A Night Expedition.
"The captain wishes to see you, gentlemen!" said the orderly, stepping
up and saluting.
The cousins repaired to the cabin, and after Archie had been introduced
to the captain (for being utterly ignorant of the manner in which things
were conducted on shipboard, he had not yet reported his arrival), his
orders were indorsed, and the captain, turning to his desk, ran his eye
hastily over an official document, and said:
"Mr. Nelson, I have received instructions from the admiral to make you
the executive officer of this vessel. Mr. Kearney's resignation has been
accepted, and you will take his place. I am certain, from what I know
and have heard of your past history, that I shall have no cause to
regret the change."
After a few moments' conversation with the captain upon unimportant
matters, the cousins returned to the wardroom.
Frank's constant attention to his duties had again been rewarded, and he
was now the second in authority on board the vessel. All orders from the
captain must pass through him, and in the absence of that gentleman he
became commander. To say that Frank was delighted would but feebly
express his feelings; he was proud of the honor, and determined that he
would prove himself worthy of it. In fact, he had now reached the height
of his ambition, although he had little dreamed that it would come so
soon. He asked nothing more. He had worked hard and faithfully ever
since he had entered the service, but in receiving the appointment of
executive officer he felt amply rewarded.
He was young in years for so responsible a position, but he had no fears
of his ability to perform all the duties required of him, for the
routine of ship life had become as familiar to him as was the road from
Lawrence to his quiet little home on the banks of Glen's Creek. But his
promotion did not affect him as it does a great many who suddenly find
themselves possessed of power. He did not "stand upon his rank," nor in
his intercourse with his messmates endeavor to keep constantly before
their minds the fact that he was the second in command. Those who have
been in the service--especially in the navy--will recall to mind
incidents of this character; but our hero never forgot the respect he
owed to his superiors, and his conduct toward those under him was marked
by the same kindness he had always shown them.
Frank knew that he had something of a task before him. Although he could
now turn into his bunk at night without being called upon to stand his
regular watch, he had more difficult duties to perform. He was
responsible for the manner in which affairs were conducted about decks,
for the neat appearance of the vessel and of the men; and as the former
executive officer had been rather careless in this respect, Frank knew
that his first move must be made in that direction.
For the next two days, as the rebels did not trouble them, Frank worked
early and late, and the results of his labor were soon made apparent.
Every one remarked the improved appearance of the men, who, at the
Sunday morning muster, appeared on deck in spotless uniforms and
well-blacked shoes. After the roll had been called, and the captain, in
company with Frank, proceeded to inspect the vessel, the young officer
knew that his improvements had been appreciated when the former, who was
an old sailor, said, with a smile of satisfaction:
"Mr. Nelson, this begins to look something like a ship, sir. This really
looks like business. The admiral may come here now and inspect the
vessel as soon as he pleases."
The next morning, as Frank sat at the table in the wardroom, engaged in
answering the letters he had received by the dispatch-boat, and Archie
was in his office straightening out his books and papers, a bullet came
suddenly crashing through the cabin--a signal that the rebels had again
made their appearance. Frank, who had become accustomed to such
interruptions, deliberately wiped his pen, corked his ink-stand, and was
carefully putting away his letters, when there was a hurrying of feet in
the office; the door flew open, and Archie, divested of his coat,
bounded into the cabin, exclaiming:
"A fellow can't tell when he's safe in this country. I wish I was back
in the fleet-paymaster's office. I wouldn't mind a good fair fight, but
this thing of being shot at when you least expect it isn't pleasant."
As Archie spoke, he hurriedly seized a gun from the rack, which had been
put up in the cabin in order to have weapons close at hand, and sprang
up the ladder that led into the pilothouse. Frank, although he laughed
heartily at his cousin's rapid movements, was a good deal surprised, for
he had always believed him to be possessed of a good share of courage.
It would, however, have tried stronger nerves than Archie's; but men who
had become familiar with such scenes, who had learned to regard them
merely as something disagreeable which could not be avoided, could not
sympathize with one in his situation, and many a wink was exchanged, and
many a laugh indulged in, at the expense of the "green paymaster."
When Frank had put away his writing materials, he ran below to see that
the ports were all closed; after which he returned to the wardroom, and,
securing a rifle, went into the pilot-house, where he found Archie
engaged in reloading his gun, while the officers were complimenting him
on a fine shot he had just made.
