CHAPTER VI.
Frank's First Exploit.
During the three months following that Frank and Archie were attached tothe Illinois, they met with no adventure worthy of notice. They passednearly every day in the woods, and, after considerable practice, hadbecome splendid shots with their muskets; and as game was abundant, theirtable was kept well supplied.
At length, the new magazine-boat, which had for some time been building atCairo, was towed alongside the Illinois, and a detachment of men from thereceiving-ship were set to work to transfer the ammunition. The crew ofthe Illinois were not at all pleased with this, for they knew that theeasy life they had been leading was soon to be brought to an end.
When the ammunition had all been removed into the new boat, the steamerChampion came alongside, and the Illinois was towed down to Columbus, whereshe was to undergo repairs, and her crew was transferred to thereceiving-ship again.
The day after they arrived on board, while Frank and his cousin wereseated on a coil of rope, as usual, talking over old times, and wonderinghow George and Harry Butler liked the army, and why they had not written,the boatswain's mate came along, and called out, in a loud voice:
"Archie Winters!"
"Here I am," said Archie.
"Well, go up on deck," said the mate; "the captain wants to see you."
"The captain wants to see me!" repeated Archie, in surprise.
"Yes; and you had better bear a hand, too, for the captain isn't the manto wait long when he sends after any one."
Archie accordingly went on deck, trying all the while to think what he haddone that was wrong, and expecting a good blowing up for someunintentional offense. Perhaps the captain had by some means learned whoit was that had made the descent on the cook's galley, and had called himup for the purpose of punishing him.
Finding the captain on deck, talking with the executive officer, he verypolitely remained out of hearing, holding his hat in his hand, and waitedfor a chance to speak to him. At length the captain inquired:
"Hasn't Winters come up yet?"
"Yes, sir," answered Archie, stepping up with his best salute.
"Is this your writing?" inquired the captain, holding out to Archie aletter addressed, in a splendid business hand, to James Winters, Esq.,Boston.
"Yes, sir," answered Archie; "that's a letter I wrote to my father."
"Well," continued the captain, "I have got a splendid position for you, assecond clerk in the fleet paymaster's office. Would you like to take it?"
"Yes, sir," answered Archie; "but--but"--
"But what?" inquired the captain.
"I don't like to be separated from my cousin. We shipped together, and Ishould like to remain with him as long as possible."
"Oh, as to that," said the captain, "you can't expect to be together long;there is no certainty that you will be ordered to the same ship. You mightas well separate one time as another. I think you had better accept thisposition."
"I should like to speak with my cousin before I decide, sir."
"Very well; look alive, and don't keep me waiting."
Archie touched his hat, and hurried below.
"What did he want with you?" inquired Frank, who was sitting with Simpsonon their mess-chest.
Archie told his story, and ended by saying:
"I don't believe I'll take it; for I don't want to leave you."
"You're foolish," said Simpson; for, as the captain said, you can't expectto remain together a great while. To-morrow one of you may be ordered to avessel in the Cumberland River, and the other to the lower fleet. Bettertake it; Frank can take care of himself."
"Yes" said Frank, "I should certainly take it, if I were in your place.You'll be an officer then, you know."
"Yes, I shall be an officer," said Archie, contemptuously; "and if I meetone of you anywhere, I mustn't associate with you at all. No sir; I'll goand tell the captain I can't take it."
"But, hold on a minute," said Frank, as his cousin was about to move away;"perhaps you may find that there is another good place, and then you canrecommend me."
"That's so," said Archie; "I did not think of that; I believe I'll takeit;" and he hurried on deck again.
"Well, what conclusion have you come to?" inquired the captain. "Will youtake it?"
"Yes, sir, with many thanks for your kindness."
"What is your cousin's name?"
Archie told him, and the captain continued:
"I'll keep an eye open for him. I don't forget that I was young oncemyself; and I know that a sailor's life is rather tough for one who is notaccustomed to it; and when I find a deserving young man, I like to helphim along. Mr. Tyler," he continued, turning to the officer of the deck;"please send this young man over to the fleet paymaster's office in thefirst boat that leaves the ship. You need not take your donnage," he said,turning to Archie again; "if you suit the paymaster, you can come over forit at any time."
