Part 28 (1/2)
”Very true; your men fought the battle after you had left them. I have no more time to argue the question. Will you surrender your sword, or will you have the battle now? Two or three of my men will accommodate you with a fight on a small scale if you insist upon it.”
”Don't you intend to send me back to the Keys?” asked the captain, whose military education appeared to have been neglected, so that his ideas of a state of war were very vague.
”I have not the remotest idea of doing anything of the sort. Your sword, if you please.”
”This sword was presented to me by the citizens of my town--”
”Here, Boxie and Lanon, relieve this gentleman of his sword,” added Christy, as he saw the young lady coming up the companion way.
”Oh, I will give it up, if you really say so; but this is a queer state of things when my sword, presented to me by my fellow-citizens, is to be taken from me without any warrant of law,” said Captain Rowly, as he handed the sword to Christy, who returned it when it had done its duty as a token of submission.
The prisoner was marched to the forecastle of the Havana, and put under guard. Christy walked towards the young lady, who had evidently dressed herself for the occasion. She was not only young, but she was beautiful, and the young commander of the expedition was strongly impressed by her grace and loveliness. He had heard her speak in the gloom of the early morning, and she had a silvery voice. He could not but wonder what she was doing on board of a blockade runner.
”Good morning, Miss ---- I have not the pleasure of being able to call you by name,” Christy began as he touched his cap to her, and bowed his involuntary homage.
”Miss Pembroke,” she added.
”I trust you are as comfortable as the circ.u.mstances will permit, Miss Pembroke. I hope you have ceased to be alarmed, as you were when I saw you before.”
”I am not alarmed, but I am exceedingly anxious in regard to the future, Mr. ----”
”Mr. Pa.s.sford.”
”I only wish to know what is to become of us, Mr. Pa.s.sford.”
”You speak in the plural, Miss Pembroke, as though you were not alone.”
”I am not alone, sir; my father, who is an invalid, is in the cabin. The excitement of this morning has had a bad effect upon him.”
”I am sorry to hear it. I suppose you embarked in this steamer with the desire to reach some other place?”
”We reside in the State of New York, and all that remain of our family are on board of this steamer, and all we desire is to get home. We have lived two years in Southern Georgia for my father's health.”
Christy thought they would be able to reach New York.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE BEARER OF DESPATCHES
Christy had a.s.sured himself that the father of the beautiful young lady was a loyal citizen, and then he pointed out to her in what manner they might reach their home, which was at Newburgh on the Hudson. Mr.
Pembroke was not a wealthy man, though he had the means of supporting what was left of his family comfortably. But Christy had to ask to be excused, as the Bronx was but a short distance from the Havana.
He directed Mr. Amblen to stop her, so as to permit the gunboat to come alongside of her. As the Bronx came within hailing distance of the steamer towing the schooners, a hearty cheer burst from the crew on the forecastle of the former, for the prizes alongside of the Havana indicated the success of the expedition. The sea was smooth, and the naval steamer came alongside of the port schooner, and Christy, who had put himself in position to do so as soon as he understood her intention, sprang lightly on board of her.
Captain Blowitt was on the quarter deck, and the commander of the expedition hastened into his presence. Of course Christy could not help realizing that he had been successful, however the circ.u.mstances had aided him, and he felt sure of his welcome.
The commander of the Bronx was a man that weighed two hundred pounds, and his fat cheeks were immediately distended with laughter as soon as he saw his executive officer hastening towards him. He almost doubled himself up in his mirth as he looked into the young man's sober face, for Christy was struggling to appear as dignified as the importance of the occasion seemed to require of him. But the commander restrained himself as much as he could, and extended his hand to the first lieutenant, which the young man accepted, and received a pressure that was almost enough to crush his feebler paw. In spite of himself, he could not help laughing in sympathy with his superior.
”I am sorry you did not bring it all off with you, Mr. Pa.s.sford,” said Captain Blowitt, as soon as he was able to speak, for his risibles seemed to have obtained complete control of him.