AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIDENCE
Captain Passford had certainly kept his own counsel with punctilious
care; for he had never even mentioned the skilful detective in his
family, though the members of it had met the gentleman in Paris and in
Havre. Mr. Gilfleur was in constant communication with him while he was
working up the exposure of the treason of Davis, who might have been a
relative of the distinguished gentleman at the head of the Southern
Confederacy, though there was no evidence to this effect.
"If the captain of this steamer manages his affair well with the Ionian,
I expect to find letters on board of her signed by Davis," continued Mr.
Gilfleur. "From the information I obtained, your father put American
detectives on the scent of Davis, who dogged him day and night till they
found the Ionian, and ascertained in what manner she obtained her cargo;
but she had been partly loaded before they reached a conclusion, and it
is suspected that she has arms under the pieces of machinery, perhaps
cannon and ammunition."
The detective continued to explain his operations at greater length than
it is necessary to report them. Christy listened till nearly midnight,
and then he went on deck to ascertain the position of the chase before
he turned in. He found the captain on the quarter-deck, vigilant and
faithful to his duty, and evidently determined that the Ionian should
not elude him.
"You are up late, Mr. Passford," said the captain, when he recognized
his passenger in the gloom of the night.
"I have been busy, and I came on deck to see where the Ionian was before
I turned in," replied Christy.
"I think the rascal has a suspicion that we have some business with him,
for at four bells he turned his head in for the shore," added the
commander. "If you go forward you will see that we have dowsed every
glim on board, even to our mast-head and side lights."
"You are carrying no starboard and port light?"
"None; but we have a strong lookout aloft, and in every other available
place. When the chase headed for the shore, we kept on our course for
half an hour, and then put out the lights. We came about and went off to
the eastward for another half-hour. Coming about, we went to the
westward till we made her out, for she has not extinguished her lights.
It is dark enough to conceal the ship from her, and no doubt she thinks
we are still far to the southward of her. At any rate, she has resumed
her former course, which was about south, half west."
Christy was satisfied with this explanation, for the Ionian was doing
just what she was expected to do. She was not inclined to be overhauled
by a gunboat, and she had attempted to dodge the Chateaugay. Besides, if
she were bound to Wilmington, as her clearance stated, she would turn to
the south-west two or three points by this time. The young officer
seated himself in his room, and figured on the situation. If the steamer
were making an honest voyage she would not be more than twenty miles off
Absecum light at this time, and ought to be within ten of the coast.
At two bells Christy was still in his chair, and when he heard the bells
he decided to go on deck again, for he felt that the time would soon
come to settle every doubt in regard to the character of the Ionian. He
found the commander still at his post, and he looked out for the chase.
It was not more than a mile distant, and hardly to be seen in the gloom
of a dark night.
"On deck again, Mr. Passford?" said Captain Chantor.
"Yes, sir; I am too much interested in this affair to sleep; besides,
I feel as though I had slept at home enough to last me six months,"
replied the passenger. "It seems to me that the question of that
vessel's destination is to be decided about this time, or at least
within an hour or two."
Christy explained the calculation he had been making, in which the
captain agreed with him, and declared that he had been over the same
course of reasoning. Both of them thought the Ionian would not wait till
daylight to change her course, as it would be more perilous to do so
then than in the darkness.
"I am confident that she has not seen the Chateaugay since we put out
the lights," said the captain. "At the present moment we must be off
Absecum; but we cannot see the light. She is far off her course for
Wilmington."
"That is plain enough."
"What she will do depends upon whether or not she suspects that a
man-of-war is near her. We shall soon know, for she is already in a
position to justify her capture."
"Better make sure of her course before that is done," suggested Christy,
who felt that he was permitted to say as much as this.
"I don't intend to act till we are south of Cape Henlopen," added the
commander promptly. "Before we do anything, I shall formally consult
you, Mr. Passford, as I am advised to do."
"I shall be happy to serve as a volunteer, and I will obey your orders
without question, and as strictly as any officer on board."
"That is handsome, considering the position in which you have been
placed on board, Mr. Passford, and I appreciate the delicacy of your
conduct."
Christy remained on deck another hour, and at the end of that time a
quartermaster came aft to report that the chase had changed her course
farther to the eastward. This proved to be the fact on examination by
the officers on the quarter-deck, and as nearly as could be made out she
was now headed to the south-east.
"But that will not take her to the Bahama Islands," suggested Christy.
"Certainly not; and she may not be bound to Nassau, as stated in those
letters. But it is useless to speculate on her destination, for we shall
be in condition in the morning to form an opinion," replied the captain.
"I shall keep well astern of her till morning; and if there should be
any change in her movements, I will have you called, Mr. Passford."
