MIDSHIPMAN CHRISTY PASSFORD
"In a word, Sampson, an attempt will be made to-night to capture the
Bellevite, and you have been getting up steam for the conspirators,"
said Christy, when the ship-keeper had finished his narrative of the
visit of the trio to the ship.
"Is that so?" exclaimed Sampson, opening his mouth and his eyes very
wide at the same time. "Why, I had no more doubt that the young man who
was talking to me was Christy than I have that he is talking to me now."
"You had better look at me again, and be sure that you make no mistake,"
replied Christy, rather disgusted at the failure of the man to identify
him.
"I never once thought that it was not you. When the sailboat came
alongside, I knew it was the Florence, and I supposed you were in her,"
pleaded Sampson. "But I spoke to you, as I supposed, when the boat came
alongside."
"Did you? What did you say?" asked Christy.
"I said 'Is that you, Christy?' And you said 'Yes.'"
"Of course I did! What else could I say after you had told the enemy
just how to proceed. You could not have expected any other answer."
"I suppose I was very stupid; but I hope no harm has been done, for they
have not got the steamer yet," added Sampson, very much disconcerted at
the blunder he had made, though an older officer than Christy might have
had more charity for the ship-keeper.
Seen in broad daylight, there was no striking resemblance between Corny
and Christy, though they were of about the same size, and had some
traits in common. As Corny and his companions came in the Florence,
it was not very strange that Sampson should take it for granted that
Christy was one of the evening visitors. The voices of the two cousins
were not unlike, and the sound was all he had to guide his judgment.
Then he was not in the enemy's country, and he could hardly have been
on the lookout for an enemy several miles up the river.
"Certainly no harm has been done, Sampson; but it is yet to be decided
whether or not the Bellevite is to go into the navy of the United States
or the navy of the Confederate States," added Christy, leaving the
engine-room.
"If we have snuffed the whole thing, I don't believe this steamer will
ever wear anything but the Stars and Stripes," said Sampson stoutly; and
there could be no doubt in regard to his loyalty, judging from his
speech, though that is not always to be trusted in time of war.
"Bellevite, ahoy!" shouted some one at the foot of the accommodation
steps.
"Have they come again so soon?" asked Sampson, as he rushed to the rail.
"It is only a small canoe."
"Is Christy on board?" called the visitor alongside.
"That is Mr. Vapoor: tell him I am on board," added Christy.
"Christy is on board, sir," replied Sampson to the hail. "Will you come
on board, sir?"
Paul Vapoor would and did come on board, and Christy gave him a hearty
welcome, for he was more glad to see him than he had ever been before in
his life.
"Where have you been all day and all the evening, Christy?" asked the
engineer. "Your mother and sister are very much worried about you, for
they have not seen you for a long time, and they fear that something has
happened to you."
"Something is likely to happen to me and all the rest of us who expect
to go to sea in this steamer," replied Christy, as he proceeded to
inform his friend as briefly as he could of the great event of the
evening.
"Well, if we are not in the enemy's country, the enemy are in ours,"
replied Paul. "What is to be done?"
"That is what I have been thinking of. I listened very attentively to
all that passed between Major Pierson and Captain Carboneer, and I am
satisfied that the latter has a considerable force somewhere on the
river, and their headquarters are at the mouth of a creek five miles
down the river."
"How many have they?" asked the engineer.
"I don't know; they did not mention the number in figures, but they have
enough to work the ship, and even to fight her," replied Christy, very
seriously.
"That means forty or fifty, at least," added Paul. "This looks like a
heavy matter, and it is quite time that something was done about it."
"But what shall we do is the question," said Christy anxiously. "We have
two men on board beside ourselves, and we can hardly expect to hold our
own against fifty."
"Who is this Captain Carboneer?"
"I saw him at Nassau, and he looked like a man of decision and
character. I don't know anything about him, but I have no doubt he is
a naval officer, both from the circumstances and from what I heard.
I should say that he knows what he is about. You said that my father
has not yet returned from the city?"
"He had not come at ten o'clock, and if he comes at all, the late train
does not arrive till after twelve."
"It may be too late to do anything at that time," said Christy. "But I
don't mean to give up the ship."
"Good! I am with you on that point, Christy. I called at your house to
inform you that you had been appointed a midshipman in the navy, and you
are likely to have a chance to christen your commission to-night. This
was all the rank they could give you, though you will really be a passed
midshipman, and be a master very soon."
