CHAPTER XXII
THE STRANGER IN THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN
The Bronx had been absent from the station hardly more than thirtyhours; but she had accomplished the mission with which she had beencharged in her secret orders. The Vernon was still at anchor near theflag-ship. Christy hastened on board of the latter to make his report,which he had written out during the passage; in fact, he had tworeports, one of the capture of the Bronx, and the other of theFloridian.
"You have done your work very promptly, Captain Passford," said thecommodore with a smile.
"The circumstances favored me, sir," replied Christy, bowing. "I desireto call your attention to the first of the two reports I submit, for thefirst battle I was called upon to fight was on board of the Bronx."
"On board of the Bronx!" exclaimed the flag-officer. "Do you mean thatyou had a mutiny to suppress?"
"I had not the honor to communicate with you yesterday before the Bronxsailed for her destination; but I believe you were called upon to decideupon the identity of the officer who presented himself to you as thelieutenant appointed to the command of the Bronx, introduced by CaptainBattleton of the Vernon."
"I was hardly called upon to decide anything, for the matter in doubthad been settled by the commander of the Vernon before it came to myknowledge; but I agreed with him that the commission ought to settle thepoint. Are you not the officer presented to me by Captain Battleton,Captain Passford?" asked the commodore, gazing earnestly into the faceof Christy.
"I am not, sir."
"You are not! Who are you, then?"
"I am Lieutenant Christopher Passford."
"Who was the other officer?"
"He was not an officer, either of the navy or the army, but my cousin,Cornelius Passford, a soldier in the Confederate army."
"I am amazed, and I fear the officers in charge at Brooklyn are not ascautious as they should be. Not long ago a steamer had to return to thenavy-yard there because her machinery had been tampered with; and theenemy are putting men on board of steamers for the purpose of capturingthem. Where is your cousin now, Captain Passford?"
"He is a prisoner on board of the Bronx, with two Confederate navalofficers who were his associates in the conspiracy; and we have also twoseamen," replied Christy, who proceeded to give the narrative in full ofthe work done on board of the Bronx on the evening of the day she sailedfrom the station.
The sea was smooth, and the commander of the Bronx was directed to bringher alongside the flag-ship. As soon as this was done, all the prisonerson board of her were transferred to the custody of the commodore.Christy introduced his uncle Homer to the flag-officer, suggesting thathe was a non-combatant, and stating that he had offered to put him onshore at St. Andrew's Island.
"I think you are correct in your view, Captain Passford, though probablyhe is of more service to the Confederate government, as your father isto our own, than a score of sailors or soldiers; but modern civilizationdoes not hold civilians as prisoners of war. Besides, he is doing somuch to provide our vessels with prizes in the matter of cotton ships,that it would be a pity to take him out of his sphere of usefulness tous," added the commodore with a smile.
"The other men in the sloop, with the exception of the skipper, firedupon my boat, and wounded an officer and a seaman."
"They were taken in arms, and therefore they are prisoners. But you lostall your commissioned officers but one in the affair on board of theBronx, Captain Passford."
"I did, sir; and I was obliged to fill their places;" and Christydescribed the men he had appointed.
"There are no officers here that I can give you in their places, and Iam obliged to order you away immediately on another expedition. TheFloridian is a valuable prize; and I must send her to New York, for I amconfident the government will purchase her for the navy. Your actinglieutenants must continue to serve as such for the present."
"I ask for no better officers, sir. They are well educated, and havehad a great deal of experience as sailors outside of the navy," repliedChristy.
At this time the preparations for the reduction of the forts on theMississippi were in progress, and every available vessel was called intoactivity. The Bronx had been built for a blockade-runner, and for asteamer of her size she was of exceptional speed. The vessels of theEastern Gulf squadron were employed to a considerable extent indestroying salt works on the west coast of Florida; but the commodorewas not disposed to order the fleet little gunboat upon such service.
"Is the Bronx in condition for immediate service, Captain Passford?"asked the flag-officer.
"She is, sir; she has not been in action since her crew was reinforced,"answered Christy.
"I did not expect your return so soon, but I have your sealed ordersready. You will get under way as soon as possible," added the commodore,handing him the sealed envelope. "You will make your course south-west,and open your orders at twelve o'clock to-night."
The commander of the Bronx left the cabin where the interview had takenplace. On the deck he met his uncle, who was curious to know what was tobe done with him.
"I can only say that you will not be held as a prisoner of war; but Imust leave you in the hands of the flag-officer, who will dispose of youas he thinks best. I sail in the Bronx immediately."
