for her. "is percy still on board, breaker?" asked the owner. "he is not: he lounged about the deck till nearly night, and then he said he would go up and see his mother, to which i had not the least objection," replied the commander. "i have no objection to his going where he pleases now, but the worst of it is that christy appears to have gone with him. they must have been gone three hours, and i begin to be worried about my son. but no matter for that now: we are ready to sail, and it is necessary to get out into the bay, at least without any loss of time, breaker. the tide is right now." captain breaker had not expected to leave so soon, and thought it probable that the vessel would remain where she was for several days or a week. but he had caused the fires to be banked, so as to be ready for any emergency, though he did not anticipate any; for he reasoned that the powerful influence of the owner's brother would be enough to protect the steamer from interference. the commander called all hands, and the owner requested that the work be done with as little noise as possible. in less than an hour the bellevite was floating in the deep waters of the bay. but the owner was far from easy; though, in spite of all his brother had said, he felt that the steamer was safe for the present: he was not a little alarmed at the continued absence of christy. captain passford had formed a very decided opinion in regard to major pierson, and he did not believe that percy had seen the end of his troubles in the matter of joining the army. it was not over a three hours' run in a reasonably fast steamer from the forts to the city, and at least ten hours had elapsed since the bellevite came up. possibly the major might wonder whether or not the coming of captain passford would disturb the residence of miss florence at the mansion of her uncle. it was not improbable that he had, or might, come up to look out for his interests. if he came across his brother percy after he left the steamer, he was likely to make a soldier of him; and it was unfortunate that christy had been his companion when last seen. chapter xvi christy finds himself a prisoner christy passford had not gone out of his uncle's house for any particular purpose; though he saw percy, and joined him as he left the mansion. he had visited glenfield before, and he had some curiosity to see familiar objects again. it was nearly dark, and he wondered where the major's brother was going at that hour. "where are you going now, mr. percy," he asked, as he approached the agent. "i thought i would go up to the house and see my mother," replied percy. "won't you go over with me? it is only a short distance." "no, i think not: i don't care to go a great way from the house." "it isn't above half a mile, and i am coming directly back again." "i will not go as far as you are going, but i will take a little stroll as far as the gate. where is your brother now?" "i suppose he is at the fort. if i thought he were about here, i should not leave the steamer. he has got it into his head that i must join the army, and he will never be satisfied till i am there." "he is certainly very much in earnest, judging by his conduct on board of the bellevite," added christy. "he pretends to believe that my not joining the army will be a disgrace to the family; but, if my father don't think so, lindley need not worry his head about the matter." "your brother seems to have a very strong will of his own," suggested christy. "he will send me into the army in spite of my father and mother; and, for that reason, i don't mean to go where he can put his finger on me. of course, the bellevite is going into the confederate navy." percy looked his companion in the face, as though he had been thinking of something which would benefit his own case. "you will have to ask my uncle about that," replied christy, not willing to say any more than was necessary on this subject. "there can be no doubt of it, and i would rather be in the navy than in the army. i hope your uncle will be able to do something for me." "i don't know whether he can or not. for aught i know, the steamer may be sent to england, or to some other country," replied christy, as they approached the gate, which was to be the end in that direction of his walk. "at any rate, i mean to stay on board of the bellevite; and i shall take my chances of getting a position of some kind on board of her." "what kind of a position do you desire?" "i am willing to be one of the lieutenants, or something of that kind," replied percy with becoming condescension. "one of the lieutenants!" exclaimed christy. "of course you know all about handling a ship or a steamer." "i can't say i do. in fact, i never went on the sea till i went to nassau with my father," replied percy candidly. "but i can soon learn all about it." "a nice lieutenant you will make! why don't you apply for the position of commander of her?" "i am willing to take a subordinate position till i learn something about the business." "that's right! be humble at first, and you will be great afterwards." "i should have been willing to go into the army as a captain, or even as a lieutenant; but i couldn't quite stand it to go in as a common soldier, while my brother made a beginning as a major." "i think i will not go any farther, mr. percy," said christy, as he halted near the gate. "oh, don't leave me now, mr. pierson! we are half way to my father's house," percy objected. "i can't go any farther, for i may be wanted." "you will be safe enough, mr. pierson, my mother is at home, and she will be glad to see you." "i think i will not see your mother to-night," added christy, as he turned, and began to retrace his steps towards the mansion of his uncle. [illustration: four men sprang in front of him (page )] they had halted in the road near the gate, and on both sides of it was a thick undergrowth of small trees and bushes; and in the shade of this foliage it had become quite dark. christy had not taken three steps before four men sprang out of the thicket in front of him, all of them armed with muskets, and wearing a uniform of gray. two placed themselves in front of christy; while the other two rushed after percy, who took to his heels as soon as he saw them. the gate was an impediment to the latter; and before he could get over or through it, the two soldiers had laid violent hands on him. he could offer no effectual resistance, and it was evident that he was frightened out of his wits; for he looked and acted like the ghost of despair itself. the two men immediately tied his hands behind him; and, though they did not use any undue harshness, they did their work thoroughly. christy was even more astonished than his companion at this sharp discipline. he did not regard himself as a fit subject for such treatment, and he could not understand why he had been subjected to it. he was not liable to do military duty, and major pierson could hardly think of pressing him into the service of the confederacy. his two captors were as prompt in their action as the two who had taken percy, and his hands were also tied behind him. "good-evening, gentlemen," said christy, as soon as the soldiers had bound him, and then stood in front to take a look at him. "don't it strike you that you are indulging in rather sharp practice?" "we haven't any thing to do with the practice: all we have to do is to obey orders," replied one of the men. "but i think you have mistaken your orders," suggested the prisoner. "i think not: if we have, we will set things to rights at once," replied the man, who appeared to be the sergeant in command of the party. "but our business is not so much with you as with the other young fellow." upon this, christy was conducted to the gate, where percy had not yet recovered any of his self-possession. for his own part, he felt that a mistake had been made, which must soon be corrected. he knew nothing of the wide difference of opinion which had suddenly become apparent between his father and his uncle, and he was sure that the latter could soon effect his release. "this is an outrage!" exclaimed percy, who perhaps felt that it was necessary for him to say something, now that christy had come within hearing distance. "perhaps it is, mr. pierson," replied the sergeant. "but that isn't any of my business." "you will be held responsible for it, sir!" protested percy. "perhaps i shall; but i shall obey my orders," replied the soldier doggedly. "who gave you your orders?" demanded percy imperatively. "well, i don't belong to the class in catechism, and i don't answer all the questions that are put to me." "my father will have something to say about this business." "he can say all he likes, but he need not say it to me; for i only obey my orders, and i have nothing to do with giving them." "what are you going to do with me?" asked percy, when he found he could make nothing of the sergeant. "i don't know what they will do with you; but i reckon they won't shoot you, as they might a fellow whose father was not a man of some consequence," replied the sergeant, as he ordered one of his men to open the gate. "shoot me!" exclaimed percy, evidently appalled at the bare possibility of such an event. "i reckon they won't do that," added the soldier. "this is my father's plantation, and my mother is in the house," continued percy. "she can stay there: we shall not meddle with her." "but you are going to take me away from her." "you look like a stout young fellow, and you ought to be able to get along for a while without your mother," chuckled the sergeant. "you belong in the army; and i reckon you will have to go back to it, in spite of your mother." "i don't belong to the army," protested percy. "well, they call you a deserter, anyhow." percy seemed to be overcome by this statement, and christy thought there was something more of his story than he had told on board of the bellevite. it was possible, after all, that major pierson was not as much of a brute as be had appeared to be. but, if his companion was a deserter, he certainly did not come under that head himself, and he could not understand why he had been arrested. "i suppose you don't claim me as a deserter, do you?" asked christy good-naturedly. "i don't think they do," replied the sergeant, as pleasantly as he had spoken himself. "then, why do you arrest me?" "my orders were to arrest any person with mr. pierson; and that is all i know about your case, and i am very sorry to give you any annoyance. things are a little mixed, and i hope they will soon get them levelled down. if you don't object, we will march." "i suppose you will march all the same, if i do object," added christy. "i was not aware that it was a crime here to be in the company of that young man." "i reckon i was ordered to arrest you as a matter of precaution; and i dare say they will let you return as soon as we report to the major," said the sergeant, leading his prisoner through the gateway. the other men took percy by the arm; and, after they had closed the gate, they followed the road for a considerable distance, and then struck across the fields. not far ahead, christy saw many lights; and he concluded that this must be the location of the mansion of colonel pierson, the father of percy, and for some reason best known to himself, the sergeant desired to avoid going very near it. a march of a short distance farther across the field brought them to a road, which they followed till they came to a wagon drawn by two horses. the animals were hitched at the side of the road, and no one seemed to be in charge of the team. but the sergeant halted his party at this point; and, leaving the prisoners in charge of his men, he went to the wagon. "major pierson," said he; but no answer came to his question, and he repeated it with no better success. then he mounted the seat in front of the wagon, and looked over into the body of it. then he reached over; and a moment later the form of a man was seen to rise from a quantity of hay which filled the body. "is that you, spottswood?" demanded the rising form. "yes, sir, i am here; and i have two prisoners. one of them is your brother, and i don't know who the other is," replied the sergeant. "are you sure that one of them is my brother?" asked the major. "i am as sure as i can be, for i heard the other fellow call him percy two or three times before i stepped in front of them." "don't you know who the other one is?" "i haven't the least idea. i arrested him as you told me, but i did not question him." the major ordered him to put his prisoners into the wagon. chapter xvii major pierson is puzzled two of the soldiers were placed at the rear of the wagon, one took his place on the hay with percy, while the major and the sergeant seated themselves on the cushion in front. spottswood took the reins; and the officer told him to drive on, without saying a word to the prisoners. it was quite dark; and christy had not the least idea where he was, or where he was going. he could see that major pierson had sent this party to arrest his brother, as percy seemed to fear that he would do, and had remained and slept away the time in the wagon himself. he had been introduced to the major, and had been treated with "distinguished consideration" by him. in view of the possible relations between him and florry, he did not feel much concerned about his own safety, though he was sorry to have his father and sister worry over his absence. "then, it seems you have been in the army, after all," said he to his fellow-prisoner, after they had gone some distance. "i never belonged to the army," he replied decidedly. "did you put your name down?" "yes, i did; but i supposed i was to be a captain, or something of that sort. when i found i must go as a common soldier, mixed up with all sorts of people, i couldn't stand it. i applied for my discharge; but they would not give it to me, and i went home without it." "that looks very much like desertion," added christy, and the major went up somewhat in his estimation. "but it was not desertion; for i applied for my discharge, and all they had to do was to give it to me. they understood it so, for they did not come to the house after me," argued percy. "then, when my father went to nassau, he took me with him. but the surgeon said i was not fit for the army, for i had indications of varicose veins. my father sent the certificate to the authorities, and applied for my discharge." "was it ever granted?" "i suppose it was, but i don't know." "if it had been, your brother would know about it." "will your uncle make you join the army, mr. pierson?" "no: my uncle has no authority over me, and he cannot make me join the army," replied christy. "where is your father?" "he was at my uncle's plantation. i think we have kept up this farce long enough, percy," said christy, laughing. "my father is the owner of the bellevite." "what did you tell me your name was percy pierson for?" demanded the other prisoner. "for the same reason that i told you the steamer belonged to the chinese government, and a dozen other things of the same sort." "what is your name, then?" "christopher passford; but i am commonly called christy." "then, you have been fooling me?" "you knew very well that i had been fooling you." "then, you are the son of the owner of the bellevite." "i am." "then, you can get me a place on board of her." "perhaps i can. we will see about that." christy doubted if their political opinions would permit them to serve on the deck of the same vessel, but he did not suggest any thing of this kind. he had been introduced to major pierson under his real name, and he was certain to be identified by him as soon as the light permitted him to see his face; and he had made the best of it by telling percy the truth before he found it out himself. "you haven't told me who the other prisoner is, spottswood," said the major, when they had ridden some distance in silence. "i don't know who he is," replied the sergeant. "i never saw him before in my life, so far as i know." "didn't he tell you who he was?" "he did not, and i did not ask him any questions." that was all that was said about it; and the major relapsed into silence, and christy concluded that he had gone to sleep again. the wagon continued on the journey, though at a very slow pace, for the road could hardly have been any worse. at the end of about two hours more, the vehicle halted near a sheet of water which looked as though it might be a river, or an arm of mobile bay. the road appeared to end at a rude sort of wharf; but there was no person in the vicinity, no house, and no craft of any kind in the water, so far as christy could see when he was helped out of the wagon. percy was assisted to the ground also; and the two soldiers at the rear of the wagon, who had gone to sleep, were waked, and ordered to get out. "we shall not want the wagon any more," said the major. "you can send boyce back to the house with it." "it is five miles from here, and he will not get back till nearly morning." "we can wait for him. the leopard will not be here for some time." "i think we ought to send two men, major," suggested the sergeant. "why two?" "for company: one of them may get asleep, and two will get back sooner than one." "they might as well all of them go, for they can do nothing here," added the major with a terrific yawn. two men were sent away with the wagon. the most of the hay in it was taken out; and with it the superior officer made a bed for himself, and was soon asleep again. the sergeant and the remaining soldier took their knapsacks from a tree where they had put them before, and it was decided that one of them might sleep while the other kept guard over the prisoners. spottswood was the first to take his turn, and his companion stretched himself on the planks of the wharf. the sergeant brought out the knapsacks of the two absent soldiers, and gave the blankets to christy and percy, both of whom were sleepy enough to follow the example of the others. spottswood assisted them very kindly, spreading out the blankets for them, and covering them afterwards; for, as their hands were tied behind them, they were almost helpless. the two prisoners soon dropped asleep; and they knew nothing more till after daylight, when christy was waked by the hissing of steam at the rude wharf. the two soldiers who had been sent away with the wagon were asleep on the planks, though neither had a blanket. the major had not been disturbed by the noise, for he was farther from it than the others. with some difficulty christy got upon his feet, and looked about him. a tug-boat lay at the wharf, with the steam escaping from her pipe. there was nothing else to be seen in the vicinity. the sheet of water, which was apparently half a mile wide, had a bend some distance from the wharf, so that he could not see any farther; but he had no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that the water was an arm of the bay. on board of the leopard, for the name was on the front of the pilot-house, he could see only two men, one of whom came out of the engine-room; and he judged that they were the pilot and engineer. doubtless the former was also the captain of the craft. while one of the two men seated himself on the rail, the other came on shore. he was a man of very small stature, and looked as though his health was very poor. indeed, his step was quite feeble, and he seemed to have hardly strength enough to handle his frame. as the tug had just come in, doubtless he had been on duty the whole or a portion of the night, which may have explained his exhausted condition. "good-morning, captain pecklar," said the sentinel on duty at the wharf. "good morning, tubbs. where is major pierson?" asked the captain of the leopard, in a very faint voice. "he is still asleep, and he has his bed at the foot of that tree yonder," replied the sentinel, pointing at it. "how do you find yourself this morning? any better?" "about the same; i am about used up for this world," replied captain pecklar, continuing his painful walk towards the tree indicated. "is that the captain of the leopard?" asked christy. "yes, poor fellow! he came down here two years ago from somewhere north, almost gone in consumption. he got a little better; but he is worse again, and i don't believe he will last much longer," replied the sentry. "has he been out all night on the steamer?" inquired christy, who felt that it was his duty to obtain all the information he could in regard to this steamer, as it was in the service of the commander of fort gaines. "i don't know where he has been; but i suppose he has been on duty all night, and that don't agree with him at all. we came up here yesterday afternoon--well, never mind what we have been about. i forgot that you were a prisoner; and you may be a yankee, for aught i know." before christy had time to make any reply, the sentinel walked away, and the major was seen coming from his bed with captain pecklar. they went to the wharf together, where they seated themselves on a box which lay there. the prisoner turned away from them; and the major took no notice of him, and did not appear to see him, or he would certainly have identified him. christy's bed was just behind them, when they had seated themselves; and he dropped down on his blanket, rolled it about him as well as he could, and then pretended to be asleep, as percy was still, in spite of the noise of the escaping steam on board of the boat. "what have you done with your men, captain pecklar?" asked the major. "i have just told you that the steamer had changed her position," replied the captain. "i did not understand you," returned the major. "do you mean that she has left the wharf?" "i do: she was out at least two miles from the shore," added captain pecklar. "two miles from the shore!" exclaimed major pierson. "what does that mean?" "i don't know, sir. lieutenant dallberg did not know what to make of it; and he decided to take his two men to the shore, and investigate the matter. he directed me to report this to you." "but when did the bellevite leave the wharf?" asked the major, evidently very much puzzled at what he regarded as the singular conduct of the owner of the steamer. "i don't know, sir. it was after ten o'clock in the evening when we first saw her out in the bay." "was she at anchor?" "i think not. i was ordered not to go very near her, and i could not tell." "do you know whether or not captain passford is on board of her?" "of course i do not. in fact, i know nothing at all about her, except that she has left the wharf and come out into the bay. i think i heard her screw in motion, though i am not sure; and that makes me think that she is not at anchor. mr. dallberg thought he ought to go on shore, visit colonel passford, and obtain further information if he could." the major ordered the captain to embark the party at once. chapter xviii the morning trip of the leopard if major pierson had had any curiosity at all in regard to the person captured by the soldiers with his brother, he appeared to have forgotten all about him. he took no notice of him after he left his bed of hay, but then he was evidently very much disturbed by the fact that the bellevite had left the wharf. christy passford was quite as much astonished as the major when he learned that the steamer had left her berth at the wharf, and he was utterly unable to account for the change of position. the movement had been made since he left his uncle's mansion; for at that time the two brothers were still in the library, and he had no knowledge whatever of what was passing between them. the major ordered all his men on board the leopard, and directed the sergeant to conduct the prisoners to the deck of the tug. percy was waked when he was wanted, and he had slept soundly till that time. with their hands still tied behind them, they were conducted to the after-deck of the tug, where there was a small space from which opened the stateroom of the captain. "i might as well jump overboard first as last," said percy bitterly, as he seated himself in the place assigned to him by spottswood. "it is hardly worth your while to do that, percy. i don't think your brother is likely to do you any harm," replied christy. "i would rather be drowned in deep water than be sent into the army as a common soldier," said the victim, as he went to the rail and looked over into the water. but his companion was perfectly confident that he would not jump overboard while his hands were tied behind him; for the chances were all against him, though he might be willing to punish his brother by making a demonstration in the direction indicated. "the water is too cold at this time in the morning, percy," said christy with a smile. "i think you ought to give your brother the credit of having the reputation of your family at heart. if i had a brother, i had about as lief have him drown himself as desert from the army." "i don't call it deserting," replied percy rather warmly. "you can call it what you like, but that is what it was." "it is no use to talk with you about it. where are we going now?" demanded percy impatiently. "we are going to look out for the bellevite, and perhaps you can get on board her again," suggested christy. "do you think i can?" asked the deserter with renewed interest. "i am afraid your brother will look out too sharply for you. he has you now, and he will hold on this time." christy had little sympathy for his companion. he was an able-bodied young man of eighteen, with influence enough behind him to give him a good show in the ranks if he did his duty. but he was the youngest child of his father and mother; and he had evidently been spoiled by indulgence, so that he was not fit for the stern duties of the present emergency. the steamer seemed to be very short handed, and doubtless part of the work on board was done by the soldiers, for the tug seemed to be in the employ of the fort. there was no crew, so far as christy could judge, except the captain and engineer; and both of these seemed to be invalids, for the latter was so lame he could hardly go. the soldiers hauled in the fasts, and seemed to be at home with this sort of work. the leopard backed out from the wharf, came about, and headed down the inlet, or whatever it was. she had hardly left the pier before major pierson appeared on the quarter-deck, which had been assigned for the use of the prisoners. his gaze was first fixed on percy; for the other prisoner was looking astern, in order to obtain some idea of where he was, if he could, for he thought such information might be of some use to him in the future. "well, percy, how goes it now?" asked the major. christy heard the voice, which was the first he knew of the presence of a third person, and he turned about. the major started back as though he had seen his father with his hands tied behind him by his order. "good heaven! mr. passford!" exclaimed the major; and christy was satisfied that his astonishment was sincere. "that is certainly my name: i haven't forgotten it, if i am a prisoner with my hands tied behind me," replied christy, as good-naturedly as though he had had no grievance. "this is all a mistake!" ejaculated major pierson, evidently greatly disturbed by the discovery he had just made, as he rushed upon the prisoner, turned him around, and proceeded to untie the line which bound him. "i thought it must be a mistake," added christy. "you must have been with this brother of mine. i told spottswood to arrest percy, for be has disgraced himself and his family; and i told him to capture whoever might be with him, for i did not care to leave behind an informant of what had been done, for it would only have made my mother feel badly. that is really the whole of it. i am very sorry indeed that you were subjected to this annoyance, mr. passford; and i assure you i will do all in my power to atone for my offence." "i am satisfied, major pierson; and the only thing that disturbs me is the fact that my father and sister will worry about my absence," replied christy. "you are no longer a prisoner, mr. passford, and you are at liberty to go where you please." "but my limits are rather circumscribed on board this tug." "but i will soon put you on board your father's steamer." "thank you, sir; that is all i can desire." "can't you do as much as that for me, lindy?" asked percy, when he saw that his brother was about to leave him. "if you say that you will return to your place in your regiment, i will release you at once," replied the brother. "i won't do that," answered percy without any hesitation. "but i want to go into the navy. i am better fitted for a sailor than i am for a soldier." "the first thing is to wipe out the disgrace you have cast upon yourself and your family," added the major warmly. "i induced your officers to look upon it as a freak of a boy, and by returning to your duty you can soon wipe out the stigma." "i shall not become a common soldier if i can help it. my father and mother will stand by me, if the rest of you do not," said percy. "that's enough; and you will go back to the army, whether or not you are willing," added the major, as he turned on his heel. christy followed him to the forecastle of the tug, where a rather heavy gun was mounted, which took up most of the space. "take a seat, mr. passford," said the major, giving him a stool, while he took another himself. "it looks as though your father changed his plans rather suddenly last evening." "i was not aware of it," replied christy. "the bellevite was taken from the wharf where you landed some time in the evening, and came out into the bay, where she seems to be waiting for something, i don't know what. as i understand the matter, your father has sold the steamer to the confederacy." "where did you learn that, major pierson?" asked christy, who had not heard any such story. "you certainly came from nassau?" "we did." "and you met my father there?" "i did not meet him, but my father did." "i understood that my father bought this steamer, or that he bargained for her in some manner, for the use of the confederacy." "i was not present at the interview between your father and mine, and i do not know just what passed between them." "and i understood that he sent percy to act as a sort of agent for the delivery of the vessel; though it still puzzles me to comprehend how my father should do such a thing, especially when he knew that the boy would be arrested as a deserter if he showed his face anywhere near mobile." christy felt that his tongue might be a dangerous member, and he was not disposed to talk about the matter at all. all the information which the major had derived from captain passford and others had been accepted from inference; for the owner of the bellevite certainly had not said that the steamer was for the use of the confederacy, and he would have blown her up rather than admit any thing of the sort. "it looked to me as though every thing was all right about the steamer, or i would not have let her pass the fort; and the commander at fort morgan was as well satisfied as i was, after i had explained the situation to him." major pierson looked at christy as though he expected him to talk on the subject before them; but the latter would not say any thing, for he saw that he was in an extremely delicate position. he made some sort of answers, but they amounted to nothing. "i cannot understand why captain passford has moved the bellevite from the wharf," continued the major. "i am as much in the dark as you are, sir. i spent the afternoon with my sister, and my uncle homer and my father were in the library together all this time," replied christy. "i have no idea what they were talking about. just at dark, i saw percy pass the window; and i went out for a little walk. i was arrested by your men soon after. not a word had been said in my hearing about moving the steamer. that is all i know about the matter, and i am as much surprised as you can be at the change which has been made." "i have no doubt that every thing connected with the steamer is all right. i know that your father is a northern man, but i am confident that he will be on the right side in this conflict," added the major. "he will certainly be on the right side," said christy; but he had gone far enough to know that there were two right sides to the question, and one seemed to him to be as honest, earnest, and resolute as the other. "we shall soon know something more about it," added the major, evidently disappointed at not being able to obtain any information from the owner's son. the tug went out into the bay, and then changed her course to the eastward. one of the soldiers went to the galley, and breakfast was served to the major and his guest in the captain's room; and percy was released long enough to take the meal with them. but he was sullen, and even morose, in view of the fate that awaited him. "boat just come round that point," said the captain from the pilot-house, when the party had returned to the forecastle. captain pecklar seemed to be hardly able to speak; he was so exhausted by his night watch, and by constant fits of coughing, that he could hardly make himself heard. "what boat is it, pecklar?" asked the major, straining his eyes to discover it. "i don't see it." "take my glass, and you can see it," added the captain, more faintly than before. "i don't think i can stand it any longer, major pierson." "but we can't get along without you, pecklar. we haven't another hand that knows how to steer," replied the major, as he hastened up to the pilot-house, followed by christy. captain pecklar had fainted and fallen from the wheel. chapter xix the report of the scout from the shore captain pecklar had held out as long as it was possible for him to stand it, and he had only given up when his senses deserted him. major pierson raised him from his position on the floor of the pilot-house, and, with christy's assistance, bore him out into the air. the wheel had gone over when the sick man could no longer hold it, and the tug was beginning to whirl about in an erratic manner, when the major rang the bell to stop the engine. the captain was carried down to his room, and put into his berth, where one of the soldiers was detailed to act as his nurse. "i haven't a man on board that knows the first thing about handling a steamboat; and i am not a bit wiser myself," said the major, when the sick man had been disposed of. "every man that is fit to be made into a soldier is sent to the army; and we have nothing but the lame, and the halt, and the blind to handle these boats." "it does not look like good policy," added christy. "dallberg and his two men are soldiers, and they know no more about a steamboat than the rest of us," continued major pierson. "it looks as though we should have to stay here till some other boat comes along; and that may be in three days or a week, for steamers have no occasion to come up here now." "perhaps you may find a pilot among the men in that boat," suggested christy, as he looked about the pilot-house, where the conversation took place. the captain's glass was lying on a shelf in front of the wheel, and he took a look through it in order to find the boat. after searching in every direction, he discovered the boat, which was pulled by two men, with a third in the stern-sheets. he indicated the position of it to the major, and gave him the glass. "that's dallberg, without any doubt; but he must be five miles off. he can't reach the steamer for a long time," said the major, when he had examined the boat. "but we shall be no better off than we are now when she gets here, for not one of those in it is a sailor." christy was not a little interested in the situation; for he thought his father must have gone on board of the bellevite, or she would not have changed her position. it was all a mystery to him as well as to the commandant of fort gaines, and the boat in the distance had been to the shore for the purpose of investigating it. he had an idea in his head, and he continued to examine the interior of the pilot-house till he found a number of paper rolls in a drawer, which looked very much like local charts of the bay. he examined several of them, and found one which covered the portion of the waters around him. he had noted the direction taken by the bellevite the day before, and he had no difficulty in placing the inlet where she had moored at the wharf. "what have you got there, mr. passford?" asked the major, who had been looking on the floor, thinking what he should do in his present dilemma. [illustration: "you a sailor?" (page )] "it is a chart of these waters, which appears to have been considerably improved with a pen and ink," replied christy, still examining it. "that is the work of captain pecklar. they call him the best pilot for mobile bay there is about here, though he has been here but two years." "here is the inlet, or river, where we passed the night; and the captain has marked the wharf on it." "what good is the chart without a man that knows how to steer a steamer?" asked the major, who was becoming very impatient in the presence of the delay that confronted him; for the illness of captain pecklar deprived him of the ability to do any thing, even to return to the fort. "you forget that i am a sailor, major pierson," said christy. "you a sailor? i thought you were the son of a millionnaire, who could not possibly know any thing except how to eat and sleep," replied the soldier, laughing. "i have steered the bellevite for a great many hundred miles, and my father says i am competent to do duty as a quartermaster." "you astonish me; and, as we are both engaged in the same good cause, i am heartily delighted to find that you are a sailor." "probably i shall astonish you still more before we have got through. with this chart before me, i have no doubt i can find my way about here in the leopard," said christy. "then i give you the command of the steamer in the absence of captain pecklar," continued the major. "this boat and another are in the service of the forts; and if you don't want to join the army with percy, perhaps i can obtain the appointment for you, especially as you are hardly old enough to go into the ranks. we will see about that." "we will leave all that open for future action, if you please, major pierson," replied christy, as he rang the bell for the steamer to go ahead. the major watched him with the most intense interest, as though he feared that the young man would prove to be a failure as a steamboat captain. but the steamer went ahead at the sound of the bell, and in a minute or two christy had her on her course in the direction of the approaching boat. he examined the chart very carefully, and satisfied himself that there was water enough for the tug anywhere outside the headlands which projected into the hay. the leopard held her course as steadily as though the sick captain were still at the wheel; and the major was entirely satisfied with the qualifications of the new master, after he had watched him for a while. "spottswood, how is the captain?" called the major from the pilot-house. "just the same: he don't seem to be any better," replied the sergeant. "he ought to have a doctor; for the poor fellow may die here, away from any proper attendance," said the major, with more feeling than the new captain supposed he possessed. "there is a very skilful surgeon on board of the bellevite," suggested christy. "dr. linscott served in the army in mexico, and had a large practice in new york." "then he shall see pecklar. dr. linscott is just the sort of a surgeon we want in our army; and i suppose he would not be on board of the bellevite if he was not of our way of thinking," added the major. christy knew he was nothing but a union man, and not of the way of thinking which the soldier suggested: so he said nothing. the leopard was a faster tug than the one which had come off from fort gaines, and she came up with the boat which contained lieutenant dallberg and his two men, the latter of whom were nearly exhausted with the long pull they had taken; for, as they were not sailors, they did not row to the best advantage. the new captain rang the bell to stop her, as soon as the boat came near, and the party came on board. the two men seated themselves on the rail as though they never intended to do another stroke of work, for they had been using the oars most of the time since the evening before. "come up here, dallberg," called the major from the pilot-house. the lieutenant looked as though he had just been through one war; for he had slept none the night before, and had been on duty without intermission. he came to the hurricane-deck, and entered the pilot-house, where he dropped on the sofa abaft the wheel as though he were not in much better condition than the captain when he fell at his post. "you have made a night of it, dallberg," the major began, seating himself by the side of the lieutenant. "i am about used up, major. i believe i walked ten miles on shore; and i am not as strong as i wish i was," replied mr. dallberg. "but i found out all i wanted to know, and i expected the leopard would be somewhere near the creek." "i beg your pardon, major pierson," said christy, who was standing at the wheel. "what am i to do now?" "i will tell you in a moment.--can you tell me, dallberg, where the bellevite is at the present time?" asked the major, turning to the lieutenant. "she seems to be running up and down across the head of the bay. she is beyond that point now, and you will see her when you go within a mile of the land," replied the lieutenant. "have you been near her?" "not within a mile of her, i should say." "all right, you may head her within a mile of that point, captain passford," added the major; and christy rang to go ahead. when the major applied this high-sounding title to the new captain, the lieutenant opened his eyes a little; but he asked no questions, for he had learned as he came on board that captain pecklar had fainted at his post. "well, what have you been about, dallberg?" asked the major rather impatiently, as soon as the boat was under way again. "walking, talking, and rowing most of the time. as the poet says, 'things are not what they seem,'" replied the scout; for such appeared to be the duty in which he had been engaged. "what do you mean by that?" asked major pierson, opening his eyes very wide. "we discovered that the steamer had left the wharf last night, and you sent me to investigate when you started off in that wagon." "that's so; and pecklar reported to me early this morning that the steamer had left the wharf, and was standing off and on in the bay." "i went ashore in the evening, leaving pecklar to watch the steamer. i don't know any thing about his movements." "he reported to me this morning about daylight. it is all right as far as he is concerned. what have you done?" "i landed at the wharf where the bellevite had been moored, about eleven o'clock, i should say, for i could not see my watch. i went up to colonel passford's house, and found it all in commotion." "what was the matter?" "colonel passford was not there: he had gone off to procure assistance." "assistance for what?" demanded the major. "you are sleepy, dallberg, and you are mixing your story." "i am sleepy and exhausted, but i will try to do better. i saw mrs. passford. she told me that her brother-in-law, captain horatio passford, had come to the house that day, with his son; and you are aware, i believe, that his daughter, miss florence, has been there all winter." "i know all about that. go ahead, dallberg." "the two brothers had been shut up in the library all the afternoon, engaged in an earnest discussion; though the colonel's wife did not know what it was about. captain horatio left colonel homer in the library some time in the evening, and the colonel remained there till after ten. then it was found that the captain had left the house secretly, with his daughter and his son; though some of the servants had seen the young man going up the road with percy pierson." "exactly so; never mind the young man now. the captain had left the house, and his daughter went with him?" repeated the major, beginning to be a good deal excited. "the house was searched, but they could not be found; and the young lady's trunk had been removed from her room. then the colonel went down to the wharf, and found that the bellevite had left." major pierson sprang to his feet, hardly able to contain himself. chapter xx a rebellion in the pilot-house captain passford had obtained the idea, from the fact that florry did not like to have the major gaze at her all the time, that she was not very deeply interested in him; and the conclusion afforded him a great deal of satisfaction. she did not like to leave her uncle and aunt and her two cousins without saying good-by to them; but she had not said a word about the military gentleman who was supposed to have made frequent visits at the mansion on her account. when lieutenant dallberg informed major pierson that miss florry had left the house, and that her trunk had been removed, indicating that she did not intend to return, the effect upon him was very decided. however it may have been with the young lady, it was plain enough that he was stirred to the very centre of his being. "then captain passford has left the mansion?" said the major, after he had strode several times across the little pilot-house, as he halted in front of the lieutenant. "no doubt of that; the family and the servants hunted the house all over in 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 for assistance. i could do nothing till i had seen him. i sent my men on ahead to look for him, and then i went myself. we did not find him till one o'clock in the morning. he had given up all his horses for the service, 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 had been 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 to say any thing to me; but when i told him that you were over here in the leopard 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, including the manner in which the steamer had passed the forts. by this time we had reached his house, and we seated ourselves in the library." "you need not stop to describe the chairs or the sofa," interposed the excited commandant of the fort. "i will not; but, if i omit any thing, it will not be my fault," said the younger officer with a long gape. "he told me he and his brother had been 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 perfect understanding. colonel passford is as true to the confederacy as we all know him to be, but captain passford is a yankee to the marrow of his bones; and the two brothers could not agree at all on the political question, 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 the service of the confederacy," added the lieutenant. "but she will go into it, all the same," said the major, glancing at the new captain of the leopard. christy was quite as much excited over the conversation to which he could not help being a listener, even if he had wished not to be so. it was clear enough to him that the whole object of the voyage to mobile bay had come out, and the major needed no further information to enable him to act with promptness and decision. the fact that miss florry must be on board of the bellevite was doubtless an additional incentive to make him do his entire duty to the confederacy. "i think i have told you the whole story, major pierson," said lieutenant dallberg with another prodigious yawn. "then captain passford and his daughter are now on board of the steamer," 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 intend to remain in these waters much longer," continued the major, giving utterance to his reflections. "there is something more than that, which i forgot to tell you; for you hurried me so that i could not keep my thoughts about me," interposed the lieutenant. "what more is there? you said you had told me the whole," said the major, with a sneer on his lips. "the bellevite is intended for the yankee navy, and she has already been tendered to the government for that purpose. more yet, captain passford and the commander of the steamer have offered their services. the owner is sure that all hands will be volunteers for the service as soon as she returns from this trip," continued dallberg, who had suddenly roused his energies to the requirements of the situation. "i had no doubt that captain passford would be with his brother in this war," mused the major. "he could not be any farther from him. he came down here after his daughter, and his brother says he expected to remove him and his family to the north at the same time." "his mission will be a failure in every sense," added major pierson, as though he regarded it as a matter of course. "the colonel said his duty to his country and her cause would not allow him to suffer his brother to take the steamer back to the north to be handed 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 brother and his two children who are with him; and he wished to find colonel dalheath, who could manage the business without loss to the confederacy, while he could favor the captain's escape. but he was satisfied that you would feel an interest to prevent the departure of the steamer; while you would not be willing to do her owner or his family any injury in their persons, however it might be in their property." "i think i understand the situation perfectly now," said the major, as he went to the front windows of the pilot-house. "spottswood!" he called to the sergeant. "here, sir." "how is captain pecklar?" "he has come to himself, but he is no better. i am afraid he is going to die." replied spottswood, coming near the bulkhead, and speaking in a low 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 bellevite was discovered, apparently going at full speed, and headed to the south-west. christy brought his glass to bear upon her, but he could see nothing which afforded him any information in regard to her movements or intentions. "i suppose it is not difficult to determine what your father's steamer is waiting in the bay for, mr. passford," said major pierson, as he looked 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 to leave without you?" chuckled the major. "i did not intend to have you captured 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 on board of the leopard, not only for the sake of your father's waiting for you, 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 as though 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 captain of 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 to resign the position without your permission," replied christy without an instant's hesitation; for he clearly understood what he was doing now, and neither really nor constructively was he willing to do any thing in the service of the enemies of the union. "but you can't resign in the face of the enemy, captain passford; and you 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 the bellevite, as she dashed furiously over the waves at a distance of not more 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 by lieutenant dallberg; and by this time you are aware that the steamer yonder is an enemy of the confederate states," continued the major. "she did not come into these waters as an enemy, or with any warlike intentions, sir. she came on a peaceful mission; and now it appears that my uncle is guilty of treachery towards my father," replied christy with deep emotion. "do you think it would be right or proper for your uncle to allow that fine steamer, which i am told is one of the strongest and fastest ever built, to be handed over to the yankee navy?" demanded the major, with energy enough to assure his auditor that he meant all he said. "i happen to know that my father had several hundred dollars about him in gold; and my uncle would have done no worse to rob him of that, than to have his steamer taken from him when it was not engaged in acts of war. 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 in his deep emotion. "i am ashamed of my uncle, and i know that my father would 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's steamer an enemy, you define my duty for me; and i have nothing further to do on board of this tug," replied christy. "i am in your power, and of course you can do with me as you please." major pierson was certainly very much embarrassed. the events of the night, and the information obtained on shore, to say nothing of the specific request from colonel passford to "manage the business," imposed upon him the duty of capturing the bellevite; and he was all ready to do it. but the leopard might as well have been without an engine as without a 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 on the shelf in front of the wheel, were all greek to them. possibly they might get the tug to the shore, or aground on the way to it; but the steamer was practically disabled. chapter xxi the sick captain of the leopard christy passford now realized, for the first time, that he had been taken by the enemy. war had actually been declared against the bellevite, and major pierson would undertake to perform the duty assigned to him by colonel passford. the young man was determined to be true to his colors under all possible circumstances; and therefore he could do nothing, directly or indirectly, to assist in the capture of the steamer. captain passford, while he recognized the irregularity of his mission, had come into the waters of mobile bay with no intention of committing any depredations on the persons, property, or vessels of the confederacy. the bellevite had not fired a shot, or landed a force, in the enemy's country. indeed, the owner of the steamer had taken especial pains to conceal any appearance of using force on coming into the bay; and all the guns on the deck of the vessel, that could not be easily lowered into the hold, had been covered up and concealed. though major pierson had spent some time on board of the bellevite, he did not know whether or not she was armed. he was no wiser than the owner's brother. the major went to the lower deck of the leopard, where christy saw him questioning the soldiers there, though he could not hear any thing that was said. of course he was inquiring for some hand who had steered a steamer; but he soon returned alone, and it looked as though he had not found the person he sought. "it looks like bad weather, mr. passford, since you decline to be called captain any longer," said the major, as he came into the pilot-house, and looked at the sky in all directions. christy had noticed the weather signs before; and the wind was beginning to pipe up a rather fresh blast, though the sun had been out for an hour or more earlier in the morning. it came from the southward, and it was already knocking up a considerable sea, as it had the range of the whole length of the bay. "i was thinking that we should have a storm before long when i looked at the signs this morning," replied christy rather indifferently. "how many men does your father have on board of his steamer, mr. passford?" asked the major, in a careless sort of way. "not as many, i should say, as you have in fort gaines. by the way, how many have you under your command there?" returned christy with a twinkle of the eye. "we have two thousand four hundred and twenty-six, including myself," replied the major. "that is quite a force; my father has only seven hundred and forty-two, without counting me." "where do you put them all?" "we stow them away in the hold, after the manner of packing sardines in a box. we only let them out one at a time, when we feed them with salt fish and baked beans." "that makes a good many men to a gun," suggested the major. "lots of them," answered christy. "how many guns does the steamer carry?" "only two hundred; of course i mean heavy guns,--sixty and eighty-four pounders. i think there must be small arms enough to supply all your men in the fort." "i was on board of the bellevite for half an hour or more, and i really did not see a single heavy gun," added the major, biting his lip. "didn't you notice the one hundred and twenty pounder in the waist? it is big enough for you to have seen it." it was plain enough to the young unionist that the major really desired to know something about the force and metal of the bellevite, and that he was disappointed when he found that the son of the owner was on his guard. no information was to be obtained from him. "i think you said there was a doctor on board of the steamer," continued major pierson, changing the subject of the conversation. "yes, sir; and a very skilful surgeon he is,--dr. linscott," replied christy. "i went in to see captain pecklar when i was below, and i found him in a very bad condition. i am afraid he will die before we can get him to the shore; and he is suffering terribly," added the major, looking earnestly into the face of the young man. "i am sorry for him," replied christy; and his pity and sympathy were apparent in his face. he had noticed the captain of the tug in the morning, and one of the soldiers had told him he was a northern man who had come to this region for his health. he appeared to have no scruples at doing the duty assigned to him, though he had been only two years at the south. but he seemed to be of no use to either side in the contest, for he was too sick to work any longer. christy was filled with pity for the sufferings of the captain of the tug, and he thought the major's questions suggested that something was to be required of him in connection with the sick man. he was willing to do any thing he could for the aid of the captain, if he could do it without sacrificing his principles. "it was a part of my purpose to obtain assistance from the surgeon of the steamer for poor pecklar," continued the major. "but you have moored us all here by refusing to steer the boat, and the captain will die without our being able to do a single thing for him. there is not even a drop of brandy on board of this boat to restore him." "what do you propose to do, major pierson?" asked christy. "just now, all i desire is to procure assistance for poor pecklar," replied the major. "but we are as helpless as though we were all babies, for we can't handle the steamer, and cannot run down to the bellevite. i hope you will not have the death of this poor fellow on your conscience." "i will not. i will take the leopard alongside of the bellevite, if you like," replied christy; and he regarded this as a mission of humanity which he had no right to decline. "the steamer has turned about!" shouted one of the soldiers on the forecastle. christy had noticed that the bellevite was coming about before the announcement came from below, for his nautical eye enabled him to see her first movement. he did not feel that the service he was about to render would benefit the enemy, on the one hand; and he hoped that his father or some other person on board of the bellevite would see him in the pilot-house, on the other hand. if he could only let his father know where he was, he felt that he should remove a heavy burden from his mind and that of his sister. what else might come from getting near to the steamer, he did not venture to consider. but he could not help figuring up the number of soldiers on board of the tug; the force which had captured him and percy consisted of four men, and two men were with the lieutenant. two officers and six men was the available force of the enemy on board of the little steamer, for neither the captain nor the engineer was fit for duty. "i accept your offer, captain passford; and we have no time to spare, or the sick man may die," said the major. christy made no reply, but went to the wheel, and rang the bell to go ahead. heading the leopard for the bellevite, he gave himself up to a consideration of the situation. major pierson immediately left the pilot-house, and did not return. no stipulations of any kind had been made, and no terms had been imposed upon christy. all that he desired was that his father should see him, and know where he was. no one but himself on board could handle the steamer; and he could not be sent out of the pilot-house, or concealed so that he should not be seen. on the other hand, it did not seem to him that the officer could do any thing towards capturing the bellevite. the major desired to ascertain what force she had, and had asked some questions calculated to throw light on the subject. if the steamer had come into the bay on a peaceful errand, as christy insisted that she had, the major might easily believe that she was not armed, and that she had only men enough to man her. but christy could not tell what his captor was thinking about, and he could not yet enlarge his plans for the future; but he was very certain in his own mind, that he should not let pass any opportunity to escape, even at great risk, from his present situation. as the leopard went off on her course, considerably shaken by the fresh breeze which had stirred up a smart sea, the acting captain of the tug saw that all the men who had been on the forecastle had disappeared, with a single exception. the major was not to be seen, and doubtless he was taking care of the sick captain, or arranging his plan for the interview with the people of the bellevite. in a few minutes more, this last man disappeared, and percy pierson took his place on the forecastle. "so you are a yank, are you, mr. pierson?" said he of that name, looking up to the window at which christy stood. "whatever i am, i am in command of a confederate steamer," replied christy, laughing. "what is your brother doing, mr. percy?" "i am sure i don't know: he is only talking to the men," answered the young man, who had evidently been put there to act as a lookout. at that moment a voice was heard from farther aft, and percy went towards the stern of the boat. a few minutes later he ascended to the pilot-house. on the sofa abaft the wheel was lieutenant dallberg, where he had dropped asleep as he finished his report of what he had learned on shore. "mr. dallberg!" shouted percy; but the lieutenant did not show any signs of life till the messenger had shaken him smartly. "major pierson wants you down below." the officer rubbed his eyes for a moment, and then rose from the sofa, and left the apartment. the summons for the lieutenant made it look to christy as though something was in progress below. there was only one thing which the major could think of doing; and that was to capture the bellevite, either by force or by strategy. he would have given a good deal to know what the plan was, but it seemed to him to be quite impossible to leave the wheel. "how is the sick man, percy?" asked christy, when he found that the messenger was not disposed to leave the pilot-house. "he is a good deal better: they have just given him another glass of brandy," replied percy. this statement did not agree with that of the major, who had told him the captain was likely to die, and that there was not a drop of brandy on board of the boat. the commandant of the fort had evidently been acting in the pilot-house with a purpose. "didn't your brother order you to stay on the forecastle, mr. percy?" asked christy, when his companion came to the wheel on the opposite side from the helmsman. "no: he said if i would help him, he would do what he could for me; and he told me to keep a lookout at this end of the tug. i can see ahead better here than i can down below," replied percy, as he tried to turn the wheel. "i believe i could steer this thing." "i know you could, percy. do you see the bellevite?" "of course i do: i'm not blind." "she has stopped her screw, and is not going ahead now," added christy, as he let go the spokes of the wheel, and proceeded to instruct his pupil. a few minutes later, christy left the pilot-house to take a look below. 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 the wheel; in fact, only long enough to induce him to "steer small." for the moment, percy was interested in the occupation, and gave his whole mind to it; and christy intended to remain where he could reach the wheel in a moment if occasion should require. his companion in the pilot-house did not seem to care what he did. the bellevite, as the new captain had observed before, had stopped her screw: and she appeared to be waiting for the tug to come up, as it was headed towards her. christy had examined her with the glass, but he could see nothing which gave him any idea of what was going on upon her decks. as florry was now on board of her, he was satisfied that his father could only be waiting for him; and he intended to do his best to report on board some time during the day. major pierson and his little force were gathered under the hurricane-deck, in the space from which opened the door of the captain's little cabin. christy could not see a single one of them from the upper deck; but he had gone but a few steps aft before he heard the voice of the major who seemed to be "laying down the law" in a forcible manner to his 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 that he must be one of the soldiers, probably one of the two who had come on board with lieutenant dallberg. "i don't think i do," replied the man addressed, in a tone quite as loud as that of the military officer. "you are not to start the engine under any circumstances," continued the major, in a louder tone than before, as if the man had failed to hear him. the man addressed as spikeley must be the engineer then, and not a soldier, christy realized at once. "don't i mind the bells, major pierson?" asked the engineer, whose tones indicated that he was not a little astonished at the positive order he had received. "you will not mind the bells. you will take no notice of them after this present 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 major with 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 the obtuseness of the engineer. "i reckon i do: i am not to start the engine till you tell me to start it," 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 that steamer 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 bottom of the bay?" "no!" exclaimed the officer. "all right, major; then you may find me on the bottom when you come back." "you will not be lost as long as i know where you are," added the major with a chuckle. "are you coming 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 to mind 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 on board; 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 it should be the fellow now at the wheel; and he can't do any harm as long as 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, with more 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 for passford: that's the young fellow at the wheel. he is the only one that can do any mischief, and i would not have him go near that steamer for a thousand dollars." christy thought he understood what was in progress; at any rate, he dared not remain any longer away from the wheel, and he returned to the pilot-house. percy was still interested in his occupation. he was steering the tug very well for a beginner, and his brother was too busy organizing his expedition to notice that the steering was a little wild; for the waves caused the boat to yaw somewhat in the absence of a skilled hand at the helm. the leopard was now within about half a mile of the bellevite. the latter turned her screw a few times once in a while to keep from drifting, and christy saw from his chart that the water was too shallow for her in the direction in which the tug was approaching her. of course his father was aware that, by this time, his own and his daughter's departure 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 call me 'mr. pierson' any longer, for it takes too long to say it. everybody calls me christy, and you had better follow the fashion," replied the captain. "all right, christy, and i will do so; for there are more piersons on board of this boat now than i wish there were," added percy, glancing at the face of his companion. "what is your brother going to do, percy? he seems to be arranging something on the lower deck," continued christy. "i don't know: he didn't tell me any thing at all about it. he wanted to use me: so he soaped me." "if he knew you could steer this steamer, he would have something more for you to do." "then i won't tell him. all i want is to get away from him. he will make a 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 stay with 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 disgraced the family. but, christy, now i think of it, you are not on the south side 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 any account, 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 at present. "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 more than you are," said percy, looking with interest into the face of his companion. "if your father is a union man, as lindley says he is, he don't mean to have the bellevite go into the service of the confederacy." "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 brother says he is, the bellevite is not going into the southern navy," replied christy, willing to encourage the major's brother. "i can understand that, christy. now, you are going on board of your father's steamer if you can get there." "i certainly don't want to stay on board of this little tub any longer than i am obliged to do so, for you can see that i am really a prisoner." "so am i; and that is just where we ought to be friends, and stand by each other," said percy with a good deal of enthusiasm. "i can see through a brick 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 into the confederate navy, as i supposed when we came into mobile bay, i can figure 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 argue the question on the other side," said christy, making very light of the whole matter, though he was vastly more interested than he was willing to acknowledge. "she is going to get out of mobile bay, and she is going to do it just as 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 him without stopping to soap my tongue." "you may see him before long. i don't know what your brother is about just now; and, for aught i know, he may intend to capture the bellevite." "i reckon he will have a good time doing it, if your father and captain breaker haven't a mind to let him do it." "they will not wish to fight, even for their steamer, here in mobile bay. i know that my father intended to keep the peace. besides, your brother 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 lift a 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 i am driving at." "i can't say that the steamer will not go there," added christy, who did not mean to commit himself. suddenly, without any bell from the pilot-house, the engine of the leopard stopped; but christy was not at all surprised at the failure of the power, though percy began to make himself very indignant over the stoppage of the engine. chapter xxiii the expedition from the leopard "what is the matter now?" demanded percy pierson, when the tug ceased to shake under the pressure of the engine, and began to roll rather smartly in 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 the needs of the confederate states require that it should stop." "which is the bell, christy?" inquired percy, looking at the pulls on the frame of the wheel. "the large one is the gong bell, the other is the speed bell, and the latter 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 the pilot-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 any more bells." "i think there is; at least, it saves striking too many strokes on the gong 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 it slowly 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 come up, you ring the jingler, if the boat is going at full speed, and the engineer slows her down. if there is any danger, and you wish to stop her as quick as you can, you ring one bell on the gong, which stops the engine, and then two bells on the same, which reverses the engine. now let me see if you know all about it; for your brother may want you to steer the leopard, and become her captain, after he has tied my hands behind 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 that he is going to do something;" and christy proceeded to examine his pupil in the use of the bell-pulls. percy made some mistakes, which were carefully corrected; and, as he did so, the captain wrote down the directions in full, placing the paper on the shelf with the chart. the student of bell-pulls signalized the completion of his examination by giving one pull at the gong; but it produced no effect at all upon the engine or the engineer, and the leopard, having fallen off into the trough of the sea, had begun to roll more violently than at first. "what is the matter with that engineer?" pouted percy, who did not feel flattered that his first experience with the bell-pulls produced no effect, though he had distinctly heard the sound of the gong. "they haven't sent any word up to the pilot house that the engine is disabled, and we shall have to apply to major pierson for further information." "that engineer must have gone to sleep!" exclaimed percy, whose vexation was in proportion to his zeal. he rang the gong again; but christy understood why the screw did not turn, 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 to heed his bell. "keep cool, percy," interposed christy. "don't say a word to your brother that you have learned to steer a steamer; and you may have a chance to surprise him, and show that you are a good deal more of a fellow 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 will go to the side of the hurricane deck, and tell him that the engine does not 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 down on that stool, and keep quiet." "i will do just what you tell me, christy, for i believe you will be able 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 in his path. he read the paper, and applied his fingers to the pulls in a great many different ways, supposing all the various situations of the boat which christy had suggested. christy went to the side of the upper deck, and saw that the soldiers had hauled in the boat that had been used by the lieutenant and his two men. 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 the sea, and it was not an easy matter for the soldiers to handle it; and just then the major declared that the boat would be smashed against the side of the tug. "major pierson, this steamer has stopped without any bell from the pilot-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," replied the major, who appeared to be in a hurry, though he could not make the long-boat work as he desired. "oblige me by remaining in the pilot-house for the present, and keep a sharp lookout for the bellevite." "certainly, major pierson, if you desire it; but permit me to suggest that you will not be able to do any thing with that boat while the tug remains in the trough of the sea," replied christy, who was more afraid that 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 the commandant, looking up with interest to the acting captain. "for reasons of my own, which i cannot stop to explain, i don't wish to take this tug any 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 in pieces." "i should say that it would be," added christy. "if you will start the engine again, i think i can help you out of this difficulty." "how do you expect to do it?" asked the major, who seemed to be incredulous on the point. "if you will let me get the tug out of the trough of the sea, you can easily haul the boat up on the lee side of her," christy explained. "the steamer will shelter the water on that side of her." "spikeley!" called the major, in a loud voice; and the engineer came out of his den. "start her up now." "run her at about half speed, major," and the commandant repeated his direction to the engineer. christy retreated to the pilot-house, and threw over the wheel of the boat; so that, when the screw began to turn, the bow of the tug soon headed to the southward, which gave her the wind ahead. then he brought her 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 little practice in rowing, having taken it up at the fort. they made rather bad work of it; but, more by luck than skill, the boat cleared the tug without 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 roll so badly when the engine is going." "that is very true; but your brother knows what he is about," replied christy, 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 can blow 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 heavily armed," added christy. "but he has been on board of her." "that is very true; but the two heavy guns were covered up, and the others were sent down into the hold. all the soldiers in the boat with your brother have their muskets; and he would not have taken the lieutenant and six men with him if he were simply going for the doctor for captain pecklar, as he told me he was." "i believe lindley is a fool to think of such a thing as capturing the bellevite with eight men," added percy. "i don't know what else he can intend to do, but i do know why he don't take the tug any nearer to the steamer. he don't want my father to know what 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 you stand, percy." "how i stand? you know as much about me as i know about myself. i want to get on board of the bellevite, and i am not a bit anxious to fight my brother'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 a colonel's commission." "i should say that he could not do any thing better for the confederacy than to present it with the finest steamer in the world. but you are not with him, you say, percy." "i am not. i belong to the confederacy the same as he does; but i want to get aboard of the bellevite, and then i shall have a good chance to reach nassau," replied percy. christy had a good deal better opinion of major pierson than he had of his brother in the pilot-house with him; but just then the latter was able 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 the bellevite, 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, if it be to sink the leopard. but we can't do a thing. the engineer will not start the engine for us; and i don't see but what we must stay here till 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 a revolver from his hip-pocket, where he had carried it all the time since the steamer left nassau, and while she was there. "what are you going to do with that, christy?" asked percy, impressed with the sight of the weapon. "i am going to start this tug with it, if necessary. now hear me." percy was all attention. chapter xxiv the engineer goes into the forecastle the wind from the southward seemed to be increasing in force, though it was 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 of it, and rolled wildly in the trough of the sea. the soldiers pulled badly, for they had had no training in the use of the oars, and very little experience. the boat had made very little progress towards the bellevite, and christy was in no hurry to put his plan in operation. he showed his revolver to percy, and then restored it to his hip-pocket. but he watched 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 the other was of the gray. but percy's patriotism was hardly skin deep, and he 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 the fellow at the engine don't look at it in that light," said percy, as his companion 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 interfere with me, i shall not harm him; for he seems to be a cripple, and it would hurt my feelings to have to lay hands on him, or even to point a revolver 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 to steer, and run the engine. "i have been on board the bellevite a great deal of the time for the last three years, and my mother says i was born a sailor, as my father was before me. i always took a deep interest in every thing connected with the steamer." "i should think you might, on board of such a fine vessel as the bellevite." "i have stood my trick at the wheel for weeks together; and the quartermasters 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 chief engineer, and i were in the same school together; and, though he is six years 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, and paul"-- "paul? that's another fellow?" "no: it's the same fellow,--paul vapoor. everybody that knows him says he is a genius. he was my teacher. but he told me that all the theory in the world would not make me an engineer: i must have the experience; and for 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 been on board of all sorts of steamers with paul, for the purpose of studying the 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 a small 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 the engine of the leopard," continued percy, coming back to the topic which interested him most. "what are you going to do after you have started the engine?" "i am going to get on board of the bellevite, and get you on board of her." "that will suit me first rate," replied percy. "but i don't want you to think 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 will do?" "that is more than i can tell you; but i have no doubt my father will try to get out of the bay, and then he will go to new york. it is about time to make a beginning, for the boat will not trouble us now," replied christy, 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 over in 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," replied christy anxiously, as he brought the glass to bear on the object in sight. "a steamer!" exclaimed percy. "that will mix things with us." "perhaps it will. it is a steamer, but it looks like a river boat, at any rate, it is not a tug. she is headed this way." christy was a good deal disturbed by the discovery he made; and giving no further attention to his companion, he continued to study the approaching craft, at the same time endeavoring to account for her appearance. his uncle homer had gone to find some one who was to render assistance in preventing the bellevite from leaving the bay, and becoming a part of the navy of the union. he had not succeeded in finding the person he sought, but he had had abundance of time to go to mobile; and christy feared that this steamer coming down from the north-west might be intended for the capture of the bellevite, in which case she must be armed and provided with an ample force for the purpose. "that is not a tug-boat: she is a river or a bay steamer, and i am afraid she is faster than this thing," said christy, when he had obtained 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 he seems 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 as much as she goes ahead. he ought to head her for some point to the southward of the bellevite; but the more mistakes he makes, the better it 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," continued christy, taking the revolver from his pocket, while he drew a box of cartridges from another. "the bellevite drifts as well as the boat; but they don't let her go far to the north where the shoal water is, and they turn the screw enough to keep her pretty nearly in the same position." "i am to steer for her, of course," added percy. "no: there is something that looks like buildings on the shore, at least five miles beyond the steamer. do you see them?" "i do." "run for them; and this course will carry you a considerable distance to the southward of the boat. i shall be near you all the time; and if you get 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 sure thing with the engineer?" "i can handle him alone; or, if i find that i cannot, i will call for you. now, look out very closely for your steering, and don't let her wobble any more than you can help." christy left the pilot-house, after he had put six cartridges into his revolver, and restored the weapon to his pocket. he had already made up his mind as to the manner in which he proposed to dispose of the engineer. he descended the ladder to the forecastle of the tug; but before he proceeded to the important task before him, he made a careful survey of the accommodations of the steamer, though she did not appear to be different from a score of similar vessels he had visited in making his studies. under the pilot-house was the galley, which was also the mess-room of the crew when she had any. forward of this, and under the forward deck, was the forecastle, to which the inquirer descended. it was fitted up with bunks, and there was only one entrance to it, by a ladder from a scuttle in the deck. the scuttle was the interesting point with him; and he saw that it was provided with a hasp and staple, so that the entrance could be secured by a padlock, though that was missing. getting a piece of wood from the deck, he made a toggle that would fit the staple, and put the scuttle in a convenient place. leaving the forward deck, he went aft, taking another look at the steamer in the north-west; but he could hardly see her with the naked eye, and he thought she must be at least five miles off. "where is your bunk, mr. spikeley?" asked christy, as he went to the door of the engine-room. "what's that to you, youngster?" demanded the engineer; and possibly it did 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 i want 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 get my orders from major pierson," replied the engineer sourly. "the leopard is in my charge, and i must ask you to show me where your bunk 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 the occasion. at the same time he took the revolver from his pocket, and pointed it towards the head of the engineer. "you can take your choice, mr. spikeley: you can get into your bunk, or have your carcass thrown into the bay; and you haven't got a great while to 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 from his 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," said spikeley. "what are you go'n to do?" "i am going to get you into your bunk, where you will be more comfortable than you are here. move on!" the man obeyed; for he was unarmed, and he did not like the looks of the revolver. without another word, he moved forward, and descended to the forecastle. as soon as he was below the deck, christy closed the scuttle, and secured it with the toggle. chapter xxv the first lesson for a sailor as the engineer was a cripple, christy passford had not expected to have any difficulty in bringing him to terms; and the result justified his calculations. the leopard was now practically in his possession, for captain pecklar was the only person on board, except percy, who could give him any trouble; and he was too feeble to do any thing. percy seemed to be very busy in the pilot-house, going through imaginary evolutions at the wheel, and supposing all sorts of orders, and all kinds of positions in which the tug might be placed. he did not seem even to observe what his companion was doing, though the engineer had been driven into the forecastle in plain sight from the window of the pilot-house. [illustration: "the engineer obeyed" (page )] the long-boat was still struggling through the waves on her way to the bellevite, and could hardly have made any worse weather of such a comparatively mild sea. but she had made some considerable progress, for the boat was now making a proper allowance for leeway, and the soldiers were improving in their rowing, possibly under the direction of the major, who could not help seeing how badly they had been doing. christy decided to ascertain more definitely the condition of captain pecklar, for reports in in regard to him were conflicting. he went to his state-room, and found him in his berth. he certainly looked like a very sick man, though he appeared to be in no immediate danger, so far as the new captain of the leopard was able to judge from his appearance. "how do you find yourself, captain pecklar?" asked christy in sympathetic tones; for he really pitied the poor man, far away from his friends, and apparently on the very brink of the grave. "i am a great deal better," replied the invalid, looking earnestly into the face of the young man in front of him. "i am glad to hear it. major pierson has gone in the boat to the bellevite for dr. linscott, and i am sure he will be able to do something for you when he comes," added christy. "when he comes," repeated captain pecklar, with a smile on his thin and blue lips. "i don't expect to see him at present." "but the major has gone for him; at least, he told me he should." "i have no doubt he told you so; but he has not gone for the doctor, though i may see the surgeon of the steamer in the course of the day," replied the captain, turning his gaze upon the floor of his room, as though his mind troubled him as much as his body. "if the major has not gone for the doctor, what has he gone for?" asked christy. "i know what he has gone for; and, as you belong on board of that steamer, i should think you might easily imagine." "perhaps i can," added christy rather vaguely. "was it necessary for a major and a lieutenant, with six soldiers, to go for the doctor, when five at the most could have done it better? but have they gone?" asked the captain anxiously. "they have; they started some time ago. they are making bad weather of it, for they don't know how to handle the boat in a sea," replied christy. "they have gone!" exclaimed captain pecklar, getting out of his bunk. "then i need not stay in my berth any longer." christy looked at him with astonishment when he saw him get out of his berth without any apparent difficulty; for he certainly looked like a very sick man, though his appearance had somewhat improved since he left the pilot-house. "do you feel able to get up, captain?" asked he, as the sufferer put on his coat. "i was exhausted and worn out by being on duty all night, and i had a faint turn; but i am subject to them. if you are the son of the man that owns that steamer, you will be able to understand me," replied the captain; and his feeble condition seemed to make him somewhat timid. "i am the son of captain passford, who owns the bellevite," added christy. "i should not have been down here now, if i could have got away; but they seem to hold on to me, for the reason that i am a pilot of these waters. i was brought up in the pilot-house of a steamer; and they say i know the bottom of this bay better than any other man, though i have been here but two years." "then you are not in sympathy with the secession movement?" "in sympathy with it? i hate the very sound of the word! i will tell you about it." "don't be long about it, for i have an affair on my hands," interposed christy, though he was not sorry to have the advice of one who knew something about the situation in the vicinity. "only a minute. major pierson sent a glass of brandy to me, and i was fit to take my place in the pilot-house then, for i felt a great deal better; in fact, i was as well as usual, and i am now. but i had an idea what the major was about, and i did not want to take any part in getting your father's steamer into trouble. that's the whole of it; all i want is to get on board of her, and get out of this country." "all right, captain pecklar!" exclaimed christy, delighted at the frankness of his companion. "the steamer, i mean the tug, is already in my possession." "in your possession! what do you mean by that?" asked the captain with a look of astonishment. "i have driven the engineer into the forecastle, and fastened him down. the major's brother is in the pilot-house, and he has learned something about handling the wheel. i am going to start the boat now; and if i can do nothing more, i can show myself to my father on board of the bellevite." "i am glad to hear it. i intended to do something, though i hardly knew what, as soon as i was sure that the major and his men had gone," added captain pecklar. "i can take the wheel now." "percy pierson takes a great deal of interest in his new occupation, and i think it will be best to let him occupy his mind in that way. he steered the tug for some time, while i was ascertaining what was going on in this part of the boat." "just as you think best, mr. passford." "call me christy, for that will sound more natural to me." "as you please, christy. i am competent to run an engine, and did it once for a couple of years, though the business does not agree with me." "very well, captain pecklar; then you shall run the engine, and i will keep the run of what is going on around us," said christy, as he walked towards the stern of the tug. "there is a new danger off in the north-west." "what's that?" asked the captain. "there is another steamer coming in this direction, and i suppose she hails from mobile. there she is." christy was somewhat disturbed to find that the approaching steamer was overhauling the tug very rapidly. it looked as though she would prove to be a more important factor in the immediate future than he had supposed. if he could only get on board of the bellevite, he was sure that she could run away from any thing that floated. but there was not another moment to be lost, and he hastened on deck to have the leopard started. he found percy still engaged with his problems in steering, going through all the forms as though the boat were actually under way. "now you may do it in earnest, percy," said he. "we are all ready to go ahead. strike your gong." "it will be no use to strike it while you are up here," replied the pilot, looking at christy with interest. "we have not a second to spare; strike your gong, and we will talk about it afterwards," continued christy impatiently. "but i am not a fool, christy, and i don't"-- "but i do!" interposed the acting captain sharply, as he reached over and pulled the bell. "i don't like to have a fellow fool with me when i am in earnest. what good will it do to ring the bell while you are in the pilot-house, christy?" but before the captain could answer the question, if he intended to do so, the boat began to shake under the pressure of the engine, and the tug moved ahead at half speed. percy was so much astonished that he could hardly throw over the wheel, and christy took hold of it himself. "i don't understand it," said he, as he took hold of the spokes, and looked ahead to get the course of the boat. "you will never make a sailor till you mend your ways," added christy. "there must be some one in the engine-room," said percy. "of course there is." "why didn't you say so, then? i did not suppose the boat could go ahead while you were up here." "i told you to ring the gong, didn't i?" "what was the use of ringing it when you were in the pilot-house?" "what was the use of ringing it when i did?" demanded christy, who had but little patience with this kind of a sailor. "you knew there was some one in the engine-room." "but the engine would have started just the same if you had rung the gong." "well, i didn't know it; and if you had only said you had an engineer, i should have understood it." "you will never make a sailor, as i said before," added christy. "what is the reason i won't?" "because you don't obey orders, and that is the first and only business of a sailor." "if you had only told me, it would have been all right." "if the captain, in an emergency, should tell you to port the helm, you could not obey the order till he had explained why it was given; and by that time the ship might go to the bottom. i can't trust you with the wheel if you don't do better than you have; for i have no time to explain what i am about, and i should not do it if i had." "it would not have taken over half an hour to tell me there was an engineer in the engine-room," growled percy. "that is not the way to do things on board of a vessel, and i object to the method. i don't know what there is before us, and i don't mean to give an order which is not likely to be obeyed till i have explained its meaning." "i will do as you say, christy," said percy rather doggedly. "did spikeley agree to run the engine?" "no, he did not; he is locked up in the forecastle. captain pecklar is at the engine; but he is all ready to take the wheel when i say the word." "i can keep the wheel, for i think i understand it very well now." "i did not wish to take you away from the wheel, for i saw that you liked the work; and i said so to captain pecklar. if you have learned the first lesson a sailor has to get through his head, all right; if not, captain pecklar will take the wheel." "i understand the case better now, and i will do just what you tell me," protested percy. "and without asking any questions?" "i won't ask a question if the whole thing drops from under me." percy steered very well, and christy had enough to do to watch the steamer astern and the boat ahead. chapter xxvi the post of duty and of danger the long-boat, with the increased experience of its crew, was doing very well, and it would soon be within hailing-distance of the bellevite. but major pierson could hardly help discovering that the leopard was under way, though he seemed to give his whole attention to the boat and the steamer ahead of him. christy went aft to ascertain the situation of the steamer from the north-west, and with the glass he satisfied himself that she was not exactly a river steamer, such as he had seen on the alabama; or, if she was, she had been altered to fit her for duty on the bay. he could see that she had brass guns on her forward deck, and a considerable force of soldiers or sailors. but she was a nondescript craft, and he was unable to make her out accurately, though by this time she was not more than half a mile distant. no immediate danger was to be apprehended from her, unless she opened fire with the field-pieces on her deck. as the leopard was in the service of the forts, she was not likely to do this till she knew more of the present situation on board of her. christy had made up a new course for the tug when he saw the change in the working of the long-boat, and the approaching steamer had an influence in his calculations. he had directed the new pilot to head her directly for the bellevite, only taking care to give the long-boat a sufficiently wide berth to prevent the soldiers from boarding her, and with steam it would be an easy thing to keep out of its way. christy went below to the engine-room to ascertain the condition of captain pecklar. he found him eating his breakfast, which he took from a basket he had evidently brought with him from the shore the day before. he seemed to have an appetite; and, from the food he consumed, the acting captain did not believe he could be in a desperate situation. "how do you get on, captain pecklar?" asked christy, as he glanced at the engine, and judged that it was moving more rapidly than at any time before. "i am a good deal better, christy: in fact, the thought of getting out of this country is almost enough to cure me; for i have come to the conclusion that i had rather die at home than live here," replied the captain, as he put an enormous piece of beef into his mouth, which his companion thought would be almost enough for his breakfast. "i am glad you are better. how does the engine work?" asked christy. "i have been stirring it up, and i just filled up the furnaces. i think she is doing her best, though that is not saying a great deal. but, christy, have you tried to get a look over beyond the bellevite?" "no, i haven't seen any thing in that direction," replied christy, a little startled by the question. "i believe there is another steamer over there; and, if there is, it must be the dauphine." "what of her?" asked christy anxiously. "she is a steam-yacht of four hundred tons, and the fastest steamer in these waters. they have been fitting her up for the war, though i don't know whether she is to be a man-of-war or a blockade-runner." "what makes you think it is she?" "because she has been over to the town you may have seen in that direction. she is behind the bellevite, so that you can hardly see her." "i am inclined to think the bellevite can take care of herself," replied christy. "why, the bellevite cannot do any thing but run away; and major pierson says she will never do that till you have been taken on board of her. i heard him and lieutenant dallberg talk it all over near the door of my room." "perhaps the bellevite can do something more than run away," added christy with a smile. "what do you mean, my friend?" asked the captain, suspending the operation of his jaws, he was so interested in the answer to his question. "the major said distinctly that she was a gentleman's pleasure-yacht, and that she was not armed." "the major has a right to his opinion, and i shall not argue the point against him. my father came into the bay on a peaceful errand, and he had no intention to be aggressive." "all right, christy; i can see through plain glass even when there isn't a hole in it," said captain pecklar, laughing; for he seemed to be entirely satisfied with the situation, in spite of the fact that two hostile steamers appeared to menace the bellevite, which he hoped would bear him to his home. "now, what do you know of the steamer astern of us?" asked christy. "that must be the belle. she is no match for an armed steamer, but she may do a great deal of mischief. she used to run down the bay in the summer." "i will go up to the pilot-house, and see if i can make out the dauphine. if she is a sea-going yacht, she is the one we have to fear," said christy, as he left the engine-room. "see here, christy; there is another steamer over beyond the bellevite, and she is pretty near her, too," said percy, as he entered the pilot-house. the acting captain brought his glass to bear over the bellevite, and he was satisfied that the approaching vessel was the yacht described by captain pecklar. but he had hardly got his eye on the dauphine, before he saw that the bellevite had started her screw. it looked as though she deemed it advisable to change her position in view of the approach of the steamers on each side of her. "where is she going, christy?" asked percy. "i am sure i cannot tell you. you can see all that i can see," replied christy, who was very anxious about the situation. "we are not a great way from the long-boat," suggested percy, who was more afraid of that than he was of all the steamers in sight. "what am i to steer for now? shall i make her follow the bellevite?" "head her off to the north-east," replied christy, opening the binnacle. but he might as well have opened the book of the black art to percy, for he could not steer by compass. christy got the leopard on her new course, by which she would come somewhere near intercepting the bellevite; and then he found an object on the shore, many miles distant, for the guidance of the pilot. but the long-boat was now almost within hailing-distance of the leopard. major pierson was certainly aware that the tug was under way, and he made the most energetic demonstrations for her to stop her screw. suddenly the bellevite changed her course again, and run directly towards the tug. this movement was apparently noticed by the major; for his men doubled their efforts at the oars, pulling for the leopard. the boat was then out of the trough of the sea, and its progress was much better. then the bellevite changed her course again; and it was impossible to determine what she intended to do, though possibly she was following a crooked channel. "leopard, ahoy!" shouted major pierson; and he was near enough now to be distinctly heard. "in the boat!" returned christy, though he knew the parley could amount to nothing. "stop her!" yelled the major. "not yet!" replied the acting captain. "stop, or i will fire into you!" "i'm not going to stand here and be shot down!" exclaimed percy. "my brother don't know that i am at the wheel, and i shall be the first one to get hit." christy could not blame percy for not wishing to be shot by the party under his brother's command; and he had no more relish for being shot himself, quite in sight of his father's steamer. but to abandon the helm was to abandon the control of the tug, and the major could recover possession of her and of his prisoner within a few minutes. "go below, percy, and put yourself in the fire-room, for you will be safe there," said christy. at that moment the crack of a musket was heard, and a bullet crashed through the pine boards of the pilot-house. it was the first evidence of actual war which christy had seen, and it impressed him strongly. "it isn't safe for me to show myself," said percy, as his companion took the wheel from him. "you must be your own judge of that," replied christy, as he dropped down on the floor, with the compass in his hand. "what are you going to do down there?" asked percy. "i have no wish to be shot any more than you have. i am going to keep out of sight, and steer the steamer by compass," replied christy. "i will steer her if i can keep out of sight," added percy. "you can't steer by compass; but you can do something if you are willing," suggested the pilot. "i am willing to do all i can; but i don't want my brother to shoot me, as much for his sake as my own. what shall i do?" asked percy. "crawl out of the pilot-house on the port-side, where they can't see you from the boat, and then keep watch of all the other steamers. report to me just where they all are, and what they are doing." "all right; i will do that," replied percy, as he obeyed the order. the boat continued to fire at the pilot-house of the leopard, and though a shot came uncomfortably near christy, he stuck to his post; for to leave it was to give up the battle. "the bellevite is headed directly towards us," called percy, outside of the pilot-house. "the other steamers are just as they were." "all right; keep your eye on them all the time." "the bellevite is headed directly towards us," said captain pecklar, coming to the top of the ladder on the port-side. "so percy has just reported to me." "but you will get killed if you stay here," said the captain, with genuine solicitude in his looks and manner. "but i must stay here, all the same," replied christy, who felt too proud to desert the post of duty because it happened to be the post of danger at the same time. "but let me take your place, christy," continued captain pecklar, finishing the ascent of the ladder. "no, no, captain! don't expose yourself," protested christy. "it is as safe for me as it will be for you." "but i have got about to the end of my chapter of life; and there is not more than a year, if there is as much as that, left for me. you are a young fellow, and the pride of your father, i have no doubt; at any rate, you ought to be. give me that place, and you will be safer in the engine-room." captain pecklar insisted for some time, but christy obstinately refused to leave his post. "men pulling in the boat with all their might!" shouted percy. "i think i can bring their labors in that way to an end," added the captain. "but do you understand what the bellevite is doing, christy?" "she is coming this way; that is all i know." "she is coming this way because the major has been fool enough to fire on the leopard. the shooting assures your father that this tug is an enemy." the captain went below again, leaving christy to consider his last remark. but he had not been gone five minutes before the report of a cannon shook the hull of the leopard, and the pilot saw that it was on the forecastle of the tug. chapter xxvii a cannon-ball through the leopard the gun on the forecastle of the leopard was placed as far aft as possible, so that christy could not see it without putting his head out at the front windows of the pilot-house, and for this reason he had not seen what captain pecklar was about. but the piece must have been loaded before, for he could not have charged it without being seen. the captain had remarked that he could bring the labors of those in the long-boat to an end, for major pierson was urging his men to their utmost with their oars in order to reach the tug. the smoke prevented christy from seeing to what extent he had succeeded, though the fact that he had fired the gun at the boat was all he needed to satisfy him of the fidelity of the acting engineer to the cause he had just espoused. christy had not deemed it advisable to change the course of the leopard; for the long-boat was approaching her at right angles, and he thought she would get out of its way, for those in charge of it made no calculation of the distance the tug would run while the boat was approaching her. the smoke blew aside in a moment, and christy discovered that the long-boat had not been struck by the shot; or, if it had, it had received no material damage. the major was still urging his men to increase their efforts, and he seemed to be not at all disconcerted by the shot which had been fired at him. but christy saw that he was losing the game, as he probably would not have done if he had been a sailor, for his calculations would have been better made. when the pilot of the leopard realized that the major was too much occupied in increasing the speed of the long-boat to continue the firing at the tug, he had resumed his place at the window; but he kept his eye on the enemy. he looked out at the window; but he could not see captain pecklar, though he heard him shovelling coal a minute later. the engine still appeared to be doing its best, and the tug was in a fair way to pass clear of the long-boat. "look out, up there, christy!" shouted the engineer, a little later. the pilot turned his attention to the boat again, and saw that the major and the lieutenant were loading their muskets again, and the two men not at the oars were doing the same. the commandant evidently began to feel that he was to miss his prey if he depended upon the oars of the soldiers, and he was about to turn his attention again to the business of disabling the pilot of the tug. christy dropped down on the floor again, and steered by the compass, which was still where he had placed it before. he could hear a rumbling sound on the forward deck, and he was curious to know what the captain was doing; but it was not prudent to look out at the window. after a great deal of hard kicking and prying, he succeeded in removing a narrow board from the front of the pilot-house near the floor; and through this aperture he could see that the acting engineer had just finished reloading the gun, and was changing its position so as to bring it to bear on the long-boat. the enemy were now a little forward of the beam of the tug, and not more than fifty yards from her; but christy was satisfied that the leopard would go clear of the long-boat if his craft was not disabled. the major and his companions could not help seeing that captain pecklar had deserted their cause, and that, with the gun on the deck, he was a dangerous enemy. the report of a musket in the direction of the boat caused christy to look very anxiously to the forward deck; but to his great satisfaction he saw that the captain had not been hit. but he immediately retired under the pilot-house, so that he could not see him. he was brave enough to stand up and be shot at, but he was also prudent enough not to expose himself unnecessarily. three other shots followed the first, one of the balls passing through the boards of the pilot-house, above the helmsman's head; and he saw a splinter fly from a stanchion forward. captain pecklar waited for the fourth shot,--and he had evidently noticed how many men had muskets in their hands,--then he sprang out from his hiding-place, sighted the gun, and pulled the lock-string. through the aperture he had made, christy looked with intense interest to ascertain the effect of this shot. as soon as the smoke blew away, he saw that the shot had passed obliquely into the boat, striking the stern-board just behind major pierson, and splitting off the plank near the water-line. there was a commotion in the ranks of the enemy, and it was plain enough that the water was flowing into the craft. the soldiers stopped rowing, and the lieutenant and one of the extra men were sent into the bow. this change settled the bow of the boat down into the water, and lifted the stern. the major appeared to be equal to the emergency; he gave his orders in a loud voice, and the rowing was renewed with the delay of not more than a couple of minutes. but that was enough to defeat his present purpose, though he still urged his men to exert themselves to the utmost. the long-boat went astern of the tug, and christy came out from his place on the floor to the windows. captain pecklar was loading the gun, as he had done before, by swinging it around so that the muzzle was under the pilot-house. "i think you will have no further use for that gun," said christy, when he saw what the captain was doing. "perhaps not; but it is best to have it ready for the next time we want it. the major kept it loaded all the time, and i shall follow his example," replied the captain. "have you been hit, percy?" asked christy, looking out at the side under which the late pilot had bestowed himself for safe-keeping. "i have not been hit; they could not see me where i am. have you been hit, christy?" replied percy. "not at all; i took good care not to be seen while they were firing. but your brother has dropped astern of the leopard in his boat, and there is no danger here now: so you can come in and take the helm, if you like." percy was glad to have something to do, for he was very nervous; and he came into the pilot-house. he was not half as airy as he had been before, and the sound of the muskets and the twelve-pounder on the forward deck had undoubtedly made an impression upon him. but he was as glad to take the wheel as christy was to have him, for he desired to study the situation after all the changes which had been made in the position of the several vessels. "you have had an awful time of it, christy," said percy, as he took the wheel. "i wonder that you have not been killed." "not a very awful time of it, and i took good care not to be killed," replied christy. "a fellow isn't good for much after he has been killed, and it is always best to look out and not get killed; though i suppose one cannot always help it." "did you fire the field-piece on the deck below?" "no, i did not; that was done by captain pecklar." "my brother will have him hanged when he gets hold of him," added percy, shaking his head. "very likely he will if he gets hold of him, but we don't intend to let him get hold of him." christy left the pilot-house, and went out on the hurricane deck, where he could better see all that was to be seen, and be alone with his own thoughts. his first care was to ascertain the position of his most active enemy, the long-boat. he could see it a short distance astern of the tug. it had changed its course, and was following the leopard, which was now gaining rapidly upon it. directly ahead of the tug was the bellevite, not more than a quarter of a mile distant; but while she was going off to the north-west, the dauphine had kept more to the southward and was now nearer than the steamer of captain passford. the remark which captain pecklar had made when he came partly upon the hurricane deck, that the bellevite had changed her course because major pierson had been fool enough to fire at the tug, came up in christy's mind again. he had thought of it at the time it was uttered, and several times since; but he had not had the time to weigh its meaning. the owner's son knew very well that every incident connected with the tug, and with the other vessels in sight, had been carefully observed and weighed by his father and captain breaker. they had seen the boat leave the leopard. it looked like a stupid movement to do such a thing, when the approach to the bellevite could be made so much more rapidly and safely in the tug. there must be a motive for such a singular step. of course the passage of the boat had been closely observed, and the starting up of the screw of the leopard had been duly noted. as the tug came near the long-boat, the latter had fired upon it. this must have been seen; and the question naturally would come up as to why those in the boat fired upon their own people in the leopard. it was not likely that they could answer the question in a satisfactory manner on board of the bellevite; but the firing indicated that an enemy was in possession of the tug. this was enough, in the opinion of christy, as it had been in that of captain pecklar, to produce the change in her course. the firing from both craft since the first demonstration must have deepened the impression. those on board of the leopard must be on the side of the union, or the party in the boat would not repeatedly fire upon them. christy was satisfied that his father would know what all the indications meant before he abandoned the investigation. but the bellevite did not seem to be making her best speed by a great deal. with his glass he could see that there was a hand in the fore-chains heaving the lead; and probably captain breaker feared that the bottom "might be too near the top of the water" for the draught of his vessel, and he was proceeding with caution. christy descended the ladder to the main-deck. he found captain pecklar in the fire-room, shovelling coal into the furnace. he seemed to be again nearly exhausted by the efforts he had made during the morning; and christy took the shovel from him, and did the work himself. "you must not kill yourself, captain pecklar. this is too hard work for you," said christy. "if i can only get out of this scrape, it will not make much difference what becomes of me," replied the invalid faintly. "i will do this work myself. don't you touch that shovel again." "but things are looking very badly indeed for us, christy," said the captain, bracing himself up as if for a renewed effort. "the belle is almost up with the boat, and she will take major pierson and his party on board; and she is nearer to us than the bellevite." "is that so? i have not looked astern for some time," replied christy, rather startled by the information. "the bellevite is not sailing as fast as she has some of the time, and both the belle and the dauphine are nearer to us than she is," added captain pecklar. "i have been trying to get up more steam." "if my father only knew that i was on board this tug, i should feel more hope," said christy. "perhaps he suspects you are. he probably sent ashore to obtain information in regard to you. but we don't know." just then a cannon-ball made the splinters fly all around them. [illustration: "i have hit her" (page )] chapter xxviii the american flag at the fore christy rushed out of the engine-room followed by captain pecklar, to ascertain what damage had been done to the tug by the shot. a cloud of smoke rising from the belle, astern of the leopard, informed them that the shot had come from her. it had struck the house on deck, carrying away the corner of the captain's state-room; but, beyond this, no damage appeared to be done. but the tug had broached to, and it was evident that percy had abandoned the wheel when the shot struck the vessel; and christy hastened to the pilot-house to restore the vessel to her course. but he was closely followed by the acting engineer. they found the volunteer pilot lying on the deck, where he had been before when the vessel was fired upon. "is that the way you steer the boat, percy?" said christy reproachfully, as he went into the pilot-house, and righted the helm. "didn't you hear that cannon-shot that struck her just now?" demanded percy, partly raising himself from his recumbent posture. "of course i heard it: i am not deaf; and, if i had been, i could have felt it. i don't believe we shall want you on board of the bellevite, if that is the way you do your duty." "i don't want to be shot by my own people," pleaded percy. "has the shot ruined the vessel?" "don't you see that she is going along the same as ever? no harm has been done to her so far as any further use to us is concerned," replied christy. "but, captain pecklar, as things are now, we are running right into the fire." christy was more troubled than he had been at any time before; and he realized that it was necessary to make some change in the course of the leopard, though she had the enemy on each side of her. "it don't look as well as it might," added the captain gloomily. "the dauphine is getting altogether too near us, and we are making the distance between us less every minute," added christy. "there comes another shot from the belle. she means business, and major pierson is certainly directing things on board of her. we can't stand that any longer. but she wasted her powder that time, and we must do better than that. what do you intend to do, christy?" "i mean to come about, and take a course between the belle and the dauphine: that is the most hopeful thing i can think of," replied christy, after another careful survey of the positions of the enemy. "i think you are right." "we will come about, then;" and christy threw over the wheel. "that will bring our gun where we can use it; and we shall have a better chance at the belle than she has at us, for she is larger, and has a crowd of men on her main deck," added captain pecklar, as he went to the ladder. "if you are not afraid of those shots, i am not," said percy, coming into the pilot-house again; and he was evidently ashamed of himself when he saw a fellow younger than himself taking no notice of them. "i don't pretend to like them, or that i am not afraid of them; but i shall do my duty in spite of them," replied christy. "i should be ashamed to meet my father, if i ever see him again, if i gave up the fight, and allowed myself to be kept as a prisoner." "i want to get away from here as much as you do; and i will take the wheel again, if you will let me," continued percy. "i don't ask you to expose yourself; but, if you take the helm, you must stick to it till you are relieved. we have no time to fool with you." "i will stick to it, christy." "very well, then you shall take it; but if you desert your post again, i will shoot you the first time i set eyes on you." "that is rough." "if you think it is, don't take the helm." "i will take it, for i had rather be shot by those in the other steamers than by you." "i am going below to help captain pecklar; but the moment the tug goes wrong, i shall send a ball from my revolver up into the pilot-house." "i understand you, and it looks as though we were getting into a hot place. i will do my duty as well as i know how. now tell me how i am to steer." "run for that point you see far off to the northward." christy went to the main deck forward, where he found captain pecklar getting the field-piece ready for use. the belle was now quite near on the one hand, while the dauphine was hardly farther off on the other hand. the bellevite was coming down from the north-east, with the lead still going in her chains. the immediate danger was to come from the belle. "that won't do!" exclaimed captain pecklar, when they had the gun in position for use. "what won't do?" asked christy. "didn't you notice that? they are firing rifle-balls from the belle. one of them just struck the bulkhead." "i don't see that we can help ourselves, whether it will do or not." "the chances are in our favor, however, for the men cannot handle their rifles to the best advantage while the belle heaves in the sea," added the captain. "don't stand up where they can see you, christy, but get down on the deck with that lock-string in your hand. when i give you the word, pull it as quick as you can," said the captain, as he sighted the gun, and changed its position several times. he was a sailor, and the artillery officers at the forts had trained the men employed on the tugs in handling the pieces put on board of them, to be used in bringing vessels to. better than any soldier, he could make the proper allowance for the motion of the steamer in the sea, which was becoming heavier. "fire!" shouted he, with more voice than he was supposed to have in the feeble condition of his lungs. the gunner had loaded the piece himself, and it made a tremendous report when christy pulled the lock-string. the leopard shook under the concussion of the discharge, and she was completely enveloped in smoke; so that they could not see whether the belle had been hit or not. but in the distance they could hear hoarse shouts in the direction of the belle, and they concluded that something had happened in that quarter. christy had brought down the glass with him; and he directed it towards the steamer aimed at as soon as the smoke began to blow out of the way, though it was some time before he could get a clear view of her. "by the great constitution!" exclaimed captain pecklar, before christy could cover the belle with his glass. "i have hit her!" "where?" asked the other, elated at the intelligence. "right on the bow! there is a hole big enough to roll a wheelbarrow through," replied the captain, greatly excited. "she has stopped her wheels." "that's a nice hole!" added christy, as he got the glass to bear on it, and his hopes began to rise again. "it is just about big enough for a small wheelbarrow. but they have gone to work on it, and are putting mattresses over it." "that craft is finished for to-day, and we needn't worry any more about her," said the captain. "she will not get that hole stopped up for an hour or longer, and i hope this affair will be over before this can be done. shall we give them another shot? what do you think, christy? she holds still now, and i believe i can hit her every time." "decidedly not: she is disabled for the present, and that is all i care for. we are not in war trim," replied christy, as he turned his attention in the direction of the other vessels. "as i told you, the dauphine is fast; and she will be down upon us in less than five minutes more," said captain pecklar. "i wonder that she don't fire upon us," added christy. "i doubt if she has any guns on board, though she may have a field-piece or two." "the bellevite is waking up, i think," said christy. "she is getting into deeper water." "but the dauphine is coming right between the leopard and the bellevite," continued christy, as he brought the glass to bear upon her, though she was near enough to be distinctly seen with the naked eye. "whether she had any guns or not, she has plenty of men on board; and it is easy enough to see what she intends to do." "what do you think she intends to do?" asked the captain. "of course she came out here after the bellevite, as the belle did also; but her people have seen what the leopard has been about for the last hour, and they intend to dispose of us before they hunt for the bigger game." "she may capture the bellevite after she has finished her business with us," said the captain, looking very anxious. "she may, but i don't believe she will. you have proved that you are all right, captain pecklar, and i don't mind telling you now that the bellevite is heavily armed. captain breaker was a lieutenant in the navy, and he knows how to handle a ship," replied christy. "then, if we escape the dauphine, we shall be all right." "the dauphine will come down, and throw a few men on board of us; boarding us, in fact, as we have no force with which to help ourselves," added christy, as he took a small american flag from his pocket. it had been made by his mother on the late cruise of the steamer, and it was a sort of talisman with him, which he had often displayed in foreign lands. he found a pole on the deck, to which he attached the emblem of his whole country, and displayed it at the bow of the tug. he hoped that his father or the captain might see it, and recognize it as the one he had so often seen on board and ashore. "that's a handsome flag, christy; and it does me good to see it again," said captain pecklar, as he took off his hat, and bowed reverently to it. "percy, hard-a-starboard the helm!" shouted christy to the helmsman. "head her for the belle." "all right." "i think we can increase the distance a little between us and the dauphine," added christy. "that's a good move; for we have been putting ourselves nearer to her when there was no need of it, as there has not been since the belle was disabled." he had hardly spoken the words before a tremendous cheer came from the bellevite, and her fore-rigging appeared to be filled with men. the cheer was repeated till it had been given at least "three times three." "what does that mean, christy?" asked captain pecklar. "it means that my father or some one on board has recognized my flag. i should have set it before if we had been near enough for them to make it out. but they have seen it, and i feel sure that all the steamers in the bay could not capture us now. look at the bellevite!" she seemed suddenly to have taken the bit in her teeth, and she was rushing forward at a speed which she had not before exhibited. paul vapoor was evidently wide awake. a little later her port-holes flew open. chapter xxix on board of the bellevite the crisis was at hand; for the dauphine was darting in between the leopard and the bellevite, between father and son. on the port rail of the former, as if ready to leap upon the deck of the tug, were at least twenty men; and, for the first time, the plan of the enemy became apparent to christy passford. he hastened to the hurricane deck of the leopard, where he could see more clearly; and it was evident to him that the question before them would be settled within a very few minutes. if he and his companions fell into the hands of the enemy, nothing less than a severe fight with the dauphine, perhaps aided by the belle, on the part of the bellevite could undo the mischief. christy was disposed to leave nothing to be undone. rushing into the pilot-house, he seized the wheel, and threw it over, determined to redeem the fate of the tug while he could. captain pecklar had crowded on all the steam he could, and doubtless the boat was doing her very best. she flew round like a top, careening till her rail was under water. "hard up, percy!" cried he, while the tug was still whirling. "those men will drop on board of us if we don't get out of the dauphine's way." "the bellevite is almost into her," added the volunteer pilot. paul vapoor evidently understood the situation, and must have been preparing for it for some time, though the shoal-water had prevented the steamer from taking advantage of his effort. she had suddenly begun to dart ahead as though she had been an object shot from one of her biggest guns; and she seemed almost to leap out of the water in her struggle to come between the leopard and the dauphine. the bellevite was certainly making two miles to her rival's one in the race, and it looked as though she would strike her sharp bow into the broadside of the enemy. she seemed to rely on a vigorous blow with her stem rather than on her guns; for as yet she had not fired a shot, though she was fully prepared to do so. the leopard came about in double-quick time; and as soon as her keel was at right angles with that of the dauphine, christy righted the helm, and let her go in the direction of the disabled belle. she rolled, pitched, and plunged in the sea, which had been increasing very sensibly within a short time; but she went ahead at her best speed, and that was all christy wanted of her. the bellevite was still rushing down upon the dauphine as though she intended to annihilate her when the crash came, as come it must within a minute or two. christy's heart was in his throat, for he felt that his own safety depended upon the events of the next two minutes. a tremendous collision was impending, and thus far the dauphine had done nothing to avoid it. doubtless her commander had gauged the speed of the bellevite by what she had been doing in the shoal water, and had not believed she could overhaul him before he had thrown a force on board of the leopard. "now, keep her as she is, percy, and we shall soon know what is going to happen," said christy, when the tug had come about so that he could not readily see the movements of the other steamers. "we are running right into the belle," suggested percy. "this thing will be settled before we can come within hail of her, and i don't think she wants any thing more of us at present," replied christy, as he left the pilot-house, and hastened aft, where he could get a better view of the situation. "there is a row on board of the dauphine," said captain pecklar, who had come to the stern for the same purpose as christy. "those men are leaping down from the rail." "what has happened on board of her?" asked christy. "nothing; but the bellevite is coming into her full tilt, and they know that the shock will knock all those men overboard; and i think they don't want to have to stop to pick them up," answered the captain. at this moment several sharp orders were given on board of the dauphine, and her head began to swing around to the northward. "that's what's the matter!" exclaimed the captain. "they think they won't wait for the rap the bellevite is ready to give them." the helm of the enemy's steamer had been put hard-a-port; and as she promptly came about, the sharp bow of the bellevite shot past her quarter, and she barely escaped the blow. it look as though those on board of either vessel could have leaped to the deck of the other. "what is the reason she don't fire upon the bellevite?" asked christy, when he felt that the crisis was past. "i don't believe she has any guns on board yet, though i don't know," replied the captain. "what is she going to do now, i wonder." "i think she will come about and try to board the bellevite now. it seems to me that if she had any guns on board, she would have opened fire before this time." "we must look out, or the bellevite will run into us," added christy, as he went forward to the pilot-house. "that steamer has come about," said percy, as he joined him. "if she had not come about, the bellevite would have cut through her starboard quarter," replied christy. "but we are all right now, and i think the excitement is about over." by this time the bellevite was abreast of the leopard, and not half a cable's length from her; but there was no demonstration at all of any sort on board of her. her high bulwarks concealed the whole ship's company; and no one could be seen but the lookouts forward, and a couple of officers in the rigging of the mainmast. "now we will get a little nearer to her," said christy, as he threw the wheel over. "she is coming about." the bellevite was blowing off steam, and she had reduced her speed as soon as she went clear of the dauphine. in a minute more, when she had come a little nearer to the leopard, she stopped her screw. "tug, ahoy!" shouted some one, in whose voice christy recognized that of captain breaker. "on board the bellevite!" responded christy. "come alongside!" added the commander of the steamer. "that's just what i was going to do," added christy to his companion. "i suppose we are all right now, are we not, christy?" asked percy. "i don't know what will come up next. the dauphine is still afloat, and in good condition; and i don't believe she is going to let the bellevite off without doing something." captain pecklar was letting off steam also; for he realized that the battle, so far as the leopard was concerned, was finished. christy steered the tug alongside of the steamer; and when he rang the bell finally to stop her, after a rope had been heaved on board of her, he left the engine, with the steam still escaping from the boiler, and the furnace-door wide open, and went to the pilot-house. "hurry up!" shouted captain breaker, appearing on the rail of the bellevite, at the gangway. captain pecklar looked astern of the tug, and saw that the dauphine was rapidly approaching. she had come about, and her captain did not appear to be satisfied with saving his own vessel from the collision, and intended to make another movement. but he had gone some distance before he came about, though he was now rather too near for the comfort of the bellevite after she had stopped her screw. "what shall we do with this tug?" asked christy, who had some doubts whether or not he ought to leave the leopard in condition for further use by the enemy. "we have no time to bother with her, and she don't amount to any thing. come on board as quick as you can," replied captain breaker. "go on board, captain pecklar," said christy, pointing to the gangway. "come, percy, your troubles are over for the present." the captain went up the ladder, followed by percy, and christy went the last; for he felt that he must see his friends through before he abandoned the leopard himself. the moment the owner's son showed himself on the rail, a burst of cheers came from the ship's company, to which he replied by taking off his cap and bowing. "i am glad to see you again, christy," said his father, as he descended to the deck and found himself in the arms of captain passford. "i was afraid i should have to leave you here, though i did not intend to do that as long as a plank of the bellevite remained under me." christy found his father a great deal more demonstrative than he had ever known him to be before, and he fully realized that he had had a very narrow, and even a wonderful escape since he had been taken by the enemy. captain breaker did not wait for father and son to finish their affectionate greetings; but as soon as christy put his foot on the rail he directed the line to the tug to be cast off, and the order was given to start the screw. the bellevite went ahead again, and the commander gave out the course for her. before captain passford was ready to think of any thing except the joyful meeting with his son, captain pecklar suddenly dropped to the deck as though a bullet from the enemy had finished his career in the very moment of victory. christy broke from his father, and hastened to his assistance. he had fainted again from exhaustion after the efforts of the day. dr. linscott was at his side almost as soon as christy, and the sufferer was borne to the cabin, where he was placed in one of the vacant state-rooms. "who is that man, christy?" asked captain passford, as soon as the invalid had been cared for. "that is captain pecklar; and he is a union man, though he has been in charge of that tug in the service of the forts. but he is in consumption, and he does not believe he can live much longer. he says he would rather die at home than live down here," replied christy. "he looks like a sick man," added the owner. "he is, and he has worked altogether beyond his strength. but i believe i should not have been here, father, at this moment, if he had not worked with me, and acted with the utmost courage and devotion." "then he shall want for nothing while he is on board of the bellevite." "but i am sure that the doctor can improve his condition; at least, i hope he can." "he can if any one can. but how happens percy to be with you in the tug?" asked captain passford, as he looked about him for the young man, who was standing near the mainmast, watching the approaching smoke-stack of the dauphine. "percy has not been as reliable as captain pecklar; but he has done well, and has rendered good service. he has steered the tug for some time," replied christy, calling to him the subject of the last remarks. "i am glad to see you again, mr. percy," said the owner, giving him his hand. "i am under obligations to you for all you have done to assist my son on board of that tug." "i was at work too for myself," said percy, taking the offered hand, "i don't belong on this side of the question, and all i want is to get back to nassau. i have nothing to expect from my brother, major pierson, and my mother cannot protect me." "in consideration of the service you have rendered to my son, i shall be glad to do all i can to assist you in getting there." "thank you, sir." "but where is florry, father?" asked christy, looking about the deck. "i could not allow her to be on deck when a shot was liable to come on board. she is in the cabin, and she will be as glad to see you as i have been," replied captain passford. christy hastened to the cabin. chapter xxx running the gantlet captain passford and percy soon followed christy into the cabin, and the meeting of the brother and sister was quite as affectionate as that between father and son had been. in fact, none of them cared now for the steamers of the enemy, or for any thing else, except to get out of mobile bay. christy told his story; and he learned that his father had sent a party ashore the night before to look for him, though they had been unable to obtain the slightest information in regard to him. captain breaker insisted that christy was on board of the leopard, though not till the soldiers in the long-boat had fired into the tug. the father believed that his son would not tamely submit to being made a prisoner, and the act of major pierson had almost convinced him that the commander was right. he had not been fully satisfied on this point till he recognized the silk american flag at the fore of the tug. but captain passford was too much interested in the situation on deck to remain long in the cabin, and he left christy there with florry, who seemed to be supremely happy, now that the family was in a fair way to be re-united at no distant day. "i think you know the gentleman who has made all this trouble for me, florry," said christy, when he and percy were alone with her. "how can i know him?" asked the fair girl, puzzled. "he is my brother, major pierson; and they say he used to call at colonel passford's once in a while, while i was away at school," interposed percy. "then i do know him," replied florry, blushing. "father thought, or at least he feared, that you might not like to leave the south," added christy. "did he say so?" asked the fair maiden, laughing. "he did not say a word, but i could tell by his looks." "then papa was very much mistaken. major pierson was very kind and polite to me, and i think he is a gentleman; but i have had no desire to remain at glenfield on his account." florry spoke as though she intended this remark to be the end of the conversation on that subject, and christy felt quite sure that she was not deeply interested in the commander of fort gaines. "now, i wonder if i can't go on deck," continued florry, breaking away from the disagreeable conversation. "they are not firing now." "i don't know, but i will go on deck and ask father if you wish." "do, christy, if you please." the bellevite was shaking in all her frame; for paul vapoor was again exercising his skill upon the screw, and she was flying through the water. the dauphine seemed to be struggling to get up an equal degree of speed; but, fast as she was said to be, the bellevite was running away from her. there was no excitement on deck, and christy readily obtained the required permission for his sister. captain pecklar, under the skillful treatment of dr. linscott, had improved a great deal, though he still remained in his bed. he declared that he felt like a new man; and, whether he lived or died, he was as happy as any man ought to be on the face of the earth. "that steamer off to the north-west has set her ensign with the union down, though i can't make out what the flag is," said captain breaker, addressing the owner, as christy came on deck. "what does that mean?" asked captain passford, getting upon the rail with the commander. "i am sure i don't know. i suppose it is a signal of distress, but it may be a trick of some sort," added captain breaker. "do you know any thing about that steamer over there, christy?" asked the owner, calling his son. "that is the belle, and i believe she came from mobile," replied christy. "what is she out here for?" "i have no doubt she came out here to capture the bellevite. uncle homer must have sent word to some one in mobile, judging from what i heard major pierson say; and probably that steamer came out here to prevent the bellevite from going into the navy of the union." "but why does she hoist a signal of distress?" "i think it is very likely she is in distress." "she is firing a gun," added captain breaker, as a cloud of smoke rose from the belle. "why do you think she is in distress, christy?" asked his father. "she opened fire on the leopard, after she had picked up the boat containing major pierson's party, and captain pecklar and i gave her a shot in return, which went through her bow and made a big hole. she stopped her wheels then, and since that she has been out of the fight." "the dauphine is coming about," added christy, as he joined the commander and his father on the rail. "the dauphine?" queried captain passford. "that is her name. captain pecklar can tell you something about her. he says she is fitting up for the confederate navy, but he thinks she has no guns on board yet." "it is beginning to blow very fresh," said captain breaker, as he took a look at the sky and the waters of the bay. "my barometer indicates nasty weather." "there is too much sea, at any rate, for a steamer with a big hole in her bow," said captain passford. christy told all he knew about the belle, and the owner declared that he had no desire to see the large number of men on board of her drowned before his eyes. the gun the disabled steamer had fired was regarded as another signal of distress, which indicated that the situation was becoming urgent with her. "she has hoisted a white flag," added captain breaker; and no glass was needed to disclose the fact that a panic existed on board of her, for men who could fight bravely for a cause they deemed right might not be willing to be drowned without being able to lift a finger to save themselves. "come about, breaker, and run for the disabled steamer," said captain passford, in a decided tone; and the order was instantly obeyed. the commander sent christy to the chief engineer to have him increase the speed of the steamer, at the suggestion of the owner. paul had not seen him before, and the two friends hugged each other like a couple of girls when they came together. but the chief did not lose a moment in obeying the order brought to him. in a few minutes the bellevite passed the dauphine, and readied the vicinity of the belle, which was evidently sinking, for she had settled a good deal in the water. four boats were instantly lowered into the water; and christy was assigned to the command of one of them, while the first and second officers and the boatswain went in charge of the others. these boats were skilfully handled, and they dashed boldly up to the sinking craft. the soldiers on board of her were more afraid of water than they were of fire, and the four boats were soon loaded. "is that you, christy?" said one of his passengers. christy looked, and saw that the person who addressed him was his uncle homer. "yes, sir," replied the nephew; but he did not venture to say any thing more. "i was not aware that you were taking an active part in this affair till major pierson told me that you had taken possession of his steam-tug, and that it was you who had fired the shot which disabled the belle," continued colonel passford, evidently very much troubled and annoyed. "i was made a prisoner by the major, and i have done what i could to get out of his hands," replied christy. "i suppose you came out in this steamer for the purpose of capturing the bellevite; but you have not done it yet, and i don't believe you will." "i should like to see your father," added the colonel. "we are ordered to put these people on board of the dauphine, and she has just stopped her screw. i cannot disobey my orders, uncle homer." but christy did not like to prolong the conversation, and he told his men to give way. the sea had certainly increased till it made it lively for the boats, and the colonel said no more. the passengers were put on board of the dauphine, and it was not necessary for more than two of the boats to return to the belle for the rest of the men on board of her. colonel passford insisted upon boarding the bellevite, after the others had left the boat, and christy yielded the point. the confederate brother was received by the union brother as though nothing had occurred to divide them. he was conducted to the cabin, as it had just begun to rain, where he was greeted as kindly by florry. "i am sorry you left me in such an abrupt manner, horatio," said homer, very much embarrassed. "i think you took a rather unfair advantage of the circumstances." "unfair? what? when you said outright that you intended to take steps for the capture of my steamer, the only means of reaching my family, and conveying my daughter to her home, that were within my reach. i came here on a peaceful mission, and i think the unfairness was all on the other side," replied horatio. "i still believe that i had no moral right, before god and my countrymen, to allow you to hand this fine steamer over to the yankee navy: but i was on board of the belle for the purpose of seeing that no harm came to you, or any member of your family," said homer with deep feeling. "then i thank you for your good intentions. but i believed, before god and my countrymen north and south, that i had no moral right to let this vessel be taken for the use of the confederacy, and i would have burned her on the waters of mobile bay before i would have given her up," added horatio, quite as earnestly as the other had spoken. "fortune has favored you this time, horatio; but when you are suffering and in want from the effects of this war, remember that i shall always have a brother's heart in my bosom, and that it will always be open to you and yours." "i heartily reciprocate this fraternal sentiment, and i am confident that you will need my assistance before i need yours: but all that i have and all that i am shall be at your service, homer." "i am glad that we understand each other, and i rejoice that i came on board of your steamer for these parting words. i will not ask you what you are going to do next, for you would not tell me; but i shall expect to hear that the bellevite has been sunk in attempting to pass the forts." "better that than in the service of the enemies of my country, homer." they parted with tears in the eyes of both, and never before had they realized how stern and severe was the mandate of duty. christy conveyed his uncle back to the dauphine, shook hands with him, and returned to the bellevite. the mission of the steamer in mobile bay ended, and she had nothing more to do but return to her native waters, though perhaps this would prove to be the most difficult part of the entire enterprise. the steamer stood down the bay in the drenching rain, and was soon buried in a dense fog that was blown in by the wind from the gulf. she lay off and on during the rest of the day, and the commander made his preparations for running the gantlet of the forts. this was not so difficult and dangerous an enterprise as it became later when the channel was obstructed, though even now the feat could not be accomplished without great difficulty and danger. in the course of the day, captain pecklar left his berth and came on deck. captain breaker decided to leave the piloting of the steamer to him, after he had conversed for hours with him. no better night in the whole year could have been selected for the undertaking. it had ceased to rain, but the darkness and the fog were as dense as possible. the pilot manifested entire confidence, as he had plenty of water in the channel, and he knew all about the currents, the tide, and the action of the wind. it was an exciting time, when every light on board was extinguished, and the steamer started down the bay with captain pecklar and two quartermasters at the wheel. after the bellevite had passed the dangerous part of the channel, firing was heard from fort morgan; but the vessel was soon in the gulf of mexico. heavy guns were heard for some time, but all on board of the steamer could afford to laugh at them. the ship continued on her course, and among the islands near nassau percy pierson was put on board of a schooner bound to new providence. in eight days from the time she passed the forts, the bellevite steamed into new york bay, and then to bonnydale on the hudson, where the family were again re-united, and the fond mother wept over her two children, restored to her after all the dangers of the past. on his arrival, captain passford found letters for him from the government, and the offer of the bellevite had been promptly accepted. after having been taken by the enemy, on the next voyage christy found himself within the enemy's lines. _oliver optic's books._ young america abroad second series. a library of travel and adventure in foreign lands. mo. illustrated by nast, stevens, perkins, and others. per volume, $ . . . up the baltic; or, young america in norway, sweden, and denmark. . northern lands; or, young america in russia and prussia. . cross and crescent; or, young america in turkey and greece. . sunny shores; or, young america in italy and austria. . vine and olive; or, young america in spain and portugal. . isles of the sea; or, young america homeward bound. "oliver optic" is a _nom de plume_ that is known and loved by almost every boy of intelligence in the land. we have seen a highly intellectual and world-weary man, a cynic whose heart was somewhat imbittered by its large experience of human nature, take up one of oliver optic's books and read it at a sitting, neglecting his work in yielding to the fascination of the pages. when a mature and exceedingly well-informed mind, long despoiled of all its freshness, can thus find pleasure in a book for boys, no additional words of recommendation are needed.--_sunday times._ _oliver optic's books._ famous "boat-club" series, library for young people. six volumes, handsomely illustrated. per volume, $ . . . the boat club; or, the bonkers of rippleton. . all aboard; or, life on the lake. . now or never; or, the adventures of bobby bright. . try again; or, the trials and triumphs of harry west. . poor and proud; or, the fortunes of katy redburn. . little by little; or, the cruise of the flyaway. this is the first series of books written for the young by "oliver optic." it laid the foundation for his fame as the first of authors in which the young delight, and gained for him the title of the prince of story-tellers. the six books are varied in incident and plot, but all are entertaining and original. _oliver optic's books._ army and navy stories. six volumes. illustrated. per vol., $ . . . the soldier boy; or, tom somers in the army. . the sailor boy; or, jack somers in the navy. . the young lieutenant; or, adventures of an army officer. . the yankee middy; or, adventures of a navy officer. . fighting joe; or, the fortunes of a staff officer. . brave old salt; or, life on the quarter-deck. this series of six volumes recounts the adventures of two brothers, tom and jack somers, one in the army, the other in the navy, in the great civil war. the romantic narratives of the fortunes and exploits of the brothers are thrilling in the extreme. historical accuracy in the recital of the great events of that period is strictly followed, and the result is not only a library of entertaining volumes, but also the best history of the civil war for young people ever written. _oliver optic's books._ young america abroad. first series. a library of travel and adventure in foreign lands. mo. illustrated by nast, stevens, perkins, and others. per volume, $ . . . outward bound; or, young america afloat. . shamrock and thistle; or, young america in ireland and scotland. . red cross; or, young america in england and wales. . dikes and ditches; or, young america in holland and belgium. . palace and cottage; or, young america in france and switzerland. . down the rhine; or, young america in germany. the story from its inception and through the twelve volumes (see _second series_), is a bewitching one, while the information imparted, concerning the countries of europe and the isles of the sea, is not only correct in every particular, but is told in a captivating style. "oliver optic" will continue to be the boy's friend, and his pleasant books will continue to be read by thousands of american boys. what a fine holiday present either or both series of "young america abroad" would be for a young friend! it would make a little library highly prized by the recipient, and would not be an expensive one.--_providence press._ _oliver optic's books._ all-over-the-world library illustrated per volume $ . first series a missing million or the adventures of louis belgrave a millionaire at sixteen or the cruise of the guardian mother a young knight errant or cruising in the west indies strange sights abroad or a voyage in european waters second series the american boys afloat or cruising in the orient the young navigators or the foreign cruise of the maud up and down the nile or young adventurers in africa asiatic breezes or students on the wing (in press) the bare announcement of a new series of books by oliver optic will delight boys all over the country. when they farther learn that their favorite author proposes to 'personally conduct' his army of readers on a grand tour of the world, there will be a terrible scramble for excursion tickets--that is, the opening volume of the 'globe trotting series.' of one thing the boys may be dead sure, it will be no tame, humdrum journey, for oliver optic does not believe that fun and excitement are injurious to boys, but, on the contrary, if of the right kind he thinks it does them good. louis belgrave is a fortunate lad, because, at the age of sixteen, he was the possessor of a cool million of dollars. no one, not even a young boy, can travel without money, as our author well knows, therefore he at once provided a liberal supply. louis is a fine young fellow with good principles and honor, so he can be trusted to spend his million wisely. but he does not have entirely smooth sailing. in the first place he has a rascally step-father whom he had to subjugate, a dear mother to protect and care for, and the missing million to find before he could commence his delightful travels. they are all accomplished at last, and there was plenty of excitement and brave exploits in the doing of them, as the boy readers will find. the cover design shows many things--a globe, the eiffel tower, mountains, seas, rivers, castles and other things louis will see on his travels.--_current review._ lee and shepard publishers boston _oliver optic's books._ the blue and the gray illustrated. with emblematic dies. each volume bound in blue and gray. per volume, $ . . afloat taken by the enemy within the enemy's lines a victorious union on the blockade stand by the union fighting for the right on land brother against brother in the saddle a lieutenant at eighteen _other volumes in preparation_ the opening of a new series of books from the pen of oliver optic is bound to arouse the highest anticipation in the minds of boy and girl readers. there never has been a more interesting writer in the field of juvenile literature than mr. w. t. adams, who under his well-known pseudonym, is known and admired by every boy and girl in the country, and by thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of youth, yet who remember with pleasure the genial, interesting pen that did so much to interest, instruct and entertain their younger years. the present volume opens "the blue and the gray series," a title that is sufficiently indicative of the nature and spirit of the series, of which the first volume is now presented, while the name of oliver optic is sufficient warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. "taken by the enemy," the first book of the series, is as bright and entertaining as any work that mr. adams has yet put forth, and will be as eagerly perused as any that has borne his name. it would not be fair to the prospective reader to deprive him of the zest which comes from the unexpected, by entering into a synopsis of the story. a word, however, should be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of the binding, which makes it a most attractive volume.--_boston budget._ "taken by the enemy" has just come from the press, an announcement that cannot but appeal to every healthy boy from ten to fifteen years of age in the country. "no writer of the present day," says the boston _commonwealth_, "whose aim has been to hit the boyish heart, has been as successful as oliver optic. there is a period in the life of every youth, just about the time that he is collecting postage-stamps, and before his legs are long enough for a bicycle, when he has the oliver optic fever. he catches it by reading a few stray pages somewhere, and then there is nothing for it but to let the matter take its course. belief comes only when the last page of the last book is read: and then there are relapses whenever a new book appears until one is safely on through the teens."--_literary news._ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * errata noted by transcriber: invisible punctuation-- chiefly quotation marks-- has been silently supplied. for he intended to drive the vessel _text reads "to to drive"_ any unnecessary strategetical / falsehood _so in original_ and observed his conduct on board of the bellevite _text reads "an board"_ "de lo'd!" exclaimed the venerable colored man _text reads "de l'od"_ "shoot me!" exclaimed percy, _text reads "exclaimed, percy,"_ "you will not be lost as long as i know where you are," _text reads "where your are"_ [illustration: "i have hit her" (page )] _capitalization as in original_ what do you intend to do, christy?" _text has period for question mark_ that is the most hopeful thing i can think of," _text reads "think off"_ no additional words of recommendation are needed _text reads "recomendation"_ the bare announcement of a new series _text begins with open quote_ generously made available by the kentuckiana digital libra the blue and the gray series taken by the enemy within the enemy's lines on the blockade in press lee and shepard publishers boston [illustration: "he saw two men making their way through the grove."--page .] the blue and the gray series [illustration] by oliver optic within the enemy's lines _the blue and the gray series_ within the enemy's lines by oliver optic author of "the army and navy series," "young america abroad," "the great western series," "the woodville stories," "the starry flag series," "the boat club stories," "the onward and upward series," "the yacht-club series," "the lake shore series," "the riverdale series," "the boat-builder series," "taken by the enemy," etc. boston lee and shepard publishers milk street next "the old south meeting house" new york chas. t. dillingham and broadway copyright, , by lee and shepard _all rights reserved._ within the enemy's lines. a mon jeune ami, (que je n'ai jamais vu, et que je ne connais pas,) monsieur lucien bing, de paris, france, en reconnaissance de la bonté de son père, cette historiette de la guerre civile en amerique est affectueusement dédié. preface "within the enemy's lines" is the second volume of "the blue and the gray series." like its predecessor, of course, its scenes are connected with the war of the rebellion; and perhaps the writer ought to be thankful that he is not required in such a work to rise to the dignity of history, but he believes that all his events were possible, and that every one of them has had its parallel in the actual occurrences of the historic period of which he writes. in fact, some of the experiences of the actors in the terrible drama of a quarter of a century ago would pass more readily for fiction than for reality, and detailed on the pages of a story would be deemed impossible by the conservative reader. the nation has passed out of its ordeal of fire, and an excellent spirit on the part of both parties to the great strife is still growing and strengthening, in spite of an occasional exhibition of folly on both sides on the part of those who have not outlived the bitterness of the past, and who probably will not outlive it. the time will certainly come when the memories of the conflict, the repetition of the stories of the war, and even the partisan praise bestowed upon the heroes of both sides, will excite no more ill feeling than does an allusion to the war of the roses in england. in this country the advocate of either side will tell his story, relate his history, and jingle his verse in his own way, and from his own standpoint. those upon the other side will be magnanimous enough to tolerate him, at least in silence. histories, romances, poems, and plays relating to the war, are produced in greater numbers as the gap between the days of battle and the days of peace widens; but the old fires are not rekindled, the old bitterness still slumbers, and the great united nation still lives on in perfect peace. the author hopes he has done nothing on these pages to impair the growing harmony between the two sections which have happily become one, or to impregnate the minds of those who have been born since the strife ended with any of its bitterness. he has endeavored to make as high-toned men on the one side as the other, with the same moral sentiment in the one party as the other, and to exhibit their only difference in the one great question of union or disunion. dorchester, may , . contents page chapter i. an unexpected visitor chapter ii. a difference of opinion chapter iii. the dignified naval officer chapter iv. corny passford plays another part chapter v. captain carboneer and his party chapter vi. the cabin of the florence chapter vii. midshipman christy passford chapter viii. arranging the signals chapter ix. the approach of the vampire chapter x. a shot from the long gun chapter xi. the battle alongside the bellevite chapter xii. the prisoner of war chapter xiii. after the battle chapter xiv. the beginning of a chase chapter xv. a chase off the bermudas chapter xvi. the confederate steamer yazoo chapter xvii. a satisfactory order chapter xviii. lieutenant passford in command chapter xix. some trouble on board the teaser chapter xx. coming to the point chapter xxi. on a dark and foggy night chapter xxii. a variety of night signals chapter xxiii. another night expedition chapter xxiv. lieutenant passford on a mission chapter xxv. christy becomes a victim chapter xxvi. the action on the deck of the teaser chapter xxvii. a visit from colonel homer passford chapter xxviii. an enterprise for a dark night chapter xxix. the new mate of the cotton schooner chapter xxx. the prize-master of the judith within the enemy's lines chapter i an unexpected visitor "cornelius!" exclaimed captain passford, as a young man of nineteen was shown into the library of the magnificent dwelling of the millionnaire at bonnydale, on the hudson. "cornelius passford, uncle horatio," replied the young man, as the captain rushed to him and extended his hand. "i think there can be no mistake about it; and i should have been no more surprised if mr. jefferson davis had been ushered into my library at this moment," continued captain passford, still retaining the hand of his nephew. "i understood that you were a soldier in the confederate army." "i was a soldier; but i am not one just now," replied the visitor, with some embarrassment in his manner, though the circumstances were strange enough to account for it. "how are your father and mother and miss gerty, corny?" asked the uncle of the visitor, giving the young man the name by which he was generally called both at home and in the family of his uncle. "they were all very well when i left them," replied corny, looking on the floor, as though he was not altogether satisfied with himself. "of course, you brought letters from your father and gerty?" "no, sir; i brought no letters," replied corny, and, more than before, he looked as though he was not enjoying his present visit. "no letters!" exclaimed captain passford, evidently surprised beyond measure at the apparent want of kindly feeling on the part of members of his brother's family in the south. "not a letter, uncle horatio," answered corny, bracing himself up, as though he realized that he was not presenting a demeanor such as he thought the occasion required of him. "this is very strange," added captain passford, with a cloud playing on his fine features. "it is war between the north and the south, uncle horatio, and i suppose my father did not feel like writing any letters. gerty never writes any letters if she can help it," corny explained. "but gerty used to write to florry about once a week." "did she? i didn't know it. she never would write to me when i was away from home," said corny, who seemed to be very anxious not to say anything that was not consistent with the present situation, whatever it was. "when i parted with my brother on board of the bellevite, both of us shed tears as we realized that war made enemies of us; but each of us promised to do all he could for the other in case of need. i am very sure that there was not the slightest unkind feeling between us. of course, i did not expect him to write me the war news, but i think he could have written a few lines without any allusion to the war," said captain passford, pained at this want of filial affection on the part of his brother. at that moment the bell for tea rang, and the captain invited his nephew to the table with him. the host was saddened by the absence of news from his brother, of any kindly expression from one who was of the same blood as himself. he was not quite satisfied with corny's manner, or with the little he seemed to be willing to say about the rest of the family. it was certainly very strange that the young man should be there at all, and his awkwardness and confusion made the visit seem still more singular. it was possible that the young man had just arrived and was fatigued by the trials and perils of his trip, for he must have come by some roundabout way; and very likely he felt nervous and uneasy in the midst of people who were loyal to the government and the union. captain passford decided to say nothing more to his nephew at present as to the occasion and the manner of his visit to bonnydale, and during the evening meal he avoided all allusion to the war, so far as it was possible to do so. mrs. passford and florry received him very kindly, but following the example of the head of the family, they spoke only of domestic affairs, and of the relations of the two families as they had been before the war. between the brothers homer and horatio passford, even from their early boyhood, a remarkably strong fraternal affection had subsisted. both of them were high-toned men, and both of them had always been faithful in the discharge of every duty to god and man. each of them had a wife, a son and a daughter, and two happier families could not have been found on the face of the earth. they were not only devoted to each other, each within its own circle, but the two families were as nearly one as it was possible to be. captain horatio had formerly been a shipmaster, and had accumulated an immense fortune. homer was less fortunate in this respect, and his tastes were somewhat different from those of his brother. he wanted to be a planter, and with the financial assistance of his brother, he went into the business of raising cotton near mobile, in alabama. but years before the war, he had paid off every dollar of his indebtedness to horatio, and had made a comfortable fortune besides. the two families had visited each other as much an possible, and the captain, with his little family, had been almost to the plantation in the bellevite, the magnificent steam-yacht of the northerner. during the preceding winter, captain passford, his wife and son, had visited most of the islands of the atlantic; but the health of miss florry was considerably impaired, and the doctors would not permit her to make this sea-voyage, but recommended her to keep quiet in some southern locality. she had therefore passed the winter at glenfield, which was the name of homer passford's plantation. on his return from this long cruise, the owner of the bellevite obtained his first news that war existed between the north and the south from the pilot. the three members of the family on board of the steamer were greatly distressed over the fact that florry was still at the home of her uncle in alabama, within the enemy's lines. without going on shore, captain passford decided to arm his yacht, which was large enough for a man-of-war, and hasten to mobile bay to bring back his daughter. he was in doubt with regard to the political feeling of homer, but believed that he would still adhere to the government and the union. it was a part of his mission to bring his brother and his family to his own home at bonnydale. mrs. passford was sent on shore in a tug, and christy, the son, was to go with her; but the young man, just entering his seventeenth year, protested against being left at home, and as the captain believed that a patriotic citizen ought to be willing to give his all, even his sons, to his country, the young man went with his father. the mother was as devoted to her country as the father, and terrible as was the ordeal, she consented to part with him for such a duty. by an event fortunate for him, captain passford succeeded in obtaining an armament for his vessel, as well as an abundant supply of ammunition; and the vessel was refitted for the perilous service in which she was to be engaged. at nassau, christy made the acquaintance of a young man who proved to be of great service to the expedition, and the bellevite reached her destination in safety, though not without some rather exciting incidents. captain passford found that his brother was sincerely and devotedly attached to the southern cause. they discussed the great question for hours upon hours, each striving to convert the other to his own views, but with no success on the part of either. homer passford was a religious man, conscientious in the discharge of every duty, and nothing less could be said of his northern brother. in a short time the owner of the bellevite found that he had fallen into a "hornet's nest," for the planter did not believe that he ought to allow the steam-yacht to be taken to new york to become a part of the navy of the union. he declared his convictions to his brother, who was compelled to regard the planter as an enemy in spite of the relations subsisting between them. both of them placed their duty to their own country above every other consideration. captain passford was obliged to get his daughter out of his brother's house by stealth, and to make his escape with the bellevite as best he could. major lindley pierson, in command of fort gaines, at the entrance to mobile bay, had permitted the steamer to pass, having been deceived by his younger brother. he had been a frequent visitor at the mansion of homer passford, attracted there, it appeared, by the lovely daughter of the planter's brother, remaining there for the winter. perhaps on her account, perhaps with the fear that the bellevite was not what she had appeared to be, he had gone to the vicinity of glenfield to inquire into the mission of the steamer. homer passford, acting upon his convictions, gave information which resulted in an attempt to capture the bellevite. christy, not informed in regard to the plans of his father to depart at once in the steamer, was "taken by the enemy," and had some very stirring adventures in the bay. but the steamer escaped from the numerous enemies that awaited her, and christy got on board of her at the last minute. the bellevite ran the gantlet of the forts in a dense fog, and brought miss florry in safety to her home at bonnydale. corny passford, whose unexpected arrival at bonnydale had excited the astonishment of his uncle, was a year older than christy, and had enlisted in the confederate service at the insistence of major pierson. without knowing anything in particular about the matter, his uncle believed, at his visit to glenfield, that corny was as earnestly devoted to the southern cause as his father, judging entirely from the fact that he had enlisted as a soldier. corny had a good appetite, and a good supper was set before him. he ate like a hungry boy, and the fact that he was within the enemy's lines did not seem to have any influence upon him. his aunt helped him till he seemed to be filled to repletion, for she thought he must have been accustomed of late only to the most indifferent fare. after supper, he followed his uncle back to the library; but he seemed less embarrassed than before. "where is christy, uncle horatio?" asked corny, as he seated himself in the library. "i have not seen him yet; and as i was away at the fort when you went to glenfield, i did not see him then." "i don't know where he is just now, though he is in or about the house most of the time," replied the captain. "are you still in the army, corny?" "no, sir, i am here. i did not like the service very well, and i thought i should like the navy better. the reason why i did not like it as well as at first was because i was no longer in major pierson's battalion," replied corny, looking at his uncle as though he expected a question from him. "then major pierson is no longer in the army?" added the captain. "oh, yes, he is; but i think he was the maddest man in the army soon after you left." "indeed! why was he so mad?" "because he was removed from command of fort gaines for letting you pass it in your steamer." "then he is still in the service?" asked captain passford. "yes, sir; he is a good officer, and he will make his way, if he was guilty of a blunder in letting the bellevite pass the fort." "then you intend to be a sailor, corny?" "yes, sir; in fact, i am a sailor now. i had been in your yacht so much that i knew something about the ropes, and i had no difficulty in getting transferred, as sailors were wanted more than soldiers," replied corny, who seemed to be studying the figures in the carpet. "but if you went into the navy, how do you happen to be in new york?" asked captain passford. "i suppose you remember the dauphine, which was fitting out when you were in mobile bay?" continued corny. "i heard the name, and was told that she was one of the vessels that tried to prevent the escape of the bellevite." "i was sent on board of her; but, in coming out of the bay, she was captured by a federal vessel, and sent to new york. i hid myself when the crew were taken off, and came in her here," replied corny, still studying the carpet. captain passford had not heard of the capture of the dauphine. he was not quite satisfied with the story of his nephew. but he was obliged to go to the city, and he handed the guest over to his wife and daughter. corny wanted to see christy, and mrs. passford had begun to be uneasy that he did not return at dark. corny went out to find him. chapter ii a difference of opinion the bellevite lay in the river, off the estate of captain passford, though at a little distance below the mansion, from the windows of which she could not be seen. corny walked down the avenue and over the hill, in the direction of the anchorage of the steamer. the boat-house was near the mansion, and to the float attached to it a variety of small craft were made fast. but the water was not deep enough there for the bellevite. corny had been to bonnydale, and passed many weeks there, so that he was familiar with the localities. as he passed the boat-house, he noticed that the florence, which was christy's favorite sailing craft, was not at her moorings, and he concluded that his cousin was away in her on some excursion. when he reached the boundary line of the estate, he discovered the sailboat with her bow on the beach, though her mainsail was still set. a gentle breeze was blowing, with which the florence could make good headway; but there seemed to be no one on board of her. corny watched her for some time, waiting for the appearance of christy. it was not an easy matter to climb the high fence which bounded the estate, and the planter's son could hail the boat, and be taken on board of her as soon as she got under way again. but christy did not appear, and it was getting darker and darker every minute. something must have attracted the attention of the skipper on shore, and he had doubtless landed. but while corny was waiting for his cousin, he saw two men making their way through the grove on the other side of the fence towards the river. one of them he recognized, and gave a peculiar whistle, which drew the two men in the direction from which it came. "is that you, major?" asked corny, in a low tone. "hush! you are a simpleton, corny!" exclaimed one of the men, as he came up to the palisades of the fence. "didn't i tell you not to call me by name?" "i didn't call you by name," replied corny, smartly. "you called me major, and that is about the same thing," added the speaker on the other side of the fence. "the woods are full of majors now, both in the north and the south, and no one knows you especially by that name. but i will remember in future, mr. mulgate," replied corny. "that sounds better, neal. if we lose the game it will be by your blundering," continued the major, or mulgate, as he preferred to be called on the present occasion. "i suppose you have no talent for blundering, mulgate; and that is the reason why you happen to be here at the present moment," retorted corny, not at all pleased with the speech of the other. "none of your impudence, neal!" said mulgate, sharply. "if you lose the game, you say that it will be by my blundering, mulgate," continued corny. "that makes it seem as though i was to bear the responsibility of a failure; and i don't like the looks of things. if i am to be responsible for a failure, i ought to have something to say about the manner of conducting the enterprise." "shut up, neal! we have no time to talk nonsense of that sort. i am to conduct the enterprise, and you are to obey my orders. that is the whole of it," replied mulgate, impatient at the position taken by the young man. "you are still under my command, and you will obey me or take the consequences. now to business: what have you learned?" "nothing at all," answered corny, rather sullenly. "what have you been about? haven't you discovered anything?" "nothing at all; i have but just arrived here. i took supper with my uncle, and told him the fish story you invented for me." "did he believe it?" "i don't know whether he did or not; but he and the rest of the family treated me very handsomely, which made me feel meaner than a dead catfish." "never mind your feelings; you are here to assist in a great enterprise, and you are expected to do your duty to your country without regard to your own notions. report what you have done." "i haven't done anything but introduce myself into the house, and explain how i happen to be here," replied corny, as he proceeded to give the details of his meeting with his uncle. "is miss florry at home?" asked mulgate, in a more gentle tone, as though he had a deeper interest in the direction he had indicated. "she is at home, and was at the supper table with us." "how does she seem to be?" asked the stranger. "first rate; she is as jolly as though no one ever heard of such a thing as war," replied corny, with enthusiasm. "did she say anything about her stay at glenfield?" inquired mulgate, whose interest seemed to mount to the pitch of anxiety. "not a word; she did not even hint at glenfield, or anything connected with it," answered corny; and, after the sharp tones of the other, he seemed to take pleasure in thorning him with negative answers. "did she say anything about me?" "not a word." "didn't she mention my name?" "she did not." "didn't she ask about my health, or want to know where i was?" "florry did not allude to you in any manner. if she wanted to know where you were, she did not say a word about it to me," replied corny, in the most decided tones. it was still light enough to see that there was something like a frown on the brow of mr. mulgate. he had evidently believed that the daughter of the millionnaire of bonnydale was interested in him, and his inquiries indicated that he expected her to ask about him; but she had not made the remotest allusion to him. besides, she was as jolly as she had been at glenfield, when war was a matter of the future, which few believed would ever be realized. she had not grown thin and pale during her absence from him, and she did not appear to be wasting her sweetness in pining for him. "what in the world are you talking about, mulgate?" suddenly demanded his companion on his side of the fence. "i thought we were here for business, and you are talking about some girl." "she is the lady of whom i spoke to you; she spent the last winter with her uncle at the glenfield plantation. i am interested in her," replied mulgate, as though he had given a sufficient excuse for the questions he had put to corny. "are we to capture her and take her back to the state of alabama?" demanded the other, who seemed to be a gentleman of forty at least. "i don't know; that depends; but, captain carboneer, i hope you will be my friend in this little matter," added mulgate. "i don't know any thing about the little matter; but i am not willing to jeopardize the enterprise that brings us here to help you out with a love affair," replied the older gentleman. "there will be time enough for you to look for a wife after the war is over, and you have more time to attend to the affair." "mr. mulgate, i should like to know something more about your intentions before we go any farther," interposed corny, in a tone so decided that mulgate had to listen to him, especially as he had obtained so little sympathy from the elderly gentleman. "speak quick then, for we have no time to spare," added mulgate. "do i understand from what you have said that you intend to take florry passford back to the south with you?" asked corny, with his teeth closely pressed together, so that it was rather difficult for him to speak intelligibly. "i answer, as i did before, that i don't know what i shall do; that depends," replied mulgate evasively. "depends upon what?" "i have no time to discuss that matter now," added mulgate, turning to his companion. "but i have time to say that i will ruin the whole enterprise if you mean to commit an outrage such as you appear to have in your mind," replied corny, as vigorously as though he had been the military equal of the one he had called "major" by accident. "do you mean to be a traitor to your country, neal?" demanded mulgate angrily. "neither to my country nor to my uncle." "your uncle is a yankee, and is doing all he can to subjugate the free south. he has no rights which we are bound to respect," said mulgate fiercely. "this will never do," interposed captain carboneer; and this may or may not have been his real name. "we are getting into a disagreement at the very first step of our enterprise." "i don't know you, captain carboneer, but i wish to be understood as meaning every word i have said; and i will wreck this enterprise, if i am shot for it, rather than allow my cousin to be carried off in connection with it," protested corny stoutly. "i will do my duty faithfully; but i will not assist in robbing my uncle of his daughter." "you are quite right, young man; and i would rather be sent to the fort as a prisoner of war than take part in such an enterprise," added captain carboneer, in mild but forcible tones. "you astonish me, captain!" said mulgate. "why do you talk about an outrage? i claim to be a gentleman, and to be above any such villainy as you and corny suggest. i do not propose to rob captain passford of his daughter. what i may do depends--depends upon the consent of the lady. if she is willing to go with me"-- "she is not willing to go with you; and she never will be willing to go with you," corny interposed. "i don't know what you are thinking about, mr. mulgate; but florry cares no more about you than she does about uncle pedro, my father's house-servant. she saw you both at glenfield, and i can't tell which she likes best." "we had better drop the subject," added captain carboneer. "drop it, then," replied mulgate sullenly. "get over the fence, corny. nobody is using that sailboat, and we may as well take it for a while." chapter iii the dignified naval officer corny climbed over the high palisade fence, with the assistance of mulgate, and the party walked to the sailboat at the beach below. by this time it was dark, though the gloom was not very dense under a clear sky. "do you know anything about this boat, corny?" asked mulgate, as the trio approached the handsome craft, for such she was beyond a doubt. the crusty tones of the speaker indicated that he had not yet recovered from the set-back he had plainly received in the late conversation, though he denied that he had any evil intentions in regard to miss florry. "i do; i know all about her," replied corny. "well, why don't you tell what you know?" demanded mulgate. "what do you wish to know about her?" inquired corny, who was disposed to maintain his equality in spite of the military rank of his companion, which he had incautiously betrayed in the beginning. "whose boat is it?" asked mulgate. "she belongs to my cousin, christy passford." "where is he now?" "i don't know, sir." "was he at the house when you were there?" "he was not; and his mother had become rather anxious because he did not return to supper," replied corny, becoming a little more pliable. "this is a rather large boat, captain carboneer," added mulgate, as he surveyed the trim sloop. "she is rather too large for our purpose." "she will answer very well," replied the captain, as he applied his shoulder to the stem of the craft to ascertain how heavily she rested upon the beach. "now, do you know whether there is any person on board of that steamer?" "of course, i don't know anything about it," said mulgate. "i am sure i don't," added corny. "i sent you up here to ascertain all about the bellevite," continued mulgate, rather sharply. "i have not had time to find out anything," corny explained, with some indignation in his tones. "corny has done as well as he could in the time he has had to do it in," interposed captain carboneer. "i think you are inclined to stir up bad blood with this young man, mulgate. it appears now that you have a purpose of your own to accomplish, and that corny will not allow you to carry it out." "my first purpose is the same as your own," replied mulgate. "you admit that you have a second object; and i cannot tell when you will decide to make it your principal purpose," added captain carboneer. "i am not satisfied with the situation. i have done everything i can to accomplish our patriotic object. you endanger it by your crusty manner to this young man, who seems to be willing to do his duty; and he is in a position to be of great service to our enterprise." "if you think it is necessary, i will take off my cap to this young man," said mulgate, with a sneer in his tones. "be reasonable, mulgate." "what can i do more than i have done?" demanded the military gentleman, as his title indicated that he was. "the first thing to do on your part is to renounce this idea of taking a lady passenger with you in the steamer," replied captain carboneer, in a very decided tone. "women are not permitted on board of naval vessels, especially in time of war." "i don't think i have any idea to renounce," muttered mulgate. "you certainly hinted that you desired to take a lady on board, and convey her to our destination," said the captain, rather earnestly. "not against her will, as you and corny will have it," protested mulgate. "do you renounce that plan or that idea, whatever it may be?" "i do not renounce it. if the lady is willing to go with me, as i believe she will be, i know of no reason why she should not go as a passenger," argued mulgate. "i think we had better abandon the enterprise in the beginning, for i think we can be of more service to our country at liberty than within the walls of fort lafayette," added the captain, with not a little disgust mingled with his indignation. whatever his object in visiting this locality, he was clearly a high-toned gentleman, and the idea of prosecuting a love adventure in connection with what he regarded as a highly patriotic duty was repulsive to his nature. he found by trial that the florence was not grounded very hard on the beach, for the tide was rising, and he drew the boat farther up from the water, as he turned to walk away from the spot. "am i to understand that you retire from this enterprise, captain carboneer?" asked mulgate. "am i to understand that you renounce your scheme to carry off a woman as a part of the enterprise?" demanded the captain. "i do not renounce it, though i have no intention to carry off a woman, as you put it. the most i have asked is that she be permitted to go as a passenger of her own free will," replied mulgate. "she never will go with him of her own free will," interposed corny. "i will not have a woman on board of the vessel, whether she goes willingly or otherwise. do you renounce that scheme entirely?" "i think you are driving me into a small corner, captain carboneer." "after what you have said before, i think i am fully justified in what i require. with your private affairs, i have nothing to do. if you choose to marry this young lady, i have nothing to say about that; but no woman can be a passenger in a war vessel under my command. after i have landed you at bermuda or nassau, i shall not attempt to run the blockade, which is now enforced, in order to land you and the lady. besides, we may be in action at any time after we get under way." "then if i do not yield the point, you intend to leave me to carry out this enterprise alone?" demanded mulgate. "in that case, i wish to go with you, captain carboneer," added corny, with emphasis. "but i want it understood that i shall not leave bonnydale without telling my uncle to look out for his daughter." "then you mean to be a traitor, corny?" said mulgate angrily. "call it what you like." "all this is absurd, mulgate," interposed captain carboneer. "without my resources, you can do nothing at all, and it would be foolish for you to attempt the capture of the vessel. you are not a sailor or a navigator, and you could do nothing with the vessel if you succeeded in getting her to sea." "i have no doubt i could find a hundred men in new york, including half a score of navigators, to assist me in this enterprise," replied mulgate. "i have another steamer in view, though the bellevite is vastly superior to anything i know of in speed and general fitness. do as you think best, mulgate; and i shall be able to explain in a satisfactory manner my failure to obtain this vessel." "the fault will be mine, i suppose," muttered mulgate. "the court-martial will decide that point," replied the captain. mulgate seemed to be buried in his own reflections, no doubt suggested by the last remark of the other. possibly he considered that the failure of such an important enterprise because he had insisted upon bringing a lady into the affair would not sound well at home. whatever he was thinking about, he was greatly agitated, and captain carboneer walked in the direction of the road, half a mile from the river. he had no time to consider the matter: he must yield at once, or abandon the scheme. "i will do anything you ask, captain carboneer!" he shouted, forgetting, in his excitement, the demand for secrecy. the naval officer, as his conversation indicated that he was, turned and retraced his steps to the beach. he did not seem to be at all excited because his associate had changed his mind, for in his judgment it would have been worse than madness for him to persist in his intentions. "i have stated the case as i understand it, and i have nothing more to say, mulgate," said he. "i renounce my scheme, and i will not ask that the lady be a passenger even to bermuda or nassau," replied mulgate, though not without a considerable display of emotion. "very well; that is enough. nothing more need be said about your purpose, since you have renounced it. now we will visit the bellevite, and learn what we can in regard to her," said the naval officer, in his usual quiet manner, and whether he was a confederate or a unionist, one could hardly have failed to be impressed by his dignified deportment. at the request of captain carboneer, mulgate climbed to the forward deck of the florence. she was twenty-eight feet long, and her deck covered more than half of her length. she had a very large cabin for a boat of her size, which was fitted up with berths, with a cook-room forward of it, for christy passford was often absent a week in her. "i think corny had better go back to the house, and keep an eye on christy, so as to make sure that he does not disturb us," suggested mulgate, as the planter's son was about to go on board of the yacht. "i think we shall want him, and he had better be with us," replied the captain, as one would speak when he expected to be obeyed. corny climbed up the stem of the florence. he had never seen the captain before, and had not even been informed who and what he was; but he appeared to be a more important person than mulgate, and he did not wait for the latter to argue his point. he had sailed in the florence very often, and he knew all about her. he took a boathook, and planted its point on the beach, in readiness to shove off. "not yet, corny," said the naval officer, as he sprang lightly to the deck of the sailboat. "let us see where we are before we do anything." captain carboneer seated himself on one of the cushioned seats in the standing-room, and looked about him. a steamer towing a multitude of canal boats was approaching, and he waited for it to pass. then no steamer or other craft was to be seen on the river. "so far as i have been able to discover, there are only two men on board of the bellevite, and i think we have not a moment to lose," said the naval officer, when he saw that the river was clear of everything that might interfere with his plans. "but we must go on board of her, and make sure of everything before we commit ourselves." "as you said, captain carboneer, i am no sailor; and you don't think of taking the steamer out of the river alone?" added mulgate. "i have not come here on a fool's errand, major pierson," replied the captain. "we are alone now, and we may call things by their right names." "but i don't care to have my name used in this vicinity," interposed this gentleman, when addressed by his own name. "your wish in this respect shall be respected, mr. mulgate. i was about to say that i had a ship's company all ready to take possession of this craft, to handle her at sea, and even to fight a battle if necessary." "but where are your ship's company?" asked mulgate, as he wished still to be called. "i will produce them at the right time. now you may shove her off, corny," added the captain, as he took the wheel. chapter iv corny passford plays another part captain carboneer brought the florence about, and headed her across the river. the bellevite was moored a short distance from the estate down the stream. "i have been up here before to-day," said the naval officer, as the boat moved away from the shore, assuring him that no one could be near enough to hear what he said. "we only reached new york yesterday, and i don't see how you can have picked up a ship's company in that time," replied mulgate. "i sent the men before i came myself. i have stationed them in various places on the river, where i can get them when i want them; and i shall want them before the sun rises to-morrow morning," replied the captain. "to-night!" exclaimed mulgate, who seemed to be astounded at the revelation. "yes, to-night; in a few hours from now. i have obtained all the information i could in regard to the steamer, and what we do must be done at once. the bellevite, as they call her now, has not yet been handed over to the government, though she has been accepted. they are waiting for something, though i don't know what, and she may be sent to the navy yard to-morrow; and then it will be too late for us to do anything." "but to-night--that is rather hurried," added mulgate, musing. very likely he was thinking of the beautiful miss florry in the elegant mansion a short distance up the river. without a doubt he was major pierson, since the naval officer had addressed him by this name and title. he had often met the young lady at glenfield plantation, and possibly his sudden visit to the north had not been without some thought of her. however it may have been with her, he was at least very much interested in miss florry. the fact that she was a "yankee" did not make her less beautiful, and it did not make her any the less the daughter of a millionnaire. no one could say that he was mercenary, however, and no one could say why he was not as deeply interested in the daughter of the planter, for she was hardly less beautiful, though her father was not considered a millionnaire, to say nothing of a ten-millionnaire. major pierson did not tell what he was thinking about; but he was certainly astounded and badly set back when the naval officer intimated that the capture of the bellevite might be undertaken that night. "you can see for yourself that we must strike at once, or there may be nothing to strike at," replied captain carboneer. "but we shall have no time to work up the case," suggested the major. "the case is all worked up, and there is nothing more to work up," replied the captain, as he headed the boat for the steamer. major pierson said no more, but he was as much dissatisfied with the promptness of the naval officer as though he had said it in so many words. it would be difficult to imagine how he expected to manage his case with miss florry, since he could not enter the house without betraying his identity. perhaps he intended to lie in wait for her in the grounds of the estate, and trust that her interest in him would induce her to keep his secret. "is that you, christy?" called a voice from the steamer, as the florence approached the bellevite. "answer him, corny," said captain carboneer, in a low voice. "say 'yes,' and ask who it is that speaks." "yes," repeated corny. "who are you?" "sampson," replied the man on board of the steamer. "and who is with him," added the captain. "are you alone on board?" demanded corny, varying his speech a little from his instructions. "no; warping is on board, but he has gone to sleep in the pilot-house. do you want him?" "no; but you wish to take a couple of friends on board to obtain the measure of a gun-carriage," continued captain carboneer. "no; i don't want warping; i only wanted to know if he was on board," repeated corny. "i have a couple of friends here who want to measure a gun-carriage to-night, for they have to leave in the morning." "very well, young man; you understand yourself very well," said the captain, in tones of approval. by this time captain carboneer had brought the boat alongside the accommodation steps, the lower part of which were hoisted up to prevent any water tramps from coming on board without permission. but when corny had delivered the last message, the steps were lowered, and the florence made fast to them. corny was told to lead the way, and act as though he were christy passford, and owned the ship in his own right. the planter's son went up the steps, and the other two followed him, though the naval officer had really ascertained all he wished to know. there were only two ship-keepers on board, and they would be no obstacle in the way of the ship's company to which the captain had alluded. but the leader of the enterprise had another object in view, though it was only secondary in its nature. he was afraid to overburden the mind of corny, and he said nothing more. "is everything all right on board, sampson?" asked corny, as he stepped down upon the deck of the vessel. "all right, christy," replied the man. "i am glad to hear it. is there anything new?" "nothing at all, christy. i have been overhauling the boilers a little to-day for the want of something to do, and they are in first-rate condition. as you told me to-day that we might expect the order to report at the navy yard at any minute, i thought i would have everything as nearly ready as it could be." "you have done very well, sampson," added corny, approvingly. "we are to get under way early in the morning, and if father gets home he will start the steamer as soon as he comes. he went to the city this evening, and probably he will bring the order with him," continued corny, making use of the information he had obtained in the house. "where is this long gun, my man?" asked captain carboneer, taking a measure from his pocket. "forward, sir," replied sampson, as he led the way. the captain kept some distance behind the ship-keeper, and took corny by the arm to detain him. "tell him to get up steam at once," whispered the leader of the party, as he hastened forward to the long midship gun, where he proceeded to take his measurements as though he were in real earnest, though it was so dark that he could not possibly see the marks on his tape, even if he tried to do so. "you say that everything is ready to start the fires, sampson?" said corny, as soon as he had a chance to speak to the ship-keeper. "everything is ready, christy, and i have only to touch the match to the shavings to make a beginning," replied sampson. "is there any news about my appointment in the engine-room, christy?" "not yet, sampson; but the papers will soon come, and i am almost willing to guarantee your appointment." "mr. vapoor has already spoken a good word for me." "all right, sampson; then you are sure of the position. i am very sure that we shall get the order before morning to move the steamer over to the navy yard, and i think you had better start the fires at once, sampson," continued corny, making himself as much at home on board of the steamer as though he had really been the person he was supposed to be. "all right, christy; and if the order don't come as soon as you expect it, we can bank the fires, and no harm will be done," replied the oiler, for such was his position on board, though he was evidently expecting something better. by this time captain carboneer had finished taking the measure of the gun-carriage, though he had not been able to see anything. but he had been through all the forms, and that answered his purpose just as well. he declared that he had no further business on board, and the trio went to the accommodation ladder. sampson had called his sleeping companion, and already the black smoke began to pour out of the smokestack. "that was all very handsomely done," said major pierson, as they stepped on board of the florence. "everything worked very well; but it was all owing to the fact that the ship-keeper thought that corny was some other person," replied the captain. "i know that he took him for christy passford, and i have had some experience with christy," replied the major, recalling his attempts to prevent the bellevite from escaping from mobile bay. "he is a smart fellow, as the yankees would say, and it is fortunate that he is not here at the present time." "he can't be very far off," suggested corny. "he was expected back to supper, and i wanted to see him, for he is my cousin. he must be about here somewhere." "never mind whether he is or not; we have finished our business here, and the harvest is ripe for the sickle. we will leave this boat just where we found it, for i have a rowboat a little farther down the river," continued captain carboneer. "i suppose i ought to return to my uncle's house," suggested corny. "if they miss me they will be looking about here to ascertain what has become of me." "i think you had better not try to relieve their anxiety to-night. if they are worried about you, they will get over it in the morning when they find the steamer is missing," said captain carboneer, with something like a chuckle in his tones when he pictured the surprise of the "yankees" in making the discovery that the bellevite had taken to herself wings, and sped on her way to the south. "i don't think they will worry about me," added corny, laughing. "i was afraid they might think i was here to capture the city of new york, or something of that sort." "i think you had better not undeceive them to-night," replied the captain, as he ran the yacht upon the beach near where he had found her. "everything looks exceedingly well for our enterprise." "if you get that steamer into mobile bay"-- "i don't intend to get her into the bay; that would be folly, and i shall run no risks among the blockaders, for a single shot might give her back to her present owners." "no matter; if you only get her, and she is under the flag of the confederacy, it will put me back where i was when she went into the bay by a yankee trick," added major pierson. "after the war, if you wish to see the young lady, you will have more time to attend to the affair, and i shall wish you every success then," said the captain lightly. "how long do you think the war will last, captain carboneer?" asked the major, in this connection. "possibly it may last a year, though if we can break up that blockade, it will not last six months longer." the trio landed on the beach, and the naval officer made sure that the florence was securely fixed in the gravel. the party walked down stream, embarked in the boat of which the captain had spoken. it was pulled by two men, and after they had gone about a mile, the captain began to blow a boatswain's whistle which he took from his pocket. but they had hardly jumped down on the beach before christy passford opened the cabin door of the yacht, and crept out with the utmost care. chapter v captain carboneer and his party as captain carboneer blew his whistle, a mile below the moorings of the bellevite, an occasional response came from the shore. everything was remarkably quiet on the river, though at long intervals a steamer passed on its way up or down the stream. the signals made by the naval officer were not loud, and the replies, made without the aid of any instrument, were quite feeble. one might have taken them for some frolic on the part of the boys. "i don't quite understand this business," said major pierson, after he had listened a while to the signals. "i suppose from the answers you get, that your men are all along the river, and the woods seem to be full of them." "i have no doubt they are all here," replied captain carboneer. "i have been in this vicinity all day, and i have made good use of my time. i believe the bellevite belongs to the confederacy, and it shall be no fault of mine if the goods are not delivered in good order and condition." "my father was confident that he should obtain her at nassau, though he was mistaken," added the major. "but when she went within our lines, we were all satisfied that she was ours. i have not yet been able to understand why she was permitted to escape." "if you mean by that to cast any blame upon those who did their best to prevent her escape, captain carboneer, you wrong them grossly," said major pierson. "she came on a friendly visit to the plantation of colonel passford; but this gentleman, though the owner of the steamer was his own brother, promptly gave information of her presence in the creek, and did all he could to have her captured. no man could have sacrificed more to his patriotism than he did." "i do not reflect on him or on any one; i only wonder how the bellevite contrived to escape when several steamers were sent out to capture her," added the captain. "the son of the owner of the bellevite was a prisoner of mine, for when i had my brother arrested for desertion, this young man was with him. the only mistake i made was in not putting him in irons. the captain of my tug proved to be a traitor to the confederacy, and this fellow, with christy passford, did the most of the mischief in preventing the capture of the steamer." "i was told that he was a smart boy," added the naval officer. "he is all of that; and i think it was very fortunate that he did not happen to be at home when we visited the bellevite just now," said major pierson, who evidently had a proper respect for the abilities of the millionnaire's son. "i do not see that his presence in his father's mansion, if he had been there, could have made any difference," added the captain, as he sounded his whistle again, and heard a faint response from the shore. "as long as he was not actually on board of the steamer, he was harmless." "perhaps he was, though i have the feeling that it would have been otherwise. there was a whistle from the shore." "i heard it, and i understand it. haslett has done his whole duty, i judge," replied captain carboneer. "who is haslett?" asked the major curiously. "i never heard of him before." "he is to be the first lieutenant of the bellevite." "you seem to have a full supply of officers and men, captain carboneer," added major pierson, apparently a little disconcerted. "i do not see that i am of the least use here, for you seem to have done everything without consulting me." "in naval matters i have; but i give you full credit for the planning of the enterprise," replied the captain, in his softest tones. "when i was removed from my command because i allowed the steamer to pass the forts, i felt that a great injustice had been done to me. i did all i could to effect the capture of the vessel, but the attempt was a failure," argued the major. "the shot hole through the bow of the belle utterly wrecked her, and the force on board of her could do nothing, and christy passford had brought my own tug to bear against me. why, the bellevite actually saved the force on board of the belle from drowning. a violent gale came up, and that did a great deal to nullify all our efforts. but i think i did my whole duty." "i have no doubt of it, major pierson; and for that reason you were sent on this mission; and i am confident that the success of the enterprise will restore you to your former command, or give you another quite as good," said captain carboneer, as consolation to the military arm of the expedition. "but i cannot see that i have been of any use to this enterprise, and i might as well have staid at home." "you are too modest by half, major. you planned the expedition, and suggested that corny should take part in it, as he would have the _entrée_ to the residence of captain passford. but, being a mere boy, he could not be sent alone, and your services were likely to be of the most important character. it is no fault of yours that we found everything made ready for us, as it were. it might have been quite different, and the burden of the action might have rested upon you. it is all right as it is." "i am satisfied," added the major, "though i think it was no more than right that you should have consulted me in regard to your methods, of which i am still profoundly ignorant. in getting up the scheme, i based everything on the fact that corny could go into his uncle's house and obtain all the information we needed." "the scheme was well concocted; and i shall have the pleasure of reporting to the government that the military arm of the expedition conducted the enterprise to a perfect success, the naval force only doing the duty pointed out by the military." "you are very kind, captain carboneer," said major pierson, who could not well help being entirely satisfied, and even greatly pleased, with this happy showing of the final result. "by daylight in the morning we shall be outside of sandy hook, i expect. we have no time to waste, and you can see for yourself how the affair of the young lady would have complicated our operations." "how do you intend to convey these men, who seem to be scattered all along the shores of the river, to the steamer?" "they understand my signals, and they will all be ready within an hour to take a small steamer which will pick them up." "but where is the steamer?" "she is farther down the river. as you seem to be a little sensitive to the fact that i have not consulted you in regard to the naval operations of this enterprise, i can tell you in a few words all there is of them," continued captain carboneer. "as you are aware, as soon as our plan was matured by you, i left mobile with lieutenant haslett, though you knew nothing about him, for nassau. we had no difficulty in getting out of the bay, for the blockade was not then enforced. at nassau i engaged a couple of english engineers, and a few other officers, with thirty seamen, mostly english, who were looking for prize-money. i had to take my force to quebec, for no steamer offered for new york. i sent them all here in small parties, and haslett posted them along the river when i told him they would be needed to-night." "i did not leave mobile till two weeks later with corny," added the major. "but i got here sooner than you did." "you were more fortunate in finding a steamer. i believe i have a capital crew, though i shall obtain more men at bermuda, or some other port. there are plenty of good english sailors who are willing to fight on either side if there is a good showing for prize-money; and i have no doubt i shall capture a dozen vessels before we reach the bermudas, which will fully satisfy them, especially as the government will pay the value of all vessels we are compelled to burn on the high seas." "you will have the advantage over everything that floats, for i was told that the bellevite made twenty knots an hour, and had done twenty-two," said major pierson. "at what time do you think you will get on board of the steamer?" "by one or two in the morning, i hope; but it will depend upon the steamer haslett engages, though he told me he had bargained for an old one with a walking-beam; but that will answer our purpose. i believe he had to buy her, though she was of no great value." at a creek which appeared to be the rendezvous of the conspirators, the boat left the river; but there was no steamer, though quite a number of men had gathered there. leaving the party in the boat to follow out the remaining details of their enterprise, which, by this time, in the absence of anything like an obstacle, they regarded as so many mere formalities, it becomes necessary to make another visit to the mansion of captain passford. this gentleman had gone to the city upon important business connected with the fitting out of the bellevite, and he had not returned when the clock in the great hall struck ten, which was at about the time captain carboneer and his companions went into the creek five miles down the river. "there is no knowing when your father will come home, florry," said mrs. passford, as she suspended her work on a stocking she was knitting for the soldiers. "but i can't imagine what has become of christy. he never stays out as late as this unless he tells us of it beforehand." "i am really worried about him, mother," replied the beautiful daughter, looking up from the stocking on which she was employed. "he went away in the florence, and something may have happened to him." "i think not, florry: there has been no storm, or heavy blow, and he thinks he is as safe in his boat as he is on shore," added mrs. passford, with an effort to control the fears of the daughter. "he may have gone down to the city. he is very indignant at the delay in giving the order to have the steamer sent to the navy yard, and wherever he is, i am confident he is doing something in connection with the steamer." "i wish i knew whether the florence was at the boathouse," continued florry. "he said he was going out in the boat; but perhaps he did not. perhaps he is with father." "there is the front-door bell," added mrs. passford, with a start. "it cannot be your father or christy, for both of them have latch-keys. who could come here at this time in the evening?" "mr. paul vapoor," said the man-servant, who answered the bell. the gentleman announced walked into the sitting-room without any ceremony, for he had long been a familiar visitor. he was dressed in the full uniform of a chief engineer of the navy. removing his cap, he politely bowed to the two ladies; and any one who was looking might have seen that miss florry blushed a little when she saw him; and very likely if major pierson had witnessed the roses on her fair cheek, he might possibly have concluded that it would have been useless to postpone the capture of the bellevite to enable him to fortify his position near her. "i beg your pardon, ladies, for calling so late," said mr. vapoor, as he drew a long envelope from his pocket. "but i thought christy might wish to see what is in this envelope before he retired." "why, what is in it?" asked mrs. passford. "christy's commission as a midshipman in the navy." "but christy is not at home, and we are somewhat anxious about him," added the mother, stating the facts in regard to her son. paul vapoor volunteered to go in search of him, and left the house. chapter vi the cabin of the florence if captain carboneer had felt any especial interest in the florence as a sailing yacht, he might have desired to see the cabin of the craft, which had always been the delight of christy passford. he had expended a great deal of his pocket-money upon the arrangement and furnishing of the cabin of his yacht, not only because he spent a considerable portion of his vacation hours in it, but because it had been a perpetual study with him to enlarge and improve it. it is very difficult to get three pints of liquid into a quart measure, and it was a conundrum of this sort that christy was studying upon when he tried to make a parlor, bedroom, and dining-saloon of the very limited space in the forward part of the florence. though he could hardly get the three pints into the quart measure, he had done the best he could, and succeeded to a rather remarkable degree. but spite of the miracle which had been wrought in the cabin, captain carboneer did not even try the door of the apartment when he and his companions went on board of the yacht. he was so absorbed in the enterprise in which he was engaged, that his indifference to the miracle of the cabin may be excused. even the double doors of the cabin were of handsome wood, elaborately polished; and they were not secured with the usual appliance of a padlock, but were provided with an expensive mortise-lock, which could be operated upon either side. if captain carboneer had tried to open that door, he would have found that it was fastened; but perhaps he could not have discovered that it had been secured upon the inside. unless, therefore, he had taken the trouble to break open the door, he could not have ascertained that christy passford was actually in the cabin. possibly, if he had opened the door by any means, he would not have discovered that the proprietor of the boat was in this dainty apartment, for the skipper had taken a great deal of pains to conceal himself so that he should not be seen, even if the intruders in the florence had succeeded in opening the doors without the aid of the key in his pocket. though he had two very nice berths in the cabin, miraculously arranged as to space, christy did not occupy one on the present occasion, for in that case the unbidden visitors would have seen him if their curiosity had led them to force the doors. when the cook of the florence, usually the skipper of the craft, was engaged in the practice of the culinary art, he seated himself on what looked like a box in front of the stove. but the interior of this box was really a part of the cabin, for it contained the feet of any one occupying the berth on the starboard side. the cookroom had no end of bins, lockers and drawers to contain the variety of provisions and stores necessary to get up a dinner for the skipper and his guests, when he had any. and even all these places could not contain everything that was needed on board. under the two berths were large, though not very deep, lockers, one of which contained the jib-topsail of the craft, and other spare sails, while the opposite one was the fuel locker of the sloop. as the boat had not been used for a long time in cruising, the fuel receptacle was empty, though a spare gaff-topsail had been thrown into it. this locker was big enough to admit the body-corporate of the skipper. it was not a particularly clean place, for a portion of it had been economized for the stowage of the charcoal, which the skipper preferred to wood. but he did not rebel at the blackness of the retreat he had chosen, for he wore his boating dress, which was hardly stylish enough for a dude or a dandy. but skipper passford did not crawl into this black hole for the fun of the thing. he had been spending his time in waiting for a movement to be made in regard to the bellevite. he staid in the house all the forenoon, and, after lunch, he sailed down the river in the florence, though with no object in doing so beyond passing the time. not far from the beach where he had afterwards left the yacht, he discovered a boat rowed by two men with a third in the stern sheets. the breeze was quite gentle, though the florence would sail at a very tolerable speed when there was the least apology for a wind. she was doing so on the present occasion, and christy had stretched himself out on the cushioned seat, with the spokes of the wheel where he could steer without any exertion, or next to none. the idleness of his days since his return from the eventful cruise of the bellevite seemed to have infected him with an unnatural indolence. he felt as though he was rather more than half asleep when he saw the boat with the two oarsmen. it was going up the river, while he was going down. he had to luff a little to keep clear of the oars, but he did not move from his half-recumbent posture. when the boat was alongside, he glanced idly and carelessly at the person in the stern sheets. instantly he was wide awake, though he did not change his position. the person looked like a gentleman, and christy was sure that he had seen him before. a couple of minutes of earnest cudgelling of his brain assured him that he had seen the stranger in nassau; that he was one of the many who wanted to purchase the bellevite, ostensibly for a merchant vessel, but really for the confederate navy. after he had run a short distance farther down the river, christy came about, the boat being some distance from him, but the gentleman soon landed and walked up the river on the shore, or very near it. in a short time, he was joined by another person, whose form looked familiar to the skipper of the florence. he could not identify him, for he was not near enough to him to see his face. a puff of air came from across the river, and the florence darted ahead, and christy was soon out of sight of the two strangers. near the boundary of his father's estate, he ran the yacht on the sandy beach, letting her strike the sand hard enough to stick where she was for half an hour, though she was not likely to get adrift, for the gentle breeze was blowing her farther on the shore as the tide rose. christy hauled down the jib of the sloop, and then seated himself, or rather reclined upon the cushions, though in such a position that he could see the shore, or any persons who came upon it. no one was in sight, and he had no one to watch. the swash of a great steamer passing in the channel made his boat roll heavily for a moment, with the forward part of the bottom resting on the sand. for the want of something better to think of, he began to put conundrums to himself in the absence of any other person to perplex with them. what was the gentleman that wanted to buy a steamer in nassau doing up the hudson? this was the principal one: he could not answer it. he gave it up; as the french have it, he had to "throw his tongue to the dogs," having no use for it in this connection. but while he was dreaming of the possible mission of the stranger, he heard voices on the beach. not deeming it wise to show himself, he rolled off the cushion upon the floor of the standing-room, and then fixed himself in a position where he could see and hear what passed between the speakers. he could see without being seen. it did not require a second look for him to decide that the second person on the beach was major pierson, though his companion called him mulgate. if christy had been interested before, he was excited now. the two speakers were within earshot of the boat, and in the stillness of the scene he could hear every word that was said. in a few moments he was in full possession of the statements of the captain and the major in regard to their intentions; and it appeared that the gentleman he had seen in nassau still desired to obtain a steamer. before it was dark, christy was astonished to behold his cousin corny on the other side of the fence; and he readily understood that he was to take part in the enterprise in hand. as yet the listener had obtained but little more than the information in regard to the intention of the visitors. when he found that they were disposed to take possession of the florence, and make their visit to the bellevite in her, the skipper retired from the standing-room of the boat to the cabin, where he locked the door, and put the key in his pocket. when he realized that they really meant to come on board, he crawled into the space under the starboard berth, and arranged the sail so that it would conceal him in case the intruders pushed their investigation into the cabin. when he had completed his preparations, he was quite satisfied that he should not be discovered. the trio came on board, and christy fixed himself so that he could hear every word that was said, for there was a small opening under the berth through which the superfluous length of a pair of oars could be thrust when not in use. christy, without the remotest suspicion on the part of the plotters that they could be heard by any living being, and especially not by so dangerous a character as christy had proved himself to be to the peace and dignity of the confederacy, heard all that was said, and he obtained a full idea of the intentions of the conspirators. when they went on board of the bellevite, he was so excited that he could no longer remain in his prison, but came out, and crept up the accommodation ladder to the deck of the steamer. but he was careful not to show himself, and, having a key to the cabin, he went into it, locking the door after him. then he had a chance to think. what should he do? he had no force at hand to beat off such a party as captain carboneer mentioned. they might carry out their plot that very night, as they had talked of doing. perhaps it would be executed at once, even while he was on board, and he would then be a prisoner. this idea was too galling to be considered, and he left the cabin to visit the wardroom. going still farther forward, he was surprised to hear the roar of the flames in the furnaces below. it looked at that moment as though the bellevite was doomed to sail under a confederate flag. but if he could do nothing more, he could save himself, even if he had to jump into the river and swim to the shore. christy lost no time in making his way to the main deck of the vessel; but he was careful to avoid the visitors. he went back to the cabin, and went on deck from it. then he discovered that the trio were in the act of descending the accommodation steps. mounting the rail he saw them embark in the florence, and sail down the river. dismounting from the rail, he hastened to the engine-room, where he found sampson getting the engine ready to be put in motion. "ah, christy, i thought you had gone," said the oiler. "who were those two men who were on board?" asked christy, not a little excited. "they were two gentlemen you brought on board, christy," replied sampson, innocently enough. "that i brought on board!" exclaimed the skipper of the florence. "yes, sir: and i thought you had gone ashore with them," added the oiler. "i brought no men on board, sampson! what are you talking about?" demanded christy impatiently. "didn't you bring two gentlemen on board, and didn't one of them want to measure the carriage of the big gun?" "no! i did not! i have not seen you before now this evening," protested christy. "then i have lost my senses. didn't you tell me to get up steam, because the steamer would be moved to the navy yard before daylight in the morning?" demanded sampson, bewildered by the denial of the young man. "i see now," added christy. "you mistook corny for me." sampson gave him all the details of the visit of the strangers. chapter vii midshipman christy passford "in a word, sampson, an attempt will be made to-night to capture the bellevite, and you have been getting up steam for the conspirators," said christy, when the ship-keeper had finished his narrative of the visit of the trio to the ship. "is that so?" exclaimed sampson, opening his mouth and his eyes very wide at the same time. "why, i had no more doubt that the young man who was talking to me was christy than i have that he is talking to me now." "you had better look at me again, and be sure that you make no mistake," replied christy, rather disgusted at the failure of the man to identify him. "i never once thought that it was not you. when the sailboat came alongside, i knew it was the florence, and i supposed you were in her," pleaded sampson. "but i spoke to you, as i supposed, when the boat came alongside." "did you? what did you say?" asked christy. "i said 'is that you, christy?' and you said 'yes.'" "of course i did! what else could i say after you had told the enemy just how to proceed. you could not have expected any other answer." "i suppose i was very stupid; but i hope no harm has been done, for they have not got the steamer yet," added sampson, very much disconcerted at the blunder he had made, though an older officer than christy might have had more charity for the ship-keeper. seen in broad daylight, there was no striking resemblance between corny and christy, though they were of about the same size, and had some traits in common. as corny and his companions came in the florence, it was not very strange that sampson should take it for granted that christy was one of the evening visitors. the voices of the two cousins were not unlike, and the sound was all he had to guide his judgment. then he was not in the enemy's country, and he could hardly have been on the lookout for an enemy several miles up the river. "certainly no harm has been done, sampson; but it is yet to be decided whether or not the bellevite is to go into the navy of the united states or the navy of the confederate states," added christy, leaving the engine-room. "if we have snuffed the whole thing, i don't believe this steamer will ever wear anything but the stars and stripes," said sampson stoutly; and there could be no doubt in regard to his loyalty, judging from his speech, though that is not always to be trusted in time of war. "bellevite, ahoy!" shouted some one at the foot of the accommodation steps. "have they come again so soon?" asked sampson, as he rushed to the rail. "it is only a small canoe." "is christy on board?" called the visitor alongside. "that is mr. vapoor: tell him i am on board," added christy. "christy is on board, sir," replied sampson to the hail. "will you come on board, sir?" paul vapoor would and did come on board, and christy gave him a hearty welcome, for he was more glad to see him than he had ever been before in his life. "where have you been all day and all the evening, christy?" asked the engineer. "your mother and sister are very much worried about you, for they have not seen you for a long time, and they fear that something has happened to you." "something is likely to happen to me and all the rest of us who expect to go to sea in this steamer," replied christy, as he proceeded to inform his friend as briefly as he could of the great event of the evening. "well, if we are not in the enemy's country, the enemy are in ours," replied paul. "what is to be done?" "that is what i have been thinking of. i listened very attentively to all that passed between major pierson and captain carboneer, and i am satisfied that the latter has a considerable force somewhere on the river, and their headquarters are at the mouth of a creek five miles down the river." "how many have they?" asked the engineer. "i don't know; they did not mention the number in figures, but they have enough to work the ship, and even to fight her," replied christy, very seriously. "that means forty or fifty, at least," added paul. "this looks like a heavy matter, and it is quite time that something was done about it." "but what shall we do is the question," said christy anxiously. "we have two men on board beside ourselves, and we can hardly expect to hold our own against fifty." "who is this captain carboneer?" "i saw him at nassau, and he looked like a man of decision and character. i don't know anything about him, but i have no doubt he is a naval officer, both from the circumstances and from what i heard. i should say that he knows what he is about. you said that my father has not yet returned from the city?" "he had not come at ten o'clock, and if he comes at all, the late train does not arrive till after twelve." "it may be too late to do anything at that time," said christy. "but i don't mean to give up the ship." "good! i am with you on that point, christy. i called at your house to inform you that you had been appointed a midshipman in the navy, and you are likely to have a chance to christen your commission to-night. this was all the rank they could give you, though you will really be a passed midshipman, and be a master very soon." christy was delighted with this news, though he had no time to make a demonstration of delight over it. he had narrowly escaped being the third officer of the bellevite the year before, because his father did not believe in putting him forward as fast as his abilities would have warranted him in doing. captain breaker and paul vapoor had made the application for a position in the navy; for his father would not do it, for the reason that he did not wish to ask any favors for a member of his own family. "i thank you and captain breaker for all you have done for me, paul, and i hope i shall be able to give a good account of myself. but we have no time to talk about that now. captain carboneer was waiting for a steamer which his naval associate, lieutenant haslett, was to charter or buy for the use of the party," said christy, as he led the way to the forward deck of the steamer. he and the engineer mounted the top-gallant forecastle, and looked intently down the river. the tide was coming in, so that the vessel, in coming up to her cable, pointed in that direction. but they could see nothing, not a craft of any description. then christy led the way to the long gun mounted amidships. he sighted across the piece, and, in a moment more, his mind seemed to have settled on the policy to be pursued in the present dangerous emergency. perhaps the capture of a steamer under such circumstances was a thing unheard of at that time, but doubtless it looked simple enough to those who were engaged in the enterprise. "do you think of engaging the enemy at long range, christy?" asked paul, with a smile on his fine face, as seen by the light of the lantern which sampson had brought to the place. "i think of beating them off in any way we can," replied the middy, as his friends all called him from that time. "i have the gun pointing to a certain object on the river, which captain carboneer's steamer must pass. he can't help putting his craft where the muzzle of this piece will cover it; and if we pull the lock-string at that instant, the shot will knock his steamer all to pieces, and spill the conspirators into the river." "if you hit her," suggested paul. "you can't very well help hitting her. just squint along that gun, and see where the shot will bring up." paul complied with this request, and took a long look over the great gun. "i should say that it was pointed a little too high," said he. "perhaps it is; i have not fixed it just as i mean to have it. we will put in the charge before we do that," added christy, who was now as self-possessed as though there was no excitement attending the operation he was arranging. "do you know what steamer captain carbine will have?" asked paul. "not carbine; carboneer. no, i don't know what steamer he will have; only that she is an old one, and has a walking-beam," replied christy. "that is rather indefinite, midshipman," added paul, with a smile. "you can't always tell what a steamer is by looking at her, especially in the night; and a walking-beam is not a novelty on a steamer upon this river. you may send that shot through the wrong vessel; and if you should happen to kill a dozen or two of loyal citizens of the state of new york, they might be mean enough to hang you, or send you to the state prison for life for it. it won't do to fire off a shotted gun like that baby without knowing pretty well what you are shooting at." "that is a long argument, paul; and i have not the remotest idea of doing any such thing as you describe. i am going to know what we are firing at before we pull the lock-string," replied christy, rather impatiently. "but we have no time to dig up mare's nests. we will get up the ammunition and load this gun; then we will do the rest of the business." as ship-keeper and a member of the engineer's department for the last year, sampson knew where everything was to be found. with all the usual precautions, the magazine was opened, and ammunition enough for three charges was conveyed to the deck, warping having been called in to assist in the work. the gun was carefully loaded under the direction of christy, who had been fully instructed and drilled in the duty. it was pointed as nearly as practicable to the point in the channel which the hostile steamer must pass, though the aim was to be rectified at the last moment. paul went to his stateroom and took off his handsome uniform, replacing it with a suit of his working garments. then he hastened to the engine, examined it, and satisfied himself that it was in good condition for the office which was soon to be required of it. he gave sampson particular directions for his duty, and then went down the accommodation steps with the midshipman. "what are you going to do next, christy?" asked paul, for the young naval officer had been too busy with his preparations to develop his plan in full. "we will go ashore first, and i will take the florence to the boat-house," replied christy. "the next thing to be done is to make a reconnoissance down the river." "why not go down in the florence?" suggested paul. "because that would be too simple and innocent altogether," replied the middy; and perhaps he felt some of the dignity of his new rank. "i think we had better see without being seen, especially as captain carboneer has seen and sailed the sloop. i have no doubt he has a sharp, nautical eye, and that he will recognize her. he might be rash enough to capture her, and thus deprive the united states navy of two young, but able and hopeful officers, to say nothing of bottling them up so that he could make short work of the bellevite." "you are right, christy, as you always are. but see your mother before you do anything, and i will obey orders. she worries about you." they landed and hastened to the mansion. chapter viii arranging the signals mrs. passford was astounded at the news brought in by her son, and miss florry was terrified when informed that major pierson was not far from the mansion. but paul vapoor assured the latter that there was no danger, and christy convinced his mother, who had a great deal of confidence in him, that he was fully equal to the occasion. "but i do not see that you can beat off the assailants if they happen to get alongside of the bellevite," suggested mrs. passford. "there are only four of you at the most." "i hope for re-enforcements," replied christy, as he rang a bell for a servant. "beeks and thayer, two of the quartermasters, live in the village; mr. watts, the chief steward, and three others of the old ship's company, live near here, and i think we can raise half a dozen more, making ten in all." "i know where to find half a dozen coal-passers," added paul. "then we shall do very well if we succeed in finding all these," added christy, as the man-servant came to the door. "call up all the stablemen, and have two horses saddled as quick as possible," continued christy to the man. "what's that for, christy?" asked paul, who had succeeded in quieting the fears of miss florry. he was not altogether inexperienced in this duty, for the young lady had been alarmed more than once on board of the steam yacht, and he was always more successful than any other person at these times. "i can't stop to talk it all over, paul; but if you will trust me, i will tell you as we go along what i think of doing," replied christy. "all right, midshipman; i belong to the engine department, and we always obey orders even if the ship goes down," added paul, laughing. "i am willing enough to tell you, but i have not the time to spin a long yarn, and perhaps answer objections, just now. we will mount the horses as soon as they come to the door, and drum up the force we have mentioned." christy continued by giving paul the names of those he was to visit and summon to the deck of the bellevite, and then they were to meet at a given place. they mounted the two fleet horses which christy had selected for the occasion, and dashed off to the town, a short distance from the river. the middy found the two quartermasters, who boarded in the same house. they were to go on board of the steamer at once; but beeks was to bring a canoe from the boat-house to the point on the shore nearest to the bellevite before he went on board. both of these men were cautioned not to say anything about any person they might see, and the same instruction was given to all the others whose services were required. mr. watts had not retired when christy called at his house, and he was duly startled by the information the young officer gave him. he was as ready to take part in the enterprise as even the middy himself, and he was conducted to the place where paul was to meet the leader. he had more calls to make than christy, and they had to wait some time for him; but when he did come, he reported that he had found and sent on board all the firemen and coal-passers he had named, and a few more, besides the old sailors who had sailed for years in the yachts of the owner of the bellevite. the services of about a dozen had been procured, but half of these were to do duty in connection with the engine, and the party so hastily gathered were not strong enough to beat off the force of the enemy if they attempted to board the vessel. "now, paul, i want you to understand the whole affair before we go any farther; and i wish you would go on board and take the command there," said the midshipman, as soon as the engineer had reported the result of his mission. "but are you not going to be on board, christy? i don't pretend to be a sailor or a gunner," said paul. "i shall go on board as soon as i can," replied christy. "you will find a boat on the shore, near the steamer, and you will go on board in that; but have the boat sent back for me." "all right, christy; i will obey orders," added paul, as he dismounted from his horse. "mr. watts will take your horse, and ride with me down the shore. we can see the river all the way, for we shall not stick to the road when it leads us away from it. as soon as we discover the steamer that is to bring up the enemy, i will run my horse back to this point, and go on board." "that is all easy enough," added paul. "easy enough; but i can form no idea as to when the steamer will come. we may have to wait till morning for it, and perhaps the plan of the enemy will fail, and they will not come at all." "if they don't come to-night, they never will; and there will be time enough for the home guard to scour the woods, and arrest all suspicious persons." "i said what i did so that you need not be impatient if you have to wait a long time. you will have a watch kept from the moment you get on board, and no stranger is to be allowed to put a foot on the deck. captain carboneer may send some one of his party to see that everything is working right on board for his side of the affair." "i will do that." "see that the steam is well up, so that we can move off in good time if we find it necessary to get under way," continued christy. "i thought that was a settled point, and the ship was to be taken down the river in any case," said paul. "i supposed so myself in the beginning; but if it is not necessary to run away, i don't care to do so. let boxie see that the cable is buoyed and ready to run out at a moment's notice." "all right, midshipman," replied paul, as he hastened to the boat. "why does he call you midshipman?--that is a new name," said the chief steward. "he brought me the news this evening that i had been appointed in the navy with that rank," replied christy. "now we will ride down the river. do you happen to know what time it is, mr. watts?" "i don't know, but i think it is about half-past eleven. i am not much of an equestrian," replied the steward, as he mounted the horse, "for i have been to sea all my life; but i think i can stay on if the beast don't run away with me." "he is perfectly gentle, and he will not run away with you. we have no occasion to ride fast, and we may not have to go more than two or three miles." they rode along the river for a few minutes, and then christy reined in his steed and dismounted. he went to the water side, at a point where there was a bend, and carefully examined the surroundings, both above and below. he could not see the bellevite in the darkness, for he had directed the engineer to allow no light to be shown on board of her. he had brought a little mathematics into his calculations, and he had pointed the big gun of the steamer so as to cover the craft with the walking-beam when she came in sight around this turn of the stream. by this plan she was sure to come into the range of the piece, no matter on which side of the channel she was moving. "now, mr. watts, i have a further duty for you to perform," said christy, as he explained his plan to the steward. "we shall go down the river till we meet this steamer which conveys the enemy. as you are a sailor as well as a caterer, you have a nautical eye, and when you have seen this steamer you will know her again." "trust me for that. if it is the old tub i think it is, i know her already," answered the steward. "what steamer do you think it is?" "the old vampire; and if you give her much of a rap, she will go to the bottom without the least difficulty." "i don't care where she goes to, provided she don't put her passengers on board of the bellevite. but i am taking you down the river with me in order that you may see her and know her." "i shall know her as soon as i see her." "as i said before, i shall run my horse back and get aboard of the bellevite as soon as i am satisfied that the enemy are moving up the river," continued christy. "i am afraid i shall not be able to keep up with you if you run your horse," suggested the steward. "i don't want you to keep up with me. you can come along as leisurely as you please, though you must not let the enemy get ahead of you." "if the enemy are in the old vampire, i could keep ahead of her on foot." "you had better keep ahead of her on your horse about a quarter of a mile, or more; but your main duty will be here. i have brought with me half a dozen roman candles, and i am going to fix them in the ground on this spot. here is a bunch of matches," said christy, handing it to him. the steward watched the midshipman while he planted the fireworks in the sand, and particularly marked the spot where they were located, for his companion told him he was to fire them, and he must be ready to do so without any delay. "a boy could do that and like the fun of it," said mr. watts, laughing at the simple duty he was to perform. "but it is the time that you are to do it, and the boy might be skylarking, or become impatient. this signal of the fireworks is to assure us at the right moment that the vampire, if it should be she, is in the place where i expect her to be." "i understand it perfectly." "after i leave you, another steamer may come along, and get to this point ahead of the vampire; and i should be very sorry to blow her out of the water, or sink her under it. you are to let us know by this signal that it is the vampire, and no other, that is coming round the bend. you had better leave your horse a short distance from the river, for that gun will make every pane of glass within a mile of it shake when it is discharged." "you may be sure that i will not be on his back at that time." "still further: i have planted six candles in the sand. you will light only one of them when the steamer begins to round the bend. that will be enough to inform us of the fact on board of the bellevite." "what are the others for?" asked the steward, taking a memorandum-book from his pocket as though he intended to write his instructions. "it is not necessary to write it. we shall not be able to see what effect the shot produces after we fire. if the vampire, always supposing she is the one, is not hurt, light a second candle--only one of them. if she should be disabled, you will light two candles." christy repeated what he had said, and was careful not to give the steward too much to remember. as soon as the matter was fully understood, the middy mounted his horse, and they proceeded on their mission down the river. after they had ridden about three miles, mr. watts insisted that the steamer was coming, and that it was the vampire. "i don't see anything," added christy. "neither do i; but i know that the vampire is coming up the river. if you listen, you will hear a hoarse puffing; and nothing but that old ark could make such a wheezy noise," replied the steward. the middy heard it and was satisfied. chapter ix the approach of the vampire the vampire, as the steward had no doubt it was, could not be less than a mile distant from the spot where the two horsemen had halted in the road. christy was very familiar with this portion of the river, and after he had listened a few moments, he was satisfied from the direction of the sound he heard, that a mile was very nearly the exact distance. the approaching steamer had to come around a small bend, the arc of which made just a mile. "i don't wish to blow up a dozen or twenty loyal citizens, and i must make sure in some way that captain carboneer's party is on board of that steamer," said christy, as he led his horse into a field, and tied him to a tree, the steward following his example. "that would be a very bad thing to do," added mr. watts, as they walked back to the river. "but i don't see why it is necessary to blow up even any rebels on the present occasion. if that naval officer has forty men, as you think he has, a shot from that long gun would make terrible havoc among them if you succeeded in hitting her. you might kill half of them." "if we do they, and not we, will be responsible for it," added christy, somewhat appalled by the suggestion of his companion. "if you have steam up on board of the bellevite, why not get under way and run down the river," continued mr. watts. "perhaps i am a coward, but i am afraid to do that," replied the midshipman, thoughtfully. "we all know that you are no coward, christy, and if you don't send a shot into the vampire, it will not be because you are afraid." "although i know the river as well as any pilot in this vicinity, i should not dare to run the bellevite at full speed around such a bend as the one off this spot," christy explained. "we have not above half a dozen trained sailors who know how to handle a cutlass on board, and all the others will be needed in working the steamer. the coal-passers would be good for nothing in repelling boarders." "you think captain carboneer would board the steamer, do you?" "i have no doubt he would. he is a naval officer, and he knows what he is about. there are several ways that he might get a hold on the bellevite, and, if he got alongside of her, i am afraid it would be all up with us, and we should have a fair chance to see the inside of a confederate prison. i am afraid to run the risk you suggest, mr. watts." "you know best, and i don't mean to interfere; i only thought i would suggest the idea," added the steward, as they reached the bank of the river again. after he had secured his horse, christy had lighted a match and looked at his watch. it was a quarter of one, and still the puffing of the vampire came from the same direction. it was plain enough to him that the old tub was not a racer. but she showed herself beyond the bend in about a quarter of an hour, indicating that her rate of speed, or rather of slowness, was not more than four statute miles an hour. but this was simply confirmation of what the steward had said on the subject. yet she was coming, though it was too dark on the river to see her in detail. though he strained his eyes to the utmost, christy could not discover any men on her forward deck. "i think you had better move back where you cannot be seen," said the midshipman, in a low tone, to his companion. "do you wish me to leave you alone, christy?" asked the steward, surprised at the request. "that is just what i wish, for i don't care to have any one on board of the vampire see more than one person at this point," replied christy, still gazing through the gloom at the approaching steamer. "excuse me, christy; but what are you going to do? i prefer to be within supporting distance of you." "i don't think i shall need any support. i am going to hail the vampire, and ask if captain carboneer is on board," replied the midshipman, quietly. "you are going to hail her!" exclaimed mr. watts. "are you mad, christy? i should say that you were." "you shall be your own judge on that point." "but the moment you use the name of captain carboneer, they will take the alarm, and the next thing will be a bullet through your head." "i will take the risk of that," answered christy. "but you need not go far from the river on this dark night. there is a clump of bushes this side of the road, and you may get behind it." the steward was not at all satisfied with the situation, but he complied with the request of the midshipman, and concealed himself behind the bushes. christy took a position on the very verge of the water. the progress of the vampire was made at the expense of a hideous noise, and she was a craft not at all adapted to the purpose of the conspirators. the middy watched her with the most intense interest as she approached the point where he was stationed. there was no light to be seen on board, and there appeared to be no men on her lower deck; but she had a cabin and other rooms, in which a force as large as that of the captain could be concealed. "steamer, ahoy!" shouted christy, as soon as the vampire was abreast of the spot he occupied. no answer came to this hail, and the midshipman repeated it, louder than before. "on shore!" replied a voice from the forward deck. "come up to the shore, and take me on board, will you?" continued christy, disguising his voice to some extent the better to answer his purpose. "who is it?" demanded the person on board who acted as speaker; and christy could see his form very distinctly, as he stood at an open gangway, and was the only person in sight on the lower deck. "brigster," replied christy, chewing up the word he coined so that the man could not possibly make it out. "are you alone, brewster?" demanded the speaker from the steamer. this was a hard question, and with less information than he had obtained while in his cabin on board of the florence, he would not have dared to reply to it. but he knew something of the plan of the conspirators, and he felt competent to answer. "three more back in the road," replied christy, promptly; and he said three so as to give the idea that the force on board might be increased by this number. "is captain carboneer on board of that steamer?" asked the midshipman, coming to his main point. [illustration: "steamer, ahoy!" shouted christy.--page .] "he is, and we are all here but four," replied the speaker on the deck; and christy was satisfied that the captain was the person by this time, for his language and his voice indicated that he was an educated man. "we had no boat, and we could not get across the river to the creek," added christy, to increase the confidence of the leader of the expedition. "but we saw a boat half at mile up the river, and we will come off there, if you say so." "all right; come on board as soon as you can," added captain carboneer, as he walked away from the gangway. mindful of the peril of the situation, christy walked leisurely back from the river, and soon joined mr. watts, who had been near enough to hear the conversation between the captain and the midshipman. "that was done very handsomely, christy," said the steward. "there was no great difficulty in handling such a matter when one knew all about the plot as i did. the fault on the other side was that they did not examine the cabin of the florence before they discussed their plans in the standing-room," replied christy, as he unfastened his horse, and sprang upon his back. "i have no time to spare now." "there is nothing more to be done here, i believe," added mr. watts. "not a thing. you can ride back to the place where the roman candles are planted, and you need not hurry about it, for the vampire don't make more than four miles an hour. now be particular to carry out my instructions to the letter, mr. watts; and you can see that a great deal depends upon which signal you may have occasion to give," added the midshipman. "i understand what i am to do perfectly, and i will do my duty faithfully, you may be sure," replied the steward, as he mounted his horse. christy did not wait for him, but put his steed into a dead run on the moment. the road was only a cart-path, and it was so soft that the horse's hoofs made no noise to betray his movements to the enemy. he urged the willing beast to his utmost speed, for he was as much at home in the saddle as he was in the rigging of a ship. before the vampire had made another eighth of a mile, he had reached the place where the boat had been left for his use. what to do with his horse was a question, for the report of the big gun would set him crazy. but he knew that the men must be at the house, and he turned the animal loose, satisfied that he would go to the stable without any guidance. springing into the boat, he pulled to the bellevite. at the accommodation steps, he was challenged by sampson, who demanded like one in authority who and what he was, for the experience of the evening had greatly sharpened his wits. "who is it?" he demanded, in a tone which implied his intention to have a satisfactory answer. "advance and give the word." "give the word!" exclaimed christy. "i have no word to give." "then you can't come on board," replied sampson dogmatically. "i am christy passford, and i have not heard about any word," protested the midshipman. "you can't pour molasses down my back again," replied sampson, with a self-satisfied air. "don't be a fool, sampson," added christy, as he climbed upon the steps, the lower part of which had been hoisted up. "i have been a fool once, and i don't mean to be again," replied the sentinel. "on deck, there! bring a lantern out of the engine-room!" "don't bring a lantern in sight!" protested christy impatiently. "what's the row there, sampson?" called paul vapoor, mounting the rail, and looking through the darkness at the steps, down which the vigilant sentinel had descended more than half way to the water. "this fellow says he is christy passford; and i don't know whether it is christy or not," replied sampson. "is that you, christy?" asked paul. "of course it is," replied the middy. "we are wasting time." "he hasn't the word," added the sentinel. "pass him, sampson; he is all right," said the engineer; and christy rushed up the steps, and leaped down upon the deck of the steamer. "i gave out a word for all who had to leave the ship for any purpose during the evening," paul explained. "never mind that now," interposed the midshipman in command. "have you plenty of steam on?" "enough to give her fifteen knots," replied the engineer. "the cable is buoyed, and the long gun loaded. i believe everything is in perfect order to carry out your instructions, though we did not point the gun when we loaded it, for i thought you would prefer to do that yourself," the engineer reported. "all right, paul," added christy. "the steamer, whose name is the vampire, is on her way up the river, and i should say she would reach the bend in about half an hour. mr. watts is down there, and i have arranged certain signals with him." the midshipman made a careful examination for himself of the ship. chapter x a shot from the long gun christy passford, as soon as he found that all the other preparations for the decisive event had been made, turned his attention to the aiming of the long gun. he had practised with it somewhat before; and in the ambitious spirit of a boy, he had often amused himself by sighting over the top of the piece. there was no sort of duty on board of a vessel, even a war steamer, in which he had not done his best to make himself a proficient. he had done duty as an engineer, and even as a fireman. he had taken his trick at the wheel as a quartermaster, and there was nothing he had not done, unless it was to command a vessel, and he had done that on a small scale. doubtless he had no inconsiderable portion of a boy's vanity, and he believed that he could do anything that anybody else could do; or if he was satisfied that he could not, he studied and practised till he did believe it. be it vanity or pride, christy certainly believed in himself to a very liberal extent, though his character was fortunately leavened with a large lump of modesty. what he believed, he believed for himself, and acted upon it for himself; so that he was not inclined to boast of his accomplishments, and permitted others to find out what he was rather than made it known in words himself. but his father had found it necessary to restrain him to some extent, and he had not pushed him forward as rapidly as he might have done till the dread notes of war were heard on the land and the sea; and then he thought it would be wrong to hold him back. when christy sighted along the great gun, he believed he could hit the vampire almost to a certainty; but he was not self-sufficient, and did not often believe that he knew a thing better than any other person, and he was not above taking the advice and instruction of others. it was dark, but christy had fixed upon an object at the bend below, of which he intended to make use in firing the gun. it was a tree which painted its outline on the horizon, and the decisive moment was to come when the vampire was in range with this tree. he adjusted the gun just as he wanted it, and he was satisfied it would do just what he required of it. he was not inclined to act on his own judgment and skill alone, and he called boxie, the old sheet-anchorman, who had been the captain of a gun years before the midshipman was born, and pointed out the tree to him, asking him to sight along the gun. he explained his plan to the old salt, and then asked his opinion. "you have aimed it too high, mr. passford," said the veteran, after he had squinted a long time along the piece. "how is it otherwise?" asked christy. "it is all right, sir; but the shot will pass over the steamer. drop the muzzle a trifle, and the shot will hull her, if you pull the lockstring at the right time." "i shall see that the string is pulled at the right time; thank you, boxie," added christy, without depressing the gun as the old man suggested, for he had a theory of his own which he intended to carry out. "but the ship may change her position a trifle," added boxie. "of course, i mean to sight the gun again at the very moment we fire," replied christy, looking at his watch, though he was obliged to go into the engine-room to see what time it was. it was after two, and the vampire had had time enough to make the bend. christy wondered if captain carboneer was not looking for the four men he had promised to put on board of the old steamer; but some promises are better broken than kept, and the midshipman thought this was one of them, though he did not consider the present occasion as any excuse for lies, or the failure to keep his word, in the indefinite future. the acting commander of the bellevite--for such the middy was, and no one disputed his authority--began to be very nervous at the non-appearance of the enemy. he was afraid that some mishap had befallen the vampire; either that she had gone to the bottom or got aground, though he had heard captain carboneer say that he was a pilot for this part of the river. christy had mounted the gun carriage ready to take his final aim, and he had been there at least half an hour. he was watching the point where the roman candles had been planted, and he had perfect confidence in the judgment and fidelity of mr. watts. boxie was stationed at the lock-string, and held it in his hand, ready to speed the great shot on its errand of destruction; but he hoped the midshipman would depress the muzzle of the gun before he was called upon to pull the string. the other sailors who had served on board of the bellevite, and had been drilled in handling the guns, were all in their stations, ready to load the piece again as quickly as possible after it had been discharged. the silence had become intense and painful to all, for apart from the messenger of death and devastation which was about to be hurled at the vampire, the bellevite was in danger of being captured, and had a resolute enemy in front of her. the safety of the pet steamer depended upon the skill and judgment of a mere boy, though everybody on board had entire confidence in him. but the supreme moment came soon enough. [illustration: "christy sprang to the gun."--page .] a hardly perceptible light at the point he was so closely watching, first attracted the attention of christy,--perhaps the lighting of the steward's match. an instant later, the fireworks blazed up, and lighted up the smooth surface of the sleeping river. no doubt the conspirators, who had chosen darkness because their deeds were evil, were astounded to see so much light suddenly thrown upon their enterprise. christy sprang to the gun, took a hasty sight, which satisfied him that the position of the gun had not changed a particle. as the dark outline of the vampire passed in range of the selected tree, the midshipman sprang down from the gun-carriage. "fire!" shouted he, in a determined though not very loud tone. it was a tremendous explosion, and the echoes rolled out from the hills as though they were armed with heavy guns, and were taking part in the conflict. probably the rattling windows and the shaking frames of the houses roused all the sleepers within a mile of the ship. the bellevite was enveloped in the smoke from the discharge, and though christy mounted the carriage again to obtain a better view, he could see nothing, for there was not wind enough to sweep it away at once. but the young commander watched, with almost as much interest and anxiety as before, the signal station he had established. but there was no occasion for desperate haste, for the gun was ready for use a second time if the first shot had failed to do its work. on the other hand, if the vampire was disabled, she would stay where she was, or drift down the river with the turn of the tide, and it was just about "full sea" at this time. the smoke was very aggravating to the midshipman, but he could not help himself. the light air swept it away in time, and, with his strained eyes, christy discovered that two roman candles were burning at the signal station. "did you hit her, christy?" asked paul vapoor, leaping on the gun-carriage. "i did," replied the midshipman, trying to control a certain feeling of exultation that took possession of his mind, for he did not consider that some of the party below might have been killed by the shot. "i suppose you don't know anything about the effect of the shot yet?" added paul. "i only know that the vampire is disabled." "how do you know that, for i can't see anything?" "do you see those two blue lights burning at the side of the river?" asked christy, as he pointed to the place. "i see them, and they light up the river like a flash of lightning." "they mean that the steamer is disabled; and for that reason she can't come any nearer than she is now." "but those villains will make their way to the shore, and there are boats enough about here to enable them to get alongside, and lay us aboard. this is not the end of the affair," said the engineer, very seriously. "decidedly not; but i hope to have further information in the course of a few minutes," replied christy. "bellevite, ahoy!" shouted some one on shore. "that is mr. watts; send sampson on shore after him, and we shall soon know the condition of affairs on board of the vampire," added the midshipman. "i told the steward to ride up as fast as he could after he had satisfied himself that the steamer was disabled." sampson was gone but a few minutes, during which time christy and paul consulted in regard to the next step to be taken, and the question was promptly decided. the boat in which sampson had gone to the shore returned not only with the steward, but also with mrs. passford and miss florry. "what does this mean, mother?" asked christy, astonished to see his mother and sister come on board. "it means that we were alarmed, and could not stay in the house any longer," said florry, taking it upon herself to answer. "your father has not come home yet, christy, and i don't think he will come to-night, for he said he might not be able to return in the last train," added mrs. passford. "we came down to the shore with two of the men, and saw mr. watts when he arrived on the horse." "and i shall take the responsibility of having advised the ladies to go on board of the bellevite," interposed the steward. "but you have not reported upon the condition of the enemy after the shot hit the vampire, mr. watts," said christy, impatiently. "the shot struck her walking-beam, smashed it all to pieces, and cleaned it off completely. of course, that disabled her. very likely some of the party on board of the vampire are hurt, for the pieces did not all drop into the water." "now, in regard to the ladies?" suggested the midshipman. "it is for you to decide, mr. passford, whether or not the enemy are likely to renew the attempt to capture the steamer. but it seemed to me, whether they do anything more or not, it is not quite safe for the ladies to be alone in the house with the servants, for these fellows will be prowling about here in either case." "i would not stay in the house for all the world!" protested miss florry; and probably she thought that one of the prowlers would be major pierson. "you are quite right, mr. watts; i was not as thoughtful as you were," replied christy, who took in the situation with this suggestion. "what were they doing on board of the vampire, mr. watts?" "i did not wait to observe their movements, but the boat began to drift down the river." "beg pardon, mr. passford, but the ship is swinging around, and you will not be able to use that gun as it points now," said boxie, touching his hat to the young commander. "stand by your engine, paul; we will get under way at once. boxie, cast off the cable, and let it run out. you buoyed it, did you not?" said christy, with a sudden renewal of energy, as he hastened to the pilot-house, where beeks and thayer had been sent before. "i buoyed the cable, sir," replied the sheet-anchorman. "then cast it off. sampson, open the cabin for the ladies," added christy, as he disappeared in the pilot-house. but the ladies preferred to go into the engine-room. chapter xi the battle alongside the bellevite the signal lights at the bend of the river had burned out, and nothing could be seen in that direction. the turn of the tide had carried the wreck of the vampire, if she was a wreck, down the stream, and beyond what the steward had reported, nothing was known in regard to her. mr. watts possessed himself of the single fact that her walking-beam had been carried away by the shot, and he had not waited to ascertain anything more. she was disabled, and he had been instructed to hasten up the river as soon as he had assured himself of this fact, and made the signal. as the extent of the calamity to the enemy was unknown, the young commander began to have some painful doubts in regard to the immediate future. he had given the order to slip the cable, and he could hear the rattle of the chain as it passed out through the hawse-hole. it was evident enough to him that he had to run the gantlet of the party on board of the vampire in descending the river. as the shot had hit the walking-beam of the steamer, it was not probable that she was seriously injured in her hull, if at all. some of the enemy had doubtless been hurt by the fall of the pieces of machinery, but christy could not believe that the conspirators were disabled, as the vessel was. the enemy might make an attempt to board the bellevite as she passed down the river, for the accident must have rendered the party more desperate than before. in the face of a failure to capture the bellevite at her anchorage, which had seemed so easy a matter to the leaders of the expedition, they would be ready to take any chances of success that came in their way. "cable all out, sir," reported boxie. not without some heavy doubts, christy rang the bell to go ahead. he had no one in the pilot-house with whom he could consult except the two quartermasters, for paul was in charge of the engine, and he could no more leave it than the midshipman could leave the wheel. the propeller began to turn, and the ship gathered headway. to add to the responsibility of the young commander, his mother and sister had just come on board, and were now seated on the sofa in the engine-room. the bellevite was moving down the river, and the only thing christy could do was to brace himself up to meet whatever might happen on the trip. he did this at once, and a moment later he rang to go ahead at full speed. he was approaching the bend of the river, and in a minute or two more he would be able to see the vampire. but captain carboneer could no more see through the headland at the bend than he could, and he hoped that the leader of the enemy had not yet discovered that the bellevite was under way. the steamer increased her speed on the instant in response to the signal, and she rushed forward at a velocity that would be fatal to the vampire if she happened to be in her path. but christy was not disposed to make an issue with the enemy when they met; he intended to defend the bellevite, if she was attacked, to the extent of his ability and small force. "there she is!" exclaimed beeks, as the bellevite began to change her course to go around the bend. christy saw the vampire as soon as the quartermaster, and he was glad to find that she had drifted to the left bank of the river as far as the depth of water would permit. as her engine was disabled, she had no means of propulsion with which she could help herself. it was not improbable that she was aground. she was not armed with a single heavy gun, or with any gun, and she was entirely harmless. christy breathed more freely when he realized the situation of the vampire. probably she was provided with one or more boats, and it was possible that captain carboneer might attempt to board the bellevite as soon as he discovered her. the deck of the steam-yacht was not very far above the water, and if a boat full of desperate men could get alongside of the ship, it would not be a very difficult matter for them to mount the side. "port a little," said christy to the quartermasters at the wheel. "keep her well over to the west shore. steady." a moment later the steamer had her course for passing the vampire, and christy left the pilot-house to obtain a better view of the situation and movements of the enemy. it was not so dark as to prevent him from seeing all that was going on upon her deck, for the bellevite had to pass within pistol-shot of her to avoid getting aground on the edge of the channel. sampson and the rest of the old ship's company gathered near him, where they could see over the rail. the oiler, as paul vapoor had instructed him to do, had armed all these men with a cutlass and a revolver, and very likely some or all of them would have been glad to make use of them. "they are loading into a boat on the port side of the vampire, sir, and it looks as though they intended to do something without delay," said sampson; and, as the steamer had come about since she was disabled, this was the side nearest to the shore. "i see that they are hurrying some movement with all their might," replied the midshipman, watching with the most intense interest the operations of the enemy. "sampson, get out half a dozen sixty-pound, solid shot, and put them on the plankshear, twenty feet apart. take all hands with you, and hurry up." the oiler asked no questions, though he might have been excused for wondering what the young commander intended to do with shot without powder. in a few minutes the shot were in place, as christy had directed. the midshipman was watching with all his eyes the movement of the enemy, and, as the bellevite approached the position of the wreck, the boat darted out from the other side of her. it began to be exciting for the middy, loaded with the responsibility of the safety of the steamer, though he seemed to be as cool as boxie himself, who had seen some sea fights in his day. christy leaped on the rail of the ship, where he could obtain a full view of the situation. the boat was approaching with all the speed the oarsmen could command, and they seemed to be experienced hands. there could be no doubt of the intentions of the enemy, and the midshipman drew his heavy naval revolver from his pocket. "stand by to repel boarders!" he called to the seamen. "pass up one of those shot, sampson. have a hand mount the rail, each with a shot, at the points where you have placed them." "the ladies wish to know what is going on, christy," said paul, coming from the engine-room. "i have no time to talk now," replied christy impatiently, as he saw the approaching boat within ten feet of the side of the steamer. "tell them to stay where they are, and not come on deck!" the boat was not a large one, and it did not contain more than a dozen men; but the fine form of captain carboneer could be seen, as he stood up in the stern sheets. those who were not pulling the oars began to discharge revolvers at the men now mounted on the rail; but the motion of the boat and the ship seemed to defeat their aim, and no one was hit so far as was known. "when the boat comes alongside, let the man who is in the right place for it drop his shot into it. be careful of it, and don't waste the iron," shouted christy, when the decisive moment came. "all ready, sir," responded the men along the rail. "you are the man, boxie! you are in the right place for the first shot," added the midshipman. boxie was next to him, and it would be christy's turn next if the old man failed to do good work with his shot. the boat came alongside, and a bowman fastened his boathook at the side of the ship, and held it in place. at the same moment boxie let drive his sixty-pound shot; but he ought to have waited an instant longer, for the missile dropped harmlessly into the river. the bowman had not obtained a good hold, and he lost it, so that the boat began to drift astern. captain carboneer shouted his orders, and the man got a new hold, and this time it was at the painter of the boat in which sampson had brought off mr. watts and the ladies. it had been forgotten in the excitement of the moment, but the rope afforded a good hold to several men who had grasped it. at this thrilling moment, a man wearing a frock-coat discharged a revolver at christy, who was standing on the rail above him, and then, seizing the painter in the hands of the men, he climbed briskly to the accommodation steps, which had been hoisted up, but not taken on board. christy was in the most dangerous position on board, for he seemed to be the target for all who could use their revolvers. but the young commander was not asleep, though he had given no order for the last minute or two. the boat was directly under him, and he had put his pistol in his hip-pocket, in order to take up the solid shot at his feet. it was heavy, but he lifted it over his head without any difficulty, and launched it into the boat with all the force he could give to it. "on deck, there! let go that painter!" shouted christy, as he pitched his missile from his hands. he was in a position so favorable for the operation that he could not well miss his aim, and the shot crashed through the bottom of the boat, carrying down one of the enemy with it. it did not make a round hole in the bottom of the boat, it was afterwards ascertained, as it might if it had been fired from one of the broadside guns, but it tore off the planking, and made a hole as big as the head of a flour-barrel. "lay hold of that man on the accommodation ladder!" shouted christy, without waiting to observe the effect of his shot, for the man who had succeeded in mounting the side was armed with a dangerous weapon, which he was likely to use as soon as he found the opportunity. the men forward of the point where the boat had come alongside had been ordered aft, and a couple of them dragged the venturesome officer, as his frock-coat indicated that he was, to the deck. christy was almost sure this man was haslett, who had certainly set a bold example to his companions in the boat. he was quickly secured, and by no gentle hands. his hands were tied behind him, and he was made fast to the rail, where he was likely to be harmless during the rest of the trip. it was no easy matter for a boat to make fast to a steamer going ten knots an hour at least, and if the painter of the boat had not been carelessly left where it could be of service to the assailants, the affair would have ended with boxie's unsuccessful cast of the shot. but as soon as the painter was let go, an order which sampson hastened to execute, the enemy's hold upon the ship was lost, though they were using boathooks and other implements to make sure of their grasp. the boat was left behind by the ship, though not till the hole had been stove in her bottom. "beg pardon, mr. passford, for missing my heave with the shot," said boxie, on the deck; and the veteran's heart seemed to be almost broken by his failure. "you are very excusable, boxie; one can't expect to hit every time, and you did very well," replied christy, who had suddenly passed from painful doubt and uncertainty to exultation and exaltation at the victory achieved. "we are all right now." "but the enemy are not," added sampson, who had mounted the rail after he had secured the prisoner. "they are all afloat." "they will get ashore in some way, or back to the vampire," replied christy, and he descended to the deck, and hastened to the engine-room. chapter xii the prisoner of war "what in the world have you been doing, christy?" asked mrs. passford, as her son entered the engine-room; and her anxiety was visible in her tones and looks as she spoke. "we have been repelling boarders, mother," replied the middy, his face wreathed in smiles. "what do you mean by that, my son?" inquired his mother. "well, mother, you are the daughter of a distinguished naval officer, and it seems to me you must understand what repelling boarders means," answered the young commander, laughing merrily; and no one in the engine-room could fail to see that he was in the highest state of exhilaration, now that the safety of the ship had been assured. "of course, i know what it means," added the lady. "and i don't mean boarders at the hotel, who are repelled by strong butter and tough steaks," chuckled christy. "i wish you would explain yourself, my son." "i will, mother mine. the fellows we fired at when we were at anchor have just attempted to board the bellevite, and thus obtain possession of her, as they failed to do in mobile bay, as well as at our anchorage in the hudson." and he proceeded to explain in detail all that had occurred on board and alongside. "my dear boy, i had no idea that you had been engaged in a battle!" exclaimed the fond mother. "it wasn't much of a battle, though a good many pistol-shots were fired at us; but a sixty-pound shot did the business on our side, and we left the enemy, or a portion of them, paddling in the river, and trying to keep their heads above water. but i must not stay here, for i have to look out for the steering of the ship," continued christy, as he moved towards the door. "you whipped them out, did you, midshipman?" added the engineer. "we did; and there isn't any doubt of it. i shouldn't wonder if some of them had lost the number of their mess. but i think it is settled for the present that captain carboneer don't go to sea in the bellevite. by the way, i had forgotten that we took a prisoner, and perhaps he will be willing to tell us something more about his enterprise." "who is the prisoner?" asked mrs. passford. "he is an officer, i judge, for he wore a frock-coat." "the party could not have had a great many officers. it was not the captain, was it?" "no; i am sure it is not he. i think it must be the naval officer whom captain carboneer called haslett; but i have not seen him except as he was shinning up the painter of the boat. you can go on deck if you like, mother and florry, or you may come with me into the pilot-house," added christy. the engineer had to remain on duty, and miss florry mildly objected to leaving her present comfortable position on the sofa of the engine-room; but as her mother wished to go with her brother, she felt obliged to go with her. christy gave his mother and sister places on the sofa abaft of the wheel, and then looked into the position of the steamer. but the two quartermasters had so often steered the steamer up and down the river that they had done very well, and there was no especial need of the midshipman as a pilot. the bellevite was not going at anything like her best speed, or at her usual rate at sea. as she was going, it was about a four-hours' run to new york, and christy was not in a hurry to get to his destination. "beeks, we have a prisoner, and i should like to take his measure," said christy to the senior quartermaster. "you may go aft and ask sampson to bring him into the pilot-house." "bring him into the pilot-house," repeated the man, as he left the apartment. "what are you going to do with your prisoner, christy?" asked mrs. passford. "i shall hand him over to the proper officers, and they can do what they please with him," replied the middy. "i don't want him: do you, mother?" "what should i want of him?" "perhaps you want him, florry?" asked christy of his sister. "i am sure i don't," she replied, pouting. "perhaps you will want him when you have seen him," added the middy roguishly. at this moment sampson appeared at the door of the pilot-house, conducting his prisoner, whose hands were still tied behind him. christy did not see him at first, for he was looking at his sister; but her pretty face suddenly turned crimson, and her brother heard the sound of footsteps in the apartment. as soon as he saw the prisoner, he started back in astonishment, though perhaps there was no particular reason to be surprised. it was not mr. haslett, as he had supposed, and it certainly was not captain carboneer. but it was major lindley pierson, late commandant of fort gaines. christy had not expected to meet him, and that was the only reason why he was astonished. "major pierson!" exclaimed the midshipman, as soon as he had in some degree recovered from his astonishment. "i believe we have met before somewhere." "without a doubt we have, captain passford," replied the major, who no longer belonged to the mulgate family. "not a captain, if you please; but i am none the less glad to see you on that account. this is really a very unexpected pleasure." "and quite as unexpected to me, i assure you, especially to meet the ladies," added the prisoner as he bowed low to mrs. passford and her daughter. "i had hoped i might meet mrs. and miss passford before i returned to the south." "and you had even hoped to take one of them back with you as a passenger in the bellevite," christy interpolated, with great good nature. major pierson looked at him with a start, and it was his turn to be astonished. he was a prisoner, but he had the privilege of wondering how christy knew so much about his affairs. "captain carboneer is a very obstinate man, and did not take kindly to the carrying of lady passengers in a man-of-war; but i think he was right, though my view may be of no consequence to you," added the young officer. "i have the highest opinion of captain carboneer, for he is a solid, substantial man. by the way. major pierson, who is he?" "he is captain carboneer," replied the major discreetly. "perhaps he is captain carboneer; i don't know: things are not always what they seem, and i find that persons are not, either. hasn't that been your experience, mr. mulgate--i beg your pardon, major pierson?" the prisoner frowned, and gave a fierce glance at the midshipman, as though he felt like annihilating him with a look. but he evidently considered just then that he was in the presence of the ladies, and perhaps that the flash of his eagle eye would not kill his tormentor, as the young man seemed to have become. "i am your prisoner, or somebody's prisoner, captain passford, and the tables are turned against me. of course, you don't expect me to give information that will be of use to the enemies of my country." "of course not." "when you were my prisoner, i think i treated you like a gentleman," added major pierson. "i think you did, sir; and that reminds me that your hands are tied behind you. you were so kind as to release me from my bonds when i was in your power"-- "and it was the stupidest thing i ever did in my life," interposed the prisoner, with some bitterness. "i am not familiar with the events of your life, and i cannot gainsay your remark." "you did not scruple to turn our own guns against us." "as you would have done if you had succeeded in capturing the bellevite," added christy, smartly. "this time makes twice that you did not capture her." "the third time may not fail." "it may not; but i must be as magnanimous as you were. sampson, release the gentleman." "thank you, captain passford; that is no more than i did for you when you were in the same situation." "but i suppose you will not undertake to capture this ship after i have done as well by you as you did by me. i intend to treat you like a gentleman, though the fortunes of war are against you. now, perhaps you will not object to answering a question or two, in which there can be no treason." "i must be my own judge of the questions," replied the major, rather haughtily. "certainly, sir; and i shall not insist upon your answering any question. was any one on board of the vampire killed in this affair?" "no one was killed." "were any wounded?" "i am sorry to say that three were injured by the falling of the pieces of the walking-beam." "seriously?" "two slightly, and one severely." "thank you, major." "of course, i am not informed of the fate of those in the boat when it was sunk," added the prisoner. "i think no one was badly hurt in that part of the affair," said christy. "perhaps it will be of interest to you to know that private passford, formerly of my command, was the one who was severely wounded on board of the vampire." "corny!" exclaimed mrs. passford. "i am sorry to say that he was struck on the shoulder by a fragment of the machinery," replied the major, very politely, as he bowed low to the lady. "poor corny!" ejaculated miss florry. "is he very badly wounded, major pierson?" "i do not know how seriously, but i am afraid he cannot use that shoulder for a long time." replied the prisoner, fixing a look of admiration upon her, as if he were glad to have the privilege of looking at her without causing any remark. "i am so sorry for him. corny was always real good to me when i have been at glenfield," added the fair girl, and she actually shed some sympathetic tears as she thought of his wounded shoulder. "can we not do something for him, mother?" "i shall be very glad to have him removed to the house, and i will take care of him till he gets well. i don't know whether this can be done or not. perhaps major pierson can inform me." "if your kind hearts prompt you to do this for one who is in arms against the government, i have no doubt it can be managed. he can give his parole, and that will make it all right." "he is my nephew, and i would do as much for him as i would for my own son," replied mrs. passford heartily. "and i as much as i would for my brother," added miss florry. everything was pleasant so far, though all the passfords were worried about poor corny, who had been with the ladies only the evening before. chapter xiii after the battle it was six o'clock in the morning when the bellevite let go her anchor off twentieth street, as the young commander decided to do after some consultation with paul vapoor, who was his senior in years if not in wisdom. he did not suppose the steamer would be allowed to anchor at the navy yard without orders to that effect. his father had not returned from the city. though he held no office, captain passford was as busy with public affairs as though he had been the collector of the port. no one but the ladies had slept any during the trip; but they had been on deck some time when the steamer anchored. christy had been very much in doubt as to what he should do with the bellevite when he reached his destination, and he was glad to see his mother when she came out of the cabin. though he was still hardly more than a boy, he believed in his mother, and it had not yet occurred to him that he knew more than she did. he stated his difficulty to her, for paul had been as much in doubt as the midshipman. "i think it is a very easy question to answer, christy," replied mrs. passford, with a smile. "where have you anchored?" "off union square, or very near it, i should think," replied christy. "you know that your father stays at the st. james hotel when he is in the city," she added. "the only thing you can do is to find him, and let him decide what is to be done with the bellevite." "i did not think of that," added the midshipman. "i will get out a boat at once, and go on shore." "florry and i will go with you," continued mrs. passford. "we have nothing to do here, and i should like to return to bonnydale as soon as possible. but what will you do with your prisoner, christy?" "i shall do nothing with him. sampson is in charge of him, and i am sure he will not take his eye off the major while he remains on board." the port-quarter boat was lowered into the water, and a couple of the old sailors took their places in her. the ladies were assisted to their seats, and christy, after he had informed the engineer that he was in command during his absence, leaped into the boat, and it was pulled to the nearest pier. a carriage was called, and the party were driven to the hotel. it was half-past six, and christy was informed that his father had not yet come down. word was sent up to him, and the son went to his room, where he found him only half dressed. "i did not expect to see you at this time in the morning, my son," said the owner of the bellevite. "how did you come down so early?" "i came in the bellevite; and she is at anchor in the stream off twentieth street, father," replied christy. "in the bellevite!" exclaimed captain passford, with the nearest thing to a frown that ever appeared on his brow in the presence of any member of his family. "i don't quite understand how"-- "an attempt was made to capture her last night, father, and i thought it best to make sure of her," interposed the midshipman. "to capture her!" ejaculated captain passford, suspending his toilet, and gazing into the face of his son. "i think you must have dreamed that, christy." "perhaps i did, father; but we captured one prisoner of rank in my dream, and he is on board now, closely guarded by sampson," replied christy, laughing in his excitement. "mother and florry were on board, and they are down in the parlor waiting to see you." "do you mean that an attempt was really made to capture the bellevite last night?" asked the captain, as if unable to credit the astounding intelligence. "of course i can prove all i say by many witnesses. mr. watts is on board, and he has been dreaming too if i have. paul vapoor is another dreamer, to say nothing of eight or ten more on board," added christy. captain passford completed dressing himself about as quick as he had probably ever done since he became a millionnaire, and attended christy down to the parlor, where he gave his wife and daughter an affectionate reception. "but our boy tells me that some one has been trying to obtain possession of the bellevite, julia; and it seems to me hardly possible that such an attempt should be made so far up the river," said captain passford, as soon as he was able to allude to the subject. "but it is quite true, horatio; and our boy has behaved like a hero, if he is our son," replied the lady, bestowing a glance of pride upon the midshipman. "he says he has a prisoner on board," added the captain. "and who do you think that prisoner is, horatio?" asked mrs. passford. "is it jeff davis?" he inquired, with a smile. "not exactly; but it is major lindley pierson." "indeed? then i begin to see through the matter," replied captain passford. "he failed to obtain the steamer in mobile bay, and he came up here after her. but i should like to hear the particulars of this affair." "and poor corny passford was wounded in the shoulder," said florry, who had hardly spoken before. "you don't mean that you had a fight, christy?" demanded the captain, looking quite serious. "not much of a fight, father; we fired the long gun once, and disabled an old steamer, and we sunk a boat that was trying to lay us aboard." "then it was a more serious affair than i had supposed." "but, father, i think we had better be going on board; and i can tell you the story on the way just as well as here," suggested christy. "but you must have your breakfast before you go, for there is nothing to eat on board of the steamer," replied captain passford, as he led the way down into the restaurant. while they were waiting for the meal to be served, the captain went to the house of a military officer, with whom he was intimately acquainted, and requested him to take the prisoner off his hands. after the meagre details of the affair he gave, the officer offered to put a company on board of the steamer for her protection; but the captain thought this was unnecessary. after the breakfast, the party took a carriage for the pier. on the way the captain ordered a supply of cooked provisions to be sent down to the boat for the use of the men on board of the bellevite. with this supply the party went on board. on the way christy had told his story, and by the time they went on board captain passford had learned all about the affair. he had received the order to deliver the steamer at the navy yard on the following monday, and he decided to return to bonnydale in her. enough of the former members of the ship's company could be obtained in a few hours to hold the vessel against any enemy that was likely to appear in the river. as the owner was now on board, the engineer put on full steam, and she reached her anchorage, as indicated by the buoy of the cable which had been slipped. it was hauled in, and the bellevite was replaced in her former position. the tremendous report of the great gun in the small hours of the morning had startled all the people in the vicinity, though it was not till they left their beds that the news was conveyed to them. a party in the town just below the scene of the disaster to the vampire had been collected, and they had taken a steamer to explore the river in search of the bold actors in the affair, as soon as the facts were known in the vicinity. the steamer had been running up and down the river since six in the morning. when the bellevite passed up the river, she was promptly recognized by the investigating party on board of the alert, which followed the steamer up to her anchorage. she came alongside some time after the crew had fished up the cable; but captain passford warned her to keep off as soon as he discovered her intention to come alongside. she was a small steamer, and had at least twenty men on her deck, so that the captain thought it necessary to learn her object before she came any nearer. a boat with two men was sent from the alert, and one of them was permitted to come on board. this one proved to be captain mainhill, with whom the owner of the bellevite was well acquainted. he was a wealthy and patriotic man, though rather too old to be engaged in active service for his country. "i thought you might be representatives of the southern confederacy, and i was rather shy of you," said captain passford, as he took the hand of his neighbor. "i should not have been so cautious if i had met you last evening." "we have been looking for the gentlemen who were engaged in this attempt to capture the bellevite," added captain mainhill. "i hope you have found them, or some of them," replied the owner. "only a single one of them; and he is badly wounded. we have scoured the river for miles without finding any trace of the enemy. i think they landed on the east shore, and went over to the railroad, where they probably took the first train that came along," replied captain mainhill. "of course, they saw the bellevite going down the river, and perhaps they have gone down to new york to finish the job they begun here," suggested captain passford. "do you know if the enemy lost any of their number when the boat was smashed?" but captain mainhill knew nothing about the affair on the river beyond the fact that an attempt had been made to capture the bellevite, and he had not ascertained that more than one was injured. "we found the vampire aground half a mile below where the shot disabled her," continued the leader of the expedition. "her machinery was badly smashed. she never was good for much, and she is good for nothing now." "did the enemy carry off the one who was wounded?" asked captain passford, prompted by his wife. "no; he seems to have been too badly damaged for that; they left him at the house of a workingman near the river, and i suppose he is there now," replied captain mainhill. "i don't know that there is anything more that we can do, and we may as well go home to breakfast." "do you know where the wounded person is to be found?" asked captain passford. "i do; and i have seen him. he is suffering a good deal of pain; but he is as plucky as a mad snake, and he would not say a word in answer to my questions." "i shall be greatly obliged to you, captain mainhill, if you will land me as near as you can to the house where this wounded man is, and show me where it is. mrs. passford will go with me," said the owner. "very glad indeed to do it," replied the leader of the searching party. captain passford instructed some of the men on board to summon all the former ship's company of the bellevite on board at once that could be found, and then went on board of the alert with his wife. they were landed in a boat just below the bend, and captain mainhill conducted them to the house where corny was said to be. they found him there, and the poor fellow was glad enough to see them. no doctor had been called, and nothing had been done to alleviate his pain; but he was immediately removed to the mansion at bonnydale, with his own consent, and dr. linscott was sent for. chapter xiv the beginning of a chase major pierson still remained on board of the bellevite, for no officer had been sent on board for him, as expected; and he was under the efficient care of sampson. he was subjected to no restraint, and he took his breakfast with the engineer. but he was not a welcome visitor on board, and captain passford would have been very glad to get rid of him. the owner sought him the next time he came on board, when he was not so busy as he had been before. but he said nothing to him about his mission at the north, and treated him as a guest rather than a prisoner. for reasons of his own, though not difficult to conjecture, he was very anxious to make a good appearance before the father of miss florry, and he was a gentleman in his manners. "major pierson, i am sorry to do anything that may be unpleasant to you, but i have not the means of holding you as a prisoner," said the captain, after they had been talking of indifferent subjects for a time. "i realize that i am a prisoner of war, subject to such restraint as my captors impose upon me," replied the major. "if you will allow yourself to be paroled, it will settle your status for the present," added captain passford. "as a guest at your house?" asked the major, his face suddenly brightening up. "i shall be very happy to give my parole." "not at my house, if you please, major pierson; it would not be convenient at the present time," replied the owner, astonished at the suggestion, "then you will excuse me if i decline to accept a parole," replied the prisoner, biting his lip as though he was not pleased with the reply. "as a guest in your house, i should not wish you to have any solicitude in regard to me." "very well, major; i cannot object to your decision," added the captain, as he touched his hat and left the prisoner to the attentions of sampson. he was kept on board of the bellevite, now re-enforced by the return of about twenty of her former crew, so that regular watches were kept, and there was no chance for the prisoner to escape, and none for captain carboneer to capture the steamer. dr. linscott soon relieved corny of his pain, but it was many weeks before he was fit to leave the house, and then he was paroled. captain passford could never ascertain what had become of the crew intended for the bellevite, though it was supposed, as they separated, that they found their way to some port where they could ship for their chosen service. on the monday following the attempt to capture her, the bellevite was taken to the navy yard, and she was prepared for service. it was understood that her former officers and crew would be appointed to her, for they were accustomed to the vessel, and could do better with her than any other. paul vapoor and christy passford had already received their commissions and orders. captain breaker had been restored to his former rank, and was to be the commander of the bellevite. it was two months before the ship was ready to go into commission. important alterations had been made below, and the armament had been taken from her deck, substituting for it a parrot midship piece, of eight-inch bore, and carrying a one hundred and fifty pound shot, two sixty-pounders, and two thirty-pounders. this was a heavy armament, but the ship was strong enough to bear it. joel dashington and ethan blowitt were appointed as masters, and were to be the first and second lieutenants, while christy passford was the third. leon bolter was made a first assistant engineer, and fred faggs the second. sampson obtained his place as a first-class fireman, with the expectation of soon becoming an assistant engineer, for he was well qualified for the position. captain passford, though he had offered his services in any capacity in which he might be needed, had been induced to withdraw his application for the reason that he could be of more service to the cause at home than he could in the field or at sea. he was a man of influence, and he was needed in civil life. he was even able to do more as an adviser and counsellor than in any public office, though he filled several of the latter in the earlier part of the war. he furnished no inconsiderable part of the money needed at particular times, and he was only less valuable on account of his money than he was for his patriotism and good judgment. "now, christy, remember that you are an officer of the united states, and make yourself worthy of the place you occupy," said his father to christy, on the evening of his last day at home. "study your duty, and then perform it faithfully. perhaps i can tell you something of more value than good advice is generally considered to be." "i shall try to follow your good advice, father; and i mean to do my duty; and it will not be for the want of trying if i fail," replied christy. "you have sailed with captain breaker a great deal when you were in a different relation to him. now i must warn you that he has his duty to do, and i hope you will not expect to be favored, or ask him for privileges not granted to other officers," continued the late owner of the bellevite. "i am sure i expect him to be impartial with his officers." "i meant to have seen breaker this afternoon before i came home; but i had not time to go to the ship. for some of my own affairs i have had three agents in england. i wrote them some time ago to obtain all the information they could in regard to vessels, especially steamers, that cleared for any ports of the british possessions near the united states," continued captain passford, taking a letter from his pocket. "two weeks ago an iron steamer sailed from a port in ireland for the bermudas. this letter will tell you all about it, and you will hand it to captain breaker, and give him my explanation." the midshipman put the letter into his pocket without reading it. in his chamber he looked it over, and found that it meant business, and he was delighted with the idea of having something to do before he reached the port for which the ship was bound, for the inactivity of the blockade was not wholly to his mind. he slept as soundly as usual, for already he had come to regard war as the business in which he was engaged, and he had but little sickly sentiment over it. it was a tearful parting with his mother and sister before he took the train with his father, and it was a sad one with his father when he went off to the bellevite in the boat. but neither of them shed any tears, for both felt that they were called upon to discharge their duty to their country. captain breaker had always trained his officers and seamen to perform their duty in conformity with the discipline of the navy so far as it was practicable to do so, and consequently his ship's company were very nearly at home from the beginning of the voyage. he had received his sealed orders, and at noon the bellevite went down the bay on her mission to the south, though no one on board knew where the ship was bound. the crew had been re-enforced by as many men as she had usually carried, and the first day was a very busy one in putting everything in order. christy had handed the letter his father had given him to the captain, and after dinner he spoke of it. "did you read this letter, mr. passford?" asked the captain. "i did, sir; my father told me to read it," replied christy. "it appears that a very fast steamer loaded with a valuable cargo sailed from belfast eleven days ago, clearing for the bermudas. we shall all be very happy to pay our respects to her; but i can say nothing till i have opened my orders to-morrow," said captain breaker. "if she sailed eleven days ago from belfast, she ought to be well up with the bermudas, if she is as fast as represented, sir," added christy, hoping the orders would permit the bellevite to look out for the killbright, as she was called. the next day, as the observations indicated the latitude in which the sealed orders were to be opened, the seal of the official envelope was broken. captain breaker read the letter, and a smile came over his bronzed face. the orders were evidently to his satisfaction; and christy, who was on duty near him, remembered what his father had said to him, and asked no question, as he would have been likely to do under other circumstances. but the commander was kind enough to call his officers to him, and inform them of the duty assigned to the ship. the government had received information which indicated the approach to our shores of a considerable fleet of blockade runners, and the bellevite, on account of her reputed fast sailing, was to cruise for a given time off the coast in search of these blockade runners. "i have no doubt these blockade runners will go into the bermudas, especially the killbright. if we go into st. george, we shall not be allowed to sail till twenty-four hours after this fast vessel leaves," said captain breaker. "on the other hand, if we are seen off the port, she will not come out." "i don't see, then, that we can do anything about it, captain breaker," added mr. dashington. "captain passford's correspondent thinks the killbright is intended for the confederate navy, and that she is commanded by a naval officer sent out for the purpose," continued the captain. but no satisfactory measures could be devised for overcoming the difficulties on both hands, and the steamer sped on her way. in two days more she was in sight of the bermudas. it was almost dark when the lookout sighted a steamer coming out from the islands. by the order of the captain, the engine was stopped, and the steamer rested silently on a calm sea. "i don't think she has seen us yet," said captain breaker. "if she had, she would have come about and run back into the harbor." "she keeps on her course," added mr. dashington. "if she has the reputation of being a very fast vessel, very likely she believes that she can run away from us," suggested mr. blowitt. "as i don't believe the vessel floats that can outsail the bellevite, i shall give her time to get well away from the port before the screw turns again," said the captain. "mr. passford," called he a little later. "on duty, sir," replied christy, touching his cap to the commander. "you will have the midship gun charged with a solid shot, and have it ready for use at once." as the steamer in the distance still kept on her course, the screw of the bellevite was started. the chief engineer was called upon deck, and the situation explained to him. "we shall want all the speed we can get out of her, mr. vapoor," said the captain. "we shall have no trouble in making twenty-two knots, sir, with the sea as it is now," replied the engineer. "that steamer means to go into the cape fear river," said mr. blowitt, when the chase had laid her course. "if she was going in at savannah, or round into the gulf, she would go more to the south." "i think you are right; but she has room enough to run away from us if she can," added the captain. it was a busy time in the fireroom, but there was nothing to do on deck but watch the steamer. she had actually lighted the green light on the starboard, and evidently did not expect to be overhauled, even if her commander had noticed the presence of the bellevite. chapter xv a chase off the bermudas all the officers on board of the bellevite who had never been in the navy had spent their long vacation in the study and practice of gunnery and naval tactics; and the men had been carefully drilled by a competent officer as soon as they reported for duty. but a considerable number of the latter had served for years on board of men-of-war, and a few were sheet-anchor men. the latter are sailors who have spent the greater part of their lives in the national sea-service, and they were competent to teach many of the junior officers. every day after the ship went into commission, both officers and seamen were drilled, and the captain declared that they had all made satisfactory proficiency. he was ready to meet an enemy with them; but then the ship's company of the steam-yacht were of the very best material. they were all intelligent men, and sailors to begin with, so that the task of qualifying them for active duty was not very laborious. christy was even better fitted for his duties than many of the older officers, for he was not only full of enthusiasm, but he was skilful and scientific, as a rule. he neither asked nor expected any favors on account of former relations with the captain and other officers, and he was determined to make his way by merit rather than by favor. besides, he had already been under fire, and he had an idea how it felt. though he was as prudent and careful as circumstances might require, he had proved that he was as brave as a lion, and that shot and shell were not likely to drive him from the post of duty. every man was in his place at the midship gun, seventeen of them, including the powder-boy, and christy gave the orders for loading the piece as though he had been in the navy all his life. the other guns, the broadsides, were loaded at the same time. but just now paul vapoor was the most important man on board, and he was rapidly making himself felt in the increasing speed of the bellevite. captain breaker estimated that the steamer which had just come out of port was all of five miles ahead. it was only seven o'clock in the early darkness of this latitude. whether the chase was the killbright or not, it was impossible to make out in the darkness. if it was the killbright, captain passford's correspondent wrote that she was capable of making twenty knots an hour, as she had been built more for speed than anything else, though she could hardly be a profitable commercial venture. but even accepting this speed as the difficulty to be overcome, the bellevite would probably overhaul her in two or three hours. the engineer felt that his reputation and that of the ship were at stake, and could not think of such a thing as failure in the first actual encounter with the enemy. "we are gaining on her without the ghost of a doubt, mr. passford," said boxie, who was ready for duty at the gun. "no doubt of that, tom boxie," replied the third lieutenant. "but she is taking it very coolly. she has not yet even put out her lights." "i suppose you know why she hasn't, mr. passford," added the captain of the gun. "i am sure i don't know," replied christy. "if i was in command of that steamer, and wanted to do just what she does, i should not proceed as she does. but i am nothing but a boy." "but you have got a long head on your shoulders, mr. passford, and i should like to know, if you please, what you would do." "i would put her lights out before i winked twice." "right, mr. passford!" exclaimed the sheet-anchor man. "i am glad to hear you say that. the trouble with most of the boys is, when they go to sea to fight the battles of their country, they are as reckless as young wildcats." "i think it is possible to use proper caution without being a coward, tom boxie; and my father gave me a lesson on that subject not long ago." "eight bells, sir; and that steamer has had a good hour of running so far. i will wager my day's grub that we are two knots nearer to her than when she laid her course," added boxie, delighted with the situation. "i have no doubt of it. i think they are beginning to see it on board of her. there go her lights! she has not a ghost of a glow in sight; and i suppose there is going to be some monkeying about it, if she has ascertained that she cannot run away from us." "most likely, sir; but this is not a good night to play tricks, for we have a bright night and a smooth sea." "as that steamer has such a reputation for speed, i have no doubt they put a very valuable cargo on board of her; probably she has a good supply of arms in her hold." "so much the better for us, mr. passford. we don't fight for prize-money, but when a man gets to be as old as i am, a good round sum of money don't come amiss to him. but i am sorry to see that it looks like a change of weather," continued the sheet-anchor man, as he hitched up his trousers, and took a survey of the heavens. the wind began to come from the west after it had been almost a dead calm since noon. it looked as though a heavy shower was coming up, and clouds of mist and fog swept over the ocean. the usual lookouts had been doubled, but, in spite of all precautions, the bellevite lost sight of the chase when she could not have been more than a mile from her. but this weather was to be expected in this changeable latitude. captain breaker was as perplexed as any one, however skilful, must have been in the same situation. it was impossible to know what the chase would do, though it was plain enough, since she put out her lights, that she would change her course. it was over six hundred miles to cape hatteras, and she had room enough to manoeuvre in any manner she pleased. the change in the weather hardly amounted to a storm, and probably it would be all over in a few hours. but the chase might turn to any point of the compass, and the bellevite was as likely to pursue in the wrong as the right direction. but the first thing the commander ordered the chief engineer to do was to save his coal; though he held to his course, and the ship continued at a moderate speed till daylight. as the wise ones had predicted, the shower was of brief duration. as soon as it was light enough to see, and the fog banks had been swept away, a sharp lookout was kept for the chase. if she was ahead, she had outsailed her pursuer; but captain breaker was sure she had not done this, for she could not have had confidence enough in her heels to adopt such a course. "sail, ho!" yelled a man on the cross-trees, a few minutes later. "where away?" called the officer of the deck. "on the port beam, sir." several officers mounted the rigging to obtain a sight of the reported sail. she was at least ten miles off, and no one could make out whether or not it was the chase of the night before. the captain ordered the ship to be headed to the southward, and, after she had gone on this course an hour, there was another hail from the cross-trees. "sail is a steamer, sir!" reported the lookout. with the aid of the spyglasses, a long streak of black smoke could be made out of the dark clouds that were retreating in that direction. a little later it was demonstrated that she was headed for the coast of the united states. whether it was the chase they sought or not, she needed looking after. the course was laid in a direction to intercept the steamer, for her inky smoke indicated that she was not american. in another hour she could be very distinctly made out, though the chase had not been so clearly made out the night before as to enable the officers to identify her. paul vapoor was in his element again, and the bellevite was doing her best. the two vessels were approaching each other, and boxie suggested that there would be "music" in less than an hour. the people on board of the strange steamer must have been as much in the dark in regard to the caliber of the naval vessel as those on board of the bellevite were in respect to their confident rival. the chase was a long craft, it could be seen now, with two masts and two smokestacks, all of which raked in the most dashing style. she was rather low in the water, and, if it had been in the days of the pirates, the stranger would have been a fair ideal of the freebooter's ship. "she keeps on just as though she intended to mind her own business, and leave the bellevite to do the same," said boxie, as christy took his place near the midship gun. "i have no doubt the bellevite knows her business in this case, and that she will attend to it in due time," added the lieutenant. "good!" exclaimed the sheet-anchor man, suddenly. this exclamation was called forth by a flag, which was run up at the peak, and which proved to be that of the confederacy as soon as it was spread out to the breeze. "she is plucky, anyhow," added christy. "there is no lack of pluck in the south. but i wonder what she means by setting that rag." "beeks, hoist the ensign at the peak," said the captain, and the brilliant banner was spread in the morning air. "i reckon both sides understand the situation now. i don't know the captain of that craft, but he is an able fellow, and probably got his education in the old navy, and not in the new one, where he is serving now," continued boxie. "i think it is easy enough to see what he means," replied christy. "he ascertained last night that, fast as his vessel is, he cannot outsail the bellevite; and there is really only one thing he can do, and that is to fight." the lieutenant had hardly spoken the words before there was a puff of smoke from one side of the chase, and a heavy report came across the water. but the two steamers were still a long distance apart, and the shot fell short, to the satisfaction of the captain. the chase had been obliged to come to in order to bring her gun to bear, and she had lost a little time in doing so. it could be easily seen on board of both steamers that the bellevite was gaining rapidly on the other. "mr. passford, i am as sure of capturing that vessel as though i had her now, and i do not wish to injure her any more than is necessary," said captain breaker, as he sighted the parrot, and devoted especial attention to her. "she is a very fast steamer, and she will be very valuable in our navy in picking up just such vessels as she is herself." perhaps it was impudence for him to do so, but christy could not help casting his eye along the gun. all possible precautions were taken to secure a correct aim, and then the lieutenant gave the order to "fire!" "hit her, sir!" shouted one of the lookout men aloft, who could see over the cloud of smoke. "where did it strike her?" demanded the captain. "right in the broadside, abreast of the forward smokestack, sir! she has stopped her screw!" added the lookout. "mr. dashington, get the ship astern of the chase at once," continued the captain to the first lieutenant. this was the work of at least half an hour; but the bellevite was running for the stern of the other steamer, as though she intended to cut her in two lengthwise. the chase lay helpless on the water, unable to bring her broadside guns to bear on her enemy. chapter xvi the confederate steamer yazoo it was impossible to discover the nature or extent of the injury the chase had received from the shot from the midship gun; but she had been disabled, though it might be but slightly. the bellevite dashed on, as though impatient to obtain possession of her prey. all the glasses on board were brought to bear on the injured vessel, which all hands regarded as already a prize. the glasses did not reveal any considerable havoc in the side of the steamer, and the shot hole could easily be plugged when necessary; but the commander of the craft did not yet give up the ship, for he seemed to be engaged in hoisting her foresail and jibs, evidently with the intention of bringing her about so that he could use his guns. the wind was very light, and his chances of accomplishing his purpose were not very brilliant. "mr. dashington, you will call all hands, and be ready to board the prize in three divisions when we run abreast of her," said captain breaker. "let mr. passford command the forward division; mr. blowitt, the waist; and mr. calvert, the quarter." the boarders were mustered at once, as there was no occasion to fire again at the prize. each officer arranged his men, and spoke some stirring words to them. men in the tops were supplied with muskets, and all with revolvers and cutlasses. it was not believed that all this force would be necessary to capture the prize, but there was some evidence that she had a fighting crew on board, and the captain prepared for the worst. as the bellevite came nearer to the prize, the sound of hammers was heard, and it appeared that the engineers were engaged in an effort to repair the mischief which had been done to the engine. it was still impossible to see how many men she had on board, but captain breaker did not estimate that she had a full ship's company, for vessels intended for war purposes, escaping as this one doubtless had, did not usually take their force on board at the beginning of the cruise. [illustration: "christy and beeks on the steamer's deck."