The leadsman was ordered to sound, as the screw was stopped, and he reported sixteen fathoms8 with the deep-sea lead. Christy ordered the quartermaster to go ahead again, and keep the hand-line going all the time. Mr. Flint came forward, and took his place on the bridge, where the 192 officer of the deck was usually stationed on board of the Bronx.
The reports of the leadsman were satisfactory, and the steamer went ahead for an hour. Then they began to give a diminution9 of the depth of water, indicating, as Christy stated it, that the vessel10 was approaching the land. He looked over the log slate, and found that the course had been due east till the order had been given to head her in the opposite direction. She had sailed rather more than an hour on that tack5, during which the recapture of the steamer had been made.
"Mark under water twelve!" shouted the man with the hand lead.
"We are coming up with the shore," said Mr. Flint, as Christy joined him on the bridge.
"Yes; but you will get four or five fathoms almost up to the beaches. When I was here, the Bellevite was anchored outside, and we went gunning and fishing in St. Andrew's Bay. The bay is about thirty miles long; but it is as crooked11 as a ram's horn, and there is no town on it, though there are some scattered12 houses," added Christy. "We shot fat ducks, and caught plenty of red snappers and pompana there."
193 "And a half ten!" shouted the leadsman, as though he meant to have his figures understood, as they indicated the shoaling of the depth.
But Christy gave no order to reduce the speed of the vessel, and seemed to feel so thoroughly13 at home that Mr. Flint began to be a little nervous. The young commander had carefully studied the chart of the coast with the practical knowledge he had of the locality.
"Can you form any idea where we are, Captain Passford?" asked the lieutenant.
"I figured up the course a while ago, and I think we are off St. Andrew's Bay. If they had not put her about and run for an hour or more to the westward14, I should be satisfied in regard to my position; as it is, I am not quite clear in regard to it," replied the commander.
"That will do; stop her and anchor, Mr. Flint," said Christy, as he looked about him in an endeavor to penetrate16 the fog in which the vessel was buried.
Then he listened for any sounds that might come to him from the direction of the shore; but 194 all was as still as the tomb itself. The screw stopped in obedience17 to the order of the executive officer, who went down to the deck to supervise the anchoring of the steamer, as he had no inferior officer to attend to this duty.
"Mr. Flint, drop a drift lead, and station a hand to observe it," said Christy, hailing the first lieutenant.
"A drift lead, sir," replied Mr. Flint.
This was a lead weighing twenty pounds, which is dropped on the bottom by men-of-war to determine if the anchor holds, or if the vessel is drifting.
"Station a strong lookout18, Mr. Flint, and send a man aloft on the foremast and another on the mainmast," continued Christy when the other orders had been obeyed.
This completed the preparation for the night. The captain consulted his repeater, and ascertained20 that it was twenty minutes past twelve. The Bronx was in position to learn the fact if any vessel attempted to run out of St. Andrew's Bay, provided his calculations in regard to the locality of the Bronx were correct. Christy went down to the deck, and walked aft with Mr. Flint.
195 "I think some of us need a little sleep to-night," said the commander.
"Then you had better turn in, Captain Passford," said the executive officer. "We can do nothing more to-night except to keep a sharp lookout."
"You are the only officer on board except myself," replied Christy. "We are still in the dark as to what we have to do here. We may have to send off a boat expedition, as we did at Cedar21 Keys, and we are in absolute need of more officers."
"We have plenty of material out of which to make them, and we can do as we did after the fight with the Scotian and the Arran, when we made them," replied Mr. Flint. "We have men of good education in the crew, who have either commanded coasters, or been mates on steamers."
"If you will name one, I will name another," added Christy.
"Quartermaster Camden. He commanded a three-masted schooner22 in the coal trade. He is not college educated, but he is a remarkably23 well-informed man who shipped in the navy to learn the details of duty on board of a man-of-war."
"I am sure he will get a commission as soon as he applies for it, captain," added the first lieutenant, pleased with the prompt decision. "Now, who is your man?"
"Ralph Pennant25. I had my eye on him while I was aboard of the Vernon, where he became a sort of oracle26 among the seamen27 on account of his abundant information on general subjects. He talks like a man with a good education, and he has been mate of a steamer of good size. But I know very little concerning him, and am afraid he has one out."
"What is that, captain?"
"I am afraid he is fond of whiskey, though I do not know that he is."
"He can't get any whiskey here unless it is served out to him; so that habit, if it is his habit, will do him no harm," argued Mr. Flint.
"I appoint him third lieutenant temporarily."
