laying out a plan of operations
christy had deposited his valise in a place where it was not likely to be seen unless a search was made for it. there was no one in the ward room to obstruct his advance to the captain's cabin. he had served as acting-commander of the vessel in a voyage from new york to the gulf, and been the executive officer on board for a short term, and he was perfectly at home in every part of her. in the conspiracy on his last voyage in the bronx, pink mulgrum had concealed himself under the berth in the captain's stateroom, where dave, the cabin steward, had discovered him, though he might have remained there a month if his hiding-place had not been suspected.
christy thought this would be an excellent retreat for him, not only because it promised him the greatest security, but because it would permit 126 him to hear what passed between the pretended commander and others, especially mr. galvinne. he had been reasonably confident of returning to the gunboat when he went to the north as prize master, though not as her commander, and he had left his trunk on board.
it was a humiliating posture for the actual commander of the vessel, but he promptly got down upon the floor of the stateroom, and crawled under the berth. he placed the trunk and some other articles there so as to form a sort of breast-work, behind which he carefully bestowed himself. it was not an uncomfortable position, for the floor was carpeted and an old satchel filled with his cast-off garments furnished him a pillow sufficiently soft for a person on extraordinary duty.
the cabin was to be occupied by corny, though his cousin had no doubt that mr. galvinne was the real leader in the adventure of capturing the steamer. both of them would be obliged to keep up appearances for the present. christy's first thought after he had settled himself in his new quarters related to the cabin steward, who had served him very faithfully, and whom he had 127 brought off in the teaser, the former name of the bronx. he had no doubt he was still on board, and probably acting in his former capacity, for mr. flint knew that he was attached to the man for the service he had rendered, not only to him but to his country. he was absolutely sure that dave could be trusted under any and all circumstances, and the first thing he did would be to make a connection with him.
christy became rather impatient because the bronx did not get under way; but he concluded from such sounds as came to his ears that she was taking in shot, shells, and powder, as well as stores and supplies. at any rate, neither corny nor his first lieutenant came into the cabin, so far as he could ascertain. but he had not been in his hiding-place an hour before he heard a noise in the adjoining apartment. it was not the commander, for the noise was an occasional rapping; it was not an unfamiliar sound to him, for he had often heard it before when he lay in his berth. dave was a remarkably neat person, and he was always dusting the cabin and stateroom when he had nothing else to do. he was sure that the rapping was caused by the steward's feather duster.
128 in a few minutes, when he had made the cabin tidy for the reception of "massa cap'n passford," he transferred his labors to the stateroom. he worked in the berth and all its surroundings, including the desk, which still contained the real commander's papers, and then gave his attention to the trunk beneath.
"dave," said christy, after he had obtained a view of the back of the steward's head which satisfied him that he was the right man.
"mullygumps!" exclaimed dave, as he suspended his labors on the trunk.
no doubt he was greatly surprised to hear his name, pronounced as though it came up through the deck, as he had abundant reason to be.
"dave," repeated christy, in a more decided tone after he had heard the voice of the steward.
"is that you, pink mulgrum?" demanded dave. "i give you the whole state of alabama, but i thought we done rid of you long ago. who's there?"
"don't you know me, dave?" asked christy, speaking out plainly so that the steward might recognize his voice.
"maggywogs! that sounds like massa christy's 129 voice; but i done seen him on deck five or ten minutes ago."
"no, you didn't, dave; that was corny," replied christy.
"gollywops! but he was in command of the bronx, for i done seen mr. flint hand it over to him. go 'way! you can't fool this colored person."
"i tell you the truth, dave; but things are mixed," added christy.
"i believe you; they be mixed if you be the captain when i done seen him on deck just now."
"sit down on the floor, dave, and i will tell you all about it," continued christy, though the difficulty of convincing the steward was not unexpected.
"let me see your face before you told me anything," persisted dave, as he pulled out one end of the trunk, and dropped upon his knees where he could see under the berth.
christy crawled to the front of the berth, and thrust his head out into the stateroom in as natural a position as he could place it.
"wollywogs! you look like massa christy, for sure," exclaimed dave, as he gave himself up 130 to a study of the face presented to him. "but the captain looks like massa christy too."
"you have never seen my cousin corny, i believe, dave; but he looks like me. now sit down, and i will tell you all about it."
"i never saw massa corny; but i done hear enough about him when i was at bonnydale. show me your knife and your watch, massa christy."
he complied with the request, as he saw that it was a very simple means of identification, for the steward had some skill as a mechanic, and he had frequently sharpened the knife, and knew the repeater of the lieutenant from having seen it so often, for it was a very peculiar watch. dave's last doubt vanished when these articles were produced.