--page .] the three divisions of boarders were all in readiness, and all they feared was that there would be little for them to do on board the enemy. captain breaker was in the fore rigging where he could observe all that was done on the decks of both vessels. the bellevite went ahead with all speed till the signal was given to slow down. the sea was not heavy, and the captain laid her alongside of the prize. "do you surrender?" demanded the commander in a loud tone, but with his usual dignity. "i do not surrender!" replied the captain of the steamer. "boarders away!" shouted captain breaker. christy passford was the first to leap upon the rail of the other vessel, and then he dropped in the same instant upon her deck. at that moment he was conscious that the steamer under him was moving, though it might be the shaking which the bellevite gave her when she came alongside. on the deck of the prize, as he still taught himself to consider her, he saw not more than thirty men; and with nearly three times that number on the other side, it did not look as if it could be a very hotly contested battle. as christy jumped down from the rail, beeks followed him, and he was not a little surprised to find that they were alone. but there was no enemy at hand upon whom he could flesh his cutlass, and he sprang upon the rail again. he found that his impression had been correct, for the vessel was moving. she had already left a gap a dozen feet wide between the bellevite and herself. it appeared that the machinery had been repaired, and that it was now capable of doing all that it had done before. the steamer was the killbright, for the lieutenant saw the name painted in several places about her forward deck. she had suddenly shot ahead very unexpectedly to the captors, as they supposed they were, alongside of her. a puff of wind had been favoring her before, and she darted away towards the northwest. as she began to move, the lock-strings of her port battery were pulled as rapidly as possible. it would have been impossible to help hitting the bellevite, with the three guns fired into her at so short a distance. but the cloud of smoke that enveloped both vessels prevented the captain from taking in the situation. the crew of the killbright were ordered to reload their guns instantly. whatever was to happen in the near or distant future, it was evident that the dangerous steamer had not yet been captured, and christy did not think of her as a prize any more just then. the killbright crowded on all the steam she could obtain, and she rapidly increased the distance between herself and the bellevite. she fired her three broadside guns continually, but it was clear to christy that the men had not been trained to this business, or they might perhaps have sunk the naval vessel by this time. the bellevite fired her two broadside guns, and they made terrible havoc in the upper works of the killbright. but the strangest thing of all to the young lieutenant, caught on board of the anticipated prize, was that the bellevite did not go ahead, and give the boarding parties a chance to get on the deck of the enemy. "i don't understand it, beeks," said christy as he found himself by the side of the quartermaster. "why don't the ship give chase?" "i think she must be disabled, sir," replied the warrant officer. "what could have disabled her?" "i suppose she might be hit as well as this vessel," replied beets, no better pleased with the situation than his companion in trouble. "they fired three shots into her while she was alongside." "she must have been hit in a bad place, or she would have been alongside of us before this time. but here we are." the third lieutenant and quartermaster felt very much like prisoners, though they had no evidence that the killbright was a ship-of-war, except that she had hoisted the confederate flag, and fired upon the bellevite. but the rakish-looking steamer continued on her course, while the bellevite had not moved since the first broadside. she had already made a mile, and the shots from her enemy did not seem to disable her. she continued to run with all her speed, and the lieutenant felt the deck quiver as though it was in danger of being shaken out of her. but she was not followed by the bellevite, and things began to look dark and somewhat cheerless to christy. the firing came to an end, for the distance was becoming too great for it to be effectual on either side. "if we had not jumped down from the rail when we boarded, we might have escaped this scrape," said beeks, who was even more disgusted than his companion. "it is no use to growl about it," added christy, laughing. "here we are, and we can't help ourselves at present." "i suppose they will let us go, won't they?" inquired the quartermaster. "let us go where?" "let us go back where we came from," replied beeks, who seemed to be quite muddled by his misfortune. "you don't expect them to put you on board of the bellevite again, do you?" "well, no; not exactly; but this steamer is nothing but a blockade runner, and such craft don't take prisoners." "i hardly know what she is yet; she is a blockade runner, but she appeals to be something more than that. she hoisted the confederate flag, and her people stood by their guns like brave men. i count myself as a prisoner of war," said christy, to the increased disgust of his companion. "what do you suppose they will do with us?" asked beeks, looking as though he had not a friend in the world, though he had always been a very brave and active fellow when there was anything to do. "i don't know, but i suppose she will run the blockade into the cape fear river, and we may be taken up to wilmington." while they were talking about it, they saw a group of officers coming to the forward deck, where they had remained since they came on board. they appeared to be examining the steamer to ascertain what damage she had sustained. her bulwarks had been torn off, and she had suffered not a little from shot; but she did not appear to be very seriously damaged. at the head of the party was one who had a uniform, and dignity enough to be the commander of the ship. "who are those two men forward?" asked this gentleman, as he called the attention of the others to the two strangers. no one knew who they were, and the captain continued to advance, looking very sharply at christy, or at his uniform. the lieutenant thought he had seen the gentleman before, for it was quite impossible entirely to forget one with so much character in his face. "i am afraid i shall be obliged to call upon you, sir, to explain how you and your companion happen to be here, for i was not before aware of your presence." "i shall cheerfully explain, captain carboneer," replied christy, recognizing the captain, and bowing politely. "ah, you know me? but i have not the pleasure of your acquaintance, so far as i can remember," added the captain. "we met under some disadvantages so far as you are concerned, for i had the satisfaction of seeing you, though you did not see me," replied the lieutenant, looking very good-natured in spite of his situation as a prospective prisoner. "i must beg you to explain still further, mr.--i have not the pleasure of knowing your name." "passford, sir, christopher passford, midshipman in the united states navy, and at present third lieutenant of the steamer bellevite, which you can hardly make out at this moment, though i remember that you have seen her before," answered christy, telling the whole story, as indeed his uniform had already done, so far as his rank was concerned. "i am very happy to meet you under present circumstances, mr. passford, though i am not yet informed where i met you before." "perhaps you did not exactly meet me, captain carboneer; but, at any rate, we were in the same boat together." "i suppose we met, if at all, on the hudson, in connection with the bellevite. your people have not been as fortunate to-day with their gunnery practice as on that occasion," suggested the captain. "now, captain carboneer, will you kindly inform me in regard to the status of this vessel? is she a naval vessel, or simply a blockade runner?" "she is both; and i am sorry for your sake to inform you that you are a prisoner of war." "i supposed i was." "perhaps you will be willing to inform me what became of major pierson and corny passford--the latter a cousin of yours, i believe?" "like myself, the major is a prisoner of war. corny was injured in the disaster to the vampire, as you are aware; he is also a prisoner, but on parole, remaining at my father's house to be healed." "i have to regret to-day more than ever before that we failed to capture the bellevite, for i find that she is even faster than the yazoo," added the captain. "the yazoo?" "formerly the killbright, but now the yazoo." at this moment an officer came up and spoke to captain carboneer. as both of them looked aft, christy did the same, and, after studying the speck he saw on the ocean, he was satisfied that it was the bellevite, coming down upon the yazoo with all her speed. chapter xvii a satisfactory order whatever had happened to the bellevite, it was plain enough now to christy that she had repaired the injury, for the speck in the distance was assuming the form of a steamer. the discovery was not calculated to fan the hopes of captain carboneer and his officers, though the two unionists on board of the yazoo were elated. the chase was continued till the middle of the afternoon, when the bellevite opened fire with her heavy midship gun. "mr. passford, your ship has opened fire upon us, and i will not compel you to expose yourself to it," said captain carboneer, as one of the shots from the bellevite dropped into the water near the yazoo. "you are at liberty to retire to any part of the vessel you desire, with your companion." "thank you, sir; you are very kind; and as i don't care to be shot by my friends, i will go below," replied christy. it was hardly safer below than on deck, and it was not likely that the resolute commander of the yazoo would allow her to be captured as long as he could make any resistance. christy got the idea from the decision he had observed in the face and expression of captain carboneer, that the only way to capture the steamer would be to knock her to pieces. he expected to be saved from the fate of a prisoner of war, but he was not ready to believe that the yazoo would be sent to the north as a prize. she had not half the force of the bellevite, either in men or guns, and it had been proved that her speed could not save her. but all the chances of accidents were to be incurred, and no one could predict the final result. christy and beeks went below, and seated themselves in the wardroom of the ship. it looked as though it had been altered from the dining-saloon of a passenger steamer for its present use. but the vessel was an elegant affair, and christy thought it was evident from what he saw that she had been built for a steam-yacht by some british magnate. she was not more than two-thirds as large as the bellevite. the sound of the firing indicated that the bellevite was gaining on the chase even more rapidly than in the morning. at the end of a couple of hours more she seemed to be within a mile, or perhaps less. the yazoo was shaking in every fibre of her steel body, and it was plain that captain carboneer was straining her to the utmost to effect his escape. "it is beginning to warm up a little," said beeks, as he tried to look out at one of the round ports of the wardroom. "it will be hotter than this before we see the end of it," replied christy. "can you see anything?" "not a thing; of course the bellevite is astern of us," added beeks. "but the yazoo is not using her guns." "how can she? she has not fired a shot for some time, and she cannot without coming to. i should say she might as well do one thing as another. she can't run away from the bellevite, and she may as well take her chances in a fight as a run." "but the bellevite does not seem to be handling her great gun at a very lively rate," suggested beeks. "i suppose captain breaker wants to save all he can of the yazoo, and he knows that he can knock her all to pieces when he decides that it is necessary." "what is all that racket on deck?" asked beeks. "probably they are getting a couple of stern chasers ready for use," answered christy; and this explanation was soon proved to be correct by the report of a gun at the stern of the yazoo. for the next half-hour, the firing from the bellevite was more rapid, and several crashes, produced by the striking of shot, were heard. it was soon apparent that one of the stern chasers had been disabled; and after a while the other ceased its noise. beeks was so excited that he left the wardroom, and found his way into what proved to be the captain's cabin. more than one shot had come into it, and made no little havoc. he found a port there through which he obtained a view of the bellevite. whatever damage had been done to her, her engine was in perfect order, for she was driving ahead at her best speed. the quartermaster reported what he had seen to christy, though it proved nothing except that the bellevite was all right, but everything began to look more hopeful to the occupants of the wardroom. they had only to wait, for they could do nothing. the pursuer had ceased to discharge her guns, and those of the yazoo were useless under present circumstances. the situation was becoming more exciting on the deck of the yazoo, judging by the sounds that came from it. then it was evident that the bellevite had returned to her former tactics, and was coming alongside with the intention of boarding. loud yells and fierce cries followed, and then came the noise of a hand-to-hand struggle on the deck. it was of short duration, for the ship's company of the yazoo were outnumbered at least two to one. "i suppose we may go on deck now," said beeks. "i should judge that the fight was over," replied christy, as he led the way out of the wardroom. at the companion-way they found two sailors assisting captain carboneer to his cabin. his face was covered with blood, and he looked very pale. the surgeon was close by him. christy felt sincerely sorry for the commander, for he was a noble and upright man. his protest had prevented major pierson from attempting to carry out whatever plan he had in his mind for the abduction of florry passford, and the young officer felt grateful to him. "ah, mr. passford, the luck is on your side again," said the wounded commander, when he saw christy. "of course, i rejoice that it is so, but i am sincerely sorry that you are wounded," replied christy. "i must thank you for your interference in behalf of my sister in opposition to the scheme of major pierson." "how could you know anything about that?" asked the commander, bracing himself up. "i heard the whole of it." "i see; but i did not consider that major pierson contemplated any ruffianism," added captain carboneer, as the surgeon urged him to go into his cabin. christy hastened on deck, and was warmly received by his fellow-officers there. he reported on board to captain breaker without any delay, and was warmly congratulated on his escape. he returned to his duty at once. paul vapoor was inclined to hug him when he met him. "i felt like a prisoner of war," said christy, when he had told his brief story. "the bellevite was disabled, and i supposed it was all up with me." "a shot from the killbright damaged our rudder, so that we could not steer her; though we repaired the mischief after a considerable delay," replied the engineer. "but we have the prize." "she was intended for a cruiser, and they call her the yazoo." "whatever her name, she will not be a cruiser on that side." the captured vessel was carefully surveyed; she had been considerably damaged in the contest, but she was still seaworthy, and mr. blowitt was appointed prize-master to take her to new york. all the arrangements were speedily completed, and, when the prize had sailed for her destination, christy became the acting second lieutenant. for the next month the bellevite cruised in search of such craft as the killbright, and then she took her place on the blockade off mobile bay, to which she had been ordered. mr. blowitt and the prize-crew had returned, and all the damage done by the guns of the yazoo had been repaired, so that the bellevite was in as good condition as when she left the navy yard at brooklyn. she captured several schooners, but no very important prize. many of the officers were disgusted with the inactivity of the service. in a letter from his father, christy obtained the information that the bellevite was likely to be ordered to duty as a cruiser, for which her great speed adapted her better than any other vessel in the navy. this was cheering news to the discontented ones. but before any orders to this effect was received, the ship was ordered to proceed to pensacola, where a very fast steamer was said to be awaiting an opportunity to get to sea. the position of the steamer was ascertained with no little difficulty; but it was protected by the guns of the forts. captain breaker desired to obtain better information in regard to the teaser, as the negroes said she was called. she was quite small, and carried only a single long gun, and it was suspected that she was a privateer. on the evening of the bellevite's arrival, the weather was rainy, foggy, and thick. it was just the night for a blockade runner, and the captain believed that an attempt would be made to get out at this time. the unionists held fort pickens, and the confederates the forts on the mainland. the negroes said the teaser was anchored at the mouth of the lagoon, or very near it. this was not very definite, even if it were accepted as true. it was very important that the teaser should not be permitted to get out of the bay, for she might do a great deal of mischief to the shipping of the nation. "i don't believe the stories of the negroes," said captain breaker, as he was discussing the situation with his officers. "i know the port very well, and i have no idea where the mouth of the lagoon is, or even if it has any mouth in pensacola bay." "wherever the teaser may be waiting her chance, this is a good night for a start," replied mr. dashington. "of course the officers of fort pickens are on the lookout for the saucy little craft," added mr. blowitt. "captain westover is still on board, and you are to send him to the fort, are you not, captain breaker?" asked christy. "yes; as soon as he is ready to go," replied the captain. "he has given all the information he has in regard to the teaser; but he has not seen her to-day, and he does not believe she is in the lower bay, but that she is somewhere in the vicinity of the navy yard." "if you will excuse me, captain breaker, i don't believe she means to come out by the main channel, for her people know that the eyes of the officers of fort pickens are wide open," suggested christy, with a good deal of diffidence. "how do you think she will come out, mr. passford?" asked the captain, with a smile. "by santa rosa sound, sir," replied the third lieutenant. "possibly you are right, mr. passford, though i do not think you are," added the commander, thoughtfully. "santa rosa sound is about forty miles long, and there is hardly water enough in it, up and down, to float a raft, to say nothing of a steamer." but later in the day, the captain called christy aside, and had a long talk with him, the charts open before them. it certainly did not look like a very hopeful enterprise to take a steamer through such a sound as that described. "but we have no correct information in regard to the anchorage of the teaser, and i have decided to obtain it if possible. i propose to send you to look into the matter, mr. passford," added the captain, settling the question in that way. "select your own boat and crew. but if the teaser gets by fort pickens, we may have to chase her to sea, and if on your return you do not find the bellevite, you and your men will remain at fort pickens." christy was entirely satisfied with this order. chapter xviii lieutenant passford in command christy felt as much honored by the confidence reposed in him by the captain as though he had been appointed to the command of a steamer. but he had more than once proved that he could be safely trusted, and demonstrated that he had judgment, discretion, and skill beyond his years. he was not only brave and resolute, but he was faithful and patriotic. he went about among the ship's company and selected the men he desired to assist him in his enterprise, and requested those chosen to say nothing about the matter, for the lieutenant was aware that he should have more volunteers than he could accommodate in the largest of the boats. all would want to go, and the young officer would be teased and coaxed, and all sorts of influence brought to bear upon him to permit this and that one to be of the party. it was easier to be silent than it was to reply to all the applications. christy selected a large whaleboat for the service in which he was to be employed, and he had his own reasons for the choice he made. he had received unlimited authority to adopt his own measures. the only point that was strongly impressed upon his mind by the captain was that the teaser must be captured. after supper the order was given to the third lieutenant to convey captain westover back to the fort, or to land him at the usual place near it. nothing was thought of the order, though perhaps some of the officers considered a dozen seamen, all armed with cutlasses and revolvers, a large boat's crew for such a service. it was very thick weather, and captain westover begged christy not to land him within the enemy's lines, which he promised not to do. the men gave way, and the boat went off into the gloom of the evening. beeks gave his whole attention to the course of the boat, and lieutenant passford was engaged in a very earnest conversation with the military passenger. the landing-place seemed to be reached too soon, for christy had not finished his business. he landed with him, and together they went to the fort, where the young officer had a conversation with the commander of the force there. "i hope you will not get into hot water, mr. passford," said captain westover, as he came to the sallyport with him. "i cannot say that i shall not," replied christy, "but i shall do the best i can to report on board of the ship with the force intrusted to me; and i hope i shall have the teaser with me." "i hope you will. there are several small steamers up in the bay; but i have not the least idea where you will have to look for the teaser, for we at the fort have not seen any such steamer lately." "there can be no doubt of her existence, captain westover, for the bellevite was sent here to look out for her, as her speed is said to be remarkable. but, good-night, captain." "good-night, lieutenant; success to you, and a safe return," added the captain. "thank you," answered christy, as he hurried down to the landing-place. among those whom the lieutenant had selected was a master's mate by the name of flint, who had assisted on board of the bellevite in the affair with the vampire. he was a modest, quiet man, who made no especial figure among his shipmates, though he had strongly attracted the attention of his officer. next to christy he was the highest in rank, and the second in command. beeks was the next man selected, and he had done all that was necessary in the preparation of the boat, including putting into it slyly a supply of provisions, and a number of articles which the lieutenant had designated. on his return to the boat, christy found his crew in excellent order, for he had instructed flint to allow no noise or disorder, as sailors and young men generally are somewhat given to skylarking when not under the eye of a commissioned officer. christy took his place with flint in the stern sheets of the boat, and ordered beeks, who was acting as coxswain, to shove off and give way. "i have no instructions yet, sir," replied beeks, as he obeyed the order, and headed the boat away from the shore. "we have to make two miles east by south, and that course will carry us parallel with the shore of santa rosa island, variation included," replied christy, who had been a diligent student of the chart, and had written down all that it was important for him to remember, though he had one of his own charts, or a piece of one, in the boat. "east by south, sir," replied beeks, as he put the whaleboat on the required course. thus far, christy had kept his own counsel, and not whispered a word of his intentions even to the master's mate. he had no motive for such heroic concealment of his plan, but he had not had the time to discuss it with any person. besides, though he had decided upon his course in the beginning, he was too much in the dark himself to lay down a definite plan; and his course must depend largely upon the information he obtained from time to time. he had examined the charts and the coast pilot very carefully; and the facts he had obtained from the latter rather staggered him in regard to the idea he had advanced that the teaser might go out through santa rosa sound. it was not navigable for vessels with a draught of over four feet, and it would have to be a very small man-of-war that could float in that depth. though it was now the time of the spring tides, they did not add more than six inches to the height of the mean tide, which was but a couple of inches over two feet. even before he took his place in the boat alongside the ship, he had come to the conclusion that the teaser, if she proved to be anything more than a toy boat, could not go to sea through the sound, and she was not likely to attempt it. he had said as much as this to captain breaker, who reminded him that he was to ascertain if possible what the craft intended to do, if he succeeded in finding her. flint did not manifest any desire to know more than the law allowed, and he asked no questions in regard to the enterprise in which he was engaged. in fact, one reason why he was chosen was because he had an excellent habit of minding his own business. possibly christy was more particular on this point than an older officer would have been. "i think we have made two miles, mr. passford," said beeks, when the men had pulled about an hour. "of course, i cannot be sure of the distance run, for i can only guess at it." "run up to the shore, then, and let us see how far off we are," added christy. in a few minutes the bottom of the boat struck on the sand, and it was forced up far enough to permit the lieutenant to go on shore. like most of the islands in this part of the gulf, santa rosa was nothing but sand, which in the eastern end is of a peculiar reddish hue. it is little more than a sand spit for its whole length, though in some places the wind has piled up mounds, or dunes. "come with me, if you please, flint," said christy, as he leaped to the shore. flint followed him, as usual asking no questions, and, if he had any curiosity in regard to the purposes of his leader, he did not manifest it. the lieutenant glanced at the trend of the shore, and then walked at right angles with it. no part of the island was inhabited, or even occupied, except fort pickens and a union camp. it was a dismal place, especially in the fog and darkness. a short walk brought the explorers to the waters of pensacola bay. it was in vain that they tried to penetrate the gloom and the mist, and nothing could be seen. flint expressed himself to this effect. "i did not expect to see anything," replied christy. "i only came across here to find how wide the island was at this point. i am satisfied that we are about where i supposed we were. half a mile to the westward of us the island is more than double the breadth it is here." "i see, sir; if you had found it much wider than it is, you would have known that you had not gone far enough in the boat," replied flint. "precisely so; i wanted to find where we were before i changed the course in going farther to the eastward," added christy. flint made no further remark, and they returned to the boat, and seated themselves in their places. the lieutenant gave the order to shove off. "we are in no hurry, beeks; if the men are tired, you can stop longer to rest them," continued the commander of the expedition. the men scouted the idea of being tired after a pull of two miles in a comparatively smooth sea. christy told them that they might have some very heavy work to do before they returned to the ship, and he did not wish to use up their strength unnecessarily. "now, keep her east by north for a couple of miles, beeks," continued christy. "that will be as far as we have occasion to go in this direction. don't hurry them; take it easy, for it will not be high tide till half-past twelve, and we may have more time than we shall know how to use." the crew pulled very leisurely, and it was over an hour before beeks estimated that they had made the two miles. as before, christy and flint were landed, and they walked across the island. but their walk was not even half the length of the last one; and the spit was so narrow at this place that the lieutenant was confident he had struck the point he intended. "this is our base of operations," said christy, as he stood on the shore of the bay. "we have got along very well so far, for it is not time yet for the music to begin, if it is to begin at all. what are you about, flint?" the master's mate had lain down on the sand at the water's edge, and his companion was very much puzzled by his attitude. he wondered if his companion had the stomach-ache, and was not able to stand up. "i beg your pardon, lieutenant passford, but if you will kindly be quiet for a moment, i hope to be able to answer your question," replied flint, in a low tone. christy complied with the request, and as he did so, he thought he heard a noise in the distance, though he was not sure of it. he listened with all his ears, and some confused sounds came to him; but he could make nothing of them. "i heard some sort of a noise," said flint, rising from his recumbent position. "but i can make nothing of what i hear. if there was a fresh breeze, i should say that it was the surf." "i heard it, too; but i am bothered to make out what it is. did you get an idea of any kind?" asked christy. "it sounded as though something of a gang of men were at work off in this direction," replied flint, pointing east of north. "i am almost sure i heard the blows of hammers, or something like them." "the noise i heard might have been almost anything," added christy. "what is there off in that direction?" asked flint, pointing again. "about north of us is town point, and just beyond it is old navy cove," said the lieutenant, who had been up the bay in the bellevite on an excursion, and who had studied up all the localities. "possibly they are repairing a vessel there," suggested flint. "they would not do that over there, and certainly not on a dark night," argued christy. "but we will soon find out all about it." he led the way back to the boat, which he had ordered beeks to have carried on the shore. then they proceeded to bear it across the island to the bay, where it was put into the water again. chapter xix some trouble on board the teaser it was not a difficult thing for so many men to carry the whaleboat across the island, and they were disposed to make merry over the novelty of the task; but they had been instructed not to speak a loud word after the party left the south side of the island. the noise to which christy and flint had listened indicated that something was going on, though they could not decide what it was. in the stillness of the night, and in the absence of any roar of breakers, sounds could be heard a long distance, though whether they came one mile or two, they could not determine. "get out those cloths, beeks," said christy, as soon as the boat had been put into the water. "every oar must be very carefully muffled, and you will see that it is properly done." "i will have it done in a few minutes, sir," replied the acting coxswain. "as i said before, we are in no hurry, and you may take your time to do it properly," added the lieutenant. "those sounds are still to be heard," said flint, who had been a short distance from the boat to listen for them. "i hear them," replied christy, walking away from the boat to continue the investigation while they were waiting. "some kind of a job is in progress at no great distance from us. from how far off do you calculate that those sounds come?" "i think they must come a mile; and i don't believe i can guess any nearer to it than that, though it is possible they come two miles. i know little or nothing of the region about here. suppose we should go a mile north-northeast from this spot, what should we find there, mr. passford?" asked flint, apparently greatly interested in the question. "it would be a point on pensacola bay, about half-way between this island, where we stand, and town point," replied christy. "i should say it would be in the channel leading into santa rosa sound." "precisely so!" exclaimed flint, in an energetic whisper. "that's the way they are going to take the teaser out, and they are doing something over there to prepare her for the trip in shallow water." the master's mate was not aware that christy had suggested to the captain this way of escape for the teaser, and he had abandoned the idea himself. flint had reached his conclusion from his own premises. they discussed the matter for some time, though it was impossible to arrive at any conclusion for the want of data on which to base their reasoning. "all ready, sir," reported beeks, coming up to them at this moment. "how far is the entrance to the sound from fort pickens, mr. passford?" asked flint. "about four miles." "then why should they choose such a night as this for their work?" "the bellevite, floating in four fathoms of water on the other side of the island, could shell them out if they were seen, as they certainly would be from fort pickens," replied christy. "that makes it plain enough," added flint, as they walked towards the boat. "but i am not quite willing to believe yet that the teaser will go out through the sound. if she could get through at all, it would only be after getting aground no end of times, and if to-morrow should be a clear day, she could be seen anywhere on her course," persisted christy. "she cannot expect to make eight or ten knots an hour in that shallow water." the lieutenant ordered the men into the boat, after she was shoved off the beach. they worked with such care that not a sound came from her. the oars were shipped, and the sailors began to row. as instructed, they pulled very slowly, though such work could not be done in perfect silence. "look out for that binnacle, beeks," said christy. "the light from it may betray us." "you have not given me the course, sir," replied the coxswain, as he obeyed the order. "north-northeast," added christy, as he settled back in the stern sheets. no one was allowed to speak in the boat, and the lieutenant set the example of silence. but he kept his ears wide open, though the little noise made by the oars and the rippling of the water prevented him from hearing anything at first. it was so dark that one could hardly see another in the boat. it was in vain that christy watched in the gloom for the glow of a light; for all was nearly total darkness in every direction. in about half an hour they began to hear the sounds which had attracted their attention on the island, and they proceeded from directly ahead, indicating that the operations, whatever they were, came from the entrance to the sound. the workmen were not likely to hear the approach of the boat while they were making so much noise themselves. in addition to the sounds they had heard before, they recognized the noise of escaping steam. this last discovery made it certain that a steamer was there, though the listeners could not know whether it was the teaser or not. both of the officers of the expedition, in the uselessness of their eyes, made the best use they could of their ears. christy listened to ascertain if there was more than one steamer present. in a whisper he asked flint to consider this question. there was no doubling of the sounds to indicate more than one steamer. for ten minutes more christy listened and was silent; but he was doing some very heavy thinking, for by this time the boat was very near the scene of operations, if it could be a scene in that dense darkness. every sound, even to the speech of the men, could be distinctly heard. still nothing could be seen, and christy knew that there was a point of nearness where something could be discerned even in any gloom of night. he permitted the boat to continue on its course, till he could very dimly make out an object ahead. "way enough," he whispered to beeks. the coxswain raised both hands, and made a gesture with them, which was the signal for the men to cease rowing. the sounds were now more tangible. occasionally there were a few raps with a hammer, but the most of them were the orders of the person in charge. "i don't believe there are more than a dozen men there," whispered flint. "more than that, i should say; but even if there are two dozen, it is all the same. take off the mufflers from the oars, beeks," continued christy. "then give way with a will, and run for whatever may come in sight." beeks obeyed the order, and in a couple of minutes the boat was driving into the gloom at her ordinary speed. something came into view a moment later, and it was a small steamer. "boat, ahoy!" shouted some one from the steamer. "on board of the steamer!" replied christy. "are you the pilot?" demanded the speaker from the vessel. "ay, ay, sir," responded the lieutenant. "i shall not want you now," continued the man on the steamer. "how is that?" demanded christy, as though this was an entirely unexpected reply. "i have concluded to make my way out through the sound, gilder." "then my name is gilder," added christy, in a low tone. "i have a plan of my own, and i reckon i shall make it go," proceeded the captain of the steamer. "the teaser don't draw much water, and i know how to help her over the shoal places." "when do you expect to get through the sound?" asked christy. "i don't know when; but i shall get through." "but you will find a blockader at the east end of the island; and then you will be as badly off as you are now," argued christy. "i don't believe there is any blockader there. who are all those men in the boat with you, gilder?" "they belong to the water guard," replied christy, at a venture, and he thought that would describe them as well as any terms at his command. "they expected you to go out by the main channel to-night." "no lie in that," chuckled flint. "i wish they would come on board of the teaser and help me out, for my men won't work." "how many men have you?" asked the lieutenant. "just fifteen; the rest of my crew were to come on board at midnight, half an hour before high tide. but the men i have with me won't work, and i shall not be ready for them, i am afraid." "what is the reason they won't work?" "they say they shipped to fight the yankees, and they are not going to do such work as lighting up the steamer." "perhaps we can bring them to their senses," said christy, as he ordered beeks to give way again. a few strokes of the oars enabled the officers in the stern sheets to obtain a full view of the teaser, and she looked like a trim little steamer of about two hundred tons. she was rather long, and she had a very sharp bow. the reports gave her the reputation of being a very fast sailer. "let every man have his arms in order," said christy impressively, in a low tone. "give way with a will, and when you unship your oars have your weapons ready, though i hardly think you will have to use them at present." as the boat dashed towards the little steamer, the sounds of an altercation came over the water. the angry voice of the captain, if the late speaker was the captain, and several others were heard in a dispute; and as the boat came alongside the report of a pistol indicated that the belligerents were in earnest. christy sprang upon the deck of the teaser, with his revolver in his hand. half a dozen men stood in a group by the side of the engine-room, confronting the man who had done the talking with the boat, as christy knew by the sound of his voice. "we are not held by any papers we signed!" protested one of the men forward. "we are willing to do our duty, captain folkner, but we did not ship to burrow through the sand, and run the risk of being captured by the yankees. we shipped to run the blockade, and that risk is in the papers." "i shall take my vessel out as i think best, lonley; and my men are not to dictate to me what i am to do," replied captain folkner angrily. "i am willing to leave it to captain gilder. you know as well as i do that the rest of the ship's company would not come on board till the teaser was outside of santa rosa island. we appeal to you, captain gilder," said lonley. "why do you object to going out through santa rosa sound?" asked christy, willing to do the fair thing, since the mutineers had appealed to him. "the teaser draws ten feet of water with her coal in, and she cannot get through the sound in a week, if ever." "are you willing to go to sea by running the blockade, lonley?" "perfectly willing; and so are the whole ship's company." "but i won't take the risk of running the blockade. they put a fast steamer on there to-day, and it is useless," replied captain folkner. the situation was certainly interesting to christy and his companions. chapter xx coming to the point captain folkner of the teaser was evidently somewhat timid, and he had heard of the arrival of the bellevite. just now the large ships-of-war which had been there were absent on their duty, though they were expected to return at any time. there was liable to be some unpleasantness at any time between fort pickens and fort barrancas; but everything was quiet just now. flint had come on board of the teaser with christy, but none of the boat's crew had attended them. the situation was very novel to the lieutenant, and he did not feel competent to arbitrate between the contending parties. besides, he was not willing to believe that he could be entirely impartial, for he had a personal and patriotic interest in the issue of the quarrel. the seamen, under the leadership of lonley, who appeared to be an officer, were the more powerful party, and the more to be dreaded. he was disposed to decide against them, if he could get them out of the way by doing so. they were willing to leave the matter to him, and he began at last to see his way through it. "the captain of a ship is the authority to be respected, lonley," said he, when he had made up his mind what to do. "we might as well bury ourselves in the sands as try to go through there," replied the leader of the mutiny, who seemed to be a very intelligent man, and christy concluded from his language and manner that he was not a common sailor. "that may be; but the captain is supreme on the deck of his own ship," argued christy. "we are not on the high seas, and the teaser has not yet gone into commission. it was only this afternoon in pensacola that captain folkner told his ship's company that he was going to burrow through the sand in santa rosa sound. we all said we would not go with him; but a dozen of us came down with him when he told us that he had a way to float the steamer through, and he was sure it would work. we did not understand that we were to become mud-diggers. when we got here, we were satisfied that his plan amounted to nothing, and would not work." "i am satisfied that it will work," interposed captain folkner. "the agreement in the articles was to run the blockade. if we got through the sound, it would take a week of constant drudgery, which we did not ship to do." "are you ready to do duty on board of the teaser when she is in deep water, lonley?" asked christy. "every one of us; and every one of the party on shore!" protested the leader. "will that satisfy you, captain folkner?" continued christy, appealing to him. "it would if i had the steamer in deep water," replied the captain. "but how am i to get her into deep water if my crew will not work?" "run the blockade, according to the articles!" exclaimed lonley. "when are the rest of the ship's company to join you?" asked christy of the leader of the mutineers. "they are coming down in boats at midnight or later; and we shall join them then and wait till the ship is ready to take us on board. they will come across from pensacola to navy cove, and then walk till they come to the teaser." "all right," said the lieutenant. "i will land you at navy cove, and you can wait there till the rest of the crew come." "i am perfectly satisfied with that arrangement," replied lonley. "but i am not," interposed the captain, angrily. "what can i do without any crew to help get the steamer through the sound?" "i have men enough to take care of you and the teaser, captain folkner; and the men in the boat will do everything that is required to be done on board of the teaser." "that's another thing," replied the captain, appeased by the implied promise. "i can hardly blame your men because they are not willing to go through the sound with a steamer drawing ten feet of water when there is not more than six feet of water to float her," said christy. "besides, if you do not get to the other end of the sound before morning, you will be seen by some of the blockaders, and they could blow this steamer to pieces, and kill half your people in a few minutes." "it may be dangerous, but so is running the blockade," added the captain. "going out in a dark night and spending a week in sight of the blockaders are two different things. but we need not discuss the matter any more. i will put your men on the point yonder, and then i will return and help you out of your present difficulty. am i to take off the men in the engine department?" asked christy, as he went to the side where the boat was. "no; the engineers and firemen are all right, for they were not called upon to do any work out of the vessel." christy and flint stepped into the boat, and the crew followed them. there were twelve of them, and the lieutenant thought they were all good seamen. he did not like to have them reserved for use in the confederate navy; but he could not help himself then, and he soon landed the party on the point. the situation had been explained to the crew of the boat, and they had avoided saying anything to commit themselves. though it involved a risk to do it, christy had dressed in an ordinary suit of clothes for the occasion, and the party wore nothing by which they could be identified as sailors of the navy. as soon as the boat had landed its passengers, it returned to the teaser at the best speed the crew could produce. "i had no idea that you had a plan like this in your head, mr. passford," said flint, as soon as the boat was clear of town point. "i did not know it myself, flint. it has all grown out of the circumstances as we found them," replied christy. "but i did intend, if i found the teaser without a fighting crew on board of her, to capture her if the situation warranted such a step." "but you came prepared for just this thing," suggested flint. "i came prepared for anything. i hoped we might be able to capture the teaser, but i did not expect it." "i suppose you expect to do it now." "yes, i do; and i ought to be broken if i don't do it. i am sorry to let all those men enter the rebel navy; and that is all that vexes me at the present moment." "perhaps they can be picked up to-morrow, or later to-night," suggested flint. "from what i heard, i think she was to have a fighting crew of about forty men. of course they will try to join the steamer to-night or to-morrow; and why not let them do it?" chuckled flint. "we will attend to this affair first, but i like the idea." they reached the teaser in due time, and all hands went on board of her. captain folkner, with a couple of men he had contrived to retain, with two firemen, was at work on his apparatus to float a vessel drawing ten feet in six feet of water or less. alongside he had a hundred or more of empty barrels which he was sinking under the sides by hauling them down with a line under the bottom of the vessel. he did the work partly with his windlass worked by steam, and he had lifted the bow of the teaser at least three feet out of water. captain folkner expatiated with enthusiasm on his plan, and explained the details to the lieutenant. christy saw that he had considerable mechanical genius, but he certainly lacked a balance-wheel. the officer had set him down as a timid man, but this conversation assured him that the captain was a brave man. he was carried away with his idea, though it was plain that he had not examined the question in all its bearings. "when i have lifted the steamer four feet, she can go through the sound, for i have taken a boat through that drew six feet. with your men to help me, i shall get the casks down by midnight, and then all we have to do is to go ahead," continued the enthusiast. "precisely so; and the teaser is a screw steamer," added christy. "of course she is; you have known her for two months, gilder." "when she has been lifted up four feet, she is to go ahead," repeated christy, in the tone of a musing man. "that is what i said; she is to go ahead." "but what is to drive her ahead? is she expected to go of herself?" "go of herself? of course not. she is to be driven ahead by her engine as she always is," replied captain folkner, suspending the work upon which he was engaged, and trying to see the face of the pilot through the darkness. "how do steamers generally go ahead?" "if they are screw steamers, they are propelled by the pressure of the blades of the screw," answered christy. "and that is just the way the teaser will be propelled through the sound," replied captain folkner. "this steamer is to be a privateer, and i own her. she has cost me about all the money i have in the world, and i don't want to lose her before i get to sea. if i can get into blue water with her, i am not at all concerned but that she will run away from anything afloat." "how many knots can she do in a smooth sea?" "eighteen, and perhaps more." "then she is not fast enough for that blockader outside. i saw her at mobile when she was a big steam-yacht, and they said she had done twenty-two knots more than once." "i don't believe a word of it; and i am willing to take my chances to run away from her in the teaser, if i can get out." "if she is good for eighteen knots, it will not take her more than about two hours to run through the sound," added christy, very much amused at the talk of the captain and owner. "i don't expect her to go at full speed in that shallow water," said the enthusiast. "do you expect her to go at all when she is hoisted four feet out of water?" asked christy, hardly able to keep from laughing. captain folkner was silent for a moment, during which christy thought he must have obtained a new idea, for it looked as though he had not thought of the working of the screw after all his flotation schemes had been successful. "i reckon the propeller will have hold enough on the water to make her go right along, gilder. i don't reckon you need make any trouble about that," added the man of mechanical ability, rather sheepishly. christy had brought his boat's crew on deck, and directed flint how to post them. he thought he had paid proper respect to the talent of the enthusiast in listening to his theory, and that it was about time to bring the adventure to an issue. "i shall not make any trouble about the screw, captain folkner, for i don't think we shall have any difficulty about it. but i believe we had better not hoist it any higher out of water," added christy. "i mean that i think we had better go out of the bay by the main channel." [illustration: "he placed one of his men on each side of the captain."--page .] "that means to run the blockade?" said the captain. "that's the idea." "gilder, i want you to understand that i command this steamer," continued captain folkner, angrily. "right, with a little correction: you did command her, and i command her now," replied christy, as he placed one of his men on each side of the captain. chapter xxi on a dark and foggy night "i reckon i don't quite understand you, gilder," said captain folkner, very nervously. "i thought i was still in command of the teaser." "i shall not blame you for thinking so; but you are utterly mistaken all the same," added christy. "did you come here to take the command out of my hands? is that the reason why you sent all my men to town point?" demanded the captain, getting an idea of the situation. "if you had been a magician, you could not have come any nearer to the truth." "who are you? i thought you were gilder." "i am not gilder, though i found it convenient to answer to that name. it is reported that the teaser is a very fast steamer, and i wanted her." "do you mean to say that you are a pirate?" asked captain folkner, stepping back as if to emphasize his disgust at such a person. "i have told you that the teaser is a privateer, and it seems that you want her more than i do; but i don't believe it." "privateers and pirates are about the same in this age of the world. i am neither a pirate nor a privateer. permit me to introduce myself more precisely than i have thought it wise to do before. i am lieutenant passford, of the united states steamer bellevite; and i take possession of the teaser as a lawful prize. i think we need not discuss the matter any longer, especially as the tide is high enough by this time to run out of the bay. disarm him." "say, what sort of a joke is this?" demanded the captain. "if you are good-natured enough to regard it as a joke, i have not the least objection," replied christy. "but i shall be under the painful necessity of confining you in your stateroom for the present, and i hope you will make yourself as happy as possible, captain folkner." the lieutenant directed flint to have the prisoner conveyed to his stateroom, and to have a man stationed at the door to see that he did not escape, or do any mischief. the sentinel was to keep his eye on him all the time, and not allow the room to be closed for a moment. the most reliable man of the party was selected for this duty, for the captain, in a fit of desperation over the loss of his vessel, which was his fortune, might attempt some reckless act. accompanied by six men, christy visited the engine-room, where nearly all the hands remaining on board were employed. if there was to be any trouble at all in completing the capture, it would be in this department. everything was in working order, and an engineer was on duty, for the engine had been used in dragging the casks under the bottom of the vessel. beeks was directed to arrest the men on duty, and the engine was handed over to sampson, who had been brought for such a position if the expedition needed him in that capacity. but there was only an assistant engineer and several firemen on duty, and these were disposed of without any delay. they were all conducted to the wardroom, where they were disarmed and a guard placed over them. a couple of sailors were detailed to serve as firemen, and the work of taking possession was completed. for the first time the lieutenant had an opportunity to examine the prize, as she would be if he succeeded in getting her out of the bay. she was certainly a fine little steamer, and, with the heavy gun mounted on a pivot, she would have been capable of doing a great deal of mischief among the unprotected merchant ships of the nation. when he visited the cabin, he found two colored men there, one of whom appeared to be a very intelligent fellow. he was very polite to the lieutenant, and it was evident that he had no personal interest in the success of the teaser in the business for which she had been fitted out. he was the cabin steward, and he had heard everything that had been said in regard to the vessel since he came on board of her. "what is your name, my man?" asked christy, addressing the steward. "my name is davis talbot; but no one ever calls me anything but dave," replied the man, with a cheerful smile, as though he was not at all disconcerted by the change which had come about in the ownership of the teaser. "how long have you been on board of this steamer, dave?" asked the officer, much pleased with the intelligent face of the steward. "about two months, sir." "where did this steamer come from?" "captain folkner bought her somewhere in the west indies, and brought her here before the blockade was fairly established." "then she is an english-built steamer?" "i suppose she is, sir; but i don't know anything about it." "then she has been here a long while. what has captain folkner been doing all this time?" asked christy curiously. "inventing, sir," replied dave, chuckling. "i see; he has that on the brain." "the government threatened to take his vessel if he did not fit her out and take her to sea. then he hurried up, and got a crew ready; but they had a quarrel last night, and most of the men would not come on board." "yes; i know all about that," added christy, as he looked at his watch by the light of the shaded lamp in the cabin. "i suppose you insist upon serving the confederacy, dave?" "i don't insist on anything, sir; i go where the ship takes me, and i don't mean to quarrel with anybody." "in other words, will it be necessary to put you under guard?" asked christy. "i don't think it would do me any good, sir," replied dave, laughing. "which side do you belong on?" demanded the officer, rather impatiently. "i belong on dave's side, sir." "which is dave's side?" "the side of freedom," replied the steward, with some embarrassment. "i don't know you, sir; you don't wear the uniform of a yankee or a rebel, and the darkey gets crushed between the upper and the nether millstone." "then to make the matter plainer to you, i am the third lieutenant of the united states steamer bellevite, and i have captured this vessel as an officer of the united states navy," replied christy. "that's all i want to know: the darkey knows where to go, when it is safe to go there," replied dave. "then if it is safe for you to go to the pilot-house, you may come with me," added the lieutenant, as he led the way to the deck. beeks, with the men who had not been assigned to other duty, was cutting away the ropes that held the casks in place, and had already turned adrift all the raft of them alongside. all the rubbish the nautical inventor had collected to carry out his famous scheme of floating the vessel through the sound was cleared from the deck, and cut loose from the side. "i think everything is clear, sir," reported beeks, as christy appeared on deck with dave. "stand by to get up the anchor, then," added the lieutenant. "no anchor down, sir," interposed dave. "she is made fast to the buoy." "so much the better. i suppose captain folkner did not trouble himself about the forts, dave, did he?" christy inquired. "yes, sir, he did; captain folkner never slept a wink when he did not have fort pickens on his stomach for a nightmare," replied dave, with a chuckle. "but fort pickens is all of four miles from the entrance to the channel of the sound." "he was in mortal terror of the guns, all the same." "how was it in regard to fort barrancas and fort mcrae?" "of course they would not fire on his vessel; if he went out in a fog or dark night, he was to burn a blue light; and i reckon you can do the same thing, though i don't believe it could be seen to-night from the forts," replied dave, who appeared to be willing to make a good use of his knowledge. "then i don't think we shall have much trouble in getting out of the bay," added christy, as he went to the pilot-house, attended by dave. since the lieutenant had declared as unequivocally as he desired who and what he was, the steward did all he could to assist his new master. he had served captain folkner for two months, for he said the commander had lived on board all this time, and he had heard everything that passed between him and his officers and others with whom he had relations. he was about as well informed as though he had been an officer of the vessel in whom the captain confided all his affairs. he did not wait to have his knowledge dragged out of him, but he volunteered such information as he saw that the occasion required. he was a mulatto, and had plenty of good blood in his veins, though it was corrupted with that of the hated race. he appeared to be about forty years of age, and his knowledge of the affairs of the locality could hardly have been better if he had been a white man, with a quick perception, a reasoning intellect, and a retentive memory. it was the rule with union officers, soldiers, and sailors to trust the negroes, making proper allowance for their general ignorance and stupidity, and for particular circumstances. but some of them, even many of them, were brighter than might be expected from their situation and antecedents. the binnacle from the whaleboat had been brought into the pilot-house, and christy compared it with the compass in the teaser's apparatus, after dave had lighted it. there was no disagreement, and as the tide was still coming in, the head of the steamer was pointed to the westward, which would be her first course down the bay. the lieutenant felt that everything depended upon the working of the steamer, and he was a total stranger to her peculiarities, if she had any, as most vessels have. taking beeks with him, he began at the stem and followed the rail entirely around the steamer, feeling with a boat-hook along the sides. sundry ropes, fenders, and pieces of lumber were dislodged, and everything put in order about the main deck. then he visited the engine-room, and learned from sampson that he had a full head of steam. this careful inspection completed, he ordered the quartermaster to cast off the fast at the buoy. taking his place in the pilot-house with beeks, he rang the bell to go ahead. the teaser started on quite a different voyage from what she had been intended for. christy had studied up his courses and distances, and had imprinted the chart of the lower part of the bay on his brain. for the first part of the run, there was no obstacle, and no difficulty in regard to the course. the fog and the darkness were so dense that not a thing could be seen in any direction; but he rang for full speed as soon as the teaser was under way. a leadsman had been stationed on each side of the forecastle, though there was no present occasion for their services. christy thought everything was going extremely well, and he was reasonably confident that he should succeed in his plan. "steamer, ahoy!" shouted a voice, coming out of the dense fog. "that must be the patrol boat," said dave, in a low tone. christy could not make any reply that would be satisfactory to the patrol, and he decided not to answer the hail. he had rather expected to be challenged in this way. chapter xxii a variety of night signals the dip of the oars of the guard-boat could be distinctly heard in the pilot-house, and it was probable that the men in it could see the teaser. but christy was not much concerned about the situation, and he was not much disposed to give any attention to the boat. "stop her, or we will fire into you!" yelled the officer in charge of the guard-boat. even this menace did not induce the lieutenant to ring his bell to stop the engine. the boat was doubtless full of men, and as he could not give straight answers to all the questions that might be put to him, it might provoke a fight to attempt to do so, and he decided not to incur the risk. his prisoners might make trouble if he reduced the guard in charge of them, as he would be obliged to do to beat off the attack of the boat. "what is this boat here for, dave?" asked christy, as he peered through the gloom to obtain a glance at the craft. "to keep the people at fort pickens from sending out any armed force," replied the intelligent contraband. "do they think a boat full of men could do that?" "no, sir; but they could give the forts on the other side warning." the sounds from the boat had come from the starboard bow of the steamer, and it looked as though the guard-boat had intercepted her by accident, since it was impossible that they could have seen the teaser in the fog and gloom. as the steamer dashed ahead at full speed, the sound of the oars came from a point on the beam. but the boat seemed to be wasting her time, for nothing had been done since the threat to fire into the steamer. "if a vessel is going to run out she has to satisfy this boat that she is all right," said dave. but he had hardly spoken before a volley of musket-balls passed over the teaser; and perhaps the officer in the boat intended that they should pass over her. at any rate no harm was done by them. then a rocket darted from the boat up into the air, which could be dimly seen from the pilot-house. "what steamer is that?" shouted a hoarse voice out of the gloom. "the teaser!" yelled christy, with all the voice he could command. the boat did not fire again; and if it had done so the steamer was out of its reach. but a minute later the boom of a great gun came across the bay. fort barrancas had evidently opened fire in response to the rocket, which had no doubt been sent up as a signal to notify the garrison that a vessel was going out or coming in, and that her movements were not regular. the first shot was followed by others, and a shot dropped into the water near the teaser. "let the leadsmen sound, beeks," said christy. the order was repeated, and the reports were made known in the pilot-house. sampson seemed to be testing the capacity of the engine, for he was doing his best in the matter of speed; but the teaser behaved under the strain to which he subjected her as though she had been very strongly built. "by the mark eight," chimed the leadsman on the port side. that was water enough to float a seventy-four, and there was no let-up in the speed. in fact, it would not have been convenient to reduce the speed while the guard-boat could be at no great distance from the flying steamer. this was the report for the next mile at least, and christy felt that the enemy was at a safe distance from him. "and a half six!" shouted the port leadsman, with energy, as though he understood the effect his report would produce. christy rang to slow her down. the depth of water was the only directory he had in addition to the distance run, which was very indefinite without a knowledge of the speed of the vessel. "by the mark six!" shouted the port leadsman, who was on the side nearest to the island of santa rosa. this did not induce the pilot to take any further action, and the teaser continued on her course at less than half speed. christy looked at his watch by the light of the binnacle lamps. it was half-past eleven, and the teaser appeared, as well as he could calculate it, with the necessary allowances, to have made at least sixteen knots on the run from the sound channel. "and a quarter five!" cried the leadsman of the land side. christy spoke to sampson through the tube, and the result was a further reduction in the speed of the steamer, beeks, who was at one side of the wheel while the lieutenant was at the other, seemed to be a little nervous as the depth diminished; and if he had spoken his thought, he would have expressed his surprise that his superior officer was running the steamer so near the shore, with the apparent intention of going still nearer. "mark under water three!" yelled the leadsman on the port side, while the one on the starboard gave "by the mark four." "shoaling fast," said beeks. "yes; but as expected," replied christy. "steamer, ahoy!" shouted a voice on the port side. "on shore!" replied christy promptly. "what steamer is that?" demanded the shore speaker. "the teaser, prize to the united states ship bellevite," answered the lieutenant. "boga-hobble-good!" continued the man on shore. "rabble-gabble-weed!" responded christy. "there's a chinaman on shore there; but i am glad you speak his language," said beeks, trying to repress his laughter. "you are all right as to position!" shouted the islander. "the guard-boat must be about a mile astern of me," added christy. "we will take care of that," replied the shore speaker. christy rang to stop the engine, which was done, though the steamer continued to go ahead under the impetus of her former headway. the leadsman on the port side reported two fathoms a little later, and then there was a ring to back her, for there could not be more than two foot of water under the keel. at this moment the peal of a twelve-pounder came from the shore, and a little later the bursting of a shell was heard astern of the teaser. beeks was very much perplexed by the strange speech which had passed between the lieutenant and the shore, and now by the discharge of the gun on the island; but he was a well-disciplined quartermaster, and he asked no questions. "i don't think that boat will come any farther this way," said christy, as a second report from the gun reached his ears. "then i suppose the shots we hear are directed at the boat," added beeks. "they can hardly be directed at anything out in that fog and darkness; but i don't think the guard will be willing to take the risk of a chance shell bursting near them," added christy. "on board the teaser!" shouted a voice quite near the bow of the steamer. "in the boat!" replied christy. "sound that bell slowly, beeks, to let him know where we are." the ripple of oars was presently heard, and a boat came out of the gloom, rowed by two soldiers, with an officer in the stern. it came up to the forward gangway, and the person in the stern climbed on board. the boat did not wait for him, but pulled directly back to the island. "i am glad to see you, captain westover," said christy, as the officer came into the pilot-house. "and i am equally glad to see you, lieutenant," replied the captain. "you seem to have been successful in your undertaking?" "successful so far, and i think the worst of it is over now." as soon as beeks heard the name of captain westover, he understood all that had been dark before. even the chinese lingo must have been agreed upon. the army and the navy officer had been very busy in talking over something when they came in the boat from the bellevite, and after they landed on the island. what they had been talking about was plain enough now. captain westover had not much confidence in the expectations of the young naval officer when he expressed a hope that he might capture the teaser; but he had promised to render all the assistance in his power. he had agreed to be on the shore of the island if the teaser presented herself, and thus assure the lieutenant of his position on the bay. he had done more than this, for he had brought out a couple of guns and a section of artillerists to beat off the guard-boat if it interfered with the operations of the navy. christy had taken a course from the entrance of the sound, half way between the island and town point, west-southwest. he knew that the distance was about four miles; but he could not know, except by sounding, when he came to the island, and he had bargained with the army officer to be on the lookout for him. captain westover had heard the noise of the teaser, and had hailed her, thus assuring the lieutenant that his calculation had been correct, and that he was in the vicinity of fort pickens. "i had no idea that you would accomplish anything, lieutenant," said captain westover. "i found everything laid out just as i should have wished it to be," replied christy. "we had plenty of information that the steamer would run out the first favorable night; and nothing could have been more favorable for blockade running than this fog and darkness." "but nothing has been seen of this steamer from the fort." "where was she fitted out, dave?" asked christy, turning to the steward. "up by emanuel point, sir, about a mile above the town," replied dave. "then she has not shown herself in the lower bay." the conversation was interrupted by the roll of a drum on the shore. "there you are, lieutenant," said the captain with a smile. "when you are ready to go ahead, don't wait on my account, for i will go on board of the ship." "but what is the drum for?" asked the lieutenant, who was in the dark in his turn. "i am not much of a sailor, lieutenant, but i have sent a drummer to follow the shore to the west end of the island, and you will know by the racket he makes where the island is, and how far off it is," replied the army officer. "i am much obliged to you, captain westover; that will be a safe guide for me," said christy, as he rang to go ahead. he gave out the course west by north, and he thought he should be able to keep within hail of the island, though, as he could see nothing, it would be difficult to tell when he reached the northwest corner of it. if he continued on this course too long, he was likely to scrape acquaintance with fort mcrae, for there would be nothing in the soundings to indicate the approach to this dangerous neighbor. nothing more was heard of the guard-boat, though the section of artillery continued to discharge shells into the fog for a short time. on the other side of the bay fort barrancas kept up its fire at long intervals, and fort pickens could not reply without the danger of putting a shot into the teaser after her recent reformation. the steamer kept on her course at half speed; but in ten minutes the sound of the drum fell astern of her, when the drummer could go no farther. "heave over the wheel, beeks," said christy. then he rang the bell to go ahead at full speed. chapter xxiii another night expedition with the drum still beating on the shore, the teaser rounded the northwestern point of the island, when the wheel was heaved over. christy was entirely confident in regard to the navigation, for he had steered the bellevite through the same channel when on an excursion a year before. but he had daylight and sunshine at that time instead of fog and gloom as on the present occasion. "buoy on the starboard, sir!" reported the leadsman on that side. "buoy on the port hand!" cried the man on the other side, a minute later. "we are all right," added the lieutenant. "we are between the middle ground and the island. the buoy on the port is the southwest point of the island." the bellevite was not the only man-of-war that lay off pensacola, for the brooklyn and other vessels were there to assist in the defence of fort pickens, which the enemy were determined to capture if possible. the government had done everything within its means to "hold the fort," though an army of about ten thousand men had been gathered in the vicinity to reduce it. the dry-dock which had floated near warrenton, and which the confederates intended to sink in the channel, had been burned, and a force of unionists, including the zouaves, called "the pet lambs," had been quartered on the island of santa rosa. it had looked for several days as though the enemy were preparing for a movement in retaliation for the destruction of the dry-dock, which was a bad set-back for them. the getting to sea of the teaser had no connection with this movement, it appeared afterwards, and if lieutenant passford's enterprise had been carried out only an hour or two later, he would have found the situation quite different. he had sent the most of captain folkner's force on board ashore, and had it all his own way afterwards. he was sorry to leave these men, and the rest of the ship's company of the teaser, to assist in fighting the battles of the confederacy, and he was filled with the hope that they might yet be captured. as soon as the teaser was well to the southward of the island, christy gave two short and a long blast on the steam whistle, which was the signal he had agreed to make when he approached the bellevite, though captain breaker had laughed at him when he suggested that he might return in the prize. the same signal was made in reply, and repeated several times to aid him in finding the ship. the water was comparatively smooth, and the prize came alongside the bellevite, where it was made fast. the lieutenant's first duty was to report to the captain of the bellevite, and taking dave with him, he hastened on board. he found captain breaker on deck, for there was a feeling in the fleet and in the fort that some important event was about to transpire in the vicinity. "i am glad to see you, mr. passford," said he; and possibly it occurred to him that he had sent the young man on a difficult mission, practically within the enemy's lines. "you have brought the prize with you, i see; and i was before informed of the fact that you had her by the signal whistles." "yes, sir; the teaser is alongside. she is not a vessel of the confederate navy, but was fitted out on private account. she is a privateer," replied christy. "so much the better that you have captured her," added the captain. "did you have a severe fight, mr. passford?" "we had no fight at all, sir. i was instructed to avoid a fight if possible, and i have done so. not a blow has been struck or a shot fired, sir." "i will hear your report in detail later, mr. passford, when the prize is in a better situation than now. have you any prisoners?" asked captain breaker. "only the captain and the engineers, sir. this man with me is dave, and he was a steward on board of the teaser. he has given me valuable information, and i have not regarded him as a prisoner," replied the lieutenant. "i understand," said the commander, with a smile, as he saw the yellow hue of the steward's face. "we will not regard him as a prisoner. but you may send the others on board." captain folkner was in no better humor than before, and a berth in the steerage was assigned to him. the other prisoners were sent on board, and captain breaker had ordered christy to anchor the prize near the bellevite. "i don't feel as though i had quite finished my work," said christy, as he walked towards the gangway to obey the order. "what more is there to do?" asked the commander. "it would take me a little time to tell the story of my trip into the bay, sir, and i think you would not understand what more is to be done until you have heard it," replied christy. "then i will hear you before you anchor the teaser," said the captain, leading the way to his cabin. the lieutenant narrated the events of his trip across santa rosa island. captain breaker was not a little amused at his scheme to get rid of the portion of the crew of the privateer before he captured her. "i never suspected that you were the possessor of so much audacity, christy," said he, when the lieutenant had put him in possession of all the facts. "i did not know that i had more than my fair share, sir, and i don't know what i have done that is at all audacious," replied christy, very meekly. "it is a very dark and foggy night, but i don't believe that i have another officer who would have cheek enough to pretend to be a pilot in pensacola bay, and to be in possession of the guard-boat at the same time." "captain folkner put the idea into my head, and i think i should have been an idiot not to make use of it, considering the nature of my mission on board of the teaser." "it is a wonder that no one knew you were not gilder." "the men in the guard-boat did not expose me, and admitted by their silence that i was the person i claimed to be," replied christy, with a twinkle of the eyes. "your scheme would have failed ninety-nine times out of a hundred." "if it had failed, i had force enough to clean out the enemy on board, so that i ran no risk; but i was ordered to avoid a fight, and i did so," argued christy. "you were exceedingly fortunate; and the next time you try such a trick, it may lead you into a rebel prison." "it was not my fault that the ship's company of the teaser were at issue among themselves, and i should have been an imbecile to fail to profit by it." "i approve all you have done, mr. passford." "thank you, sir. though i was of captain folkner's opinion that the sound was the best way out of the bay in the first place, i abandoned that view before i started on the expedition. i was sorry that i could not indorse captain folkner's opinion, and that i was obliged to take sides with his men," said christy, chuckling. "i understand your position perfectly. now, what do you mean by finishing your work, mr. passford?" asked captain breaker, curiously. "we have the teaser, and we ought to be satisfied with your brilliant success." "i am not quite satisfied, sir." "you ought to be." "we put twelve men ashore at town point rather than have a fight with them; and i have the feeling that we have a mortgage on those men, to say nothing of thirty more at pensacola who were to join the teaser. i told them they could get on board of their steamer from the island. i shall be sorry to disappoint them, for i suppose the whole forty or more are counting on a handsome allowance of prize money to be made for them by the teaser. i should be sorry to disappoint them," continued christy, chuckling all the time. "precisely so! i suppose you would be greatly grieved to blast their hopes, and you propose to take them on board of the steamer." "that is the idea, sir. taking a more patriotic view of the question, it would be a great pity to allow forty good sailors to waste their energies in the service of the confederacy." "undoubtedly it would," said captain breaker, his brow knitting under his earnest thought. "what do you propose to do? explain your plan fully, mr. passford." "the principal of the malcontents on board of the teaser was a man by the name of lonley," christy explained. "we left them at the point where the rest of the teaser's crew were to join them. they are all anxious to get to sea in the teaser, and i have no doubt they will come down to-night." "i should think they would," the captain assented. "but they will expect to find the steamer in the sound, and not outside of the island. if the teaser could get through the sound at all, she would not be where you intend to put her." "i told lonley to get upon the island, and be on the lookout for the teaser; and as they have to come from pensacola in a boat, it will be as easy for them to go to the island as to land at the point. very likely they will get the times to bring them off, or some other steamer," christy argued. "it is certainly very desirable to capture these men, for it will do so much to weaken the enemy; but i am afraid you are a little too audacious in some of your movements, mr. passford," replied captain breaker, with a softening smile. "i beg you will not consider that i am asking for the command of the teaser, captain breaker, if she is sent upon this duty," returned the lieutenant, somewhat set back at the prudence of the commander. "i think i had better send mr. blowitt in command of the teaser, and you shall go as his first officer," added the captain. "i have no objection, even in my heart, to this arrangement," replied christy. "but i shall have to send the prize to new york, and i will appoint you prize-master," continued the captain, afraid that he was disappointing the ambitious young officer. "you have done exceedingly well, christy, and i shall not fail to mention you favorably in my report; and you will write out yours as soon as possible." christy would not allow himself to think that he was unappreciated because an older officer was appointed to conduct the enterprise he suggested. he was ready to do his whole duty either as principal or subordinate. mr. blowitt was summoned from his stateroom, and forty men, including all who had taken part in the capture of the prize, were detailed to man the teaser. the second lieutenant was one of the jolliest men on board, but he weighed nearly two hundred pounds, and he was not as active on this account in boat service as some others. he was an excellent officer, and had been in command of a steamer, though he had never before been in the navy. at three o'clock in the morning the fasts of the teaser were cast off, and she backed away from the bellevite. she was to proceed to a point about six miles to the eastward, which was beyond the camp of the "pet lambs." here she was to look out for the teaser's crew. she had not made half this distance when all hands heard rapid and continued firing on santa rosa island. chapter xxiv lieutenant passford on a mission the officers on board of the teaser could not explain the occasion of the firing on the island, though it sounded as though an engagement of some sort was in progress. it had been foggy during the preceding day, and if any movement on the part of the enemy had been indicated it could not have been seen on board of the ships off the entrance to the bay. "i hope this business we are to do this morning will not take us long," said mr. blowitt. "we may be wanted on board, and i should not like to be absent from the bellevite if she is to take part in an engagement of any kind." "and i am sure i should not," added christy. "i should not be surprised if the enemy made an attempt to capture pickens; but even if they storm it in the darkness, i do not see that the ships can do anything until they are able to see what they are to do." "but this affair may keep us away from the ship for a day or two," suggested the second lieutenant. "i don't think so, sir; i believe you will be on board again before seven bells in the morning watch," replied christy. "the ship's company of the teaser were to be somewhere on the shores of the sound where they could be taken on board." "but the men you landed at the point believed that the teaser was to get out through the sound," replied mr. blowitt. "they took you for the pilot gilder, and you did not tell them that you intended to run the blockade." "of course i did not; if i had, they would have remained on board. but the guard-boat attempted to stop us, and the artillery on the island fired into it, though it is probable that they did not hit it in the dense fog," christy explained. "our men may have learned from the guard-boat that we took the steamer out through the main channel." "if they did they probably learned that the teaser went out with the assistance of the garrison at the fort," suggested mr. blowitt. "i am confident that the officer of the guard-boat would have no means of knowing that fact," argued christy. "of course, he heard the firing in the neighborhood of the fort, and he would naturally conclude that they were firing upon the steamer to prevent her from running out." "that may be; but, to tell you the truth, mr. passford, i am afraid we shall not find these men," added the second lieutenant. "from the firing we hear, i should judge that a movement of some kind is in progress, and our men may be better informed than you expect." "of course, they may be; but i expect to find these men at some point along the shore," replied christy, who thought the second lieutenant was just a little obstinate in not accepting his theory in full. the steamer continued on her course to the eastward, and nothing more passed between the two principal officers in regard to the crew from pensacola. but flint was quite as confident as the third lieutenant that the forty men, more or less, would be captured. the noise of the firing could no longer be heard, and then christy suggested that the whistle be sounded as a signal to the men if they were in the vicinity. the depth of water was three or four fathoms close up to this part of the island. the soundings indicated that the steamer was as near as it was prudent to go in the dense fog. christy was sure that the privateer's crew could not have gone any farther to the eastward by this time, and the screw was stopped, while all hands made an anxious use of their ears to detect any sounds that came from the shore. but nothing could be heard at first, and mr. blowitt again intimated that they were engaged in a "wild-goose chase." but he had hardly uttered this cooling reflection before beeks came aft to report that a number of pistol shots, as he thought they were, had been heard in the distance. "nobody can tell what they mean," said the sceptical mr. blowitt. "they may be a part of the affair we heard going on soon after we left the ship." "in what direction were the shots, beeks?" asked christy. "they sounded as though they were about half a mile or less to the westward of us," replied the quartermaster. "blow the whistle in short blasts, beeks," added mr. blowitt, who seemed to have gathered a little faith from the report of the quartermaster. the order was obeyed, and beeks again reported that pistol shots had been heard from the westward. the third lieutenant was in a hurry to have the business finished, for he felt confident that the bellevite would soon be engaged in an affair of more importance than picking up a couple of score of prisoners. he ordered the steamer to come about, and move to the westward; but after she had been under way about five minutes, he rang to stop her, and then sounded the whistles again. several pistol shots responded to this signal. again he started the screw, and pointed the bow of the teaser squarely to the north. the steamer moved very slowly, and two men sounded all the time till they reported "by the mark two," when there could not have been more than three feet of water under the keel of the vessel. the screw was stopped and backed so that she might not run upon any shoal place ahead of her, and the officers waited with interest and anxiety for further action on the part of the party on shore. by this time no one doubted that there were men on this part of the island; but whether they were the crew of the privateer or not was yet to be proved. "steamer, ahoy!" shouted some one on the shore. "on the island!" replied christy, as he was instructed to do by his superior. "what steamer is that?" demanded the speaker on the island. whoever he was, he could not help knowing that a steamer was there, for the engineer had begun to blow off steam as soon as the screw stopped, though neither party could see the other in the fog and darkness. "the teaser," replied christy. "who are you?" "we are the ship's company of the teaser, and we want to get on board," replied the speaker. "is captain folkner on board?" "he is on board--of the bellevite," the third lieutenant would have finished the sentence if he had told the whole truth, for he uttered only the first part of the sentence. "all right. the first and second lieutenants are with us. is gilder on board?" "he is; and he wants to get back to the other side of the inland," answered christy, who considered it his duty to make his replies as suitable to the occasion as possible. "who is speaking?" "lieutenant lonley," replied the man; and christy knew him, though he did not know his rank before. "he wants to see gilder before he goes on board. tell him to come on shore in his canoe." "what is that for?" demanded christy, rather surprised at the unexpected request. "i want to see him on particular business; i have a message for him, which i cannot deliver in presence of any other person," replied lonley. "all right; you shall see him soon," answered christy. "get out the boats to take us on board," continued lonley. "send them about a mile to the eastward, where we have left our bags." "all right," repeated christy. but he said what he did not believe, for everything did not look right to him. he could not understand why the bags of the men should be a mile to the eastward. he could not imagine what business lonley could have with gilder or his representative; and if he had any, why it should be necessary to meet him on the island. "of course you don't expect me to carry on the programme that fellow has marked out," said mr. blowitt. "i don't quite like the looks of the things that we can't see, mr. passford." "neither do i, mr. blowitt," replied the third lieutenant frankly. "i shall not send a boat from the steamer till i understand this matter a great deal better than i do now, and especially i shall not send the boats a mile to the eastward," added the second lieutenant. "of course it is possible that my plan has miscarried already," added christy. "i shall do everything i can to carry out your plan, as i am instructed to do by the captain; but i have the feeling, in spite of myself, that we are crawling into a hornet's nest," added mr. blowitt, with some anxiety in his tones. "you will call all hands quietly, and be ready to repel boarders. it is well to be prepared for whatever may come. the firing at the west end of the island indicated that something was going on, and perhaps these men on the shore know about it." christy obeyed the order promptly, and the next minute, every seaman on board was ready with his cutlass and revolver to meet an attack. but no sound came from the shore just then, and the officers were in a state of uncertainty in regard to the situation which allowed them to do nothing. they waited for half an hour, when the leadsman reported that the water was shoaling, which indicated that the teaser was drifting towards the island. "on board the teaser!" shouted lonley, so distinctly that he could hardly have been more than three hundred feet from the steamer. "on shore," replied christy, prompted by mr. blowitt. "i am waiting for gilder! why don't he come on shore?" shouted lonley, his impatience apparent in his tones. "where are all the men?" demanded christy, as requested by the second lieutenant. "they have gone a mile to the eastward where they left their bags." "we will run down in the steamer for them," added mr. blowitt, talking through christy. "don't do that!" protested the speaker on shore. "there is a yankee steamer off in that direction. we heard her steam an hour ago." "all right!" replied christy. "that settles the matter in my mind," said mr. blowitt. "they are trying to play what they call a yankee trick upon us. when we send our boats to the eastward, we shall send them into a trap. if the boats are to bring off forty men, they will expect them to go with only men enough to pull the oars; and when they get possession of them, they expect to retake the teaser." "i think you are right, mr. blowitt," replied christy, who began to believe that his scheme was rapidly approaching a failure, though he did not give it up just yet. "this lonley is still on the shore near us," said mr. blowitt. "i should very much like to know what has been going on to-night on the island, and it may be that he knows all about it. as you are the representative of gilder, mr. passford, you may take the canoe that is astern, and have a talk with lonley at close quarters, if you don't object." "i should have proposed it myself if i had not feared that the idea would be charged to my audacity," replied christy. "i will take only flint with me, as he was with me before." the canoe was brought up to the gangway, and flint took his place at the oars. mr. blowitt charged the young officer in the most serious manner not to run any risks, and the boat was shoved off. it required but a few strokes of the oars to bring it into shoal water by the beach. only a single man could be seen on the shore, and this one must be lonley. there seemed to be no risk, and christy landed. chapter xxv christy becomes a victim everything was perfectly still on the island, and only a single man was in sight; but christy put his hand upon his revolver as he went on shore. though he had never been a fighting young man, he had the impression that he should not tamely submit to the assault of an enemy, or run away from any single man that stood up in front of him. he had always been prudent, even while he had been daring, and he hardly needed the solemn admonition of the second lieutenant to be extremely cautious. "is that you, captain gilder?" asked the man on the shore, who stood a little way from the waterside. "yes; and i take it for granted that you are lonley," replied christy, advancing towards the other. "you have done all the talking this night, and i ought to know you." "all the talking except what you have done, and i ought to know you," replied lonley. "i am lieutenant lonley, of the teaser, and our men are all ready to go on board." "and captain folkner is all ready to have them go on board," returned christy, who had no doubt of the truth of what he said, though he understood that he was telling a "story" all the same. "i have no doubt he is. but i don't quite understand how you happen to be on this side of the island, and so far to the westward at this time in the morning. we expected to find the teaser burrowing through the sound, and we had about made up our minds to take possession of her and run the blockade, as other christians do. we did not believe she would get through the sound in a week, if she ever did." "i succeeded in persuading captain folkner that he had better come out by the main channel; and that is the way we did come out, and that explains how we happen to be here at this time in the morning," replied christy, very cheerfully. "you must have very strong powers of persuasion, captain gilder," said lonley, laughing. "i have in a case such as this was," added the lieutenant, with a chuckle, as he thought of the particular kind of persuasion he had used upon the captain of the privateer. "i would give a good deal if i had just such powers, for they are sometimes of very great service to an officer." "you are quite right, mr. lonley. i suppose you are the first lieutenant of the teaser." "no, i am not; kissing goes by favor, and the captain's brother is the first; and he is no more fit for his position than the captain is for his duty. i was in hope that the government would take possession of the steamer, and send her to sea properly officered," added lonley, very good-naturedly. "good officers are quite necessary in the service," suggested christy. "i have no doubt you will fill the bill, and be all that could be possibly desired." "thank you, captain gilder. did you have any trouble in getting out of the bay?" "no, none at all. by the way, mr. lonley, we have been hearing firing at the west end of the island to-night. do you know what it means?" "the first thing was to clean out that regiment of zouaves; and i have no doubt that has been done before now; and our boys may get a hack at pickens. a big force was landed in the fog, and the yankees will not stay on this island much longer," replied lonley. his information was entirely correct, though his prediction was not equally reliable. "i was sure there was fighting going on over there," added christy. "you seem to be all alone, mr. lonley. where are all your men?" "i told you before you came ashore that i had sent them all over to the place where they had left their bags, about a mile to the eastward of us. i suppose captain folkner has sent the boats over there for them before this time?" "he was inclined to run over in the steamer," added christy. "i hope he did not do that," said the privateersman, with a good deal more energy than the other thought the occasion warranted. "i warned you that there was a yankee gunboat over that way." "the teaser has not gone over that way," replied christy. "if she has, she will be gobbled up by that gunboat, and all my men with her." "i persuaded captain folkner not to do it," added the bellevite's officer, very quietly. "he ought to have done just what i asked him to do; and that was to send his boats over to the place named for the men." "and i persuaded him to do that also," continued christy, as unblushingly as though he had not been strictly in the habit of telling the truth all his lifetime. "good for you, captain gilder!" exclaimed lonley, grasping the hand of his companion as though he had been his brother. "you beat all the men i ever knew on power of persuasion; and when i get the command of the teaser, as i expect to have before this year ends, i shall want you to serve as my first lieutenant." "thank you, lieutenant lonley; you are very kind; and if i ever go into the privateering service, i shall certainly go in with you," replied christy. "an officer with your power of persuasion will be invaluable to me," replied lonley, still holding the hand of the other. "if i were gifted in this respect as you are, captain gilder, do you know what i would do?" "i am sure i have not the least idea, unless it would be to persuade jeff davis to send you a commission as a captain in the regular navy," said christy, laughing at the idea. "i am afraid i should have too little cheek to attempt to do that, for the president is a rather obstinate man, and i fear he would not see the point. besides, i am a very modest man, though you may not have observed this shining trait in my character. no; i am too diffident to ask for a place i have not won by service." "then what would you do in the way of persuasion?" asked christy, though he wondered why he was prolonging the interview. "i should use my powers of persuasion upon you, captain gilder, in the first place." "i don't think it would be of any use, for i am too well posted in that way of doing it to be influenced," replied christy, trying to withdraw his hand from the grasp of the privateersman. "i must go on board of the teaser again when you have delivered your message to me, as that was what you wished to see me for." "i did say i had a message for you, didn't i? well, upon my life, i have quite forgot what it was, but it was from president jefferson davis, and he was particular that i should deliver it to you to-night or this morning. isn't it very strange that i should forget a message of so much importance that it could not be trusted to writing?" "passing strange, i should say," answered christy, who began to understand that he had fallen into a trap of some sort. "while you are thinking of it, i will go on board, and persuade captain folkner not to run the teaser to the eastward if he should take it into his head to do so. i had no idea there was a yankee gunboat in that direction, and i don't believe the captain had. besides, he don't know where he is in this fog, and he needs me." as he spoke, christy tried to withdraw his hand from the grasp of lonley, as he had not succeeded in doing before when he tried. but the privateersman suddenly fell upon him, and both of them went down. a tremendous struggle followed, but before it was decided, two men rushed out of the gloom, and took part in the affair; and they soon settled the matter in favor of the confederacy, much to the chagrin of the second lieutenant of the bellevite. [illustration: "a tremendous struggle followed."--page .] flint had remained in the canoe, which had been partly drawn up on the beach; but the moment he sprang out upon the sand to go to the assistance of his officer, he was set upon by two men and secured. both of them were deprived of their weapons, and their hands tied behind them. beyond a doubt the lieutenant and the master's mate were prisoners before they had any clear idea of the situation. "are you there, mr. folkner?" called lonley, as soon as the prisoners were secured, speaking now in an energetic tone, as he had not before. "i am here," replied a man who seemed to be in a boat not far from the spot. "you have kept me a long time waiting for you!" "i wanted to give the yankee boats time to get at least a mile from the teaser before anything was done. shove off now, and make things as lively as you can," said lonley. "go to your places in the boats," he continued to four men who had assisted in the capture of the two officers. by this time christy had a chance to see that he was a victim of a trick which was to eventuate in the recapture of the teaser; and he was sorry that he was not the only victim, as he looked at flint. he realized too that the scheme had been very well planned, though he was really happy in the belief that it would be a failure in the end. lonley seemed to be the leading spirit in the affair, and managed the details. he had intended that the boats should be sent from the teaser to a point at least a mile off. he had taken it for granted that the steamer would come to pick them up, or in other words, to capture the forty prisoners. if he was weak in accepting as the truth christy's statement that the boats had been actually sent away, as desired, he could see no reason why the yankee officer should try to deceive him. it appeared now that the privateersmen had two boats, which had been brought across the island for the purpose. lonley had naturally wished that only a few men should be on board, and concluded that it would be an easy matter to capture the steamer, and then to secure the men in the boats when they returned from the eastward. the four men on shore, who had been put in a place where they could assist lonley, hastened to the boats, and they shoved off, pulling as silently as though the oars had been muffled, as probably they had been. in a moment more they disappeared in the darkness and fog. "i think i have improved a great deal in the art of persuasion," said lonley, as the boats disappeared. "i suppose i persuaded you as effectually as you did captain folkner." "you have done very well, mr. lonley," replied christy, in a patronizing tone, for he was determined that his companion should derive no satisfaction from seeing him cast down by his misfortune. "you informed me a little while ago that captain folkner was on board of the teaser; and i wish to ask if you are uniformly in the habit of speaking the truth?" continued lonley. "well, that depends upon circumstances. if i have not done so, you cannot expect me to contradict myself." "you claimed that you were captain gilder." "hardly, my excellent friend: when captain folkner addressed me by that name, i did not object to it." "that was just as much a lie as though you had claimed it in so many words," protested lonley. "i admit it; and i hardly expect a true patriot to tell the truth to the enemy. if i remember rightly, you told me yourself that your men had gone to the eastward where they had left their bags. i don't believe that your conscience reproached you when they showed themselves in the boats." at this moment pistol shots were heard on the water. chapter xxvi the action on the deck of the teaser as the teaser was but a short distance from the shore, christy had no doubt that the attempt to board her had been made by this time. mr. blowitt had quite as many men on board of the steamer as could have been contained in the two boats, and he was not much concerned about the result of the attack, especially as he knew that the second lieutenant was fully prepared and on the lookout for it. the only thing that christy regretted was that he was not on board of the teaser to take part in the affair of repelling boarders. "there seems to be some music in the air," said lonley, after he had listened for a few moments to the sounds that came from the direction of the steamer. "to return to the subject of the morality of telling stories, your men do not seem to be a mile to the eastward, where their bags were left," added christy good-naturedly. "you had a glance at them in the boats, though the darkness and fog were rather too thick for you to count them," replied lonley, chuckling over the deception he had practised upon the lieutenant of the bellevite. "yes, i saw them, and i concluded that they could not be where their bags were." "all is fair in war." "that seems to be the generally received maxim, and he is the smartest man who the most thoroughly deceives the enemy," added christy, who found himself tolerably well satisfied with the situation, though he was a prisoner. "that is so, and of course i can find no fault with you for deceiving me," returned lonley, chuckling as though he was even better satisfied with the situation than his companion. "thank you, mr. lonley; you are magnanimous, and with equal sincerity i can say that i have no fault to find with you," replied the union officer. "but i have my doubts whether, after this, either of us will be likely to believe what the other says. but, for my part, i wish to say that i don't believe in telling anything but necessary and patriotic lies." "that is my view of the matter exactly; and if there is any man that despises a liar, i am that man," said lonley warmly. "but it seems to me they are making a good deal of a racket off there," he added, as the noise of pistol shots and the clash of cutlasses came over the smooth waters of the gulf. "they seem to be at it quite earnestly," replied christy. "by the way, how many men did you leave on board of the teaser?" asked the privateersman, whose manner seemed to have suddenly become considerably changed. "how many men?" repeated the lieutenant of the bellevite. "that is the question i asked," replied the lieutenant of the teaser. "i suppose you would not believe me if i should tell you," answered christy. "i judge that you can speak the truth if you try," added lonley, with more asperity than the occasion seemed to require. "i know that i could," said christy, very decidedly; "and i may add that i was in the habit of doing so on all occasions before this cruel war began." "then suppose you try to do so just now, and tell me how many men your people had on board of the teaser." "you must excuse me for the present, for i do not like to make statements to one who will not believe what i say," answered christy, rather facetiously. "you are a prisoner now." "i am painfully aware of the fact, but i doubt if the government service will suffer very much in my absence from duty." "you are too modest by half, mr.--but i have not even the pleasure of knowing your name, and conversation is annoying under such circumstances." "i am simply midshipman passford, at your service." "only a midshipman!" exclaimed lonley. "upon my word, you ought to be a commodore. passford? possibly you are a cousin of colonel passford of glenfield." "colonel passford is my uncle. do you know him?" asked christy. "i do know him; and there is not a finer man or a truer patriot in the south than colonel passford. he is loading a schooner with cotton, and he offered me the command of it. then you are his nephew, i have heard of you." "i hope my uncle is quite well, for i have not heard from him for several weeks, or since i left new york." "i saw him ten days ago, and he was very well then. i am very happy to have made a prisoner of his enterprising nephew, who appears to be capable of doing our cause a great deal of mischief," replied lonley, looking earnestly in the direction of the teaser. "thank you, mr. lonley; i certainly intend to do it all the mischief i can in a legitimate way. i am speaking the truth now," said christy. "but you have not answered my question in regard to the number of men on board of the teaser when you left her." "and you will excuse me for the present if i do not answer it," added the union lieutenant. "very well, mr. passford; i cannot compel you to answer it, though doing so would do no harm to your cause, for i should judge that the question of the hour is settled." "what is the question of the hour, mr. lonley?" "the question is which side is in possession of the teaser, yours or mine," replied the privateersman, still gazing out into the gloom. "is that question settled?" asked christy, with interest. "of course i don't know, but i should think that it was. we hear no more pistol shots and no more clashing of cutlasses," replied lonley, uneasily. "but i expected to hear the triumphal shout of our men when they had carried the deck of the teaser." "i have not heard anything like a triumphal shout," added christy, very quietly. "it is barely possible that your men have not carried the deck of the teaser." "of course, it is possible they have not; but i don't believe they have failed," replied lonley. the privateersman listened for a few minutes in silence. he appeared to be entirely confident that the victory must be with his men. he evidently believed that the captors of the teaser had sent her two boats off to a distance of a mile, and thus weakened whatever force she had on board of her. he did not seem to have any idea that the party he had met in pensacola bay had been increased in numbers, or that the officer in command had reported to the ship to which they belonged. christy realized what lonley was thinking about, and he clearly believed that the teaser had been left in charge of not more than a dozen or fifteen men, reduced by at least six then on boat duty. "help! help!" shouted a man in the water at no great distance from the shore. "what does that mean?" said lonley, springing to his feet. "it is a call for help, and, as my hands are tied behind me, i cannot respond to it, as i would gladly do, be the man who needs it friend or enemy," replied christy. "there is the canoe in which we came ashore, lieutenant lonley, and you can use that." the privateersman sprang into the boat, shoved it off, and pulled in the direction from which the appeal came. he disappeared in the fog in a moment; but a little later was seen again approaching the shore. he had not taken the sufferer into the boat, but he had clung to it. as he got upon his feet, christy saw that there were two of them, for one helped the other up the beach. "what does this mean?" demanded lonley, very much excited. "have you run away from the others?" "no, sir; but we were beaten in the fight, our boats captured, and all hands taken prisoners except us two," replied the uninjured of the two men. lieutenant lonley, whatever his views of the morality of lying to the enemy, uttered an exclamation which grated very harshly on the ears of lieutenant passford. the result, as stated by the man who had swum to the shore, was as unwelcome as it was unexpected. he had not deemed a defeat even possible. he learned from the guard-boat that the steamer had been captured. he had spent the time after he was landed with his companions at town point, and organized his force for the recapture of the teaser. the failure of the final attack was as severe upon him as the loss of his vessel had been upon captain folkner. "who are you?" demanded lonley, when he had in some measure recovered from the shock which the failure gave him. "i am levick, the boatswain; and this is lieutenant folkner, who was wounded in the shoulder in the first of it," replied the man. "he was knocked from the rail into the water when we boarded, and he held on to an oar. when the fight was over, and we had lost it, i slipped into the water, and helped the lieutenant along on his oar, till i was about used up, and then i called for help." "are you much hurt, mr. folkner?" asked lonley of the injured officer. "i don't know; my shoulder feels numb, and i can't use my arm," replied folkner. "but i can use my legs, and i think that is what we had better be doing." "i don't understand it," protested lonley, very much dissatisfied with the result of the action, as may well be supposed. "i was sure you would carry her deck at once." "i was as sure as you were, lonley; but i believe they had fifty men all ready for us. they let us leap on deck without much opposition, and then they surrounded us, and took us by surprise, for i did not suppose, after what you said, that they had a dozen men," replied the wounded lieutenant. "i did not suppose they had even a dozen men left on board," lonley explained, with humiliation in his tones. "i staid in the boat till i had seen all my men on deck," continued mr. folkner. "they surrounded our force, and tumbled them into the hold as though they had been pigs, slashing them with their cutlasses if they tried to get out. i saw the fat officer in command of the enemy; he was very active, and i leaped on deck, determined to cross weapons with him. but he hit me in the shoulder with his cutlass, and i lost my hold on the rail." "you ought to have led your men, not followed them," said lonley bitterly. "that is easy enough for you to say; but i wanted to be where i could see my men," retorted the first lieutenant, of whom the second had a very mean opinion, perhaps because he got his position on account of being the captain's brother. "whether i did right or not, i can tell you all one thing; and that is, that we shall be prisoners if we stay here any longer. they have got our men under the hatches, and they have ordered out a boat to look for an officer they sent ashore." "we can do nothing here, and we may as well put ourselves in safer quarters, for we have two prisoners to lose," said lonley. "mr. passford, i shall have to trouble you to march to the other side of the island." "i am your prisoner, mr. lonley, and i must obey your orders, though i am sorry to be away from my ship in the hour of victory," replied christy submissively. but he felt that his plan had been fully carried out. chapter xxvii a visit from colonel homer passford with his arms securely tied behind him, christy realized that he could make no resistance to his captors. flint was in the same unfortunate situation, and both of them had been deprived of their revolvers. but in spite of his unpleasant surroundings, the young lieutenant felt that the balance of advantage was on the side of the union. if the government was deprived of the services of a midshipman and a master's mate, a dangerous privateer had been captured, and about forty prisoners had been taken from the employ of the confederacy. in the face of this decided gain, christy felt that he had no right to complain. by this time the light of day had begun to have some effect on the darkness and fog, though the gloom seemed to be hardly less. lonley directed his two prisoners to walk side by side behind the wounded lieutenant, while he and levick took their places in the rear. the second lieutenant of the teaser was duly impressed by what the first had said about a probable visit to the island in search of the missing midshipman, and he directed folkner to march as rapidly as he could. he took the control of the party out of the hands of his superior, and very likely he wished he had done so sooner. folkner, as he had before suggested, still had the use of his legs, and he certainly used them well, for he travelled like a man who was in a hurry; but both christy and flint were in excellent condition, though they had been on active duty all night, and they had no difficulty in keeping up with their leader. lonley and levick were both armed, and they kept their weapons in readiness for immediate use, for the former recognized the enterprising character of the young officer in front of him, and knew that he would escape if he could. but christy did not feel called to take any desperate chances in order to restore himself at once to the service of his country, and he and his companion in captivity marched along very quietly. the two armed men soon dropped several paces to the rear, so that the lieutenant could listen to the details of the action on the deck of the teaser. the prisoners could not hear what was said, and they started a conversation on their own account. "we are in a bad box," said flint. "i did not expect to come out of the little end of the horn in this way." "you must take a broader view of the situation than that," replied christy. "the teaser is certainly a prize of the bellevite, with as many as forty prisoners. that is the result of our night's work, though we are counted out just now in the business of crowing over the success of our side. that is the way to look at it; and this view makes me quite satisfied with the night's work." "i did not see it in that light, and i suppose you are right, mr. passford," replied flint. "and you will not lose your share of the prize-money for the yazoo or the teaser," added christy, though, as the son of a millionnaire, he felt no interest at all in the spoils of war. "what do you suppose will be done with us, sir?" asked the master's mate. "i have not the least idea, any more than you have; but i have no doubt we shall be kept in close confinement, and i don't believe we shall live as well in our prison, wherever it may be, as we do on board of the bellevite. but i am rather fond of johnny-cake, and i don't expect to starve on bacon." "don't you think it was a mistake to send us ashore in the canoe on the part of mr. blowitt?" asked flint, rather timidly. "if it was, it was as much my mistake as it was his. but i don't think it was a mistake. i cannot say that we did not succeed in the action on the deck of the steamer because we were sent ashore," replied christy. "i don't see how that can be," replied flint. "in the first place, lonley wanted me to come on shore, and asked that i should do so. on the strength of what i said to him, he believed that our boats had been sent to the eastward, and that induced him to make the advance he did. after he had told us where to find the men, he had good reason to believe that the boats would be sent for them. we did not fall into the trap he set for us. i think it is all right as it is; but whether it is or not, it's no use to grumble about it." "i did not mean to grumble; and i am willing to believe that everything has been for the best," replied flint, apparently resolved to be satisfied, as his superior officer was, whether he felt so or not. folkner led the way in a northwesterly direction, and evidently knew where he was going. when they had been marching about half an hour, the party heard the report of fire-arms in the rear of them; but the discharges were at regular intervals, and did not sound as though they came from a battle. a little later, they heard loud shouts. "that is the party who are out in search of us," said christy. "that is so, mr. passford; the sounds are only signals, and they are intended to notify you that your friends are in search of you," added lonley, hastening up to the advance of the party. "i should be very sorry to do such a thing, but if you shout, or do anything to inform that party where you are, it will be my duty to shoot you." "i am not disposed to be rash, mr. lonley. if our friends overtake your party, it will not be my fault," replied christy. "you do not expect me to shoot you in that case, i hope?" added the privateersman. "i did not know but that your revolver might go off by accident." "you may be assured that it will not; i claim to be a gentleman and a christian, and i intend to be fair even to my enemies." "i beg your pardon for my thoughtless remark. i have no occasion to complain of you. i shall endeavor to be a gentleman and a christian also, though i intend to do my best in fighting my country's battles; and i am not disposed to talk politics with you under present circumstances." the march was continued for some time longer, and the signals in the rear were repeated till increasing light enabled the prisoners to see that they were approaching pensacola bay. not a little to their astonishment, the shore seemed to be alive with soldiers, and they learned that a battle, or something like one, had been fought on the island. the confederate forces had been sent to attack wilson's zouaves, in camp to the eastward of the fort. some very severe fighting had been done in the darkness and fog, with heavy losses on both sides. the zouaves had been re-enforced from the fort, and with marines from the ships. though the confederates claimed the victory, it was clear enough to the two prisoners from the south side of the island that the southern troops were retreating from the field. a soldier who fought with them wrote to a paper in georgia: "i scarcely know whether we achieved a victory, or suffered a defeat." he also said that in the fog and darkness: "we shot down our friends in numbers." a few prisoners had been captured by the enemy, including two officers. but folkner led the way to a point on the bay not very near the steamers which had brought over the expedition from the mainland. the confederate troops embarked in the steamers and launches by which they had come; but the union troops followed them to the end. their steamers were aground, and a merciless fire was poured into them by the pursuing companies. "they are having hot work of it over there," said lonley, as they came to a boat on the shore. "but that is not our affair, and it is quite proper for us to keep out of the way of the flying bullets." christy and flint were directed to take seats in the boat, and the lieutenant and boatswain manned the oars. they were not out of the reach of the bullets of the federal troops, and the oarsmen pulled with all their might for a time. it was five miles to pensacola, but the privateersmen landed their prisoners there. they were committed to a sort of guard-house; but in the afternoon they were sent to mobile with about twenty others, who had been captured in the battle of the night before. there was not a great number of prisoners in the city, and it was intended to remove them to other quarters arranged for their accommodation. christy and flint were confined in an unoccupied warehouse, and were fed tolerably well, and they were supplied with some kind of dried grass for beds. it was not at all like the luxurious stateroom of the lieutenant on board of the bellevite, or even the quarters of flint; but they were determined to make the best of it. flint had become reconciled to his situation, and christy was even cheerful. after he had been in the warehouse a few days, christy was not a little surprised to receive a visit from his uncle, colonel passford. he was not surprised at the kindness of the planter in making the visit, but that he should know so soon that he was a prisoner of war, for he had fully decided not to make any appeal to his uncle; and he could not imagine how he had discovered his situation. "i am glad to see you, christy," said colonel passford, extending his hand, which christy took without any hesitation. "and i suppose you are glad to see me here," added the nephew, with a smile. "while i am glad to see you deprived of the power to injure the cause i love, and to which i have pledged all that i have and all that i am, i am sorry that you should be in trouble, christy. i hope i have christian feeling enough to keep me from rejoicing at the misfortunes of any person, and especially of my brother's son. i can say sincerely that i am sorry you are in trouble," said the colonel solemnly. "oh, i am not in trouble, uncle homer!" exclaimed christy, laughing. "i have done my duty to my country, my conscience is clean, and i am not to be upset by an accident like this. i am really happy in the consciousness that i have been faithful to the cause of my country." [illustration: "i am glad to see you, christy."--page .] "i wish you had been; but we will not talk about that, for i suppose you and your father have the same views," replied the planter, looking very sad. "i don't believe we should agree if we talked about it for a year, and we had better give the subject the go-by. but how are aunt lydia and gerty?" "both are very well. i hope your father is in good health, as well as your mother and sister." "all very well." "i have not heard a word from any of you for about five months," continued colonel passford. "in fact, not since you were here in may." "we got home all right, and the bellevite is a man-of-war now. she captured one valuable prize off the coast of carolina, and another at pensacola," replied christy cheerfully. "she ought never to have been allowed to leave mobile bay," added the colonel. "your people certainly did everything they could to prevent her from leaving, and i hope you don't blame yourselves for letting her go. what about corny, sir?" asked christy. "major pierson was very much to blame for permitting the bellevite to pass the forts when she came in, and he lost his command. but he has devoted all his life to redeem his fault by her recapture. he took corny with him, and a naval officer; i only know that the attempt to recapture her failed from the fact that the bellevite is now on the blockade." finding that his uncle knew nothing of the events which had transpired at bonnydale, christy told him all about them, informing him at the end that corny was a prisoner of war on parole at his father's house, recovering from his wound. chapter xxviii an enterprise for a dark night "corny wounded!" exclaimed colonel passford, rising with no little emotion from the box on which he had seated himself. "not seriously, uncle homer," added christy. "but how was he wounded? i have heard of no battle in the vicinity of new york till now, though our papers contain some news from outside," continued the planter. "it was hardly a battle," replied christy. "captain carboneer had brought a crew for a steamer through canada, i believe, for the purpose of capturing the bellevite as she lay at bonnydale. major pierson and corny were to assist him; and the major wished captain carboneer to take florry on board of her, and convey her to the south, when he had taken possession of the steamer; but the naval officer was too high-toned to do anything of the kind." "i did not suppose major pierson could do such a thing," added the planter, biting his lips. "but the major insisted that he did not mean to take her against her own will. captain carboneer bought an old steamer, put his men on board of her, and started up the river to make the capture. i knew they were coming, and was ready for them. we fired only one shot at the old steamer, which smashed her walking-beam, and disabled her. a piece of the machinery struck corny, and injured him in the shoulder. the doctor says he is not permanently injured, though it will be months before he is able to use his arm. he was paroled, and mother is taking as good care of him as though i had been wounded." "i am thankful it is not worse," added the colonel, with a sigh of relief. "what became of major pierson?" "i don't know, but i suppose he is a prisoner in fort lafayette. he refused to give his parole when he found he could not be a guest at bonnydale. captain carboneer obtained the command of a steamer, but it was captured by the bellevite, and probably he is with the major in the fort." the planter asked a great many questions in regard to the affair on the hudson, and christy answered them. he gave some of the particulars of the capture of the teaser, and mentioned the name of lonley, who had told him that colonel passford had offered him the command of a schooner he had loaded with cotton to run the blockade; but the planter said nothing to indicate that he had ever heard of the privateersman. "the bellevite has been very fortunate so far, and she seems to have a charmed existence," added the colonel. "that is only because she is well handled," replied christy, laughing. "and you seem to be equally fortunate, christy, for you have twice been the means of saving your father's steamer. corny has done nothing, is wounded, and practically a prisoner. but, christy, the tide will turn, for heaven is always on the side of a just cause," added the planter solemnly. "i believe it, uncle; and that will be the reason why the union will prevail in the end. besides, napoleon believed that heaven was always on the side of the stronger battalions." "that was an impious remark; and heaven, by its own mysterious ways, will conduct the just cause of the south to a successful ending, and the confederate states of america will be an honored member of the family of nations." "i think we had better not talk politics, even though we mix in a little religion," suggested christy. "as your father has been kind to my boy, wounded and a prisoner in the midst of enemies, i ought to do something for you, christy," continued colonel passford, looking on the floor. "not at all, uncle homer; i am not wounded as corny is, and there is no need of doing anything for me," interposed christy, laughing in the serious face of the planter. "i can get you paroled, and then i shall be glad to have you remain at glenfield until you are exchanged," said the planter. "i shall not accept a parole, uncle homer," replied christy promptly. "not accept a parole!" exclaimed the colonel. "corny did so." "if i were wounded, as corny is, i would accept it." "i hope you don't mean to try to escape, christy," added his uncle, with a look of deep concern on his dignified face, as he looked about the apartment in which his nephew was confined. "i don't say that i shall; if i did say so, you would have our guard doubled, and ready to shoot me if they saw my head at a window," answered christy with earnestness. "you seem to think i am a heathen; but you forget that you are an active enemy of my country," added the planter, with a pained expression. "i don't forget it, uncle; but i am not half as active as i hope to be before this thing ends. i believe you would see me shot or hung by the neck till i was dead if it were for the benefit of what you call your country." "i hope and pray that i may never be placed in a situation to see anything of that kind." "i know you are earnest, honest, and sincere, uncle homer, and no partiality to your own kindred would permit you to shirk what you consider to be your duty. i find no fault with you; and i believe my father would be equally firm," said christy warmly. "i think you understand me, my boy; but do not attempt any rash project. i cannot prevent the guard from shooting you if you attempt to escape." "i prefer to keep my own counsels in a matter of this kind, uncle homer. give my love to aunt lydia and gerty, for i suppose i am not likely to see them, as i am liable to be sent away any day." "oh, yes, you will see them, for they shall call upon you here as soon as they return from montgomery, where they have gone for a few days." "it will be very kind of them to do so," added christy, though he did not believe he should be "at home" when they came. "i do not wish you were wounded, my dear boy, but if you were, we would do all that your father and mother are doing for poor corny," replied colonel passford fervently, "now, promise me, christy, that you will not attempt to escape." "i can't make any promises, uncle." "i will do the best i can to have your condition improved, and see that you have a better diet, if i send your food from a hotel." "you are very kind, uncle, and i know that you will do all that your duty will permit you to do for me." "but i shall live in fear and trembling if i leave you without your promise to refrain from daring exploits. just consider, my dear boy; you are in the fourth story of this warehouse, and the guard-room is below you. you have really no chance at all of success, and a fall or a shot may kill or disable you for life." "i do not say that i shall try to escape, uncle." "and you do not say that you will not try to escape." for half an hour longer colonel passford endeavored to induce his nephew to give the desired promise; but he remained obstinate to the end; and his uncle was compelled to leave him, to enter upon the fear and trembling in which he was to live while his enterprising nephew remained a prisoner. but he promised to call upon him every day, and to write to his wife and daughter to return at once. "i think i shall not wait for him to call," said christy to flint, as soon as he had gone. "do you expect to get out of this place, mr. passford?" asked the master's mate, with lively interest. "this very night!" replied christy, in an energetic whisper, as he put his finger on his lips to indicate that nothing more was to be said on the subject. the second lieutenant of the bellevite had not been confined in the warehouse three days without considering his chances of escape, and the means of accomplishing such a purpose. he had looked the building over with the greatest care. the room the prisoners occupied was next to the roof. the rear windows opened upon a narrow alley, and he had ascertained by looking out at them that the warehouse was one of a long block. he had been in mobile a great deal while the family were visiting at glenfield, and he had been careful to notice the location when he was conducted to it with the others. at the end of the loft next to the main street were thirty or forty other prisoners, with whom christy and flint had been on good terms, though they belonged to the army, and seemed to be inclined to keep by themselves. they had been exhausted by hard service, and they had nothing to do but eat and sleep, though the former occupation did not occupy any great amount of their spare time. but as soon as it was fairly dark, they stretched themselves on their beds of vines and weeds, and most of them were soon asleep. the evening that followed the day on which colonel passford visited his nephew was dark, foggy, rainy, and as gloomy as even a blockade runner might ask. christy seated himself under one of the rear windows of the loft, which appeared to have been intended only for storage, and was only from seven to eight feet between studs. flint placed himself at the side of his companion, as he was requested to do. "this is just the kind of a night we want," said christy, in a whisper, for he could hear the tramp of a sentinel outside the door of the loft. "i should as soon think of getting out if we were buried a hundred feet under ground as to think of getting out of this place," replied flint, who was hardly as enterprising as his officer, though he was always ready to follow when he was well led. "there is a guard at the door, mr. passford." "he may stay there; we don't want anything of him," replied christy. "i see no other way out of this den, unless we jump down into the street; but i will follow you, sir, if i fall a hundred feet in doing it," protested the master's mate. "you shall not fall six inches, and you will have no opportunity to do so. but if you are all ready to follow my lead, we may as well begin at once," added christy, who had expected that it would require some persuasion to induce his companion to join him. the first thing the midshipman did was to take off his shoes, and to require flint to do the same. with these in their hands, christy paced off twenty steps, which brought him, according to a calculation he had made in the daylight, under a scuttle that led to the roof of the warehouse. stationing the master's mate as a mark, he laid off five paces at right angles with the first line from the party-wall. it was as dark as egypt, and the scuttle could not be seen; but the operator had located it mathematically, and was confident as to its position. flint was planted under the opening, with the shoes of both at his side. the master's mate was nearly six feet in his stocking feet as he stood, and christy whispered to him the next thing in his scheme. with the aid of his willing assistant, the midshipman was mounted on the shoulders of the former, where he stood up like an athlete in the gloom, though he almost instantly obtained a hold above with his hands. he unfastened the scuttle, and slid it off the aperture with the greatest care. then he drew himself up with his strong hands, and was on the roof. then flint passed up the shoes, as he reached down for them. seating himself on one side of the frame, he braced his feet against the other side, and grasped the hands of the mate. it did not work. chapter xxix the new mate of the cotton schooner christy had given himself credit for more physical strength, or flint for less weight, than the circumstances warranted, and found that he could not draw up his companion as he intended. he made several efforts to accomplish his purpose, but he failed every time. the fear of making a noise cramped his efforts to some extent. "let go, mr. passford," whispered flint, when he realized that his avoirdupois was too much for the young officer. "i will get that box, and then i can manage it myself." "all right; but don't make a particle of noise," added christy. it required some time for the mate to find the box in the darkness, but he had it in position at last, standing upon one end. mounting it, he found that his head was on a level with the roof, and he could easily draw himself up; but he did not do so at once. "what are you waiting for, flint?" asked christy, rather impatiently. "if i leave the box where it is, the guard will see where we have gone when they inspect the prison at ten o'clock," replied flint. "that's so; i did not have the box in my plan, and that would tell the guard where to look for us," replied christy. "we must make a line, and haul it up after you." "here are two big handkerchiefs," added flint, as he removed his neck-cloth, and passed up his pocket handkerchief with it. christy tied the handkerchiefs together with great care, adding two more of his own to the length, which he thought would reach the box, flint made it fast to the broken end of a board on the side, and then, without the least difficulty or noise, sprang lightly to the roof of the warehouse. with the aid of his companion, christy drew up the box, careful that it should not strike against the frame of the scuttle. the door was closed, though of course they were unable to hook it on the inside, as they had found it; but the guard were not likely to notice that it was not fastened before morning. "what next, mr. passford?" asked the master's mate, after they had rested for a few minutes from their labors, though they had not been very arduous. "the next thing is to get down into the street, where we shall be as safe as though we were as patriotic, over the left, as my uncle homer. the burden of the work is done, but i hope we shall be able to kill two birds with one stone," replied christy, though his meaning was mysterious to his companion. "it don't seem to me that we are much better off than we were in the loft," suggested the mate. "i believe we are, though i don't think we had better indulge in any long speeches just now. we have a favorable night, and we must make the best of it. i don't intend to be seen in this town in the morning, but we have the whole night before us." "there will be a lively time looking for us to-morrow, for i don't think they will be willing that you should get off, though it won't make much difference to them about me." "they would not be willing to part with you, my friend." "but you made yourself rather noted in helping the bellevite out last may, and they will have a history of the loss of the teaser in the newspapers in due time, if they have not had it already; and they will not like it a bit when they find that you have stepped out." "they are welcome to their own reflections," replied the lieutenant. "and they will send a searching party out to your uncle's estate at glenfield; but of course we shall not go near there," said flint. "that is just where i am going," replied christy, decidedly, "for that is where i expect to kill one of the birds with the stone i fire. but we had better be moving, for we have a long tramp before us." the midshipman led the way, and though the roof, which was nearly flat, was wet with the falling rain, they walked, still in their stockinged feet, to the farther end of the block. neither of them wore his uniform, as they remained as they had dressed for the duty they were to do on board of the teaser. this was a point in their favor in the course they were to pursue, for their uniform would have betrayed them as soon as they were seen. before they reached the end of the block of warehouses, they had found and tried all the scuttles on the roof, but they had not discovered one which had been left unfastened. at the last one this became a serious question. the scuttle at the end warehouse was securely hooked on the inside; but neither of the pair felt discouraged at this circumstance. looking about them they found a piece of joist about ten feet long, which might have been left there when the building was finished. christy examined the scuttle with the greatest care, to determine on which side the hooks were placed. while he was doing this, flint detached a couple of bricks from the party-wall, which were used as a fulcrum for the lever, made of the joist. the building was not inhabited, and there was little to be feared at that height above the street from any noise they might make. flint sat down on the end of the lever, and the scuttle flew up at once, the staple drawn out of the wood. the master's mate was the first to enter; and he "hung off" to the floor below. then he assisted christy to descend, and to close the scuttle after him. acting upon their belief that all the warehouses were constructed on the same plan, they easily found the door by which they reached the staircase. on the lower floor, they opened a window and passed out into the alley in the rear of the building. they were on the ground, and christy soon ascertained where he was. he made his way to a wharf where he was fortunate enough to find a boat. this locality seemed to be entirely deserted, and there was no one to challenge them, and no one appeared to take any notice of them on the way. it was not yet nine o'clock, and many stores were open, one of which they entered and bought a cooked ham and a large supply of bread. the woman in charge asked no questions, though christy talked about a fishing trip to blind her. the boat they found was a very good one, and as it was the property of the enemy, christy had no scruples in regard to confiscating it. he had money enough in his pocket to pay for it, but as the owner did not appear to dispute his taking possession of it, he dispensed with this ceremony. taking the oars which they found in the boat, they pulled away from the wharf without interruption from any source. christy took his bearings as well as he could, and they passed out into the fog and darkness, to which experience within a few days had accustomed them both. they crossed the alabama river, and then followed the land to the southward. striking across an inlet they reached the land again, and by midnight they reached a point of land where christy felt entirely at home. he recognized it by the dilapidated wharf, from which he had embarked in the leopard. it was still a long pull to glenfield, and they went ashore to partake of a little refreshment. flint was a smoker, and he had some dry matches which enabled them to make a fire, more for its light than its heat. the ham was good and so was the bread to hungry men like the fugitives. at the end of an hour by the midshipman's watch, they felt like new men, and they resumed their places in the boat, and pulled two hours longer, which brought them to the inlet at glenfield. at the rude pier where the bellevite had been moored lay a topsail schooner. "i don't find any fault, mr. passford, but it seems to me that it is rather dangerous for you to come here," said flint, in a low tone, as soon as they had made out the schooner at the wharf. "i can't see what you are to make by it; and your uncle would hand you over to the rebel officers as readily as he would eat his breakfast." "i have no doubt he would do so; but i don't intend to give him the chance to do so," replied christy, resting on his oar. "you see this schooner. she is loaded with cotton, and she is going to run the blockade about this time. i intend to take passage in her." "then you knew about this vessel?" asked flint curiously. "i did; and that is the particular reason why i came here. lonley told me that my uncle had offered him the command of the schooner; and now that he has lost his position on board of the teaser, i have no doubt he has already applied for the berth that was offered to him. i am confident that he has seen my uncle, and it must have been he who told him that i was a prisoner." "i begin to understand you now, mr. passford," added flint. "if you do, we will say no more about it just now, for there may be some one within earshot of us," replied christy. nothing more was said, and the boat cautiously approached the schooner. no one appeared to be on board of her, and the fugitives found that she was loaded with cotton, even carrying a deck-load of this staple of the south, the price of which had bounded up to an enormous figure in the markets of the world. in the early morning the clouds and the fog were swept away, and the sun came out. christy found a hiding-place on the other side of the creek, in a dense mass of bushes, where the boat was drawn out of the water. a spot which commanded a full view of the schooner had been selected, the boat was turned upside down so as to afford a shelter, and the weary unionists went to sleep, for they were not likely to be disturbed on this side of the creek. it was noon when they woke, and it looked as though something was going on at the vessel. about half a dozen negroes were to be seen on the deck-load of cotton; and a little later in the day, colonel passford and lonley were observed talking together. but nothing was done that day, and the night came on. christy was not satisfied with his information, and as soon as it was dark, the boat was launched, and the fugitives pulled over to the schooner. "who's in dat boat?" shouted a negro, showing himself at the rail of the vessel. "i am," replied christy, rather indefinitely. "be you de new mate, sar?" demanded the man. "i am," answered christy, at a venture. "we done wait free days for you, an' massa lonley be mighty glad to see you." "where is captain lonley now?" asked the lieutenant. "stoppin' wid massa colonel. he done tole me to call him if de mate come. dis nigger gwine to do dat," added the man. "stop a little," added christy, as he climbed on board of the vessel, followed by flint. "how many men have you on board?" "six men wid de cook." "are these men sailors?" "dey all done work aboard a vessel, but dey ain't much sailors." "all free niggers?" "no, sar; wish dey was." "where are the rest of the men?" "in de fo'castle, sar. de capin specks de mate come to-night, an' i reckon we's gwine down de bay right off den." "go and call the captain then," added christy, as confidently as though he had stood on his own ground. the negro hastened away as fast as his legs would carry him, and in a few minutes colonel passford and captain lonley came on board. the latter seemed to be hung on wires, he was so active; and even before he saluted the new mate, he called all hands and directed them to hoist the mainsail. "i am glad to see you, fetters," said the captain, extending his hand to him. "i expected you yesterday." "my business was such that i could not leave," replied christy. it was very dark, and the captain did not recognize him. chapter xxx the prize-master of the judith the weather had been clear all day, with quite a fresh breeze, and the same conditions prevailed after dark. colonel passford seemed to have a great deal to say to captain lonley, now that the time for sailing had come, and he occupied the attention of the latter so that neither of them could observe the new mate, if he were disposed to do so. as soon as christy perceived the _rôle_ which circumstances had laid out for him, he put his hand into a slush-tub he found in the waist, and anointed his face with the filthy stuff. there was just color enough in the compound of grease and dirt to change his complexion, if it had been light enough to observe his physiognomy. flint did the same thing. "you will have to take your chances when you come to the entrance of the bay," said colonel passford, nervously. "this cargo is worth a fortune, and we are in sore need of the supplies which its value will purchase for us." "i think i understand the matter perfectly, colonel," replied lonley, who did not seem to take kindly to any advice from a landsman. "do not take any unnecessary risks, captain lonley, for more than the value of the cotton is at stake," continued the planter. "i have a plan of my own which i am confident will take me through the blockade all right," added the captain. "you must remember that my brother's steamer is on the blockade, and that she makes over twenty knots an hour." "i shall pretend to be a prize of the bellevite long enough to distract the attention of the fleet," added lonley, impatiently. "i don't understand these things, and i shall leave you to manage the affair as you think best; but i beg you will use all proper caution," continued colonel passford. "here are the ship's papers. you will give the one on the top to the officer from the fort, and he will cause you no delay." lonley took the papers, and thrust them into his pocket without any reply. christy had taken charge of the hoisting of the mainsail without waiting for any special orders, and flint was doing his best to assist him. the negroes, though not expert seamen, knew the ropes of a schooner, and they did very well with flint in their midst. "we are going to have a fresh breeze, fetters," said captain lonley, as the new mate came near him. "it looks like it now," added christy, changing his voice as much as he could, and as he had done before when he spoke to the captain. "if things are not favorable when you get to the forte, i think you had better anchor inside of the point," suggested the planter, who could not be blamed for being deeply interested in the fate of his cotton, and the fortune which was locked up in it. "of course, i shall have to do that if necessary; but i don't like to do that, for every blockader will watch her all the time if i do," replied captain lonley, still maintaining his respectful demeanor, though it seemed to be hard work. by this time the mainsail was set, and was banging in the lively breeze. the negro sailors seemed to have become weary with wasting the day in the sailing of the schooner, and they worked with a good deal of enthusiasm. "now set the foresail, fetters. i don't think we can carry the topsails," said the captain. "isn't that a white man with the hands?" asked he, as the men went to the foremast. "that's a man i brought along with me," replied christy. "he is an able seaman, and he is very anxious to get to some port outside where he can obtain a berth as mate." "all right; i thought the work was going on exceedingly well, and his presence explains it," added the captain. "he owns the boat in which we came over here, and i think we had better hoist it on deck," said the mate. "all right; do so, fetters. i suppose you have nothing on your hands?" "nothing very particular," replied christy. "i am instructed to buy a fast steamer if i can find one, even if i have to go to england to obtain her. what do you say to taking the berth of first officer in her, fetters, for i know that you are a sailor, and that you have pluck enough to fire a gun?" "such a position would suit me first rate," replied christy, with proper enthusiasm. still lonley did not recognize his voice, and he took especial pains that he should not. but this state of things could not long continue. if the unionist went into the cabin where there was a light, he could not help betraying himself. it was necessary to provide against this or any similar emergency very soon. he had already arranged his plan, and it was his purpose to carry it into execution as soon as the vessel was fully clear of the creek. the boat was hoisted on the deck; the fore and main sail were set, and everything was in readiness for a departure. colonel passford, after repeating some of his admonition to the captain, shook hands with him, and stepped down upon the wharf. lonley gave the order to stand by the jib, and cast off the fasts. the two principal sails filled on the starboard tack, the jib went up in the twinkling of an eye under the direction of flint, and the schooner began to gather headway. the captain was at the helm, for he would trust no other there, and christy went forward. "set the fore topmast staysail," said the mate; but he was willing the crew should execute the order in their own way, for he called the master's mate to him. "the biggest job is yet to be done," he added, in a low tone. "what is that?" asked flint. "to get possession of the vessel," replied christy, impressively. "that will be an easy matter, with nothing but niggers on board," added flint. they talked together for a few minutes, and the plan was arranged. flint saw that the fore topmast staysail was properly set and trimmed. the two unionists on board did not even know the name of the schooner, but she gathered headway as she approached the mouth of the creek, and went along at a very satisfactory rate. the mate of the vessel and his fellow fugitive then went aft to be ready for the decisive action in which they were to engage. but they had hardly reached the quarter-deck before the schooner was hailed by a boat. "schooner, ahoy! on board the judith!" shouted a man. "in the boat!" replied the captain. "who's there?" "fetters!" responded the boatman. "fetters!" exclaimed captain lonley, apparently bewildered by the reply. "it seems to me that fetterses are plenty to-night." but this was all he was permitted to say, for the stroke of a handspike, in the hands of flint, fell upon his head at this instant, and he dropped upon the quarter-deck like a log. at the same moment, christy sprang to the wheel, and the schooner was not allowed to broach to. she dashed on her course, increasing her speed every moment, without heeding the boat that had hailed her. in the darkness, the genuine fetters, as doubtless he was in the boat, could not have seen in what manner captain lonley had been disposed of, and all the crew were forward, so that they were no wiser. "judith, ahoy!" repeated the genuine and only true fetters, at the top of his lungs, as the schooner hurried off on her course. "i am fetters, the mate!" "all right!" replied christy. "i will see you in the morning. come on board at six o'clock." mr. fetters said no more, and probably he concluded that the judith had gone to get firewood for the galley, to fill her water-casks, or for some similar purpose. the fictitious mr. fetters kept his place at the wheel. the binnacle had been lighted by the cook, and he knew the exact course for the entrance to the bay. he felt that he was in possession of the judith and her valuable cargo; and he had become so hardened in his patriotic duty that he felt no compunction of conscience because the vessel and cotton had been wrested from his uncle. as colonel passford had not scrupled to attempt to capture the magnificent steamer of his own brother, it would be a poor rule that would not work both ways. besides, the proceeds of the sale of the cargo were to be expended in the purchase of supplies, and a steamer to carry them, for the use of the confederacy. his uncle, from his elevated standpoint of duty, would have an opportunity to consider the application of his stringent views on the other side of the question. "i hope he is not dead," said christy, as flint bent over the prostrate form of the captain. "i don't know; but i am going to take him below, and lock him up in his stateroom, where the crew will not see him," replied flint. "that is right; and i would help you if i could leave the wheel long enough," replied christy. "i can handle him alone; but see that none of the sailors come aft while i am about it," added the master's mate, as he dragged the form to the companion-way. in such a work as he had on his hands, he had the strength of two men. without any great difficulty, he dragged the body to the cabin, and then into one of the two staterooms he found, which was lighted. it was a more difficult task, for lonley was a heavy man, but he placed the form in the berth. his first duty was to examine very carefully the pockets of the captain. he secured the file of papers first, and then drew a large naval revolver from each of his hip pockets. then he took his papers from his pocket-book, but left his money, watch, and other valuables where he found them. after a careful examination of the insensible form, he was satisfied that he was not dead, though he might yet die from the blow he had received. he locked the door of the room, and went on deck. he gave one of the revolvers to christy, and retained the other, handing over to him also all the papers he had taken. "this is the biggest venture we have undertaken yet," said flint, as he seated himself by christy. "but everything has gone well so far," replied the lieutenant. "if you are not promoted for this and the teaser affair, flint, it shall not be for the want of any recommendation on my part." "thank you, mr. passford; you are very kind. i hope your services will be recognized in the same manner," returned the master's mate. "i don't care so much for myself, and i should not cry if i were never to become anything more than a midshipman." "all i have done has been to obey your orders, and follow your lead; and if anybody is promoted for the two affairs in which we have been engaged, you are surely the one who is entitled to it." "well, we will do our duty, whether we are promoted or not," added christy. it was not more than nine o'clock in the evening when the judith came out of the creek, and in about four hours she was approaching fort morgan. she was still within the enemy's lines, and her acting captain was disposed to do everything in a regular manner, especially as he had the means of doing so. he had not the same risk to run in getting through the blockading fleet that captain lonley would have had, and he promptly decided to take his chances without waiting for a dark and foggy night. a boat came off from the inner side of the fort, and christy ordered flint to bring her to. the permit to pass the forts was in due form, and signed by the proper officials. the officer in the boat examined it carefully by the light of a lantern, and declared that he was satisfied with it. then he asked some questions, which the acting commander of the judith answered. the toughest inquiry he made was as to how he expected to get through the blockaders in a clear night like that. christy assured him that he had a plan which he was confident would carry him through without difficulty. the schooner filled away again, and passed through the main channel; and in another hour she was in the midst of the union fleet. there was a rattling of drums, a hissing of steam, and energetic commands heard as soon as the judith was made out in the darkness, and doubtless a vision of prize-money flitted through the brains of officers and seamen. but christy soon impaired the vividness of these fancies by ordering the foresail of the schooner to be taken in, and then the fore topmast staysail. the expectant ships' companies were not willing to believe that the vessel had come out for the purpose of surrendering. "schooner, ahoy!" shouted the officer of a boat sent off by the nearest blockader. "what vessel is that?" "the judith, prize to the united states steamer bellevite," replied christy, "kindly inform me where the bellevite lies." in another half-hour, christy had dropped his anchor a cable's length from the bellevite. instructing flint to ascertain the condition of lonley, the lieutenant went on board of her to make his report, using the boat they had captured at mobile, pulled by two of the negroes. "i have come on board, captain breaker," said christy, as he met the commander, who had come on deck at the alarm. "i see you have," replied the captain, grasping him by the hand. "i have been terribly worried about you, christy." "i am all right, sir; and so is mr. flint, who was with me. we have brought off a schooner of two hundred tons, loaded with cotton," continued christy, as modestly as the circumstances would permit. "i am very anxious to hear your report, mr. passford," said the commander. "excuse me, sir, but the captain of that schooner is badly wounded, and needs dr. linscott as soon as possible." the surgeon was sent on board of the judith. as paul vapoor caught a sight of the returned third lieutenant, he hugged him as though he had been separated from him for years instead of a few days. his welcome was quite as cordial, though not as demonstrative, from the rest of the officers. then he went to the cabin with the captain, where he reported all that had transpired since he had been separated from his companions on board of the teaser. he was warmly commended for his bravery and skill, and captain breaker assured him that he should be remembered in the reports to the department. captain lonley was conveyed on board of the bellevite, where he was committed to the sick bay. he had recovered his senses, but it was likely, the surgeon said, that it would be a month before his health was restored. the teaser had not yet been sent away; but the next day the third lieutenant was appointed prize-master of the steamer, and flint of the schooner, for he had been the master of a coaster, and was competent for the position. a considerable crew was put on board of the teaser, and both vessels were sent to new york instead of key west. the steamer was expected to tow the judith when necessary, and defend her if she was attacked. but both arrived at their destination without any mishap, and both were condemned; the teaser was purchased by the government, for she was likely to be a very useful vessel on account of her speed and light draught. christy had a brief leave of absence after he had served as a witness against the captured vessels. he had seen his father, mother, and sister on his arrival, and they were as proud of him as though he had been made a rear-admiral. captain breaker had written to his father of his disappearance on santa rosa island, and had no doubt he had been made a prisoner within the enemy's lines. christy brought the news of his escape himself, which made him even doubly welcome at bonnydale. certainly the young lieutenant had never been so happy before in his life. captain passford was a man of great influence, though he held no position in authority. at the first opportunity he obtained to talk with him, christy made a strong plea in favor of the promotion of flint. the late owner of the bellevite knew him well. the master's mate had been a schoolmaster, and was very well educated; but he had a taste for the sea. he had made several foreign voyages, and had bought a schooner then, of which he went as master. but he had sold his vessel to great advantage, and, having nothing to do, he shipped as third officer of the bellevite. sampson, who had come home as chief engineer of the teaser, was also remembered by christy, who interceded for his promotion, or rather appointment. the government promptly obtained possession from the court of the prize-steamer, and the repairs and alterations upon her were begun at once. she had proved herself to be a fast sailer, and had logged sixteen knots, so that much was expected of her. captain passford, after his son had pleaded so earnestly for the promotion of the master's mate and the fireman, asked christy what he expected in the way of promotion for himself. the young officer did not ask for any promotion, he was abundantly satisfied with his present rank, and he rather preferred to retain it. his father laughed, and declared that he was very glad of it, for he had some delicacy in asking favors for a member of his own family. corny still remained at the house of his uncle; and he was as thoroughbred a rebel as his father, though he said next to nothing about his "cause." at a later period both he and major pierson were duly exchanged; but the gallant officer had come to the conclusion that miss florry passford was very far from being infatuated with him. as the bronx, which was the name given to the teaser at the suggestion of captain passford, was to be ready about as soon as the legal proceedings would permit of the departure of the officers and seamen of the bellevite, they were ordered to return to their ship in her. flint's commission as a master, and sampson's as an assistant engineer, were received. christy's companion in the night expeditions had not expected to be anything more than a midshipman, and he was immeasurably delighted at his good fortune. then it appeared that other influences than that of captain passford had been employed, for christy, almost in spite of himself, was promoted to the rank of master, his commission antedating that of flint. mr. blowitt was appointed to the command of the bronx, with master passford as first lieutenant, and master flint as second; and christy was to take her to the gulf. she was to be used at the discretion of the flag officer after she had delivered her passengers on board of the bellevite, and received her new commander. the bronx was soon ready for sea with her new ship's company, and sailed for her destination, where christy was to make some further inquiries into operations on the blockade. _oliver optic's books._ the blue and the gray series illustrated. with emblematic dies. each volume bound in blue and gray. per volume, $ . . taken by the enemy. within the enemy's lines. the opening of a new series of books from the pen of oliver optic is bound to arouse the highest anticipation in the minds of boy and girl readers. there never has been a more interesting writer in the field of juvenile literature than mr. w. t. adams, who, under his well-known pseudonym, is known and admired by every boy and girl in the country, and by thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of youth, yet who remember with pleasure the genial, interesting pen that did so much to interest, instruct and entertain their younger years. the present volume opens "the blue and the gray series," a title that is sufficiently indicative of the nature and spirit of the series, of which the first volume is now presented, while the name of oliver optic is sufficient warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. "taken by the enemy," the first book of the series, is as bright and entertaining as any work that mr. adams has yet put forth, and will be as eagerly perused as any that has borne his name. it would not be fair to the prospective reader to deprive him of the zest which comes from the unexpected, by entering into a synopsis of the story. a word, however, should be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of the binding, which makes it a most attractive volume.--_boston budget._ "taken by the enemy" has just come from the press, an announcement that cannot but appeal to every healthy boy from ten to fifteen years of age in the country. "no writer of the present day." says the boston _commonwealth_, "whose aim has been to hit the boyish heart, has been as successful as oliver optic. there is a period in the life of every youth, just about the time that he is collecting postage-stamps, and before his legs are long enough for a bicycle, when he has the oliver optic fever. he catches it by reading a few stray pages somewhere, and then there is nothing for it but to let the matter take its course. relief comes only when the last page of the last book is read; and then there are relapses whenever a new book appears until one is safely on through the teens. the boys will be delighted to know, therefore, that 'taken by the enemy' is but the first of six books to come out in rapid succession, all based on the thrilling incidents of the late war."--_literary news._ _oliver optic's books._ the boat-builder series completed in six volumes. illustrated. per vol., $ . . . all adrift; or, the goldwing club. . snug harbor; or, the champlain mechanics. . square and compass; or, building the house. . stem to stern; or, building the boat. . all taut; or, rigging the boat. . ready about; or, sailing the boat. the series includes in six successive volumes the whole art of boat-building, boat-rigging, boat-managing, and practical hints to make the ownership of a boat pay. a great deal of useful information will be given in this boat-building series, and in each book a very interesting story is sure to be interwoven with the information. every reader will be interested at once in "dory," the hero of "all adrift," and one of the characters to be retained in the future volumes of the series, at least there are already several of his recently made friends who do not want to lose sight of him, and this will be the case of pretty much every boy who makes his acquaintance in "all adrift." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * errata noted by transcriber: en reconnaissance de la bonté de son père, _text reads "pére" (with acute accent for grave)_ and to be above any such villainy _text reads "villany"_ "he is on board--of the bellevite," the third lieutenant _text reads "lientenant"_ haste and waste or the young pilot of lake champlain a story for young people by oliver optic biography and bibliography william taylor adams, american author, better known and loved by boys and girls through his pseudonym "oliver optic," was born july , , in the town of medway, norfolk county, massachusetts, about twenty-five miles from boston. for twenty years he was a teacher in the public schools of boston, where he came in close contact with boy life. these twenty years taught him how to reach the boy's heart and interest as the popularity of his books attest. his story writing began in when he was twenty-eight years old and his first book was published in . he also edited "the oliver optic magazine," "the student and schoolmate," "our little ones." mr. adams died at the age of seventy-five years, in boston, march , . he was a prolific writer and his stories are most attractive and unobjectionable. most of his books were published in series. probably the most famous of these is "the boat club series" which comprises the following titles: "the boat club," "all aboard," "now or never," "try again," "poor and proud," "little by little." all of these titles will be found in this edition. other well-known series are his "soldier boy series," "sailor boy series," "woodville stories." the "woodville stories" will also be found in this edition. chapter i the squall on the lake "stand by, captain john!" shouted lawry wilford, a stout boy of fourteen, as he stood at the helm of a sloop, which was going before the wind up lake champlain. "what's the matter, lawry?" demanded the captain. "we're going to have a squall," continued the young pilot, as he glanced at the tall peaks of the adirondacks. there was a squall in those clouds, in the judgment of lawry wilford; but having duly notified the captain of the impending danger to his craft, he did not assume any further responsibility in the management of the sloop. it was very quiet on the lake; the water was smooth, and the tiny waves sparkled in the bright sunshine. there was no roll of distant thunder to admonish the voyagers, and the youth at the helm was so much accustomed to squalls and tempests, which are of frequent occurrence on the lake, that they had no terrors to him. it was dinner-time, and the young pilot, fearful that the unexpected guest might reduce the rations to a low ebb for the second table, was more concerned about this matter than about the squall. captain john, as he was familiarly called on board the _missisque,_ which was the name of the sloop, was not a man to be cheated out of any portion of his dinner by the approach of a squall; and though his jaws may have moved more rapidly after the announcement of the young pilot, he did not neglect even the green-apple pies, the first of the season, prepared with care and skill by mrs. captain john, who resided on board, and did "doctor's" duty at the galley. captain john did not abate a single mouthful of the meal, though he knew how rapidly the mountain showers and squalls travel over the lake. the sloop did not usually make more than four or five miles an hour, being deeply laden with lumber, which was piled up so high on the deck that the mainsail had to be reefed, to make room for it. the passenger, mr. randall, was a director of a country bank, journeying to shoreham, about twenty miles above the point where he had embarked in the _missisque_. he had crossed the lake in the ferry, intending to take the steamer at westport for his destination. being a man who was always in a hurry, but never in season, he had reached the steamboat landing just in time to see the boat moving off. procuring a wherry, and a boy to row it, he had boarded the _missisque_ as she passed up the lake; and, though the sloop was not a passenger-boat, captain john had consented to land him at shoreham. mr. randall was a landsman, and had a proper respect for squalls and tempests, even on a fresh-water lake. he heard the announcement of lawry wilford with a feeling of dread and apprehension, and straightway began to conjure up visions of a terrible shipwreck, and of sole survivors, clinging with the madness of desperation to broken spars, in the midst of the storm-tossed waters. but mr. randall was a director of a country bank, and a certain amount of dignity was expected and required of him. his official position before the people of vermont demanded that he should not give way to idle fears. if captain jones, who was not a bank director, could keep cool, it was mr. randall's solemn duty to remain unmoved, or at least to appear to remain so. the passenger finished the first course of the dinner, which mrs. captain john had made a little more elaborate than usual, in honor of the distinguished guest; but he complained of the smallness of his appetite, and it was evident that he did not enjoy the meal after the brief colloquy between the skipper and the pilot. he was nervous; his dignity was a "bore" to him, and was maintained at an immense sacrifice of personal ease; but he persevered until a piece of the dainty green-apple pie was placed before him, when he lacerated the tender feelings of mrs. captain john by abruptly leaving the table and rushing on deck. this hurried movement was hardly to be regarded as a sacrifice of his dignity, for it was made with what even the skipper's lady was compelled to allow was a reasonable excuse. "gracious!" exclaimed mr. randall, as the tempting piece of green-apple pie, reeking with indigenous juices was placed before him. at the same moment the bank director further indicated his astonishment and horror by slapping both hands upon his breast in a style worthy of brutus when rome was in peril. "what's the matter, squire?" demanded captain john, dropping his knife and fork, and suspending the operation of his vigorous jaws till an explanation could be obtained. "i've left my coat on deck," replied mr. randall, rising from his chair. "it's just as safe there as 'twould be on your back, squire," added the skipper. "there's six thousand dollars in the pocket of that coat," said the bank director, with a gasp of apprehension. "where's my coat?" demanded he. "there it is," replied lawry wilford, pointing to the garment under the rail. "we had a flaw of wind just now, and it came pretty near being blowed overboard." "gracious!" exclaimed mr. randall, as he clutched the coat. "i'm too careless to live! there's six thousand dollars in a pocket of that coat." "six thousand dollars!" ejaculated lawry, whose ideas of such a sum of money were very indefinite. "i should say you ought not to let it lie round loose in this way." "i'm very careless; but the money is safe," continued the director. "stand by, captain john!" suddenly shouted lawry, with tremendous energy, as he put the helm down. the squall was coming up the lake in the track of the _missisque_; a dull, roaring sound was heard astern; and all the mountain peaks had disappeared, closed in by the dense volume of black clouds. the episode of the bank director's coat had distracted the attention of the young pilot for a moment, and he had not observed the rapid swoop of the squall, as it bore down upon the sloop. he leaped over the piles of lumber to the forecastle, and had cast loose the peak-halyard, when captain john tumbled up the companionway in time to see that he had lingered too long over the green-apple pie, and that one piece would have been better for his vessel, if not for him. "let go the throat-halyard!" roared he. "down with the mainsail! down with the mainsail!" lawry did not need any prompting to do his duty; but before he could let go the throat-halyard, the squall was upon the sloop. mr. randall had seized hold of the rail, and was crouching beneath the bulwark, expecting to go to the bottom of the lake, for he was too much excited to make a comparison of the specific gravities of pine boards and fresh water, and therefore did not realize that lumber would float, and not sink. the squall did its work in an instant; and before the bank director had fairly begun to tremble, the rotten mainsail of the _missisque_ was blown into ribbons, and the "flapping flitters" were streaming in the air. piece after piece was detached from the bolt-rope, and disappeared in the heavy atmosphere. the sloop, in obedience to her helm, came about, and was now headed down the lake. the rain began to fall in torrents, and mr. randall was as uncomfortable as the director of a country bank could be. "go below, sir!" shouted captain john to the unhappy man. "is it safe?" asked mr. randall. "safe enough." "won't she sink?" "sink? no; she can't sink," replied the skipper. "the wu'st on't's over now." the fury of the squall was spent in a moment, and then the fury of captain john began to gather, as he saw the remnants of the sail flapping at the gaff and the boom. the _missisque_ and her cargo were safe, and not a single one of the precious lives of her crew had been sacrificed; but the skipper was as dissatisfied as the skipper of a lake sloop could be; more so, probably, than if the vessel had gone to the bottom, and left him clinging for life to a lone spar on the angry waters, for men are often more reasonable under great than under small misfortunes. "why didn't you let go that throat-halyard?" said he, as he walked forward to where the young pilot stood. "i did," replied lawry quietly. "you did! what was the use of lettin' it go after the squall had split the sail? why didn't you do it sooner?" "i did it as soon as i saw the squall coming down on us." "why didn't you see it before then?" growled captain john. "i told you the squall was coming half an hour ago. why didn't you come on deck, and attend to your vessel?" "don't be sassy," said captain john. "i'm not the skipper of this craft. if i had been, that sail would have been safe. i told you the squall was coming, and after that i did the best i could." "you ain't good for nothin' 'board a vessel. i thought you knew enough to take in sail when you saw a squall comin'." "i should have taken in sail long ago if i had thought the captain didn't know enough to come on deck when there was a squall coming up," replied lawry. "i don't want nothin' more of you." "and i don't want anything more of you," added lawry smartly. "i've got almost home." "what do you s'pose i'm goin' to do here, eighty mile from whitehall, with the mainsail blowed clean out?" snarled captain john, as he followed lawry. "mind your vessel better than you have, i hope." "don't be sassy, boy." "you needn't growl at me because you neglected your duty. i did mine. i was casting off the halyards when the squall came." "why didn't you do it before? that's what i want to know." "i had no orders from the captain. men on board a vessel don't take in sail till they are told to do so. when i saw the squall coming, half an hour ago, i let you know it; that was all i had to do with it." "i don't want you in this vessel; you are too smart for me," continued captain john. "i'll leave her just as soon as we get to port rock," said lawry, sitting down on the rail. the rain ceased in a few moments, and the skipper ordered the jib, which had before been useless, to be set. at the invitation of mrs. captain john, lawry went below and ate his dinner, to which he felt himself entitled, for he was working his passage up from plattsburg. by the time he had disposed of the last piece of green-apple pie on board, the _missisque_ was before port rock, which was the home of the young pilot, and he saw his father's ferry-boat at the shore as he came on deck. "will you put me ashore here, captain john?" asked lawry. "yes, i will; and i'm glad to get rid of you," replied the captain testily. "i think i will land here, also," added the bank director. "now you have lost your sail, i'm afraid you won't get along very fast." "i don't expect i shall. i sha'n't get to shoreham till to-morrow morning with this wind. i'm sorry it happened so; but that boy didn't mind what he was about." "the captain didn't mind what he was about," added lawry. "he needn't lay it to me, when it was all his own fault." "i will cross the lake, and get a horse at pointville, so that i shall be in shoreham by five o'clock," continued the bank director. captain john ordered one of the men to pull mr. randall and lawry ashore in the boat, and in a few minutes they were landed at port rock. chapter ii the port rock ferry lawrence wilford was a full-fledged water-fowl. from his earliest childhood he had paddled in lake champlain. his father had a small place, consisting of ten acres of land with a small cottage; but it was still encumbered with a mortgage, as it had been for twenty years, though the note had passed through several hands, and had been three times renewed. john wilford was not a very sagacious nor a very energetic man, and had not distinguished himself in the race for wealth or for fame. he wanted to be rich, but he was not willing to pay the price of riches. his place was a short distance from the village of port rock, and john wilford, at the time he had purchased the land and built his house, had established a ferry, which had been, and was still, his principal means of support; for there was considerable travel between port rock and pointville, on the vermont side of the lake. the ferryman was a poor man, and was likely to remain a poor man to the end of his life. hardly a day passed in which he did not sigh to be rich, and complain of the unequal and unjust distribution of property. he could point to a score of men who had not worked half so hard as he had, in his own opinion, that had made fortunes, or at least won a competence, while he was as poor as ever, and in danger of having his place taken away from him. people said that john wilford was lazy; that he did not make the most of his land, and that his ferry, with closer attention to the wants of passengers, might be made to pay double the amount he made from it. he permitted the weeds to grow in his garden, and compelled people to wait by the hour for a passage across the lake. john wilford wondered that he could not grow rich, that he could not pay off the mortgage on his place. he seldom sat down to dinner without grumbling at his hard lot. his wife was a sensible woman. she did not wonder that he did not grow rich; only that he contrived to keep out of the poorhouse. she was the mother of eight children, and if he had been half as smart as she was, prosperity would have smiled upon the family. as it was, her life was filled up with struggles to make the ends meet; but, though she had the worst of it, she did not complain, and did all she could to comfort and encourage her thriftless husband. the oldest son was as near like his father as one person could be like another. he was eighteen years old, and was an idle and dissolute fellow. lawrence, the second son, inherited his mother's tack and energy. he was observing and enterprising, and had already made a good reputation as a boatman and pilot. he had worked in various capacities on board of steamers, canal-boats, sloops, and schooners, and in five years had visited every part of the lake from whitehall to st. johns. speaking technically, his bump of locality was large, and he was as familiar with the navigation of the lake as any pilot on its waters. indeed, he had occasionally served as a pilot on board steamers and other vessels, which had earned for him the name of the young pilot, by which he was often called. but his business was not piloting, for there was but little of this work to be done. unlike his father, he was willing to do anything which would afford him a fair compensation, and in his five years of active life on the lake he had been a pilot, a deck-hand, a waiter, and a kitchen assistant on board steamers, and a sailor, helmsman, and cook on board other craft. he picked up considerable money, for a boy, by his enterprise, which, like a good son with a clear apprehension of domestic circumstances, he gave to his mother. at the time of his introduction to the reader, lawry had just piloted a canal-boat, with movable masts, from whitehall to plattsburg, and was working his passage home on the "_missisque_. "captain john feels bad about the loss of his sail," said mr. randall, as the sloop's boat pulled off from the shore. "yes, he does; but it was his own fault," replied lawry. "he paid too much attention to his dinner at the time." "that's true; he was very fond of the green-apple pies." "well, they were good," added the young pilot. "i'm sorry he lost his sail." "it wasn't worth much, though it was a bad time to lose it." "he lost his temper, too. i wanted to land on the other side, but the captain was so cross i didn't like to ask him when we were so close to this shore. your father is the ferryman, i believe." "yes, sir." "will you ask him to take me over?" "he's going right over in the large boat, for there's a team waiting for him," replied lawry, pointing to a horse and wagon, the owner of which had sounded the horn just as the passengers from the boat landed. "ask him to be as quick as possible, for i'm in a hurry," added the bank director. "won't you come into the house, sir?" "no, i will sit down under this tree." lawry went into the house, where the family were at dinner, the meal having been delayed by the absence of the ferryman on the other side of the lake. the youth was greeted coldly by his father, and very warmly by his mother. "i'm glad you've got home, lawry, for mr. sherwood has been after you three times," said mrs. wilford, when the young pilot had been duly welcomed by all the family. "what does he want?" asked lawry. "his little steamboat is at port henry, and he wants you to go up and pilot her down." "the _woodville?_" "yes, that's her name, i believe." "well, i'm all ready to go." "sit down and eat your dinner. "i've been to dinner." "mr. sherwood wanted you to go up in the _sherman_; but it is too late for her, and he may go in the night boat." "i'm ready when he is. father, there is a gentleman outside who wants to go over the lake; and there is a team waiting in the road," continued lawry. "they must wait till i've done my dinner," replied the ferryman. "who is the gentleman?" "mr. randall; he is a director in a bank, and has six thousand dollars with him." "i suppose so; every man but me has six thousand dollars in his pocket. where's he going to?" "to shoreham, and he wants to get there by five o'clock, if he can." "what's he traveling with so much money for?" "i don't know. it is in his coat pocket, and it would have gone overboard if it hadn't been for me." the ferryman finished his dinner in moody silence. he seemed to be thinking of the subject always uppermost in his mind, his thoughts stimulated, no doubt, by the fact that his expected passenger carried a large sum of money on his person. "mr. randall is in a hurry, father," interposed lawry, when the ferryman had sat a good half-hour after his son's arrival. "he must wait till i get ready. he's got money, and i haven't; but i'm just as good as he is. i don't know why i'm poor when so many men are rich. but i'm going to be rich, somehow or other," said he, with more earnestness than he usually exhibited. "i'm too honest for my own good. i'm going to do as other men do; and i shall wake up rich some morning, as they do. then i sha'n't have to go when folks blow the horn. they'll be willing to wait for me then." "don't keep the gentleman waiting, father," added mrs. wilford. "i'm going to be rich, somehow or other," continued the ferryman, still pursuing the exciting line of thought he had before taken up. "i'm going to be rich, by hook or by crook." "this making haste to get rich ruins men sometimes, husband; and haste makes waste then." "if i can only get rich, i'll risk being ruined," said john wilford, as he rose from the table and put on his hat. he looked more moody and discontented than usual. instead of hastening to do the work which was waiting for him, he stood before the window, looking out into the garden. mrs. wilford told him the gentleman would be impatient, and he finally left the house and walked down to the ferry-boat. "i wonder what your father is thinking about," said mrs. wilford, as the door closed behind him. "i don't know," replied lawry; "he don't seem to be thinking that people won't wait forever for him. i guess i'll go up to mr. sherwood's, and see when he wants me." "you must fix up a little before you go," replied the prudent mother. "they are very grand people up at mr. sherwood's, and you must look as well as you can." "i'll put on my best clothes," added lawry. in half an hour he had changed his dress, and looked like another boy. mrs. wilford adjusted a few stray locks of his hair, and as he put on his new straw hat, and left the house, her eye followed him with a feeling of motherly pride. he was a good boy, and had the reputation of being a very smart boy, and she may be pardoned for the parental vanity with which she regarded him. while he visits the house of mr. sherwood, we will follow his father down to the ferry, where the bank director was impatiently waiting his appearance. after the shower the sun had come out brightly, and the wind had abated so that there was hardly breeze enough to ruffle the waters of the lake. it was intensely warm, and mr. randall had taken off his coat again, but he was careful to keep it on his arm. at the approach of the ferryman he went into the boat, where he was followed by the vehicle that had been waiting so long for a passage across the lake. john wilford pushed off the boat with a pole, and trimmed the sail, which was the motive power of the craft when there was any wind. the ferry-boat was a large bateau, or flatboat, the slope at the ends being so gradual that a wagon could pass down over it to the bottom of the boat. this inclined plane was extended by a movable platform about six feet wide, which swung horizontally up and down, like a great trap-door. when the ferry-boat touched the shore, this platform was let down upon the ground, forming a slope on which carriages were driven into and out of the bateau. the wind was very light, and the clumsy craft moved very slowly--so slowly that the passage promised to be a severe trial to the patience of mr. randall, who hoped to reach shoreham by five o'clock. he was not in a very amiable frame of mind; he was angry at the delay in starting, and he was vexed because the wind would not blow. he walked nervously from the forward platform to the after one, with his coat still on his arm. "we shall not get over to-night," said he impatiently, as he stopped by the side of the ferryman, and threw his coat down upon the platform, while he wiped the perspiration from his brow. "yes, i guess we shall," replied john wilford. "i'll give you a dollar if you will land me at pointville by three o'clock." "i can't make the wind blow, if you would give me a hundred dollars." "can't you use the pole or the oars?" said the bank director petulantly; "you kept me waiting half an hour before you started." "i couldn't help that," replied john wilford. mr. randall walked to the forward platform, fretting with impatience at the indifference of the ferryman. he stood for a few moments gazing at the vermont shore, and appeared to be engaged in estimating the distance yet to be accomplished. the calculation was not satisfactory, and the bank director's wrath was on the increase. with hasty step he walked aft again. "i think we shall have more wind in a minute," said john wilford, as he stepped down from the platform and adjusted the sheet. "if we don't, i shall go crazy," replied mr. randall. when he had placed one foot on the platform, by some means the drop, true to its name, went down and splashed in the water. the bank director stepped back in season to save himself from a cold bath or a watery grave, as the case might be. "my coat! save my coat!" shouted mr. randall, as the garment rolled off the platform into the water. "why didn't you hold on to it?" said john wilford. "save my coat! there is six thousand dollars in the pocket," groaned the unhappy bank director. chapter iii six thousand dollars within half a mile of the ferryman's cottage, at port rock, was the summer residence of mr. sherwood, who, two years before, had become the husband of bertha grant, of woodville. the scenery in the vicinity was beautiful, and the mansion commanded a splendid view of the adirondack mountains and of the lake. mr. sherwood was an enthusiastic admirer of the scenery of lake champlain. his constant visits at woodville had given him a taste for aquatic sports, in which he was disposed to indulge on a larger scale than ever had been known at woodville. he had been remarkably fortunate in his financial operations, and was already a wealthy man. though he did not retire from active business, he had taken a partner, which enabled him to spend a part of his time during the summer at his country house on the lake. mr. grant had gone to europe a second time, to be absent during the summer, and miss fanny and fanny jane had accepted bertha's invitation to spend a few weeks at port rock. a splendid time had been promised them by mrs. sherwood, who had made extensive preparations for their visit. the arrangements included a novelty which offered a very brilliant prospect to the party, and excited the imagination even of the older ones to the highest pitch. this novelty was nothing less than a miniature steamboat, which had already been christened the _woodville_, in honor of the home of the owner's lady. she was a splendid little craft, and as perfect in her machinery and appointments as any steamer that ever floated. she was a side-wheel boat, sixty feet in length, by twelve feet beam. forward there were a regular wheel-house, a small kitchen, and other rooms usually found in a steamer. abaft the wheels there were a saloon and two staterooms. of course all these apartments, as well as the cabin below, were very contracted in their dimensions; but they were fitted up in the most elegant style. the _woodville_ had cost a great deal of money; but her owner expected to realize a full return for it in the enjoyment she would afford him, his wife, and their friends. she had been sent up the hudson, and through the canal to whitehall, and thence to port henry, where she had arrived on the day before lawry wilford's return to port rock. on board of the little steamer there is an old friend of our readers. he may be found in the engine-room; and as he rubs up the polished iron of the machinery, he is thinking of fanny jane grant, with whom he escaped from the indians in minnesota, and whom he expects on board with mr. sherwood's party. the young man, now sixteen years of age, is the engineer of the _woodville_. though he has been but two years learning the trade of machinist, he is as thoroughly acquainted with every part of a marine-engine as though he had spent his lifetime in studying it. the engine of the _woodville_ was built at the works where ethan french was learning his trade, and he had been employed in its construction. as he was a frequent visitor at woodville, he had petitioned for the situation he now held. at first, mr. sherwood was not willing to trust him; but ethan's employers declared that he was a man in everything but years, and was fully competent to manage the engine, and even to build one after the designs were made. he had come up from new york in the steamer. he had seen mr. sherwood at port henry, on his arrival, and had been ordered to have the boat in readiness to start on the following morning, when the family would be passengers. mr. sherwood had already selected lawry wilford as the pilot of the _woodville_. he was small in stature, and would look better in the wheel-house than a full-grown man. he had often met the young pilot, and had been greatly pleased with his energy and decision. lawry had been employed by miss fanny several times to row her on the lake; and he had served her so faithfully that her influence was not wanting in procuring for him the situation. lawry, not yet informed of the honorable and responsible position which had been awarded to him, walked up to mr. sherwood's house. he had heard miss fanny speak of the _woodville_, while in the boat with him, and had listened with delight to her enthusiastic description of the beautiful craft. he was quite as anxious to see her as any of the party who were more directly interested in her. "can i see mr. sherwood?" asked lawry. "he has gone away," replied the man. "where has he gone?" "to port henry; he went in the carriage, and is coming back in the new steamboat." "has he got a pilot?" continued lawry anxiously. "i don't know; he expected you, i believe; but when you didn't come back, he couldn't wait any longer. i heard him say he could pilot her himself, and i suppose he is going to do so." "i'm sorry i didn't see him; i have but just got home," replied lawry. he wanted to pilot the beautiful little steamer up from port henry. he wanted to see her; wanted to make her acquaintance, for she promised to be the belle of the lake. he was sorry to lose the chance, for it might prove to be a valuable one to him. mr. sherwood was very liberal, and he hoped he would not engage another pilot. it was no use to complain, and lawry walked back to the ferry, where he could see the steamer when she arrived. when he reached the landing-place, the ferry-boat was about halfway across the lake, and his attention was attracted by the strange movements of those on board of her. his father was laboring at the steering-oar with a zeal which indicated that some unusual event had occurred. the ferry-boat was thrown up into the wind, and while lawry was waiting to ascertain what the matter was, his father leaped into the water. it was now evident to lawry that something serious had happened, and he sprang into the small keel-boat, used for conveying foot-passengers across the lake, which was fastened to a stake on the shore. taking the oars, he pulled with all his might toward the ferry-boat. he was a stout boy, and handled his oars very skillfully; but before he could reach the scene of the excitement, his father had returned to the bateau. "there's your coat," said john wilford. mr. randall seized the garment with convulsive energy, and with trembling hands felt for the pocketbook in which the six thousand dollars had been kept. "it is gone!" gasped he; and he seemed ready to sink down in the bottom of the boat when he discovered his loss. "gone!" exclaimed john wilford. "what's the matter?" asked lawry. "i've lost my pocketbook with six thousand dollars in it," groaned the bank director. "how did you lose it?" demanded lawry. "that drop came down and let my coat into the lake; but i don't see how my pocketbook could get out of the coat." "i don't believe the money was in the pocket," added the ferryman. "yes, it was," persisted mr. randall. "i don't see how it could fall out of the pocket," said john wilford. "nor i; but the money is gone," answered the bank director, with a vacant stare. "i'm ruined!" "well, i can't help it. i've done all i could for you. i tried to save it; and if i get the rheumatism for a month or two, it will be a bad job for me." "wasn't the pocketbook in the pocket when you picked up the coat?" asked mr. randall, walking up to the ferryman. "how should i know?" replied john wilford. "i gave you the coat just as i found it." "i don't believe the pocketbook would sink," added the director. "there was nothing but paper in it." "of course it wouldn't sink, then," interposed the owner of the vehicle in the ferry-boat. "i don't think it would," said mr. randall. "i know it wouldn't," protested the stranger. "i dropped my pocketbook into the lake once, and it floated ten minutes before i could get it again." "then it must be floating about on the water," added lawry. "i will try to find it." "i'll go with you," said mr. randall. they got into the boat, and lawry pulled about the spot where the coat had fallen into the water for half an hour without discovering the pocketbook. "i suppose i must give it up," sighed the director. "i'm sure it's not on the water," replied lawry. "do you suppose it would sink?" "i don't know; the gentleman in the ferry-boat says it wouldn't." "stop a minute, boy, and i will soon find out," continued the unfortunate loser of the money. he took all the money and papers out of his wallet, and stuffed it with pieces of newspaper which lawry gave him. having thus prepared the wallet, which he said was of the same material as the lost pocketbook, he placed it on the surface of the water, holding his hand underneath to save it, in case the trial should result differently from his anticipations. it floated, and he removed his hand from under it to exhibit his confidence in the law he had tested. "that's plain enough," said he. "my pocketbook hasn't gone to the bottom." "it certainly has not," replied lawry. "then where is it?--that's the next question." "are you sure it was in your pocket when you got into the ferry-boat?" "just as sure as i am that i sit here." "you were very careless about your coat on board of the sloop." "i know i was." "i don't see how a man could throw down his coat with six thousand dollars in the pocket," said lawry. "i know i'm careless; but i'm so used to carrying money that i don't think much about it. i always carry it in a pocket inside of my vest," continued the director, putting his hand in the place indicated; "but this is a new vest, and hasn't any such pocket. things don't look all right to me. is the ferryman your father?" "yes, sir; he is." "well, the money's gone," added mr. randall. "we will go back to the ferry-boat." "did you find it?" asked john wilford, as the bank director stepped into the bateau. "no; but i'm certain it has not gone to the bottom." "where is it, then?" "i don't know; can you tell me?" mr. randall looked at the ferryman very sharply. his manner indicated that he had some suspicions. "how can i tell you?" replied john wilford. "the money was in the coat pocket when you picked it up in the water--i know it was." "do you mean to say i took it out?" demanded the ferryman angrily. "if you didn't, i don't see what has become of it." "do you mean to accuse my father of stealing?" said lawry indignantly. "i don't accuse him of anything; but here are the facts, and you can all see for yourselves." "you throw your coat down anywhere. it would have gone overboard from the sloop if i hadn't saved it; and it won't do for so careless a man as you are to accuse anybody of stealing your money," added lawry angrily. "very likely you lost it out of the pocket before you got into the ferry-boat." "never mind him, lawry. i haven't got his pocketbook," interposed the ferryman. "i know you haven't, father; and it makes me mad to hear him accuse you of stealing it." "mr. randall, if you think i've got your money, i want you to satisfy yourself on the point at once," continued john wilford, turning to the director. "i hope you haven't." "but you think i have. search me, then." greatly to the indignation of lawry, mr. randall did search the ferryman; turned out his pockets, and examined every part of his wet garments. the pocketbook was not upon his person; and the loser, in spite of the laws of specific gravity, which he had just demonstrated, was almost compelled to believe that his money had gone to the bottom of the lake. chapter iv the steamer "woodville" mr. randall, now that his money was lost, declared that he had no business in shoreham, and it was useless for him to go there. the six thousand dollars belonged to his bank, and, having an opportunity to put this sum in circulation, where it would be "kept out" for several weeks, he was making this journey to accomplish the business. he facetiously remarked that it was likely to be kept out longer than was desirable. lawry was so sure mr. randall had dropped the pocketbook on the shore before he got into the ferry-boat, that he insisted upon returning to pork rock and having the ground searched. though the bank director was satisfied that the pocketbook was safe in his possession when he entered the bateau, he was willing to return, since the object of his journey had been defeated, and lawry pulled him back to the landing-place. the ground under the tree, and over which mr. randall had walked while waiting for the ferryman, was carefully examined, but the lost pocketbook could not be found. the bank director had very little to say after he left the ferry-boat; but he was very thoughtful, as a man who had lost six thousand dollars might reasonably be. after the search on shore was completed, he walked off toward the village without mentioning his intentions, but he looked as though he purposed to do something. "what's the matter, lawry?" asked mrs. wilford, who had been watching the movements of mr. randall and her son from the window, as she came out of the house. "the gentleman has lost his money--six thousand dollars," replied lawry. "lost it!" exclaimed mrs. wilford, recalling the conversation with her husband at dinner. "his coat fell overboard, and the pocketbook dropped out." "fell into the lake," added she, with a feeling of relief. "yes; father swam out and got the coat, but the money was gone." mrs. wilford returned to the house. perhaps she had some misgivings, and felt more than before that those who make haste to be rich are often ruined; but she said nothing. lawry was perplexed at the disappearance of the money. mr. randall had proved that a pocketbook with nothing but paper in it would not sink within a reasonable time. if the lost treasure had fallen into the water, he would certainly have found it. if it had been dropped on shore or in the ferry-boat, it would not have disappeared so strangely. lawry was so positive that the pocketbook was still in the ferry-boat, or on the shore, that he renewed the search, and carefully scrutinized every foot of ground between the house and the landing-place, but with no better success than before. by this time the ferry-boat, which had been favored by a good wind during the last half-hour, returned. "what do you suppose became of that pocketbook, father?" asked lawry, as he stepped into the boat. "i don't know. i don't believe he lost any pocketbook," replied john wilford. "he says he did, and i saw it myself." "perhaps you did, but i don't believe there was any six thousand dollars in it. if there had been, he wouldn't have thrown it about as he did." "he says there was six thousand dollars in the pocketbook." "i don't believe it. it's a likely story that a man would throw down his coat, with all that money in the pocket, on the drop. in my opinion it's some trick to cheat his creditors out of their just due." "it don't seem possible." "that's the truth, you may depend upon it. that's the way men make money." lawry was by no means satisfied with this explanation. he went into the boat, and carefully searched every part of it. his father watched him with considerable interest, declaring that it was useless to look for what had not been lost. "you had better go up and see mr. sherwood now," said mr. wilford. "i have been up, and he was not at home." "you better go again, then." "he has gone to port henry after the new steamer." "has he got a pilot?" "not that i know of." "he can't get one at port henry," said the ferryman. "i suppose he is going to pilot her himself." "he will pilot her on the rocks, then. he don't know anything about lake champlain. why don't you row up the lake till you meet the boat?" "i was thinking of doing so, but i can't keep this money out of my mind." "why need you trouble yourself about that?" demanded the father impatiently. "it was lost in your boat, and i am very anxious that it should be found. i'm sure mr. randall thinks you've got it." "well, he searched me, and found out that i hadn't got it--didn't he?" added mr. wilford, with a sickly smile. "i don't like to have you suspected of such a thing, and for that reason i want to find the money." "you can't find it, and i tell you he hasn't lost any money. he's going to cheat the bank or his creditors out of six thousand dollars." "i don't believe he would do such a thing as that." "we have looked everywhere for the money, and it can't be found. it's no use to bother any more about the matter. it's gone, and that's the end of it--if he lost it at all. you have looked all over the ferry-boat, and it isn't there. if it had been floating in the lake, you couldn't help seeing it. now, you better take your boat and row up the lake till you meet the steamer." "i'm going pretty soon." "better go now. i'm going up after a drink of water. if you don't go pretty soon, you will be too late to do any good on board the steamer," said mr. wilford, hoping, if he left the spot, his son would depart also. lawry hauled in the rowboat, ready to embark; but, before he did so, he made one more search in the bateau for the pocketbook. the timbers of the ferry-boat were ceiled over on the bottom, leaving a space for the leakage between the inner and the outer planking. near the mast there was a well, from which, with a grain-shovel, the water was thrown out. lawry examined this hole, feeling under the planks, and thrusting the shovel in as far as he could. this search was unavailing, and he gave it up in despair. as he stepped on shore, his curiosity prompted him to look under the platform outside of the boat. the pocketbook was there! in a space between the planks, a foot above the surface of the water, and the same distance from the side, the pocketbook was thrust in. it could not be seen from the inside of the boat, nor from the platform; and it could not have got there of itself. lawry's face turned red, and his heart bounded with emotion, for the situation of the pocketbook pointed to but one conclusion. it had been placed there by his father, who had evidently taken it from the pocket of the coat, and concealed it, either before or after the garment had fallen into the water. he was appalled and horrified at the discovery. he knew that his father was discontented with his lot; that he was indolent and thriftless; but he did not think him capable of committing a crime. he reached under the platform, and took the pocketbook from its hiding-place. it was perfectly dry; it had not been in the water. john wilford had probably taken it from the coat pocket, and after thrusting it into the aperture beneath the drop, had let the platform fall into the water for the purpose of dislodging the coat, and making it appear that the money had been lost in the lake. the pocketbook seemed to burn in lawry's fingers, and he returned it to the place where he had found it; for he was confused, and did not know what to do. he stood, with flushed face and beating heart, on the shore, considering what course he should take. he could not think of exposing his father's crime, on the one hand, or of permitting him to retain the money, on the other. after long and painful deliberation, he decided to take the pocketbook, follow mr. randall, and return it to him, telling him that he had found it under the drop of the boat. he was about to adopt this course when his father came out of the house, and walked down to the ferry-boat. "not gone yet?" said mr. wilford. "no, sir; that money has troubled me so much that i could not go," replied lawry. "what's the use of bothering your head about that any longer?" added the father petulantly. "it troubles me terribly." "let it go; it can't be found, and that's the end of it." "but it can be found." "why don't you find it, then?" "i have found it, father!" "what!" "it's in a crack under the platform," replied lawry. "you don't mean so!" exclaimed the ferryman. "it's no use to talk round the barn, father; the pocket-book is just where you put it." "where i put it? what do you mean, lawry?" "there it is in the crack under the drop, a foot above the water. it did not wash in there of itself. oh, father!" lawry, unable longer to control his feelings, burst into tears. "what are you crying about, lawry? do you think i hid the pocketbook?" "i know you did, father," sobbed lawry. "do you accuse me of stealing?" demanded mr. wilford, with a weak show of indignation. "i don't accuse you of anything, father; but there it is." "you mean to say that i stole it?" "oh, father!" "stop your whining, lawry! what possessed you to poke round after what did not concern you? now, shut up, and go off about your business." "you will not keep it, father?" "i haven't got it. if you have found it, i suppose there is time enough to think what is best to be done." "i don't want any time to think of it," replied lawry; and before his father could prevent him, he took the pocketbook from its place of concealment. "what are you going to do with it?" demanded mr. wilford. "i'm going to find mr. randall, and give it back to him, as quick as i can." "what's the use of doing that?" "because it's the right way to do." "that isn't the way to get rich." "but it's the way to keep honest." "give it to me, lawry." "what are you going to do with it, father?" "that's my business." "i shall give it back to the owner." "no, you won't, lawry. do you want to get me into trouble--to have me sent to jail?" "if i give it back to mr. randall, there will be no trouble." "lawry, i've been poor and honest long enough. i'm going to do as other men do. i'm going to get rich." "by keeping this money?" exclaimed the son. "you needn't talk any more about it; i put the money where you found it." "i know you did." "give it to me." "i will not, father, if you mean to keep it." "i do mean to keep it. do you think i have run all this risk for nothing? give me the pocketbook." "don't think of such a thing as keeping it, father," pleaded lawry. "i'm going to be rich," replied the father doggedly. "you know what mother said about making haste to be rich: 'haste makes waste.'" "it will make waste if you don't give me the pocket-book." "mr. randall will not be satisfied till he gets his money, and you will certainly be found out." "no, i shall not be found out. i'll go to new york and change off the money this very night." "but only think of it, father. you will be a thief. you never will have a moment's peace as long as you live." "i never did have, and i shall not be any worse off," said mr. wilford coldly. "there comes your steamer. she hasn't got any pilot on board; i know by the way she steers. you had better go and see to her, for she is running right for the goblins." lawry glanced at the _woodville_, as she appeared rounding a point, two miles distant. "if you will go and find mr. randall, i will give you the pocketbook, father," replied lawry. "well, i guess you are right, lawry, and i'll do it." "he has gone up to the village," added lawry, as he handed the money to his father. chapter v haste and waste lawry, satisfied that his father had come to his senses, and would restore the pocketbook to mr. randall, hastened into the boat, and pulled toward the _woodville_. he was afraid mr. sherwood had been too venturesome in attempting to pilot the little steamer in waters with which he was entirely unfamiliar; but he hoped for the best, and rowed as hard as he could, in order to give him timely warning of the perils which lay in the path of the beautiful craft. about half a mile above the landing at port rock there was a dangerous ledge, called the goblins, some of whose sharp points were within a foot of the surface of the water when the lake was low. they were some distance from the usual track of steamers, and there was no buoy, or other mark, on them. the _woodville_ was headed toward the rocks, as the ferryman had said, and it was impossible for lawry to get within hailing distance of her before she reached them. he pulled with all his strength, and had hoped to overhaul her in season to avert a catastrophe. occasionally, as he rowed, he looked behind him to observe the course of the steamer. she was almost up to the goblins, while he was too far off to make himself heard in her wheel-house. he was appalled at her danger, and the cold sweat stood on his brow, as he saw her hastening to certain destruction. he could no longer hope to reach her, and he ceased rowing. standing up in his boat, he waved his hat, and made other signs to warn the imprudent pilot of his danger. with one of the oars he tried to signify to him that he must keep off; but no notice was taken of his warning. on the forward deck of the little craft stood three ladies, who, taking the boatman's energetic gestures for friendly salutations, were waving their handkerchiefs to him. "hard aport your helm!" shouted lawry. mr. sherwood sounded the whistle, evidently taking the shout as a cheer of congratulation at his safe arrival. "keep off!" roared lawry. again the whistle sounded, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs more vigorously than before. the young pilot was in despair. the _woodville_ was going at full speed directly upon the rocks, whose sharp points would grind her to powder if she struck upon them. "hard aport!" repeated lawry desperately. once more the supposed cheer was answered by the whistle and the waving of the ladies' handkerchiefs, and still the fairy craft dashed on toward the rocks. "by gracious! she's on them, as sure as the world!" exclaimed lawry to himself, hardly able to breathe. he had hardly uttered the words before he heard the crash which announced the doom of the _woodville_. her sharp bow slid upon the ledge, and she suddenly stopped in her mad flight. lawry bent on his oars again, horrified by the accident. he pulled as he had never pulled before. a moment or two after the steamer struck, he was startled by a succession of shrill shrieks from the ladies, and he turned to see what had happened. the _woodville_ had filled, rolled off the rock, and sank in deep water, leaving her passengers floating helplessly on the lake. the upper half of her smokestack was all that remained in sight of the beautiful craft which three minutes before had been a thing of beauty. the young pilot did not pause an instant to contemplate the scene of destruction. he saw only the helpless persons struggling for life in the water, and he renewed his labors with a vigor and skill which soon brought him to the sufferers. mr. sherwood was supporting his wife; but both of them were nearly exhausted. lawry helped bertha into the boat, and told her husband to hold on at the rail. ethan french, with his arm around the waist of fanny jane, was holding on at the smokestack, where also the fireman of the boat was supporting himself. "where is fanny?" gasped mr. sherwood. "i'm afraid she has gone down," replied ethan french. "i saw her just there a moment since." "i see her!" said lawry, as he dived into the lake. fanny, exhausted by her struggles, had sunk, and lawry, with a strong arm, bore her to the surface again; but she was too large and heavy for him, and he could not support her. before the arrival of the boat, ethan was in the act of transferring his helpless burden to the arms of the fireman, that he might go to the assistance of miss fanny; and, as soon as lawry appeared, he swam out to help him. with the aid of the young engineer, the exhausted lady was lifted into the boat. fanny jane was next taken in, but there was no room for any more. though miss fanny was in a worse condition than the other ladies, she still had her senses; and none of the party was in danger. mr. sherwood, ethan, and the fireman were still in the water, holding on at the rail of the boat. lawry took the oars and pulled toward the ferry-landing. "thank god, we are all safe!" said mr. sherwood. "some of us must have been drowned if lawry had not come to our assistance," added miss fanny. "i had given up, and was sinking to the bottom. my senses were leaving me, when i felt his grasp on my arm." "you have done bravely, lawry," added bertha. but the party did not feel much like talking. they were all grateful to god, who had, through the agency of the young pilot, saved them from their perilous situation. when the boat reached the landing-place, the ladies were conducted to the cottage of john wilford, where everything was done by mrs. wilford to promote their comfort. lawry hastened up to mr. sherwood's house to procure the carriage, which had fortunately just returned from port henry, and the party were soon conveyed to their home. dry clothing and a little rest soon restored mr. sherwood and the ladies to their wonted spirits, and all of them wished to see their brave deliverer. he was sent for, and presented himself to the ladies in the drawing-room. lawry, anxious to learn the condition of the ladies after their cold bath, and their terrible fright, had followed the carriage up to the house, and was telling the coachman the particulars of the catastrophe when he was summoned to the presence of the family. never was a young man more earnestly and sincerely thanked for a brave and noble deed; and mr. sherwood hinted that something more substantial than thanks would be bestowed upon him. "thank you, sir; i don't need anything more," replied lawry, blushing. "what will be done with the steamer, now?" he asked. "i have got enough of her," said mr. sherwood. "she has given me a shock i shall never forget." "i don't think it was the fault of the boat, sir," suggested lawry. "i did all i could to have you keep off the rocks." "we all thought you were crazy, you shook so in your boat." "i was trying to warn you of your danger." "was that what you meant? we thought you were cheering the _woodville_." "i saw you were going on the rocks, and i shouted and made signs for you to keep off." "you certainly did all you could for us, both before and after the accident," added mr. sherwood. "when did you get home, lawry?" "to-day noon, just after you went to the house for me. i came right up to see you; but i found you had gone." "yes; i was so impatient to get that little steamer up here, that i couldn't wait any longer." "and what a waste your haste has made!" laughed mrs. sherwood. "there is our fine little steamer at the bottom of the lake." "she may lie there, for all me," added mr. sherwood. "i should not dare to put my foot on board of her again," said miss fanny. "nor i," chimed in fanny jane. "she isn't to blame, mr. sherwood," interposed ethan french. "she worked as though she had been alive." "no steamer could stand such a thump on the goblins," added lawry. "i don't blame the boat, of course," replied mr. sherwood; "but this adventure has cured me of my love for steamboating. i don't want to see another one." "shall you let the _woodville_ lie there?" asked lawry. "she's a wreck now, stove in and ruined." "but she can be raised and repaired, and be as good as ever, or nearly so," continued lawry. "she is good for nothing to me now. i will give her to any one who wants her." "there are plenty who will want her," said lawry. "it will cost them a fortune to raise and repair her--almost as much as she is worth, if she is to be used as a plaything. but i have come to the conclusion that she is a dangerous machine for me, and i don't want anything more to do with her. i came very near drowning my wife and my friends with her; and this fills me with disgust for the boat and for myself." "just now you spoke of a reward for what i had the good luck to do for you, mr. sherwood," continued lawry. "i did; and you may be assured i shall never forget your noble conduct," replied mr. sherwood warmly. "if you are going to give the _woodville_ away, sir--" "well, what?" asked mr. sherwood, as the young pilot paused. "i don't know as i ought to say what i was going to say." "say it, lawry, say it," added mr. sherwood kindly. "you said you would give the steamer to any one who wanted her," continued lawry, hesitating. "and you want her?" laughed the wealthy gentleman. "yes, sir; that is what i was going to say." "then she is yours, lawry; but i might as well give you the fee simple of a farm in ethiopia. i don't feel as though i had given you anything, my boy." "indeed you have, sir! i feel as though you had made my fortune for me; and i am very much obliged to you, sir." "i don't believe you have anything to thank me for, lawry. as i understand it, the _woodville_ lies on the bottom of the lake, with her bow stove in, and her hull as useless as though the parts had never been put together. the engine and the iron and brass work are worth a good deal of money, i know; but it will cost all they will bring to raise them." "i don't think the steamer is ruined, sir. i hope you are not giving her away believing that she is not worth anything," said lawry. "i don't think she is worth much." "i think she stove a great hole in her bow, and that is all that ails her. if we can get her on the ways, she can be made as good as ever she was in a week." "whatever her condition, lawry, she is yours. i will give you a bill of sale of her at once." mr. sherwood executed the paper in due form, affixed the stamp, and gave the document to the young pilot. "i can hardly help weeping when i think of the beautiful little steamer," said mrs. sherwood. "she was a perfect little fairy. how elated we were as we moved up the lake in her! what fine times we were promising ourselves on board of her! now the dear little craft lies on the bottom of the lake, broken and spoiled!" "i shouldn't dare to put my foot in her again," added miss fanny. "i shudder when i think of her." "i shudder when i think of you, fanny. you were sinking when lawry dived down after you," said mr. sherwood. "we ought all to be grateful to god for his mercy in saving us," added fanny jane. "i trust we are grateful to him; and i am sure we shall never forget what lawry has done to-day," responded the gentleman. "never!" exclaimed fanny warmly. "it was all my fault," continued mr. sherwood. "i am ashamed of myself, and disgusted with the boat." "the boat is not to blame, sir," said ethan french. "she behaved like a lady." "i know she is not to blame. it was my silly impatience. i was in such a hurry to try the steamer that i could not wait for a pilot. bertha, do you know what your father used to say to me when i was in a hurry?" "i don't know; but i have heard him say that you were too impatient for your own good." "'haste and waste' was his maxim, when i was not disposed to wait the natural development of events. by neglecting this precept, i have nearly sacrificed the lives of my best friends. lawry, if you are going to be a steamboat man, let me give you this maxim for your government--'haste and waste.'" chapter vi the sheriff's visit lawry put the bill of sale of the _woodville_ in his pocket, and felt like a steamboat proprietor; for the fact that his steamer lay at the bottom of the lake did not seem to lessen her value. she was in a safe place, and there was no danger of her "blowing up" or drifting away from him. the haste of mr. sherwood had been "a windfall" to him, though lawry would not willingly have purchased the steamer at the peril of so many precious lives. he was ready to accept the moral and prudential deductions from the catastrophe, and really believed that the rich man's maxim was a safe and valuable one. in his own limited experience, lawry could recall many instances where haste had made waste; but the foolish conduct of mr. sherwood in attempting to navigate the _woodville_ in water with which he was totally unacquainted was the most impressive example of the worth of the proverb, and he felt that the steamer, in his own possession, would always mean "haste and waste" to him. "i have often heard my father speak of the folly of unconsidered action and blind haste," said bertha. "he lost a valued friend in the steamship _arctic_, which was sunk, and hundreds of lives sacrificed, by running at full speed in a dense fog. in her case, haste was not only a terrible waste of property, but of life." "that will be worth remembering, lawry, when you are in command of a steamer," added mr. sherwood. "i don't think i ever shall be in such a position," replied lawry modestly. "i am afraid you never will be on board of the _woodville_." "i'm pretty sure she can be raised, though i may not have the means to do it myself," continued lawry. "you shall have all the means you want, my boy," replied mr. sherwood. "we owe you a debt of gratitude which we shall never be able to pay, and if you want anything, don't fail to call upon me." "if you need any help, lawry, i'm with you," said ethan french. "thank you; i dare say i shall want all the help i can get," answered lawry, as he took his leave of the family. "i'm the owner of a steamboat!" thought he. "i'm a lucky fellow, and i shall make my fortune in the _woodville_. i can take out parties, or i can run her on a day route from burlington up the lake; and there is towing enough to keep me busy all summer." excited by the brightest visions of the future, he came in sight of his father's cottage. it looked poorer and meaner than it had ever looked before; and perhaps he thought it was hardly a fit abode for a steamboat proprietor. when he saw the tall mast of the ferry-boat, with the sail flapping idly in the wind, he was reminded of the events which had occurred on board of her that afternoon. it was mortifying to think that his father had even been tempted to steal; but he was rejoiced to know that he had been induced to return the six thousand dollars to the owner. lawry had not seen his father since he left the landing-place to board the _woodville_. he was not at the house when the party landed, after the catastrophe, and lawry was glad he was not there, for his absence assured the anxious son that he had gone in search of mr. randall. amid the exciting events which had followed the painful discovery that his father intended to steal the six thousand dollars, the young pilot had not thought of the matter, for his mind was entirely relieved by mr. wilford's promise to give up the money. lawry went into the house; his father had not yet returned, and his mother asked him a hundred questions about the steamboat disaster, as she set the table for supper. when the meal was ready, mrs. wilford went to the door and blew a tin horn, which was intended to summon the ferryman to his tea. "i think father has not got back yet," said lawry. "where has he gone?" "up to the village, i believe," replied lawry, who had determined not to tell his mother of the great temptation to which his father had almost yielded. "what has he gone up there for?" inquired mrs. wilford, who perhaps saw in the anxious looks of her son that something had been concealed from her. "he had a little business up there," answered the young pilot. "i think we had better not wait for him, for he may not be back for some time. i haven't shown you this paper, mother," he continued, wishing to draw off her attention from his father, as he handed her the bill of sale of the _woodville_, and seated himself at the table. "what is it, lawry?" "it is a bill of sale of the little steamer." "a what?" demanded mrs. wilford, as she paused with the teapot suspended over a cup. "a bill of sale of the new steamer." "what, the one that was sunk?" "yes; mr. sherwood has given her to me, just as she lies." "humph! he might as well have given you a five-acre lot at the bottom of the lake. what in the world can you do with a steamboat smashed to pieces and sunk?" "i can raise her." "you may as well think of raising the goblins on which she sank." "she can be raised, mother." "perhaps she can, but you can't raise her." "i shall try, at any rate," replied lawry confidently. the conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the ferryman. the son cast an anxious glance at his father, as the latter took his accustomed place at the table. a forced smile played about the lips of mr. wilford; but lawry interpreted it as an effort to overcome the sense of humiliation his father must feel at having his dishonest intentions discovered by his son. "well, lawry, i found him," said mr. wilford. "did you? i'm very glad you did," replied the son. "who?" asked mrs. wilford. "the bank man--the one that lost the money," replied the ferryman. "what did you want of him?" "we found his money after he had gone." "did you? i'm so glad! and neither of you said a word to me about it." "i gave it back to him, and it's all right now." unhappily, it was not all right; and the ferryman had scarcely uttered the words before a knock was heard at the door. without awaiting the movements of mrs. wilford, who rose from the table to open the door, the visitors entered. mr. wilford turned deadly pale, for the first person that passed the threshold was the sheriff, whose face was familiar to the ferryman. he was followed by mr. randall and a constable. lawry's heart sank within him when he saw who the visitors were. he feared that his father, in spite of his statement to the contrary, had been led to appropriate the six thousand dollars. it was a moment of agony to him, and he would have given his right, title, and interest in the sunken steamer for the assurance that his parent was an honest man. "i come on rather unpleasant business, mr. wilford," the sheriff began; "but i suppose i may as well speak out first as last." "goodness! what can you want here!" exclaimed mrs. wilford. "don't be alarmed, mrs. wilford," said the sheriff. "it may be all right, for what i know. mr. randall, here, has lost a large sum of money, and he thinks he has been robbed. i'm sure i hope it's all right." "why, husband!" ejaculated mrs. wilford; "didn't you just say--" "i didn't say anything," interposed the ferryman. lawry was quite as pale as his father. he would rather have been accused of the crime himself than had it charged upon his father; he would rather have gone to prison himself than had him dragged away on such an infamous accusation. the sheriff's encouraging words that it might be all right, had no force or comfort for him. lawry knew that his father was guilty, and he was in despair. mrs. wilford had only heard that the money was lost, at first; and then, from her husband, that it had been found and restored to the owner. it was plain that he had told her a falsehood; that if he had found the money, it was still in his possession. the case was too plain to need much reflection. mr. randall and the sheriff knew less than the ferryman, less than his wife and his son; but in the good woman's estimation, it was far worse to be guilty than it was to be detected. it would be difficult to fathom the motives which induced john wilford to tell his wife and son that the money had been restored to the owner. perhaps he had some plan by which he hoped to escape detection and punishment for his crime; or it may be that he told the falsehood to satisfy lawry for the present moment. his calculations, whatever they may have been, were exceedingly stupid and ill digested. there was an utter want of skill and judgment in his operations. he was not a strong-minded man, and his guilt seemed to have paralyzed his weak faculties. his failure to be rich in the path of dishonesty was even more signal than his honest but weak efforts in a legitimate business. "what did he just say?" asked the sheriff, whose attention was attracted by mrs. wilford's words, but more by the sharp manner of her husband as he interrupted her. "what is your business with me?" demanded the ferryman of the sheriff, earnestly. "what did he say?" repeated the sheriff. "if my husband has been doing anything wrong, i'm sorry for it," replied mrs. wilford. "mr. randall thinks he has taken his money," added the sheriff. "if you can tell me what your husband just said, it might throw some light on the matter." "oh, husband!" cried the poor wife, throwing herself into a chair and weeping bitterly. "mr. randall knows i haven't taken his money," protested the ferryman stoutly. "don't cry, marm," said the sheriff, moved by the distress of the afflicted wife. "nothing has been proved yet, and for all i know, your husband may be as honest as any man in essex county." "i've always been an honest man, and i always expect to be," added the culprit. "i haven't got the money. if any of you think i have, why don't you do something about it--not try to frighten my wife?" mr. wilford was searched by the sheriff and constable, but the money was not upon his person. the house was then carefully examined, but with no different result. "do you know anything about this business, lawry?" said the sheriff, when the search was completed. "i don't think he had anything to do with it," interposed mr. randall. "the boy helped me look for the pocketbook, and behaved very handsomely; but i didn't like the looks of his father." "what did your father say just before we came?" asked the sheriff. lawry was stupefied with grief and shame. he knew not what to say, and he dropped his head upon the table, and sobbed like a little child. "things look bad, mr. wilford. your wife and lawry know more than they are willing to tell," continued the officer. "you have scared them half out of their wits," replied the ferryman, trying to smile. "it isn't likely we can find out anything here," said the constable. "if he has got the money, he has hid it round the house somewhere." adopting this suggestion, the officers, followed by mr. randall, left the cottage to examine the vicinity. the constable was a shrewd man, and for a country locality, quite distinguished as a thief-taker. the shower early in the afternoon had left the ground in condition to receive the tracks of every individual who had been near the ferry. the sharp officer examined all the marks in the earth, and finally followed the footsteps of john wilford, through a corn-field, above the cottage. mrs. wilford and lawry wept as though their hearts would break, while the ferryman, trembling with apprehension, paced the kitchen. "what are you crying for?" said he impatiently. "oh, john!" sobbed his wife. "nothing has been proved." "yes, there has. you told me you had given the money to mr. randall." "you told me you would restore it to the owner, when i gave you the pocketbook," added lawry. "lawry, if you say a word about it, you shall go to jail with me," said mr. wilford angrily. chapter vii "the ferryman's crime" mr. wilford, in spite of his faults and peculiarities, was a kind father, and never before had been heard to utter such terrible words as those which had just passed his lips. it was a consolation to lawry and his mother to believe that the words were only a threat which was never intended to be executed, and only made to awe the youth into silence. it was needless; for, right or wrong, the son would have died rather than betray his father. john wilford's operations in hiding the money were as transparent as his efforts to quiet the suspicions of his family. the constable followed his tracks in the soft ground of the corn-field till he came to a stump in one corner of the lot. it was decayed and hollow, and in one of the cavities the pocketbook was discovered. mr. randall laughed for joy when it was handed up to him. its contents were undisturbed, and not a dollar of the money was missing. the party walked back to the house, having been absent less than half an hour. the ferryman was just coming out as they entered the gate. "i hope you are satisfied," said he, confident that the officers would never think of crossing the corn-field in search of the lost treasure. "i'm satisfied, mr. wilford," said the sheriff. "don't you think it is a mean thing to come here and accuse me of robbing one of my passengers?" continued the ferryman. "i don't think so." "in my opinion, mr. randall hasn't lost any money. i don't believe a man would throw his coat down anywhere if there was six thousand dollars in the pocket." "but the money was lost, whether you believe it or not," interposed the bank director, irritated by this charge. "i've heard of such a thing as men losing money to cheat their creditors, or something of that sort," added the ferryman. "don't talk so, husband," said mrs. wilford, who, with lawry, had come out of the house when they heard the voice of the sheriff, anxious to learn the result of the search. "don't you think that's mean, to accuse a man of cheating his creditors, after you have stolen his money?" retorted mr. randall. "what right have you to say i stole your money?" demanded mr. wilford, with a show of intense indignation. "because you did." "can you prove it?" "i think i can." "no, you can't. i don't believe you lost any money. it's only a trick to cheat the bank or your creditors." "we shall see." "don't talk so, husband," repeated mrs. wilford. "keep still, wife. when a man hasn't done anything, it's hard to be charged with stealing six thousand dollars. they can't prove anything." "yes, we can, mr. wilford," interposed the sheriff. "it becomes my duty to arrest you, though i would rather have done it when your family were not present." "arrest me! what for?" exclaimed john wilford. "you can't prove anything." "yes, we can," replied the sheriff. "what can you prove?" "i think it would be better for you not to talk so much," added the sheriff, in a low tone. "come with me, and i will do my duty as quietly as possible." "come with you! what for?" said mr. wilford, in a loud tone. "i didn't steal the money." "it's a plain case. it's no use for you to deny it any longer." "but i didn't." "we have found the money, just where you put it." "found--what!" stammered the guilty man. "oh, husband!" groaned mrs. wilford. "oh, father!" sobbed lawry. "i'm sorry, mrs. wilford," said the kind-hearted officer; "but it's all as plain as daylight. he took the money and hid it in a stump in the corn-field, where we found it." "what shall we do?" cried mrs. wilford. "it's a bad business, marm, but i can't help it. i must do my duty." mr. wilford leaned on the garden-fence, with his gaze fixed upon the ground. he could not look the loved ones in the face, after the crime he had committed. the smaller children, who had been at play around the house, were now gathered about the group, unable fully to comprehend the terrible misfortune which had befallen them; though, as they gazed on lawry and their mother, they could not help realizing that something very sad had happened. "i'm ready to go with you," said john wilford to the sheriff, for the scene was too affecting and humiliating. "oh, husband, why did you do it?" exclaimed mrs. wilford, as she grasped one of his arms, clinging to him like a true woman, in spite of his shame and infamy. "i don't know why i did it. i was crazy. i wanted to be rich," replied the unhappy man. "i wish you had given back the money, as you said you did." "i wish i had now." "can nothing be done?" continued mrs. wilford, appealing to the sheriff. "must he go with you?" "he must; my duty is as plain as it can be." the poor woman suggested various expedients to avoid the fearful consequences; she appealed to the bank director, and begged him not to prosecute her husband. mr. randall, though he had been greatly irritated by the cruel insinuations of the culprit, was not a malignant man; and he was disposed to grant the petition of the disconsolate wife. he had recovered his money, and had no malice against the ferryman. but the sheriff declared that no such arrangement could be tolerated. the matter had been placed in his hands, and, as a sworn officer of the law, he should be obliged to arrest the offender. in vain mrs. wilford pleaded for her husband; in vain lawry pleaded for his father; the sheriff, kind and considerate as he had shown himself to be, was inexorable in the discharge of his duty. there was no alternative; and john wilford must go to jail. the poor wife, when she found that her tears and her pleadings were unavailing, submitted to the stern necessity. she insisted that her husband should be allowed to change his dress, which the sheriff readily granted; and in a short time the culprit appeared in his best clothes. it was a sad parting between him and his family, and even the ferryman wept as he passed out from beneath his humble roof, not again to come beneath its friendly shelter for many, many weary months. mrs. wilford and lawry were stunned by the heavy blow. the light of earthly joys seemed suddenly to have gone out, and left them in the gloom and woe of disgrace. there was nothing to be said at such a time, and they sobbed in silence, until the sound of the ferry-horn roused lawry from his lethargy of grief. some one wished to cross the lake, and had given the usual signal with the tin horn, placed on a post for the purpose, at the side of the road. "there is no ferryman here now," said mrs. wilford gloomily. "i will go, mother," replied lawry. "it may be many a day before your father comes back," added mrs. wilford, as she wiped away her tears. "it is a great deal worse than a funeral." "we can't help it, mother, and i suppose we must make the best of it." "i suppose we must; but i don't know what we are going to do." "we shall do well enough, mother. i will attend to the ferry; but poor father--" lawry, finding he could not speak without a fresh flow of tears, hastened out of the house. there were two wagons waiting for him; and when they were embarked in the boat, he pushed off, and trimmed the sail for the gentle breeze that was blowing up the lake. the passengers asked for his father; but lawry could only tell them that he had gone away: the truth was too painful for him to reveal. he returned to his desolate home when he had ferried the wagons over the lake. there was nothing but misery in that humble abode, and but little sleep for those who were old enough to comprehend the sadness and shame of their situation. before morning the news of john wilford's crime had been circulated through the village of port rock and its vicinity. some knew that the ferryman was lazy and thriftless, and wondered he had not robbed somebody before. others had always regarded him as a person of no sagacity or forethought, but did not think he would steal. many pitied his family, and some said that lawry was "as smart as two of his father," and that his mother and the children would be well provided for. the intelligence went to the mansion of mr. sherwood, and there it touched the hearts of true friends. though none of them knew much about the ferryman and his family, yet for lawry's sake they were deeply interested in them. after breakfast mr. sherwood went down to the ferry-house; and the young pilot, with many tears and sobs, told him the whole of the sad story of his father's crime. the rich man was full of sympathy, but nothing could be done. he volunteered to be the culprit's bail, and to provide him with the best counsel in the state. but john wilford was guilty, and nothing could wipe out this terrible truth. mr. sherwood did all he had promised to do; but the ferryman, after he had been examined and fully committed for trial, declined to furnish bail, declaring that he did not wish to be seen at port rock again. at the next session of the court, two months after his committal, he pleaded guilty of the robbery and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the penitentiary at sing sing. after the sentence the prisoner was permitted to see his family for the last time for many months. it was a sad and touching interview; but from it lawry and his mother derived much consolation. john wilford was penitent; he was truly sorry for what he had done, and declared that, when he had served out his time, he would be a better man than he had ever been before. it was comforting to the mother and son to know that the wanderer was not hardened and debased by his crime and the exposure; and they returned to their home submissive to their lot, sad and dreary as it was. from the day his father had been arrested, lawry felt that the care of the family devolved upon him. his older brother was away from home, and was indolent and dissipated. the ferry and the little farm must be cared for, as from them came the entire support of his mother and his brothers and sisters. though he was oppressed by the burden of sorrow which his father's crime cast upon him, he did not yield to despair. half a mile below the ferry-landing he could see the smokestack of the _woodville_ projecting above the water. she was his property; and if she had seemed to be a prize to him before the calamity had fallen upon his father's household, she was doubly so now. as he crossed the ferry, he gazed up at the goblins, with less of exultation, but more of hope, than before. in his opinion, as he expressed it to his mother, there was "money in her." mrs. wilford was in great tribulation lest the man who now held the mortgage upon the little farm should insist upon being paid, as there was now no hope that, the debtor, in prison, would be able to do anything. lawry told her that the steamboat would enable them to pay all claims upon his father. mrs. wilford had but little confidence in her son's schemes, but she did not discourage them; and lawry racked his brain for expedients to accomplish the task he had imposed upon himself. he had no money, and he was too proud to ask mr. sherwood for the assistance which that gentleman would so gladly have rendered. ethan french came down to see him every day, and the prairie boy was so kind and considerate that they soon became fast friends. "when are you going to work on the steamer, lawry?" asked ethan. "i suppose you don't feel much like meddling with her yet." "i don't; but she ought to be raised as soon as possible," replied lawry. "i am going to work upon her right off. i went down to see how she lies this morning, and i have got my plans all laid." "have you?" "i have." "do you think you can get her up?" "i know i can." "well, how are you going to do it?" inquired ethan. "do you know mr. nelson, over at pointville? i suppose you don't. well, he is a great oil man; he has got some oil-wells down on the st. johns river. he is getting together all the barrels and hogsheads he can find, to send down to his works. he has as many as a hundred at his place in pointville. i'm going to borrow a lot of these casks, if i can, and raise the _woodville_ with them." "how are you going to manage with them?" asked ethan, deeply interested in the plan. "sink them round the boat, and fasten them to her hull, till there is enough to float her." "but how are you going to sink them?" "there's some one to go over the ferry," replied lawry, as a blast of the tin horn was heard. "if you will go over with me, i will tell you all about it, and we will call and see mr. nelson while we are at pointville." ethan embarked with his friend, and when the boat started the subject was resumed. chapter viii raising the "woodville" ethan french, during the two years he had been a resident of the state of new york, had been an earnest and diligent student. his mind was even more improved than his manners. his taste for mechanics had prompted him to study the various subjects included in this science, and as he stood by his companion, the pilot, he talked quite learnedly about the specific gravity of wood and iron, about displacement, buoyancy, and similar topics. "the hull of the steamer--that is, the woodwork--will not float itself, but it will sustain considerable additional weight," said he. "yes, i understand all that," replied lawry. "if there had been no iron in the _woodville_ she would not have gone down." "the iron in her engines is seven or eight times as heavy as the same bulk of water. its weight carried the hull down with it." "then we must put down empty casks enough to float the engine," added lawry. "no; the woodwork of the hull will hold up a portion of the weight of the engine, and we must furnish buoyancy enough to sustain the rest of it." "it will not take a great many casks, then--will it?" "not a great many; but the difficulty is to get them down to the bottom, and fasten them to the hull." "i can do that," replied lawry confidently. ethan approved the method, and promised to ascertain what weight each of the casks would sustain in the water, when he had obtained their dimensions. the ferry-boat reached the other side of the lake, and the young men went to see mr. nelson, the owner of the casks. he did not wish to use the hogsheads till october, and was willing they should be employed for the purpose indicated, if lawry would give him security for their safe return. "mr. sherwood will do that for you, lawry," said ethan. "that's a good name," added the oil speculator. "if he will guarantee the safe return of the casks, that is all i ask. i wonder if mr. sherwood don't want some shares in the meteor oil company." "i don't know; i'll ask him," replied ethan. "if you will, i won't charge you anything for the use of the casks," added mr. nelson. mr. sherwood was consulted in the evening. he was very willing to furnish the required security for the use of the oil-casks, but he did not seem to have the same confidence in the "meteor" which mr. nelson exhibited, though he promised to consider the matter. it required three days to complete the preparations for raising the _woodville_. all the ropes and rigging in the neighborhood, including many hay-ropes and clothes-lines, had been collected; the oil-casks had been conveyed over the lake in the ferry-boat, and secured within a "boom" composed of four long timbers, lashed together at the ends, forming a square, which was moored close to the goblins; and a raft had been built, upon which the operations were to be conducted. mr. sherwood had offered to furnish as many men as could be employed to assist in the work; but the young engineers had so arranged their plans that no help was needed. at sunrise in the morning the boys ran down to the goblins in the ferry-boat, which was necessary for the transportation of sundry heavy articles. the raft was already there, moored in the proper place for commencing the labors of the day. the engineers were deeply interested in the operations before them, for there was a difficult problem to be solved, which required all their skill and ingenuity; and lawry felt that his future prosperity and happiness depended upon the success of the undertaking. their plans and their machinery were yet to be tried, and there was a degree of excitement attending the execution of the project which was as agreeable as it was stimulating to their enthusiastic natures. people had laughed at the idea of two boys raising a steamer burdened with heavy machinery, and both of them felt that their reputations were at stake. "now, lawry, we shall soon find out what we can do," said ethan, as they made fast the ferry-boat to the raft. "i know what we can do," replied the young pilot confidently. "if the casks will float her, she shall come to the top of the water before to-morrow night. now, ethan, the first thing is to get a rope under her." "that's easy enough." "it's all easy enough, if you only believe in yourself." a rope of six fathoms in length was selected from the mass of rigging on the raft, and a stone just heavy enough to sink the line attached to the middle of it. lawry took it in the wherry, sculled to the stern of the sunken steamer, and dropped it into the water. he then carried one end to ethan, on the raft, while he returned with the other in his boat, which he moored to the opposite side of the _woodville_. the middle of the rope was kept on the bottom of the lake by the stone, while the two ends were carried forward by the boys until the bight was drawn under the keel of the steamer, as far as her position on the rocks would permit it to go. lawry's end was made fast around the smokestack, and ethan's to the raft. one of the hogsheads was next floated out of the boom enclosure, and hauled upon the raft, lawry adjusted the hogshead slings to the cask. in the middle of the raft an aperture had been left, large enough for a hogshead to pass through, over which a small derrick had been built. a stone post, about the length of the casks, and just heavy enough to sink one of them, had been brought down on the bateau. this "sinker," as the young engineers called it, had been weighed, and it exactly conformed to the requirement of ethan's figures; it was just sufficient to overcome the flotage power of the cask. "now, keep cool, ethan, and we shall find out whether your figures are correct, or not," said lawry. "figures won't lie," replied ethan; "i know they are correct, and that hogshead will go to the bottom as quick as though it were made of lead." "we shall soon see," added lawry, as he placed a couple of skids across the "well." "now we must place the sinker on those skids." by the aid of the derrick, which was provided with a rude windlass, constructed by ethan, the stone post was hoisted up, and then dropped down on the skids. the sinker had been rigged with slings, and the hogshead was attached to it by a contrivance of lawry, upon which the success of the operation wholly depended, and which it will be very difficult to describe with words. the sinker would carry the cask to the bottom of the lake, where its buoyancy was to assist in bringing the steamer to the surface of the water; but it was necessary, after the cask had been sunk and fastened to the hull, to detach it from the sinker; and this had been a problem of no little difficulty to lawry, who managed the nautical part of the enterprise. fastened to the slings on the sinker was a rope ten fathoms in length. a loop was formed in this line, close to the sinker, and the bight passed through the slings on the hogshead. the loop was then laid over the two ropes, one of which was fast to the sinker, and the other was the unattached end of the line, and "toggled" on with a marline-spike. if the young reader does not quite understand the process, let him take a string, with one end fastened to a flatiron; double it, and pass the loop--which sailors call a _bight_--upward between the thumb and forefinger; bring the loop down to meet the two parts of the string on the palm of the hand; then take the two lines into the loop, and put a pencil under the two parts drawn through the loop. the flatiron will correspond to the stone sinker, and the thumb to the slings on the hogshead. lift up the flatiron, so that the weight will bear on the thumb; then pull out the pencil, and the iron will drop. the marlinespike was thoroughly greased, and a small line attached to the head of it, so that it could be easily drawn out of the loop, when the cask had been secured to the hull of the steamer. "there, we are all right now," said lawry, after he had tried the marlinespike several times to satisfy himself that it could be easily drawn from its place. "now we will make fast the rope which runs under the keel to the hogshead." "here it is," added ethan. "we want to have the cask under the guard of the steamer when we get it down." "that will be easy enough." "perhaps it will; but i'm afraid the rope will bind on the keel." "if it does, we must take the raft round to the other side of the _woodville_, and pass it round the windlass; we can haul it up in that way." "that will take too much time. i think you and i both will be strong enough to haul the cask into place." "now, give us a turn at the windlass, ethan," said lawry, when he was ready. "aye, aye," replied ethan, as he turned the crank, and raised the sinker and the cask, so that the skids which supported them could be removed. "lower away!" added lawry, highly excited; and the sinker began to descend into the water, carrying with it the hogshead. "that works first-rate. now hold on till i get hold of the other end of the guide-rope." lawry jumped into the wherry, and sculled round to the other side of the sunken steamer, where he detached the end of the line passing under the keel from the smoke-stack, where it had been secured. he hauled on the rope till he got it clear of the stone with which it had been sunk. "lower away!" shouted lawry. "lower, it is," answered ethan. "slowly," added the pilot, as he hauled in the rope. "it is going to the right place. i can see it in the water." "hold on!" cried lawry; and the wherry was so unsteady beneath him that it was with great difficulty he "kept what he had got" on the rope. in order to overcome this disadvantage he passed the rope around the smokestack. "i have it now!" shouted he. "this gives me a splendid purchase;" and he hauled in the rope, bringing the hogshead chock up to the hull of the sunken craft. "we are growing wiser every moment," laughed ethan. "so we are. lower away, slowly. that's it," said lawry. "lower away." "the sinker is on the bottom," replied ethan. "all right; can you see the hogshead?" "yes; you have hauled it completely under the guard. the water is as clear as crystal," answered ethan. "hold on a moment till i make fast this line!" thus far the experiment had been entirely successful, and lawry's bosom bounded with emotion. the plan for raising the _woodville_ was his own, though he had been greatly assisted by ethan, who had designed and constructed the derrick and windlass, thus diminishing the labor of the enterprise. the young pilot felt like a conqueror when he had placed the first cask in position. sculling the wherry back to the raft, he pulled the string attached to the toggle, and drew it out of the noose. "hoist away," said he. "hoist, it is," replied ethan, as he took hold with him. "all right!" shouted the young nautical engineer. "i feel like giving three cheers," he added. "so do i; and we'll do it, when we get the sinker on the raft." the stone post came up "in good order and condition," and the skids were placed under it, to keep it in position for the sinking of the second hogshead. the three cheers were given with a will, and they came from the hearts of the boys. they had labored patiently for three days in gathering the material and constructing the machinery for the raising of the steamer, and their first success was a real joy. "breakfast-time," said lawry, as the horn sounded from the ferry-house. "i don't want any breakfast," answered ethan. "i don't feel as though we could spare the time for eating." "haste and waste," added lawry, laughing. "we have got a great deal of hard work to do, and we must keep our strength. for my part, i'm hungry." "i'm not; and i'm so interested in this job that i don't like to leave. we ought to have brought our breakfast down with us." "i don't think we shall make anything by driving the work too hard. we must keep cool, and do it well. besides, i'm liable to be called off a dozen times a day." "what for?" "to take people over the ferry." "oh, bother!" exclaimed ethan impatiently. "have we got to leave the work to paddle everybody that comes along over the lake?" "we have," said lawry. "i must look out for the family now." there was a good wind, and the boys returned to the ferry-house in the bateau. before they had finished their breakfast, the ferry-horn sounded, and lawry was obliged to take a team over to pointville before the work could be resumed. ethan was rather impatient under this delay; but he was too kind-hearted to make any unpleasant remark which would remind his friend of his father's crime. chapter ix ben wilford's plan while lawry was ferrying the team over the lake, ethan occupied himself in making a long-handled boat-hook, which might be useful in the operation of raising the steamer. while he was thus engaged, a young man, about eighteen years of age, coarsely dressed, and with a very red face, came down the road and stopped at the place where he was at work. "what you making?" asked the young man. "a boat-hook," replied ethan. "do you belong here?" continued the stranger nodding his head toward the ferry-house. "no; i'm only helping lawry wilford for a few days." "the old man's got into hot water, they say." "yes." "well, he was always preaching to me about doing the right thing; and now he's fallen off the horse-block himself," added the young man, with a slight chuckle. "it's bad for mr. wilford and his family." "that's so. where's lawry now?" "he has gone over with the ferry-boat." "i reckon lawry has to run the machine now." "he has to run the ferry-boat." "well, he knows how. lawry's smart--he is. i suppose you don't know me." "i do not." "i'm lawry's brother; and that makes it that lawry is my brother." "then you are benjamin wilford?" "that's my name; but ben wilford sounds a good deal more natural to me. i heard the old man had got into trouble, and i came up to see about it, though i'm out of a job just now, and couldn't do anything better. i hear that lawry owns a steamboat, and i didn't know but he'd want some help. where is she?" "she's on the bottom, out there by the goblins," answered ethan, pointing to the raft. "we are at work raising her." "can you get her up, do you think?" "yes; i have no doubt we shall have her at the top of the water by to-morrow night." "i've come just in time, then," added the young man. "i think i know something about a steamboat." ethan did not like the looks of lawry's brother. his bloated face was against him, and the young engineer, without knowing anything more about him than his swaggering manner and red face revealed, wished he had stayed away a few days longer. "i'll go in and see the old woman, and get some breakfast; then i'll go up with you and see what you are doing," said ben wilford. "we are going up as soon as lawry comes back," answered ethan, pointing to the ferry-boat. the dissolute young man, who had just been discharged from his situation as a deck-hand on one of the steamers, for intemperance and neglect of duty, sauntered into the house; and the fresh breeze soon brought the impatient lawry to the shore. "lawry, we have got some help," said ethan. "who?" "your brother has just come." "ben?" asked the young lad, a troubled expression gathering on his face. "yes; he has gone into the house to get his breakfast." "i'll go in and see him," added lawry, who did not seem to be at all pleased with the news of his brother's arrival. it is a sad thing for a brother to behave so badly that he cannot be welcome at his own home. mrs. wilford shook hands with benjamin as he entered. she was glad to see him, and her mother's heart went out toward him; but she was filled with doubts and fears. the young man only laughed while his mother wept at the story of the father's crime. he sat down to his breakfast, and declared that he had come home to take care of the family. "i hope you are able to take care of yourself, benjamin," replied his mother, as she glanced at his bloated face. "i always did that, mother. the old man and i couldn't agree very well, but i reckon you and i can get along together. lawry, how are you?" continued the returned wanderer, as his brother entered the room. "very well; how are you, ben?" answered lawry, as he shook hands with his brother. "first-rate. how about the steamboat, lawry?" "she's all right; or, she will be, when we get her up." "do you think you can raise her?" "i know we can." "well, i heard all about her up in the village, and i have come home to help you. i know all about steamboats, you know." "what did you leave your place for?" "the captain and i couldn't agree. i'm going to run an opposition line." "are you?" "i am; bet your life i am." "where will you get your boats?" "don't want but one; and they say your boat is the finest little craft that ever floated on the lake." "she is, without a doubt." "well, we can take some money out of the captain's pocket, at any rate. we'll make a fortune out of your boat, lawry, if we get her up." "i shall get her up by tomorrow night." "i'll help you, lawry." "we don't need any help at present. i must go now, for ethan is waiting for me." "who's ethan?" "ethan french; he is the engineer of the steamer," answered the young pilot, moving toward the door. "hold on a minute, lawry, and i'll be ready to go with you. i can show you how to do the business." "i know now." "you're smart, lawry; but you're not so old as i am." "i'm old enough to do this job." "you haven't seen so much of steamboats as i have." "now, benjamin, you mustn't interfere with lawry's work," interposed mrs. wilford. "he knows what he is about." "i'm not going to interfere with him; i'm only going to help him." "if you really want to help me, i'll tell you what you can do," said lawry. "what's that?" "you can run the ferry." "run the ferry!" exclaimed ben. "why, i know more about steamboats than you and your engineer put together. do you suppose i'm going to run a ferry-boat when there's a job of this sort on hand?" "you can help more in this way than in any other," persisted lawry. "run a ferry-boat!" sneered ben; "that isn't my style." "we don't need any help on the steamer." "yes, you do. at any rate, i'll go down and see what you are about." "what's that rock for?" he demanded, pointing to the sinker which lay on the skids. "to sink the casks with," replied ethan; and he explained the process by which the hogsheads were attached to the hull of the _woodville_. "well, lawry, if you had been studying seven years to get up the stupidest thing that could be thought of, you could not have got up a more ridiculous idea than this," said ben, laughing contemptuously. "how would you raise her?" asked lawry quietly. "well, i wouldn't do it in this way, i can tell you. if you want me to take this job in hand for you, i'll do it. you might as well try to raise the goblins as the steamer in this way." "it is very easy to condemn the method," added ethan indignantly; "but it isn't so easy to find a better one." "you say you don't want any help from me," said ben. "if you can tell me any better way, i should like to hear it," replied lawry. "if you want me to raise your steamer, say the word." "let me know how you intend to do it, first," persisted lawry. "it's easier to talk than it is to do." "you're smart, lawry; but you can't raise that steamer with those casks in seven years." "i'll have her on the top of the water by to-morrow night," said the young pilot. "no, you won't." "you see! but we must go to work, ethan." "that's just my idea," said the engineer. "then you don't want me to do the job?" added ben. "no, i think not," replied lawry, rather coldly. "i think my way is the best." "perhaps it is; but i don't know what your way is." "i'll tell you, lawry, for i don't like to have you waste your time and strength doing nothing; besides, we want the steamer as soon as we can get her, or the season will be over." "what do you mean by we, ben?" asked lawry quietly. "why, you and me, of course. i know something about steamers, and perhaps i should be willing to go captain of your boat, if you ever get her into working order." "perhaps you would," answered lawry. "of course you mean to use the boat for the benefit of the family, now the old man is jugged and can't do anything more for them." "to be sure i do." "i'm willing to do my part. you can be the pilot, and the other fellow can be the engineer." "and we can both of us have the privilege of obeying your orders," laughed lawry. "well, i shouldn't be likely to interfere with you; your place would be in the wheel-house." "and yours in the cabin, captain wilford. i can't stop to talk about this now. there comes ethan with the cask." "you might as well stop this foolish work first as last," sneered the would-be captain of the _woodville_. "i was going to tell you how to raise her." "go on; we'll hear you, and work at the same time," said ethan. "i should get two of those canal-boats, having about eight feet depth of hold," continued ben. "where would you get them?" demanded lawry. "get them? hire them, of course. you can get plenty of them at port henry." "have you any money in your pocket?" "they wouldn't cost more than a hundred dollars." "i haven't got even fifty dollars," said lawry. "they would trust you on the security of your steamer." "i don't want to be trusted for any such purpose. what would you do with your canal-boats when you had got them?" asked lawry. "i would moor one on each side of the steamer, put a couple of timbers across them, pass a chain under the bow and stern of the sunken hull, and make fast to the timbers. then i would let the water into the canal-boats, and sink them down to the rails. when i got them down as deep as i could, i would tighten the chains, till they bore taut on the timbers. do you understand it, lawry?" "certainly; i know all about the plan," replied the young pilot, with a smile. "i don't believe you do," said ben incredulously. "what would you do next?" "pump the water out of the two canal-boats, which would take about two days' time." "you could rig extra pumps." "three of us, with three pumps, couldn't pump them out in two days." "well, the job is done when you have pumped them out." "when you get the water out of the boats, you will have raised the steamer but three or four feet at most." "six feet, at least, for the canal-boats will come up where they were before." "no; they won't; the weight of the steamer will press them down two or three feet." an excited discussion followed upon this question; but lawry and ethan carried their point. it was plain that the buoyant powers of the two boats, as the water was pumped but of them, would raise the steamer three or four feet, leaving her suspended half-way between the surface and the bottom of the lake. lawry wanted the aspirant for the captaincy of the _woodville_ to tell him what he would do next, for she could not be repaired while she was under water; but ben was "nonplussed" and unable to answer. "i can finish that job for you," said lawry. "she could be moored on the ways, and then hauled up." "perhaps she might, but i should rather put her on the ways from the top of the water. when i got her three feet from the bottom, i should move her toward the shore till she grounded." "what then?" asked ben. "i should sink the canal-boats again, pump them out once more, and thus raise her three feet more; but it would take about three days every time we lifted her three feet. ben, i think we could get her to the top of the water in about a fortnight by your plan. by mine, i shall have her up by to-morrow night." "i'll bet you won't; or in a month, either. you know too much, lawry," said ben. "i don't bet; but you shall see her at the ferry-landing by seven to-morrow evening if you are there." the older brother, finding himself only a cipher on the raft, had consented to run the ferry in the afternoon, when the horn sounded; and the pilot and engineer were thus enabled to continue their labor without interruption. chapter x hard at work when lawry and ethan returned to the goblins in the afternoon, they were delighted to find that the casks, all of which had been placed under the guards abaft the wheel, had actually produced an effect upon the steamer. the smokestack stood up more perpendicularly, indicating that the stern had been lifted from the bottom. ethan was sure that the casks would bring the _woodville_ to the surface; but a very serious difficulty now presented itself. about two-thirds of the length of the steamer's keel rested on a flat rock, whose surface was inclined downward toward the body of the lake, leaving the third next to the stern unsupported, under which the ropes had been easily drawn to retain the casks in their places. of course it was impossible to draw any lines under the forward part of the keel, which rested on the flat rock, and it was necessary to devise some means for securing the casks to this portion of the hull. "i have it," said lawry. "what is it?" "we must sink more casks under the stern." "but that will bring one end up, and leave the other on the rock." "that isn't what i mean. if we put, say, two more hogsheads under the stern, they will raise it so we can get the ropes under the forward part of the hull." "i understand; you are right, lawry," replied ethan. when they returned to the ferry-house, they found mr. sherwood and the ladies there, who had come down to ascertain what progress had been made in the work. ben wilford had freely expressed his opinion that the enterprise would end in failure. "those boys know too much; that's all the trouble," said ben. "i was in hopes they would succeed in their undertaking," added mr. sherwood. "so was i, sir; but there's no chance of their doing anything. i know something about steamboats, for i've been at work on them for three years." "and you are quite sure they will fail?" asked mr. sherwood. "just as sure as i am of anything in this world. i told them what the trouble would be; but they know so much they won't hear me. i told them how it ought to be done." "here they come; they can speak for themselves," said mr. sherwood. "how do you get along, lawry?" "first-rate, sir." "indeed! your brother thinks you are going to make a failure of the job." "perhaps we are, sir; but we don't believe it yet--do we, ethan?" "we don't." "lawry, wouldn't you be willing to sell out your interest in the _woodville_ at a small figure?" laughed mr. sherwood. "no, sir!" "your brother, who seems to be a person of some experience in such matters, thinks you will not be able to raise the steamer. if that is likely to be the case, i don't want you to waste your time and strength for nothing. i should be glad to employ some men to raise the _woodville_ for you." "thank you, sir. you are very kind," replied lawry. "if you like, we will ride down to port henry to-night, and employ a man to do the job." "i think we shall succeed, sir." "what's the use of talking, lawry?" interposed ben. "you'll not get her up in seven years." "don't you think you had better give it up, lawry?" asked mr. sherwood. "not yet, sir." "what do you think, lawry? hadn't you better let me employ a man to do the work?" "ethan and i can do it very well, sir." "perhaps you can; but we wish to have the steamer in working order as soon as possible, and we may hasten the joy by employing men of experience to do it." "haste and waste," said lawry, laughing. "mr. sherwood, i am satisfied we can raise the _woodville_. we don't want any help. if we don't get her up by to-morrow night, i will let some one else take hold; but it will cost a heap of money." "it shall not cost you anything, lawry. i haven't half paid the debt of gratitude i owe you." "oh, never mind that, sir! i only want one more day." "you are very confident, my boy, and i hope you will succeed," added mr. sherwood, as he turned to depart. "take him up, lawry," said ben. "let him raise her. he will do it at his own expense, and perhaps he will give me the job." "not to-night." "you are a fool, lawry!" exclaimed ben. "perhaps i am. time will tell." "he offered to pay for raising her, and you wouldn't let him do it!" "he has made me a present of the steamer as she lies; and i don't ask anything more of him." "take all you can get, lawry. that's the only way to get along in this world." ethan slept with his fellow workman at the cottage that night, and at daylight in the morning they were on their way to the goblins. at breakfast-time two casks had been sunk under the bow of the steamer, for they had become so familiar with the work that it was carried on with greater rapidity than at the first. at breakfast they were laughed at again by ben wilford; but they chose to keep still, made no replies, and gave no information in regard to the progress of the work. at the earnest request of lawry, seconded by mrs. wilford, ben consented to run the ferry that day, and the young engineers took their dinners with them when they went down to the goblins. they were full of hope, and confidently expected to return to the landing at night with the _woodville_. at eleven o'clock four more hogsheads had been placed under the guards. the steamer swayed a little in the water; the stern had risen about two feet; and it was evident that she was on the point of floating. the boys were intensely excited at the bright prospect before them. "lawry, the work is nearly done," said ethan. "that's so; i think a couple of those barrels will finish it," answered the young pilot. "i see two anchors at her bow." "yes, there are two anchors and about forty fathoms of small chain-cable on board of her." "i see them; and i think we had better fish them up." "that's a good idea." with the long boat-hook which ethan had made, the cables were hauled up and coiled away on the raft, which had been placed over the bow of the sunken vessel. when the chains, which were bent onto the anchors, were hauled taut, the sinker rope, still in the block, and wound on the windlass of the derrick, was made fast to one of them, and the anchor drawn up. the operation was then repeated on the other anchor. