IN THE STATE-ROOM.
Somers took his station on the quarter deck, near the mizzen-mast, while
Mr. Pillgrim went forward to the forecastle. The guns were cast loose,
and the crew exercised at quarters for a few moments, just as though
there were an enemy's ship near. This manoeuvre was executed for the
purpose of perfecting the officers and crew in discipline; and it is not
an uncommon thing to turn up all hands in the dead of the night for this
object, for it is easier to correct mistakes at such times than when in
the presence of the enemy. As there was no Confederate ship in sight,
all hands were presently piped below, and Somers returned to his
state-room, where he was soon joined by Mr. Pillgrim, who evidently
wished to prolong the conversation which had been commenced before the
ship beat to quarters.
"Mr. Somers you and I have been friends for some little time," the
lieutenant began, "and I confess that I have been deeply interested in
you, not only on your own account, but for the sake of our friends at
Newport."
"Thank you, Mr. Pillgrim," said Somers, as the gentleman paused. "I am
greatly obliged to you, and I hope I shall always merit your good
opinion."
"I'm afraid not, my young friend; at least, you have not commenced this
cruise very well, having first sold yourself to the enemy."
"Do you think I have done that, Mr. Pillgrim?" demanded Somers, not a
little excited by the charge, from such a source.
"I know you have. I saw your commission on the table."
"I took the commission, I grant, but I have no intention of using it."
"Why did you take it then?"
"For the purpose of gaining information."
"Have you gained it?" demanded Mr. Pillgrim, with a hardly perceptible
sneer.
"I have."
"You received written orders, also."
"I did; and if I had obtained a foothold on the deck of the vessel to
which I was ordered, you would have seen how quick I should have passed
her over to my government."
"That is a very plausible explanation, Mr. Somers," added the
lieutenant. "But why did you sign the oath of allegiance to the Southern
Confederacy?"
"I did not."
"I beg your pardon, but I saw the document with your signature affixed
to it."
"You are mistaken, Mr. Pillgrim."
"Can I refuse to believe the evidence of my own eyes?"
"Nevertheless, I must persist in saying that I did not sign the oath."
"After what you have done, Mr. Somers, I could hardly expect you to
acknowledge it to a loyal officer. Are you aware that any court martial
would convict you, on the evidence against you, of treason, and sentence
you to death?"
"I think not, when it was made to appear that all I did was in the
service of my country."
Somers shuddered when he thought of a traitor's doom, and for the first
time realized that he had accumulated more evidence against himself than
against the conspirators. The commander's commission and the written
orders were almost, if not quite, enough to hang him.
"You don't believe what you say, Mr. Somers, and of course you cannot
expect me to believe it," said Pillgrim, when he saw his brother officer
musing, and looking rather anxious.
"I speak the truth, Mr. Pillgrim," replied Somers, unable to turn his
attention entirely away from the consequences which might follow some of
these appearances against him.
"Somers, I have felt a deep interest in you. I have all along desired to
be your friend. This is the only reason why I did not prefer charges
against you before the ship sailed. Now, I advise you not to deny what
is as plain as truth can make it. I am your friend. Own up to me, and I
promise never to betray you."
"Would your friend Langdon, _alias_ Lieutenant Wynkoop, R. N., be
equally considerate?" asked Somers, provoked into making this unguarded
remark by the hypocrisy of Pillgrim.
If the second lieutenant of the Chatauqua had received the bolt from a
thunder cloud he could not have been more astonished. He started back,
turned pale, and quivered with emotion.
"Who?" demanded he, with a tremendous effort to recover his
self-possession.
"Do you think, Mr. Pillgrim, that I am a little lamb, that can be led
round with a silken string?" replied Somers, with energy. "You are my
superior officer, and as such I will respect and obey you
until--until--"
"Until what?"
"Until the day of reckoning comes. When you stand up in my presence and
charge me with being a traitor to my country, you had better remember
that such charges, like chickens, will go home to roost."
"I was not brought up in a barn yard, Mr. Somers, and such comparisons
are beyond my comprehension."
"Wherever you were brought up, I think my language is plain enough to be
understood by a person of your intelligence."
Perhaps it was fortunate for both parties that a knock at the state-room
door disturbed the conference at this exciting moment. Somers opened the
door.
"Mr. Hackleford desires to see Mr. Somers on deck," said a midshipman.
"Excuse me for a few moments, Mr. Pillgrim," said Somers, as he closed
his desk and locked it.
"Certainly, sir; but I should be happy to see you when you are
disengaged. I will remain here if you please."
"I will join you as soon as I can."
It was warm below, and both Pillgrim and Somers had thrown off their
coats, and laid them on the bed. Somers slipped on his own, as he
supposed, and hastened on deck to meet the first lieutenant. The garment
seemed rather large for him, and there were several papers in the breast
pocket which did not belong to him. Then he was aware that he had taken
the second lieutenant's coat instead of his own.
Mr. Hackleford wished to obtain some information from him in regard to
one of the petty officers, and when Somers had answered the questions he
went below again. The papers in the pocket of Pillgrim's coat seemed to
burn his fingers when he touched them. The owner was a traitor, and
perhaps these documents might contain valuable intelligence. Under
ordinary circumstances it would have been the height of perfidy to look
at one of them; but, in the present instance, he felt justified in
glancing at them. The state-room of the second assistant engineers was
open and lighted, but neither of these officers was there. Stepping into
the room, he opened the papers and glanced at their contents. Only one
of them contained anything of importance. This was a note from a person
who signed himself simply "Irvine," but it was in the handwriting of
Langdon. The only clause in the epistle that was intelligible to Somers
was this: "Have just heard from B----. The Ben Nevis, he says, will make
Wilmington after leaving St. John. Plenty of guns there. She will sail
July 4."
