Then he mounted the seat in front of the wagon, and looked over into the body of it. Then he reached over; and a moment later the form of a man was seen to rise from a quant.i.ty of hay which filled the body.

"Is that you, Spottswood?" demanded the rising form.

"Yes, sir, I am here; and I have two prisoners. One of them is your brother, and I don't know who the other is," replied the sergeant.

"Are you sure that one of them is my brother?" asked the major.

"I am as sure as I can be, for I heard the other fellow call him Percy two or three times before I stepped in front of them."

"Don't you know who the other one is?"

"I haven't the least idea. I arrested him as you told me, but I did not question him."

The major ordered him to put his prisoners into the wagon.

CHAPTER XVII

MAJOR PIERSON IS PUZZLED

Two of the soldiers were placed at the rear of the wagon, one took his place on the hay with Percy, while the major and the sergeant seated themselves on the cushion in front. Spottswood took the reins; and the officer told him to drive on, without saying a word to the prisoners.

It was quite dark; and Christy had not the least idea where he was, or where he was going. He could see that Major Pierson had sent this party to arrest his brother, as Percy seemed to fear that he would do, and had remained and slept away the time in the wagon himself. He had been introduced to the major, and had been treated with "distinguished consideration" by him. In view of the possible relations between him and Florry, he did not feel much concerned about his own safety, though he was sorry to have his father and sister worry over his absence.

"Then, it seems you have been in the army, after all," said he to his fellow-prisoner, after they had gone some distance.

"I never belonged to the army," he replied decidedly.

"Did you put your name down?"

"Yes, I did; but I supposed I was to be a captain, or something of that sort. When I found I must go as a common soldier, mixed up with all sorts of people, I couldn't stand it. I applied for my discharge; but they would not give it to me, and I went home without it."

"That looks very much like desertion," added Christy, and the major went up somewhat in his estimation.

"But it was not desertion; for I applied for my discharge, and all they had to do was to give it to me. They understood it so, for they did not come to the house after me," argued Percy. "Then, when my father went to Na.s.sau, he took me with him. But the surgeon said I was not fit for the army, for I had indications of varicose veins. My father sent the certificate to the authorities, and applied for my discharge."

"Was it ever granted?"

"I suppose it was, but I don't know."

"If it had been, your brother would know about it."

"Will your uncle make you join the army, Mr. Pierson?"

"No: my uncle has no authority over me, and he cannot make me join the army," replied Christy.

"Where is your father?"

"He was at my uncle's plantation. I think we have kept up this farce long enough, Percy," said Christy, laughing. "My father is the owner of the Bellevite."

"What did you tell me your name was Percy Pierson for?" demanded the other prisoner.

"For the same reason that I told you the steamer belonged to the Chinese government, and a dozen other things of the same sort."

"What is your name, then?"

"Christopher Pa.s.sford; but I am commonly called Christy."

"Then, you have been fooling me?"

"You knew very well that I had been fooling you."

"Then, you are the son of the owner of the Bellevite."

"I am."

"Then, you can get me a place on board of her."

"Perhaps I can. We will see about that."

Christy doubted if their political opinions would permit them to serve on the deck of the same vessel, but he did not suggest any thing of this kind. He had been introduced to Major Pierson under his real name, and he was certain to be identified by him as soon as the light permitted him to see his face; and he had made the best of it by telling Percy the truth before he found it out himself.

"You haven't told me who the other prisoner is, Spottswood," said the major, when they had ridden some distance in silence.

"I don't know who he is," replied the sergeant. "I never saw him before in my life, so far as I know."

"Didn't he tell you who he was?"

"He did not, and I did not ask him any questions."

That was all that was said about it; and the major relapsed into silence, and Christy concluded that he had gone to sleep again. The wagon continued on the journey, though at a very slow pace, for the road could hardly have been any worse. At the end of about two hours more, the vehicle halted near a sheet of water which looked as though it might be a river, or an arm of Mobile Bay.

The road appeared to end at a rude sort of wharf; but there was no person in the vicinity, no house, and no craft of any kind in the water, so far as Christy could see when he was helped out of the wagon. Percy was a.s.sisted to the ground also; and the two soldiers at the rear of the wagon, who had gone to sleep, were waked, and ordered to get out.

"We shall not want the wagon any more," said the major. "You can send Boyce back to the house with it."

"It is five miles from here, and he will not get back till nearly morning."

"We can wait for him. The Leopard will not be here for some time."

"I think we ought to send two men, major," suggested the sergeant.

"Why two?"

"For company: one of them may get asleep, and two will get back sooner than one."