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted lawry, as they began to turn the windlass. "she's coming up." "hurrah!" repeated ethan, and the faces of both boys glowed with excited joy, as the sunken vessel followed the anchor up to the surface of the water. it was necessary to move the raft, and the anchor was hauled out over the top of the bulwarks. the _woodville_ rose till her plank-sheer was even with the surface of the water. the boys shouted for joy; they were almost beside themselves with the excitement of that happy moment. they had conquered; success had crowned their labors. "the job is done!" cried lawry. "that's so! where is your brother now?" exclaimed ethan. "we have got her up sooner than i expected. i move you we have our dinner now." "i don't feel much like dinner." "i do." "what is to be done next?" "we must get her up a little farther out of the water. we can easily get some more casks under her now; but let us have some dinner first." they sat down on a timber on the raft, and ate the dinner they had brought with them. they could not keep their eyes off the steamer during the meal, and they continued to discuss the means of completing the work they had begun. after dinner the labor was renewed with redoubled energy. four more casks were attached to the bow, and four removed from the stern; the effect of which was to lift the bow out of the water, while the deck at the after part was again submerged. this was lawry's plan for ascertaining the extent of the injury which the hull had received. it now appeared that, when the _woodville_ struck the goblins, she had slid upon a flat rock, while a sharp projection from the reef had stove a hole, not quite three feet in diameter, just above her keel. "now we must stop this hole," said lawry; "and we may as well do it here as anywhere." "that's just my idea," responded ethan. "there's a painted floor-cloth in the kitchen, which will just cover it. i will get it." "have you any small nails on board?" "plenty of them." the kitchen and the engineer's storeroom were now out of water, so that ethan had no difficulty in procuring the articles needed in stopping up the hole. a couple of slats were placed over the aperture to prevent the floor-cloth from being forced in by the pressure of the water. both of the boys then went to work nailing on the carpet, which was new and very heavy. the nails were put very close together, and most of them being carpet-tacks, with broad heads, they pressed the oilcloth closely down to the wood-work. it was not expected entirely to exclude the water; but the leakage could be easily controlled by the pumps. several of the casks were now removed from the bow to the stern, until the hull sat even on the water. all the heavy articles on deck, including the contents of the "chain-box," were transferred to the raft, and the laborers were ready to commence the long and trying operation of pumping her out. it was now six o'clock, and it was plain that this job could not be finished that night. the wind was beginning to freshen, and there were indications of bad weather. lawry had at first intended to move the _woodville_ up to the ferry-landing as soon as she floated; but ethan, for certain reasons, which were satisfactory to his fellow laborer, wished to pump her out where she was; and it was found to be a very difficult thing to tow her up to the ferry in her water-logged condition. it was not safe to leave her, with the prospect of a heavy blow, so near the goblins, and they carried out the anchors in the wherry, and with the assistance of the capstan on the forward deck heaved her out into a secure position. the _woodville_ was safe for the night, and the supper-horn was sounding at the ferry-house. nearly exhausted by their severe exertions, the boys returned to the cottage. "i'm so glad that you have done it!" exclaimed mrs. wilford, when they went in to supper. she had been a deeply interested observer of the operations of the young engineers, and her heart had bounded with emotions of joy, in unison with theirs, when she saw the steamer rise to the surface of the lake. "i knew we should do it, mother," replied lawry. "where is ben?" "i don't know where he is. he went away just after dinner, and i haven't seen him since," added the mother. "but i saw the ferry-boat go over in the middle of the afternoon." "i know you did." "but who went over with her?" "i did," answered mrs. wilford quietly. "you, mother?" "yes, lawry; there was no one else to go, unless i called you, and i couldn't bear to take you away from your work. i've been over in the ferry times enough to know how to manage the boat." "ben said he would take care of the ferry." "he doesn't always do as he promises," said mrs. wilford sadly. lawry thought it was very kind of his mother to run the ferry-boat, rather than disturb him at his work; but he did not like to have her do such labor. when he went out after supper, he found the wind was still quite fresh, and he was afraid that some accident might happen to the steamer in the night. if the casks got loose, she would sink again. while he and ethan were talking about it, ben wilford returned home; and it was evident from his looks and actions that he had been drinking too much. chapter xi me. sherwood and party "well, lawry, i don't see the steamer at the ferry-landing," said ben wilford. "you know, you promised to have her up here to-night; but i knew you wouldn't." "we thought we wouldn't bring her up to-night," replied lawry coldly. "i knew you wouldn't, my boy. you didn't keep your promise." "and you didn't keep yours." "i didn't make any. if i'd promised to fetch that steamer up, she'd been here." "you promised to run the ferry, and you left it." "no, i didn't, lawry. don't you talk so to me. you know too much," added ben angrily. "you never will raise that steamer in two thousand years." "there she is," replied lawry quietly, as he pointed in the direction of the goblins. ben looked at her; he did not seem to be pleased to find her on the top of the water. his oft-repeated prophesy had been a failure, and lawry was full as smart as people said he was. "humph!" said he. "she isn't much of a steamboat if those barrels brought her up." "there she is; and i have done all i promised to do." "what are you going to do next, lawry?" "i'm going to pump her out next." "you'd better do it pretty quick, or she'll go to the bottom again," added ben, as he walked into the house. "there comes mr. sherwood, with the ladies," said lawry, as he glanced up the road. "i congratulate you, boys," said mr. sherwood, as he grasped lawry's hand. "we gave three cheers for you on the hill, when we saw that you had raised the _woodville_." "thank you, sir. we worked pretty hard, but we were successful." "you have done bravely," said mrs. sherwood. "we thought, from what your brother said last night, that you would fail." "ethan and i didn't think so." "i suppose you wouldn't sell very cheap to-night, lawry," added mr. sherwood. "no, sir; the _woodville_ is a gift, and i should not be willing to sell her at any price." "well, lawry, i am as glad as you are at your success. do you want any help yet?" "no, sir; we are just going on board of her to stay overnight, for we are afraid the heavy wind will do mischief." "i wouldn't do that. you must rest to-night." "i'm afraid something will happen if we don't look out for her." "are you going to pump her out to-night?" "we may begin pretty early in the morning," said lawry, with a smile. "haste and waste, my boy. if you stay on board of her to-night, and get sick, you will not make anything by your labor." "if the wind goes down, we shall sleep ashore as usual. i don't think it blows quite so hard as it did." "i don't," added ethan. "boys, you mustn't overdo this thing," added mr. sherwood seriously. his wife whispered to him just then. "yes, bertha," he continued. "i'll tell you what i'm going to do, lawry. i have four men at work for me. i can spare them one day, and they shall pump out the _woodville_ for you." "you needn't object," interposed mrs. sherwood. "indeed you must not, lawry," added miss fanny. "i am afraid you will both be sick if you work so hard." "we can easily pump her out ourselves," said ethan. "you needn't say a word, ethan," added fanny jane. "i suppose we shall have to submit," replied lawry, laughing. "we can't oppose the ladies." "just as you say, lawry," said ethan. "you shall have the men to-morrow, boys. now you must go to bed, and not think of the steamer till morning," continued mr. sherwood. as the wind seemed to be subsiding, the boys went into the house; and though it was not quite dark, they "turned in," tired enough to sleep without rocking. ben was at his supper, in no pleasant frame of mind. he was dissatisfied with himself, and with his brother, who had succeeded in his undertaking contrary to his prophecy. he was envious and jealous of lawry. now that his father was away, he thought he ought to be the chief person about the house, being the oldest boy. "i'm not going to stay at home, and be a nobody," said he angrily. "we don't wish you to be a nobody," replied his mother. "yes, you do; lawry is everybody, and i'm nobody." "you've been drinking, benjamin." "what if i have! i'm not going to stay here, and play second fiddle to a little boy." "what are you talking about, benjamin? lawry has not interfered with you. he will treat you kindly and respectfully, as he treats everybody." "he don't mind any more what i say than he does the grunting of the pigs." "what do you want him to do?" "i want him to pay some attention to what i say," snarled ben. "i suppose he thinks that steamboat belongs to him." "certainly he does," replied mrs. wilford. "i don't." "don't you? whom does it belong to, then?" "i'm not a fool, mother; i know a thing or two as well as some others. lawry is not of age." "neither are you." "i know that, but i'm older than he is." "you are old enough to behave better." "how do you expect me to be anybody here, when i have to knock under to my younger brother? i say the steamer don't belong to lawry any more than she does to me. i have just as much right in her as he has." "what do you mean by talking so, benjamin? you know that mr. sherwood gave the steamer to lawry, and the bill of sale is in lawry's name." "i don't care for that! she's just as much mine as she is his, and he'll find that out when she gets to running. lawry's a minor, and can't hold any property; you know that just as well as i do." "what if he is? i think he will be permitted to hold the steamboat, and run her." "i don't think so. i was talking with taylor, who holds the mortgage on this place, and he don't think so," added ben, in a tone of triumph. "what did he say?" "well, he means to attach the steamboat on the note he holds against father." "he will not do that!" replied mrs. wilford. "he says so, anyhow." "he will foreclose the mortgage on the place if he wants to get his money." "the place will not sell for enough to pay his note, and he knows it. no matter about him--the steamboat belongs to father, just as much as the ferry-boat does; and i think i ought to have something to say about her." "if you want to do anything for the family, why can't you run the ferry-boat, benjamin?" "and let lawry run the steamboat? not if i know myself!" replied ben, with savage emphasis. "he may run the ferry-boat, and i'll run the steamer." "that would be neither fair nor right. the steamer belongs to lawry, and i will never consent that he shall be turned out of her." "i don't want to turn him out of her. i'll take charge of her, and he may go pilot; that's all he's good for." "you mean that you'll be captain?" "that's what i mean." "i don't think lawry will want any one to be captain over him. "if i don't run that steamer, nobody shall!" said ben angrily, as he rose and left the house. "good evening, mrs. wilford," said mr. sherwood. "has lawry gone to bed?" "yes, an hour ago." "is he asleep?" "i suppose he is." "all right, then." "what in the world are you going to do with such a crowd of men, mr. sherwood?" "i'm going to help the boys finish their job. ethan told me they had stopped the leak, and it only remained to pump out the steamer. i am going to do this job; and i have men enough to finish it in a couple of hours." "i should think you had," added mrs. wilford. "i have gathered together all the men i could find. don't say a word to the boys, if you please. i intend to surprise them. they will find the steamer free of water in the morning." "you are very kind, mr. sherwood, to take so much trouble." "the boys have worked so well that they deserve encouragement. may i take the ferry-boat to convey my men up to the steamer?" "certainly, sir." mr. sherwood encouraged the men to work well by the promise of extra pay; and the laborers seemed to regard the occasion as a grand frolic. they exerted themselves to the utmost, and the buckets flew along the lines, while the pumps rolled out the water in a continuous flow. as the steamer, relieved of the weight that pressed her down, rose on the surface of the lake, it was only necessary to lift the water from below and pour it upon the deck, from which it would run off itself. the job did not last long before such a strong force; and in two hours the work of the bailers was done. ethan had fully described the method by which the hole in the hull of the _woodville_ had been stopped; but mr. sherwood had some doubts in regard to the strength of the material, and he went below to examine the place. lawry and his fellow laborer had had no opportunity to test the strength and fitness of the work they had done, while the boat was full of water. on examination, mr. sherwood found several small jets of water streaming through the seams between the planks, outside of the canvas carpet, which he stopped with packing from the engineer's storeroom. the braces which the boys had put over the hole kept the oilcloth in position, and when the packing had been driven into the open seams with a chisel and mallet, hardly any water came in around the aperture. the boys were warmly commended by their partial friend for the skill they had displayed in stopping the leak; and some of the men, who were familiar with vessels, that the steamer would not leak ten strokes an hour. it was therefore safe to leave her; and mr. sherwood was satisfied that the boys would not find the water up to the bottom of the cabin floor in the morning. he carefully examined every part of the steamer to assure himself that everything was right before he left her. the pumps were tried again, just before they embarked for home, but they yielded only a few strokes of water. the party returned to the landing, and mr. sherwood cautioned the men not to make any noise as they passed the cottage, fearful that the boys might be awakened and the delightful surprise in store for them spoiled. but lawry and ethan, worn out by the fatigue and excitement of the day, slept like logs, and the discharge of a battery of artillery under their chamber window would hardly have aroused them from their slumbers. the men went to their several homes, and all was quiet at the ferry. chapter xii from despondency to rejoicing ben wilford made his way to the deck of the steamer, and in the darkness stumbled against the cables, with which the boat was anchored. he was bent on mischief, and he unstoppered the cables, permitting them to run out and sink to the bottom of the lake. the wind was blowing, still pretty fresh, from the west, and the steamer, now loosened from her moorings, began to drift toward the middle of the lake. "they'll find i'm not a nobody," whined he. "she'll go down in the deep water this time." the drunken villain then stumbled about the deck till he found the lines which kept the hogsheads in place under the guards. groaning, crying, and swearing, he untied and threw the ropes overboard. some of the casks, relieved of the pressure on them by the removal of the water from the interior of the hull, came out from their places and floated off. ben rolled into the wherry again, and with the boat-hook hauled the others out. satisfied that he had done his work, and that the _woodville_ would soon go down in the middle of the lake, he pulled as rapidly as his intoxicated condition would permit toward the ferry-landing. "they'll find i'm not a nobody," he repeated, as he rowed to the shore. "they can't raise her now; and they'll never see her again." intoxicated as he was, he had not lost his sense of caution. he knew that he had done a mean and wicked action, which it might be necessary for him to conceal. as he approached the landing, he wiped his eyes, and choked down the emotions that agitated him. he tried to make no noise, but his movements were very uncertain; he tumbled over the thwarts, and rattled the oars, so that, if those in the cottage had not slept like rocks, they must have heard him. he reeled up to the house, took off his shoes, and crept upstairs to his room. he made noise enough to wake his mother; but lawry and ethan were not disturbed. the wretch had accomplished his work. he was satisfied, as he laid his boozy head upon the pillow, that the _woodville_ was even then at the bottom of the lake, with a hundred feet of water rolling over her. it was two o'clock in the morning; but the vile tipple he had drank, and the deed he had done, so excited him that he could not sleep. he tossed on his bed till the day dawned, and the blessed light streamed in at the window of the attic. "four o'clock!" shouted lawry, as the timepiece in the kitchen struck the hour. "all hands ahoy, ethan!" his enthusiastic fellow laborer needed no second call, and leaped out of bed. ben was still awake, and the lapse of the hours had in some measure sobered him. "it's a fine day, ethan," said lawry. "glad of that. how long do you suppose it will take to pump her out?" "all day, i think; but we are to have four men to help us. i was considering that matter when i went to sleep last night," replied lawry. "i was thinking whether we could not rig a barrel under the derrick so as to get along a little faster than the pumps will do it. "perhaps we can; we will see." "where is your steamer?" asked ben, rising in bed. "we anchored her near the goblins," replied lawry. "she isn't there now," added ben. "how do you know?" demanded the pilot. "i've been sick, and couldn't sleep; so i got up and went outdoors. she isn't where you left her, and i couldn't see anything of her anywhere." "couldn't see her!" exclaimed ethan. "i knew very well she wouldn't stay on top of the water. casks wouldn't keep her up," said ben maliciously. lawry rushed out of the room to the other end of the house, the attic window of which commanded a full view of the lake. as his brother had declared, the _woodville_ was not at her anchorage where they had left her; neither was she to be seen, whichever way he looked. "she is gone!" cried he, returning to his chamber. "of course she is gone," added ben. "i don't understand it." "she has gone to the bottom, of course, where i told you she would go. you were a fool to leave her out there in the deep water. she has gone down where you will never see her again." "it was impossible for her to sink with all those casks under her guards," said ethan. "i guess you will find she has sunk. i told you she would. if you had only minded what i told you, she would have been all right, lawry." both of the boys seemed to be paralyzed at the discovery, and made no reply to ben. they could not realize that all the hard labor they had performed was lost. it was hard and cruel, and each reproached himself because they had not passed the night on board of the steamer, as they had purposed to do. "well, it's no use to stand here like logs," said lawry, "if she has sunk, we will find out where she is." "i reckon you'll never see her again, lawry. those old casks leaked, i suppose, and when they were full of water the steamer went down again; or else they broke loose from her when the wind blew so hard." "it didn't blow much when we went to bed. what time did you come home, ben?" "i don't know what time it was," he answered evasively. "come, ethan, let's go and find out what the matter is," continued lawry, as he led the way downstairs. mrs. wilford was not up, but she was awake, and was anticipating with great satisfaction the pleasure of the surprise which awaited the boys, when they discovered that the steamer had been freed from water. they left the house, and went down to the ferry. the _woodville_ certainly was not where they had left her; not even the top of her smokestack could be seen peering above the water to inform them that she still existed. "well, lawry, we may as well go out to the place where we left her. if she has sunk, we may be able to see her," said ethan. they got into the boat; but one of the oars was gone. ben had lost it overboard when he landed, and it had floated off. there was another pair in the woodshed of the house, and lawry went up for them. as he entered the shed, he met his mother, who had just risen, and gone out for wood to kindle the fire. the poor boy looked so sad and disconsolate that his long face attracted her attention. "what's the matter, lawry?" she asked. "the steamer has sunk again," replied the son. "sunk again!" exclaimed his mother. "she is not to be seen, and ben says she has gone down." "ben says so?" "yes; he told us of it before we came down. we are going to look for her now," answered lawry. what lawry had said excited the suspicion of his mother, as she thought of the malicious words of her older son on the preceding evening. she was excited and indignant; she feared he had executed the wicked purpose which she was confident he had cherished. she went into the house, and upstairs to the room where ben still lay in bed. "benjamin, what have you done?" demanded she. "i haven't done anything. i'm a nobody here!" replied the inebriated young man, with surly emphasis. "what did you mean last night when you said that you should run that steamer, or nobody should?" asked mrs. wilford. "i meant just what i said. you and lawry both said i shouldn't run her--and she has gone to the bottom again; she'll stay there this time." "oh, benjamin!" said his mother, bursting into tears. "how could you be so wicked?" "did you think i'd stay round here, and be a nobody?" growled the wretched young man. "did you sink that steamer?" "what if i did?" "oh, benjamin!" "you needn't cry about it. next time, you'd better not try to make a nobody out of me." "don't you think i've had trouble enough, without trying to make more for me?" sobbed the distressed mother. "if you had told lawry to give me the charge of the steamer, he would have done it," whined ben. "i shouldn't tell him any such thing!" replied mrs. wilford indignantly. "a pretty captain of a steamboat you would make! you are so tipsy now you can't hold your head up!" "i'm as sober as you are." mrs. wilford knew that it was useless to talk to a person in his condition, and she left him to sleep off the effect of his cups if he could, after the evil deed he had done. full of sympathy for lawry, under his great affliction, she left the house, and hastened down to the landing, to learn, if possible, the condition of the _woodville_. lawry and ethan were in the wherry, returning to the shore, when she reached the landing. "hurrah! hurrah!" shouted both of the boys, in unison, as mrs. wilford came in sight. "what now?" asked the anxious mother. "she's safe, mother! she has not sunk," replied lawry. "where is she? i don't see her anywhere," added mrs. wilford, scanning the lake in every direction. "over on the other side," replied lawry. "what's the reason she didn't sink?" continued his mother. "the casks kept her up, of course. we want something for breakfast and for dinner, mother, for she is so far off we can't come home till we have pumped her out, and i won't leave her again till i am sure she's all right." "what shall i do about the ferry, mother?" asked lawry. "will ben run the boat to-day?" "don't trouble yourself about the ferry, lawry. if benjamin won't take care of it, i will." "i don't want you to do it, mother." "i think your brother will run the boat; at any rate, you needn't give it a thought." mrs. wilford was quite as happy as the boys to find that the steamer was not at the bottom of the lake again; and she returned to the cottage with a light heart, when she had seen the wherry leave the shore. from the deepest depths of despondency, if not despair, the young engineers had been raised to the highest pinnacle of hope and joy when the _woodville_ was discovered on the other side of the lake. she had drifted in behind a point of land, and could not be seen from the ferry. they had gone out to the place where she had been anchored, near the goblins; and while they were gazing down into the deep water in search of her, ethan happened to raise his eyes and saw her on the other side of the lake. what a thrill went through his heart as he recognized her! and what a thrill he communicated to lawry when he pointed her out to him! "why, the casks are all gone!" exclaimed ethan. "all gone!" replied lawry. "she must be aground," added ethan; "but she sets out of water a great deal farther than when we left her." "we shall soon find out what the matter is," continued lawry. "she is safe, and on the top of the water; that's enough for me at the present time." "what does this mean?" he exclaimed. "i don't know. the water couldn't have run out of her without some help," replied ethan. "i don't understand it," added lawry. "the casks are all gone, and the steamer has been pumped out. somebody must have done this work." "that's true," said ethan. "somebody has certainly been here." "there's no doubt of that; but i can't see, for the life of me, what they wanted to set her adrift for." "nor i; they were good friends to pump her out for us, whoever they were. in my opinion, mr. sherwood knows something about this job." "but slipping the cables looks just as though they intended to have her smashed up on the shore," added lawry. "the anchors are not here, and, of course, they are on the bottom of the lake. i don't see through this business." "nor i, either; but one thing we can see through; the steamer is safe, with the water all pumped out of her. we may as well go to work, and get her over to the ferry." this was good counsel, and without losing any more time in attempts to fathom what was dark and strange, they commenced the labors of the day. chapter xiii getting up steam a survey of the position of the _woodville_ showed that she was slightly aground at the stern; but ethan was confident that a few turns of the wheels would bring her off. the boys then tried the pumps; but after less than a hundred strokes they refused to yield any more water. they then carefully examined every part of the interior below the decks. "she's all right," said lawry. "what shall we do now?" "get up steam," replied ethan. "i have a couple of hours' work to do on the engine; but we will start the furnaces at once." "can't i make the fire?" asked lawry. "yes, if you know how." "you can show me. i don't know much about steam-boilers and engines." "we will get our dry wood out of the wherry, and i will help you start the fire. while i am at work on the engine, you will have to overhaul your steering-gear, and see that it is all right. the chains and pulleys will need to be oiled." lawry got into the wherry, and threw the dry wood on deck. ethan had not expected to kindle the fires till night, when he hoped the water would be below the furnaces. it was a grateful surprise to be able at once to go to work on the engine. he was enthusiastic in his fondness for machinery, and that of the _woodville_ was his particular pet. after he had tried the valves on the boiler, and assured himself that it contained the proper supply of water, the fires were started in the furnaces. there was plenty of wood and coal on board, though the former was so wet that it would not burn without some assistance, which was furnished by the dry fuel brought off in the wherry. in a little while the furnaces were roaring with the blaze from the wood, and the coal was shoveled in. ethan, having dried a quantity of the wet packing, commenced rubbing down and oiling the machinery. he was in his element now, and never was a young man in a higher state of keen enjoyment. while he was thus engaged, lawry overhauled the steering apparatus, rubbed down the wheel, oiled the pulleys, and satisfied himself that everything was in working order. the situation and the work were in the highest degree exhilarating. it was not labor to clean and adjust the gear; it was a pleasure such as he had never realized from the most exciting sports. he could hardly repress the rapture he felt when he saw the black smoke from the pine wood pouring out of the smokestack. "this is my steamer," said he to himself. "i am the owner of her." the thought made him laugh with joy. he stood up at the wheel, and though he could not turn it, because the rudder was fast in the sand, he knew exactly how he should feel when he stood in this position with the _woodville_ gliding swiftly over the bright waters of the lake. the steering-gear was in perfect order, so far as he could judge without using it, and ethan was still busy at the engine. lawry could not deny himself the pleasure of a survey of the steamer, for the purpose of admiring her comforts and conveniences. he walked up and down the main-deck, entered the saloon and the cabin, visited the forehold, and opened the doors of the various apartments forward of the paddle-boxes. it is true, everything was in a state of "confusion worse confounded." carpets were soaked with water, curtains were drabbled and stained, sofas and chairs upset in the cabin and saloon; while in the kitchen and storerooms, shelves and lockers had been emptied, and their contents strewed in wild disorder about the apartments. but lawry knew how order could be brought out of chaos, and the derangement of furniture and utensils did not disturb him. it would be a delightful occupation to restore harmony to these shelves and lockers, to bring order and neatness out of the confusion which reigned in every part of the steamer. when he had completed his survey, he went to the engine-room, and offered his services to ethan for duty in his department. as the engineer had nothing for him to do, he returned to the kitchen, and busied himself in putting things to rights there, foreseeing that this apartment would soon be needed. he made a fire in the galley, in order to dry the room more speedily, and then occupied his time in picking up the tins and the kettles, and putting them in their places. while he was examining the lockers and shelves, he found part of a leg of bacon, and some potatoes, which had been left from the stores used by the crew on the passage from new york up to the lake. there were coffee and tea in the canisters, sugar in the buckets, butter and salt in the boxes; though all these articles had been more or less soaked in the water, depending upon the tightness of the vessels that held them. there was a good fire in the stove, and a bright thought entered lawry's excited brain; he and his companion would breakfast on fried ham and potatoes, flanked with hot coffee! lawry was a cook of no mean accomplishments, and he immediately went to work in carrying out his brilliant idea. somehow, it is a singular fact that boys have a special delight in "getting up something to eat" in the woods, on the water, and generally in all out-of-the-way places. a dinner at parker's or delmonico's is not to be compared with baked potatoes and roasted ears of corn in the woods, or with fried fish and potatoes in a boat or on an island. the young pilot was no exception to the common rule, and in a state of rapture known only to the amateur cook of tender years, he put on the teakettle, pared and sliced the potatoes, and put a quantity of the brown mud from the canister into the coffeepot. things were hissing and sizzling on the stove in the most satisfactory manner, and lawry presided over the frying-pan with a grace and dignity which would have been edifying in a professional cook. while the ham was cooking, he wiped the dishes with a cloth he had dried at the fire, and set the table on the broad bench at the end of the kitchen. the meat and the potatoes were "done to a turn," but the coffee had a suspicious look, owing to the absence of the fish-skin, or other ingredient, for settling it. the contents of the basket brought from home were tastily disposed in dishes on the table, and breakfast was ready. we will venture to say that, in spite of the disadvantages under which this meal was prepared, many steamboat men have sat down to a less satisfactory banquet. lawry, chuckling with delight at what he had done, rang the hand-bell he found in the kitchen, at the door. if ethan had smelled the savory viands in the course of preparation for him, he had made no sign; but he was probably too busy to heed anything but the darling engine he was so affectionately caressing with handfuls of packing and spurts of oil. "what's that bell for, lawry?" shouted he. "breakfast's ready," replied lawry. "i wouldn't stop to eat now--would you?" "things will be cold if you don't." "cold?" laughed ethan. "yes--cold. what's the use of having a kitchen if you don't use it?" "you're a good one!" shouted ethan. "why didn't you tell me what you were about?" "i didn't want to spoil your appetite." "you are a first-rate fellow, lawry. your breakfast looks tip-top, and i shall do full justice to it; but i must go and look at the boiler and the fires before i eat." they sat down to breakfast when ethan had returned and washed the smut from his face and hands. lawry poured out the coffee, and helped his companion to ham and potatoes. the engineer ate with good relish. "your ham and potatoes are first-rate, lawry; but i've seen better coffee than this," said he. "i had nothing to settle it, and there is no milk on board." "we had some fish-skin, and there is plenty of condensed milk on board," replied ethan. the coffee was subjected to a new process, and the condensed milk prepared for use. by the time the substantials of the feast had been discussed, some pretty good coffee was ready for them. the boys ate their breakfast with a zest they had never known before. "ethan!" exclaimed lawry. "what, lawry?" "hold me down!" shouted the proprietor of the _woodville_. "what's the matter?" "hold me down! i shall go up if you don't. i can't hold in any longer. i'm so tickled, i feel as though i should fly away." "don't do it," laughed ethan. "but i must go and look after the engine, or we may both go up, in a way that won't suit us;" and ethan hurried down into the fire-room. after taking a turn up and down the deck, lawry curbed down his superfluous enthusiasm, and returned to the kitchen, where he extinguished the fire in the galley, and put away the dishes and kettles which had been used in getting breakfast. by this time ethan had finished his work on the engine, and the steam gage indicated a sufficient pressure to work the machinery. "all ready, lawry!" shouted he. "is everything all right?" "yes, as good as new. now, if you will go into the wheel-house, we will see what she will do." "hurrah!" shouted lawry. he pulled the bell for starting her, and with a thrill of delight he heard the wheels splashing in the water; and the great splurges began to roll up on the shore. "does she move?" asked ethan, through the speaking-tube which communicated with the engine-room. "no, she sticks fast," replied lawry. "give her a little more of it." the wheels of the steamer turned rapidly for a moment, and the _woodville_ slid off the ground into deep water. "hurrah!" shouted lawry, as he rang the bell to stop her. "she's all right now," he added, through the tube. "go ahead, then," replied the engineer. "as soon as i make fast the wherry astern." before he went to the wheel-house he sounded the pumps again, and visited the forehold to examine the oilcloth over the aperture in the bow. there was but little water in the well, and the canvas carpet was faithful to its duty. there was nothing to fear, though lawry couldn't help fearing. "are you all ready, ethan?" called the pilot through the tube. "all ready; but don't you think we had better hoist the flags, and go over in good style?" responded the engineer. "aye, aye." the small american flag and the union jack, which had been taken from the poles the night before, and deposited in the locker of the wherry, were displayed, and lawry returned to his post. the pilot rang his bell to start, and the wheels turned slowly as ethan opened the valve. the _woodville_ moved off from the shore, and lawry's heart bounded as though it had been part of the engine. he grasped the spokes, and heaved the wheel over; the beautiful craft obeyed her helm. "hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted lawry, at the mouth of the speaking-tube. "hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" echoed back from the engine-room. lawry stood at the wheel, looking through the open window in front of him. it was his hour of triumph. as he gazed at the shore, he saw the ferry-boat start out from the landing. there was no vehicle in her, and as the steamer approached nearer to her, he saw that mr. sherwood and the ladies were on board of her. they were coming out to welcome and congratulate ethan and himself upon the triumphant success of the enterprise. mrs. wilford was with them, and ben held the steering oar. lawry informed his friend, through the tube, of the approach of the party. the ladies in the ferry-boat were waving their handkerchiefs, and mr. sherwood was swinging his hat. "whistle, lawry!" shouted the engineer, as the pilot informed him what was taking place. "hurrah!" shouted the pilot, as he pulled the string. as the _woodville_ came up to the bateau, lawry rang to stop, and, swinging his hat out the window, gave three cheers all alone, while the ladies waved their handkerchiefs in reply. chapter xiv captain lawry the bateau ran up to the steamer, and ben made her fast at the forward gangway. mr. sherwood still cheered, and the ladies continued to wave their handkerchiefs. "won't you come on board?" said lawry to the party. "i shall, for one," replied mr. sherwood. "i'm afraid of her," added miss fanny. "there is nothing to fear, ladies. she is safe, and we are running her very slowly," continued the young pilot. "lawry knows where the rocks are," said mrs. wilford, "and i'll warrant you there is no danger." with some misgivings, the ladies, who had suffered by the catastrophe when the _woodville_ was wrecked, permitted themselves to be handed to the deck of the steamer. "i congratulate you on your success, lawry," said mr. sherwood, as he stepped on board after the ladies. "you have worked bravely, and succeeded nobly;" and he grasped the hand of the pilot. "thank you, sir. i knew i could raise her, if i had fair play. i don't know but you are sick of your bargain, sir, in giving her to me." "by no means, captain lawry," replied the rich man, laughing. "if the ladies succeed in overcoming their terror of steamboats, i suppose i can charter the boat for our party when we wish to use her." "she's at your service always, sir," replied lawry. "oh, i shall take her on the same terms that others do. when i use her, i shall pay you." "that wouldn't be fair, sir. i couldn't take any money from you for the use of her," added lawry, blushing. "we will not talk about that now. when she is in condition for use, we will consider these questions. how did you find her this morning?" asked mr. sherwood, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "we found the water all pumped out of her; and we didn't know what to make of it," answered lawry. all the visitors burst out laughing, and heartily enjoyed the astonishment and confusion of the young pilot. "i don't understand it," exclaimed lawry. "the fairies, knowing what a good boy you are, lawry, must have pumped her out for you," said miss fanny. "perhaps they did." mr. sherwood then explained what he had done the preceding night, and the reason why he had done it. ben wilford, after fastening the ferry-boat at the stern of the steamer, had come on deck, and listened to the explanation. he saw in what manner his malice had been defeated, and he looked very much dissatisfied with himself and everybody on board. "you were very kind, mr. sherwood, to take so much trouble upon yourself," said lawry. "it was no trouble at all; it was a great pleasure to me. but i don't understand how the steamer happened to be on the other side of the lake." "i supposed the persons who bailed her out set her adrift. the casks were all knocked out from under the guards, and they are scattered all along the shore." "before my men left her last night, i went all over the boat to satisfy myself that everything was right. i examined the cables very carefully, and i am sure they were well stoppered at twelve o'clock, when we went on shore." "i fastened the cable myself, and i don't think she could have broken loose herself." ben wilford listened in sullen silence to this conversation, and his mother could hardly keep from crying as she thought of the guilt of her oldest son. she was not willing to tell lawry what his brother had done, fearful that his indignation would produce a quarrel where brotherly love should prevail. she believed that ben had attempted, while under the influence of liquor, to sink the _woodville_, and that he would not do such a thing in his sober senses. neither lawry nor mr. sherwood could explain in what manner the steamer had broken from her moorings and the oil-casks been removed from their fastenings; so they were obliged to drop the matter, congratulating themselves upon the present safety of the boat. "we will go ashore with you, captain lawry, when you are ready," said mr. sherwood, after the question had been disposed of in this unsatisfactory manner. "captain lawry!" sneered ben. "certainly; he is the captain of the steamer--isn't he?" laughed mr. sherwood. "it sounds big for a boy," growled ben. "he will make a good captain." ben turned and walked away, disgusted with the idea. "i'm ready, sir," said lawry. "where are you bound next, captain lawry?" asked mr. sherwood. "i'm going to fish up the anchors we lost, and then to pick up the oil-casks," replied lawry. "where do you intend to keep your steamer?" "i hadn't thought of that, sir." "you will need a wharf." "we need one; but i think we shall have to get along without one." "where would be a good place to have one?" "the deepest water is just below the ferry-landing. we could get depth enough for this boat by running a pier out about forty feet. ethan and i can build some kind of a wharf, when we have time." mr. sherwood said no more about the matter, and ben landed the visitors in the ferry-boat. the _woodville_ then ran down to the goblins, and towed the raft out to the spot where the anchors lay. a boat grapnel was dragged over the spot, the cables hooked, and the anchors hauled up with the derrick on the raft, from which they were transferred to the steamer. having obtained these necessary appendages of the steamer, they returned to the landing for the ferry-boat, in which they intended to load the oil-casks, and convey them to pointville. ben was at the landing when she arrived, and without any invitation, stepped on board the ferry-boat, and thence to the steamer. "don't you want some help, lawry?" asked ben. "yes; we should be glad of all the help we can get," replied lawry pleasantly. "well, i'll help you." "we have a good deal of hard work to do to-day," added the pilot. "i would like to get the boat on the ways at port henry to-night." "that can be done easy enough." ben wilford seemed now to have adopted a conciliatory policy, but it was evidently done for a purpose. when the _woodville_ reached the goblins, he worked with good will in loading the ferry-boat, which was towed over to pointville, and her cargo discharged. the casks, which had drifted over to the eastern shore of the lake, were then picked up, and landed at the same place. the man who had carted them down to the shore was engaged to convey them back to the barn of the oil speculator. it was noon by the time this work was all accomplished; and the _woodville_ again crossed the lake, and came to anchor in the deep water above the ferry-landing, as close to the shore as it was prudent for her to lie. ethan banked his fires, and the boys went on shore to dinner, one at a time; for after the experience of the preceding night they would not leave the steamer alone for a single moment. after dinner, mr. sherwood, who appeared to be as much interested in the little steamer as though she had not changed her ownership, came on board again, accompanied by the ladies. it had before been decided that the carpets should be taken up, the muslin curtains removed, and such portions of the furniture and utensils as had been injured by the water should be conveyed on shore to be cleaned, and put in proper order for use. in this labor mr. sherwood's party and mrs. wilford assisted, and by the middle of the afternoon everything had been removed. ben wilford aided very zealously, and his mother hopefully concluded that he was sorry for what he intended to do, and wished to remove any suspicion of evil intentions on his part. the _woodville_ was now going down to port henry, where the repairs on her hull were to be made, and the pilot and engineer were to remain on board. ben promised faithfully to run the ferry during lawry's absence; and, cheered by the party on the shore, the _woodville_ departed for her destination. she ran at half speed, but reached the port before sunset. the next morning she went on the ways, and her repairs commenced. during that time ethan was constantly employed on the engine, and when the steamer was restored to her native element there was not a suspicion of rust on the machinery. lawry was also as busy as a bee all the time, scrubbing the floors, cleaning the paint, and polishing the brass-work. when the boat was ready to return to port rock, she was in condition to receive her furniture. she was launched early in the morning, and ethan proceeded at once to get up steam. both of the boys were in the highest state of expectancy and delight; and when lawry struck the bell to start her, he was hardly less excited than when he had done so for the first time after the water had been pumped out of her. all the bunting was displayed at the bow and stern, and the _woodville_ now plowed the lake at full speed. her happy owner realized that she was good for ten miles an hour, which, for so diminutive a craft, was more than he had a right to expect. "hello!" shouted lawry to himself, as the steamer approached the ferry-landing; "what's that?" in the deep water which the young pilot had indicated as the best place for a wharf, a pier was in process of erection. a score of bridge-builders were sawing, hammering, and chopping, and mr. sherwood stood in their midst, watching their operations. the structure was not complete, but the mooring posts were set up, so that the _woodville_ could be made fast to them. mr. sherwood and the workmen gave three cheers as the steamer approached. "run her up here, lawry!" shouted his wealthy friend. "aye, aye, sir." "you have taken this job out of my hands, sir," said lawry, as he glanced at the wharf. "yes; i thought i could do it better than you could, as your time will be fully occupied." "i think i should have found time enough to do what i intended; but of course i couldn't have built any such wharf as this." "it is none too good." "but i ought to pay for it out of the money i may earn with the boat." "never mind that, lawry," added mr. sherwood. the young captain explained what had been done during his absence, and informed his interested friend that the steamer was in condition to receive her furniture. "shall you have her ready for a trip by to-morrow?" asked mr. sherwood. "yes, sir." "because i have taken the liberty to engage her, in your name, for several parties." "you are very kind, sir," replied lawry. "have you fixed upon any price for her?" "ethan and i were talking over the matter. we shall need some help on board, and that will cost money. coal is pretty high up here on the lake." "well, how much did you intend to charge for her by the day, or the hour?" "we thought about three dollars an hour," replied lawry, with much diffidence. "three dollars an hour! you are too modest by half," laughed mr. sherwood. "make it five, at least. i told the parties i engaged for you that the price would not be less than fifty dollars a day." "i'm afraid i shall make money too fast at that rate," added lawry. "no, you won't. it will cost a great deal of money to run the boat. what do you pay your engineer?" "i don't know, sir; we have made no bargain yet." "if ethan does a man's work, you must pay him a man's wages. i suppose he wants to make his fortune." "what do you think he ought to have?" asked lawry. "three dollars a day," replied mr. sherwood promptly. "i dare say ethan would not charge you half so much; but that is about the wages of a man for running an engine in these times." "i am satisfied, if that is fair wages; though it is a great deal more than i ever made." "engineers get high wages. then you want a fireman." "i can get a boy, who will answer very well for a fireman." "i think not, lawry. you need a man of experience and judgment. he can save his wages for you in coal. the man whom i employed as a fireman is just the person, and he is at the village now." "what must i pay him, sir?" "two dollars a day. then your parties will want some dinner on board, and you will need a cook, and two stewards. a woman to do the cooking, and two girls to tend the table, will answer your purpose. you can obtain the three for about seven dollars a week; but your passengers must pay extra for their meals, and you need not charge the expenses of the steward's department to the boat." "if you expect to succeed, lawry, you must do your work well. your boat must be safe and comfortable, and your dinners nice and well served. you will want two deck-hands. your expenses, including coal, oil for machinery, and hands, will be about twenty dollars a day. if you add repairs, of which steamboats are continually in need, you will run it up to twenty-five dollars a day." "that will leave me a profit of twenty-five dollars a day," added lawry, delighted at the thought. "if you are employed every day, it will; but you cannot expect to do anything with parties for more than two months in the year." "i can get some towing to do; and i may make something with passengers." "parties will pay best in july and august, and perhaps part of september; but you must be wide-awake." "i intend to be." "i advise you to get up a handbill of your steamer, announcing that she is to be let to parties by the day, at all the large ports on the lake. there are plenty of wealthy people, spending the summer in this vicinity, who would be glad to engage her, even for a week at once." "will you write me a handbill, mr. sherwood?" "yes, and get it printed." "thank you, sir." "the _woodville_ is engaged to me for to-morrow," added mr. sherwood. chapter xv the new captain lawry was bewildered by the magnificence of the arrangements suggested by mr. sherwood; but if the _woodville_ was to be employed in taking out parties of genteel people, nothing less magnificent would answer the purpose. his influential friend, it appeared, had already exerted himself to procure employment of this kind for the steamer, and the proprietor of the beautiful craft was not only willing to conform to his ideas, but was grateful for the kindly interest he manifested in the prosperity of the enterprise. mrs. wilford had engaged a cook, and two girls for the steward's department; the fireman was sent for; and two boys were employed as deck-hands. now, lawry thought it was quite necessary that his crew should be trained a little before any passengers were received on board, and after mr. sherwood and his party had gone home, the fires were revived, and a short trip down the lake determined upon. as soon as there was steam enough for the purpose, the pilot, now the captain, rang his bell to back her, and the deck-hands were instructed in getting the fasts on board. ben wilford, who was standing on the wharf, cast off the hawsers, and then jumped aboard, himself. the bells jingled for a few moments, and then the _woodville_ went off on her course. "this is all very fine," said ben. "first-rate," laughed lawry. "what am i to do?" demanded ben, rather gruffly. "you?" said the pilot. "everybody seems to have something to do with her except me." "what do you want to do?" "i suppose you think i'm not fit for anything." "i had an idea that you would stay at home, and run the ferry-boat." "did you?" sneered ben. "some one must do that; and of course i can't now." "hang the ferry-boat!" "it must be run, or we shall forfeit the privilege." "i shall not run it, whatever happens." "i don't see how i can." "lawry, i don't think you are using me right," added ben sourly. "why, what have i done?" "you've got this boat, and though you know i'm a steamboat man, you don't say a word to me about taking any position on board of her." "i don't know what position there is on board for you, unless you take a deck-hand's place." "a deck-hand!" "that is what you have always been." "do you think i'm going to be bossed by you?" "ben, if you will tell me just what you want, i shall understand you better," said lawry, rather impatiently. "you know what i want. there is only one place in the boat i would be willing to take." "you mean captain." "of course i do." "i intended to be captain myself." "i thought you were going to be pilot of her." "so i am; and captain, too." "then you mean to leave me out entirely." "ben, i don't want to have any row; and i won't quarrel with my brother; but i don't think it is quite fair for you to ask so much of me." "don't i know all about a steamboat?" "can you pilot one up and down the lake?" "well, no; i never did that kind of work." "can you run an engine?" "no; and you can't, either. the captain doesn't have to be a pilot, nor an engineer." "what must he do, then?" "he must look out for everything, make the landing, and see that the people on board are comfortable." "i intend to do all that." "how can you do it, and stay in the wheel-house?" "i shall not stay there all the time. the deck-hands know how to steer. i want to do what's fair and right, ben. the steamer was given to me; and i don't exactly like to have any one to boss me on board." "the captain don't have much to do with the pilot, and i sha'n't boss you." "suppose the question should come up, whether or not the boat should take a certain job; who would decide the question--you or i?" "i'm the oldest, and i think i ought to have the biggest voice in the matter." "but the boat is mine," added lawry, with emphasis. "as to that, she is just as much mine as she is yours." "i'm willing to do what's fair and right; but i shall not have any captain over me in this boat," replied lawry. "lawry, you are my brother," said ben angrily; "but i don't care for that. you set yourself up above me; you make me a nobody. i won't stand it!" "i don't set myself up above you, ben." "yes, you do. you offered me the place of deck-hand!" "i didn't ask you to take any place. i'll tell you what i will do, ben. i'll talk with mother and mr. sherwood about the matter, and if they think you ought to be captain of the _woodville_, you shall be." "mr. sherwood don't know everything." "i think he would know what is right in a case like this." "he thinks you are a little god, and i know what he would say." "i will do as mother says, then." "what do women know about these things?" "i don't think mr. sherwood or mother would like it if i should give up the command of this boat to any one." "let them lump it, then," replied ben, as he rushed out of the wheel-house, incensed beyond measure at lawry's opposition to his unreasonable proposal. captain lawry was sorely disturbed by the conduct of his brother. he could not enjoy his pleasant position at the wheel, and he put the steamer about, heading her toward port rock. "lawry," said ben, returning to the wheel-house, "i want you to tell me what you are going to do. i'm older than you, and i have seen more steamboating than you have. i think it's my right to be captain of this boat." "i don't think so." "i don't want to jaw any more about it." "i'm sure i don't." "all i've got to say is, that if i don't run this boat no one will." "what do you mean by that, ben?" demanded lawry. "no matter what i mean. i'm going to have what belongs to me. once for all, am i to be captain, or not?" "no," replied lawry firmly. ben went out of the wheel-house, and the pilot did not see him again till after the _woodville_ reached her wharf. lawry was sadly grieved at the attitude of his brother; and if ben had been a reliable person, fit for the position he aspired to obtain, he would have yielded the point. but the would-be captain was an intemperate and dissolute fellow, as unsuitable for the command as he would have been for the presidency of a bank. early on the following morning the supplies for the _woodville_ were taken on board, and at eight o'clock everything was in readiness for the reception of mr. sherwood's party. the steam was merrily hissing from the escape-pipe; ethan was busy, as he always was, in rubbing down the polished parts of the engine, and lawry was walking up and down the forward deck. quite a collection of people had assembled on the unfinished wharf and the shore to witness the departure of the steamer. as captain lawry paced the deck, there was a slight commotion in the crowd, and three persons passed through, making their way to the deck. one of them was the sheriff who had arrested the ferryman a few days before. he was followed by mr. taylor, his father's creditor, and ben wilford. "i'm sorry to trouble you, lawry," said the official; "but i suppose i must do my duty." "what's the matter, sir?" asked lawry. "what have i done?" "nothing, my boy. i think this is rather mean business; but i can't help it," replied the sheriff, as he produced certain documents. "your father owes mr. taylor a note of nine hundred and fifty dollars, on which the interest has not been paid for two years, making the debt ten hundred and sixty-four dollars." "but the place is mortgaged for that," replied lawry. "i have just foreclosed the mortgage; and now i must attach this steamboat." "attach it!" groaned lawry. "such are my orders; your father's place would hardly sell for enough to pay the debt." "but this boat is mine," pleaded lawry. "you are a minor, lawry; and your father is entitled by law to all your earnings, as you have a claim on him for your support. i can't stop to explain this matter. the steamer is in my possession now, subject to the decree of the court. i shall appoint a person to take charge of her and run her for the benefit of the parties in interest." "that's too bad!" exclaimed lawry. "i know it is; but i can't help it," replied the sheriff. "i shall appoint your brother, and from this time he has full control of her." it was evident even to lawry, who had not been informed of his brother's worst intentions, that ben was at the bottom of this conspiracy. such was indeed the truth. mr. taylor was a young man who had recently inherited a large fortune, which, it was plain, would soon be squandered, for he was both intemperate and reckless. ben had helped him home one night after a drunken carousal, which had been the beginning of an intimacy between them, for the younger tippler was not one to neglect an opportunity to secure a wealthy friend. they had talked together about the _woodville_ on several occasions, and ben had suggested in what manner he might obtain the debt due him. on the night before the visit of the sheriff to the steamer, the malignant and jealous brother had repeated to his dissipated patron the story of his grievances--that he was a "nobody" at home, and that lawry wanted to make a deck-hand of him. though not a badly disposed man in the main, taylor listened with interest and sympathy to the exaggerated and distorted narrative, and the plan by which ben was to be put in possession of the steamer was matured. the creditor went to a lawyer, one of his boon companions, who was quite willing to make business for himself; and he had looked up the law and arranged the facts, by which he expected to hold the steamer. doubtless it was a very ingenious scheme, and perhaps it is unfortunate that the case never came to trial, for it involved some interesting legal points. thus far the design had been carried out, and ben was in command of the steamer, as an employee of the sheriff. "i won't be as hard with you, lawry, as you were with me," said ben, as he walked up to lawry in the wheel-house, to which he had retreated to hide his confusion. "this is your work, ben," replied the youth bitterly. "i was bound to have the command of this steamer, and i have got it," added ben, with malignant triumph. "i know you have; you put mr. taylor up to this, or he never would have done it." "don't snarl about it, lawry; the thing is done, and you can't help yourself. the sheriff has given me the command of the boat." "and he has attached the place. mother will be turned out of house and home!" cried lawry, unable to repress his tears. "no, she won't; that will be all right." "oh, ben! how could you do it?" "you drove me to it. it is all your fault, lawry; so you needn't whine about it. don't make a fuss; here comes taylor." "i don't want to see him," said lawry, moving toward the door. "don't go off; i'm going to take taylor and his friends up the lake, to give them a sail." "the boat is engaged to mr. sherwood, to-day." "i can't help it; he will not have her to-day. come, lawry, be a man. i won't be as hard with you, i say, as you were with me. i don't ask you to be a deck-hand. you shall be the pilot still." "no, i won't." "won't you?" "i will not," said lawry firmly, as he dried his tears. "the boat is engaged to mr. sherwood, and he has invited a party to go with him. they were to start at nine o'clock, and they will be down here soon." "can't help it. i promised to take taylor and his friends out, and they are all here now. there are the stores for his party," replied ben, as a couple of men brought a large basket on board, from the top of which protruded the necks of a demijohn and several bottles. "i shall not go with that party," added lawry. "but i want a pilot," said ben. "what's the trouble, wilford?" demanded taylor. "let me tell him you will go, lawry?" whispered ben. "he may be hard on you if you don't." "i will not. i must see mr. sherwood at once." "what's the matter?" asked ethan. lawry was explaining what had happened, when ben came down with taylor. "i shall not go in her till i have seen mr. sherwood," added lawry, as he finished his brief statement. "then i shall not," said ethan. "i can steer her myself," said ben to taylor. "certainly you can." "mr. sherwood will be down soon, and we must be off before he gets here." "go up, and start her then," added taylor. without noticing lawry and ethan, ben rushed up to the wheel-house, and ordered the deck-hands to cast off the fasts, which was done. he knew how to steer a boat, and understood the bells, having had considerable experience on board the large steamers. he rang to back her, supposing ethan was at his post in the engine-room. she did not back, and he rang again, but with no better success than before. "back her!" shouted he, through the speaking-tube. there was no answer; and, filled with anger, the new captain rushed down to the engine-room to "blow up" the engineer. he found ethan on the main-deck. "what are you doing there?" demanded ben. "don't you hear the bells?" "i heard them," replied ethan quietly. "why don't you start her, then?" "i've nothing to do with her." "don't you run that engine?" "i don't." "what do you mean?" "i mean that i will have nothing to do with the engine as things are now." ben raved and stormed at ethan; then he tried to coax him to take his place; but the engineer was as firm as the pilot had been. taylor offered him ten dollars if he would run the engine that day; but he positively refused. the new captain then went down to the fire-room, where the man in charge of the furnaces was promoted to the position of engineer. "now we can go it," said ben. "no; don't start her," said the sheriff. "why not?" "i am responsible for the safety of this boat, and she shall not go with neither pilot nor engineer." taylor and the new captain swore terribly; but the sheriff was immovable. chapter xvi the excursion to whitehall lawry was no lawyer, and was therefore unable to form an opinion in regard to the legality of the steps by which the _woodville_ had been taken from him. it was an accomplished fact, and he was as disconsolate as though he had lost his best friend. he went on shore, and until the peremptory order of the sheriff was given, he expected to see the steamer shoot out from the wharf and disappear beyond the point, in charge of another person than himself. he had refused to pilot the steamer under the new order of things, not because he wished to be spiteful to his brother, but because he was smarting under a sense of injustice, which unfitted him for the duty. though he did not comprehend the legal measures which had been taken, he felt that there was something wrong. the _woodville_ belonged to him, not to his father; and though he was willing to give all his earnings for the support of the family, and even to pay off the mortgage on the place, he felt that it was not right to take the steamer from him. he stood on the wharf, paralyzed by the calamity which had overtaken him. he wanted to do something, but he did not know what to do. the sheriff, by his caution, had defeated the plans of the new captain, and lawry was waiting to see what would happen next. he wished to see mr. sherwood, and he would have hastened up to his house if he could have endured the thought of losing sight of the steamer even for a moment. ethan was still on deck, for though he refused to run the engine, he felt it to be his duty to stand by and see that no accident happened, for the steam was up, and the fireman was an unskillful person. ben wilford and taylor were disappointed and chagrined at their failure to get off. they stormed and swore, till it was apparent that storming and swearing would not start the steamer. the sheriff positively refused to let the boat depart without a competent pilot and engineer. "what shall we do, wilford?" said taylor. "can't you persuade your brother to take hold again?" "he's as obstinate as a mule; but i'll try," replied ben. "offer him twenty dollars for his day's work," added taylor. "i may be able to compromise with him, if you're willing." "anything you please, if you can make him and the other fellow go with us." "lawry, mr. taylor will give you twenty dollars if you will pilot the steamer to-day," said ben. "i wouldn't go for a hundred," replied the young pilot. "i won't go with you at any rate." "don't be so obstinate, lawry." "i engaged the boat to mr. sherwood, and i will not go with anybody else." "mr. sherwood won't care when he finds out that you are not to blame. you can't resist the law, and it isn't your fault." "ben, i wouldn't do what you have done for all the steamers on the lake. you have got this man to attach the property, and take the house away from mother, just because you wanted to be captain of this steamer." "what's the use of talking about that, lawry?" replied ben impatiently. "i'm going to be captain of this steamer, anyhow; and the sooner you make up your mind to it, the better it will be for you." "i can't help myself." "i know you can't, and for that reason you had better submit with a good grace. if you will take your place in the wheel-house, mr. taylor will remove the attachment." "will he?" "i will," replied taylor. "and put everything where it was before?" asked lawry. "of course i am to be captain, and mr. taylor is to have the boat to-day," added ben. "mr. taylor can't have her to-day," said lawry firmly. "i engaged her to mr. sherwood, and if anybody has her to-day, he must. that's all i want to say about it now." the young pilot turned on his heel and walked away. his brother and the creditor were conspirators, and he wanted nothing to do with them. he might have been less resolute, if he had not seen mr. sherwood's carriage stop at the head of the wharf. "are you all ready, lawry?" asked mr. sherwood. the poor boy could make no reply; he burst into tears, and turned away from his kind friend. "what's the matter, lawry?" demanded mr. sherwood. "i suppose he feels bad, sir," interposed the sheriff. "the boat has been attached for his father's debts." "for his father's debts!" exclaimed the rich gentleman. the officer gave him a full explanation of the case. "this will never do," added mr. sherwood indignantly. "this boat is lawry's property in his own right." "i think not," added taylor. "here's my lawyer; he can explain the matter to you." "no explanation is needed," replied mr. sherwood. "the boy is a minor," said the legal gentleman. "he may need a guardian, nothing more, to enable him to hold the property." "perhaps you are more familiar with the law than i am, mr. sherwood," said the legal gentleman pompously. "you gave this boat to the boy." "i did." "while she lay at the bottom of the lake she was worth nothing. she was an abandoned wreck. if you had any property at all in her, it was subject to the salvage. lawry wilford raised her. i suppose you are willing to believe that the boy's father is entitled to his earnings?" "i grant that." "well, sir, whatever the boy earned in the way of salvage belongs to his father; and we sue to recover that." "this is a ridiculous suit!" exclaimed mr. sherwood. "perhaps it is, sir, but we shall hold the boat, subject to the decision of the court." mr. sherwood was vexed and perplexed; for, whether the claim could be substantiated or not, the _woodville_ could be held until a decision was reached. lawry then took him aside, and told him what his brother had done, in order to make himself captain of the steamer. "is that it, lawry? i'm more sorry for your brother's sake than i am for yours. i pity him, because he has been capable of doing so mean a thing. don't distress yourself, my boy. we will make this all right in the course of ten minutes." "but they have taken the steamer away from me, and given her up to ben, who is to take charge of her." "never mind, lawry. they shall give her back to you," replied the rich man, as he walked up to the lawyer. "how much is your claim against mr. wilford?" "one thousand and sixty-four dollars," answered the legal gentleman. "will you take my draft or check for the amount?" "no, sir." "i see you are not disposed to be accommodating." "we intend to have the first sail in this steamer," sneered taylor. "i intend you shall not," said mr. sherwood. unfortunately he had not money enough with him to discharge the claim against the ferryman, which, as it was a just debt, whatever might be said of the means taken to recover it, he had decided to pay, rather than give bonds for the steamer, and contest the attachment. he had invited several gentlemen to accompany him up the lake in the _woodville_, who were now on the wharf, and from them he borrowed enough to make up the sum required. the money was given to mrs. wilford, with instructions to go to a certain lawyer and employ him to see that the mortgage on the house and land was properly canceled. "when we get our money, the attachment on the boat can be dissolved, not before," said the lawyer. "mr. sheriff, the debt is not paid yet." "i will put the money in your hands, if you desire," added mr. sherwood to the sheriff. "i am satisfied. you may go where you please with the boat, and as soon as you please," replied the official. "she will not go till this claim is settled, mr. sheriff," remonstrated the legal gentleman. "she may go now," responded the officer. "ben wilford, your services will not be needed. now, gentlemen, we will go up to the village and settle the bills." the lawyer protested that the attachment could not be removed till the debt had been paid, but the sheriff was willing to take the responsibility of releasing the boat. "all aboard, lawry!" shouted mr. sherwood. "i didn't expect you to do this, sir," said the young pilot; "but i will pay you every dollar, if the steamer ever earns so much." "we will talk about that some other time, my boy. we are all ready to be off now." lawry, with a light heart, sprang to his place in the wheel-house; ethan was already at his post in the engine-room, and the ladies and gentlemen of the party hastened on board. "put that basket ashore," said lawry to the deckhands, as he pointed to the "stores" of the party. the basket was tumbled on the wharf, to the imminent peril of the glassware it contained. ben wilford stood on the pier, leaning against one of the posts to which the steamer was fastened. he looked sour and disappointed. "cast off the bow-line," said lawry, when all was ready. at this moment ben jumped on board. "stop her!" said mr. sherwood sharply, as lawry rang the bell to back her. "what's the matter, sir?" asked the pilot. "young man," said mr. sherwood, stepping up to ben wilford, "you will oblige me by going on shore." "what for?" demanded ben crustily. "we do not need your company." "but i want to go." "i do not wish you to go." "i think it is rather steep for you to tell me i can't go in my brother's boat." "steep as it may seem, you can't go," added mr. sherwood firmly. "can't i go, lawry?" continued ben. "it is not for him to say. i have engaged this boat for my party to-day, and, beyond his crew, it is not for him to say who shall go." "i'm going, anyhow," replied ben stubbornly. "no, you are not." "yes, i am! if you want to fight, i'm all ready." "young man, you wanted to be captain of this boat; you have made a mistake." "no, i haven't. you and lawry can't make a nobody out of me." "you will do it yourself." "you see." "will you go on shore?" "no, i won't." the sheriff stood on the wharf with mrs. wilford, waiting to see the departure of the _woodville_. ben's mother begged him to come on shore; but he was in that frame of mind which seemed to make opposition a necessity to him. "do you want any assistance, mr. sherwood?" asked the sheriff, as he stepped on deck. the reckless young man would have been very glad to have mr. sherwood put his hand upon him, for it would have afforded him an opportunity to revenge himself for his disappointment. it was another thing to raise his hand against an officer of the law, and he sullenly walked up the gangplank when that formidable individual intimated his readiness to relieve the boat of her unwelcome passenger. "haul in the plank, and cast off the bow-line," said lawry. he rang the bell to back her, and when her bow pointed out from the shore, the stern-line was cast off, and she moved slowly away from the wharf. "i'm sorry your brother behaves so badly, lawry," said mr. sherwood, after the steamer started. "it makes me sick to think of it, sir," replied the pilot. "i'm really afraid of him, for i don't know what he will do next." "do your duty, faithfully; that is all you need do." "i feel almost sorry i didn't let him be captain, when i think the matter over." "he is not fit to be captain; and you did quite right in not consenting to it. i'm sorry for you, lawry, and sorry for your mother, for he must be a sore trial to both of you." "if he wasn't my brother i wouldn't care," added lawry, restraining the tears. "never mind it, my boy; we won't say anything more about it. let us hope your brother will grow better." "i hope he will, sir." the _woodville_ was now going at full speed up the lake. the party on board consisted of twenty-four ladies and gentlemen, most of whom were summer visitors at port rock. they were delighted with the beautiful little craft, and glad to know that she could be obtained for pleasure-parties during the summer. they wandered about the deck, saloon, and cabin till they had examined every part of her, and then they gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the sail, and of the magnificent scenery on the borders of the lake. they seated themselves on the forward deck, and lawry pointed out the objects of interest as the steamer proceeded; and in this occupation he forgot the conduct of ben, and was as happy as the happiest of the party before him. the ladies and gentlemen sang songs and psalm tunes, in which the sweet voice of fanny jane grant was so prominent that ethan was once enticed from the fascinating engine which occupied all his thoughts. in the meantime, mrs. light was busy with the dinner. captain lawry was a little uneasy on this subject, for it was out of his line of business. in the middle of the forenoon he gave the wheel to one of the deck-hands, and went down into the kitchen to satisfy himself that this important matter was receiving due attention. the cook was so confident and enthusiastic that he was quite sure she would realize the expectations of the passengers. in the cabin he found the girls busy at the tables. both of them had seen service in hotels, and there was no danger of a failure in their department. at one o'clock dinner was on the table, and the young captain went down again to assure himself that it was all right. "come, lawry, can't you dine with us?" said mr. sherwood, when the bell had been rung. "i can't leave the wheel, sir." "but don't you want some dinner?" "i'll have my dinner when we get to whitehall. haste makes waste, you know; and if i should be in a hurry to eat my dinner we might get aground, or be smashed up on the rocks." "i suppose you are right, lawry, and i will do the honors of the table for you," laughed mr. sherwood. the dinner was not only satisfactory, but it was warmly praised; and mrs. light was made as happy as the captain by the enthusiastic encomiums bestowed upon her taste and skill in the culinary art. the _woodville_ reached whitehall at two o'clock, where the party went on shore to spend an hour. while they were absent lawry and all hands had their dinner, the cabins and the deck were swept, and everything put in order. quite a number of people visited the little steamer while she lay at the pier; and a gentleman engaged her to take out a party the next saturday, with dinner for twenty-four persons. when mr. sherwood returned, he had let her for another day. at three o'clock the _woodville_ started for port rock. the party were still in high spirits, and the singing was resumed when the wheels began to turn. on the way down, she stopped at ticonderoga, while her appearance so delighted a party of pleasure-seekers that she was engaged for another day, and a dinner for twenty spoken for. "lawry, you must have an engagement-book, or you will forget some of your parties," said mr. sherwood, who stood by the pilot, in the wheel-house, when the steamer started. "i have put them all down on a piece of paper, sir. i will get a book when i go to burlington." "which will be to-morrow. i had engaged her for four days when you came up with her from port henry; but i'm afraid we shall work you too hard." "no fear of that, sir. i only hope i shall be able to pay you that money you advanced this morning." "don't say a word about that. let me see: you are engaged in burlington to-morrow, to me the next day, and in whitehall on the following day." "i will get a book and put them down, sir." "but you must be in burlington by eight o'clock tomorrow morning." "we can run up to-night." "you will get no sleep if you run all night." "i think we shall want another fireman." "you will: for in order to keep your engagements you will occasionally have to run nights." at eight o'clock the _woodville_ landed her passengers at port rock, and as the gentlemen went ashore, they gave three cheers for the little steamer and her little captain. chapter xvii burlington to isle la motte on his way home, mr. sherwood went to the ferry-house and satisfied himself that the mortgage on the place had been canceled. mrs. wilford was profuse in the expression of her gratitude to him for his kindness to the family, and hoped that lawry and his father would be able to pay him back the whole sum. "mrs. wilford, so far as gratitude and obligation are concerned, the balance is still largely against me. millions of dollars would not pay the debt i owe to your son." "oh, lawry don't think anything of that, sir!" "but i do. madam, if your son had been five minutes later than he was when the little steamer went down, miss fanny grant would certainly have been drowned, and my wife would doubtless have shared her fate. and when i think that this exposure of their precious lives was my own fault; that my wife and her sister had nearly perished by my foolish haste and recklessness, i feel like giving every dollar i have in the world to lawry. you don't understand this matter as i do, mrs. wilford." "i didn't think you were in any great danger." "miss fanny would certainly have been drowned; and i don't think it would have been possible for me to save my wife, for i was nearly exhausted when lawry came. now, mrs. wilford, do you suppose i shall mind one, two, or ten thousand dollars, where my brave deliverer is concerned? in one word, i will never take a dollar which i have expended for lawry or the family. your son is a manly and independent boy, and i don't like to hurt his feelings; so i shall not say anything about this money at present." "lawry is a good boy," said mrs. wilford proudly. "he is worth his weight in gold. i am sorry your oldest son is not more like him." "i don't know what to think of benjamin." "where is he now?" "i don't know; i haven't seen him since the steamer left, this morning." "lawry is a good deal troubled about the ferry-boat." "he needn't be." "can you hire a man to run the boat?" "yes; i can get a boy who will do it for half a dollar a day, and be glad of the chance. i will engage one." "lawry goes to burlington to-night to take out a party to-morrow." "to-night?" "yes; he must be there by eight in the morning." mrs. wilford thought her son was having a hard time with the steamer; but she knew he would be satisfied as long as he was doing well. mr. sherwood, assured that there was nothing at home to detain the young pilot, left the house. lawry soon after entered; but he had not time to tell his mother the particulars of his first trip on the _woodville_. he could remain but a few moments, while the hands were "coaling up," from a cargo of coal deposited on the wharf that day, by the order of mr. sherwood. at nine o'clock everything was ready for the departure. the fireman grumbled at being called upon to work at night; but lawry promised to get another man to keep watch as soon as he could. it was a long day's work for all hands. when the young captain had gone to the wheel-house to start the boat, mr. sherwood rushed down the wharf, and jumped aboard. "i was afraid i should be too late," said he, as lawry met him on the main-deck. "i have been all over the village to find you another fireman, and i have succeeded in getting you a first-rate one--an old hand at the business." "thank you, sir; you are taking a great deal of trouble for me." "there's another thing i quite forgot; i didn't pay you for the trip nor the dinners. here is the money." "i can't take it, mr. sherwood," protested captain lawry. "but you must take it; if you don't i can't engage the boat again." "not from you, sir." "i am more interested than any other person in your success with the steamer, and i insist that you take the money." "i owe you for this cargo of coal, now." "that was a present from miss fanny grant." "she is very generous." "generous! if she doesn't do more than that for you, i shall be ashamed of her. by the way, captain, she paid the bill for repairing the steamer at port henry." "indeed!" exclaimed lawry, who had intended to discharge this debt with the first money he earned. "she is very kind. i don't deserve so much from her and you." "more, my boy. we haven't done anything at my house but talk about you for a week. now, you must be reasonable. we intended to give you a good start. miss grant wishes to put an upright pianoforte in the saloon. there is just room for it at the end of the stateroom on the starboard side. when that is put in, we shall let you alone. now, lawry, take this money; if you don't, i shall be offended." "i don't like to do so," pleaded lawry. "it makes me feel mean." "it need not; take it, lawry, for you will want money to provision your boat in the morning." captain lawry took it, though it seemed to burn his fingers. "now, my boy, you shall have your own way. i will force nothing more on you, except what i fairly owe you, and you shall make your fortune without any help or hindrance from anybody." "i owe you now---" "silence, lawry!" laughed mr. sherwood. "there comes your second fireman." as the man came down the gangplank, he handed mr. sherwood a long package, done up in brown paper. "one thing more, lawry," said his munificent friend, as he led the way to the engine-room, which was lighted by a lantern. "will you let me put this sign up over the front windows in the wheel-house?" "certainly, sir. what is it?" "it is the motto of the steamer, and fully explains how i lost the boat," replied mr. sherwood, as he unrolled the package. it was a small sign, about three feet in length, elegantly painted and gilded, on which was the motto: haste and waste. "while you were at port henry, repairing the boat, i went up to burlington, where i ordered this to be done. it came down to-day, and i want it put up in the wheel-house, where it will be constantly before your eyes, as the best axiom in the world for a steamboat man. it will be the history of the _woodville_ to you, and i hope you will always act upon it, never running your boat above a safe speed, nor leave your wharf when it is imprudent to do so." "i shall be very glad to have those words always before me," replied lawry. "when you are ready to go, captain, we are," said mr. sherwood. "i'm all ready, sir." lawry turned, and to his astonishment saw mrs. sherwood and miss fanny, who had been looking over his shoulder at the pretty sign. "we are going with you, captain lawry," added mr. sherwood; "that is, if you won't charge us anything for our passage." "i am very happy to have you as passengers," stammered lawry. "we are so much in love with your boat, lawry, that we could not stay away from her," added mrs. sherwood. "and her captain," said miss fanny. lawry was good for nothing at complimentary speeches, and he went aft to give the girls directions to light up the cabin and the two staterooms for the accommodation of his unexpected passengers. "where's fanny jane?" asked ethan, when mr. sherwood had gone to the wheel-house to put up the motto. "she is going to keep house for us while we are gone," replied miss fanny mischievously. "you were so unsocial to-day she would not come with us." "i had to look out for the engine," pleaded ethan. "that was not the reason, ethan," interposed mrs. sherwood. "you behaved splendidly." "if you were twenty, instead of sixteen, ethan, i should say you were in love with fanny jane," laughed miss fanny. "oh, nonsense!" exclaimed ethan, blushing beneath his smutty face. "i like her, and after what we went through out west, i don't think it is very strange i should." "you are right, ethan. she is a good girl, and i hope you will like her more, rather than less." "the saloon is ready for you, ladies," said lawry, interrupting this pleasant conversation--very pleasant to ethan, for without entering into an analysis of the young engineer's feelings, it is quite certain he thought a great deal of the companion of his wanderings in minnesota; but fortunately he is not the hero of this book, and this interesting suggestion need not be followed out any further. the little captain conducted the ladies to the saloon, and then hastened to the wheel-house, where mr. sherwood, by the light of a lantern in the hands of one of the boys, had screwed up the sign. "haul in the plank!" shouted lawry, "cast off the bow-line." the _woodville_ backed till she was dear of the wharf, and then went ahead. lawry knew the lake by night as well as by day, and he was perfectly at home at the wheel, not withstanding the darkness that lay in the steamer's path. one of the deck-hands was a boy of sixteen, who had served in a similar capacity on board the lake steamers, and was a good wheelman, though he knew nothing of the navigation of the lake, and steered only by the directions given him from time to time. captain lawry called this hand, and gave him the wheel, with orders to run for a certain headland several miles distant. the young captain went below with mr. sherwood, to make his arrangements for the night. the second fireman had already been installed in the fire-room by ethan, and the first had gone forward. a portion of the forehold of the steamer had been fitted up for the accommodation of the crew. it contained four berths, and was well ventilated by a skylight in the forecastle. in building the boat, mr. sherwood had insisted upon having everything put into her that was to be found in larger craft; and these quarters for the hands were now very convenient, if not indispensable. lawry gave one of these berths to the first fireman, and appropriated the other to the use of the second and the two deck-hands. the second boy was gaping fearfully on the forward deck, and was quite delighted when the captain told him he might turn in. on the starboard side of the steamer, forward of the wheels, were two very cunning little staterooms, the corresponding space on the port side being occupied by the kitchen and storerooms. one of these was for the engineer, and the other for the captain. abaft the wheels, on each side, was a small stateroom, one of which had been designed for the captain. both of these rooms had been appropriated to the cook and the two waiter girls. mrs. light, in the apartment of the commander, was quite delighted with her accommodations; but mr. sherwood declared that she deserved a princely couch for the good dinner she had served that day. the two staterooms to be occupied by the passengers were taken out of the space that would otherwise have been park of the saloon, and were entered by doors on each side of the passageway leading to it. they were beautiful little rooms, though ladies in full crinoline might have been somewhat perplexed at their contracted dimensions. they were elegantly furnished, and miss fanny declared that her room made her think of the fairy palaces for little people, of which she had read in her childhood. there were twelve berths in the lower cabin, but these were not needed. having disposed of his crew for the night, lawry returned to the wheel-house, where he was soon joined by his passengers, who spent an hour with him before they retired. at half-past ten they went to their rooms, and lawry was alone. not a sound was to be heard except the monotonous clang of the engine, and the lake was as silent in the gloom as though the shadow of death was upon it. there was a solemnity in the scene which impressed the young pilot, even accustomed as he was to the night and the silence. he was worn out by the labors and the excitement of the day, but he could not resist the inspiration which came from the quiet waters and the gloomy shores. the _woodville_ sped on her way, and at midnight she was approaching the steamboat wharf at burlington. lawry rang to "slow down," and informed ethan that the boat was close to the wharf. the "fires were drawn," and in a few moments more the steamer was made fast to the wharf. after satisfying himself that everything was secure on board, the exhausted pilot went to his stateroom, and was soon fast asleep. ethan followed him, after instructing the first fireman to get up steam early in the morning. both the pilot and the engineer slept till seven o'clock; but when they came out of their rooms, blaming themselves for sleeping so late, they found the decks washed down, the cabins in order, steam up, and breakfast ready. those who had "turned in" early had faithfully performed the duties belonging to them, as they had been instructed the evening before. mrs. light, who was steward as well as cook, had been to the market, and purchased the supplies for breakfast and dinner. mr. sherwood and the ladies had risen early, and taken a walk, which gave them a keen appetite for the excellent breakfast prepared for them. the passengers insisted that captain lawry should sit at the head of the table with them, as this was the proper place for the commander of the steamer. during his walk mr. sherwood had purchased three blank books, and a double slate, for which lawry, agreeably to the arrangement that nothing more should be forced upon him, paid the cash on the spot, to the great amusement of the ladies. the memoranda of each trip, including the time of arrival and departure, and of reaching or passing the principal points on the lake, were to be entered on the slate in the wheel-house, and afterward copied into the largest of the blank books. these were called the log-slate and the log-book. the second was the engagement-book, and the third an account-book, in which the receipts and expenses of the steamer were to be kept. after breakfast mr. sherwood assisted his young friend in opening these books, and explained to him the best method of keeping his accounts. by this time the party for the day's excursion had begun to arrive. the ladies and gentlemen were friends of mr. sherwood, and he and his wife and miss fanny were to join them. a small band had been provided for the occasion, consisting of six pieces. precisely at eight o'clock the _woodville_ left the wharf, amid the inspiring strains of the "star-spangled banner," performed by the band. the scene was in the highest degree exhilarating; and the little captain was the happiest person on board, where all was merriment and rejoicing. the boat was to go down the lake as far as isle la motte, where the party would spend a couple of hours on shore, and return by six o'clock in the afternoon. this program was carried out to the letter, without any accident, or any nearer approach to one than a thunder-shower and squall. when the little captain saw the tempest coming down upon him, he put the boat about and run her up into the teeth of the squall. the ladies and gentlemen saw the commotion on the water, and some of them were very much alarmed; but the _woodville_, under the good management of lawry, did not careen a particle, being headed into the wind. in three minutes it was over, the steamer returned to her former course, and the party wondered that she made no more fuss about it. while the rain continued, the excursionists were compelled to remain in the saloon; but they were full of glee, after their terror had subsided, and the shower was hardly regarded as a detriment to the pleasure of the trip. at the appointed hour the _woodville_ was at the wharf in burlington. before the party left the boat, they met in the saloon, and passed a vote of thanks to the little captain, in which the dinner, the steamer, and her commander were warmly praised. it was written out, a copy was given to lawry, and it was to be published in the burlington papers. while the boat was stopping at the wharf, mr. sherwood went up to a printing office, where he had left an order for a job in the morning, and returned bringing with him a few copies of the handbill, which was to announce the _woodville_ more generally to the public. it was posted in various parts of the steamer, and read aloud with mischievous delight by miss fanny. it was printed in colors, ornamented with a cut of a steamer, and read as follows: most delightful excursions on the lake! the new and splendid miniature steamer _woodville_, captain lawrence wilford, with elegant and luxurious accommodations for thirty passengers, is now ready to convey pleasure-parties to any part of the lake. breakfasts, dinners, and suppers provided on board; and the tables will be supplied with the best the market affords. apply by letter, or otherwise, to captain lawrence wilford, port rock, n. y. by seven o'clock the _woodville_ was under way for port rock. lawry gave the helm to one of the deck-hands, and went below to make some entries in his account-book. he had been paid, that day, fifty dollars for the boat, and thirty dollars for dinners. mrs. light had expended twenty-six dollars for provisions and groceries, but he still had one hundred and twenty-eight dollars. it was a large sum of money for a boy of fourteen to have, and he counted it with a pride and pleasure which made him forget the fatigue of his severe labors. at half-past ten the steamer was moored to her wharf at port rock. mr. sherwood and the ladies bade the little captain good-night, and went home. chapter xviii ten thousand in gold it was fortunate for lawry that he was able to sleep well in the midst of the excitement in which he lived; otherwise his bodily frame must have yielded to the pressure to which it was subjected. he did not wake till seven the next morning, which invigorated his powers and prepared him for the duties of another day. as soon as he turned out, he went up to see his mother, and gave her a hundred dollars of the money he had earned, reserving the balance for the expenses of the boat. at nine mr. sherwood and his party came on board. it had been his intention to visit ticonderoga; but business letters which he found waiting his arrival the evening before compelled him to change his destination to burlington. just before the party appeared, ben wilford had been seen lounging about the wharf. he had complained bitterly to his mother of the treatment he had received from lawry, and did not seem to be conscious that he had ever been engaged in a base and mean conspiracy against the peace and happiness of the whole family. mrs. wilford had spoken plainly to him, which had only increased his irritation. the little steamer was a sore trial to him, for she was the indication of lawry's prosperity. ben had fully persuaded himself into the belief that he, and not lawry, ought to be captain of the _woodville_. she was a family affair, and he could not regard his brother as the actual owner of her. he had imagination enough to understand and appreciate the pleasure of being in command of such a fine craft. his conspiracy had signally failed; in his own choice phrase, mr. sherwood "carried too many guns for him," and it was useless to contend against money. the envious brother had so far progressed in his views as to believe that a subordinate position in the _woodville_ was better than no position at all. he had heard of the fine times the parties had on board of her, of the splendid dinners, and the inspiring music; and he was very anxious to have a situation in her. he was afraid of mr. sherwood, and dared not again take his place boldly on board. at a favorable moment, when lawry and the deck-hands were employed on the after part of the deck, he slipped down the plank and into the forecastle, concealing himself in the berth of one of the firemen. this trick might insure him a passage with the excursion-party, if nothing more. when the ladies and gentlemen had all arrived, the boat left the wharf, and commenced her voyage down the lake. after she had gone a couple of miles ben wilford came out of his hiding-place, and proceeded directly to the wheel-house, feeling that he had nothing to fear from his kind-hearted brother, and hoping to conciliate him before mr. sherwood discovered that he was on board. he entered the open door of the wheel-house as coolly as though he belonged there. "ben!" exclaimed the little captain, when he saw him. "i didn't know you were on board." "i didn't mean you should till i got ready," replied ben. "i don't know as mr. sherwood will like it when he sees you," added lawry. "if you like it, he will." "i'm sure i've no objection to your going with me." "i knew you hadn't." "but the steamer belongs to mr. sherwood to-day." "don't you want some help, lawry? mother thinks you are working rather too hard." "i don't think i shall hurt myself," answered lawry, laughing; and he was really pleased to find ben in such good humor. "i don't see that you can help me any." "i can steer." "so can rounds," replied lawry, referring to the deckhand whom he called to the wheel when he left his post. "lawry, you are my brother--ain't you?" "of course i am." "and i am your brother--am i not?" "without a doubt you are." "then there are two good reasons why we should not quarrel." "i'm very sure i don't wish to quarrel, ben," added lawry earnestly. "and i'm just as sure i don't," continued ben. "this is a splendid little boat, and we might make a first-rate thing of it. i still think i ought to be captain of her; but i won't quarrel about that now. i'll take any place you have a mind to give me." this was certainly very kind and condescending on the part of the elder brother, after what had occurred; and lawry really felt happy in the excellent spirit which ben appeared to manifest. "you might give me a chance as mate, if you like," added ben, as he perceived the smile on his brother's face. "i will speak to mr. sherwood about it." "what do you want to speak to him for? don't you own this boat?" "i do; but he has been very kind to me, and i want to take his advice when i can. i wish you hadn't got into that scrape the other day." "what scrape?" "why, causing the boat to be attached for father's debts." "i didn't mean anything by it, lawry," answered ben, in apologetic tones. "you must acknowledge that you provoked me to it." "how, ben?" "i can't get it out of my head that i ought to be captain of this boat. i think it would be a good deal better for you, lawry. just look at it one minute! you are a pilot, and you have to leave the wheel to see to everything on board. you ought to have nothing to do but to navigate the steamer; while i, as captain, could take the money, see to the dinners, and keep the deck and cabins in good order." "we get along very well," replied lawry. "but it will wear you out in a month. mother is afraid you will kill yourself, running the boat night and day." "if you were captain i should have to be in the wheelhouse all the time, just the same." "well, i don't insist on it, lawry," replied ben, with becoming meekness. "i was only saying what would be best for all concerned." "i will talk with mr. sherwood." "whatever you say, he will agree to. now, give me the wheel, lawry, and you go and see your passengers." ben took hold of the wheel, and the young pilot involuntarily released his grasp on the spokes. the older brother was certainly in a very amiable frame of mind, and it was perfectly proper to encourage him; but there was no more need of a mate than there was of another captain. rounds, as the older of the two deck-hands, now performed the duties of that office. there was no freight to be received and discharged, which the mate superintends; and there was nothing for him to do but attend to the gangplank and the mooring lines, and see that the decks were washed down when required. lawry was not quite willing to leave the wheel in charge of his brother, for he was painfully conscious that he could not always be trusted. ben was not often in so pliable a frame of mind, and the little captain could not help suspecting that he had some object in view which was not apparent, for he had twice declared, that if he was not captain of the _woodville_ no one should be. he was not prepared to believe that ben would run the boat on the rocks, or set her on fire; but he deemed it prudent to keep his eye on him, and on the course of the steamer. ben steered very well, and lawry left the wheel-house. at the door he met mr. sherwood, just as that gentleman had discovered who was at the helm. "how's this, lawry? have you got more help?" asked his friend. "i didn't know ben was on board till we were two miles from the wharf. i hope you don't object, sir." "certainly not, lawry. if you are satisfied, i have no reason to be otherwise." "ben talks very fair this morning; and i'm sure i don't want to quarrel with him." "of course not." "he still thinks he ought to be captain, and that it would be better for me;" and lawry stated his brother's argument. "that's all very pretty," replied mr. sherwood. "if you wish to give your brother the command of your steamer, it is not for me to interpose any objection." "but i want to follow your advice." "i think you had better let things remain as they are, for the present, at least. do as you think best, lawry. i don't want to influence you." this conversation took place near the door of the wheel-house, and, though the parties had not so intended, ben heard every word of it. "do as you think best, lawry," continued mr. sherwood. "i want to do what you think is best, sir." "you know my opinion. your brother's habits--i am sorry to say it--are not good. i should not be willing to trust him. you cannot place much confidence in a young man who is in the habit of getting drunk. i don't want to hurt your feelings, lawry, but i must be frank with you." ben ground his teeth with rage, as he listened to this plain description of himself, and, in accordance with his usual practice in such cases, vowed to be revenged upon the man who had traduced him, which was his interpretation of mr. sherwood's candid statement of the truth. "i think you are right, sir," replied lawry, realizing that ben was not fit for the command of the _woodville_, even if he was disposed to give it to him. "lawry, i have been compelled to change this excursion into a partial business trip. i am going to buy the surplus-gold of a bank in burlington, and you must leave me there and go on to port kent. on your return, you can stop for me," continued mr. sherwood. "what is your engagement for to-morrow." "at whitehall, sir." "capital! you can convey my gold through, so that i can take the morning train at whitehall for new york." "if we get back to port rock by six, we can reach whitehall by twelve." "well, that is sooner than i wish to arrive," added mr. sherwood thoughtfully. "i shall have ten thousand dollars in gold with me, which, at the present rate, is worth about twenty-five thousand dollars in currency. it would be a great temptation to any rogues, who might find out the specie was on board. how would it do to start from port rock at midnight?" "it will do just as well, sir." "then i shall reach whitehall just in time for the train. but, lawry, i see that you must have another pilot on board." "i think i can get along, sir." "you will wear yourself out. you have run a portion of the last two nights, and this arrangement will make the third." "i can sleep just as well at port rock as at whitehall. to-morrow will be saturday, and my engagements for monday and tuesday are at the upper end of the lake, so that i shall have no more night work at present. i can stand it well enough." "i'm afraid it will be too much for you; but if you have to engage an extra pilot, you must raise your price to sixty dollars a day." "i think we shall need another engineer at the same time. ethan has just as hard a time of it as i do." "you had better raise your price; people will not object." "i was thinking, sir, that ben would make a good pilot. he is a good wheelman, and it wouldn't take him long to learn the courses on the lake." mr. sherwood shook his head. "would you be willing to trust him with the boat?--go to sleep yourself, while he is at the helm?" asked he. "i think i would, after he had learned the navigation." "he is your brother, lawry, and i don't like to say anything to wound you; but i feel that your brother is not a reliable person. you must be very prudent. even a trifling accident, resulting from mismanagement, might ruin your business; for people will not expose their lives needlessly. if ben will run the ferry the rest of the year, keep sober, and behave well in every respect, you might make a pilot of him, or even captain, another season." doubtless this was good advice, and the little captain had so much confidence in his friend and benefactor that he could not help adopting it. mr. sherwood went into the cabin again, without any conversation with the subject of his severe but just comments. lawry was on the point of leaving the hurricane-deck, where he had talked with his adviser, when he noticed that the boat was headed toward the shore, and in a moment more would be aground in the shoal water off barber's point. he rushed into the wheel-house, and found that ben had abandoned the helm. grasping the wheel, the pilot brought her up to her course, and then turned to his brother. "what do you mean, ben, by leaving the wheel?" demanded lawry, filled with indignation at his brother's treachery. "don't talk to me," growled ben. "the boat would have been aground in a minute more." "i wish she was." "what's the matter, ben?" "i thought you were my brother; but you are not." "i'm sorry to hear you talk so; and i didn't think you would do so mean a thing as to run the boat ashore." "i'll do anything now. i heard what sherwood said to you, and what you said to him. i didn't think you would let any man talk about your brother as he did. do you suppose i would let any man talk like that about my brother? i'll bet i wouldn't! i'd knock him over before the words were out of his mouth." "why, what did he say, ben?" "what did he say! didn't you hear what he said? didn't he tell you i was a drunken fellow, and couldn't be trusted?" "well, he certainly did," replied lawry moodily. "and you heard him! and you didn't say a word!" said ben furiously. "what could i say when mr. sherwood spoke only what i know is true?" "then you think i'm a drunken fellow, and can't be trusted?" demanded ben, with an injured look. "don't you drink too much sometimes?" "no, i don't! i drink what i want; but no one ever saw me the worse for liquor. who says i can't be trusted?" "when i gave you the wheel, at your own request, you left it, and the boat would have been ashore in another minute. does that look as though you could be trusted?" added lawry. "that was because you wouldn't trust me. i was mad." "one who would expose the lives of twenty or thirty persons when he got mad ought not to be trusted." "lawry, you are no longer my brother. you and your mother, and sherwood here, have been trying to put me down, and make a nobody of me. you can't do it. i'm your enemy now. you have made me mad, and you must take the consequences. i'll burn or smash this boat the first chance i get! as for sherwood, i'll teach him to talk about me!" the angry young man rushed out of the wheel-house. if mr. sherwood had heard his insane threats he would probably have insisted that he should be immediately put on shore; but lawry did not think his brother capable of the madness of malice his speech indicated; he was in a passion, and when he cooled off he would be reasonable again. ben sat down on the forecastle where the pilot could see him, and nursed his wrath till the _woodville_ arrived at burlington. he was in deep thought all the time, and did not heed the singing or other amusements of the party on board, who were enjoying themselves to the utmost. apparently with no perception of his own faults and shortcomings, he regarded himself as a deeply injured young man. his mother and his brother had turned against him, and were persecuting him to the best of their ability. he had come on board to gain his purpose by conciliation; he had failed, and, in his own view, there was nothing left for him but revenge. the boat touched at burlington, and to the great relief of lawry, his brother followed mr. sherwood on shore. at three o'clock the _woodville_ returned from port kent with the happy excursionists. while the steamer lay at the wharf, waiting for mr. sherwood, many persons, moved by curiosity to inspect the beautiful craft, came aboard; and whenever she stopped, she had plenty of visitors of this description. among them lawry saw his brother, accompanied by two men, who, from the remarks they made, were evidently familiar with the machinery and appointments of steamers. mr. sherwood presently appeared attended by a bank messenger with the precious coin he had purchased at . , the telegraphic quotation from new york for that day. "where shall i put this gold. captain lawry?" asked mr. sherwood. "i don't know, sir; i'm really afraid of it," replied the captain nervously. "can't you carry it in your pockets?" "it weighs about thirty-seven pounds," laughed mr. sherwood. "i will lock it up in my stateroom. i shall sleep on board to-night, and it will be safe enough after we leave the wharf, for no one but you and me knows there is any specie on board." the man of gold went aft with the coin, which was contained in two bags. "i suppose i can go home with you--can't i, lawry?" asked ben, as the little captain started for the wheel-house. lawry could not refuse this request, though his brother was evidently a little excited by the liquor he had drank. he hoped ben had not heard anything about the treasure on board; for he feared that revenge, if not dishonesty, might prompt him to commit a crime. the visitors were warned ashore, and the _woodville_ departed for port rock, where she arrived at about six o'clock. the excursion-party went on shore, after the usual compliments to the steamer and her commander. "now, lawry, i must go up to the house for my valise; but i will return in an hour," said mr. sherwood, whose carriage was waiting for him at the head of the wharf. "but the gold, sir?" whispered lawry anxiously. "you or ethan may watch the stateroom till i return, if you please; but there is no danger here. you must turn in at once, lawry, so as not to lose your sleep." "i shall be gone four or five days, this time, and i must go home after some clean clothes." "very well; i will get ethan to keep his eye on the stateroom," replied mr. sherwood; and lawry ran up to the cottage. ethan, who had ordered the fires to be banked in furnaces, and was letting off the superfluous steam, consented to watch the room containing the gold. rounds, the deckhand, and the first fireman turned in, that they might be ready for duty at midnight, when the boat would start for whitehall. chapter xix captured and recaptured unfortunately for ben wilford, he had heard mr. sherwood inform lawry of his intentions in regard to the purchase and transportation of the gold. before the _woodville_ reached burlington, the dissolute young man had resolved to obtain the money if possible, prompted partly by revenge, and partly by the desire to possess so large a sum, with which he could revel in luxury in some distant party of the country. it must be confessed that this resolve to commit a crime was not simply an impulse, for the young man who leads a life of indolence and dissipation is never at any great distance from crime. ben had been schooling himself for years for the very deed he now determined to do. with more energy and decision, ben was, in other respects, the counterpart of his father. his moral perceptions were weak, and the dissolute life he led had not contributed to strengthen them. he was the antipode of lawry, who had been more willing to listen to the teachings of his mother. ben had resolved to commit a crime, but he had not the skill or the courage to do it alone. when he went on shore at burlington, he met two of his former boon companions, with whom he had often tippled, gambled, and caroused. one of them had been a fireman, and the other a deck-hand, on board a steamer with ben, and he knew them thoroughly. by gradual approaches he sounded them, to ascertain their willingness to join him in the robbery. the gold converted into currency would give them seven or eight thousand dollars apiece, and the temptation was sufficiently strong to remove all prudential obstacles. while the _woodville_ was absent on her trip to port kent, the details of the robbery had been settled. the confederates sat on the corner of the wharf and arranged their plans, which were mainly suggested by the one who had been a fireman. the scheme was to be executed while the boat lay at port rock, and the two men whom lawry had seen with his brother were his associates in the intended crime. ben had concealed them in the forehold of the steamer. while the excursion-party were going on shore at the gangway abaft at the wheels, and all hands had gone aft to witness their departure, ben had called them from their hiding-place, and sent them on the wharf, where he soon joined them. from a point near the head of the pier, where they were not observed, they waited till mr. sherwood and lawry had gone, and all was quiet on board of the steamer. "now is our time," said ben nervously; for he was not familiar enough with crime to be unmoved by the desperate situation in which he had placed himself. "is the coast clear?" asked the fireman. "yes," replied ben, whose teeth actually chattered with apprehension. "who is there on board now?" "no one but the engineer and the fireman, except two boys," answered ben. "they were all going to turn in as soon as they got to the wharf." "the firemen are both men, but i reckon they won't fight; all the rest are boys." "one fireman and two boys have turned in by this time," added ben. "then there is no one up but the engineer and one fireman?" "no." "where is the gold, ben?" "in the starboard saloon stateroom." "all right; have your pistols ready, but don't use them, for it will be bad for us if we have to kill any one." the party walked down to the _woodville_. all was still on board of her, except the sound of escaping steam. ethan stood sentry at the door of the stateroom containing the gold, and the man on watch in the fire-room was busy reading a newspaper. it was not sunset yet, but the crew of the _woodville_ had been worked so hard for three days that those off duty could sleep without an opiate. "put on that hatch," said the fireman, who became the leading spirit of the party, as he pointed to the companion-way of the forehold, where the hands slept. ben obeyed the order without making any noise, and then the party went aft, where ethan was keeping guard over the treasure. "good evening, ethan," said ben, with more suavity than he was in the habit of using. "good evening," replied the engineer. "haven't turned in yet?" continued ben. "no." "going to start at midnight, i hear." "yes." "some friends of mine wanted to look over the boat; i suppose i can show them through." "i don't know; captain lawry can tell you," answered ethan, who did not like ben, and was not favorably impressed by the appearance of the other men. ben walked aft into the saloon, followed by his companions. ethan was sitting in a chair by the side of the stateroom door. the fireman passed round behind, and suddenly fell upon him, throwing him on the floor and pinioning his arms to his back. "what are you about?" cried ethan, struggling to release himself. "help! help!" "stop his mouth!" said ben fearfully. vainly poor ethan endeavored to shake off his assailants; his arms were tied together behind him, and a handkerchief stuffed into his mouth. in this condition he was lashed to a stanchion, so that he could move neither hand nor foot. the commotion of this outrage attracted the attention of mrs. light and the two waiter-girls, who were employed in the lower cabin. the fireman exhibited a pistol to them, drove them below again, and threatened to shoot them if they made any noise. a similar demonstration quieted the fireman, and compelled him to return to the fire-room. "the job is done," said baker, the leader of the enterprise. "but we haven't got the money," added flint, the deckhand. "we don't want that yet. it is safe where it is. now both of you to your stations," continued baker; and he went down into the fire-room. ben's station was in the wheel-house, flint's at the fasts, and baker's at the engine, as it appeared from their subsequent movements; and it was evident, from the operations in progress, that the villains intended to make their escape in the steamer. baker stopped the hissing steam which was going to waste, and compelled the fireman to renew the fires. "be lively!" shouted ben, from the wheel-house, as he discovered lawry on the shore, hastening back to the steamer with his bundle of clothes. "all ready!" replied baker, finding there was steam enough to start the boat. flint had already cast off the fasts, without waiting for orders, and was standing on the forecastle, as impatient to be off as a man can be who is engaged in the commission of a crime. ben rang the bell to back her; the wheels turned, but as the stern-line had been cast off, her bow was not carried out from the wharf. by this time lawry had discovered that the _woodville_ was in motion. he was astonished and alarmed, though he was far from surmising that his boat had been captured by robbers. running with all his speed, he reached the head of the wharf just as the boat had backed far enough to permit ben to see him, and for him to see that ben was at the wheel. then he realized that his brother was engaged in another conspiracy. notwithstanding his extensive knowledge of "steam-boating" in general, ben wilford was a very unskillful pilot. if he had understood the management of a boat half as well as lawry, the nefarious scheme might have been successful. he saw his brother; he did not wish to have him come on board, for lawry might be so obstinate as to induce one of his dissolute companions to fire at him. he rang the bell to stop her, and then to go ahead, at the same time putting the helm hard aport. the _woodville_ went forward, and as she met the helm her bow came round, and she was headed out into the middle of the lake. as she went ahead, her stern swept in a circle within a few feet of the wharf, just as lawry, breathless with haste and alarm, reached the end of the pier. the little captain knew nothing of the state of things on board, except that his brother ben was at the wheel, which, however, was a sufficient explanation to him. the _woodville_ was going, and he could not let her depart without him. dropping his bundle, he leaped to the plankshear, grasping the rail with both hands. jumping over the bulwark, he stood on the guard from which opened the windows of the saloon. neither of the three conspirators were in a situation to see this movement on the part of lawry. ben was too much occupied in steering--for he was not a little fearful of getting aground in some shoal water between the ferry and the wharf--to notice anything; but as soon as he had obtained his course, he looked for his brother on the pier. he was not there; but ben did not suspect that he was on board the _woodville_. baker, who knew just enough about an engine to stop and start it, was working the valves with the bar; and he could think of nothing else. doubtless he was conscious by this time that he had "taken a big job," in assuming the control of the engine. lawry was bewildered by the situation. when his feet struck the deck, his first impulse was to rush up to the wheel-house, and confront the difficulty as the case might require. he started to carry out his purpose, when he happened to look through one of the saloon windows, and discovered ethan, with the handkerchief in his mouth, tied to the stanchion. deeply as he sympathized with his friend in his unpleasant position, he was still cheered by the sight, for it assured him that the engineer had been faithful to his duties, and was not a party to the conspiracy. the little captain went round and entered the saloon by the door, without being seen by either of the conspirators. he removed the gag from ethan's mouth, and proceeded to unfasten the cords with which he was bound. "what does all this mean, ethan?" demanded lawry, in excited tones, and almost crying with vexation. "hush! do they know you are here?" asked the engineer. "i think not; i don't know." "keep still, then. they are after the gold." "who are they?" "ben and two other fellows. i don't know them." "we'll stop this thing very quick," said lawry. "they are armed with pistols, and threatened to shoot all hands. be careful, lawry, or you will get a bullet through your head." "what shall we do?" demanded the young pilot. ethan was an accomplished strategist. he led the way to the lower cabin, where the terrified women had been driven by the ruffians. "if any of those men ask for me, tell them i got loose, jumped overboard, and swam ashore," said ethan. "law sake!" exclaimed the cook. "don't tell them i am here, at any rate." "i won't. massy sake! what are we comin' to?" "don't be alarmed; we will take care of these villains before we have done with them," added ethan. "hush! there's some one coming," said one of the girls; and the heavy tread of a man was heard on the deck above them. ethan and lawry had only time to crawl into one of the berths, where mrs. light covered them with bedclothes, before flint came down into the cabin. "see here; we haven't been to supper, and we want some," said the ruffian, as he descended the steps. "what are you goin' to do with us?" demanded mrs. light. "don't be scart; we won't hurt you," replied flint. "but where you goin'?" "up to whitehall. when we get there, you can go where you please. now, get us some supper; the best there is on board--beefsteak and coffee." "well, i suppose i can get you some supper; but i don't like such carryin's on," replied mrs. light. flint left the cabin, after he had given his order. on his way forward he looked into the saloon, and discovered that their prisoner was missing. search was immediately instituted; but mrs. light, as instructed by ethan, declared that he had got loose and swam ashore; she had seen him through the stern-lights. the rascals finally accepted this explanation, after searching on deck for him. mrs. light went to the kitchen to get supper for the rogues, while the girls set the table. the cook presently returned to the cabin, and told ethan where each of the robbers was stationed; but being unarmed, there seemed to be no way of making an attack upon them where the ruffians could not rally to the support of each other. "we must settle this business down here, lawry," said ethan, when they had come out of their hiding-places. "they will have to come to supper one at a time," added the little captain. "exactly so; and this will be the safest place to do the job. we want a rope," added the engineer, with a businesslike air. "i'll fetch you a rope," said mrs. light. "do; bring me the small heave-line, on the guard by the saloon doors." the cook went on deck, and after a visit to the kitchen, returned to the cabin with the line indicated under her apron. in about half an hour supper was ready for the villains, and one of the girls informed baker, who was still on duty in the engine-room, that it was waiting for them. the engineer called flint, and told him, as the boat was out in the middle of the lake, the engine would need nothing done to it, and directed him to stand at the door, so that the fireman below should not attempt to defeat their plans. he then went to the cabin for his supper. ethan and lawry had concealed themselves behind the curtains of a tier of berths, directly in the rear of the chair where baker was to sit at the table. in his hand ethan held the heave-line, at one end of which lawry had made a hangman's noose. mrs. light and the girls had been instructed to rattle the chairs, make as much noise as they could, and otherwise engage the attention of the robber, as soon as he sat down to the table. baker came down the stairs, and one of the girls began to rattle the chairs, mrs. light to move a pile of plates, and the other girl to arrange the dishes on the table. "will you have some coffee?" demanded mrs. light, without giving him time to notice anything in the cabin. "of course i will," growled baker. "shall i give you some beefsteak?" asked one of the girls. "i'll help myself." "if you want some fried eggs i'll get some for you," added the cook, rattling the dishes again. baker was not permitted to say whether he would have any fried eggs or not, for at that moment ethan crept from his concealment, whatever noise he made being drowned by the clatter of the dishes and the rattling of the chairs. stealing up behind baker, who was intent only on beefsteak and coffee, he slipped the hangman's noose over his head, and hauled it tight. the robber attempted to spring to his feet, but ethan hauled him over backward on the floor. at the same time lawry threw the end of the line over a deck beam, extended across the skylight, and began to "haul in the slack." the villain attempted to cry out; but the sound only gurgled in his throat. he grasped the rope with both hands; but the choking already received had taken away his strength, and he was unable to make any successful resistance. while lawry kept the rope so taut that baker could not move, ethan tied his hands behind him, though the man's struggles were fierce, and the engineer was obliged to use a rolling-pin, supplied by mrs. light, before the conquest was complete. the ruffian was securely bound and gagged; but the cook and the girls had nearly fainted while the struggle was going on. baker, thus gagged and bound, was rolled into one of the lower berths. he had been nearly choked to death by the rope, and several hard knocks he had received on the head had rendered him partially insensible, so that he was not in condition to make any further resistance. ethan had taken possession of his pistol, and, as a matter of precaution, threatened to blow out his brains if he made any noise. "massy sake!" groaned mrs. light. "i never did see! you've taken my breath all away!" "don't make a noise," said ethan. "i couldn't have struck that man as you did," added lawry. "if you had been through what i have, out west, it would come easier to you," replied the engineer. "we must go through the whole of it once more." one of the girls was then sent to call flint, and directed to assure him that such was the order of baker, who had gone to the wheel-house for a moment, and would immediately return to the engine-room. the deck-hand was too much in a hurry for his supper to question the order, and went directly to the cabin. the noise made by mrs. light and the girls prevented him from hearing the heavy breathings of baker, and he was an easier victim than his companion in crime had been. he was choked, gagged, bound, and his pistol taken from him. by this time these two ruffians, if they could think at all, could not help believing that the way of the transgressor is hard. from regard to the feelings of lawry, ethan decided that ben should not be subjected to this harsh treatment. he was still in the wheel-house, not suspecting that his nefarious scheme had been wholly defeated. the work was accomplished, and the pilot and engineer went on deck. ethan repaired to his post and stopped the engine. ben half a dozen times demanded, through the speaking-tube, what the matter was; but receiving no answer, he came down himself to ascertain the cause of the sudden stoppage of the boat. chapter xx the little captain and his motto as ben wilford, fearful that some accident to the machinery would defeat his criminal enterprise, entered the engine-room on one side, lawry left it at the other. as the little captain went forward, he heard a noise in the forecastle, and saw that the companionway was closed and fastened. releasing the firemen and deck-hands confined there, he directed them to follow him to the wheel-house, where he explained to them what had happened. "what are you stopping for?" demanded ben wilford, before he discovered that baker was not present. "i think it is about time to go back, now," replied ethan, holding one of the pistols in his hand. "how came you here, ethan?" exclaimed ben, starting back with astonishment when he saw who was in charge of the engine. "i run this machine, and this is the right place for me," replied ethan coolly. "where's baker?" "he's safe; if you mean the man you left in charge of the engine." ben was bewildered by the present aspect of affairs. it was clear that there had been a miscarriage somewhere; but he was unable to tell how or where the scheme had failed. before he could decide what step to take next, captain lawry rang the bell to go ahead. "who rang the bell?" asked ben. "captain lawry." "is he on board?" "he is," replied ethan, as he started the engine. "ben wilford, you have got about to the end of your rope." "what do you mean?" "you have done a job which will send you to sing sing for the next ten years." "no, i haven't," said ben, backing out of the engine-room. "stop where you are," interposed ethan, peremptorily, as he raised his pistol. "two can play at that game," added ben. "two can; but two won't. drop your hands, or i'll fire!" ben obeyed; he had felt that the game was up the moment he saw ethan at his post, and he had not the courage to draw his pistol upon one who had shot two indians in one day. "sit down there," continued ethan, pointing to the bench in the engine-room, and the culprit took his seat with fear and trembling. "what shall i do?" groaned the wretched young man, as he thought of the consequence of his crime. "jump overboard and drown yourself. that would save your friends a great deal of trouble," replied ethan. "give up your pistol!" ben gave it up, and began to plead with ethan to let him escape, declaring that it would kill his mother, and lawry never would get over it, if he was sent to the penitentiary. though the engineer dreaded the day when his friend would be compelled to testify in court against his own brother, he would not yield to the culprit's entreaties, and did not intend that he should escape the penalty of his crime. when the _woodville_ reached her wharf, having been absent but little more than an hour, mr. sherwood and the ladies were on the wharf. while ethan was working the engine with the bar, ben slipped out of the room. the engineer saw him, and gave the alarm; but he could not leave his post at that moment. as soon as the boat was moored, search was made; but ben could not be found. he certainly was not on board. mr. sherwood was astonished when he was told what had occurred. he sent his coachman after the sheriff at once, and directed that the search for ben wilford should be renewed. the stateroom was found locked, as he had left it, and the gold undisturbed. mrs. light and the girls, the firemen and the deck-hands, had their own stories to tell, to all of which mr. sherwood listened very patiently. "you have done well, lawry," said he. "you have saved my gold." "it was ethan, sir, that did the business. i don't believe i could have done anything alone," replied the little captain. "lawry did his share," added ethan, with due modesty. "i'm sure they both fit like wildcats in the cabin," said mrs. light. "i was e'en a'most scart to death." when the sheriff came, he took baker and flint into custody, and sent the constable who had come with him to find ben wilford. the two robbers in the cabin were in bad condition. the choking they had received had been a terrible shock to their nerves, which, with the hard knocks given by ethan with the cook's rolling-pin, had entirely used them up, and there was neither fight nor bravado in them. flint said they had been induced to engage in the enterprise by ben wilford; that they intended to proceed to the vicinity of whitehall in the _woodville_, where the instigator of the affair had declared his purpose to burn the boat. from this point they were going to the west, disposing of the gold in small sums as they proceeded. the two robbers were marched off by the sheriff; but nothing was heard of ben for two hours, when the boy who ran the ferry-boat, returning from pointville, informed mrs. wilford that he had gone over with him. the constable followed, as soon as he heard in what direction the fugitive had gone. he was not taken that night, and the search was renewed the next day, but with no better result. it was afterward ascertained that he had crossed the country to the railroad, and taken a night train. having worked his way to new york, he shipped in a vessel bound to the east indies. it cannot be denied that lawry and his mother, and even mr. sherwood, were glad of his escape, though he was more guilty than the two men who had been captured and were afterward tried and sent to sing sing. the little captain and the engineer of the _woodville_ were warmly congratulated upon the safety of the steamer, when it was known that ben intended to burn her in revenge for having been made a "nobody"; but mr. sherwood declared that, if the boat had been destroyed, he would have built another, and presented her to lawry and ethan, for he was too much interested in the steamboat experiment to have it abandoned. mrs. wilford trembled when she learned that the robbers had been armed with pistols. many laughed as they, listened to the account of the choking operation in the cabin, and everybody was satisfied with the result. lawry and ethan were too much excited to sleep that night, though they turned in at ten o'clock. at midnight the fireman on duty called them, and the steamer soon started for whitehall with mr. sherwood and his gold, where she arrived in season for the morning train. as the party did not start till nine o'clock, the exhausted pilot and engineer obtained a couple of hours' sleep, while the steamer lay at the wharf, which enabled them to get through the day without sinking under its fatigues. the following day was sunday; and though lawry and ethan went to church in the forenoon, as both of them were in the habit of doing, the day was literally a day of rest to them, and there was a great deal of "tall sleeping" done. on monday morning, at six o'clock, the boat went to ticonderoga, arriving in good season to keep her engagement. our limits do not permit us to follow captain lawry and the beautiful little steamer any farther. the young pilot has redeemed the fairy craft from the bottom of the lake, and overcome all obstacles in his path to prosperity. he was not again disturbed by the envy and jealousy of his brother. he was sad when he thought of his father in prison, and ben an exile, banished by his misdeeds; but their errors only made him the stronger in the faith he had chosen, that fidelity to principle is the safest and happiest course, under all circumstances. lawry had all the business he could do with the _woodville_. on the following week, another pilot and another engineer were obtained, and the price raised to sixty dollars a day, in conformity with the suggestion of mr. sherwood. this was especially necessary, as, during the bright moonlight evenings, in the latter part of the month, the _woodville_ was employed every night in taking out parties. the boat lay hardly an hour at a time at the wharf. the money came in so fast that mrs. wilford was bewildered at the riches which were flowing in upon them. by the advice of mr. sherwood the money was invested in government stocks; but he resolutely refused to accept payment for what he had advanced on the place or for the boat. early one evening, after lawry had landed mr. sherwood's party at port rock, he started for burlington, where he had an engagement on the following day. half a mile above the wharf, he came up with a schooner, which on examination proved to be the _missisque_. it was a dead calm, and her new mainsail hung motionless from the gaff. the little captain had not seen her skipper since the day on which the old sail had been blown from the bolt-ropes by the squall; and he ran the woodville alongside of her, in order "to pass the time of day" with him. "how are you, captain john?" shouted the young pilot. "why, lawry! how are you?" replied the skipper of the sloop. "what are you doing here?" continued lawry. "waitin' for a breeze of wind. i had a good freight promised to me if i got to burlington by to-morrow morn-in', but i guess i sha'n't quite fetch it." "rounds, heave a stern-line to the sloop, and make fast to her," added lawry to his mate. "oh, thank ye, lawry," replied the grateful skipper. "you and your wife must take supper with me." "well, lawry, i always knowed you was smart," said captain john. "if i didn't get that mainsail down," laughed lawry. "oh, never mind the mainsail, lawry," added the skipper, blushing. "i was a leetle riled that time, and it wan't your fault." "i think the green-apple pies made the mischief. mrs. light makes very nice ones, and we will have some for supper," continued lawry, as he conducted his guests to the cabin, where they sat down at the table. captain john and his wife were bewildered at the splendors which surrounded them, and at the grandeur of captain lawry; but they passed a pleasant evening on board till ten o'clock, when the _woodville_ cast off her "tow" in burlington bay. the upright piano, the gift of miss fanny, had been placed in the saloon, and its sweet strains added to the enjoyment of every party that employed the steamer. ethan french, now relieved of part of his duties by the employment of a second engineer, was never in better humor than when fanny jane, seated at this instrument, sang the songs she had sung to wahena and himself on the lake island in minnesota. in september, the business of the _woodville_, as an excursion boat, began to fall off, and by the middle of the month it was at an end. the season had been very profitable, and lawry's account-book showed that the boat had been employed forty-one days, besides nine evenings, the net profits of which were nearly fifteen hundred dollars, all of which was in the bank, or invested in government securities. while captain lawry was considering the practicability of running the _woodville_ between certain places on the lake as a passenger-boat, he was startled by receiving a huge government envelope, containing a liberal offer for the use of his steamer as a despatch boat on southern rivers. an army officer, of high rank, who had been a member of one of the excursion parties in august, had been delighted with the performance of the little craft, and had spoken to captain lawry on this subject; but the matter had been quite forgotten when the offer came. mr. sherwood and mrs. wilford were consulted, and an affirmative answer returned. ethan was delighted at the prospect of going south, for he desired to visit the scene of hostilities, and, if possible, to be employed in active operations. the _woodville_ went in october, and returned in april, when the war was finished. of captain lawry's voyage out and back, and his adventures far up in the enemy's country, we have no space to speak; but the steamer and her little commander gave perfect satisfaction. in june, when the _woodville_ had been thoroughly repaired and painted, after her hard service at the south, there was a demand for her as an excursion boat; and it continued through the season. with one of mr. sherwood's parties, in july, there was an eminent member of the state government, who was greatly pleased with lawry's past history, as well as with his agreeable manners, and his close attention to his business. through this gentleman, an effort, warmly seconded by mr. randall, the bank director, was made to obtain the pardon of john wilford. it was successful, and the ferryman returned to his home a wiser and a better man. he was astonished at the operations of his son, and surprised at the prosperity which had attended his family during his absence. the cottage had been enlarged, repaired, painted, and partly refurnished. it was a new home to him; and, profiting by the experience of the past, he resumed his labor as a ferryman, striving to be contented with his lot. ethan french does not tire of his pet, the engine of the _woodville,_ though it must be acknowledged that he has a divided heart when fanny jane is on board. mrs. wilford, her confidence in her "smart boy" fully justified, and rejoicing in the prosperity which attends him, is still happy and contented in doing a mother's whole duty to her large family of little ones, hoping that all of them will "turn out" as well as her second son. during the _woodville's_ second business season, she was employed by a party of wealthy gentlemen, for a week, in going round the lake. she had descended the richelieu to st. johns, from which the party ran up to montreal for a day, returning to the boat in the evening. though the time for which the boat was engaged was not up till the next evening, some of the gentlemen were very anxious to be in burlington on the following morning, and insisted that the steamer should immediately proceed up the river on her return. it was a very dark and foggy night, and lawry declined to start, declaring that he could not run with safety to the boat and passengers. the party continued to insist upon their point, adding that if he was a competent pilot there could be no difficulty in complying with their wishes. they were gentlemen of wealth and influence, and the little captain did not like to disoblige them. he argued the question with them, and pointed to the motto in the wheel-house. they laughed at him and his motto. there was to be a "trot" between two celebrated horses, at burlington, and they were too anxious to witness the race to be entirely reasonable. captain lawry was firm, and the gentlemen were angry and indignant. while they were debating the question in excited tones, another steamer left the wharf, bound up the river. her departure seemed to spoil the young pilot's argument. the party tried to hail the steamer in the fog, wishing lawry to put them on board of her; but her people did not hear their demand, or would not stop for them, and the party were highly incensed at what they called the obstinacy of lawry. "haste and waste, gentlemen," replied the little captain. "the river is narrow and crooked, and there is great danger of getting aground if i attempt to run in this fog." "that other steamer has gone, and if she can run, you can, if you know your business," replied one of the gentlemen. "i'm very sorry; but i don't think we should gain anything by starting now," added lawry. finding it was useless to insist any longer, the party took supper, and turned in, when their anger had partially subsided. the little captain did not retire that night; he "planked the deck," and watched the weather. it was a seven hours' run to burlington, and the "trot" was to come off at nine o'clock in the forenoon. he still hoped that he should be able to satisfy his unreasonable party. at midnight the wind chopped round to the westward, and blew the fog over. at one o'clock the _woodville_ was going up the river at full speed. at three o'clock she came up with the steamer which had started from st. johns four hours before, hard and fast aground. she hailed the little _woodville_, and requested assistance. lawry took a hawser on board, and gave her a few pulls; but she was too hard on the sand to be started, and he was compelled to abandon her. the commotion caused by these operations awoke some of the gentlemen in the cabin of the _woodville_, and they came on deck to learn the occasion of it. "what's the trouble, captain lawry?" asked one of them. "haste and waste," replied the young pilot sententiously. "what do you mean?" "nothing, only the boat which left st. johns four hours before us is aground, and can't get off." "well, haste and waste does mean something, after all," laughed the speaker. the gentlemen went to bed again; the _woodville_ continued on her course, and when the party came on deck, at seven in the morning, she was in sight of burlington. of course, the excursionists were delighted to be able to attend the "trot." at four o'clock in the afternoon, the steamer which had grounded reached burlington. some of lawry's party came on board in the evening to settle their accounts with the boat. they were gentlemen, and they acknowledged their error, and apologized for the strong language they had used. "well, gentlemen, i am very glad you are satisfied," said lawry, as he put their money in his pocket. "i shall still believe in and follow my motto--haste and waste." the end [illustration: this book belongs to] * * * * * by l. frank baum uniform with ozma of oz the land of oz john dough and the cherub each elaborately illustrated in colors and black-and-white by john r. neill * * * * * [illustration: ozma of oz] [illustration: ozma] ozma of oz a record of her adventures with dorothy gale of kansas, the yellow hen, the scarecrow, the tin woodman, tiktok, the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger; besides other good people too numerous to mention faithfully recorded herein by l. frank baum the author of the wizard of oz, the land of oz, etc. [illustration] illustrated by john r. neill chicago: the reilly & britton co. publishers [illustration: copyright, , by l. frank baum. all rights reserved] [illustration: to all the boys and girls who read my stories--and especially to the dorothys--this book is lovingly dedicated.] list of chapters page i. the girl in the chicken coop ii. the yellow hen iii. letters in the sand iv. tiktok, the machine man v. dorothy opens the dinner pail vi. the heads of langwidere vii. ozma of oz to the rescue viii. the hungry tiger ix. the royal family of ev x. the giant with the hammer xi. the nome king [illustration] [illustration] xii. the eleven guesses xiii. the nome king laughs xiv. dorothy tries to be brave xv. billina frightens the nome king xvi. purple, green and gold xvii. the scarecrow wins the fight xviii. the fate of the tin woodman xix. the king of ev xx. the emerald city xxi. dorothy's magic belt [illustration] [illustration] author's note my friends the children are responsible for this new "oz book," as they were for the last one, which was called _the land of oz_. their sweet little letters plead to know "more about dorothy"; and they ask: "what became of the cowardly lion?" and "what did ozma do afterward?"--meaning, of course, after she became the ruler of oz. and some of them suggest plots to me, saying: "please have dorothy go to the land of oz again"; or, "why don't you make ozma and dorothy meet, and have a good time together?" indeed, could i do all that my little friends ask, i would be obliged to write dozens of books to satisfy their demands. and i wish i could, for i enjoy writing these stories just as much as the children say they enjoy reading them. well, here is "more about dorothy," and about our old friends the scarecrow and the tin woodman, and about the cowardly lion, and ozma, and all the rest of them; and here, likewise, is a good deal about some new folks that are queer and unusual. one little friend, who read this story before it was printed, said to me: "billina is _real ozzy_, mr. baum, and so are tiktok and the hungry tiger." if this judgment is unbiased and correct, and the little folks find this new story "real ozzy," i shall be very glad indeed that i wrote it. but perhaps i shall get some more of those very welcome letters from my readers, telling me just how they like "ozma of oz." i hope so, anyway. l. frank baum. macatawa, . [illustration] the girl in the chicken coop [illustration] the wind blew hard and joggled the water of the ocean, sending ripples across its surface. then the wind pushed the edges of the ripples until they became waves, and shoved the waves around until they became billows. the billows rolled dreadfully high: higher even than the tops of houses. some of them, indeed, rolled as high as the tops of tall trees, and seemed like mountains, and the gulfs between the great billows were like deep valleys. all this mad dashing and splashing of the waters of the big ocean, which the mischievous wind caused without any good reason whatever, resulted in a terrible storm, and a storm on the ocean is liable to cut many queer pranks and do a lot of damage. at the time the wind began to blow, a ship was sailing far out upon the waters. when the waves began to tumble and toss and to grow bigger and bigger the ship rolled up and down, and tipped sidewise--first one way and then the other--and was jostled around so roughly that even the sailor-men had to hold fast to the ropes and railings to keep themselves from being swept away by the wind or pitched headlong into the sea. and the clouds were so thick in the sky that the sunlight couldn't get through them; so that the day grew dark as night, which added to the terrors of the storm. the captain of the ship was not afraid, because he had seen storms before, and had sailed his ship through them in safety; but he knew that his passengers would be in danger if they tried to stay on deck, so he put them all into the cabin and told them to stay there until after the storm was over, and to keep brave hearts and not be scared, and all would be well with them. now, among these passengers was a little kansas girl named dorothy gale, who was going with her uncle henry to australia, to visit some relatives they had never before seen. uncle henry, you must know, was not very well, because he had been working so hard on his kansas farm that his health had given way and left him weak and nervous. so he left aunt em at home to watch after the hired men and to take care of the farm, while he traveled far away to australia to visit his cousins and have a good rest. dorothy was eager to go with him on this journey, and uncle henry thought she would be good company and help cheer him up; so he decided to take her along. the little girl was quite an experienced traveller, for she had once been carried by a cyclone as far away from home as the marvelous land of oz, and she had met with a good many adventures in that strange country before she managed to get back to kansas again. so she wasn't easily frightened, whatever happened, and when the wind began to howl and whistle, and the waves began to tumble and toss, our little girl didn't mind the uproar the least bit. "of course we'll have to stay in the cabin," she said to uncle henry and the other passengers, "and keep as quiet as possible until the storm is over. for the captain says if we go on deck we may be blown overboard." no one wanted to risk such an accident as that, you may be sure; so all the passengers stayed huddled up in the dark cabin, listening to the shrieking of the storm and the creaking of the masts and rigging and trying to keep from bumping into one another when the ship tipped sidewise. dorothy had almost fallen asleep when she was aroused with a start to find that uncle henry was missing. she couldn't imagine where he had gone, and as he was not very strong she began to worry about him, and to fear he might have been careless enough to go on deck. in that case he would be in great danger unless he instantly came down again. the fact was that uncle henry had gone to lie down in his little sleeping-berth, but dorothy did not know that. she only remembered that aunt em had cautioned her to take good care of her uncle, so at once she decided to go on deck and find him, in spite of the fact that the tempest was now worse than ever, and the ship was plunging in a really dreadful manner. indeed, the little girl found it was as much as she could do to mount the stairs to the deck, and as soon as she got there the wind struck her so fiercely that it almost tore away the skirts of her dress. yet dorothy felt a sort of joyous excitement in defying the storm, and while she held fast to the railing she peered around through the gloom and thought she saw the dim form of a man clinging to a mast not far away from her. this might be her uncle, so she called as loudly as she could: "uncle henry! uncle henry!" [illustration: "uncle henry! uncle henry!" called dorothy] but the wind screeched and howled so madly that she scarce heard her own voice, and the man certainly failed to hear her, for he did not move. dorothy decided she must go to him; so she made a dash forward, during a lull in the storm, to where a big square chicken-coop had been lashed to the deck with ropes. she reached this place in safety, but no sooner had she seized fast hold of the slats of the big box in which the chickens were kept than the wind, as if enraged because the little girl dared to resist its power, suddenly redoubled its fury. with a scream like that of an angry giant it tore away the ropes that held the coop and lifted it high into the air, with dorothy still clinging to the slats. around and over it whirled, this way and that, and a few moments later the chicken-coop dropped far away into the sea, where the big waves caught it and slid it up-hill to a foaming crest and then downhill into a deep valley, as if it were nothing more than a plaything to keep them amused. dorothy had a good ducking, you may be sure, but she didn't loose her presence of mind even for a second. she kept tight hold of the stout slats and as soon as she could get the water out of her eyes she saw that the wind had ripped the cover from the coop, and the poor chickens were fluttering away in every direction, being blown by the wind until they looked like feather dusters without handles. the bottom of the coop was made of thick boards, so dorothy found she was clinging to a sort of raft, with sides of slats, which readily bore up her weight. after coughing the water out of her throat and getting her breath again, she managed to climb over the slats and stand upon the firm wooden bottom of the coop, which supported her easily enough. "why, i've got a ship of my own!" she thought, more amused than frightened at her sudden change of condition; and then, as the coop climbed up to the top of a big wave, she looked eagerly around for the ship from which she had been blown. it was far, far away, by this time. perhaps no one on board had yet missed her, or knew of her strange adventure. down into a valley between the waves the coop swept her, and when she climbed another crest the ship looked like a toy boat, it was such a long way off. soon it had entirely disappeared in the gloom, and then dorothy gave a sigh of regret at parting with uncle henry and began to wonder what was going to happen to her next. just now she was tossing on the bosom of a big ocean, with nothing to keep her afloat but a miserable wooden hen-coop that had a plank bottom and slatted sides, through which the water constantly splashed and wetted her through to the skin! and there was nothing to eat when she became hungry--as she was sure to do before long--and no fresh water to drink and no dry clothes to put on. "well, i declare!" she exclaimed, with a laugh. "you're in a pretty fix, dorothy gale, i can tell you! and i haven't the least idea how you're going to get out of it!" as if to add to her troubles the night was now creeping on, and the gray clouds overhead changed to inky blackness. but the wind, as if satisfied at last with its mischievous pranks, stopped blowing this ocean and hurried away to another part of the world to blow something else; so that the waves, not being joggled any more, began to quiet down and behave themselves. [illustration: dorothy afloat in the hen-coop] it was lucky for dorothy, i think, that the storm subsided; otherwise, brave though she was, i fear she might have perished. many children, in her place, would have wept and given way to despair; but because dorothy had encountered so many adventures and come safely through them it did not occur to her at this time to be especially afraid. she was wet and uncomfortable, it is true; but, after sighing that one sigh i told you of, she managed to recall some of her customary cheerfulness and decided to patiently await whatever her fate might be. by and by the black clouds rolled away and showed a blue sky overhead, with a silver moon shining sweetly in the middle of it and little stars winking merrily at dorothy when she looked their way. the coop did not toss around any more, but rode the waves more gently--almost like a cradle rocking--so that the floor upon which dorothy stood was no longer swept by water coming through the slats. seeing this, and being quite exhausted by the excitement of the past few hours, the little girl decided that sleep would be the best thing to restore her strength and the easiest way in which she could pass the time. the floor was damp and she was herself wringing wet, but fortunately this was a warm climate and she did not feel at all cold. so she sat down in a corner of the coop, leaned her back against the slats, nodded at the friendly stars before she closed her eyes, and was asleep in half a minute. [illustration] the yellow hen [illustration] a strange noise awoke dorothy, who opened her eyes to find that day had dawned and the sun was shining brightly in a clear sky. she had been dreaming that she was back in kansas again, and playing in the old barn-yard with the calves and pigs and chickens all around her; and at first, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she really imagined she was there. "kut-kut-kut, ka-daw-kut! kut-kut-kut, ka-daw-kut!" ah; here again was the strange noise that had awakened her. surely it was a hen cackling! but her wide-open eyes first saw, through the slats of the coop, the blue waves of the ocean, now calm and placid, and her thoughts flew back to the past night, so full of danger and discomfort. also she began to remember that she was a waif of the storm, adrift upon a treacherous and unknown sea. "kut-kut-kut, ka-daw-w-w--kut!" "what's that?" cried dorothy, starting to her feet. "why, i've just laid an egg, that's all," replied a small, but sharp and distinct voice, and looking around her the little girl discovered a yellow hen squatting in the opposite corner of the coop. "dear me!" she exclaimed, in surprise; "have _you_ been here all night, too?" "of course," answered the hen, fluttering her wings and yawning. "when the coop blew away from the ship i clung fast to this corner, with claws and beak, for i knew if i fell into the water i'd surely be drowned. indeed, i nearly drowned, as it was, with all that water washing over me. i never was so wet before in my life!" "yes," agreed dorothy, "it was pretty wet, for a time, i know. but do you feel comfor'ble now?" "not very. the sun has helped to dry my feathers, as it has your dress, and i feel better since i laid my morning egg. but what's to become of us, i should like to know, afloat on this big pond?" "i'd like to know that, too," said dorothy. "but, tell me; how does it happen that you are able to talk? i thought hens could only cluck and cackle." "why, as for that," answered the yellow hen thoughtfully, "i've clucked and cackled all my life, and never spoken a word before this morning, that i can remember. but when you asked a question, a minute ago, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to answer you. so i spoke, and i seem to keep on speaking, just as you and other human beings do. strange, isn't it?" "very," replied dorothy. "if we were in the land of oz, i wouldn't think it so queer, because many of the animals can talk in that fairy country. but out here in the ocean must be a good long way from oz." "how is my grammar?" asked the yellow hen, anxiously. "do i speak quite properly, in your judgment?" "yes," said dorothy, "you do very well, for a beginner." "i'm glad to know that," continued the yellow hen, in a confidential tone; "because, if one is going to talk, it's best to talk correctly. the red rooster has often said that my cluck and my cackle were quite perfect; and now it's a comfort to know i am talking properly." "i'm beginning to get hungry," remarked dorothy. "it's breakfast time; but there's no breakfast." "you may have my egg," said the yellow hen. "i don't care for it, you know." "don't you want to hatch it?" asked the little girl, in surprise. "no, indeed; i never care to hatch eggs unless i've a nice snug nest, in some quiet place, with a baker's dozen of eggs under me. that's thirteen, you know, and it's a lucky number for hens. so you may as well eat this egg." "oh, i couldn't _poss'bly_ eat it, unless it was cooked," exclaimed dorothy. "but i'm much obliged for your kindness, just the same." "don't mention it, my dear," answered the hen, calmly, and began pruning her feathers. for a moment dorothy stood looking out over the wide sea. she was still thinking of the egg, though; so presently she asked: "why do you lay eggs, when you don't expect to hatch them?" "it's a habit i have," replied the yellow hen. "it has always been my pride to lay a fresh egg every morning, except when i'm moulting. i never feel like having my morning cackle till the egg is properly laid, and without the chance to cackle i would not be happy." "it's strange," said the girl, reflectively; "but as i'm not a hen i can't be 'spected to understand that." "certainly not, my dear." then dorothy fell silent again. the yellow hen was some company, and a bit of comfort, too; but it was dreadfully lonely out on the big ocean, nevertheless. after a time the hen flew up and perched upon the topmost slat of the coop, which was a little above dorothy's head when she was sitting upon the bottom, as she had been doing for some moments past. "why, we are not far from land!" exclaimed the hen. "where? where is it?" cried dorothy, jumping up in great excitement. "over there a little way," answered the hen, nodding her head in a certain direction. "we seem to be drifting toward it, so that before noon we ought to find ourselves upon dry land again." "i shall like that!" said dorothy, with a little sigh, for her feet and legs were still wetted now and then by the sea-water that came through the open slats. [illustration: the yellow hen] "so shall i," answered her companion. "there is nothing in the world so miserable as a wet hen." the land, which they seemed to be rapidly approaching, since it grew more distinct every minute, was quite beautiful as viewed by the little girl in the floating hen-coop. next to the water was a broad beach of white sand and gravel, and farther back were several rocky hills, while beyond these appeared a strip of green trees that marked the edge of a forest. but there were no houses to be seen, nor any sign of people who might inhabit this unknown land. "i hope we shall find something to eat," said dorothy, looking eagerly at the pretty beach toward which they drifted. "it's long past breakfast time, now." "i'm a trifle hungry, myself," declared the yellow hen. "why don't you eat the egg?" asked the child. "you don't need to have your food cooked, as i do." "do you take me for a cannibal?" cried the hen, indignantly. "i do not know what i have said or done that leads you to insult me!" "i beg your pardon, i'm sure mrs.--mrs.--by the way, may i inquire your name, ma'am?" asked the little girl. "my name is bill," said the yellow hen, somewhat gruffly. "bill! why, that's a boy's name." "what difference does that make?" "you're a lady hen, aren't you?" "of course. but when i was first hatched out no one could tell whether i was going to be a hen or a rooster; so the little boy at the farm where i was born called me bill, and made a pet of me because i was the only yellow chicken in the whole brood. when i grew up, and he found that i didn't crow and fight, as all the roosters do, he did not think to change my name, and every creature in the barn-yard, as well as the people in the house, knew me as 'bill.' so bill i've always been called, and bill is my name." "but it's all wrong, you know," declared dorothy, earnestly; "and, if you don't mind, i shall call you 'billina.' putting the 'eena' on the end makes it a girl's name, you see." "oh, i don't mind it in the least," returned the yellow hen. "it doesn't matter at all what you call me, so long as i know the name means _me_." "very well, billina. _my_ name is dorothy gale--just dorothy to my friends and miss gale to strangers. you may call me dorothy, if you like. we're getting very near the shore. do you suppose it is too deep for me to wade the rest of the way?" "wait a few minutes longer. the sunshine is warm and pleasant, and we are in no hurry." "but my feet are all wet and soggy," said the girl. "my dress is dry enough, but i won't feel real comfor'ble till i get my feet dried." she waited; however, as the hen advised, and before long the big wooden coop grated gently on the sandy beach and the dangerous voyage was over. it did not take the castaways long to reach the shore, you may be sure. the yellow hen flew to the sands at once, but dorothy had to climb over the high slats. still, for a country girl, that was not much of a feat, and as soon as she was safe ashore dorothy drew off her wet shoes and stockings and spread them upon the sun-warmed beach to dry. then she sat down and watched billina, who was pick-pecking away with her sharp bill in the sand and gravel, which she scratched up and turned over with her strong claws. "what are you doing?" asked dorothy. "getting my breakfast, of course," murmured the hen, busily pecking away. [illustration: "how dreadful!" exclaimed dorothy] "what do you find?" inquired the girl, curiously. "oh, some fat red ants, and some sand-bugs, and once in a while a tiny crab. they are very sweet and nice, i assure you." "how dreadful!" exclaimed dorothy, in a shocked voice. "what is dreadful?" asked the hen, lifting her head to gaze with one bright eye at her companion. "why, eating live things, and horrid bugs, and crawly ants. you ought to be _'shamed_ of yourself!" "goodness me!" returned the hen, in a puzzled tone; "how queer you are, dorothy! live things are much fresher and more wholesome than dead ones, and you humans eat all sorts of dead creatures." "we don't!" said dorothy. "you do, indeed," answered billina. "you eat lambs and sheep and cows and pigs and even chickens." "but we cook 'em," said dorothy, triumphantly. "what difference does that make?" "a good deal," said the girl, in a graver tone. "i can't just 'splain the diff'rence, but it's there. and, anyhow, we never eat such dreadful things as _bugs_." "but you eat the chickens that eat the bugs," retorted the yellow hen, with an odd cackle. "so you are just as bad as we chickens are." this made dorothy thoughtful. what billina said was true enough, and it almost took away her appetite for breakfast. as for the yellow hen, she continued to peck away at the sand busily, and seemed quite contented with her bill-of-fare. finally, down near the water's edge, billina stuck her bill deep into the sand, and then drew back and shivered. "ow!" she cried. "i struck metal, that time, and it nearly broke my beak." "it prob'bly was a rock," said dorothy, carelessly. "nonsense. i know a rock from metal, i guess," said the hen. "there's a different feel to it." "but there couldn't be any metal on this wild, deserted seashore," persisted the girl. "where's the place? i'll dig it up, and prove to you i'm right." billina showed her the place where she had "stubbed her bill," as she expressed it, and dorothy dug away the sand until she felt something hard. then, thrusting in her hand, she pulled the thing out, and discovered it to be a large sized golden key--rather old, but still bright and of perfect shape. "what did i tell you?" cried the hen, with a cackle of triumph. "can i tell metal when i bump into it, or is the thing a rock?" "it's metal, sure enough," answered the child, gazing thoughtfully at the curious thing she had found. "i think it is pure gold, and it must have lain hidden in the sand for a long time. how do you suppose it came there, billina? and what do you suppose this mysterious key unlocks?" "i can't say," replied the hen. "you ought to know more about locks and keys than i do." dorothy glanced around. there was no sign of any house in that part of the country, and she reasoned that every key must fit a lock and every lock must have a purpose. perhaps the key had been lost by somebody who lived far away, but had wandered on this very shore. musing on these things the girl put the key in the pocket of her dress and then slowly drew on her shoes and stockings, which the sun had fully dried. "i b'lieve, billina," she said, "i'll have a look 'round, and see if i can find some breakfast." [illustration] letters in the sand [illustration] walking a little way back from the water's edge, toward the grove of trees, dorothy came to a flat stretch of white sand that seemed to have queer signs marked upon its surface, just as one would write upon sand with a stick. "what does it say?" she asked the yellow hen, who trotted along beside her in a rather dignified fashion. "how should i know?" returned the hen. "i cannot read." "oh! can't you?" "certainly not; i've never been to school, you know." "well, i have," admitted dorothy; "but the letters are big and far apart, and it's hard to spell out the words." but she looked at each letter carefully, and finally discovered that these words were written in the sand: "beware the wheelers!" "that's rather strange," declared the hen, when dorothy had read aloud the words. "what do you suppose the wheelers are?" "folks that wheel, i guess. they must have wheelbarrows, or baby-cabs or hand-carts," said dorothy. "perhaps they're automobiles," suggested the yellow hen. "there is no need to beware of baby-cabs and wheelbarrows; but automobiles are dangerous things. several of my friends have been run over by them." "it can't be auto'biles," replied the girl, "for this is a new, wild country, without even trolley-cars or tel'phones. the people here havn't been discovered yet, i'm sure; that is, if there _are_ any people. so i don't b'lieve there _can_ be any auto'biles, billina." "perhaps not," admitted the yellow hen. "where are you going now?" "over to those trees, to see if i can find some fruit or nuts," answered dorothy. she tramped across the sand, skirting the foot of one of the little rocky hills that stood near, and soon reached the edge of the forest. at first she was greatly disappointed, because the nearer trees were all punita, or cotton-wood or eucalyptus, and bore no fruit or nuts at all. but, bye and bye, when she was almost in despair, the little girl came upon two trees that promised to furnish her with plenty of food. one was quite full of square paper boxes, which grew in clusters on all the limbs, and upon the biggest and ripest boxes the word "lunch" could be read, in neat raised letters. this tree seemed to bear all the year around, for there were lunch-box blossoms on some of the branches, and on others tiny little lunch-boxes that were as yet quite green, and evidently not fit to eat until they had grown bigger. the leaves of this tree were all paper napkins, and it presented a very pleasing appearance to the hungry little girl. but the tree next to the lunch-box tree was even more wonderful, for it bore quantities of tin dinner-pails, which were so full and heavy that the stout branches bent underneath their weight. some were small and dark-brown in color; those larger were of a dull tin color; but the really ripe ones were pails of bright tin that shone and glistened beautifully in the rays of sunshine that touched them. dorothy was delighted, and even the yellow hen acknowledged that she was surprised. the little girl stood on tip-toe and picked one of the nicest and biggest lunch-boxes, and then she sat down upon the ground and eagerly opened it. inside she found, nicely wrapped in white papers, a ham sandwich, a piece of sponge-cake, a pickle, a slice of new cheese and an apple. each thing had a separate stem, and so had to be picked off the side of the box; but dorothy found them all to be delicious, and she ate every bit of luncheon in the box before she had finished. "a lunch isn't zactly breakfast," she said to billina, who sat beside her curiously watching. "but when one is hungry one can eat even supper in the morning, and not complain." "i hope your lunch-box was perfectly ripe," observed the yellow hen, in a anxious tone. "so much sickness is caused by eating green things." [illustration: the little girl picked one of the lunch-boxes] "oh, i'm sure it was ripe," declared dorothy, "all, that is, 'cept the pickle, and a pickle just _has_ to be green, billina. but everything tasted perfectly splendid, and i'd rather have it than a church picnic. and now i think i'll pick a dinner-pail, to have when i get hungry again, and then we'll start out and 'splore the country, and see where we are." "havn't you any idea what country this is?" inquired billina. "none at all. but listen: i'm quite sure it's a fairy country, or such things as lunch-boxes and dinner-pails wouldn't be growing upon trees. besides, billina, being a hen, you wouldn't be able to talk in any civ'lized country, like kansas, where no fairies live at all." "perhaps we're in the land of oz," said the hen, thoughtfully. "no, that can't be," answered the little girl; "because i've been to the land of oz, and it's all surrounded by a horrid desert that no one can cross." "then how did you get away from there again?" asked billina. "i had a pair of silver shoes, that carried me through the air; but i lost them," said dorothy. "ah, indeed," remarked the yellow hen, in a tone of unbelief. "anyhow," resumed the girl, "there is no seashore near the land of oz, so this must surely be some other fairy country." while she was speaking she selected a bright and pretty dinner-pail that seemed to have a stout handle, and picked it from its branch. then, accompanied by the yellow hen, she walked out of the shadow of the trees toward the sea-shore. they were part way across the sands when billina suddenly cried, in a voice of terror: "what's that?" [illustration] dorothy turned quickly around, and saw coming out of a path that led from between the trees the most peculiar person her eyes had ever beheld. it had the form of a man, except that it walked, or rather rolled, upon all fours, and its legs were the same length as its arms, giving them the appearance of the four legs of a beast. yet it was no beast that dorothy had discovered, for the person was clothed most gorgeously in embroidered garments of many colors, and wore a straw hat perched jauntily upon the side of its head. but it differed from human beings in this respect, that instead of hands and feet there grew at the end of its arms and legs round wheels, and by means of these wheels it rolled very swiftly over the level ground. afterward dorothy found that these odd wheels were of the same hard substance that our finger-nails and toe-nails are composed of, and she also learned that creatures of this strange race were born in this queer fashion. but when our little girl first caught sight of the first individual of a race that was destined to cause her a lot of trouble, she had an idea that the brilliantly-clothed personage was on roller-skates, which were attached to his hands as well as to his feet. "run!" screamed the yellow hen, fluttering away in great fright. "it's a wheeler!" [illustration: "it's a wheeler!"] "a wheeler?" exclaimed dorothy. "what can that be?" "don't you remember the warning in the sand: 'beware the wheelers'? run, i tell you--run!" so dorothy ran, and the wheeler gave a sharp, wild cry and came after her in full chase. looking over her shoulder as she ran, the girl now saw a great procession of wheelers emerging from the forest--dozens and dozens of them--all clad in splendid, tight-fitting garments and all rolling swiftly toward her and uttering their wild, strange cries. "they're sure to catch us!" panted the girl, who was still carrying the heavy dinner-pail she had picked. "i can't run much farther, billina." "climb up this hill,--quick!" said the hen; and dorothy found she was very near to the heap of loose and jagged rocks they had passed on their way to the forest. the yellow hen was even now fluttering among the rocks, and dorothy followed as best she could, half climbing and half tumbling up the rough and rugged steep. she was none too soon, for the foremost wheeler reached the hill a moment after her; but while the girl scrambled up the rocks the creature stopped short with howls of rage and disappointment. dorothy now heard the yellow hen laughing, in her cackling, henny way. "don't hurry, my dear," cried billina. "they can't follow us among these rocks, so we're safe enough now." dorothy stopped at once and sat down upon a broad boulder, for she was all out of breath. the rest of the wheelers had now reached the foot of the hill, but it was evident that their wheels would not roll upon the rough and jagged rocks, and therefore they were helpless to follow dorothy and the hen to where they had taken refuge. but they circled all around the little hill, so the child and billina were fast prisoners and could not come down without being captured. then the creatures shook their front wheels at dorothy in a threatening manner, and it seemed they were able to speak as well as to make their dreadful outcries, for several of them shouted: "we'll get you in time, never fear! and when we do get you, we'll tear you into little bits!" "why are you so cruel to me?" asked dorothy. "i'm a stranger in your country, and have done you no harm." "no harm!" cried one who seemed to be their leader. "did you not pick our lunch-boxes and dinner-pails? have you not a stolen dinner-pail still in your hand?" "i only picked one of each," she answered. "i was hungry, and i didn't know the trees were yours." "that is no excuse," retorted the leader, who was clothed in a most gorgeous suit. "it is the law here that whoever picks a dinner-pail without our permission must die immediately." "don't you believe him," said billina. "i'm sure the trees do not belong to these awful creatures. they are fit for any mischief, and it's my opinion they would try to kill us just the same if you hadn't picked a dinner-pail." "i think so, too," agreed dorothy. "but what shall we do now?" "stay where we are," advised the yellow hen. "we are safe from the wheelers until we starve to death, anyhow; and before that time comes a good many things can happen." [illustration] [illustration] tiktok the machine man after an hour or so most of the band of wheelers rolled back into the forest, leaving only three of their number to guard the hill. these curled themselves up like big dogs and pretended to go to sleep on the sands; but neither dorothy nor billina were fooled by this trick, so they remained in security among the rocks and paid no attention to their cunning enemies. finally the hen, fluttering over the mound, exclaimed: "why, here's a path!" so dorothy at once clambered to where billina sat, and there, sure enough, was a smooth path cut between the rocks. it seemed to wind around the mound from top to bottom, like a cork-screw, twisting here and there between the rough boulders but always remaining level and easy to walk upon. indeed, dorothy wondered at first why the wheelers did not roll up this path; but when she followed it to the foot of the mound she found that several big pieces of rock had been placed directly across the end of the way, thus preventing any one outside from seeing it and also preventing the wheelers from using it to climb up the mound. then dorothy walked back up the path, and followed it until she came to the very top of the hill, where a solitary round rock stood that was bigger than any of the others surrounding it. the path came to an end just beside this great rock, and for a moment it puzzled the girl to know why the path had been made at all. but the hen, who had been gravely following her around and was now perched upon a point of rock behind dorothy, suddenly remarked: "it looks something like a door, doesn't it?" "what looks like a door?" enquired the child. "why, that crack in the rock, just facing you," replied billina, whose little round eyes were very sharp and seemed to see everything. "it runs up one side and down the other, and across the top and the bottom." [illustration] "what does?" "why, the crack. so i think it must be a door of rock, although i do not see any hinges." "oh, yes," said dorothy, now observing for the first time the crack in the rock. "and isn't this a key-hole, billina?" pointing to a round, deep hole at one side of the door. "of course. if we only had the key, now, we could unlock it and see what is there," replied the yellow hen. "may be it's a treasure chamber full of diamonds and rubies, or heaps of shining gold, or----" "that reminds me," said dorothy, "of the golden key i picked up on the shore. do you think that it would fit this key-hole, billina?" "try it and see," suggested the hen. so dorothy searched in the pocket of her dress and found the golden key. and when she had put it into the hole of the rock, and turned it, a sudden sharp snap was heard; then, with a solemn creak that made the shivers run down the child's back, the face of the rock fell outward, like a door on hinges, and revealed a small dark chamber just inside. "good gracious!" cried dorothy, shrinking back as far as the narrow path would let her. for, standing within the narrow chamber of rock, was the form of a man--or, at least, it seemed like a man, in the dim light. he was only about as tall as dorothy herself, and his body was round as a ball and made out of burnished copper. also his head and limbs were copper, and these were jointed or hinged to his body in a peculiar way, with metal caps over the joints, like the armor worn by knights in days of old. he stood perfectly still, and where the light struck upon his form it glittered as if made of pure gold. [illustration: "this copper man is not alive at all"] "don't be frightened," called billina, from her perch. "it isn't alive." "i see it isn't," replied the girl, drawing a long breath. "it is only made out of copper, like the old kettle in the barn-yard at home," continued the hen, turning her head first to one side and then to the other, so that both her little round eyes could examine the object. "once," said dorothy, "i knew a man made out of tin, who was a woodman named nick chopper. but he was as alive as we are, 'cause he was born a real man, and got his tin body a little at a time--first a leg and then a finger and then an ear--for the reason that he had so many accidents with his axe, and cut himself up in a very careless manner." "oh," said the hen, with a sniff, as if she did not believe the story. "but this copper man," continued dorothy, looking at it with big eyes, "is not alive at all, and i wonder what it was made for, and why it was locked up in this queer place." "that is a mystery," remarked the hen, twisting her head to arrange her wing-feathers with her bill. dorothy stepped inside the little room to get a back view of the copper man, and in this way discovered a printed card that hung between his shoulders, it being suspended from a small copper peg at the back of his neck. she unfastened this card and returned to the path, where the light was better, and sat herself down upon a slab of rock to read the printing. "what does it say?" asked the hen, curiously. dorothy read the card aloud, spelling out the big words with some difficulty; and this is what she read: smith & tinker's patent double-action, extra-responsive, thought-creating, perfect-talking mechanical man fitted with our special clock-work attachment. thinks, speaks, acts, and does everything but live. manufactured only at our works at evna, land of ev. all infringements will be promptly prosecuted according to law. "how queer!" said the yellow hen. "do you think that is all true, my dear?" "i don't know," answered dorothy, who had more to read. "listen to this, billina:" directions for using: for thinking:--wind the clock-work man under his left arm, (marked no. .) for speaking:--wind the clock-work man under his right arm, (marked no. .) for walking and action:--wind clock-work in the middle of his back, (marked no. .) n. b.--this mechanism is guaranteed to work perfectly for a thousand years. "well, i declare!" gasped the yellow hen, in amazement; "if the copper man can do half of these things he is a very wonderful machine. but i suppose it is all humbug, like so many other patented articles." "we might wind him up," suggested dorothy, "and see what he'll do." "where is the key to the clock-work?" asked billina. "hanging on the peg where i found the card." "then," said the hen, "let us try him, and find out if he will go. he is warranted for a thousand years, it seems; but we do not know how long he has been standing inside this rock." dorothy had already taken the clock key from the peg. [illustration: dorothy wound up number one] "which shall i wind up first?" she asked, looking again at the directions on the card. "number one, i should think," returned billina. "that makes him think, doesn't it?" "yes," said dorothy, and wound up number one, under the left arm. "he doesn't seem any different," remarked the hen, critically. "why, of course not; he is only thinking, now," said dorothy. "i wonder what he is thinking about." "i'll wind up his talk, and then perhaps he can tell us," said the girl. so she wound up number two, and immediately the clock-work man said, without moving any part of his body except his lips: "good morn-ing, lit-tle girl. good morn-ing, mrs. hen." the words sounded a little hoarse and creakey, and they were uttered all in the same tone, without any change of expression whatever; but both dorothy and billina understood them perfectly. "good morning, sir," they answered, politely. "thank you for res-cu-ing me," continued the machine, in the same monotonous voice, which seemed to be worked by a bellows inside of him, like the little toy lambs and cats the children squeeze so that they will make a noise. [illustration] "don't mention it," answered dorothy. and then, being very curious, she asked: "how did you come to be locked up in this place?" "it is a long sto-ry," replied the copper man; "but i will tell it to you brief-ly. i was pur-chased from smith & tin-ker, my man-u-fac-tur-ers, by a cru-el king of ev, named ev-ol-do, who used to beat all his serv-ants un-til they died. how-ev-er, he was not a-ble to kill me, be-cause i was not a-live, and one must first live in or-der to die. so that all his beat-ing did me no harm, and mere-ly kept my cop-per bod-y well pol-ished. "this cru-el king had a love-ly wife and ten beau-ti-ful chil-dren--five boys and five girls--but in a fit of an-ger he sold them all to the nome king, who by means of his mag-ic arts changed them all in-to oth-er forms and put them in his un-der-ground pal-ace to or-na-ment the rooms. "af-ter-ward the king of ev re-gret-ted his wick-ed ac-tion, and tried to get his wife and chil-dren a-way from the nome king, but with-out a-vail. so, in de-spair, he locked me up in this rock, threw the key in-to the o-cean, and then jumped in af-ter it and was drowned." "how very dreadful!" exclaimed dorothy. "it is, in-deed," said the machine. "when i found my-self im-pris-oned i shout-ed for help un-til my voice ran down; and then i walked back and forth in this lit-tle room un-til my ac-tion ran down; and then i stood still and thought un-til my thoughts ran down. af-ter that i re-mem-ber noth-ing un-til you wound me up a-gain." "it's a very wonderful story," said dorothy, "and proves that the land of ev is really a fairy land, as i thought it was." [illustration: the copper man walked out of the rocky cavern] "of course it is," answered the copper man. "i do not sup-pose such a per-fect ma-chine as i am could be made in an-y place but a fair-y land." "i've never seen one in kansas," said dorothy. "but where did you get the key to un-lock this door?" asked the clock-work voice. "i found it on the shore, where it was prob'ly washed up by the waves," she answered. "and now, sir, if you don't mind, i'll wind up your action." "that will please me ve-ry much," said the machine. so she wound up number three, and at once the copper man in a somewhat stiff and jerky fashion walked out of the rocky cavern, took off his copper hat and bowed politely, and then kneeled before dorothy. said he: "from this time forth i am your o-be-di-ent ser-vant. what-ev-er you com-mand, that i will do will-ing-ly--if you keep me wound up." "what is your name?" she asked. "tik-tok," he replied. "my for-mer mas-ter gave me that name be-cause my clock-work al-ways ticks when it is wound up." "i can hear it now," said the yellow hen. "so can i," said dorothy. and then she added, with some anxiety: "you don't strike, do you?" "no," answered tiktok; "and there is no a-larm con-nec-ted with my ma-chin-er-y. i can tell the time, though, by speak-ing, and as i nev-er sleep i can wak-en you at an-y hour you wish to get up in the morn-ing." "that's nice," said the little girl; "only i never wish to get up in the morning." "you can sleep until i lay my egg," said the yellow hen. "then, when i cackle, tiktok will know it is time to waken you." "do you lay your egg very early?" asked dorothy. "about eight o'clock," said billina. "and everybody ought to be up by that time, i'm sure." [illustration] dorothy opens the dinner pail [illustration] "now tiktok," said dorothy, "the first thing to be done is to find a way for us to escape from these rocks. the wheelers are down below, you know, and threaten to kill us." "there is no rea-son to be a-fraid of the wheel-ers," said tiktok, the words coming more slowly than before. "why not?" she asked. "be-cause they are ag-g-g--gr-gr-r-r-" he gave a sort of gurgle and stopped short, waving his hands frantically until suddenly he became motionless, with one arm in the air and the other held stiffly before him with all the copper fingers of the hand spread out like a fan. "dear me!" said dorothy, in a frightened tone. "what can the matter be?" "he's run down, i suppose," said the hen, calmly. "you couldn't have wound him up very tight." "i didn't know how much to wind him," replied the girl; "but i'll try to do better next time." she ran around the copper man to take the key from the peg at the back of his neck, but it was not there. "it's gone!" cried dorothy, in dismay. "what's gone?" asked billina. "the key." "it probably fell off when he made that low bow to you," returned the hen. "look around, and see if you cannot find it again." dorothy looked, and the hen helped her, and by and by the girl discovered the clock-key, which had fallen into a crack of the rock. at once she wound up tiktok's voice, taking care to give the key as many turns as it would go around. she found this quite a task, as you may imagine if you have ever tried to wind a clock, but the machine man's first words were to assure dorothy that he would now run for at least twenty-four hours. "you did not wind me much, at first," he calmly said, "and i told you that long sto-ry a-bout king ev-ol-do; so it is no won-der that i ran down." [illustration] she next rewound the action clock-work, and then billina advised her to carry the key to tiktok in her pocket, so it would not get lost again. "and now," said dorothy, when all this was accomplished, "tell me what you were going to say about the wheelers." "why, they are noth-ing to be fright-en'd at," said the machine. "they try to make folks be-lieve that they are ver-y ter-ri-ble, but as a mat-ter of fact the wheel-ers are harm-less e-nough to an-y one that dares to fight them. they might try to hurt a lit-tle girl like you, per-haps, be-cause they are ver-y mis-chiev-ous. but if i had a club they would run a-way as soon as they saw me." "haven't you a club?" asked dorothy. "no," said tiktok. "and you won't find such a thing among these rocks, either," declared the yellow hen. "then what shall we do?" asked the girl. "wind up my think-works tight-ly, and i will try to think of some oth-er plan," said tiktok. so dorothy rewound his thought machinery, and while he was thinking she decided to eat her dinner. billina was already pecking away at the cracks in the rocks, to find something to eat, so dorothy sat down and opened her tin dinner-pail. in the cover she found a small tank that was full of very nice lemonade. it was covered by a cup, which might also, when removed, be used to drink the lemonade from. within the pail were three slices of turkey, two slices of cold tongue, some lobster salad, four slices of bread and butter, a small custard pie, an orange and nine large strawberries, and some nuts and raisins. singularly enough, the nuts in this dinner-pail grew already cracked, so that dorothy had no trouble in picking out their meats to eat. she spread the feast upon the rock beside her and began her dinner, first offering some of it to tiktok, who declined because, as he said, he was merely a machine. afterward she offered to share with billina, but the hen murmured something about "dead things" and said she preferred her bugs and ants. "do the lunch-box trees and the dinner-pail trees belong to the wheelers?" the child asked tiktok, while engaged in eating her meal. "of course not," he answered. "they be-long to the roy-al fam-il-y of ev, on-ly of course there is no roy-al fam-il-y just now be-cause king ev-ol-do jumped in-to the sea and his wife and ten chil-dren have been trans-formed by the nome king. so there is no one to rule the land of ev, that i can think of. per-haps it is for this rea-son that the wheel-ers claim the trees for their own, and pick the lunch-eons and din-ners to eat them-selves. but they be-long to the king, and you will find the roy-al "e" stamped up-on the bot-tom of ev-er-y din-ner pail." dorothy turned the pail over, and at once discovered the royal mark upon it, as tiktok had said. "are the wheelers the only folks living in the land of ev?" enquired the girl. [illustration: dorothy opened her tin dinner-pail] "no; they on-ly in-hab-it a small por-tion of it just back of the woods," replied the machine. "but they have al-ways been mis-chiev-ous and im-per-ti-nent, and my old mas-ter, king ev-ol-do, used to car-ry a whip with him, when he walked out, to keep the crea-tures in or-der. when i was first made the wheel-ers tried to run o-ver me, and butt me with their heads; but they soon found i was built of too sol-id a ma-ter-i-al for them to in-jure." "you seem very durable," said dorothy. "who made you?" "the firm of smith & tin-ker, in the town of ev-na, where the roy-al pal-ace stands," answered tiktok. "did they make many of you?" asked the child. "no; i am the on-ly au-to-mat-ic me-chan-i-cal man they ev-er com-plet-ed," he replied. "they were ver-y won-der-ful in-ven-tors, were my mak-ers, and quite ar-tis-tic in all they did." "i am sure of that," said dorothy. "do they live in the town of evna now?" "they are both gone," replied the machine. "mr. smith was an art-ist, as well as an in-vent-or, and he paint-ed a pic-ture of a riv-er which was so nat-ur-al that, as he was reach-ing a-cross it to paint some flow-ers on the op-po-site bank, he fell in-to the wa-ter and was drowned." "oh, i'm sorry for that!" exclaimed the little girl. "mis-ter tin-ker," continued tiktok, "made a lad-der so tall that he could rest the end of it a-gainst the moon, while he stood on the high-est rung and picked the lit-tle stars to set in the points of the king's crown. but when he got to the moon mis-ter tin-ker found it such a love-ly place that he de-cid-ed to live there, so he pulled up the lad-der af-ter him and we have nev-er seen him since." "he must have been a great loss to this country," said dorothy, who was by this time eating her custard pie. "he was," acknowledged tiktok. "also he is a great loss to me. for if i should get out of or-der i do not know of an-y one a-ble to re-pair me, be-cause i am so com-pli-cat-ed. you have no i-de-a how full of ma-chin-er-y i am." "i can imagine it," said dorothy, readily. "and now," continued the machine, "i must stop talk-ing and be-gin think-ing a-gain of a way to es-cape from this rock." so he turned halfway around, in order to think without being disturbed. "the best thinker i ever knew," said dorothy to the yellow hen, "was a scarecrow." "nonsense!" snapped billina. "it is true," declared dorothy. "i met him in the land of oz, and he travelled with me to the city of the great wizard of oz, so as to get some brains, for his head was only stuffed with straw. but it seemed to me that he thought just as well before he got his brains as he did afterward." "do you expect me to believe all that rubbish about the land of oz?" enquired billina, who seemed a little cross--perhaps because bugs were scarce. "what rubbish?" asked the child, who was now finishing her nuts and raisins. "why, your impossible stories about animals that can talk, and a tin woodman who is alive, and a scarecrow who can think." "they are all there," said dorothy, "for i have seen them." "i don't believe it!" cried the hen, with a toss of her head. "that's 'cause you're so ign'rant," replied the girl, who was a little offended at her friend billina's speech. "in the land of oz," remarked tiktok, turning toward them, "an-y-thing is pos-si-ble. for it is a won-der-ful fair-y coun-try." "there, billina! what did i say?" cried dorothy. and then she turned to the machine and asked in an eager tone: "do you know the land of oz, tiktok?" [illustration: mister tinker visits the moon] "no; but i have heard a-bout it," said the copper man. "for it is on-ly sep-a-ra-ted from this land of ev by a broad des-ert." dorothy clapped her hands together delightedly. "i'm glad of that!" she exclaimed. "it makes me quite happy to be so near my old friends. the scarecrow i told you of, billina, is the king of the land of oz." "par-don me. he is not the king now," said tiktok. "he was when i left there," declared dorothy. "i know," said tiktok, "but there was a rev-o-lu-tion in the land of oz, and the scare-crow was de-posed by a sol-dier wo-man named gen-er-al jin-jur. and then jin-jur was de-posed by a lit-tle girl named oz-ma, who was the right-ful heir to the throne and now rules the land un-der the ti-tle of oz-ma of oz." "that is news to me," said dorothy, thoughtfully. "but i s'pose lots of things have happened since i left the land of oz. i wonder what has become of the scarecrow, and of the tin woodman, and the cowardly lion. and i wonder who this girl ozma is, for i never heard of her before." but tiktok did not reply to this. he had turned around again to resume his thinking. dorothy packed the rest of the food back into the pail, so as not to be wasteful of good things, and the yellow hen forgot her dignity far enough to pick up all of the scattered crumbs, which she ate rather greedily, although she had so lately pretended to despise the things that dorothy preferred as food. by this time tiktok approached them with his stiff bow. "be kind e-nough to fol-low me," he said, "and i will lead you a-way from here to the town of ev-na, where you will be more com-for-ta-ble, and also i will pro-tect you from the wheel-ers." "all right," answered dorothy, promptly. "i'm ready!" [illustration] the heads of langwidere [illustration] they walked slowly down the path between the rocks, tiktok going first, dorothy following him, and the yellow hen trotting along last of all. at the foot of the path the copper man leaned down and tossed aside with ease the rocks that cumbered the way. then he turned to dorothy and said: "let me car-ry your din-ner-pail." she placed it in his right hand at once, and the copper fingers closed firmly over the stout handle. then the little procession marched out upon the level sands. as soon as the three wheelers who were guarding the mound saw them, they began to shout their wild cries and rolled swiftly toward the little group, as if to capture them or bar their way. but when the foremost had approached near enough, tiktok swung the tin dinner-pail and struck the wheeler a sharp blow over its head with the queer weapon. perhaps it did not hurt very much, but it made a great noise, and the wheeler uttered a howl and tumbled over upon its side. the next minute it scrambled to its wheels and rolled away as fast as it could go, screeching with fear at the same time. "i told you they were harm-less," began tiktok; but before he could say more another wheeler was upon them. crack! went the dinner-pail against its head, knocking its straw hat a dozen feet away; and that was enough for this wheeler, also. it rolled away after the first one, and the third did not wait to be pounded with the pail, but joined its fellows as quickly as its wheels would whirl. the yellow hen gave a cackle of delight, and flying to a perch upon tiktok's shoulder, she said: "bravely done, my copper friend! and wisely thought of, too. now we are free from those ugly creatures." but just then a large band of wheelers rolled from the forest, and relying upon their numbers to conquer, they advanced fiercely upon tiktok. dorothy grabbed billina in her arms and held her tight, and the machine embraced the form of the little girl with his left arm, the better to protect her. then the wheelers were upon them. rattlety, bang! bang! went the dinner-pail in every direction, and it made so much clatter bumping against the heads of the wheelers that they were much more frightened than hurt and fled in a great panic. all, that is, except their leader. this wheeler had stumbled against another and fallen flat upon his back, and before he could get his wheels under him to rise again, tiktok had fastened his copper fingers into the neck of the gorgeous jacket of his foe and held him fast. "tell your peo-ple to go a-way," commanded the machine. the leader of the wheelers hesitated to give this order, so tiktok shook him as a terrier dog does a rat, until the wheeler's teeth rattled together with a noise like hailstones on a window pane. then, as soon as the creature could get its breath, it shouted to the others to roll away, which they immediately did. "now," said tiktok, "you shall come with us and tell me what i want to know." [illustration] "you'll be sorry for treating me in this way," whined the wheeler. "i'm a terribly fierce person." "as for that," answered tiktok, "i am only a ma-chine, and can-not feel sor-row or joy, no mat-ter what hap-pens. but you are wrong to think your-self ter-ri-ble or fierce." "why so?" asked the wheeler. "be-cause no one else thinks as you do. your wheels make you help-less to in-jure an-y one. for you have no fists and can not scratch or e-ven pull hair. nor have you an-y feet to kick with. all you can do is to yell and shout, and that does not hurt an-y one at all." the wheeler burst into a flood of tears, to dorothy's great surprise. "now i and my people are ruined forever!" he sobbed; "for you have discovered our secret. being so helpless, our only hope is to make people afraid of us, by pretending we are very fierce and terrible, and writing in the sand warnings to beware the wheelers. until now we have frightened everyone, but since you have discovered our weakness our enemies will fall upon us and make us very miserable and unhappy." "oh, no," exclaimed dorothy, who was sorry to see this beautifully dressed wheeler so miserable; "tiktok will keep your secret, and so will billina and i. only, you must promise not to try to frighten children any more, if they come near to you." "i won't--indeed i won't!" promised the wheeler, ceasing to cry and becoming more cheerful. "i'm not really bad, you know; but we have to pretend to be terrible in order to prevent others from attacking us." [illustration: on the way to the royal palace of ev] "that is not ex-act-ly true," said tiktok, starting to walk toward the path through the forest, and still holding fast to his prisoner, who rolled slowly along beside him. "you and your peo-ple are full of mis-chief, and like to both-er those who fear you. and you are of-ten im-pu-dent and dis-a-gree-a-ble, too. but if you will try to cure those faults i will not tell any-one how help-less you are." "i'll try, of course," replied the wheeler, eagerly. "and thank you, mr. tiktok, for your kindness." "i am on-ly a ma-chine," said tiktok. "i can not be kind an-y more than i can be sor-ry or glad. i can on-ly do what i am wound up to do." "are you wound up to keep my secret?" asked the wheeler, anxiously. "yes; if you be-have your-self. but tell me: who rules the land of ev now?" asked the machine. "there is no ruler," was the answer, "because every member of the royal family is imprisoned by the nome king. but the princess langwidere, who is a niece of our late king evoldo, lives in a part of the royal palace and takes as much money out of the royal treasury as she can spend. the princess langwidere is not exactly a ruler, you see, because she doesn't rule; but she is the nearest approach to a ruler we have at present." "i do not re-mem-ber her," said tiktok. "what does she look like?" "that i cannot say," replied the wheeler, "although i have seen her twenty times. for the princess langwidere is a different person every time i see her, and the only way her subjects can recognize her at all is by means of a beautiful ruby key which she always wears on a chain attached to her left wrist. when we see the key we know we are beholding the princess." "that is strange," said dorothy, in astonishment. "do you mean to say that so many different princesses are one and the same person?" "not exactly," answered the wheeler. "there is, of course, but one princess; but she appears to us in many forms, which are all more or less beautiful." "she must be a witch," exclaimed the girl. "i do not think so," declared the wheeler. "but there is some mystery connected with her, nevertheless. she is a very vain creature, and lives mostly in a room surrounded by mirrors, so that she can admire herself whichever way she looks." no one answered this speech, because they had just passed out of the forest and their attention was fixed upon the scene before them--a beautiful vale in which were many fruit trees and green fields, with pretty farm-houses scattered here and there and broad, smooth roads that led in every direction. in the center of this lovely vale, about a mile from where our friends were standing, rose the tall spires of the royal palace, which glittered brightly against their background of blue sky. the palace was surrounded by charming grounds, full of flowers and shrubbery. several tinkling fountains could be seen, and there were pleasant walks bordered by rows of white marble statuary. all these details dorothy was, of course, unable to notice or admire until they had advanced along the road to a position quite near to the palace, and she was still looking at the pretty sights when her little party entered the grounds and approached the big front door of the king's own apartments. to their disappointment they found the door tightly closed. a sign was tacked to the panel which read as follows: owner absent. please knock at the third door in the left wing. "now," said tiktok to the captive wheeler, "you must show us the way to the left wing." [illustration: a sign was tacked to the panel] "very well," agreed the prisoner, "it is around here at the right." "how can the left wing be at the right?" demanded dorothy, who feared the wheeler was fooling them. "because there used to be three wings, and two were torn down, so the one on the right is the only one left. it is a trick of the princess langwidere to prevent visitors from annoying her." then the captive led them around to the wing, after which the machine man, having no further use for the wheeler, permitted him to depart and rejoin his fellows. he immediately rolled away at a great pace and was soon lost to sight. tiktok now counted the doors in the wing and knocked loudly upon the third one. it was opened by a little maid in a cap trimmed with gay ribbons, who bowed respectfully and asked: "what do you wish, good people?" "are you the princess langwidere?" asked dorothy. "no, miss; i am her servant," replied the maid. "may i see the princess, please?" "i will tell her you are here, miss, and ask her to grant you an audience," said the maid. "step in, please, and take a seat in the drawing-room." [illustration] so dorothy walked in, followed closely by the machine. but as the yellow hen tried to enter after them, the little maid cried "shoo!" and flapped her apron in billina's face. "shoo, yourself!" retorted the hen, drawing back in anger and ruffling up her feathers. "haven't you any better manners than that?" "oh, do you talk?" enquired the maid, evidently surprised. "can't you hear me?" snapped billina. "drop that apron, and get out of the doorway, so that i may enter with my friends!" "the princess won't like it," said the maid, hesitating. "i don't care whether she likes it or not," replied billina, and fluttering her wings with a loud noise she flew straight at the maid's face. the little servant at once ducked her head, and the hen reached dorothy's side, in safety. "very well," sighed the maid; "if you are all ruined because of this obstinate hen, don't blame me for it. it isn't safe to annoy the princess langwidere." "tell her we are waiting, if you please," dorothy requested, with dignity. "billina is my friend, and must go wherever i go." without more words the maid led them to a richly furnished drawing-room, lighted with subdued rainbow tints that came in through beautiful stained-glass windows. "remain here," she said. "what names shall i give the princess?" "i am dorothy gale, of kansas," replied the child; "and this gentleman is a machine named tiktok, and the yellow hen is my friend billina." [illustration: "the princess wont like it," said the maid] the little servant bowed and withdrew, going through several passages and mounting two marble stairways before she came to the apartments occupied by her mistress. princess langwidere's sitting-room was panelled with great mirrors, which reached from the ceiling to the floor; also the ceiling was composed of mirrors, and the floor was of polished silver that reflected every object upon it. so when langwidere sat in her easy chair and played soft melodies upon her mandolin, her form was mirrored hundreds of times, in walls and ceiling and floor, and whichever way the lady turned her head she could see and admire her own features. this she loved to do, and just as the maid entered she was saying to herself: "this head with the auburn hair and hazel eyes is quite attractive. i must wear it more often than i have done of late, although it may not be the best of my collection." "you have company, your highness," announced the maid, bowing low. "who is it?" asked langwidere, yawning. "dorothy gale of kansas, mr. tiktok and billina," answered the maid. "what a queer lot of names!" murmured the princess, beginning to be a little interested. "what are they like? is dorothy gale of kansas pretty?" "she might be called so," the maid replied. "and is mr. tiktok attractive?" continued the princess. "that i cannot say, your highness. but he seems very bright. will your gracious highness see them?" "oh, i may as well, nanda. but i am tired admiring this head, and if my visitor has any claim to beauty i must take care that she does not surpass me. so i will go to my cabinet and change to no. , which i think is my best appearance. don't you?" "your no. is exceedingly beautiful," answered nanda, with another bow. again the princess yawned. then she said: "help me to rise." so the maid assisted her to gain her feet, although langwidere was the stronger of the two; and then the princess slowly walked across the silver floor to her cabinet, leaning heavily at every step upon nanda's arm. now i must explain to you that the princess langwidere had thirty heads--as many as there are days in the month. but of course she could only wear one of them at a time, because she had but one neck. these heads were kept in what she called her "cabinet," which was a beautiful dressing-room that lay just between langwidere's sleeping-chamber and the mirrored sitting-room. each head was in a separate cupboard lined with velvet. the cupboards ran all around the sides of the dressing-room, and had elaborately carved doors with gold numbers on the outside and jewelled-framed mirrors on the inside of them. when the princess got out of her crystal bed in the morning she went to her cabinet, opened one of the velvet-lined cupboards, and took the head it contained from its golden shelf. then, by the aid of the mirror inside the open door, she put on the head--as neat and straight as could be--and afterward called her maids to robe her for the day. she always wore a simple white costume, that suited all the heads. for, being able to change her face whenever she liked, the princess had no interest in wearing a variety of gowns, as have other ladies who are compelled to wear the same face constantly. [illustration: by the aid of the mirror she put on the head] of course the thirty heads were in great variety, no two formed alike but all being of exceeding loveliness. there were heads with golden hair, brown hair, rich auburn hair and black hair; but none with gray hair. the heads had eyes of blue, of gray, of hazel, of brown and of black; but there were no red eyes among them, and all were bright and handsome. the noses were grecian, roman, retroussé and oriental, representing all types of beauty; and the mouths were of assorted sizes and shapes, displaying pearly teeth when the heads smiled. as for dimples, they appeared in cheeks and chins, wherever they might be most charming, and one or two heads had freckles upon the faces to contrast the better with the brilliancy of their complexions. one key unlocked all the velvet cupboards containing these treasures--a curious key carved from a single blood-red ruby--and this was fastened to a strong but slender chain which the princess wore around her left wrist. when nanda had supported langwidere to a position in front of cupboard no. , the princess unlocked the door with her ruby key and after handing head no. , which she had been wearing, to the maid, she took no. from its shelf and fitted it to her neck. it had black hair and dark eyes and a lovely pearl-and-white complexion, and when langwidere wore it she knew she was remarkably beautiful in appearance. there was only one trouble with no. ; the temper that went with it (and which was hidden somewhere under the glossy black hair) was fiery, harsh and haughty in the extreme, and it often led the princess to do unpleasant things which she regretted when she came to wear her other heads. but she did not remember this today, and went to meet her guests in the drawing-room with a feeling of certainty that she would surprise them with her beauty. however, she was greatly disappointed to find that her visitors were merely a small girl in a gingham dress, a copper man that would only go when wound up, and a yellow hen that was sitting contentedly in langwidere's best work-basket, where there was a china egg used for darning stockings.[a] [footnote a: it may surprise you to learn that a princess ever does such a common thing as darn stockings. but, if you will stop to think, you will realize that a princess is sure to wear holes in her stockings, the same as other people; only it isn't considered quite polite to mention the matter.] "oh!" said langwidere, slightly lifting the nose of no. . "i thought some one of importance had called." "then you were right," declared dorothy. "i'm a good deal of 'portance myself, and when billina lays an egg she has the proudest cackle you ever heard. as for tiktok, he's the----" "stop--stop!" commanded the princess, with an angry flash of her splendid eyes. "how dare you annoy me with your senseless chatter?" "why, you horrid thing!" said dorothy, who was not accustomed to being treated so rudely. the princess looked at her more closely. "tell me," she resumed, "are you of royal blood?" "better than that, ma'am," said dorothy. "i came from kansas." "huh!" cried the princess, scornfully. "you are a foolish child, and i cannot allow you to annoy me. run away, you little goose, and bother some one else." dorothy was so indignant that for a moment she could find no words to reply. but she rose from her chair, and was about to leave the room when the princess, who had been scanning the girl's face, stopped her by saying, more gently: "come nearer to me." dorothy obeyed, without a thought of fear, and stood before the princess while langwidere examined her face with careful attention. "you are rather attractive," said the lady, presently. "not at all beautiful, you understand, but you have a certain style of prettiness that is different from that of any of my thirty heads. so i believe i'll take your head and give you no. for it." "well, i b'lieve you won't!" exclaimed dorothy. [illustration: "well i b'lieve you wont!" exclaimed dorothy] "it will do you no good to refuse," continued the princess; "for i need your head for my collection, and in the land of ev my will is law. i never have cared much for no. , and you will find that it is very little worn. besides, it will do you just as well as the one you're wearing, for all practical purposes." "i don't know anything about your no. , and i don't want to," said dorothy, firmly. "i'm not used to taking cast-off things, so i'll just keep my own head." "you refuse?" cried the princess, with a frown. "of course i do," was the reply. "then," said langwidere, "i shall lock you up in a tower until you decide to obey me. nanda," turning to her maid, "call my army." nanda rang a silver bell, and at once a big fat colonel in a bright red uniform entered the room, followed by ten lean soldiers, who all looked sad and discouraged and saluted the princess in a very melancholy fashion. "carry that girl to the north tower and lock her up!" cried the princess, pointing to dorothy. "to hear is to obey," answered the big red colonel, and caught the child by her arm. but at that moment tiktok raised his dinner-pail and pounded it so forcibly against the colonel's head that the big officer sat down upon the floor with a sudden bump, looking both dazed and very much astonished. "help!" he shouted, and the ten lean soldiers sprang to assist their leader. there was great excitement for the next few moments, and tiktok had knocked down seven of the army, who were sprawling in every direction upon the carpet, when suddenly the machine paused, with the dinner-pail raised for another blow, and remained perfectly motionless. "my ac-tion has run down," he called to dorothy. "wind me up, quick." she tried to obey, but the big colonel had by this time managed to get upon his feet again, so he grabbed fast hold of the girl and she was helpless to escape. "this is too bad," said the machine. "i ought to have run six hours lon-ger, at least, but i sup-pose my long walk and my fight with the wheel-ers made me run down fast-er than us-u-al." "well, it can't be helped," said dorothy, with a sigh. "will you exchange heads with me?" demanded the princess. "no, indeed!" cried dorothy. "then lock her up," said langwidere to her soldiers, and they led dorothy to a high tower at the north of the palace and locked her securely within. the soldiers afterward tried to lift tiktok, but they found the machine so solid and heavy that they could not stir it. so they left him standing in the center of the drawing-room. "people will think i have a new statue," said langwidere, "so it won't matter in the least, and nanda can keep him well polished." "what shall we do with the hen?" asked the colonel, who had just discovered billina in the work-basket. "put her in the chicken-house," answered the princess. "some day i'll have her fried for breakfast." "she looks rather tough, your highness," said nanda, doubtfully. "that is a base slander!" cried billina, struggling frantically in the colonel's arms. "but the breed of chickens i come from is said to be poison to all princesses." "then," remarked langwidere, "i will not fry the hen, but keep her to lay eggs; and if she doesn't do her duty i'll have her drowned in the horse trough." [illustration] ozma of oz to the rescue [illustration] nanda brought dorothy bread and water for her supper and she slept upon a hard stone couch with a single pillow and a silken coverlet. in the morning she leaned out of the window of her prison in the tower to see if there was any way to escape. the room was not so very high up, when compared with our modern buildings, but it was far enough above the trees and farm houses to give her a good view of the surrounding country. to the east she saw the forest, with the sands beyond it and the ocean beyond that. there was even a dark speck upon the shore that she thought might be the chicken-coop in which she had arrived at this singular country. then she looked to the north, and saw a deep but narrow valley lying between two rocky mountains, and a third mountain that shut off the valley at the further end. westward the fertile land of ev suddenly ended a little way from the palace, and the girl could see miles and miles of sandy desert that stretched further than her eyes could reach. it was this desert, she thought, with much interest, that alone separated her from the wonderful land of oz, and she remembered sorrowfully that she had been told no one had ever been able to cross this dangerous waste but herself. once a cyclone had carried her across it, and a magical pair of silver shoes had carried her back again. but now she had neither a cyclone nor silver shoes to assist her, and her condition was sad indeed. for she had become the prisoner of a disagreeable princess who insisted that she must exchange her head for another one that she was not used to, and which might not fit her at all. really, there seemed no hope of help for her from her old friends in the land of oz. thoughtfully she gazed from her narrow window. on all the desert not a living thing was stirring. wait, though! something surely _was_ stirring on the desert--something her eyes had not observed at first. now it seemed like a cloud; now it seemed like a spot of silver; now it seemed to be a mass of rainbow colors that moved swiftly toward her. what _could_ it be, she wondered? then, gradually, but in a brief space of time nevertheless, the vision drew near enough to dorothy to make out what it was. a broad green carpet was unrolling itself upon the desert, while advancing across the carpet was a wonderful procession that made the girl open her eyes in amazement as she gazed. first came a magnificent golden chariot, drawn by a great lion and an immense tiger, who stood shoulder to shoulder and trotted along as gracefully as a well-matched team of thoroughbred horses. and standing upright within the chariot was a beautiful girl clothed in flowing robes of silver gauze and wearing a jeweled diadem upon her dainty head. she held in one hand the satin ribbons that guided her astonishing team, and in the other an ivory wand that separated at the top into two prongs, the prongs being tipped by the letters "o" and "z", made of glistening diamonds set closely together. the girl seemed neither older nor larger than dorothy herself, and at once the prisoner in the tower guessed, that the lovely driver of the chariot must be that ozma of oz of whom she had so lately heard from tiktok. following close behind the chariot dorothy saw her old friend the scarecrow, riding calmly astride a wooden saw-horse, which pranced and trotted as naturally as any meat horse could have done. and then came nick chopper, the tin woodman, with his funnel-shaped cap tipped carelessly over his left ear, his gleaming axe over his right shoulder, and his whole body sparkling as brightly as it had ever done in the old days when first she knew him. the tin woodman was on foot, marching at the head of a company of twenty-seven soldiers, of whom some were lean and some fat, some short and some tall; but all the twenty-seven were dressed in handsome uniforms of various designs and colors, no two being alike in any respect. behind the soldiers the green carpet rolled itself up again, so that there was always just enough of it for the procession to walk upon, in order that their feet might not come in contact with the deadly, life-destroying sands of the desert. [illustration: the magic carpet] dorothy knew at once it was a magic carpet she beheld, and her heart beat high with hope and joy as she realized she was soon to be rescued and allowed to greet her dearly beloved friends of oz--the scarecrow, the tin woodman and the cowardly lion. indeed, the girl felt herself as good as rescued as soon as she recognized those in the procession, for she well knew the courage and loyalty of her old comrades, and also believed that any others who came from their marvelous country would prove to be pleasant and reliable acquaintances. as soon as the last bit of desert was passed and all the procession, from the beautiful and dainty ozma to the last soldier, had reached the grassy meadows of the land of ev, the magic carpet rolled itself together and entirely disappeared. then the chariot driver turned her lion and tiger into a broad roadway leading up to the palace, and the others followed, while dorothy still gazed from her tower window in eager excitement. they came quite close to the front door of the palace and then halted, the scarecrow dismounting from his saw-horse to approach the sign fastened to the door, that he might read what it said. dorothy, just above him, could keep silent no longer. [illustration] "here i am!" she shouted, as loudly as she could. "here's dorothy!" "dorothy who?" asked the scarecrow, tipping his head to look upward until he nearly lost his balance and tumbled over backward. "dorothy gale, of course. your friend from kansas," she answered. "why, hello, dorothy!" said the scarecrow. "what in the world are you doing up there?" "nothing," she called down, "because there's nothing to do. save me, my friend--save me!" "you seem to be quite safe now," replied the scarecrow. "but i'm a prisoner. i'm locked in, so that i can't get out," she pleaded. "that's all right," said the scarecrow. "you might be worse off, little dorothy. just consider the matter. you can't get drowned, or be run over by a wheeler, or fall out of an apple-tree. some folks would think they were lucky to be up there." "well, i don't," declared the girl, "and i want to get down immed'i'tly and see you and the tin woodman and the cowardly lion." "very well," said the scarecrow, nodding. "it shall be just as you say, little friend. who locked you up?" "the princess langwidere, who is a horrid creature," she answered. at this ozma, who had been listening carefully to the conversation, called to dorothy from her chariot, asking: "why did the princess lock you up, my dear?" "because," exclaimed dorothy, "i wouldn't let her have my head for her collection, and take an old, cast-off head in exchange for it." [illustration: "save me, my friend--save me!"] "i do not blame you," exclaimed ozma, promptly. "i will see the princess at once, and oblige her to liberate you." "oh, thank you very, very much!" cried dorothy, who as soon as she heard the sweet voice of the girlish ruler of oz knew that she would soon learn to love her dearly. ozma now drove her chariot around to the third door of the wing, upon which the tin woodman boldly proceeded to knock. as soon as the maid opened the door ozma, bearing in her hand her ivory wand, stepped into the hall and made her way at once to the drawing-room, followed by all her company, except the lion, and the tiger. and the twenty-seven soldiers made such a noise and a clatter that the little maid nanda ran away screaming to her mistress, whereupon the princess langwidere, roused to great anger by this rude invasion of her palace, came running into the drawing room without any assistance whatever. there she stood before the slight and delicate form of the little girl from oz and cried out;-- "how dare you enter my palace unbidden? leave this room at once, or i will bind you and all your people in chains, and throw you into my darkest dungeons!" [illustration] "what a dangerous lady!" murmured the scarecrow, in a soft voice. "she seems a little nervous," replied the tin woodman. but ozma only smiled at the angry princess. "sit down, please," she said, quietly. "i have traveled a long way to see you, and you must listen to what i have to say." "must!" screamed the princess, her black eyes flashing with fury--for she still wore her no. head. "must, to _me_!" "to be sure," said ozma. "i am ruler of the land of oz, and i am powerful enough to destroy all your kingdom, if i so wish. yet i did not come here to do harm, but rather to free the royal family of ev from the thrall of the noma king, the news having reached me that he is holding the queen and her children prisoners." hearing these words, langwidere suddenly became quiet. "i wish you could, indeed, free my aunt and her ten royal children," said she, eagerly. "for if they were restored to their proper forms and station they could rule the kingdom of ev themselves, and that would save me a lot of worry and trouble. at present there are at least ten minutes every day that i must devote to affairs of state, and i would like to be able to spend my whole time in admiring my beautiful heads." "then we will presently discuss this matter," said ozma, "and try to find a way to liberate your aunt and cousins. but first you must liberate another prisoner--the little girl you have locked up in your tower." [illustration: "what a dangerous lady!" murmured the scarecrow] "of course," said langwidere, readily. "i had forgotten all about her. that was yesterday, you know, and a princess cannot be expected to remember today what she did yesterday. come with me, and i will release the prisoner at once." so ozma followed her, and they passed up the stairs that led to the room in the tower. while they were gone ozma's followers remained in the drawing-room, and the scarecrow was leaning against a form that he had mistaken for a copper statue when a harsh, metallic voice said suddenly in his ear: "get off my foot, please. you are scratch-ing my pol-ish." "oh, excuse me!" he replied, hastily drawing back. "are you alive?" "no," said tiktok, "i am on-ly a ma-chine. but i can think and speak and act, when i am pro-per-ly wound up. just now my ac-tion is run down, and dor-o-thy has the key to it." "that's all right," replied the scarecrow. "dorothy will soon be free, and then she'll attend to your works. but it must be a great misfortune not to be alive. i'm sorry for you." "why?" asked tiktok. "because you have no brains, as i have," said the scarecrow. "oh, yes, i have," returned tiktok. "i am fit-ted with smith & tin-ker's improved com-bi-na-tion steel brains. they are what make me think. what sort of brains are you fit-ted with?" "i don't know," admitted the scarecrow. "they were given to me by the great wizard of oz, and i didn't get a chance to examine them before he put them in. but they work splendidly and my conscience is very active. have you a conscience?" "no," said tiktok. "and no heart, i suppose?" added the tin woodman, who had been listening with interest to this conversation. "no," said tiktok. "then," continued the tin woodman, "i regret to say that you are greatly inferior to my friend the scarecrow, and to myself. for we are both alive, and he has brains which do not need to be wound up, while i have an excellent heart that is continually beating in my bosom." "i con-grat-u-late you," replied tiktok. "i can-not help be-ing your in-fer-i-or for i am a mere ma-chine. when i am wound up i do my du-ty by go-ing just as my ma-chin-er-y is made to go. you have no i-de-a how full of ma-chin-er-y i am." "i can guess," said the scarecrow, looking at the machine man curiously. "some day i'd like to take you apart and see just how you are made." "do not do that, i beg of you," said tiktok; "for you could not put me to-geth-er a-gain, and my use-ful-ness would be de-stroyed." "oh! are you useful?" asked the scarecrow, surprised. "ve-ry," said tiktok. "in that case," the scarecrow kindly promised, "i won't fool with your interior at all. for i am a poor mechanic, and might mix you up." "thank you," said tiktok. just then ozma re-entered the room, leading dorothy by the hand and followed closely by the princess langwidere. [illustration] the hungry tiger [illustration] the first thing dorothy did was to rush into the embrace of the scarecrow, whose painted face beamed with delight as he pressed her form to his straw-padded bosom. then the tin woodman embraced her--very gently, for he knew his tin arms might hurt her if he squeezed too roughly. these greetings having been exchanged, dorothy took the key to tiktok from her pocket and wound up the machine man's action, so that he could bow properly when introduced to the rest of the company. while doing this she told them now useful tiktok had been to her, and both the scarecrow and the tin woodman shook hands with the machine once more and thanked him for protecting their friend. then dorothy asked: "where is billina?" "i don't know," said the scarecrow. "who is billina?" "she's a yellow hen who is another friend of mine," answered the girl, anxiously. "i wonder what has become of her?" "she is in the chicken house, in the back yard," said the princess. "my drawing-room is no place for hens." without waiting to hear more dorothy ran to get billina, and just outside the door she came upon the cowardly lion, still hitched to the chariot beside the great tiger. the cowardly lion had a big bow of blue ribbon fastened to the long hair between his ears, and the tiger wore a bow of red ribbon on his tail, just in front of the bushy end. in an instant dorothy was hugging the huge lion joyfully. "i'm _so_ glad to see you again!" she cried. "i am also glad to see you, dorothy," said the lion. "we've had some fine adventures together, haven't we?" "yes, indeed," she replied. "how are you?" "as cowardly as ever," the beast answered in a meek voice. "every little thing scares me and makes my heart beat fast. but let me introduce to you a new friend of mine, the hungry tiger." [illustration] "oh! are you hungry?" she asked, turning to the other beast, who was just then yawning so widely that he displayed two rows of terrible teeth and a mouth big enough to startle anyone. "dreadfully hungry," answered the tiger, snapping his jaws together with a fierce click. "then why don't you eat something?" she asked. "it's no use," said the tiger sadly. "i've tried that, but i always get hungry again." "why, it is the same with me," said dorothy. "yet i keep on eating." "but you eat harmless things, so it doesn't matter," replied the tiger. "for my part, i'm a savage beast, and have an appetite for all sorts of poor little living creatures, from a chipmonk to fat babies. "how dreadful!" said dorothy. "isn't it, though?" returned the hungry tiger, licking his lips with his long red tongue. "fat babies! don't they sound delicious? but i've never eaten any, because my conscience tells me it is wrong. if i had no conscience i would probably eat the babies and then get hungry again, which would mean that i had sacrificed the poor babies for nothing. no; hungry i was born, and hungry i shall die. but i'll not have any cruel deeds on my conscience to be sorry for." "i think you are a very good tiger," said dorothy, patting the huge head of the beast. "in that you are mistaken," was the reply. "i am a good beast, perhaps, but a disgracefully bad tiger. for it is the nature of tigers to be cruel and ferocious, and in refusing to eat harmless living creatures i am acting as no good tiger has ever before acted. that is why i left the forest and joined my friend the cowardly lion." [illustration: the hungry tiger] "but the lion is not really cowardly," said dorothy. "i have seen him act as bravely as can be." "all a mistake, my dear," protested the lion gravely. "to others i may have seemed brave, at times, but i have never been in any danger that i was not afraid." "nor i," said dorothy, truthfully. "but i must go and set free billina, and then i will see you again." she ran around to the back yard of the palace and soon found the chicken house, being guided to it by a loud cackling and crowing and a distracting hubbub of sounds such as chickens make when they are excited. something seemed to be wrong in the chicken house, and when dorothy looked through the slats in the door she saw a group of hens and roosters huddled in one corner and watching what appeared to be a whirling ball of feathers. it bounded here and there about the chicken house, and at first dorothy could not tell what it was, while the screeching of the chickens nearly deafened her. but suddenly the bunch of feathers stopped whirling, and then, to her amazement, the girl saw billina crouching upon the prostrate form of a speckled rooster. for an instant they both remained motionless, and then the yellow hen shook her wings to settle the feathers and walked toward the door with a strut of proud defiance and a cluck of victory, while the speckled rooster limped away to the group of other chickens, trailing his crumpled plumage in the dust as he went. "why, billina!" cried dorothy, in a shocked voice; "have you been fighting?" "i really think i have," retorted billina. "do you think i'd let that speckled villain of a rooster lord it over _me_, and claim to run this chicken house, as long as i'm able to peck and scratch? not if my name is bill!" "it isn't bill, it's billina; and you're talking slang, which is very undig'n'fied," said dorothy, reprovingly. "come here, billina, and i'll let you out; for ozma of oz is here, and has set us free." so the yellow hen came to the door, which dorothy unlatched for her to pass through, and the other chickens silently watched them from their corner without offering to approach nearer. the girl lifted her friend in her arms and exclaimed: "oh, billina! how dreadful you look. you've lost a lot of feathers, and one of your eyes is nearly pecked out, and your comb is bleeding!" "that's nothing," said billina. "just look at the speckled rooster! didn't i do him up brown?" dorothy shook her head. "i don't 'prove of this, at all," she said, carrying billina away toward the palace. "it isn't a good thing for you to 'sociate with those common chickens. they would soon spoil your good manners, and you wouldn't be respec'able any more." "i didn't ask to associate with them," replied billina. "it is that cross old princess who is to blame. but i was raised in the united states, and i won't allow any one-horse chicken of the land of ev to run over me and put on airs, as long as i can lift a claw in self-defense." "very well, billina," said dorothy. "we won't talk about it any more." soon they came to the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger to whom the girl introduced the yellow hen. "glad to meet any friend of dorothy's," said the lion, politely. "to judge by your present appearance, you are not a coward, as i am." [illustration: "why, billina!" cried dorothy; "have you been fighting?"] "your present appearance makes my mouth water," said the tiger, looking at billina greedily. "my, my! how good you would taste if i could only crunch you between my jaws. but don't worry. you would only appease my appetite for a moment; so it isn't worth while to eat you." "thank you," said the hen, nestling closer in dorothy's arms. "besides, it wouldn't be right," continued the tiger, looking steadily at billina and clicking his jaws together. "of course not," cried dorothy, hastily. "billina is my friend, and you mustn't ever eat her under any circ'mstances." "i'll try to remember that," said the tiger; "but i'm a little absent-minded, at times." then dorothy carried her pet into the drawing-room of the palace, where tiktok, being invited to do so by ozma, had seated himself between the scarecrow and the tin woodman. opposite to them sat ozma herself and the princess langwidere, and beside them there was a vacant chair for dorothy. around this important group was ranged the army of oz, and as dorothy looked at the handsome uniforms of the twenty-seven she said: "why, they seem to be all officers." "they are, all except one," answered the tin woodman. "i have in my army eight generals, six colonels, seven majors and five captains, besides one private for them to command. i'd like to promote the private, for i believe no private should ever be in public life; and i've also noticed that officers usually fight better and are more reliable than common soldiers. besides, the officers are more important looking, and lend dignity to our army." "no doubt you are right," said dorothy, seating herself beside ozma. "and now," announced the girlish ruler of oz, "we will hold a solemn conference to decide the best manner of liberating the royal family of this fair land of ev from their long imprisonment." [illustration] the royal family of ev [illustration] the tin woodman was the first to address the meeting. "to begin with," said he, "word came to our noble and illustrous ruler, ozma of oz, that the wife and ten children--five boys and five girls--of the former king of ev, by name evoldo, have been enslaved by the nome king and are held prisoners in his underground palace. also that there was no one in ev powerful enough to release them. naturally our ozma wished to undertake the adventure of liberating the poor prisoners; but for a long time she could find no way to cross the great desert between the two countries. finally she went to a friendly sorceress of our land named glinda the good, who heard the story and at once presented ozma a magic carpet, which would continually unroll beneath our feet and so make a comfortable path for us to cross the desert. as soon as she had received the carpet our gracious ruler ordered me to assemble our army, which i did. you behold in these bold warriors the pick of all the finest soldiers of oz; and, if we are obliged to fight the nome king, every officer as well as the private, will battle fiercely unto death." then tiktok spoke. "why should you fight the nome king?" he asked. "he has done no wrong." "no wrong!" cried dorothy. "isn't it wrong to imprison a queen mother and her ten children?" "they were sold to the nome king by king ev-ol-do," replied tiktok. "it was the king of ev who did wrong, and when he re-al-ized what he had done he jumped in-to the sea and drowned him-self." "this is news to me," said ozma, thoughtfully. "i had supposed the nome king was all to blame in the matter. but, in any case, he must be made to liberate the prisoners." "my uncle evoldo was a very wicked man," declared the princess langwidere. "if he had drowned himself before he sold his family, no one would have cared. but he sold them to the powerful nome king in exchange for a long life, and afterward destroyed the life by jumping into the sea." "then," said ozma, "he did not get the long life, and the nome king must give up the prisoners. where are they confined?" "no one knows, exactly," replied the princess. "for the king, whose name is roquat of the rocks, owns a splendid palace underneath the great mountain which is at the north end of this kingdom, and he has transformed the queen and her children into ornaments and bric-a-brac with which to decorate his rooms." "i'd like to know," said dorothy, "who this nome king is?" "i will tell you," replied ozma. "he is said to be the ruler of the underground world, and commands the rocks and all that the rocks contain. under his rule are many thousands of the nomes, who are queerly shaped but powerful sprites that labor at the furnaces and forges of their king, making gold and silver and other metals which they conceal in the crevices of the rocks, so that those living upon the earth's surface can only find them with great difficulty. also they make diamonds and rubies and emeralds, which they hide in the ground; so that the kingdom of the nomes is wonderfully rich, and all we have of precious stones and silver and gold is what we take from the earth and rocks where the nome king has hidden them." "i understand," said dorothy, nodding her little head wisely. "for the reason that we often steal his treasures," continued ozma, "the ruler of the underground world is not fond of those who live upon the earth's surface, and never appears among us. if we wish to see king roquat of the rocks, we must visit his own country, where he is all powerful, and therefore it will be a dangerous undertaking." "but, for the sake of the poor prisoners," said dorothy, "we ought to do it." "we shall do it," replied the scarecrow, "although it requires a lot of courage for me to go near to the furnaces of the nome king. for i am only stuffed with straw, and a single spark of fire might destroy me entirely." "the furnaces may also melt my tin," said the tin woodman; "but i am going." "i can't bear heat," remarked the princess langwidere, yawning lazily, "so i shall stay at home. but i wish you may have success in your undertaking, for i am heartily tired of ruling this stupid kingdom, and i need more leisure in which to admire my beautiful heads." "we do not need you," said ozma. "for, if with the aid of my brave followers i cannot accomplish my purpose, then it would be useless for you to undertake the journey." "quite true," sighed the princess. "so, if you'll excuse me, i will now retire to my cabinet. i've worn this head quite awhile, and i want to change it for another." when she had left them (and you may be sure no one was sorry to see her go) ozma said to tiktok: "will you join our party?" "i am the slave of the girl dor-oth-y, who res-cued me from pris-on," replied the machine. "where she goes i will go." "oh, i am going with my friends, of course," said dorothy, quickly. "i wouldn't miss the fun for anything. will you go, too, billina?" "to be sure," said billina in a careless tone. she was smoothing down the feathers of her back and not paying much attention. [illustration: "i can't bear heat," remarked langwidere] "heat is just in her line," remarked the scarecrow. "if she is nicely roasted, she will be better than ever." "then," said ozma, "we will arrange to start for the kingdom of the nomes at daybreak tomorrow. and, in the meantime, we will rest and prepare ourselves for the journey." although princess langwidere did not again appear to her guests, the palace servants waited upon the strangers from oz and did everything in their power to make the party comfortable. there were many vacant rooms at their disposal, and the brave army of twenty-seven was easily provided for and liberally feasted. the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger were unharnessed from the chariot and allowed to roam at will throughout the palace, where they nearly frightened the servants into fits, although they did no harm at all. at one time dorothy found the little maid nanda crouching in terror in a corner, with the hungry tiger standing before her. "you certainly look delicious," the beast was saying. "will you kindly give me permission to eat you?" "no, no, no!" cried the maid in reply. "then," said the tiger, yawning frightfully, "please to get me about thirty pounds of tenderloin steak, cooked rare, with a peck of boiled potatoes on the side, and five gallons of ice-cream for dessert." "i--i'll do the best i can!" said nanda, and she ran away as fast as she could go. "are you so very hungry?" asked dorothy, in wonder. "you can hardly imagine the size of my appetite," replied the tiger, sadly. "it seems to fill my whole body, from the end of my throat to the tip of my tail. i am very sure the appetite doesn't fit me, and is too large for the size of my body. some day, when i meet a dentist with a pair of forceps, i'm going to have it pulled." "what, your tooth?" asked dorothy. "no, my appetite," said the hungry tiger. [illustration: dorothy related to them her own adventures] the little girl spent most of the afternoon talking with the scarecrow and the tin woodman, who related to her all that had taken place in the land of oz since dorothy had left it. she was much interested in the story of ozma, who had been, when a baby, stolen by a wicked old witch and transformed into a boy. she did not know that she had ever been a girl until she was restored to her natural form by a kind sorceress. then it was found that she was the only child of the former ruler of oz, and was entitled to rule in his place. ozma had many adventures, however, before she regained her father's throne, and in these she was accompanied by a pumpkin-headed man, a highly magnified and thoroughly educated woggle-bug, and a wonderful sawhorse that had been brought to life by means of a magic powder. the scarecrow and the tin woodman had also assisted her; but the cowardly lion, who ruled the great forest as the king of beasts, knew nothing of ozma until after she became the reigning princess of oz. then he journeyed to the emerald city to see her, and on hearing she was about to visit the land of ev to set free the royal family of that country, the cowardly lion begged to go with her, and brought along his friend, the hungry tiger, as well. having heard this story, dorothy related to them her own adventures, and then went out with her friends to find the sawhorse, which ozma had caused to be shod with plates of gold, so that its legs would not wear out. they came upon the sawhorse standing motionless beside the garden gate, but when dorothy was introduced to him he bowed politely and blinked his eyes, which were knots of wood, and wagged his tail, which was only the branch of a tree. "what a remarkable thing, to be alive!" exclaimed dorothy. "i quite agree with you," replied the sawhorse, in a rough but not unpleasant voice. "a creature like me has no business to live, as we all know. but it was the magic powder that did it, so i cannot justly be blamed." [illustration] "of course not," said dorothy. "and you seem to be of some use, 'cause i noticed the scarecrow riding upon your back." "oh, yes; i'm of use," returned the sawhorse; "and i never tire, never have to be fed, or cared for in any way." "are you intel'gent?" asked the girl. "not very," said the creature. "it would be foolish to waste intelligence on a common sawhorse, when so many professors need it. but i know enough to obey my masters, and to gid-dup, or whoa, when i'm told to. so i'm pretty well satisfied." that night dorothy slept in a pleasant little bedchamber next to that occupied by ozma of oz, and billina perched upon the foot of the bed and tucked her head under her wing and slept as soundly in that position as did dorothy upon her soft cushions. but before daybreak every one was awake and stirring, and soon the adventurers were eating a hasty breakfast in the great dining-room of the palace. ozma sat at the head of a long table, on a raised platform, with dorothy on her right hand and the scarecrow on her left. the scarecrow did not eat, of course; but ozma placed him near her so that she might ask his advice about the journey while she ate. lower down the table were the twenty-seven warriors of oz, and at the end of the room the lion and the tiger were eating out of a kettle that had been placed upon the floor, while billina fluttered around to pick up any scraps that might be scattered. it did not take long to finish the meal, and then the lion and the tiger were harnessed to the chariot and the party was ready to start for the nome king's palace. first rode ozma, with dorothy beside her in the golden chariot and holding billina fast in her arms. then came the scarecrow on the sawhorse, with the tin woodman and tiktok marching side by side just behind him. after these tramped the army, looking brave and handsome in their splendid uniforms. the generals commanded the colonels and the colonels commanded the majors and the majors commanded the captains and the captains commanded the private, who marched with an air of proud importance because it required so many officers to give him his orders. and so the magnificent procession left the palace and started along the road just as day was breaking, and by the time the sun came out they had made good progress toward the valley that led to the nome king's domain. the giant with the hammer [illustration] the road led for a time through a pretty farm country, and then past a picnic grove that was very inviting. but the procession continued to steadily advance until billina cried in an abrupt and commanding manner: "wait--wait!" ozma stopped her chariot so suddenly that the scarecrow's sawhorse nearly ran into it, and the ranks of the army tumbled over one another before they could come to a halt. immediately the yellow hen struggled from dorothy's arms and flew into a clump of bushes by the roadside. "what's the matter?" called the tin woodman, anxiously. "why, billina wants to lay her egg, that's all," said dorothy. "lay her egg!" repeated the tin woodman, in astonishment. "yes; she lays one every morning, about this time; and it's quite fresh," said the girl. "but does your foolish old hen suppose that this entire cavalcade, which is bound on an important adventure, is going to stand still while she lays her egg?" enquired the tin woodman, earnestly. "what else can we do?" asked the girl. "it's a habit of billina's and she can't break herself of it." "then she must hurry up," said the tin woodman, impatiently. "no, no!" exclaimed the scarecrow. "if she hurries she may lay scrambled eggs." "that's nonsense," said dorothy. "but billina won't be long, i'm sure." so they stood and waited, although all were restless and anxious to proceed. and by and by the yellow hen came from the bushes saying: "kut-kut, kut, ka-daw-kutt!" kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kut!" "what is she doing--singing her lay?" asked the scarecrow. "for-ward--march!" shouted the tin woodman, waving his axe, and the procession started just as dorothy had once more grabbed billina in her arms. [illustration] "isn't anyone going to get my egg?" cried the hen, in great excitement. "i'll get it," said the scarecrow; and at his command the sawhorse pranced into the bushes. the straw man soon found the egg, which he placed in his jacket pocket. the cavalcade, having moved rapidly on, was even then far in advance; but it did not take the sawhorse long to catch up with it, and presently the scarecrow was riding in his accustomed place behind ozma's chariot. "what shall i do with the egg?" he asked dorothy. "i do not know," the girl answered. "perhaps the hungry tiger would like it." [illustration] "it would not be enough to fill one of my back teeth," remarked the tiger. "a bushel of them, hard boiled, might take a little of the edge off my appetite; but one egg isn't good for anything at all, that i know of." "no; it wouldn't even make a sponge cake," said the scarecrow, thoughtfully. "the tin woodman might carry it with his axe and hatch it; but after all i may as well keep it myself for a souvenir." so he left it in his pocket. [illustration] they had now reached that part of the valley that lay between the two high mountains which dorothy had seen from her tower window. at the far end was the third great mountain, which blocked the valley and was the northern edge of the land of ev. it was underneath this mountain that the nome king's palace was said to be; but it would be some time before they reached that place. the path was becoming rocky and difficult for the wheels of the chariot to pass over, and presently a deep gulf appeared at their feet which was too wide for them to leap. so ozma took a small square of green cloth from her pocket and threw it upon the ground. at once it became the magic carpet, and unrolled itself far enough for all the cavalcade to walk upon. the chariot now advanced, and the green carpet unrolled before it, crossing the gulf on a level with its banks, so that all passed over in safety. "that's easy enough," said the scarecrow. "i wonder what will happen next." he was not long in making the discovery, for the sides of the mountain came closer together until finally there was but a narrow path between them, along which ozma and her party were forced to pass in single file. they now heard a low and deep "thump!----thump!----thump!" which echoed throughout the valley and seemed to grow louder as they advanced. then, turning a corner of rock, they saw before them a huge form, which towered above the path for more than a hundred feet. the form was that of a gigantic man built out of plates of cast iron, and it stood with one foot on either side of the narrow road and swung over its right shoulder an immense iron mallet, with which it constantly pounded the earth. these resounding blows explained the thumping sounds they had heard, for the mallet was much bigger than a barrel, and where it struck the path between the rocky sides of the mountain it filled all the space through which our travelers would be obliged to pass. of course they at once halted, a safe distance away from the terrible iron mallet. the magic carpet would do them no good in this case, for it was only meant to protect them from any dangers upon the ground beneath their feet, and not from dangers that appeared in the air above them. "wow!" said the cowardly lion, with a shudder. "it makes me dreadfully nervous to see that big hammer pounding so near my head. one blow would crush me into a door-mat." "the ir-on gi-ant is a fine fel-low," said tiktok, "and works as stead-i-ly as a clock. he was made for the nome king by smith & tin-ker, who made me, and his du-ty is to keep folks from find-ing the un-der-ground pal-ace. is he not a great work of art?" "can he think, and speak, as you do?" asked ozma, regarding the giant with wondering eyes. "no," replied the machine; "he is on-ly made to pound the road, and has no think-ing or speak-ing at-tach-ment. but he pounds ve-ry well, i think." "too well," observed the scarecrow. "he is keeping us from going farther. is there no way to stop his machinery?" "on-ly the nome king, who has the key, can do that," answered tiktok. "then," said dorothy, anxiously, "what shall we do?" "excuse me for a few minutes," said the scarecrow, "and i will think it over." he retired, then, to a position in the rear, where he turned his painted face to the rocks and began to think. meantime the giant continued to raise his iron mallet high in the air and to strike the path terrific blows that echoed through the mountains like the roar of a cannon. each time the mallet lifted, however, there was a moment when the path beneath the monster was free, and perhaps the scarecrow had noticed this, for when he came back to the others he said: "the matter is a very simple one, after all. we have but to run under the hammer, one at a time, when it is lifted, and pass to the other side before it falls again." [illustration: the tiger went next] "it will require quick work, if we escape the blow," said the tin woodman, with a shake of his head. "but it really seems the only thing to be done. who will make the first attempt?" they looked at one another hesitatingly for a moment. then the cowardly lion, who was trembling like a leaf in the wind, said to them: "i suppose the head of the procession must go first--and that's me. but i'm terribly afraid of the big hammer!" "what will become of me?" asked ozma. "you might rush under the hammer yourself, but the chariot would surely be crushed." "we must leave the chariot," said the scarecrow. "but you two girls can ride upon the backs of the lion and the tiger." so this was decided upon, and ozma, as soon as the lion was unfastened from the chariot, at once mounted the beast's back and said she was ready. "cling fast to his mane," advised dorothy. "i used to ride him myself, and that's the way i held on." so ozma clung fast to the mane, and the lion crouched in the path and eyed the swinging mallet carefully until he knew just the instant it would begin to rise in the air. then, before anyone thought he was ready, he made a sudden leap straight between the iron giant's legs, and before the mallet struck the ground again the lion and ozma were safe on the other side. the tiger went next. dorothy sat upon his back and locked her arms around his striped neck, for he had no mane to cling to. he made the leap straight and true as an arrow from a bow, and ere dorothy realized it she was out of danger and standing by ozma's side. now came the scarecrow on the sawhorse, and while they made the dash in safety they were within a hair's breadth of being caught by the descending hammer. tiktok walked up to the very edge of the spot the hammer struck, and as it was raised for the next blow he calmly stepped forward and escaped its descent. that was an idea for the tin woodman to follow, and he also crossed in safety while the great hammer was in the air. but when it came to the twenty-six officers and the private, their knees were so weak that they could not walk a step. "in battle we are wonderfully courageous," said one of the generals, "and our foes find us very terrible to face. but war is one thing and this is another. when it comes to being pounded upon the head by an iron hammer, and smashed into pancakes, we naturally object." "make a run for it," urged the scarecrow. "our knees shake so that we cannot run," answered a captain. "if we should try it we would all certainly be pounded to a jelly." "well, well!" sighed the cowardly lion, "i see, friend tiger, that we must place ourselves in great danger to rescue this bold army. come with me, and we will do the best we can." so, ozma and dorothy having already dismounted from their backs, the lion and the tiger leaped back again under the awful hammer and returned with two generals clinging to their necks. they repeated this daring passage twelve times, when all the officers had been carried beneath the giant's legs and landed safely on the further side. by that time the beasts were very tired, and panted so hard that their tongues hung out of their great mouths. "but what is to become of the private?" asked ozma. "oh, leave him there to guard the chariot," said the lion. "i'm tired out, and won't pass under that mallet again." [illustration: the wooden horse was careless] the officers at once protested that they must have the private with them, else there would be no one for them to command. but neither the lion or the tiger would go after him, and so the scarecrow sent the sawhorse. either the wooden horse was careless, or it failed to properly time the descent of the hammer, for the mighty weapon caught it squarely upon its head, and thumped it against the ground so powerfully that the private flew off its back high into the air, and landed upon one of the giant's cast-iron arms. here he clung desperately while the arm rose and fell with each one of the rapid strokes. the scarecrow dashed in to rescue his sawhorse, and had his left foot smashed by the hammer before he could pull the creature out of danger. they then found that the sawhorse had been badly dazed by the blow; for while the hard wooden knot of which his head was formed could not be crushed by the hammer, both his ears were broken off and he would be unable to hear a sound until some new ones were made for him. also his left knee was cracked, and had to be bound up with a string. billina having fluttered under the hammer, it now remained only to rescue the private who was riding upon the iron giant's arm, high in the air. the scarecrow lay flat upon the ground and called to the man to jump down upon his body, which was soft because it was stuffed with straw. this the private managed to do, waiting until a time when he was nearest the ground and then letting himself drop upon the scarecrow. he accomplished the feat without breaking any bones, and the scarecrow declared he was not injured in the least. therefore, the tin woodman having by this time fitted new ears to the sawhorse, the entire party proceeded upon its way, leaving the giant to pound the path behind them. [illustration] the nome king [illustration] by and by, when they drew near to the mountain that blocked their path and which was the furthermost edge of the kingdom of ev, the way grew dark and gloomy for the reason that the high peaks on either side shut out the sunshine. and it was very silent, too, as there were no birds to sing or squirrels to chatter, the trees being left far behind them and only the bare rocks remaining. ozma and dorothy were a little awed by the silence, and all the others were quiet and grave except the sawhorse, which, as it trotted along with the scarecrow upon his back, hummed a queer song, of which this was the chorus: "would a wooden horse in a woodland go? aye, aye! i sigh, he would, although had he not had a wooden head he'd mount the mountain top instead." but no one paid any attention to this because they were now close to the nome king's dominions, and his splendid underground palace could not be very far away. suddenly they heard a shout of jeering laughter, and stopped short. they would have to stop in a minute, anyway, for the huge mountain barred their further progress and the path ran close up to a wall of rock and ended. "who was that laughing?" asked ozma. there was no reply, but in the gloom they could see strange forms flit across the face of the rock. whatever the creations might be they seemed very like the rock itself, for they were the color of rocks and their shapes were as rough and rugged as if they had been broken away from the side of the mountain. they kept close to the steep cliff facing our friends, and glided up and down, and this way and that, with a lack of regularity that was quite confusing. and they seemed not to need places to rest their feet, but clung to the surface of the rock as a fly does to a window-pane, and were never still for a moment. "do not mind them," said tiktok, as dorothy shrank back. "they are on-ly the nomes." "and what are nomes?" asked the girl, half frightened. "they are rock fair-ies, and serve the nome king," replied the machine. "but they will do us no harm. you must call for the king, be-cause with-out him you can ne-ver find the en-trance to the pal-ace." "_you_ call," said dorothy to ozma. just then the nomes laughed again, and the sound was so weird and disheartening that the twenty-six officers commanded the private to "right-about-face!" and they all started to run as fast as they could. the tin woodman at once pursued his army and cried "halt!" and when they had stopped their flight he asked: "where are you going?" "i--i find i've forgotten the brush for my whiskers," said a general, trembling with fear. "s-s-so we are g-going back after it!" "that is impossible," replied the tin woodman. "for the giant with the hammer would kill you all if you tried to pass him." "oh! i'd forgotten the giant," said the general, turning pale. "you seem to forget a good many things," remarked the tin woodman. "i hope you won't forget that you are brave men." "never!" cried the general, slapping his gold-embroidered chest. "never!" cried all the other officers, indignantly slapping their chests. "for my part," said the private, meekly, "i must obey my officers; so when i am told to run, i run; and when i am told to fight, i fight." "that is right," agreed the tin woodman. "and now you must all come back to ozma, and obey _her_ orders. and if you try to run away again i will have her reduce all the twenty-six officers to privates, and make the private your general." this terrible threat so frightened them that they at once returned to where ozma was standing beside the cowardly lion. then ozma cried out in a loud voice: "i demand that the nome king appear to us!" there was no reply, except that the shifting nomes upon the mountain laughed in derision. "you must not command the nome king," said tiktok, "for you do not rule him, as you do your own peo-ple." [illustration: only the mocking laughter replied to her] so ozma called again, saying: "i request the nome king to appear to us." only the mocking laughter replied to her, and the shadowy nomes continued to flit here and there upon the rocky cliff. "try en-treat-y," said tiktok to ozma. "if he will not come at your re-quest, then the nome king may list-en to your plead-ing." ozma looked around her proudly. "do you wish your ruler to plead with this wicked nome king?" she asked. "shall ozma of oz humble herself to a creature who lives in an underground kingdom?" "no!" they all shouted, with big voices; and the scarecrow added: "if he will not come, we will dig him out of his hole, like a fox, and conquer his stubbornness. but our sweet little ruler must always maintain her dignity, just as i maintain mine." "i'm not afraid to plead with him," said dorothy. "i'm only a little girl from kansas, and we've got more dignity at home than we know what to do with. _i'll_ call the nome king." "do," said the hungry tiger; "and if he makes hash of you i'll willingly eat you for breakfast tomorrow morning." so dorothy stepped forward and said: "_please_ mr. nome king, come here and see us." the nomes started to laugh again; but a low growl came from the mountain, and in a flash they had all vanished from sight and were silent. then a door in the rock opened, and a voice cried: [illustration] "enter!" "isn't it a trick?" asked the tin woodman. "never mind," replied ozma. "we came here to rescue the poor queen of ev and her ten children, and we must run some risks to do so." "the nome king is hon-est and good na-tured," said tiktok. "you can trust him to do what is right." so ozma led the way, hand in hand with dorothy, and they passed through the arched doorway of rock and entered a long passage which was lighted by jewels set in the walls and having lamps behind them. there was no one to escort them, or to show them the way, but all the party pressed through the passage until they came to a round, domed cavern that was grandly furnished. in the center of this room was a throne carved out of a solid boulder of rock, rude and rugged in shape but glittering with great rubies and diamonds and emeralds on every part of its surface. and upon the throne sat the nome king. this important monarch of the underground world was a little fat man clothed in gray-brown garments that were the exact color of the rock throne in which he was seated. his bushy hair and flowing beard were also colored like the rocks, and so was his face. he wore no crown of any sort, and his only ornament was a broad, jewel-studded belt that encircled his fat little body. as for his features, they seemed kindly and good humored, and his eyes were turned merrily upon his visitors as ozma and dorothy stood before him with their followers ranged in close order behind them. "why, he looks just like santa claus--only he isn't the same color!" whispered dorothy to her friend; but the nome king heard the speech, and it made him laugh aloud. "'he had a red face and a round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly!'" quoth the monarch, in a pleasant voice; and they could all see that he really did shake like jelly when he laughed. both ozma and dorothy were much relieved to find the nome king so jolly, and a minute later he waved his right hand and the girls each found a cushioned stool at her side. "sit down, my dears," said the king, "and tell me why you have come all this way to see me, and what i can do to make you happy." while they seated themselves the nome king picked up a pipe, and taking a glowing red coal out of his pocket he placed it in the bowl of the pipe and began puffing out clouds of smoke that curled in rings above his head. dorothy thought this made the little monarch look more like santa claus than ever; but ozma now began speaking, and every one listened intently to her words. "your majesty," said she, "i am the ruler of the land of oz, and i have come here to ask you to release the good queen of ev and her ten children, whom you have enchanted and hold as your prisoners." [illustration] "oh, no; you are mistaken about that," replied the king. "they are not my prisoners, but my slaves, whom i purchased from the king of ev." "but that was wrong," said ozma. "according to the laws of ev, the king can do no wrong," answered the monarch, eyeing a ring of smoke he had just blown from his mouth; "so that he had a perfect right to sell his family to me in exchange for a long life." "you cheated him, though," declared dorothy; "for the king of ev did not have a long life. he jumped into the sea and was drowned." "that was not my fault," said the nome king, crossing his legs and smiling contentedly. "i gave him the long life, all right; but he destroyed it." "then how could it be a long life?" asked dorothy. "easily enough," was the reply. "now suppose, my dear, that i gave you a pretty doll in exchange for a lock of your hair, and that after you had received the doll you smashed it into pieces and destroyed it. could you say that i had not given you a pretty doll?" "no," answered dorothy. "and could you, in fairness, ask me to return to you the lock of hair, just because you had smashed the doll?" "no," said dorothy, again. "of course not," the nome king returned. "nor will i give up the queen and her children because the king of ev destroyed his long life by jumping into the sea. they belong to me and i shall keep them." [illustration: "they belong to me and i shall keep them"] "but you are treating them cruelly," said ozma, who was much distressed by the king's refusal. "in what way?" he asked. "by making them your slaves," said she. "cruelty," remarked the monarch, puffing out wreathes of smoke and watching them float into the air, "is a thing i can't abide. so, as slaves must work hard, and the queen of ev and her children were delicate and tender, i transformed them all into articles of ornament and bric-a-brac and scattered them around the various rooms of my palace. instead of being obliged to labor, they merely decorate my apartments, and i really think i have treated them with great kindness." "but what a dreadful fate is theirs!" exclaimed ozma, earnestly. "and the kingdom of ev is in great need of its royal family to govern it. if you will liberate them, and restore them to their proper forms, i will give you ten ornaments to replace each one you lose." the nome king looked grave. "suppose i refuse?" he asked. "then," said ozma, firmly, "i am here with my friends and my army to conquer your kingdom and oblige you to obey my wishes." the nome king laughed until he choked; and he choked until he coughed; and he coughed until his face turned from grayish-brown to bright red. and then he wiped his eyes with a rock-colored handkerchief and grew grave again. "you are as brave as you are pretty, my dear," he said to ozma. "but you have little idea of the extent of the task you have undertaken. come with me for a moment." he arose and took ozma's hand, leading her to a little door at one side of the room. this he opened and they stepped out upon a balcony, from whence they obtained a wonderful view of the underground world. a vast cave extended for miles and miles under the mountain, and in every direction were furnaces and forges glowing brightly and nomes hammering upon precious metals or polishing gleaming jewels. all around the walls of the cave were thousands of doors of silver and gold, built into the solid rock, and these extended in rows far away into the distance, as far as ozma's eyes could follow them. while the little maid from oz gazed wonderingly upon this scene the nome king uttered a shrill whistle, and at once all the silver and gold doors flew open and solid ranks of nome soldiers marched out from every one. so great were their numbers that they quickly filled the immense underground cavern and forced the busy workmen to abandon their tasks. although this tremendous army consisted of rock-colored nomes, all squat and fat, they were clothed in glittering armor of polished steel, inlaid with beautiful gems. upon his brow each wore a brilliant electric light, and they bore sharp spears and swords and battle-axes of solid bronze. it was evident they were perfectly trained, for they stood in straight rows, rank after rank, with their weapons held erect and true, as if awaiting but the word of command to level them upon their foes. "this," said the nome king, "is but a small part of my army. no ruler upon earth has ever dared to fight me, and no ruler ever will, for i am too powerful to oppose." he whistled again, and at once the martial array filed through the silver and gold doorways and disappeared, after which the workmen again resumed their labors at the furnaces. then, sad and discouraged, ozma of oz turned to her friends, and the nome king calmly reseated himself on his rock throne. [illustration: "this is but a small part of my army"] "it would be foolish for us to fight," the girl said to the tin woodman. "for our brave twenty-seven would be quickly destroyed. i'm sure i do not know how to act in this emergency." "ask the king where his kitchen is," suggested the tiger. "i'm hungry as a bear." "i might pounce upon the king and tear him in pieces," remarked the cowardly lion. "try it," said the monarch, lighting his pipe with another hot coal which he took from his pocket. the lion crouched low and tried to spring upon the nome king; but he hopped only a little way into the air and came down again in the same place, not being able to approach the throne by even an inch. "it seems to me," said the scarecrow, thoughtfully, "that our best plan is to wheedle his majesty into giving up his slaves, since he is too great a magician to oppose." "this is the most sensible thing any of you have suggested," declared the nome king. "it is folly to threaten me, but i'm so kind-hearted that i cannot stand coaxing or wheedling. if you really wish to accomplish anything by your journey, my dear ozma, you must coax me." "very well," said ozma, more cheerfully. "let us be friends, and talk this over in a friendly manner." "to be sure," agreed the king, his eyes twinkling merrily. "i am very anxious," she continued, "to liberate the queen of ev and her children who are now ornaments and bric-a-brac in your majesty's palace, and to restore them to their people. tell me, sir, how this may be accomplished." the king remained thoughtful for a moment, after which he asked: "are you willing to take a few chances and risks yourself, in order to set free the people of ev?" "yes, indeed!" answered ozma, eagerly. "then," said the nome king, "i will make you this offer: you shall go alone and unattended into my palace and examine carefully all that the rooms contain. then you shall have permission to touch eleven different objects, pronouncing at the time the word 'ev,' and if any one of them, or more than one, proves to be the transformation of the queen of ev or any of her ten children, then they will instantly be restored to their true forms and may leave my palace and my kingdom in your company, without any objection whatever. it is possible for you, in this way, to free the entire eleven; but if you do not guess all the objects correctly, and some of the slaves remain transformed, then each one of your friends and followers may, in turn, enter the palace and have the same privileges i grant you." "oh, thank you! thank you for this kind offer!" said ozma, eagerly. "i make but one condition," added the nome king, his eyes twinkling. "what is it?" she enquired. "if none of the eleven objects you touch proves to be the transformation of any of the royal family of ev, then, instead of freeing them, you will yourself become enchanted, and transformed into an article of bric-a-brac or an ornament. this is only fair and just, and is the risk you declared you were willing to take." [illustration] the eleven guesses [illustration] hearing this condition imposed by the nome king, ozma became silent and thoughtful, and all her friends looked at her uneasily. "don't you do it!" exclaimed dorothy. "if you guess wrong, you will be enslaved yourself." "but i shall have eleven guesses," answered ozma. "surely i ought to guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if i do, i shall rescue one of the royal family and be safe myself. then the rest of you may attempt it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved." "what if we fail?" enquired the scarecrow. "i'd look nice as a piece of bric-a-brac, wouldn't i?" "we must not fail!" cried ozma, courageously. "having come all this distance to free these poor people, it would be weak and cowardly in us to abandon the adventure. therefore i will accept the nome king's offer, and go at once into the royal palace." "come along, then, my dear," said the king, climbing down from his throne with some difficulty, because he was so fat; "i'll show you the way." he approached a wall of the cave and waved his hand. instantly an opening appeared, through which ozma, after a smiling farewell to her friends, boldly passed. she found herself in a splendid hall that was more beautiful and grand than anything she had ever beheld. the ceilings were composed of great arches that rose far above her head, and all the walls and floors were of polished marble exquisitely tinted in many colors. thick velvet carpets were on the floor and heavy silken draperies covered the arches leading to the various rooms of the palace. the furniture was made of rare old woods richly carved and covered with delicate satins, and the entire palace was lighted by a mysterious rosy glow that seemed to come from no particular place but flooded each apartment with its soft and pleasing radiance. ozma passed from one room to another, greatly delighted by all she saw. the lovely palace had no other occupant, for the nome king had left her at the entrance, which closed behind her, and in all the magnificent rooms there appeared to be no other person. upon the mantels, and on many shelves and brackets and tables, were clustered ornaments of every description, seemingly made out of all sorts of metals, glass, china, stones and marbles. there were vases, and figures of men and animals, and graven platters and bowls, and mosaics of precious gems, and many other things. pictures, too, were on the walls, and the underground palace was quite a museum of rare and curious and costly objects. after her first hasty examination of the rooms ozma began to wonder which of all the numerous ornaments they contained were the transformations of the royal family of ev. there was nothing to guide her, for everything seemed without a spark of life. so she must guess blindly; and for the first time the girl came to realize how dangerous was her task, and how likely she was to lose her own freedom in striving to free others from the bondage of the nome king. no wonder the cunning monarch laughed good naturedly with his visitors, when he knew how easily they might be entrapped. [illustration: ozma shut her eyes tightly and advanced] but ozma, having undertaken the venture, would not abandon it. she looked at a silver candelabra that had ten branches, and thought: "this may be the queen of ev and her ten children." so she touched it and uttered aloud the word "ev," as the nome king had instructed her to do when she guessed. but the candelabra remained as it was before. then she wandered into another room and touched a china lamb, thinking it might be one of the children she sought. but again she was unsuccessful. three guesses; four guesses; five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten she made, and still not one of them was right! the girl shivered a little and grew pale even under the rosy light; for now but one guess remained, and her own fate depended upon the result. she resolved not to be hasty, and strolled through all the rooms once more, gazing earnestly upon the various ornaments and trying to decide which she would touch. finally, in despair, she decided to leave it entirely to chance. she faced the doorway of a room, shut her eyes tightly, and then, thrusting aside the heavy draperies, she advanced blindly with her right arm outstretched before her. slowly, softly she crept forward until her hand came in contact with an object upon a small round table. she did not know what it was, but in a low voice she pronounced the word "ev." the rooms were quite empty of life after that. the nome king had gained a new ornament. for upon the edge of the table rested a pretty grasshopper, that seemed to have been formed from a single emerald. it was all that remained of ozma of oz. in the throne room just beyond the palace the nome king suddenly looked up and smiled. "next!" he said, in his pleasant voice. dorothy, the scarecrow, and the tin woodman, who had been sitting in anxious silence, each gave a start of dismay and stared into one another's eyes. "has she failed?" asked tiktok. "so it seems," answered the little monarch, cheerfully. "but that is no reason one of you should not succeed. the next may have twelve guesses, instead of eleven, for there are now twelve persons transformed into ornaments. well, well! which of you goes next?" "i'll go," said dorothy. "not so," replied the tin woodman. "as commander of ozma's army, it is my privilege to follow her and attempt her rescue." "away you go, then," said the scarecrow. "but be careful, old friend." "i will," promised the tin woodman; and then he followed the nome king to the entrance to the palace and the rock closed behind him. [illustration] the nome king laughs [illustration] in a moment the king returned to his throne and relighted his pipe, and the rest of the little band of adventurers settled themselves for another long wait. they were greatly disheartened by the failure of their girl ruler, and the knowledge that she was now an ornament in the nome king's palace--a dreadful, creepy place in spite of all its magnificence. without their little leader they did not know what to do next, and each one, down to the trembling private of the army, began to fear he would soon be more ornamental than useful. suddenly the nome king began laughing. "ha, ha, ha! he, he, he! ho, ho, ho!" "what's happened?" asked the scarecrow. "why, your friend, the tin woodman, has become the funniest thing you can imagine," replied the king, wiping the tears of merriment from his eyes. "no one would ever believe he could make such an amusing ornament. next!" they gazed at each other with sinking hearts. one of the generals began to weep dolefully. "what are you crying for?" asked the scarecrow, indignant at such a display of weakness. "he owed me six weeks back pay," said the general, "and i hate to lose him." "then you shall go and find him," declared the scarecrow. "me!" cried the general, greatly alarmed. "certainly. it is your duty to follow your commander. march!" "i won't," said the general. "i'd like to, of course; but i just simply _won't_." the scarecrow looked enquiringly at the nome king. "never mind," said the jolly monarch. "if he doesn't care to enter the palace and make his guesses i'll throw him into one of my fiery furnaces." "i'll go!--of course i'm going," yelled the general, as quick as scat. "where is the entrance--where is it? let me go at once!" so the nome king escorted him into the palace, and again returned to await the result. what the general did, no one can tell; but it was not long before the king called for the next victim, and a colonel was forced to try his fortune. thus, one after another, all of the twenty-six officers filed into the palace and made their guesses--and became ornaments. meantime the king ordered refreshments to be served to those waiting, and at his command a rudely shaped nome entered, bearing a tray. this nome was not unlike the others that dorothy had seen, but he wore a heavy gold chain around his neck to show that he was the chief steward of the nome king, and he assumed an air of much importance, and even told his majesty not to eat too much cake late at night, or he would be ill. dorothy, however, was hungry, and she was not afraid of being ill; so she ate several cakes and found them good, and also she drank a cup of excellent coffee made of a richly flavored clay, browned in the furnaces and then ground fine, and found it most refreshing and not at all muddy. of all the party which had started upon this adventure, the little kansas girl was now left alone with the scarecrow, tiktok, and the private for counsellors and companions. of course the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger were still there, but they, having also eaten some of the cakes, had gone to sleep at one side of the cave, while upon the other side stood the sawhorse, motionless and silent, as became a mere thing of wood. billina had quietly walked around and picked up the crumbs of cake which had been scattered, and now, as it was long after bed-time, she tried to find some dark place in which to go to sleep. presently the hen espied a hollow underneath the king's rocky throne, and crept into it unnoticed. she could still hear the chattering of those around her, but it was almost dark underneath the throne, so that soon she had fallen fast asleep. "next!" called the king, and the private, whose turn it was to enter the fatal palace, shook hands with dorothy and the scarecrow and bade them a sorrowful good-bye, and passed through the rocky portal. they waited a long time, for the private was in no hurry to become an ornament and made his guesses very slowly. the nome king, who seemed to know, by some magical power, all that took place in his beautiful rooms of his palace, grew impatient finally and declared he would sit up no longer. "i love ornaments," said he, "but i can wait until tomorrow to get more of them; so, as soon as that stupid private is transformed, we will all go to bed and leave the job to be finished in the morning." "is it so very late?" asked dorothy. "why, it is after midnight," said the king, "and that strikes me as being late enough. there is neither night nor day in my kingdom, because it is under the earth's surface, where the sun does not shine. but we have to sleep, just the same as the up-stairs people do, and for my part i'm going to bed in a few minutes." indeed, it was not long after this that the private made his last guess. of course he guessed wrongly, and of course he at once became an ornament. so the king was greatly pleased, and clapped his hands to summon his chief steward. "show these guests to some of the sleeping apartments," he commanded, "and be quick about it, too, for i'm dreadfully sleepy myself." "you've no business to sit up so late," replied the steward, gruffly. "you'll be as cross as a griffin tomorrow morning." [illustration: soon she had fallen fast asleep] his majesty made no answer to this remark, and the chief steward led dorothy through another doorway into a long hall, from which several plain but comfortable sleeping rooms opened. the little girl was given the first room, and the scarecrow and tiktok the next--although they never slept--and the lion and the tiger the third. the sawhorse hobbled after the steward into a fourth room, to stand stiffly in the center of it until morning. each night was rather a bore to the scarecrow, tiktok and the sawhorse; but they had learned from experience to pass the time patiently and quietly, since all their friends who were made of flesh had to sleep and did not like to be disturbed. when the chief steward had left them alone the scarecrow remarked, sadly: "i am in great sorrow over the loss of my old comrade, the tin woodman. we have had many dangerous adventures together, and escaped them all, and now it grieves me to know he has become an ornament, and is lost to me forever." "he was al-ways an or-na-ment to so-ci-e-ty," said tiktok. "true; but now the nome king laughs at him, and calls him the funniest ornament in all the palace. it will hurt my poor friend's pride to be laughed at," continued the scarecrow, sadly. "we will make rath-er ab-surd or-na-ments, our-selves, to-mor-row," observed the machine, in his monotonous voice. just then dorothy ran into their room, in a state of great anxiety, crying: "where's billina? have you seen billina? is she here?" "no," answered the scarecrow. "then what has become of her?" asked the girl. "why, i thought she was with you," said the scarecrow. "yet i do not remember seeing the yellow hen since she picked up the crumbs of cake." "we must have left her in the room where the king's throne is," decided dorothy, and at once she turned and ran down the hall to the door through which they had entered. but it was fast closed and locked on the other side, and the heavy slab of rock proved to be so thick that no sound could pass through it. so dorothy was forced to return to her chamber. the cowardly lion stuck his head into her room to try to console the girl for the loss of her feathered friend. "the yellow hen is well able to take care of herself," said he; "so don't worry about her, but try to get all the sleep you can. it has been a long and weary day, and you need rest." "i'll prob'ly get lots of rest tomorrow, when i become an orn'ment," said dorothy, sleepily. but she lay down upon her couch, nevertheless, and in spite of all her worries was soon in the land of dreams. [illustration] dorothy tries to be brave [illustration] meantime the chief steward had returned to the throne room, where he said to the king: "you are a fool to waste so much time upon these people." "what!" cried his majesty, in so enraged a voice that it awoke billina, who was asleep under his throne. "how dare you call me a fool?" "because i like to speak the truth," said the steward. "why didn't you enchant them all at once, instead of allowing them to go one by one into the palace and guess which ornaments are the queen of ev and her children?" "why, you stupid rascal, it is more fun this way," returned the king, "and it serves to keep me amused for a long time." "but suppose some of them happen to guess aright," persisted the steward; "then you would lose your old ornaments and these new ones, too." "there is no chance of their guessing aright," replied the monarch, with a laugh. "how could they know that the queen of ev and her family are all ornaments of a royal purple color?" "but there are no other purple ornaments in the palace," said the steward. "there are many other colors, however, and the purple ones are scattered throughout the rooms, and are of many different shapes and sizes. take my word for it, steward, they will never think of choosing the purple ornaments." billina, squatting under the throne, had listened carefully to all this talk, and now chuckled softly to herself as she heard the king disclose his secret. "still, you are acting foolishly by running the chance," continued the steward, roughly; "and it is still more foolish of you to transform all those people from oz into green ornaments." [illustration: "how dare you call me a fool?"] "i did that because they came from the emerald city," replied the king; "and i had no green ornaments in my collection until now. i think they will look quite pretty, mixed with the others. don't you?" the steward gave an angry grunt. "have your own way, since you are the king," he growled. "but if you come to grief through your carelessness, remember that i told you so. if i wore the magic belt which enables you to work all your transformations, and gives you so much other power, i am sure i would make a much wiser and better king than you are." "oh, cease your tiresome chatter!" commanded the king, getting angry again. "because you are my chief steward you have an idea you can scold me as much as you please. but the very next time you become impudent, i will send you to work in the furnaces, and get another nome to fill your place. now follow me to my chamber, for i am going to bed. and see that i am wakened early tomorrow morning. i want to enjoy the fun of transforming the rest of these people into ornaments." "what color will you make the kansas girl?" asked the steward. "gray, i think," said his majesty. "and the scarecrow and the machine man?" "oh, they shall be of solid gold, because they are so ugly in real life." then the voices died away, and billina knew that the king and his steward had left the room. she fixed up some of her tail feathers that were not straight, and then tucked her head under her wing again and went to sleep. in the morning dorothy and the lion and tiger were given their breakfast in their rooms, and afterward joined the king in his throne room. the tiger complained bitterly that he was half starved, and begged to go into the palace and become an ornament, so that he would no longer suffer the pangs of hunger. "haven't you had your breakfast?" asked the nome king. "oh, i had just a bite," replied the beast. "but what good is a bite, to a hungry tiger?" "he ate seventeen bowls of porridge, a platter full of fried sausages, eleven loaves of bread and twenty-one mince pies," said the steward. "what more do you want?" demanded the king. "a fat baby. i want a fat baby," said the hungry tiger. "a nice, plump, juicy, tender, fat baby. but, of course, if i had one, my conscience would not allow me to eat it. so i'll have to be an ornament and forget my hunger." "impossible!" exclaimed the king. "i'll have no clumsy beasts enter my palace, to overturn and break all my pretty nick-nacks. when the rest of your friends are transformed you can return to the upper world, and go about your business." "as for that we have no business, when our friends are gone," said the lion. "so we do not care much what becomes of us." dorothy begged to be allowed to go first into the palace, but tiktok firmly maintained that the slave should face danger before the mistress. the scarecrow agreed with him in that, so the nome king opened the door for the machine man, who tramped into the palace to meet his fate. then his majesty returned to his throne and puffed his pipe so contentedly that a small cloud of smoke formed above his head. bye and bye he said: "i'm sorry there are so few of you left. very soon, now, my fun will be over, and then for amusement i shall have nothing to do but admire my new ornaments." "it seems to me," said dorothy, "that you are not so honest as you pretend to be." [illustration: the nome king puffed his pipe] "how's that?" asked the king. "why, you made us think it would be easy to guess what ornaments the people of ev were changed into." "it _is_ easy," declared the monarch, "if one is a good guesser. but it appears that the members of your party are all poor guessers." "what is tiktok doing now?" asked the girl, uneasily. "nothing," replied the king, with a frown. "he is standing perfectly still, in the middle of a room." "oh, i expect he's run down," said dorothy. "i forgot to wind him up this morning. how many guesses has he made?" "all that he is allowed except one," answered the king. "suppose you go in and wind him up, and then you can stay there and make your own guesses." "all right," said dorothy. "it is my turn next," declared the scarecrow. "why, you don't want to go away and leave me all alone, do you?" asked the girl. "besides, if i go now i can wind up tiktok, so that he can make his last guess." "very well, then," said the scarecrow, with a sigh. "run along, little dorothy, and may good luck go with you!" so dorothy, trying to be brave in spite of her fears, passed through the doorway into the gorgeous rooms of the palace. the stillness of the place awed her, at first, and the child drew short breaths, and pressed her hand to her heart, and looked all around with wondering eyes. yes, it was a beautiful place; but enchantments lurked in every nook and corner, and she had not yet grown accustomed to the wizardries of these fairy countries, so different from the quiet and sensible common-places of her own native land. slowly she passed through several rooms until she came upon tiktok, standing motionless. it really seemed, then, that she had found a friend in this mysterious palace, so she hastened to wind up the machine man's action and speech and thoughts. "thank you, dor-oth-y," were his first words. "i have now one more guess to make." "oh, be very careful, tiktok; won't you?" cried the girl. "yes. but the nome king has us in his power, and he has set a trap for us. i fear we are all lost," he answered. "i fear so, too," said dorothy, sadly. "if smith & tin-ker had giv-en me a guess-ing clock-work at-tach-ment," continued tiktok, "i might have de-fied the nome king. but my thoughts are plain and sim-ple, and are not of much use in this case." "do the best you can," said dorothy, encouragingly, "and if you fail i will watch and see what shape you are changed into." so tiktok touched a yellow glass vase that had daisies painted on one side, and he spoke at the same time the word "ev." in a flash the machine man had disappeared, and although the girl looked quickly in every direction, she could not tell which of the many ornaments the room contained had a moment before been her faithful friend and servant. so all she could do was to accept the hopeless task set her, and make her guesses and abide by the result. "it can't hurt very much," she thought, "for i haven't heard any of them scream or cry out--not even the poor officers. dear me! i wonder if uncle henry or aunt em will ever know i have become an orn'ment in the nome king's palace, and must stand forever and ever in one place and look pretty--'cept when i'm moved to be dusted. it isn't the way i thought i'd turn out, at all; but i s'pose it can't be helped." she walked through all the rooms once more, and examined with care all the objects they contained; but there were so many, they bewildered her, and she decided, after all, as ozma had done, that it could be only guess work at the best, and that the chances were much against her guessing aright. timidly she touched an alabaster bowl and said: "ev." "that's one failure, anyhow," she thought. "but how am i to know which thing is enchanted, and which is not?" next she touched the image of a purple kitten that stood on the corner of a mantel, and as she pronounced the word "ev" the kitten disappeared, and a pretty, fair-haired boy stood beside her. at the same time a bell rang somewhere in the distance, and as dorothy started back, partly in surprise and partly in joy, the little one exclaimed: "where am i? and who are you? and what has happened to me?" "well, i declare!" said dorothy. "i've really done it." "done what?" asked the boy. [illustration] "saved myself from being an ornament," replied the girl, with a laugh, "and saved you from being forever a purple kitten." "a purple kitten?" he repeated. "there _is_ no such thing." "i know," she answered. "but there was, a minute ago. don't you remember standing on a corner of the mantel?" "of course not. i am a prince of ev, and my name is evring," the little one announced, proudly. "but my father, the king, sold my mother and all her children to the cruel ruler of the nomes, and after that i remember nothing at all." "a purple kitten can't be 'spected to remember, evring," said dorothy. "but now you are yourself again, and i'm going to try to save some of your brothers and sisters, and perhaps your mother, as well. so come with me." she seized the child's hand and eagerly hurried here and there, trying to decide which object to choose next. the third guess was another failure, and so was the fourth and the fifth. little evring could not imagine what she was doing, but he trotted along beside her very willingly, for he liked the new companion he had found. dorothy's further quest proved unsuccessful; but after her first disappointment was over, the little girl was filled with joy and thankfulness to think that after all she had been able to save one member of the royal family of ev, and could restore the little prince to his sorrowing country. now she might return to the terrible nome king in safety, carrying with her the prize she had won in the person of the fair-haired boy. so she retraced her steps until she found the entrance to the palace, and as she approached, the massive doors of rock opened of their own accord, allowing both dorothy and evring to pass the portals and enter the throne room. [illustration] billina frightens the nome king [illustration] now when dorothy had entered the palace to make her guesses and the scarecrow was left with the nome king, the two sat in moody silence for several minutes. then the monarch exclaimed, in a tone of satisfaction: "very good!" "who is very good?" asked the scarecrow. "the machine man. he won't need to be wound up any more, for he has now become a very neat ornament. very neat, indeed." "how about dorothy?" the scarecrow enquired. "oh, she will begin to guess, pretty soon," said the king, cheerfully. "and then she will join my collection, and it will be your turn." the good scarecrow was much distressed by the thought that his little friend was about to suffer the fate of ozma and the rest of their party; but while he sat in gloomy reverie a shrill voice suddenly cried: "kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kutt! kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kutt!" the nome king nearly jumped off his seat, he was so startled. "good gracious! what's that?" he yelled. "why, it's billina," said the scarecrow. "what do you mean by making a noise like that?" shouted the king, angrily, as the yellow hen came from under the throne and strutted proudly about the room. "i've got a right to cackle, i guess," replied billina. "i've just laid my egg.' "what! laid an egg! in my throne room! how dare you do such a thing?" asked the king, in a voice of fury. "i lay eggs wherever i happen to be," said the hen, ruffling her feathers and then shaking them into place. "but--thunder-ation! don't you know that eggs are poison?" roared the king, while his rock-colored eyes stuck out in great terror. "poison! well, i declare," said billina, indignantly. "i'll have you know all my eggs are warranted strictly fresh and up to date. poison, indeed!" "you don't understand," retorted the little monarch, nervously. "eggs belong only to the outside world--to the world on the earth's surface, where you came from. here, in my underground kingdom, they are rank poison, as i said, and we nomes can't bear them around." "well, you'll have to bear this one around," declared billina; "for i've laid it." "where?" asked the king. "under your throne," said the hen. the king jumped three feet into the air, so anxious was he to get away from the throne. "take it away! take it away at once!" he shouted. "i can't," said billina. "i havn't any hands." "i'll take the egg," said the scarecrow. "i'm making a collection of billina's eggs. there's one in my pocket now, that she laid yesterday." hearing this, the monarch hastened to put a good distance between himself and the scarecrow, who was about to reach under the throne for the egg when the hen suddenly cried: "stop!" "what's wrong?" asked the scarecrow. "don't take the egg unless the king will allow me to enter the palace and guess as the others have done," said billina. "pshaw!" returned the king. "you're only a hen. how could you guess my enchantments?" "i can try, i suppose," said billina. "and, if i fail, you will have another ornament." "a pretty ornament you'd make, wouldn't you?" growled the king. "but you shall have your way. it will properly punish you for daring to lay an egg in my presence. after the scarecrow is enchanted you shall follow him into the palace. but how will you touch the objects?" "with my claws," said the hen; "and i can speak the word 'ev' as plainly as anyone. also i must have the right to guess the enchantments of my friends, and to release them if i succeed." "very well," said the king. "you have my promise." "then," said billina to the scarecrow, "you may get the egg." [illustration: "don't you know that eggs are poison?"] he knelt down and reached underneath the throne and found the egg, which he placed in another pocket of his jacket, fearing that if both eggs were in one pocket they would knock together and get broken. just then a bell above the throne rang briskly, and the king gave another nervous jump. "well, well!" said he, with a rueful face; "the girl has actually done it." "done what?" asked the scarecrow. "she has made one guess that is right, and broken one of my neatest enchantments. by ricketty, it's too bad! i never thought she would do it." "do i understand that she will now return to us in safety?" enquired the scarecrow, joyfully wrinkling his painted face into a broad smile. "of course," said the king, fretfully pacing up and down the room. "i always keep my promises, no matter how foolish they are. but i shall make an ornament of the yellow hen to replace the one i have just lost." "perhaps you will, and perhaps you won't," murmured billina, calmly. "i may surprise you by guessing right." "guessing right?" snapped the king. "how should you guess right, where your betters have failed, you stupid fowl?" billina did not care to answer this question, and a moment later the doors flew open and dorothy entered, leading the little prince evring by the hand. [illustration] the scarecrow welcomed the girl with a close embrace, and he would have embraced evring, too, in his delight. but the little prince was shy, and shrank away from the painted scarecrow because he did not yet know his many excellent qualities. [illustration: "by ricketty, it's too bad!"] but there was little time for the friends to talk, because the scarecrow must now enter the palace. dorothy's success had greatly encouraged him, and they both hoped he would manage to make at least one correct guess. however, he proved as unfortunate as the others except dorothy, and although he took a good deal of time to select his objects, not one did the poor scarecrow guess aright. so he became a solid gold card-receiver, and the beautiful but terrible palace awaited its next visitor. "it's all over," remarked the king, with a sigh of satisfaction; "and it has been a very amusing performance, except for the one good guess the kansas girl made. i am richer by a great many pretty ornaments. "it is my turn, now," said billina, briskly. "oh, i'd forgotten you," said the king. "but you needn't go if you don't wish to. i will be generous, and let you off." "no you won't," replied the hen. "i insist upon having my guesses, as you promised." "then go ahead, you absurd feathered fool!" grumbled the king, and he caused the opening that led to the palace to appear once more. "don't go, billina," said dorothy, earnestly. "it isn't easy to guess those orn'ments, and only luck saved me from being one myself. stay with me, and we'll go back to the land of ev together. i'm sure this little prince will give us a home." "indeed i will," said evring, with much dignity. "don't worry, my dear," cried billina, with a cluck that was meant for a laugh. "i may not be human, but i'm no fool, if i _am_ a chicken." "oh, billina!" said dorothy, "you haven't been a chicken in a long time. not since you--you've been--grown up." "perhaps that's true," answered billina, thoughtfully. "but if a kansas farmer sold me to some one, what would he call me?