Part 5 (1/2)

It occurred to me that he deserted his vessel on account of the quarrel rather than for any other reason.”

”We need not bother our heads with that question, for it does not concern us; and we will leave the captain and his mate to fight it out when they meet to-morrow, for it is plain enough that the West Wind cannot go to sea with no mate and only two hands before the mast,”

returned Christy, who was hastening forward to discharge what he considered his first duty thus far developed by the events of the night.

”What time is it now, Charley? I have a watch, but no matches.”

The engineer's cigar had gone out when he lighted it before, and he had put it in a pocket of his sack coat. Putting it in his mouth, he struck a match, and consulted his watch.

”Quarter of one, Christy; and we have plenty of time,” he replied as he lighted his cigar; for he thought it would help him to maintain his indifference in whatever event might be next in order.

”But we have no time to spare,” added the lieutenant, as he increased the rapidity of his pace. ”Our five pairs of men must have readied the vicinity of the fort before this time, for we have had a long conference with those spreeists.”

”About an hour and a half; and the information we have obtained will fully pay for the time used.”

”No doubt of it; and we must hurry up in order to make a good use of it,” said Christy. ”The fog is lifting just now, as it has been doing all the evening, and we can see the fort. There are very few people about; for it cannot be an uncommon event to see a blockade-runner get under way.”

It was not probable that any of the persons in sight were soldiers, for they had abundant opportunity to see all there was to be seen within the solid walls that sheltered them. The rapid pace at which the lieutenant led his companion soon brought them to the group of people near the sh.o.r.e of the channel leading to Pilot Town. The five pairs of seamen were well scattered about, as they had been instructed to be, and they did not appear to have attracted the attention of the others in the vicinity.

Pair No. Three were the first of the party the officers encountered, and no others appeared to be near them. One of them was smoking his pipe, and both of them were taking it very easily. Not far from them was a knot of men who seemed to be disturbed by some kind of an excitement.

As the couple encountered manifested no interest in the affair, Christy concluded that they must know something about it, unless they were extremely scrupulous in adhering to the orders given them.

”What is the row there, French?” asked Christy in a low and guarded tone, though there was no stranger very near him.

”The man in the middle is the captain of that schooner you see off the sh.o.r.e, sir. His mate and three of his crew have deserted the vessel, and he can't go to sea without them,” replied French.

”They say the steamer ahead is to tow the schooner out; but the captain cannot go because he has only two men left,” added Lines, the other man of the pair.

”Do you know where to find Nos. One and Two?” continued the leader of the expedition.

”I do not, sir; for we keep clear of each other, as we were ordered,”

answered French, as he looked about him for the men designated.

”You two will separate, and find One and Two. Send them to me, and I will wait here for them,” added Christy; and the men departed on the errand. ”While I am waiting for them, Mr. Graines, you may go down to that group, and pick up what information you can.”

The engineer sauntered down the declivity, smoking his cigar, and making himself as much at home on the enemy's territory as though he had been the commander of the Confederate fort. Christy was not kept long in waiting, and the first pair that reported to him were Weeks and Bingham.

No. One. The former was the oiler who had been selected on account of his ingenuity and good judgment by Graines.

”Are you a sailor as well as a machinist, Weeks?” asked Christy.

”I am not much of a sailor, sir, though I have handled a schooner.

I have been a boatman more or less of the time all my life,” replied the oiler modestly.

By this time No. Two, Lane and McGrady, reported, but French and Lines kept their distance, in conformity with the spirit of their orders.

”Nos. One and Two will return to the whaleboat, and Weeks will be in command of the party,” continued Christy. ”The rest of you will obey him as your officer. Is this understood?”

”Ay, ay, sir,” responded the three men.