the commander told christy that he would probably find the person who had brought the letter to him in the waist, for he knew nothing of his quality, position, or anything else about him, and he did not know where to berth him, though there was room enough in the ward room or the steerage. he was dressed like a gentleman, and brought two very handsome valises on board with him.
"for all that, i did not know but that he might be a french cook, a steward, or something of that sort," added captain chantor, laughing.
"he is a man who is said to be a napoleon in his profession; but i will tell you all about him after we get under way, for i am in a hurry to speak with him," replied christy.
"he is evidently a frenchman," continued the captain.
38 "he is; but i never saw him in my life, and know nothing about him except what i have learned from a long letter my father gave me when i was coming on board."
"i have been told that you speak french like a native of paris, mr. passford," suggested the commander.
"not so bad as that; i have studied the language a great deal under competent instructors from paris, but i am not so proficient as you may think, though i can make my way with those who speak it," replied the passenger, as he moved towards the door of the stateroom.
"and i can't speak the first word of it, for i have been a sailor all my life, though i went through the naval academy somewhat hurriedly," continued the commander.
"fortunately you don't need french on the quarter-deck;" and christy left the stateroom.
the captain went into his cabin, but came out before the passenger could reach the deck. he informed christy that he was directed to heave short on the anchor and watch for a signal mentioned, which was to be hoisted near the battery. he might get under way at any minute.
39 christy found the person of whom the captain had spoken in the waist. he was dressed in a black suit, and looked more like a dandy than a detective. he was apparently about forty years of age, rather slenderly built, but with a graceful form. he wore a long black mustache, but no other beard. he was pacing the deck, and seemed to be very uneasy, possibly because he was all alone, for no one took any notice of him, though the captain had received him very politely.
"monsieur gilfleur?" said christy, walking up to him, and bowing as politely as a parisian.
"i am mr. gilfleur; have i the honor to address lieutenant passford?" replied the frenchman.
"i am lieutenant passford, though i have no official position on board of this steamer."
"i am aware of it," added mr. gilfleur, as he chose to call himself, taking a letter from the breast pocket of his coat, and handing it very gracefully to christy.
"pardon me," added the young officer, as he opened the missive.
it was simply a letter of introduction from captain passford, intended to assure him of the identity of the french detective. mr. gilfleur 40 evidently prided himself on his knowledge of the english language, for he certainly spoke it fluently and correctly, though with a little of the accent of his native tongue.
"i am very happy to meet you, mr. gilfleur," said christy in french, as he extended his hand to the other, who promptly took it, and from that moment seemed to lose all his embarrassment.
"i thank you, mr. passford, for this pleasant reception, for it is possible that we may have a great deal of business together, and i hope you have confidence in me."
"unlimited confidence, sir, since my father heartily indorses you."
"i thank you, sir, and i am sure we shall be good friends, though i am not a gentleman like you, mr. passford."
"you are my equal in every respect, for though my father is a very rich man, i am not. but we are all equals in this country."
"i don't know about that," said the frenchman, with a parisian shrug of the shoulders. "your father has treated me very kindly, and i have heard a great deal about his brave and accomplished 41 son," said mr. gilfleur, with a very deferential bow.
"spare me!" pleaded christy, with a deprecatory smile and a shake of the head.
"you are very modest, mr. passford, and i will not offend you. i am not to speak of our mission before the chateaugay is out of sight of land," said the detective, looking into the eyes of the young man with a gaze which seemed to reach the soul, for he was doubtless measuring the quality and calibre of his associate in the mission, as he called it, in which both were engaged. "i knew your father very well in paris," he added, withdrawing his piercing gaze.
"then you are the gentleman who found the stewardess of the bellevite when she ran away with a bag of french gold at havre?" said christy, opening his eyes.
"i have the honor to be that person," replied mr. gilfleur, with one of his graceful bows. "it was a difficult case, for the woman was associated with one of the worst thieves of paris, and it took me a month to run them down."
"though i was a small boy, i remember it very well, for i was on board of the bellevite at the 42 time," replied christy. "i know that he was very enthusiastic in his praise of the wonderful skill of the person who recovered the money and sent the two thieves to prison. i understand now why my father sent to paris for you when he needed a very skilful person of your profession."
"thank you, mr. passford; you know me now, and we shall be good friends."