"Mr. Nelson," exclaimed the doctor, as Frank made his appearance, "I
guess your white horseman is done for now. The paymaster lifted him out
of his saddle as clean as a whistle."
Frank looked out at one of the ports, and, sure enough, there was the
white horse running riderless about, and his wounded master was being
carried behind the levee. The officers continued to fire as often as a
rebel showed himself, but the latter seemed to have lost all desire for
fighting, for they retreated to the plantation-house which stood back
from the river, out of range of the rifles, where they gathered in a
body as if in consultation, now and then setting up defiant yells, which
came faintly to the ears of those in the pilot-house.
"They are saucy enough now that they are out of harm's way," said
Archie, turning to his cousin. But the latter made no reply. He stood
leaning on his rifle, gazing at the guerrillas, as if busily engaged
with his own thoughts, and finally left the pilot-house and sought an
interview with the captain.
"I have been thinking, sir," said he, as he entered the cabin and took
the chair offered him, "that if that house out there had been burned
long ago, we should not have had ten men killed by those guerrillas.
They seem to use that building as their head-quarters, and if it could
be destroyed they would cease to trouble us."
"That's my opinion," replied the captain. "But who is to undertake the
job? Who's to go out there, in the face of three or four hundred rebels,
and do it? _I_ can't, with a crew of only fifty men."
"I didn't suppose it could be done openly, sir; but couldn't it be
accomplished by stratagem in the night, for instance?"
The captain shook his head; but Frank, who was not yet discouraged,
continued:
"I have not made this proposition, captain, without thinking it all
over--without taking into consideration all the chances for and against
it--and I still think it could be accomplished."
"Well, how would you go to work?" asked the captain, settling back in
his chair with the air of a man who had made his decision, from which he
was not to be turned.
Frank then proceeded to recount the plans he had laid for the
accomplishment of his object, to which the captain listened attentively,
and when Frank had ceased, he rose to his feet and paced the cabin. He
knew that the young officer had before engaged in expeditions similar to
the one he now proposed, when, in carrying out his designs, he had
exhibited the skill and judgment of a veteran. In the present instance,
his plans were so well laid, that there appeared to be but little chance
for failure. After a few moments' consideration, the captain again
seated himself, and said:
"Well, Mr. Nelson, it shall be as you propose. If you succeed, I am
certain that this guerrilla station will be broken up; if you fail, it
will only be what many a good officer has done before you."
"I assure you, sir, I shall leave no plan untried to insure my success,"
replied Frank, as he left the cabin.
"What's the matter now?" inquired Archie, as his cousin entered the
wardroom. "Been getting a blowing up already?"
"Oh, no!" replied Frank. "Come in here, and I'll tell you all about it;"
and he drew Archie into the office, where he proceeded to tell him all
that had been determined upon. When he had finished, the latter
exclaimed:
"I want to go with you. Will you take me?"
Frank thought of Archie's behavior but a few moments before, and
wondered what use he could possibly be in an expedition like the one
proposed.
"If you do go," he answered, at length, "you'll be sorry for it. It
requires those who are accustomed to such business; and you have never
been in an action in your life. The undertaking is dangerous."
"I don't care if it is," answered Archie. "That's just the reason why I
want to go--to be with you; and I warrant you I'll stick to you as long
as any body."
"Besides," began Frank, "if any thing should happen to you"--
"I'm just as likely to get back as you are," replied Archie, excitedly,
"and I want to go."
After considerable urging, Frank finally asked and obtained permission
for Archie to accompany the expedition, at which the latter was
overjoyed. He was very far from realizing the danger there was in the
undertaking, and had as little idea of what would be required of him as
he had of the moon.
The cousins passed the afternoon in the pilothouse, watching the
movements of the guerrillas through spy-glasses, studying the "lay of
the land," the directions in which the different roads ran--in short,
nothing was omitted which they thought might be useful for them to know.
Just before night a storm set in; the wind blew, and the rain fell in
torrents; and, although Frank regarded it as something in their favor,
under any other circumstances he would have preferred tumbling into bed
to venturing out in it. The hammocks were not piped as usual, but all
hands were to remain on deck during the night, to be ready to lend
assistance in case it was required. At ten o'clock the cutter lay
alongside the vessel, the crew were in their places, and Frank and his
cousin, surrounded by the officers who had assembled to see them off,
stood on the guards ready to start.
