A SATISFACTORY ORDER
Whatever had happened to the Bellevite, it was plain enough now to
Christy that she had repaired the injury, for the speck in the distance
was assuming the form of a steamer. The discovery was not calculated to
fan the hopes of Captain Carboneer and his officers, though the two
Unionists on board of the Yazoo were elated. The chase was continued
till the middle of the afternoon, when the Bellevite opened fire with
her heavy midship gun.
"Mr. Passford, your ship has opened fire upon us, and I will not compel
you to expose yourself to it," said Captain Carboneer, as one of the
shots from the Bellevite dropped into the water near the Yazoo. "You are
at liberty to retire to any part of the vessel you desire, with your
companion."
"Thank you, sir; you are very kind; and as I don't care to be shot by my
friends, I will go below," replied Christy.
It was hardly safer below than on deck, and it was not likely that the
resolute commander of the Yazoo would allow her to be captured as long
as he could make any resistance. Christy got the idea from the decision
he had observed in the face and expression of Captain Carboneer, that
the only way to capture the steamer would be to knock her to pieces. He
expected to be saved from the fate of a prisoner of war, but he was not
ready to believe that the Yazoo would be sent to the North as a prize.
She had not half the force of the Bellevite, either in men or guns,
and it had been proved that her speed could not save her. But all the
chances of accidents were to be incurred, and no one could predict the
final result.
Christy and Beeks went below, and seated themselves in the wardroom of
the ship. It looked as though it had been altered from the dining-saloon
of a passenger steamer for its present use. But the vessel was an
elegant affair, and Christy thought it was evident from what he saw
that she had been built for a steam-yacht by some British magnate. She
was not more than two-thirds as large as the Bellevite.
The sound of the firing indicated that the Bellevite was gaining on the
chase even more rapidly than in the morning. At the end of a couple of
hours more she seemed to be within a mile, or perhaps less. The Yazoo
was shaking in every fibre of her steel body, and it was plain that
Captain Carboneer was straining her to the utmost to effect his escape.
"It is beginning to warm up a little," said Beeks, as he tried to look
out at one of the round ports of the wardroom.
"It will be hotter than this before we see the end of it," replied
Christy. "Can you see anything?"
"Not a thing; of course the Bellevite is astern of us," added Beeks.
"But the Yazoo is not using her guns."
"How can she? She has not fired a shot for some time, and she cannot
without coming to. I should say she might as well do one thing as
another. She can't run away from the Bellevite, and she may as well
take her chances in a fight as a run."
"But the Bellevite does not seem to be handling her great gun at a very
lively rate," suggested Beeks.
"I suppose Captain Breaker wants to save all he can of the Yazoo, and
he knows that he can knock her all to pieces when he decides that it is
necessary."
"What is all that racket on deck?" asked Beeks.
"Probably they are getting a couple of stern chasers ready for use,"
answered Christy; and this explanation was soon proved to be correct by
the report of a gun at the stern of the Yazoo.
For the next half-hour, the firing from the Bellevite was more rapid,
and several crashes, produced by the striking of shot, were heard. It
was soon apparent that one of the stern chasers had been disabled; and
after a while the other ceased its noise. Beeks was so excited that
he left the wardroom, and found his way into what proved to be the
captain's cabin. More than one shot had come into it, and made no little
havoc. He found a port there through which he obtained a view of the
Bellevite. Whatever damage had been done to her, her engine was in
perfect order, for she was driving ahead at her best speed.
The quartermaster reported what he had seen to Christy, though it proved
nothing except that the Bellevite was all right, but everything began
to look more hopeful to the occupants of the wardroom. They had only to
wait, for they could do nothing. The pursuer had ceased to discharge her
guns, and those of the Yazoo were useless under present circumstances.
The situation was becoming more exciting on the deck of the Yazoo,
judging by the sounds that came from it. Then it was evident that the
Bellevite had returned to her former tactics, and was coming alongside
with the intention of boarding. Loud yells and fierce cries followed,
and then came the noise of a hand-to-hand struggle on the deck. It was
of short duration, for the ship's company of the Yazoo were outnumbered
at least two to one.
"I suppose we may go on deck now," said Beeks.
"I should judge that the fight was over," replied Christy, as he led the
way out of the wardroom.
At the companion-way they found two sailors assisting Captain Carboneer
to his cabin. His face was covered with blood, and he looked very pale.
The surgeon was close by him. Christy felt sincerely sorry for the
commander, for he was a noble and upright man. His protest had prevented
Major Pierson from attempting to carry out whatever plan he had in his
mind for the abduction of Florry Passford, and the young officer felt
grateful to him.
"Ah, Mr. Passford, the luck is on your side again," said the wounded
commander, when he saw Christy.
