Taken by the Enemy, the Enemy by Oliver Optic [the beach read TXT] 📗

took a look all around the tug.

"What am I to do?"

"I haven't told you all I know about steering the boat for nothing, Percy, and you will remain at the wheel. But I wonder what that is over in the north-west," added Christy, as he took the glass from the shelf, and pointed it out the after window of the pilot-house.

"I think I can steer her all right now. What do you see over there?"

"I believe there is a steamer coming down from that direction," replied Christy anxiously, as he brought the glass to bear on the object in sight.

"A steamer!" exclaimed Percy. "That will mix things with us."

"Perhaps it will. It is a steamer, but it looks like a river boat, at any rate, it is not a tug. She is headed this way."

272 Christy was a good deal disturbed by the discovery he made; and giving no further attention to his companion, he continued to study the approaching craft, at the same time endeavoring to account for her appearance. His uncle Homer had gone to find some one who was to render assistance in preventing the Bellevite from leaving the bay, and becoming a part of the navy of the Union.

He had not succeeded in finding the person he sought, but he had had abundance of time to go to Mobile; and Christy feared that this steamer coming down from the north-west might be intended for the capture of the Bellevite, in which case she must be armed and provided with an ample force for the purpose.

"That is not a tug-boat: she is a river or a bay steamer, and I am afraid she is faster than this thing," said Christy, when he had obtained all the information he could at the present time. "At any rate, we have no time to spare. Do you think you can steer the Leopard, Percy?"

"I know I can," replied he confidently.

"The boat with the major in it is losing a 273 good deal by lee-way, for he seems to be making no allowance for it."

"What does that mean?" asked Percy, puzzled by the statement.

"She has the wind on her beam, and she drifts to the north almost as much as she goes ahead. He ought to head her for some point to the southward of the Bellevite; but the more mistakes he makes, the better it will be for us."

"I see that he don't seem to be headed anywhere in particular."

"Now, Percy, I am going below to have it out with Spikeley," continued Christy, taking the revolver from his pocket, while he drew a box of cartridges from another. "The Bellevite drifts as well as the boat; but they don't let her go far to the north where the shoal water is, and they turn the screw enough to keep her pretty nearly in the same position."

"I am to steer for her, of course," added Percy.

"No: there is something that looks like buildings on the shore, at least five miles beyond the steamer. Do you see them?"

"I do."

"Run for them; and this course will carry you 274 a considerable distance to the southward of the boat. I shall be near you all the time; and if you get bothered, sing out for me, and I will help you out."

"Don't you think I had better go below with you, so as to make a sure thing with the engineer?"

"I can handle him alone; or, if I find that I cannot, I will call for you. Now, look out very closely for your steering, and don't let her wobble any more than you can help."

Christy left the pilot-house, after he had put six cartridges into his revolver, and restored the weapon to his pocket. He had already made up his mind as to the manner in which he proposed to dispose of the engineer. He descended the ladder to the forecastle of the tug; but before he proceeded to the important task before him, he made a careful survey of the accommodations of the steamer, though she did not appear to be different from a score of similar vessels he had visited in making his studies.

Under the pilot-house was the galley, which was also the mess-room of the crew when she had any. Forward of this, and under the forward deck, was 275 the forecastle, to which the inquirer descended. It was fitted up with bunks, and there was only one entrance to it, by a ladder from a scuttle in the deck.

The scuttle was the interesting point with him; and he saw that it was provided with a hasp and staple, so that the entrance could be secured by a padlock, though that was missing. Getting a piece of wood from the deck, he made a toggle that would fit the staple, and put the scuttle in a convenient place. Leaving the forward deck, he went aft, taking another look at the steamer in the north-west; but he could hardly see her with the naked eye, and he thought she must be at least five miles off.

"Where is your bunk, Mr. Spikeley?" asked Christy, as he went to the door of the engine-room.

"What's that to you, youngster?" demanded the engineer; and possibly it did not comport with his dignity to be bossed by a boy.

"It is rather important for me to know just now," replied Christy, looking as savage as it was possible for a good-natured boy to look.

"What do you want to know for?" asked Spikeley.

276 "I happen to be in command of this tug for the present moment, and I want an answer without stopping all day to talk about it."

"Well, youngster, I don't reckon I'll tell you any thing about it. I get my orders from Major Pierson," replied the engineer sourly.

"The Leopard is in my charge, and I must ask you to show me where your bunk is; and after you have done that, I shall ask you to get into it, and stay there," said Christy, with decision enough for the needs of the occasion.

At the same time he took the revolver from his pocket, and pointed it towards the head of the engineer.

"You can take your choice, Mr. Spikeley: you can get into your bunk, or have your carcass thrown into the bay; and you haven't got a great while to think of it."

