Taken by the Enemy | Page 9

on the quarter of the steamer, and no one from her had come
on board.
Captain Passford and Christy walked forward, leaving the lady with her
own thoughts. She was a daughter of a distinguished officer in the navy,
and she had been fully schooled in the lesson of patriotism for such an
emergency as the present. She was sad, and many a tear dropped from
her still handsome face; but she was brave enough to feel proud that she
had a husband and a son whom she was willing to give to her country.
The ship's company gathered on the forecastle; and every one of them

seemed to be deeply impressed with the solemnity of the occasion, for
not a light word was spoken, not a laugh played on any face. They had
just learned that the country was in a state of war; and the present
occasion indicated that the owner had some serious question in his
mind, which was now to be presented to them.
The Bellevite was heavily manned for a yacht; but every person had
been selected for his position, from the highest to the lowest, with the
utmost care by Captain Breaker, assisted by the owner. Every one of
them had been attached to the steamer for at least a year, and some of
them for a longer period. All of them were personally known to the
owner and the members of the family, who had taken the greatest
pleasure in improving and assisting them and their families, if they had
any.
They were all devoted to the owner and the members of his family,
who had taken such a strong personal interest in them and theirs. Many
instances of the kindness of the lady in times of sickness and death, as
well as in the brighter days of prosperity and happiness, could be
related; and in return for all this generous and considerate treatment,
there was not a man on board who would not have laid down his life
for the family.
It was certainly a model ship's company; and if there had ever been
another owner and captain like those of the Bellevite, there might also
have been such another collection of officers and seamen. But every
one of them had been selected for his moral character, not less than for
his nautical skill and knowledge. In fact, the personal history of any
one of them would have been interesting to the general reader.
These men composed the audience of Captain Passford when he took
his place at the bowsprit bitts; and, if the occasion had been less solemn,
they would have cheered him, as they were in the habit of doing on
every suitable opportunity, and even when it was not suitable.
The owner prefaced his remarks with a statement of the events which
had occurred in the country since the last dates they had received, and
then proceeded to describe his mission as indicated to his wife and son.

He fully stated the perils of the enterprise, with the fact that his
operations would be somewhat irregular; though he intended to make
an immediate tender of the vessel to the Government, with his own
services in any capacity in which he might be needed.
In spite of the solemnity of the occasion, the men broke out into cheers,
and not a few of the sailors shouted out their readiness to go with him
wherever he might go, without regard to danger or hardship. One old
sheet-anchor man declared that he was ready to die for Miss Florry; and
he was so lustily cheered that it was evident this was the sentiment of
all.
"I have called the tug at the quarter alongside to convey Mrs. Passford
to the shore, though Christy will go with me," added the owner.
At this point he was interrupted by a volley of cheers, for Christy was a
universal favorite on board, as Florry had always been; and the ship's
company regarded her as a sort of mundane divinity, upon whom they
could look only with the most profound reverence.
"In view of the danger and the irregularity of the enterprise, I shall not
persuade or urge any person on board to accompany me; and the tug
will take on shore all who prefer to leave the vessel, with my best
wishes for their future. Those who prefer to go on shore will go aft to
the mainmast," continued Captain Passford.
Officers and seamen looked from one to the other; but not one of them
took a step from his place on the forecastle, to which all seemed to be
nailed.
CHAPTER IV
THE FIRST MISSION OF THE BELLEVITE
Captain Passford looked over his audience with no little interest, and
perhaps with considerable anxiety; for he felt