ON BOARD OF THE SNAPPER
Christy could not help seeing that a great change had come over the
manner of Captain Flanger, especially in his repeated declarations that
he did not intend to kill his prisoner. His thirst for revenge could
hardly have abated as the effect of his cups passed off, and it was
evident to the victim of the outrage that some other influence had been
brought to bear upon him. It did not seem possible to him that Percy
Pierson could have modified his vindictive nature to this degree.
The young man's father could not fail to see the peril of the step his
son was taking, though he appeared not to have been able to resist the
temptation to get rid of such an active enemy as Christy had proved
himself to be. It looked plain enough to the victim, as he considered
the situation, that Colonel Pierson's influence had produced the change
in the intentions of Captain Flanger. If the prisoner were brutally
treated, and especially if his life were taken, it would make the breach
of neutrality so much the more flagrant.
"Help the young cub on board," said the captain, as he went up the
accommodation ladder, followed by Percy.
With his wrists fettered with a pair of handcuffs, Christy needed
assistance to mount the vessel's side. He was handled with more
consideration than he expected, and reached the deck without any injury.
By the order of the captain he was conducted to the cabin, where he
seated himself on a stool near the companion-way. A few minutes later
Percy came down the steps with a valise in his hand, which he deposited
in one of the staterooms.
"I am your fellow-passenger, Christy," said he, when he came out of the
room. "I hope we shall be good friends."
"After the treachery which has been practised upon me to-day, there
cannot be much love wasted between us, though I am not disposed to be a
bear, even under the present unfavorable circumstances," replied the
prisoner. "I suppose this steamer is to run the blockade?"
"Of course she is to run the blockade; how else could she get into
Mobile?" replied Percy.
"You can bet your worthless life she is going to run the blockade, and
you may be sure that she will get in too," added Captain Flanger, who
came into the cabin at the moment the question was asked.
"By the way, Christy, from what prison in the Confederacy did you make
your escape?"
"If you will excuse me, I prefer to answer no questions."
"Just as you please, my boy. We shall know all about it when we get to
Mobile," said Percy lightly. "I am going home for a few days to see my
mother, who is in feeble health. I don't want to quarrel with you; and
if I can be of any service to you after we get into port, I shall be
happy to do so. We sail at about five o'clock in the morning, on the
high tide."
"Captain Passford," began the commander, in a more subdued tone than the
prisoner had ever heard him use.
"That title does not apply to me now, Captain Flanger," Christy
interposed. "If I ever get back to my duty on shipboard, it will be as
second lieutenant of the Bellevite."
"Mr. Passford, if that suits you better, I was going to say that I mean
to treat you like a gentleman, whether you are one or not, in spite of
my shattered and battered nose," added the captain.
"I do not consider myself responsible for the condition of your nose,
Captain Flanger. At the time you received that wound you were engaged in
a daring adventure, with two revolvers in your hands, ready to blow my
brains out. It was war, and I did nothing but my plain duty; and even in
a time of peace I had the natural right to defend myself, and save my
own life, even at the sacrifice of yours, as you were the assailant,"
argued Christy quite warmly. "You would have put a ball through my head
or heart if I had not fired at the moment I did."
"Why didn't you shoot me like a gentleman, and not blow my nose off?"
demanded the captain bitterly.
"I had to fire in a hurry; and I did not aim at your nose. I could only
discharge my weapon on the instant, and I had no time to aim at any
particular part of you. I intended simply to cover your head."
"But you blowed my nose off all the same."
"I had no grudge against your nose. Do you think it would be honorable
for a soldier to revenge himself on neutral ground for a wound received
in the field?"
"But it was a sneaking Yankee trick to shoot at a man's nose, even in a
square battle by sea or by land," protested the captain with a rattling
oath.
It was useless to discuss the matter with such a man, though he had
probably been charged by Colonel Pierson not to do his prisoner any
injury, and Christy relapsed into silence.
"If you propose to treat me like a gentleman, whether I am one or not,
may I ask where you propose to berth me, for I am very much fatigued
to-night?" asked the prisoner later in the evening.
"I mean to give you as good a stateroom as I have myself; but it will
contain two berths, and the mate will occupy the lower one, to prevent
you from escaping, if you should take it into your head to do so,"
replied the captain, as he opened the door of one of the rooms.
"I can hardly get into the upper berth with my wrists ironed," said the
prisoner, exhibiting his fetters.
"That is so," replied the captain, taking the key of the manacles from
his pocket and removing them. "But I warn you that any attempt to escape
may get you into a worse scrape than you are in now. When we get to sea
you shall have your liberty."
"Thank you, Captain, for this indulgence. I suppose you will not make a
long voyage of it to Mobile. I presume you go to the northward of Great
Abaco Island?" asked Christy, though he hardly expected to receive an
answer to his question.