"Of course, I rejoice that it is so, but I am sincerely sorry that you
are wounded," replied Christy. "I must thank you for your interference
in behalf of my sister in opposition to the scheme of Major Pierson."
"How could you know anything about that?" asked the commander, bracing
himself up.
"I heard the whole of it."
"I see; but I did not consider that Major Pierson contemplated any
ruffianism," added Captain Carboneer, as the surgeon urged him to go
into his cabin.
Christy hastened on deck, and was warmly received by his fellow-officers
there. He reported on board to Captain Breaker without any delay, and
was warmly congratulated on his escape. He returned to his duty at once.
Paul Vapoor was inclined to hug him when he met him.
"I felt like a prisoner of war," said Christy, when he had told his
brief story. "The Bellevite was disabled, and I supposed it was all up
with me."
"A shot from the Killbright damaged our rudder, so that we could not
steer her; though we repaired the mischief after a considerable delay,"
replied the engineer. "But we have the prize."
"She was intended for a cruiser, and they call her the Yazoo."
"Whatever her name, she will not be a cruiser on that side."
The captured vessel was carefully surveyed; she had been considerably
damaged in the contest, but she was still seaworthy, and Mr. Blowitt was
appointed prize-master to take her to New York. All the arrangements
were speedily completed, and, when the prize had sailed for her
destination, Christy became the acting second lieutenant.
For the next month the Bellevite cruised in search of such craft as
the Killbright, and then she took her place on the blockade off Mobile
Bay, to which she had been ordered. Mr. Blowitt and the prize-crew had
returned, and all the damage done by the guns of the Yazoo had been
repaired, so that the Bellevite was in as good condition as when she
left the Navy Yard at Brooklyn. She captured several schooners, but no
very important prize. Many of the officers were disgusted with the
inactivity of the service.
In a letter from his father, Christy obtained the information that the
Bellevite was likely to be ordered to duty as a cruiser, for which her
great speed adapted her better than any other vessel in the navy. This
was cheering news to the discontented ones. But before any orders to
this effect was received, the ship was ordered to proceed to Pensacola,
where a very fast steamer was said to be awaiting an opportunity to get
to sea.
The position of the steamer was ascertained with no little difficulty;
but it was protected by the guns of the forts. Captain Breaker desired
to obtain better information in regard to the Teaser, as the negroes
said she was called. She was quite small, and carried only a single long
gun, and it was suspected that she was a privateer. On the evening of
the Bellevite's arrival, the weather was rainy, foggy, and thick. It was
just the night for a blockade runner, and the captain believed that an
attempt would be made to get out at this time.
The Unionists held Fort Pickens, and the Confederates the forts on the
mainland. The negroes said the Teaser was anchored at the mouth of the
lagoon, or very near it. This was not very definite, even if it were
accepted as true. It was very important that the Teaser should not be
permitted to get out of the bay, for she might do a great deal of
mischief to the shipping of the nation.
"I don't believe the stories of the negroes," said Captain Breaker, as
he was discussing the situation with his officers. "I know the port very
well, and I have no idea where the mouth of the lagoon is, or even if it
has any mouth in Pensacola Bay."
"Wherever the Teaser may be waiting her chance, this is a good night for
a start," replied Mr. Dashington.
"Of course the officers of Fort Pickens are on the lookout for the saucy
little craft," added Mr. Blowitt.
"Captain Westover is still on board, and you are to send him to the
fort, are you not, Captain Breaker?" asked Christy.
"Yes; as soon as he is ready to go," replied the captain. "He has given
all the information he has in regard to the Teaser; but he has not seen
her to-day, and he does not believe she is in the lower bay, but that
she is somewhere in the vicinity of the Navy Yard."
"If you will excuse me, Captain Breaker, I don't believe she means to
come out by the main channel, for her people know that the eyes of the
officers of Fort Pickens are wide open," suggested Christy, with a good
deal of diffidence.
"How do you think she will come out, Mr. Passford?" asked the captain,
with a smile.
"By Santa Rosa Sound, sir," replied the third lieutenant.
"Possibly you are right, Mr. Passford, though I do not think you are,"
added the commander, thoughtfully. "Santa Rosa Sound is about forty
miles long, and there is hardly water enough in it, up and down, to
float a raft, to say nothing of a steamer."
But later in the day, the captain called Christy aside, and had a long
talk with him, the charts open before them. It certainly did not look
like a very hopeful enterprise to take a steamer through such a sound as
that described.
"But we have no correct information in regard to the anchorage of the
Teaser, and I have decided to obtain it if possible. I propose to send
you to look into the matter, Mr. Passford," added the captain, settling
the question in that way. "Select your own boat and crew. But if the
Teaser gets by Fort Pickens, we may have to chase her to sea, and if on
your return you do not find the Bellevite, you and your men will remain
at Fort Pickens."
Christy was entirely satisfied with this order.