--a hen or a chicken!" "you are not a kansas farmer, billina," replied the girl, "and you said--" "never mind that, dorothy. i'm going. i won't say good-bye, because i'm coming back. keep up your courage, for i'll see you a little later." then billina gave several loud "cluck-clucks" that seemed to make the fat little king _more_ nervous than ever, and marched through the entrance into the enchanted palace. "i hope i've seen the last of _that_ bird," declared the monarch, seating himself again in his throne and mopping the perspiration from his forehead with his rock-colored handkerchief. "hens are bothersome enough at their best, but when they can talk they're simply dreadful." "billina's my friend," said dorothy quietly. "she may not always be 'zactly polite; but she _means_ well, i'm sure." [illustration] purple, green and gold [illustration] the yellow hen, stepping high and with an air of vast importance, walked slowly over the rich velvet carpets of the splendid palace, examining everything she met with her sharp little eyes. billina had a right to feel important; for she alone shared the nome king's secret and knew how to tell the objects that were transformations from those that had never been alive. she was very sure that her guesses would be correct, but before she began to make them she was curious to behold all the magnificence of this underground palace, which was perhaps one of the most splendid and beautiful places in any fairyland. as she went through the rooms she counted the purple ornaments; and although some were small and hidden in queer places, billina spied them all, and found the entire ten scattered about the various rooms. the green ornaments she did not bother to count, for she thought she could find them all when the time came. finally, having made a survey of the entire palace and enjoyed its splendor, the yellow hen returned to one of the rooms where she had noticed a large purple footstool. she placed a claw upon this and said "ev," and at once the footstool vanished and a lovely lady, tall and slender and most beautifully robed, stood before her. the lady's eyes were round with astonishment for a moment, for she could not remember her transformation, nor imagine what had restored her to life. "good morning, ma'am," said billina, in her sharp voice. "you're looking quite well, considering your age." "who speaks?" demanded the queen of ev, drawing herself up proudly. "why, my name's bill, by rights," answered the hen, who was now perched upon the back of a chair; "although dorothy has put scollops on it and made it billina. but the name doesn't matter. i've saved you from the nome king, and you are a slave no longer." "then i thank you for the gracious favor," said the queen, with a graceful courtesy. "but, my children--tell me, i beg of you--where are my children?" and she clasped her hands in anxious entreaty. "don't worry," advised billina, pecking at a tiny bug that was crawling over the chair back. "just at present they are out of mischief and perfectly safe, for they can't even wiggle." "what mean you, o kindly stranger?" asked the queen, striving to repress her anxiety. "they're enchanted," said billina, "just as you have been--all, that is, except the little fellow dorothy picked out. and the chances are that they have been good boys and girls for some time, because they couldn't help it." "oh, my poor darlings!" cried the queen, with a sob of anguish. "not at all," returned the hen. "don't let their condition make you unhappy, ma'am, because i'll soon have them crowding 'round to bother and worry you as naturally as ever. come with me, if you please, and i'll show you how pretty they look." she flew down from her perch and walked into the next room, the queen following. as she passed a low table a small green grasshopper caught her eye, and instantly billina pounced upon it and snapped it up in her sharp bill. for grasshoppers are a favorite food with hens, and they usually must be caught quickly, before they can hop away. it might easily have been the end of ozma of oz, had she been a real grasshopper instead of an emerald one. but billina found the grasshopper hard and lifeless, and suspecting it was not good to eat she quickly dropped it instead of letting it slide down her throat. "i might have known better," she muttered to herself, "for where there is no grass there can be no live grasshoppers. this is probably one of the king's transformations." a moment later she approached one of the purple ornaments, and while the queen watched her curiously the hen broke the nome king's enchantment and a sweet-faced girl, whose golden hair fell in a cloud over her shoulders, stood beside them. "evanna!" cried the queen, "my own evanna!" and she clasped the girl to her bosom and covered her face with kisses. "that's all right," said billina, contentedly. "am i a good guesser, mr. nome king? well, i guess!" then she disenchanted another girl, whom the queen addressed as evrose, and afterwards a boy named evardo, who was older than his brother evring. indeed, the yellow hen kept the good queen exclaiming and embracing for some time, until five princesses and four princes, all looking very much alike except for the difference in size, stood in a row beside their happy mother. the princesses were named, evanna, evrose, evella, evirene and evedna, while the princes were evrob, evington, evardo and evroland. of these evardo was the eldest and would inherit his father's throne and be crowned king of ev when he returned to his own country. he was a grave and quiet youth, and would doubtless rule his people wisely and with justice. [illustration: the queen of ev thanks billina] billina, having restored all of the royal family of ev to their proper forms, now began to select the green ornaments which were the transformations of the people of oz. she had little trouble in finding these, and before long all the twenty-six officers, as well as the private, were gathered around the yellow hen, joyfully congratulating her upon their release. the thirty-seven people who were now alive in the rooms of the palace knew very well that they owed their freedom to the cleverness of the yellow hen, and they were earnest in thanking her for saving them from the magic of the nome king. "now," said billina, "i must find ozma. she is sure to be here, somewhere, and of course she is green, being from oz. so look around, you stupid soldiers, and help me in my search." for a while, however, they could discover nothing more that was green. but the queen, who had kissed all her nine children once more and could now find time to take an interest in what was going on, said to the hen: "mayhap, my gentle friend, it is the grasshopper whom you seek." "of course it's the grasshopper!" exclaimed billina. "i declare, i'm nearly as stupid as these brave soldiers. wait here for me, and i'll go back and get it." so she went into the room where she had seen the grasshopper, and presently ozma of oz, as lovely and dainty as ever, entered and approached the queen of ev, greeting her as one high born princess greets another. "but where are my friends, the scarecrow and the tin woodman?" asked the girl ruler, when these courtesies had been exchanged. "i'll hunt them up," replied billina. "the scarecrow is solid gold, and so is tiktok; but i don't exactly know what the tin woodman is, because the nome king said he had been transformed into something funny." ozma eagerly assisted the hen in her quest, and soon the scarecrow and the machine man, being ornaments of shining gold, were discovered and restored to their accustomed forms. but, search as they might, in no place could they find a funny ornament that might be the transformation of the tin woodman. "only one thing can be done," said ozma, at last, "and that is to return to the nome king and oblige him to tell us what has become of our friend." "perhaps he won't," suggested billina. "he must," returned ozma, firmly. "the king has not treated us honestly, for under the mask of fairness and good nature he entrapped us all, and we would have been forever enchanted had not our wise and clever friend, the yellow hen, found a way to save us." "the king is a villain," declared the scarecrow. "his laugh is worse than another man's frown," said the private, with a shudder. "i thought he was hon-est, but i was mis-tak-en," remarked tiktok. "my thoughts are us-u-al-ly cor-rect, but it is smith & tin-ker's fault if they some-times go wrong or do not work prop-er-ly." "smith & tinker made a very good job of you," said ozma, kindly. "i do not think they should be blamed if you are not quite perfect." "thank you," replied tiktok. "then," said billina, in her brisk little voice, "let us all go back to the nome king, and see what he has to say for himself." so they started for the entrance, ozma going first, with the queen and her train of little princes and princesses following. then came tiktok, and the scarecrow with billina perched upon his straw-stuffed shoulder. the twenty-seven officers and the private brought up the rear. as they reached the hall the doors flew open before them; but then they all stopped and stared into the domed cavern with faces of astonishment and dismay. for the room was filled with the mail-clad warriors of the nome king, rank after rank standing in orderly array. the electric lights upon their brows gleamed brightly, their battle-axes were poised as if to strike down their foes; yet they remained motionless as statues, awaiting the word of command. and in the center of this terrible army sat the little king upon his throne of rock. but he neither smiled nor laughed. instead, his face was distorted with rage, and most dreadful to behold. [illustration] the scarecrow wins the fight [illustration] after billina had entered the palace dorothy and evring sat down to await the success or failure of her mission, and the nome king occupied his throne and smoked his long pipe for a while in a cheerful and contented mood. then the bell above the throne, which sounded whenever an enchantment was broken, began to ring, and the king gave a start of annoyance and exclaimed, "rocketty-ricketts!" when the bell rang a second time the king shouted angrily, "smudge and blazes!" and at a third ring he screamed in a fury, "hippikaloric!" which must be a dreadful word because we don't know what it means. after that the bell went on ringing time after time; but the king was now so violently enraged that he could not utter a word, but hopped out of his throne and all around the room in a mad frenzy, so that he reminded dorothy of a jumping-jack. the girl was, for her part, filled with joy at every peal of the bell, for it announced the fact that billina had transformed one more ornament into a living person. dorothy was also amazed at billina's success, for she could not imagine how the yellow hen was able to guess correctly from all the bewildering number of articles clustered in the rooms of the palace. but after she had counted ten, and the bell continued to ring, she knew that not only the royal family of ev, but ozma and her followers also, were being restored to their natural forms, and she was so delighted that the antics of the angry king only made her laugh merrily. perhaps the little monarch could not be more furious than he was before, but the girl's laughter nearly drove him frantic, and he roared at her like a savage beast. then, as he found that all his enchantments were likely to be dispelled and his victims every one set free, he suddenly ran to the little door that opened upon the balcony and gave the shrill whistle that summoned his warriors. at once the army filed out of the gold and silver doors in great numbers, and marched up a winding stairs and into the throne room, led by a stern featured nome who was their captain. when they had nearly filled the throne room they formed ranks in the big underground cavern below, and then stood still until they were told what to do next. dorothy had pressed back to one side of the cavern when the warriors entered, and now she stood holding little prince evring's hand while the great lion crouched upon one side and the enormous tiger crouched an the other side. "seize that girl!" shouted the king to his captain, and a group of warriors sprang forward to obey. but both the lion and tiger snarled so fiercely and bared their strong, sharp teeth so threateningly, that the men drew back in alarm. "don't mind them!" cried the nome king; "they cannot leap beyond the places where they now stand." "but they can bite those who attempt to touch the girl," said the captain. "i'll fix that," answered the king. "i'll enchant them again, so that they can't open their jaws." he stepped out of the throne to do this, but just then the sawhorse ran up behind him and gave the fat monarch a powerful kick with both his wooden hind legs. "ow! murder! treason!" yelled the king, who had been hurled against several of his warriors and was considerably bruised. "who did that?" "i did," growled the sawhorse, viciously. "you let dorothy alone, or i'll kick you again." "we'll see about that," replied the king, and at once he waved his hand toward the sawhorse and muttered a magical word. "aha!" he continued; "_now_ let us see you move, you wooden mule!" but in spite of the magic the sawhorse moved; and he moved so quickly toward the king, that the fat little man could not get out of his way. thump--_bang!_ came the wooden heels, right against his round body, and the king flew into the air and fell upon the head of his captain, who let him drop flat upon the ground. "well, well!" said the king, sitting up and looking surprised. "why didn't my magic belt work, i wonder?" "the creature is made of wood," replied the captain. "your magic will not work on wood, you know." "ah, i'd forgotten that," said the king, getting up and limping to his throne. "very well, let the girl alone. she can't escape us, anyway." the warriors, who had been rather confused by these incidents, now formed their ranks again, and the sawhorse pranced across the room to dorothy and took a position beside the hungry tiger. at that moment the doors that led to the palace flew open and the people of ev and the people of oz were disclosed to view. they paused, astonished, at sight of the warriors and the angry nome king, seated in their midst. "surrender!" cried the king, in a loud voice. "you are my prisoners." "go 'long!" answered billina, from the scarecrow's shoulder. "you promised me that if i guessed correctly my friends and i might depart in safety. and you always keep your promises." "i said you might leave the palace in safety," retorted the king; "and so you may, but you cannot leave my dominions. you are my prisoners, and i will hurl you all into my underground dungeons, where the volcanic fires glow and the molten lava flows in every direction, and the air is hotter than blue blazes." [illustration: "help, help!" screamed the king] "that will be the end of me, all right," said the scarecrow, sorrowfully. "one small blaze, blue or green, is enough to reduce me to an ash-heap." "do you surrender?" demanded the king. billina whispered something in the scarecrow's ear that made him smile and put his hands in his jacket pockets. "no!" returned ozma, boldly answering the king. then she said to her army: "forward, my brave soldiers, and fight for your ruler and yourselves, unto death!" "pardon me, most royal ozma," replied one of her generals; "but i find that i and my brother officers all suffer from heart disease, and the slightest excitement might kill us. if we fight we may get excited. would it not be well for us to avoid this grave danger?" "soldiers should not have heart disease," said ozma. "private soldiers are not, i believe, afflicted that way," declared another general, twirling his moustache thoughtfully. "if your royal highness desires, we will order our private to attack yonder warriors." "do so," replied ozma. "for-ward--march!" cried all the generals, with one voice. "for-ward--march!" yelled the colonels. "for-ward--march!" shouted the majors. "for-ward--march!" commanded the captains. and at that the private leveled his spear and dashed furiously upon the foe. the captain of the nomes was so surprised by this sudden onslaught that he forgot to command his warriors to fight, so that the ten men in the first row, who stood in front of the private's spear, fell over like so many toy soldiers. the spear could not go through their steel armor, however, so the warriors scrambled to their feet again, and by that time the private had knocked over another row of them. then the captain brought down his battle-axe with such a strong blow that the private's spear was shattered and knocked from his grasp, and he was helpless to fight any longer. the nome king had left his throne and pressed through his warriors to the front ranks, so he could see what was going on; but as he faced ozma and her friends the scarecrow, as if aroused to action by the valor of the private, drew one of billina's eggs from his right jacket pocket and hurled it straight at the little monarch's head. it struck him squarely in his left eye, where the egg smashed and scattered, as eggs will, and covered his face and hair and beard with its sticky contents. "help, help!" screamed the king, clawing with his fingers at the egg, in a struggle to remove it. "an egg! an egg! run for your lives!" shouted the captain of the nomes, in a voice of horror. and how they _did_ run! the warriors fairly tumbled over one another in their efforts to escape the fatal poison of that awful egg, and those who could not rush down the winding stair fell off the balcony into the great cavern beneath, knocking over those who stood below them. even while the king was still yelling for help his throne room became emptied of every one of his warriors, and before the monarch had managed to clear the egg away from his left eye the scarecrow threw the second egg against his right eye, where it smashed and blinded him entirely. the king was unable to flee because he could not see which way to run; so he stood still and howled and shouted and screamed in abject fear. while this was going on, billina flew over to dorothy, and perching herself upon the lion's back the hen whispered eagerly to the girl: "get his belt! get the nome king's jeweled belt! it unbuckles in the back. quick, dorothy--quick!" the fate of the tin woodman [illustration] dorothy obeyed. she ran at once behind the nome king, who was still trying to free his eyes from the egg, and in a twinkling she had unbuckled his splendid jeweled belt and carried it away with her to her place beside the tiger and lion, where, because she did not know what else to do with it, she fastened it around her own slim waist. just then the chief steward rushed in with a sponge and a bowl of water, and began mopping away the broken eggs from his master's face. in a few minutes, and while all the party stood looking on, the king regained the use of his eyes, and the first thing he did was to glare wickedly upon the scarecrow and exclaim: "i'll make you suffer for this, you hay-stuffed dummy! don't you know eggs are poison to nomes?" "really," said the scarecrow, "they _don't_ seem to agree with you, although i wonder why." "they were strictly fresh and above suspicion," said billina. "you ought to be glad to get them." "i'll transform you all into scorpions!" cried the king, angrily, and began waving his arms and muttering magic words. but none of the people became scorpions, so the king stopped and looked at them in surprise. "what's wrong?" he asked. "why, you are not wearing your magic belt," replied the chief steward, after looking the king over carefully. "where is it? what have you done with it?" the nome king clapped his hand to his waist, and his rock colored face turned white as chalk. "it's gone," he cried, helplessly. "it's gone, and i am ruined!" dorothy now stepped forward and said: "royal ozma, and you, queen of ev, i welcome you and your people back to the land of the living. billina has saved you from your troubles, and now we will leave this drea'ful place, and return to ev as soon as poss'ble." while the child spoke they could all see that she wore the magic belt, and a great cheer went up from all her friends, which was led by the voices of the scarecrow and the private. but the nome king did not join them. he crept back onto his throne like a whipped dog, and lay there bitterly bemoaning his defeat. "but we have not yet found my faithful follower, the tin woodman," said ozma to dorothy, "and without him i do not wish to go away." "nor i," replied dorothy, quickly. "wasn't he in the palace?" "he must be there," said billina; "but i had no clew to guide me in guessing the tin woodman, so i must have missed him." "we will go back into the rooms," said dorothy. "this magic belt, i am sure, will help us to find our dear old friend." so she re-entered the palace, the doors of which still stood open, and everyone followed her except the nome king, the queen of ev and prince evring. the mother had taken the little prince in her lap and was fondling and kissing him lovingly, for he was her youngest born. but the others went with dorothy, and when she came to the middle of the first room the girl waved her hand, as she had seen the king do, and commanded the tin woodman, whatever form he might then have, to resume his proper shape. no result followed this attempt, so dorothy went into another room and repeated it, and so through all the rooms of the palace. yet the tin woodman did not appear to them, nor could they imagine which among the thousands of ornaments was their transformed friend. sadly they returned to the throne room, where the king, seeing that they had met with failure, jeered at dorothy, saying: "you do not know how to use my belt, so it is of no use to you. give it back to me and i will let you go free--you and all the people who came with you. as for the royal family of ev, they are my slaves, and shall remain here." "i shall keep the belt," said dorothy. "but how can you escape, without my consent?" asked the king. "easily enough," answered the girl. "all we need to do is to walk out the way that we came in." [illustration: dorothy and billina argue with the king] "oh, that's all, is it?" sneered the king. "well, where is the passage through which you entered this room?" they all looked around, but could not discover the place, for it had long since been closed. dorothy, however, would not be dismayed. she waved her hand toward the seemingly solid wall of the cavern and said: "i command the passage to open!" instantly the order was obeyed; the opening appeared and the passage lay plainly before them. the king was amazed, and all the others overjoyed. "why, then, if the belt obeys you, were we unable to discover the tin woodman?" asked ozma. "i can't imagine," said dorothy. "see here, girl," proposed the king, eagerly; "give me the belt, and i will tell you what shape the tin woodman was changed into, and then you can easily find him." dorothy hesitated, but billina cried out: "don't you do it! if the nome king gets the belt again he will make every one of us prisoners, for we will be in his power. only by keeping the belt, dorothy, will you ever be able to leave this place in safety." "i think that is true," said the scarecrow. "but i have another idea, due to my excellent brains. let dorothy transform the king into a goose-egg unless he agrees to go into the palace and bring out to us the ornament which is our friend nick chopper, the tin woodman." "a goose-egg!" echoed the horrified king. "how dreadful!" [illustration] "well, a goose-egg you will be unless you go and fetch us the ornament we want," declared billina, with a joyful chuckle. "you can see for yourself that dorothy is able to use the magic belt all right," added the scarecrow. the nome king thought it over and finally consented, for he did not want to be a goose-egg. so he went into the palace to get the ornament which was the transformation of the tin woodman, and they all awaited his return with considerable impatience, for they were anxious to leave this underground cavern and see the sunshine once more. but when the nome king came back he brought nothing with him except a puzzled and anxious expression upon his face. "he's gone!" he said. "the tin woodman is nowhere in the palace." "are you sure?" asked ozma, sternly. "i'm very sure," answered the king, trembling, "for i know just what i transformed him into, and exactly where he stood. but he is not there, and please don't change me into a goose-egg, because i've done the best i could." they were all silent for a time, and then dorothy said: "there is no use punishing the nome king any more, and i'm 'fraid we'll have to go away without our friend." "if he is not here, we cannot rescue him," agreed the scarecrow, sadly. "poor nick! i wonder what has become of him." "and he owed me six weeks back pay!" said one of the generals, wiping the tears from his eyes with his gold-laced coat sleeve. very sorrowfully they determined to return to the upper world without their former companion, and so ozma gave the order to begin the march through the passage. the army went first, and then the royal family of ev, and afterward came dorothy, ozma, billina, the scarecrow and tiktok. they left the nome king scowling at them from his throne, and had no thought of danger until ozma chanced to look back and saw a large number of the warriors following them in full chase, with their swords and spears and axes raised to strike down the fugitives as soon as they drew near enough. evidently the nome king had made this last attempt to prevent their escaping him; but it did him no good, for when dorothy saw the danger they were in she stopped and waved her hand and whispered a command to the magic belt. [illustration] instantly the foremost warriors became eggs, which rolled upon the floor of the cavern in such numbers that those behind could not advance without stepping upon them. but, when they saw the eggs, all desire to advance departed from the warriors, and they turned and fled madly into the cavern, and refused to go back again. our friends had no farther trouble in reaching the end of the passage, and soon were standing in the outer air upon the gloomy path between the two high mountains. but the way to ev lay plainly before them, and they fervently hoped that they had seen the last of the nome king and of his dreadful palace. the cavalcade was led by ozma, mounted on the cowardly lion, and the queen of ev, who rode upon the back of the tiger. the children of the queen walked behind her, hand in hand. dorothy rode the sawhorse, while the scarecrow walked and commanded the army in the absence of the tin woodman. presently the way began to lighten and more of the sunshine to come in between the two mountains. and before long they heard the "thump! thump! thump!" of the giant's hammer upon the road. "how may we pass the monstrous man of iron?" asked the queen, anxious for the safety of her children. but dorothy solved the problem by a word to the magic belt. the giant paused, with his hammer held motionless in the air, thus allowing the entire party to pass between his cast-iron legs in safety. the king of ev [illustration] if there were any shifting, rock-colored nomes on the mountain side now, they were silent and respectful, for our adventurers were not annoyed, as before, by their impudent laughter. really the nomes had nothing to laugh at, since the defeat of their king. on the other side they found ozma's golden chariot, standing as they had left it. soon the lion and the tiger were harnessed to the beautiful chariot, in which was enough room for ozma and the queen and six of the royal children. little evring preferred to ride with dorothy upon the sawhorse, which had a long back. the prince had recovered from his shyness and had become very fond of the girl who had rescued him, so they were fast friends and chatted pleasantly together as they rode along. billina was also perched upon the head of the wooden steed, which seemed not to mind the added weight in the least, and the boy was full of wonder that a hen could talk, and say such sensible things. when they came to the gulf, ozma's magic carpet carried them all over in safety; and now they began to pass the trees, in which birds were singing; and the breeze that was wafted to them from the farms of ev was spicy with flowers and new-mown hay; and the sunshine fell full upon them, to warm them and drive away from their bodies the chill and dampness of the underground kingdom of the nomes. "i would be quite content," said the scarecrow to tiktok, "were only the tin woodman with us. but it breaks my heart to leave him behind." "he was a fine fel-low," replied tiktok, "al-though his ma-ter-i-al was not ve-ry du-ra-ble." "oh, tin is an excellent material," the scarecrow hastened to say; "and if anything ever happened to poor nick chopper he was always easily soldered. besides, he did not have to be wound up, and was not liable to get out of order." "i some-times wish," said tiktok, "that i was stuffed with straw, as you are. it is hard to be made of cop-per." "i have no reason to complain of my lot," replied the scarecrow. "a little fresh straw, now and then, makes me as good as new. but i can never be the polished gentleman that my poor departed friend, the tin woodman, was." you may be sure the royal children of ev and their queen mother were delighted at seeing again their beloved country; and when the towers of the palace of ev came into view they could not forbear cheering at the sight. little evring, riding in front of dorothy, was so overjoyed that he took a curious tin whistle from his pocket and blew a shrill blast that made the sawhorse leap and prance in sudden alarm. "what is that?" asked billina, who had been obliged to flutter her wings in order to keep her seat upon the head of the frightened sawhorse. "that's my whistle," said prince evring, holding it out upon his hand. it was in the shape of a little fat pig, made of tin and painted green. the whistle was in the tail of the pig. "where did you get it?" asked the yellow hen, closely examining the toy with her bright eyes. "why, i picked it up in the nome king's palace, while dorothy was making her guesses, and i put it in my pocket," answered the little prince. [illustration] billina laughed; or at least she made the peculiar cackle that served her for a laugh. "no wonder i couldn't find the tin woodman," she said; "and no wonder the magic belt didn't make him appear, or the king couldn't find him, either!" "what do you mean?" questioned dorothy. "why, the prince had him in his pocket," cried billina, cackling again. "i did not!" protested little evring. "i only took the whistle." "well, then, watch me," returned the hen, and reaching out a claw she touched the whistle and said "ev." swish! "good afternoon," said the tin woodman, taking off his funnel cap and bowing to dorothy and the prince. "i think i must have been asleep for the first time since i was made of tin, for i do not remember our leaving the nome king." "you have been enchanted," answered the girl, throwing an arm around her old friend and hugging him tight in her joy. "but it's all right, now." "i want my whistle!" said the little prince, beginning to cry. "hush!" cautioned billina. "the whistle is lost, but you may have another when you get home." [illustration: "your future ruler, king evardo fifteenth"] the scarecrow had fairly thrown himself upon the bosom of his old comrade, so surprised and delighted was he to see him again, and tiktok squeezed the tin woodman's hand so earnestly that he dented some of his fingers. then they had to make way for ozma to welcome the tin man, and the army caught sight of him and set up a cheer, and everybody was delighted and happy. for the tin woodman was a great favorite with all who knew him, and his sudden recovery after they had thought he was lost to them forever was indeed a pleasant surprise. before long, the cavalcade arrived at the royal palace, where a great crowd of people had gathered to welcome their queen and her ten children. there was much shouting and cheering, and the people threw flowers in their path, and every face wore a happy smile. they found the princess langwidere in her mirrored chamber, where she was admiring one of her handsomest heads--one with rich chestnut hair, dreamy walnut eyes and a shapely hickorynut nose. she was very glad to be relieved of her duties to the people of ev, and the queen graciously permitted her to retain her rooms and her cabinet of heads as long as she lived. then the queen took her eldest son out upon a balcony that overlooked the crowd of subjects gathered below, and said to them: "here is your future ruler, king evardo fifteenth. he is fifteen years of age, has fifteen silver buckles on his jacket and is the fifteenth evardo to rule the land of ev." the people shouted their approval fifteen times, and even the wheelers, some of whom were present, loudly promised to obey the new king. so the queen placed a big crown of gold, set with rubies, upon evardo's head, and threw an ermine robe over his shoulders, and proclaimed him king; and he bowed gratefully to all his subjects and then went away to see if he could find any cake in the royal pantry. ozma of oz and her people, as well as dorothy, tiktok and billina, were splendidly entertained by the queen mother, who owed all her happiness to their kind offices; and that evening the yellow hen was publicly presented with a beautiful necklace of pearls and sapphires, as a token of esteem from the new king. [illustration] the emerald city [illustration] dorothy decided to accept ozma's invitation to return with her to the land of oz. there was no greater chance of her getting home from ev than from oz, and the little girl was anxious to see once more the country where she had encountered such wonderful adventures. by this time uncle henry would have reached australia in his ship, and had probably given her up for lost; so he couldn't worry any more than he did if she stayed away from him a while longer. so she would go to oz. they bade good-bye to the people of ev, and the king promised ozma that he would ever be grateful to her and render the land of oz any service that might lie within his power. and then they approached the edge of the dangerous desert, and ozma threw down the magic carpet, which at once unrolled far enough for all of them to walk upon it without being crowded. tiktok, claiming to be dorothy's faithful follower because he belonged to her, had been permitted to join the party, and before they started the girl wound up his machinery as far as possible, and the copper man stepped off as briskly as any one of them. ozma also invited billina to visit the land of oz, and the yellow hen was glad enough to go where new sights and scenes awaited her. they began the trip across the desert early in the morning, and as they stopped only long enough for billina to lay her daily egg, before sunset they espied the green slopes and wooded hills of the beautiful land of oz. they entered it in the munchkin territory, and the king of the munchkins met them at the border and welcomed ozma with great respect, being very pleased by her safe return. for ozma of oz ruled the king of the munchkins, the king of the winkies, the king of the quadlings and the king of the gillikins just as those kings ruled their own people; and this supreme ruler of the land of oz lived in a great town of her own, called the emerald city, which was in the exact center of the four kingdoms of the land of oz. the munchkin king entertained them at his palace that night, and in the morning they set out for the emerald city, travelling over a road of yellow brick that led straight to the jewel-studded gates. everywhere the people turned out to greet their beloved ozma and to hail joyfully the scarecrow, the tin woodman and the cowardly lion, who were popular favorites. dorothy, too, remembered some of the people, who had befriended her on the occasion of her first visit to oz, and they were well pleased to see the little kansas girl again, and showered her with compliments and good wishes. at one place, where they stopped to refresh themselves, ozma accepted a bowl of milk from the hands of a pretty dairy-maid. then she looked at the girl more closely, and exclaimed: "why, it's jinjur--isn't it!" "yes, your highness," was the reply, as jinjur dropped a low curtsy. and dorothy looked wonderingly at this lively appearing person, who had once assembled an army of women and driven the scarecrow from the throne of the emerald city, and even fought a battle with the powerful army of glinda the sorceress. "i've married a man who owns nine cows," said jinjur to ozma, "and now i am happy and contented and willing to lead a quiet life and mind my own business." [illustration] "where is your husband?" asked ozma. "he is in the house, nursing a black eye," replied jinjur, calmly. "the foolish man would insist upon milking the red cow when i wanted him to milk the white one; but he will know better next time, i am sure." then the party moved on again, and after crossing a broad river on a ferry and passing many fine farm houses that were dome shaped and painted a pretty green color, they came in sight of a large building that was covered with flags and bunting. "i don't remember that building," said dorothy. "what is it?" "that is the college of art and athletic perfection," replied ozma. "i had it built quite recently, and the woggle-bug is its president. it keeps him busy, and the young men who attend the college are no worse off than they were before. you see, in this country are a number of youths who do not like to work, and the college is an excellent place for them." and now they came in sight of the emerald city, and the people flocked out to greet their lovely ruler. there were several bands and many officers and officials of the realm, and a crowd of citizens in their holiday attire. thus the beautiful ozma was escorted by a brilliant procession to her royal city, and so great was the cheering that she was obliged to constantly bow to the right and left to acknowledge the greetings of her subjects. [illustration: "i promote you to be captain-general"] that evening there was a grand reception in the royal palace, attended by the most important persons of oz, and jack pumpkinhead, who was a little over-ripe but still active, read an address congratulating ozma of oz upon the success of her generous mission to rescue the royal family of a neighboring kingdom. then magnificent gold medals set with precious stones were presented to each of the twenty-six officers; and the tin woodman was given a new axe studded with diamonds; and the scarecrow received a silver jar of complexion powder. dorothy was presented with a pretty coronet and made a princess of oz, and tiktok received two bracelets set with eight rows of very clear and sparkling emeralds. afterward they sat down to a splendid feast, and ozma put dorothy at her right and billina at her left, where the hen sat upon a golden roost and ate from a jeweled platter. then were placed the scarecrow, the tin woodman and tiktok, with baskets of lovely flowers before them, because they did not require food. the twenty-six officers were at the lower end of the table, and the lion and the tiger also had seats, and were served on golden platters, that held a half a bushel at one time. the wealthiest and most important citizens of the emerald city were proud to wait upon these famous adventurers, and they were assisted by a sprightly little maid named jellia jamb, whom the scarecrow pinched upon her rosy cheeks and seemed to know very well. during the feast ozma grew thoughtful, and suddenly she asked: "where is the private?" "oh, he is sweeping out the barracks," replied one of the generals, who was busy eating a leg of a turkey. "but i have ordered him a dish of bread and molasses to eat when his work is done." "let him be sent for," said the girl ruler. while they waited for this command to be obeyed, she enquired: "have we any other privates in the armies?" "oh, yes," replied the tin woodman, "i believe there are three, altogether." the private now entered, saluting his officers and the royal ozma very respectfully. "what is your name, my man?" asked the girl. "omby amby," answered the private. "then, omby amby," said she, "i promote you to be captain general of all the armies of my kingdom, and especially to be commander of my body guard at the royal palace." "it is very expensive to hold so many offices," said the private, hesitating. "i have no money with which to buy uniforms." "you shall be supplied from the royal treasury," said ozma. then the private was given a seat at the table, where the other officers welcomed him cordially, and the feasting and merriment were resumed. suddenly jellia jamb exclaimed: "there is nothing more to eat! the hungry tiger has consumed everything!" "but that is not the worst of it," declared the tiger, mournfully. "somewhere or somehow, i've actually lost my appetite!" [illustration] dorothy's magic belt [illustration] dorothy passed several very happy weeks in the land of oz as the guest of the royal ozma, who delighted to please and interest the little kansas girl. many new acquaintances were formed and many old ones renewed, and wherever she went dorothy found herself among friends. one day, however, as she sat in ozma's private room, she noticed hanging upon the wall a picture which constantly changed in appearance, at one time showing a meadow and at another time a forest, a lake or a village. "how curious!" she exclaimed, after watching the shifting scenes for a few moments. "yes," said ozma, "that is really a wonderful invention in magic. if i wish to see any part of the world or any person living, i need only express the wish and it is shown in the picture." "may i use it?" asked dorothy, eagerly. "of course, my dear." "then i'd like to see the old kansas farm, and aunt em," said the girl. instantly the well remembered farmhouse appeared in the picture, and aunt em could be seen quite plainly. she was engaged in washing dishes by the kitchen window and seemed quite well and contented. the hired men and the teams were in the harvest fields behind the house, and the corn and wheat seemed to the child to be in prime condition. on the side porch dorothy's pet dog, toto, was lying fast asleep in the sun, and to her surprise old speckles was running around with a brood of twelve new chickens trailing after her. "everything seems all right at home," said dorothy, with a sigh of relief. "now i wonder what uncle henry is doing." the scene in the picture at once shifted to australia, where, in a pleasant room in sydney, uncle henry was seated in an easy chair, solemnly smoking his briar pipe. he looked sad and lonely, and his hair was now quite white and his hands and face thin and wasted. "oh!" cried dorothy, in an anxious voice, "i'm sure uncle henry isn't getting any better, and it's because he is worried about me. ozma, dear, i must go to him at once!" "how can you?" asked ozma. "i don't know," replied dorothy; "but let us go to glinda the good. i'm sure she will help me, and advise me how to get to uncle henry." ozma readily agreed to this plan and caused the sawhorse to be harnessed to a pretty green and pink phaeton, and the two girls rode away to visit the famous sorceress. glinda received them graciously, and listened to dorothy's story with attention. "i have the magic belt, you know," said the little girl. "if i buckled it around my waist and commanded it to take me to uncle henry, wouldn't it do it?" "i think so," replied glinda, with a smile. "and then," continued dorothy, "if i ever wanted to come back here again, the belt would bring me." [illustration: "that is a wise plan," replied glinda] "in that you are wrong," said the sorceress. "the belt has magical powers only while it is in some fairy country, such as the land of oz, or the land of ev. indeed, my little friend, were you to wear it and wish yourself in australia, with your uncle, the wish would doubtless be fulfilled, because it was made in fairyland. but you would not find the magic belt around you when you arrived at your destination." "what would become of it?" asked the girl. "it would be lost, as were your silver shoes when you visited oz before, and no one would ever see it again. it seems too bad to destroy the use of the magic belt in that way, doesn't it?" "then," said dorothy, after a moment's thought, "i will give the magic belt to ozma, for she can use it in her own country. and she can wish me transported to uncle henry without losing the belt." "that is a wise plan," replied glinda. so they rode back to the emerald city, and on the way it was arranged that every saturday morning ozma would look at dorothy in her magic picture, wherever the little girl might chance to be. and, if she saw dorothy make a certain signal, then ozma would know that the little kansas girl wanted to revisit the land of oz, and by means of the nome king's magic belt would wish that she might instantly return. this having been agreed upon, dorothy bade good-bye to all her friends. tiktok wanted to go to australia, too; but dorothy knew that the machine man would never do for a servant in a civilized country, and the chances were that his machinery wouldn't work at all. so she left him in ozma's care. billina, on the contrary, preferred the land of oz to any other country, and refused to accompany dorothy. "the bugs and ants that i find here are the finest flavored in the world," declared the yellow hen, "and there are plenty of them. so here i shall end my days; and i must say, dorothy, my dear, that you are very foolish to go back into that stupid, humdrum world again." "uncle henry needs me," said dorothy, simply; and every one except billina thought it was right that she should go. all dorothy's friends of the land of oz--both old and new--gathered in a group in front of the palace to bid her a sorrowful good-bye and to wish her long life and happiness. after much hand shaking, dorothy kissed ozma once more, and then handed her the nome king's magic belt, saying: "now, dear princess, when i wave my handkerchief, please wish me with uncle henry. i'm aw'fly sorry to leave you--and the scarecrow--and the tin woodman--and the cowardly lion--and tiktok--and--and everybody--but i do want my uncle henry! so good-bye, all of you." [illustration] then the little girl stood on one of the big emeralds which decorated the courtyard, and after looking once again at each of her friends, waved her handkerchief. * * * * * "no," said dorothy, "i wasn't drowned at all. and i've come to nurse you and take care of you, uncle henry, and you must promise to get well as soon as poss'ble." uncle henry smiled and cuddled his little niece close in his lap. "i'm better already, my darling," said he. [illustration] * * * * * books by l. frank baum illustrated by john r. neill each book handsomely bound in artistic pictorial cover. $ . per volume. the land of oz an account of the adventures of the scarecrow, the tin woodman, jack punpkinhead, the animated saw-horse, the highly magnified woggle-bug, the gump and many other delightful characters. nearly black-and-white illustrations and sixteen full-page pictures in color. ozma of oz the story tells "more about dorothy," as well as those famous characters, the scarecrow, the tin woodman and the cowardly lion, and something of several new creations equally delightful, including tiktok the machine man, the yellow hen, the nome king and the hungry tiger. forty-one full-page colored pictures; twenty-two half pages in color and fifty black-and-white text pictures. dorothy and the wizard in oz in this book dorothy, with zeb, a little boy friend, and jim, the cab horse, are swallowed up in an earthquake and reach a strange vegetable land, whence they escape to the land of oz, and meet all their old friends. among the new characters are eureka, dorothy's pink kitten, and the nine tiny piglets. gorgeously illustrated with sixteen full color pages and numerous black-and-white pictures. the road to oz tells how to reach the magic city of oz over a road leading through lands of many colors, peopled with odd characters, surcharged with adventure suitable for the minds and imaginations of young children. the manufacture represents an entirely new idea--the paper used is of various colors to indicate the several countries traversed by the road leading to oz and the emerald city. unique and gorgeous jacket in colors and gold. the emerald city of oz in this story, the nome king threatens to capture the emerald city. ozma and dorothy, with the help of glinda the good defeat his plan. all the old characters and many new ones enliven this story. full-page pictures in four colors and green bronze. black-and-white illustrations. jacket in four colors and aluminum and green bronze. the patchwork girl of oz in many ways the most successful of the oz books. a new and fascinating character, the patchwork girl, and ojo, a new boy, have adventures of lively interest. over full-page pictures in full color and in black and white. full-length chapter heads in full color. jacket in four colors; cover in four stampings. generously made available by the kentuckiana digital library) the blue and the gray--afloat two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . taken by the enemy within the enemy's lines on the blockade stand by the union fighting for the right a victorious union the blue and the gray--on land two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . brother against brother in the saddle a lieutenant at eighteen on the staff (other volumes in preparation) any volume sold separately. lee and shepard publishers boston [illustration: mr. galvinne is subdued.--page .] the blue and the gray series [illustration] by oliver optic stand by the union _the blue and the gray series_ stand by the union by oliver optic author of "the army and navy series" "young america abroad" "the great western series" "the woodville stories" "the starry flag series" "the boat-club series" "the onward and upward series" "the yacht-club series" "the lake shore series" "the riverdale stories" "the boat-builder series" "taken by the enemy" "within the enemy's lines" "on the blockade" etc. boston lee and shepard publishers milk street next "the old south meeting house." copyright, , by lee and shepard _all rights reserved._ stand by the union. to my two young friends, miss helen campbell smith and miss anna rockwell smith, the daughters of my friend mr. george a. smith of boston, this volume is affectionately dedicated. preface "stand by the union" is the fourth of "the blue and gray series." as in the preceding volumes of the series, the incidents of the story are located in the midst of the war of the rebellion, now dating back nearly thirty years, or before any of my younger readers were born. to those who lived two days in one through that eventful and anxious period, sometimes trembling for the fate of the nation, but always sustained by the faith and the hope through which the final victory was won, it seems hardly possible that so many years have flowed into the vast ocean of the past since that terrible conflict was raging over so large a portion of our now united country. though it is said that the south "robbed the cradle and the grave" to recruit the armies of the confederacy, it is as true that young and old in the north went forth in their zeal to "stand by the union," and that many and many a young soldier and sailor who had not yet seen twenty summers endured the hardships of the camp and the march, the broiling suns, and the wasting maladies of semi-tropical seas, fought bravely and nobly for the unity of the land they loved, and that thousands of them sleep their last sleep in unmarked graves on the sea and the land. the writer can remember whole companies, of which nearly half of the number could be classed as mere boys. these boys of eighteen to twenty, who survived the rain of bullets, shot, and shell, and the hardly less fatal assaults of disease, are the middle-aged men of to-day, and every one of them has a thrilling story to tell. the boys of to-day read with interest the narratives of the boys of thirty years ago, and listen with their blood deeply stirred to the recital of the veteran of forty-five years, or even younger, who brought back to his home only one arm or one leg. in his youth the author used to listen to the stories of several aged revolutionary pensioners, one of whom had slept in the snows of valley forge, another who had been confined on board of the jersey prison-ship, and a third who had been with washington at the surrender of cornwallis. not one lives to-day who fought in the battles of the revolution; but a multitude of those who trod the battle-fields of the war that was finished twenty-seven years ago have taken their places, and have become as interesting to the present generation as the heroes of former wars were to the fathers and grandfathers of the boys and girls of to-day. in the official record of a certain regiment recruited up to the full standard, we find that . per cent of the non-commissioned officers and privates were under twenty-one years of age. we find a few in the list who were only sixteen and seventeen years. in this regiment, we find two captains only twenty-one years of age, and three lieutenants who were only twenty. this regiment was exceptional in regard to age, though we find that over twenty-five per cent of several companies, taken at random, were under age. even boys of fourteen and fifteen were enlisted as musicians, "drummer boys," and served out their full term. it can, therefore, be truthfully said, that those who were literally "boys" did their full and fair share in fighting for the union. perhaps even a larger proportion of minors served in the navy than in the army; and the record of some of them could be recited to prove that in those days boys became men prematurely, and distinguished themselves by brave and daring deeds. the incidents of the story contained in this volume are suggested by actual occurrence during the rebellion, though they are not absolutely historical details, but are as probable as many real events of the war. the enemy were busy in some of the northern cities, and there were many daring operations undertaken by them which justify the story in its principal features. most of the characters have been introduced in the preceding volumes of the series; and in the succeeding volume the hero will be presented in a somewhat different field of action, though in whatever sphere he moves he will continue to be engaged in "fighting for the right." dorchester, mass., april , . contents chapter i. a mysterious visitation chapter ii. the absconding man-servant chapter iii. christy passford is utterly confounded chapter iv. the sick officer in the stateroom chapter v. lieutenant passford and his apparent double chapter vi. the conference in the captain's cabin chapter vii. the announcement of the decision chapter viii. the prisoner of war chapter ix. a moral philosopher chapter x. a change of quarters in the confusion chapter xi. laying out a plan of operations chapter xii. a lesson in ordinary politeness chapter xiii. the opening of the secret orders chapter xiv. the affray on the quarter-deck of the bronx chapter xv. a rebellious and prejudiced prisoner chapter xvi. the disposal of the prisoners chapter xvii. the second and third lieutenants chapter xviii. a battle on a small scale chapter xix. the skipper of the sloop magnolia chapter xx. an expedition to st. andrew's bay chapter xxi. a non-combatant on board the bronx chapter xxii. the stranger in the captain's cabin chapter xxiii. a very impudent declaration chapter xxiv. a critical situation in the cabin chapter xxv. the destruction of a prominent facial member chapter xxvi. the meeting with the bellevite at night chapter xxvii. the planning of an expedition chapter xxviii. the negro village on the isle grande terre chapter xxix. a professional visit to the fort chapter xxx. the attack upon the fort chapter xxxi. a wounded commander stand by the union chapter i a mysterious visitation "who's there?" demanded christy passford, sitting up in his bed, in the middle of the night, in his room on the second floor of his father's palatial mansion on the hudson, where the young lieutenant was waiting for a passage to the gulf. there was no answer to his inquiry. "who's there?" he repeated in a louder tone. all was as still as it ought to be in the middle of the night, and no response came to his second inquiry. the brilliant young officer, who had just passed his eighteenth birthday, knew what it was even better than an older person to pass a whole night on difficult duty, without a wink of sleep, for he had been accustomed to spend a portion of every night in planking the deck on his watch; but at bonnydale, his quiet home, far removed from the scenes of actual conflict, he was an industrious sleeper, giving his whole attention to his slumbers, as a proper preparation for the stirring scenes in which he was again about to engage. he slept soundly; but he had dreamed that some one opened the door of his room, or some one had actually done so. he was not a believer in dreams, and when an impression had fastened itself upon his mind, he was inclined to investigate it. it seemed to him that he had been awakened from his sleep by the opening of the door of his chamber. some member of the family might be sick, and he might be needed to go for the doctor, or for some other service. he leaped from his bed when no answer came to his second demand, lighted his lamp, and put on his trousers. with the light in his hand, he opened the door; but there was no one there, and not a sound of any kind could be heard. he walked about the hall in his bare feet, and listened attentively at the doors of several of the chambers, especially at that of mr. pembroke, the invalid gentleman whom, with his daughter, he had brought home as a passenger in the captured vixen. christy heard nothing, and he silently descended the stairs to the lower hall. all was as quiet there as upon the floor above, and he had begun to think that the impression he had received had been given him in a dream, though he could not remember that he had been dreaming. but when he came to the front door, he found it was ajar. it was usually secured by a spring lock, and those who were liable to be out in the evening were provided with night-keys. at the present time his father was in washington, and he could not have neglected to close the door. he had been to the railroad station to meet the last train, thinking it possible that his father might return, and he was confident that he had been the last to enter the house. he was very sure that he had not left the door unfastened, and this assurance made him confident that some person had entered the house. the noise at the door of his chamber was not an illusion or a dream: though it had been made by closing rather than by opening it, or he would have been likely to find the intruder in his room when he lighted his lamp. it seemed to him to be a matter of course that the midnight visitor had come into the mansion for the purpose of plundering its occupants, or of securing the valuables it contained. putting his lamp on the table, he went out upon the veranda, and looked all about him. the grounds were very extensive, and a broad avenue led to the street. it was very dark; but as he cast his eyes in the direction of the grand entrance to the estate, he discovered some dark object in motion; but he lost sight of it in a moment. it was a living being, or it would not move, and he was certain that he had made a discovery. then two regrets flashed through his mind as he stepped down from the veranda; the first, that he had not put on his shoes before he left his chamber, and the second, that he had not taken his pistols, for a bullet would travel a great deal faster than a barefooted officer, even of the united states navy. but he ran with all his speed to the street, to the great detriment of his uncovered feet. he reached the grand entrance in an exceedingly short space of time; but he might as well have been in his chamber, for no ruffian, robber, or confederate spy could be seen. he had no means of knowing which way the intruder at the mansion had turned, to the right or the left, or whether, like the timid colored gentleman in a trying situation, he had taken to the woods. christy walked up the street, and then down the street; but the underbrush had recently been cut in the grove, and he did not venture to explore it without any protection for his feet. he peered into the gloom of the night with all his eyes, and listened with all his ears for over an hour; and then, watchful and careful officer as he was, there were five hundred chances against him to one in his favor, of finding the intruder, and he reluctantly returned to the mansion. like the other male occupants of the house, the lieutenant was provided with a night-key. for one who had only just developed a tolerably thriving mustache, christy was a prudent and methodical young gentleman. as a part of his method, he had a great many small drawers in his rooms, and a dozen or more keys; but he had never lost them, for the reason that he carried them chained to his nether garment. but he had two sets of keys, one for the house, and one for the ship. he had taken the night-key from the former, and put it in his vest pocket; and when he reached the front door of the mansion, the key he wanted was in his chamber, and he had been careful to shut the door when he left the house. he could not get in, and he walked around the building to find a window which had not been closed. his mother had a reasonable dread of robbers, and she always looked out for the windows before she retired. he did not wish to arouse the family by ringing the great gong bell, but it was too cold to spend the rest of the night out-doors in his half-clothed condition, for he was as liable to take a severe cold as any less brilliant individual, and he might have to spend a month in his chamber, instead of reporting to the flag-officer of the eastern gulf squadron, in command of the bronx. he rang the bell, and the sound from it reverberated through the entire mansion. it was some time before a servant came to open the door; but the man who let him in was astonished to see him partially dressed, and wondered if he had not been walking in his sleep. in the lower hall, he was satisfied that the whole house was astir, for the gong which had sounded was the "emergency bell," used only when the ordinary one at the front door was not likely to be heard. "walsh!" called mrs. passford from the head of the stairs. "yes, ma'am," replied the man who had admitted christy, and who was still wondering what fit, freak, or fancy had beset the young officer. "who is it? what is the matter?" demanded the lady of the mansion, in tones which indicated anxiety if not alarm. "it is mr. christy, ma'am; nothing is the matter," replied walsh; but then he appeared to think that he had replied without proper consideration, and he revised his speech. "i don't know that anything's the matter, ma'am," and still he gazed at the young gentleman, as though he deemed it possible that he had suddenly gone crazy. "nothing is the matter, mother," called christy. "i am all right." "but why are you out at this time of night, my son? it is nearly two o'clock in the morning," said mrs. passford, as she descended the stairs. "you are not half dressed, christy." "but i am all right, mother, and there is not the least reason to worry about anything, for the ship is not going to the bottom just yet," replied christy, indulging in a forced laugh to assist in quieting his mother's fears. "but why are you out doors at this time of night?" mrs. passford insisted. "you will catch a cold that will lay you up, if you go out in that condition." "i should not have rung that bell if i had not been afraid of taking cold," added the son. "but, christy, something has happened; and you must tell me about it, or i shall not sleep another wink to-night," persisted the lady, concluding that her son was trying to conceal something from her, as indeed he was, for he feared it would alarm her if he told her some one had come into the house. "there is nothing to be frightened about, mother; and i will tell you all about it," added christy, as he took his overcoat from the stand and put it on. "i waked an hour ago, or more, with the idea that some one had opened the door of my room," and he related the circumstances to his mother, including his search in the grounds and the road. "do you think any one came into the house?" asked mrs. passford, though with but little of the woman's terror that such a statement might have caused. "that is my decided opinion. a noise at my chamber door woke me; i found the front door ajar, though i know i closed it when i came in last night, and i saw something moving down the avenue, which could only have been a man. of course, i conclude that it was a burglar; but none of us have been killed or harmed." christy went to his room and completed his toilet. the house was warm, and he was soon comfortable enough after the out-door chill. by this time miss florry passford had put in an appearance in the upper hall, with bertha pembroke. the alarm was again briefly explained, and the invalid gentleman was assured that nothing alarming had occurred. then the young lieutenant and his mother proceeded to ascertain what the burglar had accomplished in the house. on the lower floor nothing appeared to have been disturbed. in the parlor a gold watch, adorned with diamonds, had been left on the table by florry, who had forgotten it; but it had not been taken. the burglar could not have helped seeing it if he had explored the house as such gentry do on such occasions. in the dining-room no attempt to open the steel safe set in the wall, which contained a vast amount of silver, jewelry, money, and other valuables, had been made. in a word, wherever they examined the rooms, no sign of any depredations could be discovered. the burglar did not appear to have lunched in the pantry where some choice viands had been placed. the robber had certainly been very considerate, and had done no mischief either for plunder or diversion. he had evidently, in the opinion of mrs. passford and her son, undertaken a profitless enterprise. "but what could have been his object in coming into the house?" asked the bewildered lady. "i shall have to give it up, mother." "he might have taken florry's watch, she was so careless as to leave on the table in the sitting-room," added she. "but he did not." "he could not have been disturbed until you spoke to him; and he might have ransacked the whole of the lower part of the house." "but he did not." they had given up the examination of the premises, and given up the conundrum, and christy was leading the way up-stairs. he went into his room, followed by his mother. "he must have come into your room, my son, or you would not have heard him at the door. perhaps he has robbed you," suggested mrs. passford. the young officer declared he had nothing there to steal. as he spoke, he took from his coat pocket on the bedpost an envelope containing his commission and other papers. it was safe; so were his purse and watch. the mystery was not solved till christy embarked for the gulf. chapter ii the absconding man-servant lieutenant christopher passford, in his two years' experience in the navy, had been under the fire of the enemy too many times to be intimidated by a burglar, and he felt a certain contempt for the midnight marauder, who had entered the mansion and disturbed his restful slumbers. he returned to his bed, therefore, and slept like a marine till the call bell woke him in the morning. as he dressed himself he could not help thinking of the mysterious visitation, and he asked himself a great many questions in regard to the object of the intruder, since it did not appear that he had entered the house for the purpose of robbing its occupants. he could not determine whether or not the fellow had actually come into his room; but his porte-monnaie, which contained a considerable sum of money, and his gold repeater, a very valuable watch, were just where he had left them the night before. in the breast pocket of his uniform coat he found the envelope which contained his commission as a lieutenant, received only two days before his orders, and some other papers. as a precaution against inquisitive persons, if the package should happen to be mislaid in the house, he had applied some mucilage in the library, and resealed the envelope. it had not been tampered with so far as he could discover, and he returned it to the pocket. the mysterious visitor at the mansion, whoever or whatever he was, could not be regarded as a burglar, or, if he was, he had strangely neglected his opportunities, for he had failed to appropriate at least five hundred dollars worth of watches and money, which he could hardly have helped seeing. his object was not plunder, and there was nothing to indicate the purpose of his visit. in retiring from the house the intruder had left the front door ajar: and christy thought it would have been the most natural thing in the world to close it, in order to conceal the way by which he had left the mansion. but he might have done this to avoid the noise of shutting it, or had neglected it in his haste to escape. when he had completed his toilet christy looked at his watch, and was rather surprised to find that it was a full hour later than usual when the call bell had been rung. he went down-stairs, and found his mother and florry very busy in the dining-room, setting the table. this was the man's work, and the young officer was astonished to see his mother and sister doing it. "what has broken now, mother?" asked the lieutenant, glancing from one to the other of the busy couple. "i don't know that anything has broken," replied mrs. passford, with a smile, after she had said good-morning to her son. "you and florry are not in the habit of setting the table, mother; and the first bell rang an hour later than usual," added christy. "we were all disturbed last night, and i did not wake till the cook knocked at my door. she told me she could not find walsh, and breakfast had been ready half an hour. that is the reason why everything is late this morning," mrs. passford explained. "but where is walsh?" inquired christy. "i am sure i do not know. i called in the coachman, and he has been to his room and looked all over the place without finding him." "that is very odd," mused the officer, wondering whether this sudden disappearance had anything to do with the principal event of the preceding night. "peach says he has taken his valise with him, which indicates that he has gone for good." "who is peach?" asked christy, who had been at home so little that he hardly knew the names of the servants. "he is the coachman. i am not sorry that walsh has gone, for he has saved me the trouble of discharging him. wilder, who had been with us so many years, took it into his head to enlist in the army, and i was not willing to persuade him to shirk his duty. walsh has not been here quite two weeks. he said he was born in the west indies; but he was always prying into matters that did not concern him, and i have several times found him standing at the door when we were talking about family matters. i reproved him for it; but it did no good. your father intended to discharge him as soon as he returned from washington." christy went to the library, and busied himself in considering whether or not the sudden departure of walsh had any connection with the mysterious midnight intruder. the two events had been near together in point of time; but he could establish no other relation between them. then it flashed upon his mind that the man-servant had been the person who had opened or closed his door, and visited his room; but he was sure he had seen a man near the grand entrance of the estate. he had been all around the house, and walsh could not have escaped his observation. he had answered the bell, and admitted him after his search. he concluded that the servant was not the person who had disturbed his slumbers. the morning mail brought a letter from captain passford, informing the family that he was detained in washington, and that he could not be at home to say good-by to his son, who was to leave that day in the store ship vernon. he wrote a special letter to christy, containing not only his adieux, but the good advice he would otherwise have given him in person. the breakfast was rather a sad gathering on account of this parting, for christy was to leave in another hour. bertha pembroke and her father were quite as sad as the mother and sister, and the young officer did his best to cheer up the family and the guests. he tried to make them laugh, but he found it was up-hill work. "you will be in command of a steamer, christy, when you reach the gulf. i hope you will not be rash, and try to do too much," said mrs. passford, as they rose from the table. "i don't think i am ever rash, mother; and if i have been exceedingly fortunate, it was more because the circumstances favored me than because i ran great risks," replied christy very seriously, for he was sensitive on the point his mother had brought up. "father has said a great deal to me on this subject, and i have always done my best to carry out his principles. it is not my fault that i have a friend at court, and have had opportunities that have not been offered to many others. but the tide may turn against me on my next cruise." "i hope it will not, my son," added his mother very earnestly. "no one knows what is going to happen, and i may spend the next year or two in a confederate prison. i don't think my uncle homer would cry his eyes out if such should be my fate, for he has lost several vessels and cargoes of cotton on my account," returned christy. "but i am sure he has no ill-will against you." "i don't think he has." "by the way, christy, have you heard anything from him or his family lately?" asked mrs. passford. "not a word, and i am not likely to hear from them. corny passford was exchanged, and sent back to the south a year ago or more; and i have no idea what has become of him since." after breakfast christy packed his valise, where he placed the new uniform in which he intended to present himself on the quarter-deck of the bronx. the carriage was at the door to convey him to the railroad station. the parting was not less tender than it had been on former similar occasions, and mrs. passford preferred that it should be in the house rather than at the railroad station, in the presence of curious observers. many tears were shed after the carriage drove off, for the patriotic young man might find a grave in southern soil, or beneath southern waters. the young lieutenant choked down his emotions, and tried to think of the future; his case was not different from that of hundreds of thousands of others who had gone forth to fight the battles of their country, many thousands of whom slumber in hallowed graves far away from home and friends. as the train moved on towards the great city, he obtained the command of his emotions, and felt a new inspiration of patriotic ardor. on his arrival in new york he hastened across the ferry to the navy-yard. as he approached the opposite shore, he discovered a steamer getting under way. he had not seen the vessel on board of which he was ordered to report as a passenger, but when he asked a deck hand what the steamer was, he was informed that it was the vernon. the ferry-boat had just gone into the slip, and christy was terribly startled to learn that he was late. he was still two hours ahead of the time indicated in his orders, and the vernon was actually getting under way. the young officer was more excited than he had ever been in the face of the enemy, for the present looked like a case in which his honor was at stake. he felt that it would be his ruin if the vernon sailed without him. there had been some mistake in his orders, or in those of the commander of the store ship, and he was likely to be the sufferer for it. he rushed to the stern end of the ferry-boat in order to obtain a better view of the steamer; and at this moment he discovered a boat, pulled by one man, headed towards the navy-yard. "boat, ahoy!" shouted christy, with almost frantic earnestness. "on board the ferry-boat!" replied the man, resting on his oars. "five dollars if you will put me on board of that steamer before she gets off!" added the officer. "i'm the one for your money," returned the oarsman, as he headed his boat into the slip. without much difficulty christy dropped his valise into the boat, and then dropped himself in after it. the belated passenger cast an earnest look at the vernon, which had just begun to move, though at a snail's pace, and he hoped he should be able to get on board of her. "naval officer, sir?" interrogated the boatman. "yes; but i have no time to spare, and you must not stop to talk," replied christy rather sharply. "time enough, sir, if you are going on board of the vernon, and i will give you one of my oars if i don't put you on her deck," said the boatman very positively. "i hope you are nimble with your feet and hands, sir." "i will take care of that part of the matter if you will put me alongside the steamer," answered christy. "no more talk, if you please, for you are wasting your wind." "i have plenty of it for this job. you said five dollars, i believe, sir," added the man, looking earnestly at his passenger. "five dollars is just what i said," replied the lieutenant, as he took a bill of that denomination from his porte-monnaie, rolled it around the boat-hook, and fixed it so that it should not blow away. "thank you, sir," said the rower, as he pulled with more vigor even than before, and did not say another word till the boat was alongside the vernon. christy found a rope hanging over the side, to which the boatman attached his valise, the young officer going up the line hand over hand as though he was used to that sort of thing. the oarsman secured his five-dollar bill, and christy hauled up his valise. he felt that he had saved himself from the dishonor of failing to obey his orders, and he looked about him for some one who would be able to explain to him how the steamer happened to be sailing two hours before the time named in his orders. three or four sailors were at work in the waist, where the lieutenant came on board; and christy was not a little astonished to observe that walsh, the absconding man-servant, was one of them. chapter iii christy passford is utterly confounded the appearance of walsh, fully dressed in the garb of a seaman, was so great a surprise to christy passford, that he hardly noticed any other person on the deck of the vernon. he had given no particular attention to the man when he saw him at his father's house, though he regarded him as a very good-looking and intelligent person for one in the situation in which he found him. the absconding man-servant had certainly made good use of his time since he left bonnydale, for he appeared to have become a full-fledged sailor in the space of ten hours. for the size of the steamer, she seemed to be manned by a very large crew; but the letter he had received from his father that morning informed him that the greater part of the crew of the bronx had been transferred to other vessels upon more active service, and that a large number of seamen were to be sent immediately to reinforce the squadron. this was not pleasant intelligence, for he had become acquainted with all on board of the bronx, and he would have preferred to begin his permanent service as commander with the former ship's company of the little steamer. however, the exigencies of the service required the change, and he could not complain. it was probable that the greater part of his new crew would be made up from the men now on board of the vernon; and this belief caused him to regard these men with more interest than he might otherwise have done. he had no fault to find after the glance he had bestowed upon them, for they presented a very trim appearance in their new uniform, and looked a great deal more tidy than they would after they had been on duty a few weeks. lieutenant passford was on board of the vernon, and he had no further solicitude in regard to a literal obedience to his orders. the commander of the steamer, whoever he was, did not appear to have noticed the new arrival, and no one gave any attention to christy. he walked forward to take a better view of the crew, and the seamen touched their caps to the shoulder straps of a lieutenant with which he had been careful to ornament his coat. the men at work in the waist finished their task as christy was returning from his promenade, with the intention of presenting himself to the commander. among those who saluted him in proper form was walsh. he seemed to be a little diffident about encountering the son of his late employer, and turned his face away as he touched his cap. but the officer had fully identified him, and spoke to him, calling him by name. the sailor made no reply; but christy had placed himself directly before him, and he could not escape without a breach of discipline. "i spoke to you, walsh," said the lieutenant, in the tone he had learned to use when he intended to enforce respect and obedience. "i beg your pardon, sir; my name is not walsh," replied the sailor, with all the deference the occasion required. "your name is not walsh!" exclaimed christy with a frown. "no, sir; that is not my name, and i supposed that you spoke to some other man," pleaded the late man-servant of the mansion at bonnydale. the lieutenant gazed earnestly into the face of the sailor, for he was willing to admit to himself the possibility of a mistake. walsh, or whatever his name might have been, was a man of robust form, not more than an inch or two short of six feet in height. he was clean-shaved, with the exception of his upper lip, whereon he sported a rather long dark brown mustache, of which a broadway dandy might have been vain. as a servant, he had been rather obsequious, though christy had observed that he used very good language for one in his menial position. as the officer examined his form and features, and especially regarded the expression in general, he was satisfied that he could not be mistaken. "i did not speak to another man; i spoke to you," added christy, as he intensified the gaze with which he confronted the man, resorting to the tactics of a sharp lawyer in the cross-examination of an obdurate witness. "i ask your pardon, sir, but you called me welch, or some such name," replied the late servant, as christy was sure he was in spite of his denial. "i called you walsh; and that is the name to which you responded at two o'clock this morning," persisted the lieutenant. "that is not my name, sir; and i refer you to the ship's papers to prove it. i am not the man to be ashamed of my name, which is not welch or walsh, sir, if you will excuse me for saying so." "will you deny that you were employed as a servant at the house of captain passford, at bonnydale on the hudson?" demanded christy, with not a little energy in his tones and manner. "where, sir, if you please?" asked the sailor, with a sort of bewildered look. "at bonnydale!" "boddyvale? i never heard of the place before in my life, sir," answered the runaway servant. possibly the man under examination was not wholly responsible for his distortion of the name of captain passford's estate, as christy was beginning to reap the penalty of his imprudence the night before, in exposing himself barefooted and half-clothed to the chill midnight air, and was developing a cold in the head that already affected his enunciation. "bonnydale!" repeated the officer, after using his handkerchief, and thus improving his utterance of the word. "i never heard of the place before, sir," persisted the seaman. "byron!" called a boatswain's mate from the forecastle. "that's my name--byron, sir, at your service," said the man, as he touched his cap to the lieutenant, and rushed forward in answer to the call of his superior, evidently glad to escape from the inquisition to which he had been subjected. "on deck!" he added, as he made his way to the forecastle. christy was a passenger on board of the vernon, and he had nothing to do. the commanding officer appeared to be engaged in the details of his duty, though the steamer was in charge of a pilot. he could see from his shoulder straps that he was an ensign, and the officers in the waist and on the forecastle were of the same rank. if there were any other passengers on board of the vessel who were commissioned officers, they were not visible on the deck, though they might be in their staterooms, arranging their affairs for the voyage. the young lieutenant leaned against the rail, and gave himself up to the consideration of what had occurred since he came on board. he had been bewildered by one mystery the night before, and he could not help asking himself if the conduct of walsh had anything to do with the visit of the intruder at bonnydale. he could not trace out any connection between the two events; but, on the other hand, he was unable to satisfy himself that the mysterious visit, the sudden disappearance of the man-servant, and the denial of his identity by the latter, were not in some manner related to each other. he had no premises on which to base an argument for or against one thing or another. all was dark to him, and he could not get hold of anything. after he had raised up a variety of suppositions, and combated vigorously with them, the darkness seemed only to become more dense, and he was compelled to abandon the subject without arriving at any reasonable explanation. under the instruction of his father, he had cultivated "a judicial mind," which compelled him to reject all mere speculation. christy was not disposed to believe that he was a brilliant officer, or to accept unchallenged the extravagant praise that had been bestowed upon him. he endeavored to follow the gospel injunction "not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think." but while he tried to keep the flower of modesty in full bloom in his soul, he could not deny that he had given the enemies of his country a great deal of trouble, and subjected them to some heavy losses. then he recalled the conspiracy on board of the bronx while he was acting-commander of her; and though it was for the interest of the confederacy to get rid of so active an officer, he believed it was the vessel and not himself that the conspirators desired to obtain. before the vernon reached the narrows, everything on her deck had been put in order by the large crew, and less activity prevailed on board. christy thought it was time for him to report to the commander, and he moved aft for this purpose. he did not even know the name of this gentleman, and he saw no one to introduce him formally; but the ensign in command had doubtless received an order to take him as a passenger to the gulf. before he reached the sacred limits of the quarter-deck, christy met a quartermaster, of whom he inquired the name of the commander. "he has a good name for the captain of a fighting ship," replied the petty officer, respectfully touching his cap to the shoulder straps of the inquirer. "the commander is captain battleton." "captain battleton," repeated christy, to assure himself that he had correctly understood the name. "captain battleton," added the quartermaster. "i hope you are feeling better to-day, sir." "i am feeling very well to-day, except that i have started a cold in the head," replied christy, astonished at this display of interest in the state of his health. "i am glad to hear it, sir, for you appeared to be quite sick last night when you came on board," added the quartermaster. "did i, indeed? i was not aware of it. i came on board last night? i was not aware of that fact," said christy. the petty officer did not hear his remarks, for he had been called by the second lieutenant in the waist, and, with a touch of his cap, hastened away. the lieutenant opened his eyes very wide, as he looked down at the seams in the deck, and wondered whether he were asleep or awake. he had been quite sick, and he had come on board the night before! it was very strange that he was not at all aware of either of these facts. he felt reasonably confident that he had slept in his own chamber at bonnydale the night before, and at that time he was certainly in a very robust state of health, however it might be at the present moment. even now, he could not complain of anything more severe than an embryo cold in the head, which the medicine his mother had given him would probably reduce to a state of subjection in a day or two. at first, he was disposed to be amused at the answers the quartermaster had given him, for it was evident to him then that he had been mistaken for another person. it looked as though some officer had come on board, and reported under his name, for he had not yet learned anything in regard to the gentleman who had appeared to be quite sick when he reported himself. it had the elements of another mystery in it. but the petty officer could easily have made an honest mistake; and this was the solution he accepted, without bothering his bewildered brain any further about it. the commander appeared to be less occupied at this moment than he had been before, and christy stepped forward to the quarter-deck, and politely saluted him. captain battleton was not less punctilious in his etiquette. he was a young man, though he was apparently six or seven years older than christy. he was an ensign, and looked like a gentleman who was likely to give a good account of himself when he was called to more active duty than that of commanding a store ship. "good-morning, lieutenant passford!" said captain battleton, as he extended his hand to his passenger. "i am glad to see that you are better." christy was utterly confounded at this salutation. chapter iv the sick officer in the stateroom captain battleton spoke to christy as though he had met him before, and needed no introduction. he was glad to see that the young officer was better, which indicated that he had been sick. he was confounded by the situation, for he had not been sick an hour, and he had never seen the commander of the vernon in his life. the petty officer had told him that he appeared to be quite sick when he came on board the night before. what he had learned within the last few moments was even more perplexing than the mysterious visitation at bonnydale. then the appearance of walsh on board, and his denial of his identity, were still in his mind, and he wondered whether or not all these strange circumstances had any connection. but he was standing in the presence of the commander of the steamer, and he had no time to reach a conclusion of any kind, satisfactory or otherwise. christy took the offered hand of captain battleton, and looked earnestly into his face to determine whether he had ever seen him before; but the face was entirely new to him. he was quite confident that he had never seen the commander before. there was something rather ludicrous in the situation, and he felt as though he was taking part in a farce; at any rate, there was nothing serious or compromising in it, and in spite of the confusion in his mind, he could not help smiling. "i thank you, captain battleton, for your very kind interest in the state of my health, but with the exception of the first signs of a cold in the head, i never was better in my life," said christy in reply to the salutation of the commander, still holding his hand. "then you have improved wonderfully since last evening," added captain battleton. "i am glad to be informed of the fact, for i am not conscious of any such improvement as you describe. in fact, i am not in quite so good condition in a sanitary point of view as i was last evening, for i took my cold about midnight, or a little later, last night," added christy, his smile becoming a little more pronounced. it was now the turn of captain battleton to be puzzled, if not mystified, by the statement of his passenger, and he looked inquiringly into his face as if to ascertain if he was not the victim of a practical joke. but naval officers on duty are not given to pleasantries; and if he had any such suspicion, he banished it at once, for there was nothing in the appearance of the lieutenant to warrant it. "pardon me, mr. passford, but were you not sick when you came on board of the vernon last evening?" asked the commander, with something like a frown upon his brow as the situation became more bewildering. "if you will excuse me for making an indirect reply, captain, i did not come on board of the vernon last evening," answered christy, his smile becoming still more decided; and if he had not been on the quarter-deck of a vessel in service, he might have suspected that he was himself the victim of a practical joke. "you did not come on board of the vernon last evening!" exclaimed captain battleton, gazing very earnestly into the face of his passenger. "i did not, captain," replied christy quietly, though he was amused rather than disquieted by the earnestness of the commander. "you did not?" "certainly not; and if my simple affirmation is not enough, i could prove that i slept in my father's house at bonnydale last night, took my breakfast there this morning, and was in the city of new york at ten o'clock this forenoon," answered christy, in the best of humor. "this is very strange," said captain battleton, fixing his gaze upon the planks on which he stood, possibly considering whether he or his passenger was dreaming or out of his head. "if i were still at brooklyn doubtless i could find the boatman who put me on board of the vernon not more than an hour ago," continued christy, willing to convince his auditor that he was entirely in earnest in his statement. "i beg your pardon, mr. passford, but i did not intend to question the truth of your reply to my question," said the commander, fearing that he had overstated his doubts. "i am simply bewildered, confused, confounded by this interview." "so am i, captain," added the lieutenant, laughing outright at the perplexity in which both of them were involved. "i have told you the simple truth in regard to my movements." "and you did not come on board of the vernon last evening?" "emphatically i did not." "you were not sick last evening?" "i was not; not even as sick as i am at this moment," replied christy, using his handkerchief. "i don't understand it," said captain battleton, shaking his head. "now, captain, will you permit me ask what you do not understand, for i assure you i am profoundly ignorant of the situation which perplexes you. i was ordered to be on board of the vernon at one o'clock, and i found her under way at eleven. i happened to find a boatman before i left the ferry-boat, who put me on board, or i should have missed my passage. that is simply all i know about the matter." "when i called upon you in your stateroom this morning, you told me that"-- "i beg your pardon, captain battleton, but i have not been in any stateroom, sick or well, on board of the vernon, and i respectfully suggest that it was quite impossible for you to have called upon me this morning, or at any other time," christy interposed, very pleasantly, though quite as perplexed as the commander. "of course i shall not raise an issue as to your veracity, mr. passford, but after the statement you have made to me, i must change the form of my phraseology," continued the commander, using a smile to cover any possible doubts or suspicions in his mind. "when i called at the stateroom of the officer who reported on board last evening as lieutenant christopher passford, he told me that i was expected to get under way and proceed to my destination as soon as the officer and the seamen were on board." "did he bring you an order to this effect?" asked christy more seriously. "he did not, and perhaps i have made a mistake, though my superior officer told me at the yard that it would be safe for me to obey the verbal order," replied captain battleton, looking somewhat troubled. "i have no intention to meddle with what does not concern me, captain. it appears that lieutenant passford has already reported to you," said christy; and this was the astounding fact to him of the situation. he was absolutely confident that he was himself lieutenant christopher passford, and as absolutely confident that the other officer could not be that person, whoever else he might be. the commander appeared to be considering what christy had suggested to him in regard to his orders, and the passenger had a minute or two to think of the situation in which he found himself placed. but what was the use to think of it? he was at the end of a blind alley, where there was no light from any direction except that by which he had entered it. he had no premises from which to reason, and it was useless to consider the matter. "mr. passford, i find myself placed in a very unpleasant position," said the commander, after he had deliberated a few minutes. "i have stated the facts to you; and the deduction i have to draw from them is, that i have two persons by the name of lieutenant passford on board." "that seems to me to be a correct deduction," added christy. "the brilliant officer who bears this name is too well known to hide his light under a bushel. i have not the honor to be personally acquainted with him, and therefore i am unable to decide which of the gentlemen who report to me under that name is the real one." "precisely so." "you will pardon me if i add that i think one or the other of them must be an impostor," added captain battleton with some diffidence. "that is a perfectly justifiable conclusion; and it rests with you to decide which is the genuine lieutenant passford, and which is the impostor," replied christy frankly. "you will be perfectly justified in calling upon both for all the evidence they are able to present. i suggest that each of them must carry his commission about him, as well as his orders from the department; and it seems to me that these documents will enable you to decide without any delay;" and christy involuntarily put his hand upon his breast pocket, where he carried these valuable papers. he could feel the envelope that contained them, and he was satisfied of the triumph which awaited him when the evidence should be required of the two claimants of the name. at the same time he felt that he was moving in a cloud of mystery, which had begun to enfold him in the middle of the preceding night. "i thank you for the suggestion, mr. passford, and i must say that you seem to be entirely fair," said the commander. "if i am the impostor, i do not know myself; but i have no desire to forestall your decision. you saw the sick officer when he came on board last evening, and you have visited him in his stateroom to-day. do i look enough like him to be taken for him?" asked christy with a smile, as he placed himself in an attitude to be scrutinized by the commander. "i am sure that you do, sir; and when i saw you on the quarter-deck for the first time, i had no doubt you were the officer who came on board sick last evening," replied captain battleton. "that makes it all the more remarkable, for i was not aware that there was any officer in the navy who resembled me so closely," added christy more bewildered than before, and beginning to scent a plot of some kind against him or his country. "i must say that any man who will take upon himself the position and reputation of the real lieutenant passford is a bold man, and even, if he succeeds in taking his place, he will fail in playing the _rôle_." "i should thank you, captain battleton, for the compliment, if i were not under suspicion of being some other person. may i ask when it will be convenient for you to settle the question, for it is not pleasant for me to feel that i am looked upon as even a possible impostor?" "i shall not regard you as an impostor, mr. passford, for i mean to be entirely impartial, and i shall not brand you even in thought until the evidence warrants me in doing so," replied the commander, as he called the surgeon who was just coming on deck. "how do you find your patient, dr. connelly?" "i find him--i thought i found him; but he appears to be on deck," replied the surgeon, as he fixed his gaze upon christy, preluded by a start, dramatic enough to prove that he was astonished to find his patient was not in his room below. "i left him not five minutes ago, for i have not yet been able to discover what ails him. he complained of a severe headache and pains in his bones; but he has not a particle of fever, or any symptom of anything that i can discover. i am glad to see you on deck, mr. passford. how is your headache?" "if i have had any headache, i have entirely recovered from it," replied christy, laughing heartily. "i came on board only an hour ago, doctor, and i have had no headache, thank you." "looking at you more closely, i see that you are not my patient, and you will excuse me for giving you a headache. but you resemble my patient very closely," added the doctor. "i did not answer your question, mr. passford," interposed captain battleton. "in an hour we will settle the question." christy seated himself and began to consider the strange situation. chapter v lieutenant passford and his apparent double the vernon continued on her course, and in another hour the pilot had been discharged. christy had puzzled his brains over the events of the day and the night before without being able to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion. he was extremely anxious to see the officer who had taken his name and assumed his character, as he was to obtain all the information within his reach. his reflections assured him that some one had chosen the _rôle_ of an impostor for the purpose of accomplishing some treasonable object, and he was anxious to fathom the mystery for his country's sake rather than his own. captain battleton would soon begin his investigation, and christy was confident that the sick officer would be proved to be the impostor. he was not at all worried or even disturbed in regard to the result, for he felt that "truth is mighty and must prevail." his only solicitude was to unravel the plot. bands of confederates had been put on board of several steamers for the purpose of capturing them; and it was possible that this plan had been adopted to obtain possession of the vernon, for she was a good vessel, and was fitted out as a man-of-war. it was plain enough to christy that the remarkable attempt of one or the other of the officers on board as passengers to personate the other had been explained to those on the quarter-deck, for he observed that they all regarded him with curiosity, and were interested in the matter. as the surgeon passed near him he spoke to him. "does your patient below seem to be improving, doctor?" he asked. "he still complains that his head and his bones ache, so that i cannot say he is improving," replied dr. connelly. "how old a man does he appear to be?" "i should take him for a young man of twenty or twenty-one, but he says he is only eighteen. he is a very young officer to be put in charge of a steamer, for i understand that he is ordered to the command of the bronx. but then he has made a reputation as the commander of that vessel, which doubtless justifies his appointment." "does he talk at all?" "oh, yes; he has told me about some of his exploits; and as he seems to forget his aches when he speaks of them, i have encouraged him to talk as much as possible." "is he really sick, doctor?" asked christy, with a smile which meant something. "he says he is, and i have to take his word for it," replied the surgeon, with a corresponding smile. "i heard you tell the captain that you could not make out the nature of his malady." "i cannot so far, though that does not prove that he is not sick; but i will venture to say he could not get his discharge from the navy on his present symptoms. he may have drunk too much wine or whiskey recently, though he certainly was not in liquor when he came on board." "how is your patient, dr. connelly?" asked captain battleton, joining them at this moment. "about the same the last time i saw him. he ate all the toast i sent to him, and seemed to enjoy it. i don't think he is in a dangerous condition," replied the surgeon. "i am glad to hear it. have you informed him that we have another lieutenant on board of the vernon?" continued the commander. "no, captain: i have not. that is not my affair, and i don't meddle with what does not concern me." "an excellent rule. is he aware of the fact that there is another richmond in the field?" "if he is, he has said nothing to me about the matter." "do you think he could go out into the cabin, doctor?" asked the captain. "i wish to see him on a matter of the utmost importance. is he dressed?" "he is; he dressed himself this morning, and sits up part of the time." "then you will oblige me by getting him into the cabin; i mean my cabin. i will be there in ten minutes." the surgeon went below, leaving the commander and christy together. "can you make anything of this affair yet, mr. passford?" asked captain battleton. "i can come to no conclusion in regard to it, though i may be able to do so when i have seen my double," replied christy, whose curiosity in regard to the sick officer was strongly excited. "it looks like a conspiracy of some kind, but i can go no farther in the direction of a solution." the commander looked at his watch after they had conversed a little while longer, and then invited christy to visit his cabin with him. the other lieutenant passford was seated in an arm-chair at the table. christy looked at him with the deepest interest, but the back of the other was turned to him, and he did not get a full view of his face. the sick man was dressed in the naval uniform with the shoulder straps of a lieutenant. "i wish to introduce a gentleman to you; lieutenant passford, let me make you acquainted with lieutenant passford," said the commander as he led the way into the captain's cabin. "thank you, captain battleton; i shall be very happy to make the acquaintance of lieutenant passford," said the occupant of the cabin, rising as he spoke, and approaching christy. "corny passford!" exclaimed the sick officer. "i did not expect to see you here. this gentleman is my own cousin, captain battleton, though i am sorry to say that he is a rebel; but for all that he is one of the finest fellows in the known world, and you will appreciate everything about him except his politics, which i do not admire myself." christy was not stunned or overwhelmed by this impudent speech. he looked at the speaker, and promptly recognized his cousin corny. he was astonished at the brazen assurance of the other, for he had always seemed to him to be a fairly modest young man. corny extended his hand to christy, and it was accepted. "i am very glad to see you, corny," said he of the south, "and not the less glad because the meeting is so unexpected." "it is certainly very unexpected on my part, corny," replied christy, who began to comprehend the object of his cousin; but there was something so ludicrous in the situation that he was more disposed to laugh than to look upon it seriously. "i am very glad to see you, corny," continued he who bore that name in reality. "i did not expect to find you on board of the vernon. how are uncle homer, aunt lydia, and gerty?" "i have not seen _my_ uncle homer for several months; but i had not the remotest idea that you had an uncle homer," replied christy, laughing heartily, for the situation seemed so amusing to him that the serious part of his cousin's obvious plan had so far hardly dawned upon him. "i should like to inquire of you, as one good turn deserves another, in regard to the health of your father and mother and gerty." "my father is quite well, but he left bonnydale last tuesday to go to washington, and had not returned when i left home. my mother is quite well, and so is florry," replied the sick officer, who did not appear to be suffering from a very severe headache just then, for he was quite cheerful and animated. "this appears to be a family party," interposed captain battleton, who was very much amused to hear each of the young officers call the other by the same name, and both of them appeared to be corny passford. "it is a family party, captain," replied the sick officer, smiling as cheerfully as though he had never had any practical knowledge of headache and pains in the bones, which was the description of his malady given to the surgeon. "as i have hinted before, my cousin corny is a rebel of the first order; and you can imagine my astonishment at finding him in the uniform of a lieutenant on board a united states naval vessel." "good, corny!" exclaimed christy, dropping upon the divan of the cabin and laughing heartily. "i can easily imagine your astonishment, mr. passford, for it seems to me to be a very remarkable state of things," added the captain, as he looked from one to the other of the claimants. "one thing seems to be admitted by both of you, that you are both passfords, and that you are cousins." "so far we do not disagree by the breadth of a hair. my cousin corny was _raised_ in the south, while i was raised in the north," continued the sick passenger. "i don't like to contradict my cousin, but i was _brought up_ in the north," said christy, hoping captain battleton would notice the difference in the phraseology. "then you were both brought up in the north," suggested the captain. "not at all, for, as i said, my cousin corny was brought up in the south, at glenfield, near mobile," protested the ailing officer, who was careful this time not to use the word "raised." "where were you yesterday, corny?" asked christy, suddenly suppressing his mirth. "i was in new york, preparing to come on board of the vernon." "then you were not at bonnydale?" demanded christy sharply. "of course i was there; but it was a pretty day, and i went to the city to attend to some affairs of mine," replied the sick man, with the first signs of embarrassment he had exhibited. "in spite of the fact that it was a pretty day, i should think you would have spent your last day on shore with your mother and sister as i did," replied christy. "i was sick, and i wished to be as near the vernon as possible. i felt better in the afternoon and attended to my affairs; but i got bad again in the afternoon, and i came on board in the evening, for i was afraid i should not be able to do so in the morning," answered the invalid, becoming as lively as before. "gentlemen, this seems to be a strange muddle," said the captain, who was not disposed to listen any longer to the sparring between the cousins. "at the suggestion of the lieutenant who came on board this forenoon, i have taken the earliest opportunity to settle the question as to which is the original and genuine mr. passford who was ordered on board of the vernon as a passenger for the gulf, and who, i am informed, is appointed to the command of the bronx. i have not much time to spare, and if you do not object, i shall call in the first lieutenant and the surgeon to take part in this conference. i am perplexed, and i desire witnesses if not assistants in these proceedings." "i have not the slightest objection to the presence of as many officers as you may choose to call in," added the invalid. "i shall be equally reasonable," said christy. "the more witnesses there are the better it will suit me." captain battleton struck a bell on his table, and sent the steward who answered it to procure the attendance of the officers indicated, and they soon presented themselves. "gentlemen, lieutenant salisbury, the executive officer of the vernon," said the captain. "both of these gentlemen are lieutenant christopher passford," he added, with a twinkle of the eye. "dr. connelly, you have both met." "are we to understand that one of these officers is the double of the other?" asked the first lieutenant, who seemed to be disposed to take in the situation as a pleasantry of the commander. "hardly; both of them claim to be the same officer, and i have invited you to assist me in deciding which is the real mr. passford." the entire party then seated themselves at the table. chapter vi the conference in the captain's cabin captain horatio passford lived at bonnydale on the hudson. he was rich in several millions of dollars, but he was richer in the possession of a noble character, one of the most prominent traits of which was his patriotism. he had presented his large and fast-sailing steam yacht to the government of the nation at the beginning of the struggle. his motto was, "stand by the union," and from the first he had done everything in his power to sustain his country against the assaults of dissolution. [illustration: the conference in the captain's cabin.--page .] he had a wife, a daughter, and a son, and his family were as patriotic as he was himself. at sixteen christy, the son, had gone into the navy. he had learned to be a sailor and an engineer in his repeated cruises in the bellevite, his father's large steam yacht, now a man-of-war in the navy. in two years the young man had worked his way up to the rank of lieutenant. he was very large for his age, and his nautical and mechanical education had prepared him for service to a degree which made him almost a prodigy, though his courage and skill had been fully equalled, if not surpassed, by other naval officers not older than himself. homer passford, the only brother of his father, had early in life settled in alabama, and become a planter, where he had made a respectable fortune, though he was a poor man compared with the northern brother. he had a wife, a son, and a daughter. at the beginning of the war of the rebellion he had promptly espoused the cause of the south, and from his point of view, he was fully as patriotic as his brother on the other side. he was ready to give himself, his son, and his fortune to the independence of the south. his character was quite as noble as that of his brother, and he had done all he could in person and with his wealth to insure the success of the southern cause. his son cornelius followed the lead of his father, and was faithful to the teachings given him in his southern home. he had enlisted as a soldier; but when it was found that he could be more serviceable to the confederacy in certain irregular enterprizes, he was detached for this service. he had been engaged in an attempt to capture the bellevite in connection with older and more skilful persons. the plan had failed, corny had been severely wounded, and while on parole had lived at bonnydale. from there he had been sent to a military prison, and had been exchanged. from that time, christy knew nothing about him until he met him on board of the vernon. corny was two years older than christy; but the latter looked even more mature than the former. the resemblance between them had hardly been noticed by the two families, though christy had spent several months at different times at the plantation of his uncle. but the resemblance was noted and often spoken of by persons outside of the families, the members of which, being in the habit of seeing them often together, did not notice the similarity of features and expression. both of them resembled their fathers, who were often mistaken the one for the other in their early years. after he found that the sick officer was his cousin corny passford, christy began to apprehend the object of his southern relative in presenting himself as the bearer of his name and rank in the navy, though he had no time to consider the subject. corny had given him no opportunity to look the matter over, for he had talked most of the time as opportunity was presented. captain battleton seated himself in the armchair which corny had abandoned, and placed a quire of paper before him as though he intended to take notes of the proceedings. christy was not at all disturbed by the formal aspect the affair was assuming, for he felt entirely confident that poor corny would be a prisoner of war at its conclusion. he had his commission and his orders in his pocket, and he was positive that they would vindicate him. "i reported to the department that i had only a single vacant stateroom in the ward room of the vernon, and i was ordered to receive lieutenant christopher passford as a passenger, as i could not take another officer," said the captain. "it is not a serious question compared with others at issue, but the occupation of the single room, now in possession of the gentleman who came on board last evening, depends upon the result of our present inquiry." "i should say there would be no difficulty in settling this question," said mr. salisbury. "these gentlemen are cousins, and both of them bear the name of passford," added the captain, as he raised his finger, pointing to corny. "will you give us your name in full, if you please?" "christopher passford," replied the invalid officer, with the most unblushing effrontery. "your father's name?" "horatio passford." "where does he live?" "at bonnydale, on the hudson," replied corny confidently. "excuse me, captain battleton; may i ask a question?" interposed the first lieutenant. "certainly, mr. salisbury. this is not a court-martial, but an informal investigation, and i shall be glad to have you and dr. connelly entirely free to ask any questions you please," replied the captain, who was anything but a martinet. "where did you say your father lived, mr. passford?" asked the executive officer. "at bonnydale, on the hudson," answered corny, as we may call him now that the reader knows who he is. "is bonnydale the name of the town or city in which your father lives?" "it is the name of my father's place," replied corny; and christy, who was observing him very closely, saw that he was a little disturbed. "bonnydale sounds like a fancy name, such as any gentleman might give to his estate, as sunnyside was the home of washington irving. is this the fact?" asked mr. salisbury. "i suppose it is," answered corny, with increasing confusion. "don't you know?" "we always called it bonnydale; and i know no other name for it." "but bonnydale is not an incorporated town. in what city or town is your father's place situated?" "i know no name but bonnydale," replied corny; and the flush of fever or something else was on his cheeks now. "nothing more, captain," said the first lieutenant; and the stock of the other claimant mounted a little. "mr. passford," continued the captain, indicating christy with his finger, "your father's name, if you please." "horatio passford," replied christy with a smile. "where does he live?" "at bonnydale, on the hudson." "permit me, captain battleton," interposed mr. salisbury; and the commander nodded his acquiescence. "is bonnydale the name of the town or city in which your father lives, mr. passford?" "it is the name of my father's place," answered christy, using the same words that corny had. "bonnydale sounds like a fancy name, such as any gentleman might give to his estate," continued mr. salisbury, smiling, as he repeated the phrases he had used before. "is this the fact?" "it is; the name was given to the estate by my mother," replied christy, unable to follow corny any farther. "in what town or city is your father's estate situated?" "it is within the limits of the town of montgomery." "nothing further, captain," said the executive officer; and the stock of this particular lieutenant passford mounted another trifle. "your cousin, who, according to your statement, was raised in the south, seems to be better informed in regard to the geography of bonnydale than you do," added captain battleton. "he is always inquiring into things that i don't care a straw about," replied corny, vexed that he had been tripped up in a matter so simple. the commander was disposed to carry the investigation a little farther in the same direction, and he sent christy into the ward room, where he was instructed to remain until he was sent for. captain passford, senior, was well known to all the officers present by reputation, and he had assisted dr. connelly in procuring his appointment, so that the latter had had occasion to visit bonnydale three times. the captain asked corny a hundred questions in regard to the estate, making memoranda of his answers. once he suggested to the surgeon that he had better examine the pulse of his patient, for he did not wish to overtask him in the investigation. the subject of the inquiry declared that his headache had almost disappeared, and he needed no indulgence on account of his health. after half an hour of questioning, corny was sent to the ward room, and christy was called to the captain's cabin. about the same questions were put to him as to his cousin; but both of them were prompt in their answers. in the last two years, corny had been more at bonnydale than christy, and he was quite as much at home there, so that there was no reason why he should not be able to describe the mansion and its surroundings as accurately as the genuine lieutenant passford. so far, corny, with the single exception of his failure to give the geography of the estate, stood quite as well as his cousin. then the first lieutenant questioned them both, as they were seated at the table, in a very general way. in their answers, corny used the word "raised," while christy was "brought up." several phrases in more common use at the south than at the north were noted in his answers, which did not appear in the diction of christy. when the questioning was finished, the leaning of the trio of officers was in favor of christy; but not one of them said anything in the presence of the two passfords. the captain declared that he had already used up too much time in the inquiry, and he must close the conference very soon. then he asked if either of the gentlemen had any papers they wished to present in support of his identity. "i have my commission as a lieutenant, and my orders to take passage in the vernon, and to take command of the bronx on my arrival at the station of the eastern gulf squadron," said corny, as he pulled a huge envelope from his breast pocket; and christy could not but notice the perfect confidence with which he spoke. "i have precisely the same papers," added christy, with as much assurance as his cousin. "i had nearly forgotten the most important evidence that can be presented in this matter," said the captain with a smile. "i dare say that each of the gentlemen will produce his commission, his orders, and his appointment to the command of the bronx; and i don't know how we can decide between the papers. it looks as though the bronx was likely to have two commanders." "here are my papers, captain," added corny, as he passed his envelope across the table to the commander. "this is not an official envelope," said the captain, as he took the package, and then fixed his gaze on the owner of the documents. "no, sir; it is not. i had the misfortune to leave it on the table at bonnydale, and walsh, the man-servant, supposing it to be of no value, threw it into the fire," replied corny promptly. the commission and other papers were all right in every respect. christy handed his envelope to the commander, and he broke it open. it contained nothing but a lot of blank paper. chapter vii the announcement of the decision when captain battleton took from the envelope the blank papers, no one seemed to be inquisitive as to the result, for, as the commander had suggested, they all expected to find the commission and other papers regularly and properly made out and signed. several sheets were unfolded and spread out upon the table, and christy was hardly more surprised than the others at the table. "your papers do not seem to be altogether regular, mr. passford," said the captain, as he held up one of them so that all could see it. "i see they are not," answered christy blankly. "but they are enclosed in an official envelope," added the captain, as he held up the cover of the papers. "in this respect they have the advantage of those presented by the other gentleman. you appear to be as much surprised as any of the rest of us, mr. passford. can you explain the fact that you present nothing but blank papers instead of your commission and orders?" "at present i cannot; after i have had an opportunity for reflection i may be able to do so," replied christy, from whom a more decided demonstration than he made was expected. "it is evident from what we have heard, and from the documents submitted to me that one of these gentlemen is lieutenant christopher passford," said captain battleton; "but we have no means of identifying the officer. in what vessels have you served, mr. passford?" "my first service was in the bellevite, and my last in the bronx, of which i was acting commander on her voyage from new york to the gulf," answered christy, to whom the question was addressed. "is there any officer on board with whom you have served?" "so far as i have seen, there is not." "any seaman?" "i have not noticed any seaman whose face was familiar to me." "if i am correctly informed, you came home as prize master of the vixen, convoying quite a fleet of steamers and schooners," continued captain battleton, looking about the cabin as though the inquiry had become wearisome to him. "i did; you were correctly informed," answered corny, as the wandering gaze of the commander rested upon him. "both of you were in command of the vixen, i suppose," added the captain with a smile. "i was, captain; but i cannot speak for my cousin corny," replied the possessor of the commission. "i can say with entire confidence that i was in command of the vixen," added christy. "a considerable number of officers and seamen must have come with you in the vixen and the other vessels," said the captain, raising his finger to indicate that the question was addressed to christy. "yes, sir; the vixen was fully armed and manned to protect the fleet of prize vessels she convoyed." "do you remember the names of the officers who served with you in the vixen?" asked the captain. "i could not very well forget them in so short a time," replied corny, upon whom the gaze of the commander had again rested as he looked about him. "very well; perhaps you had better answer the question;" and the captain pointed at corny. "who was your first lieutenant?" "ensign gordon fillbrook," replied corny promptly. this was a correct answer, and christy saw that his cousin had fully armed himself for his daring scheme, whatever it was. "your second lieutenant?" "ensign frederick jones," answered corny, with some hesitation. "now will you inform me, mr. passford, who your officers were?" the commander pointed at christy. "your executive officer?" "my cousin gave his name and rank correctly." "and the second lieutenant?" "ensign philip bangs." "here you differ. did you make a report of your voyage home, lieutenant passford?" continued the captain, pointing at corny. "i did, sir; for we captured a privateer on the voyage," answered corny. "did you keep a copy of that report?" "i did, captain; i keep copies of all my reports. i have them in my valise," answered he of the south in a matter-of-fact manner. christy laughed in spite of the importance of the investigation at the coolness and self-possession of his cousin; but he could not understand how corny would be able to produce a copy of his report, which was in his valise with several such papers. "i must trouble you to produce it, lieutenant passford," added the commander. "perhaps i ought to say in the beginning that it is not in my own handwriting, for after i had written it, mr. jones copied it for me," corny explained, and, perhaps, thought he might be called upon to give a specimen of his chirography. "that is immaterial," added captain battleton, as corny left the cabin to procure the document. "have you a copy of your report, lieutenant passford?" he pointed to christy. "i have, captain; and it is in my own handwriting," replied the officer addressed. "produce it, if you please." he had placed his valise in the gangway, and he had not far to go to procure the report, his first draft of the document, which he had revised and copied at bonnydale. "i don't think we are getting ahead at all, mr. salisbury," said the captain, while the cousins were looking for their reports. "i confess that i am as much in the dark as i was in the beginning," replied the executive officer. "i can make nothing of it," added the surgeon. "it looks to me as though the commission alone would have to settle this matter." "i don't see how i can go behind the official documents," replied the commander as corny presented himself at the door. a minute later christy appeared with his report in his hand, and both of them were presented to the captain. the handwriting was as different as possible in the two papers. corny's was in a large, coarse hand, but it was a fair copy, while christy's contained several corrections and inter-lineations. no one could recognize the writing of either of the claimants, and the documents proved nothing at all. the captain was evidently weary of the investigation, and nothing but the commission seemed to throw any reliable light upon the claim of either one or the other. "any further questions, mr. salisbury?" asked the captain, bestowing a bored look upon the executive officer. "nothing more, captain battleton." "dr. connelly?" "nothing, captain." "now, gentlemen, i will thank you to retire to the ward room, and i will send for you to hear my decision," continued the commander, and the cousins retired together, and both of them appeared to be as good-natured as though they were in perfect accord on the question in dispute. "what is your opinion, mr. salisbury?" asked the captain, when the claimants had retired, careful not to indicate his own conclusion. "while i acknowledge that i am somewhat prepossessed in favor of the lieutenant passford who came on board this morning, i do not think he has established his claim to be the true lieutenant christopher passford. the other uses some peculiarly southern phrases, as though he had been 'raised' in the south, and he is not perfect in the geography of bonnydale. i think the commission is the only evidence upon which you can properly rely," replied the first lieutenant. "your views, if you please, dr. connelly." "one of these officers is evidently a confederate, and the other a loyal citizen. the commission, as mr. salisbury suggests, outweighs all the rest of the evidence. one or the other of the two men is an impostor, and without the commission, i should decide that my patient was the false lieutenant passford," answered the surgeon. "we appear to agree, gentlemen, for you have expressed my own views as well as i could state them myself," added the captain. "but when i decide that the holder of the commission, which i am satisfied is a genuine document, is the loyal officer, and entitled to be received as the future commander of the bronx, i must declare that the other is a confederate; and not only that, but also that he is acting as a spy; that he is on board of the vernon with mischievous intentions. it will be my duty to regard him as a prisoner of war, at least. what do you think of it, mr. salisbury?" "i do not see how you can escape that conclusion," replied the first lieutenant. "i am a sort of peace officer," added dr. connelly, when the captain glanced at him, "and i will express no opinion as to the status of the officer, though it appears to be as you describe it." "this is an informal conference, doctor, and i hope you will express your views freely," said the captain. "there is something in the situation which i cannot explain. i will only say that it is just possible there is a conspiracy at the bottom of the whole affair; and i should think it would be well to keep a close watch upon both of these officers. why, on the voyage of the bronx to the gulf, ensign passford, as he was then, discovered two confederate officers in his crew, and squarely defeated their efforts to capture his ship in the action with the scotian, i believe it was." "i have heard of it; and in quite a number of instances, confederates have been put on board of steamers for the purpose of taking them from their officers," added the captain. "at the same time, i do not see that i can decide this question on any other evidence than that of the commission and other official documents." both of the other officers assented to this view, and the captain sent for the two claimants. neither of them had spoken a word to the other during their stay in the ward room. christy looked upon his cousin as a confederate who was serving what he called his country, and he had not the slightest disposition to quarrel with him, and especially not to lead him to utter any unnecessary falsehoods. possibly corny was somewhat diffident about playing his assumed character before his cousin when they were alone, for they had always been the best of friends. "gentlemen, i have come to a decision in this matter," said the captain, when the two claimants had placed themselves before him in a standing position. "i cannot go behind the commission presented by the officer who came on board last evening, and i consider it my duty to regard him as the real lieutenant passford, recently promoted to his present rank. there is nothing more to be said." "of course i expected that would be your decision," replied corny, as he took the papers which the captain returned to him, including his commission and report. "you may retire now, if you please, mr. passford," added the commander. corny bowed politely to the officers at the table, and left the cabin. he did not even glance at christy, and his face did not look like that of one who had just won a decided victory. christy remained standing where he had placed himself; and he began to wonder what disposition would be made of him under present circumstances. chapter viii the prisoner of war after rendering his decision it was evident that captain battleton had something to say to christy, for he waited in silence till corny had closed the door behind him before he even looked at the officer standing before him. the lieutenant from the moment the envelopes were opened and their contents exposed to the view of all present, had fully expected the result just announced. whatever he thought, suspected, or surmised when he saw the blank papers taken from his official envelope, he kept to himself. "you have heard the decision i have just given, mr. passford, for i have no doubt that is your real name," said the captain, when the cabin door was closed. "i have, captain," replied christy, bowing respectfully. "have you anything to say in regard to it?" "nothing at all," replied christy, bowing again, and bearing himself with the dignity of a veteran officer; and in the matter of demeanor, the confederate captain carboneer had presented to him one of the best models he had seen, both in action and as a prisoner. "you do not wish to make any explanation of the remarkable situation in which you find yourself placed at the present moment?" "at present, i do not, captain." "you certainly could not have been aware that your official envelope contained only blank paper. i cannot believe that one more simple-minded than i believe you to be would have had the effrontery to present such matter as evidence that he was an officer of the united states navy," continued captain battleton, with a look of greater severity than he had before assumed, possibly because he realized that the real lieutenant passford was higher in rank than he was himself. "i supposed the official envelope contained my commission and orders." "you believe that your papers were taken from you, and the blanks substituted for them?" "i cannot explain the matter at present, and you must excuse me from offering merely vague suspicions and conjectures." "do you realize your present situation, mr. passford?" asked the captain, apparently disappointed at the unwillingness of the young man to attempt an explanation. "i think i do, captain, and i submit to your authority as the commander of the ship," answered christy, with a dignified bow. "as i said before, i have no doubt you are a passford; and i have been compelled to decide that you are not the son of captain horatio passford, the distinguished gentleman who has done so much for his country in the present war." "with the evidence before you, i do not see how you could have decided otherwise." "whether the decision be just or not, i am obliged to regard you as son of the homer passford who supports the government of the confederacy. you and the other mr. passford have recognized each other as cousins." "we are cousins." "then it follows that one of the two must be a confederate who is on board of a united states ship for some purpose not yet explained, but fairly supposed to be hostile." "i admit the correctness of your conclusion." "i have already recognized the union officer, and therefore you must be the confederate." "without reflecting upon your decision, i must deny that i am a confederate, and proclaim that my motto is 'stand by the union!'" "in spite of your denial and your motto, i shall have to regard you as a prisoner of war, and treat you as such," said the captain, rising from his chair, the others following his example. "i submit to your authority, captain battleton," replied christy, bowing to the commander. "but i do not wish to subject you to any unnecessary restraint, and i shall be willing to accept your parole that you will engage in no hostile movement on board of the vernon," continued the captain, in milder tones. "i cannot accept a parole, captain, for that would be equivalent to an admission that i am a confederate; and i claim to be a loyal officer." "if you are, i am sorry that you are unable to prove your claim. i have only one officer on board as a passenger, for the reason that i had only one spare stateroom. there is no place for you in the ward room, and it does not appear that you are an officer." "i shall find no fault with my accommodations, whatever they are," replied christy. "i must object to your wearing the shoulder straps of a lieutenant on board of the vernon," added captain battleton. "i have a plain frock in my valise which i wore when the teaser was captured," added christy with a smile. "i will remove my coat and wear that." "now i will see where i can find a place for you to berth," said the captain as he left the cabin. "i am sorry you did not explain the blank paper in your envelope, mr. passford," said the surgeon, as they were leaving the cabin. "i cannot explain it--how can i?" replied christy. "whoever took out my papers and put the blanks in their place, did not make me his confidant in the operation." "but can you not recall some event or circumstance which will throw some light on the mystery?" persisted dr. connelly. "i can; but i have not had time to consider any events or circumstances, and it would not be treating captain battleton with proper respect to submit a string of crude conjectures to him." at this moment the captain appeared in the gangway, and interrupted the conversation. he informed the prisoner of war, as he chose to regard him, that he had directed the carpenter to put up a temporary berth for him. christy opened his valise, and took from it his frock, which he put on after he had disposed of his coat. then he looked like a common sailor. he was informed that his berth was just forward of the steerage, in that part of the steamer where the men slung their hammocks. the third lieutenant was directed to show him to the place indicated. the carpenter and his assistants were still at work on the berth, and christy, placing his valise near it, seated himself by it. for the first time since he came on board of the vernon he had an opportunity to reflect upon the events of the day. corny passford was the present master of the situation. he had not been aware till he met him in the captain's cabin, that his cousin was even in the vicinity of new york. with an amount of assurance for which he had not given him credit, corny had undertaken to personate his nautical relative, and was now actually on his way to the gulf to take command of the bronx. the little gunboat had certainly done a great deal of mischief to the confederate interests, for she had captured two valuable vessels intended for the southern navy, to say nothing of half a dozen others loaded with cotton, and ready to sail. from the confederate point of view, it was exceedingly desirable that she should be prevented from doing any further injury to the maritime interests of the south. but it seemed almost incredible that corny passford should be employed to bring about her capture by stratagem. his cousin was not a sailor; at least, he had not been one the last time he had met him, and it was hardly possible that he had learned seamanship, navigation, and naval tactics in so short a time, and so far as christy knew, with little practical experience. he had seen the commission which corny presented to the captain of the vernon, and recognized it as his own. in spite of the statements his cousin had made, christy saw that the handwriting of the report he submitted as a copy of the genuine document was in corny's usual handwriting. where had he obtained the commission, and where the original report? these were not hard questions, now that the preliminaries of the plot had been fully developed. walsh, the man-servant at bonnydale, was now a seaman on board of the vernon, under the real or assumed name of byron. he denied his identity, as he would naturally do under the circumstances; but christy had not a doubt that he was the man who had suddenly disappeared after the mysterious visitation of the night before. doubtless, corny had been the visitor at the mansion, and had procured the contents of the official envelope on this occasion. he appeared to have been unwilling to trust byron, as the seaman preferred to be called, and had attended to the business in person with the assistance of his confederate. the report was lying on the table in his chamber, and byron could have borrowed it for any length of time to enable corny to make a copy. whoever had visited his chamber in the night, whether corny or the man-servant, he must have taken the official envelope to the library, or some other part of the house, for it had been carefully opened, and restored to its former condition after the genuine documents in it had been replaced by the blank paper. it was now all as clear to christy as though he had observed the proceedings of the conspirators, and taken notes of all they had done. the purpose of all these operations was quite as obvious as the details of the scheme. either the vernon or the bronx was to be captured, perhaps both, for of course christy could not determine in what manner the mischief was to be accomplished. prisoner of war as he was, he never felt burdened with a greater responsibility than when he realized the actual situation. this responsibility was not of a personal nature. he did not have the feeling that he had been vanquished in the contest before the captain, and the fact that he was a prisoner hardly disturbed him. it was the prospective injury to the cause of his country which occasioned his solicitude. his object was to save the vernon, the bronx, or both, from being handed over to the enemy without a struggle to save them, one or both. he had no fault to find with the captain for his decision against him, which seemed to be natural and warrantable. he had no ill-feeling against his cousin, for he was trying to serve the cause he had espoused. he was even willing to believe that he would have done the same thing himself under like circumstances. after he had considered the subject for a couple of hours he went back to one of his first points, relating to the fitness and capacity of corny to accomplish the task he had undertaken. it was evident enough on the face of it that his cousin, even if he had been a veteran naval officer, could not carry out the plan alone. he must have confederates, in the double sense, on board of the vernon. in the early stages of the war, men who had served in the navy as officers were coming home from all parts of the world to take part on one side or the other in the struggle. those even who were disloyal could obtain commissions in the loyal navy if their consciences would let them take the oath of allegiance with a mental reservation. christy had encountered several of this kind. many of the seamen were foreigners who cared little on which side they served, and one or more of the four officers in the ward room might be at work for the confederacy. christy thought he was in an excellent position to investigate the matter, and he decided that this should be his first duty. among the crew there must be some who were to take part in the plot of corny, whatever it was. before the close of the conference the atlantic had begun to be quite "sloppy," and the vernon was now laboring in an ugly cross sea, which caused her to roll heavily. chapter ix a moral philosopher. the temporary berth was finished, the bedding put into it, and christy took possession of it. for the present he had done all the thinking he cared to do, and he felt that his present duty was in action. he was a prisoner of war, and as such he was in disgrace in a loyal ship's company; at least, he felt that he was so under present circumstances. he was not disgusted at his failure to establish his identity, nor disheartened at the prospect before him. more than ever before in the two years of his experience as a naval officer, he realized that it was his duty to "stand by the union." the watch below were all around him. some of them were mending their clothes, others were reading newspapers they had brought with them, but the greater part of them were in squads engaged in talking about the events of the war. the nearest group to christy were conversing about the two lieutenants who claimed to be the real officer ordered to the command of the bronx. it seemed rather strange to the listener that they should know anything about the events which had happened in the secrecy of the captain's cabin, and this circumstance led him to believe that at least one of the officers of the ship must be a confederate of corny. there was nothing necessarily secret in the proceedings in the cabin, and the stewards might have heard what was said in the ward room after the decision had been rendered, reporting it to members of the crew, who had circulated it as the latest news. at any rate, the group near christy were talking about the two officers who claimed to be lieutenant passford. they spoke in low tones, and christy could hardly hear what they said. his berth was ready for him, and he concluded to lie down in it. he took no notice of the speakers, and soon pretended to be asleep. "do you know who is in that berth, warton?" asked one of the four men, speaking in a low tone, but loud enough to enable christy to hear him. "i don't know; do you, rockton?" replied the one addressed; and it was evident to the listener that the men were at least persons of average education with but little of the common sailor in it. "i do; one of the officers told me all about it not half an hour ago," answered rockton. "the fellow who is asleep there is the other passford." "is that so? then we mustn't talk here," added warton, apparently somewhat alarmed. "who told you so?" "i said one of the officers; and you know as well as i do which one." the speakers said no more, but leaving the locality near the berth, they moved forward in a body. christy was sorry he was not to hear any more of the conversation; but he felt that he had made some progress in his work. he had obtained the names of two of the men, and ascertained that one of the officers in the ward room was a confederate. with this information he could the more readily obtain more. christy did not wish to sleep, and he felt that he could not afford to spend his time in that way. he sat up in the berth, and wrote the two names he had heard in his pocket-diary, in order to make sure that he did not forget them. while he was thus engaged dr. connelly came into the quarters of the crew. "well, mr. passford, are you all right?" asked the surgeon, as soon as he discovered christy in the dim light of the place. "all right in every respect," replied the young officer cheerfully. "you are not sea-sick?" inquired the doctor, laughing. "sea-sick! no, sir; i believe i never was sea-sick in my life." "you are more fortunate than your cousin, for he is having quite a hard time of it," added the doctor, who seemed to be very much amused that the future commander of the bronx, who had been to sea so much, should be afflicted in this manner. "he was always sea-sick when he first went out, and it appears that he has not yet got over the habit. he was so badly off on one occasion that my father thought of taking him on shore, and sending him back to mobile by land." "do you refer to the lieutenant appointed to the command of the bronx on our arrival in the gulf?" asked dr. connelly, laughing. "i do not; i am that person myself," replied christy very decidedly. "by the way, i wonder that the commander did not subject the two claimants to an examination in navigation and seamanship. it might have thrown some light on the subject." "probably captain battleton did not think of that, taking it for granted that you were both sailors; but the other mr. passford is not in condition to undergo such an examination at present." "i do not ask for it, though of course i am anxious to have the truth come out, for just now i am in disgrace as an impostor, to say nothing of being regarded as an enemy of the union," replied christy. "he who occupies a stateroom in the steamer is my own cousin, and the pleasantest relations have always subsisted between our families. i have nothing against him personally, and i would do him a kindness as readily as ever before in my life." "but he has placed you in a very awkward position, mr. passford." "i am willing to believe that he is doing his duty to his country, and his grand mistake is in believing that the fraction of it in rebellion is his country." "if you are the genuine lieutenant passford, in spite of the captain's decision, your cousin has told lies enough to-day to swamp a reprobate, to to say nothing of a christian," added the surgeon, seating himself at the side of the berth. "i do not regard his statements as lies in any proper sense of the word, dr. connelly," replied christy with considerable spirit. "i have had occasion to deceive the enemy on several occasions; and nearly two years ago i looked up the morality of lying on the field of battle and its surroundings. i think my father is as good a christian man as draws the breath of life, and i found that i simply held to his opinions." "your father is good authority," added the surgeon. "i studied history a little in relation to this subject, for i wanted to know whether any lies i might tell in serving my country were to be registered against me. i know that i would not tell a lie in the ordinary relations of life; but i am sure that i should have been a traitor to the union if i had told the enemy the simple truth on several occasions. i captured a schooner loaded with cotton by pretending to be what i was not. if it is justifiable to kill a man in war, it must be justifiable to tell a lie to the enemy." "i think you are right, mr. passford. you spoke of history." "george washington is regarded as one who could not tell a lie from the time the little hatchet story had birth to the end of the revolution. we read that he strongly impressed clinton with the belief that he intended to attack new york; and the school history says that this deception was so successfully practised, that washington was some distance on his way to virginia before clinton suspected where he was leading his army. "bancroft says that clinton was deceived by letters which were written to be intercepted. the books say that washington used every art in his power to deceive clinton. he wrote letters containing the barefaced lie that he intended to attack new york when he intended to attack cornwallis. it was not a mere white lie, for he intended to deceive. we don't regard washington as a liar, and he was not a liar in any proper sense of the word. all the high-toned generals on both sides in the present war do not hesitate to deceive the enemy, for it is a part of their duty to do so. in my judgment, a lie that is acted is the same as a spoken lie." "you are a moral philosopher, mr. passford," said the surgeon, laughing at the earnestness of the speaker. "hardly, doctor; i looked up the subject for my own benefit. i simply mean to say that i do not consider my cousin a liar," replied christy, who was an earnest debater when he became warm in his subject. dr. connelly left him, and made his tour of inspection among the men. the steamer was still rolling heavily, and the prisoner found himself more comfortable in his berth than on the lower deck. he had not yet learned whether or not he was to remain confined in his present quarters, and when the surgeon returned from his tour, he asked him to inquire of the captain in regard to his limits. he was informed that he could go on deck for an hour in the forenoon, and an hour in the afternoon. it was nearly night and he did not avail himself of this permission. for the next three days it blew a gale, moderating at times, and then piping up again. to a sailor it was not bad weather, but christy learned from the surgeon that his cousin was confined to his berth during all this time. the prisoner went on deck for the time permitted each forenoon and afternoon. he had his eyes wide open all the time, on the lookout for anything that would afford him further information in regard to the plot in the midst of which he was living. he identified rockton and warton, but not the other two who had formed the group near his berth, on his first visit to the deck. on the fourth day out, he saw one of these men talking cautiously to the second lieutenant. following up this clew he satisfied himself that mr. galvinne was the black sheep in the officers' quarters. corny came on deck that day, for the sea was comparatively smooth, and took a seat on the quarter-deck. christy did not go near him, but he watched him very closely. he had not long to wait before mr. galvinne, who was then the officer of the deck, spoke to him, and they had quite a long conversation. he could not hear a word of it; but the fact that they were intimate enough to hold what appeared to be a confidential interview was enough to satisfy the prisoner that the second lieutenant was the principle confederate of his cousin. how many of the crew were "packed" for the enterprise he could form no idea. the weather continued favorable till the end of the cruise, and then on the eighth day the vernon arrived near her destination off pensacola bay. thus far no attempt had been made to capture the steamer, and the plot was as dark as it had been in the beginning. christy thought that corny was becoming somewhat nervous when the vessels of the squadron were made out in the distance. "there appear to be only three steamers in sight," said the captain, who had come into the waist to observe the fleet. "that is the flag-ship, i think, anchored the farthest from the shore," replied mr. galvinne, to whom the remark had been addressed. "i suppose that is the bronx astern of her," added captain battleton. "it is the smallest of the three, at any rate. mr. salisbury, you will run directly for the flag-ship," he added to the executive officer on the quarter-deck. christy recognized the bronx if others did not, for none of the officers had been on this station before. he wondered if the present deception was likely to be carried out to the accomplishment of the end the conspirators had in view. he could see nothing to prevent its accomplishment. "i must ask you to report below, mr. passford," said the captain rather sternly; and perhaps he did not care to be charged with over-indulgence of his prisoner. he bowed submissively, and went to his berth in the men's quarters. the anchor had been cast loose, and the cable put in condition to run out. christy had hardly reached his berth before he heard the rattle of the chain, and the voyage was ended. chapter x a change of quarters in the confusion christy obeyed the order of captain battleton when he was directed to report below; but he felt that he was permitting the plot of his cousin to be carried out without any opposition, and without any attempt to check its progress. but he was a prisoner, and he realized that he could do nothing. his case had been tried, and he had been condemned to his present condition. it was useless to appeal to the captain, for he had already passed upon all the facts that had been presented before him. seated on the side of his berth he considered the situation very faithfully. the bronx lay off st. rosa's island; she was on the blockade, evidently ready to trip her anchor, whenever occasion should require. in regard to her officers christy only knew that mr. flint was in temporary command of her, in place of mr. blowitt, who had become the executive officer of the bellevite. the other officers must have been appointed for temporary service. as christy viewed the matter, there appeared to be no obstacle to the success of corny's scheme for the capture of the bronx, unless it was mr. flint, who might or might not discover that the new commander was an impostor. if his old associate saw the two cousins together, he would have no difficulty in determining which was his former commander; seeing corny alone he might be deceived. with the flag-officer, who had seen christy but once or twice, he was not likely to suspect that corny was an impostor. the bronx had but one officer on board who had been permanently appointed to her, and at least two others must be selected to serve on board of her. it would be an easy matter for corny to procure the appointment of mr. galvinne, who was doubtless competent to handle the vessel as the impostor certainly was not. when he realized that the scheme of his cousin, or whoever had devised it, was in a fair way to accomplish its object, christy felt that he must do something. though he was a prisoner and in disgrace, he did not feel that he was absolved from the duty of attempting to save the bronx to the union. he had refused to accept a parole, or anything of that kind, and his honor as an officer did not require him to submit to the discipline of his situation. he was a prisoner; but the responsibility of retaining him as such belonged to the captain of the vernon for the present. his reflections relieved him of all scruples in regard to any action he might resolve to take. he was held in confinement as a confederate. when he had been taken by the enemy and locked up as a union prisoner, he had considered his duty, independently of his desire to be free, and he had effected his escape with flint. in the present instance his confinement was not irksome, but he felt more keenly than before that he ought to do something to save the little gunboat; and he could do nothing without first getting into a position where he could act. between the decks of the vernon, he could do nothing; he could not even see what was going on, though he had no doubt the captain was in the act of reporting to the flag-officer. probably corny would go off in the first boat to report for duty, and receive his orders. the seamen who were simply passengers on board of the steamer, were below in considerable numbers, gathering up their bags, and preparing for the transfer to the flag-ship, or to the bronx, for there were no other vessels near to receive them. christy felt very much like a caged tiger. he had hoped that the bellevite would be on the station when he arrived, for there were plenty of officers and seamen on board of her who could identify him beyond the possibility of a doubt. in that case he intended to make a strong appeal to captain battleton, for he would then have the means of arriving at a correct conclusion. then he could explain in what manner he had been robbed of his papers with some chance of having his statement accepted. the prisoner walked up and down the lower deck, doing his best to conceal the agitation which had taken possession of him. no one took any notice of him, for the seamen had become accustomed to the presence of the captive officer. while he was struggling to contain his emotions, he heard the rattle of the cable again, and saw the chain descending to the locker below. "what does that mean, my man?" asked christy of one of the men near him. "they appear to be weighing the anchor." "that is what they are doing," replied the man indifferently. "what is that for?" "the flag officer has not told me yet what he is about, and i am not good at guessing, though i am a yankee," replied the man chuckling, as though he believed he had said something funny. "the flag-officer has signalled for the vernon to come alongside," interposed another seaman who had heard the question. "thank you, my man," replied christy, beginning at once to consider how this change would affect him. "the bronx is getting under way also," said the civil tar, who evidently had some sympathy for the prisoner. "probably she is also ordered alongside. twenty-five of us have been detailed to serve on board of her, and i am one of them." "then i may see you again, my friend. thank you for your information, and will you give me your name?" added christy. "my name is ralph pennant; i have a sea-going name, and i suppose that is the reason why i went to sea," replied the seaman, with a good-natured laugh. "i have been the mate of a steamer, but i could not get any better position than that of able seaman, and i wanted to be in this stir-up." "i have no doubt you will work your way up in good time," added christy, who saw that pennant was an intelligent and reliable man, though it was possible from the appearance of his face that he had been in the habit of imbibing too much whiskey for his own good. in a short time the vernon was alongside the flag-ship. christy had put his uniform coat in his valise, and still wore the frock he had taken from it. he had removed his linen collar, and put on a woollen shirt and a seaman's cap, for he did not care to be taken for an officer among the crew. he carried his valise to the vicinity of the forehatch, and looked up through the opening to ascertain what he could of the movements on board. "there comes the bronx," said a seaman standing at the head of the ladder. "ay, ay; and she is coming alongside the vernon," added another. the store-ship had been made fast to the flag-ship, and at this moment came a call for all hands to go aft. christy could not endure the suspense any longer, and taking his valise in his hand he went on deck, just as the bronx came alongside. mr. flint was on duty with a couple of young officers, and gave the orders to make her fast to the vernon. captain battleton was going up the side of the flag-ship, followed by corny. christy put his valise in a convenient place, and then concealed himself in the firemen's quarters under the top-gallant forecastle. he found a place beneath a bunk which would effectually conceal him unless a very thorough search should be made for him. but he only kept this place as a resort in case of emergency, for he placed himself where he could see out at the door; and it was a good location to overlook all that took place on the quarter-deck where the officers were, and the waist where the men had been assembled. the second lieutenant was calling over a list of names, which christy concluded was the draft of seamen for the bronx. possibly captain passford had used some influence in this selection, for all the other hands were to be put on board of the flag-ship to be assigned to such vessels as needed to be reinforced by the officers of the staff. as the names were called the men passed over to the starboard side, with their bags in their hands, for there was evidently to be no delay in making the transfer. but it was a full hour before captain battleton and corny returned from the flag-ship. the prisoner on the forecastle thought his cousin looked very complacent, and his return indicated that his plot had not miscarried, and that the flag-officer had not challenged the identity of the future commander of the bronx. corny's first movement on board of the vernon was to take the hand of mr. galvinne, whom he appeared to be congratulating on a promotion or appointment. the second lieutenant promptly handed his lists to the third lieutenant, mr. winter, who proceeded with the calling of the names. corny and mr. galvinne immediately went below, and christy concluded that the officer he had spotted as the traitor had been appointed to the little gunboat, either as first or second lieutenant, and that they were making their preparations to go on board of her. in a few minutes they appeared with the steward of the ward room carrying their baggage. corny politely saluted mr. flint, the acting commander of the gunboat. mr. galvinne was introduced, and there was plenty of bowing and formal politeness. corny presented his commission and orders for the inspection of the officer in command, and for the present the formalities were completed. corny was evidently in command of the bronx; but christy could not determine the position of mr. flint, and he watched his movements with intense interest for some time. the late acting-commander did not leave the deck, as he would have been likely to do if he had been relieved and ordered to report on board of the flag-ship, though he might have been superseded as executive officer,--a position which he was clearly entitled to hold. a little later, the draft of seamen were ordered to file on board of the bronx. then the observer saw mr. galvinne, with a rather pompous gesture point to the men who were coming on board, and say something he could not hear to mr. flint. he had evidently directed him to receive the seamen as they came on deck. this indicated that the late second lieutenant of the vernon had been appointed executive officer of the bronx. christy felt that the time for action had come. taking his valise in his hand he joined the file of men, and cleverly inserting himself between a couple of them, he went on the deck of the bronx without being challenged as to his right to do so. doubtless captain battleton had reported that he had a prisoner on board, though he had not had time to tell the whole story of the investigation, which had probably been postponed to a more convenient time. mr. flint went forward to receive the seamen as they came on deck, and he ordered them to pipe below and leave their bags there. "where is your bag?" asked mr. flint, as christy, the actual commander of the bronx, passed him. "what are you doing with a valise?" "i have no bag, sir," replied christy in submissive tones. "find a bag, for we shall throw that valise overboard," added mr. flint. "i don't think you will, sir, after the circumstances have been explained." suddenly the officer started back, and began to look very sharply at the presumed sailor. but the file pressed behind him, and christy was too glad to move with it to delay a moment longer. he went below to the familiar quarters of the crew, and saw many of his old seamen still on board, though many of them had been taken to reinforce other vessels. christy deposited his valise in a secure place near the door leading into the steerage. all hands were on deck attending to the transfer of seamen, even to the stewards. the way was clear, and the late prisoner promptly decided what to do. he thought the captain's cabin was the proper place for him, and he went there. chapter xi laying out a plan of operations christy had deposited his valise in a place where it was not likely to be seen unless a search was made for it. there was no one in the ward room to obstruct his advance to the captain's cabin. he had served as acting-commander of the vessel in a voyage from new york to the gulf, and been the executive officer on board for a short term, and he was perfectly at home in every part of her. in the conspiracy on his last voyage in the bronx, pink mulgrum had concealed himself under the berth in the captain's stateroom, where dave, the cabin steward, had discovered him, though he might have remained there a month if his hiding-place had not been suspected. christy thought this would be an excellent retreat for him, not only because it promised him the greatest security, but because it would permit him to hear what passed between the pretended commander and others, especially mr. galvinne. he had been reasonably confident of returning to the gunboat when he went to the north as prize master, though not as her commander, and he had left his trunk on board. it was a humiliating posture for the actual commander of the vessel, but he promptly got down upon the floor of the stateroom, and crawled under the berth. he placed the trunk and some other articles there so as to form a sort of breast-work, behind which he carefully bestowed himself. it was not an uncomfortable position, for the floor was carpeted and an old satchel filled with his cast-off garments furnished him a pillow sufficiently soft for a person on extraordinary duty. the cabin was to be occupied by corny, though his cousin had no doubt that mr. galvinne was the real leader in the adventure of capturing the steamer. both of them would be obliged to keep up appearances for the present. christy's first thought after he had settled himself in his new quarters related to the cabin steward, who had served him very faithfully, and whom he had brought off in the teaser, the former name of the bronx. he had no doubt he was still on board, and probably acting in his former capacity, for mr. flint knew that he was attached to the man for the service he had rendered, not only to him but to his country. he was absolutely sure that dave could be trusted under any and all circumstances, and the first thing he did would be to make a connection with him. christy became rather impatient because the bronx did not get under way; but he concluded from such sounds as came to his ears that she was taking in shot, shells, and powder, as well as stores and supplies. at any rate, neither corny nor his first lieutenant came into the cabin, so far as he could ascertain. but he had not been in his hiding-place an hour before he heard a noise in the adjoining apartment. it was not the commander, for the noise was an occasional rapping; it was not an unfamiliar sound to him, for he had often heard it before when he lay in his berth. dave was a remarkably neat person, and he was always dusting the cabin and stateroom when he had nothing else to do. he was sure that the rapping was caused by the steward's feather duster. in a few minutes, when he had made the cabin tidy for the reception of "massa cap'n passford," he transferred his labors to the stateroom. he worked in the berth and all its surroundings, including the desk, which still contained the real commander's papers, and then gave his attention to the trunk beneath. "dave," said christy, after he had obtained a view of the back of the steward's head which satisfied him that he was the right man. "mullygumps!" exclaimed dave, as he suspended his labors on the trunk. no doubt he was greatly surprised to hear his name, pronounced as though it came up through the deck, as he had abundant reason to be. "dave," repeated christy, in a more decided tone after he had heard the voice of the steward. "is that you, pink mulgrum?" demanded dave. "i give you the whole state of alabama, but i thought we done rid of you long ago. who's there?" "don't you know me, dave?" asked christy, speaking out plainly so that the steward might recognize his voice. "maggywogs! that sounds like massa christy's voice; but i done seen him on deck five or ten minutes ago." "no, you didn't, dave; that was corny," replied christy. "gollywops! but he was in command of the bronx, for i done seen mr. flint hand it over to him. go 'way! you can't fool this colored person." "i tell you the truth, dave; but things are mixed," added christy. "i believe you; they be mixed if you be the captain when i done seen him on deck just now." "sit down on the floor, dave, and i will tell you all about it," continued christy, though the difficulty of convincing the steward was not unexpected. "let me see your face before you told me anything," persisted dave, as he pulled out one end of the trunk, and dropped upon his knees where he could see under the berth. christy crawled to the front of the berth, and thrust his head out into the stateroom in as natural a position as he could place it. "wollywogs! you look like massa christy, for sure," exclaimed dave, as he gave himself up to a study of the face presented to him. "but the captain looks like massa christy too." "you have never seen my cousin corny, i believe, dave; but he looks like me. now sit down, and i will tell you all about it." "i never saw massa corny; but i done hear enough about him when i was at bonnydale. show me your knife and your watch, massa christy." he complied with the request, as he saw that it was a very simple means of identification, for the steward had some skill as a mechanic, and he had frequently sharpened the knife, and knew the repeater of the lieutenant from having seen it so often, for it was a very peculiar watch. dave's last doubt vanished when these articles were produced. "but the other massa passford looks just like you," added dave. "if you saw us together you would not mistake him for me," replied christy, as he proceeded to explain the situation to the steward, upon whom he depended for very important assistance. he related the incidents which had occurred at bonnydale, the loss of his commission and orders, and the decision of captain battleton against him, concluding with the statement that he was then a prisoner of war, but had made his escape from the place where he had been required to remain. "a prisoner of war!" exclaimed the steward. "the commander of the ship a prisoner!" "that is exactly the situation, dave. can you tell me what they are doing on deck?" asked christy, who began to feel more hopeful of the future. "the bronx is taking in provisions, stores, and ammunition. they say the captain has his orders, but i don't know about that." "can you tell me what position mr. flint has on board?" "he's just what he was before, when you was on board; he is the second lieutenant, and we have a new man for first, i believe they call him gallivan," replied dave, who was intelligent enough to comprehend what he saw on deck. "his name is galvinne, and he was second lieutenant of the vernon; but he is a confederate. i think he is to be the real commander of the bronx if they succeed in getting her into pensacola," added christy. "into pensacola!" exclaimed the steward, aghast at the remark. "of course my cousin corny intends to hand the vessel over to the confederate government." "gollywompus! my old master will get me back then!" groaned dave, who had been very happy in his new service and at bonnydale where he had spent considerable of his time while christy was waiting for the fitting out of the bronx. "i think i had better get on board of the flag-ship right off." "don't do it, dave, for i hope to save the vessel to the union, and you can render me the most important service in this matter," added christy. "then i stay for sure; i don't go back on you, massa christy," protested the steward warmly. "thank you, dave." "there ain't no hole in this millstone for me," continued dave, suddenly becoming very thoughtful. "i don't see how massa corny can run away with the steamer when she has her officers and crew on board." "i have just told you that the first lieutenant is a confederate officer; and i have not yet learned who is the third lieutenant. among the crew i know there are at least four men, and there may be twenty of them, who are to take part in this plot. the loyal men will not be likely to interfere with the officers unless they have a leader. the fact that the bronx is headed into a confederate port would not create a rebellion on board unless they were informed of the actual situation. by the time the union men found out the plot, it would be too late for them to do anything, for the vessel would be under the guns of the forts." "but what are we going to do, massa christy?" asked the steward, dazzled by the situation. "we must recapture the vessel before she gets into port; and what i want most now is to see mr. flint. you must fix the matter in some way, dave, so that i can see him. now go on deck, and ascertain what is going on there. if you get a chance, speak to mr. flint; but be extremely careful." "you can trust dave, massa christy," replied the steward, as the officer drew back into his hiding-place. dave arranged the trunk and other articles to the best advantage for the concealment of the lieutenant, and then left the stateroom. christy, as soon as he had become acquainted with the situation, had arranged his plan of action, and the new officers of the bronx were likely to encounter a mutiny, either to inaugurate or end their sway. in less than half an hour, the steward returned to the stateroom with the information that he had spoken to the second lieutenant, and informed him that the real commander of the bronx was concealed under the berth in the captain's stateroom. "mr. flint has not had his breakfast yet, and he will come below for it very soon," added dave. "he was just coming down for it when he got the signal to come alongside the flag-ship." "did mr. flint say anything?" asked christy. "not a word, sir; only said he would be down to his breakfast in a few minutes." the lieutenant took out his memorandum book, and looked at the names of the men he had spotted as disloyal, rockton and warton, to which he had added two others, nichols and swayne, after he had observed that they were very intimate with the two whose names he had learned from their own mouths. [illustration: dave identifies christy.--page .] "now, dave, i have another commission for you to execute," continued christy, as he tore out the leaf on which he had written the names. "not less than twenty-five of the crew of the bronx came from new york in the vernon. one of them is ralph pennant, and he is an intelligent man, and one that can be trusted. you will see him. tell him the commander is an impostor. do you know what an impostor is, dave?" "i reckon i do, sir; your cousin corny is an impostor," replied the steward promptly. "you will find this man, and give him this paper. the names on it are those of disloyal men. tell him to look out for them, and find out as far as he can who are true to the union." christy had hardly finished his instructions to the steward before he heard footsteps in the cabin. dave looked into the apartment and discovered mr. flint, who went into the stateroom at once. chapter xii a lesson in ordinary politeness though the second lieutenant of the bronx had not been to breakfast, it was not his stomach that made the first demand upon him. he directed the steward to remain in the gangway and apprise him of the coming of any person in the direction of the cabin and ward room. dave took his station on the steps. mr. flint entered the stateroom, and the first thing he did was to drop down on his knees and thrust his right hand into the space under the berth. it was instantly grasped by christy, and given a warm pressure. "is it really you, captain passford?" asked the second lieutenant. "no doubt of it," replied christy. "i thought you were somewhat changed in your looks when i saw you come on board of the bronx, and then i felt that the greeting you gave me was rather stiff for an old comrade who had passed some time with you in a confederate prison," added mr. flint. "we have no time to talk sentiment now. it is necessary for you to understand the situation better than you do," interposed christy; and he proceeded to explain in what manner his cousin corny happened to be in command of the bronx, while he was himself nominally a prisoner of war. "your absence from the between decks of the vernon has been discovered, and captain battleton has caused the strictest search to be made for you on board of all three of the ships. the last i saw of him he was evidently talking with the flag-officer about you, as i judged from his looks and gestures," replied the second lieutenant. "he has not found me yet; and i think that the stateroom of the commander of the bronx is the last place he will think of looking for me. but i have no time to talk of merely selfish matters, for i am not at all worried about my personal safety while we are within union lines. if this plot succeeds, and the conspirators get the ship into a confederate port, i shall feel differently about this matter. has any third lieutenant been appointed, mr. flint?" "there has, captain; he is a young man by the name of byron; but i did not learn his rank." "byron!" exclaimed christy, recalling walsh, and the name he had insisted was his own when he first encountered him on board of the vernon. "he may have a rank in the confederate navy, but he has none in that of the union. in other words, he is a confederate officer or seaman, and he is the man who helped corny steal my commission and orders." "we have a nest of them in the cabin--the captain and two officers. what is to be done? we cannot allow the bronx to be captured by any such trick as this, with forty-five loyal seamen on board of her, to say nothing of myself as a loyal officer." "all the crew are not loyal," replied christy, as he explained the instructions he had given to the steward. "but most of the crew must be loyal, for twenty of the old seamen remain on board, and every one of them is as true as steel," mr. flint insisted. "but the conspirators do not intend that any issue shall be raised until the vessel is under the guns of a confederate fort. doubtless mr. galvinne, whom i look upon as the actual commander of the steamer, for corny is no sailor, will run into pensacola bay under the american flag. probably he is a pilot in these waters, and knows what signal to make to the confederate forts." "i don't believe he would attempt to run in while it is broad daylight," suggested mr. flint. "captain corny already has his sailing orders. they are sealed, but he is to proceed to the eastward. i should say that he would obey orders, and when it is time for him to break the seals this evening, he will come about, hug the shore of st. rosa's till he comes to the entrance of the bay, when he will go in." "if he does that, so much the better, for we shall have more time to prepare for a decided stroke," replied christy. "i have my plan all ready, though of course it may fail, and to-night we may all be prisoners of war." "but don't you believe it will be better to appeal to the flag-officer?" asked the second lieutenant. "what good will that do?" demanded christy. "my cousin has made out his case before the captain of the vernon." "but you had no witnesses then. you have twenty or thirty of them now. i know you, and so do all the members of the old crew." "but it appears that you promptly accepted your commander in the person of my cousin," said christy, laughing in spite of the gravity of the situation. "if i had seen you and corny together, i should have known which was which," pleaded mr. flint. "do you think if i should present myself on deck at this moment, wearing the frock and shirt of a common seaman, the men would identify me alongside corny, who wears the uniform of an officer?" "i am not so sure of that." "i don't see how the commodore could go behind the commission which corny carries in his pocket, with the orders of the department, any more than captain battleton could. i have thought of this, and i am afraid to trust myself to the chance," replied christy very decidedly. "besides, i desire to take the conspirators in the very act of running away with the bronx; then i can make out a good case." "but how is this desirable end to be accomplished?" inquired the second lieutenant, who seemed to be troubled with some doubts. "very easily, i think." "but you must not be rash, captain." "will it be the highest prudence to permit the conspirators to take the bronx into a confederate port, pensacola, or any other?" demanded christy with more earnestness than he had yet manifested. "we may not be able to help ourselves." "by taking the bull by the horns in good season, i am confident we can prevent this mischief." without discussing this matter any farther, christy detailed his plan to mr. flint, which was certainly very simple, and the second lieutenant could raise no objection to it. he was requested to select the men who were to take part in the enterprise, and all the particulars were definitely arranged. there was nothing more to be done, and christy was left to himself to consider what he had done. the hungry officer helped himself hastily from the table which was waiting for him in the ward room, and then hastened on deck. the transfer of cargo, so far as the bronx was concerned, was completed. it appeared that the flag-officer was hurrying the departure of the steamer on her mission, whatever it was. he had just had a long talk with corny, and doubtless there was danger that the object of the cruise might be defeated by delay. in a short time the bronx was under way, headed to the eastward, in accordance with her verbal orders, for the sealed envelope was not to be opened till nine o'clock in the evening, as christy learned from mr. flint. the deck was in charge of the second lieutenant, who was seeing that everything was put in order. but it might have been observed that he was more familiar with the men than was his habit. for the first time since he came on board, corny went below to take a look at his quarters, dave bearing his valise before him. at the same time mr. galvinne presented himself in the ward room to take possession of the stateroom of the first lieutenant, which was the farthest forward on the starboard side. it had been christy's room during his service in the gulf, though he had made himself at home in the captain's cabin when he was acting commander on the voyage from new york. "this is my cabin, is it?" said corny, as he followed the steward into the apartment. "i think you ought to know it by this time, captain passford," answered dave; and the remark was enough to condemn the impostor in the opinion of the servant. "you lived in here when you were in command of the vessel." "all right. you may go into the ward room and ask mr. galvinne to come in here," added corny, who did not feel quite at home in the cabin, and was in mortal terror of committing some indiscretion in his unaccustomed position. "invite the first lieutenant to the captain's cabin," said dave. "yes, sir;" and the steward left the cabin. it was some little time before mr. galvinne presented himself, for probably he did not feel bound to obey the orders of the bogus captain with especial promptness. however, he came after a quarter of an hour, and seated himself familiarly in an arm-chair at the table. he had the bearing of the superior officer, to which corny made no objection. "we are all right so far," said corny. "perhaps we are; but you talk too much by half, passford, and i have been dreading that you would make a slip of some kind," replied mr. galvinne rather crustily. "you were as stupid as a kentucky mule when you stopped to talk with byron in the waist." "and you were as stupid as an alabama mule when you snapped at me for doing so in the presence of some of the sailors," replied corny, with considerable spirit; and christy, who heard all that was said, was glad to have him maintain the dignity of the family in his new situation. "i hope you will not make a donkey of yourself before we have finished this business," added the executive officer for the time being. "now have you looked at your orders?" "i have not; they are sealed orders, and i am not to open them till nine o'clock this evening," replied corny. "i believe you have lost all the wits you ever had, passford," said mr. galvinne contemptuously. "if i did, you did not pick them up." "i am not going to banter with you, passford. where are your orders?" demanded the first lieutenant in a tyrannical manner. "they are in my pocket," replied corny sourly. "hand them over to me, and let us have no more fooling." "i will take care of the orders myself." "what! are you not going to give them to me?" demanded mr. galvinne, apparently as much in astonishment as in anger. "not till you change your tone. i wish you to understand that i am in command of this ship, and i have my commission in my pocket. i intend to be treated with decency at least." "well, this is pleasant; and it will be my duty to report your conduct to my superior officer. in command of this ship! why, you don't know enough to lay off the course of the ship, or even to box the compass." "i know enough to understand when i am treated like a gentleman. change your manners, or i will order you to leave my cabin. you talk to me as though i were a small boy, and had nothing to do with the enterprise in which we are engaged," returned corny. "do you expect me to obey your orders?" demanded the executive officer in a sneering tone. "if you don't, i will send for the second lieutenant and a file of men to put you out of my cabin." there was a silence for a few moments. "this will never do, passford," said the tyrannical officer. "i don't think it will, galvinne. behave like a gentleman, and we shall have no difficulty," added corny. "will you permit me to see your orders, mr. passford?" said the officer. the breach was closed, and corny produced the sealed envelope. chapter xiii the opening of the secret orders christy listened with interest to the conversation in the captain's cabin, though so far it had afforded him no information in regard to the present situation, and it was hardly likely to do so, for he had already been told by mr. flint what the next movement of the bronx was to be. she had already been ordered to proceed to the eastward, and her sealed instructions would reveal the enterprise in which she was to engage. the steamer had been so successful while in command of captain blowitt in breaking up the shipping of cotton in a port where a larger vessel could not operate, that christy promptly concluded that she was to be used in a similar enterprise. the listener was amused rather than impressed by the conversation which was in progress so near him, and especially at the display of dignity and authority on the part of his cousin. mr. galvinne had proved himself to be a very gentlemanly officer in what little christy had seen of him on the voyage from new york; but the situation was entirely changed so far as he was concerned. it appeared from the conversation, as the listener had for some time supposed, that the second lieutenant of the vernon was the real leader of the enterprise of which corny was the nominal head. probably the restraint of over a week imposed upon him had fretted his spirit, and when he found himself alone with his incompetent superior, he became conscious of the superiority his knowledge and training gave him. christy rather sympathized with him in his contempt for the one who was only nominally his superior, though that could not excuse the breach of good manners of which he had been guilty, whether in the old or the new navy. he felt that mr. galvinne was a man of ability, and that he was the only person whom he had to fear in carrying out his plan for the recovery of the vessel. "i am not a naval officer, though i have given a good deal of attention to the study of nautical subjects in connection with this enterprise, and i am not a cipher," continued corny, after he had handed the sealed envelope to his companion. "i expect to be treated with reasonable consideration, even while i defer to you in all nautical matters. let us understand each other." "i acknowledge that i was altogether too brusque with you, mr. passford, and i beg your pardon for my rudeness," said mr. galvinne. "i am entirely satisfied, mr. galvinne; and here is my hand," added corny, who doubtless felt that he had fully vindicated himself. "i have been living on a hot gridiron for the last ten days, and in the first moments of freedom i overstepped the limits of propriety. i hope we understand each other now, for we are engaged in an important enterprise, and we cannot afford to be at variance," replied the naval officer. "our work is yet unfinished, though it has progressed admirably so far. have i your permission to open this sealed envelope?" "certainly, mr. galvinne; i had heard so much about sealed orders in the instructions given me for this undertaking, that i was under the impression that they were not to be seen till the time marked on the envelope." "it is not necessary to obey the orders of the yankee flag-officer under present circumstances," answered mr. galvinne in a chuckling tone, as it sounded to the listener. the naval officer read the orders aloud for the benefit of his associate. the flag-officer had obtained information that a steamer was loading with cotton at st. andrew's bay, and captain passford was instructed to visit that locality and capture the vessel, and any others that might be found there. "why was it necessary to give secret orders for such an expedition as this?" asked corny. "it was wise on the part of the yankee commodore to make his orders secret; for information might have been sent by telegraph or otherwise to st. andrew's, which would have enabled our people to get the steamer mentioned out of the way, or to prepare a successful resistance to the gunboat sent to capture it," mr. galvinne explained in the tone of one who enlightens an ignorant person. "i see; that is plain enough," added corny. "how far is it to st. andrew's?" "if i remember rightly it is eighty-three sea miles from the entrance to pensacola bay. but you do not run away with the idea that it is necessary for you, as the present commander of the bronx, to visit this place?" asked the naval officer. "of course we are not bound to obey the orders of the union flag-officer," added corny. "but now you know the situation thoroughly, mr. galvinne, and i suppose you are ready to arrange your plans for the future." "there is not much planning to be done; all we have to do is to run into pensacola when we are ready to do so," replied the naval officer. "do you think it advisable to do so at once?" asked corny; and his motive seemed to be simple curiosity, for he was not competent to give advice on a naval question, though he was in nominal command of the steamer. "certainly not; for as soon as it was seen on board of the flag-ship that the commander of the bronx was disobeying his orders, we should be chased by the two ships on the station and fired upon." "how shall you manage it?" "we shall be well out of sight of the flag-ship by dark, or sooner, and then we can come about, and keeping closely under the lee of the land, we shall reach the entrance of the bay before morning; and then all we have to do is to run in." "but the flag-ship will make out the steamer," suggested corny. "we shall be too far in for her to do us any harm, for the water has not less than four fathoms anywhere along the shore of st. rosa's island." "but she will signal the fort to fire upon us." "they can't make us out soon enough to do us any harm, or not much, at any rate," replied mr. galvinne confidently. "i hope it will all come out right, but i have some fears," added the impostor. "you need not have. you have played your part remarkably well, mr. passford, and it was an excellent idea on the part of major pierson, who suggested this plan of putting you in the place of your cousin. he had seen you and your relative together, i believe?" "he had, for we were both prisoners of war after our unsuccessful attempt to capture the bellevite, on the hudson." "i have heard about that; and i know that your cousin christopher is no chicken." "he is what the yankees call smart, and i know he is all that," added corny. "what do you suppose has become of him? when captain battleton sent for him in order to let the commodore see us both together, he could not be found. as you know, all three vessels were very thoroughly searched without any success." "there are a great many hiding-places on board of any vessel, and i am very clear in my own mind as to what became of him. of course, the flag-officer, seeing both of you together, would have been as much perplexed as the captain was, and he would have been compelled to accept the evidence of the commission and the orders in your possession." "but christy would have found plenty of witnesses here: the second lieutenant and the seamen on board of the bronx, for example." "the evidence might have perplexed him; if he had done anything, he would have been more likely to retain both of you on board of the flag-ship, and appointed a new officer in command of the bronx, rather than go back of the evidence of the commission," argued mr. galvinne. "but christy has disappeared all the same; and where do you suppose he is?" "i have no doubt he is concealed on board of the vernon, with the intention of returning to new york, where he has plenty of influential friends to fight his battle for him. but i must go on deck, or something may go wrong in my absence." christy heard the footsteps of the late second lieutenant of the vernon as he left the cabin. he had listened to the details of the plan formed by the naval officer, and it agreed with the prediction of mr. flint. while he was thinking of what he had just learned, he heard the step of corny--for it could not be that of any other person so soon--coming into the stateroom; then he saw his feet from behind his barricade of bags and baggage. he had not expected his cousin to make any full examination of the room to be occupied by the commander of the gunboat, for his stay on board would be short, and he could not feel any great interest in the room. his curiosity might lead him to make a closer examination of the interior of the apartment than would be agreeable to his cousin. he felt that he was in danger of being discovered in his hiding-place; but he instantly made up his mind as to what he would do in the event of such an accident. he had hoped to be spared from any personal conflict with his cousin, and he had made his plan so as to avoid any such disagreeable necessity. but if corny carried his investigations too far for his safety, and especially for the success of his enterprise, he decided that the ties of blood should not prevent him from doing his whole duty as he understood it. he was therefore prepared to muzzle the intruder, and confine his hands behind him with a strap he had taken from his valise. happily corny did nothing more than look under the berth while still standing in the space in front of it, and in this position he could not see the fugitive. the impostor wandered about the cabin for a time, and then christy heard his footsteps on the stairs as he ascended to the deck. he had hardly left the cabin before the steward entered the stateroom, and reported that he had seen ralph pennant, and that he had told him all he knew about the loyalty and the disloyalty of the new hands in the crew. ralph reported that he had "spotted" the four seamen whose names had been given him before the vernon reached the station. "what does he say in regard to me?" asked christy. "he said he believed you were bony fido commander of the bronx, and he is ready to obey your orders. mr. flint had a talk with him while the first lieutenant was below; he talked to boxie, and three more of the men, and he did it mighty sly, too, for the third lieutenant was on the deck all the time. there's eight bells, massa christy, and the second lieutenant will have the deck." "i did not think it was so late; but that reminds me that i have eaten nothing since my breakfast was brought to me early this morning," said christy. "i hope to drink up every drop of water in the alabama river if i did not forget all about that! gollywomps! dave is getting stupid," exclaimed the steward, springing to his feet. "i can't bring you a regular dinner, massa christy, but i will do the best i can." "never mind the regular dinner; but bring me something to eat, if it is only some crackers and cheese," added christy; and the steward hastened to his pantry. he soon returned with a huge slice of ham and some cold biscuits. the hungry fugitive, who had not left his appetite at home, immediately attacked the provision as though it had been an enemy of the union, and stood by it till he had devoured the whole of it; and it proved to be just a pattern for his empty stomach, and he declined dave's offer to bring him another. he had hardly finished it before mr. flint paid him another visit, and reported everything ready for the recapture of the steamer. chapter xiv the affray on the quarter-deck of the bronx christy was satisfied that all was going well in regard to the capture of the bronx, and he went to sleep after he had disposed of his dinner, and arranged the final details of the enterprise with the second lieutenant. mr. flint was somewhat impatient to carry out his plan; but christy insisted that nothing should be done till the orders of the flag-officer had been actually disobeyed. it was decided that coming about, and heading the bronx to the westward would constitute disobedience. when christy awoke it was dark, or at least dusky, as far as he could judge in his concealment. he heard the rattle of dishes, knives and forks in the cabin, and he understood that the captain was taking his dinner. a conversation was in progress, and christy concluded from the voices he heard that corny had invited his first lieutenant to dine with him. "i think we shall be in pensacola bay by daylight," said mr. galvinne; "and we have just the right kind of weather for our enterprise. it is cloudy, and it looks as though we might have a fog, for they often come up after dark when the wind is as it is now." "what time shall you come about?" asked corny, apparently from curiosity rather than any especial interest in the navigation of the steamer. "about nine o'clock; perhaps sooner. byron will have the deck from eight bells for the first watch; i hope and expect flint will turn in at that time, for he will have the mid-watch. it might be a little awkward if he happens to be on deck when we change our course from east to west." christy did not believe that the second lieutenant would turn in at the time indicated, though he might make a pretence of doing so, and shut himself up in his stateroom. mr. galvinne proceeded to say that he should have rockton and warton ready to make mr. flint a prisoner in case he became too inquisitive. nichols and sayles would be available near the quarter-deck in case any demonstration was made by any portion of the crew. "but there will be no trouble of any kind," added the first lieutenant. "we are not carrying sail, and i shall quietly give the word to the quartermaster to make the course west instead of east. flint is the only man on board who is at all likely to question the regularity of the proceedings on board; and i do not see how he can do it, for he knows nothing at all about the orders under which we are sailing. in fact, we shall be on the other tack before the time comes to open the sealed envelope." "i hope it will all come out right," added corny. "you may depend upon it that we shall be under the guns of fort barrancas, or farther up the bay, before daylight," replied the actual commander. "what am i to do, mr. galvinne?" asked corny. "nothing at all; you can turn in as soon as you like and sleep through the whole, for there will be nothing at all to disturb you. as i said, flint is the only person on board who is likely to make the least trouble, and he will be asleep in his berth. if he asks hard questions when he comes on deck at eight bells for the mid-watch, our men will secure him. that is the whole of it. i must go on deck now, for i can smell the fog." "how are you going to get to the entrance of the bay in a fog?" inquired corny. "if we keep her due west we shall be all right; and i know this coast as well as i do my father's plantation," replied mr. galvinne; and christy heard him open the door. "i think i shall go on deck and see the fun, if there is any, and turn in if there is none," added christy. the dishes rattled for a moment, and then the fugitive heard the step and the voice of dave in the stateroom. "i done bring you something more to eat, massa christy," said the steward, who appeared to have suffered some lapse in his grammar and pronunciation during the absence at the north of his instructor; and as he spoke he handed in a piece of pie and a large slice of cake. christy was not very hungry after his late dinner, but he ate the dainties brought to him, and found that the cook of the bronx had lost none of his skill. he might not have an opportunity to eat again very soon, for he did not lose sight of the fact that failure was possible, and he might soon be an occupant of a confederate prison with flint, as he had been once before. dave busied himself in clearing the cabin table, and christy impatiently waited the time for the decided action which had been planned. about half an hour later, when he realized from the condition of the stateroom that it was quite dark, the sounds coming to him assured him that the course of the bronx had been changed as indicated by mr. galvinne. no noise or confusion on deck followed it, and the naval officer's prediction seemed to be in a fair way to be realized. another half hour elapsed, and except the monotonous plaint of the screw, no sound was to be heard. a footstep came from the cabin, where dave was at work, or appeared to be, for he had been stationed there for his part of the programme which was presently to be carried out. "steward, light the lamp in my stateroom," said corny; and christy was glad to find that he intended to retire for the night, for he had no duties to perform unless there was a disturbance on the quarter-deck. the lamp on gimbols was lighted, and corny took possession of the room, and had not a suspicion that he was not its only occupant. he lay down in his berth after he had removed his coat and shoes, and in a few minutes christy judged that he was asleep from the sound of his breathing, which soon degenerated into a mild snore. mr. flint was to make a beginning in the project, or, as dave called it, "open the ball." in less than another half hour, christy heard a knock on the cabin door, which was the signal from the second lieutenant that it was time to begin operations. he crawled to the front of the space beneath the berth at the sound, and at the same moment dave came in at the door of the stateroom, which had been left open. the steward lost no time in acting his part, the first step of which was to jam a handkerchief into the half-open mouth of corny passford; but he had been counselled to use no more force than was necessary to subdue him. dave then turned him over on his back in spite of his aimless struggles, for, as he was roused from his sound slumber, he was too much bewildered to accomplish anything like an effective resistance. the strap which christy had provided for the purpose was used in fastening his hands behind him, and so far as corny was concerned, the battle was fought and the victory won. christy had crawled out of his narrow quarters under the berth as soon as dave began to operate on the sleeper above him, and he stood ready to assist the steward if his services were required; but there was hardly anything like a struggle, for corny had been so completely surprised that he was incapable of doing anything in self-defence. with his hands strapped behind him, and with the gag still in his mouth, he was permitted to remain in the berth under the guard of dave. not a particle of noise had been made in the stateroom; at least, none that could be heard on the deck above. christy hastened from the little apartment through the cabin to the gangway, where he found mr. flint at the head of the stairs prepared to execute the part of the work assigned to him, which was to fall upon mr. galvinne; but he did not appear to be in a favorable position for the attack. "what are you waiting for, mr. flint?" asked christy in a whisper, as he joined the second lieutenant. "he has gone into the waist," replied the officer in waiting. "he will be back in a moment." christy had looked into the ward room as he passed the door, for the captain's cabin was not provided with a separate companion-way, as is usual on men-of-war, for the space could not be spared in so small a vessel. all was still there, but two men stood near the door waiting for the signal to rush to the deck. "what are those men doing aft, mr. byron?" demanded the first lieutenant, with some excitement in his manner. "they were very nearly on the quarter-deck, and they seemed to be very reluctant to go forward." "i am sure i don't know, mr. galvinne; i did not order them there," replied the third lieutenant, who was in charge of the deck. "i suppose they have seen that the course of the ship has been changed, and i thought they might have come aft to ask some questions, though the men ought to be better trained than that," added mr. galvinne, as he came quite near the companion-way where the second lieutenant was waiting for him, with christy behind him, and ready to support him. mr. flint sprang upon the quarter-deck and threw himself upon mr. galvinne, closely followed by christy. at the same time, and as soon as the gangway was clear, the two men who had been stationed in the ward room leaped upon the deck, and threw themselves upon the third lieutenant. at the same moment, the six men who had been lurking in the waist, and who had attracted the attention of the executive officer, hastened to the scene of the conflict. rockton, who had been made a quartermaster, and the helmsman, warton, went to the assistance of the first and third lieutenants. neither of the two disloyal officers of the bronx was an infant, and each struggled like a brave man against the force that attacked them. mr. flint had fallen upon mr. galvinne from behind, and had thrown him down at the first onslaught. he fought like a tiger, but with the aid of christy and two of the men from the waist, he was subdued, and christy had a strap ready to confine his hands behind him. then he was drawn over to the rail and made fast to a belaying pin. byron was not less energetic than his superior in his own defence, but the two stout sailors who had been selected to capture him were more than doubly a match for him, and he was carefully secured. at the same time there was a free fight between rockton and warton on the one side, and the sailors who had come aft, but the disloyal tars were conquered in the end. the prisoners were all bound and made fast to the rail. the entire watch had come aft while the battle was in progress, and those who had been instructed in the situation and had taken part in the recovery of the ship explained to their loyal companions the meaning of the affair which had just been brought to a conclusion. involuntarily they gave three tremendous cheers, and then three more for the genuine commander. not a few of them who had served with christy in the gulf declared they had not believed that the person who was the nominal captain was their old first lieutenant; they knew that something was wrong, they said, though they could not tell what. perhaps they found the captain less active than formerly, and considered him somewhat changed after his visit to the north; but doubtless they were as much blinded by the resemblance as others had been. "mr. flint, i appoint you acting first lieutenant of the bronx," said christy, as soon as the affray was over. "you will restore order on board." the new executive officer sent the men forward, called out one of the old quartermasters to con the wheel, and placed a loyal seaman under his charge as helmsman. order was almost instantly restored under his direction, and the men had enough to talk about to last them the entire night. mr. flint had his doubts in regard to the security of the prisoners; their bonds of straps and rope were removed, and their places supplied by iron handcuffs. chapter xv a rebellious and prejudiced prisoner "well, mr. flint, we have been more successful than i feared we might be," said christy, after the prisoners except corny had been put in irons, though they consisted of only five officers and seamen. "as usual, you are the hero of the adventure," replied the new first lieutenant, laughing. "but i must say it was the stupidest enterprise in which rational men ever engaged." "i decline to be regarded as the hero of the adventure, as you call it; and it was not so stupid as you suggest," replied christy, with the greatest good-nature. "perhaps you builded better than you knew; but if you had not escaped from the vernon, and managed the whole affair, it would have been a success," added mr. flint. "then the scheme cannot be considered so stupid as you represent it." "but it had not one chance in ten of success. your cousin looks more like you than he did the last time i saw him." "he fixed himself up to pass for me, and that helped his case very greatly. he put on a uniform like mine, such a one as you have never seen him wear." "he did not look quite natural to me; but i could not make out what made the change in his looks," continued mr. flint. "you can see for yourself, that the plot would have been a success if you had not been on board of the bronx to tell me what had happened. whatever passed between the flag-officer and captain battleton, nothing at all was said among the officers about the decision the commander of the vernon had been obliged to make when he accepted your cousin as the genuine christopher passford, ordered to the command of the bronx. while i thought you were somewhat altered in appearance, and that your greeting to me was rather cold and formal when you came on board, i did not suspect that the officer who represented you was an impostor." "do you think you should have let these conspirators run into pensacola bay without meddling with the matter?" asked christy. "i am sure i should, for i could not have helped myself. the captain had his orders, to be opened about this time; and i should have supposed you were going into the bay to shell out fort barrancas." "you could hardly have supposed that a little gunboat like the bronx was sent all alone on such a mission." "i obey my orders without question, and i should not have suspected anything was out of the way. i was rather cut up when i found that galvinne had been appointed executive officer; and that, with the cold greeting you gave me, led me to ask in what manner i had lost your good opinion." "of course corny asked for his appointment, for mr. galvinne was the real leader of the enterprise. i think you and some of the rest of us have narrowly escaped a confederate prison." "that is plain enough; and we only escaped it because you took it into your head to leave the vernon at the time you left her. i think the bronx would have gone into pensacola bay without the least trouble, for i have no doubt galvinne knew just what signals to make to fort mcrae, and just as well what ones to make to fort pickens. the ship would have been there by midnight, and up to that time i should have been asleep in my stateroom; and they would not have taken the trouble to call the watch below at that hour." "no matter; we have the bronx again, and she is not yet to become a confederate cruiser. but corny had the sealed orders of the flag-officer, and i heard mr. galvinne read them. the bronx is ordered to st. andrew's to attend to the case of a steamer loading there to run the blockade. shall i obey the orders, or return to the flag-ship?" "the commodore hurried us off, for he feared any delay might allow the steamer to escape." "we have five prisoners on board; and we can take care of them well enough," replied christy; "but the principal difficulty is that we have no officers." "but we have plenty of good men, and some of them will make good officers," suggested the first lieutenant. "we have no surgeon, i believe, for dr. spokeley is sick, and was to be sent home before i left in the vixen for new york," added the commander, now restored to his own right on board. "oh, yes; we have a surgeon, for dr. spokeley is to go to new york in the vernon, and the doctor of the store-ship is appointed to the bronx." "dr. connelly!" exclaimed christy. "just so; and i dare say he is asleep in his stateroom at this moment." "then we had better obey the sealed orders of the flag-officer; we will come about, and head her for st. andrew's. fortunately i have been there myself in the bellevite, and i have been up the harbor and bay in boats, for the yacht, as she was at the time, drew too much water to go into the bay, for it is shoal inside. come about, mr. flint, and make the course due east." "i hope we shall do as well as we did at cedar keys," replied the first lieutenant, when he had given the order to come about to the quartermaster. "look up the log slate, for i suppose they have made the entries, and when we have run eighty knots from the station, keep a sharp lookout for the land. now i will go to my cabin, and find the envelope that contains the orders, and look them over." christy went below, and found dave in the stateroom, apparently unwilling to take his eyes off the prisoner who still lay in the berth. he went to the table in the cabin, and found upon it the sheet upon which the orders had been written. they were of no use to galvinne, and he had thrown them down as soon as he had read them. he sat down at the table and read the paper; but the order was very simple, and left all the details to the discretion of the commander, for it was understood that captain passford was well acquainted with the coast as far as st. mark's. christy was still clothed in the frock and cap of a common sailor, and he realized that it was time for him to put on his uniform. he went to the quarters of the men where he had concealed his valise, and carried it back to the cabin, where he proceeded to make the change. in a short time he had put himself in proper condition to take his place on the quarter-deck in command when his presence was required. he had nothing to do at present, and he concluded to write his report of the remarkable proceedings on board since the bronx left the station. he wanted his desk, and he went to the stateroom. "well, dave, how is your prisoner?" he asked, halting at the door. "i got him safe, massa cap'n," replied the steward, exhibiting most of the teeth in his mouth, for he was pleased with himself after he had executed the commission assigned to him, and did not feel as much like a contraband as he might. "i am in command, dave, and there must be no more 'massa' now," added christy. "i done forget all about my talk, captain passford," replied dave. "that is bad grammar," said the commander, laughing, for he was in an exceedingly pleasant humor, as may well be supposed. "you know what is right, and you must not talk like a contraband." "i won't do so any more, captain passford," protested the steward, showing his ivory, though he was not a very black man, and the contrast was not as great as in many instances. "how do you find yourself, corny?" asked the captain, turning to the berth. "i am all right, corny; but i should like to have you or some one tell me what has been going on in this steamer, for this black rascal will not say a word to me," replied the prisoner. "i don't blame him, if you call him a black rascal," added christy. "but you need not call me by your own name any longer, cousin, for it will not help your case any more. your game is played out, and you have been beaten with your own weapons. when you want to play another yankee trick, you had better remember that you are not a yankee, and you are not skilled in the art of doing it." "what do you mean by that, corny?" asked the prisoner, disregarding the advice of his cousin. "corny again!" exclaimed the captain. "i am the commander of this steamer, and i have been assaulted in my berth!" replied the sufferer, warming up a little. "whew! then you are still the commander of the bronx?" repeated christy, laughing at his cousin's persistence. "you know that i am. wasn't the commission decided to be mine?" "but we have concluded to reverse the decision of the commander of the vernon, and submit the case to the flag-officer for final adjustment. in the mean time, i have taken possession of the steamer, and put all your confederates in irons. for the present, at least, i am in command of the bronx, and i want my stateroom. with dave's assistance, i must ask you to turn out of that berth." "i decline to give up my stateroom, or my command of the steamer," replied corny in a sulky manner. "i should like to know how you happen to be on board of the bronx, corny." "did you believe that i intended to let you take possession of this steamer, and run her into a confederate port, corny? my name is passford as well as yours, and i am not a traitor, and don't believe i am a coward. at a time which suited my convenience, i left the vernon and came on board of the bronx." "where did you hide, for the vessel has been searched in every part of her for you?" "i have been under the berth in this stateroom, a hiding-place which was suggested to me by one of your people who used it as such, and was caught, as i was not." "no one thought you would hide in the captain's cabin." "that is the very reason why i chose this place. i have had the pleasure of listening to all your conversations with mr. galvinne, and i knew your plans from beginning to end." "you have been under this berth since the steamer left the flag-ship!" exclaimed corny, apparently amazed at the fact. "i have; but i have no more time to enlighten you. i can only say that with the assistance of the only loyal officer left on board, and the loyal seamen, i have recaptured the vessel, and now we are on our way to st. andrew's to obey the orders which the flag-officer delivered to you when you were a rebel in disguise. now dave will help you out of the berth." "no, he won't! if i was to be captured at all, corny, you insulted me when you set a nigger to do the job," said the prisoner angrily. "you are playing a farce now, cousin; but i cannot stay to fool with you. take him out of the berth, dave." "will you set a nigger upon me again, christy?" using the commander's proper name for the first time. "if you will get out of the berth yourself, i will allow you to do so," added christy. "i will," replied the prisoner. he made the attempt to do so, but he would have fallen to the floor, with his hands fastened behind him, if christy and dave had not received him in their arms. the steward hugged him like a brother, perhaps maliciously, and carried him to a divan in the cabin. corny had apparently abandoned his cause, and his cousin gave him a berth in the ward room for the rest of the night. chapter xvi the disposal of the prisoners before christy could begin his report he was called to the deck by the first lieutenant, though everything had appeared to be quiet and orderly there. ralph pennant had been at work among the crew, and was unable to discover that any of the men were disloyal; but the commander had better information obtained by his own investigations. ralph was in consultation with mr. flint when christy went on deck. "i think the men are all right, and, so far as i can ascertain, not a man is a rebel," said ralph in answer to a question of the executive officer. "you have the names of the four men that i sent to you by the steward, have you not?" asked christy. "i have, captain; rockton and warton took part with mr. galvinne, but sayles and nichols did nothing, and they seem to be as in earnest on the right side as the other two were on the wrong side," replied ralph. "i should not be willing to trust them. i know they were the intimate associates of rockton and warton, for they were in council together on board of the vernon. in carrying out our orders, we may have a fight either with a battery or with some vessel, and we must not have any black sheep in the crew,--one who might speak a word or make a sign that would ruin all our calculations," added christy. "of course i can't say that sayles and nichols are not rebels; but they have done nothing that is suspicious, and one of our men has pumped them both," answered ralph. "have them closely watched, or they may play us some trick when we least suspect it, and in some critical moment," said the commander. "but i wished to see you in regard to the prisoners," interposed mr. flint. "we have four of them here made fast to the rail, and galvinne complains of his treatment; he says he is cold." "i should think he might be, for the night air is very chilly," replied christy. "i should have preferred to get rid of these men before we went into any enterprise, for they are dangerous persons to us." "with their arms locked together behind them, they are not in condition to do any harm," added mr. flint. "i will go below and see what can be done with them. i desire to make them as comfortable as possible, though i do not believe they will be satisfied with any location to which i may assign them." "i think you need not be too particular about them; they have made their own nest, and now they must live in it," said the first lieutenant. "you may come with me, ralph," added christy, as he descended the companion-way. the commander found dave keeping close watch over corny passford, though he was fast asleep in his berth. passing through the ward room and steerage, dave unlocked the door that led into the quarters of the crew. next to the bulkhead, or partition, was space enough for the prisoners, and the steward was required to bring five berth sacks, which were placed on the deck. "the only objection i have to this as prison quarters is that sayles and nichols will be too near them; but i shall keep a sentry over them all the time," said christy. "i should think they would be safe with a guard," added ralph. "now, dave, you will wake your prisoner, and i will relieve you of all responsibility in regard to him. he is dressed, is he not?" continued the commander when they reached the ward room. "he is, captain passford, for he did not undress when he turned in last night," replied the steward. "what is the matter now?" asked the prisoner in the ward room, after he had rubbed his eyes for a time. "nothing is the matter now on our side of the house, but i must put you with the other prisoners," replied christy. "you may unbuckle the strap, dave, so that he can get out of the berth." "who are the other prisoners?" demanded corny, as though he had a right to know. "they are your confederates in the plot, corny. who do you suppose they are? jeff davis is not one of them. the most important one, not even excepting yourself, cousin, is mr. galvinne, late first lieutenant of the bronx." "is he a prisoner?" asked corny, as he got out of the berth. "of course he is. do you think i should let him lie around loose on deck? the next one is the man-servant at bonnydale by your appointment, formerly walsh, but now byron. he is a very good actor, but he has played out his _rôle_." "he was by profession an actor in mobile," added corny. "i should think he might have been. by the way, corny, where is my commission that you and he stole from my pocket at bonnydale?" "that is my commission," replied corny, putting his hand involuntarily on his left breast, where he had carried his papers on board of the vernon. "you stole it, cousin, and you must give it back to me," added christy, very decidedly. "i shall not," replied corny, with quite as much firmness. "take it from him," said the commander. the hands of the impostor were now free, and he placed himself in a defensive attitude; but ralph pennant, who was rather above the average stature, threw his arms around him, and he was pinned as tightly as though he had been put into a strait jacket. corny was probably stiff in his arms from their confinement, and he was unable to make a very spirited defence. while the seaman held him, christy took the envelope from his breast pocket, and transferred it to his own. but there was considerable noise made in the brief scuffle, which waked some of the sleepers. from one of the staterooms an officer rushed out, and demanded the cause of the disturbance. the person proved to be the surgeon. "we are putting things to rights on board," replied christy, who had not seen the doctor before, for he had retired early to his room. "i don't quite understand this matter," said the surgeon. "what are you doing, mr. passford?" "captain passford, if you please, dr. connelly, for i have the honor to be in command of the bronx at the present moment. this is mr. passford," added christy, pointing to his cousin. "then you have reversed the decision of captain battleton?" "for sufficient reasons, i have; with the assistance of the loyal members of the ship's company, i have taken possession of the vessel, and we are now on our way to carry out the orders of the flag-officer.--conduct the prisoner to his future quarters," said christy, in a very business-like manner. during this conversation, ralph, still holding his prisoner, had sent the steward on deck for a pair of handcuffs, which the seaman proceeded to apply to the wrists of corny. "what are you about?" demanded the prisoner, attempting to shake off his captor when he felt the cold iron. "just giving you a pair of bracelets," replied ralph, as he grappled again with his victim, and asked christy to adjust the handcuffs. "just for ornament, you know." in the grasp of such a powerful man as ralph pennant, corny was powerless, and he was compelled to submit, though his opposition appeared to be merely a matter of form with him, for he could not help realizing that it was utterly useless; but he had not been in the affray on deck, and he had not learned the full lesson from experience. the irons were locked upon his wrists, and the seaman was directed to conduct him to the place assigned to all the prisoners. "this is mean of you, christy, to put me in irons," said corny reproachfully as he turned to his cousin; "i might have asked captain battleton to put you in irons on board of the vernon; but i did not." "if he had done so, i should not have complained. i have been a prisoner of war, and i had to take my chances. we may be in action for aught i know in a few hours, and i do not mean to have half a dozen rebels at my heels to trip me up if i can help it. the circumstances are entirely different from those on board of the vernon." "i don't think so," muttered corny. "you treat your own flesh and blood as though blood was nothing but water with you." "i stand by the union, and those on the other side must keep out from under. when i was in a confederate prison, my uncle homer, your father, did not do a single thing for me. lead on, ralph." dr. connelly was so much astonished at the proceedings that he did not turn in, but completed his toilet, and came out into the ward room again. he looked troubled, for he had heard nothing of the struggle on the quarter-deck, and the situation was a revelation to him. he looked and talked as though he thought that christy and his associates who had captured the vessel were simply mutineers. the captain sent the steward for boxie, and, giving him a pair of pistols and a cutlass, informed him that he was to stand guard over the five prisoners until he was relieved. the old man, who had been one of the seamen on board of the bellevite when she was a yacht, took his place forward of the berth-sacks, and began his march athwartship. "you know me, don't you, boxie?" said corny as he recognized the old salt, who was the sheet-anchorsman of the crew, and who was generally their spokesman. "you will hold no conversation with the prisoner, boxie; but you may let them talk among themselves, and note what they say if it is of any importance. you will be relieved with the first watch." ralph pennant and three seamen conducted the other prisoners to their quarters. they were supplied with blankets, in which those from the deck wrapped themselves up. corny and galvin began to compare notes at once; but boxie kept his ears open as he marched up and down within two feet of his charge. "i hope you have not committed any rash act, mr. passford," said dr. connelly as the party passed through the ward room. "i do not stand on mere forms, dr. connelly; but if you continue to call me simply 'mister,' i shall understand from it that you do not recognize me as the rightful commander of the bronx," replied christy, as he invited the surgeon with a gesture to enter the captain's cabin. "i beg your pardon, captain passford; i used the title of 'mister' from habit, and not as meaning anything," replied the surgeon. "i was forced by the evidence, and quite as much by the lack of evidence, to concur with captain battleton in his decision." "i find no fault with you on that account, doctor," added christy. "you made no protest to the flag-officer, but suddenly disappeared. when i went to my stateroom in the evening, your cousin was in command, and had sailed to execute the orders given him. you can judge of my astonishment when i learned just now that the captain and his officers were prisoners," the surgeon explained. "i do not propose to submit to another investigation by you, or any one but the flag-officer; but for your information i am willing to give you the facts," said christy with dignity, of which he had a full supply whenever it was needed. "as long as the officers in charge of the bronx continued to obey the orders of the commodore to proceed to the eastward, i did nothing; but when they headed the steamer to the westward, which they did as soon as it was dark, i understood very well that they were disobeying their orders, and intended to run the bronx into pensacola bay, and deliver her to the confederate authorities. then i carried out my plan and captured the vessel." the surgeon was satisfied with this evidence. chapter xvii the second and third lieutenants the surgeon went on deck with christy, where he was presented in due form to mr. flint, though he had been introduced to him before in his former position as second lieutenant. the commander went forward to the bridge and pilot-house, and consulting the log slate, found that the last entry gave seventy-eight knots from the station. but it was foggy, as mr. galvinne had predicted that it would be, and the quartermaster conning the wheel said it was as "dark as a stack of black cats." nothing could be seen in any direction, and the commander decided that it was not prudent to proceed any farther. the leadsman was ordered to sound, as the screw was stopped, and he reported sixteen fathoms with the deep-sea lead. christy ordered the quartermaster to go ahead again, and keep the hand-line going all the time. mr. flint came forward, and took his place on the bridge, where the officer of the deck was usually stationed on board of the bronx. the reports of the leadsman were satisfactory, and the steamer went ahead for an hour. then they began to give a diminution of the depth of water, indicating, as christy stated it, that the vessel was approaching the land. he looked over the log slate, and found that the course had been due east till the order had been given to head her in the opposite direction. she had sailed rather more than an hour on that tack, during which the recapture of the steamer had been made. "mark under water twelve!" shouted the man with the hand lead. "we are coming up with the shore," said mr. flint, as christy joined him on the bridge. "yes; but you will get four or five fathoms almost up to the beaches. when i was here, the bellevite was anchored outside, and we went gunning and fishing in st. andrew's bay. the bay is about thirty miles long; but it is as crooked as a ram's horn, and there is no town on it, though there are some scattered houses," added christy. "we shot fat ducks, and caught plenty of red snappers and pompana there." "and a half ten!" shouted the leadsman, as though he meant to have his figures understood, as they indicated the shoaling of the depth. but christy gave no order to reduce the speed of the vessel, and seemed to feel so thoroughly at home that mr. flint began to be a little nervous. the young commander had carefully studied the chart of the coast with the practical knowledge he had of the locality. "can you form any idea where we are, captain passford?" asked the lieutenant. "i figured up the course a while ago, and i think we are off st. andrew's bay. if they had not put her about and run for an hour or more to the westward, i should be satisfied in regard to my position; as it is, i am not quite clear in regard to it," replied the commander. "quarter less ten!" shouted the leadsman, with even more vigor than before. "that will do; stop her and anchor, mr. flint," said christy, as he looked about him in an endeavor to penetrate the fog in which the vessel was buried. then he listened for any sounds that might come to him from the direction of the shore; but all was as still as the tomb itself. the screw stopped in obedience to the order of the executive officer, who went down to the deck to supervise the anchoring of the steamer, as he had no inferior officer to attend to this duty. "mr. flint, drop a drift lead, and station a hand to observe it," said christy, hailing the first lieutenant. "a drift lead, sir," replied mr. flint. this was a lead weighing twenty pounds, which is dropped on the bottom by men-of-war to determine if the anchor holds, or if the vessel is drifting. "station a strong lookout, mr. flint, and send a man aloft on the foremast and another on the mainmast," continued christy when the other orders had been obeyed. this completed the preparation for the night. the captain consulted his repeater, and ascertained that it was twenty minutes past twelve. the bronx was in position to learn the fact if any vessel attempted to run out of st. andrew's bay, provided his calculations in regard to the locality of the bronx were correct. christy went down to the deck, and walked aft with mr. flint. "i think some of us need a little sleep to-night," said the commander. "then you had better turn in, captain passford," said the executive officer. "we can do nothing more to-night except to keep a sharp lookout." "you are the only officer on board except myself," replied christy. "we are still in the dark as to what we have to do here. we may have to send off a boat expedition, as we did at cedar keys, and we are in absolute need of more officers." "we have plenty of material out of which to make them, and we can do as we did after the fight with the scotian and the arran, when we made them," replied mr. flint. "we have men of good education in the crew, who have either commanded coasters, or been mates on steamers." "if you will name one, i will name another," added christy. "quartermaster camden. he commanded a three-masted schooner in the coal trade. he is not college educated, but he is a remarkably well-informed man who shipped in the navy to learn the details of duty on board of a man-of-war." "i appoint him acting second lieutenant," added christy. "i am sure he will get a commission as soon as he applies for it, captain," added the first lieutenant, pleased with the prompt decision. "now, who is your man?" "ralph pennant. i had my eye on him while i was aboard of the vernon, where he became a sort of oracle among the seamen on account of his abundant information on general subjects. he talks like a man with a good education, and he has been mate of a steamer of good size. but i know very little concerning him, and am afraid he has one out." "what is that, captain?" "i am afraid he is fond of whiskey, though i do not know that he is." "he can't get any whiskey here unless it is served out to him; so that habit, if it is his habit, will do him no harm," argued mr. flint. "i appoint him third lieutenant temporarily." "that will amount to their being made ensigns when you go north again if they prove to be worthy of promotion," added the executive officer, with a chuckle. "that was what happened to baskirk and amden." "if they are worthy, i shall certainly do the best i can for them," added christy, gaping. camden was called aft and formally appointed second lieutenant, but ralph was in the watch below, and was in his hammock. the commander retired to his stateroom, and, letting his report wait till another day, he was soon sound asleep. in accordance with the directions he had left with the first lieutenant, christy was called with the watch at four o'clock in the morning. though the first lieutenant is not a watch officer, he may be required to do duty as such when the number of commissioned officers is reduced below three, and mr. flint had remained in charge of the mid-watch, which had been called to the deck at midnight. the captain relieved him and camden, and both of them went below, the new appointee taking the stateroom of the second lieutenant. "pass the word for ralph pennant," said christy, as soon as he reached the quarter-deck. "i have had considerable talk with camden, and i am satisfied that he will make a capital officer," said the executive officer, as he moved towards the companion-way. "i suppose you have sent for pennant with the intention of appointing him third lieutenant." "that is my purpose; and here he comes." "on deck, sir," reported ralph, touching his cap to the commander, as mr. flint descended the steps to the ward room. "i think you told me that you had had some experience on board of steamers, pennant," replied christy. "i told you that i had been the mate of a steamer," answered the seaman. "what is your age?" "twenty-eight years." "then you are older than you appear to be," continued christy; and he proceeded to question the seaman in regard to his education and experience as a seaman. he had not been mistaken in his estimate of the man, so far as he could judge from his answers. pennant had taken a steamer home to new york from havana after the captain had died there of yellow fever. he had expected to be given the command of the vessel; and when he failed to obtain the position he resigned his place as mate, but secured the same position in another and larger steamer. "do you ever drink whiskey, pennant?" asked christy abruptly. "at present, no, sir," replied the seaman decidedly. "i learned a few months ago that i failed to obtain the command of the steamer i brought home from havana because it was said i took too much whiskey. i knocked off then, and have not drank a drop since." "that was a sensible thing to do. you are aware that we are short of officers, i suppose," said the commander. "yes, sir; and since i came on deck, i heard that phil camden had been appointed acting second lieutenant," replied pennant. "that is true; and now i am going to appoint you acting third lieutenant. you will call the watch aft." "i am very much obliged to you, captain passford, for this favor; and i know you would not give me the place if you did not think me worthy of it," replied the seaman as he went forward and called the watch to the mainmast. "my men, i have just appointed ralph pennant acting third lieutenant; and you will obey and respect him as such," said christy, addressing the watch, and then dismissing them. the men gave three hearty cheers as they were dismissed, proving to the commander that pennant was a popular man among them, as camden had also been proved to be when his appointment had been announced to the starboard watch. as in politics, legislation, war, and business, the masses of the people soon ascertain who are their natural leaders, the crew of the bronx, or that portion who had come from new york in the vernon, had been prompt in discovering the abilities of the two men now promoted. "now, mr. pennant, you may remove your bag to the ward room, and the third stateroom on the starboard side, counting from the forward one, is yours for the present," continued christy. "but i have no uniform, captain passford," suggested the appointee. "i have one in my stateroom; but it is altogether too small for you," replied the commander, glancing in the gloom of the night at the stalwart form of the third lieutenant, lacking not more than an inch of six feet, and his weight could not have been less than one hundred and eighty. "we will see what can be done in the morning." "the crew all know me, and i dare say i can get along without a uniform till we get back to the station, where i could get one from the store-ship; but it is not likely that i shall need one then." "i cannot say as to that. when you go forward take a look at the prisoners, and report to me," added christy, as mr. pennant went below. in a few minutes he reported that the prisoners were all fast asleep. boxie had been relieved as guard, and another seaman was marching back and forth by their couches. it was still dark and foggy, and a hail came from the mast-head forward. chapter xviii a battle on a small scale "on deck!" shouted the lookout at the foremast head. "light on the starboard bow!" "silence, all!" cried the commander, as soon as he heard the hail from aloft. "go forward, mr. pennant, silence the hands, and direct the lookout to hail in lower tones." the third lieutenant sprang forward to obey the order, and christy followed him at a more moderate pace, consistent with his dignity as the officer highest in rank on board. it was not so much a question of dignity, however, with him as it was the intention to preserve his self-possession. a light had been reported on the starboard bow; but christy had no more means of knowing what it meant than any other person on deck. it suggested a blockade runner, a battery, or a house near the shore where he did not expect to find one. the captain went on the bridge; but he could not see the light. he descended to the deck, and then mounted the fore-rigging. the lookout saw him, and said he could not see the light any longer; it had been in sight a couple of minutes, and then had disappeared. it was useless to look for it if gone, and christy returned to the bridge, where mr. pennant was attentively studying the compass. "in what direction is the head of the steamer pointed, mr. pennant?" he asked as he joined the lieutenant. "exactly north-east, sir," replied mr. pennant. "then the report of the light on the starboard bow places it directly to the eastward of us," added christy. "that is about where the entrance to st. andrew's bay ought to be, if my calculations were correct. we have been running to the eastward since we left the blockaders' station off pensacola bay. my ruler on the chart gave me that course, and mr. galvinne followed it while he was in charge. we could not have got more than half a mile off the course in coming about twice. the shoaling of the water also indicates that we are all right." the body of the fog evidently lay near the water, and the lookout had probably seen the light over the top of the bank, as it could not be made out on the bridge. christy expressed his belief that the sun would burn the fog off soon after it rose. no variation of the drift lead had been reported, and the bronx was not even swinging at her anchor. for an hour longer entire silence was preserved on the deck, and the lookout made no further report. "there is some sort of commotion among the men on the top-gallant forecastle," said mr. pennant, while christy was still studying the situation, and one of the men was seen in the act of hurrying aft. "i heard men's voices off to the eastward," said this man, when he had mounted the bridge, and touched his hat to the officers there; and he spoke in a whisper, in conformity with the orders given. "could you hear any slapping of a paddle wheel, or other noises that sound like a steamer?" asked christy in the same low tone. "no, sir; nothing but the voices; but i think the speakers must be in a vessel of some sort, for the sound since i first heard it, and could hardly make it out, comes from farther south," replied the man. "take a force of twelve men, with pistols and cutlasses, mr. pennant, in the first cutter, and pull down to the south-east. whatever you find in the shape of a vessel or a boat, capture it, and return to the bronx. get off with as little noise as possible, and muffle your oars." silently mr. pennant selected his crew for the boat, saw them armed, and had the cutter lowered into the water. in a very short space of time the boat was off. the commander did not believe that anything very serious would result from this boat expedition, for he was confident there was no vessel of any size near the bronx. the men in the cutter pulled very quietly, and hardly splashed the water with their oars, for they had all been trained by christy himself to pull without noise when he was executive officer. this was the first responsible position mr. pennant had been called upon to fill, and he knew that his future depended in a large measure upon the skill and fidelity with which he obeyed his orders. his crew believed in him, and they were very painstaking in their efforts to work in silence. he had stationed quartermaster vincent in the bow of the boat as the lookout, and he was industriously peering out into the gloom of the fog and darkness to discover a vessel or a boat. he had heard the sounds himself, and he knew there was something there. when the boat had pulled about fifteen minutes, vincent raised his hand up into the air; this was a signal which the third lieutenant understood, for he had arranged several of them with the quartermaster. "stand by to lay on your oars," said mr. pennant in the lowest tones that could be heard by the crew. "oars!" at the last order the men levelled their oars, feathering the blades, and remained like eight statues in their seats. vincent listened with all his ears in the dead silence which prevailed. "i hear the voices again," he reported to the lieutenant in the stern sheets, in a voice just loud enough to reach him; "they are more to the southward." "stand by!" added mr. pennant, who had been duly trained in boat service at an oar. "give way together! no noise!" the boat went ahead again, though only at a moderate speed consistent with the least possible noise. the quartermaster in the bow continued to gaze into the fog bank, though by this time there was a little lighting up in the east, indicating that the day was breaking. for half an hour longer the cutter continued on its course. occasionally vincent had raised his hand over his head, and then dropped it to his left, indicating to the officer in command that the sounds came from farther to the southward, and the cockswain was directed to change the course. in another half hour the noises could be distinctly heard by the third lieutenant, and he directed the course of the cutter without the need of any more signals from the bow. his first move was to make a more decided course to the southward. then he hastened the crew in their work. "sail, ho!" called vincent, who had not abated his vigilance on the lookout; and he pointed with his right hand in the direction he had seen the craft. mr. pennant concluded that the sail could not be far off, or it could not be seen, and it would be useless to maintain the dead silence, which was painful to all in the boat. he stood up in his place, and, after looking for a couple of minutes, he made out the sail himself. so far as he could judge from what he saw, the craft was a small sloop of not more than thirty-five feet in length. "give way now, lively!" said the third lieutenant, in his ordinary tones. "i make her out, and she is a small sloop. we shall not have much of a brush." under the vigorous pulling of eight stalwart men, the cutter leaped forward at a speed that would have won an ordinary boat race, and in ten minutes more, the sloop could be distinctly made out, the cutter running across her bow. she was close-hauled, with the wind from the south-west, and very little of it. on board of her were at least ten men, as the quartermaster counted them, and there might have been more in her cuddy under the hail-deck forward. "boat, ahoy!" shouted a man on the forecastle of the sloop. "on board the sloop!" replied mr. pennant, standing up in the stern sheets. "what sloop is that?" "the magnolia, bound to appalachicola," replied the spokesman of the craft. "what boat is that?" "the first cutter of the united states steamer bronx! heave to, and give an account of yourselves," hailed the officer in command. "stand by to lay on your oars!" he added in a lower tone to his crew. "oars!" but the boat seemed to be running too far away from the sloop, though it was near enough for the lieutenant and quartermaster to see that there was a decided commotion on board of her. "hold water!" added the lieutenant. "stern all!" the momentum of the cutter was checked, and the boat placed in a convenient position for a further conference with the sloop. either by intention or carelessness the skipper of the sail-boat had permitted her to broach to, probably because he was giving too much attention to the boat and too little to the sloop. when the cutter lost its headway, it was not more than fifty feet from the sloop. "hold the sloop as she is, and i will board you," said mr. pennant, as he saw the skipper filling away again. "keep off, or we will fire into you!" shouted the man on the forecastle, who appeared to be the principal man of the party. "see that your pistols and cutlasses are ready for use," said the third lieutenant, in a tone loud enough to be heard by the crew only. "we are all private citizens," added the sloop's spokesman. "no matter what you are; i propose to overhaul you and judge for myself what you are," answered the officer in command of the cutter. "let go your sheet, skipper!" instead of obeying the order, the boatman hauled in his sheet, and the sloop began to fill away. mr. pennant could form no idea of what the party were. it was possible that they were private citizens, and non-combatants; if they were, they had only to prove they were such by submitting to a further inquiry. "stand by, my men! give way together, lively!" shouted the lieutenant as though he intended that those on board of the sloop should hear him as well as his own crew. the cutter darted ahead; but she had not advanced half the distance before the men on board of the sloop fired a volley with muskets at the approaching boat. mr. pennant dropped his left arm very suddenly, and the stroke oarsman went down into the bottom of the boat. "come aft, kingston!" called the third lieutenant to the nearest man in the bow, and the one indicated crawled aft with all the haste he could make. "take hilton's oar!" added mr. pennant, as with his right arm he drew the wounded man back into the stern sheets. the progress of the boat was hardly interrupted by the volley, and in less than a minute after the discharge of the muskets, her stem struck the bow of the sloop, though not till the lieutenant had checked her headway, and ordered the men to stand by to board the rebellious craft. the quartermaster made fast to the sloop, and then grasped his cutlass. "lay her aboard!" shouted mr. pennant; and vincent led the way, leaping directly into the midst of the eight men in the standing room. "do you surrender?" asked the lieutenant of the principal man on the forecastle as he came alongside of him. "i don't see that we can help ourselves," replied the spokesman in a surly tone; for the prospect before him was not very pleasant, especially as a volley had been fired from the sloop, presumably by his order, for he was the one who had made the threat in the first place. "don't strike, my men; they have surrendered," continued mr. pennant with a gesture to his men. "this is an outrage," said the man on the forecastle, who could not help seeing that the whole party were in a fair way to be annihilated if they made any further resistance. "i dare say it is, my friend," replied mr. pennant blandly, for he had been in the navy long enough to adopt the characteristic politeness which distinguishes its officers. "take possession of all the muskets and other weapons you can find, vincent, and put them in the cutter." this order was promptly obeyed. before it was fully carried out an elderly gentleman crawled out of the cuddy, and stood up in the standing room; he was a man of dignity, and evidently of importance. chapter xix the skipper of the sloop magnolia "you were very unwise to order these men to fire upon the boat," said the dignified gentleman, addressing the man on the forecastle of the magnolia; "it was a great mistake, captain flanger." "that's so!" exclaimed mr. pennant, feeling of his left arm as he spoke; for he had been wounded there, though the injury had not for a moment abated his energy. "i did not mean to allow the sloop to be captured by a boat load of men like that," replied captain flanger; "and if our men had used their bayonets we should have been all right. i told them to fix their bayonets, but they paid no attention to me." "it was a great mistake," repeated the dignified gentleman, shaking his head. mr. pennant had time now to look over the craft he had captured, and the men on board of her. it was simply a large sailboat, and those on board of her wore plain clothes. they did not appear to be soldiers or sailors, though there was a number of bayonets scattered about the standing room. the seamen from the cutter had leaped on board of the sloop, with cutlasses in their belts; but there was not space enough to permit the use of the weapon, and they had seized each of the men by the collar and put a pistol to his head. "how many men have you on board, captain flanger?" demanded the third lieutenant, still standing up in the boat abreast of the person he addressed. "count them for yourself!" exclaimed captain flanger in brutal tones. "all right: i will count you first," added mr. pennant, as he reached over and seized the leader of the party by the collar with his right hand. [illustration: colonel homer passford visits the bronx.--page .] flanger attempted to shake off his grasp, but the lieutenant was a very powerful man, and he dragged him into the boat in the twinkling of an eye. he tossed him into the bottom of the boat, five of the boat's crew being still in their seats, trailing their oars, for only seven of them had been able to get on board of the magnolia for the want of space. "tie his hands behind him," added mr. pennant to the men, who fell upon flanger the moment he lighted in the bottom of the cutter. the prisoner was disposed to make further resistance, but two men fell upon him and made him fast to one of the thwarts. the leader of the party, as he appeared to be from the first, could do no further mischief, and the lieutenant gave his attention to the others on board of the sloop. the dignified gentleman, who was dressed in black clothes, though they had suffered not a little from contact with grease and tar, had seated himself in the standing room. he looked like a man of many sorrows, and his expression indicated that he was suffering from some cause not apparent. there were nine men left in the standing room, including the gentleman in black; they were coarse and rough-looking persons, and not one of them appeared to be the social peer of him who had condemned the firing upon the boat. the skipper remained at the tiller of the boat, and he looked as though he might have negro blood in his veins, though he was not black, and probably was an octoroon. he said nothing and did nothing, and had not used a musket when the others fired. he behaved as though he intended to be entirely neutral. a few drops of negro blood in his veins was enough to condemn him to inferiority with the rude fellows on board of the sloop, though his complexion was lighter than that of any of his companions. "vincent, pass one half of the men on board of the cutter," said mr. pennant, when he had looked over the boat and the men on board of it. the quartermaster obeyed the order, and four of the party were placed in the bow and stern sheets of the cutter. six oarsmen were directed to take their places on the thwarts. the lieutenant retained his place in the stern sheets, which he had not left during the affray or the conference. three seamen, with a pistol in one hand and a cutlass in the other, were directed to remain on board of the sloop; but the party had been disarmed, and their muskets were in the bottom of the cutter, and they were not likely to attempt any resistance. the painter of the sloop was made fast to the stern of the bronx's boat, and mr. pennant gave the order for the crew to give way. it had been a battle on a small scale, but the victory had been won, and the cutter was towing her prize in the direction of the gunboat. the lieutenant's first care was to attend to hilton, the stroke oarsman who had been wounded in the affair. he placed him in a comfortable position on the bottom of the boat, and then examined into his condition. a bullet had struck him in the right side, and the blood was flowing freely from the wound. mr. pennant did the best he could for his relief, and the man said he was comfortable. "sail ahead!" shouted the bow oarsman, looking behind him. "what is it, gorman?" asked the lieutenant, standing up in his place. "a steamer, sir," answered gorman. "i see her; it is the bronx," added mr. pennant. by this time it was broad daylight, and apparently the fog was not as dense as it had been earlier in the morning. the boat with her tow continued on her course, now headed for the gunboat which the officer had made out. in ten minutes more the expedition was within hailing distance of the steamer, which immediately stopped her screw. the cutter came up at the gangway of the bronx, and christy was standing on the rail, anxious to learn what the boat had accomplished. he had heard the report of the volley fired at the cutter, and had been very solicitous for the safety of her crew. he had weighed anchor as soon as he heard the sounds, and proceeded in the direction from which they came. "i have to report the capture of the small sloop, the magnolia, in tow," said the third lieutenant, touching his cap to the commander. "we have eleven prisoners. hilton is wounded, and i will send him on board first, if you please." "do so," replied christy. "mr. camden, pass the word for dr. connelly." a couple of men were directed to convey the wounded seaman up the steps, and he was handed over to the doctor, who had him conveyed to the sick bay. the obdurate captain flanger was next sent up to the deck, where mr. camden received him, and made him fast to the rail without note or comment; and even christy made no remark except to give necessary orders. the other prisoners were not bound, and they were put under guard in the waist. the dignified gentleman in black was the last to come up the stairs. the moment he put his feet upon the deck, the commander stepped back, with a look of profound astonishment, if not of dismay, on his face, as he glanced at the important prisoner of the party. at first he seemed to be unable to believe the evidence of his senses, and gazed with intense earnestness at the gentleman. "uncle homer!" exclaimed christy, extending his hand to him, which colonel passford, as he was called at home, though he was not in the confederate army, warmly grasped; and the first smile that had been seen on his face played upon his lips. "i am glad to see you, christy," said the prisoner, if he was to be regarded as such, for he certainly was not a sailor or a soldier. "i cannot say as much as that," replied christy, still holding the gentleman's hand; "i must say i am sorry to see you under present circumstances, for you come as a prisoner in the hands of my men." "i am a non-combatant, christy," replied colonel passford. "i have not served in the confederate army or navy, or even been a member of a home guard." "i have not time now to look into that question; but i can assure you that you will be treated with the greatest consideration on board of my ship," added christy as he conducted him below, and left him with dave in his own cabin, returning at once to the deck to inquire into the operations of the first cutter. the boat had been hoisted up to the davits, and the magnolia was made fast astern. all hands had been called when the bronx got under way, and the men were all at their stations. mr. pennant reported in all its details upon his expedition. dr. connelly said his patient was severely, but not dangerously, wounded; he would recover, but he would not be fit for duty for two or three weeks. "while you are here, doctor, i will show you my arm, which is beginning to be somewhat uncomfortable," said the third lieutenant with a cheerful smile. "are you wounded, mr. pennant?" asked the commander, who had listened to his report at length, without suspecting that he had a wound. "i was hit in the left arm; but very fortunately the wound did not disable me," replied the lieutenant as he proceeded to take off his coat. "but i cannot dress the wound here, mr. pennant," added the surgeon. "then i will wait till i have time to attend to it," replied the heroic officer who treated the injury with contempt; "i have not finished my report to the captain yet. i will be in the ward room as soon as the captain is done with me." "but i can wait, mr. pennant," interposed christy. "so can i, if you please, captain," added the lieutenant, smiling as pleasantly as though he had been free from pain, as he could not have been with the wound in his arm. "i wish to say a few words about the gentleman in black we captured on board of the sloop." "did you learn his name?" asked christy, greatly interested in what the officer was about to say. "no, sir, i did not; i heard no one call him by name. he was in the cuddy forward when we boarded the magnolia; and when he came out of the little cabin, the first thing he said was, 'it was very unwise for you to order the men to fire upon the boat. it was a great mistake, captain flanger.'" "that shows that he at least was a non-combatant," added christy, pleased to hear this report of his uncle. "that is all i have to say about him. i studied the skipper of the sloop and watched him. i am sure he did not fire a musket, and he seemed to take no part in the affairs of the men on board. captain flanger is the active man of the party; but i have no idea who or what he is. if you look at the skipper, you will see that he is an octoroon, or something between a mulatto and a white man, and in my opinion he is not a cheerful worker on that side of the house. perhaps the skipper will be willing to tell you who and what the party are. they claimed to be private citizens, and that the sloop was bound to appalachicola; perhaps the gentleman in black can explain the mission of the party." "if he can he will not, if they were engaged in an operation in the interest of the confederates," added christy with a smile. "that gentleman is colonel homer passford." "he bears your name," said mr. pennant. "he is my uncle; my father's only brother." "then i am sorry i brought him in." "you did your duty, and it was quite right for you to bring him on board. he is as devoted to the confederate cause as my father is to the union. but go below, and have your wound dressed, mr. pennant." the lieutenant went to the ward room where the surgeon was waiting for him. christy called out the skipper of the sloop, and walked into the waist with him. the octoroon was a large man, of about the size of the third lieutenant, and he could have made a good deal of mischief if he had been so disposed. "bless the lord that i am here at last!" exclaimed the skipper, as he looked furtively about him. christy understood him perfectly. chapter xx an expedition to st. andrew's bay "what is your name, my man?" asked christy, as he looked over the stalwart form of the skipper of the magnolia. "michael bornhoff," replied the prisoner. "are you a russian?" asked the commander, inclined to laugh at this singular name of one of the proscribed race. "no, sir; but i was named after a russian sailor captain flanger picked up in havana. i don't mean this captain flanger that was on board of the magnolia, but his father," replied the stout fellow. "are you a free man?" "no, sir; i belong to captain flanger: his father is dead, and left me to his son." "why did you bless the lord that you were here at last?" "because i have been trying to get here for more than a year," replied the contraband, after looking about him for a moment, and then dropping his voice as though he feared captain flanger might hear what he said. "now, mister, will you tell me who you are before i say anything more? for i shall get my back scored with forty-nine stripes if i open my mouth too wide;" and again he looked timidly around the deck. "you are on board of the united states steamer bronx, and i am the commander of her," replied christy, desiring to encourage michael bornhoff to tell all he knew about the expedition in the magnolia. the skipper took his cap off, and bowed very low to christy when he realized that he was talking to the principal personage on board of the gunboat. he was well dressed for one in his position, and displayed no little dignity and self-possession. perhaps, if he had not been tainted with a few drops of black blood in his veins, he might have been a person of some consequence in the confederate service. "not a bad wound at all, captain passford," said mr. pennant. "the doctor says i am still fit for duty." "captain passford!" exclaimed michael bornhoff, as he heard the name; and the third lieutenant passed on to take a look at the prisoners. "that is my name," added christy, smiling at the earnestness of the skipper. "that is a bad name for this child," said the octoroon, shaking his head. "are you the son of colonel passford?" "i am not; but i am his nephew," replied the commander, willing to be perfectly frank with him. "bless the lord that you are his nephew and not his son!" exclaimed michael fervently, as he raised his eyes towards the sky, which was beginning to be visible through the fog. "i have heard about you, for i was to pilot a vessel out of cedar keys when you came up there in command of the boats. colonel passford was over there, and he saw you on board of the havana." "then we understand each other, mr. bornhoff," added christy. "perfectly, captain passford; and i would trust you with my freedom, which is the dearest thing on earth to me. but don't call me 'mister,' or you will make me forget that i am a nigger," said the skipper, laughing in his delight to find that he was in good and safe hands. "captain flanger called me mike always, and that is a good enough name for me." "very well, mike; you are a free man on board of this ship." "i ought to be, for i am a whiter man than captain flanger." "now tell me what you know about that expedition on board of the magnolia," said christy more earnestly. "mr. pennant reports that your passengers claimed that they were peaceable citizens, and that your sloop was bound to appalachicola. was that true?" "just then they were peaceable enough; but they were not when captain flanger ordered them to fire on your men. colonel passford and i were the only peaceable citizens on board of the sloop, and i was no citizen at all," replied the skipper, laughing. "you are one now, at any rate. were you bound to appalachicola?" "not just then, captain," chuckled mike, who seemed to be amused and delighted to feel that he was telling the secrets of his late companions. "we were going to appalachicola after a while, where we were to pilot out some vessels loaded with cotton." "then there are cotton vessels at that port, are there?" asked christy, pricking up his ears at this suggestion. "half a dozen of them, and a steamer to tow them to sea." "are you sure of this information, mike?" "i did not see them there, captain passford; but it was your uncle's business to look after them, as he was doing in st. andrew's bay." "then my uncle has vessels in that bay which are to run out?" inquired christy, deeply interested in the revelations of the skipper. "only one, sir: a steamer of five hundred tons, called the floridian." "precisely; that is the vessel we are after. but what was my uncle doing on board of your sloop, with captain flanger and the rest of your party?" "my master was the captain of the floridian, and we came out here to see if there was any blockader near, that had come up in the fog. the steamer was to be brought out by the pilot, who has been on board of her for three days." "who were the men with muskets on board of the sloop?" "those were the coast guard, sir," replied mike, chuckling again. "the coast guard? i don't understand that," replied christy, puzzled at the expression. "eight of them, sir; and they have been keeping guard on crooked, st. andrew's, and hurricane islands, to let them know inside if there was any blockader coming this way. they had sky-rockets and flags to make signals with." "but why were they brought off if the steamer is still in the bay?" "the floridian was coming out this morning in the fog, if captain flanger made the signal for her to do so. then the captain was to go on board of her, and i was to sail the rest of the party to appalachicola," replied mike, still chuckling with delight at his ability to give the commander such important information. "then the floridian is all ready to come out of the bay?" asked christy, suppressing the excitement he was beginning to feel. "all ready, sir; and the signal was a sky-rocket, which the pilot could see over the fog." "we will not give them any signal, but we will treat them to some visitors. is the steamer armed, mike?" "no, sir; not a single big gun, and she has only hands enough to work her. steam all up when we came out of the bay, sir," said mike, laughing heartily, apparently in spite of himself. "call all hands, mr. camden," said the commander in brusque tones. the boatswain's whistle sounded through the steamer. in a moment, as it were, all hands were in their stations. nothing like a drill with the present ship's company had been possible, though the men had been trained to some extent at the navy-yard and on board of the vernon; but the majority of the crew were old men who had served some time on board of the bronx, and under the present commander. the prisoners appeared to be quite as much interested in the proceedings on deck as the ship's company, and closely observed everything that was done. michael bornhoff was quite excited, and walked the deck hurriedly, as though he was in search of something to do; but he was very careful not to go near the place where captain flanger was made fast to the rail. "mr. flint," called the commander to the first lieutenant, as soon as the crew were assembled on deck, "there is a steamer of five hundred tons in st. andrew's bay, all ready to come out at a given signal from the party just captured by the first cutter. i propose to capture her with the boats, and you will take the command of the expedition. the first and second cutters will be employed, and you will see that they are ready." "the boats are in good condition, sir, and they will be ready in five minutes," replied mr. flint, who had come on deck at the call for all hands, and had hardly learned the results of the recent boat expedition. "mr. camden will take charge of the second cutter," added christy. while the crews were making the boats ready, and mr. camden was selecting the extra men for them, as he was instructed to do, christy gave the executive officer a brief account of the capture of the sloop, and an epitome of the information he had obtained from bornhoff. "what am i to do, captain passford?" asked mike, who was watching the proceedings on deck with the most intense interest. "i want to ship in the yankee navy as a pilot, for i know this coast from the mississippi to key west." "are you a sailor?" asked christy. "i went to sea for eleven years, and captain flanger, father and son, put my wages in their pockets." "you cannot ship as a pilot, only as an able seaman, if you know how to hand, reef, and steer, and how to make knots and splices." "i know all that, captain, like i know my name." "then i will look upon you as an able seaman until you are formally enlisted. mr. flint, this man is michael bornhoff; he is an able seaman and a pilot in these waters. i think you had better take him with you, for he is fully informed in regard to the floridian, which you are to bring out. let him have pistols and a cutlass," said christy. in ten minutes more the expedition left the ship, and soon disappeared in the low bank of fog that still hung over the shore. each of the cutters had been manned by twelve men besides the officer, and mike was an extra hand with the first lieutenant. what remained of the port watch were on duty, and the rest of the men were dismissed. mr. pennant had the deck, and the commander walked back and forth, considering the information he had obtained from the skipper of the magnolia, of the correctness of which he had no doubt, for mike impressed him as a truthful man, and, like all the contrabands, his interest was all on the side of the union, which meant freedom to them. for the first time he began to feel not quite at home in his new position. he had been compelled to fight for it; but he absolutely wished that he were the first or second lieutenant rather than the commander of the vessel. the traditions of the navy, and of all navies, forbade him to leave his ship to engage in any enterprise connected with his mission. he had to take all the responsibility of failure, while he could not take an active part on such occasions as the present. he had the glory of being a commander, and of whatever his ship accomplished; but it began to look like a life of inactivity to him, for he was not greedy of glory, and all his devotion was for the union. he had learned that several vessels were loading with cotton at appalachicola, with the intention of running the blockade, if there was any blockader off cape st. george. his uncle homer was engaged in superintending the fitting out of these vessels, though whether on his own account or that of the confederacy, he was not aware. christy felt that he ought to follow up the information he had obtained with decided action; but he was hardly in condition to do so, for he had fifteen prisoners on board, and he would be obliged to send a prize crew off in the floridian when she was brought out, as he was confident she would be. he could not settle the question at once, and he went down into his cabin, where his uncle was waiting very impatiently to see him, and had asked dave a dozen times in regard to him. colonel passford was naturally very anxious to ascertain what had been done, and what was to be done, by the bronx; but the steward was too discreet to answer any of his questions, and he was not aware that his son corny was a prisoner on board as well as himself. chapter xxi a non-combatant on board the bronx colonel passford was reclining on the divan when the commander entered the cabin; but he rose to his feet as soon as he saw his nephew. christy thought he looked thinner and paler than when he had last seen him. he was now only forty-two years old, but he looked like a man of fifty. "i have been wanting to see you, christy," said the planter, as he approached his nephew. "i learn, with no little astonishment, that you are the commander of this steamer." "i am, uncle homer," replied the young man. "then you can tell me better than any one else in regard to my status on board of the bronx," added the colonel, who had won this title years before in the militia. "am i considered a prisoner of war?" "i do not so consider you, uncle homer; but i cannot say how my superior officer will look at the matter when i report to him. you were taken in a sloop that fired upon the first cutter of the bronx, wounding one of the crew and the officer in command." "that was the folly of captain flanger; and i protested the moment i discovered what had been done," added the planter, who seemed to be anxious to relieve himself of all responsibility for the discharge of the muskets. "were you in charge of the sloop, uncle homer?" "i was not; i had nothing to do with the sloop. she belonged to captain flanger." "who is captain flanger?" asked christy. "you have him on board, and perhaps he had better answer the question himself," replied colonel passford with a smile. "it was a superfluous question, for i know all about him. he is the captain of the floridian, though that would not make him a combatant unless he fights his ship; and that is what he did on board of the magnolia. i regard him and his companions, except the skipper of the sloop, as prisoners of war. you proved by your words and conduct that you were not a combatant, and you are at liberty to depart when you please." the young commander did not feel entirely sure that his ruling was correct, for a naval officer must be learned in a great variety of subjects which he had not had time to study; but he was willing to take the responsibility in the present instance. "it is easy enough to say that i may depart; but how shall i do it?" added the planter with a smile. "i cannot swim ashore." "i will put you ashore in a boat at the nearest land when the fog clears off," replied christy. "the nearest land is an island, and there is hardly anything like a village on the entire bay of st. andrew's. the region is deserted now, and i might wander about there for a month, till i starved to death, before i could get to a settled region." "i shall not compel you to land, and you can remain on board till i report to the flag-officer of the eastern gulf squadron, off pensacola, if you desire to do so; but you will be subject to his decision and not mine then." "i prefer that to starving to death in this region," replied the colonel. "very well, uncle homer, that is settled," added christy. "now, how are aunt lydia and gerty? i hope they are well." "very well the last time i saw them, which was three weeks ago. they are busy making garments for the soldiers," answered the planter. "when did you last hear from corny, uncle homer?" "it is all of two months since i had any news in regard to him. he is still a soldier and has not yet been promoted. his company is still at fort gaines; but he has been sent away once or twice on detached duty. he is not given to writing many letters; but the last time i was in mobile i was told that he had again been sent off on some sort of secret service with a naval officer by the name of galvinne. i do not know whether the report was true or not." "it was quite true, uncle homer; and he has been quite as unfortunate as he was in his former expedition to the north," added christy very quietly. "what do you know about him, christy?" asked the colonel with the deepest interest. "i can assure you first that he is alive and well. i am not informed how he got to new york, but he did get there, and in company with two naval officers, one by the name of byron, as well as galvinne." "byron was an actor in mobile; he had been the mate of a cotton ship, and he obtained a commission in the navy; but for the want of a steamer both of them were unemployed," the planter explained. "in new york they got up a plan to obtain a small steamer, about the size of the bronx," continued christy. "galvinne had been in the navy, and he readily obtained an appointment as second lieutenant of the store-ship vernon. byron shipped as a seaman. corny was appointed by the two officers to take the place of a regular officer, who came down in the vernon. he looked something like the officer whom he personated, who was to command a small steamer in the gulf." "it was a hazardous plan," suggested colonel passford, "and i should suppose that corny was hardly competent to play such a _rôle_. i hope the scheme was successful, for, as you know very well, all my prayers and all my aspirations are for the triumph of the confederate cause." "the scheme was successful up to a certain point, and corny obtained the command of the steamer, passing for the genuine officer before the commodore, and even on board of the vessel where the commander was well known." "that sounds like a story for a novel," added the planter, smiling. "if there had been no setback, corny would have gone into pensacola bay in a few hours more, in nominal command of the steamer, though of course galvinne was the real commander." "it is a strange story, and i cannot see how corny succeeded in passing himself off as the officer he personated." "he stole that officer's commission and other papers while he was sleeping in his own home," added christy. "but where did you learn this history of corny's operations?" asked his uncle, knitting his brow as though he did not quite believe the narrative. "oh, i am the officer whom corny personated," replied the commander with a quiet smile. "the story is not a second-handed one, uncle homer." "corny pretended to be christy, did he? then you must have seen him if he took your commission." "he did not do that in person; but employed byron to do it for him; and for several weeks this actor was a house-servant at bonnydale," answered christy, as he proceeded to narrate the adventure more in detail. "it is not an old story, for the last event occurred on board of the bronx at about eight o'clock last evening." "the plan was not finally successful, more is the pity," added the southern gentleman. "it was not; for i had concealed myself on board when i realized what galvinne was about, and, with the aid of the officers who knew me, captured the vessel. i am now in command of her, and i am likely to have a prize to assist in establishing my identity when i report to the flag-officer." "but what became of corny?" asked colonel passford, with no little anxiety on his face. "he is quite safe; he is a prisoner of war below, with a pair of handcuffs on his wrists," replied christy. "you and he together made the nest for him, and he must sleep in it. i cannot say what the commodore will do with you." "corny on board of this steamer!" exclaimed the father. "in irons too!" "i consider the naval officers as dangerous men, and i had to treat corny in the same manner that i did his associates. if you wish to see him, i will send for him." "of course i should like to see my son." christy struck his bell, and the steward promptly appeared at the door. "dave, go to the quarters, and conduct the prisoner, mr. passford, to this cabin. you may take off his handcuffs; here is the key," said christy, and steward took the key and departed. "how high is the grass in the streets of new york, christy?" asked the colonel, with a twinkle of the eye, and a smile. "grass! they don't raise it in the city; and there isn't as much of it in all the streets as i saw in the principal one in mobile when i was there, on my way from the prison to the bay," replied the commander cheerfully. "i don't believe that business was ever so lively in new york and the other cities of the north as it is at this time; and i left there ten days ago." "do the people there really expect to put down the rebellion, as they call it, nephew?" asked colonel passford, in a tone which indicated his confidence in the final success of his cause. "they have no doubt whatever that the rebellion will be crushed out. the last time we met you did not believe that a blockade could be established; but it has been done, and the government is strengthening it every day. it is effective, too; and i have been concerned in the capture of nearly a dozen vessels that were trying to break through." "you have been very fortunate, nephew; but it will be impossible to conquer the south. we shall be the victors in the end as sure as there is a god in heaven who watches over the affairs of men." "one who can believe that would swallow baron munchausen without blinking. but i think we had better not talk politics, uncle homer, for we don't get ahead at all. i shall continue to stand by the union, and the south will raise the same cry after a few years more," said christy, as dave opened the door, and ushered the prisoner into the cabin. father and son shook hands, but they were not so demonstrative as they might have been. christy was not disposed to burden them with his presence, but he insisted that dave should stay there during the interview. he left them together for two hours, and then sent mr. pennant and a seaman to remove corny to the quarters. dave said they had talked only of family matters, though the son had explained to his father the plan to obtain possession of the bronx. when the commander went on deck, the fog had disappeared, and the shore was to be seen at the distance of about six miles from the steamer. at eight bells, or noon, a steamer was discovered coming out of the bay by a channel between two islands. she carried the american flag over the confederate, and no one doubted that she was the floridian. in half an hour she was alongside, and she looked like a fine vessel, for she had come from the other side of the ocean as a blockade-runner. mr. flint reported that she had been captured without any resistance on the part of the crew. there was no incident worth relating in connection with the capture, though she was full of cotton, and brought over seventy thousand dollars when the vessel and cargo were sold. the two cutters were brought alongside, and hoisted up to the davits. "i suppose the steamer has a supply of coal on board, mr. flint." "enough to take her to liverpool," replied the first lieutenant. "there are several vessels in appalachicola bay, and i thought of attending to them; but i think we have too much on our hands now, and i shall sail at once for the station. you will take charge of the floridian, mr. flint, with such crew as you need," said christy. in less than half an hour the two vessels were under way, and just at dark they were within hail of the flag-ship. chapter xxii the stranger in the captain's cabin the bronx had been absent from the station hardly more than thirty hours; but she had accomplished the mission with which she had been charged in her secret orders. the vernon was still at anchor near the flag-ship. christy hastened on board of the latter to make his report, which he had written out during the passage; in fact, he had two reports, one of the capture of the bronx, and the other of the floridian. "you have done your work very promptly, captain passford," said the commodore with a smile. "the circumstances favored me, sir," replied christy, bowing. "i desire to call your attention to the first of the two reports i submit, for the first battle i was called upon to fight was on board of the bronx." "on board of the bronx!" exclaimed the flag-officer. "do you mean that you had a mutiny to suppress?" "i had not the honor to communicate with you yesterday before the bronx sailed for her destination; but i believe you were called upon to decide upon the identity of the officer who presented himself to you as the lieutenant appointed to the command of the bronx, introduced by captain battleton of the vernon." "i was hardly called upon to decide anything, for the matter in doubt had been settled by the commander of the vernon before it came to my knowledge; but i agreed with him that the commission ought to settle the point. are you not the officer presented to me by captain battleton, captain passford?" asked the commodore, gazing earnestly into the face of christy. "i am not, sir." "you are not! who are you, then?" "i am lieutenant christopher passford." "who was the other officer?" "he was not an officer, either of the navy or the army, but my cousin, cornelius passford, a soldier in the confederate army." "i am amazed, and i fear the officers in charge at brooklyn are not as cautious as they should be. not long ago a steamer had to return to the navy-yard there because her machinery had been tampered with; and the enemy are putting men on board of steamers for the purpose of capturing them. where is your cousin now, captain passford?" "he is a prisoner on board of the bronx, with two confederate naval officers who were his associates in the conspiracy; and we have also two seamen," replied christy, who proceeded to give the narrative in full of the work done on board of the bronx on the evening of the day she sailed from the station. the sea was smooth, and the commander of the bronx was directed to bring her alongside the flag-ship. as soon as this was done, all the prisoners on board of her were transferred to the custody of the commodore. christy introduced his uncle homer to the flag-officer, suggesting that he was a non-combatant, and stating that he had offered to put him on shore at st. andrew's island. "i think you are correct in your view, captain passford, though probably he is of more service to the confederate government, as your father is to our own, than a score of sailors or soldiers; but modern civilization does not hold civilians as prisoners of war. besides, he is doing so much to provide our vessels with prizes in the matter of cotton ships, that it would be a pity to take him out of his sphere of usefulness to us," added the commodore with a smile. "the other men in the sloop, with the exception of the skipper, fired upon my boat, and wounded an officer and a seaman." "they were taken in arms, and therefore they are prisoners. but you lost all your commissioned officers but one in the affair on board of the bronx, captain passford." "i did, sir; and i was obliged to fill their places;" and christy described the men he had appointed. "there are no officers here that i can give you in their places, and i am obliged to order you away immediately on another expedition. the floridian is a valuable prize; and i must send her to new york, for i am confident the government will purchase her for the navy. your acting lieutenants must continue to serve as such for the present." "i ask for no better officers, sir. they are well educated, and have had a great deal of experience as sailors outside of the navy," replied christy. at this time the preparations for the reduction of the forts on the mississippi were in progress, and every available vessel was called into activity. the bronx had been built for a blockade-runner, and for a steamer of her size she was of exceptional speed. the vessels of the eastern gulf squadron were employed to a considerable extent in destroying salt works on the west coast of florida; but the commodore was not disposed to order the fleet little gunboat upon such service. "is the bronx in condition for immediate service, captain passford?" asked the flag-officer. "she is, sir; she has not been in action since her crew was reinforced," answered christy. "i did not expect your return so soon, but i have your sealed orders ready. you will get under way as soon as possible," added the commodore, handing him the sealed envelope. "you will make your course south-west, and open your orders at twelve o'clock to-night." the commander of the bronx left the cabin where the interview had taken place. on the deck he met his uncle, who was curious to know what was to be done with him. "i can only say that you will not be held as a prisoner of war; but i must leave you in the hands of the flag-officer, who will dispose of you as he thinks best. i sail in the bronx immediately." christy hastened on board of his vessel, after hastily shaking hands with uncle homer. all the prisoners had been removed from her, and the commodore had sent a ship's company to the floridian to relieve the prize crew in charge of her. he had only to wait for mr. flint and the men attached to the bronx; and they came on board within an hour. "you will call all hands, mr. flint," said the commander, as soon as the executive officer appeared on the deck; and the call of the boatswain's mate sounded through the vessel. "i came on board to pay my respects to you, captain passford," said captain battleton of the vernon, who had been waiting for him. "things have changed since i last saw you. i do not know whether i ought to apologize to you for my decision on board of the vernon, or not." "not at all, captain battleton," replied christy, taking the hand of the commander of the store-ship. "the flag-officer sustained your decision; and with my commission in the pocket of my cousin, i do not see that you could have adjusted the question in any other manner. i assure you i have not a particle of ill-feeling towards you on account of what you did in the discharge of your duty." "but i do not quite understand the matter yet. you disappeared very suddenly; and when i wanted to present you to the commodore, you could not be found," added the captain of the vernon. "i am very curious to know what became of you." "i came on board of the bronx, and put myself in a place where you were least likely to look for me,--under the berth in the captain's stateroom. i was at home there, for i had occupied the room while i was the acting commander of the vessel on her voyage to the gulf. but you must excuse me now, for i am ordered to get under way at once; and the ship's company of the floridian have reported on board." "i may yet be called upon to serve under you some time in the future; and i did not wish to have any prejudice against me on account of my decision, in which my officers concurred." "i have not the slightest prejudice against you and while we stand by the union, shoulder to shoulder, we shall be friends," replied christy, warmly pressing the hand of the captain of the vernon. captain battleton returned the pressure as heartily as it had been given, and departed from the gunboat. the commander gave the order to the first lieutenant to get under way; and the fasts were cast off from the flag-ship. the bronx backed away from her, came about, and was ready to proceed on her voyage to the destination as yet unknown on board of her. "make the course south-west, mr. flint," said the commander, as soon as the vessel was ready, and her screw was in motion. "south-west," repeated the first lieutenant, addressing the quartermaster who was conning the wheel. standing on the bridge with the executive officer, christy took his leave mentally of the flag-ship, and the few other vessels that were on the station; for most of them were on duty in various expeditions engaged in the destruction of salt works. a boat expedition had just captured appalachicola, with all the vessels loading with cotton in the bay. the young commander congratulated himself that he had a fast steamer, for that caused him to be employed in more active duty than the work of destruction on shore. "south-west," said mr. flint, after the port watch had been dismissed, leaving the starboard with mr. camden as watch officer on deck. "i thought it probable that we should be sent to appalachicola after the information the russian gave us." "the boats of the mercidita and sagamore have captured the place, and picked up five or six small vessels loaded with cotton, i was informed by the commodore," replied christy. "we are bound to the westward, and the course looks as though we might be ordered up the mississippi," suggested mr. flint. "i hardly think so, though i should be pleased to have it so." "why do you think it is not likely, captain passford?" asked the executive officer curiously. "because the bronx is a fast vessel compared with most of the steamers of the navy, hardly any of which are good for more than twelve knots an hour, while this ship will make sixteen when she is driven, and fourteen under ordinary circumstances when we are not trying to save coal. of course i have no idea what duty we are to perform, and i am not anxious to know till the time comes, though midnight is a rather odd time to open the envelope." "probably the odd time means something." "no doubt of it; for to-morrow morning by four bells we shall be off the passes of the mississippi, and our mission may be up lake pontchartrain, or at ship island. but let that matter rest, for in three hours and a half we shall know all about it. i want to ask you about the man you call the russian." "he is a good man, and quite as intelligent as any of our seamen. he is a pilot on the coast of florida, and may be farther to the westward so far as i know. he is forty-seven years old, though he does not look it, and has been to sea all his life. by the way, that captain flanger has done some business as a smuggler, mike informs me." "he looks like a desperate character," added christy, as he went below to attend to his supper, which he had so far neglected. dave was standing by the door when he entered his cabin. seated at the table was a man of stalwart frame, who was helping himself to the viands prepared for the commander, and making himself entirely at home. "good-evening, captain passford; i hope you are all right. i waited a reasonable time for you to come below to supper; but as you did not appear, i have made myself at home, for my appetite has been somewhat stimulated to-day," said the stranger. the commander looked at the man; but he did not know him. chapter xxiii a very impudent declaration christy looked at the stranger with astonishment, and he could not imagine who he could be. he had seen no such person on board of the bronx or on the deck of the flag-ship. when the prisoners from the magnolia had been brought on board, christy had been too much occupied with other matters to bestow any attention upon them with the exception of "the dignified gentleman in black," who proved to be his uncle. he had had no curiosity in regard to them, and mr. camden had disposed of them at the rail. the commander thought it very strange that there should be a person on board of the steamer, and especially in possession of his cabin, who was an entire stranger to him. he looked at the intruder, who was a stoutly built man of rather more than forty years of age, with his hair and full beard somewhat grizzled by age. he was dressed like a seaman in blue clothes, though he was evidently not a common sailor, but might have been the master or mate of a vessel. "i am sorry to have kept you waiting for your supper, sir," replied christy, falling in with the humor of his involuntary guest. "but that was the fault of my steward, who ought to have informed me that i was to have the pleasure of your company at supper." "don't blame him, captain passford, for it was not his fault that he did not announce my presence to you. he wished to do so, but i assured him i was not disposed to disturb you, for you must be occupied with your own affairs, and i persuaded him not to go for you," added the person with perfect self-possession. "you were very considerate," answered christy, looking at the steward, who had stationed himself behind the unwelcome guest. dave looked as solemn as an owl, and his ivories seemed to be sealed up in his expansive mouth. he attempted to make a sign to the captain, but it was not understood. at that moment, the stranger raised his finger and beckoned to the steward. "what is your name, boy?" he asked. "dave, sir," replied he, evidently deeply impressed by the visitor for some reason not yet apparent to the captain. "i don't like to have a man stand behind me, and you will take your place in the rear of captain passford, who is more worthy of your attention than i am;" and though dave was a brave fellow, he obeyed the order. it was evident enough to christy that there had been some kind of a scene in the cabin before he came below, for the steward had certainly been intimidated by the powerful visitor. "this fish seems to be red snapper, captain, and it is very good. will you allow me to help you to some of it?" continued the stranger very politely. "thank you, sir; i will take some of it, if you please," replied christy, as he passed his plate across the table. "of course, as you have done me the honor to take a seat at my table, i must be acquainted with you." "we have met before," replied the stranger. "shall i help you to some of these fried potatoes? they are very good, and i can recommend them. i have already learned that you have an excellent cook on board. i should judge from these potatoes that he was brought up in new orleans." "it may be he was; i don't know about that. you say that we have met before, but to save my life, i cannot recall the time, and i am sorry to add that i do not identify your face as that of any person i ever saw before. i have the pleasure of introducing myself to you as lieutenant christopher passford, commanding the united states steamer bronx." "thank you, captain passford, and i cannot well help being less polite and less frank than you are; and i shall take the liberty of introducing myself to your acquaintance and good offices as captain boyd flanger, lately in command of the steamer floridian, entirely at your service." "indeed!" exclaimed christy, not a little startled at the information thus communicated, for it was plain enough that the intruder meant mischief in spite of his good manners. "i was under the impression that you had taken up your abode on board of the flag-ship with others who were captured in the magnolia." "that is very true; i went on board of the flag-ship, but i am somewhat fastidious in my notions, and i concluded not to remain there," replied captain flanger. "without any intention of flattering you, captain passford, candor compels me to say that i prefer your company to that of the commodore. can i help you to anything more on my side of the table?" "thank you; i will have one of those lamb's tongues," replied christy. "they are very nice; i have just tried one of them," added captain flanger, as he passed the plate over to the commander. "you do not use your left hand, captain; i hope you were not wounded in the affair this morning off st. andrew's bay." "no, sir; i was not wounded. your men did not fire into our party, as we did into your boat. the fact is, captain passford, i have an ornament on my left wrist which i am a little timid about displaying before people, though i do not object to showing it to you," replied the guest, as he held up his left hand, and from the wrist a pair of handcuffs hung down, for he had succeeded in removing it only from his right hand. "such an ornament must be a nuisance to you, captain flanger, and i think we will have it removed. dave, go and ask the second lieutenant to report to me with his keys and a file," said christy. "i beg your pardon, captain passford, for countermanding your order; but dave will do nothing of the sort," interposed the intruder, as blandly as before. "dave knows better than to obey such an order." dave did know better than to obey the order, and christy was morally certain that he had been menaced with a pistol, or threatened in some manner if he attempted to leave the cabin. he acted as though he felt confident that a bullet would be sent through his head if he disobeyed the bold visitor. at the same time there was a certain amount of energy and earnestness visible in the expression of the steward, which assured christy that he was ready to take part in any action that was reasonably prudent and hopeful. captain flanger had been handcuffed and made fast to the rail of the vessel with the other prisoners, and with them he had been transferred to the flag-ship. it was probably in this removal that he had found the means of securing his liberty, and had made his way on board in some manner not at all apparent to the commander of the bronx, who had been in conference with the commodore when the change was made. whether the escaped prisoner had gone to the captain's cabin for a special purpose, or had simply followed the most convenient way that was opened to him in his flight, it was plain enough to christy that, at the present time, he had an object before him. he had practically taken possession of the cabin, and had already overawed the steward. the commander could not see his way to do anything to improve the situation. he had no weapon about him but his sword, and he was satisfied that the intruder was provided with one or more revolvers, as indicated by the appearance of the side pockets of his blue coat. whatever had been said about the imprudence and even recklessness of the young lieutenant, he was really a prudent and even cautious officer. he realized that any movement on his part would draw the fire of the insolent intruder, and he saw that strategy was far preferable to open violence, since the latter was likely to end only in killing or disabling him. if he could visit his stateroom and obtain his pair of navy revolvers, or even the smaller ones in one of the drawers of his desk, it would improve the chances in his favor. it was evident that he would not be permitted to do this, and he did not attempt it. "dave is a wise man," said the commander, after he had given a few moments to the consideration of the situation. "dave is a sensible man, and i trust i shall find you his equal in that respect, captain passford," replied the intruder, still seated in his chair at the supper-table. "i claim to be reasonably sensible," answered christy. "as you have done me the honor to visit me in my cabin, captain flanger, it is reasonable to suppose you have some object in view, for i do not regard it as a merely friendly call." though the young officer was prudent and discreet, he did not lose his self-possession, and he smiled as though he had been simply the host in the dining-room of the mansion at bonnydale. there was a certain humor about the intruder which would have pleased him under other circumstances. "quite right, captain!" exclaimed the visitor. "i have an object in view, and both my inclination and my duty are urging me to carry it out. how your boat happened to capture the magnolia is beyond my comprehension up to the present moment, though i think the principal reason was the lack of a sufficiently osseous vertebra on the part of your worthy uncle, colonel passford. then the officer in charge of the cutter did not do what i expected him to do. instead of falling back when he and one of his crew were wounded, as he ought to have done, and using the heavy revolvers with which his men were armed, he did not delay a moment, but smashed into the sloop, and jerked his men on board of her, cutlass in one hand and revolver in the other; and that brought me to the end of my rope. i could not do anything more." "i am sorry that you are dissatisfied with my third lieutenant's mode of operations," replied christy, laughing, though his mirth was of the graveyard order. "but mr. pennant is a new officer, and that was the first active duty he had been called upon to perform. very likely he will suit you better next time." christy yawned, or pretended to do so, and in the act he rose from the table. captain flanger was silent as he did so, and watched the captain with the eye of a lynx, as the latter placed himself behind the chair he had occupied. he was in position to make a movement of some kind, and the intruder deliberately drew from his right-hand coat pocket a heavy revolver. holding this in his hand, he drew another from the left-hand pocket, and threw it on the table. "i don't wish to be rude with a gentleman as polite as yourself, captain passford; but you interrupted my remarks by rising from your chair," said captain flanger, with the revolver still poised in his hand, while he dropped the other with the handcuff upon it at his side. "excuse me for interrupting you, captain flanger; but i have eaten a hearty supper, encouraged by your friendly presence, and i was sleepy, for my rest was broken last night, and i wanted simply to stretch myself," replied christy, yawning and stretching himself again. "all right, captain; it is not necessary for me to say a single word," added the intruder, as he made a slight demonstration with the weapon in his right hand, which was not lost upon the commander. "with your permission, i will proceed with my remarks." "certainly, captain; go on." "my first misfortune was in being made a prisoner. my second and most annoying mishap was the capture of the floridian," continued captain flanger. "it was my intention to fit her out as a privateer, with the proceeds of the sale of her cargo of cotton, for she is a good vessel, and as fast as the bronx, as you call her." "then i was very fortunate in capturing her," added christy with a smile. "perhaps not, for i intend to replace her with the bronx." the commander was amazed at the impudence of the intruder. chapter xxiv a critical situation in the cabin christy looked at his cool and impudent visitor, whose declaration was to the effect that he intended to take possession of the bronx in compensation for the loss of the floridian. it looked as though he intended to capture the gunboat now fully officered, and manned by forty-six seaman; and so far as the commander could judge, he intended to do it single-handed. the lieutenant's first thought, after he realized the intention of the intruder, was that he was insane, for no man in his senses would think of accomplishing such a mad enterprise. his second idea was that he had mistaken the declaration of captain flanger, though he had certainly said that he meant to replace the floridian with the bronx, and the statement could hardly mean anything else. christy was forced to admit to himself that the bold intruder had full possession of the captain's cabin of the steamer, and that he had the advantage of him in being armed; that any decided opposition on his part would result in his being killed or wounded. it was not prudent for him to do anything, and at the present stage of the proceedings he could do nothing but temporize with his resolute foe. "i beg your pardon, captain flanger; but do i understand that you intend, single-handed and alone, to capture the bronx?" asked the commander, with a smile of incredulity on his face. "well, captain passford, if you fail to comprehend my purpose, it is the fault of your understanding, and not of my plain and explicit declaration, for i assuredly said that i intended to replace the floridian with the teaser, or the bronx as you have named her, though she will not be called by any such nut-cracking name after i get her," replied the daring privateersman, as blandly and pleasantly as though he were planning a picnic. "of course you see no difficulties in the way of such an undertaking as you propose," added christy. "there may be difficulties; but i think they can be overcome. i purpose to act through you, my friend, as my resources are rather limited at the present moment. in other words, i propose that you shall issue certain orders which i intend to dictate," captain flanger proceeded, as coolly as though he had been in his own cabin instead of that of his companion. "you mean to dictate your orders to me," repeated the commander. "precisely so; and you will readily see that i am not exactly in a position to act in any other manner, as i cannot go back on deck and deliver them in person, for your officers would be prejudiced against me, and might be disposed to rebel against my authority." "not improbable," added christy. "you propose that i shall go on deck, and give your orders, acting as your proxy." "hardly, my dear friend, for i fear that on deck you would give way to your own individual prejudices against me, and do something that would jeopard my interest in the premises. with your approbation, i should prefer to resort to a method that prevails in the army, though not to any considerable extent in the navy. more clearly, i will invite you to send your orders on deck in writing, over your own signature." "you think that method would suit you better than the usual one of delivering orders verbally," said christy, laughing as much at the coolness as at the impudence of his companion. "it will not only suit me better, but you cannot fail to see that it is the only practicable way for me to operate with my present very limited resources. if i had a dozen good men and true,--not such dunderheads as your officer captured in the magnolia,--i should be able to proceed in a more orderly and regular manner. in that case, i should issue my orders in person, and not compel you to act as my intermediary." "i understand you perfectly now; but as you have not, fortunately for me, and unfortunately for yourself, the dozen men at hand, i am to hold the fiddle while you play upon it, as i have seen a couple of negro minstrels do it." "an excellent simile, captain passford, and i could not have invented a better myself," returned the privateersman. "i think we understand each other perfectly, and therefore it is not necessary to use up any more time in explanations. you are too intelligent a person to fail to comprehend my plan. as an epitome of the whole scene, i may add that i propose to do what my friend galvinne undertook with that cousin of yours: i intend to take the bronx into pensacola bay, and have her used in the service of the righteous cause in which the people of the south are engaged," continued captain flanger, as though he believed in all he was saying. "i suppose it is the righteousness of the cause in particular that calls forth your admiration," chuckled christy. "precisely so; in this cause, though i drink whiskey, chew, and smoke, and never swear except when i am excited, i am a religious man," said the intruder, laughing. "i suppose you were religiously inclined when you were engaged in the business of smuggling," added the commander. "i cannot say that i was; the cause of the south is religion itself, and i am there every time. who told you that i had been engaged in smuggling?" "it dropped from some of the men that were captured in the sloop." "it could have dropped only from mike bornhoff, for he is the only one who knew anything about it. he is my property, and when we are fairly in pensacola bay i shall seize him up to the grating, and give him thirty-nine for opening his mouth when he ought to have kept it closed. where is he now, for i did not find him among the prisoners?" "he has enlisted as a seaman, and seems to be a good one. by the way, where did you learn that my cousin attempted to take the bronx into pensacola bay?" asked christy curiously, though he was using up the time he could not yet improve. "it was not your cousin at all who attempted to take the vessel into pensacola bay; it was galvinne, for corny only acted as a figure-head, as i intend to use you. galvinne was a prisoner by my side on board of the flag-ship, and told me all about it when he was releasing my right hand from the bracelet," replied captain flanger. "then i am to do duty as a figure-head, am i?" laughed christy. "precisely; and you are a better-looking one than your cousin. but excuse me for changing the subject of the conversation, for i am losing time. i see by the telltale over our heads that the bronx is headed to the south-west, which is doubtless the course you were ordered to take by the commodore." "the telltale is honest, and tells no lies," replied christy. "where are you bound, captain passford?" asked flanger, in a careless and indifferent manner, as he looked about the cabin. "i don't know." "sealed orders?" "you must draw your own inferences, captain flanger." "it won't take a six-mule team to draw that one," added the privateersman, rather sourly for the first time. "of course i understood that it would not be advisable for the commodore to let it be known exactly where the steamer is bound, and that you have sealed orders. i shall have to trouble you, captain passford, to produce the envelope." as he spoke captain flanger toyed with the revolver in his right hand as if he intended that the weapon should produce its proper impression on the mind, and especially upon the nerves, of the commander, who had continued to walk up and down in front of the table at which his dangerous associate was seated, occasionally pausing when a point was made on either side. "of course you cannot expect me to betray the confidence of the commodore; that would not be kind or friendly on your part, captain flanger, for you can see that this is a delicate matter," said christy, halting in front of the table. "it may be delicate; i admit that it is so for you: but as my plans may depend somewhat upon a knowledge of your instructions, i really feel compelled to insist upon this point, captain passford," replied the intruder as blandly as ever. "but we are living just now in a state of war, and it is quite impossible to act with as much delicacy us one might desire." "i am sorry that you feel constrained to act in this indelicate manner; but i cannot, on my honor and conscience, violate my orders, and i must respectfully decline to produce the envelope," replied christy, feeling that he had come to a crisis in the affair. "you decline to give me your sealed orders? do i correctly understand you, captain passford?" demanded the privateersman with a frown upon his brow. "undoubtedly you do. i decline to give you my sealed orders. what then?" replied the commander, who began to feel a certain sense of shame because he had temporized so long with the bold pirate, for he regarded him as such. "what then?" repeated the intruder. "why, you will reduce me to the disagreeable necessity of blowing out your brains, if you have any, as i should judge that you had not, after your refusal to accede to my request in the face of the death that awaits you." "i beg your pardon, captain flanger, but do you really purpose to blow out the brains of your figure-head?" asked christy, as coolly as though no such threat had been suggested to him. about this time dave, who had taken care to keep in the front of the table as he had been ordered to do, seized upon his feather duster, and began to dust the divan on the starboard side of the cabin. flanger was so much occupied with the commander at that moment, that he was not disposed to take his eye off him for an instant; for certainly the situation had become critical, and he paid no attention to the steward. dave was a sort of a feather-duster fiend, and he used the article a great deal of his time, apparently as much from habit as from cleanliness. "i should be extremely sorry to put a ball through your head, captain passford, not only because it would disfigure a handsome face, but because you may be of great use to me," replied the pirate. "and because, in your present enterprise as you have outlined it, you cannot get along without me," said christy. "in fact, you are more than half right. the sealed orders are not absolutely necessary to me just now, and i shall not insist upon the production of them for the present. now, if you will seat yourself at the table opposite me, i will dictate an order to you, which you will oblige me by reducing to writing, and then by signing your name to it as commander," continued flanger, still toying with the heavy revolver. christy's curiosity was excited: he thought the order would throw some further light on the plan of the pirate; and he seated himself. captain flanger proceeded to dictate to him an order to the officer of the deck, to the effect that his sealed orders directed him to cut out a rebel privateer under the guns of fort mcrae; ordering him to head the bronx to the north-west for this purpose, and instructing him to call him as soon as he made out the shore, christy wrote it, and the pirate told him to sign it. "you must excuse me, captain flanger, but i object to signing such an order," replied christy, as he rose from his chair. "sign it, or you are a dead man!" exclaimed flanger fiercely. "be it so; death before dishonor," replied the commander firmly. at this moment dave had worked himself in behind the pirate; and, with a well-directed blow with the feather duster on the head of flanger, he brought him to the floor. [illustration: flanger in the captain's cabin.