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.