"Very good, sir," answered Archie; and he went below again.
When the ten o'clock boat was called away, Archie, in obedience to thecaptain's order, was sent over to the paymaster's office; and Frank wasleft alone. He watched the boat until it reached the landing, and he sawhis cousin spring out. He then walked aft, and seated himself on themess-chest, and commenced writing a letter to his mother. While he wasthus engaged, he heard the order passed, in a loud voice: "All you menthat belonged to the Illinois, muster on the forecastle with your bags andhammocks."
As Frank hastened to obey the order, he met Simpson, who exclaimed:
"We're off again, my hearty; and I'm glad of it. I don't like to layaround here."
"Where are we going?" inquired Frank.
"I don't know for certain; but I suspect we are to be the crew of thestore-ship Milwaukee, now lying alongside the wharf-boat."
Simpson's surmise proved to be correct. The entire crew of the Illinois,with the exception of Archie, was mustered around the capstan; and afteranswering to their names, they were crowded into a cutter that layalongside, and, in a few moments, were landed on board the Milwaukee.
She had steam up; her stores were on board, and she was all ready to sail;and the crew had scarcely time to stow away their bags and hammocks, whenthe order was passed: "All hands stand by to get ship under way."
The gang-planks were quickly hauled in; the line with which she was madefast to the wharf-boat was cast off, and the Milwaukee was soon steamingdown the river, and Cairo was rapidly receding from view.
The Milwaukee, which was now dignified by the name of "store-ship," was anold river packet. She was loaded with clothing, provisions, and smallstores, with which she was to supply the fleet. It was not, of course,intended that she should go into action; but, in order that she might beable to defend herself against the guerrillas, which infested the riverbetween Cairo and Helena, she mounted a twelve-pound howitzer on herboiler-deck, and was well supplied with muskets. Her destination wasHelena.
They reached that place without any adventure, and, after supplying thefleet with stores, started to return to Cairo. One pleasant afternoon, asthey were passing through Cypress Bend, the officer of the deck discovereda man standing on the bank, waving a flag of truce. A bale of cotton laynear him; and the man, as soon as he found that he had attracted theirattention, pointed to the cotton, and signified, by signs, that he wishedit carried up the river.
The Milwaukee was immediately turned toward the shore, and as soon as theyarrived within speaking distance, the captain called out:
"What do you want?"
"I would like to have you take this cotton to Cairo for me," answered theman.
"Are you a loyal citizen?" asked the captain.
"Yes, sir; and here is a permit from Admiral Porter to ship my cotton;"and, as the man spoke, he held up a letter to the view of the captain.
"Bring her into the bank, Mr. Smith," said the captain, addressing thepilot; "and, Mr. O'Brien," he continued, in a lower tone, turning to anofficer who stood near, "go down and
stand by that howitzer. Perhaps thereis no treachery intended, but it is well to be on the safe side."
As soon as the Milwaukee touched the bank, Frank and Simpson, with twoothers, sprang ashore with a line, and, after making it fast to a tree,returned on board, and commenced pushing out a plank, so that the cottoncould be easily rolled on, when, suddenly, several men rose from behindthe levee, and the quick discharge of their rifles sent the bullets aroundthose standing on the forecastle, like hailstones; and Simpson, who wasstanding directly in front of Frank, uttered a sharp cry of pain, and sankheavily to the deck. The next moment the guerrillas, with loud yells,sprang down the bank in a body, intending to board the boat and captureher. But they had not taken her so much by surprise as they had imagined,for a shell from the howitzer exploded in their very midst, and one of therebels was killed, and three disabled. The others turned and hastilyretreated behind the levee. Frank took advantage of this, and lifting theinsensible form of his friend, retreated under cover, and laid him on amattress behind a pile of coal, where he would be safe from the bullets ofthe guerrillas, which now began to come through the sides of the boat inevery direction.