--page .] chapter xxv the destruction of a prominent facial member the cabin steward had two feather dusters, one of which was very large, and the other of medium size. he had used the big one so industriously that very little was left of the feathers except the bare quills that were inserted in a cylinder of hard wood, too heavy for the use of a delicate female, though dave had wielded it till it was in better condition to be thrown overboard than to be used on the panels and furniture of the cabin. captain flanger was at the critical point in his operations, and he was too busy with the commander to give any attention to the negro, whom he regarded with the contempt begotten of his southern education. dave was intelligent enough to understand the situation accurately, and he realized that it was rapidly becoming critical. he knew that christy was unarmed, and that the whole attention of the pirate was concentrated upon him, so that he could do nothing to help himself. he knew also that if he attempted to leave the cabin to procure assistance, flanger would shoot him with as little remorse as he would kill a coon in the woods. watching his opportunity without trying to get behind the intruder till the decisive moment came, he sprang into the position he had selected in advance, and brought down the heavy head of the feather duster upon the temple of the privateersman. probably it was the shock quite as much as the force of the blow that brought down the steward's victim. but it was a heavy stroke, for the wood of the feather duster was split into many pieces, and the stumps of the feathers were scattered all over the table. the onslaught could not fail to be very confusing to the ideas of the intruder, and he seemed to be tangled up in the arm-chair in which he had been seated. captain flanger was a man of stalwart proportions, and christy realized that he was no match for him in a hand to hand encounter, even with the aid of the steward, for the ruffian would not fail to use his revolvers. dave was not satisfied with what he had done, and as his foe went over in the chair, he sprang upon him, and tried to wrest the pistol from his hand, and a struggle on the floor was begun, the result of which could not be foreseen. christy took in the situation at a glance, and while the steward and his victim were rolling and writhing on the floor, he darted into his stateroom, the door of which had been open all the time, and took his heavy revolvers from the drawer where he kept them, charged for immediate use. when he rushed back to the cabin, flanger had got the better of his foe, and had risen to his feet, with his grasp upon the throat of the steward. then he hurled him from him with a vigorous movement with his left hand, while he raised the right with the evident intention of shooting him. the commander saw the imminent peril of dave; he took a hasty aim and fired before the intruder had time to do so. he was a good shot with the navy revolver, for he had taken lessons and practised a good deal with the weapon. he had aimed at the head of flanger, and he saw that he had hit him, for his face was instantly covered with blood. he did not think it necessary to fire a second shot, but he was careful not to let the opportunity pass by if it was needed to reduce the privateersman to subjection. flanger dropped his weapon instantly, and dave as instantly picked it up. it was clear to christy then that the battle had been fought and won, though the defeated party had another revolver in his pocket. in spite of his claim that he was a religious man, he indulged in a volley of profane language which made the commander's blood run cold in his veins. his right hand, from which he had dropped one of his revolvers, was pressed upon his nose, as though this organ was the seat of his injury. he stood behind the table, and continued to swear like a pirate in a passion. his face and his hand were absolutely covered with blood. both christy and dave kept their positions, each with a revolver in his hand, ready to finish the victim if he exhibited any symptoms of further violence. this was the tableau presented in the captain's cabin when the door was suddenly opened by the first lieutenant, who rushed in, followed by the second lieutenant and quartermaster vincent. mr. flint had been on the quarter-deck, and had heard the report of christy's revolver when he fired. calling mr. camden and the quartermaster, he has come to ascertain the cause of the fracas; and the sight was certainly impressive when he entered. "any orders, captain passford?" asked the first lieutenant, as he saw that christy appeared to be master of the situation. "stand by to secure that man," replied the commander, pointing at the wounded man behind the table. "he has a revolver in his left coat pocket." the three officers promptly obeyed the order, and laid violent hands on captain flanger, mr. flint taking the weapon from his pocket. they seized him by the collar of his coat, and the executive officer held his left arm, with the handcuffs on the wrist. the victim of the affray still held on to his nose, though mr. camden took possession of the arm. "you appear to be wounded, captain flanger?" said christy, approaching the table. "wounded, you"-- the oaths and epithets he used need not soil our page; but the prisoner seemed to be suffering more from his wrath than from his wound. "you have shot off by dose, you!"--groaned flanger. "the ball welt straight through it." "then you are not dangerously wounded," added christy. "i was afraid it had gone through your head." "i wish it had! you have bade a scarecrow of be for life!" he gasped. "what's the trouble here, captain passford?" asked dr. connelly, presenting himself at the door of the cabin. "didn't i hear the report of a firearm in this direction just now?" "very likely you did, if your hearing is good," replied christy with a smile, for the large revolver, discharged in the small cabin, made a tremendous noise. "the gentleman behind the table, who is holding on to his nose, requires some of your professional skill. he was proceeding to capture the bronx, and had gone to the point where you find him." "i dol't walt any yalkee surgeod at work od be," protested captain flanger, whose speech was badly affected by the injury to his nasal organ, or by the pressure he applied to it with his hand. "you can consult your own inclination as to that, my excellent friend. i shall not force you to be treated by him," added christy, "but i must suggest that this farce has been carried far enough in my cabin." "farce! do you cod this a farce?" demanded the wounded man indignantly. "you have shot off by dose!" in fact, captain flanger seemed to be more disturbed at the accident to his proboscis, than by the failure of his quixotic scheme to capture the bronx. he was certainly a very good-looking man, and took good care of his person, as indicated by the care bestowed upon his hair and beard. "the farce came to an end when you menaced me with death if i declined to sign the order you dictated, and the steward played the first scene in the tragedy. i am sure it was a farce up to that time," replied christy. "mr. flint, have the prisoner put in irons, and remove him to the quarters of the men forward. give him a berthsack and a blanket, and place a hand to stand guard over him." the executive officer sent mr. camden on deck for a pair of handcuffs and a couple of men to execute the order. flanger still retained his standing position behind the table, holding on to his nose, which continued to bleed very freely. the surgeon went over to him, and endeavored to obtain a sight of the mutilated member. "i think you had better let me stanch the blood," suggested dr. connelly. "do!" exclaimed the patient. "you will take off what is left of by dose." "as you please," replied the surgeon, as the second lieutenant returned attended by two stout seamen. "remove the handcuff from his left wrist, and fit him out with a new pair," said mr. flint, who still held the left arm of the prisoner. mr. camden took off the irons, for he had a key to them, and enclosed the wrist in the new pair. then the two men were directed to take his right arm, which they did, and drew his hand from his nose. this act roused the ire of flanger, and he began to struggle; but powerful as he was, the two seamen were too much for him, and he was fairly handcuffed. the second lieutenant was the officer of the deck, and he was sent back to his post of duty. flanger's face was so covered and daubed with the gore from his wound that the condition of his prominent facial member could not be determined. "i protest agailst this brutal treatmelt!" stormed the prisoner, as he continued to writhe in his irons. "i am a woulded plisoler!" "i see you are; but you decline to permit the surgeon to dress your wound. i have no more time to fool with you, and the men will put you on a berthsack forward. if you want the surgeon to attend to your wound, you have only to say so." "it is a bad wound though not a dangerous one," said dr. connelly, who had approached the victim of his own conspiracy near enough to obtain a view of the injured nose. "the ball has torn away the middle of the member, and it hangs in pieces from the wound." "i have had enough of him; remove him to the quarters," added christy. "you took splendid aim, captain passford," said the surgeon, smiling. "i did not aim at his nose, but at his head in a general way," replied the commander. "i fired in a hurry, and i meant to reach his brains, if he had any. take him away; i am disgusted." "the fortules of war are agailst me, captail passford; but if you ever fall ilto my halds, i will cut your dose off cleal to your face," howled the prisoner, boiling over with wrath. "take him away!" added christy with energy; and the two seamen dragged him out of the cabin, leaving only mr. flint, the surgeon, and the steward in the cabin. "dave," he continued, stepping up to the last, and taking him by the hand, "you have behaved remarkably well, and i thank you for the good service you have rendered to me and the cause of your country." "i done do what i thought was right, captain passford, though folks like that fellow think a poor nigger is no account," replied the steward, putting every tooth in his head on exhibition. "perhaps he will change his mind after this. if you have not saved my life, dave, you have saved my self-respect, for your prompt action, quite as soon as it was prudent for you to act, redeemed me from any further submission, and i expected to throw away my life rather than sign that order. i think he would not have killed me, for that would have blocked his game; but he would have wounded me in two minutes more. i thank you with all my heart, dave, and i shall not forget what you have done." "thank you, captain passford," replied the steward. "i do not fully understand this affair, captain," said mr. flint. "sit down, take a seat, doctor, and i will tell you all about it. you may go forward, dave, and report to me the condition of the prisoner," added christy, as he seated himself at the table, and began to tell the story of the intruder's visit to his cabin. he finished the narrative, and the officers were discussing it when there was a knock at the door. "sail on the port bow, sir," reported a quartermaster. chapter xxvi the meeting with the bellevite at night christy looked at his watch when the sail was reported to him, and found that it wanted ten minutes of eleven. the bronx had been steaming for just about three hours, and must have made about forty miles, as he hastily figured up the run in his mind. "how was the weather when you left the deck, mr. flint?" asked the commander. "clear as a bell, and bright starlight," replied the executive officer. "not a night for blockade runners," added the captain. "no, sir." "the sail is reported on the port bow, which looks as though she might be coming in from sea," continued christy, as he went into his stateroom with his navy revolver in his hand. he put the formidable weapon back into the drawer from which he had taken it; but the lesson of the evening had made a strong impression on his mind. though he had permitted captain flanger to believe that he was not at all disturbed by his presence in his cabin, and had kept up the humor with which the intruder had introduced himself, yet he had felt a sense of humiliation through the whole of the scene. it was a new thing to be confronted by an enemy in his own cabin; and the privateersman, armed with two heavy revolvers, had all the advantage, while neither he nor the steward had a weapon of any kind. with even an ordinary revolver in his hip pocket, he would not have been helpless, and he might have saved himself without requiring this service of the steward. opening his valise, he took from it a smaller revolver, and put it in his hip pocket, which he had never used for any other purpose; and he resolved not to be caught again in an unarmed condition, even when no danger was apparent. in action he carried a navy revolver in each of his hip pockets. thus prepared for any emergency, though none might come for years, he went on deck, and made his way to the bridge, where he could get the best view of the approaching sail. he obtained his first sight of the vessel as soon as he reached the bridge, and saw that the sail was a steamer, much larger than the bronx. she carried no sail, for the wind was from the west; but the commander soon realized that she was moving at great speed. "we must be about forty miles off the station of the blockaders before the entrance to mobile bay," said christy, after he had thought the matter over for a moment. "i should think so," replied the first lieutenant. "that sail appears to be headed for the station. she is a large steamer, and i judge by the way she is coming up with us that she is very fast," added christy with some anxiety in his tones. "she must be a steamer of fifteen hundred tons, and perhaps more," said mr. flint, after he had looked at her through his night glass. "in that case she is too big for us to fight her, and too fast for us to run away from her; and captain flanger may be a free man in a few hours." "it does not follow that we shall have to fight her or run away from her," added the first lieutenant, still gazing at the approaching steamer through his glass. "i don't believe she is a confederate vessel. the rebels do not buy steamers as big as that one in england." "but they may have captured her," suggested christy. "i may be mistaken, captain passford, but i think that steamer is the bellevite," added mr. flint. "i hope so," replied christy, who did not like the idea of fighting or trying to run away from a craft three times as strong as the bronx. "have the ensign set at the peak, mr. flint." and a quartermaster was sent aft to attend to this duty. the strange sail continued to approach; and, little by little, the first lieutenant, who had sailed in the bellevite several years, identified her as that steamer. it was probable that she had chased some vessel, and was now returning to her station. as she came nearer, she fired a gun for the bronx to come to; and when within hail of her, stopped her screw. "steamer, ahoy!" came from her in the well-known voice of mr. blowitt, formerly the commander of the bronx, and now executive officer of the bellevite. "on board the steamer!" replied mr. flint from the bridge. "what steamer is that?" called mr. blowitt. "the united states steamer bronx, under sealed orders. what steamer is that?" "the united states steamer bellevite. we will send a boat to you," returned mr. blowitt. the big steamer, as she certainly was compared with the bronx, started her screw again, and came within less than half a cable's length of the little gunboat, for the water was very still, with a gentle breeze from the westward. the boat was dropped into the water; and in a minute or two it was at the accommodation ladder of the bronx, when a couple of officers mounted the side. "i am glad to see you, captain passford," said mr. blowitt, who was properly received when he stepped down upon the deck. "i am just as glad to see you, mr. blowitt," replied christy, taking the offered hand of his old friend. "mr. vapoor, chief engineer of the bellevite," said the executive officer, presenting christy's greatest crony on earth, for he had held back in deference to his superior officer. "the happiest moment i have had since i saw you last!" exclaimed the engineer, as he grasped the commander of the bronx with his right hand, while he threw his left around the neck of his friend, and would have hugged him if christy had not gently avoided such a "gush" in presence of the watch on deck. "i wish you were back in the bellevite, christy." "i wish i were myself," replied the commander, in a tone so low that none but the visitors could hear him. "no, you don't," interposed mr. blowitt. "you are commanding a little gunboat, though you are only eighteen." "i thought i should like it, but i find i do not as well as i expected," answered christy. "you don't like it!" exclaimed the engineer of the bellevite. "i do not, paul; i think it wears upon me, though i am willing to do my duty wherever i am ordered." "if you wish to get back into the bellevite, of course you can do so, for it is not every fellow that wears shoulder-straps who has such a backing as you have. you have only to speak, and anything reasonable is yours. but how are all at home, christy?" "florry was very well the last time i saw her, not more than two weeks ago, and she talked a great deal about you, paul," answered her brother, partly in a whisper. "did she?" added paul with a gush. "then she has not forgotten all about me. i almost wish i were not an engineer, for then i might be sent home once in a while in charge of a prize." christy had only time to tell very briefly the story of the adventure with corny, and the capture of the floridian, which he did for the purpose of introducing a matter of business in the line of his profession. the officers from the bellevite asked him a great many questions, though he felt obliged to cut them short before they were half done with them. "you must excuse me, mr. blowitt, for i am sailing under sealed orders, and the commodore hurried me off as soon as i returned with the bronx from st. andrew's bay; and i do not know that my mission admits of any delay," said christy. "i have a prisoner on board, and i want to get rid of him, for he is a dangerous character;" and he briefly related the incident of the evening with captain flanger. "he is a tough sinner," added the first lieutenant of the bellevite. "of course i cannot take him without an order from captain breaker; but i will return to the ship, and put the matter before him." "i don't know where i am ordered, and this flanger is capable of making mischief if i should happen to get into a tight place," added christy. "i suppose you are returning to the station off mobile bay, and you can dispose of him better than i can." "if captain breaker decides to take your prisoner, i will send a boat for him so as to make no unnecessary delay for you. mr. vapoor may remain, and return in the boat i send, for i am confident the commander will accede to your request. good-by, captain passford," said mr. blowitt, offering his hand to christy, who pressed it most earnestly. "what is the bellevite doing off here, so far from her station, paul?" asked christy. "we chased a good-sized steamer out last night, and she gave us a long run; but we picked her up, and she is now on her way to new york. she is good for eighteen knots an hour, and the government is sure to buy her when she is condemned. mr. ballard, the second lieutenant, has gone in her as prize-master. he is in poor health, and will get leave of absence till he is better; but i do not believe he will ever come down here again. were you in earnest in what you said about not liking your present position, christy?" "i don't say that i absolutely dislike it, for i mean to be happy in whatever place my duty may call me. the responsibility weighs heavy on me, and i should prefer to be in a subordinate position," replied christy very seriously. "i can't sleep as i used to." "i am confident there will be a vacancy in the bellevite, for mr. ballard will not come back: dr. linscott said as much as that to me," added the engineer. "you can have his place if you want it." "but there is a third lieutenant who may deserve promotion," suggested christy. "captain breaker is dissatisfied with him, and he will get him out of the ship, at any rate, as soon as the opportunity presents itself. i advise you to write to your father, and tell him plainly just how you feel," said paul. "i am not sure that captain breaker would be willing to receive me as his second lieutenant," christy objected. "i am sure he would," protested paul. "i don't want him to take me simply because my father desires him to do so," answered the young commander, shaking his head. "then let your father give him the choice of two or three officers. that will settle the matter." "i don't know, paul; i will think of the matter, and write to you as soon as i have time. there comes the boat. mr. flint, have the prisoner brought on deck to be transferred to the bellevite." in a few minutes the two stout sailors who had removed him from the captain's cabin appeared on deck, dragging captain flanger after them, for he would not walk, and did all he could with his hands made fast behind him to embarrass his conductors. "captain passford, i protest agailst this treatment of a prisoler of war," howled the privateersman. "all right, captain flanger." "i say i am abused, and dragged from below like a dog." "if you stand up and walk like a man, the dog will not be dragged." "boat alongside, sir," reported a quartermaster. "put him into the boat," added christy. the prisoner was certainly a hideous-looking object, his face daubed with blood, and his nose a mass of tangled flesh; but he was put into the boat in spite of his struggles. paul vapoor bade his friend an affectionate adieu, and went over the side. the bronx started her screw at once. chapter xxvii the planning of an expedition the bronx continued on her course indicated in the verbal order of the flag-officer. christy felt that he had had a narrow escape from death, or at least a severe wound, at the hands of the desperado who had invaded his cabin. flanger had escaped, after he had been put on board of the flag-ship, with the assistance of galvinne; and he appeared not to have taken the trouble to render the same service to his confederate. the ships' companies of the two steamers were inclined to converse, giving and receiving the news; and doubtless the prisoner had taken advantage of the confusion to slip on board of the bronx and secrete himself. his scheme, which must have been devised after he obtained admission to the cabin, was born of nothing less than madness, and could hardly have succeeded under any circumstances, though it might have ended in killing or disabling the commander. christy felt that a kind providence had saved him, and he rendered devout thanks for the merciful interposition, as it seemed to him. while he was still considering the subject, he heard the call for "all the port watch!" on deck, and mr. camden came below to wake the third lieutenant, for the routine was hardly in working order on board of the steamer. the commander went into his stateroom, and soon returned with the sealed envelope in his hand. he was deeply interested in its contents, for he hoped his vessel was ordered to take part in the mississippi expedition, which was to attack forts jackson and st. philip, and capture the city of new orleans. eight bells had been struck, indicating midnight, which was the hour at which he was directed to break the seal. the first lieutenant was quite as much interested in ascertaining the destination of the bronx as the commander. christy had invited him to his cabin. "midnight is rather an odd time for the opening of the envelope containing the orders," said mr. flint, as he seated himself at the table. "but i suppose it was chosen for a purpose." "undoubtedly; headed to the south-west the ship would be off the passes of the mississippi at eight bells in the forenoon. if we are sent to lake pontchartrain or ship island, we should be a long way off our course at that time," added christy, as he broke the seal of the envelope. "neither lake pontchartrain nor the mississippi. we are ordered to barataria bay, where a steamer is loading with cotton." "i did not believe a little vessel like the bronx would be sent up the river," said mr. flint, when the commander had read the paper. "barataria bay--that locality is noted for something in history, isn't it, captain?" "perhaps you have never read 'lafitte, the pirate of the gulf;' but this bay was his famous resort," said christy, smiling. "it was formerly quite as noted as a resort for smugglers, and lafitte was more a smuggler than a pirate in this region. he was six feet two inches in height, a well educated and handsome man, so that he was a first-class hero for a novel of the dime class," added christy. "i believe your late passenger in the cabin knows something about barataria bay and its surroundings, for i think i heard the russian say that he had done some smuggling in this quarter," said mr. flint. "as you are doubtless aware, by a series of lakes, bayous, and a canal which comes out near carrollton, just above new orleans, water communication is open to the mississippi river for small vessels." "do you say that captain flanger has been a smuggler in these waters?" "i think the russian said so." "in that case, probably mike was with him, and he may be a useful man to us as a pilot," replied christy. "the commodore says the western gulf squadron had no steamer that was suitable for this service, for there is only nine feet of water on the bar of barataria at low water. for this reason he had been requested to send the bronx, not only on account of her light draft, but of her speed." the commander read his orders through. it was believed that vessels were loading with cotton there, towed down in flatboats by small steamers, and that a steamer of four hundred tons was fitting out in the bay as a privateer. it might not be practicable for the bronx to go into the bay; but she was to do what she could to capture the cotton vessels and the steamer when they came out. mr. flint went to his stateroom, and turned in; but christy spread his chart of the gulf of mexico, and using his parallel ruler, he found that the present course of the bronx would take her to the pass à loutre, the most northerly entrance of the mississippi river. he went to the bridge at once, and directed the officer of the deck to make the course south-west by south. everything was going well on deck, and mr. pennant had proved that he was a competent officer. by this time the commander began to feel that sleep was a necessity for him, for he had hardly rested at all the night before, and he turned in at two bells. he dropped asleep almost instantly, and did not wake till he heard eight bells in the morning. it was quite light in his stateroom, and he realized that it was eight o'clock, instead of four, as he at first supposed. dressing himself hastily, christy hastened on deck, and to the bridge, where he found mr. flint, who informed him that the bronx was off the south pass of the mississippi. the fleet of the flag-officer of the western gulf squadron had gone up the river, with the exception of a single vessel, which had not been able to get over the bar. there were a few sail in sight. "we are all right on the course, mr. flint; now make it west," said christy to the executive officer; and then went to his cabin for his breakfast, directing the officer of the deck to report to him when the steamer was off the south west pass. when he had finished his morning meal, he proceeded to study his chart again. he had never been to the westward of the mouths of the mississippi; but he had a chart of the entrance to barataria bay. he examined it with the greatest care, and made himself familiar with the bearings and distances. in about an hour after he left the deck, a messenger came to the door of the cabin to inform him that the south west pass was in sight, bearing due north. "make the course west north-west," said he to the first lieutenant, as he joined him on the bridge. "west north-west, sir," repeated the executive officer, as he gave it to the quartermaster at the wheel. "we shall soon be where our operations begin; but i am afraid we are to have a lazy time of it," added christy, as soon as the vessel's head had been pointed in the direction indicated. "why so, captain passford?" asked mr. flint. "barataria bay makes a big hole in the state of louisiana, and most of it is shoal water. at the south of it is the isle grande terre, on the western end of which is a fort, which commands the entire channel," replied the captain. "that's bad," added mr. flint, shaking his head. "i have no idea of its strength; but i do not care to have the bronx knocked to pieces by the big guns of a fort. the bar of barataria and the shoal water of the entrance to the bay extend out about two miles into the gulf. at low water, two miles from the fort, we should bury our keel in the mud. it looks just now as though we should have to put the bronx under the guns of the fort, or simply blockade the entrance to the bay. that makes it look like a quiet time in these waters." "of course the confederates on the lower mississippi are using all their resources to strengthen fort jackson and fort st. philip; and they can make a better use of big guns and artillerymen than in defending an opening like this one," replied mr. flint. "this is not a cotton-growing region, but is given up to sugar raising," added christy. "they have to bring the cotton a long distance in order to ship it here." "for these reasons, i do not believe this fort is of much account." "perhaps not; but i should not care to have the bronx sunk by a columbiad in the attempt to find out the strength of the fort." "it is possible that the russian knows something about this region," suggested mr. flint. "i will have a talk with him," replied the commander, as he left the bridge. seating himself on the quarter-deck, he sent for michael bornhoff, who presently reported to him. this man had proved himself to be entirely faithful and reliable; and christy had no doubts in regard to his loyalty, for his race guaranteed that. "do you know where we are bound, mike?" asked christy. "i know what all the crew know, for word has been passed around that we are bound to barataria bay," replied the russian with a cheerful smile. "were you ever there, mike?" "was i ever there, captain? i lived there a year!" exclaimed the contraband. "i was in the fishing business at that time," he added with a significant smile on his face. "what do you mean by that?" "we had the magnolia over here then, and i used to go out fishing in her about every night," chuckled mike. "sometimes i did not catch any fish, and sometimes i caught five hundred boxes of havana cigars. i often caught other kinds of fish." "you did not always eat the fish you caught," suggested christy. "no, sir; but i used to drink some of them." "precisely so; west india rum and wines." "cigars mostly, sir, was the kind of fish we caught. captain flanger brought them outside the grand pass: i took them up to fort lafitte, and the captain's brother worked them into new orleans and other places. they did a big business before the custom-house folks broke it up." "very likely; and i dare say you know all about this region." "no doubt of that, sir." "what do you know about the fort?" "not much, captain, for in our business we did not have anything to do with forts and such things," chuckled mike. "the old quarters of the mechanics and laborers used to be on the gulf shore, but they moved them up north of the fort, on the grand pass. about a mile east of the fort there is a big plantation." "that is all for the present, mike," added christy. the contraband touched his cap, for he had been rigged out in a new suit of seaman's clothes. the commander retired to his cabin, and again devoted himself to the study of the chart of the locality. his first purpose must be to obtain accurate information in regard to the strength of the fort, and the position of the steamer, if there were such a craft in the bay. he decided to approach the entrance by the east channel, though it would not be possible for the bronx to reach the grand pass from that direction, for there were hardly more than six feet of water at low tide; and the rise and fall was less than a foot and a half. he had decided upon his method of operations, and then wished again that he was not in command of the steamer; for the expedition he intended to send out was one he would have been glad to command in person, instead of remaining inactive on board of the bronx. as soon as he had arranged his plan, he went on deck. to the astonishment of the first lieutenant, he changed the course of the steamer to the north, and at noon let go the anchor in four fathoms of water. the vessel remained there till it was dark, and then proceeded to the westward, sounding all the time. chapter xxviii the negro village on the isle grande terre the commander of the bronx had explained his plan to the first lieutenant. there was nothing especially perilous in the expedition to be sent out; and it was the policy of christy to keep the steamer out of sight of the fort, and of those in the immediate vicinity of it. after the bronx had been on her course about two hours, and four bells had just struck, the leadsman reported two fathoms. a little later eleven feet was the depth. "quartermaster, strike one bell," said christy. "one bell, sir," repeated the petty officer at the wheel. "ten feet!" shouted the man at the lead. "strike three bells," added the commander; and the steamer began to back her screw. as soon as the bronx had lost her headway, the screw was stopped, and a drift lead was dropped into the water. a sharp lookout had been kept, and some flickering lights had been reported. the weather had become cloudy since noon, but there was no fog and no wind. "you will let mr. pennant command this expedition, mr. flint," said christy. "he will take the first cutter, with ten men, including quartermaster vincent and bornhoff." the third lieutenant was sent for, and his instructions were given to him. mike would be his pilot, and could give him such information as he required in regard to the locality. he was to land in some convenient locality, cross the island on foot at the plantation, to fort lafitte, distant less than a mile, and ascertain if there were a steamer or other vessels in the bay. he was also instructed to use all means in his power to ascertain the strength of the fort. he was to make a landing about half a mile west of the plantation buildings. within the limits of these instructions, he was to act on his own judgment. mike was sent for, and further information in regard to the course was obtained from him. the officer was cautioned to be prudent, and not fall into any traps. if he discovered that there was a steamer in the bay, and that the fort was not heavily armed, he was to burn a red roman candle as a signal to the bronx, which would proceed to the southward, and then enter the grand pass by the deepest water. "where are the negro quarters of this plantation, mike?" asked mr. pennant. "just west of the big house, sir," replied the russian. "i don't know exactly where we are now, captain passford," said the officer of the expedition. "we lie about south of what mike calls the big house, a mile and a half distant from it. make the boat's course north north-west, and you will strike the shore about half way between the planter's house and the fort. but when you get near enough to see both of them, you can land where you think best," christy explained. the boat's crew had already lowered the first cutter into the water. the oars were muffled, for the chances were that no one in the vicinity of the plantation had discovered the presence of the bronx, and it was not advisable to alarm the people. vincent acted as cockswain of the boat, while the russian, as most of the officers and men insisted upon calling him, was seated in the stern sheets with the third lieutenant. the eight men at the oars formed the rest of the crew. "i don't believe you will find many hands down here, mr. pennant," said mike in a whisper. "what do you mean by hands?" asked the officer. "laborers, niggers," replied the russian. "why not?" "i expect they have sent all the strong ones up to work on the fortifications." "shall we find no one at the negro quarters?" asked the lieutenant with interest. "only the women and the old hands, too old to do much work." "can you make out where you are, mike?" inquired mr. pennant, after about half a mile had been made. "i can just see the fort and the big house. it is not so very dark to-night," answered the russian. the course was believed to be correct for the point indicated by the captain, and in less than half an hour the boat grounded; but the shore was bold enough to enable the men to land. mr. pennant went to the forward part of the boat and took a careful look all around him. all was as silent as a tomb. stepping into the fore-sheets, he leaped on shore, directing the russian to follow him. "vincent, you will remain in charge of the boat and the men," said the third lieutenant, addressing the quartermaster. "i will explore the island with mike. i have the fireworks with me, and you will keep a sharp lookout in the direction of the fort. if you see a light close to the water, make for it as fast as you can. do you understand me?" "perfectly, mr. pennant." "but you need not expect any signal for a couple of hours, or even three. if we get into trouble, we shall retreat upon the boat direct; so keep your eyes wide open." the officer led the way up the shore, and the rows of sugar-cane extended almost to the water. they could make out the little village of negro cabins which lay between them and the planter's house, and they directed their steps towards it. it was but a short walk, and they soon reached the lane that extended between the rows of huts. the lieutenant took his two revolvers from his hip pockets, and examined them as well as he could in the dark, and mike did the same, for it was necessary to be prepared for whatever might happen. the village was as silent as though it were entirely deserted; but it was nearly midnight, and doubtless they were asleep in the cabins. they entered one. it was still and dark within the house. mr. pennant had brought with him a small lantern, which he lighted where the glare of the match could not be seen; but it revealed nothing to the inquirers. covering the lantern so that its light could not be seen, they followed the lane between the two rows of cabins for some distance farther, and then entered another. like the first, it was deserted. they crossed to the other side of the avenue, where they saw some signs that the cabin was inhabited. uncovering his lantern, mr. pennant threw the light upon the interior. it contained two beds, and each of them was occupied by two persons. in one were two silvered heads to be seen, while the other displayed two heads that appeared to belong to women. "shut the door, mike," said the officer, in order to prevent the light from being seen. "i think i know one of the old men," added the russian as he returned from the door, "shall i wake him up?" "yes; but don't frighten him," replied mr. pennant. "uncle job," said mike, placing his hand on the shoulder of the sleeper on the side of the bed nearest to him. the head and hair of the old colored man were peculiar enough to enable the russian to identify him if he had ever seen him even once before. his mouth was twisted to one side either naturally or by some injury, and his kinky hair made him look as though he carried a great bale of cotton on the top of his head. he opened his eyes when mike shook him gently, and looked at the two men at the side of his bed with a wondering rather than an alarmed expression. "who dar?" inquired the negro. "good-morning, uncle job," replied mike, taking the hand of the aged colored person. "how is your health?" "don't hab no healf, massa," replied job, gazing earnestly at the intruder upon his slumbers. "don't you know me, uncle job?" "'pears like i do; i reckon you's massa cap'n flanger." "not exactly; but i'm his man, mike bornhoff." "jes' so; you was born ob de debbil," replied the old negro, rising in his bed, and showing all his remaining teeth in an expansive smile. "he remembers me," said mike turning to the lieutenant. "we have struck the right man. but he don't mean that i am any wickeder than the rest of the world. i used to be called here by my last name, and job invented the pun he has just used." "why do you say that we have struck the right man, mike?" asked mr. pennant, caring little for the former relations of the two men. "because, though he don't look it, he is the best posted nigger in these parts. he is the wise man among his people, and a sort of leader among them, and fetich man besides." "all right; get him up if you can. is he able to walk?" "he is as tough as a he-bear, and can walk a hundred miles on a stretch," replied mike. "he knows everything that is going on in these times." the lieutenant had covered his lantern, for he did not wish to wake the other sleepers in the cabin, after the description the russian had given of his man. mike spoke in a low tone to him, and it did not take him long to make his toilet, for he slept just as he was clothed during the day. no one knew how old he was, but he was still brisk in his movements. the officer led the way to one of the deserted cabins at a considerable distance from the one occupied by uncle job. no one was stirring in the vicinity, and the silence was as profound as death itself. not a word was said till they reached the cabin the officer had selected, and when they had entered, he closed the door behind them. the lantern was unveiled, and the lieutenant seated himself upon a block of timber, of which there were several in the room. "now, uncle job, i want you to answer some questions," mr. pennant began. "'pose i don't answer 'em?" suggested the negro. "then i shall put you in irons, and take you on board of the steamer," added the officer sternly. "de steamer! wot's de steamer? is't a yankee gumboat?" demanded uncle job, opening his eyes with wonder and astonishment. "that's just what it is." "den i gib you all de answers you want," replied the negro with a cheerful smile. "whar de gumboat?" "she is off the shore not far from here. now you will answer my questions. there is a fort here?" "yes, sar; ober dar," he replied, pointing to the west. "how many men are there at the fort?" "only twenty, sar; all gone ober to new orleans, sar." "how many guns has it? i mean big guns, uncle job?" "i done count only four ob dem w'en i was dar last time." "only four!" exclaimed mr. pennant. "are you telling me the truth, uncle job?" "i neber spoke noffin but the truf, massa ossifer." "are those four very large,--long as this cabin is wide?" asked the lieutenant with interest. "no, sar!" exclaimed job with energy. "but they must have had very big guns." "yes, sar; but dey done tote 'em all ober to de mis'sip riber." this seemed to be reasonable to the lieutenant, and in accordance with the belief of his superiors on board of the bronx, for no union man-of-war of any size could pass through the water courses to the great river. it looked as though the big guns had been replaced with those of smaller calibre. mr. pennant put out the light in his lantern, and the party started to cross the island. chapter xxix a professional visit to the fort mr. pennant had some doubts about the correctness of the important information he had obtained, but he was at a loss to know how to verify it. it was a matter of course that sentinels patrolled the vicinity of the fort, or at least the principal approach to it. he decided to postpone his inquiry into this matter till a later hour of the night or morning. "whar you gwine, massa ossifer?" asked uncle job, after they had walked a short distance from the negro village. "over to the other side of the island," replied the lieutenant. "wot you gwine to do ober dar, massa?" "i want to see what there is over there." "dis nigger kin told you wot dar is over dar." "well, what is there over there?" "dar's a steamer ober dar, an' i speck de yankee gumboat's gwine in dar to look arter dat steamer," said uncle job, chuckling as though he enjoyed the prospect of such an event. "say, massa ossifer, is massa linkum in yore gumboat?" "not exactly; but she is well filled with his people," replied mr. pennant, laughing. "i done wish dat massa linkum come down here hisself," added the venerable colored person. "he can hardly spare the time to do that; his business is such that he cannot leave," replied the lieutenant, much amused at the simplicity of the negro. "now tell me something more about this steamer in the bay. how big is she?" "i can't told you 'zackly, massa; she as big as de fort." "where did she come from?" asked the lieutenant, who had more confidence in the honesty than in the intelligence of job. "i dunno, massa; but she done come in from de sea. when she git off dar two mile she done stick in de mud," answered the negro, pointing in the direction of the bar. "den de little steamers from up the bay take off de loadin', and she done come in." "with what was she loaded?" "all sorts o' tings, massa; guns, and pistols, and close. dis nigger help take de tings out ob her." "what is she doing now in the bay?" "loadin' wid cotton de steamers fotch down." "where does she lie now?" "jes' off de ole fort lafitte, whar de water's deep." in less than half an hour the party reached the locality indicated by job. the officer could see the steamer which looked, in the gloom of the night, as though she was a craft of about five hundred tons. she was moored in the deep water so far in that she could not be seen by vessels in the offing. on each side of her was a small river steamer, and she seemed not to have completed her cargo. "do you know the name of that steamer, uncle job," inquired mr. pennant. "yes, sar; i knows it like my own name, but i can't spoke it if i die for't," answered job, laughing. "try to do so." "no use, massa ossifer; dis nigger don't hab teef enough to do dat." "can't you spell it?" "no, sar; can't spell noffin." but job was very obliging, and he made a hissing sound, followed by an effort to sneeze which was a failure. then he hissed some more, though the loss of his front teeth interfered with the effort. then he said "fing." "i know what he means," interposed the russian. "i know that steamer, for she came in at cedar keys when i was there. he means the sphinx." "dat's it, massa ossifer!" exclaimed job, apparently delighted to find that he had made himself understood. "has she any big guns?" "yes, sar; she done h'ist two out ob her innards, and done took two more from de fort." "all right; i think we understand the situation up here," said mr. pennant, as he led the way in the direction from which they had come. they returned to the negro village, for the commander of the expedition did not feel as though he had yet finished his mission on shore. "mind yore eye, massa gumboat!" exclaimed job, in a low tone, but with great earnestness. "dar's somebody comin' from de fort! he's comin' mighty quick shore." the negro hurried the officer and mike into one of the cabins, and shoved them into a sort of closet, while he went to the door himself. he passed out into the lane, as the man came into it from the middle of the field, for he had not been near enough to the shore to discover the boat. "who dar?" called job. "soldier from the fort," replied the man. "what are you doing out here at this time of night?" "i done get sick, massa, and i's gwine up to de big house to see de doctor," replied the negro, who probably used the first excuse that came into his head. "the doctor!" exclaimed the soldier. "is there a doctor there?" "i reckon dar's one dar if he done habn't leabe yisterday." "then you can do my errand for me," added the soldier. "yes, sar; what's dat, massa?" "one of our men is very sick, and we have no doctor. we are afraid he will die before morning, and we want a doctor. ours was ordered off a week ago." "i go for de doctor if he's dar," said job. "very well; i will go back and tell the sick man the doctor's coming," added the soldier. "that will give him a hope, if nothing more." "dis nigger's 'feered de doctor done gone away." "if he isn't there, we can't have him; but hurry up, uncle job, and come over and tell us if he isn't there," said the soldier, as he hurried away as rapidly as he came, evidently believing that hope was a panacea to a sick man. as the soldier did not offer to come into the cabin, mr. pennant had come out of his hiding-place, and had heard all that was said by the soldier, even while he was in concealment. "is there any doctor at the big house?" asked the lieutenant as soon as job entered the house. "no, sar; all de family done leave, an' was gwine to new orleans. arter a while i go to de fort and tell de sodgers the doctor done gone," replied job. "i will go with you, uncle job," added mr. pennant quietly. "you, massa gumboat!" cried the negro. "de sodgers put de bagonet frou your crop like a knife frou a pullet's froat!" "not if you tell them i am the doctor," added the lieutenant. "de doctor! be you a doctor, sar?" "i have done something in the business, and perhaps i can cure the man who is sick, if they have the proper medicine," added the officer. "dey hab de medicine at de big house." "can you get into it?" "yes, sar; de oberseer's sick abed, and dis nigger go right in like massa hisself," replied job, as he led the way in the direction of the planter's house. the russian was sent to the boat to await the return of the lieutenant; but he was instructed not to open his mouth to his shipmates in regard to what had been done on the island. job found a way to get into the big house, and conducted the officer to the dispensary, where he had so often gone for remedies for his ailments. he found what he wanted, and then he felt reasonably certain that he should make a success of his professional visit to the soldier. he took several small bottles of medicines in addition to the particular one upon which he depended. job conducted him to the fort, which was over a mile distant. the lieutenant was not dressed in his uniform with the shoulder straps, though he had procured one from the store ship at the station; but he had adjusted his garments to the needs of the occasion, so that, if captured he could hardly be recognized as a union officer. but he had his navy revolvers in his hip pockets, though they were covered by the skirts of the frock coat he wore, for he had borrowed this garment of the surgeon. at the principal entrance of the fort they were challenged by the sentinel. mr. pennant was somewhat afraid his northern dialect would betray him, for he was not a highly educated man, though he was exceedingly well informed in all matters pertaining to the duties of a shipmaster. "stand! who comes there?" said the sentinel. "friends," replied the lieutenant. "advance, friends, and give the countersign!" "we have no countersign to give." "who are you?" demanded the soldier. "dr. waterton," answered mr. pennant, giving the first name that came into his head, for the medical title was the essential thing. "all right, doctor; i have been directed to admit you. pass in, sir." job was familiar with the interior of the fort, and he led the way; but before they had crossed the parade, the soldier who had gone for the doctor came to them, and conducted them to a casemate, where the sick soldier was still suffering terrible pains. "lieutenant fourchon, this is the doctor; but i do not know his name," said the soldier. "dr. waterton," added mr. pennant. "i am glad to see you, dr. waterton, for i have exhausted all my remedies," said lieutenant fourchon. "i was not born to be a doctor. the patient seems to be no better." "it does not look like a very bad case," added the doctor, finding it necessary to say something, as he felt the pulse of the sufferer. though the lieutenant of the bronx was not a physician, he was not altogether a pretender, for in the capacity of mate and temporary commander, he had done duty in the healing art in the absence of a more skilful person. "a glass of water and a teaspoon," said he to the soldier-nurse; and they were promptly brought to him. the doctor took from his pocket a small bottle of chloroform he had obtained from the big house, and dropped a quantity of it into the teaspoon. mixing it with a little water in a glass, he gave it to the patient, who swallowed it quickly in spite of its burning taste. "now a piece of flannel," added the doctor. upon this when it was brought he dropped a quantity of the chloroform, and applied it to the seat of the pain. in a moment the soldier cried out against the burning heat of the remedy; but the practitioner insisted that it should remain a while longer. but he relieved him of it in a short time. "how do you feel?" asked the doctor. "better; a great deal better," replied the patient. in fact, in less than an hour he said he was entirely relieved from the severe pain. he was very grateful to the doctor, whom no one suspected of being a yankee gunboat officer. "i had the same thing once before, and i was sure i should die with it this time," said the sick soldier, "it lasted me all night and part of the next day the other time." "i am afraid you did not have a very skilful doctor at that time," replied the practitioner with a smile. lieutenant fourchon pressed the hand of the doctor, and left the casemate with him. chapter xxx the attack upon the fort the confederate officer was evidently of french descent; at any rate, he was very polite. he expressed his obligations to the supposed physician for the service he had rendered in very earnest terms. mr. pennant had been able to see that there were no guns in the casemates of the fort, and this was really all he wanted to know. "all your guns seem to be mounted outside," said the naval officer as he halted on the parade. "yes, sir; most of the guns have been removed to points where they can be used to greater advantage than here. the few we have are twenty-four pounders, mounted _en barbette_," replied lieutenant fourchon. "the fort is practically abandoned; and in a short time will be entirely so, for the enemy's ships of war can do no harm here, and there is not water enough above to permit their passage into the mississippi." "but the fort can protect your vessels in the bay," suggested the lieutenant of the bronx. "the shoal water is the best protection for the small steamers that ply on these inside waters; and the yankee gunboats can take all others as they come out. the entrance to the bay has not been regularly blockaded, for there has been little occasion to do so thus far." mr. pennant had learned all he wanted to know, and from the parade he could see even in the darkness that only four guns were mounted on the works. he began to feel in a hurry to carry out the remainder of the programme assigned to him. he took the hand of the confederate officer when he reached the point where uncle job was waiting for him, bade him good-morning, and left the fort. "how's de sick man, massa gumboat?" asked the old negro, chuckling as though he appreciated the stroke of strategy made by his companion. "he is better; in fact, he was about well when i left him," replied the practitioner. "but i have no more time to waste," added he, as he quickened his pace, moving in the direction of the shore. the day was beginning to break in the east, and he was afraid the commander of the bronx would become uneasy in regard to him. the quarters of the soldiers were passed, though they were not in use, and the shore reached. the lieutenant thanked the guide for the service he had rendered, and told him he could go back to his cabin, and finish his night's sleep. "no, sar; see you frou, massa gumboat," replied job. "do you wish to leave this place, uncle job?" asked the officer. "no, sar; i want to be free, but i'm not gwine away, i want to see de gumboat." "you shall see it, and go on board of it if you wish; but we may have a battle with the fort." "don't care for de fight, sar; job isn't 'feered o' noffin'." it was less than halt a mile to the cutter, and they soon reached it. the russian was standing on the shore, and most of the men were asleep on the thwarts, though vincent was wide awake. mike recognized the form of the old negro, and reported that the lieutenant was coming. "now burn your roman candle, and let us get off as soon as possible," said mr. pennant. "bowman, help this man to a seat in the stern sheets;" and he assisted uncle job to get in himself. the men passed him along over the thwarts, and seated him in the stern. vincent burned the red candle himself, and it cast a fiery glare over the scene, which must have astonished the occupants of the fort if they saw it. as soon as it had burned out, the quartermaster leaped over the stem of the cutter, and made his way to the stern, where he jumped over the backboard, and took his place at the tiller ropes. the cutter was backed off the ground, and out into the deeper water. "up oars! let fall!" said mr. pennant. "stern, all! give way!" the cutter backed rapidly from the shore, and was then brought about. the lieutenant stood up in his place, and could just distinguish the bronx, a mile and a half distant, in the gloom of the early morning. he watched her a few minutes and soon saw her swing around, and head to the south-east. "make the course about south, vincent," said the officer, as soon as he discovered that the steamer was in motion. "south, sir," replied the quartermaster. "now, give way with a will, my men!" called mr. pennant in brisk tones, "for we shall soon have a twenty-four pound shot chasing us out." when the cutter was about half a mile from the shore, making it about three-quarters of a mile from the fort, the peal of a cannon was heard, and a puff of smoke could be seen as it rose on the clear, starred sky, for the clouds had rolled away during the night. the shot dropped into the water a short distance abreast of the cutter. "good!" exclaimed mr. pennant; and this was the first time he had ever been under fire, though he had imagined it enough to feel entirely at home. another shot followed the first, and dropped into the water; and if it had gone fifty feet farther, it would have struck the boat. "good again!" exclaimed the lieutenant. "i think that is about the range of those guns." a third shot fell a little nearer the cutter; but it was evident enough that it was out of the reach of the feeble guns of the fort. the firing continued but a few minutes longer, for it was as plain to lieutenant fourchon as to lieutenant pennant that the shots were harmless to the boat. the commander on shore could see by this time, if he had not before, that a gunboat was in the offing, and that he might soon have a better use for his powder than wasting it upon the boat. the lieutenant had closely watched the movements of the bronx. he had made the signal that the fort was not very dangerous to the well-being of the gunboat, and he understood her present movement. the light was increasing, and the bronx could be distinctly seen, headed to the south-east, or in other words, making for the deep water outside the bar. mr. pennant still kept the cutter headed to the south. the steamer went off till she looked very much smaller, and then changed her course to the south-west. the lieutenant in the cutter ordered the bowman to sound with the small hand lead, after he had brought the boat to a full stop. the man reported eight feet. the head of the boat was then turned to the west, and the crew ordered to give way. in a quarter of an hour more the course was checked, and the bowman directed to sound again. sixteen feet was reported. mr. pennant stood up in the stern sheets, and gazed in the direction of the fort. on the shore of the grand pass, above the fort, were three buildings, formerly occupied by mechanics and laborers. the sailing directions for entering the bay were to bring the fronts of these structures in range, and proceed for a time on the course indicated. mr. pennant had obtained this bearing after he had backed the boat a few feet. the depth of water then informed him that he was in the channel. but he had no intention of again approaching the fort, and he headed the boat to the south-east, or nearly so, and then ordered the men to give way. he called the attention of the coxswain to the range, and directed him to keep it. the bowman was required to keep the lead going all the time. "ten and a half feet!" reported the bowman. "that is the shoalest we shall get," added the officer. the crew had been ordered to ease off, and the cutter moved very slowly. a quarter of an hour later the sounding was ten and three-quarters feet. the next report was fourteen feet, and then no bottom at twenty feet. the bronx was approaching the boat with full steam, and stopped her screw a short distance from the cutter. in a few moments more the boat was at the davits, and the commander of the expedition reported to captain passford. "what have you here, mr. pennant?" asked the commander with a smile, as he pointed to uncle job, who seemed to be as bashful as a young girl, and utterly confounded by what he saw on the deck of the bronx. "that is uncle job, captain passford," replied the lieutenant. "he has been of very great service to me, and he enables me to make a very full report to you, sir. this is the captain of the gunboat, uncle job," he added to the negro. the old man had no hat to touch or take off, for the mass of hair was a sufficient protection to his head; but he bowed almost to the deck, and was too timid to say a single word. "i am very glad to see you, uncle job," said christy, taking the hand of the venerable colored person. "i thank you for the service rendered to my officer. now, mr. pennant, you will come to my cabin and make your report. bring uncle job with you." as soon as he reached the cabin, christy brought from his stateroom twenty dollars in gold, which he presented to the old negro, who accepted the gift with many thanks. "dave," called the captain. "here, sir," replied the steward, coming into the cabin and gazing with astonishment at the negro. "this man has done a good work; take care of him, give him a good breakfast, and see that no one insults him." as soon as the steward had taken him to the steerage, mr. pennant made his report in full, even to the number and calibre of the guns at the fort, and including the cure he had wrought upon the confederate soldier. christy was amused at this last part of the narrative; but he had no time to waste in conversation. the screw of the bronx was started again. though the russian was a pilot over the bar, his services were not needed as such. the first cutter had kept the range of the buildings on the island, and mr. flint had already picked it up. the steamer proceeded at less than half speed, but the tide was at its highest. by this time it was seven o'clock in the morning, for a great deal of the time had been used up in moving the cutter and the steamer. breakfast had been served to all hands, and christy had fortified his stomach for a busy forenoon. as the bronx proceeded on her course, the lead going all the time, making not more than two knots an hour, the report of a gun was heard from the fort. "they are awake there," said christy with a smile to the first lieutenant, and both of them watched for the fall of the shot, which struck the water at least a quarter of a mile ahead of the vessel. "beat to quarters, mr. flint." the strength of the bronx was mainly in her heavy midship gun. the commander had ascertained the range of the twenty-four pounder barbette guns of the fort, and made his calculations accordingly. he could batter down the masonry of the works at his leisure, if he chose to waste his time and ammunition in that way; but the confederates proposed to abandon the fort, and it would not pay to destroy it. "fourteen and a half feet!" shouted the leadsman. "that will do, mr. flint; stop her, and let go the anchor. get out a spring astern and make it fast to that buoy," said the commander. in ten minutes more the bronx quivered under the discharge of the great midship gun, and a cloud of smoke rose above her deck. "good for you, mr. ambleton!" exclaimed christy, a few seconds later, when he saw the wreck of one of the twenty-four pounders on the fort. this result was followed by emphatic cheers from the forty-five men on deck. "i can do that again, captain passford," replied the gunner, who was in charge of the piece. "do it, then," added christy. he did not do quite as well every time, but in two hours there was not a gun in place on the barbette of the fort. chapter xxxi a wounded commander the fort had become harmless so far as the use of its guns was concerned; but the channel of the grand pass was hardly a quarter of a mile in width, and even twenty soldiers with muskets could pick off the men on the deck of the bronx. christy's orders required him to capture the steamer that was fitting out in the bay, and he intended to do it. the order to weigh the anchor and cast off the spring was given, and the commander sent for the chief engineer. "we are within a mile of the fort, mr. sampson, and i mean to run by it. we shall be exposed to the fire of musketry for about half a mile, and the quicker we make this distance, the less the danger to the men," said the commander, when the engineer presented himself. "we will not get under way till you have all the steam you need to give the steamer her best speed." "i understand the situation perfectly, captain passford, and i will report when we are ready to go ahead in the manner you desire," replied mr. sampson, as he saluted the captain and hastened below. "the officer in command of that fort is not idle," said mr. flint, who had been using his glass very industriously since the firing ceased. "the soldiers are busy setting up the guns again, or some of them." "we will soon stop that," added christy. "give them another shot from the midship gun, mr. flint." the gunner was again fortunate in his aim, and it was seen that the solid shot cleaned off the carriage upon which the soldiers were at work. with the aid of the glass it was found that two of the men had been killed or wounded. the work on that gun was suspended, but the officer could be seen in the act of directing his force to another of the barbette pieces. "that lieutenant is a brave man," said mr. pennant, "and i know he is a gentleman." "i am only sorry that he is fighting on the wrong side," added christy, as he observed the earnestness of the officer in the discharge of his duty. "is he an old man?" "no, sir; i don't believe he is over twenty, if he is that," replied the third lieutenant. another solid shot sped on its way, and mr. ambleton, the gunner, fully justified the reputation he had earned, though the missile only ploughed up the earth in front of the party on the fort. but then lieutenant fourchon proved that he was a wise and a prudent man, as well as a brave one, for he retreated from the exposed position with his men. it was almost sure death for them to remain there, for they could not help seeing the cloud of smoke that rose from the funnel of the bronx, indicating her intention to go up the pass. "mr. sampson directs me to report that he is ready to proceed," said a messenger from the chief engineer. quartermaster vincent was placed in charge of the wheel, with boxie as helmsman. all that could be done to protect the pilot-house had been done, though it was not yet supposed to be proof against the musket ball that would be fired in that direction. all the men not absolutely needed for duty were sent below, but they were armed with revolvers and cutlasses, ready for service at any instant. the officers retired from the bridge, for it was folly for any one to be unnecessarily exposed to the musketry fire from the loopholes of the fort. "strike one bell, vincent!" said mr. flint, when the captain had given him the order to go ahead. the steamer went ahead slowly; but the steam was hissing, and she seemed to be as impatient as a fiery horse at the slow starting. "four bells, mr. flint!" added the commander when the bronx was fairly under way. the order went to the quartermaster, and the vessel began to dart ahead as though she fully realized what was expected of her. there was nothing to impede her progress, for the fort was as silent as though it had ceased to exist. a trusty hand was heaving the lead in the fore-chains, for the bronx was not yet within musket-shot range of the island. "mark under water three!" shouted the leadsman, with an earnestness inspired by the occasion. christy planked the deck with mr. flint just abaft the foremast. both of them were as cool and self-possessed as though they had been sitting at the cabin-table; but neither of them felt that the battle had been won, for the officer in command of the fort was evidently a man of ability, who had not yet exhausted his resources. the first lieutenant had watched the works very closely with his glass, and he had informed the captain that something was in progress there, though he could not tell what it was. christy certainly felt very anxious, and he could not help asking himself whether or not he was engaged in a foolhardy enterprise in attacking the fort. his orders related only to the steamer that was loading in the bay, and he had been warned in his instructions to take the fort into consideration in his operations. he felt that he had given proper attention to the fort, inasmuch as he had disabled all its guns. he might have simply blockaded the entrance to the pass; but he might have stayed in the offing a month before she ventured to come out. he was still willing to believe that he had not overstepped his orders. "and a quarter three!" cried the leadsman. "make the course north-west, mr. flint," said christy, following the sailing directions with a proper allowance for the tide. "no more sounding; send the man below. we shall have from three to seven fathoms of water till we have passed the fort." the bronx continued to dart ahead at her best speed, and no sound came from the fort. it was only a question of minutes now before the steamer reached a point inside of the island where she could accomplish her mission by the capture of the sphinx. the officers remained on deck, but they were protected by the bulwarks, the masts, and especially under the shelter of the top-gallant forecastle. christy had earnestly warned the second and third lieutenants not to expose themselves needlessly to the musketry of the fort, and mr. flint was discreet enough to need no such warning. "soldiers on the fort, sir!" shouted vincent, when the bronx was within less than a quarter of a mile of the works. christy and the first lieutenant sprang from the shelter where they had been waiting the passage of the fort, and rushed up the steps to the bridge. the commander of the force on shore, with half a dozen men, was at work on one of the guns on the barbette; but it was impossible to make out what they were doing. then there was a flash, a cloud of smoke went up, and a shot crashed into the deck directly under the pilot-house, tearing up the planks, and disappearing in the space below. "wheel disabled, sir!" shouted the quartermaster. "beat to quarters, mr. flint!" said christy, trying to make out what mischief had been done by the shot; but he could only see that it had cut the wheel ropes. "strike two bells, vincent!" he called to the quartermaster. by this time the executive officer had beat the crew to quarters, and every man was at his station. "strike three bells, vincent," continued the commander. "mr. flint, open fire upon the fort with the midship gun. have the carpenter report at once on the damage done by that shot. strike two bells, vincent." it was plain enough to all the officers and men that the commander knew what to do in the emergency, and every one was energetic in the discharge of his duty. mr. ambleton was fully alive to the peril of the moment, and he was careful to make his aim sure with the great gun. it had been loaded before with a solid shot, and presently the steamer was shaken to her keel by the concussion of its discharge. christy was still on the bridge, and he watched with intense interest the effect of the shot. in a moment he saw the carriage of the only gun that seemed to be mounted on the barbette flying in pieces in every direction. he directed the gunner to use a shell next time; but the soldiers had hastened away from the place, bearing with them two of their companions, doubtless wounded by the splinters. "let go the anchor, mr. flint!" shouted christy. this was done under the direction of mr. camden. a fresh breeze had sprung up from the north-west, and the bronx came up to the cable still headed in the direction of her former course. the carpenter reported that the shot had passed out at the side between decks, and that he had plugged the hole. the third lieutenant was busy rigging new wheel ropes, which he said would be ready in half an hour. mr. flint, at the order of the captain, had manned the broadside guns, and loaded them with shrapnel, for the most perilous part of the enterprise was yet to come. the fort was silent. it was evident now that the commander of the little garrison had not left the barbette before till he had prepared at least one of his guns for further service; but it had again been disabled, and it was not known on board of the steamer whether or not he had any other gun fit for use. it was presumed that he had not, for the bronx was within easy cannon shot of his works. christy used the glass, but could not discover any gun that appeared to be mounted. "all ready, mr. flint," reported the third lieutenant, when he had completed the repairs on the steering gear. the first lieutenant inspected the work, and reported to the captain, who immediately ordered him to weigh the anchor. the chief engineer had been directed to be ready to proceed, and the steam was hissing with a merry music. the midship gun was of no service now, and mr. flint had been directed to keep up a steady fire with the broadside guns at the embrasures of the fort as soon as the bronx was in range. again the steamer darted ahead at a speed which would soon carry her beyond the reach of the musket ball of the soldiers. christy still remained upon the bridge, observing the fort and all that was done on the deck of the bronx. he directed his glass frequently at the barbette of the fort; but the prudent commander of the garrison had evidently concluded to confine his efforts to the casemates. at least one-fourth of his men had been disabled. "open with the broadside guns, mr. flint!" called christy, as the bronx came abreast of the works. as he spoke, boxie dropped in his place at the wheel, and vincent grasped the spokes. the blood was streaming down the face of the old man, and he did not move after he fell. two sailors bore him below; but the surgeon promptly declared that he was dead. the rattle of musketry became quite sharp, and the bullets were penetrating the bulwarks. two had been wounded at one of the guns, and carried below. christy stepped over to the end of the bridge to call a hand to take the place of boxie, and at that moment he felt a sharp sting, as it were, in his right arm, above the elbow. involuntarily he raised his hand to the place, and felt the warm blood oozing from the wound. it produced a momentary faintness; but he braced himself up, and wound his handkerchief around his arm, calling upon the wheelman to tie it, as he hastened to the aid of vincent. he said not a word about the accident. the bronx dashed upon her course, and in a moment more she was out of the reach of the balls from the muskets. half a mile farther up the pass, the captain ordered vincent to strike two bells. the sphinx was in sight, not half a mile distant, with a small steamer on each side of her. doubtless her captain had full confidence in the ability of the fort to protect his vessel, and he continued his operations as though he was in no possible danger. "mr. flint, send mr. camden in the first cutter and mr. pennant in the second to take possession of that steamer," said christy, holding on at the rail in front of him. "put fifteen men well armed into each boat, and send the second engineer with them. hurry them off, or they may burn the vessel." the two boats were soon in the water, though the first lieutenant wondered that he had not been sent on this important service. the two officers hurried their crews, and the boats flew on their mission. the commander felt that it was necessary to keep an eye on the fort, for its energetic officer was not at all inclined to be idle at the present exciting time. the bronx had hardly stopped her screw before the soldiers were to be seen on the barbette; but the shell with which the midship gun had been charged sent them all to the casemates in an instant. "what is the matter, captain passford?" asked the first lieutenant, as he halted on the deck. "you are as pale as a ghost." "a ball went through my arm; but it is all right," replied christy with a ghastly smile. he refused to go below, or to permit dr. connelly to come to him until he had attended to the poor fellows who had been wounded on deck. at the end of a couple of hours, the flames arose from the two bay steamers which had been alongside the sphinx, for the second lieutenant had been ordered to burn them. the smoke was pouring out of the two smoke-stacks of the steamer. several boats filled with men pulled to the shore, landing the crews of the three vessels. in less than another hour the sphinx was under way, and soon came alongside the bronx. as only one of the broadsides of the gunboat was available in the action with the fort, the starboard battery was transferred to the captured vessel. men enough to handle them were put on board, and mr. camden was put in command of her. it was late in the afternoon when all this work had been done, and then the bronx led the way through the pass, her mission fully accomplished. as soon as the steamer was abreast of the fort, the broadside guns poured the shrapnel into the embrasures and loopholes, though nothing could be known of the effect of the firing. the muskets were as active as before. christy was on the bridge still, for the doctor had dressed his wound, and he had taken some refreshment. this time it was discovered that the vigorous commander of the garrison had dug out some rifle-pits on the top of his works, and his men were doing effective work with their muskets. three men had been wounded on the deck of the bronx, the third lieutenant being one of them. christy shouted to mr. flint, ordering him to send the men below, and cease the use of the broadside guns, for the garrison were on the barbette, sheltered by their earth-works, where the guns could not reach them, so high was their position. with the aid of his speaking trumpet he gave the same order to mr. camden on board of the sphinx; but he had hardly uttered the command before his left leg gave way under him, and he sunk to the floor of the bridge. a ball had struck him in the thigh, and he could feel the blood flowing down his limb. he grasped the rail of the bridge, and drew himself up. there he stood like a statue, supporting himself with his well arm, till the bronx had passed out of musket-shot range. "good heavens!" exclaimed the first lieutenant, as he came out from his shelter. "you are wounded again!" "i must give up now, i fear," replied christy feebly; and then he fainted. [illustration: christy receives a second wound.--page .] he was carried to his stateroom by his officers, and the doctor examined his last wound. he was restored to consciousness, but he looked like death itself beneath the ruddy brown of his weather-beaten face. "you will take the command now, mr. flint," said he when he saw the executive officer watching him with the most intense interest. "what do you think of it, dr. connelly?" he asked, turning to the surgeon. "severe, but not dangerous," answered the doctor. "the ball did not touch the bone, but it ploughed deep through the flesh. you were fortunate in having plenty of meat on your bones." dave was the most assiduous of nurses, and had no little skill in attending to the wants of the sick. the young commander was made comfortable in a few hours, and mr. flint came below to see him at the end of an hour when he had performed his most pressing duties. he reported that mr. pennant's wound was slight, and did not disable him. eight seamen in all had been wounded, and one of them was likely to die of his injury. "but we have done our work well, captain passford, and i don't believe that one-half the garrison of that fort are fit for duty at this moment," added the first lieutenant. "but that was a splendid fellow who commanded there," continued christy with admiration. "if his guns had not been taken away from him, and his force reduced to a handful of men, we should have had to wait for the sphinx to come out of the bay; and it might have been three weeks or a month before she concluded to do so." "we have damaged the enemy enough to make it pay, and the steamer and her cargo will put at least seventy-five thousand dollars into the pockets of our side in the conflict." "and by taking the bull by the horns, instead of waiting till the captain of the sphinx concluded to take his chances of being captured in getting to sea, we have made the bronx available for duty at once in another quarter, where she can do better work than in chewing her cable off the bar of barataria," said the wounded commander, thus satisfying his conscience that he had done his duty. the venerable colored man, who had given so much assistance and information to the third lieutenant on shore, had no desire to leave his home, and he was landed in the darkness of the evening at a considerable distance from the fort. christy had rewarded him handsomely for the service he had rendered. the men in the first and second cutters had taken all the cotton in the small steamers, and put it on board of the sphinx before they set them on fire. the four guns in the hold had been hoisted out to make room for the bales, and the vessel had been put in condition for her voyage. early in the evening, the two steamers were standing out into the gulf headed to the south-east. in the middle of the afternoon of the next day, mr. flint reported to the flag-officer off pensacola bay. the wounded captain was as comfortable as a young man could be with two bullet-holes in his limbs. it was the first time he had been wounded so as to disable him; but he felt that he had faithfully done his duty to his country, and he was as cheerful as a man in his condition could be. dr. connelly reported that he would not be fit for service again for six or eight weeks. mr. pennant, the third lieutenant, on account of his wound, which was not severe enough to render him unfit for ordinary duty, was appointed prize-master of the sphinx, with orders to report at new york for condemnation. a furlough was given to christy, with a stateroom on board of the captured steamer. she was fitted out so that she could defend herself, or even capture any vessel of the enemy within her reach, and not too strong for her. she was not as fast as the bronx, but she had logged over twelve knots on the passage from barataria bay, and was therefore likely to be added to the force of the navy. ensign flint was appointed to the command of the bronx by the flag-officer, who had called upon captain passford in his stateroom. christy had not failed to commend his executive officer in the highest terms. the commodore suggested that christy could not be very kindly disposed towards captain battleton of the vernon, on account of his decision against him in the matter of his identity. "on the contrary, i do not see how he could have done otherwise, commodore, and i have expressed to him my friendly feeling," replied christy. "i think he is a devoted and faithful officer, sir." [illustration: dave receives his appointment as steward.--page .] "he desires employment on more active duty than the command of a store-ship, and i am instructed to give him such a position if i have one at my disposal," added the flag-officer. "i certainly hope you will do so, sir, if possible." "i propose to appoint him executive officer of the bronx." "i am sure mr. flint could not have a better man." in due time this appointment was made, and captain flint, on the recommendation of christy, was entirely satisfied to receive him as his first lieutenant. "one thing more, captain passford," continued the flag-officer; "the ship's steward of the mercidita has been very sick for three weeks, and has applied for a sick-leave. i shall be obliged to transfer mr. nawood of the bronx to his place." "i can mention just the right person to take mr. nawood's place," said christy eagerly. "you seem to have a man ready for every vacant position. who is he?" asked the commodore with a pleasant smile. "his name is david davis; but he is not a relative of the president of the southern confederacy, for he is a mulatto. he has rendered very important service on several occasions, and there is not a truer or braver man on board of the bronx, or any other ship of the squadron," replied christy with enthusiasm. the commodore shook his head, but he looked very good-natured. christy narrated the part dave had taken in the capture of captain flanger in the cabin, and in recovering possession of the bronx when it was shown that the officers were rebels. mr. flint was sent for. he was quite as earnest in his plea for the steward as the commander had been, and the written appointment of mr. david davis was in christy's hands when the flag-officer took his leave of the wounded commander. "dave," said the wounded lieutenant, the next time the steward came into the room, "no more 'massa,' no more 'moggywompus,' no more 'done do it.' you know better than to use such expressions, and you are no longer a 'nigger;' you are the ship's steward of the bronx." "what's that, captain passford?" demanded dave, opening his eyes like a pair of saucers. christy handed him the appointment just made, and the steward danced about like a madman. he had expected nothing for his meritorious service, and he found himself in a position of trust and responsibility. he expressed his gratitude in the most earnest language, and without using a single objectionable phrase, for his education was better than his habit in the use of speech. ensign mclinn, who had served on board of the little steamer, but had recently been on sick leave, was appointed second lieutenant of the bronx, while mr. camden, outranked by the other officers, remained as third lieutenant. christy and mr. pennant were transferred to the sphinx, with a prize crew; and that same evening the bronx sailed under her new commander, with sealed orders, to the eastward. the sphinx sailed the next day for new york, and made a tolerably quick passage. of course christy was received with open arms by the family at bonnydale, and with a profusion of blushes by bertha pembroke, who happened to be there on a visit. his father and mother looked with no little anxiety at the pale face of their son, though he was still cheerful and happy. he had lost a portion of his flesh, and his uniform hung rather loosely upon him. he was too feeble from the effects of his wounds, for that in the thigh had proved to be more severe than the surgeons had indicated, to tell the exciting story of the escapade of corny passford; but when he did relate it, three weeks later, it thrilled the listeners for three whole evenings. "you took the bull by the horns at an opportune moment, my son," said captain passford, senior. "if you had not done so you would have been in a rebel prison at this moment. as it is, poor corny has got back to fort lafayette, with galvinne and our man-servant, whom i never should have suspected of being a confederate officer." "i don't think i care to go to the gulf again as the commander of a vessel," added christy, who had not changed his mind on this subject. "why not, my son?" "i don't like the responsibility, in the first place, and the inactivity, in the second. when i am forty or fifty years old, i shall like a command better. others seem to look upon me now as a boy, capable of any sort of quixotism, however prudent i may be, and point at me as one who has been made a commander of a steamer by influence at court. there is a vacancy at the present time on board of the bellevite, for the second lieutenant will be compelled to resign on account of his health." this matter was fully discussed during the next two months; and at the end of that time the young lieutenant was again in condition for duty. both mr. camden and mr. pennant obtained the appointment of ensign on the strength of his reports. christy was as earnest as ever in his desire to stand by the union; he was ordered to the bellevite as second lieutenant, and, after three months' absence, went to the gulf again, where we shall find him once more, both on sea and shore, fighting for the right. lee and shepard's star juveniles with new and attractive dies. messrs. lee and shepard announce a new edition of this fine line of mo juveniles, consisting of books by kellogg, kingston, ballantyne, headley, and others. printed on a fine quality of paper, fully illustrated, and bound in polished buckram cloth, at $ . per volume. liberal discount for quantities. by elijah kellogg. lion ben of elm island. charlie bell; the waif of elm island. the ark of elm island. the boy farmers of elm island. the young shipbuilders of elm island. the hardscrabble of elm island. sowed by the wind; or, the poor boy's fortune. wolf run; or, the boys of the wilderness. brought to the front; or, the young defenders. the mission of black rifle; or, on the trail. forest glen; or, the mohawk's friendship. burning the hatchet; or, the young brave of the delawares. a strong arm and a mother's blessing. the unseen hand; or, james renfew and his boy helpers. the live oak boys; or, the adventures of richard constable afloat and ashore. arthur brown, the young captain. the young deliverers of pleasant cove. the cruise of the casco. the child of the island glen. john godsoe's legacy. the fisher boys of pleasant cove. a stout heart; or, the student from over the sea. a spark of genius; or, the college life of james trafton. the sophomores of radcliffe; or, james trafton and his boston friends. the whispering pine; or, the graduates of radcliffe. the turning of the tide; or, radcliffe rich and his patients. winning his spurs; or, henry morton's first trial. by p. c. headley. fight it out on this line; the life and deeds of gen. u. s. grant. facing the enemy; the life of gen. william tecumseh sherman. fighting phil; the life of lieut.-gen. philip henry sheridan. old salamander; the life of admiral david glascoe farragut. the miner boy and his monitor; the career of john ericsson, engineer. old stars; the life of major-gen. ormsby mcknight mitchel. by george makepeace towle. heroes and martyrs of invention. vasco da gama; his voyages and adventures. pizarro; his adventures and conquests. magellan; or, the first voyage round the world. marco polo; his travels and adventures. raleigh; his voyages and adventures. drake; the sea king of devon. by capt. charles w. hall. adrift in the ice fields. by dr. isaac i. hayes. cast away in the cold; an old man's story of a young man's adventures. by w. h. g. kingston. the adventures of dick onslow among the redskins. ernest bracebridge; or, school boy days. by james d. mccabe jr. planting the wilderness; or, the pioneer boys. by dr. c. h. pearson. the cabin on the prairie. the young pioneers of the northwest. by james de mille. the lily and the cross; a tale of acadia. by f. g. armstrong. the young middy; or, the perilous adventures of a boy officer. by r. m. ballantyne. the life boat; a tale of our coast heroes. _sent by mail, postpaid, on receipt of price._ lee and shepard, publishers, boston _j. t. trowbridge's books._ the tide-mill stories six volumes. handsomely illustrated. per vol., $ . . the tinkham brothers' tide-mill phil and his friends the satin-wood box the little master his one fault peter budstone "the more stories mr. trowbridge can write, the better for the boys of this generation. flooded as our country is with literature of a dime-novel order, we have need of just such safe and interesting books as 'the little master,' 'phil and his friends,' 'bound in honor,' etc., to put into the hands of our growing boys."--_living church_. "mr. trowbridge's humor, his fidelity to nature and story-telling power, lose nothing with years, and he stands at the head of those who are furnishing a literature for the young, clean and sweet in tone, and always of interest and value."--_the continent_. silver medal stories six volumes. handsomely illustrated. per vol., $ . . the silver medal his own master bound in honor the pocket-rifle the jolly rover young joe and other boys "if every boy could read these stories, or have them read to him, there would be fewer rogues in the world. straightforward, honest stories, without cant, without moralizing, full of genuine fun and hard common sense, they are just the tales that are needed to make a young fellow fall in love with simple integrity and fair dealing. they are noble contributions to juvenile literature."--_woman's journal_. "mr. trowbridge has a good perception of character, which he draws with skill; he has abundance of invention, which he never abuses; and he has, what so many american writers have not, an easy, graceful style, which can be humorous, or pathetic, or poetic."--_r. h. stoddard in n.y. mail_. start in life stories four volumes. handsomely illustrated. per vol., $ . . a start in life biding his time the kelp-gatherers the scarlet tanager "no better or more pleasing writer for young folks than mr. trowbridge can be found. he draws his characters true to life, concealing no faults, and exaggerating no virtues, but paints each in their own lights and shadows so vividly that to avoid the one and imitate the other must be the natural impulse of all boys and girls who read his most excellent and fascinating stories."--_san josé mercury_. every boy of our acquaintance likes the books by trowbridge. every young girl ought to enjoy them, also, for they are wholesome, true to nature and human nature, and full of good sentiment. his stories are always interesting, sometimes thrilling, and often they contain much information, either of history or natural history. the toby trafford series handsomely illustrated per volume $ . the fortunes of toby trafford father brighthopes woodie thorpe's pilgrimage and other stories to see life as it is, and depict it by easy and truthful touches, is a high attainment. mr. trowbridge has abundantly vindicated his claim to a place among the writers to whom readers attribute the grace and power of naturalness. "woodie thorpe's pilgrimage," "uncle caleb's roan colt," "lost on the tide," etc., are all stories of deep interest, which one will follow with attention. the book does not preach, but conveys some salutary lessons. there is many and many a volume written for boys, but they are not all alike beneficial; therefore the standard writers, to which class belongs mr. trowbridge, may undisputably claim a kingdom whose reigning motto is manliness. lee and shepard publishers boston * * * * * * * * * * * * * * errata noted by transcriber: invisible punctuation-- chiefly quotation marks-- has been silently supplied. the spelling "cockswain" is standard for this text. the variation between "knots" and "knots an hour" is as in the original. [table of contents] chapter xxiii. _text reads "xiii."_ certain irregular enterprizes _spelling as in original_ "i think i shall go on deck and see the fun, if there is any, and turn in if there is none," added christy. _so in original: should read "corny"_ the lamp on gimbols was lighted _spelling as in original_ one who can believe that would swallow baron munchausen _spelling as in original_ and our mission may be up lake pontchartrain _text reads "ponchartrain"_ [advertising] the young middy; or, the perilous adventures of a boy officer. _text reads "avdentures"_ ozma of oz a record of her adventures with dorothy gale of kansas, the yellow hen, the scarecrow, the tin woodman, tiktok, the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger; besides other good people too numerous to mention faithfully recorded herein by l. frank baum the author of the wizard of oz, the land of oz, etc. contents --author's note-- . the girl in the chicken coop . the yellow hen . letters in the sand . tiktok, the machine man . dorothy opens the dinner pail . the heads of langwidere . ozma of oz to the rescue . the hungry tiger . the royal family of ev . the giant with the hammer . the nome king . the eleven guesses . the nome king laughs . dorothy tries to be brave . billina frightens the nome king . purple, green and gold . the scarecrow wins the fight . the fate of the tin woodman . the king of ev . the emerald city . dorothy's magic belt author's note my friends the children are responsible for this new "oz book," as they were for the last one, which was called the land of oz. their sweet little letters plead to know "more about dorothy"; and they ask: "what became of the cowardly lion?" and "what did ozma do afterward?"--meaning, of course, after she became the ruler of oz. and some of them suggest plots to me, saying: "please have dorothy go to the land of oz again"; or, "why don't you make ozma and dorothy meet, and have a good time together?" indeed, could i do all that my little friends ask, i would be obliged to write dozens of books to satisfy their demands. and i wish i could, for i enjoy writing these stories just as much as the children say they enjoy reading them. well, here is "more about dorothy," and about our old friends the scarecrow and the tin woodman, and about the cowardly lion, and ozma, and all the rest of them; and here, likewise, is a good deal about some new folks that are queer and unusual. one little friend, who read this story before it was printed, said to me: "billina is real ozzy, mr. baum, and so are tiktok and the hungry tiger." if this judgment is unbiased and correct, and the little folks find this new story "real ozzy," i shall be very glad indeed that i wrote it. but perhaps i shall get some more of those very welcome letters from my readers, telling me just how they like "ozma of oz." i hope so, anyway. l. frank baum. macatawa, . . the girl in the chicken coop the wind blew hard and joggled the water of the ocean, sending ripples across its surface. then the wind pushed the edges of the ripples until they became waves, and shoved the waves around until they became billows. the billows rolled dreadfully high: higher even than the tops of houses. some of them, indeed, rolled as high as the tops of tall trees, and seemed like mountains; and the gulfs between the great billows were like deep valleys. all this mad dashing and splashing of the waters of the big ocean, which the mischievous wind caused without any good reason whatever, resulted in a terrible storm, and a storm on the ocean is liable to cut many queer pranks and do a lot of damage. at the time the wind began to blow, a ship was sailing far out upon the waters. when the waves began to tumble and toss and to grow bigger and bigger the ship rolled up and down, and tipped sidewise--first one way and then the other--and was jostled around so roughly that even the sailor-men had to hold fast to the ropes and railings to keep themselves from being swept away by the wind or pitched headlong into the sea. and the clouds were so thick in the sky that the sunlight couldn't get through them; so that the day grew dark as night, which added to the terrors of the storm. the captain of the ship was not afraid, because he had seen storms before, and had sailed his ship through them in safety; but he knew that his passengers would be in danger if they tried to stay on deck, so he put them all into the cabin and told them to stay there until after the storm was over, and to keep brave hearts and not be scared, and all would be well with them. now, among these passengers was a little kansas girl named dorothy gale, who was going with her uncle henry to australia, to visit some relatives they had never before seen. uncle henry, you must know, was not very well, because he had been working so hard on his kansas farm that his health had given way and left him weak and nervous. so he left aunt em at home to watch after the hired men and to take care of the farm, while he traveled far away to australia to visit his cousins and have a good rest. dorothy was eager to go with him on this journey, and uncle henry thought she would be good company and help cheer him up; so he decided to take her along. the little girl was quite an experienced traveller, for she had once been carried by a cyclone as far away from home as the marvelous land of oz, and she had met with a good many adventures in that strange country before she managed to get back to kansas again. so she wasn't easily frightened, whatever happened, and when the wind began to howl and whistle, and the waves began to tumble and toss, our little girl didn't mind the uproar the least bit. "of course we'll have to stay in the cabin," she said to uncle henry and the other passengers, "and keep as quiet as possible until the storm is over. for the captain says if we go on deck we may be blown overboard." no one wanted to risk such an accident as that, you may be sure; so all the passengers stayed huddled up in the dark cabin, listening to the shrieking of the storm and the creaking of the masts and rigging and trying to keep from bumping into one another when the ship tipped sidewise. dorothy had almost fallen asleep when she was aroused with a start to find that uncle henry was missing. she couldn't imagine where he had gone, and as he was not very strong she began to worry about him, and to fear he might have been careless enough to go on deck. in that case he would be in great danger unless he instantly came down again. the fact was that uncle henry had gone to lie down in his little sleeping-berth, but dorothy did not know that. she only remembered that aunt em had cautioned her to take good care of her uncle, so at once she decided to go on deck and find him, in spite of the fact that the tempest was now worse than ever, and the ship was plunging in a really dreadful manner. indeed, the little girl found it was as much as she could do to mount the stairs to the deck, and as soon as she got there the wind struck her so fiercely that it almost tore away the skirts of her dress. yet dorothy felt a sort of joyous excitement in defying the storm, and while she held fast to the railing she peered around through the gloom and thought she saw the dim form of a man clinging to a mast not far away from her. this might be her uncle, so she called as loudly as she could: "uncle henry! uncle henry!" but the wind screeched and howled so madly that she scarce heard her own voice, and the man certainly failed to hear her, for he did not move. dorothy decided she must go to him; so she made a dash forward, during a lull in the storm, to where a big square chicken-coop had been lashed to the deck with ropes. she reached this place in safety, but no sooner had she seized fast hold of the slats of the big box in which the chickens were kept than the wind, as if enraged because the little girl dared to resist its power, suddenly redoubled its fury. with a scream like that of an angry giant it tore away the ropes that held the coop and lifted it high into the air, with dorothy still clinging to the slats. around and over it whirled, this way and that, and a few moments later the chicken-coop dropped far away into the sea, where the big waves caught it and slid it up-hill to a foaming crest and then down-hill into a deep valley, as if it were nothing more than a plaything to keep them amused. dorothy had a good ducking, you may be sure, but she didn't lose her presence of mind even for a second. she kept tight hold of the stout slats and as soon as she could get the water out of her eyes she saw that the wind had ripped the cover from the coop, and the poor chickens were fluttering away in every direction, being blown by the wind until they looked like feather dusters without handles. the bottom of the coop was made of thick boards, so dorothy found she was clinging to a sort of raft, with sides of slats, which readily bore up her weight. after coughing the water out of her throat and getting her breath again, she managed to climb over the slats and stand upon the firm wooden bottom of the coop, which supported her easily enough. "why, i've got a ship of my own!" she thought, more amused than frightened at her sudden change of condition; and then, as the coop climbed up to the top of a big wave, she looked eagerly around for the ship from which she had been blown. it was far, far away, by this time. perhaps no one on board had yet missed her, or knew of her strange adventure. down into a valley between the waves the coop swept her, and when she climbed another crest the ship looked like a toy boat, it was such a long way off. soon it had entirely disappeared in the gloom, and then dorothy gave a sigh of regret at parting with uncle henry and began to wonder what was going to happen to her next. just now she was tossing on the bosom of a big ocean, with nothing to keep her afloat but a miserable wooden hen-coop that had a plank bottom and slatted sides, through which the water constantly splashed and wetted her through to the skin! and there was nothing to eat when she became hungry--as she was sure to do before long--and no fresh water to drink and no dry clothes to put on. "well, i declare!" she exclaimed, with a laugh. "you're in a pretty fix, dorothy gale, i can tell you! and i haven't the least idea how you're going to get out of it!" as if to add to her troubles the night was now creeping on, and the gray clouds overhead changed to inky blackness. but the wind, as if satisfied at last with its mischievous pranks, stopped blowing this ocean and hurried away to another part of the world to blow something else; so that the waves, not being joggled any more, began to quiet down and behave themselves. it was lucky for dorothy, i think, that the storm subsided; otherwise, brave though she was, i fear she might have perished. many children, in her place, would have wept and given way to despair; but because dorothy had encountered so many adventures and come safely through them it did not occur to her at this time to be especially afraid. she was wet and uncomfortable, it is true; but, after sighing that one sigh i told you of, she managed to recall some of her customary cheerfulness and decided to patiently await whatever her fate might be. by and by the black clouds rolled away and showed a blue sky overhead, with a silver moon shining sweetly in the middle of it and little stars winking merrily at dorothy when she looked their way. the coop did not toss around any more, but rode the waves more gently--almost like a cradle rocking--so that the floor upon which dorothy stood was no longer swept by water coming through the slats. seeing this, and being quite exhausted by the excitement of the past few hours, the little girl decided that sleep would be the best thing to restore her strength and the easiest way in which she could pass the time. the floor was damp and she was herself wringing wet, but fortunately this was a warm climate and she did not feel at all cold. so she sat down in a corner of the coop, leaned her back against the slats, nodded at the friendly stars before she closed her eyes, and was asleep in half a minute. . the yellow hen a strange noise awoke dorothy, who opened her eyes to find that day had dawned and the sun was shining brightly in a clear sky. she had been dreaming that she was back in kansas again, and playing in the old barn-yard with the calves and pigs and chickens all around her; and at first, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, she really imagined she was there. "kut-kut-kut, ka-daw-kut! kut-kut-kut, ka-daw-kut!" ah; here again was the strange noise that had awakened her. surely it was a hen cackling! but her wide-open eyes first saw, through the slats of the coop, the blue waves of the ocean, now calm and placid, and her thoughts flew back to the past night, so full of danger and discomfort. also she began to remember that she was a waif of the storm, adrift upon a treacherous and unknown sea. "kut-kut-kut, ka-daw-w-w--kut!" "what's that?" cried dorothy, starting to her feet. "why, i've just laid an egg, that's all," replied a small, but sharp and distinct voice, and looking around her the little girl discovered a yellow hen squatting in the opposite corner of the coop. "dear me!" she exclaimed, in surprise; "have you been here all night, too?" "of course," answered the hen, fluttering her wings and yawning. "when the coop blew away from the ship i clung fast to this corner, with claws and beak, for i knew if i fell into the water i'd surely be drowned. indeed, i nearly drowned, as it was, with all that water washing over me. i never was so wet before in my life!" "yes," agreed dorothy, "it was pretty wet, for a time, i know. but do you feel comfor'ble now?" "not very. the sun has helped to dry my feathers, as it has your dress, and i feel better since i laid my morning egg. but what's to become of us, i should like to know, afloat on this big pond?" "i'd like to know that, too," said dorothy. "but, tell me; how does it happen that you are able to talk? i thought hens could only cluck and cackle." "why, as for that," answered the yellow hen thoughtfully, "i've clucked and cackled all my life, and never spoken a word before this morning, that i can remember. but when you asked a question, a minute ago, it seemed the most natural thing in the world to answer you. so i spoke, and i seem to keep on speaking, just as you and other human beings do. strange, isn't it?" "very," replied dorothy. "if we were in the land of oz, i wouldn't think it so queer, because many of the animals can talk in that fairy country. but out here in the ocean must be a good long way from oz." "how is my grammar?" asked the yellow hen, anxiously. "do i speak quite properly, in your judgment?" "yes," said dorothy, "you do very well, for a beginner." "i'm glad to know that," continued the yellow hen, in a confidential tone; "because, if one is going to talk, it's best to talk correctly. the red rooster has often said that my cluck and my cackle were quite perfect; and now it's a comfort to know i am talking properly." "i'm beginning to get hungry," remarked dorothy. "it's breakfast time; but there's no breakfast." "you may have my egg," said the yellow hen. "i don't care for it, you know." "don't you want to hatch it?" asked the little girl, in surprise. "no, indeed; i never care to hatch eggs unless i've a nice snug nest, in some quiet place, with a baker's dozen of eggs under me. that's thirteen, you know, and it's a lucky number for hens. so you may as well eat this egg." "oh, i couldn't poss'bly eat it, unless it was cooked," exclaimed dorothy. "but i'm much obliged for your kindness, just the same." "don't mention it, my dear," answered the hen, calmly, and began preening her feathers. for a moment dorothy stood looking out over the wide sea. she was still thinking of the egg, though; so presently she asked: "why do you lay eggs, when you don't expect to hatch them?" "it's a habit i have," replied the yellow hen. "it has always been my pride to lay a fresh egg every morning, except when i'm moulting. i never feel like having my morning cackle till the egg is properly laid, and without the chance to cackle i would not be happy." "it's strange," said the girl, reflectively; "but as i'm not a hen i can't be 'spected to understand that." "certainly not, my dear." then dorothy fell silent again. the yellow hen was some company, and a bit of comfort, too; but it was dreadfully lonely out on the big ocean, nevertheless. after a time the hen flew up and perched upon the topmost slat of the coop, which was a little above dorothy's head when she was sitting upon the bottom, as she had been doing for some moments past. "why, we are not far from land!" exclaimed the hen. "where? where is it?" cried dorothy, jumping up in great excitement. "over there a little way," answered the hen, nodding her head in a certain direction. "we seem to be drifting toward it, so that before noon we ought to find ourselves upon dry land again." "i shall like that!" said dorothy, with a little sigh, for her feet and legs were still wetted now and then by the sea-water that came through the open slats. "so shall i," answered her companion. "there is nothing in the world so miserable as a wet hen." the land, which they seemed to be rapidly approaching, since it grew more distinct every minute, was quite beautiful as viewed by the little girl in the floating hen-coop. next to the water was a broad beach of white sand and gravel, and farther back were several rocky hills, while beyond these appeared a strip of green trees that marked the edge of a forest. but there were no houses to be seen, nor any sign of people who might inhabit this unknown land. "i hope we shall find something to eat," said dorothy, looking eagerly at the pretty beach toward which they drifted. "it's long past breakfast time, now." "i'm a trifle hungry, myself," declared the yellow hen. "why don't you eat the egg?" asked the child. "you don't need to have your food cooked, as i do." "do you take me for a cannibal?" cried the hen, indignantly. "i do not know what i have said or done that leads you to insult me!" "i beg your pardon, i'm sure mrs.--mrs.--by the way, may i inquire your name, ma'am?" asked the little girl. "my name is bill," said the yellow hen, somewhat gruffly. "bill! why, that's a boy's name." "what difference does that make?" "you're a lady hen, aren't you?" "of course. but when i was first hatched out no one could tell whether i was going to be a hen or a rooster; so the little boy at the farm where i was born called me bill, and made a pet of me because i was the only yellow chicken in the whole brood. when i grew up, and he found that i didn't crow and fight, as all the roosters do, he did not think to change my name, and every creature in the barn-yard, as well as the people in the house, knew me as 'bill.' so bill i've always been called, and bill is my name." "but it's all wrong, you know," declared dorothy, earnestly; "and, if you don't mind, i shall call you 'billina.' putting the 'eena' on the end makes it a girl's name, you see." "oh, i don't mind it in the least," returned the yellow hen. "it doesn't matter at all what you call me, so long as i know the name means me." "very well, billina. my name is dorothy gale--just dorothy to my friends and miss gale to strangers. you may call me dorothy, if you like. we're getting very near the shore. do you suppose it is too deep for me to wade the rest of the way?" "wait a few minutes longer. the sunshine is warm and pleasant, and we are in no hurry." "but my feet are all wet and soggy," said the girl. "my dress is dry enough, but i won't feel real comfor'ble till i get my feet dried." she waited, however, as the hen advised, and before long the big wooden coop grated gently on the sandy beach and the dangerous voyage was over. it did not take the castaways long to reach the shore, you may be sure. the yellow hen flew to the sands at once, but dorothy had to climb over the high slats. still, for a country girl, that was not much of a feat, and as soon as she was safe ashore dorothy drew off her wet shoes and stockings and spread them upon the sun-warmed beach to dry. then she sat down and watched billina, who was pick-pecking away with her sharp bill in the sand and gravel, which she scratched up and turned over with her strong claws. "what are you doing?" asked dorothy. "getting my breakfast, of course," murmured the hen, busily pecking away. "what do you find?" inquired the girl, curiously. "oh, some fat red ants, and some sand-bugs, and once in a while a tiny crab. they are very sweet and nice, i assure you." "how dreadful!" exclaimed dorothy, in a shocked voice. "what is dreadful?" asked the hen, lifting her head to gaze with one bright eye at her companion. "why, eating live things, and horrid bugs, and crawly ants. you ought to be 'shamed of yourself!" "goodness me!" returned the hen, in a puzzled tone; "how queer you are, dorothy! live things are much fresher and more wholesome than dead ones, and you humans eat all sorts of dead creatures." "we don't!" said dorothy. "you do, indeed," answered billina. "you eat lambs and sheep and cows and pigs and even chickens." "but we cook 'em," said dorothy, triumphantly. "what difference does that make?" "a good deal," said the girl, in a graver tone. "i can't just 'splain the diff'rence, but it's there. and, anyhow, we never eat such dreadful things as bugs." "but you eat the chickens that eat the bugs," retorted the yellow hen, with an odd cackle. "so you are just as bad as we chickens are." this made dorothy thoughtful. what billina said was true enough, and it almost took away her appetite for breakfast. as for the yellow hen, she continued to peck away at the sand busily, and seemed quite contented with her bill-of-fare. finally, down near the water's edge, billina stuck her bill deep into the sand, and then drew back and shivered. "ow!" she cried. "i struck metal, that time, and it nearly broke my beak." "it prob'bly was a rock," said dorothy, carelessly. "nonsense. i know a rock from metal, i guess," said the hen. "there's a different feel to it." "but there couldn't be any metal on this wild, deserted seashore," persisted the girl. "where's the place? i'll dig it up, and prove to you i'm right." billina showed her the place where she had "stubbed her bill," as she expressed it, and dorothy dug away the sand until she felt something hard. then, thrusting in her hand, she pulled the thing out, and discovered it to be a large sized golden key--rather old, but still bright and of perfect shape. "what did i tell you?" cried the hen, with a cackle of triumph. "can i tell metal when i bump into it, or is the thing a rock?" "it's metal, sure enough," answered the child, gazing thoughtfully at the curious thing she had found. "i think it is pure gold, and it must have lain hidden in the sand for a long time. how do you suppose it came there, billina? and what do you suppose this mysterious key unlocks?" "i can't say," replied the hen. "you ought to know more about locks and keys than i do." dorothy glanced around. there was no sign of any house in that part of the country, and she reasoned that every key must fit a lock and every lock must have a purpose. perhaps the key had been lost by somebody who lived far away, but had wandered on this very shore. musing on these things the girl put the key in the pocket of her dress and then slowly drew on her shoes and stockings, which the sun had fully dried. "i b'lieve, billina," she said, "i'll have a look 'round, and see if i can find some breakfast." . letters in the sand walking a little way back from the water's edge, toward the grove of trees, dorothy came to a flat stretch of white sand that seemed to have queer signs marked upon its surface, just as one would write upon sand with a stick. "what does it say?" she asked the yellow hen, who trotted along beside her in a rather dignified fashion. "how should i know?" returned the hen. "i cannot read." "oh! can't you?" "certainly not; i've never been to school, you know." "well, i have," admitted dorothy; "but the letters are big and far apart, and it's hard to spell out the words." but she looked at each letter carefully, and finally discovered that these words were written in the sand: "beware the wheelers!" "that's rather strange," declared the hen, when dorothy had read aloud the words. "what do you suppose the wheelers are?" "folks that wheel, i guess. they must have wheelbarrows, or baby-cabs or hand-carts," said dorothy. "perhaps they're automobiles," suggested the yellow hen. "there is no need to beware of baby-cabs and wheelbarrows; but automobiles are dangerous things. several of my friends have been run over by them." "it can't be auto'biles," replied the girl, "for this is a new, wild country, without even trolley-cars or tel'phones. the people here haven't been discovered yet, i'm sure; that is, if there are any people. so i don't b'lieve there can be any auto'biles, billina." "perhaps not," admitted the yellow hen. "where are you going now?" "over to those trees, to see if i can find some fruit or nuts," answered dorothy. she tramped across the sand, skirting the foot of one of the little rocky hills that stood near, and soon reached the edge of the forest. at first she was greatly disappointed, because the nearer trees were all punita, or cotton-wood or eucalyptus, and bore no fruit or nuts at all. but, bye and bye, when she was almost in despair, the little girl came upon two trees that promised to furnish her with plenty of food. one was quite full of square paper boxes, which grew in clusters on all the limbs, and upon the biggest and ripest boxes the word "lunch" could be read, in neat raised letters. this tree seemed to bear all the year around, for there were lunch-box blossoms on some of the branches, and on others tiny little lunch-boxes that were as yet quite green, and evidently not fit to eat until they had grown bigger. the leaves of this tree were all paper napkins, and it presented a very pleasing appearance to the hungry little girl. but the tree next to the lunch-box tree was even more wonderful, for it bore quantities of tin dinner-pails, which were so full and heavy that the stout branches bent underneath their weight. some were small and dark-brown in color; those larger were of a dull tin color; but the really ripe ones were pails of bright tin that shone and glistened beautifully in the rays of sunshine that touched them. dorothy was delighted, and even the yellow hen acknowledged that she was surprised. the little girl stood on tip-toe and picked one of the nicest and biggest lunch-boxes, and then she sat down upon the ground and eagerly opened it. inside she found, nicely wrapped in white papers, a ham sandwich, a piece of sponge-cake, a pickle, a slice of new cheese and an apple. each thing had a separate stem, and so had to be picked off the side of the box; but dorothy found them all to be delicious, and she ate every bit of luncheon in the box before she had finished. "a lunch isn't zactly breakfast," she said to billina, who sat beside her curiously watching. "but when one is hungry one can eat even supper in the morning, and not complain." "i hope your lunch-box was perfectly ripe," observed the yellow hen, in a anxious tone. "so much sickness is caused by eating green things." "oh, i'm sure it was ripe," declared dorothy, "all, that is, 'cept the pickle, and a pickle just has to be green, billina. but everything tasted perfectly splendid, and i'd rather have it than a church picnic. and now i think i'll pick a dinner-pail, to have when i get hungry again, and then we'll start out and 'splore the country, and see where we are." "haven't you any idea what country this is?" inquired billina. "none at all. but listen: i'm quite sure it's a fairy country, or such things as lunch-boxes and dinner-pails wouldn't be growing upon trees. besides, billina, being a hen, you wouldn't be able to talk in any civ'lized country, like kansas, where no fairies live at all." "perhaps we're in the land of oz," said the hen, thoughtfully. "no, that can't be," answered the little girl; "because i've been to the land of oz, and it's all surrounded by a horrid desert that no one can cross." "then how did you get away from there again?" asked billina. "i had a pair of silver shoes, that carried me through the air; but i lost them," said dorothy. "ah, indeed," remarked the yellow hen, in a tone of unbelief. "anyhow," resumed the girl, "there is no seashore near the land of oz, so this must surely be some other fairy country." while she was speaking she selected a bright and pretty dinner-pail that seemed to have a stout handle, and picked it from its branch. then, accompanied by the yellow hen, she walked out of the shadow of the trees toward the sea-shore. they were part way across the sands when billina suddenly cried, in a voice of terror: "what's that?" dorothy turned quickly around, and saw coming out of a path that led from between the trees the most peculiar person her eyes had ever beheld. it had the form of a man, except that it walked, or rather rolled, upon all fours, and its legs were the same length as its arms, giving them the appearance of the four legs of a beast. yet it was no beast that dorothy had discovered, for the person was clothed most gorgeously in embroidered garments of many colors, and wore a straw hat perched jauntily upon the side of its head. but it differed from human beings in this respect, that instead of hands and feet there grew at the end of its arms and legs round wheels, and by means of these wheels it rolled very swiftly over the level ground. afterward dorothy found that these odd wheels were of the same hard substance that our finger-nails and toe-nails are composed of, and she also learned that creatures of this strange race were born in this queer fashion. but when our little girl first caught sight of the first individual of a race that was destined to cause her a lot of trouble, she had an idea that the brilliantly-clothed personage was on roller-skates, which were attached to his hands as well as to his feet. "run!" screamed the yellow hen, fluttering away in great fright. "it's a wheeler!" "a wheeler?" exclaimed dorothy. "what can that be?" "don't you remember the warning in the sand: 'beware the wheelers'? run, i tell you--run!" so dorothy ran, and the wheeler gave a sharp, wild cry and came after her in full chase. looking over her shoulder as she ran, the girl now saw a great procession of wheelers emerging from the forest--dozens and dozens of them--all clad in splendid, tight-fitting garments and all rolling swiftly toward her and uttering their wild, strange cries. "they're sure to catch us!" panted the girl, who was still carrying the heavy dinner-pail she had picked. "i can't run much farther, billina." "climb up this hill,--quick!" said the hen; and dorothy found she was very near to the heap of loose and jagged rocks they had passed on their way to the forest. the yellow hen was even now fluttering among the rocks, and dorothy followed as best she could, half climbing and half tumbling up the rough and rugged steep. she was none too soon, for the foremost wheeler reached the hill a moment after her; but while the girl scrambled up the rocks the creature stopped short with howls of rage and disappointment. dorothy now heard the yellow hen laughing, in her cackling, henny way. "don't hurry, my dear," cried billina. "they can't follow us among these rocks, so we're safe enough now." dorothy stopped at once and sat down upon a broad boulder, for she was all out of breath. the rest of the wheelers had now reached the foot of the hill, but it was evident that their wheels would not roll upon the rough and jagged rocks, and therefore they were helpless to follow dorothy and the hen to where they had taken refuge. but they circled all around the little hill, so the child and billina were fast prisoners and could not come down without being captured. then the creatures shook their front wheels at dorothy in a threatening manner, and it seemed they were able to speak as well as to make their dreadful outcries, for several of them shouted: "we'll get you in time, never fear! and when we do get you, we'll tear you into little bits!" "why are you so cruel to me?" asked dorothy. "i'm a stranger in your country, and have done you no harm." "no harm!" cried one who seemed to be their leader. "did you not pick our lunch-boxes and dinner-pails? have you not a stolen dinner-pail still in your hand?" "i only picked one of each," she answered. "i was hungry, and i didn't know the trees were yours." "that is no excuse," retorted the leader, who was clothed in a most gorgeous suit. "it is the law here that whoever picks a dinner-pail without our permission must die immediately." "don't you believe him," said billina. "i'm sure the trees do not belong to these awful creatures. they are fit for any mischief, and it's my opinion they would try to kill us just the same if you hadn't picked a dinner-pail." "i think so, too," agreed dorothy. "but what shall we do now?" "stay where we are," advised the yellow hen. "we are safe from the wheelers until we starve to death, anyhow; and before that time comes a good many things can happen." . tiktok the machine man after an hour or so most of the band of wheelers rolled back into the forest, leaving only three of their number to guard the hill. these curled themselves up like big dogs and pretended to go to sleep on the sands; but neither dorothy nor billina were fooled by this trick, so they remained in security among the rocks and paid no attention to their cunning enemies. finally the hen, fluttering over the mound, exclaimed: "why, here's a path!" so dorothy at once clambered to where billina sat, and there, sure enough, was a smooth path cut between the rocks. it seemed to wind around the mound from top to bottom, like a cork-screw, twisting here and there between the rough boulders but always remaining level and easy to walk upon. indeed, dorothy wondered at first why the wheelers did not roll up this path; but when she followed it to the foot of the mound she found that several big pieces of rock had been placed directly across the end of the way, thus preventing any one outside from seeing it and also preventing the wheelers from using it to climb up the mound. then dorothy walked back up the path, and followed it until she came to the very top of the hill, where a solitary round rock stood that was bigger than any of the others surrounding it. the path came to an end just beside this great rock, and for a moment it puzzled the girl to know why the path had been made at all. but the hen, who had been gravely following her around and was now perched upon a point of rock behind dorothy, suddenly remarked: "it looks something like a door, doesn't it?" "what looks like a door?" enquired the child. "why, that crack in the rock, just facing you," replied billina, whose little round eyes were very sharp and seemed to see everything. "it runs up one side and down the other, and across the top and the bottom." "what does?" "why, the crack. so i think it must be a door of rock, although i do not see any hinges." "oh, yes," said dorothy, now observing for the first time the crack in the rock. "and isn't this a key-hole, billina?" pointing to a round, deep hole at one side of the door. "of course. if we only had the key, now, we could unlock it and see what is there," replied the yellow hen. "may be it's a treasure chamber full of diamonds and rubies, or heaps of shining gold, or--" "that reminds me," said dorothy, "of the golden key i picked up on the shore. do you think that it would fit this key-hole, billina?" "try it and see," suggested the hen. so dorothy searched in the pocket of her dress and found the golden key. and when she had put it into the hole of the rock, and turned it, a sudden sharp snap was heard; then, with a solemn creak that made the shivers run down the child's back, the face of the rock fell outward, like a door on hinges, and revealed a small dark chamber just inside. "good gracious!" cried dorothy, shrinking back as far as the narrow path would let her. for, standing within the narrow chamber of rock, was the form of a man--or, at least, it seemed like a man, in the dim light. he was only about as tall as dorothy herself, and his body was round as a ball and made out of burnished copper. also his head and limbs were copper, and these were jointed or hinged to his body in a peculiar way, with metal caps over the joints, like the armor worn by knights in days of old. he stood perfectly still, and where the light struck upon his form it glittered as if made of pure gold. "don't be frightened," called billina, from her perch. "it isn't alive." "i see it isn't," replied the girl, drawing a long breath. "it is only made out of copper, like the old kettle in the barn-yard at home," continued the hen, turning her head first to one side and then to the other, so that both her little round eyes could examine the object. "once," said dorothy, "i knew a man made out of tin, who was a woodman named nick chopper. but he was as alive as we are, 'cause he was born a real man, and got his tin body a little at a time--first a leg and then a finger and then an ear--for the reason that he had so many accidents with his axe, and cut himself up in a very careless manner." "oh," said the hen, with a sniff, as if she did not believe the story. "but this copper man," continued dorothy, looking at it with big eyes, "is not alive at all, and i wonder what it was made for, and why it was locked up in this queer place." "that is a mystery," remarked the hen, twisting her head to arrange her wing-feathers with her bill. dorothy stepped inside the little room to get a back view of the copper man, and in this way discovered a printed card that hung between his shoulders, it being suspended from a small copper peg at the back of his neck. she unfastened this card and returned to the path, where the light was better, and sat herself down upon a slab of rock to read the printing. "what does it say?" asked the hen, curiously. dorothy read the card aloud, spelling out the big words with some difficulty; and this is what she read: +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | smith & tinker's | | patent double-action, extra-responsive, | | thought-creating, perfect-talking | | mechanical man | | fitted with our special clock-work attachment. | | thinks, speaks, acts, and does everything but live. | | manufactured only at our works at evna, land of ev. | | all infringements will be promptly prosecuted according to law. | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------------+ "how queer!" said the yellow hen. "do you think that is all true, my dear?" "i don't know," answered dorothy, who had more to read. "listen to this, billina:" +--------------------------------------------------+ | | | directions for using: | | for thinking:--wind the clock-work man under his | | left arm, (marked no. .) | | for speaking:--wind the clock-work man under his | | right arm, (marked no. .) | | for walking and action:--wind clock-work in the | | middle of his back, (marked no. .) | | n. b.--this mechanism is guaranteed to work | | perfectly for a thousand years. | | | +--------------------------------------------------+ "well, i declare!" gasped the yellow hen, in amazement; "if the copper man can do half of these things he is a very wonderful machine. but i suppose it is all humbug, like so many other patented articles." "we might wind him up," suggested dorothy, "and see what he'll do." "where is the key to the clock-work?" asked billina. "hanging on the peg where i found the card." "then," said the hen, "let us try him, and find out if he will go. he is warranted for a thousand years, it seems; but we do not know how long he has been standing inside this rock." dorothy had already taken the clock key from the peg. "which shall i wind up first?" she asked, looking again at the directions on the card. "number one, i should think," returned billina. "that makes him think, doesn't it?" "yes," said dorothy, and wound up number one, under the left arm. "he doesn't seem any different," remarked the hen, critically. "why, of course not; he is only thinking, now," said dorothy. "i wonder what he is thinking about." "i'll wind up his talk, and then perhaps he can tell us," said the girl. so she wound up number two, and immediately the clock-work man said, without moving any part of his body except his lips: "good morn-ing, lit-tle girl. good morn-ing, mrs. hen." the words sounded a little hoarse and creaky, and they were uttered all in the same tone, without any change of expression whatever; but both dorothy and billina understood them perfectly. "good morning, sir," they answered, politely. "thank you for res-cu-ing me," continued the machine, in the same monotonous voice, which seemed to be worked by a bellows inside of him, like the little toy lambs and cats the children squeeze so that they will make a noise. "don't mention it," answered dorothy. and then, being very curious, she asked: "how did you come to be locked up in this place?" "it is a long sto-ry," replied the copper man; "but i will tell it to you brief-ly. i was pur-chased from smith & tin-ker, my man-u-fac-tur-ers, by a cru-el king of ev, named ev-ol-do, who used to beat all his serv-ants un-til they died. how-ev-er, he was not a-ble to kill me, be-cause i was not a-live, and one must first live in or-der to die. so that all his beat-ing did me no harm, and mere-ly kept my cop-per bod-y well pol-ished. "this cru-el king had a love-ly wife and ten beau-ti-ful chil-dren--five boys and five girls--but in a fit of an-ger he sold them all to the nome king, who by means of his mag-ic arts changed them all in-to oth-er forms and put them in his un-der-ground pal-ace to or-na-ment the rooms. "af-ter-ward the king of ev re-gret-ted his wick-ed ac-tion, and tried to get his wife and chil-dren a-way from the nome king, but with-out a-vail. so, in de-spair, he locked me up in this rock, threw the key in-to the o-cean, and then jumped in af-ter it and was drowned." "how very dreadful!" exclaimed dorothy. "it is, in-deed," said the machine. "when i found my-self im-pris-oned i shout-ed for help un-til my voice ran down; and then i walked back and forth in this lit-tle room un-til my ac-tion ran down; and then i stood still and thought un-til my thoughts ran down. af-ter that i re-mem-ber noth-ing un-til you wound me up a-gain." "it's a very wonderful story," said dorothy, "and proves that the land of ev is really a fairy land, as i thought it was." "of course it is," answered the copper man. "i do not sup-pose such a per-fect ma-chine as i am could be made in an-y place but a fair-y land." "i've never seen one in kansas," said dorothy. "but where did you get the key to un-lock this door?" asked the clock-work voice. "i found it on the shore, where it was prob'ly washed up by the waves," she answered. "and now, sir, if you don't mind, i'll wind up your action." "that will please me ve-ry much," said the machine. so she wound up number three, and at once the copper man in a somewhat stiff and jerky fashion walked out of the rocky cavern, took off his copper hat and bowed politely, and then kneeled before dorothy. said he: "from this time forth i am your o-be-di-ent ser-vant. what-ev-er you com-mand, that i will do will-ing-ly--if you keep me wound up." "what is your name?" she asked. "tik-tok," he replied. "my for-mer mas-ter gave me that name be-cause my clock-work al-ways ticks when it is wound up." "i can hear it now," said the yellow hen. "so can i," said dorothy. and then she added, with some anxiety: "you don't strike, do you?" "no," answered tiktok; "and there is no a-larm con-nec-ted with my ma-chin-er-y. i can tell the time, though, by speak-ing, and as i nev-er sleep i can wak-en you at an-y hour you wish to get up in the morn-ing." "that's nice," said the little girl; "only i never wish to get up in the morning." "you can sleep until i lay my egg," said the yellow hen. "then, when i cackle, tiktok will know it is time to waken you." "do you lay your egg very early?" asked dorothy. "about eight o'clock," said billina. "and everybody ought to be up by that time, i'm sure." . dorothy opens the dinner pail "now tiktok," said dorothy, "the first thing to be done is to find a way for us to escape from these rocks. the wheelers are down below, you know, and threaten to kill us." "there is no rea-son to be a-fraid of the wheel-ers," said tiktok, the words coming more slowly than before. "why not?" she asked. "be-cause they are ag-g-g--gr-gr-r-r-" he gave a sort of gurgle and stopped short, waving his hands frantically until suddenly he became motionless, with one arm in the air and the other held stiffly before him with all the copper fingers of the hand spread out like a fan. "dear me!" said dorothy, in a frightened tone. "what can the matter be?" "he's run down, i suppose," said the hen, calmly. "you couldn't have wound him up very tight." "i didn't know how much to wind him," replied the girl; "but i'll try to do better next time." she ran around the copper man to take the key from the peg at the back of his neck, but it was not there. "it's gone!" cried dorothy, in dismay. "what's gone?" asked billina. "the key." "it probably fell off when he made that low bow to you," returned the hen. "look around, and see if you cannot find it again." dorothy looked, and the hen helped her, and by and by the girl discovered the clock-key, which had fallen into a crack of the rock. at once she wound up tiktok's voice, taking care to give the key as many turns as it would go around. she found this quite a task, as you may imagine if you have ever tried to wind a clock, but the machine man's first words were to assure dorothy that he would now run for at least twenty-four hours. "you did not wind me much, at first," he calmly said, "and i told you that long sto-ry a-bout king ev-ol-do; so it is no won-der that i ran down." she next rewound the action clock-work, and then billina advised her to carry the key to tiktok in her pocket, so it would not get lost again. "and now," said dorothy, when all this was accomplished, "tell me what you were going to say about the wheelers." "why, they are noth-ing to be fright-en'd at," said the machine. "they try to make folks be-lieve that they are ver-y ter-ri-ble, but as a mat-ter of fact the wheel-ers are harm-less e-nough to an-y one that dares to fight them. they might try to hurt a lit-tle girl like you, per-haps, be-cause they are ver-y mis-chiev-ous. but if i had a club they would run a-way as soon as they saw me." "haven't you a club?" asked dorothy. "no," said tiktok. "and you won't find such a thing among these rocks, either," declared the yellow hen. "then what shall we do?" asked the girl. "wind up my think-works tight-ly, and i will try to think of some oth-er plan," said tiktok. so dorothy rewound his thought machinery, and while he was thinking she decided to eat her dinner. billina was already pecking away at the cracks in the rocks, to find something to eat, so dorothy sat down and opened her tin dinner-pail. in the cover she found a small tank that was full of very nice lemonade. it was covered by a cup, which might also, when removed, be used to drink the lemonade from. within the pail were three slices of turkey, two slices of cold tongue, some lobster salad, four slices of bread and butter, a small custard pie, an orange and nine large strawberries, and some nuts and raisins. singularly enough, the nuts in this dinner-pail grew already cracked, so that dorothy had no trouble in picking out their meats to eat. she spread the feast upon the rock beside her and began her dinner, first offering some of it to tiktok, who declined because, as he said, he was merely a machine. afterward she offered to share with billina, but the hen murmured something about "dead things" and said she preferred her bugs and ants. "do the lunch-box trees and the dinner-pail trees belong to the wheelers?" the child asked tiktok, while engaged in eating her meal. "of course not," he answered. "they be-long to the roy-al fam-il-y of ev, on-ly of course there is no roy-al fam-il-y just now be-cause king ev-ol-do jumped in-to the sea and his wife and ten chil-dren have been trans-formed by the nome king. so there is no one to rule the land of ev, that i can think of. per-haps it is for this rea-son that the wheel-ers claim the trees for their own, and pick the lunch-eons and din-ners to eat them-selves. but they be-long to the king, and you will find the roy-al "e" stamped up-on the bot-tom of ev-er-y din-ner pail." dorothy turned the pail over, and at once discovered the royal mark upon it, as tiktok had said. "are the wheelers the only folks living in the land of ev?" enquired the girl. "no; they on-ly in-hab-it a small por-tion of it just back of the woods," replied the machine. "but they have al-ways been mis-chiev-ous and im-per-ti-nent, and my old mas-ter, king ev-ol-do, used to car-ry a whip with him, when he walked out, to keep the crea-tures in or-der. when i was first made the wheel-ers tried to run o-ver me, and butt me with their heads; but they soon found i was built of too sol-id a ma-ter-i-al for them to in-jure." "you seem very durable," said dorothy. "who made you?" "the firm of smith & tin-ker, in the town of evna, where the roy-al pal-ace stands," answered tiktok. "did they make many of you?" asked the child. "no; i am the on-ly au-to-mat-ic me-chan-i-cal man they ev-er com-plet-ed," he replied. "they were ver-y won-der-ful in-ven-tors, were my mak-ers, and quite ar-tis-tic in all they did." "i am sure of that," said dorothy. "do they live in the town of evna now?" "they are both gone," replied the machine. "mr. smith was an art-ist, as well as an in-vent-or, and he paint-ed a pic-ture of a riv-er which was so nat-ur-al that, as he was reach-ing a-cross it to paint some flow-ers on the op-po-site bank, he fell in-to the wa-ter and was drowned." "oh, i'm sorry for that!" exclaimed the little girl. "mis-ter tin-ker," continued tiktok, "made a lad-der so tall that he could rest the end of it a-gainst the moon, while he stood on the high-est rung and picked the lit-tle stars to set in the points of the king's crown. but when he got to the moon mis-ter tin-ker found it such a love-ly place that he de-cid-ed to live there, so he pulled up the lad-der af-ter him and we have nev-er seen him since." "he must have been a great loss to this country," said dorothy, who was by this time eating her custard pie. "he was," acknowledged tiktok. "also he is a great loss to me. for if i should get out of or-der i do not know of an-y one a-ble to re-pair me, be-cause i am so com-pli-cat-ed. you have no i-de-a how full of ma-chin-er-y i am." "i can imagine it," said dorothy, readily. "and now," continued the machine, "i must stop talk-ing and be-gin think-ing a-gain of a way to es-cape from this rock." so he turned half way around, in order to think without being disturbed. "the best thinker i ever knew," said dorothy to the yellow hen, "was a scarecrow." "nonsense!" snapped billina. "it is true," declared dorothy. "i met him in the land of oz, and he traveled with me to the city of the great wizard of oz, so as to get some brains, for his head was only stuffed with straw. but it seemed to me that he thought just as well before he got his brains as he did afterward." "do you expect me to believe all that rubbish about the land of oz?" enquired billina, who seemed a little cross--perhaps because bugs were scarce. "what rubbish?" asked the child, who was now finishing her nuts and raisins. "why, your impossible stories about animals that can talk, and a tin woodman who is alive, and a scarecrow who can think." "they are all there," said dorothy, "for i have seen them." "i don't believe it!" cried the hen, with a toss of her head. "that's 'cause you're so ign'rant," replied the girl, who was a little offended at her friend billina's speech. "in the land of oz," remarked tiktok, turning toward them, "an-y-thing is pos-si-ble. for it is a won-der-ful fair-y coun-try." "there, billina! what did i say?" cried dorothy. and then she turned to the machine and asked in an eager tone: "do you know the land of oz, tiktok?" "no; but i have heard a-bout it," said the cop-per man. "for it is on-ly sep-a-ra-ted from this land of ev by a broad des-ert." dorothy clapped her hands together delightedly. "i'm glad of that!" she exclaimed. "it makes me quite happy to be so near my old friends. the scarecrow i told you of, billina, is the king of the land of oz." "par-don me. he is not the king now," said tiktok. "he was when i left there," declared dorothy. "i know," said tiktok, "but there was a rev-o-lu-tion in the land of oz, and the scare-crow was de-posed by a sol-dier wo-man named gen-er-al jin-jur. and then jin-jur was de-posed by a lit-tle girl named oz-ma, who was the right-ful heir to the throne and now rules the land un-der the ti-tle of oz-ma of oz." "that is news to me," said dorothy, thoughtfully. "but i s'pose lots of things have happened since i left the land of oz. i wonder what has become of the scarecrow, and of the tin woodman, and the cowardly lion. and i wonder who this girl ozma is, for i never heard of her before." but tiktok did not reply to this. he had turned around again to resume his thinking. dorothy packed the rest of the food back into the pail, so as not to be wasteful of good things, and the yellow hen forgot her dignity far enough to pick up all of the scattered crumbs, which she ate rather greedily, although she had so lately pretended to despise the things that dorothy preferred as food. by this time tiktok approached them with his stiff bow. "be kind e-nough to fol-low me," he said, "and i will lead you a-way from here to the town of ev-na, where you will be more com-for-ta-ble, and al-so i will pro-tect you from the wheel-ers." "all right," answered dorothy, promptly. "i'm ready!" . the heads of langwidere they walked slowly down the path between the rocks, tiktok going first, dorothy following him, and the yellow hen trotting along last of all. at the foot of the path the copper man leaned down and tossed aside with ease the rocks that encumbered the way. then he turned to dorothy and said: "let me car-ry your din-ner-pail." she placed it in his right hand at once, and the copper fingers closed firmly over the stout handle. then the little procession marched out upon the level sands. as soon as the three wheelers who were guarding the mound saw them, they began to shout their wild cries and rolled swiftly toward the little group, as if to capture them or bar their way. but when the foremost had approached near enough, tiktok swung the tin dinner-pail and struck the wheeler a sharp blow over its head with the queer weapon. perhaps it did not hurt very much, but it made a great noise, and the wheeler uttered a howl and tumbled over upon its side. the next minute it scrambled to its wheels and rolled away as fast as it could go, screeching with fear at the same time. "i told you they were harm-less," began tiktok; but before he could say more another wheeler was upon them. crack! went the dinner-pail against its head, knocking its straw hat a dozen feet away; and that was enough for this wheeler, also. it rolled away after the first one, and the third did not wait to be pounded with the pail, but joined its fellows as quickly as its wheels would whirl. the yellow hen gave a cackle of delight, and flying to a perch upon tiktok's shoulder, she said: "bravely done, my copper friend! and wisely thought of, too. now we are free from those ugly creatures." but just then a large band of wheelers rolled from the forest, and relying upon their numbers to conquer, they advanced fiercely upon tiktok. dorothy grabbed billina in her arms and held her tight, and the machine embraced the form of the little girl with his left arm, the better to protect her. then the wheelers were upon them. rattlety, bang! bang! went the dinner-pail in every direction, and it made so much clatter bumping against the heads of the wheelers that they were much more frightened than hurt and fled in a great panic. all, that is, except their leader. this wheeler had stumbled against another and fallen flat upon his back, and before he could get his wheels under him to rise again, tiktok had fastened his copper fingers into the neck of the gorgeous jacket of his foe and held him fast. "tell your peo-ple to go a-way," commanded the machine. the leader of the wheelers hesitated to give this order, so tiktok shook him as a terrier dog does a rat, until the wheeler's teeth rattled together with a noise like hailstones on a window pane. then, as soon as the creature could get its breath, it shouted to the others to roll away, which they immediately did. "now," said tiktok, "you shall come with us and tell me what i want to know." "you'll be sorry for treating me in this way," whined the wheeler. "i'm a terribly fierce person." "as for that," answered tiktok, "i am only a ma-chine, and can-not feel sor-row or joy, no mat-ter what hap-pens. but you are wrong to think your-self ter-ri-ble or fierce." "why so?" asked the wheeler. "be-cause no one else thinks as you do. your wheels make you help-less to in-jure an-y one. for you have no fists and can not scratch or e-ven pull hair. nor have you an-y feet to kick with. all you can do is to yell and shout, and that does not hurt an-y one at all." the wheeler burst into a flood of tears, to dorothy's great surprise. "now i and my people are ruined forever!" he sobbed; "for you have discovered our secret. being so helpless, our only hope is to make people afraid of us, by pretending we are very fierce and terrible, and writing in the sand warnings to beware the wheelers. until now we have frightened everyone, but since you have discovered our weakness our enemies will fall upon us and make us very miserable and unhappy." "oh, no," exclaimed dorothy, who was sorry to see this beautifully dressed wheeler so miserable; "tiktok will keep your secret, and so will billina and i. only, you must promise not to try to frighten children any more, if they come near to you." "i won't--indeed i won't!" promised the wheeler, ceasing to cry and becoming more cheerful. "i'm not really bad, you know; but we have to pretend to be terrible in order to prevent others from attacking us." "that is not ex-act-ly true," said tiktok, starting to walk toward the path through the forest, and still holding fast to his prisoner, who rolled slowly along beside him. "you and your peo-ple are full of mis-chief, and like to both-er those who fear you. and you are of-ten im-pu-dent and dis-a-gree-a-ble, too. but if you will try to cure those faults i will not tell any-one how help-less you are." "i'll try, of course," replied the wheeler, eagerly. "and thank you, mr. tiktok, for your kindness." "i am on-ly a ma-chine," said tiktok. "i can not be kind an-y more than i can be sor-ry or glad. i can on-ly do what i am wound up to do." "are you wound up to keep my secret?" asked the wheeler, anxiously. "yes; if you be-have your-self. but tell me: who rules the land of ev now?" asked the machine. "there is no ruler," was the answer, "because every member of the royal family is imprisoned by the nome king. but the princess langwidere, who is a niece of our late king evoldo, lives in a part of the royal palace and takes as much money out of the royal treasury as she can spend. the princess langwidere is not exactly a ruler, you see, because she doesn't rule; but she is the nearest approach to a ruler we have at present." "i do not re-mem-ber her," said tiktok. "what does she look like?" "that i cannot say," replied the wheeler, "although i have seen her twenty times. for the princess langwidere is a different person every time i see her, and the only way her subjects can recognize her at all is by means of a beautiful ruby key which she always wears on a chain attached to her left wrist. when we see the key we know we are beholding the princess." "that is strange," said dorothy, in astonishment. "do you mean to say that so many different princesses are one and the same person?" "not exactly," answered the wheeler. "there is, of course, but one princess; but she appears to us in many forms, which are all more or less beautiful." "she must be a witch," exclaimed the girl. "i do not think so," declared the wheeler. "but there is some mystery connected with her, nevertheless. she is a very vain creature, and lives mostly in a room surrounded by mirrors, so that she can admire herself whichever way she looks." no one answered this speech, because they had just passed out of the forest and their attention was fixed upon the scene before them--a beautiful vale in which were many fruit trees and green fields, with pretty farm-houses scattered here and there and broad, smooth roads that led in every direction. in the center of this lovely vale, about a mile from where our friends were standing, rose the tall spires of the royal palace, which glittered brightly against their background of blue sky. the palace was surrounded by charming grounds, full of flowers and shrubbery. several tinkling fountains could be seen, and there were pleasant walks bordered by rows of white marble statuary. all these details dorothy was, of course, unable to notice or admire until they had advanced along the road to a position quite near to the palace, and she was still looking at the pretty sights when her little party entered the grounds and approached the big front door of the king's own apartments. to their disappointment they found the door tightly closed. a sign was tacked to the panel which read as follows: +----------------------------+ | | | owner absent. | | | | please knock at the third | | door in the left wing. | | | +----------------------------+ "now," said tiktok to the captive wheeler, "you must show us the way to the left wing." "very well," agreed the prisoner, "it is around here at the right." "how can the left wing be at the right?" demanded dorothy, who feared the wheeler was fooling them. "because there used to be three wings, and two were torn down, so the one on the right is the only one left. it is a trick of the princess langwidere to prevent visitors from annoying her." then the captive led them around to the wing, after which the machine man, having no further use for the wheeler, permitted him to depart and rejoin his fellows. he immediately rolled away at a great pace and was soon lost to sight. tiktok now counted the doors in the wing and knocked loudly upon the third one. it was opened by a little maid in a cap trimmed with gay ribbons, who bowed respectfully and asked: "what do you wish, good people?" "are you the princess langwidere?" asked dorothy. "no, miss; i am her servant," replied the maid. "may i see the princess, please?" "i will tell her you are here, miss, and ask her to grant you an audience," said the maid. "step in, please, and take a seat in the drawing-room." so dorothy walked in, followed closely by the machine. but as the yellow hen tried to enter after them, the little maid cried "shoo!" and flapped her apron in billina's face. "shoo, yourself!" retorted the hen, drawing back in anger and ruffling up her feathers. "haven't you any better manners than that?" "oh, do you talk?" enquired the maid, evidently surprised. "can't you hear me?" snapped billina. "drop that apron, and get out of the doorway, so that i may enter with my friends!" "the princess won't like it," said the maid, hesitating. "i don't care whether she likes it or not," replied billina, and fluttering her wings with a loud noise she flew straight at the maid's face. the little servant at once ducked her head, and the hen reached dorothy's side in safety. "very well," sighed the maid; "if you are all ruined because of this obstinate hen, don't blame me for it. it isn't safe to annoy the princess langwidere." "tell her we are waiting, if you please," dorothy requested, with dignity. "billina is my friend, and must go wherever i go." without more words the maid led them to a richly furnished drawing-room, lighted with subdued rainbow tints that came in through beautiful stained-glass windows. "remain here," she said. "what names shall i give the princess?" "i am dorothy gale, of kansas," replied the child; "and this gentleman is a machine named tiktok, and the yellow hen is my friend billina." the little servant bowed and withdrew, going through several passages and mounting two marble stairways before she came to the apartments occupied by her mistress. princess langwidere's sitting-room was paneled with great mirrors, which reached from the ceiling to the floor; also the ceiling was composed of mirrors, and the floor was of polished silver that reflected every object upon it. so when langwidere sat in her easy chair and played soft melodies upon her mandolin, her form was mirrored hundreds of times, in walls and ceiling and floor, and whichever way the lady turned her head she could see and admire her own features. this she loved to do, and just as the maid entered she was saying to herself: "this head with the auburn hair and hazel eyes is quite attractive. i must wear it more often than i have done of late, although it may not be the best of my collection." "you have company, your highness," announced the maid, bowing low. "who is it?" asked langwidere, yawning. "dorothy gale of kansas, mr. tiktok and billina," answered the maid. "what a queer lot of names!" murmured the princess, beginning to be a little interested. "what are they like? is dorothy gale of kansas pretty?" "she might be called so," the maid replied. "and is mr. tiktok attractive?" continued the princess. "that i cannot say, your highness. but he seems very bright. will your gracious highness see them?" "oh, i may as well, nanda. but i am tired admiring this head, and if my visitor has any claim to beauty i must take care that she does not surpass me. so i will go to my cabinet and change to no. , which i think is my best appearance. don't you?" "your no. is exceedingly beautiful," answered nanda, with another bow. again the princess yawned. then she said: "help me to rise." so the maid assisted her to gain her feet, although langwidere was the stronger of the two; and then the princess slowly walked across the silver floor to her cabinet, leaning heavily at every step upon nanda's arm. now i must explain to you that the princess langwidere had thirty heads--as many as there are days in the month. but of course she could only wear one of them at a time, because she had but one neck. these heads were kept in what she called her "cabinet," which was a beautiful dressing-room that lay just between langwidere's sleeping-chamber and the mirrored sitting-room. each head was in a separate cupboard lined with velvet. the cupboards ran all around the sides of the dressing-room, and had elaborately carved doors with gold numbers on the outside and jeweled-framed mirrors on the inside of them. when the princess got out of her crystal bed in the morning she went to her cabinet, opened one of the velvet-lined cupboards, and took the head it contained from its golden shelf. then, by the aid of the mirror inside the open door, she put on the head--as neat and straight as could be--and afterward called her maids to robe her for the day. she always wore a simple white costume, that suited all the heads. for, being able to change her face whenever she liked, the princess had no interest in wearing a variety of gowns, as have other ladies who are compelled to wear the same face constantly. of course the thirty heads were in great variety, no two formed alike but all being of exceeding loveliness. there were heads with golden hair, brown hair, rich auburn hair and black hair; but none with gray hair. the heads had eyes of blue, of gray, of hazel, of brown and of black; but there were no red eyes among them, and all were bright and handsome. the noses were grecian, roman, retrousse and oriental, representing all types of beauty; and the mouths were of assorted sizes and shapes, displaying pearly teeth when the heads smiled. as for dimples, they appeared in cheeks and chins, wherever they might be most charming, and one or two heads had freckles upon the faces to contrast the better with the brilliancy of their complexions. one key unlocked all the velvet cupboards containing these treasures--a curious key carved from a single blood-red ruby--and this was fastened to a strong but slender chain which the princess wore around her left wrist. when nanda had supported langwidere to a position in front of cupboard no. , the princess unlocked the door with her ruby key and after handing head no. , which she had been wearing, to the maid, she took no. from its shelf and fitted it to her neck. it had black hair and dark eyes and a lovely pearl-and-white complexion, and when langwidere wore it she knew she was remarkably beautiful in appearance. there was only one trouble with no. ; the temper that went with it (and which was hidden somewhere under the glossy black hair) was fiery, harsh and haughty in the extreme, and it often led the princess to do unpleasant things which she regretted when she came to wear her other heads. but she did not remember this today, and went to meet her guests in the drawing-room with a feeling of certainty that she would surprise them with her beauty. however, she was greatly disappointed to find that her visitors were merely a small girl in a gingham dress, a copper man that would only go when wound up, and a yellow hen that was sitting contentedly in langwidere's best work-basket, where there was a china egg used for darning stockings. (it may surprise you to learn that a princess ever does such a common thing as darn stockings. but, if you will stop to think, you will realize that a princess is sure to wear holes in her stockings, the same as other people; only it isn't considered quite polite to mention the matter.) "oh!" said langwidere, slightly lifting the nose of no. . "i thought some one of importance had called." "then you were right," declared dorothy. "i'm a good deal of 'portance myself, and when billina lays an egg she has the proudest cackle you ever heard. as for tiktok, he's the--" "stop--stop!" commanded the princess, with an angry flash of her splendid eyes. "how dare you annoy me with your senseless chatter?" "why, you horrid thing!" said dorothy, who was not accustomed to being treated so rudely. the princess looked at her more closely. "tell me," she resumed, "are you of royal blood?" "better than that, ma'am," said dorothy. "i came from kansas." "huh!" cried the princess, scornfully. "you are a foolish child, and i cannot allow you to annoy me. run away, you little goose, and bother some one else." dorothy was so indignant that for a moment she could find no words to reply. but she rose from her chair, and was about to leave the room when the princess, who had been scanning the girl's face, stopped her by saying, more gently: "come nearer to me." dorothy obeyed, without a thought of fear, and stood before the princess while langwidere examined her face with careful attention. "you are rather attractive," said the lady, presently. "not at all beautiful, you understand, but you have a certain style of prettiness that is different from that of any of my thirty heads. so i believe i'll take your head and give you no. for it." "well, i b'lieve you won't!" exclaimed dorothy. "it will do you no good to refuse," continued the princess; "for i need your head for my collection, and in the land of ev my will is law. i never have cared much for no. , and you will find that it is very little worn. besides, it will do you just as well as the one you're wearing, for all practical purposes." "i don't know anything about your no. , and i don't want to," said dorothy, firmly. "i'm not used to taking cast-off things, so i'll just keep my own head." "you refuse?" cried the princess, with a frown. "of course i do," was the reply. "then," said langwidere, "i shall lock you up in a tower until you decide to obey me. nanda," turning to her maid, "call my army." nanda rang a silver bell, and at once a big fat colonel in a bright red uniform entered the room, followed by ten lean soldiers, who all looked sad and discouraged and saluted the princess in a very melancholy fashion. "carry that girl to the north tower and lock her up!" cried the princess, pointing to dorothy. "to hear is to obey," answered the big red colonel, and caught the child by her arm. but at that moment tiktok raised his dinner-pail and pounded it so forcibly against the colonel's head that the big officer sat down upon the floor with a sudden bump, looking both dazed and very much astonished. "help!" he shouted, and the ten lean soldiers sprang to assist their leader. there was great excitement for the next few moments, and tiktok had knocked down seven of the army, who were sprawling in every direction upon the carpet, when suddenly the machine paused, with the dinner-pail raised for another blow, and remained perfectly motionless. "my ac-tion has run down," he called to dorothy. "wind me up, quick." she tried to obey, but the big colonel had by this time managed to get upon his feet again, so he grabbed fast hold of the girl and she was helpless to escape. "this is too bad," said the machine. "i ought to have run six hours lon-ger, at least, but i sup-pose my long walk and my fight with the wheel-ers made me run down fast-er than us-u-al." "well, it can't be helped," said dorothy, with a sigh. "will you exchange heads with me?" demanded the princess. "no, indeed!" cried dorothy. "then lock her up," said langwidere to her soldiers, and they led dorothy to a high tower at the north of the palace and locked her securely within. the soldiers afterward tried to lift tiktok, but they found the machine so solid and heavy that they could not stir it. so they left him standing in the center of the drawing-room. "people will think i have a new statue," said langwidere, "so it won't matter in the least, and nanda can keep him well polished." "what shall we do with the hen?" asked the colonel, who had just discovered billina in the work-basket. "put her in the chicken-house," answered the princess. "someday i'll have her fried for breakfast." "she looks rather tough, your highness," said nanda, doubtfully. "that is a base slander!" cried billina, struggling frantically in the colonel's arms. "but the breed of chickens i come from is said to be poison to all princesses." "then," remarked langwidere, "i will not fry the hen, but keep her to lay eggs; and if she doesn't do her duty i'll have her drowned in the horse trough." . ozma of oz to the rescue nanda brought dorothy bread and water for her supper, and she slept upon a hard stone couch with a single pillow and a silken coverlet. in the morning she leaned out of the window of her prison in the tower to see if there was any way to escape. the room was not so very high up, when compared with our modern buildings, but it was far enough above the trees and farm houses to give her a good view of the surrounding country. to the east she saw the forest, with the sands beyond it and the ocean beyond that. there was even a dark speck upon the shore that she thought might be the chicken-coop in which she had arrived at this singular country. then she looked to the north, and saw a deep but narrow valley lying between two rocky mountains, and a third mountain that shut off the valley at the further end. westward the fertile land of ev suddenly ended a little way from the palace, and the girl could see miles and miles of sandy desert that stretched further than her eyes could reach. it was this desert, she thought, with much interest, that alone separated her from the wonderful land of oz, and she remembered sorrowfully that she had been told no one had ever been able to cross this dangerous waste but herself. once a cyclone had carried her across it, and a magical pair of silver shoes had carried her back again. but now she had neither a cyclone nor silver shoes to assist her, and her condition was sad indeed. for she had become the prisoner of a disagreeable princess who insisted that she must exchange her head for another one that she was not used to, and which might not fit her at all. really, there seemed no hope of help for her from her old friends in the land of oz. thoughtfully she gazed from her narrow window. on all the desert not a living thing was stirring. wait, though! something surely was stirring on the desert--something her eyes had not observed at first. now it seemed like a cloud; now it seemed like a spot of silver; now it seemed to be a mass of rainbow colors that moved swiftly toward her. what could it be, she wondered? then, gradually, but in a brief space of time nevertheless, the vision drew near enough to dorothy to make out what it was. a broad green carpet was unrolling itself upon the desert, while advancing across the carpet was a wonderful procession that made the girl open her eyes in amazement as she gazed. first came a magnificent golden chariot, drawn by a great lion and an immense tiger, who stood shoulder to shoulder and trotted along as gracefully as a well-matched team of thoroughbred horses. and standing upright within the chariot was a beautiful girl clothed in flowing robes of silver gauze and wearing a jeweled diadem upon her dainty head. she held in one hand the satin ribbons that guided her astonishing team, and in the other an ivory wand that separated at the top into two prongs, the prongs being tipped by the letters "o" and "z", made of glistening diamonds set closely together. the girl seemed neither older nor larger than dorothy herself, and at once the prisoner in the tower guessed that the lovely driver of the chariot must be that ozma of oz of whom she had so lately heard from tiktok. following close behind the chariot dorothy saw her old friend the scarecrow, riding calmly astride a wooden saw-horse, which pranced and trotted as naturally as any meat horse could have done. and then came nick chopper, the tin woodman, with his funnel-shaped cap tipped carelessly over his left ear, his gleaming axe over his right shoulder, and his whole body sparkling as brightly as it had ever done in the old days when first she knew him. the tin woodman was on foot, marching at the head of a company of twenty-seven soldiers, of whom some were lean and some fat, some short and some tall; but all the twenty-seven were dressed in handsome uniforms of various designs and colors, no two being alike in any respect. behind the soldiers the green carpet rolled itself up again, so that there was always just enough of it for the procession to walk upon, in order that their feet might not come in contact with the deadly, life-destroying sands of the desert. dorothy knew at once it was a magic carpet she beheld, and her heart beat high with hope and joy as she realized she was soon to be rescued and allowed to greet her dearly beloved friends of oz--the scarecrow, the tin woodman and the cowardly lion. indeed, the girl felt herself as good as rescued as soon as she recognized those in the procession, for she well knew the courage and loyalty of her old comrades, and also believed that any others who came from their marvelous country would prove to be pleasant and reliable acquaintances. as soon as the last bit of desert was passed and all the procession, from the beautiful and dainty ozma to the last soldier, had reached the grassy meadows of the land of ev, the magic carpet rolled itself together and entirely disappeared. then the chariot driver turned her lion and tiger into a broad roadway leading up to the palace, and the others followed, while dorothy still gazed from her tower window in eager excitement. they came quite close to the front door of the palace and then halted, the scarecrow dismounting from his saw-horse to approach the sign fastened to the door, that he might read what it said. dorothy, just above him, could keep silent no longer. "here i am!" she shouted, as loudly as she could. "here's dorothy!" "dorothy who?" asked the scarecrow, tipping his head to look upward until he nearly lost his balance and tumbled over backward. "dorothy gale, of course. your friend from kansas," she answered. "why, hello, dorothy!" said the scarecrow. "what in the world are you doing up there?" "nothing," she called down, "because there's nothing to do. save me, my friend--save me!" "you seem to be quite safe now," replied the scarecrow. "but i'm a prisoner. i'm locked in, so that i can't get out," she pleaded. "that's all right," said the scarecrow. "you might be worse off, little dorothy. just consider the matter. you can't get drowned, or be run over by a wheeler, or fall out of an apple-tree. some folks would think they were lucky to be up there." "well, i don't," declared the girl, "and i want to get down immed'i'tly and see you and the tin woodman and the cowardly lion." "very well," said the scarecrow, nodding. "it shall be just as you say, little friend. who locked you up?" "the princess langwidere, who is a horrid creature," she answered. at this ozma, who had been listening carefully to the conversation, called to dorothy from her chariot, asking: "why did the princess lock you up, my dear?" "because," exclaimed dorothy, "i wouldn't let her have my head for her collection, and take an old, cast-off head in exchange for it." "i do not blame you," exclaimed ozma, promptly. "i will see the princess at once, and oblige her to liberate you." "oh, thank you very, very much!" cried dorothy, who as soon as she heard the sweet voice of the girlish ruler of oz knew that she would soon learn to love her dearly. ozma now drove her chariot around to the third door of the wing, upon which the tin woodman boldly proceeded to knock. as soon as the maid opened the door ozma, bearing in her hand her ivory wand, stepped into the hall and made her way at once to the drawing-room, followed by all her company, except the lion and the tiger. and the twenty-seven soldiers made such a noise and a clatter that the little maid nanda ran away screaming to her mistress, whereupon the princess langwidere, roused to great anger by this rude invasion of her palace, came running into the drawing-room without any assistance whatever. there she stood before the slight and delicate form of the little girl from oz and cried out;-- "how dare you enter my palace unbidden? leave this room at once, or i will bind you and all your people in chains, and throw you into my darkest dungeons!" "what a dangerous lady!" murmured the scarecrow, in a soft voice. "she seems a little nervous," replied the tin woodman. but ozma only smiled at the angry princess. "sit down, please," she said, quietly. "i have traveled a long way to see you, and you must listen to what i have to say." "must!" screamed the princess, her black eyes flashing with fury--for she still wore her no. head. "must, to me!" "to be sure," said ozma. "i am ruler of the land of oz, and i am powerful enough to destroy all your kingdom, if i so wish. yet i did not come here to do harm, but rather to free the royal family of ev from the thrall of the nome king, the news having reached me that he is holding the queen and her children prisoners." hearing these words, langwidere suddenly became quiet. "i wish you could, indeed, free my aunt and her ten royal children," said she, eagerly. "for if they were restored to their proper forms and station they could rule the kingdom of ev themselves, and that would save me a lot of worry and trouble. at present there are at least ten minutes every day that i must devote to affairs of state, and i would like to be able to spend my whole time in admiring my beautiful heads." "then we will presently discuss this matter," said ozma, "and try to find a way to liberate your aunt and cousins. but first you must liberate another prisoner--the little girl you have locked up in your tower." "of course," said langwidere, readily. "i had forgotten all about her. that was yesterday, you know, and a princess cannot be expected to remember today what she did yesterday. come with me, and i will release the prisoner at once." so ozma followed her, and they passed up the stairs that led to the room in the tower. while they were gone ozma's followers remained in the drawing-room, and the scarecrow was leaning against a form that he had mistaken for a copper statue when a harsh, metallic voice said suddenly in his ear: "get off my foot, please. you are scratch-ing my pol-ish." "oh, excuse me!" he replied, hastily drawing back. "are you alive?" "no," said tiktok, "i am on-ly a ma-chine. but i can think and speak and act, when i am pro-per-ly wound up. just now my ac-tion is run down, and dor-o-thy has the key to it." "that's all right," replied the scarecrow. "dorothy will soon be free, and then she'll attend to your works. but it must be a great misfortune not to be alive. i'm sorry for you." "why?" asked tiktok. "because you have no brains, as i have," said the scarecrow. "oh, yes, i have," returned tiktok. "i am fit-ted with smith & tin-ker's im-proved com-bi-na-tion steel brains. they are what make me think. what sort of brains are you fit-ted with?" "i don't know," admitted the scarecrow. "they were given to me by the great wizard of oz, and i didn't get a chance to examine them before he put them in. but they work splendidly and my conscience is very active. have you a conscience?" "no," said tiktok. "and no heart, i suppose?" added the tin woodman, who had been listening with interest to this conversation. "no," said tiktok. "then," continued the tin woodman, "i regret to say that you are greatly inferior to my friend the scarecrow, and to myself. for we are both alive, and he has brains which do not need to be wound up, while i have an excellent heart that is continually beating in my bosom." "i con-grat-u-late you," replied tiktok. "i can-not help be-ing your in-fer-i-or for i am a mere ma-chine. when i am wound up i do my du-ty by go-ing just as my ma-chin-er-y is made to go. you have no i-de-a how full of ma-chin-er-y i am." "i can guess," said the scarecrow, looking at the machine man curiously. "some day i'd like to take you apart and see just how you are made." "do not do that, i beg of you," said tiktok; "for you could not put me to-geth-er a-gain, and my use-ful-ness would be de-stroyed." "oh! are you useful?" asked the scarecrow, surprised. "ve-ry," said tiktok. "in that case," the scarecrow kindly promised, "i won't fool with your interior at all. for i am a poor mechanic, and might mix you up." "thank you," said tiktok. just then ozma re-entered the room, leading dorothy by the hand and followed closely by the princess langwidere. . the hungry tiger the first thing dorothy did was to rush into the embrace of the scarecrow, whose painted face beamed with delight as he pressed her form to his straw-padded bosom. then the tin woodman embraced her--very gently, for he knew his tin arms might hurt her if he squeezed too roughly. these greetings having been exchanged, dorothy took the key to tiktok from her pocket and wound up the machine man's action, so that he could bow properly when introduced to the rest of the company. while doing this she told them how useful tiktok had been to her, and both the scarecrow and the tin woodman shook hands with the machine once more and thanked him for protecting their friend. then dorothy asked: "where is billina?" "i don't know," said the scarecrow. "who is billina?" "she's a yellow hen who is another friend of mine," answered the girl, anxiously. "i wonder what has become of her?" "she is in the chicken house, in the back yard," said the princess. "my drawing-room is no place for hens." without waiting to hear more dorothy ran to get billina, and just outside the door she came upon the cowardly lion, still hitched to the chariot beside the great tiger. the cowardly lion had a big bow of blue ribbon fastened to the long hair between his ears, and the tiger wore a bow of red ribbon on his tail, just in front of the bushy end. in an instant dorothy was hugging the huge lion joyfully. "i'm so glad to see you again!" she cried. "i am also glad to see you, dorothy," said the lion. "we've had some fine adventures together, haven't we?" "yes, indeed," she replied. "how are you?" "as cowardly as ever," the beast answered in a meek voice. "every little thing scares me and makes my heart beat fast. but let me introduce to you a new friend of mine, the hungry tiger." "oh! are you hungry?" she asked, turning to the other beast, who was just then yawning so widely that he displayed two rows of terrible teeth and a mouth big enough to startle anyone. "dreadfully hungry," answered the tiger, snapping his jaws together with a fierce click. "then why don't you eat something?" she asked. "it's no use," said the tiger sadly. "i've tried that, but i always get hungry again." "why, it is the same with me," said dorothy. "yet i keep on eating." "but you eat harmless things, so it doesn't matter," replied the tiger. "for my part, i'm a savage beast, and have an appetite for all sorts of poor little living creatures, from a chipmunk to fat babies." "how dreadful!" said dorothy. "isn't it, though?" returned the hungry tiger, licking his lips with his long red tongue. "fat babies! don't they sound delicious? but i've never eaten any, because my conscience tells me it is wrong. if i had no conscience i would probably eat the babies and then get hungry again, which would mean that i had sacrificed the poor babies for nothing. no; hungry i was born, and hungry i shall die. but i'll not have any cruel deeds on my conscience to be sorry for." "i think you are a very good tiger," said dorothy, patting the huge head of the beast. "in that you are mistaken," was the reply. "i am a good beast, perhaps, but a disgracefully bad tiger. for it is the nature of tigers to be cruel and ferocious, and in refusing to eat harmless living creatures i am acting as no good tiger has ever before acted. that is why i left the forest and joined my friend the cowardly lion." "but the lion is not really cowardly," said dorothy. "i have seen him act as bravely as can be." "all a mistake, my dear," protested the lion gravely. "to others i may have seemed brave, at times, but i have never been in any danger that i was not afraid." "nor i," said dorothy, truthfully. "but i must go and set free billina, and then i will see you again." she ran around to the back yard of the palace and soon found the chicken house, being guided to it by a loud cackling and crowing and a distracting hubbub of sounds such as chickens make when they are excited. something seemed to be wrong in the chicken house, and when dorothy looked through the slats in the door she saw a group of hens and roosters huddled in one corner and watching what appeared to be a whirling ball of feathers. it bounded here and there about the chicken house, and at first dorothy could not tell what it was, while the screeching of the chickens nearly deafened her. but suddenly the bunch of feathers stopped whirling, and then, to her amazement, the girl saw billina crouching upon the prostrate form of a speckled rooster. for an instant they both remained motionless, and then the yellow hen shook her wings to settle the feathers and walked toward the door with a strut of proud defiance and a cluck of victory, while the speckled rooster limped away to the group of other chickens, trailing his crumpled plumage in the dust as he went. "why, billina!" cried dorothy, in a shocked voice; "have you been fighting?" "i really think i have," retorted billina. "do you think i'd let that speckled villain of a rooster lord it over me, and claim to run this chicken house, as long as i'm able to peck and scratch? not if my name is bill!" "it isn't bill, it's billina; and you're talking slang, which is very undig'n'fied," said dorothy, reprovingly. "come here, billina, and i'll let you out; for ozma of oz is here, and has set us free." so the yellow hen came to the door, which dorothy unlatched for her to pass through, and the other chickens silently watched them from their corner without offering to approach nearer. the girl lifted her friend in her arms and exclaimed: "oh, billina! how dreadful you look. you've lost a lot of feathers, and one of your eyes is nearly pecked out, and your comb is bleeding!" "that's nothing," said billina. "just look at the speckled rooster! didn't i do him up brown?" dorothy shook her head. "i don't 'prove of this, at all," she said, carrying billina away toward the palace. "it isn't a good thing for you to 'sociate with those common chickens. they would soon spoil your good manners, and you wouldn't be respec'able any more." "i didn't ask to associate with them," replied billina. "it is that cross old princess who is to blame. but i was raised in the united states, and i won't allow any one-horse chicken of the land of ev to run over me and put on airs, as long as i can lift a claw in self-defense." "very well, billina," said dorothy. "we won't talk about it any more." soon they came to the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger to whom the girl introduced the yellow hen. "glad to meet any friend of dorothy's," said the lion, politely. "to judge by your present appearance, you are not a coward, as i am." "your present appearance makes my mouth water," said the tiger, looking at billina greedily. "my, my! how good you would taste if i could only crunch you between my jaws. but don't worry. you would only appease my appetite for a moment; so it isn't worth while to eat you." "thank you," said the hen, nestling closer in dorothy's arms. "besides, it wouldn't be right," continued the tiger, looking steadily at billina and clicking his jaws together. "of course not," cried dorothy, hastily. "billina is my friend, and you mustn't ever eat her under any circ'mstances." "i'll try to remember that," said the tiger; "but i'm a little absent-minded, at times." then dorothy carried her pet into the drawing-room of the palace, where tiktok, being invited to do so by ozma, had seated himself between the scarecrow and the tin woodman. opposite to them sat ozma herself and the princess langwidere, and beside them there was a vacant chair for dorothy. around this important group was ranged the army of oz, and as dorothy looked at the handsome uniforms of the twenty-seven she said: "why, they seem to be all officers." "they are, all except one," answered the tin woodman. "i have in my army eight generals, six colonels, seven majors and five captains, besides one private for them to command. i'd like to promote the private, for i believe no private should ever be in public life; and i've also noticed that officers usually fight better and are more reliable than common soldiers. besides, the officers are more important looking, and lend dignity to our army." "no doubt you are right," said dorothy, seating herself beside ozma. "and now," announced the girlish ruler of oz, "we will hold a solemn conference to decide the best manner of liberating the royal family of this fair land of ev from their long imprisonment." . the royal family of ev the tin woodman was the first to address the meeting. "to begin with," said he, "word came to our noble and illustrious ruler, ozma of oz, that the wife and ten children--five boys and five girls--of the former king of ev, by name evoldo, have been enslaved by the nome king and are held prisoners in his underground palace. also that there was no one in ev powerful enough to release them. naturally our ozma wished to undertake the adventure of liberating the poor prisoners; but for a long time she could find no way to cross the great desert between the two countries. finally she went to a friendly sorceress of our land named glinda the good, who heard the story and at once presented ozma a magic carpet, which would continually unroll beneath our feet and so make a comfortable path for us to cross the desert. as soon as she had received the carpet our gracious ruler ordered me to assemble our army, which i did. you behold in these bold warriors the pick of all the finest soldiers of oz; and, if we are obliged to fight the nome king, every officer as well as the private, will battle fiercely unto death." then tiktok spoke. "why should you fight the nome king?" he asked. "he has done no wrong." "no wrong!" cried dorothy. "isn't it wrong to imprison a queen mother and her ten children?" "they were sold to the nome king by king ev-ol-do," replied tiktok. "it was the king of ev who did wrong, and when he re-al-ized what he had done he jumped in-to the sea and drowned him-self." "this is news to me," said ozma, thoughtfully. "i had supposed the nome king was all to blame in the matter. but, in any case, he must be made to liberate the prisoners." "my uncle evoldo was a very wicked man," declared the princess langwidere. "if he had drowned himself before he sold his family, no one would have cared. but he sold them to the powerful nome king in exchange for a long life, and afterward destroyed the life by jumping into the sea." "then," said ozma, "he did not get the long life, and the nome king must give up the prisoners. where are they confined?" "no one knows, exactly," replied the princess. "for the king, whose name is roquat of the rocks, owns a splendid palace underneath the great mountain which is at the north end of this kingdom, and he has transformed the queen and her children into ornaments and bric-a-brac with which to decorate his rooms." "i'd like to know," said dorothy, "who this nome king is?" "i will tell you," replied ozma. "he is said to be the ruler of the underground world, and commands the rocks and all that the rocks contain. under his rule are many thousands of the nomes, who are queerly shaped but powerful sprites that labor at the furnaces and forges of their king, making gold and silver and other metals which they conceal in the crevices of the rocks, so that those living upon the earth's surface can only find them with great difficulty. also they make diamonds and rubies and emeralds, which they hide in the ground; so that the kingdom of the nomes is wonderfully rich, and all we have of precious stones and silver and gold is what we take from the earth and rocks where the nome king has hidden them." "i understand," said dorothy, nodding her little head wisely. "for the reason that we often steal his treasures," continued ozma, "the ruler of the underground world is not fond of those who live upon the earth's surface, and never appears among us. if we wish to see king roquat of the rocks, we must visit his own country, where he is all powerful, and therefore it will be a dangerous undertaking." "but, for the sake of the poor prisoners," said dorothy, "we ought to do it." "we shall do it," replied the scarecrow, "although it requires a lot of courage for me to go near to the furnaces of the nome king. for i am only stuffed with straw, and a single spark of fire might destroy me entirely." "the furnaces may also melt my tin," said the tin woodman; "but i am going." "i can't bear heat," remarked the princess langwidere, yawning lazily, "so i shall stay at home. but i wish you may have success in your undertaking, for i am heartily tired of ruling this stupid kingdom, and i need more leisure in which to admire my beautiful heads." "we do not need you," said ozma. "for, if with the aid of my brave followers i cannot accomplish my purpose, then it would be useless for you to undertake the journey." "quite true," sighed the princess. "so, if you'll excuse me, i will now retire to my cabinet. i've worn this head quite awhile, and i want to change it for another." when she had left them (and you may be sure no one was sorry to see her go) ozma said to tiktok: "will you join our party?" "i am the slave of the girl dor-oth-y, who rescued me from pris-on," replied the machine. "where she goes i will go." "oh, i am going with my friends, of course," said dorothy, quickly. "i wouldn't miss the fun for anything. will you go, too, billina?" "to be sure," said billina in a careless tone. she was smoothing down the feathers of her back and not paying much attention. "heat is just in her line," remarked the scarecrow. "if she is nicely roasted, she will be better than ever." "then" said ozma, "we will arrange to start for the kingdom of the nomes at daybreak tomorrow. and, in the meantime, we will rest and prepare ourselves for the journey." although princess langwidere did not again appear to her guests, the palace servants waited upon the strangers from oz and did everything in their power to make the party comfortable. there were many vacant rooms at their disposal, and the brave army of twenty-seven was easily provided for and liberally feasted. the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger were unharnessed from the chariot and allowed to roam at will throughout the palace, where they nearly frightened the servants into fits, although they did no harm at all. at one time dorothy found the little maid nanda crouching in terror in a corner, with the hungry tiger standing before her. "you certainly look delicious," the beast was saying. "will you kindly give me permission to eat you?" "no, no, no!" cried the maid in reply. "then," said the tiger, yawning frightfully, "please to get me about thirty pounds of tenderloin steak, cooked rare, with a peck of boiled potatoes on the side, and five gallons of ice-cream for dessert." "i--i'll do the best i can!" said nanda, and she ran away as fast as she could go. "are you so very hungry?" asked dorothy, in wonder. "you can hardly imagine the size of my appetite," replied the tiger, sadly. "it seems to fill my whole body, from the end of my throat to the tip of my tail. i am very sure the appetite doesn't fit me, and is too large for the size of my body. some day, when i meet a dentist with a pair of forceps, i'm going to have it pulled." "what, your tooth?" asked dorothy. "no, my appetite," said the hungry tiger. the little girl spent most of the afternoon talking with the scarecrow and the tin woodman, who related to her all that had taken place in the land of oz since dorothy had left it. she was much interested in the story of ozma, who had been, when a baby, stolen by a wicked old witch and transformed into a boy. she did not know that she had ever been a girl until she was restored to her natural form by a kind sorceress. then it was found that she was the only child of the former ruler of oz, and was entitled to rule in his place. ozma had many adventures, however, before she regained her father's throne, and in these she was accompanied by a pumpkin-headed man, a highly magnified and thoroughly educated woggle-bug, and a wonderful sawhorse that had been brought to life by means of a magic powder. the scarecrow and the tin woodman had also assisted her; but the cowardly lion, who ruled the great forest as the king of beasts, knew nothing of ozma until after she became the reigning princess of oz. then he journeyed to the emerald city to see her, and on hearing she was about to visit the land of ev to set free the royal family of that country, the cowardly lion begged to go with her, and brought along his friend, the hungry tiger, as well. having heard this story, dorothy related to them her own adventures, and then went out with her friends to find the sawhorse, which ozma had caused to be shod with plates of gold, so that its legs would not wear out. they came upon the sawhorse standing motionless beside the garden gate, but when dorothy was introduced to him he bowed politely and blinked his eyes, which were knots of wood, and wagged his tail, which was only the branch of a tree. "what a remarkable thing, to be alive!" exclaimed dorothy. "i quite agree with you," replied the sawhorse, in a rough but not unpleasant voice. "a creature like me has no business to live, as we all know. but it was the magic powder that did it, so i cannot justly be blamed." "of course not," said dorothy. "and you seem to be of some use, 'cause i noticed the scarecrow riding upon your back." "oh, yes; i'm of use," returned the sawhorse; "and i never tire, never have to be fed, or cared for in any way." "are you intel'gent?" asked the girl. "not very," said the creature. "it would be foolish to waste intelligence on a common sawhorse, when so many professors need it. but i know enough to obey my masters, and to gid-dup, or whoa, when i'm told to. so i'm pretty well satisfied." that night dorothy slept in a pleasant little bed-chamber next to that occupied by ozma of oz, and billina perched upon the foot of the bed and tucked her head under her wing and slept as soundly in that position as did dorothy upon her soft cushions. but before daybreak every one was awake and stirring, and soon the adventurers were eating a hasty breakfast in the great dining-room of the palace. ozma sat at the head of a long table, on a raised platform, with dorothy on her right hand and the scarecrow on her left. the scarecrow did not eat, of course; but ozma placed him near her so that she might ask his advice about the journey while she ate. lower down the table were the twenty-seven warriors of oz, and at the end of the room the lion and the tiger were eating out of a kettle that had been placed upon the floor, while billina fluttered around to pick up any scraps that might be scattered. it did not take long to finish the meal, and then the lion and the tiger were harnessed to the chariot and the party was ready to start for the nome king's palace. first rode ozma, with dorothy beside her in the golden chariot and holding billina fast in her arms. then came the scarecrow on the sawhorse, with the tin woodman and tiktok marching side by side just behind him. after these tramped the army, looking brave and handsome in their splendid uniforms. the generals commanded the colonels and the colonels commanded the majors and the majors commanded the captains and the captains commanded the private, who marched with an air of proud importance because it required so many officers to give him his orders. and so the magnificent procession left the palace and started along the road just as day was breaking, and by the time the sun came out they had made good progress toward the valley that led to the nome king's domain. . the giant with the hammer the road led for a time through a pretty farm country, and then past a picnic grove that was very inviting. but the procession continued to steadily advance until billina cried in an abrupt and commanding manner: "wait--wait!" ozma stopped her chariot so suddenly that the scarecrow's sawhorse nearly ran into it, and the ranks of the army tumbled over one another before they could come to a halt. immediately the yellow hen struggled from dorothy's arms and flew into a clump of bushes by the roadside. "what's the matter?" called the tin woodman, anxiously. "why, billina wants to lay her egg, that's all," said dorothy. "lay her egg!" repeated the tin woodman, in astonishment. "yes; she lays one every morning, about this time; and it's quite fresh," said the girl. "but does your foolish old hen suppose that this entire cavalcade, which is bound on an important adventure, is going to stand still while she lays her egg?" enquired the tin woodman, earnestly. "what else can we do?" asked the girl. "it's a habit of billina's and she can't break herself of it." "then she must hurry up," said the tin woodman, impatiently. "no, no!" exclaimed the scarecrow. "if she hurries she may lay scrambled eggs." "that's nonsense," said dorothy. "but billina won't be long, i'm sure." so they stood and waited, although all were restless and anxious to proceed. and by and by the yellow hen came from the bushes saying: "kut-kut, kut, ka-daw-kutt! kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kut!" "what is she doing--singing her lay?" asked the scarecrow. "for-ward--march!" shouted the tin woodman, waving his axe, and the procession started just as dorothy had once more grabbed billina in her arms. "isn't anyone going to get my egg?" cried the hen, in great excitement. "i'll get it," said the scarecrow; and at his command the sawhorse pranced into the bushes. the straw man soon found the egg, which he placed in his jacket pocket. the cavalcade, having moved rapidly on, was even then far in advance; but it did not take the sawhorse long to catch up with it, and presently the scarecrow was riding in his accustomed place behind ozma's chariot. "what shall i do with the egg?" he asked dorothy. "i do not know," the girl answered. "perhaps the hungry tiger would like it." "it would not be enough to fill one of my back teeth," remarked the tiger. "a bushel of them, hard boiled, might take a little of the edge off my appetite; but one egg isn't good for anything at all, that i know of." "no; it wouldn't even make a sponge cake," said the scarecrow, thoughtfully. "the tin woodman might carry it with his axe and hatch it; but after all i may as well keep it myself for a souvenir." so he left it in his pocket. they had now reached that part of the valley that lay between the two high mountains which dorothy had seen from her tower window. at the far end was the third great mountain, which blocked the valley and was the northern edge of the land of ev. it was underneath this mountain that the nome king's palace was said to be; but it would be some time before they reached that place. the path was becoming rocky and difficult for the wheels of the chariot to pass over, and presently a deep gulf appeared at their feet which was too wide for them to leap. so ozma took a small square of green cloth from her pocket and threw it upon the ground. at once it became the magic carpet, and unrolled itself far enough for all the cavalcade to walk upon. the chariot now advanced, and the green carpet unrolled before it, crossing the gulf on a level with its banks, so that all passed over in safety. "that's easy enough," said the scarecrow. "i wonder what will happen next." he was not long in making the discovery, for the sides of the mountain came closer together until finally there was but a narrow path between them, along which ozma and her party were forced to pass in single file. they now heard a low and deep "thump!--thump!--thump!" which echoed throughout the valley and seemed to grow louder as they advanced. then, turning a corner of rock, they saw before them a huge form, which towered above the path for more than a hundred feet. the form was that of a gigantic man built out of plates of cast iron, and it stood with one foot on either side of the narrow road and swung over its right shoulder an immense iron mallet, with which it constantly pounded the earth. these resounding blows explained the thumping sounds they had heard, for the mallet was much bigger than a barrel, and where it struck the path between the rocky sides of the mountain it filled all the space through which our travelers would be obliged to pass. of course they at once halted, a safe distance away from the terrible iron mallet. the magic carpet would do them no good in this case, for it was only meant to protect them from any dangers upon the ground beneath their feet, and not from dangers that appeared in the air above them. "wow!" said the cowardly lion, with a shudder. "it makes me dreadfully nervous to see that big hammer pounding so near my head. one blow would crush me into a door-mat." "the ir-on gi-ant is a fine fel-low," said tiktok, "and works as stead-i-ly as a clock. he was made for the nome king by smith & tin-ker, who made me, and his du-ty is to keep folks from find-ing the un-der-ground pal-ace. is he not a great work of art?" "can he think, and speak, as you do?" asked ozma, regarding the giant with wondering eyes. "no," replied the machine; "he is on-ly made to pound the road, and has no think-ing or speak-ing at-tach-ment. but he pounds ve-ry well, i think." "too well," observed the scarecrow. "he is keeping us from going farther. is there no way to stop his machinery?" "on-ly the nome king, who has the key, can do that," answered tiktok. "then," said dorothy, anxiously, "what shall we do?" "excuse me for a few minutes," said the scarecrow, "and i will think it over." he retired, then, to a position in the rear, where he turned his painted face to the rocks and began to think. meantime the giant continued to raise his iron mallet high in the air and to strike the path terrific blows that echoed through the mountains like the roar of a cannon. each time the mallet lifted, however, there was a moment when the path beneath the monster was free, and perhaps the scarecrow had noticed this, for when he came back to the others he said: "the matter is a very simple one, after all. we have but to run under the hammer, one at a time, when it is lifted, and pass to the other side before it falls again." "it will require quick work, if we escape the blow," said the tin woodman, with a shake of his head. "but it really seems the only thing to be done. who will make the first attempt?" they looked at one another hesitatingly for a moment. then the cowardly lion, who was trembling like a leaf in the wind, said to them: "i suppose the head of the procession must go first--and that's me. but i'm terribly afraid of the big hammer!" "what will become of me?" asked ozma. "you might rush under the hammer yourself, but the chariot would surely be crushed." "we must leave the chariot," said the scarecrow. "but you two girls can ride upon the backs of the lion and the tiger." so this was decided upon, and ozma, as soon as the lion was unfastened from the chariot, at once mounted the beast's back and said she was ready. "cling fast to his mane," advised dorothy. "i used to ride him myself, and that's the way i held on." so ozma clung fast to the mane, and the lion crouched in the path and eyed the swinging mallet carefully until he knew just the instant it would begin to rise in the air. then, before anyone thought he was ready, he made a sudden leap straight between the iron giant's legs, and before the mallet struck the ground again the lion and ozma were safe on the other side. the tiger went next. dorothy sat upon his back and locked her arms around his striped neck, for he had no mane to cling to. he made the leap straight and true as an arrow from a bow, and ere dorothy realized it she was out of danger and standing by ozma's side. now came the scarecrow on the sawhorse, and while they made the dash in safety they were within a hair's breadth of being caught by the descending hammer. tiktok walked up to the very edge of the spot the hammer struck, and as it was raised for the next blow he calmly stepped forward and escaped its descent. that was an idea for the tin woodman to follow, and he also crossed in safety while the great hammer was in the air. but when it came to the twenty-six officers and the private, their knees were so weak that they could not walk a step. "in battle we are wonderfully courageous," said one of the generals, "and our foes find us very terrible to face. but war is one thing and this is another. when it comes to being pounded upon the head by an iron hammer, and smashed into pancakes, we naturally object." "make a run for it," urged the scarecrow. "our knees shake so that we cannot run," answered a captain. "if we should try it we would all certainly be pounded to a jelly." "well, well," sighed the cowardly lion, "i see, friend tiger, that we must place ourselves in great danger to rescue this bold army. come with me, and we will do the best we can." so, ozma and dorothy having already dismounted from their backs, the lion and the tiger leaped back again under the awful hammer and returned with two generals clinging to their necks. they repeated this daring passage twelve times, when all the officers had been carried beneath the giant's legs and landed safely on the further side. by that time the beasts were very tired, and panted so hard that their tongues hung out of their great mouths. "but what is to become of the private?" asked ozma. "oh, leave him there to guard the chariot," said the lion. "i'm tired out, and won't pass under that mallet again." the officers at once protested that they must have the private with them, else there would be no one for them to command. but neither the lion or the tiger would go after him, and so the scarecrow sent the sawhorse. either the wooden horse was careless, or it failed to properly time the descent of the hammer, for the mighty weapon caught it squarely upon its head, and thumped it against the ground so powerfully that the private flew off its back high into the air, and landed upon one of the giant's cast-iron arms. here he clung desperately while the arm rose and fell with each one of the rapid strokes. the scarecrow dashed in to rescue his sawhorse, and had his left foot smashed by the hammer before he could pull the creature out of danger. they then found that the sawhorse had been badly dazed by the blow; for while the hard wooden knot of which his head was formed could not be crushed by the hammer, both his ears were broken off and he would be unable to hear a sound until some new ones were made for him. also his left knee was cracked, and had to be bound up with a string. billina having fluttered under the hammer, it now remained only to rescue the private who was riding upon the iron giant's arm, high in the air. the scarecrow lay flat upon the ground and called to the man to jump down upon his body, which was soft because it was stuffed with straw. this the private managed to do, waiting until a time when he was nearest the ground and then letting himself drop upon the scarecrow. he accomplished the feat without breaking any bones, and the scarecrow declared he was not injured in the least. therefore, the tin woodman having by this time fitted new ears to the sawhorse, the entire party proceeded upon its way, leaving the giant to pound the path behind them. . the nome king by and by, when they drew near to the mountain that blocked their path and which was the furthermost edge of the kingdom of ev, the way grew dark and gloomy for the reason that the high peaks on either side shut out the sunshine. and it was very silent, too, as there were no birds to sing or squirrels to chatter, the trees being left far behind them and only the bare rocks remaining. ozma and dorothy were a little awed by the silence, and all the others were quiet and grave except the sawhorse, which, as it trotted along with the scarecrow upon his back, hummed a queer song, of which this was the chorus: "would a wooden horse in a woodland go? aye, aye! i sigh, he would, although had he not had a wooden head he'd mount the mountain top instead." but no one paid any attention to this because they were now close to the nome king's dominions, and his splendid underground palace could not be very far away. suddenly they heard a shout of jeering laughter, and stopped short. they would have to stop in a minute, anyway, for the huge mountain barred their further progress and the path ran close up to a wall of rock and ended. "who was that laughing?" asked ozma. there was no reply, but in the gloom they could see strange forms flit across the face of the rock. whatever the creations might be they seemed very like the rock itself, for they were the color of rocks and their shapes were as rough and rugged as if they had been broken away from the side of the mountain. they kept close to the steep cliff facing our friends, and glided up and down, and this way and that, with a lack of regularity that was quite confusing. and they seemed not to need places to rest their feet, but clung to the surface of the rock as a fly does to a window-pane, and were never still for a moment. "do not mind them," said tiktok, as dorothy shrank back. "they are on-ly the nomes." "and what are nomes?" asked the girl, half frightened. "they are rock fair-ies, and serve the nome king," replied the machine. "but they will do us no harm. you must call for the king, be-cause with-out him you can ne-ver find the en-trance to the pal-ace." "you call," said dorothy to ozma. just then the nomes laughed again, and the sound was so weird and disheartening that the twenty-six officers commanded the private to "right-about-face!" and they all started to run as fast as they could. the tin woodman at once pursued his army and cried "halt!" and when they had stopped their flight he asked: "where are you going?" "i--i find i've forgotten the brush for my whiskers," said a general, trembling with fear. "s-s-so we are g-going back after it!" "that is impossible," replied the tin woodman. "for the giant with the hammer would kill you all if you tried to pass him." "oh! i'd forgotten the giant," said the general, turning pale. "you seem to forget a good many things," remarked the tin woodman. "i hope you won't forget that you are brave men." "never!" cried the general, slapping his gold-embroidered chest. "never!" cried all the other officers, indignantly slapping their chests. "for my part," said the private, meekly, "i must obey my officers; so when i am told to run, i run; and when i am told to fight, i fight." "that is right," agreed the tin woodman. "and now you must all come back to ozma, and obey her orders. and if you try to run away again i will have her reduce all the twenty-six officers to privates, and make the private your general." this terrible threat so frightened them that they at once returned to where ozma was standing beside the cowardly lion. then ozma cried out in a loud voice: "i demand that the nome king appear to us!" there was no reply, except that the shifting nomes upon the mountain laughed in derision. "you must not command the nome king," said tiktok, "for you do not rule him, as you do your own peo-ple." so ozma called again, saying: "i request the nome king to appear to us." only the mocking laughter replied to her, and the shadowy nomes continued to flit here and there upon the rocky cliff. "try en-treat-y," said tiktok to ozma. "if he will not come at your re-quest, then the nome king may list-en to your plead-ing." ozma looked around her proudly. "do you wish your ruler to plead with this wicked nome king?" she asked. "shall ozma of oz humble herself to a creature who lives in an underground kingdom?" "no!" they all shouted, with big voices; and the scarecrow added: "if he will not come, we will dig him out of his hole, like a fox, and conquer his stubbornness. but our sweet little ruler must always maintain her dignity, just as i maintain mine." "i'm not afraid to plead with him," said dorothy. "i'm only a little girl from kansas, and we've got more dignity at home than we know what to do with. i'll call the nome king." "do," said the hungry tiger; "and if he makes hash of you i'll willingly eat you for breakfast tomorrow morning." so dorothy stepped forward and said: "please mr. nome king, come here and see us." the nomes started to laugh again; but a low growl came from the mountain, and in a flash they had all vanished from sight and were silent. then a door in the rock opened, and a voice cried: "enter!" "isn't it a trick?" asked the tin woodman. "never mind," replied ozma. "we came here to rescue the poor queen of ev and her ten children, and we must run some risks to do so." "the nome king is hon-est and good na-tured," said tiktok. "you can trust him to do what is right." so ozma led the way, hand in hand with dorothy, and they passed through the arched doorway of rock and entered a long passage which was lighted by jewels set in the walls and having lamps behind them. there was no one to escort them, or to show them the way, but all the party pressed through the passage until they came to a round, domed cavern that was grandly furnished. in the center of this room was a throne carved out of a solid boulder of rock, rude and rugged in shape but glittering with great rubies and diamonds and emeralds on every part of its surface. and upon the throne sat the nome king. this important monarch of the underground world was a little fat man clothed in gray-brown garments that were the exact color of the rock throne in which he was seated. his bushy hair and flowing beard were also colored like the rocks, and so was his face. he wore no crown of any sort, and his only ornament was a broad, jewel-studded belt that encircled his fat little body. as for his features, they seemed kindly and good humored, and his eyes were turned merrily upon his visitors as ozma and dorothy stood before him with their followers ranged in close order behind them. "why, he looks just like santa claus--only he isn't the same color!" whispered dorothy to her friend; but the nome king heard the speech, and it made him laugh aloud. "'he had a red face and a round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly!'" quoth the monarch, in a pleasant voice; and they could all see that he really did shake like jelly when he laughed. both ozma and dorothy were much relieved to find the nome king so jolly, and a minute later he waved his right hand and the girls each found a cushioned stool at her side. "sit down, my dears," said the king, "and tell me why you have come all this way to see me, and what i can do to make you happy." while they seated themselves the nome king picked up a pipe, and taking a glowing red coal out of his pocket he placed it in the bowl of the pipe and began puffing out clouds of smoke that curled in rings above his head. dorothy thought this made the little monarch look more like santa claus than ever; but ozma now began speaking, and every one listened intently to her words. "your majesty," said she, "i am the ruler of the land of oz, and i have come here to ask you to release the good queen of ev and her ten children, whom you have enchanted and hold as your prisoners." "oh, no; you are mistaken about that," replied the king. "they are not my prisoners, but my slaves, whom i purchased from the king of ev." "but that was wrong," said ozma. "according to the laws of ev, the king can do no wrong," answered the monarch, eying a ring of smoke he had just blown from his mouth; "so that he had a perfect right to sell his family to me in exchange for a long life." "you cheated him, though," declared dorothy; "for the king of ev did not have a long life. he jumped into the sea and was drowned." "that was not my fault," said the nome king, crossing his legs and smiling contentedly. "i gave him the long life, all right; but he destroyed it." "then how could it be a long life?" asked dorothy. "easily enough," was the reply. "now suppose, my dear, that i gave you a pretty doll in exchange for a lock of your hair, and that after you had received the doll you smashed it into pieces and destroyed it. could you say that i had not given you a pretty doll?" "no," answered dorothy. "and could you, in fairness, ask me to return to you the lock of hair, just because you had smashed the doll?" "no," said dorothy, again. "of course not," the nome king returned. "nor will i give up the queen and her children because the king of ev destroyed his long life by jumping into the sea. they belong to me and i shall keep them." "but you are treating them cruelly," said ozma, who was much distressed by the king's refusal. "in what way?" he asked. "by making them your slaves," said she. "cruelty," remarked the monarch, puffing out wreathes of smoke and watching them float into the air, "is a thing i can't abide. so, as slaves must work hard, and the queen of ev and her children were delicate and tender, i transformed them all into articles of ornament and bric-a-brac and scattered them around the various rooms of my palace. instead of being obliged to labor, they merely decorate my apartments, and i really think i have treated them with great kindness." "but what a dreadful fate is theirs!" exclaimed ozma, earnestly. "and the kingdom of ev is in great need of its royal family to govern it. if you will liberate them, and restore them to their proper forms, i will give you ten ornaments to replace each one you lose." the nome king looked grave. "suppose i refuse?" he asked. "then," said ozma, firmly, "i am here with my friends and my army to conquer your kingdom and oblige you to obey my wishes." the nome king laughed until he choked; and he choked until he coughed; and he coughed until his face turned from grayish-brown to bright red. and then he wiped his eyes with a rock-colored handkerchief and grew grave again. "you are as brave as you are pretty, my dear," he said to ozma. "but you have little idea of the extent of the task you have undertaken. come with me for a moment." he arose and took ozma's hand, leading her to a little door at one side of the room. this he opened and they stepped out upon a balcony, from whence they obtained a wonderful view of the underground world. a vast cave extended for miles and miles under the mountain, and in every direction were furnaces and forges glowing brightly and nomes hammering upon precious metals or polishing gleaming jewels. all around the walls of the cave were thousands of doors of silver and gold, built into the solid rock, and these extended in rows far away into the distance, as far as ozma's eyes could follow them. while the little maid from oz gazed wonderingly upon this scene the nome king uttered a shrill whistle, and at once all the silver and gold doors flew open and solid ranks of nome soldiers marched out from every one. so great were their numbers that they quickly filled the immense underground cavern and forced the busy workmen to abandon their tasks. although this tremendous army consisted of rock-colored nomes, all squat and fat, they were clothed in glittering armor of polished steel, inlaid with beautiful gems. upon his brow each wore a brilliant electric light, and they bore sharp spears and swords and battle-axes of solid bronze. it was evident they were perfectly trained, for they stood in straight rows, rank after rank, with their weapons held erect and true, as if awaiting but the word of command to level them upon their foes. "this," said the nome king, "is but a small part of my army. no ruler upon earth has ever dared to fight me, and no ruler ever will, for i am too powerful to oppose." he whistled again, and at once the martial array filed through the silver and gold doorways and disappeared, after which the workmen again resumed their labors at the furnaces. then, sad and discouraged, ozma of oz turned to her friends, and the nome king calmly reseated himself on his rock throne. "it would be foolish for us to fight," the girl said to the tin woodman. "for our brave twenty-seven would be quickly destroyed. i'm sure i do not know how to act in this emergency." "ask the king where his kitchen is," suggested the tiger. "i'm hungry as a bear." "i might pounce upon the king and tear him in pieces," remarked the cowardly lion. "try it," said the monarch, lighting his pipe with another hot coal which he took from his pocket. the lion crouched low and tried to spring upon the nome king; but he hopped only a little way into the air and came down again in the same place, not being able to approach the throne by even an inch. "it seems to me," said the scarecrow, thoughtfully, "that our best plan is to wheedle his majesty into giving up his slaves, since he is too great a magician to oppose." "this is the most sensible thing any of you have suggested," declared the nome king. "it is folly to threaten me, but i'm so kind-hearted that i cannot stand coaxing or wheedling. if you really wish to accomplish anything by your journey, my dear ozma, you must coax me." "very well," said ozma, more cheerfully. "let us be friends, and talk this over in a friendly manner." "to be sure," agreed the king, his eyes twinkling merrily. "i am very anxious," she continued, "to liberate the queen of ev and her children who are now ornaments and bric-a-brac in your majesty's palace, and to restore them to their people. tell me, sir, how this may be accomplished." the king remained thoughtful for a moment, after which he asked: "are you willing to take a few chances and risks yourself, in order to set free the people of ev?" "yes, indeed!" answered ozma, eagerly. "then," said the nome king, "i will make you this offer: you shall go alone and unattended into my palace and examine carefully all that the rooms contain. then you shall have permission to touch eleven different objects, pronouncing at the time the word 'ev,' and if any one of them, or more than one, proves to be the transformation of the queen of ev or any of her ten children, then they will instantly be restored to their true forms and may leave my palace and my kingdom in your company, without any objection whatever. it is possible for you, in this way, to free the entire eleven; but if you do not guess all the objects correctly, and some of the slaves remain transformed, then each one of your friends and followers may, in turn, enter the palace and have the same privileges i grant you." "oh, thank you! thank you for this kind offer!" said ozma, eagerly. "i make but one condition," added the nome king, his eyes twinkling. "what is it?" she enquired. "if none of the eleven objects you touch proves to be the transformation of any of the royal family of ev, then, instead of freeing them, you will yourself become enchanted, and transformed into an article of bric-a-brac or an ornament. this is only fair and just, and is the risk you declared you were willing to take." . the eleven guesses hearing this condition imposed by the nome king, ozma became silent and thoughtful, and all her friends looked at her uneasily. "don't you do it!" exclaimed dorothy. "if you guess wrong, you will be enslaved yourself." "but i shall have eleven guesses," answered ozma. "surely i ought to guess one object in eleven correctly; and, if i do, i shall rescue one of the royal family and be safe myself. then the rest of you may attempt it, and soon we shall free all those who are enslaved." "what if we fail?" enquired the scarecrow. "i'd look nice as a piece of bric-a-brac, wouldn't i?" "we must not fail!" cried ozma, courageously. "having come all this distance to free these poor people, it would be weak and cowardly in us to abandon the adventure. therefore i will accept the nome king's offer, and go at once into the royal palace." "come along, then, my dear," said the king, climbing down from his throne with some difficulty, because he was so fat; "i'll show you the way." he approached a wall of the cave and waved his hand. instantly an opening appeared, through which ozma, after a smiling farewell to her friends, boldly passed. she found herself in a splendid hall that was more beautiful and grand than anything she had ever beheld. the ceilings were composed of great arches that rose far above her head, and all the walls and floors were of polished marble exquisitely tinted in many colors. thick velvet carpets were on the floor and heavy silken draperies covered the arches leading to the various rooms of the palace. the furniture was made of rare old woods richly carved and covered with delicate satins, and the entire palace was lighted by a mysterious rosy glow that seemed to come from no particular place but flooded each apartment with its soft and pleasing radiance. ozma passed from one room to another, greatly delighted by all she saw. the lovely palace had no other occupant, for the nome king had left her at the entrance, which closed behind her, and in all the magnificent rooms there appeared to be no other person. upon the mantels, and on many shelves and brackets and tables, were clustered ornaments of every description, seemingly made out of all sorts of metals, glass, china, stones and marbles. there were vases, and figures of men and animals, and graven platters and bowls, and mosaics of precious gems, and many other things. pictures, too, were on the walls, and the underground palace was quite a museum of rare and curious and costly objects. after her first hasty examination of the rooms ozma began to wonder which of all the numerous ornaments they contained were the transformations of the royal family of ev. there was nothing to guide her, for everything seemed without a spark of life. so she must guess blindly; and for the first time the girl came to realize how dangerous was her task, and how likely she was to lose her own freedom in striving to free others from the bondage of the nome king. no wonder the cunning monarch laughed good naturedly with his visitors, when he knew how easily they might be entrapped. but ozma, having undertaken the venture, would not abandon it. she looked at a silver candelabra that had ten branches, and thought: "this may be the queen of ev and her ten children." so she touched it and uttered aloud the word "ev," as the nome king had instructed her to do when she guessed. but the candelabra remained as it was before. then she wandered into another room and touched a china lamb, thinking it might be one of the children she sought. but again she was unsuccessful. three guesses; four guesses; five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten she made, and still not one of them was right! the girl shivered a little and grew pale even under the rosy light; for now but one guess remained, and her own fate depended upon the result. she resolved not to be hasty, and strolled through all the rooms once more, gazing earnestly upon the various ornaments and trying to decide which she would touch. finally, in despair, she decided to leave it entirely to chance. she faced the doorway of a room, shut her eyes tightly, and then, thrusting aside the heavy draperies, she advanced blindly with her right arm outstretched before her. slowly, softly she crept forward until her hand came in contact with an object upon a small round table. she did not know what it was, but in a low voice she pronounced the word "ev." the rooms were quite empty of life after that. the nome king had gained a new ornament. for upon the edge of the table rested a pretty grasshopper, that seemed to have been formed from a single emerald. it was all that remained of ozma of oz. in the throne room just beyond the palace the nome king suddenly looked up and smiled. "next!" he said, in his pleasant voice. dorothy, the scarecrow, and the tin woodman, who had been sitting in anxious silence, each gave a start of dismay and stared into one another's eyes. "has she failed?" asked tiktok. "so it seems," answered the little monarch, cheerfully. "but that is no reason one of you should not succeed. the next may have twelve guesses, instead of eleven, for there are now twelve persons transformed into ornaments. well, well! which of you goes next?" "i'll go," said dorothy. "not so," replied the tin woodman. "as commander of ozma's army, it is my privilege to follow her and attempt her rescue." "away you go, then," said the scarecrow. "but be careful, old friend." "i will," promised the tin woodman; and then he followed the nome king to the entrance to the palace and the rock closed behind him. . the nome king laughs in a moment the king returned to his throne and relighted his pipe, and the rest of the little band of adventurers settled themselves for another long wait. they were greatly disheartened by the failure of their girl ruler, and the knowledge that she was now an ornament in the nome king's palace--a dreadful, creepy place in spite of all its magnificence. without their little leader they did not know what to do next, and each one, down to the trembling private of the army, began to fear he would soon be more ornamental than useful. suddenly the nome king began laughing. "ha, ha, ha! he, he, he! ho, ho, ho!" "what's happened?" asked the scarecrow. "why, your friend, the tin woodman, has become the funniest thing you can imagine," replied the king, wiping the tears of merriment from his eyes. "no one would ever believe he could make such an amusing ornament. next!" they gazed at each other with sinking hearts. one of the generals began to weep dolefully. "what are you crying for?" asked the scarecrow, indignant at such a display of weakness. "he owed me six weeks back pay," said the general, "and i hate to lose him." "then you shall go and find him," declared the scarecrow. "me!" cried the general, greatly alarmed. "certainly. it is your duty to follow your commander. march!" "i won't," said the general. "i'd like to, of course; but i just simply won't." the scarecrow looked enquiringly at the nome king. "never mind," said the jolly monarch. "if he doesn't care to enter the palace and make his guesses i'll throw him into one of my fiery furnaces." "i'll go!--of course i'm going," yelled the general, as quick as scat. "where is the entrance--where is it? let me go at once!" so the nome king escorted him into the palace, and again returned to await the result. what the general did, no one can tell; but it was not long before the king called for the next victim, and a colonel was forced to try his fortune. thus, one after another, all of the twenty-six officers filed into the palace and made their guesses--and became ornaments. meantime the king ordered refreshments to be served to those waiting, and at his command a rudely shaped nome entered, bearing a tray. this nome was not unlike the others that dorothy had seen, but he wore a heavy gold chain around his neck to show that he was the chief steward of the nome king, and he assumed an air of much importance, and even told his majesty not to eat too much cake late at night, or he would be ill. dorothy, however, was hungry, and she was not afraid of being ill; so she ate several cakes and found them good, and also she drank a cup of excellent coffee made of a richly flavored clay, browned in the furnaces and then ground fine, and found it most refreshing and not at all muddy. of all the party which had started upon this adventure, the little kansas girl was now left alone with the scarecrow, tiktok, and the private for counsellors and companions. of course the cowardly lion and the hungry tiger were still there, but they, having also eaten some of the cakes, had gone to sleep at one side of the cave, while upon the other side stood the sawhorse, motionless and silent, as became a mere thing of wood. billina had quietly walked around and picked up the crumbs of cake which had been scattered, and now, as it was long after bed-time, she tried to find some dark place in which to go to sleep. presently the hen espied a hollow underneath the king's rocky throne, and crept into it unnoticed. she could still hear the chattering of those around her, but it was almost dark underneath the throne, so that soon she had fallen fast asleep. "next!" called the king, and the private, whose turn it was to enter the fatal palace, shook hands with dorothy and the scarecrow and bade them a sorrowful good-bye, and passed through the rocky portal. they waited a long time, for the private was in no hurry to become an ornament and made his guesses very slowly. the nome king, who seemed to know, by some magical power, all that took place in his beautiful rooms of his palace, grew impatient finally and declared he would sit up no longer. "i love ornaments," said he, "but i can wait until tomorrow to get more of them; so, as soon as that stupid private is transformed, we will all go to bed and leave the job to be finished in the morning." "is it so very late?" asked dorothy. "why, it is after midnight," said the king, "and that strikes me as being late enough. there is neither night nor day in my kingdom, because it is under the earth's surface, where the sun does not shine. but we have to sleep, just the same as the up-stairs people do, and for my part i'm going to bed in a few minutes." indeed, it was not long after this that the private made his last guess. of course he guessed wrongly, and of course he at once became an ornament. so the king was greatly pleased, and clapped his hands to summon his chief steward. "show these guests to some of the sleeping apartments," he commanded, "and be quick about it, too, for i'm dreadfully sleepy myself." "you've no business to sit up so late," replied the steward, gruffly. "you'll be as cross as a griffin tomorrow morning." his majesty made no answer to this remark, and the chief steward led dorothy through another doorway into a long hall, from which several plain but comfortable sleeping rooms opened. the little girl was given the first room, and the scarecrow and tiktok the next--although they never slept--and the lion and the tiger the third. the sawhorse hobbled after the steward into a fourth room, to stand stiffly in the center of it until morning. each night was rather a bore to the scarecrow, tiktok and the sawhorse; but they had learned from experience to pass the time patiently and quietly, since all their friends who were made of flesh had to sleep and did not like to be disturbed. when the chief steward had left them alone the scarecrow remarked, sadly: "i am in great sorrow over the loss of my old comrade, the tin woodman. we have had many dangerous adventures together, and escaped them all, and now it grieves me to know he has become an ornament, and is lost to me forever." "he was al-ways an or-na-ment to so-ci-e-ty," said tiktok. "true; but now the nome king laughs at him, and calls him the funniest ornament in all the palace. it will hurt my poor friend's pride to be laughed at," continued the scarecrow, sadly. "we will make rath-er ab-surd or-na-ments, our-selves, to-mor-row," observed the machine, in his monotonous voice. just then dorothy ran into their room, in a state of great anxiety, crying: "where's billina? have you seen billina? is she here?" "no," answered the scarecrow. "then what has become of her?" asked the girl. "why, i thought she was with you," said the scarecrow. "yet i do not remember seeing the yellow hen since she picked up the crumbs of cake." "we must have left her in the room where the king's throne is," decided dorothy, and at once she turned and ran down the hall to the door through which they had entered. but it was fast closed and locked on the other side, and the heavy slab of rock proved to be so thick that no sound could pass through it. so dorothy was forced to return to her chamber. the cowardly lion stuck his head into her room to try to console the girl for the loss of her feathered friend. "the yellow hen is well able to take care of herself," said he; "so don't worry about her, but try to get all the sleep you can. it has been a long and weary day, and you need rest." "i'll prob'ly get lots of rest tomorrow, when i become an orn'ment," said dorothy, sleepily. but she lay down upon her couch, nevertheless, and in spite of all her worries was soon in the land of dreams. . dorothy tries to be brave meantime the chief steward had returned to the throne room, where he said to the king: "you are a fool to waste so much time upon these people." "what!" cried his majesty, in so enraged a voice that it awoke billina, who was asleep under his throne. "how dare you call me a fool?" "because i like to speak the truth," said the steward. "why didn't you enchant them all at once, instead of allowing them to go one by one into the palace and guess which ornaments are the queen of ev and her children?" "why, you stupid rascal, it is more fun this way," returned the king, "and it serves to keep me amused for a long time." "but suppose some of them happen to guess aright," persisted the steward; "then you would lose your old ornaments and these new ones, too." "there is no chance of their guessing aright," replied the monarch, with a laugh. "how could they know that the queen of ev and her family are all ornaments of a royal purple color?" "but there are no other purple ornaments in the palace," said the steward. "there are many other colors, however, and the purple ones are scattered throughout the rooms, and are of many different shapes and sizes. take my word for it, steward, they will never think of choosing the purple ornaments." billina, squatting under the throne, had listened carefully to all this talk, and now chuckled softly to herself as she heard the king disclose his secret. "still, you are acting foolishly by running the chance," continued the steward, roughly; "and it is still more foolish of you to transform all those people from oz into green ornaments." "i did that because they came from the emerald city," replied the king; "and i had no green ornaments in my collection until now. i think they will look quite pretty, mixed with the others. don't you?" the steward gave an angry grunt. "have your own way, since you are the king," he growled. "but if you come to grief through your carelessness, remember that i told you so. if i wore the magic belt which enables you to work all your transformations, and gives you so much other power, i am sure i would make a much wiser and better king than you are." "oh, cease your tiresome chatter!" commanded the king, getting angry again. "because you are my chief steward you have an idea you can scold me as much as you please. but the very next time you become impudent, i will send you to work in the furnaces, and get another nome to fill your place. now follow me to my chamber, for i am going to bed. and see that i am wakened early tomorrow morning. i want to enjoy the fun of transforming the rest of these people into ornaments." "what color will you make the kansas girl?" asked the steward. "gray, i think," said his majesty. "and the scarecrow and the machine man?" "oh, they shall be of solid gold, because they are so ugly in real life." then the voices died away, and billina knew that the king and his steward had left the room. she fixed up some of her tail feathers that were not straight, and then tucked her head under her wing again and went to sleep. in the morning dorothy and the lion and tiger were given their breakfast in their rooms, and afterward joined the king in his throne room. the tiger complained bitterly that he was half starved, and begged to go into the palace and become an ornament, so that he would no longer suffer the pangs of hunger. "haven't you had your breakfast?" asked the nome king. "oh, i had just a bite," replied the beast. "but what good is a bite, to a hungry tiger?" "he ate seventeen bowls of porridge, a platter full of fried sausages, eleven loaves of bread and twenty-one mince pies," said the steward. "what more do you want?" demanded the king. "a fat baby. i want a fat baby," said the hungry tiger. "a nice, plump, juicy, tender, fat baby. but, of course, if i had one, my conscience would not allow me to eat it. so i'll have to be an ornament and forget my hunger." "impossible!" exclaimed the king. "i'll have no clumsy beasts enter my palace, to overturn and break all my pretty nick-nacks. when the rest of your friends are transformed you can return to the upper world, and go about your business." "as for that, we have no business, when our friends are gone," said the lion. "so we do not care much what becomes of us." dorothy begged to be allowed to go first into the palace, but tiktok firmly maintained that the slave should face danger before the mistress. the scarecrow agreed with him in that, so the nome king opened the door for the machine man, who tramped into the palace to meet his fate. then his majesty returned to his throne and puffed his pipe so contentedly that a small cloud of smoke formed above his head. bye and bye he said: "i'm sorry there are so few of you left. very soon, now, my fun will be over, and then for amusement i shall have nothing to do but admire my new ornaments." "it seems to me," said dorothy, "that you are not so honest as you pretend to be." "how's that?" asked the king. "why, you made us think it would be easy to guess what ornaments the people of ev were changed into." "it is easy," declared the monarch, "if one is a good guesser. but it appears that the members of your party are all poor guessers." "what is tiktok doing now?" asked the girl, uneasily. "nothing," replied the king, with a frown. "he is standing perfectly still, in the middle of a room." "oh, i expect he's run down," said dorothy. "i forgot to wind him up this morning. how many guesses has he made?" "all that he is allowed except one," answered the king. "suppose you go in and wind him up, and then you can stay there and make your own guesses." "all right," said dorothy. "it is my turn next," declared the scarecrow. "why, you don't want to go away and leave me all alone, do you?" asked the girl. "besides, if i go now i can wind up tiktok, so that he can make his last guess." "very well, then," said the scarecrow, with a sigh. "run along, little dorothy, and may good luck go with you!" so dorothy, trying to be brave in spite of her fears, passed through the doorway into the gorgeous rooms of the palace. the stillness of the place awed her, at first, and the child drew short breaths, and pressed her hand to her heart, and looked all around with wondering eyes. yes, it was a beautiful place; but enchantments lurked in every nook and corner, and she had not yet grown accustomed to the wizardries of these fairy countries, so different from the quiet and sensible common-places of her own native land. slowly she passed through several rooms until she came upon tiktok, standing motionless. it really seemed, then, that she had found a friend in this mysterious palace, so she hastened to wind up the machine man's action and speech and thoughts. "thank you, dor-oth-y," were his first words. "i have now one more guess to make." "oh, be very careful, tiktok; won't you?" cried the girl. "yes. but the nome king has us in his power, and he has set a trap for us. i fear we are all lost." he answered. "i fear so, too," said dorothy, sadly. "if smith & tin-ker had giv-en me a guess-ing clock-work at-tach-ment," continued tiktok, "i might have de-fied the nome king. but my thoughts are plain and sim-ple, and are not of much use in this case." "do the best you can," said dorothy, encouragingly, "and if you fail i will watch and see what shape you are changed into." so tiktok touched a yellow glass vase that had daisies painted on one side, and he spoke at the same time the word "ev." in a flash the machine man had disappeared, and although the girl looked quickly in every direction, she could not tell which of the many ornaments the room contained had a moment before been her faithful friend and servant. so all she could do was to accept the hopeless task set her, and make her guesses and abide by the result. "it can't hurt very much," she thought, "for i haven't heard any of them scream or cry out--not even the poor officers. dear me! i wonder if uncle henry or aunt em will ever know i have become an orn'ment in the nome king's palace, and must stand forever and ever in one place and look pretty--'cept when i'm moved to be dusted. it isn't the way i thought i'd turn out, at all; but i s'pose it can't be helped." she walked through all the rooms once more, and examined with care all the objects they contained; but there were so many, they bewildered her, and she decided, after all, as ozma had done, that it could be only guess work at the best, and that the chances were much against her guessing aright. timidly she touched an alabaster bowl and said: "ev." "that's one failure, anyhow," she thought. "but how am i to know which thing is enchanted, and which is not?" next she touched the image of a purple kitten that stood on the corner of a mantel, and as she pronounced the word "ev" the kitten disappeared, and a pretty, fair-haired boy stood beside her. at the same time a bell rang somewhere in the distance, and as dorothy started back, partly in surprise and partly in joy, the little one exclaimed: "where am i? and who are you? and what has happened to me?" "well, i declare!" said dorothy. "i've really done it." "done what?" asked the boy. "saved myself from being an ornament," replied the girl, with a laugh, "and saved you from being forever a purple kitten." "a purple kitten?" he repeated. "there is no such thing." "i know," she answered. "but there was, a minute ago. don't you remember standing on a corner of the mantel?" "of course not. i am a prince of ev, and my name is evring," the little one announced, proudly. "but my father, the king, sold my mother and all her children to the cruel ruler of the nomes, and after that i remember nothing at all." "a purple kitten can't be 'spected to remember, evring," said dorothy. "but now you are yourself again, and i'm going to try to save some of your brothers and sisters, and perhaps your mother, as well. so come with me." she seized the child's hand and eagerly hurried here and there, trying to decide which object to choose next. the third guess was another failure, and so was the fourth and the fifth. little evring could not imagine what she was doing, but he trotted along beside her very willingly, for he liked the new companion he had found. dorothy's further quest proved unsuccessful; but after her first disappointment was over, the little girl was filled with joy and thankfulness to think that after all she had been able to save one member of the royal family of ev, and could restore the little prince to his sorrowing country. now she might return to the terrible nome king in safety, carrying with her the prize she had won in the person of the fair-haired boy. so she retraced her steps until she found the entrance to the palace, and as she approached, the massive doors of rock opened of their own accord, allowing both dorothy and evring to pass the portals and enter the throne room. . billina frightens the nome king now when dorothy had entered the palace to make her guesses and the scarecrow was left with the nome king, the two sat in moody silence for several minutes. then the monarch exclaimed, in a tone of satisfaction: "very good!" "who is very good?" asked the scarecrow. "the machine man. he won't need to be wound up any more, for he has now become a very neat ornament. very neat, indeed." "how about dorothy?" the scarecrow enquired. "oh, she will begin to guess, pretty soon," said the king, cheerfully. "and then she will join my collection, and it will be your turn." the good scarecrow was much distressed by the thought that his little friend was about to suffer the fate of ozma and the rest of their party; but while he sat in gloomy reverie a shrill voice suddenly cried: "kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kutt! kut, kut, kut--ka-daw-kutt!" the nome king nearly jumped off his seat, he was so startled. "good gracious! what's that?" he yelled. "why, it's billina," said the scarecrow. "what do you mean by making a noise like that?" shouted the king, angrily, as the yellow hen came from under the throne and strutted proudly about the room. "i've got a right to cackle, i guess," replied billina. "i've just laid my egg." "what! laid an egg! in my throne room! how dare you do such a thing?" asked the king, in a voice of fury. "i lay eggs wherever i happen to be," said the hen, ruffling her feathers and then shaking them into place. "but--thunder-ation! don't you know that eggs are poison?" roared the king, while his rock-colored eyes stuck out in great terror. "poison! well, i declare," said billina, indignantly. "i'll have you know all my eggs are warranted strictly fresh and up to date. poison, indeed!" "you don't understand," retorted the little monarch, nervously. "eggs belong only to the outside world--to the world on the earth's surface, where you came from. here, in my underground kingdom, they are rank poison, as i said, and we nomes can't bear them around." "well, you'll have to bear this one around," declared billina; "for i've laid it." "where?" asked the king. "under your throne," said the hen. the king jumped three feet into the air, so anxious was he to get away from the throne. "take it away! take it away at once!" he shouted. "i can't," said billina. "i haven't any hands." "i'll take the egg," said the scarecrow. "i'm making a collection of billina's eggs. there's one in my pocket now, that she laid yesterday." hearing this, the monarch hastened to put a good distance between himself and the scarecrow, who was about to reach under the throne for the egg when the hen suddenly cried: "stop!" "what's wrong?" asked the scarecrow. "don't take the egg unless the king will allow me to enter the palace and guess as the others have done," said billina. "pshaw!" returned the king. "you're only a hen. how could you guess my enchantments?" "i can try, i suppose," said billina. "and, if i fail, you will have another ornament." "a pretty ornament you'd make, wouldn't you?" growled the king. "but you shall have your way. it will properly punish you for daring to lay an egg in my presence. after the scarecrow is enchanted you shall follow him into the palace. but how will you touch the objects?" "with my claws," said the hen; "and i can speak the word 'ev' as plainly as anyone. also i must have the right to guess the enchantments of my friends, and to release them if i succeed." "very well," said the king. "you have my promise." "then," said billina to the scarecrow, "you may get the egg." he knelt down and reached underneath the throne and found the egg, which he placed in another pocket of his jacket, fearing that if both eggs were in one pocket they would knock together and get broken. just then a bell above the throne rang briskly, and the king gave another nervous jump. "well, well!" said he, with a rueful face; "the girl has actually done it." "done what?" asked the scarecrow. "she has made one guess that is right, and broken one of my neatest enchantments. by ricketty, it's too bad! i never thought she would do it." "do i understand that she will now return to us in safety?" enquired the scarecrow, joyfully wrinkling his painted face into a broad smile. "of course," said the king, fretfully pacing up and down the room. "i always keep my promises, no matter how foolish they are. but i shall make an ornament of the yellow hen to replace the one i have just lost." "perhaps you will, and perhaps you won't," murmured billina, calmly. "i may surprise you by guessing right." "guessing right?" snapped the king. "how could you guess right, where your betters have failed, you stupid fowl?" billina did not care to answer this question, and a moment later the doors flew open and dorothy entered, leading the little prince evring by the hand. the scarecrow welcomed the girl with a close embrace, and he would have embraced evring, too, in his delight. but the little prince was shy, and shrank away from the painted scarecrow because he did not yet know his many excellent qualities. but there was little time for the friends to talk, because the scarecrow must now enter the palace. dorothy's success had greatly encouraged him, and they both hoped he would manage to make at least one correct guess. however, he proved as unfortunate as the others except dorothy, and although he took a good deal of time to select his objects, not one did the poor scarecrow guess aright. so he became a solid gold card-receiver, and the beautiful but terrible palace awaited its next visitor. "it's all over," remarked the king, with a sigh of satisfaction; "and it has been a very amusing performance, except for the one good guess the kansas girl made. i am richer by a great many pretty ornaments." "it is my turn, now," said billina, briskly. "oh, i'd forgotten you," said the king. "but you needn't go if you don't wish to. i will be generous, and let you off." "no you won't," replied the hen. "i insist upon having my guesses, as you promised." "then go ahead, you absurd feathered fool!" grumbled the king, and he caused the opening that led to the palace to appear once more. "don't go, billina," said dorothy, earnestly. "it isn't easy to guess those orn'ments, and only luck saved me from being one myself. stay with me and we'll go back to the land of ev together. i'm sure this little prince will give us a home." "indeed i will," said evring, with much dignity. "don't worry, my dear," cried billina, with a cluck that was meant for a laugh. "i may not be human, but i'm no fool, if i am a chicken." "oh, billina!" said dorothy, "you haven't been a chicken in a long time. not since you--you've been--grown up." "perhaps that's true," answered billina, thoughtfully. "but if a kansas farmer sold me to some one, what would he call me?