Part 24 (1/2)
”Do you think you would have kept your promise to have Captain f.l.a.n.g.er land me at Key West, if I had been weak enough to go on board of his steamer?” demanded Christy.
”You are fighting on one side, and I am fighting on the other, Christy; and I suppose either of us is justified in lying and breaking his promises in the service of his country.”
”You are fighting on your side at a very convenient distance from the battle-ground, Percy.”
”I am fighting here because I can render the best service to my country in this particular place,” replied the young Southerner with spirit.
”I am sure I could not do anything better for my country than send you back to the Confederate prison from which you escaped.”
”Even if you violate the neutrality of the place,” suggested Christy.
”The British government was ready to declare war against the United States when a couple of Confederate commissioners were taken out of an English steamer by a man-of-war. Do you suppose that when this outrage is known, England will not demand reparation, even to the restoring of the victim to his original position on this island? I hope you have considered the consequences of this violation of the neutrality of the place.”
”I don't bother my head about matters of that sort. I have talked about it with my father, and I think he understands himself,” replied Percy very flippantly.
”I don't think he does. I have the same rights in Na.s.sau that you and your father possess. You are carrying on the war on neutral ground; and no nation would permit that.”
”I am no lawyer, Christy. I only know that you have done a great deal of mischief to our cause in the Gulf, as set forth in the letters of your uncle to my father.”
”But I have fought my battles in the enemy's country, or on the open sea; and I have not done it while skulking under a neutral flag,”
replied the naval officer, with quite as much spirit as his adversary in the debate. ”You and Captain f.l.a.n.g.er, with the co-operation of your father, it appears, are engaged in a flagrant outrage against the sovereignty of England.”
”My father has nothing to do with it; I will take back what I said about him,” added Percy, evidently alarmed at the strength of the argument against him.
”You told me that you had talked with your father about the case.”
”But I withdraw that statement; he knows nothing about it.”
”You make two diametrically opposite statements; and I am justified in accepting the one that suits me best as the truth. If Captain f.l.a.n.g.er does not hang me to the yard-arm as soon as he gets me into blue water, I shall make my complaint to the United States government as soon as I have an opportunity to do so; and I have no doubt you and your father will have permission to leave Na.s.sau, never to return.”
Percy was silent, and appeared to be in deep thought. Captain f.l.a.n.g.er had returned to the spot from the boat, and had listened to the last part of the discussion.
”Captain f.l.a.n.g.er understands enough of international law to see that I am right,” continued Christy, when Percy made no reply.
”The people here treat us very handsomely, my little larky,” said Captain f.l.a.n.g.er, with a coa.r.s.e laugh. ”I am not to be scared out of my game by any such bugbears as you talk about. But I am willing to say this, my little rooster: I have no intention to hang you to the yard-arm, as you hinted that I might.”
”At noon to-day you swore that you would kill me.”
”I have altered my mind, as I told you before,” growled the commander of the Snapper, with very ill grace, as though he was ashamed because he had abandoned his purpose to commit a murder. ”I am not what you call a temperance man; and when I get ash.o.r.e, and in good company, I sometimes take a little more good whiskey than it is prudent; but I don't drink anything on board of my s.h.i.+p. To cut it short, I was a little too much in the wind when I said I was going to kill you. I am sober now.”
”I think you must be able to see what the consequences of murdering a person captured on British soil would be, Captain f.l.a.n.g.er,” suggested Christy.
”As I have told you twice before, I do not intend to murder you,” said the captain angrily. ”I am going to put you back in the prison from which you escaped; that's all. No more talk; take him to the boat.”
The two men at Christy's side marched him down to the boat, and seated him in the stern. The rest of the party took places, and shoved off. In half an hour the boat was alongside the Snapper.
CHAPTER XXII
ON BOARD OF THE SNAPPER