the tug appeared to be one of the craft which had been hastily prepared for service, and she did not look like a formidable vessel. captain breaker was sure he could blow her out of the water with his heavy guns, on an emergency; but this would be bad policy, and he did not propose to do any thing of this kind.
he was not as confident as captain passford and his son were that the plan adopted would be an entire success, with the assistance of percy; but there could be no harm in trying it. he intended to pass as near fort gaines as possible, for it was not probable that the works were yet in the best condition; and two miles from fort morgan, which was doubtless much stronger, would afford a better chance of escaping any shots fired from it.
114 as the bellevite approached the channel, where there could not be more than a foot of water under her keel, christie came on deck, followed by percy. the latter wore a sort of naval uniform, which his instructor had borrowed for him from his own stock. it fitted him well; for he was no larger than the owner's son, though he was two years older.
percy was to be on duty, on board of the steamer, as a confederate agent taking the vessel into the bay for service. he was not a little inflated by the position which had been assigned to him, though he had no powers whatever, except in appearance. he had been instructed to conduct himself boldly, and to insist that the vessel was in his charge, when she was boarded by officers from the tug or from the fort. his very nature inclined him to play this part to the best advantage.
the blockade had been established at some of the northern ports of the seceded states, but not yet at the cities on the gulf of mexico; and the only real obstacle to the passage of the bellevite into the bay consisted of the two forts, for the tug-boats were not regarded as of any consequence 115 to an armed steamer of great speed like the bellevite,
"we are approaching the shoal water now," said captain breaker to mr. vapoor, as the steamer came near the south-eastern end of pelican island. "we may take the ground, for the shoals have an ugly trick of changing their position. let her go at about half speed."
"half speed, sir," replied the chief engineer, as he descended to the engine-room.
"is it fully high tide now, breaker?" asked captain passford, who was watching the movements of the vessel with the most intense interest, for it seemed to him that the critical moment in his enterprise had come.
"not quite; it will not be full sea for about half an hour," replied the commander. "if we take the ground, we shall have some small chance of getting off.—mr. dashington."
"on duty, sir," responded the first officer.
"beeks has the wheel, i believe?"
"yes; and thayer is with him."
"they are both reliable men; but i wish you would stand by the helm, and see that the steamer is headed directly towards the eastern end of 116 dauphine island. that will give us the deepest water till we get to the spit. have a man in the port and starboard chains with directions to sound as fast as possible."
"mr. blowitt," called the first officer, "let a hand sound in the port and starboard chains, and look out for it yourself, if you please."
the second officer went forward and the first officer aft, each to perform the duties assigned to him by the captain. the speed of the bellevite had been reduced, and she was going along at a very easy rate. the tug was some distance beyond fort gaines when she was first seen, and she seemed to be incapable of making more than six knots an hour.
the steamer had taken on board all the coal it was possible for her to stow away in her bunkers, and a large supply had been put into the hold; but she had used a considerable portion of it in her rapid passage, though she had still an abundant supply for her return voyage. the reduction in the quantity had made her draught somewhat less, and the owner and captain hoped she would get through the channel.
but the thought had hardly passed through 117 their minds before the bellevite came to a sudden stop, and her keel was heard grinding on the bottom. mr. vapoor heard the sound in the engine-room, and felt the jar; and before any bell came to him, he had stopped the machine, and reversed it so as to check the steamer's headway.
"run her back with all the steam you can crowd on, mr. vapoor," said captain breaker, as he hastened to the door of the engine-room.
"i don't think she hit the ground very hard, captain," added the chief engineer.
"no; she will come off. the ground has shifted since i was here last," said the captain of the vessel.
but it was half an hour before she yielded to the pressure brought to bear upon her, and then only because a few inches had been added by the tide to the depth of water. she went back, and came into depth enough to give her a foot under her keel.
"it don't look very hopeful," said captain passford, as he joined the commander at the door of the engine-room.
"oh, i think we shall be all right now!" replied captain breaker very cheerfully. "i 118 have found where the shoal is now, and i know where to find deeper water.—keep her going astern, mr. vapoor."
"a boat from the fort, sir," reported a messenger, who had been sent aft by the second officer on the forecastle.
"that looks like an inquiry into our business here," added the owner.