"That will amount to their being made ensigns when you go north again if they prove to be worthy28 of promotion," added the executive officer, with a chuckle29. "That was what happened to Baskirk and Amden."
Camden was called aft and formally appointed second lieutenant, but Ralph was in the watch below, and was in his hammock. The commander retired31 to his stateroom, and, letting his report wait till another day, he was soon sound asleep.
In accordance with the directions he had left with the first lieutenant, Christy was called with the watch at four o'clock in the morning. Though the first lieutenant is not a watch officer, he may be required to do duty as such when the number of commissioned officers is reduced below three, and Mr. Flint had remained in charge of the mid-watch, which had been called to the deck at midnight. The captain relieved him and Camden, and both of them went below, the new appointee taking the stateroom of the second lieutenant.
"Pass the word for Ralph Pennant," said Christy, as soon as he reached the quarter-deck.
"I have had considerable talk with Camden, and I am satisfied that he will make a capital officer," said the executive officer, as he moved towards the companion-way. "I suppose you 198 have sent for Pennant with the intention of appointing him third lieutenant."
"That is my purpose; and here he comes."
"On deck, sir," reported Ralph, touching32 his cap to the commander, as Mr. Flint descended33 the steps to the ward2 room.
"I think you told me that you had had some experience on board of steamers, Pennant," replied Christy.
"What is your age?"
"Twenty-eight years."
"Then you are older than you appear to be," continued Christy; and he proceeded to question the seaman in regard to his education and experience as a seaman.
He had not been mistaken in his estimate of the man, so far as he could judge from his answers. Pennant had taken a steamer home to New York from Havana after the captain had died there of yellow fever. He had expected to be given the command of the vessel; and when he failed to obtain the position he resigned his place as mate, but secured the same position in another and larger steamer.
"At present, no, sir," replied the seaman decidedly. "I learned a few months ago that I failed to obtain the command of the steamer I brought home from Havana because it was said I took too much whiskey. I knocked off then, and have not drank a drop since."
"That was a sensible thing to do. You are aware that we are short of officers, I suppose," said the commander.
"Yes, sir; and since I came on deck, I heard that Phil Camden had been appointed acting second lieutenant," replied Pennant.
"That is true; and now I am going to appoint you acting third lieutenant. You will call the watch aft."
"I am very much obliged to you, Captain Passford, for this favor; and I know you would not give me the place if you did not think me worthy of it," replied the seaman as he went forward and called the watch to the mainmast.
"My men, I have just appointed Ralph Pennant acting third lieutenant; and you will obey and respect him as such," said Christy, addressing the watch, and then dismissing them.
200 The men gave three hearty36 cheers as they were dismissed, proving to the commander that Pennant was a popular man among them, as Camden had also been proved to be when his appointment had been announced to the starboard watch. As in politics, legislation, war, and business, the masses of the people soon ascertain19 who are their natural leaders, the crew of the Bronx, or that portion who had come from New York in the Vernon, had been prompt in discovering the abilities of the two men now promoted.
"Now, Mr. Pennant, you may remove your bag to the ward room, and the third stateroom on the starboard side, counting from the forward one, is yours for the present," continued Christy.
"But I have no uniform, Captain Passford," suggested the appointee.
"I have one in my stateroom; but it is altogether too small for you," replied the commander, glancing in the gloom of the night at the stalwart form of the third lieutenant, lacking not more than an inch of six feet, and his weight could not have been less than one hundred and eighty. "We will see what can be done in the morning."
"The crew all know me, and I dare say I can 201 get along without a uniform till we get back to the station, where I could get one from the store-ship; but it is not likely that I shall need one then."
"I cannot say as to that. When you go forward take a look at the prisoners, and report to me," added Christy, as Mr. Pennant went below.
In a few minutes he reported that the prisoners were all fast asleep. Boxie had been relieved as guard, and another seaman was marching back and forth37 by their couches. It was still dark and foggy, and a hail came from the mast-head forward.
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1
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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2
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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3
slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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4
conning
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| v.诈骗，哄骗( con的现在分词 )；指挥操舵( conn的现在分词 ) | |
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5
tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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6
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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7
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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8
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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9
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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10
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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11
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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12
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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13
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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14
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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15
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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16
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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17
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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18
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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19
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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20
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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21
cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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22
schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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24
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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pennant
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| n.三角旗；锦标旗 | |
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26
oracle
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| n.神谕，神谕处，预言 | |
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27
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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28
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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29
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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30
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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31
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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32
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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33
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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35
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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36
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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37
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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