Christy considered this a sage conclusion, and he turned in on the
strength of it. He was not disturbed during the remaining hours of the
night. He had taken more exercise than usual that day, and he slept
soundly, as he was in the habit of doing. The bell forward indicated
eight o'clock when he turned out. Breakfast was all ready, but he
hastened on deck to ascertain the position of the chase. The captain was
not on the quarter-deck, but the first lieutenant was planking the deck
for his morning "constitutional."
"Good-morning, Mr. Birdwing," said Christy.
"Good-morning, Mr. Passford; I hope you are very well this morning,"
replied the executive officer.
"Quite well, I thank you, sir. But what has become of the chase?" asked
the passenger, for the Ionian did not appear to be in sight, and he
began to be anxious about her.
"Still ahead of us, sir; but she cannot be seen without a glass. I was
called with the morning watch, when the captain turned in. His policy is
to keep the Ionian so that we may know just where she is, and also to
give her the idea that she is running away from us," replied Mr.
Birdwing, as he took a glass from the brackets and handed it to Christy.
The young officer could just make out the steamer with the aid of the
glass. The Chateaugay was following her; and a glance at the compass
gave her course as south-east, half south. Christy had sailed the Bronx
over this course, and he knew where it would bring up.
"It is plain enough, Mr. Birdwing, that the Ionian is not bound to
Nassau," said he.
"So Captain Chantor said when I came on deck," replied the first
lieutenant.
"And it is equally plain where she is bound," added Christy. "That
course means the Bermuda Islands, and doubtless that is her
destination."
"So the captain said."
The passenger was satisfied, and went below for his breakfast. He found
Mr. Gilfleur at the table; and as the fact that the Chateaugay was
chasing the Ionian was well understood in the ward room, Christy did not
hesitate to tell him the news. The Frenchman bestowed one of his
penetrating glances upon his associate, and said nothing. After the meal
was finished they retired to the detective's room. Mr. Gilfleur looked
over his papers very industriously for a few minutes.
"This affair is not working exactly as it should," said he, as he
selected a letter from his files. "I supposed this steamer would proceed
directly to Nassau. Read this letter, Mr. Passford."
"Colonel Richard Pierson!" exclaimed Christy, as he saw to whom the
letter was addressed.
"Anything strange about the address?" asked the detective.
"Perhaps nothing strange; but I saw this gentleman in Nassau two years
ago," replied Christy, as he recalled the events of his first trip to
Mobile in the Bellevite. "I can say of my own knowledge that he is a
Confederate agent, and was trying to purchase vessels there. This letter
is signed by Hillman Davis."
"The American traitor," added Mr. Gilfleur; and both of them were using
the French language.
"He says he shall send the machinery and other merchandise to Nassau to
be reshipped to Mobile," continued Christy, reading the letter. "He adds
that he has bought the steamer Ionian for this purpose, and he expects
to be paid in full for her. I think that is quite enough to condemn the
steamer."
"Undoubtedly; but what is the Ionian to do in the Bermudas? That is what
perplexes me," said the detective.
"Possibly Captain Chantor can solve the problem, for I am sure I
cannot," answered the young officer, as he rose from his seat.
He was as much perplexed as his companion, and he went on deck to wait
the appearance of the commander. About nine o'clock he came upon the
quarter-deck. The Ionian remained at the same relative distance from the
Chateaugay, for the captain had given an order to this effect before he
turned in.
"I am glad to see you, Captain Chantor," said Christy. "Can you explain
why the Ionian is headed for the Bermudas, for you have later
information than any in my possession?"
"I think I can," replied the captain, taking a letter from his pocket.
"This is the contents of the last envelope brought off from the shore.
The writer of it says he has just addressed a letter to 'our friend in
New York,' directing him, if it is not too late, to send the steamer
with the machinery and other merchandise to the Bermudas, where the
cargo will be transferred to the Dornoch; for the Ovidio had been
obliged to sail without her armament, and the cargo was too valuable to
be risked without protection."
"That is the reason why the reinforcement was sent off at the last
moment," Christy remarked.
"The Dornoch carries six guns and fifty men," added the captain, reading
from the letter. "I think we need not wait any longer to take possession
of the Ionian, Mr. Passford. What is your opinion?"
"I concur entirely with you," replied Christy.
"Quartermaster, strike four bells," continued the captain to the man who
was conning the wheel.
"Four bells," repeated the quartermaster; and the gong could be heard on
deck as he did so.
In the course of half an hour, for the steam had been kept rather low
for the slow progress the ship was obliged to make in order not to alarm
the chase, the Chateaugay began to show what she could do in the matter
of speed, and before noon she had overhauled the Ionian.