--a hen or a chicken!" "you are not a kansas farmer, billina," replied the girl, "and you said--" "never mind that, dorothy. i'm going. i won't say good-bye, because i'm coming back. keep up your courage, for i'll see you a little later." then billina gave several loud "cluck-clucks" that seemed to make the fat little king more nervous than ever, and marched through the entrance into the enchanted palace. "i hope i've seen the last of that bird," declared the monarch, seating himself again in his throne and mopping the perspiration from his forehead with his rock-colored handkerchief. "hens are bothersome enough at their best, but when they can talk they're simply dreadful." "billina's my friend," said dorothy quietly. "she may not always be 'zactly polite; but she means well, i'm sure." . purple, green, and gold the yellow hen, stepping high and with an air of vast importance, walked slowly over the rich velvet carpets of the splendid palace, examining everything she met with her sharp little eyes. billina had a right to feel important; for she alone shared the nome king's secret and knew how to tell the objects that were transformations from those that had never been alive. she was very sure that her guesses would be correct, but before she began to make them she was curious to behold all the magnificence of this underground palace, which was perhaps one of the most splendid and beautiful places in any fairyland. as she went through the rooms she counted the purple ornaments; and although some were small and hidden in queer places, billina spied them all, and found the entire ten scattered about the various rooms. the green ornaments she did not bother to count, for she thought she could find them all when the time came. finally, having made a survey of the entire palace and enjoyed its splendor, the yellow hen returned to one of the rooms where she had noticed a large purple footstool. she placed a claw upon this and said "ev," and at once the footstool vanished and a lovely lady, tall and slender and most beautifully robed, stood before her. the lady's eyes were round with astonishment for a moment, for she could not remember her transformation, nor imagine what had restored her to life. "good morning, ma'am," said billina, in her sharp voice. "you're looking quite well, considering your age." "who speaks?" demanded the queen of ev, drawing herself up proudly. "why, my name's bill, by rights," answered the hen, who was now perched upon the back of a chair; "although dorothy has put scollops on it and made it billina. but the name doesn't matter. i've saved you from the nome king, and you are a slave no longer." "then i thank you for the gracious favor," said the queen, with a graceful courtesy. "but, my children--tell me, i beg of you--where are my children?" and she clasped her hands in anxious entreaty. "don't worry," advised billina, pecking at a tiny bug that was crawling over the chair back. "just at present they are out of mischief and perfectly safe, for they can't even wiggle." "what mean you, o kindly stranger?" asked the queen, striving to repress her anxiety. "they're enchanted," said billina, "just as you have been--all, that is, except the little fellow dorothy picked out. and the chances are that they have been good boys and girls for some time, because they couldn't help it." "oh, my poor darlings!" cried the queen, with a sob of anguish. "not at all," returned the hen. "don't let their condition make you unhappy, ma'am, because i'll soon have them crowding 'round to bother and worry you as naturally as ever. come with me, if you please, and i'll show you how pretty they look." she flew down from her perch and walked into the next room, the queen following. as she passed a low table a small green grasshopper caught her eye, and instantly billina pounced upon it and snapped it up in her sharp bill. for grasshoppers are a favorite food with hens, and they usually must be caught quickly, before they can hop away. it might easily have been the end of ozma of oz, had she been a real grasshopper instead of an emerald one. but billina found the grasshopper hard and lifeless, and suspecting it was not good to eat she quickly dropped it instead of letting it slide down her throat. "i might have known better," she muttered to herself, "for where there is no grass there can be no live grasshoppers. this is probably one of the king's transformations." a moment later she approached one of the purple ornaments, and while the queen watched her curiously the hen broke the nome king's enchantment and a sweet-faced girl, whose golden hair fell in a cloud over her shoulders, stood beside them. "evanna!" cried the queen, "my own evanna!" and she clasped the girl to her bosom and covered her face with kisses. "that's all right," said billina, contentedly. "am i a good guesser, mr. nome king? well, i guess!" then she disenchanted another girl, whom the queen addressed as evrose, and afterwards a boy named evardo, who was older than his brother evring. indeed, the yellow hen kept the good queen exclaiming and embracing for some time, until five princesses and four princes, all looking very much alike except for the difference in size, stood in a row beside their happy mother. the princesses were named, evanna, evrose, evella, evirene and evedna, while the princes were evrob, evington, evardo and evroland. of these evardo was the eldest and would inherit his father's throne and be crowned king of ev when he returned to his own country. he was a grave and quiet youth, and would doubtless rule his people wisely and with justice. billina, having restored all of the royal family of ev to their proper forms, now began to select the green ornaments which were the transformations of the people of oz. she had little trouble in finding these, and before long all the twenty-six officers, as well as the private, were gathered around the yellow hen, joyfully congratulating her upon their release. the thirty-seven people who were now alive in the rooms of the palace knew very well that they owed their freedom to the cleverness of the yellow hen, and they were earnest in thanking her for saving them from the magic of the nome king. "now," said billina, "i must find ozma. she is sure to be here, somewhere, and of course she is green, being from oz. so look around, you stupid soldiers, and help me in my search." for a while, however, they could discover nothing more that was green. but the queen, who had kissed all her nine children once more and could now find time to take an interest in what was going on, said to the hen: "mayhap, my gentle friend, it is the grasshopper whom you seek." "of course it's the grasshopper!" exclaimed billina. "i declare, i'm nearly as stupid as these brave soldiers. wait here for me, and i'll go back and get it." so she went into the room where she had seen the grasshopper, and presently ozma of oz, as lovely and dainty as ever, entered and approached the queen of ev, greeting her as one high born princess greets another. "but where are my friends, the scarecrow and the tin woodman?" asked the girl ruler, when these courtesies had been exchanged. "i'll hunt them up," replied billina. "the scarecrow is solid gold, and so is tiktok; but i don't exactly know what the tin woodman is, because the nome king said he had been transformed into something funny." ozma eagerly assisted the hen in her quest, and soon the scarecrow and the machine man, being ornaments of shining gold, were discovered and restored to their accustomed forms. but, search as they might, in no place could they find a funny ornament that might be the transformation of the tin woodman. "only one thing can be done," said ozma, at last, "and that is to return to the nome king and oblige him to tell us what has become of our friend." "perhaps he won't," suggested billina. "he must," returned ozma, firmly. "the king has not treated us honestly, for under the mask of fairness and good nature he entrapped us all, and we would have been forever enchanted had not our wise and clever friend, the yellow hen, found a way to save us." "the king is a villain," declared the scarecrow. "his laugh is worse than another man's frown," said the private, with a shudder. "i thought he was hon-est, but i was mis-tak-en," remarked tiktok. "my thoughts are us-u-al-ly cor-rect, but it is smith & tin-ker's fault if they some-times go wrong or do not work prop-er-ly." "smith & tinker made a very good job of you," said ozma, kindly. "i do not think they should be blamed if you are not quite perfect." "thank you," replied tiktok. "then," said billina, in her brisk little voice, "let us all go back to the nome king, and see what he has to say for himself." so they started for the entrance, ozma going first, with the queen and her train of little princes and princesses following. then came tiktok, and the scarecrow with billina perched upon his straw-stuffed shoulder. the twenty-seven officers and the private brought up the rear. as they reached the hall the doors flew open before them; but then they all stopped and stared into the domed cavern with faces of astonishment and dismay. for the room was filled with the mail-clad warriors of the nome king, rank after rank standing in orderly array. the electric lights upon their brows gleamed brightly, their battle-axes were poised as if to strike down their foes; yet they remained motionless as statues, awaiting the word of command. and in the center of this terrible army sat the little king upon his throne of rock. but he neither smiled nor laughed. instead, his face was distorted with rage, and most dreadful to behold. . the scarecrow wins the fight after billina had entered the palace dorothy and evring sat down to await the success or failure of her mission, and the nome king occupied his throne and smoked his long pipe for a while in a cheerful and contented mood. then the bell above the throne, which sounded whenever an enchantment was broken, began to ring, and the king gave a start of annoyance and exclaimed, "rocketty-ricketts!" when the bell rang a second time the king shouted angrily, "smudge and blazes!" and at a third ring he screamed in a fury, "hippikaloric!" which must be a dreadful word because we don't know what it means. after that the bell went on ringing time after time; but the king was now so violently enraged that he could not utter a word, but hopped out of his throne and all around the room in a mad frenzy, so that he reminded dorothy of a jumping-jack. the girl was, for her part, filled with joy at every peal of the bell, for it announced the fact that billina had transformed one more ornament into a living person. dorothy was also amazed at billina's success, for she could not imagine how the yellow hen was able to guess correctly from all the bewildering number of articles clustered in the rooms of the palace. but after she had counted ten, and the bell continued to ring, she knew that not only the royal family of ev, but ozma and her followers also, were being restored to their natural forms, and she was so delighted that the antics of the angry king only made her laugh merrily. perhaps the little monarch could not be more furious than he was before, but the girl's laughter nearly drove him frantic, and he roared at her like a savage beast. then, as he found that all his enchantments were likely to be dispelled and his victims every one set free, he suddenly ran to the little door that opened upon the balcony and gave the shrill whistle that summoned his warriors. at once the army filed out of the gold and silver doors in great numbers, and marched up a winding stairs and into the throne room, led by a stern featured nome who was their captain. when they had nearly filled the throne room they formed ranks in the big underground cavern below, and then stood still until they were told what to do next. dorothy had pressed back to one side of the cavern when the warriors entered, and now she stood holding little prince evring's hand while the great lion crouched upon one side and the enormous tiger crouched on the other side. "seize that girl!" shouted the king to his captain, and a group of warriors sprang forward to obey. but both the lion and tiger snarled so fiercely and bared their strong, sharp teeth so threateningly, that the men drew back in alarm. "don't mind them!" cried the nome king; "they cannot leap beyond the places where they now stand." "but they can bite those who attempt to touch the girl," said the captain. "i'll fix that," answered the king. "i'll enchant them again, so that they can't open their jaws." he stepped out of the throne to do this, but just then the sawhorse ran up behind him and gave the fat monarch a powerful kick with both his wooden hind legs. "ow! murder! treason!" yelled the king, who had been hurled against several of his warriors and was considerably bruised. "who did that?" "i did," growled the sawhorse, viciously. "you let dorothy alone, or i'll kick you again." "we'll see about that," replied the king, and at once he waved his hand toward the sawhorse and muttered a magical word. "aha!" he continued; "now let us see you move, you wooden mule!" but in spite of the magic the sawhorse moved; and he moved so quickly toward the king, that the fat little man could not get out of his way. thump--bang! came the wooden heels, right against his round body, and the king flew into the air and fell upon the head of his captain, who let him drop flat upon the ground. "well, well!" said the king, sitting up and looking surprised. "why didn't my magic belt work, i wonder?" "the creature is made of wood," replied the captain. "your magic will not work on wood, you know." "ah, i'd forgotten that," said the king, getting up and limping to his throne. "very well, let the girl alone. she can't escape us, anyway." the warriors, who had been rather confused by these incidents, now formed their ranks again, and the sawhorse pranced across the room to dorothy and took a position beside the hungry tiger. at that moment the doors that led to the palace flew open and the people of ev and the people of oz were disclosed to view. they paused, astonished, at sight of the warriors and the angry nome king, seated in their midst. "surrender!" cried the king, in a loud voice. "you are my prisoners." "go 'long!" answered billina, from the scarecrow's shoulder. "you promised me that if i guessed correctly my friends and i might depart in safety. and you always keep your promises." "i said you might leave the palace in safety," retorted the king; "and so you may, but you cannot leave my dominions. you are my prisoners, and i will hurl you all into my underground dungeons, where the volcanic fires glow and the molten lava flows in every direction, and the air is hotter than blue blazes." "that will be the end of me, all right," said the scarecrow, sorrowfully. "one small blaze, blue or green, is enough to reduce me to an ash-heap." "do you surrender?" demanded the king. billina whispered something in the scarecrow's ear that made him smile and put his hands in his jacket pockets. "no!" returned ozma, boldly answering the king. then she said to her army: "forward, my brave soldiers, and fight for your ruler and yourselves, unto death!" "pardon me, most royal ozma," replied one of her generals; "but i find that i and my brother officers all suffer from heart disease, and the slightest excitement might kill us. if we fight we may get excited. would it not be well for us to avoid this grave danger?" "soldiers should not have heart disease," said ozma. "private soldiers are not, i believe, afflicted that way," declared another general, twirling his moustache thoughtfully. "if your royal highness desires, we will order our private to attack yonder warriors." "do so," replied ozma. "for-ward--march!" cried all the generals, with one voice. "for-ward--march!" yelled the colonels. "for-ward--march!" shouted the majors. "for-ward--march!" commanded the captains. and at that the private leveled his spear and dashed furiously upon the foe. the captain of the nomes was so surprised by this sudden onslaught that he forgot to command his warriors to fight, so that the ten men in the first row, who stood in front of the private's spear, fell over like so many toy soldiers. the spear could not go through their steel armor, however, so the warriors scrambled to their feet again, and by that time the private had knocked over another row of them. then the captain brought down his battle-axe with such a strong blow that the private's spear was shattered and knocked from his grasp, and he was helpless to fight any longer. the nome king had left his throne and pressed through his warriors to the front ranks, so he could see what was going on; but as he faced ozma and her friends the scarecrow, as if aroused to action by the valor of the private, drew one of billina's eggs from his right jacket pocket and hurled it straight at the little monarch's head. it struck him squarely in his left eye, where the egg smashed and scattered, as eggs will, and covered his face and hair and beard with its sticky contents. "help, help!" screamed the king, clawing with his fingers at the egg, in a struggle to remove it. "an egg! an egg! run for your lives!" shouted the captain of the nomes, in a voice of horror. and how they did run! the warriors fairly tumbled over one another in their efforts to escape the fatal poison of that awful egg, and those who could not rush down the winding stair fell off the balcony into the great cavern beneath, knocking over those who stood below them. even while the king was still yelling for help his throne room became emptied of every one of his warriors, and before the monarch had managed to clear the egg away from his left eye the scarecrow threw the second egg against his right eye, where it smashed and blinded him entirely. the king was unable to flee because he could not see which way to run; so he stood still and howled and shouted and screamed in abject fear. while this was going on, billina flew over to dorothy, and perching herself upon the lion's back the hen whispered eagerly to the girl: "get his belt! get the nome king's jeweled belt! it unbuckles in the back. quick, dorothy--quick!" . the fate of the tin woodman dorothy obeyed. she ran at once behind the nome king, who was still trying to free his eyes from the egg, and in a twinkling she had unbuckled his splendid jeweled belt and carried it away with her to her place beside the tiger and lion, where, because she did not know what else to do with it, she fastened it around her own slim waist. just then the chief steward rushed in with a sponge and a bowl of water, and began mopping away the broken eggs from his master's face. in a few minutes, and while all the party stood looking on, the king regained the use of his eyes, and the first thing he did was to glare wickedly upon the scarecrow and exclaim: "i'll make you suffer for this, you hay-stuffed dummy! don't you know eggs are poison to nomes?" "really," said the scarecrow, "they don't seem to agree with you, although i wonder why." "they were strictly fresh and above suspicion," said billina. "you ought to be glad to get them." "i'll transform you all into scorpions!" cried the king, angrily, and began waving his arms and muttering magic words. but none of the people became scorpions, so the king stopped and looked at them in surprise. "what's wrong?" he asked. "why, you are not wearing your magic belt," replied the chief steward, after looking the king over carefully. "where is it? what have you done with it?" the nome king clapped his hand to his waist, and his rock colored face turned white as chalk. "it's gone," he cried, helplessly. "it's gone, and i am ruined!" dorothy now stepped forward and said: "royal ozma, and you, queen of ev, i welcome you and your people back to the land of the living. billina has saved you from your troubles, and now we will leave this drea'ful place, and return to ev as soon as poss'ble." while the child spoke they could all see that she wore the magic belt, and a great cheer went up from all her friends, which was led by the voices of the scarecrow and the private. but the nome king did not join them. he crept back onto his throne like a whipped dog, and lay there bitterly bemoaning his defeat. "but we have not yet found my faithful follower, the tin woodman," said ozma to dorothy, "and without him i do not wish to go away." "nor i," replied dorothy, quickly. "wasn't he in the palace?" "he must be there," said billina; "but i had no clue to guide me in guessing the tin woodman, so i must have missed him." "we will go back into the rooms," said dorothy. "this magic belt, i am sure, will help us to find our dear old friend." so she re-entered the palace, the doors of which still stood open, and everyone followed her except the nome king, the queen of ev and prince evring. the mother had taken the little prince in her lap and was fondling and kissing him lovingly, for he was her youngest born. but the others went with dorothy, and when she came to the middle of the first room the girl waved her hand, as she had seen the king do, and commanded the tin woodman, whatever form he might then have, to resume his proper shape. no result followed this attempt, so dorothy went into another room and repeated it, and so through all the rooms of the palace. yet the tin woodman did not appear to them, nor could they imagine which among the thousands of ornaments was their transformed friend. sadly they returned to the throne room, where the king, seeing that they had met with failure, jeered at dorothy, saying: "you do not know how to use my belt, so it is of no use to you. give it back to me and i will let you go free--you and all the people who came with you. as for the royal family of ev, they are my slaves, and shall remain here." "i shall keep the belt," said dorothy. "but how can you escape, without my consent?" asked the king. "easily enough," answered the girl. "all we need to do is to walk out the way that we came in." "oh, that's all, is it?" sneered the king. "well, where is the passage through which you entered this room?" they all looked around, but could not discover the place, for it had long since been closed. dorothy, however, would not be dismayed. she waved her hand toward the seemingly solid wall of the cavern and said: "i command the passage to open!" instantly the order was obeyed; the opening appeared and the passage lay plainly before them. the king was amazed, and all the others overjoyed. "why, then, if the belt obeys you, were we unable to discover the tin woodman?" asked ozma. "i can't imagine," said dorothy. "see here, girl," proposed the king, eagerly; "give me the belt, and i will tell you what shape the tin woodman was changed into, and then you can easily find him." dorothy hesitated, but billina cried out: "don't you do it! if the nome king gets the belt again he will make every one of us prisoners, for we will be in his power. only by keeping the belt, dorothy, will you ever be able to leave this place in safety." "i think that is true," said the scarecrow. "but i have another idea, due to my excellent brains. let dorothy transform the king into a goose-egg unless he agrees to go into the palace and bring out to us the ornament which is our friend nick chopper, the tin woodman." "a goose-egg!" echoed the horrified king. "how dreadful!" "well, a goose-egg you will be unless you go and fetch us the ornament we want," declared billina, with a joyful chuckle. "you can see for yourself that dorothy is able to use the magic belt all right," added the scarecrow. the nome king thought it over and finally consented, for he did not want to be a goose-egg. so he went into the palace to get the ornament which was the transformation of the tin woodman, and they all awaited his return with considerable impatience, for they were anxious to leave this underground cavern and see the sunshine once more. but when the nome king came back he brought nothing with him except a puzzled and anxious expression upon his face. "he's gone!" he said. "the tin woodman is nowhere in the palace." "are you sure?" asked ozma, sternly. "i'm very sure," answered the king, trembling, "for i know just what i transformed him into, and exactly where he stood. but he is not there, and please don't change me into a goose-egg, because i've done the best i could." they were all silent for a time, and then dorothy said: "there is no use punishing the nome king any more, and i'm 'fraid we'll have to go away without our friend." "if he is not here, we cannot rescue him," agreed the scarecrow, sadly. "poor nick! i wonder what has become of him." "and he owed me six weeks back pay!" said one of the generals, wiping the tears from his eyes with his gold-laced coat sleeve. very sorrowfully they determined to return to the upper world without their former companion, and so ozma gave the order to begin the march through the passage. the army went first, and then the royal family of ev, and afterward came dorothy, ozma, billina, the scarecrow and tiktok. they left the nome king scowling at them from his throne, and had no thought of danger until ozma chanced to look back and saw a large number of the warriors following them in full chase, with their swords and spears and axes raised to strike down the fugitives as soon as they drew near enough. evidently the nome king had made this last attempt to prevent their escaping him; but it did him no good, for when dorothy saw the danger they were in she stopped and waved her hand and whispered a command to the magic belt. instantly the foremost warriors became eggs, which rolled upon the floor of the cavern in such numbers that those behind could not advance without stepping upon them. but, when they saw the eggs, all desire to advance departed from the warriors, and they turned and fled madly into the cavern, and refused to go back again. our friends had no further trouble in reaching the end of the passage, and soon were standing in the outer air upon the gloomy path between the two high mountains. but the way to ev lay plainly before them, and they fervently hoped that they had seen the last of the nome king and of his dreadful palace. the cavalcade was led by ozma, mounted on the cowardly lion, and the queen of ev, who rode upon the back of the tiger. the children of the queen walked behind her, hand in hand. dorothy rode the sawhorse, while the scarecrow walked and commanded the army in the absence of the tin woodman. presently the way began to lighten and more of the sunshine to come in between the two mountains. and before long they heard the "thump! thump! thump!" of the giant's hammer upon the road. "how may we pass the monstrous man of iron?" asked the queen, anxious for the safety of her children. but dorothy solved the problem by a word to the magic belt. the giant paused, with his hammer held motionless in the air, thus allowing the entire party to pass between his cast-iron legs in safety. . the king of ev if there were any shifting, rock-colored nomes on the mountain side now, they were silent and respectful, for our adventurers were not annoyed, as before, by their impudent laughter. really the nomes had nothing to laugh at, since the defeat of their king. on the other side they found ozma's golden chariot, standing as they had left it. soon the lion and the tiger were harnessed to the beautiful chariot, in which was enough room for ozma and the queen and six of the royal children. little evring preferred to ride with dorothy upon the sawhorse, which had a long back. the prince had recovered from his shyness and had become very fond of the girl who had rescued him, so they were fast friends and chatted pleasantly together as they rode along. billina was also perched upon the head of the wooden steed, which seemed not to mind the added weight in the least, and the boy was full of wonder that a hen could talk, and say such sensible things. when they came to the gulf, ozma's magic carpet carried them all over in safety; and now they began to pass the trees, in which birds were singing; and the breeze that was wafted to them from the farms of ev was spicy with flowers and new-mown hay; and the sunshine fell full upon them, to warm them and drive away from their bodies the chill and dampness of the underground kingdom of the nomes. "i would be quite content," said the scarecrow to tiktok, "were only the tin woodman with us. but it breaks my heart to leave him behind." "he was a fine fel-low," replied tiktok, "al-though his ma-ter-i-al was not ve-ry du-ra-ble." "oh, tin is an excellent material," the scarecrow hastened to say; "and if anything ever happened to poor nick chopper he was always easily soldered. besides, he did not have to be wound up, and was not liable to get out of order." "i some-times wish," said tiktok, "that i was stuffed with straw, as you are. it is hard to be made of cop-per." "i have no reason to complain of my lot," replied the scarecrow. "a little fresh straw, now and then, makes me as good as new. but i can never be the polished gentleman that my poor departed friend, the tin woodman, was." you may be sure the royal children of ev and their queen mother were delighted at seeing again their beloved country; and when the towers of the palace of ev came into view they could not forbear cheering at the sight. little evring, riding in front of dorothy, was so overjoyed that he took a curious tin whistle from his pocket and blew a shrill blast that made the sawhorse leap and prance in sudden alarm. "what is that?" asked billina, who had been obliged to flutter her wings in order to keep her seat upon the head of the frightened sawhorse. "that's my whistle," said prince evring, holding it out upon his hand. it was in the shape of a little fat pig, made of tin and painted green. the whistle was in the tail of the pig. "where did you get it?" asked the yellow hen, closely examining the toy with her bright eyes. "why, i picked it up in the nome king's palace, while dorothy was making her guesses, and i put it in my pocket," answered the little prince. billina laughed; or at least she made the peculiar cackle that served her for a laugh. "no wonder i couldn't find the tin woodman," she said; "and no wonder the magic belt didn't make him appear, or the king couldn't find him, either!" "what do you mean?" questioned dorothy. "why, the prince had him in his pocket," cried billina, cackling again. "i did not!" protested little evring. "i only took the whistle." "well, then, watch me," returned the hen, and reaching out a claw she touched the whistle and said "ev." swish! "good afternoon," said the tin woodman, taking off his funnel cap and bowing to dorothy and the prince. "i think i must have been asleep for the first time since i was made of tin, for i do not remember our leaving the nome king." "you have been enchanted," answered the girl, throwing an arm around her old friend and hugging him tight in her joy. "but it's all right, now." "i want my whistle!" said the little prince, beginning to cry. "hush!" cautioned billina. "the whistle is lost, but you may have another when you get home." the scarecrow had fairly thrown himself upon the bosom of his old comrade, so surprised and delighted was he to see him again, and tiktok squeezed the tin woodman's hand so earnestly that he dented some of his fingers. then they had to make way for ozma to welcome the tin man, and the army caught sight of him and set up a cheer, and everybody was delighted and happy. for the tin woodman was a great favorite with all who knew him, and his sudden recovery after they had thought he was lost to them forever was indeed a pleasant surprise. before long the cavalcade arrived at the royal palace, where a great crowd of people had gathered to welcome their queen and her ten children. there was much shouting and cheering, and the people threw flowers in their path, and every face wore a happy smile. they found the princess langwidere in her mirrored chamber, where she was admiring one of her handsomest heads--one with rich chestnut hair, dreamy walnut eyes and a shapely hickorynut nose. she was very glad to be relieved of her duties to the people of ev, and the queen graciously permitted her to retain her rooms and her cabinet of heads as long as she lived. then the queen took her eldest son out upon a balcony that overlooked the crowd of subjects gathered below, and said to them: "here is your future ruler, king evardo fifteenth. he is fifteen years of age, has fifteen silver buckles on his jacket and is the fifteenth evardo to rule the land of ev." the people shouted their approval fifteen times, and even the wheelers, some of whom were present, loudly promised to obey the new king. so the queen placed a big crown of gold, set with rubies, upon evardo's head, and threw an ermine robe over his shoulders, and proclaimed him king; and he bowed gratefully to all his subjects and then went away to see if he could find any cake in the royal pantry. ozma of oz and her people, as well as dorothy, tiktok and billina, were splendidly entertained by the queen mother, who owed all her happiness to their kind offices; and that evening the yellow hen was publicly presented with a beautiful necklace of pearls and sapphires, as a token of esteem from the new king. . the emerald city dorothy decided to accept ozma's invitation to return with her to the land of oz. there was no greater chance of her getting home from ev than from oz, and the little girl was anxious to see once more the country where she had encountered such wonderful adventures. by this time uncle henry would have reached australia in his ship, and had probably given her up for lost; so he couldn't worry any more than he did if she stayed away from him a while longer. so she would go to oz. they bade good-bye to the people of ev, and the king promised ozma that he would ever be grateful to her and render the land of oz any service that might lie within his power. and then they approached the edge of the dangerous desert, and ozma threw down the magic carpet, which at once unrolled far enough for all of them to walk upon it without being crowded. tiktok, claiming to be dorothy's faithful follower because he belonged to her, had been permitted to join the party, and before they started the girl wound up his machinery as far as possible, and the copper man stepped off as briskly as any one of them. ozma also invited billina to visit the land of oz, and the yellow hen was glad enough to go where new sights and scenes awaited her. they began the trip across the desert early in the morning, and as they stopped only long enough for billina to lay her daily egg, before sunset they espied the green slopes and wooded hills of the beautiful land of oz. they entered it in the munchkin territory, and the king of the munchkins met them at the border and welcomed ozma with great respect, being very pleased by her safe return. for ozma of oz ruled the king of the munchkins, the king of the winkies, the king of the quadlings and the king of the gillikins just as those kings ruled their own people; and this supreme ruler of the land of oz lived in a great town of her own, called the emerald city, which was in the exact center of the four kingdoms of the land of oz. the munchkin king entertained them at his palace that night, and in the morning they set out for the emerald city, travelling over a road of yellow brick that led straight to the jewel-studded gates. everywhere the people turned out to greet their beloved ozma, and to hail joyfully the scarecrow, the tin woodman and the cowardly lion, who were popular favorites. dorothy, too, remembered some of the people, who had befriended her on the occasion of her first visit to oz, and they were well pleased to see the little kansas girl again, and showered her with compliments and good wishes. at one place, where they stopped to refresh themselves, ozma accepted a bowl of milk from the hands of a pretty dairy-maid. then she looked at the girl more closely, and exclaimed: "why, it's jinjur--isn't it!" "yes, your highness," was the reply, as jinjur dropped a low curtsy. and dorothy looked wonderingly at this lively appearing person, who had once assembled an army of women and driven the scarecrow from the throne of the emerald city, and even fought a battle with the powerful army of glinda the sorceress. "i've married a man who owns nine cows," said jinjur to ozma, "and now i am happy and contented and willing to lead a quiet life and mind my own business." "where is your husband?" asked ozma. "he is in the house, nursing a black eye," replied jinjur, calmly. "the foolish man would insist upon milking the red cow when i wanted him to milk the white one; but he will know better next time, i am sure." then the party moved on again, and after crossing a broad river on a ferry and passing many fine farm houses that were dome shaped and painted a pretty green color, they came in sight of a large building that was covered with flags and bunting. "i don't remember that building," said dorothy. "what is it?" "that is the college of art and athletic perfection," replied ozma. "i had it built quite recently, and the woggle-bug is its president. it keeps him busy, and the young men who attend the college are no worse off than they were before. you see, in this country are a number of youths who do not like to work, and the college is an excellent place for them." and now they came in sight of the emerald city, and the people flocked out to greet their lovely ruler. there were several bands and many officers and officials of the realm, and a crowd of citizens in their holiday attire. thus the beautiful ozma was escorted by a brilliant procession to her royal city, and so great was the cheering that she was obliged to constantly bow to the right and left to acknowledge the greetings of her subjects. that evening there was a grand reception in the royal palace, attended by the most important persons of oz, and jack pumpkinhead, who was a little overripe but still active, read an address congratulating ozma of oz upon the success of her generous mission to rescue the royal family of a neighboring kingdom. then magnificent gold medals set with precious stones were presented to each of the twenty-six officers; and the tin woodman was given a new axe studded with diamonds; and the scarecrow received a silver jar of complexion powder. dorothy was presented with a pretty coronet and made a princess of oz, and tiktok received two bracelets set with eight rows of very clear and sparkling emeralds. afterward they sat down to a splendid feast, and ozma put dorothy at her right and billina at her left, where the hen sat upon a golden roost and ate from a jeweled platter. then were placed the scarecrow, the tin woodman and tiktok, with baskets of lovely flowers before them, because they did not require food. the twenty-six officers were at the lower end of the table, and the lion and the tiger also had seats, and were served on golden platters, that held a half a bushel at one time. the wealthiest and most important citizens of the emerald city were proud to wait upon these famous adventurers, and they were assisted by a sprightly little maid named jellia jamb, whom the scarecrow pinched upon her rosy cheeks and seemed to know very well. during the feast ozma grew thoughtful, and suddenly she asked: "where is the private?" "oh, he is sweeping out the barracks," replied one of the generals, who was busy eating a leg of a turkey. "but i have ordered him a dish of bread and molasses to eat when his work is done." "let him be sent for," said the girl ruler. while they waited for this command to be obeyed, she enquired: "have we any other privates in the armies?" "oh, yes," replied the tin woodman, "i believe there are three, altogether." the private now entered, saluting his officers and the royal ozma very respectfully. "what is your name, my man?" asked the girl. "omby amby," answered the private. "then, omby amby," said she, "i promote you to be captain general of all the armies of my kingdom, and especially to be commander of my body guard at the royal palace." "it is very expensive to hold so many offices," said the private, hesitating. "i have no money with which to buy uniforms." "you shall be supplied from the royal treasury," said ozma. then the private was given a seat at the table, where the other officers welcomed him cordially, and the feasting and merriment were resumed. suddenly jellia jamb exclaimed: "there is nothing more to eat! the hungry tiger has consumed everything!" "but that is not the worst of it," declared the tiger, mournfully. "somewhere or somehow, i've actually lost my appetite!" . dorothy's magic belt dorothy passed several very happy weeks in the land of oz as the guest of the royal ozma, who delighted to please and interest the little kansas girl. many new acquaintances were formed and many old ones renewed, and wherever she went dorothy found herself among friends. one day, however, as she sat in ozma's private room, she noticed hanging upon the wall a picture which constantly changed in appearance, at one time showing a meadow and at another time a forest, a lake or a village. "how curious!" she exclaimed, after watching the shifting scenes for a few moments. "yes," said ozma, "that is really a wonderful invention in magic. if i wish to see any part of the world or any person living, i need only express the wish and it is shown in the picture." "may i use it?" asked dorothy, eagerly. "of course, my dear." "then i'd like to see the old kansas farm, and aunt em," said the girl. instantly the well remembered farmhouse appeared in the picture, and aunt em could be seen quite plainly. she was engaged in washing dishes by the kitchen window and seemed quite well and contented. the hired men and the teams were in the harvest fields behind the house, and the corn and wheat seemed to the child to be in prime condition. on the side porch dorothy's pet dog, toto, was lying fast asleep in the sun, and to her surprise old speckles was running around with a brood of twelve new chickens trailing after her. "everything seems all right at home," said dorothy, with a sigh of relief. "now i wonder what uncle henry is doing." the scene in the picture at once shifted to australia, where, in a pleasant room in sydney, uncle henry was seated in an easy chair, solemnly smoking his briar pipe. he looked sad and lonely, and his hair was now quite white and his hands and face thin and wasted. "oh!" cried dorothy, in an anxious voice, "i'm sure uncle henry isn't getting any better, and it's because he is worried about me. ozma, dear, i must go to him at once!" "how can you?" asked ozma. "i don't know," replied dorothy; "but let us go to glinda the good. i'm sure she will help me, and advise me how to get to uncle henry." ozma readily agreed to this plan and caused the sawhorse to be harnessed to a pretty green and pink phaeton, and the two girls rode away to visit the famous sorceress. glinda received them graciously, and listened to dorothy's story with attention. "i have the magic belt, you know," said the little girl. "if i buckled it around my waist and commanded it to take me to uncle henry, wouldn't it do it?" "i think so," replied glinda, with a smile. "and then," continued dorothy, "if i ever wanted to come back here again, the belt would bring me." "in that you are wrong," said the sorceress. "the belt has magical powers only while it is in some fairy country, such as the land of oz, or the land of ev. indeed, my little friend, were you to wear it and wish yourself in australia, with your uncle, the wish would doubtless be fulfilled, because it was made in fairyland. but you would not find the magic belt around you when you arrived at your destination." "what would become of it?" asked the girl. "it would be lost, as were your silver shoes when you visited oz before, and no one would ever see it again. it seems too bad to destroy the use of the magic belt in that way, doesn't it?" "then," said dorothy, after a moment's thought, "i will give the magic belt to ozma, for she can use it in her own country. and she can wish me transported to uncle henry without losing the belt." "that is a wise plan," replied glinda. so they rode back to the emerald city, and on the way it was arranged that every saturday morning ozma would look at dorothy in her magic picture, wherever the little girl might chance to be. and, if she saw dorothy make a certain signal, then ozma would know that the little kansas girl wanted to revisit the land of oz, and by means of the nome king's magic belt would wish that she might instantly return. this having been agreed upon, dorothy bade good-bye to all her friends. tiktok wanted to go to australia; too, but dorothy knew that the machine man would never do for a servant in a civilized country, and the chances were that his machinery wouldn't work at all. so she left him in ozma's care. billina, on the contrary, preferred the land of oz to any other country, and refused to accompany dorothy. "the bugs and ants that i find here are the finest flavored in the world," declared the yellow hen, "and there are plenty of them. so here i shall end my days; and i must say, dorothy, my dear, that you are very foolish to go back into that stupid, humdrum world again." "uncle henry needs me," said dorothy, simply; and every one except billina thought it was right that she should go. all dorothy's friends of the land of oz--both old and new--gathered in a group in front of the palace to bid her a sorrowful good-bye and to wish her long life and happiness. after much hand shaking, dorothy kissed ozma once more, and then handed her the nome king's magic belt, saying: "now, dear princess, when i wave my handkerchief, please wish me with uncle henry. i'm aw'fly sorry to leave you--and the scarecrow--and the tin woodman--and the cowardly lion--and tiktok--and--and everybody--but i do want my uncle henry! so good-bye, all of you." then the little girl stood on one of the big emeralds which decorated the courtyard, and after looking once again at each of her friends, waved her handkerchief. "no," said dorothy, "i wasn't drowned at all. and i've come to nurse you and take care of you, uncle henry, and you must promise to get well as soon as poss'ble." uncle henry smiled and cuddled his little niece close in his lap. "i'm better already, my darling," said he. the confidence-man: his masquerade. by herman melville, author of "piazza tales," "omoo," "typee," etc., etc. new york: dix, edwards & co., broadway . entered according to act of congress, in the year , by herman melville, in the clerk's office of the district court of the united states for the southern district of new york. miller & holman, printers and stereotypers, n. y. contents chapter i. a mute goes aboard a boat on the mississippi. chapter ii. showing that many men have many minds. chapter iii. in which a variety of characters appear. chapter iv. renewal of old acquaintance. chapter v. the man with the weed makes it an even question whether he be a great sage or a great simpleton. chapter vi. at the outset of which certain passengers prove deaf to the call of charity. chapter vii. a gentleman with gold sleeve-buttons. chapter viii. a charitable lady. chapter ix. two business men transact a little business. chapter x. in the cabin. chapter xi. only a page or so. chapter xii. the story of the unfortunate man, from which may be gathered whether or no he has been justly so entitled. chapter xiii. the man with the traveling-cap evinces much humanity, and in a way which would seem to show him to be one of the most logical of optimists. chapter xiv. worth the consideration of those to whom it may prove worth considering. chapter xv. an old miser, upon suitable representations, is prevailed upon to venture an investment. chapter xvi. a sick man, after some impatience, is induced to become a patient. chapter xvii. towards the end of which the herb-doctor proves himself a forgiver of injuries. chapter xviii. inquest into the true character of the herb-doctor. chapter xix. a soldier of fortune. chapter xx. reappearance of one who may be remembered. chapter xxi. a hard case. chapter xxii. in the polite spirit of the tusculan disputations. chapter xxiii. in which the powerful effect of natural scenery is evinced in the case of the missourian, who, in view of the region round about cairo, has a return of his chilly fit. chapter xxiv. a philanthropist undertakes to convert a misanthrope, but does not get beyond confuting him. chapter xxv. the cosmopolitan makes an acquaintance. chapter xxvi. containing the metaphysics of indian-hating, according to the views of one evidently not so prepossessed as rousseau in favor of savages. chapter xxvii. some account of a man of questionable morality, but who, nevertheless, would seem entitled to the esteem of that eminent english moralist who said he liked a good hater. chapter xxviii. moot points touching the late colonel john moredock. chapter xxix. the boon companions. chapter xxx. opening with a poetical eulogy of the press, and continuing with talk inspired by the same. chapter xxxi. a metamorphosis more surprising than any in ovid. chapter xxxii. showing that the age of music and magicians is not yet over. chapter xxxiii. which may pass for whatever it may prove to be worth. chapter xxxiv. in which the cosmopolitan tells the story of the gentleman-madman. chapter xxxv. in which the cosmopolitan strikingly evinces the artlessness of his nature. chapter xxxvi. in which the cosmopolitan is accosted by a mystic, whereupon ensues pretty much such talk as might be expected. chapter xxxvii. the mystical master introduces the practical disciple. chapter xxxviii. the disciple unbends, and consents to act a social part. chapter xxxix. the hypothetical friends. chapter xl. in which the story of china aster is, at second-hand, told by one who, while not disapproving the moral, disclaims the spirit of the style. chapter xli. ending with a rupture of the hypothesis. chapter xlii. upon the heel of the last scene, the cosmopolitan enters the barber's shop, a benediction on his lips. chapter xliii. very charming. chapter xliv. in which the last three words of the last chapter are made the text of the discourse, which will be sure of receiving more or less attention from those readers who do not skip it. chapter xlv. the cosmopolitan increases in seriousness. chapter i. a mute goes aboard a boat on the mississippi. at sunrise on a first of april, there appeared, suddenly as manco capac at the lake titicaca, a man in cream-colors, at the water-side in the city of st. louis. his cheek was fair, his chin downy, his hair flaxen, his hat a white fur one, with a long fleecy nap. he had neither trunk, valise, carpet-bag, nor parcel. no porter followed him. he was unaccompanied by friends. from the shrugged shoulders, titters, whispers, wonderings of the crowd, it was plain that he was, in the extremest sense of the word, a stranger. in the same moment with his advent, he stepped aboard the favorite steamer fidèle, on the point of starting for new orleans. stared at, but unsaluted, with the air of one neither courting nor shunning regard, but evenly pursuing the path of duty, lead it through solitudes or cities, he held on his way along the lower deck until he chanced to come to a placard nigh the captain's office, offering a reward for the capture of a mysterious impostor, supposed to have recently arrived from the east; quite an original genius in his vocation, as would appear, though wherein his originality consisted was not clearly given; but what purported to be a careful description of his person followed. as if it had been a theatre-bill, crowds were gathered about the announcement, and among them certain chevaliers, whose eyes, it was plain, were on the capitals, or, at least, earnestly seeking sight of them from behind intervening coats; but as for their fingers, they were enveloped in some myth; though, during a chance interval, one of these chevaliers somewhat showed his hand in purchasing from another chevalier, ex-officio a peddler of money-belts, one of his popular safe-guards, while another peddler, who was still another versatile chevalier, hawked, in the thick of the throng, the lives of measan, the bandit of ohio, murrel, the pirate of the mississippi, and the brothers harpe, the thugs of the green river country, in kentucky--creatures, with others of the sort, one and all exterminated at the time, and for the most part, like the hunted generations of wolves in the same regions, leaving comparatively few successors; which would seem cause for unalloyed gratulation, and is such to all except those who think that in new countries, where the wolves are killed off, the foxes increase. pausing at this spot, the stranger so far succeeded in threading his way, as at last to plant himself just beside the placard, when, producing a small slate and tracing some words upon if, he held it up before him on a level with the placard, so that they who read the one might read the other. the words were these:-- "charity thinketh no evil." as, in gaining his place, some little perseverance, not to say persistence, of a mildly inoffensive sort, had been unavoidable, it was not with the best relish that the crowd regarded his apparent intrusion; and upon a more attentive survey, perceiving no badge of authority about him, but rather something quite the contrary--he being of an aspect so singularly innocent; an aspect too, which they took to be somehow inappropriate to the time and place, and inclining to the notion that his writing was of much the same sort: in short, taking him for some strange kind of simpleton, harmless enough, would he keep to himself, but not wholly unobnoxious as an intruder--they made no scruple to jostle him aside; while one, less kind than the rest, or more of a wag, by an unobserved stroke, dexterously flattened down his fleecy hat upon his head. without readjusting it, the stranger quietly turned, and writing anew upon the slate, again held it up:-- "charity suffereth long, and is kind." illy pleased with his pertinacity, as they thought it, the crowd a second time thrust him aside, and not without epithets and some buffets, all of which were unresented. but, as if at last despairing of so difficult an adventure, wherein one, apparently a non-resistant, sought to impose his presence upon fighting characters, the stranger now moved slowly away, yet not before altering his writing to this:-- "charity endureth all things." shield-like bearing his slate before him, amid stares and jeers he moved slowly up and down, at his turning points again changing his inscription to-- "charity believeth all things." and then-- "charity never faileth." the word charity, as originally traced, remained throughout uneffaced, not unlike the left-hand numeral of a printed date, otherwise left for convenience in blank. to some observers, the singularity, if not lunacy, of the stranger was heightened by his muteness, and, perhaps also, by the contrast to his proceedings afforded in the actions--quite in the wonted and sensible order of things--of the barber of the boat, whose quarters, under a smoking-saloon, and over against a bar-room, was next door but two to the captain's office. as if the long, wide, covered deck, hereabouts built up on both sides with shop-like windowed spaces, were some constantinople arcade or bazaar, where more than one trade is plied, this river barber, aproned and slippered, but rather crusty-looking for the moment, it may be from being newly out of bed, was throwing open his premises for the day, and suitably arranging the exterior. with business-like dispatch, having rattled down his shutters, and at a palm-tree angle set out in the iron fixture his little ornamental pole, and this without overmuch tenderness for the elbows and toes of the crowd, he concluded his operations by bidding people stand still more aside, when, jumping on a stool, he hung over his door, on the customary nail, a gaudy sort of illuminated pasteboard sign, skillfully executed by himself, gilt with the likeness of a razor elbowed in readiness to shave, and also, for the public benefit, with two words not unfrequently seen ashore gracing other shops besides barbers':-- "no trust." an inscription which, though in a sense not less intrusive than the contrasted ones of the stranger, did not, as it seemed, provoke any corresponding derision or surprise, much less indignation; and still less, to all appearances, did it gain for the inscriber the repute of being a simpleton. meanwhile, he with the slate continued moving slowly up and down, not without causing some stares to change into jeers, and some jeers into pushes, and some pushes into punches; when suddenly, in one of his turns, he was hailed from behind by two porters carrying a large trunk; but as the summons, though loud, was without effect, they accidentally or otherwise swung their burden against him, nearly overthrowing him; when, by a quick start, a peculiar inarticulate moan, and a pathetic telegraphing of his fingers, he involuntarily betrayed that he was not alone dumb, but also deaf. presently, as if not wholly unaffected by his reception thus far, he went forward, seating himself in a retired spot on the forecastle, nigh the foot of a ladder there leading to a deck above, up and down which ladder some of the boatmen, in discharge of their duties, were occasionally going. from his betaking himself to this humble quarter, it was evident that, as a deck-passenger, the stranger, simple though he seemed, was not entirely ignorant of his place, though his taking a deck-passage might have been partly for convenience; as, from his having no luggage, it was probable that his destination was one of the small wayside landings within a few hours' sail. but, though he might not have a long way to go, yet he seemed already to have come from a very long distance. though neither soiled nor slovenly, his cream-colored suit had a tossed look, almost linty, as if, traveling night and day from some far country beyond the prairies, he had long been without the solace of a bed. his aspect was at once gentle and jaded, and, from the moment of seating himself, increasing in tired abstraction and dreaminess. gradually overtaken by slumber, his flaxen head drooped, his whole lamb-like figure relaxed, and, half reclining against the ladder's foot, lay motionless, as some sugar-snow in march, which, softly stealing down over night, with its white placidity startles the brown farmer peering out from his threshold at daybreak. chapter ii. showing that many men have many minds. "odd fish!" "poor fellow!" "who can he be?" "casper hauser." "bless my soul!" "uncommon countenance." "green prophet from utah." "humbug!" "singular innocence." "means something." "spirit-rapper." "moon-calf." "piteous." "trying to enlist interest." "beware of him." "fast asleep here, and, doubtless, pick-pockets on board." "kind of daylight endymion." "escaped convict, worn out with dodging." "jacob dreaming at luz." such the epitaphic comments, conflictingly spoken or thought, of a miscellaneous company, who, assembled on the overlooking, cross-wise balcony at the forward end of the upper deck near by, had not witnessed preceding occurrences. meantime, like some enchanted man in his grave, happily oblivious of all gossip, whether chiseled or chatted, the deaf and dumb stranger still tranquilly slept, while now the boat started on her voyage. the great ship-canal of ving-king-ching, in the flowery kingdom, seems the mississippi in parts, where, amply flowing between low, vine-tangled banks, flat as tow-paths, it bears the huge toppling steamers, bedizened and lacquered within like imperial junks. pierced along its great white bulk with two tiers of small embrasure-like windows, well above the waterline, the fiddle, though, might at distance have been taken by strangers for some whitewashed fort on a floating isle. merchants on 'change seem the passengers that buzz on her decks, while, from quarters unseen, comes a murmur as of bees in the comb. fine promenades, domed saloons, long galleries, sunny balconies, confidential passages, bridal chambers, state-rooms plenty as pigeon-holes, and out-of-the-way retreats like secret drawers in an escritoire, present like facilities for publicity or privacy. auctioneer or coiner, with equal ease, might somewhere here drive his trade. though her voyage of twelve hundred miles extends from apple to orange, from clime to clime, yet, like any small ferry-boat, to right and left, at every landing, the huge fidèle still receives additional passengers in exchange for those that disembark; so that, though always full of strangers, she continually, in some degree, adds to, or replaces them with strangers still more strange; like rio janeiro fountain, fed from the cocovarde mountains, which is ever overflowing with strange waters, but never with the same strange particles in every part. though hitherto, as has been seen, the man in cream-colors had by no means passed unobserved, yet by stealing into retirement, and there going asleep and continuing so, he seemed to have courted oblivion, a boon not often withheld from so humble an applicant as he. those staring crowds on the shore were now left far behind, seen dimly clustering like swallows on eaves; while the passengers' attention was soon drawn away to the rapidly shooting high bluffs and shot-towers on the missouri shore, or the bluff-looking missourians and towering kentuckians among the throngs on the decks. by-and-by--two or three random stoppages having been made, and the last transient memory of the slumberer vanished, and he himself, not unlikely, waked up and landed ere now--the crowd, as is usual, began in all parts to break up from a concourse into various clusters or squads, which in some cases disintegrated again into quartettes, trios, and couples, or even solitaires; involuntarily submitting to that natural law which ordains dissolution equally to the mass, as in time to the member. as among chaucer's canterbury pilgrims, or those oriental ones crossing the red sea towards mecca in the festival month, there was no lack of variety. natives of all sorts, and foreigners; men of business and men of pleasure; parlor men and backwoodsmen; farm-hunters and fame-hunters; heiress-hunters, gold-hunters, buffalo-hunters, bee-hunters, happiness-hunters, truth-hunters, and still keener hunters after all these hunters. fine ladies in slippers, and moccasined squaws; northern speculators and eastern philosophers; english, irish, german, scotch, danes; santa fé traders in striped blankets, and broadway bucks in cravats of cloth of gold; fine-looking kentucky boatmen, and japanese-looking mississippi cotton-planters; quakers in full drab, and united states soldiers in full regimentals; slaves, black, mulatto, quadroon; modish young spanish creoles, and old-fashioned french jews; mormons and papists dives and lazarus; jesters and mourners, teetotalers and convivialists, deacons and blacklegs; hard-shell baptists and clay-eaters; grinning negroes, and sioux chiefs solemn as high-priests. in short, a piebald parliament, an anacharsis cloots congress of all kinds of that multiform pilgrim species, man. as pine, beech, birch, ash, hackmatack, hemlock, spruce, bass-wood, maple, interweave their foliage in the natural wood, so these mortals blended their varieties of visage and garb. a tartar-like picturesqueness; a sort of pagan abandonment and assurance. here reigned the dashing and all-fusing spirit of the west, whose type is the mississippi itself, which, uniting the streams of the most distant and opposite zones, pours them along, helter-skelter, in one cosmopolitan and confident tide. chapter iii. in which a variety of characters appear. in the forward part of the boat, not the least attractive object, for a time, was a grotesque negro cripple, in tow-cloth attire and an old coal-sifter of a tamborine in his hand, who, owing to something wrong about his legs, was, in effect, cut down to the stature of a newfoundland dog; his knotted black fleece and good-natured, honest black face rubbing against the upper part of people's thighs as he made shift to shuffle about, making music, such as it was, and raising a smile even from the gravest. it was curious to see him, out of his very deformity, indigence, and houselessness, so cheerily endured, raising mirth in some of that crowd, whose own purses, hearths, hearts, all their possessions, sound limbs included, could not make gay. "what is your name, old boy?" said a purple-faced drover, putting his large purple hand on the cripple's bushy wool, as if it were the curled forehead of a black steer. "der black guinea dey calls me, sar." "and who is your master, guinea?" "oh sar, i am der dog widout massa." "a free dog, eh? well, on your account, i'm sorry for that, guinea. dogs without masters fare hard." "so dey do, sar; so dey do. but you see, sar, dese here legs? what ge'mman want to own dese here legs?" "but where do you live?" "all 'long shore, sar; dough now. i'se going to see brodder at der landing; but chiefly i libs in dey city." "st. louis, ah? where do you sleep there of nights?" "on der floor of der good baker's oven, sar." "in an oven? whose, pray? what baker, i should like to know, bakes such black bread in his oven, alongside of his nice white rolls, too. who is that too charitable baker, pray?" "dar he be," with a broad grin lifting his tambourine high over his head. "the sun is the baker, eh?" "yes sar, in der city dat good baker warms der stones for dis ole darkie when he sleeps out on der pabements o' nights." "but that must be in the summer only, old boy. how about winter, when the cold cossacks come clattering and jingling? how about winter, old boy?" "den dis poor old darkie shakes werry bad, i tell you, sar. oh sar, oh! don't speak ob der winter," he added, with a reminiscent shiver, shuffling off into the thickest of the crowd, like a half-frozen black sheep nudging itself a cozy berth in the heart of the white flock. thus far not very many pennies had been given him, and, used at last to his strange looks, the less polite passengers of those in that part of the boat began to get their fill of him as a curious object; when suddenly the negro more than revived their first interest by an expedient which, whether by chance or design, was a singular temptation at once to _diversion_ and charity, though, even more than his crippled limbs, it put him on a canine footing. in short, as in appearance he seemed a dog, so now, in a merry way, like a dog he began to be treated. still shuffling among the crowd, now and then he would pause, throwing back his head and, opening his mouth like an elephant for tossed apples at a menagerie; when, making a space before him, people would have a bout at a strange sort of pitch-penny game, the cripple's mouth being at once target and purse, and he hailing each expertly-caught copper with a cracked bravura from his tambourine. to be the subject of alms-giving is trying, and to feel in duty bound to appear cheerfully grateful under the trial, must be still more so; but whatever his secret emotions, he swallowed them, while still retaining each copper this side the oesophagus. and nearly always he grinned, and only once or twice did he wince, which was when certain coins, tossed by more playful almoners, came inconveniently nigh to his teeth, an accident whose unwelcomeness was not unedged by the circumstance that the pennies thus thrown proved buttons. while this game of charity was yet at its height, a limping, gimlet-eyed, sour-faced person--it may be some discharged custom-house officer, who, suddenly stripped of convenient means of support, had concluded to be avenged on government and humanity by making himself miserable for life, either by hating or suspecting everything and everybody--this shallow unfortunate, after sundry sorry observations of the negro, began to croak out something about his deformity being a sham, got up for financial purposes, which immediately threw a damp upon the frolic benignities of the pitch-penny players. but that these suspicions came from one who himself on a wooden leg went halt, this did not appear to strike anybody present. that cripples, above all men should be companionable, or, at least, refrain from picking a fellow-limper to pieces, in short, should have a little sympathy in common misfortune, seemed not to occur to the company. meantime, the negro's countenance, before marked with even more than patient good-nature, drooped into a heavy-hearted expression, full of the most painful distress. so far abased beneath its proper physical level, that newfoundland-dog face turned in passively hopeless appeal, as if instinct told it that the right or the wrong might not have overmuch to do with whatever wayward mood superior intelligences might yield to. but instinct, though knowing, is yet a teacher set below reason, which itself says, in the grave words of lysander in the comedy, after puck has made a sage of him with his spell:-- "the will of man is by his reason swayed." so that, suddenly change as people may, in their dispositions, it is not always waywardness, but improved judgment, which, as in lysander's case, or the present, operates with them. yes, they began to scrutinize the negro curiously enough; when, emboldened by this evidence of the efficacy of his words, the wooden-legged man hobbled up to the negro, and, with the air of a beadle, would, to prove his alleged imposture on the spot, have stripped him and then driven him away, but was prevented by the crowd's clamor, now taking part with the poor fellow, against one who had just before turned nearly all minds the other way. so he with the wooden leg was forced to retire; when the rest, finding themselves left sole judges in the case, could not resist the opportunity of acting the part: not because it is a human weakness to take pleasure in sitting in judgment upon one in a box, as surely this unfortunate negro now was, but that it strangely sharpens human perceptions, when, instead of standing by and having their fellow-feelings touched by the sight of an alleged culprit severely handled by some one justiciary, a crowd suddenly come to be all justiciaries in the same case themselves; as in arkansas once, a man proved guilty, by law, of murder, but whose condemnation was deemed unjust by the people, so that they rescued him to try him themselves; whereupon, they, as it turned out, found him even guiltier than the court had done, and forthwith proceeded to execution; so that the gallows presented the truly warning spectacle of a man hanged by his friends. but not to such extremities, or anything like them, did the present crowd come; they, for the time, being content with putting the negro fairly and discreetly to the question; among other things, asking him, had he any documentary proof, any plain paper about him, attesting that his case was not a spurious one. "no, no, dis poor ole darkie haint none o' dem waloable papers," he wailed. "but is there not some one who can speak a good word for you?" here said a person newly arrived from another part of the boat, a young episcopal clergyman, in a long, straight-bodied black coat; small in stature, but manly; with a clear face and blue eye; innocence, tenderness, and good sense triumvirate in his air. "oh yes, oh yes, ge'mmen," he eagerly answered, as if his memory, before suddenly frozen up by cold charity, as suddenly thawed back into fluidity at the first kindly word. "oh yes, oh yes, dar is aboard here a werry nice, good ge'mman wid a weed, and a ge'mman in a gray coat and white tie, what knows all about me; and a ge'mman wid a big book, too; and a yarb-doctor; and a ge'mman in a yaller west; and a ge'mman wid a brass plate; and a ge'mman in a wiolet robe; and a ge'mman as is a sodjer; and ever so many good, kind, honest ge'mmen more aboard what knows me and will speak for me, god bress 'em; yes, and what knows me as well as dis poor old darkie knows hisself, god bress him! oh, find 'em, find 'em," he earnestly added, "and let 'em come quick, and show you all, ge'mmen, dat dis poor ole darkie is werry well wordy of all you kind ge'mmen's kind confidence." "but how are we to find all these people in this great crowd?" was the question of a bystander, umbrella in hand; a middle-aged person, a country merchant apparently, whose natural good-feeling had been made at least cautious by the unnatural ill-feeling of the discharged custom-house officer. "where are we to find them?" half-rebukefully echoed the young episcopal clergymen. "i will go find one to begin with," he quickly added, and, with kind haste suiting the action to the word, away he went. "wild goose chase!" croaked he with the wooden leg, now again drawing nigh. "don't believe there's a soul of them aboard. did ever beggar have such heaps of fine friends? he can walk fast enough when he tries, a good deal faster than i; but he can lie yet faster. he's some white operator, betwisted and painted up for a decoy. he and his friends are all humbugs." "have you no charity, friend?" here in self-subdued tones, singularly contrasted with his unsubdued person, said a methodist minister, advancing; a tall, muscular, martial-looking man, a tennessean by birth, who in the mexican war had been volunteer chaplain to a volunteer rifle-regiment. "charity is one thing, and truth is another," rejoined he with the wooden leg: "he's a rascal, i say." "but why not, friend, put as charitable a construction as one can upon the poor fellow?" said the soldierlike methodist, with increased difficulty maintaining a pacific demeanor towards one whose own asperity seemed so little to entitle him to it: "he looks honest, don't he?" "looks are one thing, and facts are another," snapped out the other perversely; "and as to your constructions, what construction can you put upon a rascal, but that a rascal he is?" "be not such a canada thistle," urged the methodist, with something less of patience than before. "charity, man, charity." "to where it belongs with your charity! to heaven with it!" again snapped out the other, diabolically; "here on earth, true charity dotes, and false charity plots. who betrays a fool with a kiss, the charitable fool has the charity to believe is in love with him, and the charitable knave on the stand gives charitable testimony for his comrade in the box." "surely, friend," returned the noble methodist, with much ado restraining his still waxing indignation--"surely, to say the least, you forget yourself. apply it home," he continued, with exterior calmness tremulous with inkept emotion. "suppose, now, i should exercise no charity in judging your own character by the words which have fallen from you; what sort of vile, pitiless man do you think i would take you for?" "no doubt"--with a grin--"some such pitiless man as has lost his piety in much the same way that the jockey loses his honesty." "and how is that, friend?" still conscientiously holding back the old adam in him, as if it were a mastiff he had by the neck. "never you mind how it is"--with a sneer; "but all horses aint virtuous, no more than all men kind; and come close to, and much dealt with, some things are catching. when you find me a virtuous jockey, i will find you a benevolent wise man." "some insinuation there." "more fool you that are puzzled by it." "reprobate!" cried the other, his indignation now at last almost boiling over; "godless reprobate! if charity did not restrain me, i could call you by names you deserve." "could you, indeed?" with an insolent sneer. "yea, and teach you charity on the spot," cried the goaded methodist, suddenly catching this exasperating opponent by his shabby coat-collar, and shaking him till his timber-toe clattered on the deck like a nine-pin. "you took me for a non-combatant did you?--thought, seedy coward that you are, that you could abuse a christian with impunity. you find your mistake"--with another hearty shake. "well said and better done, church militant!" cried a voice. "the white cravat against the world!" cried another. "bravo, bravo!" chorused many voices, with like enthusiasm taking sides with the resolute champion. "you fools!" cried he with the wooden leg, writhing himself loose and inflamedly turning upon the throng; "you flock of fools, under this captain of fools, in this ship of fools!" with which exclamations, followed by idle threats against his admonisher, this condign victim to justice hobbled away, as disdaining to hold further argument with such a rabble. but his scorn was more than repaid by the hisses that chased him, in which the brave methodist, satisfied with the rebuke already administered, was, to omit still better reasons, too magnanimous to join. all he said was, pointing towards the departing recusant, "there he shambles off on his one lone leg, emblematic of his one-sided view of humanity." "but trust your painted decoy," retorted the other from a distance, pointing back to the black cripple, "and i have my revenge." "but we aint agoing to trust him!" shouted back a voice. "so much the better," he jeered back. "look you," he added, coming to a dead halt where he was; "look you, i have been called a canada thistle. very good. and a seedy one: still better. and the seedy canada thistle has been pretty well shaken among ye: best of all. dare say some seed has been shaken out; and won't it spring though? and when it does spring, do you cut down the young thistles, and won't they spring the more? it's encouraging and coaxing 'em. now, when with my thistles your farms shall be well stocked, why then--you may abandon 'em!" "what does all that mean, now?" asked the country merchant, staring. "nothing; the foiled wolf's parting howl," said the methodist. "spleen, much spleen, which is the rickety child of his evil heart of unbelief: it has made him mad. i suspect him for one naturally reprobate. oh, friends," raising his arms as in the pulpit, "oh beloved, how are we admonished by the melancholy spectacle of this raver. let us profit by the lesson; and is it not this: that if, next to mistrusting providence, there be aught that man should pray against, it is against mistrusting his fellow-man. i have been in mad-houses full of tragic mopers, and seen there the end of suspicion: the cynic, in the moody madness muttering in the corner; for years a barren fixture there; head lopped over, gnawing his own lip, vulture of himself; while, by fits and starts, from the corner opposite came the grimace of the idiot at him." "what an example," whispered one. "might deter timon," was the response. "oh, oh, good ge'mmen, have you no confidence in dis poor ole darkie?" now wailed the returning negro, who, during the late scene, had stumped apart in alarm. "confidence in you?" echoed he who had whispered, with abruptly changed air turning short round; "that remains to be seen." "i tell you what it is, ebony," in similarly changed tones said he who had responded to the whisperer, "yonder churl," pointing toward the wooden leg in the distance, "is, no doubt, a churlish fellow enough, and i would not wish to be like him; but that is no reason why you may not be some sort of black jeremy diddler." "no confidence in dis poor ole darkie, den?" "before giving you our confidence," said a third, "we will wait the report of the kind gentleman who went in search of one of your friends who was to speak for you." "very likely, in that case," said a fourth, "we shall wait here till christmas. shouldn't wonder, did we not see that kind gentleman again. after seeking awhile in vain, he will conclude he has been made a fool of, and so not return to us for pure shame. fact is, i begin to feel a little qualmish about the darkie myself. something queer about this darkie, depend upon it." once more the negro wailed, and turning in despair from the last speaker, imploringly caught the methodist by the skirt of his coat. but a change had come over that before impassioned intercessor. with an irresolute and troubled air, he mutely eyed the suppliant; against whom, somehow, by what seemed instinctive influences, the distrusts first set on foot were now generally reviving, and, if anything, with added severity. "no confidence in dis poor ole darkie," yet again wailed the negro, letting go the coat-skirts and turning appealingly all round him. "yes, my poor fellow _i_ have confidence in you," now exclaimed the country merchant before named, whom the negro's appeal, coming so piteously on the heel of pitilessness, seemed at last humanely to have decided in his favor. "and here, here is some proof of my trust," with which, tucking his umbrella under his arm, and diving down his hand into his pocket, he fished forth a purse, and, accidentally, along with it, his business card, which, unobserved, dropped to the deck. "here, here, my poor fellow," he continued, extending a half dollar. not more grateful for the coin than the kindness, the cripple's face glowed like a polished copper saucepan, and shuffling a pace nigher, with one upstretched hand he received the alms, while, as unconsciously, his one advanced leather stump covered the card. done in despite of the general sentiment, the good deed of the merchant was not, perhaps, without its unwelcome return from the crowd, since that good deed seemed somehow to convey to them a sort of reproach. still again, and more pertinaciously than ever, the cry arose against the negro, and still again he wailed forth his lament and appeal among other things, repeating that the friends, of whom already he had partially run off the list, would freely speak for him, would anybody go find them. "why don't you go find 'em yourself?" demanded a gruff boatman. "how can i go find 'em myself? dis poor ole game-legged darkie's friends must come to him. oh, whar, whar is dat good friend of dis darkie's, dat good man wid de weed?" at this point, a steward ringing a bell came along, summoning all persons who had not got their tickets to step to the captain's office; an announcement which speedily thinned the throng about the black cripple, who himself soon forlornly stumped out of sight, probably on much the same errand as the rest. chapter iv. renewal of old acquaintance. "how do you do, mr. roberts?" "eh?" "don't you know me?" "no, certainly." the crowd about the captain's office, having in good time melted away, the above encounter took place in one of the side balconies astern, between a man in mourning clean and respectable, but none of the glossiest, a long weed on his hat, and the country-merchant before-mentioned, whom, with the familiarity of an old acquaintance, the former had accosted. "is it possible, my dear sir," resumed he with the weed, "that you do not recall my countenance? why yours i recall distinctly as if but half an hour, instead of half an age, had passed since i saw you. don't you recall me, now? look harder." "in my conscience--truly--i protest," honestly bewildered, "bless my soul, sir, i don't know you--really, really. but stay, stay," he hurriedly added, not without gratification, glancing up at the crape on the stranger's hat, "stay--yes--seems to me, though i have not the pleasure of personally knowing you, yet i am pretty sure i have at least _heard_ of you, and recently too, quite recently. a poor negro aboard here referred to you, among others, for a character, i think." "oh, the cripple. poor fellow. i know him well. they found me. i have said all i could for him. i think i abated their distrust. would i could have been of more substantial service. and apropos, sir," he added, "now that it strikes me, allow me to ask, whether the circumstance of one man, however humble, referring for a character to another man, however afflicted, does not argue more or less of moral worth in the latter?" the good merchant looked puzzled. "still you don't recall my countenance?" "still does truth compel me to say that i cannot, despite my best efforts," was the reluctantly-candid reply. "can i be so changed? look at me. or is it i who am mistaken?--are you not, sir, henry roberts, forwarding merchant, of wheeling, pennsylvania? pray, now, if you use the advertisement of business cards, and happen to have one with you, just look at it, and see whether you are not the man i take you for." "why," a bit chafed, perhaps, "i hope i know myself." "and yet self-knowledge is thought by some not so easy. who knows, my dear sir, but for a time you may have taken yourself for somebody else? stranger things have happened." the good merchant stared. "to come to particulars, my dear sir, i met you, now some six years back, at brade brothers & co's office, i think. i was traveling for a philadelphia house. the senior brade introduced us, you remember; some business-chat followed, then you forced me home with you to a family tea, and a family time we had. have you forgotten about the urn, and what i said about werter's charlotte, and the bread and butter, and that capital story you told of the large loaf. a hundred times since, i have laughed over it. at least you must recall my name--ringman, john ringman." "large loaf? invited you to tea? ringman? ringman? ring? ring?" "ah sir," sadly smiling, "don't ring the changes that way. i see you have a faithless memory, mr. roberts. but trust in the faithfulness of mine." "well, to tell the truth, in some things my memory aint of the very best," was the honest rejoinder. "but still," he perplexedly added, "still i----" "oh sir, suffice it that it is as i say. doubt not that we are all well acquainted." "but--but i don't like this going dead against my own memory; i----" "but didn't you admit, my dear sir, that in some things this memory of yours is a little faithless? now, those who have faithless memories, should they not have some little confidence in the less faithless memories of others?" "but, of this friendly chat and tea, i have not the slightest----" "i see, i see; quite erased from the tablet. pray, sir," with a sudden illumination, "about six years back, did it happen to you to receive any injury on the head? surprising effects have arisen from such a cause. not alone unconsciousness as to events for a greater or less time immediately subsequent to the injury, but likewise--strange to add--oblivion, entire and incurable, as to events embracing a longer or shorter period immediately preceding it; that is, when the mind at the time was perfectly sensible of them, and fully competent also to register them in the memory, and did in fact so do; but all in vain, for all was afterwards bruised out by the injury." after the first start, the merchant listened with what appeared more than ordinary interest. the other proceeded: "in my boyhood i was kicked by a horse, and lay insensible for a long time. upon recovering, what a blank! no faintest trace in regard to how i had come near the horse, or what horse it was, or where it was, or that it was a horse at all that had brought me to that pass. for the knowledge of those particulars i am indebted solely to my friends, in whose statements, i need not say, i place implicit reliance, since particulars of some sort there must have been, and why should they deceive me? you see sir, the mind is ductile, very much so: but images, ductilely received into it, need a certain time to harden and bake in their impressions, otherwise such a casualty as i speak of will in an instant obliterate them, as though they had never been. we are but clay, sir, potter's clay, as the good book says, clay, feeble, and too-yielding clay. but i will not philosophize. tell me, was it your misfortune to receive any concussion upon the brain about the period i speak of? if so, i will with pleasure supply the void in your memory by more minutely rehearsing the circumstances of our acquaintance." the growing interest betrayed by the merchant had not relaxed as the other proceeded. after some hesitation, indeed, something more than hesitation, he confessed that, though he had never received any injury of the sort named, yet, about the time in question, he had in fact been taken with a brain fever, losing his mind completely for a considerable interval. he was continuing, when the stranger with much animation exclaimed: "there now, you see, i was not wholly mistaken. that brain fever accounts for it all." "nay; but----" "pardon me, mr. roberts," respectfully interrupting him, "but time is short, and i have something private and particular to say to you. allow me." mr. roberts, good man, could but acquiesce, and the two having silently walked to a less public spot, the manner of the man with the weed suddenly assumed a seriousness almost painful. what might be called a writhing expression stole over him. he seemed struggling with some disastrous necessity inkept. he made one or two attempts to speak, but words seemed to choke him. his companion stood in humane surprise, wondering what was to come. at length, with an effort mastering his feelings, in a tolerably composed tone he spoke: "if i remember, you are a mason, mr. roberts?" "yes, yes." averting himself a moment, as to recover from a return of agitation, the stranger grasped the other's hand; "and would you not loan a brother a shilling if he needed it?" the merchant started, apparently, almost as if to retreat. "ah, mr. roberts, i trust you are not one of those business men, who make a business of never having to do with unfortunates. for god's sake don't leave me. i have something on my heart--on my heart. under deplorable circumstances thrown among strangers, utter strangers. i want a friend in whom i may confide. yours, mr. roberts, is almost the first known face i've seen for many weeks." it was so sudden an outburst; the interview offered such a contrast to the scene around, that the merchant, though not used to be very indiscreet, yet, being not entirely inhumane, remained not entirely unmoved. the other, still tremulous, resumed: "i need not say, sir, how it cuts me to the soul, to follow up a social salutation with such words as have just been mine. i know that i jeopardize your good opinion. but i can't help it: necessity knows no law, and heeds no risk. sir, we are masons, one more step aside; i will tell you my story." in a low, half-suppressed tone, he began it. judging from his auditor's expression, it seemed to be a tale of singular interest, involving calamities against which no integrity, no forethought, no energy, no genius, no piety, could guard. at every disclosure, the hearer's commiseration increased. no sentimental pity. as the story went on, he drew from his wallet a bank note, but after a while, at some still more unhappy revelation, changed it for another, probably of a somewhat larger amount; which, when the story was concluded, with an air studiously disclamatory of alms-giving, he put into the stranger's hands; who, on his side, with an air studiously disclamatory of alms-taking, put it into his pocket. assistance being received, the stranger's manner assumed a kind and degree of decorum which, under the circumstances, seemed almost coldness. after some words, not over ardent, and yet not exactly inappropriate, he took leave, making a bow which had one knows not what of a certain chastened independence about it; as if misery, however burdensome, could not break down self-respect, nor gratitude, however deep, humiliate a gentleman. he was hardly yet out of sight, when he paused as if thinking; then with hastened steps returning to the merchant, "i am just reminded that the president, who is also transfer-agent, of the black rapids coal company, happens to be on board here, and, having been subpoenaed as witness in a stock case on the docket in kentucky, has his transfer-book with him. a month since, in a panic contrived by artful alarmists, some credulous stock-holders sold out; but, to frustrate the aim of the alarmists, the company, previously advised of their scheme, so managed it as to get into its own hands those sacrificed shares, resolved that, since a spurious panic must be, the panic-makers should be no gainers by it. the company, i hear, is now ready, but not anxious, to redispose of those shares; and having obtained them at their depressed value, will now sell them at par, though, prior to the panic, they were held at a handsome figure above. that the readiness of the company to do this is not generally known, is shown by the fact that the stock still stands on the transfer-book in the company's name, offering to one in funds a rare chance for investment. for, the panic subsiding more and more every day, it will daily be seen how it originated; confidence will be more than restored; there will be a reaction; from the stock's descent its rise will be higher than from no fall, the holders trusting themselves to fear no second fate." having listened at first with curiosity, at last with interest, the merchant replied to the effect, that some time since, through friends concerned with it, he had heard of the company, and heard well of it, but was ignorant that there had latterly been fluctuations. he added that he was no speculator; that hitherto he had avoided having to do with stocks of any sort, but in the present case he really felt something like being tempted. "pray," in conclusion, "do you think that upon a pinch anything could be transacted on board here with the transfer-agent? are you acquainted with him?" "not personally. i but happened to hear that he was a passenger. for the rest, though it might be somewhat informal, the gentleman might not object to doing a little business on board. along the mississippi, you know, business is not so ceremonious as at the east." "true," returned the merchant, and looked down a moment in thought, then, raising his head quickly, said, in a tone not so benign as his wonted one, "this would seem a rare chance, indeed; why, upon first hearing it, did you not snatch at it? i mean for yourself!" "i?--would it had been possible!" not without some emotion was this said, and not without some embarrassment was the reply. "ah, yes, i had forgotten." upon this, the stranger regarded him with mild gravity, not a little disconcerting; the more so, as there was in it what seemed the aspect not alone of the superior, but, as it were, the rebuker; which sort of bearing, in a beneficiary towards his benefactor, looked strangely enough; none the less, that, somehow, it sat not altogether unbecomingly upon the beneficiary, being free from anything like the appearance of assumption, and mixed with a kind of painful conscientiousness, as though nothing but a proper sense of what he owed to himself swayed him. at length he spoke: "to reproach a penniless man with remissness in not availing himself of an opportunity for pecuniary investment--but, no, no; it was forgetfulness; and this, charity will impute to some lingering effect of that unfortunate brain-fever, which, as to occurrences dating yet further back, disturbed mr. roberts's memory still more seriously." "as to that," said the merchant, rallying, "i am not----" "pardon me, but you must admit, that just now, an unpleasant distrust, however vague, was yours. ah, shallow as it is, yet, how subtle a thing is suspicion, which at times can invade the humanest of hearts and wisest of heads. but, enough. my object, sir, in calling your attention to this stock, is by way of acknowledgment of your goodness. i but seek to be grateful; if my information leads to nothing, you must remember the motive." he bowed, and finally retired, leaving mr. roberts not wholly without self-reproach, for having momentarily indulged injurious thoughts against one who, it was evident, was possessed of a self-respect which forbade his indulging them himself. chapter v the man with the weed makes it an even question whether he be a great sage or a great simpleton. "well, there is sorrow in the world, but goodness too; and goodness that is not greenness, either, no more than sorrow is. dear good man. poor beating heart!" it was the man with the weed, not very long after quitting the merchant, murmuring to himself with his hand to his side like one with the heart-disease. meditation over kindness received seemed to have softened him something, too, it may be, beyond what might, perhaps, have been looked for from one whose unwonted self-respect in the hour of need, and in the act of being aided, might have appeared to some not wholly unlike pride out of place; and pride, in any place, is seldom very feeling. but the truth, perhaps, is, that those who are least touched with that vice, besides being not unsusceptible to goodness, are sometimes the ones whom a ruling sense of propriety makes appear cold, if not thankless, under a favor. for, at such a time, to be full of warm, earnest words, and heart-felt protestations, is to create a scene; and well-bred people dislike few things more than that; which would seem to look as if the world did not relish earnestness; but, not so; because the world, being earnest itself, likes an earnest scene, and an earnest man, very well, but only in their place--the stage. see what sad work they make of it, who, ignorant of this, flame out in irish enthusiasm and with irish sincerity, to a benefactor, who, if a man of sense and respectability, as well as kindliness, can but be more or less annoyed by it; and, if of a nervously fastidious nature, as some are, may be led to think almost as much less favorably of the beneficiary paining him by his gratitude, as if he had been guilty of its contrary, instead only of an indiscretion. but, beneficiaries who know better, though they may feel as much, if not more, neither inflict such pain, nor are inclined to run any risk of so doing. and these, being wise, are the majority. by which one sees how inconsiderate those persons are, who, from the absence of its officious manifestations in the world, complain that there is not much gratitude extant; when the truth is, that there is as much of it as there is of modesty; but, both being for the most part votarists of the shade, for the most part keep out of sight. what started this was, to account, if necessary, for the changed air of the man with the weed, who, throwing off in private the cold garb of decorum, and so giving warmly loose to his genuine heart, seemed almost transformed into another being. this subdued air of softness, too, was toned with melancholy, melancholy unreserved; a thing which, however at variance with propriety, still the more attested his earnestness; for one knows not how it is, but it sometimes happens that, where earnestness is, there, also, is melancholy. at the time, he was leaning over the rail at the boat's side, in his pensiveness, unmindful of another pensive figure near--a young gentleman with a swan-neck, wearing a lady-like open shirt collar, thrown back, and tied with a black ribbon. from a square, tableted-broach, curiously engraved with greek characters, he seemed a collegian--not improbably, a sophomore--on his travels; possibly, his first. a small book bound in roman vellum was in his hand. overhearing his murmuring neighbor, the youth regarded him with some surprise, not to say interest. but, singularly for a collegian, being apparently of a retiring nature, he did not speak; when the other still more increased his diffidence by changing from soliloquy to colloquy, in a manner strangely mixed of familiarity and pathos. "ah, who is this? you did not hear me, my young friend, did you? why, you, too, look sad. my melancholy is not catching!" "sir, sir," stammered the other. "pray, now," with a sort of sociable sorrowfulness, slowly sliding along the rail, "pray, now, my young friend, what volume have you there? give me leave," gently drawing it from him. "tacitus!" then opening it at random, read: "in general a black and shameful period lies before me." "dear young sir," touching his arm alarmedly, "don't read this book. it is poison, moral poison. even were there truth in tacitus, such truth would have the operation of falsity, and so still be poison, moral poison. too well i know this tacitus. in my college-days he came near souring me into cynicism. yes, i began to turn down my collar, and go about with a disdainfully joyless expression." "sir, sir, i--i--" "trust me. now, young friend, perhaps you think that tacitus, like me, is only melancholy; but he's more--he's ugly. a vast difference, young sir, between the melancholy view and the ugly. the one may show the world still beautiful, not so the other. the one may be compatible with benevolence, the other not. the one may deepen insight, the other shallows it. drop tacitus. phrenologically, my young friend, you would seem to have a well-developed head, and large; but cribbed within the ugly view, the tacitus view, your large brain, like your large ox in the contracted field, will but starve the more. and don't dream, as some of you students may, that, by taking this same ugly view, the deeper meanings of the deeper books will so alone become revealed to you. drop tacitus. his subtlety is falsity, to him, in his double-refined anatomy of human nature, is well applied the scripture saying--'there is a subtle man, and the same is deceived.' drop tacitus. come, now, let me throw the book overboard." "sir, i--i--" "not a word; i know just what is in your mind, and that is just what i am speaking to. yes, learn from me that, though the sorrows of the world are great, its wickedness--that is, its ugliness--is small. much cause to pity man, little to distrust him. i myself have known adversity, and know it still. but for that, do i turn cynic? no, no: it is small beer that sours. to my fellow-creatures i owe alleviations. so, whatever i may have undergone, it but deepens my confidence in my kind. now, then" (winningly), "this book--will you let me drown it for you?" "really, sir--i--" "i see, i see. but of course you read tacitus in order to aid you in understanding human nature--as if truth was ever got at by libel. my young friend, if to know human nature is your object, drop tacitus and go north to the cemeteries of auburn and greenwood." "upon my word, i--i--" "nay, i foresee all that. but you carry tacitus, that shallow tacitus. what do _i_ carry? see"--producing a pocket-volume--"akenside--his 'pleasures of imagination.' one of these days you will know it. whatever our lot, we should read serene and cheery books, fitted to inspire love and trust. but tacitus! i have long been of opinion that these classics are the bane of colleges; for--not to hint of the immorality of ovid, horace, anacreon, and the rest, and the dangerous theology of eschylus and others--where will one find views so injurious to human nature as in thucydides, juvenal, lucian, but more particularly tacitus? when i consider that, ever since the revival of learning, these classics have been the favorites of successive generations of students and studious men, i tremble to think of that mass of unsuspected heresy on every vital topic which for centuries must have simmered unsurmised in the heart of christendom. but tacitus--he is the most extraordinary example of a heretic; not one iota of confidence in his kind. what a mockery that such an one should be reputed wise, and thucydides be esteemed the statesman's manual! but tacitus--i hate tacitus; not, though, i trust, with the hate that sins, but a righteous hate. without confidence himself, tacitus destroys it in all his readers. destroys confidence, paternal confidence, of which god knows that there is in this world none to spare. for, comparatively inexperienced as you are, my dear young friend, did you never observe how little, very little, confidence, there is? i mean between man and man--more particularly between stranger and stranger. in a sad world it is the saddest fact. confidence! i have sometimes almost thought that confidence is fled; that confidence is the new astrea--emigrated--vanished--gone." then softly sliding nearer, with the softest air, quivering down and looking up, "could you now, my dear young sir, under such circumstances, by way of experiment, simply have confidence in _me_?" from the outset, the sophomore, as has been seen, had struggled with an ever-increasing embarrassment, arising, perhaps, from such strange remarks coming from a stranger--such persistent and prolonged remarks, too. in vain had he more than once sought to break the spell by venturing a deprecatory or leave-taking word. in vain. somehow, the stranger fascinated him. little wonder, then, that, when the appeal came, he could hardly speak, but, as before intimated, being apparently of a retiring nature, abruptly retired from the spot, leaving the chagrined stranger to wander away in the opposite direction. chapter vi. at the outset of which certain passengers prove deaf to the call of charity. ----"you--pish! why will the captain suffer these begging fellows on board?"; these pettish words were breathed by a well-to-do gentleman in a ruby-colored velvet vest, and with a ruby-colored cheek, a ruby-headed cane in his hand, to a man in a gray coat and white tie, who, shortly after the interview last described, had accosted him for contributions to a widow and orphan asylum recently founded among the seminoles. upon a cursory view, this last person might have seemed, like the man with the weed, one of the less unrefined children of misfortune; but, on a closer observation, his countenance revealed little of sorrow, though much of sanctity. with added words of touchy disgust, the well-to-do gentleman hurried away. but, though repulsed, and rudely, the man in gray did not reproach, for a time patiently remaining in the chilly loneliness to which he had been left, his countenance, however, not without token of latent though chastened reliance. at length an old gentleman, somewhat bulky, drew nigh, and from him also a contribution was sought. "look, you," coming to a dead halt, and scowling upon him. "look, you," swelling his bulk out before him like a swaying balloon, "look, you, you on others' behalf ask for money; you, a fellow with a face as long as my arm. hark ye, now: there is such a thing as gravity, and in condemned felons it may be genuine; but of long faces there are three sorts; that of grief's drudge, that of the lantern-jawed man, and that of the impostor. you know best which yours is." "heaven give you more charity, sir." "and you less hypocrisy, sir." with which words, the hard-hearted old gentleman marched off. while the other still stood forlorn, the young clergyman, before introduced, passing that way, catching a chance sight of him, seemed suddenly struck by some recollection; and, after a moment's pause, hurried up with: "your pardon, but shortly since i was all over looking for you." "for me?" as marveling that one of so little account should be sought for. "yes, for you; do you know anything about the negro, apparently a cripple, aboard here? is he, or is he not, what he seems to be?" "ah, poor guinea! have you, too, been distrusted? you, upon whom nature has placarded the evidence of your claims?" "then you do really know him, and he is quite worthy? it relieves me to hear it--much relieves me. come, let us go find him, and see what can be done." "another instance that confidence may come too late. i am sorry to say that at the last landing i myself--just happening to catch sight of him on the gangway-plank--assisted the cripple ashore. no time to talk, only to help. he may not have told you, but he has a brother in that vicinity. "really, i regret his going without my seeing him again; regret it, more, perhaps, than you can readily think. you see, shortly after leaving st. louis, he was on the forecastle, and there, with many others, i saw him, and put trust in him; so much so, that, to convince those who did not, i, at his entreaty, went in search of you, you being one of several individuals he mentioned, and whose personal appearance he more or less described, individuals who he said would willingly speak for him. but, after diligent search, not finding you, and catching no glimpse of any of the others he had enumerated, doubts were at last suggested; but doubts indirectly originating, as i can but think, from prior distrust unfeelingly proclaimed by another. still, certain it is, i began to suspect." "ha, ha, ha!" a sort of laugh more like a groan than a laugh; and yet, somehow, it seemed intended for a laugh. both turned, and the young clergyman started at seeing the wooden-legged man close behind him, morosely grave as a criminal judge with a mustard-plaster on his back. in the present case the mustard-plaster might have been the memory of certain recent biting rebuffs and mortifications. "wouldn't think it was i who laughed would you?" "but who was it you laughed at? or rather, tried to laugh at?" demanded the young clergyman, flushing, "me?" "neither you nor any one within a thousand miles of you. but perhaps you don't believe it." "if he were of a suspicious temper, he might not," interposed the man in gray calmly, "it is one of the imbecilities of the suspicious person to fancy that every stranger, however absent-minded, he sees so much as smiling or gesturing to himself in any odd sort of way, is secretly making him his butt. in some moods, the movements of an entire street, as the suspicious man walks down it, will seem an express pantomimic jeer at him. in short, the suspicious man kicks himself with his own foot." "whoever can do that, ten to one he saves other folks' sole-leather," said the wooden-legged man with a crusty attempt at humor. but with augmented grin and squirm, turning directly upon the young clergyman, "you still think it was _you_ i was laughing at, just now. to prove your mistake, i will tell you what i _was_ laughing at; a story i happened to call to mind just then." whereupon, in his porcupine way, and with sarcastic details, unpleasant to repeat, he related a story, which might, perhaps, in a good-natured version, be rendered as follows: a certain frenchman of new orleans, an old man, less slender in purse than limb, happening to attend the theatre one evening, was so charmed with the character of a faithful wife, as there represented to the life, that nothing would do but he must marry upon it. so, marry he did, a beautiful girl from tennessee, who had first attracted his attention by her liberal mould, and was subsequently recommended to him through her kin, for her equally liberal education and disposition. though large, the praise proved not too much. for, ere long, rumor more than corroborated it, by whispering that the lady was liberal to a fault. but though various circumstances, which by most benedicts would have been deemed all but conclusive, were duly recited to the old frenchman by his friends, yet such was his confidence that not a syllable would he credit, till, chancing one night to return unexpectedly from a journey, upon entering his apartment, a stranger burst from the alcove: "begar!" cried he, "now i _begin_ to suspec." his story told, the wooden-legged man threw back his head, and gave vent to a long, gasping, rasping sort of taunting cry, intolerable as that of a high-pressure engine jeering off steam; and that done, with apparent satisfaction hobbled away. "who is that scoffer," said the man in gray, not without warmth. "who is he, who even were truth on his tongue, his way of speaking it would make truth almost offensive as falsehood. who is he?" "he who i mentioned to you as having boasted his suspicion of the negro," replied the young clergyman, recovering from disturbance, "in short, the person to whom i ascribe the origin of my own distrust; he maintained that guinea was some white scoundrel, betwisted and painted up for a decoy. yes, these were his very words, i think." "impossible! he could not be so wrong-headed. pray, will you call him back, and let me ask him if he were really in earnest?" the other complied; and, at length, after no few surly objections, prevailed upon the one-legged individual to return for a moment. upon which, the man in gray thus addressed him: "this reverend gentleman tells me, sir, that a certain cripple, a poor negro, is by you considered an ingenious impostor. now, i am not unaware that there are some persons in this world, who, unable to give better proof of being wise, take a strange delight in showing what they think they have sagaciously read in mankind by uncharitable suspicions of them. i hope you are not one of these. in short, would you tell me now, whether you were not merely joking in the notion you threw out about the negro. would you be so kind?" "no, i won't be so kind, i'll be so cruel." "as you please about that." "well, he's just what i said he was." "a white masquerading as a black?" "exactly." the man in gray glanced at the young clergyman a moment, then quietly whispered to him, "i thought you represented your friend here as a very distrustful sort of person, but he appears endued with a singular credulity.--tell me, sir, do you really think that a white could look the negro so? for one, i should call it pretty good acting." "not much better than any other man acts." "how? does all the world act? am _i_, for instance, an actor? is my reverend friend here, too, a performer?" "yes, don't you both perform acts? to do, is to act; so all doers are actors." "you trifle.--i ask again, if a white, how could he look the negro so?" "never saw the negro-minstrels, i suppose?" "yes, but they are apt to overdo the ebony; exemplifying the old saying, not more just than charitable, that 'the devil is never so black as he is painted.' but his limbs, if not a cripple, how could he twist his limbs so?" "how do other hypocritical beggars twist theirs? easy enough to see how they are hoisted up." "the sham is evident, then?" "to the discerning eye," with a horrible screw of his gimlet one. "well, where is guinea?" said the man in gray; "where is he? let us at once find him, and refute beyond cavil this injurious hypothesis." "do so," cried the one-eyed man, "i'm just in the humor now for having him found, and leaving the streaks of these fingers on his paint, as the lion leaves the streaks of his nails on a caffre. they wouldn't let me touch him before. yes, find him, i'll make wool fly, and him after." "you forget," here said the young clergyman to the man in gray, "that yourself helped poor guinea ashore." "so i did, so i did; how unfortunate. but look now," to the other, "i think that without personal proof i can convince you of your mistake. for i put it to you, is it reasonable to suppose that a man with brains, sufficient to act such a part as you say, would take all that trouble, and run all that hazard, for the mere sake of those few paltry coppers, which, i hear, was all he got for his pains, if pains they were?" "that puts the case irrefutably," said the young clergyman, with a challenging glance towards the one-legged man. "you two green-horns! money, you think, is the sole motive to pains and hazard, deception and deviltry, in this world. how much money did the devil make by gulling eve?" whereupon he hobbled off again with a repetition of his intolerable jeer. the man in gray stood silently eying his retreat a while, and then, turning to his companion, said: "a bad man, a dangerous man; a man to be put down in any christian community.--and this was he who was the means of begetting your distrust? ah, we should shut our ears to distrust, and keep them open only for its opposite." "you advance a principle, which, if i had acted upon it this morning, i should have spared myself what i now feel.--that but one man, and he with one leg, should have such ill power given him; his one sour word leavening into congenial sourness (as, to my knowledge, it did) the dispositions, before sweet enough, of a numerous company. but, as i hinted, with me at the time his ill words went for nothing; the same as now; only afterwards they had effect; and i confess, this puzzles me." "it should not. with humane minds, the spirit of distrust works something as certain potions do; it is a spirit which may enter such minds, and yet, for a time, longer or shorter, lie in them quiescent; but only the more deplorable its ultimate activity." "an uncomfortable solution; for, since that baneful man did but just now anew drop on me his bane, how shall i be sure that my present exemption from its effects will be lasting?" "you cannot be sure, but you can strive against it." "how?" "by strangling the least symptom of distrust, of any sort, which hereafter, upon whatever provocation, may arise in you." "i will do so." then added as in soliloquy, "indeed, indeed, i was to blame in standing passive under such influences as that one-legged man's. my conscience upbraids me.--the poor negro: you see him occasionally, perhaps?" "no, not often; though in a few days, as it happens, my engagements will call me to the neighborhood of his present retreat; and, no doubt, honest guinea, who is a grateful soul, will come to see me there." "then you have been his benefactor?" "his benefactor? i did not say that. i have known him." "take this mite. hand it to guinea when you see him; say it comes from one who has full belief in his honesty, and is sincerely sorry for having indulged, however transiently, in a contrary thought." "i accept the trust. and, by-the-way, since you are of this truly charitable nature, you will not turn away an appeal in behalf of the seminole widow and orphan asylum?" "i have not heard of that charity." "but recently founded." after a pause, the clergyman was irresolutely putting his hand in his pocket, when, caught by something in his companion's expression, he eyed him inquisitively, almost uneasily. "ah, well," smiled the other wanly, "if that subtle bane, we were speaking of but just now, is so soon beginning to work, in vain my appeal to you. good-by." "nay," not untouched, "you do me injustice; instead of indulging present suspicions, i had rather make amends for previous ones. here is something for your asylum. not much; but every drop helps. of course you have papers?" "of course," producing a memorandum book and pencil. "let me take down name and amount. we publish these names. and now let me give you a little history of our asylum, and the providential way in which it was started." chapter vii. a gentleman with gold sleeve-buttons. at an interesting point of the narration, and at the moment when, with much curiosity, indeed, urgency, the narrator was being particularly questioned upon that point, he was, as it happened, altogether diverted both from it and his story, by just then catching sight of a gentleman who had been standing in sight from the beginning, but, until now, as it seemed, without being observed by him. "pardon me," said he, rising, "but yonder is one who i know will contribute, and largely. don't take it amiss if i quit you." "go: duty before all things," was the conscientious reply. the stranger was a man of more than winsome aspect. there he stood apart and in repose, and yet, by his mere look, lured the man in gray from his story, much as, by its graciousness of bearing, some full-leaved elm, alone in a meadow, lures the noon sickleman to throw down his sheaves, and come and apply for the alms of its shade. but, considering that goodness is no such rare thing among men--the world familiarly know the noun; a common one in every language--it was curious that what so signalized the stranger, and made him look like a kind of foreigner, among the crowd (as to some it make him appear more or less unreal in this portraiture), was but the expression of so prevalent a quality. such goodness seemed his, allied with such fortune, that, so far as his own personal experience could have gone, scarcely could he have known ill, physical or moral; and as for knowing or suspecting the latter in any serious degree (supposing such degree of it to be), by observation or philosophy; for that, probably, his nature, by its opposition, imperfectly qualified, or from it wholly exempted. for the rest, he might have been five and fifty, perhaps sixty, but tall, rosy, between plump and portly, with a primy, palmy air, and for the time and place, not to hint of his years, dressed with a strangely festive finish and elegance. the inner-side of his coat-skirts was of white satin, which might have looked especially inappropriate, had it not seemed less a bit of mere tailoring than something of an emblem, as it were; an involuntary emblem, let us say, that what seemed so good about him was not all outside; no, the fine covering had a still finer lining. upon one hand he wore a white kid glove, but the other hand, which was ungloved, looked hardly less white. now, as the fidèle, like most steamboats, was upon deck a little soot-streaked here and there, especially about the railings, it was marvel how, under such circumstances, these hands retained their spotlessness. but, if you watched them a while, you noticed that they avoided touching anything; you noticed, in short, that a certain negro body-servant, whose hands nature had dyed black, perhaps with the same purpose that millers wear white, this negro servant's hands did most of his master's handling for him; having to do with dirt on his account, but not to his prejudices. but if, with the same undefiledness of consequences to himself, a gentleman could also sin by deputy, how shocking would that be! but it is not permitted to be; and even if it were, no judicious moralist would make proclamation of it. this gentleman, therefore, there is reason to affirm, was one who, like the hebrew governor, knew how to keep his hands clean, and who never in his life happened to be run suddenly against by hurrying house-painter, or sweep; in a word, one whose very good luck it was to be a very good man. not that he looked as if he were a kind of wilberforce at all; that superior merit, probably, was not his; nothing in his manner bespoke him righteous, but only good, and though to be good is much below being righteous, and though there is a difference between the two, yet not, it is to be hoped, so incompatible as that a righteous man can not be a good man; though, conversely, in the pulpit it has been with much cogency urged, that a merely good man, that is, one good merely by his nature, is so far from there by being righteous, that nothing short of a total change and conversion can make him so; which is something which no honest mind, well read in the history of righteousness, will care to deny; nevertheless, since st. paul himself, agreeing in a sense with the pulpit distinction, though not altogether in the pulpit deduction, and also pretty plainly intimating which of the two qualities in question enjoys his apostolic preference; i say, since st. paul has so meaningly said, that, "scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die;" therefore, when we repeat of this gentleman, that he was only a good man, whatever else by severe censors may be objected to him, it is still to be hoped that his goodness will not at least be considered criminal in him. at all events, no man, not even a righteous man, would think it quite right to commit this gentleman to prison for the crime, extraordinary as he might deem it; more especially, as, until everything could be known, there would be some chance that the gentleman might after all be quite as innocent of it as he himself. it was pleasant to mark the good man's reception of the salute of the righteous man, that is, the man in gray; his inferior, apparently, not more in the social scale than in stature. like the benign elm again, the good man seemed to wave the canopy of his goodness over that suitor, not in conceited condescension, but with that even amenity of true majesty, which can be kind to any one without stooping to it. to the plea in behalf of the seminole widows and orphans, the gentleman, after a question or two duly answered, responded by producing an ample pocket-book in the good old capacious style, of fine green french morocco and workmanship, bound with silk of the same color, not to omit bills crisp with newness, fresh from the bank, no muckworms' grime upon them. lucre those bills might be, but as yet having been kept unspotted from the world, not of the filthy sort. placing now three of those virgin bills in the applicant's hands, he hoped that the smallness of the contribution would be pardoned; to tell the truth, and this at last accounted for his toilet, he was bound but a short run down the river, to attend, in a festive grove, the afternoon wedding of his niece: so did not carry much money with him. the other was about expressing his thanks when the gentleman in his pleasant way checked him: the gratitude was on the other side. to him, he said, charity was in one sense not an effort, but a luxury; against too great indulgence in which his steward, a humorist, had sometimes admonished him. in some general talk which followed, relative to organized modes of doing good, the gentleman expressed his regrets that so many benevolent societies as there were, here and there isolated in the land, should not act in concert by coming together, in the way that already in each society the individuals composing it had done, which would result, he thought, in like advantages upon a larger scale. indeed, such a confederation might, perhaps, be attended with as happy results as politically attended that of the states. upon his hitherto moderate enough companion, this suggestion had an effect illustrative in a sort of that notion of socrates, that the soul is a harmony; for as the sound of a flute, in any particular key, will, it is said, audibly affect the corresponding chord of any harp in good tune, within hearing, just so now did some string in him respond, and with animation. which animation, by the way, might seem more or less out of character in the man in gray, considering his unsprightly manner when first introduced, had he not already, in certain after colloquies, given proof, in some degree, of the fact, that, with certain natures, a soberly continent air at times, so far from arguing emptiness of stuff, is good proof it is there, and plenty of it, because unwasted, and may be used the more effectively, too, when opportunity offers. what now follows on the part of the man in gray will still further exemplify, perhaps somewhat strikingly, the truth, or what appears to be such, of this remark. "sir," said he eagerly, "i am before you. a project, not dissimilar to yours, was by me thrown out at the world's fair in london." "world's fair? you there? pray how was that?" "first, let me----" "nay, but first tell me what took you to the fair?" "i went to exhibit an invalid's easy-chair i had invented." "then you have not always been in the charity business?" "is it not charity to ease human suffering? i am, and always have been, as i always will be, i trust, in the charity business, as you call it; but charity is not like a pin, one to make the head, and the other the point; charity is a work to which a good workman may be competent in all its branches. i invented my protean easy-chair in odd intervals stolen from meals and sleep." "you call it the protean easy-chair; pray describe it." "my protean easy-chair is a chair so all over bejointed, behinged, and bepadded, everyway so elastic, springy, and docile to the airiest touch, that in some one of its endlessly-changeable accommodations of back, seat, footboard, and arms, the most restless body, the body most racked, nay, i had almost added the most tormented conscience must, somehow and somewhere, find rest. believing that i owed it to suffering humanity to make known such a chair to the utmost, i scraped together my little means and off to the world's fair with it." "you did right. but your scheme; how did you come to hit upon that?" "i was going to tell you. after seeing my invention duly catalogued and placed, i gave myself up to pondering the scene about me. as i dwelt upon that shining pageant of arts, and moving concourse of nations, and reflected that here was the pride of the world glorying in a glass house, a sense of the fragility of worldly grandeur profoundly impressed me. and i said to myself, i will see if this occasion of vanity cannot supply a hint toward a better profit than was designed. let some world-wide good to the world-wide cause be now done. in short, inspired by the scene, on the fourth day i issued at the world's fair my prospectus of the world's charity." "quite a thought. but, pray explain it." "the world's charity is to be a society whose members shall comprise deputies from every charity and mission extant; the one object of the society to be the methodization of the world's benevolence; to which end, the present system of voluntary and promiscuous contribution to be done away, and the society to be empowered by the various governments to levy, annually, one grand benevolence tax upon all mankind; as in augustus cæsar's time, the whole world to come up to be taxed; a tax which, for the scheme of it, should be something like the income-tax in england, a tax, also, as before hinted, to be a consolidation-tax of all possible benevolence taxes; as in america here, the state-tax, and the county-tax, and the town-tax, and the poll-tax, are by the assessors rolled into one. this tax, according to my tables, calculated with care, would result in the yearly raising of a fund little short of eight hundred millions; this fund to be annually applied to such objects, and in such modes, as the various charities and missions, in general congress represented, might decree; whereby, in fourteen years, as i estimate, there would have been devoted to good works the sum of eleven thousand two hundred millions; which would warrant the dissolution of the society, as that fund judiciously expended, not a pauper or heathen could remain the round world over." "eleven thousand two hundred millions! and all by passing round a _hat_, as it were." "yes, i am no fourier, the projector of an impossible scheme, but a philanthropist and a financier setting forth a philanthropy and a finance which are practicable." "practicable?" "yes. eleven thousand two hundred millions; it will frighten none but a retail philanthropist. what is it but eight hundred millions for each of fourteen years? now eight hundred millions--what is that, to average it, but one little dollar a head for the population of the planet? and who will refuse, what turk or dyak even, his own little dollar for sweet charity's sake? eight hundred millions! more than that sum is yearly expended by mankind, not only in vanities, but miseries. consider that bloody spendthrift, war. and are mankind so stupid, so wicked, that, upon the demonstration of these things they will not, amending their ways, devote their superfluities to blessing the world instead of cursing it? eight hundred millions! they have not to make it, it is theirs already; they have but to direct it from ill to good. and to this, scarce a self-denial is demanded. actually, they would not in the mass be one farthing the poorer for it; as certainly would they be all the better and happier. don't you see? but admit, as you must, that mankind is not mad, and my project is practicable. for, what creature but a madman would not rather do good than ill, when it is plain that, good or ill, it must return upon himself?" "your sort of reasoning," said the good gentleman, adjusting his gold sleeve-buttons, "seems all reasonable enough, but with mankind it wont do." "then mankind are not reasoning beings, if reason wont do with them." "that is not to the purpose. by-the-way, from the manner in which you alluded to the world's census, it would appear that, according to your world-wide scheme, the pauper not less than the nabob is to contribute to the relief of pauperism, and the heathen not less than the christian to the conversion of heathenism. how is that?" "why, that--pardon me--is quibbling. now, no philanthropist likes to be opposed with quibbling." "well, i won't quibble any more. but, after all, if i understand your project, there is little specially new in it, further than the magnifying of means now in operation." "magnifying and energizing. for one thing, missions i would thoroughly reform. missions i would quicken with the wall street spirit." "the wall street spirit?" "yes; for if, confessedly, certain spiritual ends are to be gained but through the auxiliary agency of worldly means, then, to the surer gaining of such spiritual ends, the example of worldly policy in worldly projects should not by spiritual projectors be slighted. in brief, the conversion of the heathen, so far, at least, as depending on human effort, would, by the world's charity, be let out on contract. so much by bid for converting india, so much for borneo, so much for africa. competition allowed, stimulus would be given. there would be no lethargy of monopoly. we should have no mission-house or tract-house of which slanderers could, with any plausibility, say that it had degenerated in its clerkships into a sort of custom-house. but the main point is the archimedean money-power that would be brought to bear." "you mean the eight hundred million power?" "yes. you see, this doing good to the world by driblets amounts to just nothing. i am for doing good to the world with a will. i am for doing good to the world once for all and having done with it. do but think, my dear sir, of the eddies and maëlstroms of pagans in china. people here have no conception of it. of a frosty morning in hong kong, pauper pagans are found dead in the streets like so many nipped peas in a bin of peas. to be an immortal being in china is no more distinction than to be a snow-flake in a snow-squall. what are a score or two of missionaries to such a people? a pinch of snuff to the kraken. i am for sending ten thousand missionaries in a body and converting the chinese _en masse_ within six months of the debarkation. the thing is then done, and turn to something else." "i fear you are too enthusiastic." "a philanthropist is necessarily an enthusiast; for without enthusiasm what was ever achieved but commonplace? but again: consider the poor in london. to that mob of misery, what is a joint here and a loaf there? i am for voting to them twenty thousand bullocks and one hundred thousand barrels of flour to begin with. they are then comforted, and no more hunger for one while among the poor of london. and so all round." "sharing the character of your general project, these things, i take it, are rather examples of wonders that were to be wished, than wonders that will happen." "and is the age of wonders passed? is the world too old? is it barren? think of sarah." "then i am abraham reviling the angel (with a smile). but still, as to your design at large, there seems a certain audacity." "but if to the audacity of the design there be brought a commensurate circumspectness of execution, how then?" "why, do you really believe that your world's charity will ever go into operation?" "i have confidence that it will." "but may you not be over-confident?" "for a christian to talk so!" "but think of the obstacles!" "obstacles? i have confidence to remove obstacles, though mountains. yes, confidence in the world's charity to that degree, that, as no better person offers to supply the place, i have nominated myself provisional treasurer, and will be happy to receive subscriptions, for the present to be devoted to striking off a million more of my prospectuses." the talk went on; the man in gray revealed a spirit of benevolence which, mindful of the millennial promise, had gone abroad over all the countries of the globe, much as the diligent spirit of the husbandman, stirred by forethought of the coming seed-time, leads him, in march reveries at his fireside, over every field of his farm. the master chord of the man in gray had been touched, and it seemed as if it would never cease vibrating. a not unsilvery tongue, too, was his, with gestures that were a pentecost of added ones, and persuasiveness before which granite hearts might crumble into gravel. strange, therefore, how his auditor, so singularly good-hearted as he seemed, remained proof to such eloquence; though not, as it turned out, to such pleadings. for, after listening a while longer with pleasant incredulity, presently, as the boat touched his place of destination, the gentleman, with a look half humor, half pity, put another bank-note into his hands; charitable to the last, if only to the dreams of enthusiasm. chapter viii. a charitable lady. if a drunkard in a sober fit is the dullest of mortals, an enthusiast in a reason-fit is not the most lively. and this, without prejudice to his greatly improved understanding; for, if his elation was the height of his madness, his despondency is but the extreme of his sanity. something thus now, to all appearance, with the man in gray. society his stimulus, loneliness was his lethargy. loneliness, like the sea breeze, blowing off from a thousand leagues of blankness, he did not find, as veteran solitaires do, if anything, too bracing. in short, left to himself, with none to charm forth his latent lymphatic, he insensibly resumes his original air, a quiescent one, blended of sad humility and demureness. ere long he goes laggingly into the ladies' saloon, as in spiritless quest of somebody; but, after some disappointed glances about him, seats himself upon a sofa with an air of melancholy exhaustion and depression. at the sofa's further end sits a plump and pleasant person, whose aspect seems to hint that, if she have any weak point, it must be anything rather than her excellent heart. from her twilight dress, neither dawn nor dark, apparently she is a widow just breaking the chrysalis of her mourning. a small gilt testament is in her hand, which she has just been reading. half-relinquished, she holds the book in reverie, her finger inserted at the xiii. of st corinthians, to which chapter possibly her attention might have recently been turned, by witnessing the scene of the monitory mute and his slate. the sacred page no longer meets her eye; but, as at evening, when for a time the western hills shine on though the sun be set, her thoughtful face retains its tenderness though the teacher is forgotten. meantime, the expression of the stranger is such as ere long to attract her glance. but no responsive one. presently, in her somewhat inquisitive survey, her volume drops. it is restored. no encroaching politeness in the act, but kindness, unadorned. the eyes of the lady sparkle. evidently, she is not now unprepossessed. soon, bending over, in a low, sad tone, full of deference, the stranger breathes, "madam, pardon my freedom, but there is something in that face which strangely draws me. may i ask, are you a sister of the church?" "why--really--you--" in concern for her embarrassment, he hastens to relieve it, but, without seeming so to do. "it is very solitary for a brother here," eying the showy ladies brocaded in the background, "i find none to mingle souls with. it may be wrong--i _know_ it is--but i cannot force myself to be easy with the people of the world. i prefer the company, however silent, of a brother or sister in good standing. by the way, madam, may i ask if you have confidence?" "really, sir--why, sir--really--i--" "could you put confidence in _me_ for instance?" "really, sir--as much--i mean, as one may wisely put in a--a--stranger, an entire stranger, i had almost said," rejoined the lady, hardly yet at ease in her affability, drawing aside a little in body, while at the same time her heart might have been drawn as far the other way. a natural struggle between charity and prudence. "entire stranger!" with a sigh. "ah, who would be a stranger? in vain, i wander; no one will have confidence in me." "you interest me," said the good lady, in mild surprise. "can i any way befriend you?" "no one can befriend me, who has not confidence." "but i--i have--at least to that degree--i mean that----" "nay, nay, you have none--none at all. pardon, i see it. no confidence. fool, fond fool that i am to seek it!" "you are unjust, sir," rejoins the good lady with heightened interest; "but it may be that something untoward in your experiences has unduly biased you. not that i would cast reflections. believe me, i--yes, yes--i may say--that--that----" "that you have confidence? prove it. let me have twenty dollars." "twenty dollars!" "there, i told you, madam, you had no confidence." the lady was, in an extraordinary way, touched. she sat in a sort of restless torment, knowing not which way to turn. she began twenty different sentences, and left off at the first syllable of each. at last, in desperation, she hurried out, "tell me, sir, for what you want the twenty dollars?" "and did i not----" then glancing at her half-mourning, "for the widow and the fatherless. i am traveling agent of the widow and orphan asylum, recently founded among the seminoles." "and why did you not tell me your object before?" as not a little relieved. "poor souls--indians, too--those cruelly-used indians. here, here; how could i hesitate. i am so sorry it is no more." "grieve not for that, madam," rising and folding up the bank-notes. "this is an inconsiderable sum, i admit, but," taking out his pencil and book, "though i here but register the amount, there is another register, where is set down the motive. good-bye; you have confidence. yea, you can say to me as the apostle said to the corinthians, 'i rejoice that i have confidence in you in all things.'" chapter ix. two business men transact a little business. ----"pray, sir, have you seen a gentleman with a weed hereabouts, rather a saddish gentleman? strange where he can have gone to. i was talking with him not twenty minutes since." by a brisk, ruddy-cheeked man in a tasseled traveling-cap, carrying under his arm a ledger-like volume, the above words were addressed to the collegian before introduced, suddenly accosted by the rail to which not long after his retreat, as in a previous chapter recounted, he had returned, and there remained. "have you seen him, sir?" rallied from his apparent diffidence by the genial jauntiness of the stranger, the youth answered with unwonted promptitude: "yes, a person with a weed was here not very long ago." "saddish?" "yes, and a little cracked, too, i should say." "it was he. misfortune, i fear, has disturbed his brain. now quick, which way did he go?" "why just in the direction from which you came, the gangway yonder." "did he? then the man in the gray coat, whom i just met, said right: he must have gone ashore. how unlucky!" he stood vexedly twitching at his cap-tassel, which fell over by his whisker, and continued: "well, i am very sorry. in fact, i had something for him here."--then drawing nearer, "you see, he applied to me for relief, no, i do him injustice, not that, but he began to intimate, you understand. well, being very busy just then, i declined; quite rudely, too, in a cold, morose, unfeeling way, i fear. at all events, not three minutes afterwards i felt self-reproach, with a kind of prompting, very peremptory, to deliver over into that unfortunate man's hands a ten-dollar bill. you smile. yes, it may be superstition, but i can't help it; i have my weak side, thank god. then again," he rapidly went on, "we have been so very prosperous lately in our affairs--by we, i mean the black rapids coal company--that, really, out of my abundance, associative and individual, it is but fair that a charitable investment or two should be made, don't you think so?" "sir," said the collegian without the least embarrassment, "do i understand that you are officially connected with the black rapids coal company?" "yes, i happen to be president and transfer-agent." "you are?" "yes, but what is it to you? you don't want to invest?" "why, do you sell the stock?" "some might be bought, perhaps; but why do you ask? you don't want to invest?" "but supposing i did," with cool self-collectedness, "could you do up the thing for me, and here?" "bless my soul," gazing at him in amaze, "really, you are quite a business man. positively, i feel afraid of you." "oh, no need of that.--you could sell me some of that stock, then?" "i don't know, i don't know. to be sure, there are a few shares under peculiar circumstances bought in by the company; but it would hardly be the thing to convert this boat into the company's office. i think you had better defer investing. so," with an indifferent air, "you have seen the unfortunate man i spoke of?" "let the unfortunate man go his ways.--what is that large book you have with you?" "my transfer-book. i am subpoenaed with it to court." "black rapids coal company," obliquely reading the gilt inscription on the back; "i have heard much of it. pray do you happen to have with you any statement of the condition of your company." "a statement has lately been printed." "pardon me, but i am naturally inquisitive. have you a copy with you?" "i tell you again, i do not think that it would be suitable to convert this boat into the company's office.--that unfortunate man, did you relieve him at all?" "let the unfortunate man relieve himself.--hand me the statement." "well, you are such a business-man, i can hardly deny you. here," handing a small, printed pamphlet. the youth turned it over sagely. "i hate a suspicious man," said the other, observing him; "but i must say i like to see a cautious one." "i can gratify you there," languidly returning the pamphlet; "for, as i said before, i am naturally inquisitive; i am also circumspect. no appearances can deceive me. your statement," he added "tells a very fine story; but pray, was not your stock a little heavy awhile ago? downward tendency? sort of low spirits among holders on the subject of that stock?" "yes, there was a depression. but how came it? who devised it? the 'bears,' sir. the depression of our stock was solely owing to the growling, the hypocritical growling, of the bears." "how, hypocritical?" "why, the most monstrous of all hypocrites are these bears: hypocrites by inversion; hypocrites in the simulation of things dark instead of bright; souls that thrive, less upon depression, than the fiction of depression; professors of the wicked art of manufacturing depressions; spurious jeremiahs; sham heraclituses, who, the lugubrious day done, return, like sham lazaruses among the beggars, to make merry over the gains got by their pretended sore heads--scoundrelly bears!" "you are warm against these bears?" "if i am, it is less from the remembrance of their stratagems as to our stock, than from the persuasion that these same destroyers of confidence, and gloomy philosophers of the stock-market, though false in themselves, are yet true types of most destroyers of confidence and gloomy philosophers, the world over. fellows who, whether in stocks, politics, bread-stuffs, morals, metaphysics, religion--be it what it may--trump up their black panics in the naturally-quiet brightness, solely with a view to some sort of covert advantage. that corpse of calamity which the gloomy philosopher parades, is but his good-enough-morgan." "i rather like that," knowingly drawled the youth. "i fancy these gloomy souls as little as the next one. sitting on my sofa after a champagne dinner, smoking my plantation cigar, if a gloomy fellow come to me--what a bore!" "you tell him it's all stuff, don't you?" "i tell him it ain't natural. i say to him, you are happy enough, and you know it; and everybody else is as happy as you, and you know that, too; and we shall all be happy after we are no more, and you know that, too; but no, still you must have your sulk." "and do you know whence this sort of fellow gets his sulk? not from life; for he's often too much of a recluse, or else too young to have seen anything of it. no, he gets it from some of those old plays he sees on the stage, or some of those old books he finds up in garrets. ten to one, he has lugged home from auction a musty old seneca, and sets about stuffing himself with that stale old hay; and, thereupon, thinks it looks wise and antique to be a croaker, thinks it's taking a stand-way above his kind." "just so," assented the youth. "i've lived some, and seen a good many such ravens at second hand. by the way, strange how that man with the weed, you were inquiring for, seemed to take me for some soft sentimentalist, only because i kept quiet, and thought, because i had a copy of tacitus with me, that i was reading him for his gloom, instead of his gossip. but i let him talk. and, indeed, by my manner humored him." "you shouldn't have done that, now. unfortunate man, you must have made quite a fool of him." "his own fault if i did. but i like prosperous fellows, comfortable fellows; fellows that talk comfortably and prosperously, like you. such fellows are generally honest. and, i say now, i happen to have a superfluity in my pocket, and i'll just----" "----act the part of a brother to that unfortunate man?" "let the unfortunate man be his own brother. what are you dragging him in for all the time? one would think you didn't care to register any transfers, or dispose of any stock--mind running on something else. i say i will invest." "stay, stay, here come some uproarious fellows--this way, this way." and with off-handed politeness the man with the book escorted his companion into a private little haven removed from the brawling swells without. business transacted, the two came forth, and walked the deck. "now tell me, sir," said he with the book, "how comes it that a young gentleman like you, a sedate student at the first appearance, should dabble in stocks and that sort of thing?" "there are certain sophomorean errors in the world," drawled the sophomore, deliberately adjusting his shirt-collar, "not the least of which is the popular notion touching the nature of the modern scholar, and the nature of the modern scholastic sedateness." "so it seems, so it seems. really, this is quite a new leaf in my experience." "experience, sir," originally observed the sophomore, "is the only teacher." "hence am i your pupil; for it's only when experience speaks, that i can endure to listen to speculation." "my speculations, sir," dryly drawing himself up, "have been chiefly governed by the maxim of lord bacon; i speculate in those philosophies which come home to my business and bosom--pray, do you know of any other good stocks?" "you wouldn't like to be concerned in the new jerusalem, would you?" "new jerusalem?" "yes, the new and thriving city, so called, in northern minnesota. it was originally founded by certain fugitive mormons. hence the name. it stands on the mississippi. here, here is the map," producing a roll. "there--there, you see are the public buildings--here the landing--there the park--yonder the botanic gardens--and this, this little dot here, is a perpetual fountain, you understand. you observe there are twenty asterisks. those are for the lyceums. they have lignum-vitae rostrums." "and are all these buildings now standing?" "all standing--bona fide." "these marginal squares here, are they the water-lots?" "water-lots in the city of new jerusalem? all terra firma--you don't seem to care about investing, though?" "hardly think i should read my title clear, as the law students say," yawned the collegian. "prudent--you are prudent. don't know that you are wholly out, either. at any rate, i would rather have one of your shares of coal stock than two of this other. still, considering that the first settlement was by two fugitives, who had swum over naked from the opposite shore--it's a surprising place. it is, _bona fide_.--but dear me, i must go. oh, if by possibility you should come across that unfortunate man----" "--in that case," with drawling impatience, "i will send for the steward, and have him and his misfortunes consigned overboard." "ha ha!--now were some gloomy philosopher here, some theological bear, forever taking occasion to growl down the stock of human nature (with ulterior views, d'ye see, to a fat benefice in the gift of the worshipers of ariamius), he would pronounce that the sign of a hardening heart and a softening brain. yes, that would be his sinister construction. but it's nothing more than the oddity of a genial humor--genial but dry. confess it. good-bye." chapter x. in the cabin. stools, settees, sofas, divans, ottomans; occupying them are clusters of men, old and young, wise and simple; in their hands are cards spotted with diamonds, spades, clubs, hearts; the favorite games are whist, cribbage, and brag. lounging in arm-chairs or sauntering among the marble-topped tables, amused with the scene, are the comparatively few, who, instead of having hands in the games, for the most part keep their hands in their pockets. these may be the philosophes. but here and there, with a curious expression, one is reading a small sort of handbill of anonymous poetry, rather wordily entitled:-- "ode on the intimations of distrust in man, unwillingly inferred from repeated repulses, in disinterested endeavors to procure his confidence." on the floor are many copies, looking as if fluttered down from a balloon. the way they came there was this: a somewhat elderly person, in the quaker dress, had quietly passed through the cabin, and, much in the manner of those railway book-peddlers who precede their proffers of sale by a distribution of puffs, direct or indirect, of the volumes to follow, had, without speaking, handed about the odes, which, for the most part, after a cursory glance, had been disrespectfully tossed aside, as no doubt, the moonstruck production of some wandering rhapsodist. in due time, book under arm, in trips the ruddy man with the traveling-cap, who, lightly moving to and fro, looks animatedly about him, with a yearning sort of gratulatory affinity and longing, expressive of the very soul of sociality; as much as to say, "oh, boys, would that i were personally acquainted with each mother's son of you, since what a sweet world, to make sweet acquaintance in, is ours, my brothers; yea, and what dear, happy dogs are we all!" and just as if he had really warbled it forth, he makes fraternally up to one lounging stranger or another, exchanging with him some pleasant remark. "pray, what have you there?" he asked of one newly accosted, a little, dried-up man, who looked as if he never dined. "a little ode, rather queer, too," was the reply, "of the same sort you see strewn on the floor here." "i did not observe them. let me see;" picking one up and looking it over. "well now, this is pretty; plaintive, especially the opening:-- 'alas for man, he hath small sense of genial trust and confidence.' --if it be so, alas for him, indeed. runs off very smoothly, sir. beautiful pathos. but do you think the sentiment just?" "as to that," said the little dried-up man, "i think it a kind of queer thing altogether, and yet i am almost ashamed to add, it really has set me to thinking; yes and to feeling. just now, somehow, i feel as it were trustful and genial. i don't know that ever i felt so much so before. i am naturally numb in my sensibilities; but this ode, in its way, works on my numbness not unlike a sermon, which, by lamenting over my lying dead in trespasses and sins, thereby stirs me up to be all alive in well-doing." "glad to hear it, and hope you will do well, as the doctors say. but who snowed the odes about here?" "i cannot say; i have not been here long." "wasn't an angel, was it? come, you say you feel genial, let us do as the rest, and have cards." "thank you, i never play cards." "a bottle of wine?" "thank you, i never drink wine." "cigars?" "thank you, i never smoke cigars." "tell stories?" "to speak truly, i hardly think i know one worth telling." "seems to me, then, this geniality you say you feel waked in you, is as water-power in a land without mills. come, you had better take a genial hand at the cards. to begin, we will play for as small a sum as you please; just enough to make it interesting." "indeed, you must excuse me. somehow i distrust cards." "what, distrust cards? genial cards? then for once i join with our sad philomel here:-- 'alas for man, he hath small sense of genial trust and confidence.' good-bye!" sauntering and chatting here and there, again, he with the book at length seems fatigued, looks round for a seat, and spying a partly-vacant settee drawn up against the side, drops down there; soon, like his chance neighbor, who happens to be the good merchant, becoming not a little interested in the scene more immediately before him; a party at whist; two cream-faced, giddy, unpolished youths, the one in a red cravat, the other in a green, opposed to two bland, grave, handsome, self-possessed men of middle age, decorously dressed in a sort of professional black, and apparently doctors of some eminence in the civil law. by-and-by, after a preliminary scanning of the new comer next him the good merchant, sideways leaning over, whispers behind a crumpled copy of the ode which he holds: "sir, i don't like the looks of those two, do you?" "hardly," was the whispered reply; "those colored cravats are not in the best taste, at least not to mine; but my taste is no rule for all." "you mistake; i mean the other two, and i don't refer to dress, but countenance. i confess i am not familiar with such gentry any further than reading about them in the papers--but those two are--are sharpers, aint they?" "far be from us the captious and fault-finding spirit, my dear sir." "indeed, sir, i would not find fault; i am little given that way: but certainly, to say the least, these two youths can hardly be adepts, while the opposed couple may be even more." "you would not hint that the colored cravats would be so bungling as to lose, and the dark cravats so dextrous as to cheat?--sour imaginations, my dear sir. dismiss them. to little purpose have you read the ode you have there. years and experience, i trust, have not sophisticated you. a fresh and liberal construction would teach us to regard those four players--indeed, this whole cabin-full of players--as playing at games in which every player plays fair, and not a player but shall win." "now, you hardly mean that; because games in which all may win, such games remain as yet in this world uninvented, i think." "come, come," luxuriously laying himself back, and casting a free glance upon the players, "fares all paid; digestion sound; care, toil, penury, grief, unknown; lounging on this sofa, with waistband relaxed, why not be cheerfully resigned to one's fate, nor peevishly pick holes in the blessed fate of the world?" upon this, the good merchant, after staring long and hard, and then rubbing his forehead, fell into meditation, at first uneasy, but at last composed, and in the end, once more addressed his companion: "well, i see it's good to out with one's private thoughts now and then. somehow, i don't know why, a certain misty suspiciousness seems inseparable from most of one's private notions about some men and some things; but once out with these misty notions, and their mere contact with other men's soon dissipates, or, at least, modifies them." "you think i have done you good, then? may be, i have. but don't thank me, don't thank me. if by words, casually delivered in the social hour, i do any good to right or left, it is but involuntary influence--locust-tree sweetening the herbage under it; no merit at all; mere wholesome accident, of a wholesome nature.--don't you see?" another stare from the good merchant, and both were silent again. finding his book, hitherto resting on his lap, rather irksome there, the owner now places it edgewise on the settee, between himself and neighbor; in so doing, chancing to expose the lettering on the back--"_black rapids coal company_"--which the good merchant, scrupulously honorable, had much ado to avoid reading, so directly would it have fallen under his eye, had he not conscientiously averted it. on a sudden, as if just reminded of something, the stranger starts up, and moves away, in his haste leaving his book; which the merchant observing, without delay takes it up, and, hurrying after, civilly returns it; in which act he could not avoid catching sight by an involuntary glance of part of the lettering. "thank you, thank you, my good sir," said the other, receiving the volume, and was resuming his retreat, when the merchant spoke: "excuse me, but are you not in some way connected with the--the coal company i have heard of?" "there is more than one coal company that may be heard of, my good sir," smiled the other, pausing with an expression of painful impatience, disinterestedly mastered. "but you are connected with one in particular.--the 'black rapids,' are you not?" "how did you find that out?" "well, sir, i have heard rather tempting information of your company." "who is your informant, pray," somewhat coldly. "a--a person by the name of ringman." "don't know him. but, doubtless, there are plenty who know our company, whom our company does not know; in the same way that one may know an individual, yet be unknown to him.--known this ringman long? old friend, i suppose.--but pardon, i must leave you." "stay, sir, that--that stock." "stock?" "yes, it's a little irregular, perhaps, but----" "dear me, you don't think of doing any business with me, do you? in my official capacity i have not been authenticated to you. this transfer-book, now," holding it up so as to bring the lettering in sight, "how do you know that it may not be a bogus one? and i, being personally a stranger to you, how can you have confidence in me?" "because," knowingly smiled the good merchant, "if you were other than i have confidence that you are, hardly would you challenge distrust that way." "but you have not examined my book." "what need to, if already i believe that it is what it is lettered to be?" "but you had better. it might suggest doubts." "doubts, may be, it might suggest, but not knowledge; for how, by examining the book, should i think i knew any more than i now think i do; since, if it be the true book, i think it so already; and since if it be otherwise, then i have never seen the true one, and don't know what that ought to look like." "your logic i will not criticize, but your confidence i admire, and earnestly, too, jocose as was the method i took to draw it out. enough, we will go to yonder table, and if there be any business which, either in my private or official capacity, i can help you do, pray command me." chapter xi. only a page or so. the transaction concluded, the two still remained seated, falling into familiar conversation, by degrees verging into that confidential sort of sympathetic silence, the last refinement and luxury of unaffected good feeling. a kind of social superstition, to suppose that to be truly friendly one must be saying friendly words all the time, any more than be doing friendly deeds continually. true friendliness, like true religion, being in a sort independent of works. at length, the good merchant, whose eyes were pensively resting upon the gay tables in the distance, broke the spell by saying that, from the spectacle before them, one would little divine what other quarters of the boat might reveal. he cited the case, accidentally encountered but an hour or two previous, of a shrunken old miser, clad in shrunken old moleskin, stretched out, an invalid, on a bare plank in the emigrants' quarters, eagerly clinging to life and lucre, though the one was gasping for outlet, and about the other he was in torment lest death, or some other unprincipled cut-purse, should be the means of his losing it; by like feeble tenure holding lungs and pouch, and yet knowing and desiring nothing beyond them; for his mind, never raised above mould, was now all but mouldered away. to such a degree, indeed, that he had no trust in anything, not even in his parchment bonds, which, the better to preserve from the tooth of time, he had packed down and sealed up, like brandy peaches, in a tin case of spirits. the worthy man proceeded at some length with these dispiriting particulars. nor would his cheery companion wholly deny that there might be a point of view from which such a case of extreme want of confidence might, to the humane mind, present features not altogether welcome as wine and olives after dinner. still, he was not without compensatory considerations, and, upon the whole, took his companion to task for evincing what, in a good-natured, round-about way, he hinted to be a somewhat jaundiced sentimentality. nature, he added, in shakespeare's words, had meal and bran; and, rightly regarded, the bran in its way was not to be condemned. the other was not disposed to question the justice of shakespeare's thought, but would hardly admit the propriety of the application in this instance, much less of the comment. so, after some further temperate discussion of the pitiable miser, finding that they could not entirely harmonize, the merchant cited another case, that of the negro cripple. but his companion suggested whether the alleged hardships of that alleged unfortunate might not exist more in the pity of the observer than the experience of the observed. he knew nothing about the cripple, nor had seen him, but ventured to surmise that, could one but get at the real state of his heart, he would be found about as happy as most men, if not, in fact, full as happy as the speaker himself. he added that negroes were by nature a singularly cheerful race; no one ever heard of a native-born african zimmermann or torquemada; that even from religion they dismissed all gloom; in their hilarious rituals they danced, so to speak, and, as it were, cut pigeon-wings. it was improbable, therefore, that a negro, however reduced to his stumps by fortune, could be ever thrown off the legs of a laughing philosophy. foiled again, the good merchant would not desist, but ventured still a third case, that of the man with the weed, whose story, as narrated by himself, and confirmed and filled out by the testimony of a certain man in a gray coat, whom the merchant had afterwards met, he now proceeded to give; and that, without holding back those particulars disclosed by the second informant, but which delicacy had prevented the unfortunate man himself from touching upon. but as the good merchant could, perhaps, do better justice to the man than the story, we shall venture to tell it in other words than his, though not to any other effect. chapter xii. story of the unfortunate man, from which may be gathered whether or no he has been justly so entitled. it appeared that the unfortunate man had had for a wife one of those natures, anomalously vicious, which would almost tempt a metaphysical lover of our species to doubt whether the human form be, in all cases, conclusive evidence of humanity, whether, sometimes, it may not be a kind of unpledged and indifferent tabernacle, and whether, once for all to crush the saying of thrasea, (an unaccountable one, considering that he himself was so good a man) that "he who hates vice, hates humanity," it should not, in self-defense, be held for a reasonable maxim, that none but the good are human. goneril was young, in person lithe and straight, too straight, indeed, for a woman, a complexion naturally rosy, and which would have been charmingly so, but for a certain hardness and bakedness, like that of the glazed colors on stone-ware. her hair was of a deep, rich chestnut, but worn in close, short curls all round her head. her indian figure was not without its impairing effect on her bust, while her mouth would have been pretty but for a trace of moustache. upon the whole, aided by the resources of the toilet, her appearance at distance was such, that some might have thought her, if anything, rather beautiful, though of a style of beauty rather peculiar and cactus-like. it was happy for goneril that her more striking peculiarities were less of the person than of temper and taste. one hardly knows how to reveal, that, while having a natural antipathy to such things as the breast of chicken, or custard, or peach, or grape, goneril could yet in private make a satisfactory lunch on hard crackers and brawn of ham. she liked lemons, and the only kind of candy she loved were little dried sticks of blue clay, secretly carried in her pocket. withal she had hard, steady health like a squaw's, with as firm a spirit and resolution. some other points about her were likewise such as pertain to the women of savage life. lithe though she was, she loved supineness, but upon occasion could endure like a stoic. she was taciturn, too. from early morning till about three o'clock in the afternoon she would seldom speak--it taking that time to thaw her, by all accounts, into but talking terms with humanity. during the interval she did little but look, and keep looking out of her large, metallic eyes, which her enemies called cold as a cuttle-fish's, but which by her were esteemed gazelle-like; for goneril was not without vanity. those who thought they best knew her, often wondered what happiness such a being could take in life, not considering the happiness which is to be had by some natures in the very easy way of simply causing pain to those around them. those who suffered from goneril's strange nature, might, with one of those hyberboles to which the resentful incline, have pronounced her some kind of toad; but her worst slanderers could never, with any show of justice, have accused her of being a toady. in a large sense she possessed the virtue of independence of mind. goneril held it flattery to hint praise even of the absent, and even if merited; but honesty, to fling people's imputed faults into their faces. this was thought malice, but it certainly was not passion. passion is human. like an icicle-dagger, goneril at once stabbed and froze; so at least they said; and when she saw frankness and innocence tyrannized into sad nervousness under her spell, according to the same authority, inly she chewed her blue clay, and you could mark that she chuckled. these peculiarities were strange and unpleasing; but another was alleged, one really incomprehensible. in company she had a strange way of touching, as by accident, the arm or hand of comely young men, and seemed to reap a secret delight from it, but whether from the humane satisfaction of having given the evil-touch, as it is called, or whether it was something else in her, not equally wonderful, but quite as deplorable, remained an enigma. needless to say what distress was the unfortunate man's, when, engaged in conversation with company, he would suddenly perceive his goneril bestowing her mysterious touches, especially in such cases where the strangeness of the thing seemed to strike upon the touched person, notwithstanding good-breeding forbade his proposing the mystery, on the spot, as a subject of discussion for the company. in these cases, too, the unfortunate man could never endure so much as to look upon the touched young gentleman afterwards, fearful of the mortification of meeting in his countenance some kind of more or less quizzingly-knowing expression. he would shudderingly shun the young gentleman. so that here, to the husband, goneril's touch had the dread operation of the heathen taboo. now goneril brooked no chiding. so, at favorable times, he, in a wary manner, and not indelicately, would venture in private interviews gently to make distant allusions to this questionable propensity. she divined him. but, in her cold loveless way, said it was witless to be telling one's dreams, especially foolish ones; but if the unfortunate man liked connubially to rejoice his soul with such chimeras, much connubial joy might they give him. all this was sad--a touching case--but all might, perhaps, have been borne by the unfortunate man--conscientiously mindful of his vow--for better or for worse--to love and cherish his dear goneril so long as kind heaven might spare her to him--but when, after all that had happened, the devil of jealousy entered her, a calm, clayey, cakey devil, for none other could possess her, and the object of that deranged jealousy, her own child, a little girl of seven, her father's consolation and pet; when he saw goneril artfully torment the little innocent, and then play the maternal hypocrite with it, the unfortunate man's patient long-suffering gave way. knowing that she would neither confess nor amend, and might, possibly, become even worse than she was, he thought it but duty as a father, to withdraw the child from her; but, loving it as he did, he could not do so without accompanying it into domestic exile himself. which, hard though it was, he did. whereupon the whole female neighborhood, who till now had little enough admired dame goneril, broke out in indignation against a husband, who, without assigning a cause, could deliberately abandon the wife of his bosom, and sharpen the sting to her, too, by depriving her of the solace of retaining her offspring. to all this, self-respect, with christian charity towards goneril, long kept the unfortunate man dumb. and well had it been had he continued so; for when, driven to desperation, he hinted something of the truth of the case, not a soul would credit it; while for goneril, she pronounced all he said to be a malicious invention. ere long, at the suggestion of some woman's-rights women, the injured wife began a suit, and, thanks to able counsel and accommodating testimony, succeeded in such a way, as not only to recover custody of the child, but to get such a settlement awarded upon a separation, as to make penniless the unfortunate man (so he averred), besides, through the legal sympathy she enlisted, effecting a judicial blasting of his private reputation. what made it yet more lamentable was, that the unfortunate man, thinking that, before the court, his wisest plan, as well as the most christian besides, being, as he deemed, not at variance with the truth of the matter, would be to put forth the plea of the mental derangement of goneril, which done, he could, with less of mortification to himself, and odium to her, reveal in self-defense those eccentricities which had led to his retirement from the joys of wedlock, had much ado in the end to prevent this charge of derangement from fatally recoiling upon himself--especially, when, among other things, he alleged her mysterious teachings. in vain did his counsel, striving to make out the derangement to be where, in fact, if anywhere, it was, urge that, to hold otherwise, to hold that such a being as goneril was sane, this was constructively a libel upon womankind. libel be it. and all ended by the unfortunate man's subsequently getting wind of goneril's intention to procure him to be permanently committed for a lunatic. upon which he fled, and was now an innocent outcast, wandering forlorn in the great valley of the mississippi, with a weed on his hat for the loss of his goneril; for he had lately seen by the papers that she was dead, and thought it but proper to comply with the prescribed form of mourning in such cases. for some days past he had been trying to get money enough to return to his child, and was but now started with inadequate funds. now all of this, from the beginning, the good merchant could not but consider rather hard for the unfortunate man. chapter xiii. the man with the traveling-cap evinces much humanity, and in a way which would seem to show him to be one of the most logical of optimists. years ago, a grave american savant, being in london, observed at an evening party there, a certain coxcombical fellow, as he thought, an absurd ribbon in his lapel, and full of smart persiflage, whisking about to the admiration of as many as were disposed to admire. great was the savan's disdain; but, chancing ere long to find himself in a corner with the jackanapes, got into conversation with him, when he was somewhat ill-prepared for the good sense of the jackanapes, but was altogether thrown aback, upon subsequently being whispered by a friend that the jackanapes was almost as great a savan as himself, being no less a personage than sir humphrey davy. the above anecdote is given just here by way of an anticipative reminder to such readers as, from the kind of jaunty levity, or what may have passed for such, hitherto for the most part appearing in the man with the traveling-cap, may have been tempted into a more or less hasty estimate of him; that such readers, when they find the same person, as they presently will, capable of philosophic and humanitarian discourse--no mere casual sentence or two as heretofore at times, but solidly sustained throughout an almost entire sitting; that they may not, like the american savan, be thereupon betrayed into any surprise incompatible with their own good opinion of their previous penetration. the merchant's narration being ended, the other would not deny but that it did in some degree affect him. he hoped he was not without proper feeling for the unfortunate man. but he begged to know in what spirit he bore his alleged calamities. did he despond or have confidence? the merchant did not, perhaps, take the exact import of the last member of the question; but answered, that, if whether the unfortunate man was becomingly resigned under his affliction or no, was the point, he could say for him that resigned he was, and to an exemplary degree: for not only, so far as known, did he refrain from any one-sided reflections upon human goodness and human justice, but there was observable in him an air of chastened reliance, and at times tempered cheerfulness. upon which the other observed, that since the unfortunate man's alleged experience could not be deemed very conciliatory towards a view of human nature better than human nature was, it largely redounded to his fair-mindedness, as well as piety, that under the alleged dissuasives, apparently so, from philanthropy, he had not, in a moment of excitement, been warped over to the ranks of the misanthropes. he doubted not, also, that with such a man his experience would, in the end, act by a complete and beneficent inversion, and so far from shaking his confidence in his kind, confirm it, and rivet it. which would the more surely be the case, did he (the unfortunate man) at last become satisfied (as sooner or later he probably would be) that in the distraction of his mind his goneril had not in all respects had fair play. at all events, the description of the lady, charity could not but regard as more or less exaggerated, and so far unjust. the truth probably was that she was a wife with some blemishes mixed with some beauties. but when the blemishes were displayed, her husband, no adept in the female nature, had tried to use reason with her, instead of something far more persuasive. hence his failure to convince and convert. the act of withdrawing from her, seemed, under the circumstances, abrupt. in brief, there were probably small faults on both sides, more than balanced by large virtues; and one should not be hasty in judging. when the merchant, strange to say, opposed views so calm and impartial, and again, with some warmth, deplored the case of the unfortunate man, his companion, not without seriousness, checked him, saying, that this would never do; that, though but in the most exceptional case, to admit the existence of unmerited misery, more particularly if alleged to have been brought about by unhindered arts of the wicked, such an admission was, to say the least, not prudent; since, with some, it might unfavorably bias their most important persuasions. not that those persuasions were legitimately servile to such influences. because, since the common occurrences of life could never, in the nature of things, steadily look one way and tell one story, as flags in the trade-wind; hence, if the conviction of a providence, for instance, were in any way made dependent upon such variabilities as everyday events, the degree of that conviction would, in thinking minds, be subject to fluctuations akin to those of the stock-exchange during a long and uncertain war. here he glanced aside at his transfer-book, and after a moment's pause continued. it was of the essence of a right conviction of the divine nature, as with a right conviction of the human, that, based less on experience than intuition, it rose above the zones of weather. when now the merchant, with all his heart, coincided with this (as being a sensible, as well as religious person, he could not but do), his companion expressed satisfaction, that, in an age of some distrust on such subjects, he could yet meet with one who shared with him, almost to the full, so sound and sublime a confidence. still, he was far from the illiberality of denying that philosophy duly bounded was not permissible. only he deemed it at least desirable that, when such a case as that alleged of the unfortunate man was made the subject of philosophic discussion, it should be so philosophized upon, as not to afford handles to those unblessed with the true light. for, but to grant that there was so much as a mystery about such a case, might by those persons be held for a tacit surrender of the question. and as for the apparent license temporarily permitted sometimes, to the bad over the good (as was by implication alleged with regard to goneril and the unfortunate man), it might be injudicious there to lay too much polemic stress upon the doctrine of future retribution as the vindication of present impunity. for though, indeed, to the right-minded that doctrine was true, and of sufficient solace, yet with the perverse the polemic mention of it might but provoke the shallow, though mischievous conceit, that such a doctrine was but tantamount to the one which should affirm that providence was not now, but was going to be. in short, with all sorts of cavilers, it was best, both for them and everybody, that whoever had the true light should stick behind the secure malakoff of confidence, nor be tempted forth to hazardous skirmishes on the open ground of reason. therefore, he deemed it unadvisable in the good man, even in the privacy of his own mind, or in communion with a congenial one, to indulge in too much latitude of philosophizing, or, indeed, of compassionating, since this might, beget an indiscreet habit of thinking and feeling which might unexpectedly betray him upon unsuitable occasions. indeed, whether in private or public, there was nothing which a good man was more bound to guard himself against than, on some topics, the emotional unreserve of his natural heart; for, that the natural heart, in certain points, was not what it might be, men had been authoritatively admonished. but he thought he might be getting dry. the merchant, in his good-nature, thought otherwise, and said that he would be glad to refresh himself with such fruit all day. it was sitting under a ripe pulpit, and better such a seat than under a ripe peach-tree. the other was pleased to find that he had not, as he feared, been prosing; but would rather not be considered in the formal light of a preacher; he preferred being still received in that of the equal and genial companion. to which end, throwing still more of sociability into his manner, he again reverted to the unfortunate man. take the very worst view of that case; admit that his goneril was, indeed, a goneril; how fortunate to be at last rid of this goneril, both by nature and by law? if he were acquainted with the unfortunate man, instead of condoling with him, he would congratulate him. great good fortune had this unfortunate man. lucky dog, he dared say, after all. to which the merchant replied, that he earnestly hoped it might be so, and at any rate he tried his best to comfort himself with the persuasion that, if the unfortunate man was not happy in this world, he would, at least, be so in another. his companion made no question of the unfortunate man's happiness in both worlds; and, presently calling for some champagne, invited the merchant to partake, upon the playful plea that, whatever notions other than felicitous ones he might associate with the unfortunate man, a little champagne would readily bubble away. at intervals they slowly quaffed several glasses in silence and thoughtfulness. at last the merchant's expressive face flushed, his eye moistly beamed, his lips trembled with an imaginative and feminine sensibility. without sending a single fume to his head, the wine seemed to shoot to his heart, and begin soothsaying there. "ah," he cried, pushing his glass from him, "ah, wine is good, and confidence is good; but can wine or confidence percolate down through all the stony strata of hard considerations, and drop warmly and ruddily into the cold cave of truth? truth will _not_ be comforted. led by dear charity, lured by sweet hope, fond fancy essays this feat; but in vain; mere dreams and ideals, they explode in your hand, leaving naught but the scorching behind!" "why, why, why!" in amaze, at the burst: "bless me, if _in vino veritas_ be a true saying, then, for all the fine confidence you professed with me, just now, distrust, deep distrust, underlies it; and ten thousand strong, like the irish rebellion, breaks out in you now. that wine, good wine, should do it! upon my soul," half seriously, half humorously, securing the bottle, "you shall drink no more of it. wine was meant to gladden the heart, not grieve it; to heighten confidence, not depress it." sobered, shamed, all but confounded, by this raillery, the most telling rebuke under such circumstances, the merchant stared about him, and then, with altered mien, stammeringly confessed, that he was almost as much surprised as his companion, at what had escaped him. he did not understand it; was quite at a loss to account for such a rhapsody popping out of him unbidden. it could hardly be the champagne; he felt his brain unaffected; in fact, if anything, the wine had acted upon it something like white of egg in coffee, clarifying and brightening. "brightening? brightening it may be, but less like the white of egg in coffee, than like stove-lustre on a stove--black, brightening seriously, i repent calling for the champagne. to a temperament like yours, champagne is not to be recommended. pray, my dear sir, do you feel quite yourself again? confidence restored?" "i hope so; i think i may say it is so. but we have had a long talk, and i think i must retire now." so saying, the merchant rose, and making his adieus, left the table with the air of one, mortified at having been tempted by his own honest goodness, accidentally stimulated into making mad disclosures--to himself as to another--of the queer, unaccountable caprices of his natural heart. chapter xiv. worth the consideration of those to whom it may prove worth considering. as the last chapter was begun with a reminder looking forwards, so the present must consist of one glancing backwards. to some, it may raise a degree of surprise that one so full of confidence, as the merchant has throughout shown himself, up to the moment of his late sudden impulsiveness, should, in that instance, have betrayed such a depth of discontent. he may be thought inconsistent, and even so he is. but for this, is the author to be blamed? true, it may be urged that there is nothing a writer of fiction should more carefully see to, as there is nothing a sensible reader will more carefully look for, than that, in the depiction of any character, its consistency should be preserved. but this, though at first blush, seeming reasonable enough, may, upon a closer view, prove not so much so. for how does it couple with another requirement--equally insisted upon, perhaps--that, while to all fiction is allowed some play of invention, yet, fiction based on fact should never be contradictory to it; and is it not a fact, that, in real life, a consistent character is a _rara avis_? which being so, the distaste of readers to the contrary sort in books, can hardly arise from any sense of their untrueness. it may rather be from perplexity as to understanding them. but if the acutest sage be often at his wits' ends to understand living character, shall those who are not sages expect to run and read character in those mere phantoms which flit along a page, like shadows along a wall? that fiction, where every character can, by reason of its consistency, be comprehended at a glance, either exhibits but sections of character, making them appear for wholes, or else is very untrue to reality; while, on the other hand, that author who draws a character, even though to common view incongruous in its parts, as the flying-squirrel, and, at different periods, as much at variance with itself as the butterfly is with the caterpillar into which it changes, may yet, in so doing, be not false but faithful to facts. if reason be judge, no writer has produced such inconsistent characters as nature herself has. it must call for no small sagacity in a reader unerringly to discriminate in a novel between the inconsistencies of conception and those of life as elsewhere. experience is the only guide here; but as no one man can be coextensive with _what is_, it may be unwise in every ease to rest upon it. when the duck-billed beaver of australia was first brought stuffed to england, the naturalists, appealing to their classifications, maintained that there was, in reality, no such creature; the bill in the specimen must needs be, in some way, artificially stuck on. but let nature, to the perplexity of the naturalists, produce her duck-billed beavers as she may, lesser authors some may hold, have no business to be perplexing readers with duck-billed characters. always, they should represent human nature not in obscurity, but transparency, which, indeed, is the practice with most novelists, and is, perhaps, in certain cases, someway felt to be a kind of honor rendered by them to their kind. but, whether it involve honor or otherwise might be mooted, considering that, if these waters of human nature can be so readily seen through, it may be either that they are very pure or very shallow. upon the whole, it might rather be thought, that he, who, in view of its inconsistencies, says of human nature the same that, in view of its contrasts, is said of the divine nature, that it is past finding out, thereby evinces a better appreciation of it than he who, by always representing it in a clear light, leaves it to be inferred that he clearly knows all about it. but though there is a prejudice against inconsistent characters in books, yet the prejudice bears the other way, when what seemed at first their inconsistency, afterwards, by the skill of the writer, turns out to be their good keeping. the great masters excel in nothing so much as in this very particular. they challenge astonishment at the tangled web of some character, and then raise admiration still greater at their satisfactory unraveling of it; in this way throwing open, sometimes to the understanding even of school misses, the last complications of that spirit which is affirmed by its creator to be fearfully and wonderfully made. at least, something like this is claimed for certain psychological novelists; nor will the claim be here disputed. yet, as touching this point, it may prove suggestive, that all those sallies of ingenuity, having for their end the revelation of human nature on fixed principles, have, by the best judges, been excluded with contempt from the ranks of the sciences--palmistry, physiognomy, phrenology, psychology. likewise, the fact, that in all ages such conflicting views have, by the most eminent minds, been taken of mankind, would, as with other topics, seem some presumption of a pretty general and pretty thorough ignorance of it. which may appear the less improbable if it be considered that, after poring over the best novels professing to portray human nature, the studious youth will still run risk of being too often at fault upon actually entering the world; whereas, had he been furnished with a true delineation, it ought to fare with him something as with a stranger entering, map in hand, boston town; the streets may be very crooked, he may often pause; but, thanks to his true map, he does not hopelessly lose his way. nor, to this comparison, can it be an adequate objection, that the twistings of the town are always the same, and those of human nature subject to variation. the grand points of human nature are the same to-day they were a thousand years ago. the only variability in them is in expression, not in feature. but as, in spite of seeming discouragement, some mathematicians are yet in hopes of hitting upon an exact method of determining the longitude, the more earnest psychologists may, in the face of previous failures, still cherish expectations with regard to some mode of infallibly discovering the heart of man. but enough has been said by way of apology for whatever may have seemed amiss or obscure in the character of the merchant; so nothing remains but to turn to our comedy, or, rather, to pass from the comedy of thought to that of action. chapter xv. an old miser, upon suitable representations, is prevailed upon to venture an investment. the merchant having withdrawn, the other remained seated alone for a time, with the air of one who, after having conversed with some excellent man, carefully ponders what fell from him, however intellectually inferior it may be, that none of the profit may be lost; happy if from any honest word he has heard he can derive some hint, which, besides confirming him in the theory of virtue, may, likewise, serve for a finger-post to virtuous action. ere long his eye brightened, as if some such hint was now caught. he rises, book in hand, quits the cabin, and enters upon a sort of corridor, narrow and dim, a by-way to a retreat less ornate and cheery than the former; in short, the emigrants' quarters; but which, owing to the present trip being a down-river one, will doubtless be found comparatively tenantless. owing to obstructions against the side windows, the whole place is dim and dusky; very much so, for the most part; yet, by starts, haggardly lit here and there by narrow, capricious sky-lights in the cornices. but there would seem no special need for light, the place being designed more to pass the night in, than the day; in brief, a pine barrens dormitory, of knotty pine bunks, without bedding. as with the nests in the geometrical towns of the associate penguin and pelican, these bunks were disposed with philadelphian regularity, but, like the cradle of the oriole, they were pendulous, and, moreover, were, so to speak, three-story cradles; the description of one of which will suffice for all. four ropes, secured to the ceiling, passed downwards through auger-holes bored in the corners of three rough planks, which at equal distances rested on knots vertically tied in the ropes, the lowermost plank but an inch or two from the floor, the whole affair resembling, on a large scale, rope book-shelves; only, instead of hanging firmly against a wall, they swayed to and fro at the least suggestion of motion, but were more especially lively upon the provocation of a green emigrant sprawling into one, and trying to lay himself out there, when the cradling would be such as almost to toss him back whence he came. in consequence, one less inexperienced, essaying repose on the uppermost shelf, was liable to serious disturbance, should a raw beginner select a shelf beneath. sometimes a throng of poor emigrants, coming at night in a sudden rain to occupy these oriole nests, would--through ignorance of their peculiarity--bring about such a rocking uproar of carpentry, joining to it such an uproar of exclamations, that it seemed as if some luckless ship, with all its crew, was being dashed to pieces among the rocks. they were beds devised by some sardonic foe of poor travelers, to deprive them of that tranquility which should precede, as well as accompany, slumber.--procrustean beds, on whose hard grain humble worth and honesty writhed, still invoking repose, while but torment responded. ah, did any one make such a bunk for himself, instead of having it made for him, it might be just, but how cruel, to say, you must lie on it! but, purgatory as the place would appear, the stranger advances into it: and, like orpheus in his gay descent to tartarus, lightly hums to himself an opera snatch. suddenly there is a rustling, then a creaking, one of the cradles swings out from a murky nook, a sort of wasted penguin-flipper is supplicatingly put forth, while a wail like that of dives is heard:--"water, water!" it was the miser of whom the merchant had spoken. swift as a sister-of-charity, the stranger hovers over him:-- "my poor, poor sir, what can i do for you?" "ugh, ugh--water!" darting out, he procures a glass, returns, and, holding it to the sufferer's lips, supports his head while he drinks: "and did they let you lie here, my poor sir, racked with this parching thirst?" the miser, a lean old man, whose flesh seemed salted cod-fish, dry as combustibles; head, like one whittled by an idiot out of a knot; flat, bony mouth, nipped between buzzard nose and chin; expression, flitting between hunks and imbecile--now one, now the other--he made no response. his eyes were closed, his cheek lay upon an old white moleskin coat, rolled under his head like a wizened apple upon a grimy snow-bank. revived at last, he inclined towards his ministrant, and, in a voice disastrous with a cough, said:--"i am old and miserable, a poor beggar, not worth a shoestring--how can i repay you?" "by giving me your confidence." "confidence!" he squeaked, with changed manner, while the pallet swung, "little left at my age, but take the stale remains, and welcome." "such as it is, though, you give it. very good. now give me a hundred dollars." upon this the miser was all panic. his hands groped towards his waist, then suddenly flew upward beneath his moleskin pillow, and there lay clutching something out of sight. meantime, to himself he incoherently mumbled:--"confidence? cant, gammon! confidence? hum, bubble!--confidence? fetch, gouge!--hundred dollars?--hundred devils!" half spent, he lay mute awhile, then feebly raising himself, in a voice for the moment made strong by the sarcasm, said, "a hundred dollars? rather high price to put upon confidence. but don't you see i am a poor, old rat here, dying in the wainscot? you have served me; but, wretch that i am, i can but cough you my thanks,--ugh, ugh, ugh!" this time his cough was so violent that its convulsions were imparted to the plank, which swung him about like a stone in a sling preparatory to its being hurled. "ugh, ugh, ugh!" "what a shocking cough. i wish, my friend, the herb-doctor was here now; a box of his omni-balsamic reinvigorator would do you good." "ugh, ugh, ugh!" "i've a good mind to go find him. he's aboard somewhere. i saw his long, snuff-colored surtout. trust me, his medicines are the best in the world." "ugh, ugh, ugh!" "oh, how sorry i am." "no doubt of it," squeaked the other again, "but go, get your charity out on deck. there parade the pursy peacocks; they don't cough down here in desertion and darkness, like poor old me. look how scaly a pauper i am, clove with this churchyard cough. ugh, ugh, ugh!" "again, how sorry i feel, not only for your cough, but your poverty. such a rare chance made unavailable. did you have but the sum named, how i could invest it for you. treble profits. but confidence--i fear that, even had you the precious cash, you would not have the more precious confidence i speak of." "ugh, ugh, ugh!" flightily raising himself. "what's that? how, how? then you don't want the money for yourself?" "my dear, _dear_ sir, how could you impute to me such preposterous self-seeking? to solicit out of hand, for my private behoof, an hundred dollars from a perfect stranger? i am not mad, my dear sir." "how, how?" still more bewildered, "do you, then, go about the world, gratis, seeking to invest people's money for them?" "my humble profession, sir. i live not for myself; but the world will not have confidence in me, and yet confidence in me were great gain." "but, but," in a kind of vertigo, "what do--do you do--do with people's money? ugh, ugh! how is the gain made?" "to tell that would ruin me. that known, every one would be going into the business, and it would be overdone. a secret, a mystery--all i have to do with you is to receive your confidence, and all you have to do with me is, in due time, to receive it back, thrice paid in trebling profits." "what, what?" imbecility in the ascendant once more; "but the vouchers, the vouchers," suddenly hunkish again. "honesty's best voucher is honesty's face." "can't see yours, though," peering through the obscurity. from this last alternating flicker of rationality, the miser fell back, sputtering, into his previous gibberish, but it took now an arithmetical turn. eyes closed, he lay muttering to himself-- "one hundred, one hundred--two hundred, two hundred--three hundred, three hundred." he opened his eyes, feebly stared, and still more feebly said-- "it's a little dim here, ain't it? ugh, ugh! but, as well as my poor old eyes can see, you look honest." "i am glad to hear that." "if--if, now, i should put"--trying to raise himself, but vainly, excitement having all but exhausted him--"if, if now, i should put, put----" "no ifs. downright confidence, or none. so help me heaven, i will have no half-confidences." he said it with an indifferent and superior air, and seemed moving to go. "don't, don't leave me, friend; bear with me; age can't help some distrust; it can't, friend, it can't. ugh, ugh, ugh! oh, i am so old and miserable. i ought to have a guardian. tell me, if----" "if? no more!" "stay! how soon--ugh, ugh!--would my money be trebled? how soon, friend?" "you won't confide. good-bye!" "stay, stay," falling back now like an infant, "i confide, i confide; help, friend, my distrust!" from an old buckskin pouch, tremulously dragged forth, ten hoarded eagles, tarnished into the appearance of ten old horn-buttons, were taken, and half-eagerly, half-reluctantly, offered. "i know not whether i should accept this slack confidence," said the other coldly, receiving the gold, "but an eleventh-hour confidence, a sick-bed confidence, a distempered, death-bed confidence, after all. give me the healthy confidence of healthy men, with their healthy wits about them. but let that pass. all right. good-bye!" "nay, back, back--receipt, my receipt! ugh, ugh, ugh! who are you? what have i done? where go you? my gold, my gold! ugh, ugh, ugh!" but, unluckily for this final flicker of reason, the stranger was now beyond ear-shot, nor was any one else within hearing of so feeble a call. chapter xvi. a sick man, after some impatience, is induced to become a patient the sky slides into blue, the bluffs into bloom; the rapid mississippi expands; runs sparkling and gurgling, all over in eddies; one magnified wake of a seventy-four. the sun comes out, a golden huzzar, from his tent, flashing his helm on the world. all things, warmed in the landscape, leap. speeds the dædal boat as a dream. but, withdrawn in a corner, wrapped about in a shawl, sits an unparticipating man, visited, but not warmed, by the sun--a plant whose hour seems over, while buds are blowing and seeds are astir. on a stool at his left sits a stranger in a snuff-colored surtout, the collar thrown back; his hand waving in persuasive gesture, his eye beaming with hope. but not easily may hope be awakened in one long tranced into hopelessness by a chronic complaint. to some remark the sick man, by word or look, seemed to have just made an impatiently querulous answer, when, with a deprecatory air, the other resumed: "nay, think not i seek to cry up my treatment by crying down that of others. and yet, when one is confident he has truth on his side, and that is not on the other, it is no very easy thing to be charitable; not that temper is the bar, but conscience; for charity would beget toleration, you know, which is a kind of implied permitting, and in effect a kind of countenancing; and that which is countenanced is so far furthered. but should untruth be furthered? still, while for the world's good i refuse to further the cause of these mineral doctors, i would fain regard them, not as willful wrong-doers, but good samaritans erring. and is this--i put it to you, sir--is this the view of an arrogant rival and pretender?" his physical power all dribbled and gone, the sick man replied not by voice or by gesture; but, with feeble dumb-show of his face, seemed to be saying "pray leave me; who was ever cured by talk?" but the other, as if not unused to make allowances for such despondency, proceeded; and kindly, yet firmly: "you tell me, that by advice of an eminent physiologist in louisville, you took tincture of iron. for what? to restore your lost energy. and how? why, in healthy subjects iron is naturally found in the blood, and iron in the bar is strong; ergo, iron is the source of animal invigoration. but you being deficient in vigor, it follows that the cause is deficiency of iron. iron, then, must be put into you; and so your tincture. now as to the theory here, i am mute. but in modesty assuming its truth, and then, as a plain man viewing that theory in practice, i would respectfully question your eminent physiologist: 'sir,' i would say, 'though by natural processes, lifeless natures taken as nutriment become vitalized, yet is a lifeless nature, under any circumstances, capable of a living transmission, with all its qualities as a lifeless nature unchanged? if, sir, nothing can be incorporated with the living body but by assimilation, and if that implies the conversion of one thing to a different thing (as, in a lamp, oil is assimilated into flame), is it, in this view, likely, that by banqueting on fat, calvin edson will fatten? that is, will what is fat on the board prove fat on the bones? if it will, then, sir, what is iron in the vial will prove iron in the vein.' seems that conclusion too confident?" but the sick man again turned his dumb-show look, as much as to say, "pray leave me. why, with painful words, hint the vanity of that which the pains of this body have too painfully proved?" but the other, as if unobservant of that querulous look, went on: "but this notion, that science can play farmer to the flesh, making there what living soil it pleases, seems not so strange as that other conceit--that science is now-a-days so expert that, in consumptive cases, as yours, it can, by prescription of the inhalation of certain vapors, achieve the sublimest act of omnipotence, breathing into all but lifeless dust the breath of life. for did you not tell me, my poor sir, that by order of the great chemist in baltimore, for three weeks you were never driven out without a respirator, and for a given time of every day sat bolstered up in a sort of gasometer, inspiring vapors generated by the burning of drugs? as if this concocted atmosphere of man were an antidote to the poison of god's natural air. oh, who can wonder at that old reproach against science, that it is atheistical? and here is my prime reason for opposing these chemical practitioners, who have sought out so many inventions. for what do their inventions indicate, unless it be that kind and degree of pride in human skill, which seems scarce compatible with reverential dependence upon the power above? try to rid my mind of it as i may, yet still these chemical practitioners with their tinctures, and fumes, and braziers, and occult incantations, seem to me like pharaoh's vain sorcerers, trying to beat down the will of heaven. day and night, in all charity, i intercede for them, that heaven may not, in its own language, be provoked to anger with their inventions; may not take vengeance of their inventions. a thousand pities that you should ever have been in the hands of these egyptians." but again came nothing but the dumb-show look, as much as to say, "pray leave me; quacks, and indignation against quacks, both are vain." but, once more, the other went on: "how different we herb-doctors! who claim nothing, invent nothing; but staff in hand, in glades, and upon hillsides, go about in nature, humbly seeking her cures. true indian doctors, though not learned in names, we are not unfamiliar with essences--successors of solomon the wise, who knew all vegetables, from the cedar of lebanon, to the hyssop on the wall. yes, solomon was the first of herb-doctors. nor were the virtues of herbs unhonored by yet older ages. is it not writ, that on a moonlight night, "medea gathered the enchanted herbs that did renew old Æson?" ah, would you but have confidence, you should be the new Æson, and i your medea. a few vials of my omni-balsamic reinvigorator would, i am certain, give you some strength." upon this, indignation and abhorrence seemed to work by their excess the effect promised of the balsam. roused from that long apathy of impotence, the cadaverous man started, and, in a voice that was as the sound of obstructed air gurgling through a maze of broken honey-combs, cried: "begone! you are all alike. the name of doctor, the dream of helper, condemns you. for years i have been but a gallipot for you experimentizers to rinse your experiments into, and now, in this livid skin, partake of the nature of my contents. begone! i hate ye." "i were inhuman, could i take affront at a want of confidence, born of too bitter an experience of betrayers. yet, permit one who is not without feeling----" "begone! just in that voice talked to me, not six months ago, the german doctor at the water cure, from which i now return, six months and sixty pangs nigher my grave." "the water-cure? oh, fatal delusion of the well-meaning preisnitz!--sir, trust me----" "begone!" "nay, an invalid should not always have his own way. ah, sir, reflect how untimely this distrust in one like you. how weak you are; and weakness, is it not the time for confidence? yes, when through weakness everything bids despair, then is the time to get strength by confidence." relenting in his air, the sick man cast upon him a long glance of beseeching, as if saying, "with confidence must come hope; and how can hope be?" the herb-doctor took a sealed paper box from his surtout pocket, and holding it towards him, said solemnly, "turn not away. this may be the last time of health's asking. work upon yourself; invoke confidence, though from ashes; rouse it; for your life, rouse it, and invoke it, i say." the other trembled, was silent; and then, a little commanding himself, asked the ingredients of the medicine. "herbs." "what herbs? and the nature of them? and the reason for giving them?" "it cannot be made known." "then i will none of you." sedately observant of the juiceless, joyless form before him, the herb-doctor was mute a moment, then said:--"i give up." "how?" "you are sick, and a philosopher." "no, no;--not the last." "but, to demand the ingredient, with the reason for giving, is the mark of a philosopher; just as the consequence is the penalty of a fool. a sick philosopher is incurable?" "why?" "because he has no confidence." "how does that make him incurable?" "because either he spurns his powder, or, if he take it, it proves a blank cartridge, though the same given to a rustic in like extremity, would act like a charm. i am no materialist; but the mind so acts upon the body, that if the one have no confidence, neither has the other." again, the sick man appeared not unmoved. he seemed to be thinking what in candid truth could be said to all this. at length, "you talk of confidence. how comes it that when brought low himself, the herb-doctor, who was most confident to prescribe in other cases, proves least confident to prescribe in his own; having small confidence in himself for himself?" "but he has confidence in the brother he calls in. and that he does so, is no reproach to him, since he knows that when the body is prostrated, the mind is not erect. yes, in this hour the herb-doctor does distrust himself, but not his art." the sick man's knowledge did not warrant him to gainsay this. but he seemed not grieved at it; glad to be confuted in a way tending towards his wish. "then you give me hope?" his sunken eye turned up. "hope is proportioned to confidence. how much confidence you give me, so much hope do i give you. for this," lifting the box, "if all depended upon this, i should rest. it is nature's own." "nature!" "why do you start?" "i know not," with a sort of shudder, "but i have heard of a book entitled 'nature in disease.'" "a title i cannot approve; it is suspiciously scientific. 'nature in disease?' as if nature, divine nature, were aught but health; as if through nature disease is decreed! but did i not before hint of the tendency of science, that forbidden tree? sir, if despondency is yours from recalling that title, dismiss it. trust me, nature is health; for health is good, and nature cannot work ill. as little can she work error. get nature, and you get well. now, i repeat, this medicine is nature's own." again the sick man could not, according to his light, conscientiously disprove what was said. neither, as before, did he seem over-anxious to do so; the less, as in his sensitiveness it seemed to him, that hardly could he offer so to do without something like the appearance of a kind of implied irreligion; nor in his heart was he ungrateful, that since a spirit opposite to that pervaded all the herb-doctor's hopeful words, therefore, for hopefulness, he (the sick man) had not alone medical warrant, but also doctrinal. "then you do really think," hectically, "that if i take this medicine," mechanically reaching out for it, "i shall regain my health?" "i will not encourage false hopes," relinquishing to him the box, "i will be frank with you. though frankness is not always the weakness of the mineral practitioner, yet the herb doctor must be frank, or nothing. now then, sir, in your case, a radical cure--such a cure, understand, as should make you robust--such a cure, sir, i do not and cannot promise." "oh, you need not! only restore me the power of being something else to others than a burdensome care, and to myself a droning grief. only cure me of this misery of weakness; only make me so that i can walk about in the sun and not draw the flies to me, as lured by the coming of decay. only do that--but that." "you ask not much; you are wise; not in vain have you suffered. that little you ask, i think, can be granted. but remember, not in a day, nor a week, nor perhaps a month, but sooner or later; i say not exactly when, for i am neither prophet nor charlatan. still, if, according to the directions in your box there, you take my medicine steadily, without assigning an especial day, near or remote, to discontinue it, then may you calmly look for some eventual result of good. but again i say, you must have confidence." feverishly he replied that he now trusted he had, and hourly should pray for its increase. when suddenly relapsing into one of those strange caprices peculiar to some invalids, he added: "but to one like me, it is so hard, so hard. the most confident hopes so often have failed me, and as often have i vowed never, no, never, to trust them again. oh," feebly wringing his hands, "you do not know, you do not know." "i know this, that never did a right confidence, come to naught. but time is short; you hold your cure, to retain or reject." "i retain," with a clinch, "and now how much?" "as much as you can evoke from your heart and heaven." "how?--the price of this medicine?" "i thought it was confidence you meant; how much confidence you should have. the medicine,--that is half a dollar a vial. your box holds six." the money was paid. "now, sir," said the herb-doctor, "my business calls me away, and it may so be that i shall never see you again; if then----" he paused, for the sick man's countenance fell blank. "forgive me," cried the other, "forgive that imprudent phrase 'never see you again.' though i solely intended it with reference to myself, yet i had forgotten what your sensitiveness might be. i repeat, then, that it may be that we shall not soon have a second interview, so that hereafter, should another of my boxes be needed, you may not be able to replace it except by purchase at the shops; and, in so doing, you may run more or less risk of taking some not salutary mixture. for such is the popularity of the omni-balsamic reinvigorator--thriving not by the credulity of the simple, but the trust of the wise--that certain contrivers have not been idle, though i would not, indeed, hastily affirm of them that they are aware of the sad consequences to the public. homicides and murderers, some call those contrivers; but i do not; for murder (if such a crime be possible) comes from the heart, and these men's motives come from the purse. were they not in poverty, i think they would hardly do what they do. still, the public interests forbid that i should let their needy device for a living succeed. in short, i have adopted precautions. take the wrapper from any of my vials and hold it to the light, you will see water-marked in capitals the word '_confidence_,' which is the countersign of the medicine, as i wish it was of the world. the wrapper bears that mark or else the medicine is counterfeit. but if still any lurking doubt should remain, pray enclose the wrapper to this address," handing a card, "and by return mail i will answer." at first the sick man listened, with the air of vivid interest, but gradually, while the other was still talking, another strange caprice came over him, and he presented the aspect of the most calamitous dejection. "how now?" said the herb-doctor. "you told me to have confidence, said that confidence was indispensable, and here you preach to me distrust. ah, truth will out!" "i told you, you must have confidence, unquestioning confidence, i meant confidence in the genuine medicine, and the genuine _me_." "but in your absence, buying vials purporting to be yours, it seems i cannot have unquestioning confidence." "prove all the vials; trust those which are true." "but to doubt, to suspect, to prove--to have all this wearing work to be doing continually--how opposed to confidence. it is evil!" "from evil comes good. distrust is a stage to confidence. how has it proved in our interview? but your voice is husky; i have let you talk too much. you hold your cure; i will leave you. but stay--when i hear that health is yours, i will not, like some i know, vainly make boasts; but, giving glory where all glory is due, say, with the devout herb-doctor, japus in virgil, when, in the unseen but efficacious presence of venus, he with simples healed the wound of Æneas:-- 'this is no mortal work, no cure of mine, nor art's effect, but done by power divine.'" chapter xvii. towards the end of which the herb-doctor proves himself a forgiver of injuries. in a kind of ante-cabin, a number of respectable looking people, male and female, way-passengers, recently come on board, are listlessly sitting in a mutually shy sort of silence. holding up a small, square bottle, ovally labeled with the engraving of a countenance full of soft pity as that of the romish-painted madonna, the herb-doctor passes slowly among them, benignly urbane, turning this way and that, saying:-- "ladies and gentlemen, i hold in my hand here the samaritan pain dissuader, thrice-blessed discovery of that disinterested friend of humanity whose portrait you see. pure vegetable extract. warranted to remove the acutest pain within less than ten minutes. five hundred dollars to be forfeited on failure. especially efficacious in heart disease and tic-douloureux. observe the expression of this pledged friend of humanity.--price only fifty cents." in vain. after the first idle stare, his auditors--in pretty good health, it seemed--instead of encouraging his politeness, appeared, if anything, impatient of it; and, perhaps, only diffidence, or some small regard for his feelings, prevented them from telling him so. but, insensible to their coldness, or charitably overlooking it, he more wooingly than ever resumed: "may i venture upon a small supposition? have i your kind leave, ladies and gentlemen?" to which modest appeal, no one had the kindness to answer a syllable. "well," said he, resignedly, "silence is at least not denial, and may be consent. my supposition is this: possibly some lady, here present, has a dear friend at home, a bed-ridden sufferer from spinal complaint. if so, what gift more appropriate to that sufferer than this tasteful little bottle of pain dissuader?" again he glanced about him, but met much the same reception as before. those faces, alien alike to sympathy or surprise, seemed patiently to say, "we are travelers; and, as such, must expect to meet, and quietly put up with, many antic fools, and more antic quacks." "ladies and gentlemen," (deferentially fixing his eyes upon their now self-complacent faces) "ladies and gentlemen, might i, by your kind leave, venture upon one other small supposition? it is this: that there is scarce a sufferer, this noonday, writhing on his bed, but in his hour he sat satisfactorily healthy and happy; that the samaritan pain dissuader is the one only balm for that to which each living creature--who knows?--may be a draughted victim, present or prospective. in short:--oh, happiness on my right hand, and oh, security on my left, can ye wisely adore a providence, and not think it wisdom to provide?--provide!" (uplifting the bottle.) what immediate effect, if any, this appeal might have had, is uncertain. for just then the boat touched at a houseless landing, scooped, as by a land-slide, out of sombre forests; back through which led a road, the sole one, which, from its narrowness, and its being walled up with story on story of dusk, matted foliage, presented the vista of some cavernous old gorge in a city, like haunted cock lane in london. issuing from that road, and crossing that landing, there stooped his shaggy form in the door-way, and entered the ante-cabin, with a step so burdensome that shot seemed in his pockets, a kind of invalid titan in homespun; his beard blackly pendant, like the carolina-moss, and dank with cypress dew; his countenance tawny and shadowy as an iron-ore country in a clouded day. in one hand he carried a heavy walking-stick of swamp-oak; with the other, led a puny girl, walking in moccasins, not improbably his child, but evidently of alien maternity, perhaps creole, or even camanche. her eye would have been large for a woman, and was inky as the pools of falls among mountain-pines. an indian blanket, orange-hued, and fringed with lead tassel-work, appeared that morning to have shielded the child from heavy showers. her limbs were tremulous; she seemed a little cassandra, in nervousness. no sooner was the pair spied by the herb-doctor, than with a cheerful air, both arms extended like a host's, he advanced, and taking the child's reluctant hand, said, trippingly: "on your travels, ah, my little may queen? glad to see you. what pretty moccasins. nice to dance in." then with a half caper sang-- "'hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle; the cow jumped over the moon.' come, chirrup, chirrup, my little robin!" which playful welcome drew no responsive playfulness from the child, nor appeared to gladden or conciliate the father; but rather, if anything, to dash the dead weight of his heavy-hearted expression with a smile hypochondriacally scornful. sobering down now, the herb-doctor addressed the stranger in a manly, business-like way--a transition which, though it might seem a little abrupt, did not appear constrained, and, indeed, served to show that his recent levity was less the habit of a frivolous nature, than the frolic condescension of a kindly heart. "excuse me," said he, "but, if i err not, i was speaking to you the other day;--on a kentucky boat, wasn't it?" "never to me," was the reply; the voice deep and lonesome enough to have come from the bottom of an abandoned coal-shaft. "ah!--but am i again mistaken, (his eye falling on the swamp-oak stick,) or don't you go a little lame, sir?" "never was lame in my life." "indeed? i fancied i had perceived not a limp, but a hitch, a slight hitch;--some experience in these things--divined some hidden cause of the hitch--buried bullet, may be--some dragoons in the mexican war discharged with such, you know.--hard fate!" he sighed, "little pity for it, for who sees it?--have you dropped anything?" why, there is no telling, but the stranger was bowed over, and might have seemed bowing for the purpose of picking up something, were it not that, as arrested in the imperfect posture, he for the moment so remained; slanting his tall stature like a mainmast yielding to the gale, or adam to the thunder. the little child pulled him. with a kind of a surge he righted himself, for an instant looked toward the herb-doctor; but, either from emotion or aversion, or both together, withdrew his eyes, saying nothing. presently, still stooping, he seated himself, drawing his child between his knees, his massy hands tremulous, and still averting his face, while up into the compassionate one of the herb-doctor the child turned a fixed, melancholy glance of repugnance. the herb-doctor stood observant a moment, then said: "surely you have pain, strong pain, somewhere; in strong frames pain is strongest. try, now, my specific," (holding it up). "do but look at the expression of this friend of humanity. trust me, certain cure for any pain in the world. won't you look?" "no," choked the other. "very good. merry time to you, little may queen." and so, as if he would intrude his cure upon no one, moved pleasantly off, again crying his wares, nor now at last without result. a new-comer, not from the shore, but another part of the boat, a sickly young man, after some questions, purchased a bottle. upon this, others of the company began a little to wake up as it were; the scales of indifference or prejudice fell from their eyes; now, at last, they seemed to have an inkling that here was something not undesirable which might be had for the buying. but while, ten times more briskly bland than ever, the herb-doctor was driving his benevolent trade, accompanying each sale with added praises of the thing traded, all at once the dusk giant, seated at some distance, unexpectedly raised his voice with-- "what was that you last said?" the question was put distinctly, yet resonantly, as when a great clock-bell--stunning admonisher--strikes one; and the stroke, though single, comes bedded in the belfry clamor. all proceedings were suspended. hands held forth for the specific were withdrawn, while every eye turned towards the direction whence the question came. but, no way abashed, the herb-doctor, elevating his voice with even more than wonted self-possession, replied-- "i was saying what, since you wish it, i cheerfully repeat, that the samaritan pain dissuader, which i here hold in my hand, will either cure or ease any pain you please, within ten minutes after its application." "does it produce insensibility?" "by no means. not the least of its merits is, that it is not an opiate. it kills pain without killing feeling." "you lie! some pains cannot be eased but by producing insensibility, and cannot be cured but by producing death." beyond this the dusk giant said nothing; neither, for impairing the other's market, did there appear much need to. after eying the rude speaker a moment with an expression of mingled admiration and consternation, the company silently exchanged glances of mutual sympathy under unwelcome conviction. those who had purchased looked sheepish or ashamed; and a cynical-looking little man, with a thin flaggy beard, and a countenance ever wearing the rudiments of a grin, seated alone in a corner commanding a good view of the scene, held a rusty hat before his face. but, again, the herb-doctor, without noticing the retort, overbearing though it was, began his panegyrics anew, and in a tone more assured than before, going so far now as to say that his specific was sometimes almost as effective in cases of mental suffering as in cases of physical; or rather, to be more precise, in cases when, through sympathy, the two sorts of pain coöperated into a climax of both--in such cases, he said, the specific had done very well. he cited an example: only three bottles, faithfully taken, cured a louisiana widow (for three weeks sleepless in a darkened chamber) of neuralgic sorrow for the loss of husband and child, swept off in one night by the last epidemic. for the truth of this, a printed voucher was produced, duly signed. while he was reading it aloud, a sudden side-blow all but felled him. it was the giant, who, with a countenance lividly epileptic with hypochondriac mania, exclaimed-- "profane fiddler on heart-strings! snake!" more he would have added, but, convulsed, could not; so, without another word, taking up the child, who had followed him, went with a rocking pace out of the cabin. "regardless of decency, and lost to humanity!" exclaimed the herb-doctor, with much ado recovering himself. then, after a pause, during which he examined his bruise, not omitting to apply externally a little of his specific, and with some success, as it would seem, plained to himself: "no, no, i won't seek redress; innocence is my redress. but," turning upon them all, "if that man's wrathful blow provokes me to no wrath, should his evil distrust arouse you to distrust? i do devoutly hope," proudly raising voice and arm, "for the honor of humanity--hope that, despite this coward assault, the samaritan pain dissuader stands unshaken in the confidence of all who hear me!" but, injured as he was, and patient under it, too, somehow his case excited as little compassion as his oratory now did enthusiasm. still, pathetic to the last, he continued his appeals, notwithstanding the frigid regard of the company, till, suddenly interrupting himself, as if in reply to a quick summons from without, he said hurriedly, "i come, i come," and so, with every token of precipitate dispatch, out of the cabin the herb-doctor went. chapter xviii. inquest into the true character of the herb-doctor. "sha'n't see that fellow again in a hurry," remarked an auburn-haired gentleman, to his neighbor with a hook-nose. "never knew an operator so completely unmasked." "but do you think it the fair thing to unmask an operator that way?" "fair? it is right." "supposing that at high 'change on the paris bourse, asmodeus should lounge in, distributing hand-bills, revealing the true thoughts and designs of all the operators present--would that be the fair thing in asmodeus? or, as hamlet says, were it 'to consider the thing too curiously?'" "we won't go into that. but since you admit the fellow to be a knave----" "i don't admit it. or, if i did, i take it back. shouldn't wonder if, after all, he is no knave at all, or, but little of one. what can you prove against him?" "i can prove that he makes dupes." "many held in honor do the same; and many, not wholly knaves, do it too." "how about that last?" "he is not wholly at heart a knave, i fancy, among whose dupes is himself. did you not see our quack friend apply to himself his own quackery? a fanatic quack; essentially a fool, though effectively a knave." bending over, and looking down between his knees on the floor, the auburn-haired gentleman meditatively scribbled there awhile with his cane, then, glancing up, said: "i can't conceive how you, in anyway, can hold him a fool. how he talked--so glib, so pat, so well." "a smart fool always talks well; takes a smart fool to be tonguey." in much the same strain the discussion continued--the hook-nosed gentleman talking at large and excellently, with a view of demonstrating that a smart fool always talks just so. ere long he talked to such purpose as almost to convince. presently, back came the person of whom the auburn-haired gentleman had predicted that he would not return. conspicuous in the door-way he stood, saying, in a clear voice, "is the agent of the seminole widow and orphan asylum within here?" no one replied. "is there within here any agent or any member of any charitable institution whatever?" no one seemed competent to answer, or, no one thought it worth while to. "if there be within here any such person, i have in my hand two dollars for him." some interest was manifested. "i was called away so hurriedly, i forgot this part of my duty. with the proprietor of the samaritan pain dissuader it is a rule, to devote, on the spot, to some benevolent purpose, the half of the proceeds of sales. eight bottles were disposed of among this company. hence, four half-dollars remain to charity. who, as steward, takes the money?" one or two pair of feet moved upon the floor, as with a sort of itching; but nobody rose. "does diffidence prevail over duty? if, i say, there be any gentleman, or any lady, either, here present, who is in any connection with any charitable institution whatever, let him or her come forward. he or she happening to have at hand no certificate of such connection, makes no difference. not of a suspicious temper, thank god, i shall have confidence in whoever offers to take the money." a demure-looking woman, in a dress rather tawdry and rumpled, here drew her veil well down and rose; but, marking every eye upon her, thought it advisable, upon the whole, to sit down again. "is it to be believed that, in this christian company, there is no one charitable person? i mean, no one connected with any charity? well, then, is there no object of charity here?" upon this, an unhappy-looking woman, in a sort of mourning, neat, but sadly worn, hid her face behind a meagre bundle, and was heard to sob. meantime, as not seeing or hearing her, the herb-doctor again spoke, and this time not unpathetically: "are there none here who feel in need of help, and who, in accepting such help, would feel that they, in their time, have given or done more than may ever be given or done to them? man or woman, is there none such here?" the sobs of the woman were more audible, though she strove to repress them. while nearly every one's attention was bent upon her, a man of the appearance of a day-laborer, with a white bandage across his face, concealing the side of the nose, and who, for coolness' sake, had been sitting in his red-flannel shirt-sleeves, his coat thrown across one shoulder, the darned cuffs drooping behind--this man shufflingly rose, and, with a pace that seemed the lingering memento of the lock-step of convicts, went up for a duly-qualified claimant. "poor wounded huzzar!" sighed the herb-doctor, and dropping the money into the man's clam-shell of a hand turned and departed. the recipient of the alms was about moving after, when the auburn-haired gentleman staid him: "don't be frightened, you; but i want to see those coins. yes, yes; good silver, good silver. there, take them again, and while you are about it, go bandage the rest of yourself behind something. d'ye hear? consider yourself, wholly, the scar of a nose, and be off with yourself." being of a forgiving nature, or else from emotion not daring to trust his voice, the man silently, but not without some precipitancy, withdrew. "strange," said the auburn-haired gentleman, returning to his friend, "the money was good money." "aye, and where your fine knavery now? knavery to devote the half of one's receipts to charity? he's a fool i say again." "others might call him an original genius." "yes, being original in his folly. genius? his genius is a cracked pate, and, as this age goes, not much originality about that." "may he not be knave, fool, and genius altogether?" "i beg pardon," here said a third person with a gossiping expression who had been listening, "but you are somewhat puzzled by this man, and well you may be." "do you know anything about him?" asked the hooked-nosed gentleman. "no, but i suspect him for something." "suspicion. we want knowledge." "well, suspect first and know next. true knowledge comes but by suspicion or revelation. that's my maxim." "and yet," said the auburn-haired gentleman, "since a wise man will keep even some certainties to himself, much more some suspicions, at least he will at all events so do till they ripen into knowledge." "do you hear that about the wise man?" said the hook-nosed gentleman, turning upon the new comer. "now what is it you suspect of this fellow?" "i shrewdly suspect him," was the eager response, "for one of those jesuit emissaries prowling all over our country. the better to accomplish their secret designs, they assume, at times, i am told, the most singular masques; sometimes, in appearance, the absurdest." this, though indeed for some reason causing a droll smile upon the face of the hook-nosed gentleman, added a third angle to the discussion, which now became a sort of triangular duel, and ended, at last, with but a triangular result. chapter xix. a soldier of fortune. "mexico? molino del rey? resaca de la palma?" "resaca de la _tomba_!" leaving his reputation to take care of itself, since, as is not seldom the case, he knew nothing of its being in debate, the herb-doctor, wandering towards the forward part of the boat, had there espied a singular character in a grimy old regimental coat, a countenance at once grim and wizened, interwoven paralyzed legs, stiff as icicles, suspended between rude crutches, while the whole rigid body, like a ship's long barometer on gimbals, swung to and fro, mechanically faithful to the motion of the boat. looking downward while he swung, the cripple seemed in a brown study. as moved by the sight, and conjecturing that here was some battered hero from the mexican battle-fields, the herb-doctor had sympathetically accosted him as above, and received the above rather dubious reply. as, with a half moody, half surly sort of air that reply was given, the cripple, by a voluntary jerk, nervously increased his swing (his custom when seized by emotion), so that one would have thought some squall had suddenly rolled the boat and with it the barometer. "tombs? my friend," exclaimed the herb-doctor in mild surprise. "you have not descended to the dead, have you? i had imagined you a scarred campaigner, one of the noble children of war, for your dear country a glorious sufferer. but you are lazarus, it seems." "yes, he who had sores." "ah, the _other_ lazarus. but i never knew that either of them was in the army," glancing at the dilapidated regimentals. "that will do now. jokes enough." "friend," said the other reproachfully, "you think amiss. on principle, i greet unfortunates with some pleasant remark, the better to call off their thoughts from their troubles. the physician who is at once wise and humane seldom unreservedly sympathizes with his patient. but come, i am a herb-doctor, and also a natural bone-setter. i may be sanguine, but i think i can do something for you. you look up now. give me your story. ere i undertake a cure, i require a full account of the case." "you can't help me," returned the cripple gruffly. "go away." "you seem sadly destitute of----" "no i ain't destitute; to-day, at least, i can pay my way." "the natural bone-setter is happy, indeed, to hear that. but you were premature. i was deploring your destitution, not of cash, but of confidence. you think the natural bone-setter can't help you. well, suppose he can't, have you any objection to telling him your story? you, my friend, have, in a signal way, experienced adversity. tell me, then, for my private good, how, without aid from the noble cripple, epictetus, you have arrived at his heroic sang-froid in misfortune." at these words the cripple fixed upon the speaker the hard ironic eye of one toughened and defiant in misery, and, in the end, grinned upon him with his unshaven face like an ogre. "come, come, be sociable--be human, my friend. don't make that face; it distresses me." "i suppose," with a sneer, "you are the man i've long heard of--the happy man." "happy? my friend. yes, at least i ought to be. my conscience is peaceful. i have confidence in everybody. i have confidence that, in my humble profession, i do some little good to the world. yes, i think that, without presumption, i may venture to assent to the proposition that i am the happy man--the happy bone-setter." "then, you shall hear my story. many a month i have longed to get hold of the happy man, drill him, drop the powder, and leave him to explode at his leisure.". "what a demoniac unfortunate" exclaimed the herb-doctor retreating. "regular infernal machine!" "look ye," cried the other, stumping after him, and with his horny hand catching him by a horn button, "my name is thomas fry. until my----" --"any relation of mrs. fry?" interrupted the other. "i still correspond with that excellent lady on the subject of prisons. tell me, are you anyway connected with _my_ mrs. fry?" "blister mrs. fry! what do them sentimental souls know of prisons or any other black fact? i'll tell ye a story of prisons. ha, ha!" the herb-doctor shrank, and with reason, the laugh being strangely startling. "positively, my friend," said he, "you must stop that; i can't stand that; no more of that. i hope i have the milk of kindness, but your thunder will soon turn it." "hold, i haven't come to the milk-turning part yet. my name is thomas fry. until my twenty-third year i went by the nickname of happy tom--happy--ha, ha! they called me happy tom, d'ye see? because i was so good-natured and laughing all the time, just as i am now--ha, ha!" upon this the herb-doctor would, perhaps, have run, but once more the hyæna clawed him. presently, sobering down, he continued: "well, i was born in new york, and there i lived a steady, hard-working man, a cooper by trade. one evening i went to a political meeting in the park--for you must know, i was in those days a great patriot. as bad luck would have it, there was trouble near, between a gentleman who had been drinking wine, and a pavior who was sober. the pavior chewed tobacco, and the gentleman said it was beastly in him, and pushed him, wanting to have his place. the pavior chewed on and pushed back. well, the gentleman carried a sword-cane, and presently the pavior was down--skewered." "how was that?" "why you see the pavior undertook something above his strength." "the other must have been a samson then. 'strong as a pavior,' is a proverb." "so it is, and the gentleman was in body a rather weakly man, but, for all that, i say again, the pavior undertook something above his strength." "what are you talking about? he tried to maintain his rights, didn't he?" "yes; but, for all that, i say again, he undertook something above his strength." "i don't understand you. but go on." "along with the gentleman, i, with other witnesses, was taken to the tombs. there was an examination, and, to appear at the trial, the gentleman and witnesses all gave bail--i mean all but me." "and why didn't you?" "couldn't get it." "steady, hard-working cooper like you; what was the reason you couldn't get bail?" "steady, hard-working cooper hadn't no friends. well, souse i went into a wet cell, like a canal-boat splashing into the lock; locked up in pickle, d'ye see? against the time of the trial." "but what had you done?" "why, i hadn't got any friends, i tell ye. a worse crime than murder, as ye'll see afore long." "murder? did the wounded man die?" "died the third night." "then the gentleman's bail didn't help him. imprisoned now, wasn't he?" "had too many friends. no, it was _i_ that was imprisoned.--but i was going on: they let me walk about the corridor by day; but at night i must into lock. there the wet and the damp struck into my bones. they doctored me, but no use. when the trial came, i was boosted up and said my say." "and what was that?" "my say was that i saw the steel go in, and saw it sticking in." "and that hung the gentleman." "hung him with a gold chain! his friends called a meeting in the park, and presented him with a gold watch and chain upon his acquittal." "acquittal?" "didn't i say he had friends?" there was a pause, broken at last by the herb-doctor's saying: "well, there is a bright side to everything. if this speak prosaically for justice, it speaks romantically for friendship! but go on, my fine fellow." "my say being said, they told me i might go. i said i could not without help. so the constables helped me, asking _where_ would i go? i told them back to the 'tombs.' i knew no other place. 'but where are your friends?' said they. 'i have none.' so they put me into a hand-barrow with an awning to it, and wheeled me down to the dock and on board a boat, and away to blackwell's island to the corporation hospital. there i got worse--got pretty much as you see me now. couldn't cure me. after three years, i grew sick of lying in a grated iron bed alongside of groaning thieves and mouldering burglars. they gave me five silver dollars, and these crutches, and i hobbled off. i had an only brother who went to indiana, years ago. i begged about, to make up a sum to go to him; got to indiana at last, and they directed me to his grave. it was on a great plain, in a log-church yard with a stump fence, the old gray roots sticking all ways like moose-antlers. the bier, set over the grave, it being the last dug, was of green hickory; bark on, and green twigs sprouting from it. some one had planted a bunch of violets on the mound, but it was a poor soil (always choose the poorest soils for grave-yards), and they were all dried to tinder. i was going to sit and rest myself on the bier and think about my brother in heaven, but the bier broke down, the legs being only tacked. so, after driving some hogs out of the yard that were rooting there, i came away, and, not to make too long a story of it, here i am, drifting down stream like any other bit of wreck." the herb-doctor was silent for a time, buried in thought. at last, raising his head, he said: "i have considered your whole story, my friend, and strove to consider it in the light of a commentary on what i believe to be the system of things; but it so jars with all, is so incompatible with all, that you must pardon me, if i honestly tell you, i cannot believe it." "that don't surprise me." "how?" "hardly anybody believes my story, and so to most i tell a different one." "how, again?" "wait here a bit and i'll show ye." with that, taking off his rag of a cap, and arranging his tattered regimentals the best he could, off he went stumping among the passengers in an adjoining part of the deck, saying with a jovial kind of air: "sir, a shilling for happy tom, who fought at buena vista. lady, something for general scott's soldier, crippled in both pins at glorious contreras." now, it so chanced that, unbeknown to the cripple, a prim-looking stranger had overheard part of his story. beholding him, then, on his present begging adventure, this person, turning to the herb-doctor, indignantly said: "is it not too bad, sir, that yonder rascal should lie so?" "charity never faileth, my good sir," was the reply. "the vice of this unfortunate is pardonable. consider, he lies not out of wantonness." "not out of wantonness. i never heard more wanton lies. in one breath to tell you what would appear to be his true story, and, in the next, away and falsify it." "for all that, i repeat he lies not out of wantonness. a ripe philosopher, turned out of the great sorbonne of hard times, he thinks that woes, when told to strangers for money, are best sugared. though the inglorious lock-jaw of his knee-pans in a wet dungeon is a far more pitiable ill than to have been crippled at glorious contreras, yet he is of opinion that this lighter and false ill shall attract, while the heavier and real one might repel." "nonsense; he belongs to the devil's regiment; and i have a great mind to expose him." "shame upon you. dare to expose that poor unfortunate, and by heaven--don't you do it, sir." noting something in his manner, the other thought it more prudent to retire than retort. by-and-by, the cripple came back, and with glee, having reaped a pretty good harvest. "there," he laughed, "you know now what sort of soldier i am." "aye, one that fights not the stupid mexican, but a foe worthy your tactics--fortune!" "hi, hi!" clamored the cripple, like a fellow in the pit of a sixpenny theatre, then said, "don't know much what you meant, but it went off well." this over, his countenance capriciously put on a morose ogreness. to kindly questions he gave no kindly answers. unhandsome notions were thrown out about "free ameriky," as he sarcastically called his country. these seemed to disturb and pain the herb-doctor, who, after an interval of thoughtfulness, gravely addressed him in these words: "you, my worthy friend, to my concern, have reflected upon the government under which you live and suffer. where is your patriotism? where your gratitude? true, the charitable may find something in your case, as you put it, partly to account for such reflections as coming from you. still, be the facts how they may, your reflections are none the less unwarrantable. grant, for the moment, that your experiences are as you give them; in which case i would admit that government might be thought to have more or less to do with what seems undesirable in them. but it is never to be forgotten that human government, being subordinate to the divine, must needs, therefore, in its degree, partake of the characteristics of the divine. that is, while in general efficacious to happiness, the world's law may yet, in some cases, have, to the eye of reason, an unequal operation, just as, in the same imperfect view, some inequalities may appear in the operations of heaven's law; nevertheless, to one who has a right confidence, final benignity is, in every instance, as sure with the one law as the other. i expound the point at some length, because these are the considerations, my poor fellow, which, weighed as they merit, will enable you to sustain with unimpaired trust the apparent calamities which are yours." "what do you talk your hog-latin to me for?" cried the cripple, who, throughout the address, betrayed the most illiterate obduracy; and, with an incensed look, anew he swung himself. glancing another way till the spasm passed, the other continued: "charity marvels not that you should be somewhat hard of conviction, my friend, since you, doubtless, believe yourself hardly dealt by; but forget not that those who are loved are chastened." "mustn't chasten them too much, though, and too long, because their skin and heart get hard, and feel neither pain nor tickle." "to mere reason, your case looks something piteous, i grant. but never despond; many things--the choicest--yet remain. you breathe this bounteous air, are warmed by this gracious sun, and, though poor and friendless, indeed, nor so agile as in your youth, yet, how sweet to roam, day by day, through the groves, plucking the bright mosses and flowers, till forlornness itself becomes a hilarity, and, in your innocent independence, you skip for joy." "fine skipping with these 'ere horse-posts--ha ha!" "pardon; i forgot the crutches. my mind, figuring you after receiving the benefit of my art, overlooked you as you stand before me." "your art? you call yourself a bone-setter--a natural bone-setter, do ye? go, bone-set the crooked world, and then come bone-set crooked me." "truly, my honest friend, i thank you for again recalling me to my original object. let me examine you," bending down; "ah, i see, i see; much such a case as the negro's. did you see him? oh no, you came aboard since. well, his case was a little something like yours. i prescribed for him, and i shouldn't wonder at all if, in a very short time, he were able to walk almost as well as myself. now, have you no confidence in my art?" "ha, ha!" the herb-doctor averted himself; but, the wild laugh dying away, resumed: "i will not force confidence on you. still, i would fain do the friendly thing by you. here, take this box; just rub that liniment on the joints night and morning. take it. nothing to pay. god bless you. good-bye." "stay," pausing in his swing, not untouched by so unexpected an act; "stay--thank'ee--but will this really do me good? honor bright, now; will it? don't deceive a poor fellow," with changed mien and glistening eye. "try it. good-bye." "stay, stay! _sure_ it will do me good?" "possibly, possibly; no harm in trying. good-bye." "stay, stay; give me three more boxes, and here's the money." "my friend," returning towards him with a sadly pleased sort of air, "i rejoice in the birth of your confidence and hopefulness. believe me that, like your crutches, confidence and hopefulness will long support a man when his own legs will not. stick to confidence and hopefulness, then, since how mad for the cripple to throw his crutches away. you ask for three more boxes of my liniment. luckily, i have just that number remaining. here they are. i sell them at half-a-dollar apiece. but i shall take nothing from you. there; god bless you again; good-bye." "stay," in a convulsed voice, and rocking himself, "stay, stay! you have made a better man of me. you have borne with me like a good christian, and talked to me like one, and all that is enough without making me a present of these boxes. here is the money. i won't take nay. there, there; and may almighty goodness go with you." as the herb-doctor withdrew, the cripple gradually subsided from his hard rocking into a gentle oscillation. it expressed, perhaps, the soothed mood of his reverie. chapter xx. reappearance of one who may be remembered. the herb-doctor had not moved far away, when, in advance of him, this spectacle met his eye. a dried-up old man, with the stature of a boy of twelve, was tottering about like one out of his mind, in rumpled clothes of old moleskin, showing recent contact with bedding, his ferret eyes, blinking in the sunlight of the snowy boat, as imbecilely eager, and, at intervals, coughing, he peered hither and thither as if in alarmed search for his nurse. he presented the aspect of one who, bed-rid, has, through overruling excitement, like that of a fire, been stimulated to his feet. "you seek some one," said the herb-doctor, accosting him. "can i assist you?" "do, do; i am so old and miserable," coughed the old man. "where is he? this long time i've been trying to get up and find him. but i haven't any friends, and couldn't get up till now. where is he?" "who do you mean?" drawing closer, to stay the further wanderings of one so weakly. "why, why, why," now marking the other's dress, "why you, yes you--you, you--ugh, ugh, ugh!" "i?" "ugh, ugh, ugh!--you are the man he spoke of. who is he?" "faith, that is just what i want to know." "mercy, mercy!" coughed the old man, bewildered, "ever since seeing him, my head spins round so. i ought to have a guard_ee_an. is this a snuff-colored surtout of yours, or ain't it? somehow, can't trust my senses any more, since trusting him--ugh, ugh, ugh!" "oh, you have trusted somebody? glad to hear it. glad to hear of any instance, of that sort. reflects well upon all men. but you inquire whether this is a snuff-colored surtout. i answer it is; and will add that a herb-doctor wears it." upon this the old man, in his broken way, replied that then he (the herb-doctor) was the person he sought--the person spoken of by the other person as yet unknown. he then, with flighty eagerness, wanted to know who this last person was, and where he was, and whether he could be trusted with money to treble it. "aye, now, i begin to understand; ten to one you mean my worthy friend, who, in pure goodness of heart, makes people's fortunes for them--their everlasting fortunes, as the phrase goes--only charging his one small commission of confidence. aye, aye; before intrusting funds with my friend, you want to know about him. very proper--and, i am glad to assure you, you need have no hesitation; none, none, just none in the world; bona fide, none. turned me in a trice a hundred dollars the other day into as many eagles." "did he? did he? but where is he? take me to him." "pray, take my arm! the boat is large! we may have something of a hunt! come on! ah, is that he?" "where? where?" "o, no; i took yonder coat-skirts for his. but no, my honest friend would never turn tail that way. ah!----" "where? where?" "another mistake. surprising resemblance. i took yonder clergyman for him. come on!" having searched that part of the boat without success, they went to another part, and, while exploring that, the boat sided up to a landing, when, as the two were passing by the open guard, the herb-doctor suddenly rushed towards the disembarking throng, crying out: "mr. truman, mr. truman! there he goes--that's he. mr. truman, mr. truman!--confound that steam-pipe., mr. truman! for god's sake, mr. truman!--no, no.--there, the plank's in--too late--we're off." with that, the huge boat, with a mighty, walrus wallow, rolled away from the shore, resuming her course. "how vexatious!" exclaimed the herb-doctor, returning. "had we been but one single moment sooner.--there he goes, now, towards yon hotel, his portmanteau following. you see him, don't you?" "where? where?" "can't see him any more. wheel-house shot between. i am very sorry. i should have so liked you to have let him have a hundred or so of your money. you would have been pleased with the investment, believe me." "oh, i _have_ let him have some of my money," groaned the old man. "you have? my dear sir," seizing both the miser's hands in both his own and heartily shaking them. "my dear sir, how i congratulate you. you don't know." "ugh, ugh! i fear i don't," with another groan. "his name is truman, is it?" "john truman." "where does he live?" "in st. louis." "where's his office?" "let me see. jones street, number one hundred and--no, no--anyway, it's somewhere or other up-stairs in jones street." "can't you remember the number? try, now." "one hundred--two hundred--three hundred--" "oh, my hundred dollars! i wonder whether it will be one hundred, two hundred, three hundred, with them! ugh, ugh! can't remember the number?" "positively, though i once knew, i have forgotten, quite forgotten it. strange. but never mind. you will easily learn in st. louis. he is well known there." "but i have no receipt--ugh, ugh! nothing to show--don't know where i stand--ought to have a guard_ee_an--ugh, ugh! don't know anything. ugh, ugh!" "why, you know that you gave him your confidence, don't you?" "oh, yes." "well, then?" "but what, what--how, how--ugh, ugh!" "why, didn't he tell you?" "no." "what! didn't he tell you that it was a secret, a mystery?" "oh--yes." "well, then?" "but i have no bond." "don't need any with mr. truman. mr. truman's word is his bond." "but how am i to get my profits--ugh, ugh!--and my money back? don't know anything. ugh, ugh!" "oh, you must have confidence." "don't say that word again. makes my head spin so. oh, i'm so old and miserable, nobody caring for me, everybody fleecing me, and my head spins so--ugh, ugh!--and this cough racks me so. i say again, i ought to have a guard_ee_an." "so you ought; and mr. truman is your guardian to the extent you invested with him. sorry we missed him just now. but you'll hear from him. all right. it's imprudent, though, to expose yourself this way. let me take you to your berth." forlornly enough the old miser moved slowly away with him. but, while descending a stairway, he was seized with such coughing that he was fain to pause. "that is a very bad cough." "church-yard--ugh, ugh!--church-yard cough.--ugh!" "have you tried anything for it?" "tired of trying. nothing does me any good--ugh! ugh! not even the mammoth cave. ugh! ugh! denned there six months, but coughed so bad the rest of the coughers--ugh! ugh!--black-balled me out. ugh, ugh! nothing does me good." "but have you tried the omni-balsamic reinvigorator, sir?" "that's what that truman--ugh, ugh!--said i ought to take. yarb-medicine; you are that yarb-doctor, too?" "the same. suppose you try one of my boxes now. trust me, from what i know of mr. truman, he is not the gentleman to recommend, even in behalf of a friend, anything of whose excellence he is not conscientiously satisfied." "ugh!--how much?" "only two dollars a box." "two dollars? why don't you say two millions? ugh, ugh! two dollars, that's two hundred cents; that's eight hundred farthings; that's two thousand mills; and all for one little box of yarb-medicine. my head, my head!--oh, i ought to have a guard_ee_an for; my head. ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!" "well, if two dollars a box seems too much, take a dozen boxes at twenty dollars; and that will be getting four boxes for nothing, and you need use none but those four, the rest you can retail out at a premium, and so cure your cough, and make money by it. come, you had better do it. cash down. can fill an order in a day or two. here now," producing a box; "pure herbs." at that moment, seized with another spasm, the miser snatched each interval to fix his half distrustful, half hopeful eye upon the medicine, held alluringly up. "sure--ugh! sure it's all nat'ral? nothing but yarbs? if i only thought it was a purely nat'ral medicine now--all yarbs--ugh, ugh!--oh this cough, this cough--ugh, ugh!--shatters my whole body. ugh, ugh, ugh!" "for heaven's sake try my medicine, if but a single box. that it is pure nature you may be confident, refer you to mr. truman." "don't know his number--ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh! oh this cough. he did speak well of this medicine though; said solemnly it would cure me--ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!--take off a dollar and i'll have a box." "can't sir, can't." "say a dollar-and-half. ugh!" "can't. am pledged to the one-price system, only honorable one." "take off a shilling--ugh, ugh!" "can't." "ugh, ugh, ugh--i'll take it.--there." grudgingly he handed eight silver coins, but while still in his hand, his cough took him and they were shaken upon the deck. one by one, the herb-doctor picked them up, and, examining them, said: "these are not quarters, these are pistareens; and clipped, and sweated, at that." "oh don't be so miserly--ugh, ugh!--better a beast than a miser--ugh, ugh!" "well, let it go. anything rather than the idea of your not being cured of such a cough. and i hope, for the credit of humanity, you have not made it appear worse than it is, merely with a view to working upon the weak point of my pity, and so getting my medicine the cheaper. now, mind, don't take it till night. just before retiring is the time. there, you can get along now, can't you? i would attend you further, but i land presently, and must go hunt up my luggage." chapter xxi. a hard case. "yarbs, yarbs; natur, natur; you foolish old file you! he diddled you with that hocus-pocus, did he? yarbs and natur will cure your incurable cough, you think." it was a rather eccentric-looking person who spoke; somewhat ursine in aspect; sporting a shaggy spencer of the cloth called bear's-skin; a high-peaked cap of raccoon-skin, the long bushy tail switching over behind; raw-hide leggings; grim stubble chin; and to end, a double-barreled gun in hand--a missouri bachelor, a hoosier gentleman, of spartan leisure and fortune, and equally spartan manners and sentiments; and, as the sequel may show, not less acquainted, in a spartan way of his own, with philosophy and books, than with woodcraft and rifles. he must have overheard some of the talk between the miser and the herb-doctor; for, just after the withdrawal of the one, he made up to the other--now at the foot of the stairs leaning against the baluster there--with the greeting above. "think it will cure me?" coughed the miser in echo; "why shouldn't it? the medicine is nat'ral yarbs, pure yarbs; yarbs must cure me." "because a thing is nat'ral, as you call it, you think it must be good. but who gave you that cough? was it, or was it not, nature?" "sure, you don't think that natur, dame natur, will hurt a body, do you?" "natur is good queen bess; but who's responsible for the cholera?" "but yarbs, yarbs; yarbs are good?" "what's deadly-nightshade? yarb, ain't it?" "oh, that a christian man should speak agin natur and yarbs--ugh, ugh, ugh!--ain't sick men sent out into the country; sent out to natur and grass?" "aye, and poets send out the sick spirit to green pastures, like lame horses turned out unshod to the turf to renew their hoofs. a sort of yarb-doctors in their way, poets have it that for sore hearts, as for sore lungs, nature is the grand cure. but who froze to death my teamster on the prairie? and who made an idiot of peter the wild boy?" "then you don't believe in these 'ere yarb-doctors?" "yarb-doctors? i remember the lank yarb-doctor i saw once on a hospital-cot in mobile. one of the faculty passing round and seeing who lay there, said with professional triumph, 'ah, dr. green, your yarbs don't help ye now, dr. green. have to come to us and the mercury now, dr. green.--natur! y-a-r-b-s!'" "did i hear something about herbs and herb-doctors?" here said a flute-like voice, advancing. it was the herb-doctor in person. carpet-bag in hand, he happened to be strolling back that way. "pardon me," addressing the missourian, "but if i caught your words aright, you would seem to have little confidence in nature; which, really, in my way of thinking, looks like carrying the spirit of distrust pretty far." "and who of my sublime species may you be?" turning short round upon him, clicking his rifle-lock, with an air which would have seemed half cynic, half wild-cat, were it not for the grotesque excess of the expression, which made its sincerity appear more or less dubious. "one who has confidence in nature, and confidence in man, with some little modest confidence in himself." "that's your confession of faith, is it? confidence in man, eh? pray, which do you think are most, knaves or fools?" "having met with few or none of either, i hardly think i am competent to answer." "i will answer for you. fools are most." "why do you think so?" "for the same reason that i think oats are numerically more than horses. don't knaves munch up fools just as horses do oats?" "a droll, sir; you are a droll. i can appreciate drollery--ha, ha, ha!" "but i'm in earnest." "that's the drollery, to deliver droll extravagance with an earnest air--knaves munching up fools as horses oats.--faith, very droll, indeed, ha, ha, ha! yes, i think i understand you now, sir. how silly i was to have taken you seriously, in your droll conceits, too, about having no confidence in nature. in reality you have just as much as i have." "_i_ have confidence in nature? _i?_ i say again there is nothing i am more suspicious of. i once lost ten thousand dollars by nature. nature embezzled that amount from me; absconded with ten thousand dollars' worth of my property; a plantation on this stream, swept clean away by one of those sudden shiftings of the banks in a freshet; ten thousand dollars' worth of alluvion thrown broad off upon the waters." "but have you no confidence that by a reverse shifting that soil will come back after many days?--ah, here is my venerable friend," observing the old miser, "not in your berth yet? pray, if you _will_ keep afoot, don't lean against that baluster; take my arm." it was taken; and the two stood together; the old miser leaning against the herb-doctor with something of that air of trustful fraternity with which, when standing, the less strong of the siamese twins habitually leans against the other. the missourian eyed them in silence, which was broken by the herb-doctor. "you look surprised, sir. is it because i publicly take under my protection a figure like this? but i am never ashamed of honesty, whatever his coat." "look you," said the missourian, after a scrutinizing pause, "you are a queer sort of chap. don't know exactly what to make of you. upon the whole though, you somewhat remind me of the last boy i had on my place." "good, trustworthy boy, i hope?" "oh, very! i am now started to get me made some kind of machine to do the sort of work which boys are supposed to be fitted for." "then you have passed a veto upon boys?" "and men, too." "but, my dear sir, does not that again imply more or less lack of confidence?--(stand up a little, just a very little, my venerable friend; you lean rather hard.)--no confidence in boys, no confidence in men, no confidence in nature. pray, sir, who or what may you have confidence in?" "i have confidence in distrust; more particularly as applied to you and your herbs." "well," with a forbearing smile, "that is frank. but pray, don't forget that when you suspect my herbs you suspect nature." "didn't i say that before?" "very good. for the argument's sake i will suppose you are in earnest. now, can you, who suspect nature, deny, that this same nature not only kindly brought you into being, but has faithfully nursed you to your present vigorous and independent condition? is it not to nature that you are indebted for that robustness of mind which you so unhandsomely use to her scandal? pray, is it not to nature that you owe the very eyes by which you criticise her?" "no! for the privilege of vision i am indebted to an oculist, who in my tenth year operated upon me in philadelphia. nature made me blind and would have kept me so. my oculist counterplotted her." "and yet, sir, by your complexion, i judge you live an out-of-door life; without knowing it, you are partial to nature; you fly to nature, the universal mother." "very motherly! sir, in the passion-fits of nature, i've known birds fly from nature to me, rough as i look; yes, sir, in a tempest, refuge here," smiting the folds of his bearskin. "fact, sir, fact. come, come, mr. palaverer, for all your palavering, did you yourself never shut out nature of a cold, wet night? bar her out? bolt her out? lint her out?" "as to that," said the herb-doctor calmly, "much may be said." "say it, then," ruffling all his hairs. "you can't, sir, can't." then, as in apostrophe: "look you, nature! i don't deny but your clover is sweet, and your dandelions don't roar; but whose hailstones smashed my windows?" "sir," with unimpaired affability, producing one of his boxes, "i am pained to meet with one who holds nature a dangerous character. though your manner is refined your voice is rough; in short, you seem to have a sore throat. in the calumniated name of nature, i present you with this box; my venerable friend here has a similar one; but to you, a free gift, sir. through her regularly-authorized agents, of whom i happen to be one, nature delights in benefiting those who most abuse her. pray, take it." "away with it! don't hold it so near. ten to one there is a torpedo in it. such things have been. editors been killed that way. take it further off, i say." "good heavens! my dear sir----" "i tell you i want none of your boxes," snapping his rifle. "oh, take it--ugh, ugh! do take it," chimed in the old miser; "i wish he would give me one for nothing." "you find it lonely, eh," turning short round; "gulled yourself, you would have a companion." "how can he find it lonely," returned the herb-doctor, "or how desire a companion, when here i stand by him; i, even i, in whom he has trust. for the gulling, tell me, is it humane to talk so to this poor old man? granting that his dependence on my medicine is vain, is it kind to deprive him of what, in mere imagination, if nothing more, may help eke out, with hope, his disease? for you, if you have no confidence, and, thanks to your native health, can get along without it, so far, at least, as trusting in my medicine goes; yet, how cruel an argument to use, with this afflicted one here. is it not for all the world as if some brawny pugilist, aglow in december, should rush in and put out a hospital-fire, because, forsooth, he feeling no need of artificial heat, the shivering patients shall have none? put it to your conscience, sir, and you will admit, that, whatever be the nature of this afflicted one's trust, you, in opposing it, evince either an erring head or a heart amiss. come, own, are you not pitiless?" "yes, poor soul," said the missourian, gravely eying the old man--"yes, it _is_ pitiless in one like me to speak too honestly to one like you. you are a late sitter-up in this life; past man's usual bed-time; and truth, though with some it makes a wholesome breakfast, proves to all a supper too hearty. hearty food, taken late, gives bad dreams." "what, in wonder's name--ugh, ugh!--is he talking about?" asked the old miser, looking up to the herb-doctor. "heaven be praised for that!" cried the missourian. "out of his mind, ain't he?" again appealed the old miser. "pray, sir," said the herb-doctor to the missourian, "for what were you giving thanks just now?" "for this: that, with some minds, truth is, in effect, not so cruel a thing after all, seeing that, like a loaded pistol found by poor devils of savages, it raises more wonder than terror--its peculiar virtue being unguessed, unless, indeed, by indiscreet handling, it should happen to go off of itself." "i pretend not to divine your meaning there," said the herb-doctor, after a pause, during which he eyed the missourian with a kind of pinched expression, mixed of pain and curiosity, as if he grieved at his state of mind, and, at the same time, wondered what had brought him to it, "but this much i know," he added, "that the general cast of your thoughts is, to say the least, unfortunate. there is strength in them, but a strength, whose source, being physical, must wither. you will yet recant." "recant?" "yes, when, as with this old man, your evil days of decay come on, when a hoary captive in your chamber, then will you, something like the dungeoned italian we read of, gladly seek the breast of that confidence begot in the tender time of your youth, blessed beyond telling if it return to you in age." "go back to nurse again, eh? second childhood, indeed. you are soft." "mercy, mercy!" cried the old miser, "what is all this!--ugh, ugh! do talk sense, my good friends. ain't you," to the missourian, "going to buy some of that medicine?" "pray, my venerable friend," said the herb-doctor, now trying to straighten himself, "don't lean _quite_ so hard; my arm grows numb; abate a little, just a very little." "go," said the missourian, "go lay down in your grave, old man, if you can't stand of yourself. it's a hard world for a leaner." "as to his grave," said the herb-doctor, "that is far enough off, so he but faithfully take my medicine." "ugh, ugh, ugh!--he says true. no, i ain't--ugh! a going to die yet--ugh, ugh, ugh! many years to live yet, ugh, ugh, ugh!" "i approve your confidence," said the herb-doctor; "but your coughing distresses me, besides being injurious to you. pray, let me conduct you to your berth. you are best there. our friend here will wait till my return, i know." with which he led the old miser away, and then, coming back, the talk with the missourian was resumed. "sir," said the herb-doctor, with some dignity and more feeling, "now that our infirm friend is withdrawn, allow me, to the full, to express my concern at the words you allowed to escape you in his hearing. some of those words, if i err not, besides being calculated to beget deplorable distrust in the patient, seemed fitted to convey unpleasant imputations against me, his physician." "suppose they did?" with a menacing air. "why, then--then, indeed," respectfully retreating, "i fall back upon my previous theory of your general facetiousness. i have the fortune to be in company with a humorist--a wag." "fall back you had better, and wag it is," cried the missourian, following him up, and wagging his raccoon tail almost into the herb-doctor's face, "look you!" "at what?" "at this coon. can you, the fox, catch him?" "if you mean," returned the other, not unselfpossessed, "whether i flatter myself that i can in any way dupe you, or impose upon you, or pass myself off upon you for what i am not, i, as an honest man, answer that i have neither the inclination nor the power to do aught of the kind." "honest man? seems to me you talk more like a craven." "you in vain seek to pick a quarrel with me, or put any affront upon me. the innocence in me heals me." "a healing like your own nostrums. but you are a queer man--a very queer and dubious man; upon the whole, about the most so i ever met." the scrutiny accompanying this seemed unwelcome to the diffidence of the herb-doctor. as if at once to attest the absence of resentment, as well as to change the subject, he threw a kind of familiar cordiality into his air, and said: "so you are going to get some machine made to do your work? philanthropic scruples, doubtless, forbid your going as far as new orleans for slaves?" "slaves?" morose again in a twinkling, "won't have 'em! bad enough to see whites ducking and grinning round for a favor, without having those poor devils of niggers congeeing round for their corn. though, to me, the niggers are the freer of the two. you are an abolitionist, ain't you?" he added, squaring himself with both hands on his rifle, used for a staff, and gazing in the herb-doctor's face with no more reverence than if it were a target. "you are an abolitionist, ain't you?" "as to that, i cannot so readily answer. if by abolitionist you mean a zealot, i am none; but if you mean a man, who, being a man, feels for all men, slaves included, and by any lawful act, opposed to nobody's interest, and therefore, rousing nobody's enmity, would willingly abolish suffering (supposing it, in its degree, to exist) from among mankind, irrespective of color, then am i what you say." "picked and prudent sentiments. you are the moderate man, the invaluable understrapper of the wicked man. you, the moderate man, may be used for wrong, but are useless for right." "from all this," said the herb-doctor, still forgivingly, "i infer, that you, a missourian, though living in a slave-state, are without slave sentiments." "aye, but are you? is not that air of yours, so spiritlessly enduring and yielding, the very air of a slave? who is your master, pray; or are you owned by a company?" "_my_ master?" "aye, for come from maine or georgia, you come from a slave-state, and a slave-pen, where the best breeds are to be bought up at any price from a livelihood to the presidency. abolitionism, ye gods, but expresses the fellow-feeling of slave for slave." "the back-woods would seem to have given you rather eccentric notions," now with polite superiority smiled the herb-doctor, still with manly intrepidity forbearing each unmanly thrust, "but to return; since, for your purpose, you will have neither man nor boy, bond nor free, truly, then some sort of machine for you is all there is left. my desires for your success attend you, sir.--ah!" glancing shoreward, "here is cape girádeau; i must leave you." chapter xxii. in the polite spirit of the tusculan disputations. --"'philosophical intelligence office'--novel idea! but how did you come to dream that i wanted anything in your absurd line, eh?" about twenty minutes after leaving cape girádeau, the above was growled out over his shoulder by the missourian to a chance stranger who had just accosted him; a round-backed, baker-kneed man, in a mean five-dollar suit, wearing, collar-wise by a chain, a small brass plate, inscribed p. i. o., and who, with a sort of canine deprecation, slunk obliquely behind. "how did you come to dream that i wanted anything in your line, eh?" "oh, respected sir," whined the other, crouching a pace nearer, and, in his obsequiousness, seeming to wag his very coat-tails behind him, shabby though they were, "oh, sir, from long experience, one glance tells me the gentleman who is in need of our humble services." "but suppose i did want a boy--what they jocosely call a good boy--how could your absurd office help me?--philosophical intelligence office?" "yes, respected sir, an office founded on strictly philosophical and physio----" "look you--come up here--how, by philosophy or physiology either, make good boys to order? come up here. don't give me a crick in the neck. come up here, come, sir, come," calling as if to his pointer. "tell me, how put the requisite assortment of good qualities into a boy, as the assorted mince into the pie?" "respected sir, our office----" "you talk much of that office. where is it? on board this boat?" "oh no, sir, i just came aboard. our office----" "came aboard at that last landing, eh? pray, do you know a herb-doctor there? smooth scamp in a snuff-colored surtout?" "oh, sir, i was but a sojourner at cape girádeau. though, now that you mention a snuff-colored surtout, i think i met such a man as you speak of stepping ashore as i stepped aboard, and 'pears to me i have seen him somewhere before. looks like a very mild christian sort of person, i should say. do you know him, respected sir?" "not much, but better than you seem to. proceed with your business." with a low, shabby bow, as grateful for the permission, the other began: "our office----" "look you," broke in the bachelor with ire, "have you the spinal complaint? what are you ducking and groveling about? keep still. where's your office?" "the branch one which i represent, is at alton, sir, in the free state we now pass," (pointing somewhat proudly ashore). "free, eh? you a freeman, you flatter yourself? with those coat-tails and that spinal complaint of servility? free? just cast up in your private mind who is your master, will you?" "oh, oh, oh! i don't understand--indeed--indeed. but, respected sir, as before said, our office, founded on principles wholly new----" "to the devil with your principles! bad sign when a man begins to talk of his principles. hold, come back, sir; back here, back, sir, back! i tell you no more boys for me. nay, i'm a mede and persian. in my old home in the woods i'm pestered enough with squirrels, weasels, chipmunks, skunks. i want no more wild vermin to spoil my temper and waste my substance. don't talk of boys; enough of your boys; a plague of your boys; chilblains on your boys! as for intelligence offices, i've lived in the east, and know 'em. swindling concerns kept by low-born cynics, under a fawning exterior wreaking their cynic malice upon mankind. you are a fair specimen of 'em." "oh dear, dear, dear!" "dear? yes, a thrice dear purchase one of your boys would be to me. a rot on your boys!" "but, respected sir, if you will not have boys, might we not, in our small way, accommodate you with a man?" "accommodate? pray, no doubt you could accommodate me with a bosom-friend too, couldn't you? accommodate! obliging word accommodate: there's accommodation notes now, where one accommodates another with a loan, and if he don't pay it pretty quickly, accommodates him, with a chain to his foot. accommodate! god forbid that i should ever be accommodated. no, no. look you, as i told that cousin-german of yours, the herb-doctor, i'm now on the road to get me made some sort of machine to do my work. machines for me. my cider-mill--does that ever steal my cider? my mowing-machine--does that ever lay a-bed mornings? my corn-husker--does that ever give me insolence? no: cider-mill, mowing-machine, corn-husker--all faithfully attend to their business. disinterested, too; no board, no wages; yet doing good all their lives long; shining examples that virtue is its own reward--the only practical christians i know." "oh dear, dear, dear, dear!" "yes, sir:--boys? start my soul-bolts, what a difference, in a moral point of view, between a corn-husker and a boy! sir, a corn-husker, for its patient continuance in well-doing, might not unfitly go to heaven. do you suppose a boy will?" "a corn-husker in heaven! (turning up the whites of his eyes). respected sir, this way of talking as if heaven were a kind of washington patent-office museum--oh, oh, oh!--as if mere machine-work and puppet-work went to heaven--oh, oh, oh! things incapable of free agency, to receive the eternal reward of well-doing--oh, oh, oh!" "you praise-god-barebones you, what are you groaning about? did i say anything of that sort? seems to me, though you talk so good, you are mighty quick at a hint the other way, or else you want to pick a polemic quarrel with me." "it may be so or not, respected sir," was now the demure reply; "but if it be, it is only because as a soldier out of honor is quick in taking affront, so a christian out of religion is quick, sometimes perhaps a little too much so, in spying heresy." "well," after an astonished pause, "for an unaccountable pair, you and the herb-doctor ought to yoke together." so saying, the bachelor was eying him rather sharply, when he with the brass plate recalled him to the discussion by a hint, not unflattering, that he (the man with the brass plate) was all anxiety to hear him further on the subject of servants. "about that matter," exclaimed the impulsive bachelor, going off at the hint like a rocket, "all thinking minds are, now-a-days, coming to the conclusion--one derived from an immense hereditary experience--see what horace and others of the ancients say of servants--coming to the conclusion, i say, that boy or man, the human animal is, for most work-purposes, a losing animal. can't be trusted; less trustworthy than oxen; for conscientiousness a turn-spit dog excels him. hence these thousand new inventions--carding machines, horseshoe machines, tunnel-boring machines, reaping machines, apple-paring machines, boot-blacking machines, sewing machines, shaving machines, run-of-errand machines, dumb-waiter machines, and the lord-only-knows-what machines; all of which announce the era when that refractory animal, the working or serving man, shall be a buried by-gone, a superseded fossil. shortly prior to which glorious time, i doubt not that a price will be put upon their peltries as upon the knavish 'possums,' especially the boys. yes, sir (ringing his rifle down on the deck), i rejoice to think that the day is at hand, when, prompted to it by law, i shall shoulder this gun and go out a boy-shooting." "oh, now! lord, lord, lord!--but _our_ office, respected sir, conducted as i ventured to observe----" "no, sir," bristlingly settling his stubble chin in his coon-skins. "don't try to oil me; the herb-doctor tried that. my experience, carried now through a course--worse than salivation--a course of five and thirty boys, proves to me that boyhood is a natural state of rascality." "save us, save us!" "yes, sir, yes. my name is pitch; i stick to what i say. i speak from fifteen years' experience; five and thirty boys; american, irish, english, german, african, mulatto; not to speak of that china boy sent me by one who well knew my perplexities, from california; and that lascar boy from bombay. thug! i found him sucking the embryo life from my spring eggs. all rascals, sir, every soul of them; caucasian or mongol. amazing the endless variety of rascality in human nature of the juvenile sort. i remember that, having discharged, one after another, twenty-nine boys--each, too, for some wholly unforeseen species of viciousness peculiar to that one peculiar boy--i remember saying to myself: now, then, surely, i have got to the end of the list, wholly exhausted it; i have only now to get me a boy, any boy different from those twenty-nine preceding boys, and he infallibly shall be that virtuous boy i have so long been seeking. but, bless me! this thirtieth boy--by the way, having at the time long forsworn your intelligence offices, i had him sent to me from the commissioners of emigration, all the way from new york, culled out carefully, in fine, at my particular request, from a standing army of eight hundred boys, the flowers of all nations, so they wrote me, temporarily in barracks on an east river island--i say, this thirtieth boy was in person not ungraceful; his deceased mother a lady's maid, or something of that sort; and in manner, why, in a plebeian way, a perfect chesterfield; very intelligent, too--quick as a flash. but, such suavity! 'please sir! please sir!' always bowing and saying, 'please sir.' in the strangest way, too, combining a filial affection with a menial respect. took such warm, singular interest in my affairs. wanted to be considered one of the family--sort of adopted son of mine, i suppose. of a morning, when i would go out to my stable, with what childlike good nature he would trot out my nag, 'please sir, i think he's getting fatter and fatter.' 'but, he don't look very clean, does he?' unwilling to be downright harsh with so affectionate a lad; 'and he seems a little hollow inside the haunch there, don't he? or no, perhaps i don't see plain this morning.' 'oh, please sir, it's just there i think he's gaining so, please.' polite scamp! i soon found he never gave that wretched nag his oats of nights; didn't bed him either. was above that sort of chambermaid work. no end to his willful neglects. but the more he abused my service, the more polite he grew." "oh, sir, some way you mistook him." "not a bit of it. besides, sir, he was a boy who under a chesterfieldian exterior hid strong destructive propensities. he cut up my horse-blanket for the bits of leather, for hinges to his chest. denied it point-blank. after he was gone, found the shreds under his mattress. would slyly break his hoe-handle, too, on purpose to get rid of hoeing. then be so gracefully penitent for his fatal excess of industrious strength. offer to mend all by taking a nice stroll to the nighest settlement--cherry-trees in full bearing all the way--to get the broken thing cobbled. very politely stole my pears, odd pennies, shillings, dollars, and nuts; regular squirrel at it. but i could prove nothing. expressed to him my suspicions. said i, moderately enough, 'a little less politeness, and a little more honesty would suit me better.' he fired up; threatened to sue for libel. i won't say anything about his afterwards, in ohio, being found in the act of gracefully putting a bar across a rail-road track, for the reason that a stoker called him the rogue that he was. but enough: polite boys or saucy boys, white boys or black boys, smart boys or lazy boys, caucasian boys or mongol boys--all are rascals." "shocking, shocking!" nervously tucking his frayed cravat-end out of sight. "surely, respected sir, you labor under a deplorable hallucination. why, pardon again, you seem to have not the slightest confidence in boys, i admit, indeed, that boys, some of them at least, are but too prone to one little foolish foible or other. but, what then, respected sir, when, by natural laws, they finally outgrow such things, and wholly?" having until now vented himself mostly in plaintive dissent of canine whines and groans, the man with the brass-plate seemed beginning to summon courage to a less timid encounter. but, upon his maiden essay, was not very encouragingly handled, since the dialogue immediately continued as follows: "boys outgrow what is amiss in them? from bad boys spring good men? sir, 'the child is father of the man;' hence, as all boys are rascals, so are all men. but, god bless me, you must know these things better than i; keeping an intelligence office as you do; a business which must furnish peculiar facilities for studying mankind. come, come up here, sir; confess you know these things pretty well, after all. do you not know that all men are rascals, and all boys, too?" "sir," replied the other, spite of his shocked feelings seeming to pluck up some spirit, but not to an indiscreet degree, "sir, heaven be praised, i am far, very far from knowing what you say. true," he thoughtfully continued, "with my associates, i keep an intelligence office, and for ten years, come october, have, one way or other, been concerned in that line; for no small period in the great city of cincinnati, too; and though, as you hint, within that long interval, i must have had more or less favorable opportunity for studying mankind--in a business way, scanning not only the faces, but ransacking the lives of several thousands of human beings, male and female, of various nations, both employers and employed, genteel and ungenteel, educated and uneducated; yet--of course, i candidly admit, with some random exceptions, i have, so far as my small observation goes, found that mankind thus domestically viewed, confidentially viewed, i may say; they, upon the whole--making some reasonable allowances for human imperfection--present as pure a moral spectacle as the purest angel could wish. i say it, respected sir, with confidence." "gammon! you don't mean what you say. else you are like a landsman at sea: don't know the ropes, the very things everlastingly pulled before your eyes. serpent-like, they glide about, traveling blocks too subtle for you. in short, the entire ship is a riddle. why, you green ones wouldn't know if she were unseaworthy; but still, with thumbs stuck back into your arm-holes, pace the rotten planks, singing, like a fool, words put into your green mouth by the cunning owner, the man who, heavily insuring it, sends his ship to be wrecked-- 'a wet sheet and a flowing sea!'-- and, sir, now that it occurs to me, your talk, the whole of it, is but a wet sheet and a flowing sea, and an idle wind that follows fast, offering a striking contrast to my own discourse." "sir," exclaimed the man with the brass-plate, his patience now more or less tasked, "permit me with deference to hint that some of your remarks are injudiciously worded. and thus we say to our patrons, when they enter our office full of abuse of us because of some worthy boy we may have sent them--some boy wholly misjudged for the time. yes, sir, permit me to remark that you do not sufficiently consider that, though a small man, i may have my small share of feelings." "well, well, i didn't mean to wound your feelings at all. and that they are small, very small, i take your word for it. sorry, sorry. but truth is like a thrashing-machine; tender sensibilities must keep out of the way. hope you understand me. don't want to hurt you. all i say is, what i said in the first place, only now i swear it, that all boys are rascals." "sir," lowly replied the other, still forbearing like an old lawyer badgered in court, or else like a good-hearted simpleton, the butt of mischievous wags, "sir, since you come back to the point, will you allow me, in my small, quiet way, to submit to you certain small, quiet views of the subject in hand?" "oh, yes!" with insulting indifference, rubbing his chin and looking the other way. "oh, yes; go on." "well, then, respected sir," continued the other, now assuming as genteel an attitude as the irritating set of his pinched five-dollar suit would permit; "well, then, sir, the peculiar principles, the strictly philosophical principles, i may say," guardedly rising in dignity, as he guardedly rose on his toes, "upon which our office is founded, has led me and my associates, in our small, quiet way, to a careful analytical study of man, conducted, too, on a quiet theory, and with an unobtrusive aim wholly our own. that theory i will not now at large set forth. but some of the discoveries resulting from it, i will, by your permission, very briefly mention; such of them, i mean, as refer to the state of boyhood scientifically viewed." "then you have studied the thing? expressly studied boys, eh? why didn't you out with that before?" "sir, in my small business way, i have not conversed with so many masters, gentlemen masters, for nothing. i have been taught that in this world there is a precedence of opinions as well as of persons. you have kindly given me your views, i am now, with modesty, about to give you mine." "stop flunkying--go on." "in the first place, sir, our theory teaches us to proceed by analogy from the physical to the moral. are we right there, sir? now, sir, take a young boy, a young male infant rather, a man-child in short--what sir, i respectfully ask, do you in the first place remark?" "a rascal, sir! present and prospective, a rascal!" "sir, if passion is to invade, surely science must evacuate. may i proceed? well, then, what, in the first place, in a general view, do you remark, respected sir, in that male baby or man-child?" the bachelor privily growled, but this time, upon the whole, better governed himself than before, though not, indeed, to the degree of thinking it prudent to risk an articulate response. "what do you remark? i respectfully repeat." but, as no answer came, only the low, half-suppressed growl, as of bruin in a hollow trunk, the questioner continued: "well, sir, if you will permit me, in my small way, to speak for you, you remark, respected sir, an incipient creation; loose sort of sketchy thing; a little preliminary rag-paper study, or careless cartoon, so to speak, of a man. the idea, you see, respected sir, is there; but, as yet, wants filling out. in a word, respected sir, the man-child is at present but little, every way; i don't pretend to deny it; but, then, he _promises_ well, does he not? yes, promises very well indeed, i may say. (so, too, we say to our patrons in reference to some noble little youngster objected to for being a _dwarf_.) but, to advance one step further," extending his thread-bare leg, as he drew a pace nearer, "we must now drop the figure of the rag-paper cartoon, and borrow one--to use presently, when wanted--from the horticultural kingdom. some bud, lily-bud, if you please. now, such points as the new-born man-child has--as yet not all that could be desired, i am free to confess--still, such as they are, there they are, and palpable as those of an adult. but we stop not here," taking another step. "the man-child not only possesses these present points, small though they are, but, likewise--now our horticultural image comes into play--like the bud of the lily, he contains concealed rudiments of others; that is, points at present invisible, with beauties at present dormant." "come, come, this talk is getting too horticultural and beautiful altogether. cut it short, cut it short!" "respected sir," with a rustily martial sort of gesture, like a decayed corporal's, "when deploying into the field of discourse the vanguard of an important argument, much more in evolving the grand central forces of a new philosophy of boys, as i may say, surely you will kindly allow scope adequate to the movement in hand, small and humble in its way as that movement may be. is it worth my while to go on, respected sir?" "yes, stop flunkying and go on." thus encouraged, again the philosopher with the brass-plate proceeded: "supposing, sir, that worthy gentleman (in such terms, to an applicant for service, we allude to some patron we chance to have in our eye), supposing, respected sir, that worthy gentleman, adam, to have been dropped overnight in eden, as a calf in the pasture; supposing that, sir--then how could even the learned serpent himself have foreknown that such a downy-chinned little innocent would eventually rival the goat in a beard? sir, wise as the serpent was, that eventuality would have been entirely hidden from his wisdom." "i don't know about that. the devil is very sagacious. to judge by the event, he appears to have understood man better even than the being who made him." "for god's sake, don't say that, sir! to the point. can it now with fairness be denied that, in his beard, the man-child prospectively possesses an appendix, not less imposing than patriarchal; and for this goodly beard, should we not by generous anticipation give the man-child, even in his cradle, credit? should we not now, sir? respectfully i put it." "yes, if like pig-weed he mows it down soon as it shoots," porcinely rubbing his stubble-chin against his coon-skins. "i have hinted at the analogy," continued the other, calmly disregardful of the digression; "now to apply it. suppose a boy evince no noble quality. then generously give him credit for his prospective one. don't you see? so we say to our patrons when they would fain return a boy upon us as unworthy: 'madam, or sir, (as the case may be) has this boy a beard?' 'no.' 'has he, we respectfully ask, as yet, evinced any noble quality?' 'no, indeed.' 'then, madam, or sir, take him back, we humbly beseech; and keep him till that same noble quality sprouts; for, have confidence, it, like the beard, is in him.'" "very fine theory," scornfully exclaimed the bachelor, yet in secret, perhaps, not entirely undisturbed by these strange new views of the matter; "but what trust is to be placed in it?" "the trust of perfect confidence, sir. to proceed. once more, if you please, regard the man-child." "hold!" paw-like thrusting put his bearskin arm, "don't intrude that man-child upon me too often. he who loves not bread, dotes not on dough. as little of your man-child as your logical arrangements will admit." "anew regard the man-child," with inspired intrepidity repeated he with the brass-plate, "in the perspective of his developments, i mean. at first the man-child has no teeth, but about the sixth month--am i right, sir?" "don't know anything about it." "to proceed then: though at first deficient in teeth, about the sixth month the man-child begins to put forth in that particular. and sweet those tender little puttings-forth are." "very, but blown out of his mouth directly, worthless enough." "admitted. and, therefore, we say to our patrons returning with a boy alleged not only to be deficient in goodness, but redundant in ill: 'the lad, madam or sir, evinces very corrupt qualities, does he? no end to them.' 'but, have confidence, there will be; for pray, madam, in this lad's early childhood, were not those frail first teeth, then his, followed by his present sound, even, beautiful and permanent set. and the more objectionable those first teeth became, was not that, madam, we respectfully submit, so much the more reason to look for their speedy substitution by the present sound, even, beautiful and permanent ones.' 'true, true, can't deny that.' 'then, madam, take him back, we respectfully beg, and wait till, in the now swift course of nature, dropping those transient moral blemishes you complain of, he replacingly buds forth in the sound, even, beautiful and permanent virtues.'" "very philosophical again," was the contemptuous reply--the outward contempt, perhaps, proportioned to the inward misgiving. "vastly philosophical, indeed, but tell me--to continue your analogy--since the second teeth followed--in fact, came from--the first, is there no chance the blemish may be transmitted?" "not at all." abating in humility as he gained in the argument. "the second teeth follow, but do not come from, the first; successors, not sons. the first teeth are not like the germ blossom of the apple, at once the father of, and incorporated into, the growth it foreruns; but they are thrust from their place by the independent undergrowth of the succeeding set--an illustration, by the way, which shows more for me than i meant, though not more than i wish." "what does it show?" surly-looking as a thundercloud with the inkept unrest of unacknowledged conviction. "it shows this, respected sir, that in the case of any boy, especially an ill one, to apply unconditionally the saying, that the 'child is father of the man', is, besides implying an uncharitable aspersion of the race, affirming a thing very wide of----" "--your analogy," like a snapping turtle. "yes, respected sir." "but is analogy argument? you are a punster." "punster, respected sir?" with a look of being aggrieved. "yes, you pun with ideas as another man may with words." "oh well, sir, whoever talks in that strain, whoever has no confidence in human reason, whoever despises human reason, in vain to reason with him. still, respected sir," altering his air, "permit me to hint that, had not the force of analogy moved you somewhat, you would hardly have offered to contemn it." "talk away," disdainfully; "but pray tell me what has that last analogy of yours to do with your intelligence office business?" "everything to do with it, respected sir. from that analogy we derive the reply made to such a patron as, shortly after being supplied by us with an adult servant, proposes to return him upon our hands; not that, while with the patron, said adult has given any cause of dissatisfaction, but the patron has just chanced to hear something unfavorable concerning him from some gentleman who employed said adult, long before, while a boy. to which too fastidious patron, we, taking said adult by the hand, and graciously reintroducing him to the patron, say: 'far be it from you, madam, or sir, to proceed in your censure against this adult, in anything of the spirit of an ex-post-facto law. madam, or sir, would you visit upon the butterfly the caterpillar? in the natural advance of all creatures, do they not bury themselves over and over again in the endless resurrection of better and better? madam, or sir, take back this adult; he may have been a caterpillar, but is now a butterfly." "pun away; but even accepting your analogical pun, what does it amount to? was the caterpillar one creature, and is the butterfly another? the butterfly is the caterpillar in a gaudy cloak; stripped of which, there lies the impostor's long spindle of a body, pretty much worm-shaped as before." "you reject the analogy. to the facts then. you deny that a youth of one character can be transformed into a man of an opposite character. now then--yes, i have it. there's the founder of la trappe, and ignatius loyola; in boyhood, and someway into manhood, both devil-may-care bloods, and yet, in the end, the wonders of the world for anchoritish self-command. these two examples, by-the-way, we cite to such patrons as would hastily return rakish young waiters upon us. 'madam, or sir--patience; patience,' we say; 'good madam, or sir, would you discharge forth your cask of good wine, because, while working, it riles more or less? then discharge not forth this young waiter; the good in him is working.' 'but he is a sad rake.' 'therein is his promise; the rake being crude material for the saint.'" "ah, you are a talking man--what i call a wordy man. you talk, talk." "and with submission, sir, what is the greatest judge, bishop or prophet, but a talking man? he talks, talks. it is the peculiar vocation of a teacher to talk. what's wisdom itself but table-talk? the best wisdom in this world, and the last spoken by its teacher, did it not literally and truly come in the form of table-talk?" "you, you, you!" rattling down his rifle. "to shift the subject, since we cannot agree. pray, what is your opinion, respected sir, of st. augustine?" "st. augustine? what should i, or you either, know of him? seems to me, for one in such a business, to say nothing of such a coat, that though you don't know a great deal, indeed, yet you know a good deal more than you ought to know, or than you have a right to know, or than it is safe or expedient for you to know, or than, in the fair course of life, you could have honestly come to know. i am of opinion you should be served like a jew in the middle ages with his gold; this knowledge of yours, which you haven't enough knowledge to know how to make a right use of, it should be taken from you. and so i have been thinking all along." "you are merry, sir. but you have a little looked into st. augustine i suppose." "st. augustine on original sin is my text book. but you, i ask again, where do you find time or inclination for these out-of-the-way speculations? in fact, your whole talk, the more i think of it, is altogether unexampled and extraordinary." "respected sir, have i not already informed you that the quite new method, the strictly philosophical one, on which our office is founded, has led me and my associates to an enlarged study of mankind. it was my fault, if i did not, likewise, hint, that these studies directed always to the scientific procuring of good servants of all sorts, boys included, for the kind gentlemen, our patrons--that these studies, i say, have been conducted equally among all books of all libraries, as among all men of all nations. then, you rather like st. augustine, sir?" "excellent genius!" "in some points he was; yet, how comes it that under his own hand, st. augustine confesses that, until his thirtieth year, he was a very sad dog?" "a saint a sad dog?" "not the saint, but the saint's irresponsible little forerunner--the boy." "all boys are rascals, and so are all men," again flying off at his tangent; "my name is pitch; i stick to what i say." "ah, sir, permit me--when i behold you on this mild summer's eve, thus eccentrically clothed in the skins of wild beasts, i cannot but conclude that the equally grim and unsuitable habit of your mind is likewise but an eccentric assumption, having no basis in your genuine soul, no more than in nature herself." "well, really, now--really," fidgeted the bachelor, not unaffected in his conscience by these benign personalities, "really, really, now, i don't know but that i may have been a little bit too hard upon those five and thirty boys of mine." "glad to find you a little softening, sir. who knows now, but that flexile gracefulness, however questionable at the time of that thirtieth boy of yours, might have been the silky husk of the most solid qualities of maturity. it might have been with him as with the ear of the indian corn." "yes, yes, yes," excitedly cried the bachelor, as the light of this new illustration broke in, "yes, yes; and now that i think of it, how often i've sadly watched my indian corn in may, wondering whether such sickly, half-eaten sprouts, could ever thrive up into the stiff, stately spear of august." "a most admirable reflection, sir, and you have only, according to the analogical theory first started by our office, to apply it to that thirtieth boy in question, and see the result. had you but kept that thirtieth boy--been patient with his sickly virtues, cultivated them, hoed round them, why what a glorious guerdon would have been yours, when at last you should have had a st. augustine for an ostler." "really, really--well, i am glad i didn't send him to jail, as at first i intended." "oh that would have been too bad. grant he was vicious. the petty vices of boys are like the innocent kicks of colts, as yet imperfectly broken. some boys know not virtue only for the same reason they know not french; it was never taught them. established upon the basis of parental charity, juvenile asylums exist by law for the benefit of lads convicted of acts which, in adults, would have received other requital. why? because, do what they will, society, like our office, at bottom has a christian confidence in boys. and all this we say to our patrons." "your patrons, sir, seem your marines to whom you may say anything," said the other, relapsing. "why do knowing employers shun youths from asylums, though offered them at the smallest wages? i'll none of your reformado boys." "such a boy, respected sir, i would not get for you, but a boy that never needed reform. do not smile, for as whooping-cough and measles are juvenile diseases, and yet some juveniles never have them, so are there boys equally free from juvenile vices. true, for the best of boys' measles may be contagious, and evil communications corrupt good manners; but a boy with a sound mind in a sound body--such is the boy i would get you. if hitherto, sir, you have struck upon a peculiarly bad vein of boys, so much the more hope now of your hitting a good one." "that sounds a kind of reasonable, as it were--a little so, really. in fact, though you have said a great many foolish things, very foolish and absurd things, yet, upon the whole, your conversation has been such as might almost lead one less distrustful than i to repose a certain conditional confidence in you, i had almost added in your office, also. now, for the humor of it, supposing that even i, i myself, really had this sort of conditional confidence, though but a grain, what sort of a boy, in sober fact, could you send me? and what would be your fee?" "conducted," replied the other somewhat loftily, rising now in eloquence as his proselyte, for all his pretenses, sunk in conviction, "conducted upon principles involving care, learning, and labor, exceeding what is usual in kindred institutions, the philosophical intelligence office is forced to charge somewhat higher than customary. briefly, our fee is three dollars in advance. as for the boy, by a lucky chance, i have a very promising little fellow now in my eye--a very likely little fellow, indeed." "honest?" "as the day is long. might trust him with untold millions. such, at least, were the marginal observations on the phrenological chart of his head, submitted to me by the mother." "how old?" "just fifteen." "tall? stout?" "uncommonly so, for his age, his mother remarked." "industrious?" "the busy bee." the bachelor fell into a troubled reverie. at last, with much hesitancy, he spoke: "do you think now, candidly, that--i say candidly--candidly--could i have some small, limited--some faint, conditional degree of confidence in that boy? candidly, now?" "candidly, you could." "a sound boy? a good boy?" "never knew one more so." the bachelor fell into another irresolute reverie; then said: "well, now, you have suggested some rather new views of boys, and men, too. upon those views in the concrete i at present decline to determine. nevertheless, for the sake purely of a scientific experiment, i will try that boy. i don't think him an angel, mind. no, no. but i'll try him. there are my three dollars, and here is my address. send him along this day two weeks. hold, you will be wanting the money for his passage. there," handing it somewhat reluctantly. "ah, thank you. i had forgotten his passage;" then, altering in manner, and gravely holding the bills, continued: "respected sir, never willingly do i handle money not with perfect willingness, nay, with a certain alacrity, paid. either tell me that you have a perfect and unquestioning confidence in me (never mind the boy now) or permit me respectfully to return these bills." "put 'em up, put 'em-up!" "thank you. confidence is the indispensable basis of all sorts of business transactions. without it, commerce between man and man, as between country and country, would, like a watch, run down and stop. and now, supposing that against present expectation the lad should, after all, evince some little undesirable trait, do not, respected sir, rashly dismiss him. have but patience, have but confidence. those transient vices will, ere long, fall out, and be replaced by the sound, firm, even and permanent virtues. ah," glancing shoreward, towards a grotesquely-shaped bluff, "there's the devil's joke, as they call it: the bell for landing will shortly ring. i must go look up the cook i brought for the innkeeper at cairo." chapter xxiii. in which the powerful effect of natural scenery is evinced in the case of the missourian, who, in view of the region round-about cairo, has a return of his chilly fit. at cairo, the old established firm of fever & ague is still settling up its unfinished business; that creole grave-digger, yellow jack--his hand at the mattock and spade has not lost its cunning; while don saturninus typhus taking his constitutional with death, calvin edson and three undertakers, in the morass, snuffs up the mephitic breeze with zest. in the dank twilight, fanned with mosquitoes, and sparkling with fire-flies, the boat now lies before cairo. she has landed certain passengers, and tarries for the coming of expected ones. leaning over the rail on the inshore side, the missourian eyes through the dubious medium that swampy and squalid domain; and over it audibly mumbles his cynical mind to himself, as apermantus' dog may have mumbled his bone. he bethinks him that the man with the brass-plate was to land on this villainous bank, and for that cause, if no other, begins to suspect him. like one beginning to rouse himself from a dose of chloroform treacherously given, he half divines, too, that he, the philosopher, had unwittingly been betrayed into being an unphilosophical dupe. to what vicissitudes of light and shade is man subject! he ponders the mystery of human subjectivity in general. he thinks he perceives with crossbones, his favorite author, that, as one may wake up well in the morning, very well, indeed, and brisk as a buck, i thank you, but ere bed-time get under the weather, there is no telling how--so one may wake up wise, and slow of assent, very wise and very slow, i assure you, and for all that, before night, by like trick in the atmosphere, be left in the lurch a ninny. health and wisdom equally precious, and equally little as unfluctuating possessions to be relied on. but where was slipped in the entering wedge? philosophy, knowledge, experience--were those trusty knights of the castle recreant? no, but unbeknown to them, the enemy stole on the castle's south side, its genial one, where suspicion, the warder, parleyed. in fine, his too indulgent, too artless and companionable nature betrayed him. admonished by which, he thinks he must be a little splenetic in his intercourse henceforth. he revolves the crafty process of sociable chat, by which, as he fancies, the man with the brass-plate wormed into him, and made such a fool of him as insensibly to persuade him to waive, in his exceptional case, that general law of distrust systematically applied to the race. he revolves, but cannot comprehend, the operation, still less the operator. was the man a trickster, it must be more for the love than the lucre. two or three dirty dollars the motive to so many nice wiles? and yet how full of mean needs his seeming. before his mental vision the person of that threadbare talleyrand, that impoverished machiavelli, that seedy rosicrucian--for something of all these he vaguely deems him--passes now in puzzled review. fain, in his disfavor, would he make out a logical case. the doctrine of analogies recurs. fallacious enough doctrine when wielded against one's prejudices, but in corroboration of cherished suspicions not without likelihood. analogically, he couples the slanting cut of the equivocator's coat-tails with the sinister cast in his eye; he weighs slyboot's sleek speech in the light imparted by the oblique import of the smooth slope of his worn boot-heels; the insinuator's undulating flunkyisms dovetail into those of the flunky beast that windeth his way on his belly. from these uncordial reveries he is roused by a cordial slap on the shoulder, accompanied by a spicy volume of tobacco-smoke, out of which came a voice, sweet as a seraph's: "a penny for your thoughts, my fine fellow." chapter xxiv. a philanthropist undertakes to convert a misanthrope, but does not get beyond confuting him. "hands off!" cried the bachelor, involuntarily covering dejection with moroseness. "hands off? that sort of label won't do in our fair. whoever in our fair has fine feelings loves to feel the nap of fine cloth, especially when a fine fellow wears it." "and who of my fine-fellow species may you be? from the brazils, ain't you? toucan fowl. fine feathers on foul meat." this ungentle mention of the toucan was not improbably suggested by the parti-hued, and rather plumagy aspect of the stranger, no bigot it would seem, but a liberalist, in dress, and whose wardrobe, almost anywhere than on the liberal mississippi, used to all sorts of fantastic informalities, might, even to observers less critical than the bachelor, have looked, if anything, a little out of the common; but not more so perhaps, than, considering the bear and raccoon costume, the bachelor's own appearance. in short, the stranger sported a vesture barred with various hues, that of the cochineal predominating, in style participating of a highland plaid, emir's robe, and french blouse; from its plaited sort of front peeped glimpses of a flowered regatta-shirt, while, for the rest, white trowsers of ample duck flowed over maroon-colored slippers, and a jaunty smoking-cap of regal purple crowned him off at top; king of traveled good-fellows, evidently. grotesque as all was, nothing looked stiff or unused; all showed signs of easy service, the least wonted thing setting like a wonted glove. that genial hand, which had just been laid on the ungenial shoulder, was now carelessly thrust down before him, sailor-fashion, into a sort of indian belt, confining the redundant vesture; the other held, by its long bright cherry-stem, a nuremburgh pipe in blast, its great porcelain bowl painted in miniature with linked crests and arms of interlinked nations--a florid show. as by subtle saturations of its mellowing essence the tobacco had ripened the bowl, so it looked as if something similar of the interior spirit came rosily out on the cheek. but rosy pipe-bowl, or rosy countenance, all was lost on that unrosy man, the bachelor, who, waiting a moment till the commotion, caused by the boat's renewed progress, had a little abated, thus continued: "hark ye," jeeringly eying the cap and belt, "did you ever see signor marzetti in the african pantomime?" "no;--good performer?" "excellent; plays the intelligent ape till he seems it. with such naturalness can a being endowed with an immortal spirit enter into that of a monkey. but where's your tail? in the pantomime, marzetti, no hypocrite in his monkery, prides himself on that." the stranger, now at rest, sideways and genially, on one hip, his right leg cavalierly crossed before the other, the toe of his vertical slipper pointed easily down on the deck, whiffed out a long, leisurely sort of indifferent and charitable puff, betokening him more or less of the mature man of the world, a character which, like its opposite, the sincere christian's, is not always swift to take offense; and then, drawing near, still smoking, again laid his hand, this time with mild impressiveness, on the ursine shoulder, and not unamiably said: "that in your address there is a sufficiency of the _fortiter in re_ few unbiased observers will question; but that this is duly attempered with the _suaviter in modo_ may admit, i think, of an honest doubt. my dear fellow," beaming his eyes full upon him, "what injury have i done you, that you should receive my greeting with a curtailed civility?" "off hands;" once more shaking the friendly member from him. "who in the name of the great chimpanzee, in whose likeness, you, marzetti, and the other chatterers are made, who in thunder are you?" "a cosmopolitan, a catholic man; who, being such, ties himself to no narrow tailor or teacher, but federates, in heart as in costume, something of the various gallantries of men under various suns. oh, one roams not over the gallant globe in vain. bred by it, is a fraternal and fusing feeling. no man is a stranger. you accost anybody. warm and confiding, you wait not for measured advances. and though, indeed, mine, in this instance, have met with no very hilarious encouragement, yet the principle of a true citizen of the world is still to return good for ill.--my dear fellow, tell me how i can serve you." "by dispatching yourself, mr. popinjay-of-the-world, into the heart of the lunar mountains. you are another of them. out of my sight!" "is the sight of humanity so very disagreeable to you then? ah, i may be foolish, but for my part, in all its aspects, i love it. served up à la pole, or à la moor, à la ladrone, or à la yankee, that good dish, man, still delights me; or rather is man a wine i never weary of comparing and sipping; wherefore am i a pledged cosmopolitan, a sort of london-dock-vault connoisseur, going about from teheran to natchitoches, a taster of races; in all his vintages, smacking my lips over this racy creature, man, continually. but as there are teetotal palates which have a distaste even for amontillado, so i suppose there may be teetotal souls which relish not even the very best brands of humanity. excuse me, but it just occurs to me that you, my dear fellow, possibly lead a solitary life." "solitary?" starting as at a touch of divination. "yes: in a solitary life one insensibly contracts oddities,--talking to one's self now." "been eaves-dropping, eh?" "why, a soliloquist in a crowd can hardly but be overheard, and without much reproach to the hearer." "you are an eaves-dropper." "well. be it so." "confess yourself an eaves-dropper?" "i confess that when you were muttering here i, passing by, caught a word or two, and, by like chance, something previous of your chat with the intelligence-office man;--a rather sensible fellow, by the way; much of my style of thinking; would, for his own sake, he were of my style of dress. grief to good minds, to see a man of superior sense forced to hide his light under the bushel of an inferior coat.--well, from what little i heard, i said to myself, here now is one with the unprofitable philosophy of disesteem for man. which disease, in the main, i have observed--excuse me--to spring from a certain lowness, if not sourness, of spirits inseparable from sequestration. trust me, one had better mix in, and do like others. sad business, this holding out against having a good time. life is a pic-nic _en costume_; one must take a part, assume a character, stand ready in a sensible way to play the fool. to come in plain clothes, with a long face, as a wiseacre, only makes one a discomfort to himself, and a blot upon the scene. like your jug of cold water among the wine-flasks, it leaves you unelated among the elated ones. no, no. this austerity won't do. let me tell you too--_en confiance_--that while revelry may not always merge into ebriety, soberness, in too deep potations, may become a sort of sottishness. which sober sottishness, in my way of thinking, is only to be cured by beginning at the other end of the horn, to tipple a little." "pray, what society of vintners and old topers are you hired to lecture for?" "i fear i did not give my meaning clearly. a little story may help. the story of the worthy old woman of goshen, a very moral old woman, who wouldn't let her shoats eat fattening apples in fall, for fear the fruit might ferment upon their brains, and so make them swinish. now, during a green christmas, inauspicious to the old, this worthy old woman fell into a moping decline, took to her bed, no appetite, and refused to see her best friends. in much concern her good man sent for the doctor, who, after seeing the patient and putting a question or two, beckoned the husband out, and said: 'deacon, do you want her cured?' 'indeed i do.' 'go directly, then, and buy a jug of santa cruz.' 'santa cruz? my wife drink santa cruz?' 'either that or die.' 'but how much?' 'as much as she can get down.' 'but she'll get drunk!' 'that's the cure.' wise men, like doctors, must be obeyed. much against the grain, the sober deacon got the unsober medicine, and, equally against her conscience, the poor old woman took it; but, by so doing, ere long recovered health and spirits, famous appetite, and glad again to see her friends; and having by this experience broken the ice of arid abstinence, never afterwards kept herself a cup too low." this story had the effect of surprising the bachelor into interest, though hardly into approval. "if i take your parable right," said he, sinking no little of his former churlishness, "the meaning is, that one cannot enjoy life with gusto unless he renounce the too-sober view of life. but since the too-sober view is, doubtless, nearer true than the too-drunken; i, who rate truth, though cold water, above untruth, though tokay, will stick to my earthen jug." "i see," slowly spirting upward a spiral staircase of lazy smoke, "i see; you go in for the lofty." "how?" "oh, nothing! but if i wasn't afraid of prosing, i might tell another story about an old boot in a pieman's loft, contracting there between sun and oven an unseemly, dry-seasoned curl and warp. you've seen such leathery old garretteers, haven't you? very high, sober, solitary, philosophic, grand, old boots, indeed; but i, for my part, would rather be the pieman's trodden slipper on the ground. talking of piemen, humble-pie before proud-cake for me. this notion of being lone and lofty is a sad mistake. men i hold in this respect to be like roosters; the one that betakes himself to a lone and lofty perch is the hen-pecked one, or the one that has the pip." "you are abusive!" cried the bachelor, evidently touched. "who is abused? you, or the race? you won't stand by and see the human race abused? oh, then, you have some respect for the human race." "i have some respect for _myself_" with a lip not so firm as before. "and what race may _you_ belong to? now don't you see, my dear fellow, in what inconsistencies one involves himself by affecting disesteem for men. to a charm, my little stratagem succeeded. come, come, think better of it, and, as a first step to a new mind, give up solitude. i fear, by the way, you have at some time been reading zimmermann, that old mr. megrims of a zimmermann, whose book on solitude is as vain as hume's on suicide, as bacon's on knowledge; and, like these, will betray him who seeks to steer soul and body by it, like a false religion. all they, be they what boasted ones you please, who, to the yearning of our kind after a founded rule of content, offer aught not in the spirit of fellowly gladness based on due confidence in what is above, away with them for poor dupes, or still poorer impostors." his manner here was so earnest that scarcely any auditor, perhaps, but would have been more or less impressed by it, while, possibly, nervous opponents might have a little quailed under it. thinking within himself a moment, the bachelor replied: "had you experience, you would know that your tippling theory, take it in what sense you will, is poor as any other. and rabelais's pro-wine koran no more trustworthy than mahomet's anti-wine one." "enough," for a finality knocking the ashes from his pipe, "we talk and keep talking, and still stand where we did. what do you say for a walk? my arm, and let's a turn. they are to have dancing on the hurricane-deck to-night. i shall fling them off a scotch jig, while, to save the pieces, you hold my loose change; and following that, i propose that you, my dear fellow, stack your gun, and throw your bearskins in a sailor's hornpipe--i holding your watch. what do you say?" at this proposition the other was himself again, all raccoon. "look you," thumping down his rifle, "are you jeremy diddler no. ?" "jeremy diddler? i have heard of jeremy the prophet, and jeremy taylor the divine, but your other jeremy is a gentleman i am unacquainted with." "you are his confidential clerk, ain't you?" "_whose_, pray? not that i think myself unworthy of being confided in, but i don't understand." "you are another of them. somehow i meet with the most extraordinary metaphysical scamps to-day. sort of visitation of them. and yet that herb-doctor diddler somehow takes off the raw edge of the diddlers that come after him." "herb-doctor? who is he?" "like you--another of them." "_who?