"but the other massa passford looks just like you," added dave.
"if you saw us together you would not mistake him for me," replied christy, as he proceeded to explain the situation to the steward, upon whom he depended for very important assistance.
he related the incidents which had occurred at bonnydale, the loss of his commission and orders, 131 and the decision of captain battleton against him, concluding with the statement that he was then a prisoner of war, but had made his escape from the place where he had been required to remain.
"a prisoner of war!" exclaimed the steward. "the commander of the ship a prisoner!"
"that is exactly the situation, dave. can you tell me what they are doing on deck?" asked christy, who began to feel more hopeful of the future.
"the bronx is taking in provisions, stores, and ammunition. they say the captain has his orders, but i don't know about that."
"can you tell me what position mr. flint has on board?"
"he's just what he was before, when you was on board; he is the second lieutenant, and we have a new man for first, i believe they call him gallivan," replied dave, who was intelligent enough to comprehend what he saw on deck.
"his name is galvinne, and he was second lieutenant of the vernon; but he is a confederate. i think he is to be the real commander of the bronx if they succeed in getting her into pensacola," added christy.
132 "into pensacola!" exclaimed the steward, aghast at the remark.
"of course my cousin corny intends to hand the vessel over to the confederate government."
"gollywompus! my old master will get me back then!" groaned dave, who had been very happy in his new service and at bonnydale where he had spent considerable of his time while christy was waiting for the fitting out of the bronx. "i think i had better get on board of the flag-ship right off."
"don't do it, dave, for i hope to save the vessel to the union, and you can render me the most important service in this matter," added christy.
"then i stay for sure; i don't go back on you, massa christy," protested the steward warmly.
"thank you, dave."
"there ain't no hole in this millstone for me," continued dave, suddenly becoming very thoughtful. "i don't see how massa corny can run away with the steamer when she has her officers and crew on board."
"i have just told you that the first lieutenant is a confederate officer; and i have not yet learned who is the third lieutenant. among the crew i 133 know there are at least four men, and there may be twenty of them, who are to take part in this plot. the loyal men will not be likely to interfere with the officers unless they have a leader. the fact that the bronx is headed into a confederate port would not create a rebellion on board unless they were informed of the actual situation. by the time the union men found out the plot, it would be too late for them to do anything, for the vessel would be under the guns of the forts."
"but what are we going to do, massa christy?" asked the steward, dazzled by the situation.
"we must recapture the vessel before she gets into port; and what i want most now is to see mr. flint. you must fix the matter in some way, dave, so that i can see him. now go on deck, and ascertain what is going on there. if you get a chance, speak to mr. flint; but be extremely careful."
"you can trust dave, massa christy," replied the steward, as the officer drew back into his hiding-place.
dave arranged the trunk and other articles to the best advantage for the concealment of the lieutenant, and then left the stateroom. christy, 134 as soon as he had become acquainted with the situation, had arranged his plan of action, and the new officers of the bronx were likely to encounter a mutiny, either to inaugurate or end their sway. in less than half an hour, the steward returned to the stateroom with the information that he had spoken to the second lieutenant, and informed him that the real commander of the bronx was concealed under the berth in the captain's stateroom.
"mr. flint has not had his breakfast yet, and he will come below for it very soon," added dave. "he was just coming down for it when he got the signal to come alongside the flag-ship."
"did mr. flint say anything?" asked christy.
"not a word, sir; only said he would be down to his breakfast in a few minutes."
the lieutenant took out his memorandum book, and looked at the names of the men he had spotted as disloyal, rockton and warton, to which he had added two others, nichols and swayne, after he had observed that they were very intimate with the two whose names he had learned from their own mouths.
illustration of quoted scene
dave identifies christy.—page 130.
"now, dave, i have another commission for you to execute," continued christy, as he tore out the 135 leaf on which he had written the names. "not less than twenty-five of the crew of the bronx came from new york in the vernon. one of them is ralph pennant, and he is an intelligent man, and one that can be trusted. you will see him. tell him the commander is an impostor. do you know what an impostor is, dave?"
"i reckon i do, sir; your cousin corny is an impostor," replied the steward promptly.
"you will find this man, and give him this paper. the names on it are those of disloyal men. tell him to look out for them, and find out as far as he can who are true to the union."
christy had hardly finished his instructions to the steward before he heard footsteps in the cabin. dave looked into the apartment and discovered mr. flint, who went into the stateroom at once.
