THE BEN LOMOND.
"That's a bold step, Mr. Somers," said Tom Longstone, as the whale-boat
dashed on towards the intended prize.
"If it were less bold, it would be more dangerous," replied Somers,
easily; for he entered so fully into the spirit of the affair, that he
felt quite at home, and was hardly disturbed by a doubt of final
success.
"Where is Mr. Pillgrim now?" asked the boatswain.
"I haven't the least idea; but I think he cannot be far off."
"You left him at Fortress Monroe?"
"Yes; he had started for the South then, to take command, I suppose, of
this vessel. The traitor's plan was to come down on the Chatauqua, and
then bring out this vessel perhaps, on the pretence of capturing her. At
any rate, he was going to use his official position in the navy to help
him get the Tallapoosa out of the bay, and past the blockading squadron.
If not, he would not have gone in her, and thus wasted so much of his
valuable time. I wish I knew where he is now."
"Perhaps it don't make much difference."
"I am afraid it will make considerable difference. Suppose the traitor
has been on board the Ben Lomond?"
"The what?"
"The Tallapoosa; they have changed her name. Keep a sharp lookout
forward for the ship, bowman."
"Ay, ay, sir! I can't see a thing yet."
"Suppose he has been on board, Mr. Somers?" continued the boatswain.
"If he has, we may have to fight for the vessel."
"Well, we can do that," replied Tom, as he involuntarily grasped his
cutlass.
"He has forty men aboard of her now, besides the firemen and
coal-heavers."
"Our boys wouldn't mind forty of them."
"I should not hesitate to attack her, but the noise would wake up the
rebel iron clads and gunboats. We must get the vessel without fighting.
I don't believe Pillgrim has been on board of her. If he had, that
picket officer would have known that I am not the man. I'm not going to
croak about the business, though. In my opinion it will be all right."
"Of course the Tallapoosa is in charge of some one."
"All her officers are on board, except the commander, we were told."
"Some of them may know Mr. Pillgrim," suggested the boatswain, who had
more fears for his young commander than the latter had for himself.
"Mr. Pillgrim has been in the North, and in England since the war began.
I am of the opinion that those on board do not know him."
"Suppose they do?"
"I shall put them under arrest if they refuse to obey my orders."
"You are smart, Mr. Somers," said Tom, who chuckled over the adroitness
of his _protégé_, even while he trembled for his safety and success.
"Steamer ahead, sir!" reported the bowman.
"Where does she lie?"
"On the starboard bow, sir!"
"Port a little," said Somers. "Now, my men, you will obey orders and
keep silent. Answer no questions which may be put to you."
"Ay, ay, sir," responded the crew, cheerfully; for though they seemed to
be knocking at the door of a rebel prison, they had full confidence in
their gallant young leader.
Perhaps some of them "had their doubts," for four and twenty men are
hardly ever gathered together, among whom there are not more or less who
are disposed to grumble, and croak, and imagine possible disasters.
Within the rebel lines, surrounded by Confederate vessels, and on the
point of confronting superior numbers, it would not have been
surprising if these men had been rather uncertain of the future.
Whatever doubts or fears they had, they believed in Somers.
"My lads," continued the commander of the expedition, in a low tone,
"you are rebel sailors for an hour or so. You will talk and act as such.
Do you understand me?"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"You will call me Captain Pillgrim."
The men had listened to the conversation between their officer and the
pickets, and they comprehended enough of the plan to enable them to act
intelligently.
"Tom," said Somers, "there is nothing to prevent me from acting just as
Mr. Pillgrim would do, if he were in my place."
"That's so."
"I could go to sea in this steamer, and plunder all the vessels I could
overhaul."
"So you could," replied the boatswain, who seemed to be amazed even at
such a suggestion.
"I'm not sure that I am not carrying out the very plan which the traitor
had in his mind. Perhaps he intended to do just what I have done, when
he reached the blockading station."
"Very likely."
"Then I shall be Mr. Pillgrim, and carry out his purpose to the letter;
only, when we get out of the bay I shall do rather differently from what
he intended."
"Boat ahoy!" shouted a man at the gangway of the Ben Lomond.
"On board the Tallapoosa!" replied Somers.
"Keep off," said the man, who seemed to be the officer of the deck. "Who
are you?"
"Commander John Pillgrim, Confederate States navy, and captain of this
ship."
"Man the side, you lubbers!" added the boatswain, rather improving on
the suggestion of Somers, given him at this moment.
"Captain Pillgrim?" said the officer of the deck.
"I said so. Is the ship ready to sail?"
"She is, sir; we have kept steam up all day, waiting for you."
"Good! You are the right officers for me. I commend you," replied
Somers, as he mounted the accommodation ladder.
The pretended commander went up the side, closely followed by Longstone
and a dozen of the sailors, and stepped down upon the deck.
"I have not the pleasure of your acquaintance, I believe," added Somers,
confronting the officer.
"Mr. Swayne, second lieutenant, sir," replied the officer. "Mr. Langdon
is below, sir. I will send for him."
Langdon! It was all up with Somers! Langdon knew him, had dined with
him, had been intimate with him, and of course it would be useless to
attempt to pass himself off as Mr. Pillgrim.
"Stop, sir!" said Somers, sternly, and with great presence of mind.
"When did Mr. Langdon come on board?"
"Nearly a week ago, sir, when the rest of us did."
"Indeed!" added Somers, savagely. "Mr. Langdon and myself have a little
account to settle. He has disobeyed my orders, and I never will go to
sea with such a man as executive officer. Mr. Swayne, for the present
you will act as first lieutenant. I shall put Mr. Langdon under arrest
at once."