Whether "B----" meant Boston or some person's name, Somers could not
determine; but the fact in regard to the Ben Nevis was of the utmost
consequence. Hastily folding up the note, he returned the package of
papers to the pocket where he had found them. Taking off the coat as he
entered the ward-room, he went into the state-room, where Mr. Pillgrim
was still waiting for him, with the garment on his arm. He threw it upon
the bed as he entered, and his companion was not even aware of the
mistake which had been made.
"Mr. Somers, you were making some grave charges against me when you were
called away," said the lieutenant.
"Not half so grave as those you made against me," replied Somers.
"Those can be proved."
"I made no charges. I only mentioned the name of your friend Langdon."
"I don't know him," added Pillgrim, doggedly.
"I beg your pardon, as you did mine, just now."
"Which means that you doubt my word."
"As you did mine."
"Somers, I am not to be trifled with," said Pillgrim, sternly.
"Neither am I."
"Be cautious, or I will denounce you to the captain at once," added the
lieutenant, in low and threatening tones.
"Proceed, and then I shall be at liberty to take the next step."
"What's that?"
"Do you think I intend to show you my hand?" said Somers, with a meaning
smile.
Pillgrim bit his lip with vexation. He seemed to be completely cornered.
He evidently believed that his companion knew more than "the law
allows."
"Mr. Pillgrim, I am no traitor; you know this as well as I do. Whatever
papers I took from your friend Langdon, _alias_ Wynkoop, were taken with
a view to serve my country."
"You signed the oath of allegiance he offered you."
"It is false!" replied Somers, angrily.
"Be calm, Mr. Somers. I am no hypocrite, as you are," added Pillgrim. "I
have heard that you have a talent for overhearing other people's
conversation."
"In the service of my country I am willing to do even this," said
Somers, indignantly.
"No matter about that. You have hinted that I am a traitor."
"If the hint is not sufficient, I declare that such is the fact."
Somers was roused to a high pitch of excitement, and he was not as
prudent as he was wont to be. He was not playing a part now; he was
talking and acting as he wanted to talk and act. He was calling treason
and treachery by their right names.
"Explain, Mr. Somers," said Pillgrim, who grew cooler as his companion
became hotter.
"You are in league with the enemies of your country. You and others have
just started a steamer for St. John, which you intend to fit out as a
Confederate cruiser--the Ben Nevis, of which you and your
fellow-conspirators did me the honor to give me the command."
Pillgrim smiled blandly.
"And you accepted the command?"
"For a purpose, I did."
"You have not explained why you connect me with this affair. You spoke
of some one whom you call Langdon. I don't know him."
"You--do!"
"Prove it."
"He addresses a note to you, calling you 'my dear Pillgrim,' and signs
himself, familiarly, 'Langdon.'"
"Then you have been reading my letters--have you?"
"It was addressed to me, and put in my box at the hotel."
The second lieutenant turned pale, then red. He walked up and down the
state-room several times in silence. He could not deny the fact alleged.
While he walked, Somers explained how he had read the note, and then put
it back in the box. Pillgrim understood it.
"Of course you know Coles," continued Somers, placing a heavy emphasis
on the name of this worthy.
The lieutenant halted before his companion, and looked earnestly and
inquiringly into his face. Somers returned his gaze with unflinching
resolution. There was a smile upon his face, for he believed that he had
thrown a red-hot shot into the enemy.
"Coles!" said Pillgrim.
"Coles!" repeated Somers.
"Mr. Somers, you are a fool!"
"Pray, where were you when human wisdom was distributed?"
"Do you know Coles?" asked Pillgrim.
"I think I should know Coles if I saw him."
"No, you wouldn't."
"He is the greatest villain that ever went unhung."
"Except yourself. Somers, this is child's play. You have made me your
enemy, but let us fight it out like men."
"I will do so with pleasure when you take your place on the deck of a
rebel vessel, where you belong."
"A truce to child's play, I say again. We must settle this matter here
and now."
"It can't be done."
"It must be done, or I will inform Captain Cascabel who and what you are
before the first watch is out. Probably he will wish to see your
Confederate commission and your letter of instructions."
"When he does, I have something else to show him," replied Somers, whose
answer was sufficiently indefinite to make the traitor look very stormy
and anxious.
"Can you show him a Confederate oath of allegiance signed by me?"
"No."
"Then he will be more likely to hear me than you," added the lieutenant,
whose countenance now looked as malignant as that of a demon. "You have
subscribed to that oath; I have not."
"It is false!"
"So you said before."
"Prove it."
"Here," continued Pillgrim, taking from his pocket the document which
had been offered to Somers by Wynkoop.
The young officer glanced at it, and on the line for the signature, he
saw, with horror and indignation, the name of "John Somers," apparently
in his own handwriting. Undoubtedly it was a forgery, but it was so well
done that even the owner of the name could hardly distinguish it from
his usual signature.
"It is a forgery," gasped Somers, appalled at the deadly peril which
seemed to be in his path.
"Prove it," said the lieutenant, with a mocking smile.
Somers groaned in spirit. It would be impossible for him to prove that
the signature was a forgery. Even his best friends would acknowledge it,
so well was it executed.
"I have you, Somers," said Pillgrim, exultingly. "Let us understand each
other. You are mine, Somers, or you hang! Somers, I am Coles!"