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 37° 52'," 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.