_" then drawing near, as if for a good long explanatory chat, his left hand spread, and his pipe-stem coming crosswise down upon it like a ferule, "you think amiss of me. now to undeceive you, i will just enter into a little argument and----" "no you don't. no more little arguments for me. had too many little arguments to-day." "but put a case. can you deny--i dare you to deny--that the man leading a solitary life is peculiarly exposed to the sorriest misconceptions touching strangers?" "yes, i _do_ deny it," again, in his impulsiveness, snapping at the controversial bait, "and i will confute you there in a trice. look, you----" "now, now, now, my dear fellow," thrusting out both vertical palms for double shields, "you crowd me too hard. you don't give one a chance. say what you will, to shun a social proposition like mine, to shun society in any way, evinces a churlish nature--cold, loveless; as, to embrace it, shows one warm and friendly, in fact, sunshiny." here the other, all agog again, in his perverse way, launched forth into the unkindest references to deaf old worldlings keeping in the deafening world; and gouty gluttons limping to their gouty gormandizings; and corseted coquets clasping their corseted cavaliers in the waltz, all for disinterested society's sake; and thousands, bankrupt through lavishness, ruining themselves out of pure love of the sweet company of man--no envies, rivalries, or other unhandsome motive to it. "ah, now," deprecating with his pipe, "irony is so unjust: never could abide irony: something satanic about irony. god defend me from irony, and satire, his bosom friend." "a right knave's prayer, and a right fool's, too," snapping his rifle-lock. "now be frank. own that was a little gratuitous. but, no, no, you didn't mean it; any way, i can make allowances. ah, did you but know it, how much pleasanter to puff at this philanthropic pipe, than still to keep fumbling at that misanthropic rifle. as for your worldling, glutton, and coquette, though, doubtless, being such, they may have their little foibles--as who has not?--yet not one of the three can be reproached with that awful sin of shunning society; awful i call it, for not seldom it presupposes a still darker thing than itself--remorse." "remorse drives man away from man? how came your fellow-creature, cain, after the first murder, to go and build the first city? and why is it that the modern cain dreads nothing so much as solitary confinement? "my dear fellow, you get excited. say what you will, i for one must have my fellow-creatures round me. thick, too--i must have them thick." "the pick-pocket, too, loves to have his fellow-creatures round him. tut, man! no one goes into the crowd but for his end; and the end of too many is the same as the pick-pocket's--a purse." "now, my dear fellow, how can you have the conscience to say that, when it is as much according to natural law that men are social as sheep gregarious. but grant that, in being social, each man has his end, do you, upon the strength of that, do you yourself, i say, mix with man, now, immediately, and be your end a more genial philosophy. come, let's take a turn." again he offered his fraternal arm; but the bachelor once more flung it off, and, raising his rifle in energetic invocation, cried: "now the high-constable catch and confound all knaves in towns and rats in grain-bins, and if in this boat, which is a human grain-bin for the time, any sly, smooth, philandering rat be dodging now, pin him, thou high rat-catcher, against this rail." "a noble burst! shows you at heart a trump. and when a card's that, little matters it whether it be spade or diamond. you are good wine that, to be still better, only needs a shaking up. come, let's agree that we'll to new orleans, and there embark for london--i staying with my friends nigh primrose-hill, and you putting up at the piazza, covent garden--piazza, covent garden; for tell me--since you will not be a disciple to the full--tell me, was not that humor, of diogenes, which led him to live, a merry-andrew, in the flower-market, better than that of the less wise athenian, which made him a skulking scare-crow in pine-barrens? an injudicious gentleman, lord timon." "your hand!" seizing it. "bless me, how cordial a squeeze. it is agreed we shall be brothers, then?" "as much so as a brace of misanthropes can be," with another and terrific squeeze. "i had thought that the moderns had degenerated beneath the capacity of misanthropy. rejoiced, though but in one instance, and that disguised, to be undeceived." the other stared in blank amaze. "won't do. you are diogenes, diogenes in disguise. i say--diogenes masquerading as a cosmopolitan." with ruefully altered mien, the stranger still stood mute awhile. at length, in a pained tone, spoke: "how hard the lot of that pleader who, in his zeal conceding too much, is taken to belong to a side which he but labors, however ineffectually, to convert!" then with another change of air: "to you, an ishmael, disguising in sportiveness my intent, i came ambassador from the human race, charged with the assurance that for your mislike they bore no answering grudge, but sought to conciliate accord between you and them. yet you take me not for the honest envoy, but i know not what sort of unheard-of spy. sir," he less lowly added, "this mistaking of your man should teach you how you may mistake all men. for god's sake," laying both hands upon him, "get you confidence. see how distrust has duped you. i, diogenes? i he who, going a step beyond misanthropy, was less a man-hater than a man-hooter? better were i stark and stiff!" with which the philanthropist moved away less lightsome than he had come, leaving the discomfited misanthrope to the solitude he held so sapient. chapter xxv. the cosmopolitan makes an acquaintance. in the act of retiring, the cosmopolitan was met by a passenger, who with the bluff _abord_ of the west, thus addressed him, though a stranger. "queer 'coon, your friend. had a little skrimmage with him myself. rather entertaining old 'coon, if he wasn't so deuced analytical. reminded me somehow of what i've heard about colonel john moredock, of illinois, only your friend ain't quite so good a fellow at bottom, i should think." it was in the semicircular porch of a cabin, opening a recess from the deck, lit by a zoned lamp swung overhead, and sending its light vertically down, like the sun at noon. beneath the lamp stood the speaker, affording to any one disposed to it no unfavorable chance for scrutiny; but the glance now resting on him betrayed no such rudeness. a man neither tall nor stout, neither short nor gaunt; but with a body fitted, as by measure, to the service of his mind. for the rest, one less favored perhaps in his features than his clothes; and of these the beauty may have been less in the fit than the cut; to say nothing of the fineness of the nap, seeming out of keeping with something the reverse of fine in the skin; and the unsuitableness of a violet vest, sending up sunset hues to a countenance betokening a kind of bilious habit. but, upon the whole, it could not be fairly said that his appearance was unprepossessing; indeed, to the congenial, it would have been doubtless not uncongenial; while to others, it could not fail to be at least curiously interesting, from the warm air of florid cordiality, contrasting itself with one knows not what kind of aguish sallowness of saving discretion lurking behind it. ungracious critics might have thought that the manner flushed the man, something in the same fictitious way that the vest flushed the cheek. and though his teeth were singularly good, those same ungracious ones might have hinted that they were too good to be true; or rather, were not so good as they might be; since the best false teeth are those made with at least two or three blemishes, the more to look like life. but fortunately for better constructions, no such critics had the stranger now in eye; only the cosmopolitan, who, after, in the first place, acknowledging his advances with a mute salute--in which acknowledgment, if there seemed less of spirit than in his way of accosting the missourian, it was probably because of the saddening sequel of that late interview--thus now replied: "colonel john moredock," repeating the words abstractedly; "that surname recalls reminiscences. pray," with enlivened air, "was he anyway connected with the moredocks of moredock hall, northamptonshire, england?" "i know no more of the moredocks of moredock hall than of the burdocks of burdock hut," returned the other, with the air somehow of one whose fortunes had been of his own making; "all i know is, that the late colonel john moredock was a famous one in his time; eye like lochiel's; finger like a trigger; nerve like a catamount's; and with but two little oddities--seldom stirred without his rifle, and hated indians like snakes." "your moredock, then, would seem a moredock of misanthrope hall--the woods. no very sleek creature, the colonel, i fancy." "sleek or not, he was no uncombed one, but silky bearded and curly headed, and to all but indians juicy as a peach. but indians--how the late colonel john moredock, indian-hater of illinois, did hate indians, to be sure!" "never heard of such a thing. hate indians? why should he or anybody else hate indians? _i_ admire indians. indians i have always heard to be one of the finest of the primitive races, possessed of many heroic virtues. some noble women, too. when i think of pocahontas, i am ready to love indians. then there's massasoit, and philip of mount hope, and tecumseh, and red-jacket, and logan--all heroes; and there's the five nations, and araucanians--federations and communities of heroes. god bless me; hate indians? surely the late colonel john moredock must have wandered in his mind." "wandered in the woods considerably, but never wandered elsewhere, that i ever heard." "are you in earnest? was there ever one who so made it his particular mission to hate indians that, to designate him, a special word has been coined--indian-hater?" "even so." "dear me, you take it very calmly.--but really, i would like to know something about this indian-hating, i can hardly believe such a thing to be. could you favor me with a little history of the extraordinary man you mentioned?" "with all my heart," and immediately stepping from the porch, gestured the cosmopolitan to a settee near by, on deck. "there, sir, sit you there, and i will sit here beside you--you desire to hear of colonel john moredock. well, a day in my boyhood is marked with a white stone--the day i saw the colonel's rifle, powder-horn attached, hanging in a cabin on the west bank of the wabash river. i was going westward a long journey through the wilderness with my father. it was nigh noon, and we had stopped at the cabin to unsaddle and bait. the man at the cabin pointed out the rifle, and told whose it was, adding that the colonel was that moment sleeping on wolf-skins in the corn-loft above, so we must not talk very loud, for the colonel had been out all night hunting (indians, mind), and it would be cruel to disturb his sleep. curious to see one so famous, we waited two hours over, in hopes he would come forth; but he did not. so, it being necessary to get to the next cabin before nightfall, we had at last to ride off without the wished-for satisfaction. though, to tell the truth, i, for one, did not go away entirely ungratified, for, while my father was watering the horses, i slipped back into the cabin, and stepping a round or two up the ladder, pushed my head through the trap, and peered about. not much light in the loft; but off, in the further corner, i saw what i took to be the wolf-skins, and on them a bundle of something, like a drift of leaves; and at one end, what seemed a moss-ball; and over it, deer-antlers branched; and close by, a small squirrel sprang out from a maple-bowl of nuts, brushed the moss-ball with his tail, through a hole, and vanished, squeaking. that bit of woodland scene was all i saw. no colonel moredock there, unless that moss-ball was his curly head, seen in the back view. i would have gone clear up, but the man below had warned me, that though, from his camping habits, the colonel could sleep through thunder, he was for the same cause amazing quick to waken at the sound of footsteps, however soft, and especially if human." "excuse me," said the other, softly laying his hand on the narrator's wrist, "but i fear the colonel was of a distrustful nature--little or no confidence. he _was_ a little suspicious-minded, wasn't he?" "not a bit. knew too much. suspected nobody, but was not ignorant of indians. well: though, as you may gather, i never fully saw the man, yet, have i, one way and another, heard about as much of him as any other; in particular, have i heard his history again and again from my father's friend, james hall, the judge, you know. in every company being called upon to give this history, which none could better do, the judge at last fell into a style so methodic, you would have thought he spoke less to mere auditors than to an invisible amanuensis; seemed talking for the press; very impressive way with him indeed. and i, having an equally impressible memory, think that, upon a pinch, i can render you the judge upon the colonel almost word for word." "do so, by all means," said the cosmopolitan, well pleased. "shall i give you the judge's philosophy, and all?" "as to that," rejoined the other gravely, pausing over the pipe-bowl he was filling, "the desirableness, to a man of a certain mind, of having another man's philosophy given, depends considerably upon what school of philosophy that other man belongs to. of what school or system was the judge, pray?" "why, though he knew how to read and write, the judge never had much schooling. but, i should say he belonged, if anything, to the free-school system. yes, a true patriot, the judge went in strong for free-schools." "in philosophy? the man of a certain mind, then, while respecting the judge's patriotism, and not blind to the judge's capacity for narrative, such as he may prove to have, might, perhaps, with prudence, waive an opinion of the judge's probable philosophy. but i am no rigorist; proceed, i beg; his philosophy or not, as you please." "well, i would mostly skip that part, only, to begin, some reconnoitering of the ground in a philosophical way the judge always deemed indispensable with strangers. for you must know that indian-hating was no monopoly of colonel moredock's; but a passion, in one form or other, and to a degree, greater or less, largely shared among the class to which he belonged. and indian-hating still exists; and, no doubt, will continue to exist, so long as indians do. indian-hating, then, shall be my first theme, and colonel moredock, the indian-hater, my next and last." with which the stranger, settling himself in his seat, commenced--the hearer paying marked regard, slowly smoking, his glance, meanwhile, steadfastly abstracted towards the deck, but his right ear so disposed towards the speaker that each word came through as little atmospheric intervention as possible. to intensify the sense of hearing, he seemed to sink the sense of sight. no complaisance of mere speech could have been so flattering, or expressed such striking politeness as this mute eloquence of thoroughly digesting attention. chapter xxvi. containing the metaphysics of indian-hating, according to the views of one evidently not so prepossessed as rousseau in favor of savages. "the judge always began in these words: 'the backwoodsman's hatred of the indian has been a topic for some remark. in the earlier times of the frontier the passion was thought to be readily accounted for. but indian rapine having mostly ceased through regions where it once prevailed, the philanthropist is surprised that indian-hating has not in like degree ceased with it. he wonders why the backwoodsman still regards the red man in much the same spirit that a jury does a murderer, or a trapper a wild cat--a creature, in whose behalf mercy were not wisdom; truce is vain; he must be executed. "'a curious point,' the judge would continue, 'which perhaps not everybody, even upon explanation, may fully understand; while, in order for any one to approach to an understanding, it is necessary for him to learn, or if he already know, to bear in mind, what manner of man the backwoodsman is; as for what manner of man the indian is, many know, either from history or experience. "'the backwoodsman is a lonely man. he is a thoughtful man. he is a man strong and unsophisticated. impulsive, he is what some might call unprincipled. at any rate, he is self-willed; being one who less hearkens to what others may say about things, than looks for himself, to see what are things themselves. if in straits, there are few to help; he must depend upon himself; he must continually look to himself. hence self-reliance, to the degree of standing by his own judgment, though it stand alone. not that he deems himself infallible; too many mistakes in following trails prove the contrary; but he thinks that nature destines such sagacity as she has given him, as she destines it to the 'possum. to these fellow-beings of the wilds their untutored sagacity is their best dependence. if with either it prove faulty, if the 'possum's betray it to the trap, or the backwoodsman's mislead him into ambuscade, there are consequences to be undergone, but no self-blame. as with the 'possum, instincts prevail with the backwoodsman over precepts. like the 'possum, the backwoodsman presents the spectacle of a creature dwelling exclusively among the works of god, yet these, truth must confess, breed little in him of a godly mind. small bowing and scraping is his, further than when with bent knee he points his rifle, or picks its flint. with few companions, solitude by necessity his lengthened lot, he stands the trial--no slight one, since, next to dying, solitude, rightly borne, is perhaps of fortitude the most rigorous test. but not merely is the backwoodsman content to be alone, but in no few cases is anxious to be so. the sight of smoke ten miles off is provocation to one more remove from man, one step deeper into nature. is it that he feels that whatever man may be, man is not the universe? that glory, beauty, kindness, are not all engrossed by him? that as the presence of man frights birds away, so, many bird-like thoughts? be that how it will, the backwoodsman is not without some fineness to his nature. hairy orson as he looks, it may be with him as with the shetland seal--beneath the bristles lurks the fur. "'though held in a sort a barbarian, the backwoodsman would seem to america what alexander was to asia--captain in the vanguard of conquering civilization. whatever the nation's growing opulence or power, does it not lackey his heels? pathfinder, provider of security to those who come after him, for himself he asks nothing but hardship. worthy to be compared with moses in the exodus, or the emperor julian in gaul, who on foot, and bare-browed, at the head of covered or mounted legions, marched so through the elements, day after day. the tide of emigration, let it roll as it will, never overwhelms the backwoodsman into itself; he rides upon advance, as the polynesian upon the comb of the surf. "'thus, though he keep moving on through life, he maintains with respect to nature much the same unaltered relation throughout; with her creatures, too, including panthers and indians. hence, it is not unlikely that, accurate as the theory of the peace congress may be with respect to those two varieties of beings, among others, yet the backwoodsman might be qualified to throw out some practical suggestions. "'as the child born to a backwoodsman must in turn lead his father's life--a life which, as related to humanity, is related mainly to indians--it is thought best not to mince matters, out of delicacy; but to tell the boy pretty plainly what an indian is, and what he must expect from him. for however charitable it may be to view indians as members of the society of friends, yet to affirm them such to one ignorant of indians, whose lonely path lies a long way through their lands, this, in the event, might prove not only injudicious but cruel. at least something of this kind would seem the maxim upon which backwoods' education is based. accordingly, if in youth the backwoodsman incline to knowledge, as is generally the case, he hears little from his schoolmasters, the old chroniclers of the forest, but histories of indian lying, indian theft, indian double-dealing, indian fraud and perfidy, indian want of conscience, indian blood-thirstiness, indian diabolism--histories which, though of wild woods, are almost as full of things unangelic as the newgate calendar or the annals of europe. in these indian narratives and traditions the lad is thoroughly grounded. "as the twig is bent the tree's inclined." the instinct of antipathy against an indian grows in the backwoodsman with the sense of good and bad, right and wrong. in one breath he learns that a brother is to be loved, and an indian to be hated. "'such are the facts,' the judge would say, 'upon which, if one seek to moralize, he must do so with an eye to them. it is terrible that one creature should so regard another, should make it conscience to abhor an entire race. it is terrible; but is it surprising? surprising, that one should hate a race which he believes to be red from a cause akin to that which makes some tribes of garden insects green? a race whose name is upon the frontier a _memento mori_; painted to him in every evil light; now a horse-thief like those in moyamensing; now an assassin like a new york rowdy; now a treaty-breaker like an austrian; now a palmer with poisoned arrows; now a judicial murderer and jeffries, after a fierce farce of trial condemning his victim to bloody death; or a jew with hospitable speeches cozening some fainting stranger into ambuscade, there to burk him, and account it a deed grateful to manitou, his god. "'still, all this is less advanced as truths of the indians than as examples of the backwoodsman's impression of them--in which the charitable may think he does them some injustice. certain it is, the indians themselves think so; quite unanimously, too. the indians, in deed, protest against the backwoodsman's view of them; and some think that one cause of their returning his antipathy so sincerely as they do, is their moral indignation at being so libeled by him, as they really believe and say. but whether, on this or any point, the indians should be permitted to testify for themselves, to the exclusion of other testimony, is a question that may be left to the supreme court. at any rate, it has been observed that when an indian becomes a genuine proselyte to christianity (such cases, however, not being very many; though, indeed, entire tribes are sometimes nominally brought to the true light,) he will not in that case conceal his enlightened conviction, that his race's portion by nature is total depravity; and, in that way, as much as admits that the backwoodsman's worst idea of it is not very far from true; while, on the other hand, those red men who are the greatest sticklers for the theory of indian virtue, and indian loving-kindness, are sometimes the arrantest horse-thieves and tomahawkers among them. so, at least, avers the backwoodsman. and though, knowing the indian nature, as he thinks he does, he fancies he is not ignorant that an indian may in some points deceive himself almost as effectually as in bush-tactics he can another, yet his theory and his practice as above contrasted seem to involve an inconsistency so extreme, that the backwoodsman only accounts for it on the supposition that when a tomahawking red-man advances the notion of the benignity of the red race, it is but part and parcel with that subtle strategy which he finds so useful in war, in hunting, and the general conduct of life.' "in further explanation of that deep abhorrence with which the backwoodsman regards the savage, the judge used to think it might perhaps a little help, to consider what kind of stimulus to it is furnished in those forest histories and traditions before spoken of. in which behalf, he would tell the story of the little colony of wrights and weavers, originally seven cousins from virginia, who, after successive removals with their families, at last established themselves near the southern frontier of the bloody ground, kentucky: 'they were strong, brave men; but, unlike many of the pioneers in those days, theirs was no love of conflict for conflict's sake. step by step they had been lured to their lonely resting-place by the ever-beckoning seductions of a fertile and virgin land, with a singular exemption, during the march, from indian molestation. but clearings made and houses built, the bright shield was soon to turn its other side. after repeated persecutions and eventual hostilities, forced on them by a dwindled tribe in their neighborhood--persecutions resulting in loss of crops and cattle; hostilities in which they lost two of their number, illy to be spared, besides others getting painful wounds--the five remaining cousins made, with some serious concessions, a kind of treaty with mocmohoc, the chief--being to this induced by the harryings of the enemy, leaving them no peace. but they were further prompted, indeed, first incited, by the suddenly changed ways of mocmohoc, who, though hitherto deemed a savage almost perfidious as caesar borgia, yet now put on a seeming the reverse of this, engaging to bury the hatchet, smoke the pipe, and be friends forever; not friends in the mere sense of renouncing enmity, but in the sense of kindliness, active and familiar. "'but what the chief now seemed, did not wholly blind them to what the chief had been; so that, though in no small degree influenced by his change of bearing, they still distrusted him enough to covenant with him, among other articles on their side, that though friendly visits should be exchanged between the wigwams and the cabins, yet the five cousins should never, on any account, be expected to enter the chief's lodge together. the intention was, though they reserved it, that if ever, under the guise of amity, the chief should mean them mischief, and effect it, it should be but partially; so that some of the five might survive, not only for their families' sake, but also for retribution's. nevertheless, mocmohoc did, upon a time, with such fine art and pleasing carriage win their confidence, that he brought them all together to a feast of bear's meat, and there, by stratagem, ended them. years after, over their calcined bones and those of all their families, the chief, reproached for his treachery by a proud hunter whom he had made captive, jeered out, "treachery? pale face! 'twas they who broke their covenant first, in coming all together; they that broke it first, in trusting mocmohoc."' "at this point the judge would pause, and lifting his hand, and rolling his eyes, exclaim in a solemn enough voice, 'circling wiles and bloody lusts. the acuteness and genius of the chief but make him the more atrocious.' "after another pause, he would begin an imaginary kind of dialogue between a backwoodsman and a questioner: "'but are all indians like mocmohoc?--not all have proved such; but in the least harmful may lie his germ. there is an indian nature. "indian blood is in me," is the half-breed's threat.--but are not some indians kind?--yes, but kind indians are mostly lazy, and reputed simple--at all events, are seldom chiefs; chiefs among the red men being taken from the active, and those accounted wise. hence, with small promotion, kind indians have but proportionate influence. and kind indians may be forced to do unkind biddings. so "beware the indian, kind or unkind," said daniel boone, who lost his sons by them.--but, have all you backwoodsmen been some way victimized by indians?--no.--well, and in certain cases may not at least some few of you be favored by them?--yes, but scarce one among us so self-important, or so selfish-minded, as to hold his personal exemption from indian outrage such a set-off against the contrary experience of so many others, as that he must needs, in a general way, think well of indians; or, if he do, an arrow in his flank might suggest a pertinent doubt. "'in short,' according to the judge, 'if we at all credit the backwoodsman, his feeling against indians, to be taken aright, must be considered as being not so much on his own account as on others', or jointly on both accounts. true it is, scarce a family he knows but some member of it, or connection, has been by indians maimed or scalped. what avails, then, that some one indian, or some two or three, treat a backwoodsman friendly-like? he fears me, he thinks. take my rifle from me, give him motive, and what will come? or if not so, how know i what involuntary preparations may be going on in him for things as unbeknown in present time to him as me--a sort of chemical preparation in the soul for malice, as chemical preparation in the body for malady.' "not that the backwoodsman ever used those words, you see, but the judge found him expression for his meaning. and this point he would conclude with saying, that, 'what is called a "friendly indian" is a very rare sort of creature; and well it was so, for no ruthlessness exceeds that of a "friendly indian" turned enemy. a coward friend, he makes a valiant foe. "'but, thus far the passion in question has been viewed in a general way as that of a community. when to his due share of this the backwoodsman adds his private passion, we have then the stock out of which is formed, if formed at all, the indian-hater _par excellence_.' "the indian-hater _par excellence_ the judge defined to be one 'who, having with his mother's milk drank in small love for red men, in youth or early manhood, ere the sensibilities become osseous, receives at their hand some signal outrage, or, which in effect is much the same, some of his kin have, or some friend. now, nature all around him by her solitudes wooing or bidding him muse upon this matter, he accordingly does so, till the thought develops such attraction, that much as straggling vapors troop from all sides to a storm-cloud, so straggling thoughts of other outrages troop to the nucleus thought, assimilate with it, and swell it. at last, taking counsel with the elements, he comes to his resolution. an intenser hannibal, he makes a vow, the hate of which is a vortex from whose suction scarce the remotest chip of the guilty race may reasonably feel secure. next, he declares himself and settles his temporal affairs. with the solemnity of a spaniard turned monk, he takes leave of his kin; or rather, these leave-takings have something of the still more impressive finality of death-bed adieus. last, he commits himself to the forest primeval; there, so long as life shall be his, to act upon a calm, cloistered scheme of strategical, implacable, and lonesome vengeance. ever on the noiseless trail; cool, collected, patient; less seen than felt; snuffing, smelling--a leather-stocking nemesis. in the settlements he will not be seen again; in eyes of old companions tears may start at some chance thing that speaks of him; but they never look for him, nor call; they know he will not come. suns and seasons fleet; the tiger-lily blows and falls; babes are born and leap in their mothers' arms; but, the indian-hater is good as gone to his long home, and "terror" is his epitaph.' "here the judge, not unaffected, would pause again, but presently resume: 'how evident that in strict speech there can be no biography of an indian-hater _par excellence_, any more than one of a sword-fish, or other deep-sea denizen; or, which is still less imaginable, one of a dead man. the career of the indian-hater _par excellence_ has the impenetrability of the fate of a lost steamer. doubtless, events, terrible ones, have happened, must have happened; but the powers that be in nature have taken order that they shall never become news. "'but, luckily for the curious, there is a species of diluted indian-hater, one whose heart proves not so steely as his brain. soft enticements of domestic life too, often draw him from the ascetic trail; a monk who apostatizes to the world at times. like a mariner, too, though much abroad, he may have a wife and family in some green harbor which he does not forget. it is with him as with the papist converts in senegal; fasting and mortification prove hard to bear.' "the judge, with his usual judgment, always thought that the intense solitude to which the indian-hater consigns himself, has, by its overawing influence, no little to do with relaxing his vow. he would relate instances where, after some months' lonely scoutings, the indian-hater is suddenly seized with a sort of calenture; hurries openly towards the first smoke, though he knows it is an indian's, announces himself as a lost hunter, gives the savage his rifle, throws himself upon his charity, embraces him with much affection, imploring the privilege of living a while in his sweet companionship. what is too often the sequel of so distempered a procedure may be best known by those who best know the indian. upon the whole, the judge, by two and thirty good and sufficient reasons, would maintain that there was no known vocation whose consistent following calls for such self-containings as that of the indian-hater _par excellence_. in the highest view, he considered such a soul one peeping out but once an age. "for the diluted indian-hater, although the vacations he permits himself impair the keeping of the character, yet, it should not be overlooked that this is the man who, by his very infirmity, enables us to form surmises, however inadequate, of what indian-hating in its perfection is." "one moment," gently interrupted the cosmopolitan here, "and let me refill my calumet." which being done, the other proceeded:-- chapter xxvii. some account of a man of questionable morality, but who, nevertheless, would seem entitled to the esteem of that eminent english moralist who said he liked a good hater. "coming to mention the man to whose story all thus far said was but the introduction, the judge, who, like you, was a great smoker, would insist upon all the company taking cigars, and then lighting a fresh one himself, rise in his place, and, with the solemnest voice, say--'gentlemen, let us smoke to the memory of colonel john moredock;' when, after several whiffs taken standing in deep silence and deeper reverie, he would resume his seat and his discourse, something in these words: "'though colonel john moredock was not an indian-hater _par excellence_, he yet cherished a kind of sentiment towards the red man, and in that degree, and so acted out his sentiment as sufficiently to merit the tribute just rendered to his memory. "'john moredock was the son of a woman married thrice, and thrice widowed by a tomahawk. the three successive husbands of this woman had been pioneers, and with them she had wandered from wilderness to wilderness, always on the frontier. with nine children, she at last found herself at a little clearing, afterwards vincennes. there she joined a company about to remove to the new country of illinois. on the eastern side of illinois there were then no settlements; but on the west side, the shore of the mississippi, there were, near the mouth of the kaskaskia, some old hamlets of french. to the vicinity of those hamlets, very innocent and pleasant places, a new arcadia, mrs. moredock's party was destined; for thereabouts, among the vines, they meant to settle. they embarked upon the wabash in boats, proposing descending that stream into the ohio, and the ohio into the mississippi, and so, northwards, towards the point to be reached. all went well till they made the rock of the grand tower on the mississippi, where they had to land and drag their boats round a point swept by a strong current. here a party of indians, lying in wait, rushed out and murdered nearly all of them. the widow was among the victims with her children, john excepted, who, some fifty miles distant, was following with a second party. "he was just entering upon manhood, when thus left in nature sole survivor of his race. other youngsters might have turned mourners; he turned avenger. his nerves were electric wires--sensitive, but steel. he was one who, from self-possession, could be made neither to flush nor pale. it is said that when the tidings were brought him, he was ashore sitting beneath a hemlock eating his dinner of venison--and as the tidings were told him, after the first start he kept on eating, but slowly and deliberately, chewing the wild news with the wild meat, as if both together, turned to chyle, together should sinew him to his intent. from that meal he rose an indian-hater. he rose; got his arms, prevailed upon some comrades to join him, and without delay started to discover who were the actual transgressors. they proved to belong to a band of twenty renegades from various tribes, outlaws even among indians, and who had formed themselves into a maurauding crew. no opportunity for action being at the time presented, he dismissed his friends; told them to go on, thanking them, and saying he would ask their aid at some future day. for upwards of a year, alone in the wilds, he watched the crew. once, what he thought a favorable chance having occurred--it being midwinter, and the savages encamped, apparently to remain so--he anew mustered his friends, and marched against them; but, getting wind of his coming, the enemy fled, and in such panic that everything was left behind but their weapons. during the winter, much the same thing happened upon two subsequent occasions. the next year he sought them at the head of a party pledged to serve him for forty days. at last the hour came. it was on the shore of the mississippi. from their covert, moredock and his men dimly descried the gang of cains in the red dusk of evening, paddling over to a jungled island in mid-stream, there the more securely to lodge; for moredock's retributive spirit in the wilderness spoke ever to their trepidations now, like the voice calling through the garden. waiting until dead of night, the whites swam the river, towing after them a raft laden with their arms. on landing, moredock cut the fastenings of the enemy's canoes, and turned them, with his own raft, adrift; resolved that there should be neither escape for the indians, nor safety, except in victory, for the whites. victorious the whites were; but three of the indians saved themselves by taking to the stream. moredock's band lost not a man. "'three of the murderers survived. he knew their names and persons. in the course of three years each successively fell by his own hand. all were now dead. but this did not suffice. he made no avowal, but to kill indians had become his passion. as an athlete, he had few equals; as a shot, none; in single combat, not to be beaten. master of that woodland-cunning enabling the adept to subsist where the tyro would perish, and expert in all those arts by which an enemy is pursued for weeks, perhaps months, without once suspecting it, he kept to the forest. the solitary indian that met him, died. when a murder was descried, he would either secretly pursue their track for some chance to strike at least one blow; or if, while thus engaged, he himself was discovered, he would elude them by superior skill. "'many years he spent thus; and though after a time he was, in a degree, restored to the ordinary life of the region and period, yet it is believed that john moredock never let pass an opportunity of quenching an indian. sins of commission in that kind may have been his, but none of omission. "'it were to err to suppose,' the judge would say, 'that this gentleman was naturally ferocious, or peculiarly possessed of those qualities, which, unhelped by provocation of events, tend to withdraw man from social life. on the contrary, moredock was an example of something apparently self-contradicting, certainly curious, but, at the same time, undeniable: namely, that nearly all indian-haters have at bottom loving hearts; at any rate, hearts, if anything, more generous than the average. certain it is, that, to the degree in which he mingled in the life of the settlements, moredock showed himself not without humane feelings. no cold husband or colder father, he; and, though often and long away from his household, bore its needs in mind, and provided for them. he could be very convivial; told a good story (though never of his more private exploits), and sung a capital song. hospitable, not backward to help a neighbor; by report, benevolent, as retributive, in secret; while, in a general manner, though sometimes grave--as is not unusual with men of his complexion, a sultry and tragical brown--yet with nobody, indians excepted, otherwise than courteous in a manly fashion; a moccasined gentleman, admired and loved. in fact, no one more popular, as an incident to follow may prove. "'his bravery, whether in indian fight or any other, was unquestionable. an officer in the ranging service during the war of , he acquitted himself with more than credit. of his soldierly character, this anecdote is told: not long after hull's dubious surrender at detroit, moredock with some of his rangers rode up at night to a log-house, there to rest till morning. the horses being attended to, supper over, and sleeping-places assigned the troop, the host showed the colonel his best bed, not on the ground like the rest, but a bed that stood on legs. but out of delicacy, the guest declined to monopolize it, or, indeed, to occupy it at all; when, to increase the inducement, as the host thought, he was told that a general officer had once slept in that bed. "who, pray?" asked the colonel. "general hull." "then you must not take offense," said the colonel, buttoning up his coat, "but, really, no coward's bed, for me, however comfortable." accordingly he took up with valor's bed--a cold one on the ground. "'at one time the colonel was a member of the territorial council of illinois, and at the formation of the state government, was pressed to become candidate for governor, but begged to be excused. and, though he declined to give his reasons for declining, yet by those who best knew him the cause was not wholly unsurmised. in his official capacity he might be called upon to enter into friendly treaties with indian tribes, a thing not to be thought of. and even did no such contingecy arise, yet he felt there would be an impropriety in the governor of illinois stealing out now and then, during a recess of the legislative bodies, for a few days' shooting at human beings, within the limits of his paternal chief-magistracy. if the governorship offered large honors, from moredock it demanded larger sacrifices. these were incompatibles. in short, he was not unaware that to be a consistent indian-hater involves the renunciation of ambition, with its objects--the pomps and glories of the world; and since religion, pronouncing such things vanities, accounts it merit to renounce them, therefore, so far as this goes, indian-hating, whatever may be thought of it in other respects, may be regarded as not wholly without the efficacy of a devout sentiment.'" here the narrator paused. then, after his long and irksome sitting, started to his feet, and regulating his disordered shirt-frill, and at the same time adjustingly shaking his legs down in his rumpled pantaloons, concluded: "there, i have done; having given you, not my story, mind, or my thoughts, but another's. and now, for your friend coonskins, i doubt not, that, if the judge were here, he would pronounce him a sort of comprehensive colonel moredock, who, too much spreading his passion, shallows it." chapter xxviii. moot points touching the late colonel john moredock. "charity, charity!" exclaimed the cosmopolitan, "never a sound judgment without charity. when man judges man, charity is less a bounty from our mercy than just allowance for the insensible lee-way of human fallibility. god forbid that my eccentric friend should be what you hint. you do not know him, or but imperfectly. his outside deceived you; at first it came near deceiving even me. but i seized a chance, when, owing to indignation against some wrong, he laid himself a little open; i seized that lucky chance, i say, to inspect his heart, and found it an inviting oyster in a forbidding shell. his outside is but put on. ashamed of his own goodness, he treats mankind as those strange old uncles in romances do their nephews--snapping at them all the time and yet loving them as the apple of their eye." "well, my words with him were few. perhaps he is not what i took him for. yes, for aught i know, you may be right." "glad to hear it. charity, like poetry, should be cultivated, if only for its being graceful. and now, since you have renounced your notion, i should be happy, would you, so to speak, renounce your story, too. that, story strikes me with even more incredulity than wonder. to me some parts don't hang together. if the man of hate, how could john moredock be also the man of love? either his lone campaigns are fabulous as hercules'; or else, those being true, what was thrown in about his geniality is but garnish. in short, if ever there was such a man as moredock, he, in my way of thinking, was either misanthrope or nothing; and his misanthropy the more intense from being focused on one race of men. though, like suicide, man-hatred would seem peculiarly a roman and a grecian passion--that is, pagan; yet, the annals of neither rome nor greece can produce the equal in man-hatred of colonel moredock, as the judge and you have painted him. as for this indian-hating in general, i can only say of it what dr. johnson said of the alleged lisbon earthquake: 'sir, i don't believe it.'" "didn't believe it? why not? clashed with any little prejudice of his?" "doctor johnson had no prejudice; but, like a certain other person," with an ingenuous smile, "he had sensibilities, and those were pained." "dr. johnson was a good christian, wasn't he?" "he was." "suppose he had been something else." "then small incredulity as to the alleged earthquake." "suppose he had been also a misanthrope?" "then small incredulity as to the robberies and murders alleged to have been perpetrated under the pall of smoke and ashes. the infidels of the time were quick to credit those reports and worse. so true is it that, while religion, contrary to the common notion, implies, in certain cases, a spirit of slow reserve as to assent, infidelity, which claims to despise credulity, is sometimes swift to it." "you rather jumble together misanthropy and infidelity." "i do not jumble them; they are coordinates. for misanthropy, springing from the same root with disbelief of religion, is twin with that. it springs from the same root, i say; for, set aside materialism, and what is an atheist, but one who does not, or will not, see in the universe a ruling principle of love; and what a misanthrope, but one who does not, or will not, see in man a ruling principle of kindness? don't you see? in either case the vice consists in a want of confidence." "what sort of a sensation is misanthropy?" "might as well ask me what sort of sensation is hydrophobia. don't know; never had it. but i have often wondered what it can be like. can a misanthrope feel warm, i ask myself; take ease? be companionable with himself? can a misanthrope smoke a cigar and muse? how fares he in solitude? has the misanthrope such a thing as an appetite? shall a peach refresh him? the effervescence of champagne, with what eye does he behold it? is summer good to him? of long winters how much can he sleep? what are his dreams? how feels he, and what does he, when suddenly awakened, alone, at dead of night, by fusilades of thunder?" "like you," said the stranger, "i can't understand the misanthrope. so far as my experience goes, either mankind is worthy one's best love, or else i have been lucky. never has it been my lot to have been wronged, though but in the smallest degree. cheating, backbiting, superciliousness, disdain, hard-heartedness, and all that brood, i know but by report. cold regards tossed over the sinister shoulder of a former friend, ingratitude in a beneficiary, treachery in a confidant--such things may be; but i must take somebody's word for it. now the bridge that has carried me so well over, shall i not praise it?" "ingratitude to the worthy bridge not to do so. man is a noble fellow, and in an age of satirists, i am not displeased to find one who has confidence in him, and bravely stands up for him." "yes, i always speak a good word for man; and what is more, am always ready to do a good deed for him." "you are a man after my own heart," responded the cosmopolitan, with a candor which lost nothing by its calmness. "indeed," he added, "our sentiments agree so, that were they written in a book, whose was whose, few but the nicest critics might determine." "since we are thus joined in mind," said the stranger, "why not be joined in hand?" "my hand is always at the service of virtue," frankly extending it to him as to virtue personified. "and now," said the stranger, cordially retaining his hand, "you know our fashion here at the west. it may be a little low, but it is kind. briefly, we being newly-made friends must drink together. what say you?" "thank you; but indeed, you must excuse me." "why?" "because, to tell the truth, i have to-day met so many old friends, all free-hearted, convivial gentlemen, that really, really, though for the present i succeed in mastering it, i am at bottom almost in the condition of a sailor who, stepping ashore after a long voyage, ere night reels with loving welcomes, his head of less capacity than his heart." at the allusion to old friends, the stranger's countenance a little fell, as a jealous lover's might at hearing from his sweetheart of former ones. but rallying, he said: "no doubt they treated you to something strong; but wine--surely, that gentle creature, wine; come, let us have a little gentle wine at one of these little tables here. come, come." then essaying to roll about like a full pipe in the sea, sang in a voice which had had more of good-fellowship, had there been less of a latent squeak to it: "let us drink of the wine of the vine benign, that sparkles warm in zansovine." the cosmopolitan, with longing eye upon him, stood as sorely tempted and wavering a moment; then, abruptly stepping towards him, with a look of dissolved surrender, said: "when mermaid songs move figure-heads, then may glory, gold, and women try their blandishments on me. but a good fellow, singing a good song, he woos forth my every spike, so that my whole hull, like a ship's, sailing by a magnetic rock, caves in with acquiescence. enough: when one has a heart of a certain sort, it is in vain trying to be resolute." chapter xxix the boon companions. the wine, port, being called for, and the two seated at the little table, a natural pause of convivial expectancy ensued; the stranger's eye turned towards the bar near by, watching the red-cheeked, white-aproned man there, blithely dusting the bottle, and invitingly arranging the salver and glasses; when, with a sudden impulse turning round his head towards his companion, he said, "ours is friendship at first sight, ain't it?" "it is," was the placidly pleased reply: "and the same may be said of friendship at first sight as of love at first sight: it is the only true one, the only noble one. it bespeaks confidence. who would go sounding his way into love or friendship, like a strange ship by night, into an enemy's harbor?" "right. boldly in before the wind. agreeable, how we always agree. by-the-way, though but a formality, friends should know each other's names. what is yours, pray?" "francis goodman. but those who love me, call me frank. and yours?" "charles arnold noble. but do you call me charlie." "i will, charlie; nothing like preserving in manhood the fraternal familiarities of youth. it proves the heart a rosy boy to the last." "my sentiments again. ah!" it was a smiling waiter, with the smiling bottle, the cork drawn; a common quart bottle, but for the occasion fitted at bottom into a little bark basket, braided with porcupine quills, gayly tinted in the indian fashion. this being set before the entertainer, he regarded it with affectionate interest, but seemed not to understand, or else to pretend not to, a handsome red label pasted on the bottle, bearing the capital letters, p. w. "p. w.," said he at last, perplexedly eying the pleasing poser, "now what does p. w. mean?" "shouldn't wonder," said the cosmopolitan gravely, "if it stood for port wine. you called for port wine, didn't you?" "why so it is, so it is!" "i find some little mysteries not very hard to clear up," said the other, quietly crossing his legs. this commonplace seemed to escape the stranger's hearing, for, full of his bottle, he now rubbed his somewhat sallow hands over it, and with a strange kind of cackle, meant to be a chirrup, cried: "good wine, good wine; is it not the peculiar bond of good feeling?" then brimming both glasses, pushed one over, saying, with what seemed intended for an air of fine disdain: "ill betide those gloomy skeptics who maintain that now-a-days pure wine is unpurchasable; that almost every variety on sale is less the vintage of vineyards than laboratories; that most bar-keepers are but a set of male brinvilliarses, with complaisant arts practicing against the lives of their best friends, their customers." a shade passed over the cosmopolitan. after a few minutes' down-cast musing, he lifted his eyes and said: "i have long thought, my dear charlie, that the spirit in which wine is regarded by too many in these days is one of the most painful examples of want of confidence. look at these glasses. he who could mistrust poison in this wine would mistrust consumption in hebe's cheek. while, as for suspicions against the dealers in wine and sellers of it, those who cherish such suspicions can have but limited trust in the human heart. each human heart they must think to be much like each bottle of port, not such port as this, but such port as they hold to. strange traducers, who see good faith in nothing, however sacred. not medicines, not the wine in sacraments, has escaped them. the doctor with his phial, and the priest with his chalice, they deem equally the unconscious dispensers of bogus cordials to the dying." "dreadful!" "dreadful indeed," said the cosmopolitan solemnly. "these distrusters stab at the very soul of confidence. if this wine," impressively holding up his full glass, "if this wine with its bright promise be not true, how shall man be, whose promise can be no brighter? but if wine be false, while men are true, whither shall fly convivial geniality? to think of sincerely-genial souls drinking each other's health at unawares in perfidious and murderous drugs!" "horrible!" "much too much so to be true, charlie. let us forget it. come, you are my entertainer on this occasion, and yet you don't pledge me. i have been waiting for it." "pardon, pardon," half confusedly and half ostentatiously lifting his glass. "i pledge you, frank, with my whole heart, believe me," taking a draught too decorous to be large, but which, small though it was, was followed by a slight involuntary wryness to the mouth. "and i return you the pledge, charlie, heart-warm as it came to me, and honest as this wine i drink it in," reciprocated the cosmopolitan with princely kindliness in his gesture, taking a generous swallow, concluding in a smack, which, though audible, was not so much so as to be unpleasing. "talking of alleged spuriousness of wines," said he, tranquilly setting down his glass, and then sloping back his head and with friendly fixedness eying the wine, "perhaps the strangest part of those allegings is, that there is, as claimed, a kind of man who, while convinced that on this continent most wines are shams, yet still drinks away at them; accounting wine so fine a thing, that even the sham article is better than none at all. and if the temperance people urge that, by this course, he will sooner or later be undermined in health, he answers, 'and do you think i don't know that? but health without cheer i hold a bore; and cheer, even of the spurious sort, has its price, which i am willing to pay.'" "such a man, frank, must have a disposition ungovernably bacchanalian." "yes, if such a man there be, which i don't credit. it is a fable, but a fable from which i once heard a person of less genius than grotesqueness draw a moral even more extravagant than the fable itself. he said that it illustrated, as in a parable, how that a man of a disposition ungovernably good-natured might still familiarly associate with men, though, at the same time, he believed the greater part of men false-hearted--accounting society so sweet a thing that even the spurious sort was better than none at all. and if the rochefoucaultites urge that, by this course, he will sooner or later be undermined in security, he answers, 'and do you think i don't know that? but security without society i hold a bore; and society, even of the spurious sort, has its price, which i am willing to pay.'" "a most singular theory," said the stranger with a slight fidget, eying his companion with some inquisitiveness, "indeed, frank, a most slanderous thought," he exclaimed in sudden heat and with an involuntary look almost of being personally aggrieved. "in one sense it merits all you say, and more," rejoined the other with wonted mildness, "but, for a kind of drollery in it, charity might, perhaps, overlook something of the wickedness. humor is, in fact, so blessed a thing, that even in the least virtuous product of the human mind, if there can be found but nine good jokes, some philosophers are clement enough to affirm that those nine good jokes should redeem all the wicked thoughts, though plenty as the populace of sodom. at any rate, this same humor has something, there is no telling what, of beneficence in it, it is such a catholicon and charm--nearly all men agreeing in relishing it, though they may agree in little else--and in its way it undeniably does such a deal of familiar good in the world, that no wonder it is almost a proverb, that a man of humor, a man capable of a good loud laugh--seem how he may in other things--can hardly be a heartless scamp." "ha, ha, ha!" laughed the other, pointing to the figure of a pale pauper-boy on the deck below, whose pitiableness was touched, as it were, with ludicrousness by a pair of monstrous boots, apparently some mason's discarded ones, cracked with drouth, half eaten by lime, and curled up about the toe like a bassoon. "look--ha, ha, ha!" "i see," said the other, with what seemed quiet appreciation, but of a kind expressing an eye to the grotesque, without blindness to what in this case accompanied it, "i see; and the way in which it moves you, charlie, comes in very apropos to point the proverb i was speaking of. indeed, had you intended this effect, it could not have been more so. for who that heard that laugh, but would as naturally argue from it a sound heart as sound lungs? true, it is said that a man may smile, and smile, and smile, and be a villain; but it is not said that a man may laugh, and laugh, and laugh, and be one, is it, charlie?" "ha, ha, ha!--no no, no no." "why charlie, your explosions illustrate my remarks almost as aptly as the chemist's imitation volcano did his lectures. but even if experience did not sanction the proverb, that a good laugher cannot be a bad man, i should yet feel bound in confidence to believe it, since it is a saying current among the people, and i doubt not originated among them, and hence _must_ be true; for the voice of the people is the voice of truth. don't you think so?" "of course i do. if truth don't speak through the people, it never speaks at all; so i heard one say." "a true saying. but we stray. the popular notion of humor, considered as index to the heart, would seem curiously confirmed by aristotle--i think, in his 'politics,' (a work, by-the-by, which, however it may be viewed upon the whole, yet, from the tenor of certain sections, should not, without precaution, be placed in the hands of youth)--who remarks that the least lovable men in history seem to have had for humor not only a disrelish, but a hatred; and this, in some cases, along with an extraordinary dry taste for practical punning. i remember it is related of phalaris, the capricious tyrant of sicily, that he once caused a poor fellow to be beheaded on a horse-block, for no other cause than having a horse-laugh." "funny phalaris!" "cruel phalaris!" as after fire-crackers, there was a pause, both looking downward on the table as if mutually struck by the contrast of exclamations, and pondering upon its significance, if any. so, at least, it seemed; but on one side it might have been otherwise: for presently glancing up, the cosmopolitan said: "in the instance of the moral, drolly cynic, drawn from the queer bacchanalian fellow we were speaking of, who had his reasons for still drinking spurious wine, though knowing it to be such--there, i say, we have an example of what is certainly a wicked thought, but conceived in humor. i will now give you one of a wicked thought conceived in wickedness. you shall compare the two, and answer, whether in the one case the sting is not neutralized by the humor, and whether in the other the absence of humor does not leave the sting free play. i once heard a wit, a mere wit, mind, an irreligious parisian wit, say, with regard to the temperance movement, that none, to their personal benefit, joined it sooner than niggards and knaves; because, as he affirmed, the one by it saved money and the other made money, as in ship-owners cutting off the spirit ration without giving its equivalent, and gamblers and all sorts of subtle tricksters sticking to cold water, the better to keep a cool head for business." "a wicked thought, indeed!" cried the stranger, feelingly. "yes," leaning over the table on his elbow and genially gesturing at him with his forefinger: "yes, and, as i said, you don't remark the sting of it?" "i do, indeed. most calumnious thought, frank!" "no humor in it?" "not a bit!" "well now, charlie," eying him with moist regard, "let us drink. it appears to me you don't drink freely." "oh, oh--indeed, indeed--i am not backward there. i protest, a freer drinker than friend charlie you will find nowhere," with feverish zeal snatching his glass, but only in the sequel to dally with it. "by-the-way, frank," said he, perhaps, or perhaps not, to draw attention from himself, "by-the-way, i saw a good thing the other day; capital thing; a panegyric on the press, it pleased me so, i got it by heart at two readings. it is a kind of poetry, but in a form which stands in something the same relation to blank verse which that does to rhyme. a sort of free-and-easy chant with refrains to it. shall i recite it?" "anything in praise of the press i shall be happy to hear," rejoined the cosmopolitan, "the more so," he gravely proceeded, "as of late i have observed in some quarters a disposition to disparage the press." "disparage the press?" "even so; some gloomy souls affirming that it is proving with that great invention as with brandy or eau-de-vie, which, upon its first discovery, was believed by the doctors to be, as its french name implies, a panacea--a notion which experience, it may be thought, has not fully verified." "you surprise me, frank. are there really those who so decry the press? tell me more. their reasons." "reasons they have none, but affirmations they have many; among other things affirming that, while under dynastic despotisms, the press is to the people little but an improvisatore, under popular ones it is too apt to be their jack cade. in fine, these sour sages regard the press in the light of a colt's revolver, pledged to no cause but his in whose chance hands it may be; deeming the one invention an improvement upon the pen, much akin to what the other is upon the pistol; involving, along with the multiplication of the barrel, no consecration of the aim. the term 'freedom of the press' they consider on a par with _freedom of colt's revolver_. hence, for truth and the right, they hold, to indulge hopes from the one is little more sensible than for kossuth and mazzini to indulge hopes from the other. heart-breaking views enough, you think; but their refutation is in every true reformer's contempt. is it not so?" "without doubt. but go on, go on. i like to hear you," flatteringly brimming up his glass for him. "for one," continued the cosmopolitan, grandly swelling his chest, "i hold the press to be neither the people's improvisatore, nor jack cade; neither their paid fool, nor conceited drudge. i think interest never prevails with it over duty. the press still speaks for truth though impaled, in the teeth of lies though intrenched. disdaining for it the poor name of cheap diffuser of news, i claim for it the independent apostleship of advancer of knowledge:--the iron paul! paul, i say; for not only does the press advance knowledge, but righteousness. in the press, as in the sun, resides, my dear charlie, a dedicated principle of beneficent force and light. for the satanic press, by its coappearance with the apostolic, it is no more an aspersion to that, than to the true sun is the coappearance of the mock one. for all the baleful-looking parhelion, god apollo dispenses the day. in a word, charlie, what the sovereign of england is titularly, i hold the press to be actually--defender of the faith!--defender of the faith in the final triumph of truth over error, metaphysics over superstition, theory over falsehood, machinery over nature, and the good man over the bad. such are my views, which, if stated at some length, you, charlie, must pardon, for it is a theme upon which i cannot speak with cold brevity. and now i am impatient for your panegyric, which, i doubt not, will put mine to the blush." "it is rather in the blush-giving vein," smiled the other; "but such as it is, frank, you shall have it." "tell me when you are about to begin," said the cosmopolitan, "for, when at public dinners the press is toasted, i always drink the toast standing, and shall stand while you pronounce the panegyric." "very good, frank; you may stand up now." he accordingly did so, when the stranger likewise rose, and uplifting the ruby wine-flask, began. chapter xxx. opening with a poetical eulogy of the press and continuing with talk inspired by the same. "'praise be unto the press, not faust's, but noah's; let us extol and magnify the press, the true press of noah, from which breaketh the true morning. praise be unto the press, not the black press but the red; let us extol and magnify the press, the red press of noah, from which cometh inspiration. ye pressmen of the rhineland and the rhine, join in with all ye who tread out the glad tidings on isle madeira or mitylene.--who giveth redness of eyes by making men long to tarry at the fine print?--praise be unto the press, the rosy press of noah, which giveth rosiness of hearts, by making men long to tarry at the rosy wine.--who hath babblings and contentions? who, without cause, inflicteth wounds? praise be unto the press, the kindly press of noah, which knitteth friends, which fuseth foes.--who may be bribed?--who may be bound?--praise be unto the press, the free press of noah, which will not lie for tyrants, but make tyrants speak the truth.--then praise be unto the press, the frank old press of noah; then let us extol and magnify the press, the brave old press of noah; then let us with roses garland and enwreath the press, the grand old press of noah, from which flow streams of knowledge which give man a bliss no more unreal than his pain.'" "you deceived me," smiled the cosmopolitan, as both now resumed their seats; "you roguishly took advantage of my simplicity; you archly played upon my enthusiasm. but never mind; the offense, if any, was so charming, i almost wish you would offend again. as for certain poetic left-handers in your panegyric, those i cheerfully concede to the indefinite privileges of the poet. upon the whole, it was quite in the lyric style--a style i always admire on account of that spirit of sibyllic confidence and assurance which is, perhaps, its prime ingredient. but come," glancing at his companion's glass, "for a lyrist, you let the bottle stay with you too long." "the lyre and the vine forever!" cried the other in his rapture, or what seemed such, heedless of the hint, "the vine, the vine! is it not the most graceful and bounteous of all growths? and, by its being such, is not something meant--divinely meant? as i live, a vine, a catawba vine, shall be planted on my grave!" "a genial thought; but your glass there." "oh, oh," taking a moderate sip, "but you, why don't you drink?" "you have forgotten, my dear charlie, what i told you of my previous convivialities to-day." "oh," cried the other, now in manner quite abandoned to the lyric mood, not without contrast to the easy sociability of his companion. "oh, one can't drink too much of good old wine--the genuine, mellow old port. pooh, pooh! drink away." "then keep me company." "of course," with a flourish, taking another sip--"suppose we have cigars. never mind your pipe there; a pipe is best when alone. i say, waiter, bring some cigars--your best." they were brought in a pretty little bit of western pottery, representing some kind of indian utensil, mummy-colored, set down in a mass of tobacco leaves, whose long, green fans, fancifully grouped, formed with peeps of red the sides of the receptacle. accompanying it were two accessories, also bits of pottery, but smaller, both globes; one in guise of an apple flushed with red and gold to the life, and, through a cleft at top, you saw it was hollow. this was for the ashes. the other, gray, with wrinkled surface, in the likeness of a wasp's nest, was the match-box. "there," said the stranger, pushing over the cigar-stand, "help yourself, and i will touch you off," taking a match. "nothing like tobacco," he added, when the fumes of the cigar began to wreathe, glancing from the smoker to the pottery, "i will have a virginia tobacco-plant set over my grave beside the catawba vine." "improvement upon your first idea, which by itself was good--but you don't smoke." "presently, presently--let me fill your glass again. you don't drink." "thank you; but no more just now. fill _your_ glass." "presently, presently; do you drink on. never mind me. now that it strikes me, let me say, that he who, out of superfine gentility or fanatic morality, denies himself tobacco, suffers a more serious abatement in the cheap pleasures of life than the dandy in his iron boot, or the celibate on his iron cot. while for him who would fain revel in tobacco, but cannot, it is a thing at which philanthropists must weep, to see such an one, again and again, madly returning to the cigar, which, for his incompetent stomach, he cannot enjoy, while still, after each shameful repulse, the sweet dream of the impossible good goads him on to his fierce misery once more--poor eunuch!" "i agree with you," said the cosmopolitan, still gravely social, "but you don't smoke." "presently, presently, do you smoke on. as i was saying about----" "but _why_ don't you smoke--come. you don't think that tobacco, when in league with wine, too much enhances the latter's vinous quality--in short, with certain constitutions tends to impair self-possession, do you?" "to think that, were treason to good fellowship," was the warm disclaimer. "no, no. but the fact is, there is an unpropitious flavor in my mouth just now. ate of a diabolical ragout at dinner, so i shan't smoke till i have washed away the lingering memento of it with wine. but smoke away, you, and pray, don't forget to drink. by-the-way, while we sit here so companionably, giving loose to any companionable nothing, your uncompanionable friend, coonskins, is, by pure contrast, brought to recollection. if he were but here now, he would see how much of real heart-joy he denies himself by not hob-a-nobbing with his kind." "why," with loitering emphasis, slowly withdrawing his cigar, "i thought i had undeceived you there. i thought you had come to a better understanding of my eccentric friend." "well, i thought so, too; but first impressions will return, you know. in truth, now that i think of it, i am led to conjecture from chance things which dropped from coonskins, during the little interview i had with him, that he is not a missourian by birth, but years ago came west here, a young misanthrope from the other side of the alleghanies, less to make his fortune, than to flee man. now, since they say trifles sometimes effect great results, i shouldn't wonder, if his history were probed, it would be found that what first indirectly gave his sad bias to coonskins was his disgust at reading in boyhood the advice of polonius to laertes--advice which, in the selfishness it inculcates, is almost on a par with a sort of ballad upon the economies of money-making, to be occasionally seen pasted against the desk of small retail traders in new england." "i do hope now, my dear fellow," said the cosmopolitan with an air of bland protest, "that, in my presence at least, you will throw out nothing to the prejudice of the sons of the puritans." "hey-day and high times indeed," exclaimed the other, nettled, "sons of the puritans forsooth! and who be puritans, that i, an alabamaian, must do them reverence? a set of sourly conceited old malvolios, whom shakespeare laughs his fill at in his comedies." "pray, what were you about to suggest with regard to polonius," observed the cosmopolitan with quiet forbearance, expressive of the patience of a superior mind at the petulance of an inferior one; "how do you characterize his advice to laertes?" "as false, fatal, and calumnious," exclaimed the other, with a degree of ardor befitting one resenting a stigma upon the family escutcheon, "and for a father to give his son--monstrous. the case you see is this: the son is going abroad, and for the first. what does the father? invoke god's blessing upon him? put the blessed bible in his trunk? no. crams him with maxims smacking of my lord chesterfield, with maxims of france, with maxims of italy." "no, no, be charitable, not that. why, does he not among other things say:-- 'the friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, grapple them to thy soul with hooks of steel'? is that compatible with maxims of italy?" "yes it is, frank. don't you see? laertes is to take the best of care of his friends--his proved friends, on the same principle that a wine-corker takes the best of care of his proved bottles. when a bottle gets a sharp knock and don't break, he says, 'ah, i'll keep that bottle.' why? because he loves it? no, he has particular use for it." "dear, dear!" appealingly turning in distress, "that--that kind of criticism is--is--in fact--it won't do." "won't truth do, frank? you are so charitable with everybody, do but consider the tone of the speech. now i put it to you, frank; is there anything in it hortatory to high, heroic, disinterested effort? anything like 'sell all thou hast and give to the poor?' and, in other points, what desire seems most in the father's mind, that his son should cherish nobleness for himself, or be on his guard against the contrary thing in others? an irreligious warner, frank--no devout counselor, is polonius. i hate him. nor can i bear to hear your veterans of the world affirm, that he who steers through life by the advice of old polonius will not steer among the breakers." "no, no--i hope nobody affirms that," rejoined the cosmopolitan, with tranquil abandonment; sideways reposing his arm at full length upon the table. "i hope nobody affirms that; because, if polonius' advice be taken in your sense, then the recommendation of it by men of experience would appear to involve more or less of an unhandsome sort of reflection upon human nature. and yet," with a perplexed air, "your suggestions have put things in such a strange light to me as in fact a little to disturb my previous notions of polonius and what he says. to be frank, by your ingenuity you have unsettled me there, to that degree that were it not for our coincidence of opinion in general, i should almost think i was now at length beginning to feel the ill effect of an immature mind, too much consorting with a mature one, except on the ground of first principles in common." "really and truly," cried the other with a kind of tickled modesty and pleased concern, "mine is an understanding too weak to throw out grapnels and hug another to it. i have indeed heard of some great scholars in these days, whose boast is less that they have made disciples than victims. but for me, had i the power to do such things, i have not the heart to desire." "i believe you, my dear charlie. and yet, i repeat, by your commentaries on polonius you have, i know not how, unsettled me; so that now i don't exactly see how shakespeare meant the words he puts in polonius' mouth." "some say that he meant them to open people's eyes; but i don't think so." "open their eyes?" echoed the cosmopolitan, slowly expanding his; "what is there in this world for one to open his eyes to? i mean in the sort of invidious sense you cite?" "well, others say he meant to corrupt people's morals; and still others, that he had no express intention at all, but in effect opens their eyes and corrupts their morals in one operation. all of which i reject." "of course you reject so crude an hypothesis; and yet, to confess, in reading shakespeare in my closet, struck by some passage, i have laid down the volume, and said: 'this shakespeare is a queer man.' at times seeming irresponsible, he does not always seem reliable. there appears to be a certain--what shall i call it?--hidden sun, say, about him, at once enlightening and mystifying. now, i should be afraid to say what i have sometimes thought that hidden sun might be." "do you think it was the true light?" with clandestine geniality again filling the other's glass. "i would prefer to decline answering a categorical question there. shakespeare has got to be a kind of deity. prudent minds, having certain latent thoughts concerning him, will reserve them in a condition of lasting probation. still, as touching avowable speculations, we are permitted a tether. shakespeare himself is to be adored, not arraigned; but, so we do it with humility, we may a little canvass his characters. there's his autolycus now, a fellow that always puzzled me. how is one to take autolycus? a rogue so happy, so lucky, so triumphant, of so almost captivatingly vicious a career that a virtuous man reduced to the poor-house (were such a contingency conceivable), might almost long to change sides with him. and yet, see the words put into his mouth: 'oh,' cries autolycus, as he comes galloping, gay as a buck, upon the stage, 'oh,' he laughs, 'oh what a fool is honesty, and trust, his sworn brother, a very simple gentleman.' think of that. trust, that is, confidence--that is, the thing in this universe the sacredest--is rattlingly pronounced just the simplest. and the scenes in which the rogue figures seem purposely devised for verification of his principles. mind, charlie, i do not say it _is_ so, far from it; but i _do_ say it seems so. yes, autolycus would seem a needy varlet acting upon the persuasion that less is to be got by invoking pockets than picking them, more to be made by an expert knave than a bungling beggar; and for this reason, as he thinks, that the soft heads outnumber the soft hearts. the devil's drilled recruit, autolycus is joyous as if he wore the livery of heaven. when disturbed by the character and career of one thus wicked and thus happy, my sole consolation is in the fact that no such creature ever existed, except in the powerful imagination which evoked him. and yet, a creature, a living creature, he is, though only a poet was his maker. it may be, that in that paper-and-ink investiture of his, autolycus acts more effectively upon mankind than he would in a flesh-and-blood one. can his influence be salutary? true, in autolycus there is humor; but though, according to my principle, humor is in general to be held a saving quality, yet the case of autolycus is an exception; because it is his humor which, so to speak, oils his mischievousness. the bravadoing mischievousness of autolycus is slid into the world on humor, as a pirate schooner, with colors flying, is launched into the sea on greased ways." "i approve of autolycus as little as you," said the stranger, who, during his companion's commonplaces, had seemed less attentive to them than to maturing with in his own mind the original conceptions destined to eclipse them. "but i cannot believe that autolycus, mischievous as he must prove upon the stage, can be near so much so as such a character as polonius." "i don't know about that," bluntly, and yet not impolitely, returned the cosmopolitan; "to be sure, accepting your view of the old courtier, then if between him and autolycus you raise the question of unprepossessingness, i grant you the latter comes off best. for a moist rogue may tickle the midriff, while a dry worldling may but wrinkle the spleen." "but polonius is not dry," said the other excitedly; "he drules. one sees the fly-blown old fop drule and look wise. his vile wisdom is made the viler by his vile rheuminess. the bowing and cringing, time-serving old sinner--is such an one to give manly precepts to youth? the discreet, decorous, old dotard-of-state; senile prudence; fatuous soullessness! the ribanded old dog is paralytic all down one side, and that the side of nobleness. his soul is gone out. only nature's automatonism keeps him on his legs. as with some old trees, the bark survives the pith, and will still stand stiffly up, though but to rim round punk, so the body of old polonius has outlived his soul." "come, come," said the cosmopolitan with serious air, almost displeased; "though i yield to none in admiration of earnestness, yet, i think, even earnestness may have limits. to human minds, strong language is always more or less distressing. besides, polonius is an old man--as i remember him upon the stage--with snowy locks. now charity requires that such a figure--think of it how you will--should at least be treated with civility. moreover, old age is ripeness, and i once heard say, 'better ripe than raw.'" "but not better rotten than raw!" bringing down his hand with energy on the table. "why, bless me," in mild surprise contemplating his heated comrade, "how you fly out against this unfortunate polonius--a being that never was, nor will be. and yet, viewed in a christian light," he added pensively, "i don't know that anger against this man of straw is a whit less wise than anger against a man of flesh, madness, to be mad with anything." "that may be, or may not be," returned the other, a little testily, perhaps; "but i stick to what i said, that it is better to be raw than rotten. and what is to be feared on that head, may be known from this: that it is with the best of hearts as with the best of pears--a dangerous experiment to linger too long upon the scene. this did polonius. thank fortune, frank, i am young, every tooth sound in my head, and if good wine can keep me where i am, long shall i remain so." "true," with a smile. "but wine, to do good, must be drunk. you have talked much and well, charlie; but drunk little and indifferently--fill up." "presently, presently," with a hasty and preoccupied air. "if i remember right, polonius hints as much as that one should, under no circumstances, commit the indiscretion of aiding in a pecuniary way an unfortunate friend. he drules out some stale stuff about 'loan losing both itself and friend,' don't he? but our bottle; is it glued fast? keep it moving, my dear frank. good wine, and upon my soul i begin to feel it, and through me old polonius--yes, this wine, i fear, is what excites me so against that detestable old dog without a tooth." upon this, the cosmopolitan, cigar in mouth, slowly raised the bottle, and brought it slowly to the light, looking at it steadfastly, as one might at a thermometer in august, to see not how low it was, but how high. then whiffing out a puff, set it down, and said: "well, charlie, if what wine you have drunk came out of this bottle, in that case i should say that if--supposing a case--that if one fellow had an object in getting another fellow fuddled, and this fellow to be fuddled was of your capacity, the operation would be comparatively inexpensive. what do you think, charlie?" "why, i think i don't much admire the supposition," said charlie, with a look of resentment; "it ain't safe, depend upon it, frank, to venture upon too jocose suppositions with one's friends." "why, bless you, frank, my supposition wasn't personal, but general. you mustn't be so touchy." "if i am touchy it is the wine. sometimes, when i freely drink, it has a touchy effect on me, i have observed." "freely drink? you haven't drunk the perfect measure of one glass, yet. while for me, this must be my fourth or fifth, thanks to your importunity; not to speak of all i drank this morning, for old acquaintance' sake. drink, drink; you must drink." "oh, i drink while you are talking," laughed the other; "you have not noticed it, but i have drunk my share. have a queer way i learned from a sedate old uncle, who used to tip off his glass-unperceived. do you fill up, and my glass, too. there! now away with that stump, and have a new cigar. good fellowship forever!" again in the lyric mood, "say, frank, are we not men? i say are we not human? tell me, were they not human who engendered us, as before heaven i believe they shall be whom we shall engender? fill up, up, up, my friend. let the ruby tide aspire, and all ruby aspirations with it! up, fill up! be we convivial. and conviviality, what is it? the word, i mean; what expresses it? a living together. but bats live together, and did you ever hear of convivial bats?" "if i ever did," observed the cosmopolitan, "it has quite slipped my recollection." "but _why_ did you never hear of convivial bats, nor anybody else? because bats, though they live together, live not together genially. bats are not genial souls. but men are; and how delightful to think that the word which among men signifies the highest pitch of geniality, implies, as indispensable auxiliary, the cheery benediction of the bottle. yes, frank, to live together in the finest sense, we must drink together. and so, what wonder that he who loves not wine, that sober wretch has a lean heart--a heart like a wrung-out old bluing-bag, and loves not his kind? out upon him, to the rag-house with him, hang him--the ungenial soul!" "oh, now, now, can't you be convivial without being censorious? i like easy, unexcited conviviality. for the sober man, really, though for my part i naturally love a cheerful glass, i will not prescribe my nature as the law to other natures. so don't abuse the sober man. conviviality is one good thing, and sobriety is another good thing. so don't be one-sided." "well, if i am one-sided, it is the wine. indeed, indeed, i have indulged too genially. my excitement upon slight provocation shows it. but yours is a stronger head; drink you. by the way, talking of geniality, it is much on the increase in these days, ain't it?" "it is, and i hail the fact. nothing better attests the advance of the humanitarian spirit. in former and less humanitarian ages--the ages of amphitheatres and gladiators--geniality was mostly confined to the fireside and table. but in our age--the age of joint-stock companies and free-and-easies--it is with this precious quality as with precious gold in old peru, which pizarro found making up the scullion's sauce-pot as the inca's crown. yes, we golden boys, the moderns, have geniality everywhere--a bounty broadcast like noonlight." "true, true; my sentiments again. geniality has invaded each department and profession. we have genial senators, genial authors, genial lecturers, genial doctors, genial clergymen, genial surgeons, and the next thing we shall have genial hangmen." "as to the last-named sort of person," said the cosmopolitan, "i trust that the advancing spirit of geniality will at last enable us to dispense with him. no murderers--no hangmen. and surely, when the whole world shall have been genialized, it will be as out of place to talk of murderers, as in a christianized world to talk of sinners." "to pursue the thought," said the other, "every blessing is attended with some evil, and----" "stay," said the cosmopolitan, "that may be better let pass for a loose saying, than for hopeful doctrine." "well, assuming the saying's truth, it would apply to the future supremacy of the genial spirit, since then it will fare with the hangman as it did with the weaver when the spinning-jenny whizzed into the ascendant. thrown out of employment, what could jack ketch turn his hand to? butchering?" "that he could turn his hand to it seems probable; but that, under the circumstances, it would be appropriate, might in some minds admit of a question. for one, i am inclined to think--and i trust it will not be held fastidiousness--that it would hardly be suitable to the dignity of our nature, that an individual, once employed in attending the last hours of human unfortunates, should, that office being extinct, transfer himself to the business of attending the last hours of unfortunate cattle. i would suggest that the individual turn valet--a vocation to which he would, perhaps, appear not wholly inadapted by his familiar dexterity about the person. in particular, for giving a finishing tie to a gentleman's cravat, i know few who would, in all likelihood, be, from previous occupation, better fitted than the professional person in question." "are you in earnest?" regarding the serene speaker with unaffected curiosity; "are you really in earnest?" "i trust i am never otherwise," was the mildly earnest reply; "but talking of the advance of geniality, i am not without hopes that it will eventually exert its influence even upon so difficult a subject as the misanthrope." "a genial misanthrope! i thought i had stretched the rope pretty hard in talking of genial hangmen. a genial misanthrope is no more conceivable than a surly philanthropist." "true," lightly depositing in an unbroken little cylinder the ashes of his cigar, "true, the two you name are well opposed." "why, you talk as if there _was_ such a being as a surly philanthropist." "i do. my eccentric friend, whom you call coonskins, is an example. does he not, as i explained to you, hide under a surly air a philanthropic heart? now, the genial misanthrope, when, in the process of eras, he shall turn up, will be the converse of this; under an affable air, he will hide a misanthropical heart. in short, the genial misanthrope will be a new kind of monster, but still no small improvement upon the original one, since, instead of making faces and throwing stones at people, like that poor old crazy man, timon, he will take steps, fiddle in hand, and set the tickled world a'dancing. in a word, as the progress of christianization mellows those in manner whom it cannot mend in mind, much the same will it prove with the progress of genialization. and so, thanks to geniality, the misanthrope, reclaimed from his boorish address, will take on refinement and softness--to so genial a degree, indeed, that it may possibly fall out that the misanthrope of the coming century will be almost as popular as, i am sincerely sorry to say, some philanthropists of the present time would seem not to be, as witness my eccentric friend named before." "well," cried the other, a little weary, perhaps, of a speculation so abstract, "well, however it may be with the century to come, certainly in the century which is, whatever else one may be, he must be genial or he is nothing. so fill up, fill up, and be genial!" "i am trying my best," said the cosmopolitan, still calmly companionable. "a moment since, we talked of pizarro, gold, and peru; no doubt, now, you remember that when the spaniard first entered atahalpa's treasure-chamber, and saw such profusion of plate stacked up, right and left, with the wantonness of old barrels in a brewer's yard, the needy fellow felt a twinge of misgiving, of want of confidence, as to the genuineness of an opulence so profuse. he went about rapping the shining vases with his knuckles. but it was all gold, pure gold, good gold, sterling gold, which how cheerfully would have been stamped such at goldsmiths' hall. and just so those needy minds, which, through their own insincerity, having no confidence in mankind, doubt lest the liberal geniality of this age be spurious. they are small pizarros in their way--by the very princeliness of men's geniality stunned into distrust of it." "far be such distrust from you and me, my genial friend," cried the other fervently; "fill up, fill up!" "well, this all along seems a division of labor," smiled the cosmopolitan. "i do about all the drinking, and you do about all--the genial. but yours is a nature competent to do that to a large population. and now, my friend," with a peculiarly grave air, evidently foreshadowing something not unimportant, and very likely of close personal interest; "wine, you know, opens the heart, and----" "opens it!" with exultation, "it thaws it right out. every heart is ice-bound till wine melt it, and reveal the tender grass and sweet herbage budding below, with every dear secret, hidden before like a dropped jewel in a snow-bank, lying there unsuspected through winter till spring." "and just in that way, my dear charlie, is one of my little secrets now to be shown forth." "ah!" eagerly moving round his chair, "what is it?" "be not so impetuous, my dear charlie. let me explain. you see, naturally, i am a man not overgifted with assurance; in general, i am, if anything, diffidently reserved; so, if i shall presently seem otherwise, the reason is, that you, by the geniality you have evinced in all your talk, and especially the noble way in which, while affirming your good opinion of men, you intimated that you never could prove false to any man, but most by your indignation at a particularly illiberal passage in polonius' advice--in short, in short," with extreme embarrassment, "how shall i express what i mean, unless i add that by your whole character you impel me to throw myself upon your nobleness; in one word, put confidence in you, a generous confidence?" "i see, i see," with heightened interest, "something of moment you wish to confide. now, what is it, frank? love affair?" "no, not that." "what, then, my _dear_ frank? speak--depend upon me to the last. out with it." "out it shall come, then," said the cosmopolitan. "i am in want, urgent want, of money." chapter xxxi. a metamorphosis more surprising than any in ovid. "in want of money!" pushing back his chair as from a suddenly-disclosed man-trap or crater. "yes," naïvely assented the cosmopolitan, "and you are going to loan me fifty dollars. i could almost wish i was in need of more, only for your sake. yes, my dear charlie, for your sake; that you might the better prove your noble, kindliness, my dear charlie." "none of your dear charlies," cried the other, springing to his feet, and buttoning up his coat, as if hastily to depart upon a long journey. "why, why, why?" painfully looking up. "none of your why, why, whys!" tossing out a foot, "go to the devil, sir! beggar, impostor!--never so deceived in a man in my life." chapter xxxii. showing that the age of magic and magicians is not yet over. while speaking or rather hissing those words, the boon companion underwent much such a change as one reads of in fairy-books. out of old materials sprang a new creature. cadmus glided into the snake. the cosmopolitan rose, the traces of previous feeling vanished; looked steadfastly at his transformed friend a moment, then, taking ten half-eagles from his pocket, stooped down, and laid them, one by one, in a circle round him; and, retiring a pace, waved his long tasseled pipe with the air of a necromancer, an air heightened by his costume, accompanying each wave with a solemn murmur of cabalistical words. meantime, he within the magic-ring stood suddenly rapt, exhibiting every symptom of a successful charm--a turned cheek, a fixed attitude, a frozen eye; spellbound, not more by the waving wand than by the ten invincible talismans on the floor. "reappear, reappear, reappear, oh, my former friend! replace this hideous apparition with thy blest shape, and be the token of thy return the words, 'my dear frank.'" "my dear frank," now cried the restored friend, cordially stepping out of the ring, with regained self-possession regaining lost identity, "my dear frank, what a funny man you are; full of fun as an egg of meat. how could you tell me that absurd story of your being in need? but i relish a good joke too well to spoil it by letting on. of course, i humored the thing; and, on my side, put on all the cruel airs you would have me. come, this little episode of fictitious estrangement will but enhance the delightful reality. let us sit down again, and finish our bottle." "with all my heart," said the cosmopolitan, dropping the necromancer with the same facility with which he had assumed it. "yes," he added, soberly picking up the gold pieces, and returning them with a chink to his pocket, "yes, i am something of a funny man now and then; while for you, charlie," eying him in tenderness, "what you say about your humoring the thing is true enough; never did man second a joke better than you did just now. you played your part better than i did mine; you played it, charlie, to the life." "you see, i once belonged to an amateur play company; that accounts for it. but come, fill up, and let's talk of something else." "well," acquiesced the cosmopolitan, seating himself, and quietly brimming his glass, "what shall we talk about?" "oh, anything you please," a sort of nervously accommodating. "well, suppose we talk about charlemont?" "charlemont? what's charlemont? who's charlemont?" "you shall hear, my dear charlie," answered the cosmopolitan. "i will tell you the story of charlemont, the gentleman-madman." chapter xxxiii. which may pass for whatever it may prove to be worth. but ere be given the rather grave story of charlemont, a reply must in civility be made to a certain voice which methinks i hear, that, in view of past chapters, and more particularly the last, where certain antics appear, exclaims: how unreal all this is! who did ever dress or act like your cosmopolitan? and who, it might be returned, did ever dress or act like harlequin? strange, that in a work of amusement, this severe fidelity to real life should be exacted by any one, who, by taking up such a work, sufficiently shows that he is not unwilling to drop real life, and turn, for a time, to something different. yes, it is, indeed, strange that any one should clamor for the thing he is weary of; that any one, who, for any cause, finds real life dull, should yet demand of him who is to divert his attention from it, that he should be true to that dullness. there is another class, and with this class we side, who sit down to a work of amusement tolerantly as they sit at a play, and with much the same expectations and feelings. they look that fancy shall evoke scenes different from those of the same old crowd round the custom-house counter, and same old dishes on the boardinghouse table, with characters unlike those of the same old acquaintances they meet in the same old way every day in the same old street. and as, in real life, the proprieties will not allow people to act out themselves with that unreserve permitted to the stage; so, in books of fiction, they look not only for more entertainment, but, at bottom, even for more reality, than real life itself can show. thus, though they want novelty, they want nature, too; but nature unfettered, exhilarated, in effect transformed. in this way of thinking, the people in a fiction, like the people in a play, must dress as nobody exactly dresses, talk as nobody exactly talks, act as nobody exactly acts. it is with fiction as with religion: it should present another world, and yet one to which we feel the tie. if, then, something is to be pardoned to well-meant endeavor, surely a little is to be allowed to that writer who, in all his scenes, does but seek to minister to what, as he understands it, is the implied wish of the more indulgent lovers of entertainment, before whom harlequin can never appear in a coat too parti-colored, or cut capers too fantastic. one word more. though every one knows how bootless it is to be in all cases vindicating one's self, never mind how convinced one may be that he is never in the wrong; yet, so precious to man is the approbation of his kind, that to rest, though but under an imaginary censure applied to but a work of imagination, is no easy thing. the mention of this weakness will explain why such readers as may think they perceive something harmonious between the boisterous hilarity of the cosmopolitan with the bristling cynic, and his restrained good-nature with the boon-companion, are now referred to that chapter where some similar apparent inconsistency in another character is, on general principles, modestly endeavored to-be apologized for. chapter xxxiv. in which the cosmopolitan tells the story of the gentleman madman. "charlemont was a young merchant of french descent, living in st. louis--a man not deficient in mind, and possessed of that sterling and captivating kindliness, seldom in perfection seen but in youthful bachelors, united at times to a remarkable sort of gracefully devil-may-care and witty good-humor. of course, he was admired by everybody, and loved, as only mankind can love, by not a few. but in his twenty-ninth year a change came over him. like one whose hair turns gray in a night, so in a day charlemont turned from affable to morose. his acquaintances were passed without greeting; while, as for his confidential friends, them he pointedly, unscrupulously, and with a kind of fierceness, cut dead. "one, provoked by such conduct, would fain have resented it with words as disdainful; while another, shocked by the change, and, in concern for a friend, magnanimously overlooking affronts, implored to know what sudden, secret grief had distempered him. but from resentment and from tenderness charlemont alike turned away. "ere long, to the general surprise, the merchant charlemont was gazetted, and the same day it was reported that he had withdrawn from town, but not before placing his entire property in the hands of responsible assignees for the benefit of creditors. "whither he had vanished, none could guess. at length, nothing being heard, it was surmised that he must have made away with himself--a surmise, doubtless, originating in the remembrance of the change some months previous to his bankruptcy--a change of a sort only to be ascribed to a mind suddenly thrown from its balance. "years passed. it was spring-time, and lo, one bright morning, charlemont lounged into the st. louis coffee-houses--gay, polite, humane, companionable, and dressed in the height of costly elegance. not only was he alive, but he was himself again. upon meeting with old acquaintances, he made the first advances, and in such a manner that it was impossible not to meet him half-way. upon other old friends, whom he did not chance casually to meet, he either personally called, or left his card and compliments for them; and to several, sent presents of game or hampers of wine. "they say the world is sometimes harshly unforgiving, but it was not so to charlemont. the world feels a return of love for one who returns to it as he did. expressive of its renewed interest was a whisper, an inquiring whisper, how now, exactly, so long after his bankruptcy, it fared with charlemont's purse. rumor, seldom at a loss for answers, replied that he had spent nine years in marseilles in france, and there acquiring a second fortune, had returned with it, a man devoted henceforth to genial friendships. "added years went by, and the restored wanderer still the same; or rather, by his noble qualities, grew up like golden maize in the encouraging sun of good opinions. but still the latent wonder was, what had caused that change in him at a period when, pretty much as now, he was, to all appearance, in the possession of the same fortune, the same friends, the same popularity. but nobody thought it would be the thing to question him here. "at last, at a dinner at his house, when all the guests but one had successively departed; this remaining guest, an old acquaintance, being just enough under the influence of wine to set aside the fear of touching upon a delicate point, ventured, in a way which perhaps spoke more favorably for his heart than his tact, to beg of his host to explain the one enigma of his life. deep melancholy overspread the before cheery face of charlemont; he sat for some moments tremulously silent; then pushing a full decanter towards the guest, in a choked voice, said: 'no, no! when by art, and care, and time, flowers are made to bloom over a grave, who would seek to dig all up again only to know the mystery?--the wine.' when both glasses were filled, charlemont took his, and lifting it, added lowly: 'if ever, in days to come, you shall see ruin at hand, and, thinking you understand mankind, shall tremble for your friendships, and tremble for your pride; and, partly through love for the one and fear for the other, shall resolve to be beforehand with the world, and save it from a sin by prospectively taking that sin to yourself, then will you do as one i now dream of once did, and like him will you suffer; but how fortunate and how grateful should you be, if like him, after all that had happened, you could be a little happy again.' "when the guest went away, it was with the persuasion, that though outwardly restored in mind as in fortune, yet, some taint of charlemont's old malady survived, and that it was not well for friends to touch one dangerous string." chapter xxxv. in which the cosmopolitan strikingly evinces the artlessness of his nature. "well, what do you think of the story of charlemont?" mildly asked he who had told it. "a very strange one," answered the auditor, who had been such not with perfect ease, "but is it true?" "of course not; it is a story which i told with the purpose of every story-teller--to amuse. hence, if it seem strange to you, that strangeness is the romance; it is what contrasts it with real life; it is the invention, in brief, the fiction as opposed to the fact. for do but ask yourself, my dear charlie," lovingly leaning over towards him, "i rest it with your own heart now, whether such a forereaching motive as charlemont hinted he had acted on in his change--whether such a motive, i say, were a sort of one at all justified by the nature of human society? would you, for one, turn the cold shoulder to a friend--a convivial one, say, whose pennilessness should be suddenly revealed to you?" "how can you ask me, my dear frank? you know i would scorn such meanness." but rising somewhat disconcerted--"really, early as it is, i think i must retire; my head," putting up his hand to it, "feels unpleasantly; this confounded elixir of logwood, little as i drank of it, has played the deuce with me." "little as you drank of this elixir of logwood? why, charlie, you are losing your mind. to talk so of the genuine, mellow old port. yes, i think that by all means you had better away, and sleep it off. there--don't apologize--don't explain--go, go--i understand you exactly. i will see you to-morrow." chapter xxxvi. in which the cosmopolitan is accosted by a mystic, whereupon ensues pretty much such talk as might be expected. as, not without some haste, the boon companion withdrew, a stranger advanced, and touching the cosmopolitan, said: "i think i heard you say you would see that man again. be warned; don't you do so." he turned, surveying the speaker; a blue-eyed man, sandy-haired, and saxon-looking; perhaps five and forty; tall, and, but for a certain angularity, well made; little touch of the drawing-room about him, but a look of plain propriety of a puritan sort, with a kind of farmer dignity. his age seemed betokened more by his brow, placidly thoughtful, than by his general aspect, which had that look of youthfulness in maturity, peculiar sometimes to habitual health of body, the original gift of nature, or in part the effect or reward of steady temperance of the passions, kept so, perhaps, by constitution as much as morality. a neat, comely, almost ruddy cheek, coolly fresh, like a red clover-blossom at coolish dawn--the color of warmth preserved by the virtue of chill. toning the whole man, was one-knows-not-what of shrewdness and mythiness, strangely jumbled; in that way, he seemed a kind of cross between a yankee peddler and a tartar priest, though it seemed as if, at a pinch, the first would not in all probability play second fiddle to the last. "sir," said the cosmopolitan, rising and bowing with slow dignity, "if i cannot with unmixed satisfaction hail a hint pointed at one who has just been clinking the social glass with me, on the other hand, i am not disposed to underrate the motive which, in the present case, could alone have prompted such an intimation. my friend, whose seat is still warm, has retired for the night, leaving more or less in his bottle here. pray, sit down in his seat, and partake with me; and then, if you choose to hint aught further unfavorable to the man, the genial warmth of whose person in part passes into yours, and whose genial hospitality meanders through you--be it so." "quite beautiful conceits," said the stranger, now scholastically and artistically eying the picturesque speaker, as if he were a statue in the pitti palace; "very beautiful:" then with the gravest interest, "yours, sir, if i mistake not, must be a beautiful soul--one full of all love and truth; for where beauty is, there must those be." "a pleasing belief," rejoined the cosmopolitan, beginning with an even air, "and to confess, long ago it pleased me. yes, with you and schiller, i am pleased to believe that beauty is at bottom incompatible with ill, and therefore am so eccentric as to have confidence in the latent benignity of that beautiful creature, the rattle-snake, whose lithe neck and burnished maze of tawny gold, as he sleekly curls aloft in the sun, who on the prairie can behold without wonder?" as he breathed these words, he seemed so to enter into their spirit--as some earnest descriptive speakers will--as unconsciously to wreathe his form and sidelong crest his head, till he all but seemed the creature described. meantime, the stranger regarded him with little surprise, apparently, though with much contemplativeness of a mystical sort, and presently said: "when charmed by the beauty of that viper, did it never occur to you to change personalities with him? to feel what it was to be a snake? to glide unsuspected in grass? to sting, to kill at a touch; your whole beautiful body one iridescent scabbard of death? in short, did the wish never occur to you to feel yourself exempt from knowledge, and conscience, and revel for a while in the carefree, joyous life of a perfectly instinctive, unscrupulous, and irresponsible creature?" "such a wish," replied the other, not perceptibly disturbed, "i must confess, never consciously was mine. such a wish, indeed, could hardly occur to ordinary imaginations, and mine i cannot think much above the average." "but now that the idea is suggested," said the stranger, with infantile intellectuality, "does it not raise the desire?" "hardly. for though i do not think i have any uncharitable prejudice against the rattle-snake, still, i should not like to be one. if i were a rattle-snake now, there would be no such thing as being genial with men--men would be afraid of me, and then i should be a very lonesome and miserable rattle-snake." "true, men would be afraid of you. and why? because of your rattle, your hollow rattle--a sound, as i have been told, like the shaking together of small, dry skulls in a tune of the waltz of death. and here we have another beautiful truth. when any creature is by its make inimical to other creatures, nature in effect labels that creature, much as an apothecary does a poison. so that whoever is destroyed by a rattle-snake, or other harmful agent, it is his own fault. he should have respected the label. hence that significant passage in scripture, 'who will pity the charmer that is bitten with a serpent?'" "_i_ would pity him," said the cosmopolitan, a little bluntly, perhaps. "but don't you think," rejoined the other, still maintaining his passionless air, "don't you think, that for a man to pity where nature is pitiless, is a little presuming?" "let casuists decide the casuistry, but the compassion the heart decides for itself. but, sir," deepening in seriousness, "as i now for the first realize, you but a moment since introduced the word irresponsible in a way i am not used to. now, sir, though, out of a tolerant spirit, as i hope, i try my best never to be frightened at any speculation, so long as it is pursued in honesty, yet, for once, i must acknowledge that you do really, in the point cited, cause me uneasiness; because a proper view of the universe, that view which is suited to breed a proper confidence, teaches, if i err not, that since all things are justly presided over, not very many living agents but must be some way accountable." "is a rattle-snake accountable?" asked the stranger with such a preternaturally cold, gemmy glance out of his pellucid blue eye, that he seemed more a metaphysical merman than a feeling man; "is a rattle-snake accountable?" "if i will not affirm that it is," returned the other, with the caution of no inexperienced thinker, "neither will i deny it. but if we suppose it so, i need not say that such accountability is neither to you, nor me, nor the court of common pleas, but to something superior." he was proceeding, when the stranger would have interrupted him; but as reading his argument in his eye, the cosmopolitan, without waiting for it to be put into words, at once spoke to it: "you object to my supposition, for but such it is, that the rattle-snake's accountability is not by nature manifest; but might not much the same thing be urged against man's? a _reductio ad absurdum_, proving the objection vain. but if now," he continued, "you consider what capacity for mischief there is in a rattle-snake (observe, i do not charge it with being mischievous, i but say it has the capacity), could you well avoid admitting that that would be no symmetrical view of the universe which should maintain that, while to man it is forbidden to kill, without judicial cause, his fellow, yet the rattle-snake has an implied permit of unaccountability to murder any creature it takes capricious umbrage at--man included?--but," with a wearied air, "this is no genial talk; at least it is not so to me. zeal at unawares embarked me in it. i regret it. pray, sit down, and take some of this wine." "your suggestions are new to me," said the other, with a kind of condescending appreciativeness, as of one who, out of devotion to knowledge, disdains not to appropriate the least crumb of it, even from a pauper's board; "and, as i am a very athenian in hailing a new thought, i cannot consent to let it drop so abruptly. now, the rattle-snake----" "nothing more about rattle-snakes, i beseech," in distress; "i must positively decline to reenter upon that subject. sit down, sir, i beg, and take some of this wine." "to invite me to sit down with you is hospitable," collectedly acquiescing now in the change of topics; "and hospitality being fabled to be of oriental origin, and forming, as it does, the subject of a pleasing arabian romance, as well as being a very romantic thing in itself--hence i always hear the expressions of hospitality with pleasure. but, as for the wine, my regard for that beverage is so extreme, and i am so fearful of letting it sate me, that i keep my love for it in the lasting condition of an untried abstraction. briefly, i quaff immense draughts of wine from the page of hafiz, but wine from a cup i seldom as much as sip." the cosmopolitan turned a mild glance upon the speaker, who, now occupying the chair opposite him, sat there purely and coldly radiant as a prism. it seemed as if one could almost hear him vitreously chime and ring. that moment a waiter passed, whom, arresting with a sign, the cosmopolitan bid go bring a goblet of ice-water. "ice it well, waiter," said he; "and now," turning to the stranger, "will you, if you please, give me your reason for the warning words you first addressed to me?" "i hope they were not such warnings as most warnings are," said the stranger; "warnings which do not forewarn, but in mockery come after the fact. and yet something in you bids me think now, that whatever latent design your impostor friend might have had upon you, it as yet remains unaccomplished. you read his label." "and what did it say? 'this is a genial soul,' so you see you must either give up your doctrine of labels, or else your prejudice against my friend. but tell me," with renewed earnestness, "what do you take him for? what is he?" "what are you? what am i? nobody knows who anybody is. the data which life furnishes, towards forming a true estimate of any being, are as insufficient to that end as in geometry one side given would be to determine the triangle." "but is not this doctrine of triangles someway inconsistent with your doctrine of labels?" "yes; but what of that? i seldom care to be consistent. in a philosophical view, consistency is a certain level at all times, maintained in all the thoughts of one's mind. but, since nature is nearly all hill and dale, how can one keep naturally advancing in knowledge without submitting to the natural inequalities in the progress? advance into knowledge is just like advance upon the grand erie canal, where, from the character of the country, change of level is inevitable; you are locked up and locked down with perpetual inconsistencies, and yet all the time you get on; while the dullest part of the whole route is what the boatmen call the 'long level'--a consistently-flat surface of sixty miles through stagnant swamps." "in one particular," rejoined the cosmopolitan, "your simile is, perhaps, unfortunate. for, after all these weary lockings-up and lockings-down, upon how much of a higher plain do you finally stand? enough to make it an object? having from youth been taught reverence for knowledge, you must pardon me if, on but this one account, i reject your analogy. but really you someway bewitch me with your tempting discourse, so that i keep straying from my point unawares. you tell me you cannot certainly know who or what my friend is; pray, what do you conjecture him to be?" "i conjecture him to be what, among the ancient egyptians, was called a ----" using some unknown word. "a ----! and what is that?" "a ---- is what proclus, in a little note to his third book on the theology of plato, defines as ---- ----" coming out with a sentence of greek. holding up his glass, and steadily looking through its transparency, the cosmopolitan rejoined: "that, in so defining the thing, proclus set it to modern understandings in the most crystal light it was susceptible of, i will not rashly deny; still, if you could put the definition in words suited to perceptions like mine, i should take it for a favor. "a favor!" slightly lifting his cool eyebrows; "a bridal favor i understand, a knot of white ribands, a very beautiful type of the purity of true marriage; but of other favors i am yet to learn; and still, in a vague way, the word, as you employ it, strikes me as unpleasingly significant in general of some poor, unheroic submission to being done good to." here the goblet of iced-water was brought, and, in compliance with a sign from the cosmopolitan, was placed before the stranger, who, not before expressing acknowledgments, took a draught, apparently refreshing--its very coldness, as with some is the case, proving not entirely uncongenial. at last, setting down the goblet, and gently wiping from his lips the beads of water freshly clinging there as to the valve of a coral-shell upon a reef, he turned upon the cosmopolitan, and, in a manner the most cool, self-possessed, and matter-of-fact possible, said: "i hold to the metempsychosis; and whoever i may be now, i feel that i was once the stoic arrian, and have inklings of having been equally puzzled by a word in the current language of that former time, very probably answering to your word _favor_." "would you favor me by explaining?" said the cosmopolitan, blandly. "sir," responded the stranger, with a very slight degree of severity, "i like lucidity, of all things, and am afraid i shall hardly be able to converse satisfactorily with you, unless you bear it in mind." the cosmopolitan ruminatingly eyed him awhile, then said: "the best way, as i have heard, to get out of a labyrinth, is to retrace one's steps. i will accordingly retrace mine, and beg you will accompany me. in short, once again to return to the point: for what reason did you warn me against my friend?" "briefly, then, and clearly, because, as before said, i conjecture him to be what, among the ancient egyptians----" "pray, now," earnestly deprecated the cosmopolitan, "pray, now, why disturb the repose of those ancient egyptians? what to us are their words or their thoughts? are we pauper arabs, without a house of our own, that, with the mummies, we must turn squatters among the dust of the catacombs?" "pharaoh's poorest brick-maker lies proudlier in his rags than the emperor of all the russias in his hollands," oracularly said the stranger; "for death, though in a worm, is majestic; while life, though in a king, is contemptible. so talk not against mummies. it is a part of my mission to teach mankind a due reverence for mummies." fortunately, to arrest these incoherencies, or rather, to vary them, a haggard, inspired-looking man now approached--a crazy beggar, asking alms under the form of peddling a rhapsodical tract, composed by himself, and setting forth his claims to some rhapsodical apostleship. though ragged and dirty, there was about him no touch of vulgarity; for, by nature, his manner was not unrefined, his frame slender, and appeared the more so from the broad, untanned frontlet of his brow, tangled over with a disheveled mass of raven curls, throwing a still deeper tinge upon a complexion like that of a shriveled berry. nothing could exceed his look of picturesque italian ruin and dethronement, heightened by what seemed just one glimmering peep of reason, insufficient to do him any lasting good, but enough, perhaps, to suggest a torment of latent doubts at times, whether his addled dream of glory were true. accepting the tract offered him, the cosmopolitan glanced over it, and, seeming to see just what it was, closed it, put it in his pocket, eyed the man a moment, then, leaning over and presenting him with a shilling, said to him, in tones kind and considerate: "i am sorry, my friend, that i happen to be engaged just now; but, having purchased your work, i promise myself much satisfaction in its perusal at my earliest leisure." in his tattered, single-breasted frock-coat, buttoned meagerly up to his chin, the shutter-brain made him a bow, which, for courtesy, would not have misbecome a viscount, then turned with silent appeal to the stranger. but the stranger sat more like a cold prism than ever, while an expression of keen yankee cuteness, now replacing his former mystical one, lent added icicles to his aspect. his whole air said: "nothing from me." the repulsed petitioner threw a look full of resentful pride and cracked disdain upon him, and went his way. "come, now," said the cosmopolitan, a little reproachfully, "you ought to have sympathized with that man; tell me, did you feel no fellow-feeling? look at his tract here, quite in the transcendental vein." "excuse me," said the stranger, declining the tract, "i never patronize scoundrels." "scoundrels?" "i detected in him, sir, a damning peep of sense--damning, i say; for sense in a seeming madman is scoundrelism. i take him for a cunning vagabond, who picks up a vagabond living by adroitly playing the madman. did you not remark how he flinched under my eye?' "really?" drawing a long, astonished breath, "i could hardly have divined in you a temper so subtlely distrustful. flinched? to be sure he did, poor fellow; you received him with so lame a welcome. as for his adroitly playing the madman, invidious critics might object the same to some one or two strolling magi of these days. but that is a matter i know nothing about. but, once more, and for the last time, to return to the point: why sir, did you warn me against my friend? i shall rejoice, if, as i think it will prove, your want of confidence in my friend rests upon a basis equally slender with your distrust of the lunatic. come, why did you warn me? put it, i beseech, in few words, and those english." "i warned you against him because he is suspected for what on these boats is known--so they tell me--as a mississippi operator." "an operator, ah? he operates, does he? my friend, then, is something like what the indians call a great medicine, is he? he operates, he purges, he drains off the repletions." "i perceive, sir," said the stranger, constitutionally obtuse to the pleasant drollery, "that your notion, of what is called a great medicine, needs correction. the great medicine among the indians is less a bolus than a man in grave esteem for his politic sagacity." "and is not my friend politic? is not my friend sagacious? by your own definition, is not my friend a great medicine?" "no, he is an operator, a mississippi operator; an equivocal character. that he is such, i little doubt, having had him pointed out to me as such by one desirous of initiating me into any little novelty of this western region, where i never before traveled. and, sir, if i am not mistaken, you also are a stranger here (but, indeed, where in this strange universe is not one a stranger?) and that is a reason why i felt moved to warn you against a companion who could not be otherwise than perilous to one of a free and trustful disposition. but i repeat the hope, that, thus far at least, he has not succeeded with you, and trust that, for the future, he will not." "thank you for your concern; but hardly can i equally thank you for so steadily maintaining the hypothesis of my friend's objectionableness. true, i but made his acquaintance for the first to-day, and know little of his antecedents; but that would seem no just reason why a nature like his should not of itself inspire confidence. and since your own knowledge of the gentleman is not, by your account, so exact as it might be, you will pardon me if i decline to welcome any further suggestions unflattering to him. indeed, sir," with friendly decision, "let us change the subject." chapter xxxvii the mystical master introduces the practical disciple. "both, the subject and the interlocutor," replied the stranger rising, and waiting the return towards him of a promenader, that moment turning at the further end of his walk. "egbert!" said he, calling. egbert, a well-dressed, commercial-looking gentleman of about thirty, responded in a way strikingly deferential, and in a moment stood near, in the attitude less of an equal companion apparently than a confidential follower. "this," said the stranger, taking egbert by the hand and leading him to the cosmopolitan, "this is egbert, a disciple. i wish you to know egbert. egbert was the first among mankind to reduce to practice the principles of mark winsome--principles previously accounted as less adapted to life than the closet. egbert," turning to the disciple, who, with seeming modesty, a little shrank under these compliments, "egbert, this," with a salute towards the cosmopolitan, "is, like all of us, a stranger. i wish you, egbert, to know this brother stranger; be communicative with him. particularly if, by anything hitherto dropped, his curiosity has been roused as to the precise nature of my philosophy, i trust you will not leave such curiosity ungratified. you, egbert, by simply setting forth your practice, can do more to enlighten one as to my theory, than i myself can by mere speech. indeed, it is by you that i myself best understand myself. for to every philosophy are certain rear parts, very important parts, and these, like the rear of one's head, are best seen by reflection. now, as in a glass, you, egbert, in your life, reflect to me the more important part of my system. he, who approves you, approves the philosophy of mark winsome." though portions of this harangue may, perhaps, in the phraseology seem self-complaisant, yet no trace of self-complacency was perceptible in the speaker's manner, which throughout was plain, unassuming, dignified, and manly; the teacher and prophet seemed to lurk more in the idea, so to speak, than in the mere bearing of him who was the vehicle of it. "sir," said the cosmopolitan, who seemed not a little interested in this new aspect of matters, "you speak of a certain philosophy, and a more or less occult one it may be, and hint of its bearing upon practical life; pray, tell me, if the study of this philosophy tends to the same formation of character with the experiences of the world?" "it does; and that is the test of its truth; for any philosophy that, being in operation contradictory to the ways of the world, tends to produce a character at odds with it, such a philosophy must necessarily be but a cheat and a dream." "you a little surprise me," answered the cosmopolitan; "for, from an occasional profundity in you, and also from your allusions to a profound work on the theology of plato, it would seem but natural to surmise that, if you are the originator of any philosophy, it must needs so partake of the abstruse, as to exalt it above the comparatively vile uses of life." "no uncommon mistake with regard to me," rejoined the other. then meekly standing like a raphael: "if still in golden accents old memnon murmurs his riddle, none the less does the balance-sheet of every man's ledger unriddle the profit or loss of life. sir," with calm energy, "man came into this world, not to sit down and muse, not to befog himself with vain subtleties, but to gird up his loins and to work. mystery is in the morning, and mystery in the night, and the beauty of mystery is everywhere; but still the plain truth remains, that mouth and purse must be filled. if, hitherto, you have supposed me a visionary, be undeceived. i am no one-ideaed one, either; no more than the seers before me. was not seneca a usurer? bacon a courtier? and swedenborg, though with one eye on the invisible, did he not keep the other on the main chance? along with whatever else it may be given me to be, i am a man of serviceable knowledge, and a man of the world. know me for such. and as for my disciple here," turning towards him, "if you look to find any soft utopianisms and last year's sunsets in him, i smile to think how he will set you right. the doctrines i have taught him will, i trust, lead him neither to the mad-house nor the poor-house, as so many other doctrines have served credulous sticklers. furthermore," glancing upon him paternally, "egbert is both my disciple and my poet. for poetry is not a thing of ink and rhyme, but of thought and act, and, in the latter way, is by any one to be found anywhere, when in useful action sought. in a word, my disciple here is a thriving young merchant, a practical poet in the west india trade. there," presenting egbert's hand to the cosmopolitan, "i join you, and leave you." with which words, and without bowing, the master withdrew. chapter xxxviii. the disciple unbends, and consents to act a social part. in the master's presence the disciple had stood as one not ignorant of his place; modesty was in his expression, with a sort of reverential depression. but the presence of the superior withdrawn, he seemed lithely to shoot up erect from beneath it, like one of those wire men from a toy snuff-box. he was, as before said, a young man of about thirty. his countenance of that neuter sort, which, in repose, is neither prepossessing nor disagreeable; so that it seemed quite uncertain how he would turn out. his dress was neat, with just enough of the mode to save it from the reproach of originality; in which general respect, though with a readjustment of details, his costume seemed modeled upon his master's. but, upon the whole, he was, to all appearances, the last person in the world that one would take for the disciple of any transcendental philosophy; though, indeed, something about his sharp nose and shaved chin seemed to hint that if mysticism, as a lesson, ever came in his way, he might, with the characteristic knack of a true new-englander, turn even so profitless a thing to some profitable account. "well" said he, now familiarly seating himself in the vacated chair, "what do you think of mark? sublime fellow, ain't he?" "that each member of the human guild is worthy respect my friend," rejoined the cosmopolitan, "is a fact which no admirer of that guild will question; but that, in view of higher natures, the word sublime, so frequently applied to them, can, without confusion, be also applied to man, is a point which man will decide for himself; though, indeed, if he decide it in the affirmative, it is not for me to object. but i am curious to know more of that philosophy of which, at present, i have but inklings. you, its first disciple among men, it seems, are peculiarly qualified to expound it. have you any objections to begin now?" "none at all," squaring himself to the table. "where shall i begin? at first principles?" "you remember that it was in a practical way that you were represented as being fitted for the clear exposition. now, what you call first principles, i have, in some things, found to be more or less vague. permit me, then, in a plain way, to suppose some common case in real life, and that done, i would like you to tell me how you, the practical disciple of the philosophy i wish to know about, would, in that case, conduct." "a business-like view. propose the case." "not only the case, but the persons. the case is this: there are two friends, friends from childhood, bosom-friends; one of whom, for the first time, being in need, for the first time seeks a loan from the other, who, so far as fortune goes, is more than competent to grant it. and the persons are to be you and i: you, the friend from whom the loan is sought--i, the friend who seeks it; you, the disciple of the philosophy in question--i, a common man, with no more philosophy than to know that when i am comfortably warm i don't feel cold, and when i have the ague i shake. mind, now, you must work up your imagination, and, as much as possible, talk and behave just as if the case supposed were a fact. for brevity, you shall call me frank, and i will call you charlie. are you agreed?" "perfectly. you begin." the cosmopolitan paused a moment, then, assuming a serious and care-worn air, suitable to the part to be enacted, addressed his hypothesized friend. chapter xxxix. the hypothetical friends. "charlie, i am going to put confidence in you." "you always have, and with reason. what is it frank?" "charlie, i am in want--urgent want of money." "that's not well." "but it _will_ be well, charlie, if you loan me a hundred dollars. i would not ask this of you, only my need is sore, and you and i have so long shared hearts and minds together, however unequally on my side, that nothing remains to prove our friendship than, with the same inequality on my side, to share purses. you will do me the favor won't you?" "favor? what do you mean by asking me to do you a favor?" "why, charlie, you never used to talk so." "because, frank, you on your side, never used to talk so." "but won't you loan me the money?" "no, frank." "why?" "because my rule forbids. i give away money, but never loan it; and of course the man who calls himself my friend is above receiving alms. the negotiation of a loan is a business transaction. and i will transact no business with a friend. what a friend is, he is socially and intellectually; and i rate social and intellectual friendship too high to degrade it on either side into a pecuniary make-shift. to be sure there are, and i have, what is called business friends; that is, commercial acquaintances, very convenient persons. but i draw a red-ink line between them and my friends in the true sense--my friends social and intellectual. in brief, a true friend has nothing to do with loans; he should have a soul above loans. loans are such unfriendly accommodations as are to be had from the soulless corporation of a bank, by giving the regular security and paying the regular discount." "an _unfriendly_ accommodation? do those words go together handsomely?" "like the poor farmer's team, of an old man and a cow--not handsomely, but to the purpose. look, frank, a loan of money on interest is a sale of money on credit. to sell a thing on credit may be an accommodation, but where is the friendliness? few men in their senses, except operators, borrow money on interest, except upon a necessity akin to starvation. well, now, where is the friendliness of my letting a starving man have, say, the money's worth of a barrel of flour upon the condition that, on a given day, he shall let me have the money's worth of a barrel and a half of flour; especially if i add this further proviso, that if he fail so to do, i shall then, to secure to myself the money's worth of my barrel and his half barrel, put his heart up at public auction, and, as it is cruel to part families, throw in his wife's and children's?" "i understand," with a pathetic shudder; "but even did it come to that, such a step on the creditor's part, let us, for the honor of human nature, hope, were less the intention than the contingency." "but, frank, a contingency not unprovided for in the taking beforehand of due securities." "still, charlie, was not the loan in the first place a friend's act?" "and the auction in the last place an enemy's act. don't you see? the enmity lies couched in the friendship, just as the ruin in the relief." "i must be very stupid to-day, charlie, but really, i can't understand this. excuse me, my dear friend, but it strikes me that in going into the philosophy of the subject, you go somewhat out of your depth." "so said the incautious wader out to the ocean; but the ocean replied: 'it is just the other way, my wet friend,' and drowned him." "that, charlie, is a fable about as unjust to the ocean, as some of Æsop's are to the animals. the ocean is a magnanimous element, and would scorn to assassinate a poor fellow, let alone taunting him in the act. but i don't understand what you say about enmity couched in friendship, and ruin in relief." "i will illustrate, frank, the needy man is a train slipped off the rail. he who loans him money on interest is the one who, by way of accommodation, helps get the train back where it belongs; but then, by way of making all square, and a little more, telegraphs to an agent, thirty miles a-head by a precipice, to throw just there, on his account, a beam across the track. your needy man's principle-and-interest friend is, i say again, a friend with an enmity in reserve. no, no, my dear friend, no interest for me. i scorn interest." "well, charlie, none need you charge. loan me without interest." "that would be alms again." "alms, if the sum borrowed is returned?" "yes: an alms, not of the principle, but the interest." "well, i am in sore need, so i will not decline the alms. seeing that it is you, charlie, gratefully will i accept the alms of the interest. no humiliation between friends." "now, how in the refined view of friendship can you suffer yourself to talk so, my dear frank. it pains me. for though i am not of the sour mind of solomon, that, in the hour of need, a stranger is better than a brother; yet, i entirely agree with my sublime master, who, in his essay on friendship, says so nobly, that if he want a terrestrial convenience, not to his friend celestial (or friend social and intellectual) would he go; no: for his terrestrial convenience, to his friend terrestrial (or humbler business-friend) he goes. very lucidly he adds the reason: because, for the superior nature, which on no account can ever descend to do good, to be annoyed with requests to do it, when the inferior one, which by no instruction can ever rise above that capacity, stands always inclined to it--this is unsuitable." "then i will not consider you as my friend celestial, but as the other." "it racks me to come to that; but, to oblige you, i'll do it. we are business friends; business is business. you want to negotiate a loan. very good. on what paper? will you pay three per cent a month? where is your security?" "surely, you will not exact those formalities from your old schoolmate--him with whom you have so often sauntered down the groves of academe, discoursing of the beauty of virtue, and the grace that is in kindliness--and all for so paltry a sum. security? our being fellow-academics, and friends from childhood up, is security." "pardon me, my dear frank, our being fellow-academics is the worst of securities; while, our having been friends from childhood up is just no security at all. you forget we are now business friends." "and you, on your side, forget, charlie, that as your business friend i can give you no security; my need being so sore that i cannot get an indorser." "no indorser, then, no business loan." "since then, charlie, neither as the one nor the other sort of friend you have defined, can i prevail with you; how if, combining the two, i sue as both?" "are you a centaur?" "when all is said then, what good have i of your friendship, regarded in what light you will?" "the good which is in the philosophy of mark winsome, as reduced to practice by a practical disciple." "and why don't you add, much good may the philosophy of mark winsome do me? ah," turning invokingly, "what is friendship, if it be not the helping hand and the feeling heart, the good samaritan pouring out at need the purse as the vial!" "now, my dear frank, don't be childish. through tears never did man see his way in the dark. i should hold you unworthy that sincere friendship i bear you, could i think that friendship in the ideal is too lofty for you to conceive. and let me tell you, my dear frank, that you would seriously shake the foundations of our love, if ever again you should repeat the present scene. the philosophy, which is mine in the strongest way, teaches plain-dealing. let me, then, now, as at the most suitable time, candidly disclose certain circumstances you seem in ignorance of. though our friendship began in boyhood, think not that, on my side at least, it began injudiciously. boys are little men, it is said. you, i juvenilely picked out for my friend, for your favorable points at the time; not the least of which were your good manners, handsome dress, and your parents' rank and repute of wealth. in short, like any grown man, boy though i was, i went into the market and chose me my mutton, not for its leanness, but its fatness. in other words, there seemed in you, the schoolboy who always had silver in his pocket, a reasonable probability that you would never stand in lean need of fat succor; and if my early impression has not been verified by the event, it is only because of the caprice of fortune producing a fallibility of human expectations, however discreet.'" "oh, that i should listen to this cold-blooded disclosure!" "a little cold blood in your ardent veins, my dear frank, wouldn't do you any harm, let me tell you. cold-blooded? you say that, because my disclosure seems to involve a vile prudence on my side. but not so. my reason for choosing you in part for the points i have mentioned, was solely with a view of preserving inviolate the delicacy of the connection. for--do but think of it--what more distressing to delicate friendship, formed early, than your friend's eventually, in manhood, dropping in of a rainy night for his little loan of five dollars or so? can delicate friendship stand that? and, on the other side, would delicate friendship, so long as it retained its delicacy, do that? would you not instinctively say of your dripping friend in the entry, 'i have been deceived, fraudulently deceived, in this man; he is no true friend that, in platonic love to demand love-rites?'" "and rites, doubly rights, they are, cruel charlie!" "take it how you will, heed well how, by too importunately claiming those rights, as you call them, you shake those foundations i hinted of. for though, as it turns out, i, in my early friendship, built me a fair house on a poor site; yet such pains and cost have i lavished on that house, that, after all, it is dear to me. no, i would not lose the sweet boon of your friendship, frank. but beware." "and of what? of being in need? oh, charlie! you talk not to a god, a being who in himself holds his own estate, but to a man who, being a man, is the sport of fate's wind and wave, and who mounts towards heaven or sinks towards hell, as the billows roll him in trough or on crest." "tut! frank. man is no such poor devil as that comes to--no poor drifting sea-weed of the universe. man has a soul; which, if he will, puts him beyond fortune's finger and the future's spite. don't whine like fortune's whipped dog, frank, or by the heart of a true friend, i will cut ye." "cut me you have already, cruel charlie, and to the quick. call to mind the days we went nutting, the times we walked in the woods, arms wreathed about each other, showing trunks invined like the trees:--oh, charlie!" "pish! we were boys." "then lucky the fate of the first-born of egypt, cold in the grave ere maturity struck them with a sharper frost.--charlie?" "fie! you're a girl." "help, help, charlie, i want help!" "help? to say nothing of the friend, there is something wrong about the man who wants help. there is somewhere a defect, a want, in brief, a need, a crying need, somewhere about that man." "so there is, charlie.--help, help!" "how foolish a cry, when to implore help, is itself the proof of undesert of it." "oh, this, all along, is not you, charlie, but some ventriloquist who usurps your larynx. it is mark winsome that speaks, not charlie." "if so, thank heaven, the voice of mark winsome is not alien but congenial to my larynx. if the philosophy of that illustrious teacher find little response among mankind at large, it is less that they do not possess teachable tempers, than because they are so unfortunate as not to have natures predisposed to accord with him. "welcome, that compliment to humanity," exclaimed frank with energy, "the truer because unintended. and long in this respect may humanity remain what you affirm it. and long it will; since humanity, inwardly feeling how subject it is to straits, and hence how precious is help, will, for selfishness' sake, if no other, long postpone ratifying a philosophy that banishes help from the world. but charlie, charlie! speak as you used to; tell me you will help me. were the case reversed, not less freely would i loan you the money than you would ask me to loan it. "_i_ ask? _i_ ask a loan? frank, by this hand, under no circumstances would i accept a loan, though without asking pressed on me. the experience of china aster might warn me." "and what was that?" "not very unlike the experience of the man that built himself a palace of moon-beams, and when the moon set was surprised that his palace vanished with it. i will tell you about china aster. i wish i could do so in my own words, but unhappily the original story-teller here has so tyrannized over me, that it is quite impossible for me to repeat his incidents without sliding into his style. i forewarn you of this, that you may not think me so maudlin as, in some parts, the story would seem to make its narrator. it is too bad that any intellect, especially in so small a matter, should have such power to impose itself upon another, against its best exerted will, too. however, it is satisfaction to know that the main moral, to which all tends, i fully approve. but, to begin." chapter xl. in which the story of china aster is at second-hand told by one who, while not disapproving the moral, disclaims the spirit of the style. "china aster was a young candle-maker of marietta, at the mouth of the muskingum--one whose trade would seem a kind of subordinate branch of that parent craft and mystery of the hosts of heaven, to be the means, effectively or otherwise, of shedding some light through the darkness of a planet benighted. but he made little money by the business. much ado had poor china aster and his family to live; he could, if he chose, light up from his stores a whole street, but not so easily could he light up with prosperity the hearts of his household. "now, china aster, it so happened, had a friend, orchis, a shoemaker; one whose calling it is to defend the understandings of men from naked contact with the substance of things: a very useful vocation, and which, spite of all the wiseacres may prophesy, will hardly go out of fashion so long as rocks are hard and flints will gall. all at once, by a capital prize in a lottery, this useful shoemaker was raised from a bench to a sofa. a small nabob was the shoemaker now, and the understandings of men, let them shift for themselves. not that orchis was, by prosperity, elated into heartlessness. not at all. because, in his fine apparel, strolling one morning into the candlery, and gayly switching about at the candle-boxes with his gold-headed cane--while poor china aster, with his greasy paper cap and leather apron, was selling one candle for one penny to a poor orange-woman, who, with the patronizing coolness of a liberal customer, required it to be carefully rolled up and tied in a half sheet of paper--lively orchis, the woman being gone, discontinued his gay switchings and said: 'this is poor business for you, friend china aster; your capital is too small. you must drop this vile tallow and hold up pure spermaceti to the world. i tell you what it is, you shall have one thousand dollars to extend with. in fact, you must make money, china aster. i don't like to see your little boy paddling about without shoes, as he does.' "'heaven bless your goodness, friend orchis,' replied the candle-maker, 'but don't take it illy if i call to mind the word of my uncle, the blacksmith, who, when a loan was offered him, declined it, saying: "to ply my own hammer, light though it be, i think best, rather than piece it out heavier by welding to it a bit off a neighbor's hammer, though that may have some weight to spare; otherwise, were the borrowed bit suddenly wanted again, it might not split off at the welding, but too much to one side or the other."' "'nonsense, friend china aster, don't be so honest; your boy is barefoot. besides, a rich man lose by a poor man? or a friend be the worse by a friend? china aster, i am afraid that, in leaning over into your vats here, this, morning, you have spilled out your wisdom. hush! i won't hear any more. where's your desk? oh, here.' with that, orchis dashed off a check on his bank, and off-handedly presenting it, said: 'there, friend china aster, is your one thousand dollars; when you make it ten thousand, as you soon enough will (for experience, the only true knowledge, teaches me that, for every one, good luck is in store), then, china aster, why, then you can return me the money or not, just as you please. but, in any event, give yourself no concern, for i shall never demand payment.' "now, as kind heaven will so have it that to a hungry man bread is a great temptation, and, therefore, he is not too harshly to be blamed, if, when freely offered, he take it, even though it be uncertain whether he shall ever be able to reciprocate; so, to a poor man, proffered money is equally enticing, and the worst that can be said of him, if he accept it, is just what can be said in the other case of the hungry man. in short, the poor candle-maker's scrupulous morality succumbed to his unscrupulous necessity, as is now and then apt to be the case. he took the check, and was about carefully putting it away for the present, when orchis, switching about again with his gold-headed cane, said: 'by-the-way, china aster, it don't mean anything, but suppose you make a little memorandum of this; won't do any harm, you know.' so china aster gave orchis his note for one thousand dollars on demand. orchis took it, and looked at it a moment, 'pooh, i told you, friend china aster, i wasn't going ever to make any _demand_.' then tearing up the note, and switching away again at the candle-boxes, said, carelessly; 'put it at four years.' so china aster gave orchis his note for one thousand dollars at four years. 'you see i'll never trouble you about this,' said orchis, slipping it in his pocket-book, 'give yourself no further thought, friend china aster, than how best to invest your money. and don't forget my hint about spermaceti. go into that, and i'll buy all my light of you,' with which encouraging words, he, with wonted, rattling kindness, took leave. "china aster remained standing just where orchis had left him; when, suddenly, two elderly friends, having nothing better to do, dropped in for a chat. the chat over, china aster, in greasy cap and apron, ran after orchis, and said: 'friend orchis, heaven will reward you for your good intentions, but here is your check, and now give me my note.' "'your honesty is a bore, china aster,' said orchis, not without displeasure. 'i won't take the check from you.' "'then you must take it from the pavement, orchis,' said china aster; and, picking up a stone, he placed the check under it on the walk. "'china aster,' said orchis, inquisitively eying him, after my leaving the candlery just now, what asses dropped in there to advise with you, that now you hurry after me, and act so like a fool? shouldn't wonder if it was those two old asses that the boys nickname old plain talk and old prudence.' "'yes, it was those two, orchis, but don't call them names.' "'a brace of spavined old croakers. old plain talk had a shrew for a wife, and that's made him shrewish; and old prudence, when a boy, broke down in an apple-stall, and that discouraged him for life. no better sport for a knowing spark like me than to hear old plain talk wheeze out his sour old saws, while old prudence stands by, leaning on his staff, wagging his frosty old pow, and chiming in at every clause.' "'how can you speak so, friend orchis, of those who were my father's friends?'" "'save me from my friends, if those old croakers were old honesty's friends. i call your father so, for every one used to. why did they let him go in his old age on the town? why, china aster, i've often heard from my mother, the chronicler, that those two old fellows, with old conscience--as the boys called the crabbed old quaker, that's dead now--they three used to go to the poor-house when your father was there, and get round his bed, and talk to him for all the world as eliphaz, bildad, and zophar did to poor old pauper job. yes, job's comforters were old plain talk, and old prudence, and old conscience, to your poor old father. friends? i should like to know who you call foes? with their everlasting croaking and reproaching they tormented poor old honesty, your father, to death.' "at these words, recalling the sad end of his worthy parent, china aster could not restrain some tears. upon which orchis said: 'why, china aster, you are the dolefulest creature. why don't you, china aster, take a bright view of life? you will never get on in your business or anything else, if you don't take the bright view of life. it's the ruination of a man to take the dismal one.' then, gayly poking at him with his gold-headed cane, 'why don't you, then? why don't you be bright and hopeful, like me? why don't you have confidence, china aster? "i'm sure i don't know, friend orchis,' soberly replied china aster, 'but may be my not having drawn a lottery-prize, like you, may make some difference.' "nonsense! before i knew anything about the prize i was gay as a lark, just as gay as i am now. in fact, it has always been a principle with me to hold to the bright view.' "upon this, china aster looked a little hard at orchis, because the truth was, that until the lucky prize came to him, orchis had gone under the nickname of doleful dumps, he having been beforetimes of a hypochondriac turn, so much so as to save up and put by a few dollars of his scanty earnings against that rainy day he used to groan so much about. "i tell you what it is, now, friend china aster,' said orchis, pointing down to the check under the stone, and then slapping his pocket, 'the check shall lie there if you say so, but your note shan't keep it company. in fact, china aster, i am too sincerely your friend to take advantage of a passing fit of the blues in you. you _shall_ reap the benefit of my friendship.' with which, buttoning up his coat in a jiffy, away he ran, leaving the check behind. "at first, china aster was going to tear it up, but thinking that this ought not to be done except in the presence of the drawer of the check, he mused a while, and picking it up, trudged back to the candlery, fully resolved to call upon orchis soon as his day's work was over, and destroy the check before his eyes. but it so happened that when china aster called, orchis was out, and, having waited for him a weary time in vain, china aster went home, still with the check, but still resolved not to keep it another day. bright and early next morning he would a second time go after orchis, and would, no doubt, make a sure thing of it, by finding him in his bed; for since the lottery-prize came to him, orchis, besides becoming more cheery, had also grown a little lazy. but as destiny would have it, that same night china aster had a dream, in which a being in the guise of a smiling angel, and holding a kind of cornucopia in her hand, hovered over him, pouring down showers of small gold dollars, thick as kernels of corn. 'i am bright future, friend china aster,' said the angel, 'and if you do what friend orchis would have you do, just see what will come of it.' with which bright future, with another swing of her cornucopia, poured such another shower of small gold dollars upon him, that it seemed to bank him up all round, and he waded about in it like a maltster in malt. "now, dreams are wonderful things, as everybody knows--so wonderful, indeed, that some people stop not short of ascribing them directly to heaven; and china aster, who was of a proper turn of mind in everything, thought that in consideration of the dream, it would be but well to wait a little, ere seeking orchis again. during the day, china aster's mind dwelling continually upon the dream, he was so full of it, that when old plain talk dropped in to see him, just before dinnertime, as he often did, out of the interest he took in old honesty's son, china aster told all about his vision, adding that he could not think that so radiant an angel could deceive; and, indeed, talked at such a rate that one would have thought he believed the angel some beautiful human philanthropist. something in this sort old plain talk understood him, and, accordingly, in his plain way, said: 'china aster, you tell me that an angel appeared to you in a dream. now, what does that amount to but this, that you dreamed an angel appeared to you? go right away, china aster, and return the check, as i advised you before. if friend prudence were here, he would say just the same thing.' with which words old plain talk went off to find friend prudence, but not succeeding, was returning to the candlery himself, when, at distance mistaking him for a dun who had long annoyed him, china aster in a panic barred all his doors, and ran to the back part of the candlery, where no knock could be heard. "by this sad mistake, being left with no friend to argue the other side of the question, china aster was so worked upon at last, by musing over his dream, that nothing would do but he must get the check cashed, and lay out the money the very same day in buying a good lot of spermaceti to make into candles, by which operation he counted upon turning a better penny than he ever had before in his life; in fact, this he believed would prove the foundation of that famous fortune which the angel had promised him. "now, in using the money, china aster was resolved punctually to pay the interest every six months till the principal should be returned, howbeit not a word about such a thing had been breathed by orchis; though, indeed, according to custom, as well as law, in such matters, interest would legitimately accrue on the loan, nothing to the contrary having been put in the bond. whether orchis at the time had this in mind or not, there is no sure telling; but, to all appearance, he never so much as cared to think about the matter, one way or other. "though the spermaceti venture rather disappointed china aster's sanguine expectations, yet he made out to pay the first six months' interest, and though his next venture turned out still less prosperously, yet by pinching his family in the matter of fresh meat, and, what pained him still more, his boys' schooling, he contrived to pay the second six months' interest, sincerely grieved that integrity, as well as its opposite, though not in an equal degree, costs something, sometimes. "meanwhile, orchis had gone on a trip to europe by advice of a physician; it so happening that, since the lottery-prize came to him, it had been discovered to orchis that his health was not very firm, though he had never complained of anything before but a slight ailing of the spleen, scarce worth talking about at the time. so orchis, being abroad, could not help china aster's paying his interest as he did, however much he might have been opposed to it; for china aster paid it to orchis's agent, who was of too business-like a turn to decline interest regularly paid in on a loan. "but overmuch to trouble the agent on that score was not again to be the fate of china aster; for, not being of that skeptical spirit which refuses to trust customers, his third venture resulted, through bad debts, in almost a total loss--a bad blow for the candle-maker. neither did old plain talk, and old prudence neglect the opportunity to read him an uncheerful enough lesson upon the consequences of his disregarding their advice in the matter of having nothing to do with borrowed money. 'it's all just as i predicted,' said old plain talk, blowing his old nose with his old bandana. 'yea, indeed is it,' chimed in old prudence, rapping his staff on the floor, and then leaning upon it, looking with solemn forebodings upon china aster. low-spirited enough felt the poor candle-maker; till all at once who should come with a bright face to him but his bright friend, the angel, in another dream. again the cornucopia poured out its treasure, and promised still more. revived by the vision, he resolved not to be down-hearted, but up and at it once more--contrary to the advice of old plain talk, backed as usual by his crony, which was to the effect, that, under present circumstances, the best thing china aster could do, would be to wind up his business, settle, if he could, all his liabilities, and then go to work as a journeyman, by which he could earn good wages, and give up, from that time henceforth, all thoughts of rising above being a paid subordinate to men more able than himself, for china aster's career thus far plainly proved him the legitimate son of old honesty, who, as every one knew, had never shown much business-talent, so little, in fact, that many said of him that he had no business to be in business. and just this plain saying plain talk now plainly applied to china aster, and old prudence never disagreed with him. but the angel in the dream did, and, maugre plain talk, put quite other notions into the candle-maker. "he considered what he should do towards reëstablishing himself. doubtless, had orchis been in the country, he would have aided him in this strait. as it was, he applied to others; and as in the world, much as some may hint to the contrary, an honest man in misfortune still can find friends to stay by him and help him, even so it proved with china aster, who at last succeeded in borrowing from a rich old farmer the sum of six hundred dollars, at the usual interest of money-lenders, upon the security of a secret bond signed by china aster's wife and himself, to the effect that all such right and title to any property that should be left her by a well-to-do childless uncle, an invalid tanner, such property should, in the event of china aster's failing to return the borrowed sum on the given day, be the lawful possession of the money-lender. true, it was just as much as china aster could possibly do to induce his wife, a careful woman, to sign this bond; because she had always regarded her promised share in her uncle's estate as an anchor well to windward of the hard times in which china aster had always been more or less involved, and from which, in her bosom, she never had seen much chance of his freeing himself. some notion may be had of china aster's standing in the heart and head of his wife, by a short sentence commonly used in reply to such persons as happened to sound her on the point. 'china aster,' she would say, 'is a good husband, but a bad business man!' indeed, she was a connection on the maternal side of old plain talk's. but had not china aster taken good care not to let old plain talk and old prudence hear of his dealings with the old farmer, ten to one they would, in some way, have interfered with his success in that quarter. "it has been hinted that the honesty of china aster was what mainly induced the money-lender to befriend him in his misfortune, and this must be apparent; for, had china aster been a different man, the money-lender might have dreaded lest, in the event of his failing to meet his note, he might some way prove slippery--more especially as, in the hour of distress, worked upon by remorse for so jeopardizing his wife's money, his heart might prove a traitor to his bond, not to hint that it was more than doubtful how such a secret security and claim, as in the last resort would be the old farmer's, would stand in a court of law. but though one inference from all this may be, that had china aster been something else than what he was, he would not have been trusted, and, therefore, he would have been effectually shut out from running his own and wife's head into the usurer's noose; yet those who, when everything at last came out, maintained that, in this view and to this extent, the honesty of the candle-maker was no advantage to him, in so saying, such persons said what every good heart must deplore, and no prudent tongue will admit. "it may be mentioned, that the old farmer made china aster take part of his loan in three old dried-up cows and one lame horse, not improved by the glanders. these were thrown in at a pretty high figure, the old money-lender having a singular prejudice in regard to the high value of any sort of stock raised on his farm. with a great deal of difficulty, and at more loss, china aster disposed of his cattle at public auction, no private purchaser being found who could be prevailed upon to invest. and now, raking and scraping in every way, and working early and late, china aster at last started afresh, nor without again largely and confidently extending himself. however, he did not try his hand at the spermaceti again, but, admonished by experience, returned to tallow. but, having bought a good lot of it, by the time he got it into candles, tallow fell so low, and candles with it, that his candles per pound barely sold for what he had paid for the tallow. meantime, a year's unpaid interest had accrued on orchis' loan, but china aster gave himself not so much concern about that as about the interest now due to the old farmer. but he was glad that the principal there had yet some time to run. however, the skinny old fellow gave him some trouble by coming after him every day or two on a scraggy old white horse, furnished with a musty old saddle, and goaded into his shambling old paces with a withered old raw hide. all the neighbors said that surely death himself on the pale horse was after poor china aster now. and something so it proved; for, ere long, china aster found himself involved in troubles mortal enough. at this juncture orchis was heard of. orchis, it seemed had returned from his travels, and clandestinely married, and, in a kind of queer way, was living in pennsylvania among his wife's relations, who, among other things, had induced him to join a church, or rather semi-religious school, of come-outers; and what was still more, orchis, without coming to the spot himself, had sent word to his agent to dispose of some of his property in marietta, and remit him the proceeds. within a year after, china aster received a letter from orchis, commending him for his punctuality in paying the first year's interest, and regretting the necessity that he (orchis) was now under of using all his dividends; so he relied upon china aster's paying the next six months' interest, and of course with the back interest. not more surprised than alarmed, china aster thought of taking steamboat to go and see orchis, but he was saved that expense by the unexpected arrival in marietta of orchis in person, suddenly called there by that strange kind of capriciousness lately characterizing him. no sooner did china aster hear of his old friend's arrival than he hurried to call upon him. he found him curiously rusty in dress, sallow in cheek, and decidedly less gay and cordial in manner, which the more surprised china aster, because, in former days, he had more than once heard orchis, in his light rattling way, declare that all he (orchis) wanted to make him a perfectly happy, hilarious, and benignant man, was a voyage to europe and a wife, with a free development of his inmost nature. "upon china aster's stating his case, his trusted friend was silent for a time; then, in an odd way, said that he would not crowd china aster, but still his (orchis') necessities were urgent. could not china aster mortgage the candlery? he was honest, and must have moneyed friends; and could he not press his sales of candles? could not the market be forced a little in that particular? the profits on candles must be very great. seeing, now, that orchis had the notion that the candle-making business was a very profitable one, and knowing sorely enough what an error was here, china aster tried to undeceive him. but he could not drive the truth into orchis--orchis being very obtuse here, and, at the same time, strange to say, very melancholy. finally, orchis glanced off from so unpleasing a subject into the most unexpected reflections, taken from a religious point of view, upon the unstableness and deceitfulness of the human heart. but having, as he thought, experienced something of that sort of thing, china aster did not take exception to his friend's observations, but still refrained from so doing, almost as much for the sake of sympathetic sociality as anything else. presently, orchis, without much ceremony, rose, and saying he must write a letter to his wife, bade his friend good-bye, but without warmly shaking him by the hand as of old. "in much concern at the change, china aster made earnest inquiries in suitable quarters, as to what things, as yet unheard of, had befallen orchis, to bring about such a revolution; and learned at last that, besides traveling, and getting married, and joining the sect of come-outers, orchis had somehow got a bad dyspepsia, and lost considerable property through a breach of trust on the part of a factor in new york. telling these things to old plain talk, that man of some knowledge of the world shook his old head, and told china aster that, though he hoped it might prove otherwise, yet it seemed to him that all he had communicated about orchis worked together for bad omens as to his future forbearance--especially, he added with a grim sort of smile, in view of his joining the sect of come-outers; for, if some men knew what was their inmost natures, instead of coming out with it, they would try their best to keep it in, which, indeed, was the way with the prudent sort. in all which sour notions old prudence, as usual, chimed in. "when interest-day came again, china aster, by the utmost exertions, could only pay orchis' agent a small part of what was due, and a part of that was made up by his children's gift money (bright tenpenny pieces and new quarters, kept in their little money-boxes), and pawning his best clothes, with those of his wife and children, so that all were subjected to the hardship of staying away from church. and the old usurer, too, now beginning to be obstreperous, china aster paid him his interest and some other pressing debts with money got by, at last, mortgaging the candlery. "when next interest-day came round for orchis, not a penny could be raised. with much grief of heart, china aster so informed orchis' agent. meantime, the note to the old usurer fell due, and nothing from china aster was ready to meet it; yet, as heaven sends its rain on the just and unjust alike, by a coincidence not unfavorable to the old farmer, the well-to-do uncle, the tanner, having died, the usurer entered upon possession of such part of his property left by will to the wife of china aster. when still the next interest-day for orchis came round, it found china aster worse off than ever; for, besides his other troubles, he was now weak with sickness. feebly dragging himself to orchis' agent, he met him in the street, told him just how it was; upon which the agent, with a grave enough face, said that he had instructions from his employer not to crowd him about the interest at present, but to say to him that about the time the note would mature, orchis would have heavy liabilities to meet, and therefore the note must at that time be certainly paid, and, of course, the back interest with it; and not only so, but, as orchis had had to allow the interest for good part of the time, he hoped that, for the back interest, china aster would, in reciprocation, have no objections to allowing interest on the interest annually. to be sure, this was not the law; but, between friends who accommodate each other, it was the custom. "just then, old plain talk with old prudence turned the corner, coming plump upon china aster as the agent left him; and whether it was a sun-stroke, or whether they accidentally ran against him, or whether it was his being so weak, or whether it was everything together, or how it was exactly, there is no telling, but poor china aster fell to the earth, and, striking his head sharply, was picked up senseless. it was a day in july; such a light and heat as only the midsummer banks of the inland ohio know. china aster was taken home on a door; lingered a few days with a wandering mind, and kept wandering on, till at last, at dead of night, when nobody was aware, his spirit wandered away into the other world. "old plain talk and old prudence, neither of whom ever omitted attending any funeral, which, indeed, was their chief exercise--these two were among the sincerest mourners who followed the remains of the son of their ancient friend to the grave. "it is needless to tell of the executions that followed; how that the candlery was sold by the mortgagee; how orchis never got a penny for his loan; and how, in the case of the poor widow, chastisement was tempered with mercy; for, though she was left penniless, she was not left childless. yet, unmindful of the alleviation, a spirit of complaint, at what she impatiently called the bitterness of her lot and the hardness of the world, so preyed upon her, as ere long to hurry her from the obscurity of indigence to the deeper shades of the tomb. "but though the straits in which china aster had left his family had, besides apparently dimming the world's regard, likewise seemed to dim its sense of the probity of its deceased head, and though this, as some thought, did not speak well for the world, yet it happened in this case, as in others, that, though the world may for a time seem insensible to that merit which lies under a cloud, yet, sooner or later, it always renders honor where honor is due; for, upon the death of the widow, the freemen of marietta, as a tribute of respect for china aster, and an expression of their conviction of his high moral worth, passed a resolution, that, until they attained maturity, his children should be considered the town's guests. no mere verbal compliment, like those of some public bodies; for, on the same day, the orphans were officially installed in that hospitable edifice where their worthy grandfather, the town's guest before them, had breathed his last breath. "but sometimes honor maybe paid to the memory of an honest man, and still his mound remain without a monument. not so, however, with the candle-maker. at an early day, plain talk had procured a plain stone, and was digesting in his mind what pithy word or two to place upon it, when there was discovered, in china aster's otherwise empty wallet, an epitaph, written, probably, in one of those disconsolate hours, attended with more or less mental aberration, perhaps, so frequent with him for some months prior to his end. a memorandum on the back expressed the wish that it might be placed over his grave. though with the sentiment of the epitaph plain talk did not disagree, he himself being at times of a hypochondriac turn--at least, so many said--yet the language struck him as too much drawn out; so, after consultation with old prudence, he decided upon making use of the epitaph, yet not without verbal retrenchments. and though, when these were made, the thing still appeared wordy to him, nevertheless, thinking that, since a dead man was to be spoken about, it was but just to let him speak for himself, especially when he spoke sincerely, and when, by so doing, the more salutary lesson would be given, he had the retrenched inscription chiseled as follows upon the stone. 'here lie the remains of china aster the candle-maker, whose career was an example of the truth of scripture, as found in the sober philosophy of solomon the wise; for he was ruined by allowing himself to be persuaded, against his better sense, into the free indulgence of confidence, and an ardently bright view of life, to the exclusion of that counsel which comes by heeding the opposite view.' "this inscription raised some talk in the town, and was rather severely criticised by the capitalist--one of a very cheerful turn--who had secured his loan to china aster by the mortgage; and though it also proved obnoxious to the man who, in town-meeting, had first moved for the compliment to china aster's memory, and, indeed, was deemed by him a sort of slur upon the candle-maker, to that degree that he refused to believe that the candle-maker himself had composed it, charging old plain talk with the authorship, alleging that the internal evidence showed that none but that veteran old croaker could have penned such a jeremiade--yet, for all this, the stone stood. in everything, of course, old plain talk was seconded by old prudence; who, one day going to the grave-yard, in great-coat and over-shoes--for, though it was a sunshiny morning, he thought that, owing to heavy dews, dampness might lurk in the ground--long stood before the stone, sharply leaning over on his staff, spectacles on nose, spelling out the epitaph word by word; and, afterwards meeting old plain talk in the street, gave a great rap with his stick, and said: 'friend, plain talk, that epitaph will do very well. nevertheless, one short sentence is wanting.' upon which, plain talk said it was too late, the chiseled words being so arranged, after the usual manner of such inscriptions, that nothing could be interlined. then,' said old prudence, 'i will put it in the shape of a postscript.' accordingly, with the approbation of old plain talk, he had the following words chiseled at the left-hand corner of the stone, and pretty low down: 'the root of all was a friendly loan.'" chapter xli. ending with a rupture of the hypothesis. "with what heart," cried frank, still in character, "have you told me this story? a story i can no way approve; for its moral, if accepted, would drain me of all reliance upon my last stay, and, therefore, of my last courage in life. for, what was that bright view of china aster but a cheerful trust that, if he but kept up a brave heart, worked hard, and ever hoped for the best, all at last would go well? if your purpose, charlie, in telling me this story, was to pain me, and keenly, you have succeeded; but, if it was to destroy my last confidence, i praise god you have not." "confidence?" cried charlie, who, on his side, seemed with his whole heart to enter into the spirit of the thing, "what has confidence to do with the matter? that moral of the story, which i am for commending to you, is this: the folly, on both sides, of a friend's helping a friend. for was not that loan of orchis to china aster the first step towards their estrangement? and did it not bring about what in effect was the enmity of orchis? i tell you, frank, true friendship, like other precious things, is not rashly to be meddled with. and what more meddlesome between friends than a loan? a regular marplot. for how can you help that the helper must turn out a creditor? and creditor and friend, can they ever be one? no, not in the most lenient case; since, out of lenity to forego one's claim, is less to be a friendly creditor than to cease to be a creditor at all. but it will not do to rely upon this lenity, no, not in the best man; for the best man, as the worst, is subject to all mortal contingencies. he may travel, he may marry, he may join the come-outers, or some equally untoward school or sect, not to speak of other things that more or less tend to new-cast the character. and were there nothing else, who shall answer for his digestion, upon which so much depends?" "but charlie, dear charlie----" "nay, wait.--you have hearkened to my story in vain, if you do not see that, however indulgent and right-minded i may seem to you now, that is no guarantee for the future. and into the power of that uncertain personality which, through the mutability of my humanity, i may hereafter become, should not common sense dissuade you, my dear frank, from putting yourself? consider. would you, in your present need, be willing to accept a loan from a friend, securing him by a mortgage on your homestead, and do so, knowing that you had no reason to feel satisfied that the mortgage might not eventually be transferred into the hands of a foe? yet the difference between this man and that man is not so great as the difference between what the same man be to-day and what he may be in days to come. for there is no bent of heart or turn of thought which any man holds by virtue of an unalterable nature or will. even those feelings and opinions deemed most identical with eternal right and truth, it is not impossible but that, as personal persuasions, they may in reality be but the result of some chance tip of fate's elbow in throwing her dice. for, not to go into the first seeds of things, and passing by the accident of parentage predisposing to this or that habit of mind, descend below these, and tell me, if you change this man's experiences or that man's books, will wisdom go surety for his unchanged convictions? as particular food begets particular dreams, so particular experiences or books particular feelings or beliefs. i will hear nothing of that fine babble about development and its laws; there is no development in opinion and feeling but the developments of time and tide. you may deem all this talk idle, frank; but conscience bids me show you how fundamental the reasons for treating you as i do." "but charlie, dear charlie, what new notions are these? i thought that man was no poor drifting weed of the universe, as you phrased it; that, if so minded, he could have a will, a way, a thought, and a heart of his own? but now you have turned everything upside down again, with an inconsistency that amazes and shocks me." "inconsistency? bah!" "there speaks the ventriloquist again," sighed frank, in bitterness. illy pleased, it may be, by this repetition of an allusion little flattering to his originality, however much so to his docility, the disciple sought to carry it off by exclaiming: "yes, i turn over day and night, with indefatigable pains, the sublime pages of my master, and unfortunately for you, my dear friend, i find nothing _there_ that leads me to think otherwise than i do. but enough: in this matter the experience of china aster teaches a moral more to the point than anything mark winsome can offer, or i either." "i cannot think so, charlie; for neither am i china aster, nor do i stand in his position. the loan to china aster was to extend his business with; the loan i seek is to relieve my necessities." "your dress, my dear frank, is respectable; your cheek is not gaunt. why talk of necessities when nakedness and starvation beget the only real necessities?" "but i need relief, charlie; and so sorely, that i now conjure you to forget that i was ever your friend, while i apply to you only as a fellow-being, whom, surely, you will not turn away." "that i will not. take off your hat, bow over to the ground, and supplicate an alms of me in the way of london streets, and you shall not be a sturdy beggar in vain. but no man drops pennies into the hat of a friend, let me tell you. if you turn beggar, then, for the honor of noble friendship, i turn stranger." "enough," cried the other, rising, and with a toss of his shoulders seeming disdainfully to throw off the character he had assumed. "enough. i have had my fill of the philosophy of mark winsome as put into action. and moonshiny as it in theory may be, yet a very practical philosophy it turns out in effect, as he himself engaged i should find. but, miserable for my race should i be, if i thought he spoke truth when he claimed, for proof of the soundness of his system, that the study of it tended to much the same formation of character with the experiences of the world.--apt disciple! why wrinkle the brow, and waste the oil both of life and the lamp, only to turn out a head kept cool by the under ice of the heart? what your illustrious magian has taught you, any poor, old, broken-down, heart-shrunken dandy might have lisped. pray, leave me, and with you take the last dregs of your inhuman philosophy. and here, take this shilling, and at the first wood-landing buy yourself a few chips to warm the frozen natures of you and your philosopher by." with these words and a grand scorn the cosmopolitan turned on his heel, leaving his companion at a loss to determine where exactly the fictitious character had been dropped, and the real one, if any, resumed. if any, because, with pointed meaning, there occurred to him, as he gazed after the cosmopolitan, these familiar lines: "all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players, who have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts." chapter xlii. upon the heel of the last scene the cosmopolitan enters the barber's shop, a benediction on his lips. "bless you, barber!" now, owing to the lateness of the hour, the barber had been all alone until within the ten minutes last passed; when, finding himself rather dullish company to himself, he thought he would have a good time with souter john and tam o'shanter, otherwise called somnus and morpheus, two very good fellows, though one was not very bright, and the other an arrant rattlebrain, who, though much listened to by some, no wise man would believe under oath. in short, with back presented to the glare of his lamps, and so to the door, the honest barber was taking what are called cat-naps, and dreaming in his chair; so that, upon suddenly hearing the benediction above, pronounced in tones not unangelic, starting up, half awake, he stared before him, but saw nothing, for the stranger stood behind. what with cat-naps, dreams, and bewilderments, therefore, the voice seemed a sort of spiritual manifestation to him; so that, for the moment, he stood all agape, eyes fixed, and one arm in the air. "why, barber, are you reaching up to catch birds there with salt?" "ah!" turning round disenchanted, "it is only a man, then." "_only_ a man? as if to be but a man were nothing. but don't be too sure what i am. you call me _man_, just as the townsfolk called the angels who, in man's form, came to lot's house; just as the jew rustics called the devils who, in man's form, haunted the tombs. you can conclude nothing absolute from the human form, barber." "but i can conclude something from that sort of talk, with that sort of dress," shrewdly thought the barber, eying him with regained self-possession, and not without some latent touch of apprehension at being alone with him. what was passing in his mind seemed divined by the other, who now, more rationally and gravely, and as if he expected it should be attended to, said: "whatever else you may conclude upon, it is my desire that you conclude to give me a good shave," at the same time loosening his neck-cloth. "are you competent to a good shave, barber?" "no broker more so, sir," answered the barber, whom the business-like proposition instinctively made confine to business-ends his views of the visitor. "broker? what has a broker to do with lather? a broker i have always understood to be a worthy dealer in certain papers and metals." "he, he!" taking him now for some dry sort of joker, whose jokes, he being a customer, it might be as well to appreciate, "he, he! you understand well enough, sir. take this seat, sir," laying his hand on a great stuffed chair, high-backed and high-armed, crimson-covered, and raised on a sort of dais, and which seemed but to lack a canopy and quarterings, to make it in aspect quite a throne, "take this seat, sir." "thank you," sitting down; "and now, pray, explain that about the broker. but look, look--what's this?" suddenly rising, and pointing, with his long pipe, towards a gilt notification swinging among colored fly-papers from the ceiling, like a tavern sign, "_no trust?_" "no trust means distrust; distrust means no confidence. barber," turning upon him excitedly, "what fell suspiciousness prompts this scandalous confession? my life!" stamping his foot, "if but to tell a dog that you have no confidence in him be matter for affront to the dog, what an insult to take that way the whole haughty race of man by the beard! by my heart, sir! but at least you are valiant; backing the spleen of thersites with the pluck of agamemnon." "your sort of talk, sir, is not exactly in my line," said the barber, rather ruefully, being now again hopeless of his customer, and not without return of uneasiness; "not in my line, sir," he emphatically repeated. "but the taking of mankind by the nose is; a habit, barber, which i sadly fear has insensibly bred in you a disrespect for man. for how, indeed, may respectful conceptions of him coexist with the perpetual habit of taking him by the nose? but, tell me, though i, too, clearly see the import of your notification, i do not, as yet, perceive the object. what is it?" "now you speak a little in my line, sir," said the barber, not unrelieved at this return to plain talk; "that notification i find very useful, sparing me much work which would not pay. yes, i lost a good deal, off and on, before putting that up," gratefully glancing towards it. "but what is its object? surely, you don't mean to say, in so many words, that you have no confidence? for instance, now," flinging aside his neck-cloth, throwing back his blouse, and reseating himself on the tonsorial throne, at sight of which proceeding the barber mechanically filled a cup with hot water from a copper vessel over a spirit-lamp, "for instance, now, suppose i say to you, 'barber, my dear barber, unhappily i have no small change by me to-night, but shave me, and depend upon your money to-morrow'--suppose i should say that now, you would put trust in me, wouldn't you? you would have confidence?" "seeing that it is you, sir," with complaisance replied the barber, now mixing the lather, "seeing that it is _you_ sir, i won't answer that question. no need to." "of course, of course--in that view. but, as a supposition--you would have confidence in me, wouldn't you?" "why--yes, yes." "then why that sign?" "ah, sir, all people ain't like you," was the smooth reply, at the same time, as if smoothly to close the debate, beginning smoothly to apply the lather, which operation, however, was, by a motion, protested against by the subject, but only out of a desire to rejoin, which was done in these words: "all people ain't like me. then i must be either better or worse than most people. worse, you could not mean; no, barber, you could not mean that; hardly that. it remains, then, that you think me better than most people. but that i ain't vain enough to believe; though, from vanity, i confess, i could never yet, by my best wrestlings, entirely free myself; nor, indeed, to be frank, am i at bottom over anxious to--this same vanity, barber, being so harmless, so useful, so comfortable, so pleasingly preposterous a passion." "very true, sir; and upon my honor, sir, you talk very well. but the lather is getting a little cold, sir." "better cold lather, barber, than a cold heart. why that cold sign? ah, i don't wonder you try to shirk the confession. you feel in your soul how ungenerous a hint is there. and yet, barber, now that i look into your eyes--which somehow speak to me of the mother that must have so often looked into them before me--i dare say, though you may not think it, that the spirit of that notification is not one with your nature. for look now, setting, business views aside, regarding the thing in an abstract light; in short, supposing a case, barber; supposing, i say, you see a stranger, his face accidentally averted, but his visible part very respectable-looking; what now, barber--i put it to your conscience, to your charity--what would be your impression of that man, in a moral point of view? being in a signal sense a stranger, would you, for that, signally set him down for a knave?" "certainly not, sir; by no means," cried the barber, humanely resentful. "you would upon the face of him----" "hold, sir," said the barber, "nothing about the face; you remember, sir, that is out of sight." "i forgot that. well then, you would, upon the _back_ of him, conclude him to be, not improbably, some worthy sort of person; in short, an honest man: wouldn't you?" "not unlikely i should, sir." "well now--don't be so impatient with your brush, barber--suppose that honest man meet you by night in some dark corner of the boat where his face would still remain unseen, asking you to trust him for a shave--how then?" "wouldn't trust him, sir." "but is not an honest man to be trusted?" "why--why--yes, sir." "there! don't you see, now?" "see what?" asked the disconcerted barber, rather vexedly. "why, you stand self-contradicted, barber; don't you?" "no," doggedly. "barber," gravely, and after a pause of concern, "the enemies of our race have a saying that insincerity is the most universal and inveterate vice of man--the lasting bar to real amelioration, whether of individuals or of the world. don't you now, barber, by your stubbornness on this occasion, give color to such a calumny?" "hity-tity!" cried the barber, losing patience, and with it respect; "stubbornness?" then clattering round the brush in the cup, "will you be shaved, or won't you?" "barber, i will be shaved, and with pleasure; but, pray, don't raise your voice that way. why, now, if you go through life gritting your teeth in that fashion, what a comfortless time you will have." "i take as much comfort in this world as you or any other man," cried the barber, whom the other's sweetness of temper seemed rather to exasperate than soothe. "to resent the imputation of anything like unhappiness i have often observed to be peculiar to certain orders of men," said the other pensively, and half to himself, "just as to be indifferent to that imputation, from holding happiness but for a secondary good and inferior grace, i have observed to be equally peculiar to other kinds of men. pray, barber," innocently looking up, "which think you is the superior creature?" "all this sort of talk," cried the barber, still unmollified, "is, as i told you once before, not in my line. in a few minutes i shall shut up this shop. will you be shaved?" "shave away, barber. what hinders?" turning up his face like a flower. the shaving began, and proceeded in silence, till at length it became necessary to prepare to relather a little--affording an opportunity for resuming the subject, which, on one side, was not let slip. "barber," with a kind of cautious kindliness, feeling his way, "barber, now have a little patience with me; do; trust me, i wish not to offend. i have been thinking over that supposed case of the man with the averted face, and i cannot rid my mind of the impression that, by your opposite replies to my questions at the time, you showed yourself much of a piece with a good many other men--that is, you have confidence, and then again, you have none. now, what i would ask is, do you think it sensible standing for a sensible man, one foot on confidence and the other on suspicion? don't you think, barber, that you ought to elect? don't you think consistency requires that you should either say 'i have confidence in all men,' and take down your notification; or else say, 'i suspect all men,' and keep it up." this dispassionate, if not deferential, way of putting the case, did not fail to impress the barber, and proportionately conciliate him. likewise, from its pointedness, it served to make him thoughtful; for, instead of going to the copper vessel for more water, as he had purposed, he halted half-way towards it, and, after a pause, cup in hand, said: "sir, i hope you would not do me injustice. i don't say, and can't say, and wouldn't say, that i suspect all men; but i _do_ say that strangers are not to be trusted, and so," pointing up to the sign, "no trust." "but look, now, i beg, barber," rejoined the other deprecatingly, not presuming too much upon the barber's changed temper; "look, now; to say that strangers are not to be trusted, does not that imply something like saying that mankind is not to be trusted; for the mass of mankind, are they not necessarily strangers to each individual man? come, come, my friend," winningly, "you are no timon to hold the mass of mankind untrustworthy. take down your notification; it is misanthropical; much the same sign that timon traced with charcoal on the forehead of a skull stuck over his cave. take it down, barber; take it down to-night. trust men. just try the experiment of trusting men for this one little trip. come now, i'm a philanthropist, and will insure you against losing a cent." the barber shook his head dryly, and answered, "sir, you must excuse me. i have a family." chapter xliii very charming. "so you are a philanthropist, sir," added the barber with an illuminated look; "that accounts, then, for all. very odd sort of man the philanthropist. you are the second one, sir, i have seen. very odd sort of man, indeed, the philanthropist. ah, sir," again meditatively stirring in the shaving-cup, "i sadly fear, lest you philanthropists know better what goodness is, than what men are." then, eying him as if he were some strange creature behind cage-bars, "so you are a philanthropist, sir." "i am philanthropos, and love mankind. and, what is more than you do, barber, i trust them." here the barber, casually recalled to his business, would have replenished his shaving-cup, but finding now that on his last visit to the water-vessel he had not replaced it over the lamp, he did so now; and, while waiting for it to heat again, became almost as sociable as if the heating water were meant for whisky-punch; and almost as pleasantly garrulous as the pleasant barbers in romances. "sir," said he, taking a throne beside his customer (for in a row there were three thrones on the dais, as for the three kings of cologne, those patron saints of the barber), "sir, you say you trust men. well, i suppose i might share some of your trust, were it not for this trade, that i follow, too much letting me in behind the scenes." "i think i understand," with a saddened look; "and much the same thing i have heard from persons in pursuits different from yours--from the lawyer, from the congressman, from the editor, not to mention others, each, with a strange kind of melancholy vanity, claiming for his vocation the distinction of affording the surest inlets to the conviction that man is no better than he should be. all of which testimony, if reliable, would, by mutual corroboration, justify some disturbance in a good man's mind. but no, no; it is a mistake--all a mistake." "true, sir, very true," assented the barber. "glad to hear that," brightening up. "not so fast, sir," said the barber; "i agree with you in thinking that the lawyer, and the congressman, and the editor, are in error, but only in so far as each claims peculiar facilities for the sort of knowledge in question; because, you see, sir, the truth is, that every trade or pursuit which brings one into contact with the facts, sir, such trade or pursuit is equally an avenue to those facts." "_how_ exactly is that?" "why, sir, in my opinion--and for the last twenty years i have, at odd times, turned the matter over some in my mind--he who comes to know man, will not remain in ignorance of man. i think i am not rash in saying that; am i, sir?" "barber, you talk like an oracle--obscurely, barber, obscurely." "well, sir," with some self-complacency, "the barber has always been held an oracle, but as for the obscurity, that i don't admit." "but pray, now, by your account, what precisely may be this mysterious knowledge gained in your trade? i grant you, indeed, as before hinted, that your trade, imposing on you the necessity of functionally tweaking the noses of mankind, is, in that respect, unfortunate, very much so; nevertheless, a well-regulated imagination should be proof even to such a provocation to improper conceits. but what i want to learn from you, barber, is, how does the mere handling of the outside of men's heads lead you to distrust the inside of their hearts? "what, sir, to say nothing more, can one be forever dealing in macassar oil, hair dyes, cosmetics, false moustaches, wigs, and toupees, and still believe that men are wholly what they look to be? what think you, sir, are a thoughtful barber's reflections, when, behind a careful curtain, he shaves the thin, dead stubble off a head, and then dismisses it to the world, radiant in curling auburn? to contrast the shamefaced air behind the curtain, the fearful looking forward to being possibly discovered there by a prying acquaintance, with the cheerful assurance and challenging pride with which the same man steps forth again, a gay deception, into the street, while some honest, shock-headed fellow humbly gives him the wall! ah, sir, they may talk of the courage of truth, but my trade teaches me that truth sometimes is sheepish. lies, lies, sir, brave lies are the lions!" "you twist the moral, barber; you sadly twist it. look, now; take it this way: a modest man thrust out naked into the street, would he not be abashed? take him in and clothe him; would not his confidence be restored? and in either case, is any reproach involved? now, what is true of the whole, holds proportionably true of the part. the bald head is a nakedness which the wig is a coat to. to feel uneasy at the possibility of the exposure of one's nakedness at top, and to feel comforted by the consciousness of having it clothed--these feelings, instead of being dishonorable to a bold man, do, in fact, but attest a proper respect for himself and his fellows. and as for the deception, you may as well call the fine roof of a fine chateau a deception, since, like a fine wig, it also is an artificial cover to the head, and equally, in the common eye, decorates the wearer.--i have confuted you, my dear barber; i have confounded you." "pardon," said the barber, "but i do not see that you have. his coat and his roof no man pretends to palm off as a part of himself, but the bald man palms off hair, not his, for his own." "not _his_, barber? if he have fairly purchased his hair, the law will protect him in its ownership, even against the claims of the head on which it grew. but it cannot be that you believe what you say, barber; you talk merely for the humor. i could not think so of you as to suppose that you would contentedly deal in the impostures you condemn." "ah, sir, i must live." "and can't you do that without sinning against your conscience, as you believe? take up some other calling." "wouldn't mend the matter much, sir." "do you think, then, barber, that, in a certain point, all the trades and callings of men are much on a par? fatal, indeed," raising his hand, "inexpressibly dreadful, the trade of the barber, if to such conclusions it necessarily leads. barber," eying him not without emotion, "you appear to me not so much a misbeliever, as a man misled. now, let me set you on the right track; let me restore you to trust in human nature, and by no other means than the very trade that has brought you to suspect it." "you mean, sir, you would have me try the experiment of taking down that notification," again pointing to it with his brush; "but, dear me, while i sit chatting here, the water boils over." with which words, and such a well-pleased, sly, snug, expression, as they say some men have when they think their little stratagem has succeeded, he hurried to the copper vessel, and soon had his cup foaming up with white bubbles, as if it were a mug of new ale. meantime, the other would have fain gone on with the discourse; but the cunning barber lathered him with so generous a brush, so piled up the foam on him, that his face looked like the yeasty crest of a billow, and vain to think of talking under it, as for a drowning priest in the sea to exhort his fellow-sinners on a raft. nothing would do, but he must keep his mouth shut. doubtless, the interval was not, in a meditative way, unimproved; for, upon the traces of the operation being at last removed, the cosmopolitan rose, and, for added refreshment, washed his face and hands; and having generally readjusted himself, began, at last, addressing the barber in a manner different, singularly so, from his previous one. hard to say exactly what the manner was, any more than to hint it was a sort of magical; in a benign way, not wholly unlike the manner, fabled or otherwise, of certain creatures in nature, which have the power of persuasive fascination--the power of holding another creature by the button of the eye, as it were, despite the serious disinclination, and, indeed, earnest protest, of the victim. with this manner the conclusion of the matter was not out of keeping; for, in the end, all argument and expostulation proved vain, the barber being irresistibly persuaded to agree to try, for the remainder of the present trip, the experiment of trusting men, as both phrased it. true, to save his credit as a free agent, he was loud in averring that it was only for the novelty of the thing that he so agreed, and he required the other, as before volunteered, to go security to him against any loss that might ensue; but still the fact remained, that he engaged to trust men, a thing he had before said he would not do, at least not unreservedly. still the more to save his credit, he now insisted upon it, as a last point, that the agreement should be put in black and white, especially the security part. the other made no demur; pen, ink, and paper were provided, and grave as any notary the cosmopolitan sat down, but, ere taking the pen, glanced up at the notification, and said: "first down with that sign, barber--timon's sign, there; down with it." this, being in the agreement, was done--though a little reluctantly--with an eye to the future, the sign being carefully put away in a drawer. "now, then, for the writing," said the cosmopolitan, squaring himself. "ah," with a sigh, "i shall make a poor lawyer, i fear. ain't used, you see, barber, to a business which, ignoring the principle of honor, holds no nail fast till clinched. strange, barber," taking up the blank paper, "that such flimsy stuff as this should make such strong hawsers; vile hawsers, too. barber," starting up, "i won't put it in black and white. it were a reflection upon our joint honor. i will take your word, and you shall take mine." "but your memory may be none of the best, sir. well for you, on your side, to have it in black and white, just for a memorandum like, you know." "that, indeed! yes, and it would help _your_ memory, too, wouldn't it, barber? yours, on your side, being a little weak, too, i dare say. ah, barber! how ingenious we human beings are; and how kindly we reciprocate each other's little delicacies, don't we? what better proof, now, that we are kind, considerate fellows, with responsive fellow-feelings--eh, barber? but to business. let me see. what's your name, barber?" "william cream, sir." pondering a moment, he began to write; and, after some corrections, leaned back, and read aloud the following: "agreement between frank goodman, philanthropist, and citizen of the world, and william cream, barber of the mississippi steamer, fidèle. "the first hereby agrees to make good to the last any loss that may come from his trusting mankind, in the way of his vocation, for the residue of the present trip; provided that william cream keep out of sight, for the given term, his notification of no trust, and by no other mode convey any, the least hint or intimation, tending to discourage men from soliciting trust from him, in the way of his vocation, for the time above specified; but, on the contrary, he do, by all proper and reasonable words, gestures, manners, and looks, evince a perfect confidence in all men, especially strangers; otherwise, this agreement to be void. "done, in good faith, this st day of april --, at a quarter to twelve o'clock, p. m., in the shop of said william cream, on board the said boat, fidèle." "there, barber; will that do?" "that will do," said the barber, "only now put down your name." both signatures being affixed, the question was started by the barber, who should have custody of the instrument; which point, however, he settled for himself, by proposing that both should go together to the captain, and give the document into his hands--the barber hinting that this would be a safe proceeding, because the captain was necessarily a party disinterested, and, what was more, could not, from the nature of the present case, make anything by a breach of trust. all of which was listened to with some surprise and concern. "why, barber," said the cosmopolitan, "this don't show the right spirit; for me, i have confidence in the captain purely because he is a man; but he shall have nothing to do with our affair; for if you have no confidence in me, barber, i have in you. there, keep the paper yourself," handing it magnanimously. "very good," said the barber, "and now nothing remains but for me to receive the cash." though the mention of that word, or any of its singularly numerous equivalents, in serious neighborhood to a requisition upon one's purse, is attended with a more or less noteworthy effect upon the human countenance, producing in many an abrupt fall of it--in others, a writhing and screwing up of the features to a point not undistressing to behold, in some, attended with a blank pallor and fatal consternation--yet no trace of any of these symptoms was visible upon the countenance of the cosmopolitan, notwithstanding nothing could be more sudden and unexpected than the barber's demand. "you speak of cash, barber; pray in what connection?" "in a nearer one, sir," answered the barber, less blandly, "than i thought the man with the sweet voice stood, who wanted me to trust him once for a shave, on the score of being a sort of thirteenth cousin." "indeed, and what did you say to him?" "i said, 'thank you, sir, but i don't see the connection,'" "how could you so unsweetly answer one with a sweet voice?" "because, i recalled what the son of sirach says in the true book: 'an enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips;' and so i did what the son of sirach advises in such cases: 'i believed not his many words.'" "what, barber, do you say that such cynical sort of things are in the true book, by which, of course, you mean the bible?" "yes, and plenty more to the same effect. read the book of proverbs." "that's strange, now, barber; for i never happen to have met with those passages you cite. before i go to bed this night, i'll inspect the bible i saw on the cabin-table, to-day. but mind, you mustn't quote the true book that way to people coming in here; it would be impliedly a violation of the contract. but you don't know how glad i feel that you have for one while signed off all that sort of thing." "no, sir; not unless you down with the cash." "cash again! what do you mean?" "why, in this paper here, you engage, sir, to insure me against a certain loss, and----" "certain? is it so _certain_ you are going to lose?" "why, that way of taking the word may not be amiss, but i didn't mean it so. i meant a _certain_ loss; you understand, a certain loss; that is to say, a certain loss. now then, sir, what use your mere writing and saying you will insure me, unless beforehand you place in my hands a money-pledge, sufficient to that end?" "i see; the material pledge." "yes, and i will put it low; say fifty dollars." "now what sort of a beginning is this? you, barber, for a given time engage to trust man, to put confidence in men, and, for your first step, make a demand implying no confidence in the very man you engage with. but fifty dollars is nothing, and i would let you have it cheerfully, only i unfortunately happen to have but little change with me just now." "but you have money in your trunk, though?" "to be sure. but you see--in fact, barber, you must be consistent. no, i won't let you have the money now; i won't let you violate the inmost spirit of our contract, that way. so good-night, and i will see you again." "stay, sir"--humming and hawing--"you have forgotten something." "handkerchief?--gloves? no, forgotten nothing. good-night." "stay, sir--the--the shaving." "ah, i _did_ forget that. but now that it strikes me, i shan't pay you at present. look at your agreement; you must trust. tut! against loss you hold the guarantee. good-night, my dear barber." with which words he sauntered off, leaving the barber in a maze, staring after. but it holding true in fascination as in natural philosophy, that nothing can act where it is not, so the barber was not long now in being restored to his self-possession and senses; the first evidence of which perhaps was, that, drawing forth his notification from the drawer, he put it back where it belonged; while, as for the agreement, that he tore up; which he felt the more free to do from the impression that in all human probability he would never again see the person who had drawn it. whether that impression proved well-founded or not, does not appear. but in after days, telling the night's adventure to his friends, the worthy barber always spoke of his queer customer as the man-charmer--as certain east indians are called snake-charmers--and all his friends united in thinking him quite an original. chapter xliv. in which the last three words of the last chapter are made the text of discourse, which will be sure of receiving more or less attention from those readers who do not skip it. "quite an original:" a phrase, we fancy, rather oftener used by the young, or the unlearned, or the untraveled, than by the old, or the well-read, or the man who has made the grand tour. certainly, the sense of originality exists at its highest in an infant, and probably at its lowest in him who has completed the circle of the sciences. as for original characters in fiction, a grateful reader will, on meeting with one, keep the anniversary of that day. true, we sometimes hear of an author who, at one creation, produces some two or three score such characters; it may be possible. but they can hardly be original in the sense that hamlet is, or don quixote, or milton's satan. that is to say, they are not, in a thorough sense, original at all. they are novel, or singular, or striking, or captivating, or all four at once. more likely, they are what are called odd characters; but for that, are no more original, than what is called an odd genius, in his way, is. but, if original, whence came they? or where did the novelist pick them up? where does any novelist pick up any character? for the most part, in town, to be sure. every great town is a kind of man-show, where the novelist goes for his stock, just as the agriculturist goes to the cattle-show for his. but in the one fair, new species of quadrupeds are hardly more rare, than in the other are new species of characters--that is, original ones. their rarity may still the more appear from this, that, while characters, merely singular, imply but singular forms so to speak, original ones, truly so, imply original instincts. in short, a due conception of what is to be held for this sort of personage in fiction would make him almost as much of a prodigy there, as in real history is a new law-giver, a revolutionizing philosopher, or the founder of a new religion. in nearly all the original characters, loosely accounted such in works of invention, there is discernible something prevailingly local, or of the age; which circumstance, of itself, would seem to invalidate the claim, judged by the principles here suggested. furthermore, if we consider, what is popularly held to entitle characters in fiction to being deemed original, is but something personal--confined to itself. the character sheds not its characteristic on its surroundings, whereas, the original character, essentially such, is like a revolving drummond light, raying away from itself all round it--everything is lit by it, everything starts up to it (mark how it is with hamlet), so that, in certain minds, there follows upon the adequate conception of such a character, an effect, in its way, akin to that which in genesis attends upon the beginning of things. for much the same reason that there is but one planet to one orbit, so can there be but one such original character to one work of invention. two would conflict to chaos. in this view, to say that there are more than one to a book, is good presumption there is none at all. but for new, singular, striking, odd, eccentric, and all sorts of entertaining and instructive characters, a good fiction may be full of them. to produce such characters, an author, beside other things, must have seen much, and seen through much: to produce but one original character, he must have had much luck. there would seem but one point in common between this sort of phenomenon in fiction and all other sorts: it cannot be born in the author's imagination--it being as true in literature as in zoology, that all life is from the egg. in the endeavor to show, if possible, the impropriety of the phrase, _quite an original_, as applied by the barber's friends, we have, at unawares, been led into a dissertation bordering upon the prosy, perhaps upon the smoky. if so, the best use the smoke can be turned to, will be, by retiring under cover of it, in good trim as may be, to the story. chapter xlv. the cosmopolitan increases in seriousness. in the middle of the gentleman's cabin burned a solar lamp, swung from the ceiling, and whose shade of ground glass was all round fancifully variegated, in transparency, with the image of a horned altar, from which flames rose, alternate with the figure of a robed man, his head encircled by a halo. the light of this lamp, after dazzlingly striking on marble, snow-white and round--the slab of a centre-table beneath--on all sides went rippling off with ever-diminishing distinctness, till, like circles from a stone dropped in water, the rays died dimly away in the furthest nook of the place. here and there, true to their place, but not to their function, swung other lamps, barren planets, which had either gone out from exhaustion, or been extinguished by such occupants of berths as the light annoyed, or who wanted to sleep, not see. by a perverse man, in a berth not remote, the remaining lamp would have been extinguished as well, had not a steward forbade, saying that the commands of the captain required it to be kept burning till the natural light of day should come to relieve it. this steward, who, like many in his vocation, was apt to be a little free-spoken at times, had been provoked by the man's pertinacity to remind him, not only of the sad consequences which might, upon occasion, ensue from the cabin being left in darkness, but, also, of the circumstance that, in a place full of strangers, to show one's self anxious to produce darkness there, such an anxiety was, to say the least, not becoming. so the lamp--last survivor of many--burned on, inwardly blessed by those in some berths, and inwardly execrated by those in others. keeping his lone vigils beneath his lone lamp, which lighted his book on the table, sat a clean, comely, old man, his head snowy as the marble, and a countenance like that which imagination ascribes to good simeon, when, having at last beheld the master of faith, he blessed him and departed in peace. from his hale look of greenness in winter, and his hands ingrained with the tan, less, apparently, of the present summer, than of accumulated ones past, the old man seemed a well-to-do farmer, happily dismissed, after a thrifty life of activity, from the fields to the fireside--one of those who, at three-score-and-ten, are fresh-hearted as at fifteen; to whom seclusion gives a boon more blessed than knowledge, and at last sends them to heaven untainted by the world, because ignorant of it; just as a countryman putting up at a london inn, and never stirring out of it as a sight-seer, will leave london at last without once being lost in its fog, or soiled by its mud. redolent from the barber's shop, as any bridegroom tripping to the bridal chamber might come, and by his look of cheeriness seeming to dispense a sort of morning through the night, in came the cosmopolitan; but marking the old man, and how he was occupied, he toned himself down, and trod softly, and took a seat on the other side of the table, and said nothing. still, there was a kind of waiting expression about him. "sir," said the old man, after looking up puzzled at him a moment, "sir," said he, "one would think this was a coffee-house, and it was war-time, and i had a newspaper here with great news, and the only copy to be had, you sit there looking at me so eager." "and so you _have_ good news there, sir--the very best of good news." "too good to be true," here came from one of the curtained berths. "hark!" said the cosmopolitan. "some one talks in his sleep." "yes," said the old man, "and you--_you_ seem to be talking in a dream. why speak you, sir, of news, and all that, when you must see this is a book i have here--the bible, not a newspaper?" "i know that; and when you are through with it--but not a moment sooner--i will thank you for it. it belongs to the boat, i believe--a present from a society." "oh, take it, take it!" "nay, sir, i did not mean to touch you at all. i simply stated the fact in explanation of my waiting here--nothing more. read on, sir, or you will distress me." this courtesy was not without effect. removing his spectacles, and saying he had about finished his chapter, the old man kindly presented the volume, which was received with thanks equally kind. after reading for some minutes, until his expression merged from attentiveness into seriousness, and from that into a kind of pain, the cosmopolitan slowly laid down the book, and turning to the old man, who thus far had been watching him with benign curiosity, said: "can you, my aged friend, resolve me a doubt--a disturbing doubt?" "there are doubts, sir," replied the old man, with a changed countenance, "there are doubts, sir, which, if man have them, it is not man that can solve them." "true; but look, now, what my doubt is. i am one who thinks well of man. i love man. i have confidence in man. but what was told me not a half-hour since? i was told that i would find it written--'believe not his many words--an enemy speaketh sweetly with his lips'--and also i was told that i would find a good deal more to the same effect, and all in this book. i could not think it; and, coming here to look for myself, what do i read? not only just what was quoted, but also, as was engaged, more to the same purpose, such as this: 'with much communication he will tempt thee; he will smile upon thee, and speak thee fair, and say what wantest thou? if thou be for his profit he will use thee; he will make thee bear, and will not be sorry for it. observe and take good heed. when thou hearest these things, awake in thy sleep.'" "who's that describing the confidence-man?" here came from the berth again. "awake in his sleep, sure enough, ain't he?" said the cosmopolitan, again looking off in surprise. "same voice as before, ain't it? strange sort of dreamy man, that. which is his berth, pray?" "never mind _him_, sir," said the old man anxiously, "but tell me truly, did you, indeed, read from the book just now?" "i did," with changed air, "and gall and wormwood it is to me, a truster in man; to me, a philanthropist." "why," moved, "you don't mean to say, that what you repeated is really down there? man and boy, i have read the good book this seventy years, and don't remember seeing anything like that. let me see it," rising earnestly, and going round to him. "there it is; and there--and there"--turning over the leaves, and pointing to the sentences one by one; "there--all down in the 'wisdom of jesus, the son of sirach.'" "ah!" cried the old man, brightening up, "now i know. look," turning the leaves forward and back, till all the old testament lay flat on one side, and all the new testament flat on the other, while in his fingers he supported vertically the portion between, "look, sir, all this to the right is certain truth, and all this to the left is certain truth, but all i hold in my hand here is apocrypha." "apocrypha?" "yes; and there's the word in black and white," pointing to it. "and what says the word? it says as much as 'not warranted;' for what do college men say of anything of that sort? they say it is apocryphal. the word itself, i've heard from the pulpit, implies something of uncertain credit. so if your disturbance be raised from aught in this apocrypha," again taking up the pages, "in that case, think no more of it, for it's apocrypha." "what's that about the apocalypse?" here, a third time, came from the berth. "he's seeing visions now, ain't he?" said the cosmopolitan, once more looking in the direction of the interruption. "but, sir," resuming, "i cannot tell you how thankful i am for your reminding me about the apocrypha here. for the moment, its being such escaped me. fact is, when all is bound up together, it's sometimes confusing. the uncanonical part should be bound distinct. and, now that i think of it, how well did those learned doctors who rejected for us this whole book of sirach. i never read anything so calculated to destroy man's confidence in man. this son of sirach even says--i saw it but just now: 'take heed of thy friends;' not, observe, thy seeming friends, thy hypocritical friends, thy false friends, but thy _friends_, thy real friends--that is to say, not the truest friend in the world is to be implicitly trusted. can rochefoucault equal that? i should not wonder if his view of human nature, like machiavelli's, was taken from this son of sirach. and to call it wisdom--the wisdom of the son of sirach! wisdom, indeed! what an ugly thing wisdom must be! give me the folly that dimples the cheek, say i, rather than the wisdom that curdles the blood. but no, no; it ain't wisdom; it's apocrypha, as you say, sir. for how can that be trustworthy that teaches distrust?" "i tell you what it is," here cried the same voice as before, only more in less of mockery, "if you two don't know enough to sleep, don't be keeping wiser men awake. and if you want to know what wisdom is, go find it under your blankets." "wisdom?" cried another voice with a brogue; "arrah and is't wisdom the two geese are gabbling about all this while? to bed with ye, ye divils, and don't be after burning your fingers with the likes of wisdom." "we must talk lower," said the old man; "i fear we have annoyed these good people." "i should be sorry if wisdom annoyed any one," said the other; "but we will lower our voices, as you say. to resume: taking the thing as i did, can you be surprised at my uneasiness in reading passages so charged with the spirit of distrust?" "no, sir, i am not surprised," said the old man; then added: "from what you say, i see you are something of my way of thinking--you think that to distrust the creature, is a kind of distrusting of the creator. well, my young friend, what is it? this is rather late for you to be about. what do you want of me?" these questions were put to a boy in the fragment of an old linen coat, bedraggled and yellow, who, coming in from the deck barefooted on the soft carpet, had been unheard. all pointed and fluttering, the rags of the little fellow's red-flannel shirt, mixed with those of his yellow coat, flamed about him like the painted flames in the robes of a victim in _auto-da-fe_. his face, too, wore such a polish of seasoned grime, that his sloe-eyes sparkled from out it like lustrous sparks in fresh coal. he was a juvenile peddler, or _marchand_, as the polite french might have called him, of travelers' conveniences; and, having no allotted sleeping-place, had, in his wanderings about the boat, spied, through glass doors, the two in the cabin; and, late though it was, thought it might never be too much so for turning a penny. among other things, he carried a curious affair--a miniature mahogany door, hinged to its frame, and suitably furnished in all respects but one, which will shortly appear. this little door he now meaningly held before the old man, who, after staring at it a while, said: "go thy ways with thy toys, child." "now, may i never get so old and wise as that comes to," laughed the boy through his grime; and, by so doing, disclosing leopard-like teeth, like those of murillo's wild beggar-boy's. "the divils are laughing now, are they?" here came the brogue from the berth. "what do the divils find to laugh about in wisdom, begorrah? to bed with ye, ye divils, and no more of ye." "you see, child, you have disturbed that person," said the old man; "you mustn't laugh any more." "ah, now," said the cosmopolitan, "don't, pray, say that; don't let him think that poor laughter is persecuted for a fool in this world." "well," said the old man to the boy, "you must, at any rate, speak very low." "yes, that wouldn't be amiss, perhaps," said the cosmopolitan; "but, my fine fellow, you were about saying something to my aged friend here; what was it?" "oh," with a lowered voice, coolly opening and shutting his little door, "only this: when i kept a toy-stand at the fair in cincinnati last month, i sold more than one old man a child's rattle." "no doubt of it," said the old man. "i myself often buy such things for my little grandchildren." "but these old men i talk of were old bachelors." the old man stared at him a moment; then, whispering to the cosmopolitan: "strange boy, this; sort of simple, ain't he? don't know much, hey?" "not much," said the boy, "or i wouldn't be so ragged." "why, child, what sharp ears you have!" exclaimed the old man. "if they were duller, i would hear less ill of myself," said the boy. "you seem pretty wise, my lad," said the cosmopolitan; "why don't you sell your wisdom, and buy a coat?" "faith," said the boy, "that's what i did to-day, and this is the coat that the price of my wisdom bought. but won't you trade? see, now, it is not the door i want to sell; i only carry the door round for a specimen, like. look now, sir," standing the thing up on the table, "supposing this little door is your state-room door; well," opening it, "you go in for the night; you close your door behind you--thus. now, is all safe?" "i suppose so, child," said the old man. "of course it is, my fine fellow," said the cosmopolitan. "all safe. well. now, about two o'clock in the morning, say, a soft-handed gentleman comes softly and tries the knob here--thus; in creeps my soft-handed gentleman; and hey, presto! how comes on the soft cash?" "i see, i see, child," said the old man; "your fine gentleman is a fine thief, and there's no lock to your little door to keep him out;" with which words he peered at it more closely than before. "well, now," again showing his white teeth, "well, now, some of you old folks are knowing 'uns, sure enough; but now comes the great invention," producing a small steel contrivance, very simple but ingenious, and which, being clapped on the inside of the little door, secured it as with a bolt. "there now," admiringly holding it off at arm's-length, "there now, let that soft-handed gentleman come now a' softly trying this little knob here, and let him keep a' trying till he finds his head as soft as his hand. buy the traveler's patent lock, sir, only twenty-five cents." "dear me," cried the old man, "this beats printing. yes, child, i will have one, and use it this very night." with the phlegm of an old banker pouching the change, the boy now turned to the other: "sell you one, sir?" "excuse me, my fine fellow, but i never use such blacksmiths' things." "those who give the blacksmith most work seldom do," said the boy, tipping him a wink expressive of a degree of indefinite knowingness, not uninteresting to consider in one of his years. but the wink was not marked by the old man, nor, to all appearances, by him for whom it was intended. "now then," said the boy, again addressing the old man. "with your traveler's lock on your door to-night, you will think yourself all safe, won't you?" "i think i will, child." "but how about the window?" "dear me, the window, child. i never thought of that. i must see to that." "never you mind about the window," said the boy, "nor, to be honor bright, about the traveler's lock either, (though i ain't sorry for selling one), do you just buy one of these little jokers," producing a number of suspender-like objects, which he dangled before the old man; "money-belts, sir; only fifty cents." "money-belt? never heard of such a thing." "a sort of pocket-book," said the boy, "only a safer sort. very good for travelers." "oh, a pocket-book. queer looking pocket-books though, seems to me. ain't they rather long and narrow for pocket-books?" "they go round the waist, sir, inside," said the boy "door open or locked, wide awake on your feet or fast asleep in your chair, impossible to be robbed with a money-belt." "i see, i see. it _would_ be hard to rob one's money-belt. and i was told to-day the mississippi is a bad river for pick-pockets. how much are they?" "only fifty cents, sir." "i'll take one. there!" "thank-ee. and now there's a present for ye," with which, drawing from his breast a batch of little papers, he threw one before the old man, who, looking at it, read "_counterfeit detector_." "very good thing," said the boy, "i give it to all my customers who trade seventy-five cents' worth; best present can be made them. sell you a money-belt, sir?" turning to the cosmopolitan. "excuse me, my fine fellow, but i never use that sort of thing; my money i carry loose." "loose bait ain't bad," said the boy, "look a lie and find the truth; don't care about a counterfeit detector, do ye? or is the wind east, d'ye think?" "child," said the old man in some concern, "you mustn't sit up any longer, it affects your mind; there, go away, go to bed." "if i had some people's brains to lie on. i would," said the boy, "but planks is hard, you know." "go, child--go, go!" "yes, child,--yes, yes," said the boy, with which roguish parody, by way of congé, he scraped back his hard foot on the woven flowers of the carpet, much as a mischievous steer in may scrapes back his horny hoof in the pasture; and then with a flourish of his hat--which, like the rest of his tatters, was, thanks to hard times, a belonging beyond his years, though not beyond his experience, being a grown man's cast-off beaver--turned, and with the air of a young caffre, quitted the place. "that's a strange boy," said the old man, looking after him. "i wonder who's his mother; and whether she knows what late hours he keeps?" "the probability is," observed the other, "that his mother does not know. but if you remember, sir, you were saying something, when the boy interrupted you with his door." "so i was.--let me see," unmindful of his purchases for the moment, "what, now, was it? what was that i was saying? do _you_ remember?" "not perfectly, sir; but, if i am not mistaken, it was something like this: you hoped you did not distrust the creature; for that would imply distrust of the creator." "yes, that was something like it," mechanically and unintelligently letting his eye fall now on his purchases. "pray, will you put your money in your belt to-night?" "it's best, ain't it?" with a slight start. "never too late to be cautious. 'beware of pick-pockets' is all over the boat." "yes, and it must have been the son of sirach, or some other morbid cynic, who put them there. but that's not to the purpose. since you are minded to it, pray, sir, let me help you about the belt. i think that, between us, we can make a secure thing of it." "oh no, no, no!" said the old man, not unperturbed, "no, no, i wouldn't trouble you for the world," then, nervously folding up the belt, "and i won't be so impolite as to do it for myself, before you, either. but, now that i think of it," after a pause, carefully taking a little wad from a remote corner of his vest pocket, "here are two bills they gave me at st. louis, yesterday. no doubt they are all right; but just to pass time, i'll compare them with the detector here. blessed boy to make me such a present. public benefactor, that little boy!" laying the detector square before him on the table, he then, with something of the air of an officer bringing by the collar a brace of culprits to the bar, placed the two bills opposite the detector, upon which, the examination began, lasting some time, prosecuted with no small research and vigilance, the forefinger of the right hand proving of lawyer-like efficacy in tracing out and pointing the evidence, whichever way it might go. after watching him a while, the cosmopolitan said in a formal voice, "well, what say you, mr. foreman; guilty, or not guilty?--not guilty, ain't it?" "i don't know, i don't know," returned the old man, perplexed, "there's so many marks of all sorts to go by, it makes it a kind of uncertain. here, now, is this bill," touching one, "it looks to be a three dollar bill on the vicksburgh trust and insurance banking company. well, the detector says----" "but why, in this case, care what it says? trust and insurance! what more would you have?" "no; but the detector says, among fifty other things, that, if a good bill, it must have, thickened here and there into the substance of the paper, little wavy spots of red; and it says they must have a kind of silky feel, being made by the lint of a red silk handkerchief stirred up in the paper-maker's vat--the paper being made to order for the company." "well, and is----" "stay. but then it adds, that sign is not always to be relied on; for some good bills get so worn, the red marks get rubbed out. and that's the case with my bill here--see how old it is--or else it's a counterfeit, or else--i don't see right--or else--dear, dear me--i don't know what else to think." "what a peck of trouble that detector makes for you now; believe me, the bill is good; don't be so distrustful. proves what i've always thought, that much of the want of confidence, in these days, is owing to these counterfeit detectors you see on every desk and counter. puts people up to suspecting good bills. throw it away, i beg, if only because of the trouble it breeds you." "no; it's troublesome, but i think i'll keep it.--stay, now, here's another sign. it says that, if the bill is good, it must have in one corner, mixed in with the vignette, the figure of a goose, very small, indeed, all but microscopic; and, for added precaution, like the figure of napoleon outlined by the tree, not observable, even if magnified, unless the attention is directed to it. now, pore over it as i will, i can't see this goose." "can't see the goose? why, i can; and a famous goose it is. there" (reaching over and pointing to a spot in the vignette). "i don't see it--dear me--i don't see the goose. is it a real goose?" "a perfect goose; beautiful goose." "dear, dear, i don't see it." "then throw that detector away, i say again; it only makes you purblind; don't you see what a wild-goose chase it has led you? the bill is good. throw the detector away." "no; it ain't so satisfactory as i thought for, but i must examine this other bill." "as you please, but i can't in conscience assist you any more; pray, then, excuse me." so, while the old man with much painstakings resumed his work, the cosmopolitan, to allow him every facility, resumed his reading. at length, seeing that he had given up his undertaking as hopeless, and was at leisure again, the cosmopolitan addressed some gravely interesting remarks to him about the book before him, and, presently, becoming more and more grave, said, as he turned the large volume slowly over on the table, and with much difficulty traced the faded remains of the gilt inscription giving the name of the society who had presented it to the boat, "ah, sir, though every one must be pleased at the thought of the presence in public places of such a book, yet there is something that abates the satisfaction. look at this volume; on the outside, battered as any old valise in the baggage-room; and inside, white and virgin as the hearts of lilies in bud." "so it is, so it is," said the old man sadly, his attention for the first directed to the circumstance. "nor is this the only time," continued the other, "that i have observed these public bibles in boats and hotels. all much like this--old without, and new within. true, this aptly typifies that internal freshness, the best mark of truth, however ancient; but then, it speaks not so well as could be wished for the good book's esteem in the minds of the traveling public. i may err, but it seems to me that if more confidence was put in it by the traveling public, it would hardly be so." with an expression very unlike that with which he had bent over the detector, the old man sat meditating upon his companions remarks a while; and, at last, with a rapt look, said: "and yet, of all people, the traveling public most need to put trust in that guardianship which is made known in this book." "true, true," thoughtfully assented the other. "and one would think they would want to, and be glad to," continued the old man kindling; "for, in all our wanderings through this vale, how pleasant, not less than obligatory, to feel that we need start at no wild alarms, provide for no wild perils; trusting in that power which is alike able and willing to protect us when we cannot ourselves." his manner produced something answering to it in the cosmopolitan, who, leaning over towards him, said sadly: "though this is a theme on which travelers seldom talk to each other, yet, to you, sir, i will say, that i share something of your sense of security. i have moved much about the world, and still keep at it; nevertheless, though in this land, and especially in these parts of it, some stories are told about steamboats and railroads fitted to make one a little apprehensive, yet, i may say that, neither by land nor by water, am i ever seriously disquieted, however, at times, transiently uneasy; since, with you, sir, i believe in a committee of safety, holding silent sessions over all, in an invisible patrol, most alert when we soundest sleep, and whose beat lies as much through forests as towns, along rivers as streets. in short, i never forget that passage of scripture which says, 'jehovah shall be thy confidence.' the traveler who has not this trust, what miserable misgivings must be his; or, what vain, short-sighted care must he take of himself." "even so," said the old man, lowly. "there is a chapter," continued the other, again taking the book, "which, as not amiss, i must read you. but this lamp, solar-lamp as it is, begins to burn dimly." "so it does, so it does," said the old man with changed air, "dear me, it must be very late. i must to bed, to bed! let me see," rising and looking wistfully all round, first on the stools and settees, and then on the carpet, "let me see, let me see;--is there anything i have forgot,--forgot? something i a sort of dimly remember. something, my son--careful man--told me at starting this morning, this very morning. something about seeing to--something before i got into my berth. what could it be? something for safety. oh, my poor old memory!" "let me give a little guess, sir. life-preserver?" "so it was. he told me not to omit seeing i had a life-preserver in my state-room; said the boat supplied them, too. but where are they? i don't see any. what are they like?" "they are something like this, sir, i believe," lifting a brown stool with a curved tin compartment underneath; "yes, this, i think, is a life-preserver, sir; and a very good one, i should say, though i don't pretend to know much about such things, never using them myself." "why, indeed, now! who would have thought it? _that_ a life-preserver? that's the very stool i was sitting on, ain't it?" "it is. and that shows that one's life is looked out for, when he ain't looking out for it himself. in fact, any of these stools here will float you, sir, should the boat hit a snag, and go down in the dark. but, since you want one in your room, pray take this one," handing it to him. "i think i can recommend this one; the tin part," rapping it with his knuckles, "seems so perfect--sounds so very hollow." "sure it's _quite_ perfect, though?" then, anxiously putting on his spectacles, he scrutinized it pretty closely--"well soldered? quite tight?" "i should say so, sir; though, indeed, as i said, i never use this sort of thing, myself. still, i think that in case of a wreck, barring sharp-pointed timbers, you could have confidence in that stool for a special providence." "then, good-night, good-night; and providence have both of us in its good keeping." "be sure it will," eying the old man with sympathy, as for the moment he stood, money-belt in hand, and life-preserver under arm, "be sure it will, sir, since in providence, as in man, you and i equally put trust. but, bless me, we are being left in the dark here. pah! what a smell, too." "ah, my way now," cried the old man, peering before him, "where lies my way to my state-room?" "i have indifferent eyes, and will show you; but, first, for the good of all lungs, let me extinguish this lamp." the next moment, the waning light expired, and with it the waning flames of the horned altar, and the waning halo round the robed man's brow; while in the darkness which ensued, the cosmopolitan kindly led the old man away. something further may follow of this masquerade. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | transcriber's note and errata | | | | the following words were seen in both hyphenated and | | un-hyphenated forms: | | | | |church-yard ( ) |churchyard ( ) | | | |cross-wise ( ) |crosswise ( ) | | | |thread-bare ( ) |threadbare ( ) | | | | | the following typographical errors were corrected: | | | | |error |correction | | | | | | | | |acquantance |acquaintance | | | |prevailent |prevalent | | | |the the |the | | | |tranquillity |tranquility | | | |abox |a box | | | |acommodates |accommodates | | | |have have |have | | | |worldlingg, lutton, |worldling, glutton, | | | |backswoods' |backwoods' | | | |it it |it is | | | |fellew |fellow | | | |principal |principle | | | |it it |it | | | |everwhere |everywhere | | | |suprising |surprising | | | |freind |friend | | | | | one 'oe' ligature was replaced with oe. | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ generously made available by the kentuckiana digital library) the blue and the gray--afloat two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . taken by the enemy within the enemy's lines on the blockade stand by the union fighting for the right a victorious union the blue and the gray--on land two colors cloth emblematic dies illustrated price per volume $ . brother against brother in the saddle a lieutenant at eighteen on the staff at the front an undivided union any volume sold separately lee and shepard publishers boston [illustration: mulgrum and the engineer.] the blue and the gray series [illustration] by oliver optic on the blockade _the blue and the gray series_ on the blockade by oliver optic author of "the army and navy series" "young america abroad" "the great western series" "the woodville stories" "the starry flag series" "the boat-club stories" "the onward and upward series" "the yacht-club series" "the lake shore series" "the riverdale series" "the boat-builder series" "taken by the enemy" "within the enemy's lines" etc. boston lee and shepard publishers copyright, , by lee and shepard _all rights reserved._ on the blockade. to my son-in-law, sol smith russell, of the united states of america, though residing in minneapolis, minnesota, who is always "on the blockade" against melancholy, "the blues," and all similar maladies, this volume is affectionately dedicated. preface "on the blockade" is the third of "the blue and the gray series." like the first and second volumes, its incidents are dated back to the war of the rebellion, and located in the midst of its most stirring scenes on the southern coast, where the naval operations of the united states contributed their full share to the final result. the writer begs to remind his readers again that he has not felt called upon to invest his story with the dignity of history, or in all cases to mingle fiction with actual historic occurrences. he believes that all the scenes of the story are not only possible, but probable, and that just such events as he has narrated really and frequently occurred in the days of the rebellion. the historian is forbidden to make his work more palatable or more interesting by the intermixture of fiction with fact, while the story-writer, though required to be reasonably consistent with the spirit and the truth of history, may wander from veritable details, and use his imagination in the creation of incidents upon which the grand result is reached. it would not be allowable to make the rebellion a success, if the writer so desired, even on the pages of romance; and it would not be fair or just to ignore the bravery, the self-sacrifice, and the heroic endurance of the southern people in a cause they believed to be holy and patriotic, as almost universally admitted at the present time, any more than it would be to lose sight of the magnificent spirit, the heroism, the courage, and the persistence, of the northern people in accomplishing what they believed then, and still believe, was a holy and patriotic duty in the preservation of the union. incidents not inconsistent with the final result, or with the spirit of the people on either side in the great conflict are of comparatively little consequence. that general lee or general grant turned this or that corner in reaching appomattox may be important, but the grand historical tableau is the christian hero, noble in the midst of defeat, disaster, and ruin, formally rendering his sword to the impassible but magnanimous conqueror as the crowning event of a long and bloody war. the details are historically important, though overshadowed by the mighty result of the great conflict. many of the personages of the preceding volumes have been introduced in the present one, and the central figure remains the same. the writer is willing to admit that his hero is an ideal character, though his lofty tone and patriotic spirit were fully paralleled by veritable individuals during the war; and he is not prepared to apologize for the abundant success which attended the career of christy passford. those who really struggled as earnestly and faithfully deserved his good fortune, though they did not always obtain it. dorchester, mass., april , . contents page chapter i. the united states steamer bronx chapter ii. a dinner for the confederacy chapter iii. the intruder at the cabin door chapter iv. a deaf and dumb mystery chapter v. a confidential steward chapter vi. a mission up the foremast chapter vii. an interview on the bridge chapter viii. important information, if true chapter ix. a volunteer captain's clerk chapter x. the unexpected orders chapter xi. another reading of the sealed orders chapter xii. a sail on the starboard bow chapter xiii. the steamer in the fog chapter xiv. the confederate steamer scotian chapter xv. the scotian becomes the ocklockonee chapter xvi. captain passford's final orders chapter xvii. a couple of astonished conspirators chapter xviii. a triangular action with great guns chapter xix. on the deck of the arran chapter xx. the new commander of the bronx chapter xxi. an expedition in the gulf chapter xxii. a night expedition in the boats chapter xxiii. the visit to a shore battery chapter xxiv. captain lonley of the steamer havana chapter xxv. the new engineer of the prize steamer chapter xxvi. the battle with the soldiers chapter xxvii. the innocent captain of the garrison chapter xxviii. the bearer of despatches chapter xxix. the new commander of the vixen chapter xxx. the action with a privateer steamer chapter xxxi. a short visit to bonnydale on the blockade chapter i the united states steamer bronx "she is a fine little steamer, father, without the possibility of a doubt," said lieutenant passford, who was seated at the table with his father in the captain's cabin on board of the bronx. "i don't feel quite at home here, and i don't quite like the idea of being taken out of the bellevite." "you are not going to sea for the fun of it, my son," replied captain passford. "you are not setting out on a yachting excursion, but on the most serious business in the world." "i know and feel all that, father, but i have spent so many pleasant days, hours, weeks, and months on board of the bellevite, that i am very sorry to leave her," added christy passford, who had put on his new uniform, which was that of master in the united states navy; and he was as becoming to the uniform as the uniform was to him. "you cannot well help having some regrets at leaving the bellevite; but you must remember that your life on board of her was mostly in the capacity of a pleasure-seeker, though you made a good use of your time and of your opportunities for improvement; and that is the reason why you have made such remarkable progress in your present profession." "i shall miss my friends on board of the bellevite. i have sailed with all her officers, and paul vapoor and i have been cronies for years," continued christy, with a shade of gloom on his bright face. "you will probably see them occasionally, and if your life is spared you may again find yourself an officer of the bellevite. but i think you have no occasion to indulge in any regrets," said captain passford, imparting a cheerful expression to his dignified countenance. "allow me to call your attention to the fact that you are the commander of this fine little steamer. here you are in your own cabin, and you are still nothing but a boy, hardly eighteen years old." "if i have not earned my rank, it is not my fault that i have it," answered christy, hardly knowing whether to be glad or sorry for his rapid advancement. "i have never asked for anything; i did not ask or expect to be promoted. i was satisfied with my rank as a midshipman." "i did not ask for your promotion, though i could probably have procured for you the rank of master when you entered the navy. i do not like to ask favors for a member of my own family. i have wished you to feel that you were in the service of your country because it needs you, and not for glory or profit." "and i have tried to feel so, father." "i think you have felt so, my son; and i am prouder of the fact that you are a disinterested patriot than of the rank you have nobly and bravely won," said captain passford, as he took some letters from his pocket, from which he selected one bearing an english postage stamp. "i have a letter from one of my agents in england, which, i think, contains valuable information. i have called the attention of the government to these employes of mine, and they will soon pass from my service to that of the naval department. the information sent me has sometimes been very important." "i know that myself, for the information that came from that source enabled the bellevite to capture the killbright," added christy. "the contents of the letter in my hand have been sent to the secretary of the navy; but it will do no harm for you to possess the information given to me," continued captain passford, as he opened the letter. "but i see a man at work at the foot of the companion way, and i don't care to post the whole ship's company on this subject." "that is pink mulgrum," said christy with a smile on his face. "he is deaf and dumb, and he cannot make any use of what you say." "don't be sure of anything, christy, except your religion and your patriotism, in these times," added captain passford, as he rose and closed the door of the cabin. "i don't think there is much danger from a deaf mute, father," said the young commander of the bronx laughing. "perhaps not; but when you have war intelligence to communicate, it is best to believe that every person has ears, and that every door has a keyhole. i learn from this letter that the scotian sailed from glasgow, and the arran from leith. the agent is of the opinion that both these steamers are fitted out by the same owners, who have formed a company, apparently to furnish the south with gunboats for its navy, as well as with needed supplies. in his letter my correspondent gives me the reason for this belief on his part." "does your agent give you any description of the vessels, father?" asked christy, his eyes sparkling with the interest he felt in the information. "not a very full description, my son, for no strangers were allowed on board of either of them, for very obvious reasons; but they are both of less than five hundred tons burthen, are of precisely the same model and build, evidently constructed in the same yard. both had been pleasure yachts, though owned by different gentlemen. both sailed on the same day, the scotian from greenock and the arran from leith, march ." christy opened his pocket diary, and put his finger on the date mentioned, counting up the days that had elapsed from that time to the present. captain passford could not help smiling at the interest his son manifested in the intelligence he had brought to him. the acting commander of the bronx went over his calculation again. "it is fourteen days since these vessels sailed," said he, looking at his father. "i doubt if your information will be of any value to me, for i suppose the steamers were selected on account of their great speed, as is the case with all blockade runners." "undoubtedly they were chosen for their speed, for a slow vessel does not amount to much in this sort of service," replied captain passford. "i received my letter day before yesterday, when the two vessels had been out twelve days." "if they are fast steamers, they ought to be approaching the southern coast by this time," suggested christy. "this is a windy month, and a vessel bound to the westward would encounter strong westerly gales, so that she could hardly make a quick passage. then these steamers will almost certainly put in at nassau or the bermudas, if not for coal and supplies, at least to obtain the latest intelligence from the blockaded coast, and to pick up a pilot for the port to which they are bound. the agent thinks it is possible that the scotian and arran will meet some vessel to the southward of the isle of wight that will put an armament on board of them. he had written to another of my agents at southampton to look up this matter. it is a quick mail from the latter city to new york, and i may get another letter on this subject before you sail, christy." "my orders may come off to me to-day," added the acting commander. "i am all ready to sail, and i am only waiting for them." "if these two steamers sail in company, as they are likely to do if they are about equal in speed, and if they take on board an armament, it will hardly be prudent for you to meddle with them," said captain passford with a smile, though he had as much confidence in the prudence as in the bravery of his son. "what shall i do, father, run away from them?" asked christy, opening his eyes very wide. "certainly, my son. there is as much patriotism in running away from a superior force as there is in fighting an equal, for if the government should lose your vessel and lose you and your ship's company, it would be a disaster of more or less consequence to your country." "i hardly think i shall fall in with the scotian and the arran, so i will not consider the question of running away from them," said christy laughing. "you have not received your orders yet, but they will probably require you to report at once to the flag-officer in the gulf, and perhaps they will not permit you to look up blockade runners on the high seas," suggested captain passford. "these vessels may be fully armed and manned, in charge of confederate naval officers; and doubtless they will be as glad to pick up the bronx as you would be to pick up the scotian or the arran. you don't know yet whether they will come as simple blockade runners, or as naval vessels flying the confederate flag. whatever your orders, christy, don't allow yourself to be carried away by any quixotic enthusiasm." "i don't think i have any more than half as much audacity as captain breaker said i had. as i look upon it, my first duty is to deliver my ship over to the flag-officer in the gulf; and i suppose i shall be instructed to pick up a confederate cruiser or a blockade runner, if one should cross my course." "obey your orders, christy, whatever they may be. now, i should like to look over the bronx before i go on shore," said captain passford. "i think you said she was of about two hundred tons." "that was what they said down south; but she is about three hundred tons," replied christy, as he proceeded to show his father the cabin in which the conversation had taken place. the captain's cabin was in the stern of the vessel, according to the orthodox rule in naval vessels. of course it was small, though it seemed large to christy who had spent so much of his leisure time in the cabin of the florence, his sailboat on the hudson. it was substantially fitted up, with little superfluous ornamentation; but it was a complete parlor, as a landsman would regard it. from it, on the port side opened the captain's state room, which was quite ample for a vessel no larger than the bronx. between it and the pantry on the starboard side, was a gangway leading from the foot of the companion way, by which the captain's cabin and the ward room were accessible from the quarter deck. crossing the gangway at the foot of the steps, christy led the way into the ward room, where the principal officers were accommodated. it contained four berths, with portières in front of them, which could be drawn out so as to inclose each one in a temporary state room. the forward berth on the starboard side was occupied by the first lieutenant, and the after one by the second lieutenant, according to the custom in the navy. on the port side, the forward berth belonged to the chief engineer, and the after one to the surgeon. forward of this was the steerage, in which the boatswain, gunner, carpenter, the assistant engineers, and the steward were berthed. each of these apartments was provided with a table upon which the meals were served to the officers occupying it. the etiquette of a man-of-war is even more exacting than that of a drawing room on shore. captain passford was then conducted to the deck where he found the officers and seamen engaged in their various duties. besides his son, the former owner of the bellevite was acquainted with only two persons on board of the bronx, sampson, the engineer, and flint, the acting first lieutenant, both of whom had served on board of the steam yacht. christy's father gave them a hearty greeting, and both were as glad to see him as he was to greet them. captain passford then looked over the rest of the ship's company with a deeper interest than he cared to manifest, for they were to some extent bound up with the immediate future of his son. it was not such a ship's company as that which manned the bellevite, though composed of much good material. the captain shook hands with his son, and went on board of his boat. two hours later he came on board again. chapter ii a dinner for the confederacy christy passford was not a little surprised to see his father so soon after his former visit, and he was confident that he had some good reason for coming. he conducted him at once to his cabin, where captain passford immediately seated himself at the table, and drew from his pocket a telegram. "i found this on my desk when i went to my office," said he, opening a cable message, and placing it before christy. "'mutton, three veal, four sea chickens,'" christy read from the paper placed before him, laughing all the time as he thought it was a joke of some sort. "signed 'warnock.' it looks as though somebody was going to have a dinner, father. mutton, veal, and four sea chickens seem to form the substantial of the feast, though i never ate any sea chickens." "perhaps somebody will have a dinner, but i hope it will prove to be indigestible to those for whom it is provided," added captain passford, amused at the comments of his son. "the message is signed by warnock. i don't happen to have the pleasure of his acquaintance, and i don't see why he has taken the trouble to send you this bill of fare," chuckled the commander of the bronx. "this bill of fare is of more importance to me, and especially to you, than you seem to understand." "it is all greek to me; and i wonder why warnock, whoever he may be, has spent his money in sending you such a message, though i suppose you know who is to eat this dinner." "the expense of sending the cablegram is charged to me, though the dinner is prepared for the confederate states of america. of course i understand it, for if i could not, it would not have been sent to me," replied captain passford, assuming a very serious expression. "you know warnock, for he has often been at bonnydale, though not under the name he signs to this message. my three agents, one in the north, one in the south, and one in the west of england, have each an assumed name. they are otis, barnes, and wilson, and you know them all. they have been captains or mates in my employ; and they know all about a vessel when they see it." "i know them all very well, and they are all good friends of mine," added christy. "warnock is captain barnes, and this message comes from him. captain otis signs himself bixwell in his letters and cablegrams, and mr. wilson, who was formerly mate of the manhattan, uses the name of fleetley." "i begin to see into your system, father; and i suppose the government will carry out your plan." "very likely; for it would hardly be proper to send such information as these men have to transmit in plain english, for there may be spies or operators bribed by confederate agents to suppress such matter." "i see. i understand the system very well, father," said christy. "it is simple enough," added his father, as he took a paper from his pocket-book. "if you only understand it, it is simple enough." "i can interpret the language of this message, and there is not another person on the western continent that can do so. now, look at the cablegram, christy," continued captain passford, as he opened the paper he held in his hand. "what is the first word?" "mutton," replied the commander. "mutton means armed; that is to say the scotian and the arran took an armament on board at some point south of england, as indicated by the fact that the intelligence comes from warnock. in about a week the mail will bring me a letter from him in which he will explain how he obtained this information." "he must have chartered a steamer and cruised off the isle of wight to pick it up," suggested christy. "he is instructed to do that when necessary. what is the next word?" "'three,'" replied christy. "one means large, two medium, and three small," explained his father. "three what, does it say?" "'three veal.'" "veal means ship's company, or crew." "putting the pieces together, then, 'three veal' means that the scotian and the arran have small crews," said christy, intensely interested in the information. "precisely so. read the rest of the message," added captain passford. "'four sea chickens,'" the commander read. "'four' means some, a few, no great number; in other words, rather indefinite. very likely warnock could not obtain exact information. 'c' stands for confederate, and 'sea' is written instead of the letter. 'chickens' means officers. 