Christy was delighted with this news, though he had no time to make a
demonstration of delight over it. He had narrowly escaped being the
third officer of the Bellevite the year before, because his father did
not believe in putting him forward as fast as his abilities would have
warranted him in doing. Captain Breaker and Paul Vapoor had made the
application for a position in the navy; for his father would not do it,
for the reason that he did not wish to ask any favors for a member of
his own family.
"I thank you and Captain Breaker for all you have done for me, Paul, and
I hope I shall be able to give a good account of myself. But we have no
time to talk about that now. Captain Carboneer was waiting for a steamer
which his naval associate, Lieutenant Haslett, was to charter or buy for
the use of the party," said Christy, as he led the way to the forward
deck of the steamer.
He and the engineer mounted the top-gallant forecastle, and looked
intently down the river. The tide was coming in, so that the vessel, in
coming up to her cable, pointed in that direction. But they could see
nothing, not a craft of any description. Then Christy led the way to
the long gun mounted amidships. He sighted across the piece, and, in a
moment more, his mind seemed to have settled on the policy to be pursued
in the present dangerous emergency. Perhaps the capture of a steamer
under such circumstances was a thing unheard of at that time, but
doubtless it looked simple enough to those who were engaged in the
enterprise.
"Do you think of engaging the enemy at long range, Christy?" asked Paul,
with a smile on his fine face, as seen by the light of the lantern which
Sampson had brought to the place.
"I think of beating them off in any way we can," replied the middy,
as his friends all called him from that time. "I have the gun pointing
to a certain object on the river, which Captain Carboneer's steamer must
pass. He can't help putting his craft where the muzzle of this piece
will cover it; and if we pull the lock-string at that instant, the shot
will knock his steamer all to pieces, and spill the conspirators into
the river."
"If you hit her," suggested Paul.
"You can't very well help hitting her. Just squint along that gun, and
see where the shot will bring up."
Paul complied with this request, and took a long look over the great
gun.
"I should say that it was pointed a little too high," said he.
"Perhaps it is; I have not fixed it just as I mean to have it. We will
put in the charge before we do that," added Christy, who was now as
self-possessed as though there was no excitement attending the operation
he was arranging.
"Do you know what steamer Captain Carbine will have?" asked Paul.
"Not Carbine; Carboneer. No, I don't know what steamer he will have;
only that she is an old one, and has a walking-beam," replied Christy.
"That is rather indefinite, midshipman," added Paul, with a smile. "You
can't always tell what a steamer is by looking at her, especially in the
night; and a walking-beam is not a novelty on a steamer upon this river.
You may send that shot through the wrong vessel; and if you should
happen to kill a dozen or two of loyal citizens of the State of New
York, they might be mean enough to hang you, or send you to the State
prison for life for it. It won't do to fire off a shotted gun like that
baby without knowing pretty well what you are shooting at."
"That is a long argument, Paul; and I have not the remotest idea of
doing any such thing as you describe. I am going to know what we are
firing at before we pull the lock-string," replied Christy, rather
impatiently. "But we have no time to dig up mare's nests. We will get
up the ammunition and load this gun; then we will do the rest of the
business."
As ship-keeper and a member of the engineer's department for the last
year, Sampson knew where everything was to be found. With all the usual
precautions, the magazine was opened, and ammunition enough for three
charges was conveyed to the deck, Warping having been called in to
assist in the work. The gun was carefully loaded under the direction of
Christy, who had been fully instructed and drilled in the duty. It was
pointed as nearly as practicable to the point in the channel which the
hostile steamer must pass, though the aim was to be rectified at the
last moment.
Paul went to his stateroom and took off his handsome uniform, replacing
it with a suit of his working garments. Then he hastened to the engine,
examined it, and satisfied himself that it was in good condition for the
office which was soon to be required of it. He gave Sampson particular
directions for his duty, and then went down the accommodation steps with
the midshipman.
"What are you going to do next, Christy?" asked Paul, for the young
naval officer had been too busy with his preparations to develop his
plan in full.
"We will go ashore first, and I will take the Florence to the
boat-house," replied Christy. "The next thing to be done is to make
a reconnoissance down the river."
"Why not go down in the Florence?" suggested Paul.
"Because that would be too simple and innocent altogether," replied the
middy; and perhaps he felt some of the dignity of his new rank. "I think
we had better see without being seen, especially as Captain Carboneer
has seen and sailed the sloop. I have no doubt he has a sharp, nautical
eye, and that he will recognize her. He might be rash enough to capture
her, and thus deprive the United States Navy of two young, but able and
hopeful officers, to say nothing of bottling them up so that he could
make short work of the Bellevite."
"You are right, Christy, as you always are. But see your mother before
you do anything, and I will obey orders. She worries about you."
They landed and hastened to the mansion.