"Do you say that the Bellevite is armed, Horatio?" repeated Homer.

"I do not say any thing about it. I find that I am in the presence of an enemy, though he is my own brother."

"Do not a.s.sume that tone to me, Horatio: it wounds me to the heart,"

said Homer, in a deprecatory tone. "If we are enemies because you choose to oppress our people, I cannot help it; but we will still be brothers."

"The attack upon Fort Sumter was made by the South; and thus far, at least to the extent that I have been informed, the South has been the a.s.sailant; and you say that I choose to oppress your people. They have taken the sword, and they will perish by the sword."

Captain Pa.s.sford could not trust his feelings any longer to remain with his brother, and he left the room. In the hall he met Florry, who had been lying in wait for him for over an hour. She threw herself on his neck as she had done before; but she found her father full of energy, and he was not even willing to use his minutes to caress her.

"What is the matter, papa?" asked the fair girl, astonished at the manner of her father, for she had never before seen him so agitated.

"Do not ask me any questions, Florry, for I have not time to answer them now," said he hastily. "Go to your room and pack all your things as quick as you possibly can, and without saying a word to any one."

"Why, papa!"

"Not a word, my dear child," he added, kissing her.

"It will not take me five minutes, papa; for I have been packing my trunk this afternoon, when I had nothing else to do."

"Where is your room, Florry?"

"It is on the lower floor, next to the library."

"I will be there in a few minutes. Dress yourself, and be ready to leave at a minute's notice," continued Captain Pa.s.sford. "Where is Christy?"

"He went out about an hour ago, when he saw from the window a young man I did not know," replied Florry, as she pa.s.sed into her room.

Captain Pa.s.sford wondered who the young man was whom his son had gone out to meet; for no one was allowed to leave the deck of the Bellevite who belonged to her, and he was not aware that Christy had any friend in the vicinity. He was annoyed at his absence, for he wanted him at that very moment.

Mrs. Pa.s.sford and Gerty were up-stairs, where nimble fingers were busily at work for the soldiers of the Southern Confederacy, as they were also in the North for the Union. The captain looked all about the house, but he could not see or hear of his son.

CHAPTER XV

BROTHER AT WAR WITH BROTHER

Captain Pa.s.sford was very much annoyed at the absence of Christy at that particular moment, for it seemed to be heavily laden with momentous events to him and his family; though Christy could not possibly know what had transpired in the library between the two brothers. He waited very uneasily in the hall, after his return from his search.

Homer Pa.s.sford did not come out of his library, and he sat brooding over the remarkable interview which had taken place between the brothers. No doubt he would have been glad to believe that he had been wrong; for he had nothing but the kindest feelings in the world towards his brother, and had never had in all his life. He was five years older than Horatio; and, in their earlier life, he had been to some extent his guardian and protector, and he had never lost the feeling of boyhood.

But he had proved himself to be a patriot of the severest type, and proposed to rob his brother of his steamer, his only means of conveying his daughter to his home, for the benefit of the fraction of the nation which he called his country, and more to prevent her from being transferred to the navy of the Union.

While the captain was waiting in the hall, the library door opened, and Homer presented himself. He invited his brother to return to the apartment, for he had something to say to him; but Horatio positively declined to do so, fearful that they might come to an open rupture if the exciting discussion was continued.

"But you will hear me a moment or two, will you not, Horatio?" asked Homer; and his lips quivered under the influence of his active thought.

"I will as long as that," replied Horatio.

"I have been thinking of the subject of our conversation in relation to the Bellevite; and I have something to propose to you, which I hope will satisfy you, and at the same time will not rob our Government of what now belongs to it."

"I am listening," added Horatio, as Homer paused to note the effect of his proposal.

"You did not tell me how you got by the forts in your steamer, and perhaps you are ready to do so now."

"I am not ready now; and I am not likely to be ready at any future time to do so, Homer. You have indicated that we are enemies, and each should keep his own counsels."

"Of course you will do as you think proper. I cannot reconcile myself to the idea of permitting a fine steamer like the Bellevite, now virtually in possession of the Confederacy, to sail away out of the bay. I feel that I should be guilty of treason to my country to do so."

"And you propose to steal her from your own brother, if you can. You have done a large business in stealing forts, and one ought not to be surprised when you propose to steal a ship," replied Horatio mildly but sternly.

"I pa.s.s over the injustice and unkindness on your part of that remark, and I hope you will accept my offer."

"Let me hear it as soon as possible."

"In spite of your present, unfortunate position, Horatio, I believe you are still a man of truth, honor, and integrity."

"Thank you, Homer."

"I do not wish to keep Florry here when her mother desires so much to see her, and I have hit upon a plan by which you can do this without making me a traitor to my country."

"It must have been a happy thought," added Horatio, somewhat interested in what the other was saying.

"I think it was a happy thought, and I sincerely hope you will be able to accept the plan. I have some little influence in this section, and I have no doubt I can procure a pa.s.s for your steamer to go to sea,"

continued Homer, pausing to study the expression of his brother.

"Do I understand that you propose to do this, Homer?" asked Captain Pa.s.sford, not a little astonished at the apparent change his brother had made in his position.

"On a certain condition, which you can easily meet."

"It looks as though you were becoming more reasonable. What is the condition on which you will do this? For I should certainly prefer to have no shots fired at the Bellevite while Florry is on board of her."

"As I have said, your word is as good as your bond; and I am willing to accept the consequences of the step I propose to take, since the Confederacy will not suffer any loss or detriment on account of it."

"It will not!" exclaimed the captain, beginning to see that he could not accept the conditions.

"It will not. I could not injure or cheat my country, even to serve my only brother, greatly as I desire to do all I can for him."

"But what is the condition, Homer?" asked Captain Pa.s.sford, who had by this time lost all hope of the plan.

"You shall take Florry to some point,--Bermuda, for instance,--from which she can obtain pa.s.sage to New York. Before you go, you shall give me your simple word that you will return to Mobile Bay with the Bellevite, and surrender her to the Confederate authorities. I am entirely willing to accept your promise to do this, without any bond or other writing."

"Is that all?" asked Horatio, hardly able to contain himself.

"That is all; what more do you desire?"