"Certainly;" and the owner retired with him to the weather-rail.

"I have seen this vessel, and I have heard what you say of her. Now I am better informed in regard to her than my father is. I am not authorized to name a price, but I am very sure that he will buy her."

"So he said to me himself, Mr. Percy," added the owner with a smile.

"He said so to you, sir!" exclaimed the young man, starting back; for he believed that he had accomplished all that had been done towards buying the vessel.

"I had an interview with him, and stated most explicitly that the Bellevite could not be purchased by any person at any price; and when I hinted very guardedly to him, as I do to you, in the strictest confidence, that I am hound for Mobile Bay, he did not urge the matter.

He was satisfied that the steamer was to be used in a good cause; and I can give you the same a.s.surance, Mr. Percy."

The young man looked positively humble after he had listened to the remark of the owner, for he felt that his father had "taken all the wind out of his sails." He looked in the direction of the receding island of Na.s.sau, and realized that he had been wasting his time, to say nothing of the wasted strategy he had bestowed on his enterprise.

"You have stated that you are bound for Mobile Bay, sir," said he.

"That is a long distance from New Providence, as I have learned from experience."

"But this trip will give you the satisfaction of being restored to your own home in a very short time, for there is no faster vessel afloat than the Bellevite," added Captain Pa.s.sford.

"It will put me into the army," said Mr. Percy; but he felt at once that he had made a slip of the tongue, and he hastened to correct the effect of his involuntary speech. "Of course, I wanted to go into the army of my country, as every patriotic fellow in the South does; but my father objects simply because I can be of more service to the good cause in another field of action, and I had to yield the point."

The owner thought he had not been guilty of a very savage yielding of his own inclination, but he said nothing. He was evidently the youngest child of the family, and doubtless the pet of his parents; and it was hard for them to put him in a position to be shot, or to endure the hardships of the camp.

"I see now that my mission is a failure, though with no detriment to the good cause. I wish I was in New Providence again," continued Mr. Percy, looking very much discontented with himself.

"I am sorry you did not speak to me on sh.o.r.e as your father did, and that would have saved you from all annoyance."

"But I must beg you to do me the favor to put me ash.o.r.e again, for my father will suffer untold agonies when he misses me to-night."

"Put you on sh.o.r.e!" exclaimed Captain Pa.s.sford. "You are a sensible and reasonable young gentleman, and you will readily see that this is quite impossible."

"We have not been out above two hours, sir," suggested Percy.

"But we have made thirty-six miles, at least, in that time; and to return would delay me about four or five hours,--long enough, perhaps, to defeat the object of my voyage. I a.s.sure you that it is wholly impossible for us to return."

"Do you think so, sir?" asked the enterprising purchaser of vessels, looking very disconsolate indeed.

"I not only think so, but I am perfectly sure on this point. You can see for yourself that I cannot sacrifice the object of my voyage--for the vessel has a special mission at her destination--by a delay of some hours. I am not responsible for your being on board, and I am sorry that I cannot do any thing for you."

"But you can put me ash.o.r.e at Key West, and I may find some vessel bound to Na.s.sau," suggested Percy, becoming more and more disconsolate, as he realized the difficulties of his situation, for he was plainly very much averse to returning to his home.

"But, my dear Mr. Percy, the Bellevite will not go within fifty miles of Key West; and if she did, I should not dare to put in there, for the port is a naval station of the United States, and my vessel might be taken from me in the absence of any regular papers to explain her character."

"I suppose you are right," added Percy gloomily.

Captain Pa.s.sford was really more afraid of falling in with any naval vessel of the nation than of meeting any of the Confederate tugs or other vessels which had been hurriedly fitted out, even at this early period of the war; for he knew that his mission, however justifiable under the circ.u.mstances, was quite irregular. He had decided to keep at least fifty miles from Key West, and the usual course of vessels bound into the Gulf of Mexico.

"We may meet some vessel, and you could put me on board of her," the disconsolate young man proposed.