"Why do you presume such a stupid idea as that?" demanded the captain,
who seemed to regard the inquiry as an imputation upon his seamanship;
and the inquirer had put the question to provoke an answer. "I have been
sailing nearly all my life in these waters, and I know where I am. Why
should I add three hundred miles to my voyage when there is no reason
for it?"
"I am not much acquainted down here."
"I shall go through the North-west, or Providence Channel."
Captain Flanger did not know that the steamer Chateaugay was cruising
somewhere in the vicinity of the Bahamas; but his prisoner did know it,
and the information given him was not pleasant or satisfactory. Captain
Chantor had told him that he intended to stand off and to the eastward
of Great Abaco, and he had been cherishing a hope that he would fall in
with the Snapper, though he might not find evidence enough on board of
her to warrant her capture.
If he fell in with the steamer, he would be likely to examine her; and
that would lead to the release of the involuntary passenger. But if the
Snapper went through the Providence Channel, the Chateaugay would not be
likely to fall in with her. It looked to the unfortunate officer as
though he was booked for a rebel prison. He could see no hope of escape,
though he was duly grateful for the change which had come over his
vicious persecutor. If he was allowed his liberty, he might find some
avenue of escape open. It was useless to groan over his fate, and he did
not groan; but he had come to the conclusion that it would be a long
time before he took possession of his stateroom in the ward room of the
Bellevite.
Availing himself of the permission given to him, he went into the room,
and turned in with his clothes on, so that he might be in readiness for
any event. Mr. Gilfleur would miss him at the rendezvous agreed upon;
but he would have no means of knowing that anything had happened to him.
Tired as he was, he was not inclined to sleep. Presently he heard a
conversation which was not intended for his ears, for it was carried on
in very low tones.
"Do you know, Captain Flanger, that I believe we are getting into a very
bad scrape?" said Percy Pierson in a subdued tone.
"What are you afraid of?" demanded the captain, in a voice hardly above
a whisper.
"My father refused at first to permit the capture of Passford," added
Percy. "He would consent to it only after you had promised to treat him
well."
"I am treating him as well as I know how, though it goes against my
grain. We will get him into the jail in Mobile, and keep him there till
the Yankees have acknowledged the independence of the Confederacy, and
paid for all the damage they have done to our country. How is any one in
Washington or London to know anything about this little affair of
to-night?"
"I don't know how; but if it should get out, the Yankees would make an
awful row, and England would be obliged to do something about it."
"But we must make sure that it does not get out. The young cub has a
deal of spirit and pluck, and he would not live long if he were shut up
on such rations as our men have."
Percy seemed to be better satisfied than he had been, and the
conversation turned to other subjects in which the listener had no
interest. Without much of an effort he turned over and went to sleep.
When he woke in the morning he heard the tramp of footsteps on the deck
over his head, and he concluded that the steamer was getting under way.
If the mate had slept in the berth below him, he had not seen or heard
him. He leaped out of the bed, and descended to the floor. When he tried
the door he found that it was locked.
Presently he heard the movement of the screw, and felt the motion of the
vessel. There was a port light to the room, and he placed himself where
he could see out at it. But there was nothing to be seen which afforded
him any hope of comfort. There must be a pilot on board, and he began to
wonder if there could be any way to communicate with him. He took from
his pocket a piece of paper and pencil. He wrote a brief statement of
the outrage which had been perpetrated upon him, folded the paper, and
put it in his vest pocket, where he could readily slip it into the hand
of the pilot, if he found the opportunity to do so. The captain had
promised to give him his liberty when the vessel got out to sea, and he
hoped to be able to go on deck before the pilot left the steamer.
The Snapper continued to go ahead, and in a short time she made a sort
of a plunge, as she went over the bar. The motion of the steamer began
to be rather violent, and Christy saw through the port the white caps
that indicated a strong north-west wind. When the vessel had continued
on her course for a couple of hours, she stopped, and the prisoner saw
the pilot boat drop astern a little later. The opportunity to deliver
his statement had passed by, and he tore up the paper, keeping the
fragments in his pocket, so that they should not expose his intention.
He had scarcely destroyed the paper before his door was thrown open by
Percy Pierson, who informed him that he was at liberty to go on deck if
he wished to do so. He accepted the permission. He could see the land in
the distance in several directions, but he had no interest in anything.
He was called to breakfast soon after, and he took a hearty meal, for
the situation had not yet affected his appetite. In the middle of the
forenoon, with the light at Hole in the Wall on the starboard, and that
on Stirrup Cay on the port, the course of the Snapper was changed to the
north-west.
At this point Christy discovered a three-masted steamer, which had also
excited the attention of Captain Flanger. It looked like the Chateaugay;
and the prisoner's heart bounded with emotion.