This was the first time Frank had ever been under fire, and he wasthoroughly frightened; but he knew that it was his duty to resist therebels, and to do them as much damage as possible; so, instead of lookinground for a safe place to hide, his first impulse was to run up on deckafter a gun. This he knew was a dangerous undertaking, for the vessel layclose to the bank, the top of which was on a level with the boiler-deck;and behind the levee, scarcely half a dozen rods distant, were theguerrillas, who were ready to shoot the first man that appeared.
Nevertheless, Frank resolved to make the attempt, for he wanted to takerevenge on them for shooting Simpson. But, just as he was about to startout, he heard the captain shout down through the trumpet which ran fromthe pilot-house to the engine-room:
"Back her, strong! We must get away from the bank or they will pick us alloff."
In obedience to the order, the engineers let on the steam, and a heavypuffing told Frank that the powerful engines were doing their utmost tobreak the line which held them to the bank. Here was another thing thatFrank knew he ought to do; he knew that he ought to cut that line, for itwould be an impossibility to break it. There was an ax handy, and a suddenrush and a couple of lusty strokes would put the vessel out of danger.But, at short intervals, he heard the bullets crashing through the side ofthe boat, and he knew that the guerrillas were on the watch. If he madethe attempt he could scarcely hope to come back alive; and he thought ofhis mother and Julia, how badly they would feel when they heard of hisdeath. But even where he stood he was in danger of being struck by thebullets that were every moment coming through the vessel; and would nothis mother much rather hear that he fell while performing his duty, thanthat he was shot while standing idly by, taking no part in the fight? Hedid not wait to take a second thought, but seized the ax, and, with onebound, reached the gangway that led out on to the forecastle. Here hehesitated again, but it was only for a moment. Clutching his ax with afirmer hold, and gathering all his strength for the trial, he sprangforward, and a few rapid steps brought him to the capstan, to which theline was made fast. He raised his ax, and one swift blow severed the line,and the Milwaukee swung rapidly out from the bank Without waiting aninstant, Frank turned and retreated; but, instead of going back to theplace where he had left Simpson, he bounded up the steps that led to theboiler-deck, and the next moment was safe behind a pile of baled clothing.His sudden appearance had taken the rebels completely by surprise, andbefore they could recover themselves, the line had been cut, and the younghero was safe. But they had seen where he had taken refuge, and, with loudyells of disappointment and rage, sent their bullets about hishiding-place in a perfect shower. Frank, however, knowing that he wassafe, was not in the least alarmed. Waiting until the fire slackened alittle, he sprang up, and, snatching a musket and cartridge-box from therack which stood close by the door of the cabin, was back to hishiding-place in a moment.
"Now," he soliloquized, "we are on more equal terms. Better keep close, orI'll drop some of you."
In his cool, sober moments, Frank would have shuddered at the thought oftaking the life of a fellow-being; but he had seen Simpson shot downbefore his eyes--perhaps killed; and is it to be wondered that he wishedto avenge his fall?
It was some time before Frank could get an opportunity to use his musket;for if he exposed the smallest portion of his body, it was the signal forhis watchful enemies, who sent the bullets about him in unpleasantproximity. In spite of his dangerous situation, he could not help thinkingthat the rebels were very proficient in "Indian fighting," for, with allhis watchfulness, he could not get an opportunity to put in a shot. All hecould see of his enemies would be, first, a rifle thrust carefully overthe levee, then a very small portion of a head would appear, and thebullet would come straight to the mark.
In the mean time the Milwaukee was working her way out into the stream,and the rebels, finding that their fire was not returned, grew bolder bydegrees, and became less careful to conceal themselves. This was whatFrank wanted; but he reserved his fire until a tall rebel rose to his fullhight from behind the levee, fired his gun, and stood watching the effectof the shot. Frank's musket was at his shoulder in an instant, his fingerpressed the trigger, and the rebel staggered for a moment, and disappearedbehind the levee.
"There," said Frank to himself, "that's what Simpson would call 'squaringthe yards.' I'm even with the rascals now."
The rebels answered the shot with load yells, and their bullets fellthicker than ever; but the Milwaukee was almost out of range, and, in afew moments, the firing ceased altogether.