"no doubt of it; but here comes the captain, and i have a word to say to him," added christy, as he touched his naval cap to the commander. "allow me to introduce to you my friend mr. gilfleur, whom my father employed in havre six years ago."
the captain was as polite as the frenchman, and gave him a hearty reception. christy then suggested that his friend should be berthed in the ward room. the ship's steward was called, and directed to give mr. gilfleur a room next to the other passenger. as they were likely to have many conferences together in regard to the business on their hands, they were both particular in regard to the location of their rooms; and the chief steward suited them as well as he could.
the detective spoke to him in french, but the 43 steward could not understand a word he said. christy inquired if any of the ward-room officers spoke the polite language, for his friend might sometimes wish to converse in his own tongue.
"i don't believe they do, for they all got into the ward room through the hawse-hole," replied the steward, laughing at the very idea.
when the passengers went on deck, the commander introduced them both to the officers of the ship. to each in turn, at the request of christy, he put the question as to whether or not he could speak french; and they all replied promptly in the negative, and laughed at the inquiry.
"have you no one on board who speaks french, captain chantor?" asked christy.
"i don't know anything about it, but as it seems to be of some importance to you and your friend, i will ascertain at once. mr. suppleton, will you overhaul the ship's company, and see if you can find any one that speaks french," continued the commander, addressing the chief steward.
in about half an hour he returned, and reported that he was unable to find a single person who could speak a word of french. doubtless many of the officers, who were of higher grade than any 44 on board of the chateaugay, were fluent enough in the language, but they were not to be found in the smaller vessels of the navy; for, whatever their rank before the war, they had all been advanced to the higher positions. every one of the officers on board of this steamer had been the captain of a vessel, and had been instructed in the profession after the war began. though substantially educated, they were not to be compared in this respect with the original officers.
"we can talk as much as we please of our mission after we get out of sight of land; and as long as we do it in french, no one will understand us," said christy to his fellow-passenger.
"as soon as we are permitted by my orders to do so, i shall have much to say to you, mr. passford," replied mr. gilfleur.
"on deck!" shouted a man in the mizzen-top.
"aloft!" returned mr. birdwing, the first lieutenant.
"signal over the boarding-station, sir!" reported the quartermaster in the top. "it is a number—'get under way!'"
the executive officer reported the signal to the 45 commander, though he was on deck, and had heard the words of the quartermaster.
"get under way at once, mr. birdwing," said the captain.
"boatswain, all hands up anchor!" said the first lieutenant to this officer; and in a moment the call rang through the ship.
every officer and seaman was promptly in his station, for it was a welcome call. the ship's company were dreaming of prize-money, for officers had made fabulous sums from this source. in one instance a lieutenant received for his share nearly forty thousand dollars; and even an ordinary seaman pocketed seventeen hundred from a single capture. the chateaugayans were anxious to engage in this harvest, and in a hurry to be on their way to the field of fortune.
in a short time the steamer was standing down east river at moderate speed. the ionian could not be seen yet, and nothing in regard to her was known to any one on board except the captain and his two passengers. as the ship approached the battery, a tug, which christy recognized as the one his father had employed, came off and hailed the chateaugay. the screw was stopped, and 46 captain passford was discovered at her bow. he waved his hat to his son, saluted the commander in the same manner, and then passed up an envelope.
the tug sheered off, and the ship continued on her course, with a pilot at the wheel. the missive from the shore was addressed to captain chantor. he opened it at once, and then ordered one bell to be rung to stop her. a few moments later a heavy tug came off, and twelve men were put on board, with an order signed by the government official for the commander to receive them on board. there had evidently been some afterthoughts on shore. these men were turned in with the crew, except two who were officers, and they were put in the ward room. the ship then proceeded on her course.
"the ionian is about two miles ahead of us, mr. passford," said the captain, after he had used his glass diligently for some time. and he spoke in a very low tone.
"we have no business with her at present," added christy.
"none, except to watch her; and, fortunately, we have fine, clear weather, so that will not be a 47 difficult job. by the way, mr. passford, the envelope i received was from your father, and he gives me information of another steamer expected in the vicinity of bermuda about this time; and he thinks we had better look for her when she comes out from those islands," said the captain, evidently delighted with the prospect before him.
"what are these men for that were sent off in the tug?" christy inquired; for he felt that he had a right to ask the question.
"they are to take the ionian back to new york, if we have to capture her."
captain passford appeared to be afraid the chateaugay would be shorthanded if she had to send a prize crew home with the ionian.