"Paymaster," said Frank, turning to his cousin, "hadn't you better
remain on board?" (He addressed him as paymaster, for, of course, it
would have been contrary to naval rules to call him by his given name in
the presence of the captain.)
"No, sir," answered Archie, quickly buttoning up his pea-jacket with a
resolute air. "Do you suppose I'm going to back out now? If you do, you
are mistaken. I'm not afraid of a little rain."
Frank made no reply, but, after shaking hands with the captain and
officers, followed his cousin into the cutter, which floated off into
the darkness amid the whispered wishes for "good luck" from all the
ship's company who had witnessed its departure. Frank took the helm, and
turned the boat down the river. Not an oar was used, for the young
officer did not know but the rebels had posted sentries along the bank,
whom the least splashing in the water would alarm. Archie sat beside his
cousin, with his collar pulled up over his ears, and his hands thrust
into the pockets of his pea-jacket, heartily wishing that Frank had
chosen a pleasanter night for their expedition. For half an hour they
floated along with the current in silence, until Frank, satisfied that
he had gone far enough down the river to get below the sentries, if any
were posted on the bank, gave the order to use the oars, and turned the
cutter's head toward the shore, which they reached in a few moments.
The crew quietly disembarked, and as the sailors gathered about him,
Frank said,
"Now, men, I'm going to leave you here until the paymaster and myself
can go up to the house, and accomplish what we have come for. Tom," he
added, turning to the coxswain of the cutter, "you will have charge of
the boat, and remember you are in no case to leave her. We may be
discovered, and get into a fight. If we do, and are cut off from the
river and unable to get back, I'll whistle, and you will at once answer
me, so that I may know that you hear me, and pull off to the vessel.
We'll take care of ourselves. Do you understand?"
The crew of the cutter were old sailors--men who had followed the sea
through storm and sunshine all their lives. They had been in more than
one action, too, during the rebellion, and had gladly volunteered for
the expedition, supposing that they were to accompany Frank wherever he
went. During the short time the latter had been on board the Boxer, they
had become very much attached to him. Although he was a very strict
officer, and always expected every man to do his duty promptly, he
always treated them with the greatest kindness, and never spoke harshly
to them. This was so different from the treatment they had usually
received at the hands of their officers, that it won their hearts; and,
although they admired his courage, they would have felt much better
pleased had they received orders to accompany him.
"Don't you understand, Tom?" again asked Frank, seeing that the coxswain
hesitated.
"Oh, yes, sir," replied the sailor, touching his hat; "I understand,
sir. But, Mr. Nelson, may I be so bold as to ask one question--one
favor, I may say?"
"Certainly; speak it out," answered Frank, who little imagined what
thoughts were passing through the minds of his men. "What is it? Do you
wish to go back to the ship, and leave us here alone?"
"No, sir," answered all the men in a breath.
"Mr. Nelson," said the coxswain, "I never yet refused duty because there
was danger in it, and I'm too old a man to begin now. You have here,
sir, twelve as good men as ever trod a ship's deck, and you know, sir,
that when you passed the word for volunteers for this expedition, you
didn't have to call twice. But we all thought that we should go with you
to the end; and, to tell the truth, sir, we don't like the idea of you
and the paymaster going off alone among them rebels. You are sure to get
into trouble, and we want to go with you."
On more than one occasion had Frank been made aware of the affection his
men cherished for him, and he felt as proud of it as he did of the
uniform he wore; but he had never been more affected than he was on the
present occasion.
"Men," he answered, in a voice that was none of the steadiest, "I assure
you I appreciate the interest you take in my welfare, and were I going
to fight, I should certainly take you with me; but sometimes two can
accomplish more than a dozen. Besides, I promised the captain that I
would leave you here, and I must do so. Now, remember and pull off to
the vessel if you hear me whistle."
"Yes, sir," replied the coxswain; "but it'll be the first time I ever
deserted an officer in trouble."
The sailors were evidently far from being pleased with this arrangement,
but they were allowed no opportunity to oppose it, even had they felt
inclined to do so, for Frank and his cousin speedily disappeared in the
darkness.