Christy hastened on board of his vessel, after hastily shaking handswith uncle Homer. All the prisoners had been removed from her, and thecommodore had sent a ship's company to the Floridian to relieve theprize crew in charge of her. He had only to wait for Mr. Flint and themen attached to the Bronx; and they came on board within an hour.
"You will call all hands, Mr. Flint," said the commander, as soon as theexecutive officer appeared on the deck; and the call of the boatswain'smate sounded through the vessel.
"I came on board to pay my respects to you, Captain Passford," saidCaptain Battleton of the Vernon, who had been waiting for him. "Thingshave changed since I last saw you. I do not know whether I ought toapologize to you for my decision on board of the Vernon, or not."
"Not at all, Captain Battleton," replied Christy, taking the hand of thecommander of the store-ship. "The flag-officer sustained your decision;and with my commission in the pocket of my cousin, I do not see that youcould have adjusted the question in any other manner. I assure you Ihave not a particle of ill-feeling towards you on account of what youdid in the discharge of your duty."
"But I do not quite understand the matter yet. You disappeared verysuddenly; and when I wanted to present you to the commodore, you couldnot be found," added the captain of the Vernon. "I am very curious toknow what became of you."
"I came on board of the Bronx, and put myself in a place where youwere least likely to look for me,--under the berth in the captain'sstateroom. I was at home there, for I had occupied the room while I wasthe acting commander of the vessel on her voyage to the Gulf. But youmust excuse me now, for I am ordered to get under way at once; and theship's company of the Floridian have reported on board."
"I may yet be called upon to serve under you some time in the future;and I did not wish to have any prejudice against me on account of mydecision, in which my officers concurred."
"I have not the slightest prejudice against you and while we stand bythe Union, shoulder to shoulder, we shall be friends," replied Christy,warmly pressing the hand of the captain of the Vernon.
Captain Battleton returned the pressure as heartily as it had beengiven, and departed from the gunboat. The commander gave the order tothe first lieutenant to get under way; and the fasts were cast off fromthe flag-ship. The Bronx backed away from her, came about, and was readyto proceed on her voyage to the destination as yet unknown on board ofher.
"Make the course south-west, Mr. Flint," said the commander, as soon asthe vessel was ready, and her screw was in motion.
"South-west," repeated the first lieutenant, addressing thequartermaster who was conning the wheel.
Standing on the bridge with the executive officer, Christy took hisleave mentally of th
e flag-ship, and the few other vessels that wereon the station; for most of them were on duty in various expeditionsengaged in the destruction of salt works. A boat expedition had justcaptured Appalachicola, with all the vessels loading with cotton inthe bay. The young commander congratulated himself that he had a faststeamer, for that caused him to be employed in more active duty than thework of destruction on shore.
"South-west," said Mr. Flint, after the port watch had been dismissed,leaving the starboard with Mr. Camden as watch officer on deck."I thought it probable that we should be sent to Appalachicola afterthe information the Russian gave us."
"The boats of the Mercidita and Sagamore have captured the place, andpicked up five or six small vessels loaded with cotton, I was informedby the commodore," replied Christy.
"We are bound to the westward, and the course looks as though we mightbe ordered up the Mississippi," suggested Mr. Flint.
"I hardly think so, though I should be pleased to have it so."
"Why do you think it is not likely, Captain Passford?" asked theexecutive officer curiously.
"Because the Bronx is a fast vessel compared with most of the steamersof the navy, hardly any of which are good for more than twelve knots anhour, while this ship will make sixteen when she is driven, and fourteenunder ordinary circumstances when we are not trying to save coal. Ofcourse I have no idea what duty we are to perform, and I am not anxiousto know till the time comes, though midnight is a rather odd time toopen the envelope."
"Probably the odd time means something."
"No doubt of it; for to-morrow morning by four bells we shall be off thepasses of the Mississippi, and our mission may be up Lake Pontchartrain,or at Ship Island. But let that matter rest, for in three hours and ahalf we shall know all about it. I want to ask you about the man youcall the Russian."
"He is a good man, and quite as intelligent as any of our seamen. He isa pilot on the coast of Florida, and may be farther to the westward sofar as I know. He is forty-seven years old, though he does not look it,and has been to sea all his life. By the way, that Captain Flanger hasdone some business as a smuggler, Mike informs me."
"He looks like a desperate character," added Christy, as he went belowto attend to his supper, which he had so far neglected.
Dave was standing by the door when he entered his cabin. Seated at thetable was a man of stalwart frame, who was helping himself to the viandsprepared for the commander, and making himself entirely at home.
"Good-evening, Captain Passford; I hope you are all right. I waited areasonable time for you to come below to supper; but as you did notappear, I have made myself at home, for my appetite has been somewhatstimulated to-day," said the stranger.
The commander looked at the man; but he did not know him.