"My mission compels me to give every vessel a wide berth, and I can incur no risks. But it cannot be a great hardship for you to be conveyed back to your own home."

"But my father needs me with him, and he will suffer terrible anxiety when he fails to find me. He will even think I am dead."

"I know he must be anxious, but I think some way will be found to send a letter to him."

"But I shall be compelled to go into the army, and my father is utterly opposed to that."

"But you have a brother who is a major in the army, and I should say that he will be able to save you."

"My brother is the one who insists that I shall go into one of the regiments forming in the State. He called me a coward because I yielded to my father and mother."

"All that is your own family affair, and I am sorry that I can do nothing for you, Mr, Percy.--Mr. Watts," he called to the chief steward, who was planking the lee-side of the deck.

"Here, sir," replied the official.

"Give Mr. Percy the best stateroom available, and see that he is made as comfortable and happy as possible," added the owner.

The involuntary guest on board was conducted to the cabin.

CHAPTER IX

CHRISTY MATURES A PROMISING SCHEME

However interesting the voyage of the Bellevite might prove to be, the purpose of this story does not admit of its details. Mr. Vapoor was instructed to the effect that a quick run was desirable, and he governed himself accordingly. At daylight on a bright May morning, the lofty light tower of Sand Island, off the entrance to Mobile Bay, was reported by the lookout, and the captain was called.

On the pa.s.sage from Na.s.sau, the guns of the steamer had been mounted; for, as a measure of prudence, they had been put in the hold. Though the owner hoped to avoid any close scrutiny of his outfit, and had succeeded in doing so, he was not inclined to tempt fate by any carelessness. But when the first watch was called, the night before her arrival off the bay, every thing was in condition for active service.

Captain Pa.s.sford had not a particle of the foam generated by the excitement of the times, and he sincerely hoped he should have no occasion to use the guns which it had cost him so much trouble to procure. Fort Morgan was on one side of the entrance to the bay, and Fort Games on the other side.

He had seen a paragraph in one of his papers, to the effect that one or both of these works had been garrisoned by Confederate troops, and it was not likely to be an easy matter to get into the bay. As it looked to the owner and the commander, the only way to accomplish this feat was by running the gauntlet of both forts, which were just three nautical miles apart.

A shot from either of them might go through the boiler or engine of the Bellevite, which would render her utterly helpless, and subject all on board to the fate of prisoners-of-war. It looked like a terrible alternative to the owner, so overburdened with anxiety for the safety of his daughter; but he was prepared to run even this risk for her sake.

The method of getting into the bay had been fully considered by the owner and the captain; and as soon as the latter came on deck, he ordered the course of the vessel to be changed to the westward, as they had decided to enter the bay by the Middle Channel. For the danger from Fort Gaines was believed to be less than that from Fort Morgan, though either of them doubtless had the means of sinking the steamer with a single shot.

The water was shoal in the Middle Channel, and it was not prudent to attempt to go into the bay at any other time than high tide; though Captain Breaker was thoroughly acquainted with the channel, having once been engaged in a survey of the shifting shoals in this locality, and he had once before taken the Bellevite by this pa.s.sage on a trip to New Orleans.

As he could not foresee the time of the steamer's arrival off the bay, he was obliged to consult his almanac, and make his calculations in regard to the tide, which rises and falls less than three feet at this point. It would not be safe to attempt the pa.s.sage before nine o'clock in the forenoon, and he headed the vessel away from the land.

Percy had tried to make the best of his situation, annoying as it was; and Christy amused him with more Chinese reminiscences. Both of them came on deck at an unusually early hour on the morning that the Sand Island light was made out; for there was more commotion than usual on board, and even in the cabin, where the owner and commander discussed the situation.

"Here we are, my Chinese friend," said Percy, as he joined Christy on deck, and made out the tall tower in the distance. "I wish I was on the Island of Na.s.sau, instead of here."

"Why, Mr. Percy, this is your own, your native land; and in China we always used to have a warm affection for our own country," replied Christy.

"You didn't have to go into the army there," said Percy with a sigh.