The engineer seemed to be properly impressed by the sight of the weapon, and he could see that the chambers contained cartridges. He rose from his seat, and moved towards the door of the engine-room.

"I heard some of the men say you was a Yank, and I reckon you be," said Spikeley. "What are you go'n to do?"

277 "I am going to get you into your bunk, where you will be more comfortable than you are here. Move on!"

The man obeyed; for he was unarmed, and he did not like the looks of the revolver. Without another word, he moved forward, and descended to the forecastle. As soon as he was below the deck, Christy closed the scuttle, and secured it with the toggle.

278 CHAPTER XXV THE FIRST LESSON FOR A SAILOR

As the engineer was a cripple, Christy Passford had not expected to have any difficulty in bringing him to terms; and the result justified his calculations. The Leopard was now practically in his possession, for Captain Pecklar was the only person on board, except Percy, who could give him any trouble; and he was too feeble to do any thing.

Percy seemed to be very busy in the pilot-house, going through imaginary evolutions at the wheel, and supposing all sorts of orders, and all kinds of positions in which the tug might be placed. He did not seem even to observe what his companion was doing, though the engineer had been driven into the forecastle in plain sight from the window of the pilot-house.

"The Engineer Obeyed" (Page 277)

The long-boat was still struggling through the 279 waves on her way to the Bellevite, and could hardly have made any worse weather of such a comparatively mild sea. But she had made some considerable progress, for the boat was now making a proper allowance for leeway, and the soldiers were improving in their rowing, possibly under the direction of the major, who could not help seeing how badly they had been doing.

Christy decided to ascertain more definitely the condition of Captain Pecklar, for reports in in regard to him were conflicting. He went to his state-room, and found him in his berth. He certainly looked like a very sick man, though he appeared to be in no immediate danger, so far as the new captain of the Leopard was able to judge from his appearance.

"How do you find yourself, Captain Pecklar?" asked Christy in sympathetic tones; for he really pitied the poor man, far away from his friends, and apparently on the very brink of the grave.

"I am a great deal better," replied the invalid, looking earnestly into the face of the young man in front of him.

"I am glad to hear it. Major Pierson has gone 280 in the boat to the Bellevite for Dr. Linscott, and I am sure he will be able to do something for you when he comes," added Christy.

"When he comes," repeated Captain Pecklar, with a smile on his thin and blue lips. "I don't expect to see him at present."

"But the major has gone for him; at least, he told me he should."

"I have no doubt he told you so; but he has not gone for the doctor, though I may see the surgeon of the steamer in the course of the day," replied the captain, turning his gaze upon the floor of his room, as though his mind troubled him as much as his body.

"If the major has not gone for the doctor, what has he gone for?" asked Christy.

"I know what he has gone for; and, as you belong on board of that steamer, I should think you might easily imagine."

"Perhaps I can," added Christy rather vaguely.

"Was it necessary for a major and a lieutenant, with six soldiers, to go for the doctor, when five at the most could have done it better? But have they gone?" asked the captain anxiously.

"They have; they started some time ago. They 281 are making bad weather of it, for they don't know how to handle the boat in a sea," replied Christy.

"They have gone!" exclaimed Captain Pecklar, getting out of his bunk. "Then I need not stay in my berth any longer."

Christy looked at him with astonishment when he saw him get out of his berth without any apparent difficulty; for he certainly looked like a very sick man, though his appearance had somewhat improved since he left the pilot-house.

"Do you feel able to get up, captain?" asked he, as the sufferer put on his coat.

"I was exhausted and worn out by being on duty all night, and I had a faint turn; but I am subject to them. If you are the son of the man that owns that steamer, you will be able to understand me," replied the captain; and his feeble condition seemed to make him somewhat timid.

"I am the son of Captain Passford, who owns the Bellevite," added Christy.

"I should not have been down here now, if I could have got away; but they seem to hold on to me, for the reason that I am a pilot of 282 these waters. I was brought up in the pilot-house of a steamer; and they say I know the bottom of this bay better than any other man, though I have been here but two years."

"Then you are not in sympathy with the secession movement?"

"In sympathy with it? I hate the very sound of the word! I will tell you about it."

"Don't be long about it, for I have an affair on my hands," interposed Christy, though he was not sorry to have the advice of one who knew something about the situation in the vicinity.

"Only a minute. Major Pierson sent a glass of brandy to me, and I was fit to take my place in the pilot-house then, for I felt a great deal better; in fact, I was as well as usual, and I am now. But I had an idea what the major was about, and I did not want to take any part in getting your father's steamer into trouble. That's the whole of it; all I want is to get on board of her, and get out of this country."

"All right, Captain Pecklar!"