"Here he comes, sir."
"Mr. Longstone, you will arrest the first lieutenant at once; put him in
irons if he resists," said Somers, as he saw Langdon come up the
companion-way.
The stalwart boatswain confronted the astonished officer, as he
approached the spot where Somers stood with the second lieutenant.
"By order of Captain Pillgrim, you are placed under arrest," said Tom,
as, with a couple of seamen, he placed himself in front of the executive
officer.
"Under arrest?"
"Yes, sir."
"What for?"
"For disobedience of orders."
"By whose command?" demanded the bewildered Langdon.
"Captain Pillgrim's, sir?"
"Impossible!"
"I beg your pardon, sir, but the captain told me to lose no time. He is
going to sea at once."
"Is Captain Pillgrim on board?"
"Of course he is. I just came off with him. He ordered me to arrest
you."
"Who are you, sir?"
"Blarney, sir!" exclaimed the boatswain, impatiently; "I can't stop--"
"Mr. Blarney, will you do me the favor to ask Captain Pillgrim for a
moment's conversation with me. There must be some mistake, Mr. Blarney."
"Can't stop, sir," answered Tom, who could not even pause long enough to
laugh at the rebel's blunder. "My orders are to put you in irons if you
resist. What do you say, Mr. Langdon?"
"Of course I do not resist; but there is some mistake."
"No mistake, upon my honor. You may take my word for it, the business is
all straight."
"With what am I charged?"
"With disobedience of orders; and, Mr. Langdon, you'll excuse me, but
there's a suspicion that you mean to go over to the Yankees."
"I! To the Yankees!"
"Beg pardon, sir; but I can't stop to blarney any longer. My duty is
plain; and I'll bet a month's pay you will see the captain sooner than
you want to. Down below if you please, sir, to your state-room."
Langdon obeyed in dogged silence. No doubt he much wondered who the
rough fellow was that subjected him to this summary treatment. But the
salutary hint about irons seemed to satisfy him, and when he had gone
into his room, the door was closed, and a seaman placed before it.
Longstone returned to the deck, touched his cap politely to Somers, and
reported his orders executed.
"Mr. Swayne, you will call all hands," said the new commander of the
Tallapoosa, when his dangerous first lieutenant had been secured.
The boatswain of the steamer piped all hands, among whom the seamen from
the Chatauqua mingled, and made themselves entirely at home.
"Mr. Swayne, will you do me the favor to read my commission to the
crew," said Somers, handing him the document which he had carefully
"tinkered" to suit the present occasion.
Tom Longstone held the lantern, and the acting first lieutenant promptly
complied with the request of the assumed commander. The document
proclaimed that John Pillgrim was duly invested with authority as a
commander in the Confederate navy, and was duly signed by "S. R.
Mallory," though whether that distinguished rebel functionary had
actually issued the paper or not, Somers was himself as ignorant as the
others who listened to the reading.
From his orders Somers then read enough to satisfy any who might be in
doubt of his appointment to the Tallapoosa, which name he had
substituted for that of Ben Nevis, as it read on the original document,
given him by Langdon, _alias_ Lieutenant Wynkoop.
"Are you satisfied, Mr. Swayne?" asked the commander, when he had
finished the document.
"Entirely so, Captain Pillgrim," replied the first lieutenant.
If he had not been satisfied, probably he would have been put under
arrest as summarily as his superior had been a few moments before. With
such an energetic captain, it was lucky for him he was satisfied!
Perhaps Mr. Swayne was duly and properly impressed by the decided
character of his commander, and deemed it prudent to raise no
objections.
"Are you satisfied, gentlemen?" asked Somers, turning to the little
group of officers.
Fortunately for them, and perhaps for Somers too, they were also
satisfied.
"My lads," continued the courteous but decisive captain, "you have
listened to my commission, and you have listened to my orders."
Somers paused, and the two first-class firemen from the Chatauqua
started a demonstration of applause which was a complete success.
"My lads, I am going out to take a look at the Yankee fleet, to-night,"
he proceeded.
Applause.
"I am a fighting man."
More applause.
"That Yankee fleet will not stop me!" added Somers, with enthusiasm.
"That's so!" shouted one of the first-class firemen, who had a high
appreciation of a good joke; and his remark was followed by a storm of
applause.
"I repeat, my lads, the Yankee fleet will not stop me. I shall pay my
respects to the Yankee admiral down there before the sun rises."
Tumultuous applause.
"Now, my lads, I mean just what I say, and I say just what I mean. I
command this ship, and every man on board obeys me. I am going through
the Yankee fleet; will you go with me?"
"Ay, ay, sir!" roared the crew; and the voices of the Chatauqua's people
were prominent in the reply.
"Will you go where I lead you?"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Very likely I shall send you upon the deck of the heaviest man-of-war
in the Yankee squadron; but I will go with you."
"Bully for the captain!" shouted the enthusiastic first-class fireman,
which remark was indorsed and approved by the crew in general.
"What an awful fellow he is!--a regular fire-eater," whispered Mr.
Swayne to Tom Longstone.
"He will do all he says he will," replied the boatswain.
"Will he board a Yankee frigate?"
"It's like him; but he is as prudent as he is brave."
"Now, my lads, to your duty. We shall get under way at once, and I want
every man to be true to God and his country," continued Somers.
"Three cheers for the captain!" shouted the fireman; and they were given
with a will, as Somers walked aft.