CHAPTER VIII.
SCENTING MUTINY.
The _Essex_ did not keep the _Alert_ long.
It was troublesome to tow such a vessel any distance, and the _LivelyBee_ had the first claim, as it was not quite seaworthy.
But while Captain Porter was deliberating what to do with his capture,an event occurred to hasten his resolve.
The crew of the _Lively Bee_ were very friendly with the men of the_Essex_, and the same feeling was entertained by the officers.
With one exception. For reasons we have already given, John Tempest wasnot welcomed on board the _Essex_.
The crew would have lionized him, but Captain Porter could not wellreceive him.
Middie Farragut was always finding excuses for visiting the _LivelyBee_, for he was fond of the company of Tempest.
On the third day after the capture of the _Alert_, the two youngmen--for man we must call Farragut, though not one in years--wereseated in the _Bee's_ cabin when Tempest whispered suddenly:
"You ought to be careful of those prisoners."
"What do you mean?"
"They are numerous, and you give them free run of the ship."
"Where is the danger?"
"Suppose they were to mutiny?"
Farragut laughed, but there was a little uneasiness in the laugh, forhe had thought of the same thing.
When he returned to the _Essex_ that night he hesitated whether to tellthe captain of his fears or not, but he decided that he would only belaughed at, so he held his peace.
It so happened that Captain Vernon was to stay all night on board the_Essex_, as the guest of Captain Porter, and Farragut was glad, for hethought that even one extra man on board would be of use in case ofmutiny.
With these thoughts on his mind he threw himself in his hammock and wassoon asleep.
But he dreamed of mutiny.
His brain would not rest.
Several times he listened, but all was still, save for the regulartramp of the men on duty.
Once a strange feeling of fear came over him.
He opened his eyes cautiously and saw the coxswain of the captain's gigof the _Alert_ standing over him, with a pistol in one hand and a bigknife in the other.
Farragut knew the man was a prisoner, and, seeing him armed, waspositive something was wrong.
"I shall be killed now," he thought, and closed his eyes again, lyingvery still.
He dare not move.
Expecting to feel the knife pierce to his heart every instant, he yethad sufficient control over himself to restrain his desire to call out.
He opened his eyes slightly and saw the man move away.
He was muttering to himself, and Farragut heard him say:
"To-night! All are sleeping. Then for merry England."
Farragut slipped out of his hammock and crept cautiously to thecaptain's cabin.
Porter had dined well, and had drunk pretty deeply with his officersand guest.
It was the custom in those days, and no one was considered a gentlemanunless he could drink his two or three bottles of wine.
Farragut shook the captain.
"Hello! what is it?"
"Hush! on your life, hush!"
"What is it? David, what is the matter?"
"Hush, captain; don't speak aloud. The men of the _Alert_ have got tothe armory, and to-night are to mutiny!"
"How do you know?"
"Never mind now; but act at once, or it may be too late."
Captain Porter did not like being aroused out of his sleep.
Who does?
But Porter was a man of action, and was awake in an instant.
The captain was very strict about "fire drill," and was accustomed,so that his men might be ready for any emergency, to raise the cry of"Fire!" at all hours of the day or night, and often he caused a slightsmoke to be created in the hold to try the nerves of his men.
At the cry of "Fire!" every man seized his cutlass and blanket and wentto quarters as though the ship were about to go into action.
When he realized the import of Farragut's information, he ran on thedeck and shouted:
"Fire! fire!"
In an instant the crew were at their quarters in perfect order, everyman armed.
The mutineers thought that a bad time for their project, and waited.
But the captain was not satisfied.
He paraded all the prisoners and ordered them searched.
Nearly every man had some weapon concealed on his person.
When these were taken away, the prisoners were ordered back to theirquarters.
And early on the following morning they were put on the _Alert_, andthat vessel was sent to St. Johns as a cartel.
The _Essex_ was saved by the vigilance of young Middie Farragut, andthe records at Washington bear proof to the fact.
When off the Maine coast the _Lively Bee_ bade adieu to the _Essex_,and started for the Penobscot, where she could be put in fighting trimagain.
"I wish you were going with us, Tempest," said Farragut.
"So do I; but I cannot say I wish you were going with us."
"Why not?"
"The _Essex_ is a war ship, the _Lively Bee_ but a privateer," answeredTempest, sadly; for he still thought there was something of disgrace inbeing a privateer.
David Farragut, with a wisdom beyond his age, answered his friend:
"If I were not on the _Essex_, I would prefer to be on a privateer.Both are fighting for the same flag, and while we are bound by strictdiscipline, you can go where you like and fight when you please. Yoursis a glorious life, and I almost wish for it myself."
"Then you are not ashamed of me?"
"Ashamed? I am proud, and so will the country be when this war is over.We shall meet again--of that I am sure."
And so the two friends parted. They did meet again; they met when civilwar had rent the country in twain, for John Tempest was with AdmiralFarragut when New Orleans was surrendered, and again was on his shipin 1863, when in passing Port Hudson on the Mississippi, held by theConfederates, Farragut's son, then a boy of twelve, asked his father tolet him go to West Point.
"He has your grit," said Tempest, and then turning to the boy he added:"I served with your father when he was younger than you are."
"Times have changed," said the admiral.
"In what way?" asked the son.
"You could not stand fire, my boy."
"Try me, father."
Then came that magnificent test of courage which ought to be depictedon the walls of the Capitol by the greatest artist of the day.
"Come up here with me, my boy," said the admiral.
Farragut and his son went up together into the maintop; the old man hadhimself and boy lashed to it, and in this way they passed Port Hudson.
The Confederates saw the daring act. Sharpshooters took aim at theadmiral; a heavy gun was trained on that target, and the ball tore awaysome of the rigging, but neither father nor son flinched.
"My boy, you have the right pluck, you shall go to West Point," saidthe admiral when again he descended to the deck, and old John Tempest,then seventy years of age, exclaimed:
"God bless you, David! you are just like what your father was when Iknew him first."