"They might as well all of them go, for they can do nothing here," added the major with a terrific yawn.
Two men were sent away with the wagon. The most of the hay in it was taken out; and with it the superior officer made a bed for himself, and was soon asleep again. The sergeant and the remaining soldier took their knapsacks from a tree where they had put them before, and it was decided that one of them might sleep while the other kept guard over the prisoners. Spottswood was the first to take his turn, and his companion stretched himself on the planks of the wharf.
The sergeant brought out the knapsacks of the two absent soldiers, and gave the blankets to Christy and Percy, both of whom were sleepy enough to follow the example of the others. Spottswood a.s.sisted them very kindly, spreading out the blankets for them, and covering them afterwards; for, as their hands were tied behind them, they were almost helpless.
The two prisoners soon dropped asleep; and they knew nothing more till after daylight, when Christy was waked by the hissing of steam at the rude wharf. The two soldiers who had been sent away with the wagon were asleep on the planks, though neither had a blanket. The major had not been disturbed by the noise, for he was farther from it than the others.
With some difficulty Christy got upon his feet, and looked about him.
A tug-boat lay at the wharf, with the steam escaping from her pipe.
There was nothing else to be seen in the vicinity. The sheet of water, which was apparently half a mile wide, had a bend some distance from the wharf, so that he could not see any farther; but he had no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that the water was an arm of the bay.
On board of the Leopard, for the name was on the front of the pilot-house, he could see only two men, one of whom came out of the engine-room; and he judged that they were the pilot and engineer.
Doubtless the former was also the captain of the craft.
While one of the two men seated himself on the rail, the other came on sh.o.r.e. He was a man of very small stature, and looked as though his health was very poor. Indeed, his step was quite feeble, and he seemed to have hardly strength enough to handle his frame. As the tug had just come in, doubtless he had been on duty the whole or a portion of the night, which may have explained his exhausted condition.
"Good-morning, Captain Pecklar," said the sentinel on duty at the wharf.
"Good morning, Tubbs. Where is Major Pierson?" asked the captain of the Leopard, in a very faint voice.
"He is still asleep, and he has his bed at the foot of that tree yonder," replied the sentinel, pointing at it. "How do you find yourself this morning? Any better?"
"About the same; I am about used up for this world," replied Captain Pecklar, continuing his painful walk towards the tree indicated.
"Is that the captain of the Leopard?" asked Christy.
"Yes, poor fellow! He came down here two years ago from somewhere North, almost gone in consumption. He got a little better; but he is worse again, and I don"t believe he will last much longer," replied the sentry.
"Has he been out all night on the steamer?" inquired Christy, who felt that it was his duty to obtain all the information he could in regard to this steamer, as it was in the service of the commander of Fort Gaines.
"I don"t know where he has been; but I suppose he has been on duty all night, and that don"t agree with him at all. We came up here yesterday afternoon--Well, never mind what we have been about. I forgot that you were a prisoner; and you may be a Yankee, for aught I know."
Before Christy had time to make any reply, the sentinel walked away, and the major was seen coming from his bed with Captain Pecklar. They went to the wharf together, where they seated themselves on a box which lay there. The prisoner turned away from them; and the major took no notice of him, and did not appear to see him, or he would certainly have identified him.
Christy"s bed was just behind them, when they had seated themselves; and he dropped down on his blanket, rolled it about him as well as he could, and then pretended to be asleep, as Percy was still, in spite of the noise of the escaping steam on board of the boat.
"What have you done with your men, Captain Pecklar?" asked the major.
"I have just told you that the steamer had changed her position,"
replied the captain.
"I did not understand you," returned the major. "Do you mean that she has left the wharf?"
"I do: she was out at least two miles from the sh.o.r.e," added Captain Pecklar.
"Two miles from the sh.o.r.e!" exclaimed Major Pierson. "What does that mean?"
"I don"t know, sir. Lieutenant Dallberg did not know what to make of it; and he decided to take his two men to the sh.o.r.e, and investigate the matter. He directed me to report this to you."
"But when did the Bellevite leave the wharf?" asked the major, evidently very much puzzled at what he regarded as the singular conduct of the owner of the steamer.
"I don"t know, sir. It was after ten o"clock in the evening when we first saw her out in the bay."
"Was she at anchor?"
"I think not. I was ordered not to go very near her, and I could not tell."
"Do you know whether or not Captain Pa.s.sford is on board of her?"
"Of course I do not. In fact, I know nothing at all about her, except that she has left the wharf and come out into the bay. I think I heard her screw in motion, though I am not sure; and that makes me think that she is not at anchor. Mr. Dallberg thought he ought to go on sh.o.r.e, visit Colonel Pa.s.sford, and obtain further information if he could."
The major ordered the captain to embark the party at once.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE MORNING TRIP OF THE LEOPARD
If Major Pierson had had any curiosity at all in regard to the person captured by the soldiers with his brother, he appeared to have forgotten all about him. He took no notice of him after he left his bed of hay, but then he was evidently very much disturbed by the fact that the Bellevite had left the wharf.
Christy Pa.s.sford was quite as much astonished as the major when he learned that the steamer had left her berth at the wharf, and he was utterly unable to account for the change of position. The movement had been made since he left his uncle"s mansion; for at that time the two brothers were still in the library, and he had no knowledge whatever of what was pa.s.sing between them.
The major ordered all his men on board the Leopard, and directed the sergeant to conduct the prisoners to the deck of the tug. Percy was waked when he was wanted, and he had slept soundly till that time.
With their hands still tied behind them, they were conducted to the after-deck of the tug, where there was a small s.p.a.ce from which opened the stateroom of the captain.
"I might as well jump overboard first as last," said Percy bitterly, as he seated himself in the place a.s.signed to him by Spottswood.
"It is hardly worth your while to do that, Percy. I don"t think your brother is likely to do you any harm," replied Christy.
"I would rather he drowned in deep water than be sent into the army as a common soldier," said the victim, as he went to the rail and looked over into the water.
But his companion was perfectly confident that he would not jump overboard while his hands were tied behind him; for the chances were all against him, though he might be willing to punish his brother by making a demonstration in the direction indicated.
"The water is too cold at this time in the morning, Percy," said Christy with a smile. "I think you ought to give your brother the credit of having the reputation of your family at heart. If I had a brother, I had about as lief have him drown himself as desert from the army."
"I don"t call it deserting," replied Percy rather warmly.
"You can call it what you like, but that is what it was."
"It is no use to talk with you about it. Where are we going now?"
demanded Percy impatiently.
"We are going to look out for the Bellevite, and perhaps you can get on board her again," suggested Christy.
"Do you think I can?" asked the deserter with renewed interest.