"now we are all right," said the commander, who was watching the position of the vessel very carefully. "i must go to the wheel, and look out for the course myself."
again the bellevite went ahead; and she soon reached a point half way between the two forts, and her speed was reduced to not more than three knots. but the tug was approaching, and the worst part of the channel was still to be attempted. the two men in the chains reported the depth as rapidly as they could heave the lead, and it was soon evident that the steamer could not pass the extensive bar to the westward of the ship-channel.
"steamer ahoy!" shouted the captain of the tug, as he stopped his screw within hailing-distance of the bellevite.
119 "reply to that hail, mr. percy," said the commander to the young gentleman in uniform. "you must do all the talking."
"i shall be very happy to do it, and i think i can do it to your satisfaction," replied percy confidently.
"jump up on the rail nearest to the tug, where you can see and hear."
"i am not much of a sailor, captain breaker, and i don't pretend to be one," added percy. "what shall i say to the captain of that boat?"
"on board of the tug!" shouted the agent of his father, after the commander had instructed him in regard to his speech.
"what steamer is that?" demanded the master of the tug.
captain breaker instructed him in what manner to make his reply, though he did not tell him what to say. the young man was to explain the character of the vessel as he understood it; and neither the commander nor the owner was disposed to indulge in any unnecessary strategetical falsehood, though they felt that they could do so in the service of the union.
"the bellevite from nassau," replied percy.
120 "is she a federal vessel?" inquired the captain of the tug with the greatest simplicity.
"a federal vessel!" exclaimed percy, evidently expressing by his manner some of the indignation he felt. "do you mean to insult me, sir?"
"no, i do not mean to insult you; but it becomes necessary for me to ascertain something more in regard to the steamer," returned the other. "where are you from?"
"i told you the vessel was from nassau."
"but she don't hail from nassau. where did she come from before that?"
"from bermuda," answered percy, as instructed.
"but she don't belong to bermuda."
the volunteer agent of the confederate cause was not able to answer any questions in this direction, and the commander did not tell him what more to say.
"can you tell me who is in command of fort gaines at the present time?" demanded percy, branching out on his own account.
"i can; but i want you to tell me something more about the steamer, before i answer any questions. is the steamer armed?"
121 "she is armed; and she could blow your tug into ten thousand pieces in four minutes if she should open upon you," added percy; and the listeners were of the opinion that he was beginning to use strong speech.
"that may be; but with a fort on each side of you, i don't think you will get into the bay in broad daylight," said the captain of the tug. "the commander of fort gaines is in that boat, and i suppose he is coming off to examine the steamer. as you are not disposed to answer my questions, you can wait for him; but if you try to get into the bay, you will find that a shot from both forts can reach you."
"i am an agent of the confederate government, and my father has been sent to nassau to obtain vessels for our navy," continued percy, as he saw that the boat from the fort was still some distance from the vessel.
"why didn't you say so before?" demanded the captain of the tug rather impatiently. "of course you have some papers from the agent at nassau, to show what the vessel is."
"not a single paper; he had no time to give me any."
122 "who is the agent?"
the question was evidently put as a test; for if the young agent, as the captain could see that he was, gave a known name, it would be some evidence that he told the truth.
"colonel richard pierson; and he is my father."
"your father!" exclaimed the other, evidently impressed with the fact, and his tone was more respectful.
"you can come on board and see her for yourself," suggested percy, prompted by the commander; for there was nothing on board to betray her true character, the guns having been concealed.
"i will not do that, as the commander of the fort will soon be here, and he may make the examination for himself. but perhaps you will be willing to give me your name?" added the captain.
"my name is percy pierson; and, as i told you, i am the son of colonel richard pierson."
"then you are the brother of major pierson, who is in command of fort gaines. i think it must be all right."
123 "of course it is all right. do you think i would bring a vessel into this bay if she were not all right?" inquired percy with becoming indignation.
"i suppose you have heard there is going to be a war, and it is necessary to find out what vessels go into the bay," said the captain of the tug, when he had brought his craft quite near the steamer. "that is a very fine vessel."
"it is the fastest and strongest steamer that floats, and she will give a good account of herself when the trouble begins in earnest."
"here comes the boat from the fort, and i see that major pierson is in the stern sheets. i have no doubt he will find you all right," said the captain.
the boat came alongside of the bellevite, and the major went on board.