'four sea chickens,' translated means 'some confederate officers.'" christy had written down on a piece of paper the solution of the enigma, as interpreted by his father, though not the symbol words of the cablegram. he continued to write for a little longer time, amplifying and filling in the wanting parts of the message. then he read what he had written, as follows: "'the scotian and the arran are armed; there are some confederate officers on board, but their ship's companies are small.' is that it, father?" "that is the substance of it," replied captain passford, as he restored the key of the cipher to his pocket-book, and rose from his seat. "now you know all that can be known on this side of the atlantic in regard to the two steamers. the important information is that they are armed, and even with small crews they may be able to sink the bronx, if you should happen to fall in with them, or if your orders required you to be on the lookout for them. there is a knock at the door." christy opened the door, and found a naval officer waiting to see him. he handed him a formidable looking envelope, with a great seal upon it. the young commander looked at its address, and saw that it came from the navy department. with it was a letter, which he opened. it was an order for the immediate sailing of the bronx, the sealed orders to be opened when she reached latitude ° n. the messenger spoke some pleasant words, and then took his leave. christy returned to the cabin, and showed the ponderous envelope to his father. "sealed orders, as i supposed you would have," said captain passford. "and this is my order to sail immediately on receipt of it," added christy. "then i must leave you, my son; and may the blessing of god go with you wherever your duty calls you!" exclaimed the father, not a little shaken by his paternal feelings. "be brave, be watchful; but be prudent under all circumstances. bravery and prudence ought to be twin sisters, and i hope you will always have one of them on each side of you. i am not afraid that you will be a poltroon, a coward; but i do fear that your enthusiasm may carry you farther than you ought to go." "i hope not, father; and your last words to me shall be remembered. when i am about to engage in any important enterprise, i will recall your admonition, and ask myself if i am heeding it." "that satisfies me. i wish you had such a ship's company as we had on board of the bellevite; but you have a great deal of good material, and i am confident that you will make the best use of it. remember that you are fighting for your country and the best government god ever gave to the nations of the earth. be brave, be prudent; but be a christian, and let no mean, cruel or unworthy action stain your record." captain passford took the hand of his son, and though neither of them wept, both of them were under the influence of the strongest emotions. christy accompanied his father to the accommodation ladder, and shook hands with him again as he embarked in his boat. his mother and his sister had been on board that day, and the young commander had parted from them with quite as much emotion as on the present occasion. the members of the family were devotedly attached to each other, and in some respects the event seemed like a funeral to all of them, and not less to christy than to the others, though he was entering upon a very exalted duty for one of his years. "pass the word for mr. flint," said christy, after he had watched the receding boat that bore away his father for a few minutes. "on duty, captain passford," said the first lieutenant, touching his cap to him a few minutes later. "heave short the anchor, and make ready to get under way," added the commander. "heave short, sir," replied mr. flint, as he touched his cap and retired. "pass the word for mr. giblock." mr. giblock was the boatswain of the ship, though he had only the rank of a boatswain's mate. he was an old sailor, as salt as a barrel of pickled pork, and knew his duty from keel to truck. in a few moments his pipe was heard, and the seamen began to walk around the capstan. "cable up and down, sir," said the boatswain, reporting to the second lieutenant on the forecastle. mr. lillyworth was the acting second lieutenant, though he was not to be attached to the bronx after she reached her destination in the gulf. he repeated the report from the boatswain to the first lieutenant. the steamer was rigged as a topsail schooner; but the wind was contrary, and no sail was set before getting under way. the capstan was manned again, and as soon as the report came from the second lieutenant that the anchor was aweigh, the first lieutenant gave the order to strike one bell, which meant that the steamer was to go "ahead slow." the bronx had actually started on her mission, and the heart of christy swelled in his bosom as he looked over the vessel, and realized that he was in command, though not for more than a week or two. all the courtesies and ceremonies were duly attended to, and the steamer, as soon as the anchor had been catted and fished, at the stroke of four bells, went ahead at full speed, though, as the fires had been banked in the furnaces, the engine was not working up to its capacity. in a couple of hours more she was outside of sandy hook, and on the broad ocean. the ship's company had been drilled to their duties, and everything worked to the entire satisfaction of the young commander. the wind was ahead and light. all hands had been stationed, and at four in the afternoon, the first dog watch was on duty, and there was not much that could be called work for any one to do. mr. lillyworth, the second lieutenant, had the deck, and christy had retired to his cabin to think over the events of the day, especially those relating to the scotian and the arran. he had not yet read his orders, and he could not decide what he should do, even if he discovered the two steamers in his track. he sat in his arm chair with the door of the cabin open, and when he saw the first lieutenant on his way to the ward room, he called him in. "well, mr. flint, what do you think of our crew?" asked the captain, after he had seated his guest. "i have hardly seen enough of the men to be able to form an opinion," replied flint. "i am afraid we have some hard material on board, though there are a good many first-class fellows among them." "of course we can not expect to get such a crew as we had in the bellevite. how do you like mr. lillyworth?" asked the commander, looking sharply into the eye of his subordinate. "i don't like him," replied flint, bluntly. "you and i have been in some tight places together, and it is best to speak our minds squarely." "that's right, mr. flint. we will talk of him another time. i have another matter on my mind just now," added christy. he proceeded to tell the first lieutenant something about the two steamers. chapter iii the intruder at the cabin door before he said anything about the scotian and the arran, christy, mindful of the injunction of his father, had closed the cabin door, the portière remaining drawn as it was before. when he had taken this precaution, he related some of the particulars which had been given to him earlier in the day. "it is hardly worth while to talk about the matter yet awhile," added christy. "i have my sealed orders, and i can not open the envelope until we are in latitude , and that will be sometime to-morrow forenoon." "i don't think that captain folkner, who expected to be in command of the teaser, as she was called before we put our hands upon her, overestimated her speed," replied lieutenant flint, consulting his watch. "we are making fifteen knots an hour just now, and mr. sampson is not hurrying her. i have been watching her very closely since we left sandy hook, and i really believe she will make eighteen knots with a little crowding." "what makes you think so, flint?" asked christy, much interested in the statement of the first lieutenant. "i suppose it is natural for a sailor to fall in love with his ship, and that is my condition in regard to the bronx," replied flint, with a smile which was intended as a mild apology for his weakness. "i used to be in love with the coasting schooner i owned and commanded, and i almost cried when i had to sell her." "i don't think you need to be ashamed of this sentiment, or that an inanimate structure should call it into being," said the young commander. "i am sure i have not ceased to love the bellevite; and in my eyes she is handsomer than any young lady i ever saw. i have not been able to transfer my affections to the bronx as yet, and she will have to do something very remarkable before i do so. but about the speed of our ship?" "i have noticed particularly how easily and gracefully she makes her way through the water when she is going fifteen knots. why that is faster than most of the ocean passenger steamers travel." "very true; but like many of these blockade runners and other vessels which the confederate government and rich men at the south have purchased in the united kingdom, she was doubtless built on the clyde. not a few of them have been constructed for private yachts, and i have no doubt, from what i have seen, that the bronx is one of the number. the scotian and the arran belonged to wealthy britishers; and of course they were built in the very best manner, and were intended to attain the very highest rate of speed." "i shall count on eighteen knots at least on the part of the bronx when the situation shall require her to do her best. by the way, captain passford, don't you think that a rather queer name has been given to our steamer? bronx! i am willing to confess that i don't know what the word means, or whether it is fish, flesh or fowl," continued flint. "it is not fish, flesh or fowl," replied christy, laughing. "my father suggested the name to the department, and it was adopted. he talked with me about a name, as he thought i had some interest in her, for the reason that i had done something in picking her up." "done something? i should say that you had done it all," added flint. "i did my share. the vessels of the navy have generally been named after a system, though it has often been varied. besides the names of states and cities, the names of rivers have been given to vessels. the bronx is the name of a small stream, hardly more than a brook, in west chester county, new york. when i was a small boy, my father had a country place on its banks, and i did my first paddling in the water in the bronx. i liked the name, and my father recommended it." "i don't object to the name, though somehow it makes me think of a walnut cracked in your teeth when i hear it pronounced," added flint. "now that i know what it is and what it means, i shall take more kindly to it, though i am afraid we shall get to calling her the bronxy before we have done with her, especially if she gets to be a pet, for the name seems to need another syllable." "young men fall in love with girls without regard to their names." "that's so. a friend of mine in our town in maine fell in love with a young lady by the name of leatherbee; but she was a very pretty girl and her name was all the objection i had to her," said flint, chuckling. "but that was an objection which your friend evidently intended to remove at no very distant day," suggested christy. "very true; and he did remove it some years ago. what was that noise?" asked the first lieutenant, suddenly rising from his seat. christy heard the sounds at the same moment. he and his companion in the cabin had been talking about the scotian and the arran, and what his father had said to him about prudence in speaking of his movements came to his mind. the noise was continued, and he hastened to the door of his state room, and threw it open. in the room he found dave hard at work on the furniture; he had taken out the berth sack, and was brushing out the inside of the berth. the noise had been made by the shaking of the slats on which the mattress rested. davis talbot, the cabin steward of the bronx, had been captured in the vessel when she was run out of pensacola bay some months before. as he was a very intelligent colored man, or rather mulatto, though they were all the same at the south, the young commander had selected him for his present service; and he never had occasion to regret the choice. dave had passed his time since the teaser arrived at new york at bonnydale, and he had become a great favorite, not only with christy, but with all the members of the family. "what are you about, dave?" demanded christy, not a little astonished to find the steward in his room. "i am putting the room in order for the captain, sir," replied dave with a cheerful smile, such as he always wore in the presence of his superiors. "i found something in this berth i did not like to see about a bed in which a gentleman is to sleep, and i have been through it with poison and a feather; and i will give you the whole southern confederacy if you find a single redback in the berth after this." "i am very glad you have attended to this matter at once, dave." "yes, sir; captain folkner never let me attend to it properly, for he was afraid i would read some of his papers on the desk. he was willing to sleep six in a bed with redbacks," chuckled dave. "well, i am not, or even two in a bed with such companions. how long have you been in my room, dave?" added christy. "more than two hours, i think; and i have been mighty busy too." "did you hear me when i came into the cabin?" "no, sir, i did not; but i heard you talking with somebody a while ago." "what did i say to the other person?" "i don't know, sir; i could not make out a word, and i didn't stop in my work to listen. i have been very busy, captain passford," answered dave, beginning to think he had been doing something that was not altogether regular. "don't you know what we were talking about, dave?" "no, sir; i did not make out a single word you said," protested the steward, really troubled to find that he had done something wrong, though he had not the least idea what it was. "i did not mean to do anything out of the way, captain passford." "i have no fault to find this time, dave." "i should hope not, sir," added dave, looking as solemn as a sleepy owl. "i would jump overboard before i would offend you, massa christy." "you need not jump overboard just yet," replied the captain, with a pleasant smile, intended to remove the fears of the steward. "but i want to make a new rule for you, dave." "thank you, sir; if you sit up nights to make rules for me, i will obey all of them; and i would give you the whole state of florida before i would break one of them on purpose, massa christy." "massa christy!" exclaimed the captain, laughing. "massa captain passford!" shouted dave, hastening to correct his over-familiarity. "i don't object to your calling me christy when we are alone, for i look upon you as my friend, and i have tried to treat you as a gentleman, though you are a subordinate. but are you going to be a nigger again, and call white men 'massa?' i told you not to use that word." "i done forget it when i got excited because i was afraid i had offended you," pleaded the steward. "your education is vastly superior to most people of your class, and you should not belittle yourself. this is my cabin; and i shall sometimes have occasion to talk confidentially with my officers. do you understand what i mean, dave?" "perfectly, captain passford: i know what it is to talk confidently and what it is to talk confidentially, and you do both, sir," replied the steward. "but i am sometimes more confidential than confident. now you must do all your work in my state room when i am not in the cabin, and this is the new rule," said christy, as he went out of the room. "i know that i can trust you, dave; but when i tell a secret i want to know to how many persons i am telling it. you may finish your work now;" and he closed the door. christy could not have explained why he did so if it had been required of him, but he went directly to the door leading out into the companion way, and suddenly threw it wide open, drawing the portière aside at the same time. not a little to his surprise, for he had not expected it, he found a man there; and the intruder was down on his knees, as if in position to place his ear at the keyhole. this time the young commander was indignant, and without stopping to consider as long as the precepts of his father required, he seized the man by the collar, and dragged him into the cabin. "what are you doing there?" demanded christy in the heat of his indignation. the intruder, who was a rather stout man, began to shake his head with all his might, and to put the fore finger of his right hand on his mouth and one of his ears. he was big enough to have given the young commander a deal of trouble if he had chosen to resist the force used upon him; but he appeared to be tame and submissive. he did not speak, but he seemed to be exerting himself to the utmost to make himself understood. flint had resumed his seat at the table, facing the door, and in spite of himself, apparently, he began to laugh. "that is pink mulgrum, captain passford," said he, evidently to prevent his superior from misinterpreting the lightness of his conduct. "as you are aware, he is deaf and dumb." [illustration: mulgrum at the captain's door.] "i see who he is now," replied christy, who had just identified the man. "he may be deaf and dumb, but he seems to have a great deal of business at the door of my cabin." "i have no doubt he is as deaf as the keel of the ship, and i have not yet heard him speak a word," added the first lieutenant. "but he is a stout fellow, very patriotic, and willing to work." "all that may be, but i have found him once before hanging around that door to-day." at this moment mulgrum took from his pocket a tablet of paper and a pencil, and wrote upon it, "i am a deaf mute, and i don't know what you are talking about." christy read it, and then wrote, "what were you doing at the door?" he replied that he had been sent by mr. lillyworth to clean the brasses on the door. he was then dismissed. chapter iv a deaf and dumb mystery as he dismissed mulgrum, christy tore off the leaf from the tablet on which both of them had written before he handed it back to the owner. for a few moments, he said nothing, and had his attention fixed on the paper in his hand, which he seemed to be studying for some reason of his own. "that man writes a very good hand for one in his position," said he, looking at the first lieutenant. "i had noticed that before," replied flint, as the commander handed him the paper, which he looked over with interest. "i had some talk with him on his tablet the day he came on board. he strikes me as a very intelligent and well-educated man." "was he born a deaf mute?" asked christy. "i did not think to ask him that question; but i judged from the language he used and his rapid writing that he was well educated. there is character in his handwriting too; and that is hardly to be expected from a deaf mute," replied flint. "being a deaf mute, he can not have been shipped as a seaman, or even as an ordinary steward," suggested the captain. "of course not; he was employed as a sort of scullion to be worked wherever he could make himself useful. mr. nawood engaged him on the recommendation of mr. lillyworth," added flint, with something like a frown on his brow, as though he had just sounded a new idea. "have you asked mr. lillyworth anything about him?" "i have not; for somehow mr. lillyworth and i don't seem to be very affectionate towards each other, though we get along very well together. but mulgrum wrote out for me that he was born in cherryfield, maine, and obtained his education as a deaf mute in hartford. i learned the deaf and dumb alphabet when i was a schoolmaster, as a pastime, and i had some practice with it in the house where i boarded." "then you can talk in that way with mulgrum." "not a bit of it; he knows nothing at all about the deaf and dumb alphabet, and could not spell out a single word i gave him." "that is very odd," added the captain musing. "so i thought; but he explained it by saying that at the school they were changing this method of communication for that of actually speaking and understanding what was said by observing the vocal organs. he had not remained long enough to master this method; in fact he had done all his talking with his tablets." "it is a little strange that he should not have learned either method of communication." "i thought so myself, and said as much to him; but he told me that he had inherited considerable property at the death of his father, and he was not inclined to learn new tricks," said flint. "he is intensely patriotic, and said that he was willing to give himself and all his property for the salvation of his country. he had endeavored to obtain a position as captain's clerk, or something of that sort, in the navy; but failing of this, he had been willing to go to the war as a scullion. he says he shall fight, whatever his situation, when he has the opportunity; and that is all i know about him." christy looked on the floor, and seemed to be considering the facts he had just learned. he had twice discovered mulgrum at the door of his cabin, though his presence there had been satisfactorily explained; or at least a reason had been given. this man had been brought on board by the influence of mr. lillyworth, who had been ordered to the gulf for duty, and was on board as a substitute for mr. flint, who was acting in christy's place, as the latter was in that of mr. blowitt, who outranked them all. flint had not been favorably impressed with the acting second lieutenant, and he had not hesitated to speak his mind in regard to him to the captain. though christy had been more reserved in speech, he had the feeling that mr. lillyworth must establish a reputation for patriotism and fidelity to the government before he could trust him as he did the first lieutenant, though he was determined to manifest nothing like suspicion in regard to him. at this stage of the war, that is to say in the earlier years of it, the government was obliged to accept such men as it could obtain for officers, for the number in demand greatly exceeded the supply of regularly educated naval officers. there were a great many applicants for positions, and candidates were examined in regard to their professional qualifications rather than their motives for entering the service. if a man desired to enter the army or the navy, the simple wish was regarded as a sufficient guaranty of his patriotism, especially in connection with his oath of allegiance. with the deaf mute's leaf in his hand christy was thinking over this matter of the motives of officers. he was not satisfied in regard to either lillyworth or mulgrum, and besides the regular quota of officers and seamen permanently attached to the bronx, there were eighteen seamen and petty officers berthed forward, who were really passengers, though they were doing duty. "where did you say this man mulgrum was born, mr. flint?" asked the captain, after he had mused for quite a time. "in cherryfield, maine," replied the first lieutenant; and he could not help feeling that the commander had not been silent so long for nothing. "you are a maine man, flint: were you ever in this town?" "i have been; i taught school there for six months; and it was the last place i filled before i went to sea." "i am glad to hear it, for it will save me from looking any further for the man i want just now. if this deaf mute was born and brought up in cherryfield, he must know something about the place," added christy as he touched a bell on his table, to which dave instantly responded. "do you know mulgrum, dave?" asked the captain. "no, sir; never heard of him before," replied the steward. "you don't know him! the man who has been cleaning the brass work on the doors?" exclaimed christy. "oh! pink, we all call him," said the steward. "his name is pinkney mulgrum," flint explained. "yes, sir; i know him, though we never had any long talks together," added dave with a rich smile on his face. "go on deck, and tell mulgrum to come into my cabin," said christy. "if i tell him that, he won't hear me," suggested dave. "show him this paper," interposed the first lieutenant, handing him a card on which he had written the order. dave left the cabin to deliver the message, and the captain immediately instructed flint to question the man in regard to the localities and other matters in cherryfield, suggesting that he should conduct his examination so as not to excite any suspicion. pink mulgrum appeared promptly, and was placed at the table where both of the officers could observe his expression. then flint began to write on a sheet of paper, and passed his first question to the man. it was: "don't you remember me?" mulgrum wrote that he did not. then the inquisitor asked when he had left cherryfield to attend the school at hartford; and the date he gave placed him there at the very time when flint had been the master of the school for four months. on the question of locality, he could place the church, the schoolhouse and the hotel; and he seemed to have no further knowledge of the town. when asked where his father lived, he described a white house next to the church; but flint knew that this had been owned and occupied by the minister for many years. "this man is a humbug," was the next sentence the first lieutenant wrote, but he passed it to the captain. christy wrote under it: "tell him that we are perfectly satisfied with his replies, and thank him for his attendance;" which was done at once, and the captain smiled upon him as though he had conducted himself with distinguished ability. "mulgrum has been in cherryfield; but he could not have remained there more than a day or two," said flint, when the door had closed behind the deaf mute. the captain made a gesture to impose silence upon his companion. "mulgrum is all right in every respect," said he in a loud tone, so that if the subject of the examination had stopped at the keyhole of the door, he would not be made any the wiser for what he heard there. "he knows cherryfield as well as he knows the deck of the bronx, and as you say, captain passford, he is all right in every respect," added the first lieutenant in the same loud tone. "mulgrum is a well educated man, captain, and you will have a great deal of writing to do: i suggest that you bring him into your cabin, and make him your clerk." "that is a capital idea, mr. flint, and i shall consider it," returned the commander, making sure that the man at the door should hear him, if mulgrum lingered there. "i have a number of letters sent over from england relating to blockade runners that i wish to have copied for the use of any naval officers with whom i may fall in; and i have not the time to do it myself." "mulgrum writes a very handsome hand, and no one could do the work any better than he." christy thought enough had been said to satisfy the curiosity of mulgrum if he was still active in seeking information, and both of the officers were silent. the captain had enough to think of to last him a long while. the result of the inquiry into the auditory and vocal powers of the scullion, as flint called him, had convinced him that the deaf mute was a fraud. he had no doubt that he could both speak and hear as well as the rest of the ship's company. but the puzzling question was in relation to the reason why he pretended to be deaf and dumb. if he was desirous of serving his country in the navy, and especially in the bronx, it was not necessary to pretend to be deaf and dumb in order to obtain a fighting berth on board of her. it looked like a first class mystery to the young commander, but he was satisfied that the presence of mulgrum meant mischief. he could not determine at once what it was best to do to solve the mystery; but he decided that the most extreme watchfulness was required of him and his first lieutenant. this was all he could do, and he touched his bell again. "dave," said he when the cabin steward presented himself before him, "go on deck and ask mr. lillyworth to report to me the log and the weather." "the log and the weather, sir," replied dave, as he hastened out of the cabin. christy watched him closely as he went out at the door, and he was satisfied that mulgrum was not in the passage, if he had stopped there at all. his present purpose was to disarm all the suspicions of the subject of the mystery, but he would have been glad to know whether or not the man had lingered at the door to hear what was said in regard to him. he was not anxious in regard to the weather, or even the log, and he sent dave on his errand in order to make sure that mulgrum was not still doing duty as a listener. "wind south south west, log last time fifteen knots and a half," reported dave, as he came in after knocking at the door. "i can not imagine why that man pretended to be deaf and dumb in order to get a position on board of the bronx. he is plainly a fraud," said the captain when dave had gone back to his work in the state room. "i don't believe he pretended to be a deaf mute in order to get a place on board, for that would ordinarily be enough to prevent him from getting it. i should put it that he had obtained his place in spite of being deaf and dumb. but the mystery exists just the same." the captain went on deck, and the first lieutenant to the ward room. chapter v a confidential steward the wind still came from the southward, and it was very light. the sea was comparatively smooth, and the bronx continued on her course. at the last bi-hourly heaving of the log, she was making sixteen knots an hour. the captain went into the engine room, where he found mr. gawl, one of the chief's two assistants, on duty. this officer informed him that no effort had been made to increase the speed of the steamer, and that she was under no strain whatever. the engine had been thoroughly overhauled, as well as every other part of the vessel, and every improvement that talent and experience suggested had been made. it now appeared that the engine had been greatly benefited by whatever changes had been made. these improvements had been explained to the commander by mr. sampson the day before; but christy had not given much attention to the matter, for he preferred to let the speed of the vessel speak for itself; and this was what it appeared to be doing at the present time. christy walked the deck for some time, observing everything that presented itself, and taking especial notice of the working of the vessel. though he made no claims to any superior skill, he was really an expert, and the many days and months he had passed in the companionship of paul vapoor in studying the movements of engines and hulls had made him wiser and more skilful than it had even been suspected that he was. he was fully competent for the position he was temporarily filling; but he had made himself so by years of study and practice. christy had not yet obtained all the experience he required as a naval officer, and he was fully aware that this was what he needed to enable him to discharge his duty in the best manner. he was in command of a small steamer, a position of responsibility which he had not coveted in this early stage of his career, though it was only for a week or less, as the present speed of the bronx indicated. he had ambition enough to hope that he should be able to distinguish himself in this brief period, for it might be years before he again obtained such an opportunity. his youth was against him, and he was aware that he had been selected to take the steamer to the gulf because there was a scarcity of officers of the proper grade, and his rank gave him the position. the motion of the bronx exactly suited him, and he judged that in a heavy sea she would behave very well. he had made one voyage in her from the gulf to new york, and the steamer had done very well, though she had been greatly improved at the navy yard. certainly her motion was better, and the connection between the engine and the inert material of which the steamer was constructed, seemed to be made without any straining or jerking. there was very little shaking and trembling as the powerful machinery drove her ahead over the quiet sea. there had been no very severe weather during his first cruise in the bronx, and she had not been tested in a storm under his management, though she had doubtless encountered severe gales in crossing the atlantic in a breezy season of the year. while christy was planking the deck, four bells were struck on the ship's great bell on the top-gallant forecastle. it was the beginning of the second dog watch, or six o'clock in the afternoon, and the watch which had been on duty since four o'clock was relieved. mr. flint ascended the bridge, and took the place of mr. lillyworth, the second lieutenant. under this bridge was the pilot-house, and in spite of her small size, the steamer was steered by steam. the ship had been at sea but a few hours, and the crew were not inclined to leave the deck. the number of men on board was nearly doubled by the addition of those sent down to fill vacancies in other vessels on the blockade. christy went on the bridge soon after, more to take a survey inboard than for any other purpose. mr. lillyworth had gone aft, but when he met mulgrum coming up from the galley, he stopped and looked around him. with the exception of himself nearly the whole ship's company were forward. the commander watched him with interest when he stopped in the vicinity of the deaf mute, who also halted in the presence of the second lieutenant. then they walked together towards the companion way, and disappeared behind the mainmast. christy had not before noticed any intercourse between the lieutenant and the scullion, though he thought it a little odd that the officer should set the man at work cleaning the brasses about the door of the captain's cabin, a matter that belonged to the steward's department. he had learned from flint that mulgrum had been recommended to the chief steward by lillyworth, so that it was evident enough that they had been acquainted before either of them came on board. but he could not see them behind the mast, and he desired very much to know what they were doing. flint had taken his supper before he went on duty on the bridge, and the table was waiting for the other ward room officers who had just been relieved. it was time for lillyworth to go to the meal, but he did not go, and he seemed to be otherwise engaged. after a while, christy looked at his watch, and found that a quarter of an hour had elapsed since the second lieutenant had left the bridge, and he had spent nearly all this time abaft the mainmast with the scullion. the commander had become absolutely absorbed in his efforts to fathom the deaf and dumb mystery, and fortunately there was nothing else to occupy his attention, for flint had drilled the crew, including the men for other vessels, and had billeted and stationed them during the several days he had been on board. everything was working as though the bronx had been at sea a month instead of less than half a day. christy was exceedingly anxious to ascertain what, if anything, was passing between lillyworth and mulgrum; but he could see no way to obtain any information on the subject. he had no doubt he was watched as closely as he was watching the second lieutenant. if he went aft, that would at once end the conference, if one was in progress. he could not call upon a seaman to report on such a delicate question without betraying himself, and he had not yet learned whom to trust in such a matter, and it was hardly proper to call upon a foremast hand to watch one of his officers. the only person on board besides the first lieutenant in whom he felt that he could repose entire confidence was dave. he knew him thoroughly, and his color was almost enough to guarantee his loyalty to the country and his officers, and especially to himself, for the steward possessed a rather extravagant admiration for the one who had "brought him out of bondage," as he expressed it, and had treated him like a gentleman from first to last. he could trust dave even on the most delicate mission; but dave was attending to the table in the ward room, and he did not care to call him from his duty. at the end of another five minutes, christy saw mulgrum come from abaft the mainmast, and descend the ladder to the galley. he saw no more of lillyworth, and he concluded that, keeping himself in the shadow of the mast, he had gone below. he remained on the bridge a while longer considering what he should do. he said nothing to flint, for he did not like to take up the attention of any officer on duty. the commander thought that dave could render him the assistance he required better than any other person on board, for being only a steward and a colored man at that, less notice would be taken of him than of one in a higher position. he was about to descend from the bridge when flint spoke to him in regard to the weather, though he could have guessed to a point what the captain was thinking about, perhaps because the same subject occupied his own thoughts. "i think we shall have a change of weather before morning, captain passford. the wind is drawing a little more to the southward, and we are likely to have wind and rain," said the first lieutenant. "wind and rain will not trouble us, and i am more afraid that we shall be bothered with fog on this cruise," added christy as he descended the ladder to the main deck. he walked about the deck for a few minutes, observing the various occupations of the men, who were generally engaged in amusing themselves, or in "reeling off sea yarns." then he went below. at the foot of the stairs in the companion way, the door of the ward room was open, and he saw that lillyworth was seated at the table. he sat at the foot of it, the head being the place of the first lieutenant, and the captain could see only his back. he was slightly bald at the apex of his head, for he was an older man than either the captain or the first lieutenant, but inferior to them in rank, though all of them were masters, and seniority depended upon the date of the commissions; and even a single day settled the degree in these days of multiplied appointments. christy went into his cabin, where the table was set for his own supper. the commander looked at his barometer, and his reading of it assured him that flint was correct in regard to his prognostics of the weather. but the young officer had faced the winter gales of the atlantic, and the approach of any ordinary storm did not disturb him in the least degree. on the contrary he rather liked a lively sea, for it was less monotonous than a calm. he did not brood over a storm, therefore, but continued to consider the subject which had so deeply interested him since he discovered mulgrum on his knees at the door, with a rag and a saucer of rottenstone in his hands. he had a curiosity to examine the brass knob of his door at that moment, and it did not appear to have been very severely rubbed. "quarter of seven, sir," said dave, presenting himself at the door while christy was still musing over the incidents already detailed. "all right, dave; i will have my supper now," replied christy, indifferently, for though he was generally blessed with a good appetite the mystery was too absorbing to permit the necessary duty of eating to drive it out of his mind. dave retired, and soon brought in a tray from the galley, the dishes from which he arranged on the table. it was an excellent supper, though he had not given any especial orders in regard to its preparation. he seated himself and began to eat in a rather mechanical manner, and no one who saw him would have mistaken him for an epicure. dave stationed himself in front of the commander, so that he was between the table and the door. he watched christy, keeping his eyes fixed on him without intermitting his gaze for a single instant. once in a while he tendered a dish to him at the table, but there was but one object in existence for christy at that moment. "dave," said the captain, after he had disposed of a portion of his supper. "here, sir, on duty," replied the steward. "open the door behind you, quick!" dave obeyed instantly, and threw the door back so that it was wide open, though he seemed to be amazed at the strangeness of the order. "all right, dave; close it," added christy, when he saw there was no one in the passage; and he concluded that mulgrum was not likely to be practising his vocation when there was no one in the cabin but himself and the steward. dave obeyed the order like a machine, and then renewed his gaze at the commander. "are you a freemason, dave?" asked christy. "no, sir," replied the steward with a magnificent smile. "a knight of pythias, of pythagoras, or anything of that sort?" "no, sir; nothing of the sort." "then you can't keep a secret?" "yes, sir, i can. if i have a secret to keep, i will give the whole alabama river to any one that can get it out of me." christy felt sure of his man without this protestation. chapter vi a mission up the foremast christy spent some time in delivering a lecture on naval etiquette to his single auditor. probably he was not the highest authority on the subject of his discourse; but he was sufficiently learned to meet the requirements of the present occasion. "you say you can keep a secret, dave?" continued the commander. "i don't take any secrets to keep from everybody, captain passford; and i don't much like to carry them about with me," replied the steward, looking a little more grave than usual, though he still wore a cheerful smile. "then you don't wish me to confide a secret to you?" "i don't say that, captain passford. i don't want any man's secrets, and i don't run after them, except for the good of the service. i was a slave once, but i know what i am working for now. if you have a secret i ought to know, captain passford, i will take it in and bury it away down at the bottom of my bosom; and i will give the whole state of louisiana to any one that will dig it out of me." "that's enough, dave; and i am willing to trust you without any oath on the bible, and without even a quaker's affirmation. i believe you will be prudent, discreet, and silent for my sake." "certainly i will be all that, captain passford, for i think you are a bigger man than jeff davis," protested dave. "that is because you do not know the president of the confederate states, and you do know me; but mr. davis is a man of transcendent ability, and i am only sorry that he is engaged in a bad cause, though he believes with all his heart and soul that it is a good cause." "he never treated me like a gentleman, as you have, sir." "and he never treated you unkindly, i am very sure." "he never treated me any way, for i never saw him; and i would not walk a hundred miles barefooted to see him, either. i am no gentleman or anything of that sort, massa-- captain passford, but if i ever go back on you by the breadth of a hair, then the alabama river will run up hill." "i am satisfied with you, dave; and here is my hand," added christy, extending it to the steward, who shook it warmly, displaying a good deal of emotion as he did so. "now, dave, you know mulgrum, or pink, as you call him?" "well, sir, i know him as i do the rest of the people on board; but we are not sworn friends yet," replied dave, rather puzzled to know what duty was required of him in connection with the scullion. "you know him; that is enough. what do you think of him?" "i haven't had any long talks with him, sir, and i don't know what to think of him." "you know that he is dumb?" "i expect he is, sir; but he never said anything to me about it," replied dave. "he never told me he couldn't speak, and i never heard him speak to any one on board." "did you ever speak to him?" "yes, sir; i spoke to him when he first came on board; but he didn't answer me, or take any notice of me when i spoke to him, and i got tired of it." "open that door quickly, dave," said the captain suddenly. the steward promptly obeyed the order, and christy saw that there was no one in the passage. he told his companion to close the door, and dave was puzzled to know what this movement could mean. "i beg your pardon, captain passford, and i have no right to ask any question; but i should like to know why you make me open that door two or three times for nothing," said dave, in the humblest of tones. "i told you to open it so that i could see if there was anybody at the door. this is my secret, dave. i have twice found mulgrum at that door while i was talking to the first lieutenant. he pretended to be cleaning the brass work." "what was he there for? when a man is as deaf as the foremast of the ship what would he be doing at the door?" "he was down on his knees, and his ear was not a great way from the keyhole of the door." "but he could not hear anything." "i don't know: that is what i want to find out. the mission i have for you, dave, is to watch mulgrum. in a word, i have my doubts in regard to his deafness and his dumbness." "you don't believe he is deaf and dumb, captain passford!" exclaimed the steward, opening his eyes very wide, and looking as though an earthquake had just shaken him up. "i don't say that, my man. i am in doubt. he may be a deaf mute, as he represents himself to be. i wish you to ascertain whether or not he can speak and hear. you are a shrewd fellow, dave, i discovered some time ago; in fact the first time i ever saw you. you may do this job in any manner you please; but remember that your mission is my secret, and you must not betray it to mulgrum, or to any other person." "be sure i won't do that, captain passford." "if you obtain any satisfactory information, convey it to me immediately. you must be very careful not to let any one suspect that you are watching him, and least of all to let mulgrum know it. do you understand me perfectly, dave?" "yes, sir; perfectly. nobody takes any notice of me but you, and it won't be a hard job. i think i can manage it without any trouble. i am nothing but a nigger, and of no account." "i have chosen you for this mission because you can do it better than any other person, dave. don't call yourself a nigger; i don't like the word, and you are ninety degrees in the shade above the lower class of negroes in the south." "thank you, sir," replied the steward with an expansive smile. "there is one thing i wish you to understand particularly, dave. i have not set you to watch any officer of the ship," said christy impressively. "no, sir; i reckon pink mulgrum is not an officer any more than i am." "but you may discover, if you find that mulgrum can speak and hear, that he is talking to an officer," added the captain in a low tone. "what officer, captain passford?" asked the steward, opening his eyes to their utmost capacity, and looking as bewildered as an owl in the gaslight. "i repeat that i do not set you to watch an officer; and i leave it to you to ascertain with whom mulgrum has any talk, if with any one. now i warn you that, if you accomplish anything in this mission, you will do it at night and not in the daytime. that is all that need be said at the present time, dave, and you will attend to your duty as usual. if you lose much sleep, you may make it up in the forenoon watch." "i don't care for the sleep, captain passford, and i can keep awake all night." "one thing more, dave; between eight bells and eight bells to-night, during the first watch, you may get at something, but you must keep out of sight as much as you can," added christy, as he rose from his armchair, and went into his state room. dave busied himself in clearing the table, but he was in a very thoughtful mood all the time. loading up his tray with dishes, he carried them through the steerage to the galley, where he found mulgrum engaged in washing those from the ward room, which he had brought out some time before. the steward looked at the deaf mute with more interest than he had regarded him before. he was a supernumerary on board, and any one who had anything to do called pink to do it. another waiter was greatly needed, and mr. nawood, the chief steward, had engaged one, but he had failed to come on board before the steamer sailed. pink had been pressed into service for the steerage; but he was of little use, and the work seemed very distasteful, if not disgusting, to him. he carried in the food, but that was about all he was good for. dave watched him for a few minutes as he washed and wiped the dishes, and saw that he was very awkward at it; it was plain to him that he was not an experienced hand at the business. but he was doing the steward's work, and dave took hold and helped him. pink was as solemn as an owl, and did his work in a very mechanical manner, and without the slightest interest in it. the cabin steward had a mission, and he was profoundly interested in its execution. by the side of the galley, or range, was a sink at which they were at work. dave thought he might as well begin then and there to test the hearing powers of his companion. picking up one of the large blowers of the range, he placed himself so that pink could not see what he was about, and then banged the sheet iron against the cast iron of the great stove. he kept his eye fixed all the time on the scullion. the noise was enough for the big midship gun on deck, or even for a small earthquake. pink was evidently startled by the prodigious sound, and turned towards the steward, who was satisfied that he had heard it; but the fellow was cunning, and realizing that he had committed himself, he picked up one of his feet, and began to rub it as though he had been hit by the falling blower. at the same time, he pretended to be very angry, and demonstrated very earnestly against his companion. dave felt that he had made a point, and he did not carry his investigation of the auditory capacity of the scullion any farther that night. he finished his work below, and then went on deck. he lounged about in a very careless manner till eight bells were struck. mr. flint on the bridge was relieved by mr. lillyworth, and the port watch came on duty for the next four hours, or until midnight. this was the time the captain had indicated to dave as a favorable one for the discharge of his special duty. taking advantage of the absence of any person from the vicinity of the foremast, he adroitly curled himself up in the folds of the foresail, which was brailed up to the mast. he had his head in such a position that he could see without being seen by any casual passer-by. he waited in this position over an hour, and during that time pink went back and forth several times, and seemed to be looking up at the bridge, which was just forward of the foremast. on the top-gallant forecastle were two men on the lookout; in the waist was a quartermaster, who was doing the duty that belonged to the third lieutenant, if the scarcity of officers had permitted the bronx to have one. the body of the port watch were spinning yarns on the forecastle, and none of them were very near the foremast. after a while, as pink was approaching the forecastle, dave saw the second lieutenant gesticulating to him very earnestly to come on the bridge. the supernumerary ascended the ladder, and the officer set him at work to lace on the sailcloth to the railing of the bridge, to shelter those on duty there from the force of the sea blast. dave listened with all his ears for any sound from the bridge; but he soon realized that if there was any, he was too far off to hear it. with the aid of the lashings of the foresail, he succeeded in climbing up on the mast to a point on a level with the bridge, and at the same time to make the mast conceal him from the eyes of mr. lillyworth and the scullion. the latter pretended to be at work, and occasionally the second lieutenant "jawed" at him for his clumsiness in lacing the sailcloth. between these growls, they spoke together in a low tone, but dave was near enough to hear what they said. though he had never heard the voice of pink mulgrum before, he knew that of the second lieutenant, and he was in no danger of confounding the two. pink used excellent language, as the steward was capable of judging, and it was plain enough that he was not what he had appeared to be. [illustration: lillyworth and mulgrum on the bridge.] chapter vii an interview on the bridge although mr. lillyworth knew very well that pink mulgrum was deaf and dumb, he "jawed" at him as though his hearing was as perfect as his own, doubtless forgetting for the moment his infirmity. "draw up the bight, and lace it tighter," exclaimed the second lieutenant, intermixing an expletive at each end of the sentence. "oh, you can't hear me!" he shouted, as though the fact that the scullion could not hear him had suddenly come to his mind. "well, it is a nice thing to talk to a deaf man!" dave could see that mulgrum also seemed to forget that his ears were closed to all sounds, for he redoubled his efforts to haul the screen into its place. "i could not hear anything that was of any consequence," the steward heard the deaf mute say in a lower tone than his companion used. "couldn't you hear anything?" asked mr. lillyworth, making a spring at the canvas as though he was disgusted with the operations of his companion on the bridge. "only what i have just told you," replied mulgrum. "but you were at the door when the captain and the first lieutenant were talking together in the cabin," continued the officer in a low tone. "but they were talking about me, as i told you before," answered the scullion, rather impatiently, as though he too had a mind of his own. "wasn't anything said about the operations of the future?" demanded mr. lillyworth. "not a word; but you know as well as i do that the captain has sealed orders which he will not see before to-morrow. i heard him tell his father that he was to open the envelope in latitude ," said the supernumerary. "you must contrive some way to hear the captain when he reads his orders," continued the second lieutenant. "he will be likely to have mr. flint with him when he opens the envelope." "it will be difficult," replied mulgrum, and dave could imagine that he saw him shake his head. "the captain has found me cleaning the brasses on his door twice, and it will hardly do to be found at the door again." "isn't there any place in his cabin where you can conceal yourself?" inquired mr. lillyworth. "i don't know of any place, unless it is his state room; and the cabin steward has been at work there almost all the time since we got under way. dave seems to be a sort of confidant of the captain," suggested mulgrum; and it looked as though the deaf mute had not held his tongue and kept his ears open for nothing; but the steward could not understand how he had got this idea into his head, for he had received his instructions while the commander was at supper, and he was sure, as he had thrown the door open several times, that the scullion was not on the other side of it. "a nigger for his confidant!" exclaimed the second lieutenant, as he interpolated a little jaw for the benefit of the seamen and petty officers within earshot of him. "what can we expect when a mere boy is put in command of a steamer like this one?" "i think you need not complain, pawcett, for you are on board of this vessel, and so am i, because she is under the command of a boy. but he is a tremendous smart boy, and he is older than many men of double his age," added mulgrum. dave realized that the supernumerary was well informed in regard to current history in connection with naval matters, and he was willing to believe that he was quite as shrewd as the officer at his side. "the boy is well enough, though he is abominably overrated, as you will see before i have done with him," said mr. lillyworth contemptuously. "it is galling for one who has seen some service to touch his cap to this boy and call him captain." "i hope you are not forgetting yourself, pawcett--" "don't mention my name on board of this vessel, hungerford," interposed the officer. "and you will not mention mine," added the scullion promptly. "we are both careless in this matter, and we must do better. i think i ought to caution you not to neglect any outside tokens of respect to the captain. you can have your own opinions, but i think you do not treat him with sufficient deference." "perhaps i don't, for it is not an easy thing to do," replied the second lieutenant. "but i think the captain has no cause to complain of me. we must find out something about these orders, and you must be on the lookout for your chances at meridian to-morrow. if you can stow yourself away under the captain's berth in his state room, you may be able to hear him read them to the first lieutenant, as he will be sure to do." "i don't believe in doing that," replied mulgrum. "if i am discovered, no explanation could be made as to why i was concealed there." "but we must take some risks," persisted mr. lillyworth. "after what you told me in the first of our talk, it may not be necessary to conceal yourself. i shall say something to the captain on the subject at which you hinted as soon as i get a chance. you may be in a situation to hear all that is said without danger." dave wondered what could be meant by this remark, for he had not heard the conversation between the captain and the first lieutenant which was intended as a "blind" to the listener, known to be at the door. "i am willing to take any risk that will not ruin our enterprise," mulgrum responded to the remark of his companion. "at noon to-morrow i shall come on deck in charge, and the first lieutenant will be relieved, so that he will be at liberty to visit the captain in his cabin. that will be your time, and you must improve it." "but i shall meet you again to-morrow, and i will look about me, and see what can be done," said mulgrum, as he made a new demonstration at the canvas screen. "i will keep my eyes open, and you must do the same. how is it with our men forward?" asked the officer. "i have had no chance to speak with any of them, for they are all the time in the midst of the rest of the seamen," replied the deaf mute. "but i have no doubt they are all right." "but you must have some way to communicate with them, or they might as well be on shore. as there are six of them, i should say you might get a chance to speak to one of them whenever you desire." "i have had nothing to say to them so far, and i have not considered the matter of communicating with them." "it is time to know how you can do so." "i can manage it in some way when the time comes," replied mulgrum confidently. "i am sure the captain and the first lieutenant have no suspicion that i am not what i seem to be. the executive officer put me through a full examination, especially in regard to cherryfield, where i told him i used to live. i came off with flying colors, and i am certain that i am all right now." dave knew nothing about the examination to which mr. flint had subjected the deaf mute. it is evident that mulgrum took an entirely different view of the result of the test from that taken by the examiner and the captain; but both of the latter had taken extreme pains to conceal their opinion from the subject of the test. "i think we had better not say anything more to-night, and you have been on the bridge long enough," said mr. lillyworth, walking to the windward end of the bridge, and peering out into the gloom of the night. he had hardly looked in the direction of the deaf mute while he was on the bridge, but had busied himself with the lashing of the screen, and done everything he could to make it appear that he was not talking to his companion. mulgrum, overhauling the screen as he proceeded, made his way to the steps by the side of the foremast. but he did not go down, as he had evidently intended to do, and waited till the second lieutenant came over to the lee side of the vessel. "perhaps the man at the wheel has been listening to our conversation," said the deaf mute, plainly alarmed at the situation. "i did not think of him." "i did," replied mr. lillyworth; "but it is all right, and the man at the wheel is spoors, one of our number." "all right," added mulgrum, and he descended the steps. dave kept his place in the folds of the foresail, and hardly breathed as the scullion passed him. with the greatest caution, and after he had satisfied himself that no one was near enough to see him, he descended to the deck. he wandered about for a while, and saw that the supernumerary went to the galley, where, in the scarcity of accommodations for the extra persons on board, he was obliged to sleep on the floor. he was not likely to extend his operations any farther that night, and dave went to the companion way, descended the steps, and knocked at the door of the captain's cabin. "come in," called the occupant, who had been writing at his desk in the state room, though the door was open. dave presented himself before the commander, who was very glad to see him. christy wiped the perspiration from his forehead, for he had evidently been working very hard all the evening. four bells had just struck, indicating that it was ten o'clock in the evening. flint's prediction in regard to the weather seemed to be in the way of fulfilment, for the bronx had been leaping mildly on a head sea for the last hour. but everything was going well, and the motion of the vessel was as satisfactory to the commander in rough water as it had been in a smooth sea. "i am glad to see you, dave," said christy, as the steward presented himself at the door of the state room. "i suppose from your coming to-night that you have something to tell me." "yes, sir; i have; and i will give you the whole gulf of mexico if it isn't a big thing," replied dave with his most expansive smile. "you done get into a hornet's nest, captain passford." "not so bad as that, i hope," replied christy, laughing. "bad enough, sir, at any rate," added dave. "pink mulgrum has been talking and listening to the second lieutenant all the evening." "then he is not a deaf mute, i take it." "not a bit of it; he can talk faster than i can, and he knows all about his grammar and dictionary. you have just eight traitors on board of the bronx, captain passford," said dave very impressively. "only eight?" "that's all i know about; and i think that is enough for one cruise in a yankee ship." "eight will do very well, dave; but who are they?" asked the captain with interest. "i know just three of them. one is the second lieutenant; pink mulgrum is another, and spoors, one of the quartermasters, is the third. they didn't mention any more of them." "all right, dave; now sit down on that stool, and tell me the whole story," said christy, pointing to the seat. the steward, believing that he had done a "big thing" that evening, did not hesitate to seat himself in the presence of the commander, and proceeded at once to relate all that he had done, and all that he had seen and heard on the bridge. when dave had finished his story, and answered the questions put to him, the commander was willing to believe that he had done a big thing; though he said nothing beyond a few words of general commendation to the steward. then he dismissed him, and, locking his desk, he went on deck. after taking an observation of the weather he mounted the bridge. chapter viii important information, if true "good evening, mr. lillyworth," said captain passford, when he reached the bridge. "good evening, captain passford," replied the second lieutenant, as he touched his cap to his superior, galling as the act was, according to his own statement. "it looks as though we should have some wind," added the captain. "yes, sir; and we shall have a nasty time of it across the gulf stream." "if there is any decided change in the weather during your watch, you will oblige me by having me called," added the captain; "i think i am tired enough to turn in, for i have been very busy all the evening, copying letters and papers. i think i need a clerk almost as much as the captain of a frigate." "i think you ought to have one, sir," added mr. lillyworth, manifesting a deep interest in this matter. "as the matter now stands i have to use a good deal of my time in copying documents. by the way, if we fall in with any united states man-of-war, i wish to communicate with her." "of course i shall report to you, sir, if one comes in sight during my watch," replied the second lieutenant, with a greater manifestation of zeal than he had before displayed in his relations with his commander, evidently profiting by the suggestion made to him by pink mulgrum. "but i hope we shall not fall in with one before day after tomorrow, for i have not copied all the letters i desire to use if such an occasion offers," said captain passford, who was really playing out a baited hook for the benefit of the second lieutenant, in regard to whose intentions he had no doubt since the revelations of the steward. "by the way, captain passford, what you say in regard to the amount of writing imposed upon you reminds me that there is a man on board who might afford you some relief from this drudgery. possibly you may have noticed this man, though he is doing duty as a mere scullion." "do you mean the man i have seen cleaning brass work about the cabin?" asked christy, glad to have the other take hold of the baited hook. "that is the one; he is deaf and dumb, but he has received a good education, and writes a good hand, and is rapid about it," added the second lieutenant, with some eagerness in his manner, though he tried to conceal it. "but my writing is of a confidential nature," replied the captain. "i have known this man, whose name is pink mulgrum, for some time. he is deaf and dumb, and you must have noticed him." "oh, yes; i have seen him, and he had an interview with mr. flint in my presence. i observed that he wrote a good hand, and wrote very rapidly." "i am very confident that you can trust him with your papers, captain passford. he could not go into the service as a soldier or a sailor on account of his infirmity; but he desired to do something for his country. he was determined to go to the war, as he called it, in any capacity, even if it was as a scullion. he wrote me a letter to this effect, and mr. nawood consented to take him as a man of all work. if he ever gets into an action, you will find that he is a fighting character." "that is the kind of men we want, and at the present time, when we are hardly in a fighting latitude, perhaps i can use him as a copyist, if he will agree to make no use whatever of any information he may obtain in that capacity. i will speak to mr. nawood about the matter." "thank you, captain passford. mulgrum is a very worthy man, patriotic in every fibre of his frame, and in every drop of his blood. i should be glad to obtain some permanent occupation for him in the service of his country, for nothing else will suit him in the present exciting times. perhaps when you have tested his qualifications, this will make an opening for him." "i will consider the subject tomorrow," said christy, as he descended from the bridge. the commander was satisfied that the portion of the conversation which had taken place between the aspirant for the position of captain's clerk and the second lieutenant and which had been finished before the steward had reached his perch on the foremast, related to this matter. mulgrum had heard the conversation between the first lieutenant and himself, which was intended to blind the listener, and he had reported it to his confederate. it was only another confirmation, if any were needed, in regard to the character of the conspirators. christy had no doubt in regard to the disloyalty of these two men; but nothing in respect to their ultimate intentions had yet been revealed. they had brought six seamen on board with them, and they appeared to have influence enough in some quarter to have had these men drafted into the bronx. eight men, even if two of them were officers, was an insignificant force, though he was willing to believe that they intended to obtain possession of the vessel in some manner. the captain returned to his cabin, and resumed his work in the state room. though christy had spent several hours at his desk, he had really produced but a single letter, and had not yet finished it. when he heard eight bells strike, he left his state room, and seated himself at the table in the middle of his cabin. the door was open into the companion way. mr. flint presently appeared, and went on deck to relieve the second lieutenant, who came below a few minutes later, though the captain did not allow himself to be seen by him. then he closed the cabin door, and turned in, for he began to realize that he needed some rest. he went to sleep at once, and he did not wake till four bells struck in the morning. the bronx was pitching heavily, though she still maintained her reputation as an easy-going ship in spite of the head sea. he dressed himself, and seated himself at his desk at once, devoting himself to the letter upon which he had been engaged the evening before. the second lieutenant was on duty at this time, and the first was doubtless asleep in his berth, but he had been below six hours during the night, and, calling dave with his bell, he sent him for mr. flint, who presented himself a few minutes later. "good morning, captain passford; you have turned out early, sir," said the first lieutenant. "not very early, and i am sorry to wake you so soon. i did not turn in till after you had gone on deck to take the midwatch. i have been very busy since we parted, and i need your advice and assistance," replied the commander. "i have got at something." "indeed! i am glad to hear it," added mr. flint. without the loss of any time, the captain called dave, who was at work in the ward room, and told him to see that no one came near the door of his cabin. the steward understood him perfectly, and christy resumed his place at the table with the executive officer, and proceeded to detail to him as briefly as he could all the information he had obtained through dave, and the manner of obtaining it. it required some time to do this, and the first lieutenant was intensely interested in the narrative. "i am not greatly surprised so far as lillyworth is concerned, for there has been something about him that i could not fathom since both of us came on board," said mr. flint. "of course these men are on board for a purpose, though i acknowledge that i cannot fathom this purpose, unless it be treason in a general sense; but i am inclined to believe that they have some specific object," added the captain. "of course you will be willing to believe that both of these men are sailing under false colors." "undoubtedly. it has occurred to me that the second lieutenant invented the name that represents him on the ship's books. lillyworth is a little strained; if he had called himself smith or brown, it would have been less suspicious." "in the conversation to which dave listened on the bridge, both of them blundered, and let out their real names, though each of them reproved the other for doing so. the second lieutenant's real name is pawcett, and that of the deaf mute is hungerford." "the last is decidedly a southern name, and the other may be for aught i know. hungerford, hungerford," said mr. flint, repeating the name several times. "it means something to me, but i can't make it out yet." the first lieutenant cudgelled his brains for a minute or two as though he was trying to connect the name with some event in the past. the captain waited for him to sound his memory; but it was done in vain; flint could not place him. he was confident, however, that the connection would be made in his mind at some other moment. "the interesting question to us just now is to determine why these men, eight in number, are on board of the bronx at all, and why they are on board at the present time," said the captain. "i happen to know that lillyworth was offered a better position than the one he now fills temporarily; but my father says he insisted on going in the bronx." "certainly he is not here on a fool's errand. he has business on board of this particular steamer," replied flint, speaking out of his musing mind. "ah! now i have it!" he suddenly exclaimed. "hungerford was the executive officer of the killbright, or the yazoo, as they called her afterwards. i had a very slight inkling that i had seen the face of the deaf mute before; but he has shaved off his beard, and stained his face, so that it is no wonder i did not identify him; but the name satisfies me that he was the first officer of the yazoo." "that means then that he is a regular officer of the confederate navy," suggested the captain; "and probably lillyworth is also. the only other name dave was able to obtain was that of spoors, one of the quartermasters; and very likely he is also another." "we have almost a double crew on board, captain passford, and what can eight men do to capture this vessel?" asked flint. "i don't know what they intend to do, and i must give it up. now i want to read a letter to you that i have written; and you can tell me what you think of it." the commander then read as follows from the sheet in his hand, upon which appeared no end of changes and corrections: "to the commander of any united states ship of war, _sir_:-- the undersigned, master in the united states navy, in temporary command of the united states steamer bronx, bound to the gulf of mexico, respectfully informs you that he has information, just received, of the approach to the coast of the southern states of two steamers, the scotian and the arran, believed to be fitted out as cruisers for the confederate navy. they will be due in these waters about march . they are of about five hundred tons each. a letter from the confidential agent of my father, captain horatio passford, an agent in whom he has perfect confidence, both on account of his loyalty to his country undivided, and because of his skill as a shipmaster, contains this statement, which is submitted to you for your guidance: 'i have put twelve loyal american seamen, with an officer, on board of each of the steamers mentioned above; and they comprise about one-half of the crew of each vessel; and they will take possession of each of the two steamers when supported by any united states man-of-war. warnock.' respectfully yours, christopher passford, _master commanding_." "i beg your pardon, captain passford, but what under the canopy is that letter for?" asked flint, not a little excited. "it is for pink mulgrum to copy," replied the captain. "that is all the use i intend to make of it." flint leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily, and the commander could not help joining him. chapter ix a volunteer captain's clerk mr. flint was really amused at the plan of the commander of the bronx, as indicated in the letter he had just read, and he was not laughing out of mere compliment to his superior officer, as some subordinates feel obliged to do even when they feel more like weeping. perhaps no one knew christy passford so well as his executive officer, not even his own father, for flint had been with him in the most difficult and trying ordeals of his life. he had been the young leader's second in command in the capture of the teaser, whose cabin they now occupied, and they had been prisoners together. he had been amazed at his young companion's audacity, but he had always justified his action in the end. they had become excellent friends as well as associates in the navy, and there was a hearty sympathy between them. christy laughed almost in spite of himself, for he had been giving very serious attention to the situation on board of the bronx. in the ship's company were at least two officers on the other side of the great question of the day, both of them doubtless men of great experience in their profession, more mature in years than their opponent on this chess-board of fate, and they had come on board of the steamer to accomplish some important purpose. the game at which they were engaged had already become quite exciting, especially as it looked as if the final result was to be determined by strategy rather than hard fighting, for pawcett and hungerford could hardly expect to capture the bronx with only a force of eight men. "mulgrum is to copy this letter," said flint, suppressing his laughter. "i have written the letter in order to have something for him to copy, and at the same time to give him and his confederate something to think about," replied christy; and he could hardly help chuckling when he thought of the effect the contents of the letter would produce in the minds of those for whom the missive was really intended. "do you think they will swallow this fiction, captain passford?" asked the first lieutenant. "why shouldn't they swallow it, hook, bait, and sinker? they are confederate agents beyond the possibility of a doubt; and they are looking for a ship in which they intend to ravage the commerce of the united states," replied christy; and the question had done something to stimulate his reasoning powers. "they want a vessel, and the bronx would suit them very well." "but they will not attempt to capture her under present circumstances, i am very confident. they know that we have about twenty seamen extra on board." "they know that certainly; but possibly they know some things in this connection that we do not know," added christy, as he put his hand on his forehead, and leaned over the table, as though his mind were strongly exercised by some serious question he was unable to answer satisfactorily to himself. "what can they know that we don't know in regard to this vessel?" demanded flint, looking quite as serious as the commander. "whether our extra men are loyal or not," answered christy, dropping his hand, and looking his companion full in the face. "do you think there is any doubt in regard to them?" "i confess that i have not had a doubt till this moment," said the captain, wiping the perspiration from his brow, for the terrible possibility that any considerable portion of the extra men were in the employ of the two confederates had almost overcome him. for a few moments he was silent as he thought of this tremendous idea. it was appalling to think of going into action with the scotian or the arran, or both of them, and have a part of his own force turn against him on his own deck. this was possible, but he could hardly believe it was probable. dave had reported very faithfully to him all the details of the conversation between the confederates, and they had claimed only six men. if they had any hold on the extra men on board, they would have been likely to say so, or at least to speak more indefinitely than they had of their expectations. "have you any friends on board, mr. flint, among the crew?" asked christy suddenly, as though a solution of the difficult question of the loyalty of the men had suggested itself to him. "i have at least half a dozen whom i worked hard to have drafted into the bronx, for i know that they are good and true men, though they may not be able to pass the technical examination of the naval officers," replied the first lieutenant promptly. "i can trust every one of them as far as i could trust myself. one of them was the mate of my vessel at the time i sold her, and he has since been in command of her." "who is he?" "his name is baskirk; and he is a quartermaster now. i wrote to him, and promised to do the best i could to advance him. he is not a graduate of a college, but he is a well-informed man, well read, sober, honest, and a man of good common-sense." "the others?" "mcspindle was a classmate of mine in college, and he is a capital fellow. unfortunately, he got into the habit of drinking more than was good for him, and spoiled his immediate future. he has made two foreign voyages, and he is a good seaman. he came home second mate of an indiaman, promoted on his merit. he is also a quartermaster," said flint, who was evidently very deeply interested in the persons he described. "any more?" "luffard is a quartermaster, for i selected the best men i had for these positions. he is a young fellow, and the son of a rich man in portland. he is a regular water bird, though he is not over eighteen years old." "his age is no objection," added christy with a smile. "i suppose not; but i have taken luffard on his bright promise rather than for anything he has ever done, though i have seen him sail a forty-footer in a race and win the first prize. the other men i happen to think of just now have been sailors on board of my coaster. they are good men, and i can vouch for their loyalty, though not for their education. they are all petty officers." "i have a mission for your men, to be undertaken at once, and i shall be likely to want the first three you named for important positions, if my orders do not fetter me too closely," said christy. "as the matter stands just now, mr. flint, it would hardly be expedient for us to capture a schooner running the blockade for the want of an officer to act as prize master." "the three quartermasters i named are competent for this duty, for they are navigators, and all of them have handled a vessel." "i am glad to hear it; we are better off than i supposed we were. my father told me that several vessels had been sent to the south short of officers, and we are no worse off than some others, though what you say makes us all right." "i can find three officers on board who are as competent as i am, though that is not saying much," added flint. "i can ask no better officers, then. but to return to this letter. i have spent a considerable part of my time at bonnydale in talking with my father. he is in the confidence of the naval department." "he ought to be, for he gave to the navy one of its best steamers, to say the least." "i don't want to brag of my father," suggested christy, laughing; "i only wanted to show that he is posted. coming to the point at once, putting this and that together of what i learned on shore, and of what i have discovered on board of the bronx, i am inclined to believe that pawcett and hungerford have their mission on board of this steamer in connection with the scotian and the arran. i will not stop now to explain why i have this idea, for i shall obtain more evidence as we proceed. at any rate, i thought i would put the ghost of a stumbling-block in the path of these conspirators; and this is the reason why i have put thirteen american seamen on board of each of the expected steamers. if my conjectures are wrong the stumbling-block will be nothing but a ghost; if i am right, it will make our men somewhat cautious as to what they do if we should be so fortunate as to fall in with the two vessels." "i understand you perfectly, captain passford. you said that you had something for my men to do at once; but you did not explain what this duty was," said flint. "if you require their services at once, i will instruct them." "i did not explain, for i have so many irons in the fire that i am afraid i am getting them mixed, and i forgot to tell you what they were to do. but i shall leave the details to be settled in your own way. i want to know who are loyal men and who are not. there are at least six men, according to the report of dave, who are followers of pawcett and hungerford. we don't know who they are; but doubtless they have been selected for their shrewdness. probably they will be looking for information among the men. spoors is one of them, and by watching him some clew may be obtained to the others." "i am confident my men can find out all you want to know," added the first lieutenant. "it should be done as soon as possible," replied the commander. "not a moment shall be lost. i have the deck at eight this morning, and one of the quartermasters will be at the wheel. i will begin with him." mr. flint left the cabin, for his breakfast was waiting for him in the ward room. christy walked through to the steerage, where he found mulgrum attending to the wants of the warrant officers as well as he could. he looked at this man with vastly more interest than before he had listened to dave's report. it was easy to see that he was not an ordinary man such as one would find in menial positions; but it was not prudent for him to make a study of the man, for his quick eye was taking in everything that occurred near him. eight bells struck, and mr. flint hastened on deck to relieve the second lieutenant. christy took his morning meal at a later hour, and when he had finished it, he sent for pink mulgrum. of course the conversation had to be written, and the captain placed the scullion opposite himself at the table. "i learn from mr. lillyworth that you are a good writer, and that you are well educated," christy wrote on a piece of paper, passing it to the deaf mute. mulgrum read the sentence, and nodded his head with something like a smile. if christy was a judge of his expression, he was certainly pleased, evidently to find that his confederate's plan was working well. "i have a letter of which i desire several copies. can i trust you to make these copies?" christy wrote. the man read and nodded his head eagerly. "will you promise on your honor as a man that you will not reveal what you write to any person whatever?" christy proceeded. mulgrum read, and nodded his head earnestly several times. the commander procured paper and other writing materials for him, and placed them before him. then he seated himself again opposite the copyist, and fixed his gaze upon him; unfolding the letter, of which he had made a fair copy himself, he placed it under the eyes of the deaf mute. mulgrum had retained his smile till this moment. he had arranged his paper and taken a pen in his hand. then he began to read; as he proceeded the smile deserted his face. he was plainly startled. chapter x the unexpected orders christy sat for some minutes watching the expression of mulgrum as he read the letter he was to copy. like a careful man, he was evidently taking a glance at it as a whole. the interested observer could see that he fixed his gaze upon the last part of the letter, the extract from the missive of warnock, relating to the twelve loyal american seamen and their officer. in fact, he seemed to be paralyzed by what he read. the commander was satisfied with what he had seen, and he rose from his chair. his movement seemed to restore the self-possession of the deaf mute, and he began to write very rapidly. christy went into his state room, where he kept all his important papers in his desk. he gave himself up to a consideration of the situation in which he was placed. he had partly closed the door. but he had not been in the room half an hour before he heard a knock. "come in," said he, supposing the caller was dave. the door was pushed open, and mulgrum came in with his tablet in his hand. the deaf mute had certainly heard his reply to the knock, for he had heeded it instantly, and he smiled at the manner in which the conspirator had "given himself away." the scullion presented his tablet to the captain with a very deferential bow. "there is an error in the copy of the letter you gave me--in the extract. if you will give me the original letter from mr. warnock, i will correct the mistake," christy read on the tablet. it was not impossible that he had made a mistake in copying his letter; but the object of mulgrum in desiring to see the original of the letter from england was sufficiently apparent. "bring me my copy of the letter," he wrote on the tablet, and handed it back to the owner. the captain took from his desk a bundle of letters and selected one, which he opened and laid on the table, though not where his copyist could see it. mulgrum returned and presented him the letter, pointing out the mistake he had discovered. he looked at the blind letter, and then at the other. there was certainly an error, for his letter said "and they comprise about one of crew of each vessel." this was nonsense, for he had accidentally omitted the word "half" after "one." he inserted the word above the line in its proper place, and gave it back to the copyist. it was clear enough that mulgrum was disappointed in the result of this interview; but he took the letter and returned to the table. at the end of another quarter of an hour, he brought the first copy of the letter. he knocked as before, and though christy told him in a loud tone to come in, he did not do so. he repeated the words, but the conspirator, possibly aware of the blunder he had made before, did not make it again. then he wrote on his tablet, after the captain had approved his work, that he found the table very uncomfortable to write upon while the ship was pitching so smartly, and suggested that he should be allowed to make the rest of the copies on the desk in the state room, if the captain did not desire to use it himself. unfortunately for the writer, he did desire to use it himself, and he could not help smiling at the enterprise of the deaf mute in his attempt to obtain an opportunity to forage among the papers in his drawers. mulgrum certainly did his work nicely and expeditiously, for he had finished it at three bells in the forenoon watch. he was dismissed then, for his presence was not particularly agreeable to the commander. christy locked his desk and all the drawers that contained papers, not as against a thief or a burglar, but against one who would scorn to appropriate anything of value that did not belong to him, for he had no doubt now that mulgrum was a gentleman who was trying to serve what he regarded as his country, though it was nothing but a fraction of it. in fact, inheriting, as it were, the broad and generous policy of his father, christy had no personal prejudices against this enemy of his country, and he felt just as he would if he had been sailing a boat against him, or playing a game of whist with him. he was determined to beat him if he could. but he was not satisfied with locking his papers up; he called dave, and set him as a watch over them. if the conspirator overhauled his papers, he would have been more concerned about what he did not find than in relation to what he did find, for the absence of the original of warnock's letter would go far to convince him that the extract from it was an invention. when he had taken these precautions he went on deck. the wind was blowing a moderate gale; but the bronx was doing exceedingly well, lifting herself very lightly over the foaming billows, and conveying to one walking her deck the impression of solidity and strength. the captain went to the bridge after a while, though not till he had noticed that something was going on among the crew; but he was not disposed to inquire into the matter, possibly regarding it as beneath the dignity of a commander to do so. christy mounted the steps to the bridge. this structure is hardly a man-of-war appendage. it had been there, and it had been permitted to remain. the first shot in action might carry it away, and this contingency had been provided for, as she was provided with a duplicate steam-steering apparatus, as well as a hand wheel at the stern. the proper position of the officer of the watch, who is practically in command for the time being, is on the quarter deck, though he is required during his watch to visit all parts of the deck. on board of the bronx this officer was placed on the bridge, where he could overlook all parts of the ship. the first lieutenant, who had the forenoon watch, saluted him, but there was nothing of interest to report. christy asked the meaning of the movement he had observed among the seamen and petty officers, and was told that baskirk was getting up an association on board, the first requirement to which was for all who wished to become members to sign the oath of allegiance to the united states government, "as represented by and presided over by the president at washington." it was to be a secret society, and flint added that it was really a branch of the union league. christy did not think it wise to ask any more questions, but he understood that this was really a movement to ascertain the sentiments of the members of the ship's company as to the extent of their duty in supporting the government. "mr. flint, i am not a little dissatisfied with the manner in which we are compelled to carry on our duty on board of the bronx, though no blame is to be attached to the naval department on account of it," said christy, after he had walked the bridge for a time. "is anything going wrong, captain passford?" asked the first lieutenant anxiously. "oh, no: i have no fault to find with any one, and least of all with you," added the captain promptly. "the trouble is that we are short of officers, though all that could be spared for this vessel were sent on board of her. as the matter now stands, dr. spokeley and i are the only idlers on board in the cabin and ward room. the first lieutenant has to keep a watch, which is not at all regular, and i foresee that this arrangement will be a very great disadvantage to me. it could not be helped, and the bronx was evidently regarded as of no great importance, for she is little more than a storeship just now, though the flag officer in the gulf will doubtless make something more of her." "we have a big crew for this vessel, but we are short of officers," added flint. "from the best calculations i have been able to make, with my father to help me, we ought to fall in with the scotian and the arran; and in view of such an event, i propose to prepare for the emergency by appointing a temporary third lieutenant." "i think that would be a very wise step to take," added flint very cordially. "of the men you mentioned to me, who is the best one for this position?" asked christy. "i have no hesitation in saying that baskirk is the right man for the position." "very well; he shall be appointed," added christy, as he left the bridge. but in a few minutes he returned, and handed an order to the first lieutenant. baskirk was sent for, and the captain had a long talk with him. he found that the candidate had more knowledge of naval discipline than he had supposed, and he was pleased with the man. he was the leading quartermaster in rank, having been appointed first. after another talk with flint, the latter gave the order to pass the word for mr. giblock, who was the acting boatswain, though in rank he was only a boatswain's mate. he was directed to call all hands. when the ship's company were assembled on the forward deck, though this is not the usual place for such a gathering, the first lieutenant read the order of the commander appointing george baskirk as acting third lieutenant of the bronx, and directing that he should be respected and obeyed as such. a smart cheer followed the announcement, though the second lieutenant, who had taken a place on the bridge, looked as though he did not approve the step the captain had taken. the officer of the deck next appointed thomas mclinn a quartermaster. the ship's company were then dismissed. just before noon by the clocks, lieutenant baskirk appeared on the bridge, dressed in a brand-new uniform, with a sextant in his hands. christy, who did not depend upon his pay for the extent of his wardrobe, had not less than three new suits, and he had presented one of them to the newly appointed officer, for there was no material difference in the size of the two persons. all the officers who kept watches were required to "take the sun," and at the moment the meridian was crossed, the captain gave the word to "make it noon," and the great bell sounded out eight bells. the officers proceeded to figure up the results of the observations. the longitude and latitude were entered on the log slate, to be transferred to the log book. baskirk was directed to take the starboard watch, and he was formally presented to the second lieutenant by the captain; and whatever his feeling or opinions in regard to the step which had just been taken, he accepted the hand of the new officer and treated him with proper courtesy. "latitude ° '," said the captain significantly, as he led the way down from the bridge, attended by the first and third lieutenants. they followed him to the captain's cabin. christy gave them seats at the table, and then went into his state room for the ponderous envelope which contained his orders. he seated himself between his two officers; but before he broke the great seal, he discovered dave in the passageway making energetic signs to him. he hastened to him, and followed him into the ward room. "pink is under your berth in the state room," whispered the steward in the most impressive manner. "all right, dave; you have been faithful to your duty," said christy, as he hastened back into his cabin. resuming his place at the table, he broke the seal of the huge envelope. he unfolded the inclosed instructions, and ran over them without speaking a word. "we have nothing to do on this cruise," said he, apparently taking his idea from the paper in his hand. "i will read the material parts of it," he continued in a much louder tone than the size of the cabin and the nearness of his auditors seemed to demand. "'you will proceed with all reasonable despatch to the gulf of mexico, and report to the flag officer, or his representative, of the eastern gulf squadron. you will attempt no operations on your passage, and if an enemy appears you will avoid her if possible with honor.' that's all, gentlemen." the two listeners seemed to be utterly confounded. chapter xi another reading of the sealed orders christy finished the reading of the orders, folded up the document, and put it in his pocket. but he immediately took it out and unfolded it again, as though a new thought had struck him. flint watched him with the utmost attention, and he realized that the bearing of the commander was quite different from his usual manner; but he attributed it to the very unexpected nature of the orders he had just read. he was distinctly directed to attempt no operations on the passage, and to proceed to the destination indicated with all reasonable despatch. the wording of the order was rather peculiar, and somewhat clumsy, flint thought; but then he had been a schoolmaster, and perhaps he was inclined to be over-critical. but the meaning of the first clause could not be mistaken, however, though the word "operations" seemed to indicate something on a grander scale and more prolonged than an encounter with a blockade-runner, or a confederate man-of-war; something in the nature of a campaign on shore, or a thorough scouring of the ocean in search of the vessels of the enemy. but any such interpretation of the order was rendered impossible by what followed. the commander was distinctly forbidden to engage the enemy if such an encounter could be avoided "with honor." the first lieutenant knew that a combat could be easily avoided simply by not following up any suspicious craft, unless a fully manned and armed confederate cruiser presented herself, and then it might be honorable to run away from her. there was no mistaking the meaning of the orders, and there was no chance to strain a point, and fall upon one or both of the expected steamers. the captain was strictly enjoined from meddling with them, even if they came in his way. if they chased the bronx, she would be justified in defending herself under the orders; and that was the most she could do. flint was terribly disappointed, and he regarded the commander with the deepest interest to learn what interpretation he would give to the orders, though there seemed to him to be no room even to take advantage of any fortunate circumstance. the appearance of the commander did not throw any new light upon the contents of the document. after he had finished the reading of the paper, christy sat in his chair, apparently still looking it over, as though he did not fully comprehend its meaning. but he made no sign and indulged in no remark of any kind, and in a few moments folded the order and put it back into his pocket. undoubtedly he was thinking very energetically of something, but he did not reveal the nature of his reflections. flint concluded that he was utterly dissatisfied with his orders, and even regarded them as a slight upon himself as the commander of the steamer for the time being. it was not customary to direct captains to avoid the enemy under all circumstances that were likely to be presented. the first lieutenant began to realize the disadvantage of sailing with a captain so young, for it looked to him as though the strange order had been issued on account of the youth of the commander. when christy had restored the paper to his pocket, he rose from his seat, and thus indicated that there was to be no consultation with the officers in regard to the unusual instructions. the two officers rose at the same time, and closely observed the face of the commander; but this time flint could find nothing there as serious as he had observed before; in fact, there was a twinkle in his eye that looked promising. "gentlemen, it is dinner time in the ward room, and i will not detain you any longer," said christy, as politely as he usually spoke to his officers, though the opera of "pinafore" had not been written at that time. flint bowed to his captain, and left the cabin; and his example was followed by baskirk. christy certainly did not look as though he were embarrassed by his orders, or as if he were disappointed at the restrictions they imposed upon him. he left the cabin so that dave could prepare his table for dinner as he had the time to do so. he left the cabin; but in the passage he called the steward to him, and whispered a brief sentence to him. he then ascended to the deck, and proceeded to take a "constitutional" on the windward side of the quarter deck. the gale had moderated very sensibly, though the wind was still from the southward. the sea was still quite rough, though it was likely to subside very soon. after the captain had walked as long as he cared to do, he mounted the bridge. "what do you think of the weather, mr. lillyworth?" he asked of the officer of the deck, after he had politely returned his salute. "i don't believe we shall have any more wind today," replied the second lieutenant, as he looked wisely at the weather indications the sky presented. "but it don't look much like fairing off, and i shall look for fog as long as the wind holds where it is." "i have been expecting to be buried in fog," added the captain, as he took a survey of the deck beneath him. "i see by the log slate that we are making fifteen knots an hour, and we certainly are not driving her." "there can be no doubt that this is a very fast vessel," said mr. lillyworth. "well, she ought to be, for i understand that she was built for a nobleman's yacht, and such men want speed, and are willing to pay for it." "by tomorrow, we shall be in the latitude of the bermudas, and most of the blockade runners put in there, or some more southern port, to get the news, and obtain a pilot, if they don't happen to have one on board." "that seems to be the way they do it." "this fog is favorable to blockade runners if they have a skilful pilot on board; and they all contrive to have such a one," added the captain, as he moved towards the steps to the deck. "i suppose you have opened your sealed orders, captain passford," said the second lieutenant, who seemed to be interested in this subject. "we have crossed the thirty-eighth parallel." "yes; i have opened the envelope, and found the orders very peculiar and very disappointing," replied the captain as he took a step on the ladder. "but you will excuse me now from speaking of them, for i have another matter on my mind." christy thought pink mulgrum might as well tell him about the orders and he could at least save his breath if he had no other motive for leaving the second lieutenant in the dark for the present. he went to the deck, and then down into the cabin. his breakfast was ready, but dave was not there, and he walked forward into the ward room, from which he saw mulgrum replenishing the table in the steerage. he had evacuated his place under the berth in the state room, and the captain went to his breakfast in his cabin. dave soon appeared with the hot dishes from the galley, for he had seen christy take his place at the table. "what's the news, dave?" asked the captain. "no news, sir, except that i gave pink a chance to get out of that state room," replied the steward, spreading out his broadest smile. "i spoke out loud just like i was calling to some one in the ward room, 'no, sir, i can't go now; i have to go to the galley for the dishes.' then i left the cabin, and went forward; when i came back, i looked under your berth, sir, and pink wasn't there then." "how did you know he was under the berth in the first place, dave?" "just before eight bells i saw him cleaning the brasses on the door. i think he will wear those door knobs all out before the cruise is up. i knew he was up to something, and i just watched him. he went out of sight and i did not know where he was. then i took the feather duster, and worked about the cabin; but i couldn't find him. then i dusted the state room, and then i did find him." "you have rendered good service, dave, and i shall not forget it," added christy. "where are mr. flint and mr. baskirk?" "in the ward room, sir." "give my compliments to them, and say that i wish to see them in my cabin in about ten minutes," continued the captain. dave left the cabin, and christy devoted himself to his breakfast; and in his haste to meet the officers indicated, he hurried the meal more than was prudent for the digestion. the steward reported that he had delivered the message, and christy finished his hasty collation. the table was hurriedly cleared by the steward, and the captain paid a visit to his state room, during which he did not fail to look under his berth. he had a trunk there, and he saw that it had been moved to the front of the space, so that there was room enough for the conspirator to conceal his body behind it, though his was a good-sized body. returning to the cabin, he took his usual seat at the table, facing the door. in a few minutes more mr. flint and mr. baskirk came to the door and were invited to come in. dave had returned from the galley, and he was instructed to watch that door as he was told to close it. [illustration: dave finds mulgrum under the berth.] flint took the seat assigned to him, and baskirk was placed opposite to him. the first lieutenant appeared to be a great deal more dissatisfied than the captain; but then he was a poor man, and next to his duty to his country, he was as anxious as the average officer to make all the money he could out of the prizes captured by his ship. it looked to him as though all his chances had slipped beyond his reach for the present. flint had taken no little stock in the two steamers that were expected on the coast at this time, and in spite of the treachery anticipated he had counted upon a share in at least one of them. he knew very well that the commander, from sharp experience at his side some months before, would not pass by an opportunity to strike a blow, even in the face of any reasonable risk. but now, as he looked at it, the wings of the young captain had been clipped by the authorities at washington, in the sealed orders. "i am glad to meet you again, gentlemen; indeed i may say that i am particularly glad to see you," said christy in his most cheerful tones, as he looked about the cabin, and especially at the ports, to see if there was a spy looking in at one of them. the thought came to him then and there that it was possible for a man to hang over the rail, and place one of his ears at an opening and listen to what was going on; and besides there were, besides mulgrum, six others who were capable of doing such a thing. he sent mr. baskirk on deck to see that no man was at work over the side. he returned and reported that no one was in a position to hear what was said in the cabin. flint did not seem to be as much interested in the proceedings as on former occasions, for he had had time to consider the effect of the orders, and he saw no way to evade them. they might pick up some cotton schooners, but no such prizes as the scotian and the arran were likely to be taken when the steamer reached her station, wherever it might be, and the whole squadron shared the proceeds of the captures. "you listened to the orders i read this noon," began christy, with a pronounced twinkling of his eyes. "yes, sir; and, captain passford, i have felt as if the gates of honor and profit had been closed against the bronx," added flint. "perhaps a second reading of the orders will put a different aspect on the gates," said the captain with a significant smile, the force of which, however, the first lieutenant failed to comprehend. "under these orders there seems to be no alternative but to hasten to the gulf of mexico, and run away from any blockade runner we may happen to see," growled flint. "you are not as amiable as usual, mr. flint." "how can one be amiable under such orders?" added flint, trying to smile. "i will read them over again, now that we have not as many auditors as before," said the captain. christy proceeded to read the document as it was written. chapter xii a sail on the starboard bow before captain passford had read two lines of the document in his hands, a noise as of a scuffle was heard in the passage way to the ward room. mr. baskirk was sent to ascertain the cause of the disturbance, and he threw the door wide open. dave was there, blocking the passage way, and pink mulgrum was trying to force his way towards the cabin door. the steward declared that no one must go to the cabin; it was the order of the captain himself. mulgrum found it convenient not to hear on this occasion. the moment baskirk appeared, the deaf mute exhibited a paper, which he passed to the new lieutenant, evidently satisfied that he could get no nearer to the door. when he had delivered the paper, he hastened up the ladder to the deck. dave came into the cabin and explained that mulgrum had tried to force him out of the way, and he had resisted. the intruder did not exhibit any paper till the third lieutenant appeared at the door. "that man is very persevering in his efforts to procure information," said christy, as he unfolded the paper. "'the fog is very dense ahead, and we shall soon be shut in by it,'" he read from the paper. "mr. lillyworth might have found a man that could speak for his messenger," he continued, "but of course he wanted to assist his confederate to obtain more information." "i don't see what he wants to know now, for mulgrum has told him the contents of the sealed envelope before this time, and he knows that the gates are closed against us," added flint. "it is plain enough that they have had their heads together." "certainly they have; but mr. lillyworth may not be any better satisfied with his information than you are, mr. flint," replied the captain, with an expressive smile, though he felt that his fellow officer had been tantalized long enough by the circumstances. "i have read and studied my orders very attentively. they direct me to proceed with all reasonable despatch to the gulf of mexico, and report to the flag officer of the eastern gulf squadron, or his representative." "'but information has been received,'" continued christy, reading what he had not read before, "'that two steamers, probably fitted out for service in the confederate navy, are approaching the coast of the southern states, and it is very important that they should be intercepted. both of these vessels are reported to have small crews, but they are said to be fast. the department regrets that it has not a suitable steamer available to send in search of these two vessels; but relying upon your well-known patriotism and the excellent record you have already made, you are instructed to intercept them, even if you are delayed a week or more by any hopeful circumstances.' that is the material portion of my orders," added christy, as he read the last sentence. "but i beg you to bear in mind that i did not write the commendatory expressions in the paper." "but they are as true as the holy gospels!" exclaimed flint, springing out of his chair in the heat of the excitement which the new reading of the orders produced in his mind. "but i thought you had read the sealed orders to us before, captain passford." "i read but a very small part of them before; and as i had to improvise the greater part of what i read, or rather did not read, but simply uttered, the language was not all well chosen," replied christy, laughing in spite of all his attempts to maintain his dignity. "the fact is, mr. flint, i had too many listeners when i read the paper before." "there was no one in the cabin but mr. baskirk and myself, and dave had been stationed at the door; or at least he was there, for he beckoned you out into the gangway just as you were beginning to read the orders," argued flint. "possibly i should have understood the first reading better if i had not seen for myself that you had taken all precautions against any listener. you went out when dave called you; but you were not gone half a minute; and that was not long enough for the steward to spin any long yarn." "but it was long enough for dave to tell me that pink mulgrum was under my berth, with the state room door open," replied christy. "just so; i comprehend the whole matter now," said flint, joining the captain in the laugh. "now you know what my instructions are, gentlemen," continued the commander, "and i hope and believe that mr. lillyworth and his right hand man do not know them. i think you have been already posted, mr. baskirk, in regard to the anomalous state of affairs on board of the bronx," added the captain. "not fully, captain passford; but mr. flint has told me something about the situation," replied the third lieutenant. "it may not be necessary, gentlemen, that i should say it, but not a word of what passes in my cabin is to be repeated in any other part of the ship; not even in the ward room when you believe you are entirely alone," said the captain, very earnestly and impressively. "if the doors and keyholes do not have ears, there may be ears behind them, as some of us have learned to our entire satisfaction." "not a word from me, captain passford," added baskirk. "and not one from me," repeated flint. "unquestionably the curiosity of mr. lillyworth and his confederate are and will continue to be excited to the highest pitch," continued christy. "i shall have occasion to change the course of the ship, and head her more to the eastward. of course the second lieutenant will observe this, and will understand that i am not following the orders reported to him by mulgrum. you are my only confidants on board, and it will be necessary for you to refer mr. lillyworth to me when he asks for further information." "perfectly understood," replied flint, who was now in most excellent humor. "now, gentlemen, i will leave you in my cabin that mr. baskirk may be more fully instructed in regard to the matters which have passed between mr. flint and myself. i have great expectations in regard to you, mr. baskirk, and i am confident that you will realize them." saying this, christy bowed to his companions, and left the cabin, retiring to his state room and closing the door. he had on board a full supply of charts and nautical instruments of his own, in addition to those belonging to the ship. spreading out the chart of the south atlantic on the desk, he went to work with his dividers and parallel rule. he made his figures on a piece of paper, and then laid off a course on the chart with a pencil, to be deepened in red ink at another time. writing "southeast by east" on a slip of paper, he restored his charts and instruments to their places and left the state room. the two lieutenants were still in his cabin, but he did not disturb them and went on deck. before he reached the bridge, six bells struck, or three o'clock in the afternoon. he then ascended the ladder to the bridge. the fog which the second lieutenant had predicted had not yet enveloped the ship; on the contrary, it looked more like clearing off, and some patches of blue sky could be seen. "mr. lillyworth, you will make the course southeast by east," said christy, looking at the officer of the deck. "southeast by east!" exclaimed the second lieutenant; and his remark needed an exclamation point after it, for though it was customary to repeat an order to make sure that it was understood, he did so in such a tone and in such a manner as to manifest very clearly his astonishment at the nature of the order. the former course had been south by west. one thing was fully evident from this surprise--that the officer of the deck gave full faith to the bogus instructions which had been imparted to him by mulgrum. he believed that the bronx was to hasten to the gulf, as the former course indicated. it was plain enough to lillyworth that the captain was disregarding his instructions; but his lips were sealed in regard to this disobedience, for he could not indicate in any manner that he knew the purport of the sealed orders; and doubtless it did not occur to him that the deaf mute had been blinded, in addition to his other infirmities. the course was given out to the quartermaster at the wheel. the steamer promptly fell off, and began to ride quartering over the smart billows, brought out by the wind from the south-southwest, as it had blown for the last hour or more. christy believed that he had put everything in train for accomplishing the mission of the bronx on the new course he had just ordered. there were no more orders to be read, and he did not see that the conspirators could do anything more to derange the plans of the loyal officers and seamen on board. all they had attempted so far was to obtain information in regard to the movements of the vessel; and christy had taken care that they should receive all the information they wanted, though not as reliable as it might have been. he was satisfied with the situation as it must remain till some decided event should call for energetic action. the captain and the two ward-room officers in his confidence were obliged to conduct themselves with the utmost caution and discretion in order not to undo anything which had been done in blinding the eyes of the conspirators. christy had an abundance of writing to do, and it was of a kind that would not betray any of his secrets; he called upon mulgrum to do this work, in order to keep up appearances. he did not call any more conferences with his friends in the cabin, for there was no need of any, and entire silence was the more prudent. the bronx proceeded on the course the captain had given out until the twentieth of the month, when the steamer was a little to the southward of the bermudas. she had not been near enough to the islands to be made out from the shore. on this day, when the bronx was three days from sandy hook, the fog which mr. lillyworth had been predicting settled down on the steamer, not as dense as it might be, but thick enough to prevent those on board of her from seeing anything at any great distance from her. the second lieutenant, in charge of the deck, suggested to the captain that the whistle should be blown; but christy answered very emphatically that no whistles were to be blown; though he ordered the lookouts to be doubled, and the steamer to proceed at half speed. in the middle of the second dog watch, in charge of mr. baskirk, the lookout on the topsail yard made himself heard, and the others aloft repeated the call. "sail on the starboard bow, sir!" said the first lookout from the yard, hailing the bridge. captain passford heard the hail from aloft, for he was planking the deck with the first lieutenant. both of them rushed forward at a pace rather undignified for a commander. "silence, aloft!" shouted the captain. "we have made her out. mr. flint, you will take the deck, and call all hands without any unnecessary noise." this order was given to giblock, the boatswain, and in a minute or two every man on board was in his station. the first lieutenant remained on the bridge, but the second took his place in the waist, and the third forward, though this arrangement of the officers was not sanctioned by ancient usage. silence was commanded, and the engine, working at half speed, made hardly any noise. the captain had spoken to sampson, the chief engineer, and he had done his best to avoid all noise in his department. the captain and the first lieutenant remained on the bridge, anxiously sighting in the direction in which the sail had been reported to be. as the captain had instructed the engineer to do, he had caused the fires to be reduced and a change of fuel used so that the smokestack of the bronx was just beginning to send up volumes of black smoke. the bunkers contained a small portion of soft coal for this purpose. chapter xiii the steamer in the fog the bronx was slowly approaching the steamer in the fog, which appeared to have stopped her propeller, and to be resting motionless on the long swells, hardly disturbed by a breath of air. by this time the smokestack of the bronx was vomiting forth dense clouds of black smoke. the steamers of the navy used anthracite coal, which burns without any great volume of smoke, and blockade runners had already begun to lay in whatever stock of it they were able to procure to be used as they approached the coast where they were to steal through the national fleet. the attention of the naval department of the united states had already been given to this subject, and the first steps had been taken to prevent the sale of this comparatively smokeless coal where it could be obtained by the blockade runners. christy had been on the blockade; and he had been in action with a steamer from the other side of the ocean; and he knew that this black smoke of the soft coal, exclusively used by english steamers, was a telltale in regard to such vessels. it had been an idea of his own to take in a supply of this kind of fuel, for while its smoke betrayed the character of vessels intending to run the blockade, the absence of it betrayed the loyalty of the national steamers to the blockade runners. it was a poor rule that would not work both ways, and the commander of the bronx had determined to adopt the scheme he had now put in force on board of his vessel. although the craft on the starboard bow could hardly be distinguished in the fog, christy had sent a trusty seaman aloft to report on the color of the smoke that issued from her funnel. this man had reported by swinging his cap in the air, as the captain had instructed him to do if he found that the smoke was that of soft coal. if there was no black smoke, he was to return to the deck without making any sign. the moment therefore that the man had been able to see the quality of the smoke, the commander was made as wise as though he had seen it himself. the information left him no doubt that the steamer was intended to run the blockade; but whether or not she was one of the expected pair, of course he could form no opinion, for already this part of the ocean had begun to swarm with vessels in this service. "i am beginning to make her out a little better," said flint, who had been straining his eyes to the utmost capacity, as everybody else on board was doing, to obtain the best and earliest information in regard to the stranger on the starboard bow. "what do you make out, mr. flint?" asked christy, who was too busily employed in watching the movements of the officers and seamen on his own deck to give especial attention to the character of the other steamer. "i can't see well enough yet to say anything in regard to details," replied the first lieutenant. "i can only make out her form and size; and she seems to be as nearly like the bronx as one pea is like another, though i should say that she was longer." "is she in motion?" asked the captain with interest. "she appears to be at rest, though it is possible that she is moving very slowly; but if she has not stopped her screw, she is not going more than four knots." "you say that she is built like the bronx, mr. flint?" asked christy anxiously. "just like her; i should say that both hulls came out of the same mould." "that very nearly settles the question in my mind. probably she was designed by the same naval architect, and constructed by the same builders, as the bronx," replied christy, gazing intently at the dim outlines of the steamer in the fog. "when a designer has made a great reputation for fast ships, men with piles of money, like the former owners of the bronx, the scotian, and the arran, employ him to furnish the plans for their steam yachts. from what we have learned so far, though it is very little indeed, i feel reasonably sure that this steamer ahead of us is the scotian or the arran, and i don't care much which it is. but why has she stopped her screw, or reduced her speed to four knots?" "that is a question that can only be answered an hour or two hence, if ever," replied the first lieutenant. "but it is a very important question all the same," added christy. "i doubt if the bronx is making four knots at the present moment," said flint, as he went to the end of the bridge, and looked down into the water. "in changing the fires in the furnaces, mr. sampson had been obliged to clear them out in part, and that has reduced the pressure of steam; but we shall soon have the usual head," said christy, as he went to the speaking tube and communicated with the chief engineer. he was informed that his explanation was correct in regard to the coal, and that in a very short time the boilers would have a full head of steam. christy spent the next few minutes in an earnest study of the scarcely perceptible outline of the steamer in the fog. he was hardly wiser when he had finished his examination than before. the hull and lower masts of the vessel could be indistinctly made out, and that was all. sampson informed him that he had not been using all the steam he had, and that the screw was hardly turning at all. he ordered him to stop it entirely. impatient as he was to follow up the discovery that had been made, he realized that it would be very imprudent to expose his ship to possible danger when he had not steam enough to work her to the best advantage. he could only wait; but he was satisfied that he had done the best possible thing in changing the coal, for the black smoke would effectually blind the officers of the other vessel. they were not engaged in a chase, and the exciting question could be settled a few hours hence as well as at the present time. "if the steamer ahead is the scotian or the arran, as i fully believe she is, probably her consort is somewhere in these waters," said the commander. "probably she lost sight of her in this fog," added flint. "but, captain passford, we are in the face of something, though we do not yet know precisely what. i suppose you have your eye on mr. lillyworth?" "i have kept him in sight all the time. he is on the quarter deck now, as he has been since all hands were called," replied christy, who had not failed to look at him for a full minute since the discovery of the sail on the starboard. "he seems to be perplexed by the situation, and his time for action, if he intends to act, has not yet come." "i don't see pink mulgrum anywhere about the deck." "i saw him a few minutes since," added christy. "he passed several times quite near mr. lillyworth, and very likely something was said between them; but they had no long talk." christy had charged dave to watch mulgrum if he went below, and to follow him up closely; but the deaf mute had been on deck most of the time. there was nothing that he could do, and nothing that the second lieutenant could do, to embarrass the operations of the ship while she remained at rest. the captain then descended to the deck, and personally looked into the condition of everything. in the course of his round he came to the quarter deck where the second lieutenant was stationed. he could see that he was nervous and uneasy about something, and it was not difficult to divine what perplexed him. he could hardly see the black smoke from the funnel of the steamer in the fog, for his place on the deck did not permit him to obtain as good a view of her as could be had from the bridge, and especially from aloft. "do you make out what that vessel is, captain passford?" asked lillyworth, as christy passed near him. "not yet, mr. lillyworth," replied the captain, not caring to converse with the conspirator. "the fog does not seem to be very dense, and i should think the vessel might be made out from aloft," added the second lieutenant, evidently very anxious to know more about the sail ahead. "not very clearly," replied christy, as he went forward to the engine hatch. he descended to the engine room, and while he was listening to the roar of the flames in the furnaces, so different from the action of anthracite coal, sampson came up from the fire room. "we shall have a sufficient head of steam in a few minutes to justify you in going ahead, captain passford," said the engineer without waiting to be questioned. "i am glad to hear it, though we are in no special hurry at present, in spite of our impatience to know what is before us," replied the captain. "do you know the man who passes under the name of mulgrum, mr. sampson?" "you mean pink, the deaf mute? mr. nawood pointed him out to me, and i have seen him about the deck or in the steerage several times." "has he been in the engine room at any time since we sailed?" asked christy. "he may have been; but i have not noticed him anywhere in my department," replied sampson. "you will not allow him in the engine or fire room," continued the captain. "send him out, drive him out, if necessary, at once." "being deaf and dumb, i should suppose he were harmless wherever he happened to be. is he--" "never mind what he is just now, mr. sampson," interposed christy. "be very particular to obey my order in regard to him to the letter; that's all now. inform me at once when you are ready to go ahead, and i shall be on the bridge." the order which christy had just given to the engineer was the result of his reflection since he came down from the bridge. he had been cudgelling his brains to determine what the conspirators could possibly do when the decisive moment came, if it should happen to come as he neared the steamer in the fog, to derange the operations on board. it seemed to him before that all they could do was to leap on board of the enemy, if it came to boarding her, and reinforce her crew. he had talked over this matter with flint and baskirk, and there were three who would be ready to shoot either of them the instant their treachery should be apparent. before it would be possible to board, a man as intelligent as mulgrum, who had served as executive officer, could easily disable the engine. this idea had but just come to the commander, who thought before that he had closed every opening against the conspirators. he went on deck as soon as he had settled this matter. the fog seemed to be rather more dense than before, and when he went on the bridge, it was reported that the stranger could no longer be made out. "i have just received the roster of the 'bronx association,'" said flint, as the captain joined him. "it is signed by every man on board, including the supernumeraries forward, except spoors, blocker, veering, packer, pickford, and runyon. i inquired why these men would not join, but could not learn that they had any reason except that they did not wish to be members. i have seen mr. lillyworth talking to all of these men, and i think we can be certain now who is white and who is black." "on the bridge!" came from the speaking tube, at this moment, and the captain was near enough to hear it. mr. sampson reported that he had steam enough to make at least ten knots an hour. the commander then instructed the first lieutenant to see that both divisions of boarders were armed with cutlass and revolver, in readiness for action. the second lieutenant was to attend to the working of the broadside guns, mr. baskirk was to lead the first division of boarders, and mr. giblock, the boatswain, the second. flint went below to the deck to execute his orders, and the captain ordered the quartermaster to ring one bell. chapter xiv the confederate steamer scotian one bell sounded on the gong in the engine room, and the bronx began to go ahead. christy felt that the most tremendous hour of his lifetime had come, and he struggled to keep down the excitement which agitated him; and he succeeded so far that he appeared to be the coolest man on board of the ship. when flint came in the vicinity of the bridge, he called to him to join him. the men were procuring their revolvers and cutlasses, and he had a moment to spare. the captain instructed him to conceal the boarders so that they could not be seen on board the steamer in the fog when the bronx came up with her. he added some other details to his orders. "if possible, i wish you to keep as near lillyworth as you can," continued christy, "for i shall not have the opportunity to watch him. this war cannot be conducted on peace principles, and if that man attempts to defeat my orders in any manner, don't hesitate to put a ball from your revolver through his heart. use reasonable care, mr. flint, but bear in mind that i am not to be defeated in the capture of that steamer, if she proves to be what i suppose she is, by the treachery of one who accepted a position as an officer on board of the bronx." the commander was firm and decided in his manner, and flint had served with him enough to know that he meant what he said. "i will obey your orders to the letter, captain passford, using all reasonable precautions in the discharge of my duty," replied flint. "mr. lillyworth was in a state of mutiny just now, and spoke to me." "what did he say?" "he declared that he was second lieutenant of the ship, and it was his right to command the first division of boarders. he wouldn't stand it. i told him he was to be in command of the guns. he insisted that you did not intend to fire a gun if you could help it. i replied that we should not board the vessel either if we could help it. but i had no time to argue with him, and referred him to the captain. then he moved towards the ladder of the bridge, and i forbade him to leave his station. that is the whole of it. i have seen him speak to each of the six men we now know to be his friends, to say nothing of mulgrum. i left him then." "all right so far, mr. flint. return to the deck, if you please, and be sure that the boarders are kept out of sight from this moment," added christy. "quartermaster, ring four bells," he added, turning to the pilot house. "four bells, sir," repeated mcspindle, who was at the wheel. the bronx soon began to feel the effect of this order, and the smoke poured out in increased volume from the smokestack, affected by the stronger draught produced by the additional speed. "on the topsail yard!" called the captain, directing his speaking trumpet aloft. "on the bridge, sir!" replied the man. "can you make out the steamer?" "no, sir; only her topmasts and fore rigging." "how does she lie from the bronx?" "still on the starboard bow, sir." "port the helm, quartermaster," added the captain. "port, sir," replied mcspindle. for about five minutes more, the bronx went ahead at full speed, and christy was confident that she was again making fifteen knots. "on the bridge, sir!" called the man on the fore yard. "aloft!" "i make her out now; she has the confederate flag at the peak." "all right!" exclaimed christy to himself, though he spoke out loud. the steamer had set her colors, and there was no longer any doubt in regard to her character. the flag also indicated that she was not a blockade runner in the ordinary sense of the word, but a confederate man-of-war. warnock reported that she had taken her armament on board from another vessel at some point south of england, and the colors also assured christy that the steamer was one of the pair expected. still the bronx went ahead at full speed, and presently a gun was heard from the direction in which she lay, though the captain was unable to decide what it meant. it might be a signal of distress, but the man on the yard had not reported the colors as union down; and it might be simply a defiance. it was probable that the scotian and arran had put in at st. george, and it was more than possible that they had shipped a reinforcement to her reported small crew. "aloft!" called the captain again. "on the bridge, sir!" replied the lookout. "is the steamer under way?" "i think not, sir; but i can't make out her wake, it is so low." "starboard a little, quartermaster." "starboard, sir." christy heard, or thought he heard, for he was not sure about it, the sound of a bell. a minute later the quartermaster in the pilot house struck seven bells, which was repeated on the top-gallant forecastle of the bronx, and he was confident this was what he had heard on board of the stranger. "quartermaster, strike one bell," he added. "one bell, sir;" and the gong resounded from the engine room, and the speed of the bronx was immediately reduced. a minute later christy obtained a full view of the steamer. she was headed to the southwest, and her propeller was not in motion. as the lookout had reported, she was the counterpart of the bronx, though she was a larger vessel. he gave some further orders to the quartermaster at the wheel, for he had decided to board the steamer on her port side. the boarders had been concealed in proper places under this arrangement, and the captain had directed the course of the bronx so that a shot from her could hardly do any harm, if she took it into her head to fire one. "arran, ahoy!" shouted a hoarse voice through a speaking trumpet from the steamer. "on board the scotian!" replied christy through his trumpet. after the vessel had hailed the arran, the captain had no difficulty in deciding that the other craft was the scotian; and he was especially glad that the officer of that vessel had hailed him in this particular form. the single word spoken through that trumpet was the key to the entire enigma. every possible doubt was removed by it. he was now assured, as he had not been before, that he had fallen in with one of the two vessels of which his father had given him information, and which his sealed orders required him to seek, even if he was detained a week or more. christy spent no time in congratulating himself on the situation, but the tremendous idea passed through his whole being in an instant. "we are disabled!" shouted the officer on board of the scotian through his trumpet. "please send your engineer on board." "all right!" replied christy. "go ahead a little faster, mr. sampson. we are very near the steamer." the young commander cast his eyes over the deck of his vessel to assure himself that everything was ready for the important moment, though the situation did not indicate that a very sharp battle was to be fought. everything was in order, and the first lieutenant was planking the deck, looking as though he felt quite at home, for he was as cool as a jersey cucumber. farther aft was lillyworth, as uneasy as a caged tiger, for no doubt he realized that the scotian was to fall a victim to the circumstances that beset her, rather than as the result of a spirited chase or a sharply fought battle. he looked about him for a moment, and the instant he turned his head, mulgrum came out from behind the mast, and passed quite near him. the captain could not tell whether the second lieutenant had spoken to the deaf mute or not, but the latter hastened to the engine hatch, and descended to the engine room. the bronx was within less than a cable's length of the scotian, whose name could now be read on her stern, when mulgrum, apparently ordered by lillyworth to do so, had hastened to the engine hatch. even on the bridge the noise of a scuffle could be heard in the engine room, and the captain was sure that sampson had been obedient to his orders. another minute or two would determine in what manner the scotian was to be captured, and christy hastened down the ladder to the deck. as soon as his foot pressed the planks, he hastened to the engine hatch. calling to the engineer, he learned that the deaf mute had been knocked senseless by sampson, and lay on the sofa. he waited to hear no more, but went forward where there were bell pulls on the deck, and rang two bells to stop her. then he gave some orders to the quartermaster, and rang three bells to back her. the bronx came alongside of the scotian as handsomely as though she had been a river steamer making one of her usual landings. the hands who had been stationed for the purpose immediately used their grappling irons, and the two vessels were fast to each other. "boarders!--" the first lieutenant shouted at a sign from the captain; but before he could complete the order, pawcett, for we may now call him by his right name, leaped on the bulwarks of the bronx. "this is a united states"--he began to say, but he was allowed to proceed no farther, for the first lieutenant raised the revolver he carried in his left hand, doubtless for this very purpose, and fired. pawcett did not utter another word, but fell back upon the deck of the bronx; where no one took any further notice of him. "boarders, away!" shouted the first lieutenant. this time the sentence was finished, and the order was promptly executed. hardly a half minute had been lost by the attempt of pawcett to prepare the officers of the scotian to do their duty; but he had said enough to enable the ship's company to understand what he would have said if he had finished his announcement. the officers and seamen were both surprised, and there was a panic among the latter, though the former rallied them in a moment. but they had lost all their chances, and after an insignificant struggle, the deck of the steamer was in possession of the boarders. the crew were driven forward by the victorious "bronxies" as giblock called them. "do you surrender?" said mr. baskirk to the officer he took for the captain. "i do not see that i have any other alternative," replied the commander of the scotian, politely enough, but it was evident that he was sorely afflicted, and even ashamed of himself. "i understand now that i am the victim of a yankee trick." "allow me to introduce you to captain passford, commander of the united states steamer bronx," continued mr. baskirk, as christy came on board of the prize. the captain of the scotian retreated a pace as christy stepped up in front of him, and gracefully lifted his cap to the unfortunate commander. "i beg your pardon, sir, but did i understand you to say that this young gentleman is the commander of the steamer alongside?" demanded the captain, looking at christy from head to foot. "he is the commander, sir; captain passford," added baskirk. "may i be allowed to ask whom i have the honor to address?" christy began, lifting his cap again, as did the other also. "captain dinsmore, at your service." "i sincerely regret your personal misfortune while i rejoice at the result of this action, as a loyal citizen of the united states," replied christy. then he invited the captain to his cabin. chapter xv the scotian becomes the ocklockonee as he went to the deck of the bronx, the young commander sent the first lieutenant on board of the prize to superintend the arrangements for disposing of the ship's company. captain dinsmore was requested to produce his papers, and christy conducted him to his cabin. as his father had advised him always to be on such occasions, he was studiously polite, as in fact he was at all times. whether the other captain was usually so or not, he was certainly courteous in every respect, though, with the heavy misfortune which had befallen him, it was vastly more difficult for him to control his feelings, and conduct himself in a gentlemanly manner. captain passford desired to understand in what capacity the scotian was approaching the american coast before he made his final arrangements. after giving his guest, as he regarded him, or rather treated him, a chair in his cabin, christy called dave, who had followed him below. "will you excuse me a moment or two while i attend to a necessary duty?" said he, turning to captain dinsmore, as he seated himself at the table. "certainly, captain; i am not so much in a hurry as i have been at other times," replied the other with a rather sickly smile. "keep a sharp lookout for the arran," christy wrote on a piece of paper, and handed it to the steward. "give that to mr. flint." captain passford had observed when he visited the deck of the scotian that she was well armed, and he had no doubt that her consort was similarly provided for the business of war. it was therefore of the highest importance that the arran should not come unexpectedly upon the bronx at a time when she was hardly in condition to meet an enemy. "now, captain dinsmore, may i trouble you for your papers?" he continued, turning to his guest, as he preferred to regard him. "i admit your right to examine them under present circumstances," replied captain dinsmore, as he delivered the package to him. "perhaps we may simplify and abbreviate this examination to some extent, sir, if you are so disposed," added christy, as he looked the other full in the face. "i shall be happy to have you do so, captain passford," replied the visitor in the cabin, with something like eagerness in his manner. "you conduct yourself like a gentleman, sir, and i am not at all disposed to embarrass you unnecessarily." "thank you, sir; i appreciate your courtesy." "i am afraid it is not so much courtesy as it is desperation, for if i should act in accordance with my feelings, i should blow my brains out without any delay," said captain dinsmore. "i should not say as much as this to any but a generous enemy; but i feel that i am ruined, and that there is nothing more in the future for me." christy really sympathized with him, and could not help thinking how he should feel if the situations were reversed. he realized that the commander of the scotian had been very careless in the discharge of his duty in permitting any vessel to come alongside of her without considering that she might be an enemy. this inefficiency was doubtless the cause of his distress. christy had kept uppermost in his mind the advice of his father at the last moment before he sailed, and he asked himself if, while the prisoner was thus exciting his sympathy and compassion, the latter was not expecting the arran would appear and reverse the fortunes of war. "i am sorry you take such a severe view of your situation," added the captain of the bronx. "but my first duty is to ascertain the character of the vessel which you surrender." "you shall have no doubt in regard to that, captain passford," answered the commander of the scotian, proudly. "i am not a dickering merchant, trying to make money out of the situation of my country. the scotian, as you call her, is the confederate steamer ocklockonee, and here is my commission as a lieutenant in the confederate navy," he added as he took the document from his pocket and tendered it to his captor. christy looked at the paper, and then examined the other papers in the packet. they left no doubt in his mind as to the character of the ocklockonee, if he had had any before. he folded up the commission and politely returned it to the owner. the examination was completed so far as he was concerned; but captain dinsmore did not seem to be satisfied, though he made no complaint that anything was wrong in the proceedings. he was evidently a very proud and high-strung man, and appeared to be unable to reconcile himself to the situation. "i am a ruined man!" he exclaimed several times; and when he looked at the commander of the bronx, measuring him from head to foot, as he had already done several times, it seemed to increase his distress of mind, and make him more nervous than before. "while i regret that a brave man like yourself, captain, should be at war with the government which i honor and love, i hope that personally your future will be as bright as i am sure your merit deserves," said christy. "if it had been a square and well-fought action, i should not feel as i do about it. you will pardon me, and understand that i mean no disrespect to you, captain, but i look upon myself as the victim of a yankee trick," said captain dinsmore, bitterly. "but please to consider that i do not charge any blame or treachery upon you, sir." "i think i can understand your feelings, sir; but i cannot see that in resorting to strategy to save my men, my conduct has been in any manner dishonorable," replied christy, holding his head a little higher than usual. "i should hold that i had been guilty of misconduct if i had failed to take advantage of the circumstances under which i have captured the ocklockonee." "i quite agree with you, captain passford. i should have done the same thing myself if the opportunity had been presented to me," the guest hastened to say. "but that does not in the least degree relieve me from the consequences of my own negligence. when you are more at leisure, i hope you will permit me to make an explanation of the situation in which i was placed." "i shall be happy to listen to anything you may desire to say to me when i have the leisure to hear you." "thank you, sir." christy hastened on deck to attend to the many duties required of him. the first sight that presented itself when he reached the head of the companion way was the form of the second lieutenant, which remained as it had fallen from the rail. he sent for dr. spokely, and directed him to ascertain whether or not pawcett was dead. while the surgeon was examining him, mr. sampson came up from below with a bolt in his hand, and touched his cap to the commander. "you are at work on the engine of the ocklockonee, are you?" asked christy, and this inquiry was one of the duties which had been on his mind before he left the cabin. "yes, sir; and i have already examined her engine; i suppose you mean the scotian, for that is the name on her stern, they tell me," replied the chief engineer. "her new name is the ocklockonee." "i have examined the engine," replied sampson. "is the damage very serious?" asked the captain anxiously. "far from it; she has broken a bolt which disables her, and she ought to have had one to replace it without more than five minutes' delay, but it appears that they have not one on board; at least none could be found when it was wanted, and they were at work forging one when the bronx came alongside." "all right; repair the damage as soon as possible. i heard a scuffle in the engine room just as we were running alongside the ocklockonee," said the captain, looking inquiringly at the engineer. "yes, sir; there was a scuffle there. pink mulgrum was rushing down the ladder when i stopped him. he tried to push by me when i made signs to him to return to the deck. then he gave a spring at my throat, and as i saw that he had a revolver in his hand, i did not hesitate to hit him on the head with a bar of iron i had in my hand. he dropped on the deck. i put his revolver in my pocket, and stretched him out on the sofa. he did not move, and i left him there." "i will send the surgeon to him," added the captain, as he went on board of the prize, followed by sampson. the first lieutenant had been busy on the deck of the vessel, but he had been able to accomplish but little in the absence of definite instructions from the captain. all the seamen were held in the forward part of the deck, and there were twenty-four of them, including the petty officers, but not the stokers, as the firemen were called. the engineers and all connected with their department remained below so far as could be learned. two officers remained seated on the quarter deck; but they did not appear to be so thoroughly cast down as the captain, doubtless because they were not called upon to bear the responsibility of the capture. "have you set a sharp lookout, mr. flint?" asked the captain. "the lookout remains the same on board of the bronx, though i have cautioned the quartermaster on the fore yard to keep his eyes wide open; and i have stationed four men on board of the scotian." "very well; we are all right so far; but if the other vessel is as well armed as this one she is capable of giving us a great deal of trouble," replied the captain. "i only hope we may find her," added flint heartily. "we shall look for her at any rate. but we must get things regulated on board of both vessels at once, for i judge that the arran cannot be far off, for the officers hailed us as the arran when we were approaching, which shows that they were confident in regard to her identity, or they would not have given themselves away so readily." "we have made a lucky hit, and i hope we shall be able to reap the full benefit of it," added flint. "we must provide for the immediate future without any delay," continued christy. "our first duty will be to search for the arran, and we can use the ocklockonee, which the captain says is her present name, to assist in the chase, for we have force enough to man both vessels, though we are not oversupplied with officers." "there are two more quartermasters who are nearly as good men as baskirk," replied the first lieutenant. "i ask no better officer than baskirk has proved himself to be. i shall retain him on board of the bronx, and for the present i shall ask you to take command of the ocklockonee; and you may select your own officers. the probability is that, if we find the arran, we shall have a fight with her." "then i shall make mcspindle my first lieutenant, and luffard my second," added flint, evidently pleased with the idea of having even a temporary command. "i shall appoint baskirk in your place on board of the bronx; but i need one more." "i recommend amblen, though he is not as well qualified as the others i have named." "send for these men at once," added the captain. one of them was on the topsail yard of the bronx, but all of them soon appeared in the waist of the prize. they were informed of the honor which had been conferred upon them, and were immediately assigned to duty. the crew of the ocklockonee were divided between the two steamers, and were put under guard below. chapter xvi captain passford's final orders a tolerable state of order and regularity had been brought out of the confusion that prevailed on board of the ocklockonee, and the newly appointed officers went to the stations where they belonged. sampson reported the engine of the steamer as in good order, and ready for service. "who is the chief engineer of the ocklockonee, mr. sampson?" asked captain passford, after he had listened to the report. "his name is bockburn; he is a scotchman, and appears to be a very good fellow," replied the engineer of the bronx. "does he talk at all about what has just happened on board of his steamer?" asked the captain, deeply interested, for he had some difficulty in arranging the engineer's department on board of the prize, as he considered the new order of things. "yes, sir; he talks at the rate of twenty knots an hour, and if his steamer can get ahead as well as his tongue, she is a fast one," replied sampson, laughing. "well, what does he say? i want to know how he stands affected by the present condition of affairs," continued the captain rather impatiently, for he was too busy to enjoy the humor of the engineer. "he is a thrifty scotchman; and i don't believe he has any interest in anything under the sun except his wages; and he is a little sour on that account to find that his cruise is finished, as he puts it." "send for him and his assistants, mr. sampson." the engineer went to the engine hatch, and called the men below. "now send for mr. gawl," added the captain. "he is your first assistant; is he a competent man to run an engine?" "as competent as i am myself; and the engine of this steamer is exactly like that of the bronx, so that he can have no trouble with it, if you think of retaining him on board of the ocklockonee," replied sampson. "i propose to make him chief engineer of her." "you could not find a better man," said sampson, as he went to summon gawl. the three engineers of the prize came on deck, and the captain took the chief aside. "mr. bockburn, i believe, the chief engineer of the ocklockonee?" said christy. "of the scotian, sir; for i know nothing of the jaw-cracking names that the officers in the cabin have given her," replied the engineer, shrugging his shoulders, and presenting a dissatisfied air. "are you an engineer in the confederate navy, sir?" asked christy, bringing the business to a head at once. "no, sir, i am not," answered the engineer very decidedly. "you see, captain, that the scotian was sold to come across the water, and i was out of a job, with a family to support. they did not say anything about the service in which the scotian was to be engaged, but i understood it. when they spoke to me about it, i was glad to keep my place as long as she did not make war on the united kingdom. in truth, i may say that i did not care a fig about the quarrel in the states, and was as ready to run an engine on one side as the other as long as i got my wages, and was able to support my family handsomely, as, thank god, i have always done. i am not a student of politics, and i only read enough in the newspapers to know what is going on in the world. i always find that i get ahead better when i mind my own business, and it can't be said that andy bockburn ever--" "precisely so, mr. bockburn; but i will hear the rest of your story at another time," interposed the captain when he found that the man was faithful to the description sampson had given of his talking powers. "you understand perfectly what has transpired on board of the scotian as you choose still to call her; in a word, that she is a prize to the united states steamer bronx?" "i understand it all as clearly as though i read it in a book; and it was all on account of the want of a bolt that i was sure i put on board of the vessel before she sailed; and i am just as sure of it now as i ever was. but then, you see, captain, a man can't always be sure of the men under him, though he may be sure of himself. i have no doubt--" "short yarns, if you please, mr. bockburn. you understand the situation, and i will add that i intend to use this vessel as well as the bronx in the service of my government. are you willing to do duty on board of her in any capacity in which i may place you in the engineer department, provided you receive the same wages as before?" "i am, sir; and i was paid a month in advance, so that i shall not lose anything," chuckled the careful scotchman. "if you are regularly appointed, though i can only give you a temporary position, in addition to your wages, you will be entitled to your share in any prize we may hereafter capture." "then i will take any position you will please to give me," answered the engineer, apparently delighted with the prospect thus held out to him. "i shall appoint you first assistant engineer of the bronx," continued the captain, not a little to the astonishment of flint, who wondered that he was not assigned to the ocklockonee. "i am quite satisfied, captain," replied bockburn, bowing and smiling, for wages were more than rank to him. "i will bring up my kit at once, sir. you see, captain, when a man has a family he--" "precisely as you say, mr. bockburn," interrupted the captain. "you will report to mr. sampson in the engine room of the bronx for further orders." "thank you, sir; i supposed i was out of a job from this out, and i was feeling--" "feel your way to the engine room of the bronx. mr. gawl," the captain proceeded. "on duty, sir," replied the first assistant engineer of the bronx, touching his cap as respectfully as though the commander had been forty years old. "you are appointed temporarily as chief engineer of the ocklockonee, and you will take your place in the engine room as soon as possible," said the captain, as brusquely as though favors cost nothing. mr. gawl was taken to the engine room and introduced to the first and second assistants, rowe and leeds, and was kindly received by them, for, like their late chief, the question of wages was the only one that affected them. they promised to be faithful to the government they were to serve, and to discharge their duties faithfully under the direction of the new chief. the two officers on the quarter deck had watched all these proceedings with interest. they were the only persons remaining on board who had not been disposed of in some manner. christy approached them while captain flint, as he was now to be called by courtesy, was making his final arrangements with the crew that had been assigned to the prize. both of the officers bowed civilly to the commander as he presented himself on the quarter deck. they were older men than captain dinsmore, though neither was over forty-five. christy suspected that they were not confederate officers as soon as he had a chance to look them over. "may i ask, gentlemen, if you are officers of the confederate navy?" asked christy, as he looked from one to the other of the men. "we are not, sir," replied the senior of them. "of course you are aware that you are serving in a confederate man-of-war?" added christy. "i should say that was hardly true up to date. the captain holds a commission in the confederate navy, but the ship has never been into a confederate port, captain passford," replied the senior, who had learned the commander's name. "as you call me by name, perhaps you will enable me to do as much with you," added christy. "my name is farley lippard; i shipped as first officer of the scotian," replied the senior. "and mine is edward sangston; and i shipped as second officer of the steamer." "we shipped only for the voyage, and were told that we could not retain our situations after the ship's company was fully organized," added mr. lippard. "then i hope you were paid in advance, as the engineers were," said christy with a smile. "we were, sir, thank you," added the first officer. "though we were told that we could not obtain any rank in the navy because there were more officers than ships, the agent said we should find plenty of employment on board of blockade runners coming out with cotton." "i suppose you are englishmen?" said the captain. "scotchmen, sir, but british subjects." "i cannot put you on shore and i may not have an opportunity to ship you to your homes by another vessel. i shall leave you on board of the ocklockonee, and the acting commander will assign to you such quarters in the cabin as may be at his command," continued christy. "it is only necessary that i should say i expect you to remain neutral, whatever occurs on board of the steamer." "that is understood," replied mr. lippard. "you will be regarded as passengers; but of course if you commit any act hostile to the government of the united states, you will be considered as enemies, and treated as prisoners of war," christy proceeded. "i hope the situation is clearly understood." "certainly, sir; we have no interest in the quarrel in the states, and we are not in the pay of the confederacy, as they call it," replied mr. lippard. "then there will be no trouble. captain flint," called the commander. flint, who had been very busy appointing petty officers and organizing the new crew, came at the call and was introduced to the late officers of the prize. the understanding which had just been reached in regard to them was repeated for the benefit of the new captain. he was quite as pliable as his superior had always been, and there was no indication that any friction would result from their presence on board of the prize, now temporarily put into the service of the navy. "have you made all your arrangements, captain flint?" asked christy when he was all ready to return to the bronx. "i have very nearly completed them, captain passford; and i can easily finish them after we get under way," replied flint. "all i need before we part is my orders." "from all that i can learn, the arran must be to the eastward of the ocklockonee," said christy, who had given this subject all the thought his time would permit. "the officers of the prize hailed the bronx coming from that direction, and that indicates that she was expected from that quarter. our coming from that way seems to have made captain dinsmore confident that the bronx was the arran. i shall lay the course of my ship to the northeast, while you will proceed to the southwest. after you have gone fifty miles in that direction, you will make a course due east, as i shall also after i have made the same distance. having run due east twenty miles, you will run to the northeast, as i shall to the southwest. if you discover the arran fire your midship gun, and i will do the same." christy shook hands with flint, and went on board of the bronx. the order was given on board of both vessels to cast off the grapnels; the gong bell sounded in each engine room, and both vessels went ahead, the bronx coming about to her new course. chapter xvii a couple of astonished conspirators the fog had been very variable in its density, and had been lifting and settling at times during the day of the capture. by the time the two vessels were ready to get under way, it had become more solid than before. the night had come, and the darkness with it, at about the same time. the lookouts were still in their places; but so far as seeing anything was concerned they might as well have been in the hold. if the arran was still in the vicinity, as no doubt she was, the bronx might run into her. wherever she was, it was well assured that her officers knew nothing of the capture of the ocklockonee, for not a great gun had been discharged, and the combat had been so quickly decided that there had been very little noise of any kind. everything worked without friction on board of the bronx; and captain passford felt even more elastic than usual. doubtless the capture he had just made afforded him a good deal of inspiration; but the fact that the mystery of the deaf mute and the second lieutenant had been solved, and the unfathomable catastrophe which their presence on board threatened had been escaped was a great source of relief. the two conspirators were disabled and confined to the sick bay, and they were not likely to make any trouble at present. if they had had any definite plan on which they intended to act, they had certainly lost their opportunities, for the visit of hungerford to the engine room of the bronx, no doubt for the purpose of disabling the machinery, and the effort of pawcett to warn the officers of the prize, had been simply acts of desperation, adopted after they had evidently failed in every other direction. pawcett was not really a loyal officer, and his expression and manners had attracted the attention of both the captain and the first lieutenant. the deaf mute had been brought on board in order to obtain information, and he had been very diligent in carrying out his part of the programme. as christy thought the matter over, seated at his supper in his cabin, he thought he owed more to the advice of his father at their parting than to anything else. he had kept his own counsel in spite of the difficulties, and had done more to blind the actors in the conspiracy than to enlighten them. he had hoped before he parted with the prize for the present to obtain some information in regard to the arran; but he had too much self-respect to ask the officers of the ocklockonee in regard to such matters. the seamen who had been spotted as adherents of the late second lieutenant had done nothing, for there had been nothing that they could do under the circumstances. spoors and two others of them had been drafted into the other vessel, while the other three remained on board of the bronx. they were not regarded as very dangerous enemies, and they were not in condition to undertake anything in the absence of their leaders. christy had inquired in regard to the condition of pawcett and hungerford before he went to his cabin, and dr. spokeley informed him that neither of them would be in condition to do duty on either side for a considerable period. they were in no danger under careful treatment, but both of them were too seriously injured to trouble their heads with any exciting subjects. "good evening, captain dinsmore," christy said, when he went into his cabin, after he had attended to all the duties that required present attention. "i hope you are feeling better this evening." "hardly better, captain passford, though i am trying to reconcile myself to my situation," replied the late captain of the ocklockonee. "supper is all ready, sir," interposed dave, as he passed by the captain, after he had brought in the dishes from the galley. "take a seat at the table, captain dinsmore," continued christy, placing a chair for him, and looking over the table to see what cheer he had to offer to his guest. it looked as though the cook, aware that the commander had a guest, or thinking that he deserved a better supper than usual after the capture of a prize, had done his best in honor of the occasion. the broiled chickens looked especially inviting, and other dishes were quite tempting to a man who was two hours late at the meal. "thank you, captain," replied the guest, as he took the seat assigned to him. "i can't say that i have a very fierce appetite after the misfortune that has befallen me; but i am none the less indebted to you for your courtesy and kindness." "i acknowledge that i am in condition to be very happy this evening, captain dinsmore, and i can hardly expect to be an agreeable companion to one with a burden on his mind; but i can assure you of my personal sympathy." "you are very kind, captain. i should like to ask if many of the officers of the old navy are young gentlemen like yourself?" inquired the guest, looking at his host very curiously. "there are a great many young officers in the navy at the present time, for the exigency has pushed forward the older ones, and there are not enough of them to take all the positions. but we shall all of us grow older," replied christy good-naturedly, as he helped the officer to a piece of the chicken, which had just come from the galley fire. "perhaps you are older than you appear to be," suggested the guest. "i should judge that you were not over twenty, or at least not much more." "i am eighteen, sir, though, unlike a lady, i try to make myself as old as i can." "eighteen!" exclaimed captain dinsmore. but christy told something of his experience on board of the bellevite which had prepared him for his duties, and his case was rather exceptional. "you have physique enough for a man of twenty-five," added the guest. "and you have been more fortunate than i have." "and i have been as unfortunate as you are, for i have seen the inside of a confederate prison, though i concluded not to remain there for any length of time," added christy, laughing. "you are a fortunate young man, and i do not belong to that class," said captain dinsmore, shaking his head. "i have lost my steamer, and i suppose that will finish my career." "perhaps not;" but christy was satisfied that he had lost his vessel by a want of care, and he could not waste any compliments upon him, though he had profited by the other's carelessness. "i was confident when the bronx approached the ocklockonee that she was another vessel," continued the guest. "what vessel did you take her to be?" "you will excuse me if i decline to go into particulars. i can only say that i was sure your steamer was another, and i had no suspicion that i was wrong till that man mounted the rail of the bronx, and began to tell us to the contrary," replied captain dinsmore. "a bolt in the engine was broken, and the engineer could not find another on board. we expected to obtain one when the bronx approached us. i was deceived; and that is the reason why i am here instead of in the cabin of my own ship." the guest seemed to feel a little better after he had made this explanation, though it contained nothing new to the commander of the bronx. possibly the excellent supper, of which he had partaken heartily in spite of his want of appetite, had influenced his mind through the body. he had certainly become more cheerful, though his burden was no lighter than when he came on board of the bronx. christy was also light-hearted, not alone because he had been so successful, but because he felt that he was no longer compelled to watch the conspirators. "i am sorry to be obliged to impose any restrictions upon you, captain dinsmore," said christy, as he rose from the supper table. "the circumstances compel me to request you to remain in my cabin." "of course i am subject to your will and pleasure, captain passford," replied the guest. "you are a gentleman, sir, and if you will simply give me your word to remain here, there will be no occasion for any unpleasantness. it is possible that we may go into action at any time; and in that case you can remain where you please below." "i give you my word that i will remain below until i notify you of my intention to do otherwise," replied the prisoner, though christy preferred to regard him as his guest. "i am entirely satisfied. i shall be obliged to berth you in the ward room, and you are at liberty to pass your time as you please in these two apartments. i shall be happy to introduce you to the first lieutenant," added the captain, as he led the way to the ward room. mr. baskirk received the prisoner very politely, a berth was assigned to him, and christy went on deck. it was as dark as egypt there, but mr. amblen, the new acting second lieutenant, on the bridge, said the wind was hauling to the westward, and he thought there would be a change of weather before morning. mr. baskirk had made all his appointments of petty officers rendered necessary by sending a portion of the seamen to the ocklockonee. everything was in good order on deck, and christy next went down to the sick bay, where hungerford and pawcett were the only occupants. he found dr. spokeley there, and inquired in regard to the condition of the wounded men. the surgeon described the wounds of his patients, and pointed them out to the captain. "does mr. hungerford talk any now?" asked christy. "who is mr. hungerford?" asked the doctor. "he is the deaf mute. he was the first officer of the confederate steamer yazoo when we captured her in the bellevite last year," replied the captain, upon whom the eyes of the wounded man were fixed all the time. "he has not spoken yet in my hearing, though i have thought that he could hear." "his duty on board of the bronx was to obtain information, and he procured a good deal of it, though not all of it was as reliable as it might have been." "indeed! then he was a traitor," added the surgeon. "he is a gentleman in spite of the role he has been playing, and i am sorry he has been injured, though mr. sampson obeyed my order when he struck him down in the engine room." "struck me from behind like an assassin," added hungerford feebly. "did you expect to arrange a duel with him at such a time, mr. hungerford?" asked christy. "you went into the engine room to disable the machine when you found you could do nothing else. if you had returned to the deck when the engineer told you to do so, he would not have disabled you. you crowded past him, and then he did his duty." "i have been in the habit of serving with men who were square and above board," muttered hungerford. "was that where you learned to listen at my cabin door, and to conceal yourself under the berth in my state room?" asked christy, rather sharply for him. "is that the reason why mr. pawcett wished to have you do the copying of my papers?" "i can only say that i tried to do my duty to my country and i have failed," added hungerford, as he turned over in his berth, and showed his back to the captain. "may i ask, captain passford, who told you my name?" asked the late second lieutenant, who seemed to be confounded by what he had heard. "you called mr. hungerford by his real name, and he called you by yours, in the interview you had with him the first night out from new york. i have known you from the first," replied christy. pawcett was as disgusted as the other had been, and he turned his face to the ceiling of his berth. christy was satisfied that these men would give him no more trouble at present. chapter xviii a triangular action with great guns when mr. baskirk went on deck to take his watch at midnight, the fog had disappeared, and a fresh breeze was blowing from the westward. this change was reported to the captain, and he went on deck. no sail had been seen since the fog cleared off, and christy returned to his state room, where he was soon asleep again. he was called, as he had directed, at four in the morning, but no change in the weather was reported, and no sail had been seen. at four bells in the morning watch two sails were reported to him, one dead ahead, and the other on the port beam. he hastened to the deck, and found mr. amblen using his spyglass, and trying to make out the distant sails. the one at the northeast of the bronx was making a long streak of black smoke on the sky, and there was no such appearance over the other. both were steamers. "the one ahead of us is the ocklockonee," said captain passford, after he had used the spyglass. "i have no doubt the other is the arran. probably she has a new name by this time, but i have not heard it yet. pass the word for mr. ambleton." this was the gunner, and he was directed to fire a single shot, blank, from the midship gun. this was immediately done, and was the signal agreed upon with flint if either discovered the arran. it was promptly answered by a similar discharge on board of the ocklockonee, indicating that she had seen the steamer in question. "now, make her course southeast, mr. amblen," said christy, after the two signals had been made. "southeast, sir," responded the second lieutenant, giving the course to the quartermaster at the wheel. the commander of the ocklockonee changed his course as soon as the bronx had done so. both steamers were headed directly towards the sail in the southeast, and both were running for the apex of the triangle where the third steamer was located. the captain visited every part of the vessel, and gave orders to have breakfast served at once, for he expected there would be lively times before many hours. everything was overhauled, and put in order. at eight bells, when mr. baskirk took the deck, the captain did not care how soon the battle began. everything was ready and waiting, and he went below for his breakfast. from delicacy or some other motive captain dinsmore spent most of his time in the ward room; but he was called to breakfast with the commander. both captains were as polite to each other as they had been the evening before, but it was evident to christy that his guest was quite uneasy, as though he had discovered what had transpired on deck; and the movements there were quite enough to inform him without a word from any one. he had not asked a question of any person on board; and it was impossible for him to know that a sail supposed to be the arran was in sight. "i have heard some firing this morning, captain passford," said he as he seated himself at the table, and watched the expression of his host's countenance. "merely a couple of signals; the distant shot came from the ocklockonee," replied christy lightly. "i thought it possible that you had fallen in with another steamer," added the guest. "i have considered it more than possible, and within the limits of probability, that we should fall in with another steamer ever since we ran so opportunely upon the scotian, as she was formerly called." "opportunely for you, but very inopportunely for me," added captain dinsmore with a faint smile. "i am happy to inform you that we have passed beyond both possibility and probability, and come into the region of fact," continued christy. "then you have made out a sail?" asked the guest anxiously. "we have; a steamer on our port beam; and i am reasonably confident it is the vessel you supposed was coming alongside the ocklockonee last evening." "indeed?" added the guest, as though he did not know just what to say, and did not mean to commit himself. "in other words, i am almost sure this steamer is the arran, though doubtless you have changed her name," said christy, as he helped the other from the choicest dish on the table. "the arran?" repeated captain dinsmore, manifesting but not expressing his surprise that his companion in a different service from his own knew this name. "perhaps you can give me her later name, as i have no doubt she is or will be called after some southern river, which is quite proper, and entirely patriotic. perhaps she is called the perdido, which is not very far from perdition, where i shall do my best to send her unless she surrenders within a reasonable time, or runs away from me," said captain passford lightly. "is your coffee quite right, captain dinsmore?" "it is very good indeed, captain, thank you." "perhaps it is too strong for you, like the united states navy, and you would prefer it weaker," suggested christy. "it is quite right as it is, and, like the united states navy of which you speak, it will be used up in a short time," replied the guest as pleasantly as the captain of the bronx. "that is yet to be settled," laughed christy. "well, captain, the coffee is settled, and that is more than can be said of our navy, which will be as clear as this in due time." "i thought it best to inform you that we might be in action in the course of a couple of hours, and you were to notify me in case you wished to change your status on board," added christy more seriously. "i am much obliged to you, captain passford, for your courtesy and kindness, but i see no reason to change my position. i will still confine myself to the cabin and ward room. i cannot wish you success in the action in which you are about to engage, for it would break my heart to have the arran, as you call her, captured," added the guest. "i think you may fairly count upon such a result," replied christy confidently. "you must excuse me, captain passford, but i think you are reckoning without your host, and therein your youth makes its only manifestation," said the guest, shaking his head. "i can only say that, when you are a prisoner on board of the escambia, i shall do my best to have you as handsomely treated as i have been in your cabin." "thank you, captain; i assure you i shall appreciate any courtesy and kindness extended to me. the escambia is her name then. that is not so near perdition as the word i suggested, and i am glad it is not so long as the name you gave the scotian. i shall expect to come across an apalachicola in due time. they are all very good names, but we shall be compelled to change them when they fall into our hands," said christy. "i have plenty of spare time on my hands just now, and perhaps i had better think up a new name for the bronx; and apalachicola would be as good as any other. i wonder you did not call her the nutcracker, for her present name rather suggests that idea." "i have heard a similar remark before; but she is not big enough for such a long name as the one you suggest, and you would have to begin to pronounce it before breakfast in order to get it out before the dog watches," said christy, as he rose from the table and went on deck. the first thing he noticed when he came on the bridge was that the ocklockonee was headed to intercept the bronx. captain flint signalled that he wished to speak to him, and he changed his course to comply with the request. at the end of another hour they came together, the arran being still at least four miles distant, going very slowly if she was moving at all. christy had written out his orders for captain flint in full. so far as he had been able to judge of the speed of the other steamer, it appeared to be about the same as that of the bronx. he had directed the ocklockonee to get to the southward of the arran. a boat was sent to her with the orders, and flint immediately proceeded to obey them. the bronx slowed down her engines to enable the other to gain her position; but the arran did not seem to be willing to permit her to do this, and gave chase to her at once. the commander of the bronx met this change by one on his own part, and went ahead with all the speed he could get out of her. the confederate steamer was farther to the eastward than either of the other two, and after the changes of position which christy had brought about in speaking the ocklockonee, the arran was nearly southeast of both of the others. flint went directly to the south, and christy ran for the enemy. all hands had been beaten to quarters on board of the bronx, and the captain was on the bridge, watching with the most intense interest the progress of the other two vessels. it was soon apparent to him that the ocklockonee could not get into the position to which she had been ordered under present circumstances, for the enemy was giving his whole attention to her. "there goes a gun from the enemy!" exclaimed mr. amblen, as a puff of smoke rose from the forward deck of the arran. "the shot struck in the water," added christy a moment later; "but the two vessels are within range. there is the first shot from the ocklockonee! captain flint is not asleep." the firing was done on both vessels with the heavy midship guns, and doubtless the calibre of the pieces was the same; but flint was the more fortunate of the two, for his shot struck the smokestack of the enemy, or partly upset it. christy thought it was time for him to take a hand in the game, and he ordered the midship gun to be fired, charged as it was with a solid shot. the gunner aimed the piece himself, and the shot was seen to tear up the water alongside of the enemy. he discharged the piece four times more with no better result. evidently he had not got the hang of the gun, though he was improving at every trial. three steamers were rushing towards each other with all the fury steam could give them, for the overthrow of the funnel of the enemy did not disable her, though it probably diminished the draught of her furnaces. through the glass it could be seen that they were making an effort to restore the fallen smokestack to its position. all three of the steamers were delivering the fire of their midship guns very regularly, though with little effect, the distance was so great. the gunner of the bronx was evidently greatly nettled at the number of solid shots he had wasted, though the gun of the ocklockonee had done little better so far as could be seen. the three vessels were not much more than half a mile from each other, and the enemy had begun to use his broadside guns. "good!" shouted mr. amblen suddenly after the gunner had just let off the great gun. "that shot overturned the midship piece of the arran. ambleton has fully redeemed himself." the announcement of the effect of this last shot sent up a volley of cheers from the crew. the bronx and her consort had set the american flag at the beginning of the action, and the confederate had promptly displayed her ensign, as though she scorned to go into action without having it fully understood what she was. she did not claim to be a blockade runner, and do her best to escape, but "faced the music," even when she realized that she had two enemies instead of one. christy had evidently inherited some of the naval blood on his mother's side, and he was not satisfied with the slow progress of the action, for the shots from the broadside guns of the enemy were beginning to tell upon the bronx, though she had received no serious injury. he caused the signal to prepare to board to be set as agreed upon with captain flint. the orders already given were to be carried out, and both vessels bore down on the arran with all speed. chapter xix on the deck of the arran captain passford had carried out the programme agreed upon with captain flint, and the latter had been working to the southward since the bronx came into the action, and as soon as the order to get ready to board was given, the ocklockonee went ahead at full speed, headed in that direction. she had reached a position dead ahead of the arran, so that she no longer suffered from the shots of the latter's broadside guns, and the bronx was getting the entire benefit of them. both vessels had kept up a full head of steam, and the coal passers were kept very busy at just this time. the arran's midship gun had been disabled so that she could not make any very telling shots, but her crew had succeeded in righting her funnel, which had not gone entirely over, but had been held by the stays. yet it could be seen that there was a big opening near the deck, for the smoke did not all pass through the smokestack. the broadside guns of the arran were well served, and they were doing considerable mischief on board of the bronx. christy was obliged to hold back until her consort was in position to board the arran on the port hand, and he manoeuvred the steamer so as to receive as little damage as possible from her guns. he was to board on the starboard hand of the enemy, and he was working nearer to her all the time. mr. ambleton the gunner had greatly improved his practice, and the commander was obliged to check his enthusiasm, or there would have been nothing left of the arran in half an hour more. christy considered the final result as fully assured, for he did not believe the present enemy was any more heavily manned than her consort had been, and he could throw double her force upon her deck as soon as the two steamers were in position to do so. "are you doing all you can in the engine room, mr. sampson?" asked christy, pausing at the engine hatch. "everything, captain passford, and i think we must be making sixteen knots," replied the chief engineer. "is mr. bockburn on duty?" "he is, sir; and if he were a connecticut yankee he could not do any better, or appear to be any more interested." "he seems to be entirely impartial; all he wants is his pay, and he is as willing to be on one side as the other if he only gets it," said christy. "has any damage been done to the engine?" "none at all, sir; a shot from one of those broadside guns went through the side, and passed just over the top of one of the boilers," replied the engineer. "bockburn plugged the shot hole very skilfully, and said it would not be possible for a shot to come in low enough to hit the boilers. he knows all about the other two vessels, and has served as an engineer on board of the arran on the other side of the atlantic." just at that moment a shot from the arran struck the bridge and a splinter from the structure knocked two men over. one of them picked himself up, but said he was not much hurt, and refused to be sent below. the other man was veering; he seemed to be unable to get up, and was carried down by order of the boatswain. this man was one of the adherents of hungerford and pawcett, though so far he had been of no service to them. christy hastened forward to ascertain the extent of the damage done to the bridge. it was completely wrecked, and was no longer in condition to be occupied by an officer. but the pilot house was still in serviceable repair, and the quartermaster had not been disturbed. by this time, the ocklockonee had obtained a position on the port bow of the arran, and the commander directed the quartermaster at the wheel to run directly for the other side of the enemy. the time for decisive and final action had come. mr. baskirk placed the boarders in position to be thrown on board of the arran. he was to command the first division himself, and mr. amblen the second. the ocklockonee was rushing at all the speed she could command to the work before her. [illustration: the captain of the arran.] for some reason not apparent the arran had stopped her screw, though she had kept in motion till now, doing her best to secure the most favorable position for action. possibly her commander believed a collision between the vessels at a high rate of speed would be more fatal to him than anything that could result from being boarded. it was soon discovered that she was backing, and it was evident then that her captain had some manoeuvre of his own in mind, though it was possible that he was only doing something to counteract the effect of a collision. doubtless he thought the two vessels approaching him at such a rapid rate intended to crush the arran between them, and that they desired only to sink him. he was not allowed many minutes more to carry out his policy, whatever it was, for the ocklockonee came up alongside of the arran, the grapnels were thrown out, and the whole boarding force of the steamer was hurled upon her decks. but the commander was a plucky man, however he regarded the chances for or against him, and his crew proceeded vigorously to repel boarders. christy had timed the movements of the bronx very carefully, and the ocklockonee had hardly fastened to the arran on one side before he had his steamer grappled on the other. "boarders, away!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, and flourishing his sword over his head, not however with the intention of going into the fight himself, but as a demonstration to inspire the men. baskirk and amblen rushed forward with cutlasses in their hands, leaping upon the deck of the enemy. the crew was found to equal in numbers about the force that the ocklockonee had brought to bear upon them. the boarders from the bronx attacked them in the rear while they were fully occupied with the boarders in front of them. the officers of the enemy behaved with distinguished gallantry, and urged their men forward with the most desperate enthusiasm. they struck hard blows, and several of the boarders belonging to the consort had fallen, to say nothing of wounds that did not entirely disable others. some of the men belonging to the arran, doubtless shipped on the other side of the ocean or at the bermudas, were disposed to shirk their duty, though their officers held them well up to the work. one of the brave officers who had done the boarders a good deal of mischief fell at a pistol shot from mr. amblen; this loss of his leadership caused a sensible giving way on the part of his division, and his men began to fall back. the other officers, including the captain, who fought with a heavy cutlass, held out for a short time longer; but christy saw that it was slaughter. the captain of the arran was the next to go down, though he was not killed. this event practically ended the contest for the deck of the steamer. the boarders crowded upon the crew and drove them to the bow of the vessel, where they yielded the deck, and submitted to the excess of numbers. "don't butcher my men!" cried the captain of the arran, raising himself partially from his place where he had fallen. "i surrender, for we are outnumbered two to one." but the fighting had ceased forward. mr. baskirk was as earnest to save any further slaughter as he had been to win the fight. christy came on board of the prize, not greatly elated at the victory, for it had been a very unequal affair as to numbers. the arran was captured; that was all that could be said of it. she had been bravely defended; and the "honors were even," though the fortunes of the day were against the arran and her ship's company. "allow me to introduce myself as the commander of the united states steamer bronx," said christy, approaching the fallen captain of the arran. "i sincerely hope that you are not seriously injured, sir." "who under the canopy are you?" demanded the commander of the prize, as he looked at the young officer with something like contempt in his expression. "i have just informed you who under the canopy i am," replied christy, not pleased with the manner of the other. "to be a little more definite, i am captain christopher passford, commander of the united states steamer bronx, of which the arran appears to be a prize." "the captain!" exclaimed the fallen man. "you are nothing but a boy!" "but i am old enough to try to be a gentleman. you are evidently old enough to be my father, though i have no comments to make," added christy. "i beg your pardon, captain passford," said the captain of the arran, attempting to rise from the deck, in which he was assisted by christy and by mr. baskirk, who had just come aft. "i beg your pardon, captain passford, for i did not understand what you said at first, and i did not suspect that you were the captain." "i hope you are not seriously injured, sir," added christy. "i don't know how seriously, but i have a cut on the hip, for which i exchanged one on the head, parrying the stroke so that it took me below the belt." "have you a surgeon on board, captain ---- i have not the pleasure of knowing your name, sir." "captain richfield, lieutenant in the confederate navy. we have a surgeon on board, and he is below attending to the wounded," replied the captain. "allow me to assist you to your cabin, captain richfield," continued christy, as he and baskirk each took one of the wounded officer's arms. "thank you, sir. i see that you have been doubly fortunate, captain passford, and you have both the escambia and the ocklockonee. i did the best i could to save my ship, but the day has gone against me." "and no one could have done any more than you have done. your ship has been ably and bravely defended; but it was my good fortune to be able to outnumber you both in ships and in men." captain richfield was taken to his state room, and assisted into his berth. a steward was sent for the surgeon, and christy and his first lieutenant retired from the cabin. the captured seamen of the arran were all sent below, and everything was done that the occasion required. christy asked captain flint to meet him in the cabin of the bronx for a consultation over the situation, for the sealed orders of the commander had been carried out to the letter so far as the two expected steamers were concerned, and it only remained to report to the flag officer of the eastern gulf squadron. but with two prizes, and a considerable number of prisoners, the situation was not without its difficulties. "i hope you are quite comfortable, captain dinsmore," said christy as he entered his cabin, and found his guest reading at the table. "quite so, captain passford. i have heard a great deal of firing in the last hour, and i am rather surprised to find that you are not a prisoner on board of the escambia, or perhaps you have come to your cabin for your clothes," replied the guest cheerfully. "i have not come on any such mission; and i have the pleasure of informing you that the confederate steamer escambia is a prize to the bronx," replied christy quite as cheerfully. "i am sorry to add that captain richfield was wounded in the hip, and that mr. berwick, the first lieutenant, was killed." the confederate officer leaped out of his chair astonished at the news. he declared that he had confidently expected to be released by the capture of the bronx. christy gave a brief review of the action; and captain dinsmore was not surprised at the result when informed that the ocklockonee had taken part in the capture. the commander then requested him to retire to the ward room, and flint came in. they seated themselves at the table, and proceeded to figure up their resources and consider what was to be done. mr. baskirk was then sent for to assist in the conference. chapter xx the new commander of the bronx "captain flint, the first question to be settled is in regard to the engineer force," said christy, as the three officers seated themselves at the table. "i think we shall have no difficulty on that score, captain passford, for i have already sounded those on board of the arran, or the escambia, as her officers call her. as long as their wages are paid, they don't care which side they serve. mr. pivotte is the chief, and he is as willing to go one way as the other." "very well; then he shall retain his present position, and bockburn shall be restored to the ocklockonee. of course the arrangements made after the capture of the first vessel were only temporary, and i propose to report to the flag officer with everything as nearly as possible in the condition in which we left new york," continued christy. "of course i expected to resume my former position on board of the bronx as soon as we had disposed of the two steamers; and i can say that i shall not be sorry to do so," said flint with a pleasant smile, as though he did not intend to grieve over the loss of his command. "in a few days more, we shall move down a peg, and i shall cease to have a command as well as yourself," added christy. "and i suppose i shall be relegated to my position as a quartermaster," said baskirk; "but i shall be satisfied. i don't care to wear any spurs that i have not won, though i shall be glad to have a higher rank when i deserve it." "you deserve it now, mr. baskirk, and if you don't receive it, it will not be on account of any weakness in my report of the events of the last twenty-four hours," added christy heartily. "thank you, captain; i suppose i could have procured a better position than that of able seaman, but i preferred to work my way up." "it was wise not to begin too high up, and you have already won your spurs. now, mr. baskirk, i shall ask you to take the deck, relieving mr. amblen," added christy, who wished to talk with flint alone. "i shall be really glad to get back into the bronx, for i feel at home here with you, captain," said flint. "you will be back to your berth here very soon. now we have to send these two steamers to new york. they are fine vessels, and will be needed. we want two prize masters, and we must have able men. have you any suggestion to make, mr. flint? i first thought of sending you as the principal one; but i cannot spare you, and the service in the gulf needs you." "i am entirely willing to go where my duty calls me, without regard to personal preferences," replied flint. "i have a suggestion to make: which is that baskirk take one of the steamers." "that is exactly my own idea; from what i have seen of him, there is no more devoted officer in the service." "i have known him for many years, and i believe in him. mcspindle is almost as good, and has had a better education than baskirk. i don't think you could find two better men in the navy for this duty." "very well; then i will appoint them both." flint was instructed to communicate their appointment to baskirk and mcspindle, and make all the preparations for the departure of the escambia and the ocklockonee. christy went to his state room, and wrote his report of the capture of the two steamers, in which he commended the two officers who were to go as prize masters, and then wrote a letter to his father, with a strong appeal in their favor. then he wrote very careful instructions for the government of the officers to be sent away, in which he directed them to use all necessary precautions in regard to the prisoners. in a couple of hours after the capture of the escambia, the two prizes sailed for new york. captain dinsmore expressed his thanks very warmly to captain passford for his courtesy and kindness at parting. christy had visited every part of the two steamers, and talked with the officers and men, and especially with the engineers, and he discovered no elements of discord on board of either. hungerford and pawcett were transferred to the escambia, and committed to the care of the surgeon of the ship. both of them were suffering from fever, and they were not likely to give the prize master any trouble during the passage, which could only be three or four days in duration. baskirk and mcspindle were required to make all the speed they could consistent with safety, though christy hardly thought they would encounter any confederate rover on the voyage, for they were not very plenty at this stage of the war. it seemed a little lonesome on board of the bronx after the two steamers had disappeared in the distance, and the number of the crew had been so largely reduced by the drafts for the prizes. the steamer was hardly in condition to engage an enemy of any considerable force, and sampson was directed to hurry as much as possible. christy had heard of the bellevite twice since he left her off pensacola bay. she had been sent to other stations on duty, and had captured two schooners loaded with cotton as prizes; but at the last accounts she had returned to the station where the bronx had left her. christy was not so anxious as he had been before the recent captures to fall in with an enemy, for with less than twenty seamen it would not be prudent to attack such a steamer as either of those he had captured, though he would not have objected to chase a blockade runner if he had discovered one pursued by the gunboats. it was a quiet time on board of the bronx compared with the excitement of the earlier days of the voyage. in the very beginning of the trip, he had discovered the deaf mute at the cabin door, and his thought, his inquiries, and his action in defeating the treachery of the second lieutenant had kept him busy night and day. now the weather was fine most of the time, and he had little to do beyond his routine duties. but he did a great deal of thinking in his cabin, though most of it was in relation to the events which had transpired on board of the bronx. he had captured two valuable prizes; but he could not feel that he was entitled to any great credit for the achievements of his vessel, since he had been warned in the beginning to look out for the scotian and the arran. he had taken the first by surprise, and the result was due to the carelessness of her commander rather than to any great merit on his own part. the second he had taken with double the force of the enemy in ships and men; and the latter was not precisely the kind of a victory he was ambitious to win. at the same time, his self-respect assured him that he had done his duty faithfully, and that it had been possible for him to throw away his advantage by carelessness. if he had fallen in with both the scotian and the arran at the same time, the result might have been different, though he was sure that he should have fought his ship as long as there was anything left of her. in that case there would have been more room for manoeuvring and strategy, for he did not admit to himself that he should have been beaten. amblen continued to hold his place as second lieutenant, and mclinn was appointed acting third lieutenant. the carpenter repaired the bridge, though christy would not have been very sorry if it had been so thoroughly smashed as to be beyond restoration, for it was hardly a naval institution. the men who had been only slightly wounded in the action with the escambia were progressing finely under the care of dr. spokeley, and when the bronx was off the southern cape of florida, they were able to return to duty. the latest information located the flag officer off pensacola, and in due time christy reported to him. the bellevite was still there, and the commander went on board of her, where he received an ovation from the former officers and seamen with whom he had sailed. he did not take any pains to recite his experience, but it was soon known throughout the fleet. "christy, i shall hardly dare to sail in command of a ship of which you are the executive officer," said lieutenant blowitt, who was to command the bronx, with a laugh. "why not? is my reputation so bad as that?" asked christy. "bad! no, it is so good. the fact of it is, you are such a tremendous fellow, there will be no room for any other officer to shine in the same sky." "i have been in command for a few days, hardly more than a week, but i assure you that i can and shall obey the orders of my commander to the very letter," added christy. "but you took two steamers, each of them of nearly twice the tonnage of your own ship, in mid ocean." "but i took them one at a time. if i had fallen in with both at the same time, the affair might have gone the other way. we captured the first one by accident, as it were, and the second with double the force of the enemy. i don't take much credit to myself for that sort of thing. i don't think it was half as much of an affair as bringing out the teaser, for we had to use some science on that occasion," replied christy quietly. "science, is it?" laughed mr. blowitt. "perhaps you can assist me to some of your science, when it is required." "i shall obey my superior officer, and not presume to advise him unless he asks me to do so." "well, christy, i think you are the most audacious young fellow i ever met," added the future commander of the bronx. "i haven't anything about me that i call audacity, so far as i understand myself. when i am told to do any duty, i do it if it is possible; and whether it is possible often depends upon whether you think it is or not." "i should say that it was audacious for you to think of capturing two steamers, fitted out for war purposes, and twice the size of your own ship, with the bronx," added mr. blowitt, still laughing, to take off the edge of his criticism. "why did the navy department instruct me in my sealed orders to look out for these steamers, if i was to do so in a pickwickian sense?" demanded christy earnestly. "what would you have done, mr. blowitt?" "perhaps i should have been as audacious as you were, christy, if such had been my orders." this conversation took place on the deck of the bellevite where christy had come to see his friends; and it was interrupted by a boat from the flag ship which brought a big envelope for mr. blowitt. it instructed him to go on board of the bronx, to the command of which he had been appointed. another order required him to proceed to a point on the western coast of florida, where the enemy were supposed to be loading vessels with cotton, and break up the depot established for the purpose, where it could be supplied by the florida railroad. the new commander packed his clothing, and he was sent with christy in one of the bellevite's boats to the bronx. they went on board, where the late acting commander had already removed his own property to the ward room, and captain blowitt was conducted to his cabin and state room, of which he took formal possession. he seemed to be very much pleased with his accommodations since the government had put the vessel in order, though he had been on board of her, and fought a battle on her deck, while she was still the teaser. "i am sure i could not ask for anything better than this cabin," said he, after he had invited his first lieutenant to come in. "i found it very comfortable," added christy. "flint is second lieutenant, and sampson chief engineer; and that is all there are of those who were in the bellevite. i will introduce you to the acting third lieutenant, mr. amblen, and you can retain him or not as you please." mr. amblen was called in and presented to the captain, and then flint was ordered to get under way. chapter xxi an expedition in the gulf the bronx had been three days on the station, christy had made his report in full on her arrival, and the flag officer had visited the vessel in person, in order to ascertain her fitness for several enterprises he had in view. the confederates were not sleepy or inactive, and resorted to every expedient within their means to counteract both morally and materially the efficiency of the blockade. the bronx was admirably adapted to service in the shoal waters where the heavier vessels of the investing squadron could not go, and her arrival solved several problems then under consideration. captain blowitt and christy had been sent for, and the late commander of the bronx was questioned in regard to the steamer, her draught, her speed, and her ship's company. the damage done to her in the conflict with the escambia had been fully repaired by the carpenter and his gang, and the steamer was in as good condition as when she sailed from new york. "in regard to the present officers, mr. passford, excepting present company, of course, they are excellent," said captain mckeon, the flag officer. "for the service in which the bronx is to be engaged, its success will depend upon the officers, though it is hardly exceptional in this respect. i understand that you sailed from new york rather short-handed abaft the mainmast." "yes, sir, we did; but fortunately we had most excellent material of which to make officers, and we made them," replied christy. "i should like to know something about them; i mean apart from captain blowitt and yourself, for you have already made your record, and yours, mr. passford, is rather a dazzling reputation for one so young." "i am willing to apologize for it, sir," replied christy, blushing like a maiden, as he was in duty bound to do, for he could not control the crimson that rose to his browned cheeks. "quite unnecessary," replied captain mckeon, smiling. "as long as you do your duty nobody will be jealous of you, and you will be a fit officer for all our young men to emulate. you were the acting commander on the voyage of the bronx from new york. your executive officer is the present second lieutenant. is he qualified for the peculiar duty before you?" "no one could be more so, sir," replied christy with proper enthusiasm. "i can fully indorse this opinion of mr. passford," added captain blowitt. "in the capture and bringing out of the teaser, mr. flint was the right hand man of the leader of the enterprise." "and i gave him the command of the ocklockonee, after her capture, and she took an active part in the affair with the escambia, sir," said christy. "then we will consider him the right man in the right place," replied the flag officer. "who is the present third lieutenant?" "mr. amblen is acting in that capacity at present, and he is a very good officer, though he holds no rank," answered christy. "then i can hardly confirm him as second lieutenant," added captain mckeon. "in my report of the affairs with the ocklockonee and the escambia, i have strongly recommended him and three other officers for promotion, for all of them are fitted by education and experience at sea to do duty on board of such vessels as the bronx." "have you any officer in mind who would acceptably fill the vacant place, captain blowitt?" "i know of no one at present who holds the rank to entitle him to such a position, and i shall appeal to mr. passford," replied the new commander. "you have named mr. amblen, mr. passford; is he just the officer you would select if the matter were left to you?" asked the flag officer. "no, sir, though he would do very well. mr. baskirk, who served as executive officer while mr. flint was away in the ocklockonee, is better adapted for the place," said christy. "he commanded the first division of boarders on board of the escambia, and he fought like a hero and is a man of excellent judgment. i am confident that he will make his mark as an officer. i am willing to admit that i wrote a letter to my father especially requesting him to do what he could for the immediate promotion of mr. baskirk." "then he will be immediately promoted," added captain mckeon with an expressive smile. "i may add also that i was presumptive enough to suggest his appointment as third lieutenant of the bronx," continued christy. "then he will be the third lieutenant of the bronx; and what you say would have settled the matter in the first place as well as now," said the flag officer, as much pleased with the reticence of the young officer as with his modesty. "amblen may remain on board till his commission comes, and you can retain him as third lieutenant, captain blowitt, if you are so disposed. i have ordered a draft of twelve seamen to the bronx, which will give you a crew of thirty, and i cannot spare any more until more men are sent down. i may add that i have taken some of them from the bellevite." "i am quite satisfied, sir, with the number, though ten more would be acceptable," replied the commander of the bronx. the two officers were then dismissed and ordered on board of their ship. a little later the draft of seamen was sent on board, and among them christy was not sorry to see boxie, the old sheet-anchor man of the bellevite, who had made him a sort of pet, and had done a great deal to instruct him in matters of seamanship, naval customs, and traditions not found in any books. the commander and the executive officer paid their final visit to the bellevite the next day, and the order was given to weigh anchor. when all hands were called, christy thought he had never seen a better set of men except on board of the bellevite, and the expedition, whatever it was, commenced under the most favorable auspices. the bronx sailed in the middle of the forenoon, and the flag officer was careful not to reveal the destination of the steamer to any one, for with the aid of the telegraph, the object of the expedition might reach the scene of operations in advance of the arrival of the force. at four o'clock in the afternoon captain blowitt opened his envelope in presence of the executive officer. he looked the paper through before he spoke, and then handed it to christy, who read it with quite as much interest as the commander had. "cedar keys," said the captain, glancing at his associate. "that is not a long run from the station," added christy. "we are very likely to be there before to-morrow morning." "it is about two hundred and eighty statute miles, i had occasion to ascertain a week ago when something was said about cedar keys," replied captain blowitt. "we have been making about fifteen knots, for the bronx is a flyer, and we ought to be near our destination at about midnight. that would be an excellent time to arrive if we only had a pilot." "perhaps we have one," added christy with a smile. "are you a pilot on this coast, mr. passford?" asked the commander, mistaking the smile. "no, sir, i am not; but i remember a conversation mr. flint and i had with mr. amblen, who was engaged in some sort of a speculation in florida when the war came on. he was so provoked at the treatment he received that he shipped in the navy at once. i only know that he had a small steamer in these waters." "send for mr. amblen at once!" exclaimed the commander, who appeared to have become suddenly excited. "there will be no moon to-night in these parts, and we may be able to hurry this matter up if we have a competent pilot." christy called dave, and sent him for the acting third lieutenant, for he knew that mr. flint had had the watch since four o'clock. mr. amblen was sunning himself on the quarter deck, and he promptly obeyed the summons. "i am glad to see you, mr. amblen, and i hope you will prove to be as useful a person as i have been led to believe you may be," said the captain. "i shall endeavor to do my duty, sir," replied the third lieutenant, who was always very ambitious to earn the good opinion of his superiors. "i mean to do the best i can to make myself useful, captain blowitt." "i know that very well; but the question now is what you know rather than what you can do as an officer. mr. passford informs me that you were formerly engaged in some kind of a speculation on the west coast of florida." "hardly a speculation, sir, for i was engaged in the fish business," replied mr. amblen, laughing at the name which had been given to his calling. "when i sold a small coaster that belonged to me, i got in exchange a tug boat. i had been out of health a few years before; i spent six months at cedar keys and tampa, and got well. fish were plenty here, and of a kind that bring a good price farther north. i loaded my tug with ice, and came down here in her. i did a first-rate business buying from boats and in catching fish myself, and for a time i made money, though ice was so dear that i had to sell in the south." "did you have a pilot on board of your tug?" asked the captain. "no, sir; i was my own pilot. i had the charts, and i studied out the bottom, so that i knew where i was in the darkest night." "then you are just the person we want if you are a pilot in these waters." "what waters, sir? we are now off cape st. blas and apalachicola bay. i have been into the bay, but i am not a pilot in those waters, as you suggest." "i have just opened my orders, and i find we are ordered to cedar keys," interposed the commander. "that is quite another thing, sir; and there isn't a foot of bottom within five miles of the keys to which i have not been personally introduced. when i was down here for my health i was on the water more than half of the time, and i learned all about the bay and coast; and i have been up the suwanee river, which flows into the gulf eighteen miles north of the keys." "i am exceedingly glad to find that we have such an excellent pilot on board. i am informed in my orders that schooners load with cotton at this place, and make an easy thing of getting to sea," added captain blowitt. "i should say that it was a capital port for the confederates to use for that sort of business. small steamers can bring cotton down the suwanee river, the railroad from fernandina terminates at the key, and this road connects with that to jacksonville and the whole of western florida as far as tallahassee." "we may find a steamer or two there." "you may, though not one any larger than the bronx, for there is only eleven feet of water on the bar. probably no blockaders have yet been stationed off the port, and it is a good place to run out cotton." "i am much obliged to you, mr. amblen, for the information you have given me, and your services will probably be in demand this very night," added the commander, rising from his chair. "i am ready for duty at all times, sir," replied mr. amblen, as he retired from the cabin. the charts were then consulted, and sundry calculations were made. at one o'clock that night the bronx was off cedar keys. chapter xxii a night expedition in the boats during the evening captain blowitt had consulted his officers, and arranged his plans for operations, or at least for obtaining information in regard to the situation inside of north key, where the landing place is situated. he had already arranged to give the command of the boat expedition to christy, with the second lieutenant in another boat, mr. amblen being with the executive officer in the first. "now, mr. passford, i do not expect you to capture the whole state of florida, and if you should return without accomplishing anything at all, i shall not be disappointed, but i shall feel that you have done everything that could be done," said the captain, with a very cheerful smile, when all had been arranged. "i shall endeavor to obey my orders, captain blowitt, if i can do so in the exercise of a reasonable prudence," replied christy, who took in all that his superior looked, as well as all that he said. "a reasonable prudence is decidedly good, coming from you, mr. passford," said the captain, laughing outright. "why is it decidedly good from me rather than from anybody else?" asked christy, somewhat nettled by the remark. "you objected once on board of the bellevite when i mildly hinted that you might sometimes, under some circumstances, with a strong temptation before you, be just a little audacious," said the captain, still laughing, as though he were engaged in a mere joke. "that statement is certainly qualified in almost all directions, if you will excuse me for saying so, captain," replied christy, who was fully determined not to take offence at anything his superior might say, for he had always regarded him as one of his best friends. "if i remember rightly the mild suggestion of a criticism which you gently and tenderly applied to me was after we had brought out the teaser from pensacola bay." "that was the time. captain breaker sent you to ascertain, if you could, where the teaser was, and you reported by bringing her out, which certainly no one expected you would do, and i believe this part of the programme carried out on that excursion was not mentioned in your orders." "it was not; but if i had a good chance to capture the steamer, was it my duty to pass over that chance, and run the risk of letting the vessel get out?" "on the contrary, it was your duty, if you got a good chance, to capture the steamer." "and that is precisely what i did. i did not lose a man, or have one wounded in the expedition; and i have only to be penitent for being audacious," laughed christy; and he was laughing very earnestly, as though the extra cachinnation was assumed for a purpose. "i suppose i ought to dress myself in ash cloth and sashes, shut myself up in my state room always when off duty, and shed penitential tears from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, and during the lone watches of the night, and in fortifying my soul against the monstrous sin of audacity. i will think of it." "i hope you have no feeling about this matter, mr. passford," said the captain, rising from his chair and taking christy by the hand. "not a particle, captain blowitt. i am absolutely sure that you would have done precisely what i did, if you had been in my situation," protested christy. "about the last thing my father talked about to me when we parted in this cabin in new york harbor was the necessity of prudence and discretion in the discharge of my duties; and i am sure his advice saved me from falling into the traps set for me by hungerford and pawcett, and enabled me to capture two of the enemy's crack steamers." "i will never use the word audacity or the adjective audacious to you again, christy. i see that it nettles you, to say the least," added the captain, pressing his hand with more earnestness. "i am perfectly willing you should apply both words to me when i deserve it. audacity means boldness, impudence, according to stormonth. audacious means very bold, daring, impudent. it may have been bold to run out the teaser, and the enemy would even call it impudent, for the meaning of a word sometimes depends upon which side you belong to. my father was quite as impudent as i was when he ran the bellevite out of mobile bay, under the guns of fort morgan. he was audacious, wasn't he?" "we should hardly apply that word to him." "why not? simply because my father was forty-five years old when he told captain breaker to do it. if i were only thirty years old i should not be audacious. i am a boy, and therefore anything that i do is daring, audacious, impudent, imprudent." "i rather think you are right, mr. passford, and it is your age more than the results of your actions that is the basis of our judgment," said captain blowitt. "i wish to add seriously, captain, as a friend and not as an officer, i do not claim that the command of this expedition should be given to me because i am first lieutenant of the bronx, or for any other reason," added christy with an earnest expression. "perhaps it would be better to give the command to the second lieutenant; and if you do so, i assure you, upon my honor, that it will not produce a particle of feeling in my mind. i shall honor, respect, and love you as i have always, captain blowitt." "my dear fellow, you are entirely misunderstanding me," protested the commander, as earnestly as his subordinate had spoken. "i give you the command of this expedition because i honestly and sincerely believe you are the very best person on board to whom i can commit such a responsibility." "that is enough, captain, and a great deal more than you were under any obligations to say to me; and i shall obey my orders with all the prudence and discretion i can bring to bear upon them," said christy, taking the captain's offered hand. "if i fail it will not be because i do not try to be prudent." "there is such a thing as being too prudent, and i hope that nothing which has been said to you by your father or by me will drive you to the other extreme." though this conversation had at times been very animated, christy was glad that it had taken place, for it gave him a better insight into his own standing than he had before. he did not look upon it as a very great affair to command a couple of boats, in a night expedition, for he had recently commanded two steamers, and brought them off victorious. he had it in mind to ask the captain to send flint in command of the expedition, though it would compel him, on account of his rank, to remain inactive on board of the bronx; but he could not do this, after what had been said, without leaving some evidence that he was disaffected by what the commander had said to him about audacity. it was found after a calculation of the run very carefully made that the bronx would arrive too soon at her destination, and she was slowed down as the evening came on. in the ward room, of which christy was now the occupant of the forward berth on the starboard side, he studied the chart with amblen a good part of the waiting hours, and the executive officer obtained all the information he could from the third lieutenant. there were three principal keys, or cays, one of which, called the north key, was the nearest to the mainland, and was set in the mouth of a bay. this was the nearest to the peninsula at the end of which the railroad terminates. about southwest of it is the seahorse key, on which there is a light in peaceful times. to the south of the point is the snake key, and between the last two is the main channel to the port, which twists about like the track of a snake. there is a town, or rather a village, near the landing. six bells struck on deck, and all the officers, including the captain, adjourned to the bridge, which was a useful institution on such occasions as the present. a sharp watch had been kept by lieutenant flint in charge; but though the night was clear, nothing had been made out in the direction of the shore. all lights on board had been put out, and the bronx went along in the smooth sea as quietly as a lady on a fashionable promenade, and it was not believed that anything could be seen of her from the shore. about midnight the lookout man aloft reported that he could see a twinkling light. it was promptly investigated by mr. amblen, who went aloft for the purpose. he was satisfied that it was a light in some house in the village, probably in the upper story. it soon disappeared, and it was thought to be occasioned by the late retiring of some person. "i should say, captain blowitt, that we are not more than five miles outside of seahorse key," said mr. amblen, after he had interpreted the meaning of the light. "it is after midnight, and these people are not in the habit of sitting up so late." "if they are shipping much cotton from this port, it is not improbable that there is a force here to protect the vessels, whatever they are," added the commander. "of that, of course, i can know nothing; but i shall expect to find a confederate battery somewhere on the point, and i know about where to look for it." "the place has never been of any great importance, and you can hardly expect to find a very strong force in it," added the captain. it has since become a place of more note, both as a resort for invalids and pleasure-seekers, and as the termination of the railroad from fernandina and jacksonville, and steamers have run regularly from the port to havana and new orleans. "if you will excuse me, captain blowitt, i should say that it was not advisable to take the bronx nearer than within about four miles of the seahorse key," suggested mr. amblen. "i was just thinking that we had gone as far as it is prudent to go. do you think you could take the bronx up to the landing?" added the captain. "i am very sure that i could, for i have been in many a time on a darker night than this." "we will not go in to-night, but perhaps we may have occasion to do so to-morrow. we shall know better what to do when we get a report of the state of things in the place," replied the captain, as he gave the word through the speaking tube to stop the steamer. christy had been given full powers to make all preparations for the boat expedition, and was allowed ten men to each of the quarter boats. he had selected the ones for his own boat, and had required flint to pick his own crew for the other. the oars had been carefully muffled by the coxswains, for it was desirable that no alarm should be given in the place. the starboard quarter boat was the first cutter, pulled by six oars, and this was for christy and mr. amblen, with the regular coxswain and three hands in the bow. the second cutter was in charge of mr. flint, and followed the other boat, keeping near enough to obtain her course in the twists of the channel. it was a long pull to the seahorse key, and a moderate stroke was taken as well not to tire the men as to avoid all possible noise. when the first cutter was abreast of the key, the pilot pointed out the dark outline of the peninsula, which was less than a mile distant. no vessel could be seen; but the pilot thought they might be concealed by the railroad buildings on the point. christy asked where the battery was which the pilot thought he could locate, and the spot was indicated to him. christy wanted a nearer view of it, and the cutter was headed in that direction. chapter xxiii the visit to a shore battery the first cutter reached the seahorse key closely followed by the second. it was within an hour of high tide, the ordinary rise and fall of which was two and a half feet. on the key was a light house, and a cottage for the keeper of it; but the former was no longer illuminated, and the house was as dark as the head of the tower. so far as could be discovered there was no one on the key, though the boats did not stop to investigate this matter. the crews still pulled a moderate stroke with their muffled oars, the men were not allowed to talk, and everything was as silent as the inside of a tomb. the pilot stood up in the stern sheets of the cutter, gazing intently in the direction of the point nearly a mile ahead. the outlines of the buildings could be discerned, and amblen soon declared that he could make out the tops of the masts of several vessels to the westward of the point with which the peninsula terminated. this looked hopeful, and indicated that the information upon which the expedition had been sent out was correct. christy began to think he should have a busy night before him when amblen said there were at least three vessels at the port. the battery was first to be visited and cared for if there was one, and it was not probable that a place so open to the operations of the blockading force would be without one, especially if the people were actually engaged in loading cotton, as the masts of the vessels indicated, though the hulls could not yet be seen. as the first cutter approached nearer to the place the outlines became more distinct, and soon embodied themselves into definite objects. both officers in the stern sheets watched with the most anxious vigilance for any moving object denoting the presence of life and intelligence. as the boats came nearer to the shore, a breeze sprang up, and cooled the air, for early as it was in the season, the weather was very warm, and it was not uncommon for the thermometer to rise above ninety. these breezes were usually present to cool the nights, and doubtless the inhabitants slept the sounder for the one which had just begun to fan the cheeks of the officers and seamen of the expedition. "there is a battery there, mr. passford," said the pilot in a very low tone. "i can make it out now, and it is just where i supposed it would be." "i can see something that seems like an earthwork at the right of the buildings," added christy. "can you make out anything that looks like a sentinel?" "i can see nothing that denotes the presence of a man. if there were a sentinel there, he would be on the top of the earthwork, or on the highest ground about it, so that he could see out into the bay, for there can be no danger from the land side of the place," added amblen. "i can hardly imagine such a thing as a battery without a sentinel to give warning if anybody should try to carry it off. there must be a sentry somewhere in the vicinity." "i can't say there isn't, though i can't make out a man, or anything that looks like one," replied the pilot. "very likely we shall soon wake him up, mr. amblen; and in that case it will be necessary for us to find a safer place than in front of the guns of the battery, for i do not feel at liberty to expose the men to the fire of the works, whatever they are." "all you have to do is to pull around to the other side of the point into the bay, where the vessels are. i am confident there is no battery on that side, and there can hardly be any need of one, for this one commands the channel, the only approach to the place for a vessel larger than a cutter." "i fancy this battery does not amount to much, and is probably nothing more than an earthwork, with a few field guns behind it. suppose we should wake it up, and have to make for the bay, can we get out of it without putting the boats under the guns of the battery?" "without any difficulty at all, sir. we have only to pull around the north key, and pass out to the gulf, beyond the reach of any field gun that can be brought to bear on us," replied mr. amblen. "if they have one or two field batteries here, they may hitch on the horses, and follow us," suggested christy, who, in spite of the audacity with which he had been mildly charged, was not inclined to run into any trap from which he could not readily withdraw his force. "we shall have the short line, and if they pursue us with the guns, we can retire by the way of the channel, which they will leave uncovered." "we are getting quite near the shore," continued christy. "how is the water under us?" "the bottom is sandy, and we shall take the ground before we reach the shore if we don't manage properly. but we can tell something by the mangroves that fringe the land," replied the pilot; "and i will go into the bow of the cutter and look out for them." mr. amblen made his way to the fore sheets, and asked boxie, who was there, for the boathook, with which he proceeded to sound. when he had done so, he raised both his hands to a level with his shoulders, which was the signal to go ahead, and the men pulled a very slow stroke. he continued to sound, after he had selected the point for landing. when the first cutter was within three lengths of the shore, he elevated both his hands above his head, which was the signal to cease rowing, though the two bow oarsmen kept their oars in the water instead of boating them as the others did. mr. amblen continued to feel the way, and in a few minutes more, aided by the shoving of the two bow oarsmen, he brought the boat to the shore. then he gave his attention to the second cutter, bringing it to the land alongside of the first. stepping out on the sand himself, he was followed by all the crew, with cutlass in hand, and revolvers in readiness for use. the men were placed in order for an advance, and then required to lie down on the sand, so that they could not readily be seen if any stroller appeared on the ground. leaving the force in charge of mr. flint, christy and amblen walked towards the battery, crouching behind such objects as they could find that would conceal them in whole or in part. the earthwork was semicircular in form, and was hardly more than a rifle pit. no sentinel could be discovered, and getting down upon the sand, the two officers crept cautiously towards the heaps of sand which formed the fort. christy climbed up the slope with some difficulty, for the dry sand afforded a very weak foothold. on the top of it, which was about six feet wide, they found a solid path which had evidently been a promenade for sentinels or other persons. behind it, on a wooden platform, were four field guns, with depressions in the earthwork in front of the muzzles. christy led the way down the slope on the inside to the pieces, which were twelve-pounders. at a little distance from the platform was a sort of casemate, which might have been constructed for a magazine, or for a place of resort for the gunners if the fort should be bombarded. not a man could be seen, and if there was any garrison for the place, they were certainly taking things very comfortably, for they must have been asleep at this unseemly hour for any ordinary occupation. not far from the battery was a rude structure, hardly better than a shanty, which christy concluded must be the barracks of the soldiers if there were any there. he walked over to it; but there was not a human being to be seen in the vicinity. it was half past one at night, when honest people ought to be abed and asleep, and the first lieutenant of the bronx concluded that the garrison, if this shanty was their quarters, must be honest people. christy walked very cautiously to the side of the building, for the entrance was at the end nearest to the fort, and found several windows there, from which the sashes seemed to have been removed, if there had ever been any. the bottom of each opening was no higher than his head, and he went to one of them and looked in. extending along the middle of the interior was a row of berths. it was very dark inside, and he could not make out whether or not these bunks were occupied. the windows on the other side of the shanty enabled him to see that there were two rows of berths, each backing against the other. there were two in each tier, and he judged that the barrack would accommodate forty-eight men. he retained his place at the window in order to discover any movement made by a sleeper that would inform him whether or not the berths were occupied. if there were any soldiers there, they were as quiet as statues; but while he was watching for a movement, he heard a decided snore. there was at least one man there, and he continued to hear his sonorous breathing as long as he remained at the window, which was the first on the side of the shanty. [illustration: christy walked the whole length of the shanty.] christy decided to push the investigation still farther, and he went to a window in the middle of the building. he regarded the berths with attention for a few minutes, but he could perceive no movement. he could hear two snorers who seemed to be competing with each other to see who could make the most noise. if the berths were all occupied, three snorers were not a very great proportion in forty-eight. he was very anxious to ascertain if this was the number of soldiers in the place, but it was too dark in the shanty for him to determine whether or not the bunks were all in use. it was too many for him to encounter with his force of twenty men and three officers in the open field. christy returned to the end of the building, and tried the door. it was not locked, and he decided to make use of a little of the audacity of which he was accused of having a good deal. taking off his shoes, and passing his sword to mr. amblen, he entered the barrack on tiptoe. the boards of the floor began to creak under his weight; he stooped down and felt till he found the nail holes; then he knew that he was on a timber, and he walked the whole length of the shanty, returning on the opposite side, counting the occupied berths, for he passed within three feet of all of them. the count gave seventeen men as the number of sleepers, though this might not be all the force at the place. he had ascertained all he wished to know, and he walked back to the shore where the men were concealed. apart from the men, he had a conference with flint and amblen, giving them the details of what he had discovered. then he stated his plan, and the men were marched silently to the battery, and were posted behind the breastwork. not a man was allowed to move, and christy and flint went to the casemate, which looked like a mound of sand. it was locked, but taking a bar of iron they found with some tools for digging, they tore off the padlock. a lantern had been brought from the steamer, which was lighted. the structure was found to be for the protection of the artillerists in the first instance; but the apartment was connected with the magazine, the lock of which was removed. amblen was sent for ten men, and all the ammunition they could carry was removed. the rest of it was thrown into a pool of water made by recent rains. the powder, solid shot, and shells were carried to the boats. the rest of the men drew the four guns to the shore, where one was placed, with its carriage, in each of the cutters, and the other two put where they could be carried to the bronx, or thrown overboard in deep water, as occasion might require. the seventeen soldiers, reinforced by any that might be in the town, were thus deprived of the power to do any mischief except in a hand-to-hand fight. if the place was not actually captured, it was practically lost to the enemy. the next business of the expedition was to examine the bay, and ascertain what vessels were at the landing place. the boats shoved off, and pulled around the point. chapter xxiv captain lonley of the steamer havana the two twelve-pounders in each boat were believed to weigh about six hundred pounds each, while the ordinary bronze boat gun of the same calibre weighs seven hundred and sixty pounds. the four guns, therefore, were rather too heavy a burden for the size of the cutters. but christy was unwilling to throw the two without carriages overboard, for the water in this locality was so clear that they could have been seen at a depth of two or three fathoms. they were useless for the duty in which the expedition was engaged, and the commander of the expedition decided to land them on the seahorse key till he had completed his operations in the bay, when they could be taken off and transported to the bronx as trophies, if for nothing better. mr. flint was disposed to object to this plan, on account of the time it would require; but he yielded the point when christy informed him that it was only half past two, as he learned from the repeater he carried for its usefulness on just such duty as the present expedition. the guns and all that belonged to them were landed on the key, and the boats shoved off, the lieutenants happy in the thought that they were no longer embarrassed by their weight, while they could not be brought to bear upon them. the boats had hardly left the little island behind them when the noise of paddle wheels ahead was reported by one of the trio in the bow of the first cutter. christy listened with all his ears, and immediately heard the peculiar sounds caused by the slapping of the paddle wheels of a steamer upon the water. "we are in for something," said he to the pilot, as he listened to the sounds. "what might that be?" "it is a steamer without any doubt coming around the point, and she will be in sight in a moment or two," replied mr. amblen. "it may be a river steamer that has brought a load of cotton down the suwanee, and is going out on this tide." "then we may need those guns we have left on the key," suggested christy. "if she is a river steamer, there is not much of a force on board of her," replied the pilot. "we might return to the island, and use the two guns with carriages there." "if she is a river steamer, we shall not need great guns to capture her." christy had ordered the men to cease rowing, and the two cutters lay motionless on the full sea, for the tide was at its height by this time. even in the darkness they could make out whether the approaching vessel was a river or a sea steamer as soon as she could be seen. "whatever she is, we must capture her," said christy, very decidedly. "if she is a river steamer, she will be of no use to the government," added mr. amblen. "of none at all." replied christy. "in that case i shall burn her, for it would not be safe to send good men in such a craft to a port where she could be condemned. the next question is, shall we take her here, or nearer to the shore." "the farther from the shore the better, i should say, mr. passford. after she passes the seahorse key, she will be in deep water for a vessel coming out of that port; and until she gets to the key, she will move very slowly, and we can board her better than when she is going at full speed," said mr. amblen. "you are doubtless quite right, mr. amblen, and i shall adopt your suggestion," replied christy. "there she comes, and she is no river steamer." she had not the two tall funnels carried by river steamers, and that point was enough to settle her character. there could be no doubt she would have been a blockade runner, if there had been any blockade to run at the entrance to the port. christy decided to board the steamer between the two keys, the channel passing between snake and seahorse. the first cutter fell back so that christy could communicate with mr. flint, and he instructed him to take a position off the snake key, where his boat could not be discovered too soon, and board the steamer on the port side, though he did not expect any resistance. each cutter took its position and awaited in silence the approach of the blockade runner. the only thing christy feared was that she would come about and run back to the port, though this could only delay her capture. the steamer, as well as the officers could judge her in the distance, was hardly larger than the bronx. they concluded that she must be loaded with cotton, and at this time it was about as valuable a cargo as could be put on board of her. she would be a rich prize, and the masts of the schooners were still to be seen over the tops of the buildings. she must have chosen this hour of the night to go out, not only on account of the tide, but because the darkness would enable her to get off the coast where a blockader occasionally wandered before the blockade was fully established. her paddle wheels indicated that she had not been built very recently, for very nearly all sea steamers, including those of the united states, were propelled by the screw. as mr. amblen had predicted the steamer moved very slowly, and it was all of a quarter of an hour before she came to the seahorse key. at the right time christy gave the word to the crew to "give way lively!" and the first cutter shot out from the concealment of the little island, while flint did the same on the other side of the channel. almost in the twinkling of an eye the two boats had made fast to her, and seven men from each boat leaped on the deck of the steamer, cutlass in hand. no guns were to be seen, and the watch of not more than half a dozen men were on the forecastle; and perhaps this was the entire force of the sailing department. "what does all this mean?" demanded a man coming from the after part of the vessel, in a voice which christy recognized as soon as he had heard half of the sentence. "good morning, captain lonley," said christy, in the pleasantest of tones. "you are up early, my friend, but i think we are a little ahead of you on this occasion." "who are you, sir?" demanded lonley; and christy had at once jumped to the conclusion that he was the captain of the steamer. "i have heard your voice before, but i cannot place you, sir." "fortunately for me, it is not necessary that you should place me this time," replied christy. "it is equally fortunate that i am not compelled to place you again, as i felt obliged to do, on board of the judith in mobile bay." "passford!" exclaimed captain lonley, stepping back a pace in his astonishment. "passford, late of the bellevite, and now executive officer of the united states steamer bronx, formerly the teaser, privateer," answered christy, in his usual cheerful tones. "may i inquire the name of this steamer?" "this steamer is the havana," replied captain lonley. "may i ask you, mr. passford, in regard to your business on board of her?" "i have a little affair on board of her, and my duty compels me to demand her surrender as a prize to the bronx." "caught again!" exclaimed captain lonley, stamping violently on the deck in his disgust at his misfortune, and it was the third time that christy had thrown him "out of a job." "the way of the transgressor is hard, captain lonley," added the commander of the expedition. "transgressor, sir!" ejaculated the captain of the havana. "what do you mean by that, mr. passford?" "well, captain, you are in arms against the best government that the good god ever permitted to exist for eighty odd years; and that is the greatest transgression of which one can be guilty in a patriotic sense." "i hold no allegiance to that government." "so much the worse for you, captain lonley; but we will not talk politics. do you surrender?" "this is not an armed steamer, and i have no force to resist; i am compelled to surrender," replied the captain as he glanced at the cutlasses of the men from the bronx. "that is a correct, though not a cheerful view of the question on your part. i am very happy to relieve you from any further care of the havana, and you may retire to your cabin, where i shall have the honor to wait upon you later." "one word, mr. passford, if you please," said captain lonley, taking christy by the arm and leading him away from the rest of the boarding party. "this steamer and the cotton with which she is loaded are the property of your uncle, homer passford." "indeed?" was all that christy thought it necessary to say in reply. "you have already taken from him one valuable cargo of cotton; and it would be magnanimous in you, as well as very kind of a near relative, to allow me to pass on my way with the property of your uncle." "would it have been kind on the part of a near relative to allow his own brother to pass out of mobile bay in the bellevite?" "that would have been quite another thing, for the bellevite was intended for the federal navy," protested the confederate captain. "it would have been sacrificing his country to his fraternal feelings. this is not a confederate vessel, and is not intended as a war steamer," argued lonley. "every pound of cotton my uncle sells is so much strength added to the cause he advocates; and i hope, with no unkind thoughts or feelings in regard to him, i shall be able to capture every vessel he sends out. that is my view of the matter, and i am just as strong on my side of the question as uncle homer is on his side. i would cut off my right hand before i would allow your vessel or any other to escape, for i have sworn allegiance to my government, and when i fail to do my duty at any sacrifice of personal feeling, it will be when i have lost my mind; and my uncle would do as much for his fractional government. we need not discuss such a subject as you suggest, captain." captain lonley said no more, and retired to his cabin. christy was ready for the next question in order. accompanied by mr. flint, he looked the steamer over. the mate had lighted his pipe and seated himself on a water cask; and he seemed to be the only officer besides the captain on board. the engineers were next visited. there were two of them, but they were red hot for the confederacy, and nothing was said to them except to order them on deck, where they were placed with the crew, and a guard of seamen set over them. the firemen were negroes, and they were willing to serve under the new master, and doubtless were pleased with the change. the crew of the bronx on board of the havana were canvassed to find a man who had run an engine, but not one of them had any experience. "that's bad," said flint, when they had finished the inquiry. "we have not an engineer on board, and we shall have to send off to the bronx for one." "not so bad as that, mr. flint," replied christy. "there is one loyal engineer on board, and i am the one. you will take the deck, and mr. amblen will go into the pilot house. i am not quite ready to go off to the bronx yet, for there are two or three cotton schooners in this port, and we are so fortunate as to have a steamer now to tow them out." "very likely those soldiers have waked up by this time," said flint. "let them fire those guns at us, if they can find them," laughed christy. then he took mr. amblen into the engine room with him. chapter xxv the new engineer of the prize steamer while enthusiastically pursuing his studies as an engineer, christy had visited a great many steamers with paul vapoor for the purpose of examining the engines, so that he could hardly expect to find one with whose construction he was not familiar, whether it was an american or a foreign built machine. at the first glance after he entered the engine room of the havana, he knew the engine, and was ready to run it without spending any time in studying it. he had brought the pilot with him in order to come to an understanding in regard to the bells, for in the navy the signals differ from those in the commercial marine. "this steamer is provided with a gong and a jingling bell," said christy, as he pointed them out to his companion. "my little steamer on this coast was run with just such bells," replied mr. amblen. "and so was the bellevite, so that i am quite accustomed to the system of signals; but it is well to be sure that we understand each other perfectly if we expect to get this vessel out of the bay after we go up to the port," added christy. "i agree with you entirely, sir. a single strong stroke on the gong is to start or to stop her according to the circumstances," said the pilot. "precisely so; and two strokes are to back her," continued christy. "going at full speed, the jingler brings the engine down to half speed, or at half speed carries it up to full speed." "that is my understanding of the matter," replied mr. amblen. "then we understand each other to a charm," continued the temporary engineer. "report to mr. flint that we are ready to go ahead." christy found a colored man who was on duty as an oiler, and four others in the fire room, who seemed to be engaged in an earnest discussion of the situation, for the capture of the havana was a momentous event to all of them. the oiler was at work, and had thoroughly lubricated the machinery, as though he intended that any failure of the steamer should not be from any fault on his part. the new official set two of the firemen at work, though the boilers had a good head of steam. the gong bell gave one sharp stroke, and christy started the engine. the havana was headed out to sea when she was captured, and in the slack water she had not drifted at all. he went ahead slowly, and soon had the bell to stop her; but he expected this, for the channel was narrow, and it required considerable manoeuvring to get the steamer about. then he happened to think of the guns on the seahorse key, and through the speaking tube he passed the word to mr. flint to have him land there in order to take the guns and ammunition on board. after a great deal of backing and going ahead, the havana was headed for the key, where she was stopped as near to it as the depth of water would permit. the guns and other material were brought off, two of the firemen, the oiler, and other colored men of the crew of the havana assisting in the work. the two guns that were provided with carriages were mounted, and placed on the forecastle. they were loaded and prepared for service by the trained gunners of the crew. christy had directed all this to be done on account of the delay which had attended the good fortune of the expedition, for he might not get out of the bay before the daylight came to reveal the presence of the force he commanded to the people on the shore. the gong rang again when all these preparations had been made, and the havana steamed slowly up the channel towards the bay. the oiler appeared to have finished his work for the present. he was a more intelligent man than the others of his color on board, and seemed to understand his duties. christy spoke to him, for he said nothing unless he was spoken to, and he had learned that the commander of the expedition was doing duty as engineer in the absence of any other competent person. "how many schooners are there at the landing place at the keys?" asked christy. "only two schooners, sir," replied the man very respectfully. "are they loaded, --what is your name?" asked the engineer. "my name is dolly, sir." "dolly? that is a girl's name." "my whole name is adolphus, sir; but everybody calls me dolly, and i can't help myself," replied the oiler soberly, as though he had a real grievance on account of the femininity of his nickname. "the two schooners are not quite loaded, sir, but they are very nearly full. they had some trouble here, among the hands." "had some trouble, did they? i should think there were soldiers enough here to keep everything straight. how many artillerists or soldiers do they keep here?" added christy. "they had about forty, but they don't have half that number now." "what has become of them?" "they were sent away to look for the hands that took to the woods. one of the officers and about half of the men were sent off yesterday," replied dolly, who seemed willing to tell all he knew. "why did the men run off?" asked christy curiously. "they brought about fifty hands, all slaves, down here to load the steamer and the schooners. they set them at work yesterday morning, and they had nearly put all the cotton into the schooners at dinner time. to make the niggers work harder, they gave them apple jack." "what is that?" asked the engineer, who never heard the name before. "it is liquor made out of apples, and it is very strong," answered dolly; and he might have added that it was the vilest intoxicant to be found in the whole world, not even excepting russian vodka. "and this liquor made the hands drunk, i suppose." "they did not give them enough for that, sir; but it made them kind of crazy, and they wanted more of it. that made the trouble; the hands struck for liquor before dinner, and when they didn't get it, they took to the woods, about fifty of them. the soldiers had to get their dinner before they would start out after them; and that is the reason the schooners are not full now, sir, and not a bale had been put into this steamer." "but she seems to be fully loaded now." "yes, sir; captain lonley paid the soldiers that were left to load the havana. they worked till eleven in the evening; they were not used to that kind of work, and they got mighty tired, i can tell you," said dolly, with the first smile christy had seen on his yellow face, for he appeared to enjoy the idea of a squad of white men doing niggers' work. "that was what made them sleep so soundly, and leave the battery on the point to take care of itself," said christy. "where were the officers?" "two of them have gone on the hunt for the hands, and i reckon the captain is on a visit to a planter who has a daughter, about forty miles from here." "the soldiers were sleeping very soundly in the barrack about two this morning; and perhaps they were also stimulated with apple jack," added christy. "did you drink any of it, dolly?" "no, sir, i never drink any liquor, for i am a preacher," replied the oiler, with a very serious and solemn expression on his face. "how do you happen to be a greaser on a steamer if you are a preacher?" "i worked on a steamer on the alabama river before i became a preacher, and i took it up again. i was raised in a preacher's family, and worked in the house." he talked as though he had been educated, but he could neither read nor write, and had picked up all his learning by the assistance of his ears alone. but christy had ascertained all he wished to know in regard to the schooners, and he was prepared to carry out his mission in the bay. at the fort it appeared that all the commissioned officers were absent from the post, and the men, after exhausting themselves at work to which they were unaccustomed, had taken to their bunks and were sleeping off the fatigue, and perhaps the effects of the apple jack. while he was thinking of the matter, the gong struck, and christy stopped the engine. "do you know anything about an engine, dolly?" he asked, turning to the oiler. "yes, sir; i run the engine of the havana over here from mobile," replied dolly. "i can do it as well as any one, if they will only trust me." "then stand by the machine, and obey the bells if they are struck," added christy, as he went on deck. he found the second and third lieutenants standing on the rail engaged in examining the surroundings. the day was just beginning to show itself in the east, though it was not yet light enough to enable them to see clearly on shore. by the side of the railroad building was a pier, at which the two schooners lay. they could hear the sounds of some kind of a stir on shore, but were unable to make out what it meant. "we are losing time," said christy, as he took in at a glance all he deemed it necessary to know in regard to the situation. "i was about to report to you, mr. passford; but mr. amblen wished to ascertain whether or not there is a battery on this side of the point," said flint. "do you find anything, mr. amblen?" "no, sir; i can see nothing that looks like a battery," replied the pilot. "then run in, and we will make fast to these schooners and haul them out," added christy in hurried tones. the pilot went to the wheel, and rang one bell on the gong. dolly started the engine before christy could reach the machine. he said nothing to the oiler, but seated himself on the sofa, and observed his movements. a few minutes later came the bell to stop her, and then two bells to back her. dolly managed the machine properly and promptly, and seemed to be at home in the engine room. the color of his skin was a sufficient guaranty of his loyalty, but christy remained below long enough to satisfy himself that dolly knew what he was about, and then went on deck. by this time the noise on shore had become more pronounced, and he saw the dark forms of several persons on the wharf. flint and amblen were making fast to the nearest schooner, and a couple of seamen had been sent on shore to cast off the fasts which held her to the wharf. this was the work of but a moment, and the two men returned to the steamer; but they were closely followed by two men, one of whom stepped on the deck of the schooner. "what are you about here?" demanded the foremost of the men, in a rude and impertinent manner. "about our business," replied christy, with cool indifference. "who are you, young man?" demanded the one on the deck. "i am yours truly; who are you?" "none of your business who i am! i asked you a question, and you will answer it if you know when you are well off," blustered the man, who was rather too fat to be dangerous; and by this time, christy discovered that he wore something like a uniform. "i will try to find out when i am well off, and then i will answer you," replied christy. "all fast, sir," reported flint. the commander of the expedition, turning his back to the fat man, went forward to the pilot house. chapter xxvi the battle with the soldiers mr. amblen went to the pilot house, and rang two bells. dolly responded properly by starting the engine on the reverse, and the schooner alongside began to move away from the wharf, for the stern of the havana pointed out into the bay. "stop, there! what are you about?" shouted the fat man on the deck of the schooner. "about going," replied christy. "these vessels are the property of a citizen of the confederate states, and i command you to stop," yelled the fat man with all the voice he could muster. "all right," replied christy, as the gong sounded to stop her. "now, mr. flint, cast off the fasts, and let the schooner go astern," he added to the second lieutenant. "all clear, sir," replied flint a moment later, and after the steamer lost her headway, the vessel continued to back, though the havana was checked by the engine. the fat man went adrift in the schooner, but christy gave no further attention to him. the steamer was started ahead again; her bow was run alongside of the other vessel at the wharf, and flint proceeded in the same manner as with the first one. "orderly!" shouted the fat man, evidently addressing the man who had come to the schooner with him, and had retreated to the wharf when the vessel began to move. "captain rowly!" replied the man, who was doubtless the orderly sergeant of the company. "go to the barracks and have the men haul the four field pieces over to the wharf," yelled the fat captain. "all right, little one! have them hauled over by all means," said christy, as the men made fast to the other schooner, and cast off the fasts. but it was soon evident that the sleepy soldiers had been roused from their slumbers by some other agency than the orderly, though it was not quite possible for them to haul over the four guns, as they happened to be on the forward deck of the havana. but the men were armed with muskets, and were capable of doing a great deal of mischief with them. christy hurried up the men at the fasts, but they had about finished their task. "all clear, mr. passford," called mr. flint, as the soldiers double-quicked across the railroad to the wharf, upon which there was still a huge pile of bales of cotton. "back her, mr. amblen," said christy, as he hastened aft to avoid a collision with the other schooner. but the tide had begun to recede, and had carried the first vessel to a safe distance from the wharf. the soldiers reached the edge of the wharf, and were probably under the command of the orderly by this time. at any rate they marched farther down the pier, where they could be nearer to the havana as she backed away. then the troops fired a volley at the steamer; but in the darkness they did no serious injury to the party, though two seamen were slightly wounded. "cast off the fasts!" shouted christy, when he realized that some of his men were in a fair way to be shot down before they could get the two schooners alongside and properly secured for the trip to the bronx, and the order was promptly obeyed. "now, check her, mr. amblen;" and two bells were sounded on the gong, after one to stop her. the second schooner kept on her course out into the bay to join the first one cast loose; but christy feared that they might get aground, and give them trouble. the seventeen soldiers whom he had counted in their bunks appeared to have been reinforced either by the return of the absent party, or by the civilians in the place, for they presented a more formidable front than the smaller number could make. whatever the number of the defenders of the place, they could harass the expedition while the men were preparing for the final departure. "with what were those two guns charged, mr. flint?" asked christy. "with solid shot, sir," replied the second lieutenant. "open fire on the wharf, and then load with the shrapnel," added christy. the two guns, which had been placed in proper position for use on the top-gallant forecastle, were aimed by flint himself, and discharged. the report shook the steamer, and christy, who retained his position on the quarter deck, heard a scream of terror, coming from a female, issue from the companion way, at the head of which a seaman had been placed as a sentinel over the officers below. "what was that, neal?" asked the commander of the expedition. "it was the scream of a lady, sir, and that is all i know about it," replied the man. "i haven't seen any lady, sir, and i think she must have been asleep so far. the captain tried to come on deck a while ago, but i sent him back, sir." by this time the two field pieces had been loaded again, and they were discharged. christy watched the effect, and he had the pleasure of seeing the whole troop on the wharf retire behind the great pile of bales of cotton. a random fire was kept up from this defence, but the soldiers were safe behind their impenetrable breastwork. flint continued to fire into it. at the report of the guns, nearly together, which made the havana shake, and everything on board of her rattle, for she was not built to carry a battery of guns, another scream came forth from the companion way. a moment later, christy saw a female form ascending the stairs. the sentinel placed his cutlass across the passage; but the lieutenant told him to let her come on deck if she desired to do so. it was light enough for the gallant young officer to see that she was young and fair, though she had evidently dressed herself in great haste. she looked around her with astonishment, perhaps to find that the steamer was no longer at the wharf. the guns on the forecastle were again discharged, and she shrunk back at the sound. "do not be alarmed, miss," said christy, in his gentlest tones. "but i must say that you will be safer in the cabin than on deck." "will you please to tell me what has happened, sir, or what is going to happen?" asked the lady; and the listener thought he had never heard a sweeter voice, though he might not have thought so if he had heard it at bonnydale, or anywhere else except in the midst of the din of pealing guns and the rattling of musketry. "i can tell you what has happened; but as i am not a prophet, i cannot so accurately inform you in regard to what is going to happen," he replied. "but what has occurred on board of the havana?" she interposed, rather impatiently. "the havana has been captured by an expedition, of which i have the honor to be in command, from the united states gunboat bronx. just now we are defending ourselves from an attack of the soldiers in the place. as to the future, miss, i have no reasonable doubt that we shall be able to get the steamer and two schooners we have also captured alongside the bronx, where all the prizes will be subject to the order of her commander. permit me to advise you to retire to the cabin, miss, and later, i shall be happy to give you all the information in my power," said christy, touching his cap to her, and pointing to the companion way. she accepted the advice, and went down the steps. the young officer had no time then to wonder who and what she was, for he realized that there was little hope of stopping the desultory firing from behind the cotton pile; and perhaps by this time the soldiers realized what had become of their four field pieces, for they knew that the havana had not been armed when they loaded her with cotton. christy went forward to set the officers at work in picking up the two prizes, and as he stopped to look down into the engine room, he felt his cap knocked off his head, and heard the whizzing of a bullet unpleasantly near his ears. he picked up his cap, and found a bullet hole through the top of it. if it had gone an inch or two lower, mr. flint would have succeeded to the command of the expedition without any ceremonies. though there was no reason for it, this incident seemed to provoke him, for it assured him that he could not pick up his prizes without exposing his men to this nasty firing for some time longer. it was now light enough for him to make out the situation of the breastwork of cotton, and he saw that it was a long and narrow pile, probably near a siding of the railroad where the bales had been unloaded from the cars. another glance at the surroundings in regard to the point enabled him to make up his mind what to do, and he did not lose a moment in putting his plan into execution. the firing of shot and shrapnel at the cotton pile seemed to produce no adequate effect, and he ordered flint to cease his operations. "back her, mr. amblen," he added to the pilot. "back her at full speed." the schooners were doing very well; instead of wandering off into the bay, they had fallen into the channel, and were drifting with the tide. several persons appeared on the deck of each of them, and it was plain that a portion of the crews had been asleep on board of them. while he was observing them, he discovered two boats coming out from behind the point, and making for the two vessels. this movement indicated an attempt to recapture the prizes. "port the helm, mr. amblen, and circle around till the bow points in the direction of those boats coming out from beyond the point," said christy. "mr. flint, man your guns again at once, and drop some solid shot into those boats." the havana continued to back till the guns would bear on the boats, and then flint delivered his fire. the headmost of the boats was smashed, and was a wreck on the bay. the other hastened to pick up the crew, and then pulled for the shore with all possible speed, though not till two other boats, apparently filled with soldiers, were discovered approaching the retreating boat. christy did not wait to dispose of these, but mounted the top-gallant forecastle, and ordered the guns to be loaded with shells. then he waited till the steamer reached a point off the end of the peninsula, when he gave the order to stop and back her. sighting the first gun himself, he directed the man at the lockstring to fire. he waited a moment for the smoke to clear away, and then, with his glass, he saw several forms lying on the wharf by the side of the cotton pile. he had fired so as to rake the rear of this breastwork, and before the soldiers there understood what he was doing. those who had not dropped before the fire were picking up their wounded companions, and retreating with all practicable haste. it was not necessary to discharge the other gun, and it was swung round and brought to bear on the two boats advancing towards the prizes, the men in which were pulling with the most desperate haste. flint took careful aim this time, and the gun was discharged. the shrapnel with which it was charged did not knock the boat to pieces as a solid shot might have done, but two of the oars were seen to drop into the water, and both boats began to retreat, which was quite a proper thing for them to do in face of such a destructive fire. there was nothing more to detain the expedition at the place, and the two prizes were picked up, made fast, one on each side of the havana, and then the bell to go ahead was sounded. the pilot then informed christy that he had made out the bronx approaching at a distance of not more than three miles beyond the seahorse key. probably captain blowitt had heard the guns, and was coming in to assist in the fight. chapter xxvii the innocent captain of the garrison the firing of the musketry was continued from the end of the point by a small squad of soldiers, though the most of them seemed to have gone over to the other side of the peninsula to take part in the attempt to recapture the schooners with boats, which had utterly failed. it was now fairly light, the battle had been fought, and the boat expedition had done all and more than all it had been expected to accomplish. christy had hardly expected to do anything more than obtain information that would enable the bronx to capture the schooners, and nothing had been said about the steamer that had been found there. it appeared from the statement of captain lonley that the havana was the property of his uncle homer passford; and doubtless he had chosen cedar keys as a safer place, at this stage of the war, to send out his cotton than the vicinity of his plantation. christy certainly had no desire to capture the property of his father's brother rather than that of any other confederate planter, for he had had no knowledge of his operations in florida. but he was quite as patriotic on his own side as his uncle was on the other side, and as it was his duty to take or destroy the goods of the enemy, he was not sorry he had been so fortunate, though he did regret that homer passford had been the principal sufferer from the visit of the bronx to this coast. the planter had now lost three schooners and one steamer loaded with cotton; but christy was satisfied that this would not abate by one jot or tittle his interest in the cause he had espoused. the young man did not think of such a thing as punishing him for taking part in the rebellion, for he knew that homer would be all the more earnest in his faith because he had been a financial martyr on account of his devotion to it. the havana, with one of the schooners on each side of her, was steaming slowly down the channel, and the bronx was approaching at a distance of not more than three miles. for the first time since he obtained possession of the prizes, he had an opportunity to look them over, and collect his thoughts. from the very beginning of the enterprise he had been extremely anxious in regard to the result. his orders had been to obtain all the information he could in regard to the position of the vessels that were reported to be at this port, and to do anything the circumstances would permit without incurring too much risk. the adventure had been full of surprises from first to last. something new and sometimes something strange had been continually exposed to him, and it looked to him just as though all the preparations to accomplish the result he had achieved had been made for his coming. before the boats went around into the bay, he had been satisfied with the finding and carrying off of the twelve-pounders. he had hardly expected to do anything more, and he knew that captain blowitt would be amused as well as pleased at this rather singular feat. the removal of the four field pieces had rendered the capture of the schooners possible and even easy, as it would not have been if the order of captain rowly to drag them over to the wharf could have been carried out. the taking of the havana had been rather a side incident, hardly connected with the rest of the affair. everything had favored the young commander of the expedition, and he had made good use of his opportunities, though he had embraced some of them blindly, without being able to foresee the consequences of his action at the time it was taken. he had time now to review the events of the morning, and the result was in the highest degree pleasing to him. on board of the two schooners the crew had put in an appearance; but when he inquired of the negroes he learned that the captains of the vessels were not on board. the mate of each was on deck, and they were the only white men. on the rail of the one on the port side sat the fat captain of the garrison of the place. thus far he had said nothing, and he appeared to be sitting figuratively on the stool of repentance, for he had not been faithful to the trust reposed in him. dolly had said he had gone to visit a planter who had a daughter; but this statement did not appear to be true, for he had put in an appearance early, as the havana was making fast to the first prize. he had left his men in the barrack to sleep off their fatigue and apple jack after their unaccustomed labor in loading the steamer. he had not so much as posted a sentinel, who might have enabled him to defeat the invaders of the port, even with his diminished force. if homer passford had been on the spot, his faith in the providence that watched over his holy cause might have been shaken. "good morning, captain rowly," said christy cheerfully, as he walked up to the disconsolate captain. "i hope you are feeling quite well." "not very well; things are mixed," replied the fat officer, looking down upon the planks of the deck. "mixed, are they?" added christy. "i can't see how it all happened," mused the military gentleman. "how what happened, captain rowly?" inquired christy. "all the vessels in the place captured, and carried off!" exclaimed the late commander of the garrison. "i don't discover the least difficulty in explaining how it all happened. you were so very obliging as to allow your men to go to sleep in the barrack without even posting a sentinel at the battery. that made the whole thing as easy as tumbling off a sawhorse," replied the leader of the expedition, without trying to irritate the repentant captain of the forces. "and, like an infernal thieving yankee, you went into the fort and stole the guns!" exclaimed captain rowly, beginning to boil with rage as he thought of his misfortune. "well, it did not occur to me that i ought to have waked you and told you what i was about before taking the guns." "it was a nasty yankee trick!" roared the soldier. "i suppose it was, captain; but we yankees cannot very well help what was born in our blood; and i have heard that some of your honest and high-toned people have made bigger steals than this one. while i have carried off only four twelve-pounders, your folks have taken entire forts, including scores of guns of all calibres," replied christy, amused at the view the fat gentleman took of his operations. "our people took nothing that did not belong to them, for the forts were within our territory," retorted the soldier. [illustration: captain rowly protests.] "that was just my case. i have the honor to be an officer of the united states navy, and as these guns happened to be within the territory of our government, of course it was all right that i should take them." "you stole the vessels after i ordered you to stop," muttered captain rowly. "precisely so; but, being in a hurry just then, i hadn't time to stop," laughed christy. "where are you going now? you knew i was on the deck of this schooner, and you have brought me off here where i didn't want to come. i am not used to the water, and i am afraid i shall get sea-sick," continued the fat officer. "perhaps we may be able to provide a nurse for you if you are very sick." "why don't you answer my question, and tell me where you are going?" demanded the soldier. "we are going out here a mile or two farther, just to take the air and get up an appetite for breakfast." "but i object!" "do you indeed?" "and i protest!" "against what?" "against being carried off in this way. you knew i was on board of the schooner." "i confess that i did know you were on board, though i must add that it was your own fault." "i had a right on board of the vessel." "i don't deny it. you have a sword at your side; but as you neglected to use it, you will excuse me if i ask you to give it to me," added christy, reaching out for the weapon. "give you my sword!" exclaimed captain rowly. "it is a formality rather insisted upon on such occasions as the present." "i don't see it." "you don't? then i must say that i think you are rather obtuse, captain rowly, and i shall be under the painful necessity of helping you to see it. as a prisoner of war--" "as what?" demanded the soldier. "i regard you as a prisoner of war, and i must trouble you to give me your sword in token of your surrender." "i was not taken in a battle." "very true; your men fought the battle after you had left them. i have no more time to argue the question. will you surrender your sword, or will you have the battle now? two or three of my men will accommodate you with a fight on a small scale if you insist upon it." "don't you intend to send me back to the keys?" asked the captain, whose military education appeared to have been neglected, so that his ideas of a state of war were very vague. "i have not the remotest idea of doing anything of the sort. your sword, if you please." "this sword was presented to me by the citizens of my town--" "here, boxie and lanon, relieve this gentleman of his sword," added christy, as he saw the young lady coming up the companion way. "oh, i will give it up, if you really say so; but this is a queer state of things when my sword, presented to me by my fellow-citizens, is to be taken from me without any warrant of law," said captain rowly, as he handed the sword to christy, who returned it when it had done its duty as a token of submission. the prisoner was marched to the forecastle of the havana, and put under guard. christy walked towards the young lady, who had evidently dressed herself for the occasion. she was not only young, but she was beautiful, and the young commander of the expedition was strongly impressed by her grace and loveliness. he had heard her speak in the gloom of the early morning, and she had a silvery voice. he could not but wonder what she was doing on board of a blockade runner. "good morning, miss ---- i have not the pleasure of being able to call you by name," christy began as he touched his cap to her, and bowed his involuntary homage. "miss pembroke," she added. "i trust you are as comfortable as the circumstances will permit, miss pembroke. i hope you have ceased to be alarmed, as you were when i saw you before." "i am not alarmed, but i am exceedingly anxious in regard to the future, mr. ----" "mr. passford." "i only wish to know what is to become of us, mr. passford." "you speak in the plural, miss pembroke, as though you were not alone." "i am not alone, sir; my father, who is an invalid, is in the cabin. the excitement of this morning has had a bad effect upon him." "i am sorry to hear it. i suppose you embarked in this steamer with the desire to reach some other place?" "we reside in the state of new york, and all that remain of our family are on board of this steamer, and all we desire is to get home. we have lived two years in southern georgia for my father's health." christy thought they would be able to reach new york. chapter xxviii the bearer of despatches christy had assured himself that the father of the beautiful young lady was a loyal citizen, and then he pointed out to her in what manner they might reach their home, which was at newburgh on the hudson. mr. pembroke was not a wealthy man, though he had the means of supporting what was left of his family comfortably. but christy had to ask to be excused, as the bronx was but a short distance from the havana. he directed mr. amblen to stop her, so as to permit the gunboat to come alongside of her. as the bronx came within hailing distance of the steamer towing the schooners, a hearty cheer burst from the crew on the forecastle of the former, for the prizes alongside of the havana indicated the success of the expedition. the sea was smooth, and the naval steamer came alongside of the port schooner, and christy, who had put himself in position to do so as soon as he understood her intention, sprang lightly on board of her. captain blowitt was on the quarter deck, and the commander of the expedition hastened into his presence. of course christy could not help realizing that he had been successful, however the circumstances had aided him, and he felt sure of his welcome. the commander of the bronx was a man that weighed two hundred pounds, and his fat cheeks were immediately distended with laughter as soon as he saw his executive officer hastening towards him. he almost doubled himself up in his mirth as he looked into the young man's sober face, for christy was struggling to appear as dignified as the importance of the occasion seemed to require of him. but the commander restrained himself as much as he could, and extended his hand to the first lieutenant, which the young man accepted, and received a pressure that was almost enough to crush his feebler paw. in spite of himself, he could not help laughing in sympathy with his superior. "i am sorry you did not bring it all off with you, mr. passford," said captain blowitt, as soon as he was able to speak, for his risibles seemed to have obtained complete control of him. "i have brought it all off with me, captain," replied christy, though he had not yet got at the point of the joke, and spoke at a venture. "what, the whole state of florida!" exclaimed the commander. "no, sir; i did not bring it all off with me, for i did not think it would be quite safe to do this, for it might set the gulf stream to running in a new course, and derange navigation by making all our charts useless," replied christy, smoothing down the muscles of his face so that he looked as sober as before. "i thought from the appearance that you had brought it all off," added captain blowitt. "did i instruct you to bring it off?" "no, sir; you were considerate enough to say that you did not expect me to capture the whole state, and therefore i have not done it." "but we heard heavy guns this morning," continued the commander, putting on his sober face, for he could be as serious as a judge, though his adipose structure compelled him to be a great joker at suitable times. "you had no boat guns." "no, sir; but we picked up four twelve-pounder field pieces, which you see, two of them on carriages, on the forecastle of that steamer. we found the garrison asleep, and we carried off the four guns with which the battery was mounted. we put them on the seahorse key, and went into the bay to see what was there, sir. we found two schooners, and on the way we took the steamer. when we were hauling out the two schooners, the garrison woke up, and attempted to drive us off with musketry. we beat them off and sunk two boats with the field pieces. this is my report in brief." "and a very good report it is, mr. passford. i did not expect you to do anything more than bring off full information in regard to the situation at the port," added captain blowitt. "but you ordered me to do anything i could to prepare the way for a visit from the bronx," suggested christy. "and you have prepared the way by bringing off everything at the port, so that there is nothing for the bronx to do there," said the commander with a smile. "when i found that the garrison were all asleep, i thought it was my duty not to lose the opportunity that was thus presented to me. everything was in our favor, and i was led to do one thing after another till there was nothing more to do. i found that captain lonley, the worthy gentleman who had made prisoners of mr. flint and myself on santa rosa island, was in command of the steamer. he was not glad to see me; and from him i learned that the havana, which is her name, belonged to my uncle homer; and so did the schooners." "then your uncle has a heavy charge against you, for you have now taken four of his vessels." "possibly the confederate government is behind him in this operation. i don't know; but i am sure that the loss of every dollar he has in the world would not change his views in regard to the justice of his cause. but, captain blowitt, there are on board of the havana a gentleman and his daughter, who reside in newburgh. he is an invalid and a loyal citizen," continued christy, as he happened to see miss pembroke on the quarter deck of the steamer. "they wish to go home, i suppose, and there will soon be an opportunity for them to do so," replied the captain, as he went with his lieutenant to take a look at the prizes. he gave particular attention to the havana, which it was said had been built to run between cedar keys and the port for which she had been named, in connection with the railroad. she appeared to be a good vessel of about four hundred tons, which was as large as the navigation of the channel to the port would permit. she was not fit for war purposes in her present condition, and captain blowitt decided to send her to new york. most of the hands on board of the three prizes were negroes, who were too happy to go to the north. "sail, ho!" shouted the lookout on board of the bronx, while the commander was still discussing his plans with christy. "where away?" demanded the captain. "coming down from the northwest," reported a quartermaster. captain blowitt hastened on board of the bronx, for it did not yet appear whether the vessel was a friend or an enemy. she was a steamer, and she left a thin streak of black smoke in the sky, which indicated that her coal came from british territory. the havana and the schooners were left in charge of mr. amblen, after the prisoners had been properly disposed of in safe places. mr. spinnet, the second assistant engineer, was sent on board of her, for the commander had not full confidence in dolly, though he permitted him to remain as assistant. the boats used by the expedition were hoisted up to the davits, and the first and second lieutenants were ordered to return to the bronx, and only six seamen were left on board to guard the prisoners, of whom lonley was the only dangerous one, at all likely to make trouble. the bronx steamed off at her best speed in the direction of the approaching steamer, which appeared to be fast, and to be of that peculiarly rakish class of vessels of which there were so many engaged in the business of blockade running. she was examined by the officers with their glasses; but they were unable to make her out. her ensign was set on a stern pole; but they could not see whether it was the american or the confederate flag. "what do you make of her, mr. passford?" asked the captain, as they watched her advance over the smooth sea. "she is or has been a blockade runner, and that is all i can make out of her," replied christy. "she may have run the blockade, fitted in mobile or some other port as a cruiser, and come out to do what mischief she can. we may have to fight for our prizes, but the splinters will fly before she gets them away from us," said captain blowitt, who watched the steamer with an anxious look on his face, resolute as he was in the discharge of his duty. "she is considerably larger than the bronx." "as i make her out, she looks something like the ocklockonee and the escambia, which we sent to new york, though they had but one smokestack each while this one has two. they were about five hundred tons; and i should think this vessel was of very nearly the same size," added christy. "flies the american flag, sir," reported a quartermaster who had been sent into the main rigging to observe her. "that may be a trick," said the captain, "though i hardly think it is, for she is larger than the bronx, and need not resort to tricks." a little later, she began to hoist her signals on the foremast where they could be plainly seen. mr. flint made them out to the effect that the steamer had orders for the bronx. this settled the question, and there was no more anxiety in regard to her, and there was to be no sea fight for the possession of the prizes. in less than half an hour the two steamers were within hailing distance of each other, and the stranger sent off a boat with an officer as soon as both vessels had stopped their screws and lost their headway. as christy watched the approaching boat, he recognized the chief engineer of the bellevite in the stern sheets. it was paul vapoor, his old friend and crony, who waved his cap as soon as he discovered the first lieutenant. the boat came to the side, and paul mounted the accommodation ladder. he was a demonstrative young man, and he embraced christy as though he had been a frenchman, as soon as he reached the deck. he touched his cap to captain blowitt, and then delivered several huge envelopes to him, and also a despatch bag. "bearer of despatches, sir," said the chief engineer of the bellevite. "i see you are, mr. vapoor. if you will make yourself at home on board of the bronx, i will read these papers in my cabin," said the captain, as he went below. "i think mr. passford and i shall not waste any time while you are engaged, captain," replied mr. vapoor. certain personal and social matters had to be spoken of, and paul had to ask about florry passford first, and christy's father and mother afterwards, though there was no news to tell. "what are those vessels off there, christy?" asked paul, pointing to the havana and the schooners. "they are our prizes," replied the first lieutenant. "did you have to fight for them?" "a little, not much. what steamer is that in which you came, paul?" "our prize," replied paul, with a smile as though he knew more than he was permitted to tell. "we had an awful fight to get her; but we got her all the same. poor mr. dashington was badly wounded, and he may not get over it." "i am sorry to hear that. where was the fight?" asked christy. "about a hundred miles off the entrance to mobile bay. we were sent to look out for her on account of our speed. she came out, and seemed to think she was going to have her own way. we overhauled her, and captured her by boarding." "captain blowitt wishes to see lieutenant passford and mr. vapoor in his cabin," said dave, coming up to them at this moment; and both of them hastened to obey the summons. "take seats, gentlemen," said the commander, as he pointed to chairs at the table at which he was seated. "i am ordered back to the bellevite as first lieutenant, for poor dashington has been seriously wounded. mr. passford is ordered to new york in the vixen, which brings these despatches, for she must be condemned. mr. flint is ordered to the temporary command of the bronx, though i am unable to understand why it is made temporary. you are to convoy several vessels at key west in the vixen, which is fully armed, and has a sufficient crew." christy was never more astonished in all his life. chapter xxix the new commander of the vixen "have i done anything to offend the flag-officer, or has he no confidence in me?" asked christy, who heard in utter surprise that he was ordered to new york in command of the vixen. "certainly not, mr. passford," replied captain blowitt, with a deprecatory smile which was almost enough to satisfy the young officer. "what could have put such an idea as that into your head?" "it looked to me just as though i was sent away simply as a prize-master because my services were not needed down here where there is fighting, and is likely to be a great deal more of it," added christy, not yet quite satisfied. "perhaps i am banished for the crime of audacity." "that is a little too bad, christy," said the commander, shaking his head. "i promised not to use that word again, and you ought not to twit me for it, for it was only a pleasantry on my part." "it was the farthest thing in the world from my mind to twit you for the word; i was only afraid that they considered me an imprudent officer on board of the flagship. i beg your pardon, captain blowitt, and i will never again remind you of the conversation we had on the subject of audacity," answered christy, rising from his chair and taking the commander by the hand. "it is all right, christy, my dear fellow," replied the captain, coming down from the dignified manner of the navy. "i think we understand each other perfectly, and i don't wish to part with the shadow of a shadow between us. we have sailed together too long to be anything but the best of friends; and the fate of poor dashington reminds me that we may never meet again in this world." "whatever you say and whatever you do, captain blowitt, we can never be anything but the best of friends, and, so far as you are concerned, i never had an instant of doubt or suspicion." "now, christy," interposed paul vapoor, "you entirely mistake the motive which has led to your appointment to the vixen, for i happen to know something about it. you are not sent simply as a prize-master to new york, but you are put in temporary command of the vixen because an able, vigilant, courageous officer was required." "then i wonder all the more that i was selected," added christy. "you wonder!" exclaimed paul, looking intently into the brown face of the young officer, apparently to discover if there was not some affectation in this manifestation of modesty. there was nothing like affectation in the composition of christy passford, and whatever he had done to distinguish himself, he had done strictly in the line of his duty, and from the purest of patriotic motives. it was the most difficult thing in the world to make him believe that he had done "a big thing," though all others on board of his ship believed it with all their might. paul vapoor knew what everybody thought of his friend, and he was surprised that he should be so innocent and ignorant of the great reputation he had won. "i do wonder," replied christy, earnestly and honestly. "i believe i am about the youngest officer in the fleet, and if this service requires an able officer, it seems very strange to me that i should have been selected." "captain breaker was consulted in regard to you, though he was not asked to name a commander, for the flag-officer had thought of you himself, and no doubt he had just been reading your report of your voyage to the gulf in the bronx," said paul, laughing. "i don't see how he could do otherwise than select you, christy." "you are chaffing me, paul, as you do sometimes," said christy with a smile. "then the expression of my honest opinion, which is also the opinion of every other officer in the ship, is chaffing you," retorted the engineer. "i am satisfied; and i am sorry i said a word," added the subject of all these remarks. "it is a very important and responsible situation to which you are ordered, mr. passford," said captain blowitt, putting on his dignity again. "not a few steamers fitted up in part for service as confederate men-of-war, in spite of neutrality treaties, are expected on the coast. you have diminished the number by two, and i hope you will be able to make a still further reduction of that fleet. we have three vessels to send on for condemnation, and your orders will inform you that there are several others, including another steamer, at key west; and a confederate armed steamer could easily recapture the whole of them. you will have to protect a fleet of at least seven vessels; and this command ought to satisfy your ambition. you will also have charge of a despatch bag, to be forwarded to washington at once; and this must not fall into the hands of the enemy. sink or burn it if you are captured." "i don't intend to be captured," added christy with a smile. "i remember that you were taken by the enemy on one occasion, and misfortunes may come to the best of officers. you must get ready to sail at once; but you must write your report of your expedition before you leave," added captain blowitt, as he rose from his chair, and the trio left the cabin. christy gaped several times during the latter part of the interview, for he had not slept a wink during the preceding night. he went to the ward room and began to write his report, while the bronx and the vixen proceeded towards the three vessels which had been captured. it was well that they did so, for as they approached the havana and her consorts they discovered quite a fleet of boats coming out from behind the seahorse key, evidently intending to recapture the prizes in the absence of the gunboat. they retired at once as she approached. christy was a rapid writer, and his report was soon finished, for the subject was still very fresh in his mind, and he never attempted to do any "fine writing." he had packed his valises, and he took an affectionate farewell of the captain, flint, and sampson, as well as the ship's company in a more general way, though he said he expected to be back again in a few weeks. the vixen's boat was waiting for him, and he embarked in it with paul vapoor. in a few minutes he ascended to the deck of the steamer, and the side was manned at his appearance. he was presented to the officers of the ship by the engineer, and all three of them were older men than christy, though he was their senior in rank, for his commission had been dated back to his enlistment in the navy. every one of the officers was a stranger to christy, though there were a few men who had served in the bellevite, but not in her original crew. with the customary proceedings he took command of the vixen, and he found from sundry remarks made to him or dropped in his hearing that his reputation was already established on board. he directed the executive officer to follow the bronx. in a short time the screw was stopped in the vicinity of the prizes. the bronx reclaimed the men left on board of the havana, and captain lonley was sent on board of the vixen. christy had been down into his cabin, and taken a hasty glance at the ward room. in addition to his own apartments like those on board of the bronx, though they were larger, he found a state room opening from the foot of the companion way, and another from the passage way leading to his principal cabin. these two rooms he appropriated to the use of mr. pembroke and his daughter, though they were very well provided for on board of the havana. they were invited on board, and gratefully accepted the accommodations tendered to them. mr. amblen was to retain the place assigned to him as prize-master, and two competent men were found to take charge of the schooners. all the arrangements were completed in a couple of hours, and the prizes of the bronx were started at once. the negroes were employed in transferring the deckload of the havana to the holds of the schooners, which were not quite full. the engineer of the bellevite was to return to her in the bronx, and he shook hands at parting with christy, giving him a letter to miss florry passford; and even her brother could not help seeing that he was greatly interested in her. three rousing cheers went up from the bronx as the screw of the vixen began to turn, and she started on her voyage. the new commander, though he was very sleepy, gave his first moments to an examination of the vessel. the carpenter and his gang were still engaged in repairing the damage done to her in the engagement with the bellevite. she was about the size of the two steamers captured by the bronx, and coming out of the small steamer, she seemed quite large. she carried a midship gun of heavy calibre, and four broadside pieces. she had a crew of sixty men, besides those employed in the engineer's department, selected from the fleet, for the mission of the steamer was regarded as a very important one. "your machine looks well, mr. caulbolt," said christy, as he went to the engine room in making his round with the executive officer. "i fancy it is as good as can be built on the other side of the water," replied the chief engineer. "do you know anything in regard to the speed of the vixen, for that may be a very important matter with us?" asked the commander. "i do not know very much yet, sir, but i think she is a fast steamer. mr. vapoor told me that the bellevite made twenty-two knots in chasing her, and that no other vessel in the navy could have overhauled her. he gave me the figures," added mr. caulbolt, taking a paper from his pocket. "i think she is good for eighteen knots when driven hard." "i dare say that will do," replied christy, finishing his examination and retiring to his cabin. he found mr. pembroke and his daughter there. the young lady presented him to her father, who appeared to be about fifty years of age. he was very gentlemanly in his manners, and thanked the captain heartily for the courtesy and kindness with which he had been treated. later in the voyage he learned that mr. pembroke's wife and son had been killed some years before in a railroad accident, and that the money recovered from the corporation was about his only fortune. miss bertha, as her father called her, had been educated to become a teacher, but when his health failed, she had devoted herself wholly to him. they had gone to georgia just before the war, and had lived in the pine woods nearly two years. "my health is very much improved, and the genial climate just suited my case; but in the present situation, i had rather die at home than live in the south," said the invalid in conclusion. "father is ever so much better than when we came to georgia," added bertha. christy looked at her, and he had never seen a young lady before who made such a decided impression upon him. of course the reason for this was that she was so dutiful and devoted to her sick father, for not every young and beautiful maiden would have been so entirely unselfish as she was. the commander could not help looking at her till he made her blush by the intensity of his gaze, and after all, it is possible that christy was as human as other young men of his age. he had never been so affected before, and he hardly knew what to make of it; but he concluded that it was not because she was so pretty, but because she was so good, and so devoted to her father. in due time the vixen and her convoy reached key west. he found only two schooners and a steamer, all loaded with cotton, awaiting his coming, for two others had been sent with another steamer. christy went on board of them, and as the sea was smooth, he arranged them as he had the others, though tow lines were ready in case of need, and the fleet sailed for the north. chapter xxx the action with a privateer steamer christy had made up his lost sleep. on the first day out he had taken captain lonley's word that he would not interfere with anything on board, and had then given him a berth in the ward room, where he messed with the officers. captain rowly had also been taken on board, and as he was a captain in the confederate army, innocent as he was, he demanded similar accommodations. his request was granted, but christy decided to leave him at key west, for the ward room was full. the fleet continued on its voyage after the call at the florida port, and was soon in the gulf stream. it was an exceedingly quiet time in the little fleet of vessels, though the drill on board of the vixen was closely followed up. on the second day they had a mild gale, and the schooners were cast off, and towed astern, one behind the other. then the weather was fine again, though the sea was still too rough for the havana and the aleppo to tow the prizes alongside. christy observed the drill a great deal of the time, and bertha pembroke was often his companion. he told her all about vessels in the navy, explained actions at sea, but hoped she would not be permitted to see one. then he related to her the experience of the bellevite as a yacht and _as_ a naval vessel, and no one ever had a more attentive listener. he could not conceal it from himself that he was deeply interested in the young lady, and observers would have said that she was not less interested in him. on the fifth day out from key west, while they were thus agreeably occupied, there was a hail from the fore rigging. "sail, ho!" shouted the lookout on the fore crosstrees, where the prudence of the commander required a hand to be stationed at all times, day and night. "where away?" called scopfield, the third lieutenant, who was the officer of the deck. "broad on the starboard bow," replied the lookout. "can you make it out?" "a steamer, sir; black smoke behind her," responded the lookout. mr. fillbrook had joined the third lieutenant by this time, and the former reported to the captain. christy had heard all that had passed, and he immediately began to feel a heavy anxiety in regard to the sail. "what do you think of her, mr. fillbrook?" he asked, after the executive officer had reported to him. "there are so many steamers coming over from british ports about this time, bound to confederate ports, that it is not very difficult to guess what she is," replied the first lieutenant. "she is either a blockade runner, or a steamer fitted out to prey upon the commerce of the united states." "that seems to be plain enough; and from the position in which we find her, she has come out of the bermudas, or is bound there," added the commander. "bring my glass from my state room," he continued to his cabin steward, who was sunning himself on the deck. when it was brought, the captain and the executive officer went forward and mounted the top-gallant forecastle. mr. fillbrook procured a glass from the pilot house, and both of them looked long and earnestly at the speck in the distance. the steamer was hull down, and they soon agreed that she was bound to the eastward. "we have no business with her at present," said christy, as he shut up his glass. "but i have no doubt she has already run the blockade, and came out of wilmington or savannah. if that is the case, she must be loaded with cotton, which contains a fortune at the present time within a small compass," replied mr. fillbrook, who had not been as fortunate as some others in the matter of prizes. "very likely," replied christy, rather coldly, his companion thought. "i do not think i should be justified in giving chase to her, which could only be done by abandoning the convoy." "could we not pick up the convoy after we had captured the steamer?" asked the first lieutenant. "yes, if some confederate cruiser does not pick it up in our absence," replied christy, with a significant smile. mr. fillbrook was evidently very much disappointed, not to say disgusted, with the decision of captain passford; but he was too good an officer to make a complaint, or utter a comment. the ship's company had become somewhat excited when it was announced that a sail, with black smoke painting a long streak on the blue sky, was made out. if it was a blockade runner, with a cargo of cotton, it meant a small fortune to each officer, seaman, and others on board. the new commander had a reputation as a daring leader, and the hopes of the officers and men ran high. they waited eagerly to have the steamer headed to the eastward; but no such order was given, and the chins of all hands began to drop down. christy had no interest in the money value of a prize, and yet he could understand the feeling of his ship's company. he was an heir of a millionaire, and he had no occasion to trouble his head about the profits of a capture. he looked at the question from a purely patriotic point of view, and every prize secured was so much taken from the resources of the enemy. he saw the disappointment painted on the face of the first lieutenant, and he went to his cabin to consider his duty again, and review the reasoning that had influenced him; but he came to the conclusion he had reached in the beginning. he was in charge of six vessels loaded with cotton, and the ship's company of the bronx and other vessels had an interest in their cargoes. the vixen was less than a hundred and fifty miles from the coast, and a tug boat, with a bow gun and a crew of twenty-five, could come out and capture the whole fleet without the least difficulty. the risk was too great, and the commander was as firm as a rock. the next morning, before it was daylight, mr. bangs the second lieutenant, who had the mid watch, sent a messenger to the commander to inform him that a sail was made out, which appeared to be a steamer, on the starboard bow, very broad, nearly on the beam. christy dressed himself in a great hurry, and hastened on deck. it was beginning to be a little light, and the steamer appeared to be about five miles to the eastward of the vixen, and was headed towards her. christy at once concluded that the vessel meant mischief, and he promptly gave the order to beat to quarters. he thought it must be the steamer seen the day before, as she could hardly be a blockade runner for the reason that she was headed towards the fleet. if she desired to break through the blockading squadron, she would be likely to keep as far as possible from anything that might be an armed vessel. christy went to his state room to write an order for mr. amblen in the havana, which was hardly a cable's length from the vixen on the port side, the aleppo being ahead of her. he had already given his general orders to the prize masters, but this was a special one. in the cabin he found bertha, who had been awakened by the tramping of the men on deck. "pray what is the matter, captain passford?" she asked, evidently somewhat alarmed. "nothing is the matter yet, miss pembroke, but something may be the matter within an hour or two, for there is a sail making for us," replied christy with the smile he always wore when she spoke to him, or he to her. "in other words there may be an action, for i must defend my convoy." "is there any danger?" she inquired. "of course there is, for a shot may come through the side of the ship anywhere and at any time. but i have thought of this matter, and i propose to put you and your father on board of the havana until after the danger is passed. be kind enough to get ready as soon as possible." christy wrote his order, and hastened on deck with it. hailing the havana, he ordered the prize-master to send a boat on board. when it came the two passengers were embarked in it and the order sent. the commander did not wait a moment to watch the receding form of the maiden, but immediately directed his attention to the steamer approaching the vixen. "run for that steamer, mr. fillbrook," said he, after his first glance. "make the course east by north, mr. bangs," added the first lieutenant. "east by north," repeated the quartermaster at the wheel when the order reached him. "i have just been aloft, and she flies the confederate flag, captain passford," said mr. fillbrook. "she is a large steamer, and she is by no means as jaunty as the vixen." both steamers were going at full speed, and it required but a short time to bring them near enough together for something to happen. she was well down in the water, and appeared as though she might be loaded with something besides the appliances of a man-of-war. she looked as though she might be twice as large as the vixen, and it was soon evident that her speed was nothing to boast of. she certainly was not one of the high-flyer yachts which had been bought up for service in the confederate navy. when the two vessels were not more than a mile apart, a column of smoke rose from her waist, as she swung around so that her great gun could be brought to bear, and a shot dropped into the water at least an eighth of a mile short of the vixen. "thank you, sir!" exclaimed christy. "half speed, if you please, mr. fillbrook." the commander went to the long english gun in the waist, to which he had already given a great deal of study, and sighted along the heavy piece. he had not forgotten when he pointed the gun on board of the bellevite, the shot from which had disabled the vampire, and he had some confidence in his ability to put a shot where he wished it to go, for he had brought all his mathematics and all his physics to bear on the matter, though the best gunners must sometimes fail. when he was ready he gave the word to fire. the ship was shaken by the heavy report, and every one waited with peculiar interest for the smoke to clear away, because the captain had pointed the gun. christy had ordered the screw to be stopped, and had waited till the steamer lost her headway. she rolled but slightly, and he had allowed for everything. glasses were in demand, and a moment later there was a shout went up from the men at the gun, followed by another from the rest of the crew. the shot had upset the great gun on the deck of the enemy. she was swinging round, and beginning to fire her broadside guns, but the shots came nowhere near the vixen. christy did not believe there was any naval officer on board of that steamer. "keep up the fire with the long gun, mr. fillbrook," said the commander, in a low tone, and with no excitement apparent in his manner, for he always studied and labored to appear cool and self-possessed, whether he was so or not, and there was nothing in the present situation to try him in the least. for a full hour the long gun of the vixen continued to pelt the enemy with solid shot, about every one of them hulling her or carrying away some of her spars. her mainmast had gone by the board, and the resistance she was making was becoming very feeble. "she is full of men, captain passford," said mr. fillbrook, when the steamer seemed to be almost a wreck. "i observed that she had a large crew some time ago, and it is better to knock her to pieces than to board her," replied christy. "keep her as far off as she is now." the enemy tried to get nearer to the vixen, but failed to do so. chapter xxxi a short visit to bonnydale the firing was continued from the long gun, though only at intervals that would permit any signals to be seen on board of the enemy. when it looked as though there would soon be nothing left of her, she hauled down the confederate flag at her fore, where she had hoisted it when the mainmast went over. the order to go ahead was given, and in a short time the vixen was alongside of her. "do you surrender?" asked christy, mounting the rail of his ship. "we do; there is not much left of the steamer, and i am not justified in throwing away the lives of my men," replied a very spruce-looking officer. "you will board her, mr. fillbrook, with the first division, and take possession of her," said christy, when he had received the captain's answer. "ascertain her condition as soon as possible." the steamer proved to be the pedee, formerly the carnfield, captain linden. she had run the blockade with a valuable cargo, which more than paid the cost of the vessel, and was then loaded with cotton, and armed for her own protection, as well as to capture anything that fell in her way. she had a crew of eighty men to do her fighting, and the commander confidently expected to pick up a better steamer than the pedee, to which the greater portion of the ship's company were to be transferred. "i saw your steamer yesterday afternoon," said the captain; "but she had several other vessels near her, and i thought she might have a whole blockading squadron with her. i kept off, and put about in the night. when i saw the vixen early this morning, i thought she would just answer my purpose, and i wanted her. a nearer view of her assures me she is exactly the steamer i needed." "for your sake, captain, i am sorry i cannot accommodate you," replied christy, laughing at the cheerful expressions of captain linden. "i presume you are an officer of the confederate navy?" "no, sir; i am not; but i am a confederate to the backbone. it was my intention to set up a navy on my own hook. the pedee was the first vessel, and i intended that the vixen should be the second, and become my flag-ship." "then you came out as a privateer?" "that's just the color of it. if you hadn't unhorsed my big gun i should have been as polite to you about this time as you are to me. the fact of it is, captain passford, you did not manage your ship just right." "indeed? in what respect?" asked christy. "well, you see, you knocked my big gun all to pieces, and then, instead of running down and boarding the pedee, you stood off out of range of my side guns, and knocked the starch all out of us. if you had only boarded us, i could have whipped you out of your boots, for i have got the greatest crowd of fighting dogs that was ever hitched up together." "of course i was not aware of your views in regard to the manner in which i ought to have managed the affair on my own part, and therefore i could not handle my ship just as you desired," replied christy. "as it is, i am afraid you will have to start your navy over again." mr. fillbrook had by this time driven the "fighting dogs" forward, and taken full possession of the prize. on examination, christy found that, though the pedee had been terribly battered in her upper works, she was not materially injured below the water line. he sent for mr. caulbolt, and required him to inspect the engine, which was not injured in any important part. captain linden had three times attempted to get nearer to the vixen with the intention of boarding her, but christy preferred to fight the battle at long range under the circumstances, and he had preserved his distance from the enemy. he had discovered that she had a large crew, and he was vastly more prudent than most of his critics gave him the credit of being. he was surprised, after examining the pedee, that the captain had hauled down his flag, for the steamer could have stood a good deal more pounding without being used up. he concluded that captain linden was full of fight, but, for the want of a naval education, he had not fully comprehended his situation. it was deemed advisable to transfer one half of the pedee's crew of "fighting dogs" to the vixen, as she was not encumbered with any prisoners to speak of, and this was effected without any delay. mr. scopfield, the third lieutenant, was appointed prize-master, and instructed to keep as near as practicable to the vixen on the voyage. captain linden and his principal officers were allowed to remain on board. an assistant engineer and two first-class firemen, on their way to new york for examination and promotion, were sent on board of the prize. the two steamers were soon under way, and then it was ascertained that the pedee's ordinary rate of sailing did not exceed ten knots, and it was not probable that she would be bought into the navy. the fleet of prize vessels had continued on its course to the north, and was soon overhauled by the vixen and her capture. the progress of the fleet was very slow, for the aleppo, which was said to have a speed of ten knots, did very badly towing two steamers. mr. pembroke and bertha were sent on board of the vixen, and the young lady blushed beautifully when christy welcomed her return. possibly she had feared he might be killed in the action, and had worried about him till his return in safety, with the prize alongside his ship. her father was very cordial in his congratulations to the young commander, and even said that he and his daughter had prayed that he might not be killed or injured in the conflict; and bertha blushed all the more when he said it. mr. scopfield was instructed to take one of the schooners of the aleppo in tow. five men had been killed on board of the pedee, and her surgeon had more than he could do with at least twenty wounded men. dr. appleton was sent on board of her to assist him. the fleet thus reorganized got under way, and it was found that the log gave better results after the change. fortunately no enemy interfered with its progress, for christy felt that his hands were already full. in the early days of the month of may, he sailed into new york harbor with his fleet of eight vessels, though only three of them were the prizes of the bronx. he had been absent hardly a month; though he had something to show for the time he had been employed. the vessels were delivered over to the authorities, and the young commander obtained leave of absence to visit his mother and sister at bonnydale, for his father came on board of the vixen as soon as he heard the news of her arrival in command of his son. captain passford, senior, was conducted to the cabin of captain passford, junior, and the meeting of father and son was very affectionate and very demonstrative. mr. pembroke and his daughter were presented to the commander's father, and after they had talked over the incidents of the return voyage, the former owner of the bellevite suspected that relations were altogether pleasant between christy and bertha. he was greatly pleased with the young lady, and whatever else he thought, he could not very well help indorsing his son's good taste. in the course of the subsequent conversation it appeared that mr. pembroke owned a small house at newburgh, but that the occupant of it had a three-years' lease of the premises. captain passford immediately extended an invitation to the invalid and his daughter to visit bonnydale, which became so pressing that it was finally accepted. in the afternoon the entire party took the train for the home of the captain. christy's welcome was as hearty as though he had come home a commodore. the visitors were received with a sincere greeting, and bertha and florry were soon fast friends. even if christy's father had not dropped a hint to mrs. passford in regard to the fact that his son was at least tenderly inclined towards the lovely maiden from the south she could not have failed to notice his attentions to her. later at night his father and mother had a long talk over the matter. "christy, i have a couple of envelopes for you," said captain passford, as the party seated themselves in the drawing-room after supper. "envelopes, father?" asked the young officer curiously. "base ball or boat-club business?" "i should say neither; decidedly not," replied his father, taking the documents from his pocket, and handing them to him. "they have an official look, and bear the imprint of the navy department." "what business can the navy department have with me now? i have the honor to be the executive officer of the gunboat bronx, with the rank of master, on detached duty as prize-master," added christy, as he looked at the ponderous envelopes. "you can easily answer that question by reading the papers," replied his father. "a commission!" exclaimed christy, as he opened the first one. "i am promoted to the rank of lieutenant!" "and, though you are my son, i must say that you deserve the promotion," added captain passford. "i have read your report of the capture of the ocklockonee and the escambia, and you have won your spurs, my son. i did not ask for this promotion, or even suggest it to any one." "well, i am astonished, confounded, overwhelmed!" exclaimed the young lieutenant, as we are now permitted to call him. "and the commission is dated back far enough to put me over the heads of not a few others of the same rank." "perhaps it will please you quite as much when i inform you that the officers you recommended for appointment as masters have been promoted to that rank," added the captain. "i am even more pleased at their promotion than at my own," replied christy, opening the other envelope, in which he was addressed as "lieutenant christopher passford." "ah, ha!" he exclaimed, leaping out of his chair in his excitement, to which he gave way on such an occasion as the present. "what in the world is the matter with you, christy?" demanded his mother, astonished at such an unusual demonstration on the part of her son. "i am appointed to the command of the bronx, in place of lieutenant blowitt, transferred to the bellevite!" almost shouted the young officer. "if i could have selected a position for myself, this is the very one i should have chosen." "i heard you say as much as that when you were appointed to the temporary command of the bronx, and i shall plead guilty of having inserted a hint where it would do the most good," added captain passford. "i am much obliged to you, father; for i don't object to that kind of influence, though i could have commanded the bronx just as well as a master, which is the rank of her present temporary commander, mr. flint. i desire to win my own rank, and not get it by influence. i am ordered to proceed to the gulf as soon as possible." in three days he obtained passage in a store-ship steamer; and he spent all this time at home, as perhaps he would not have done if bertha pembroke had not been there. before he reported on board of the store-ship, he visited the vixen, which was undergoing alterations and repairs, and took leave of his officers. before dark he was on board of the vessel and on his voyage to the scene of his future operations, where we hope to find him again, doing his best for his whole country, and true to his motto from the beginning, "stand by the union." oliver optic's books +all-over-the-world library.+ by oliver optic. first series. illustrated. price per volume, $ . . . +a missing million+; or, the adventures of louis belgrade. . +a millionaire at sixteen+; or, the cruise of the "guardian mother." . +a young knight errant+; or, cruising in the west indies. . +strange sights abroad+; or, adventures in european waters. no author has come before the public during the present generation who has achieved a larger and more deserving popularity among young people than "oliver optic." his stories have been very numerous, but they have been uniformly excellent in moral tone and literary quality. as indicated in the general title, it is the author's intention to conduct the readers of this entertaining series "around the world." as a means to this end, the hero of the story purchases a steamer which he names the "guardian mother," and with a number of guests she proceeds on her voyage.--_christian work, n. y._ +all-over-the-world library.+ by oliver optic. second series. illustrated. price per volume, $ . . . +american boys afloat+; or, cruising in the orient. . +the young navigators+; or, the foreign cruise of the "maud." . +up and down the nile+; or, young adventurers in africa. . +asiatic breezes+; or, students on the wing. the interest in these stories is continuous, and there is a great variety of exciting incident woven into the solid information which the book imparts so generously and without the slightest suspicion of dryness. manly boys will welcome this volume as cordially as they did its predecessors.--_boston gazette_. +all-over-the-world library.+ by oliver optic. third series. illustrated. price per volume, $ . . . +across india+; or, live boys in the far east. . +half round the world+; or, among the uncivilized. . +four young explorers+; or, sight-seeing in the tropics. . +pacific shores+; or, adventures in eastern seas. amid such new and varied surroundings it would be surprising indeed if the author, with his faculty of making even the commonplace attractive, did not tell an intensely interesting story of adventure, as well as give much information in regard to the distant countries through which our friends pass, and the strange peoples with whom they are brought in contact. this book, and indeed the whole series, is admirably adapted to reading aloud in the family circle, each volume containing matter which will interest all the members of the family.--_boston budget._ lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. oliver optic's books +the blue and the gray--afloat.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. beautiful binding in blue and gray, with emblematic dies. cloth. any volume sold separate. price per volume, $ . . . +taken by the enemy.+ . +within the enemy's lines.+ . +on the blockade.+ . +stand by the union.+ . +fighting for the right.+ . +a victorious union.+ +the blue and the gray--on land.+ . +brother against brother.+ . +in the saddle.+ . +a lieutenant at eighteen.+ . +on the staff.+ . +at the front.+ . +an undivided union.+ "there never has been a more interesting writer in the field of juvenile literature than mr. w. t. adams, who, under his well-known pseudonym, is known and admired by every boy and girl in the country, and by thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of youth, yet who remember with pleasure the genial, interesting pen that did so much to interest, instruct, and entertain their younger years. 'the blue and the gray' is a title that is sufficiently indicative of the nature and spirit of the latest series, while the name of oliver optic is sufficient warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. this series is as bright and entertaining as any work that mr. adams has yet put forth, and will be as eagerly perused as any that has borne his name. it would not be fair to the prospective reader to deprive him of the zest which comes from the unexpected by entering into a synopsis of the story. a word, however, should be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of the binding, which makes it a most attractive volume."--_boston budget_. +woodville stories.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +rich and humble;+ or, the mission of bertha grant. . +in school and out;+ or, the conquest of richard grant. . +watch and wait;+ or, the young fugitives. . +work and win;+ or, noddy newman on a cruise. . +hope and have;+ or, fanny grant among the indians. . +haste and waste;+ or, the young pilot of lake champlain. "though we are not so young as we once were, we relished these stories almost as much as the boys and girls for whom they were written. they were really refreshing even to us. there is much in them which is calculated to inspire a generous, healthy ambition, and to make distasteful all reading tending to stimulate base desires."--_fitchburg reveille_. +the starry flag series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +the starry flag;+ or, the young fisherman of cape ann. . +breaking away;+ or, the fortunes of a student. . +seek and find;+ or, the adventures of a smart boy. . +freaks of fortune;+ or, half round the world. . +make or break;+ or, the rich man's daughter. . +down the river;+ or, buck bradford and the tyrants. "mr. adams, the celebrated and popular writer, familiarly known as oliver optic, seems to have inexhaustible funds for weaving together the virtues of life; and, notwithstanding he has written scores of books, the same freshness and novelty run through them all. some people think the sensational element predominates. perhaps it does. but a book for young people needs this, and so long as good sentiments are inculcated such books ought to be read." lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. oliver optic's books +army and navy stories.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +the soldier boy+; or, tom somers in the army. . +the sailor boy+; or, jack somers in the navy. . +the young lieutenant+; or, adventures of an army officer. . +the yankee middy+; or, adventures of a navy officer. . +fighting joe+; or, the fortunes of a staff officer. . +brave old salt+; or, life on the quarter deck. "this series of six volumes recounts the adventures of two brothers, tom and jack somers, one in the army, the other in the navy, in the great civil war. the romantic narratives of the fortunes and exploits of the brothers are thrilling in the extreme. historical accuracy in the recital of the great events of that period is strictly followed, and the result is, not only a library of entertaining volumes, but also the best history of the civil war for young people ever written." +boat builders series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +all adrift+; or, the goldwing club. . +snug harbor+; or, the champlain mechanics. . +square and compasses+; or, building the house. . +stem to stern+; or, building the boat. . +all taut+; or, rigging the boat. . +ready about+; or, sailing the boat. "the series includes in six successive volumes the whole art of boat building, boat rigging, boat managing, and practical hints to make the ownership of a boat pay. a great deal of useful information is given in this +boat builders series+, and in each book a very interesting story is interwoven with the information. every reader will be interested at once in dory, the hero of 'all adrift,' and one of the characters retained in the subsequent volumes of the series. his friends will not want to lose sight of him, and every boy who makes his acquaintance in 'all adrift' will become his friend." +riverdale story books.+ by oliver optic. twelve volumes. illustrated. illuminated covers. price: cloth, per set, $ . ; per volume, cents; paper, per set, $ . . . +little merchant.+ . +proud and lazy.+ . +young voyagers.+ . +careless kate.+ . +christmas gift.+ . +robinson crusoe, jr.+ . +dolly and i.+ . +the picnic party.+ . +uncle ben.+ . +the gold thimble.+ . +birthday party.+ . +the do-somethings.+ +riverdale story books.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. fancy cloth and colors. price per volume, cents. . +little merchant.+ . +careless kate.+ . +proud and lazy.+ . +dolly and i.+ . +young voyagers.+ . +robinson crusoe, jr.+ +flora lee library.+ by oliver optic. six volumes. illustrated. fancy cloth and colors. price per volume, cents. . +the picnic party.+ . +christmas gift.+ . +the gold thimble.+ . +uncle ben.+ . +the do-somethings.+ . +birthday party.+ these are bright short stories for younger children who are unable to comprehend the +starry flag series+ or the +army and navy series+. but they all display the author's talent for pleasing and interesting the little folks. they are all fresh and original, preaching no sermons, but inculcating good lessons. lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. oliver optic's books +the great western series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +going west;+ or, the perils of a poor boy. . +out west;+ or, roughing it on the great lakes. . +lake breezes;+ or, the cruise of the sylvania. . +going south;+ or, yachting on the atlantic coast. . +down south;+ or, yacht adventures in florida. . +up the river;+ or, yachting on the mississippi. "this is the latest series of books issued by this popular writer, and deals with life on the great lakes, for which a careful study was made by the author in a summer tour of the immense water sources of america. the story, which carries the same hero through the six books of the series, is always entertaining, novel scenes and varied incidents giving a constantly changing yet always attractive aspect to the narrative. oliver optic has written nothing better." +the yacht club series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +little bobtail;+ or, the wreck of the penobscot. . +the yacht club;+ or, the young boat builders. . +money-maker;+ or, the victory of the basilisk. . +the coming wave;+ or, the treasure of high rock. . +the dorcas club;+ or, our girls afloat. . +ocean born;+ or, the cruise of the clubs. "the series has this peculiarity, that all of its constituent volumes are independent of one another, and therefore each story is complete in itself. oliver optic is, perhaps, the favorite author of the boys and girls of this country, and he seems destined to enjoy an endless popularity. he deserves his success, for he makes very interesting stories, and inculcates none but the best sentiments, and the 'yacht club' is no exception to this rule."--_new haven journal and courier_. +onward and upward series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +field and forest;+ or, the fortunes of a farmer. . +plane and plank;+ or, the mishaps of a mechanic. . +desk and debit;+ or, the catastrophes of a clerk. . +cringle and crosstree;+ or, the sea swashes of a sailor. . +bivouac and battle;+ or, the struggles of a soldier. . +sea and shore;+ or, the tramps of a traveller. "paul farringford, the hero of these tales, is, like most of this author's heroes, a young man of high spirit, and of high aims and correct principles, appearing in the different volumes as a farmer, a captain, a bookkeeper, a soldier, a sailor, and a traveller. in all of them the hero meets with very exciting adventures, told in the graphic style for which the author is famous." +the lake shore series.+ by oliver optic. in six volumes. illustrated. any volume sold separately. price per volume, $ . . . +through by daylight;+ or, the young engineer of the lake shore railroad. . +lightning express;+ or, the rival academies. . +on time;+ or, the young captain of the ucayga steamer. . +switch off;+ or, the war of the students. . +brake up;+ or, the young peacemakers. . +bear and forbear;+ or, the young skipper of lake ucayga. "oliver optic is one of the most fascinating writers for youth, and withal one of the best to be found in this or any past age. troops of young people hang over his vivid pages; and not one of them ever learned to be mean, ignoble, cowardly, selfish, or to yield to any vice from anything they ever read from his pen."--_providence press_. lee and shepard, boston, send their complete catalogue free. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * errata noted by transcriber: invisible punctuation has been silently supplied. ... exclaimed the second lieutenant _text reads "exclained"_ ... the lee side of the vessel. _text reads "vesssel"_ ash cloth and sashes _so in original_