"No, you won't!" answered Somers, indignantly. "Here it is one o'clock in the morning. I ought to have been over the bar by this time." "I can't help it, Captain Pillgrim; my orders are imperative," pleaded the picket officer. "Well, if you can't help it, I can. I may not have such another night as this for a month." "I shall not detain you half an hour. The Tallapoosa has steam up, and is only waiting for her commander and the balance of her crew." "How many men has she on board?" asked Somers, somewhat startled. "About forty, besides the firemen." "I have the balance. It is all right." "Pardon me, if I persist. I must see your papers." "I have no pass; but I will show you my commission and my orders from the secretary of the navy." "Those will answer." The boat was laid alongside, and by the light of a lantern the officer glanced at Somers's commission and orders. He pronounced them all right, and the expedition was permitted to proceed. CHAPTER XXI. THE BEN LOMOND. "That's a bold step, Mr. Somers," said Tom Longstone, as the whale-boat dashed on towards the intended prize. "If it were less bold, it would be more dangerous," replied Somers, easily; for he entered so fully into the spirit of the affair, that he felt quite at home, and was hardly disturbed by a doubt of final success. "Where is Mr. Pillgrim now?" asked the boatswain. "I haven't the least idea; but I think he cannot be far off." "You left him at Fortress Monroe?" "Yes; he had started for the South then, to take command, I suppose, of this vessel. The traitor's plan was to come down on the Chatauqua, and then bring out this vessel perhaps, on the pretence of capturing her. At any rate, he was going to use his official position in the navy to help him get the Tallapoosa out of the bay, and past the blockading squadron. If not, he would not have gone in her, and thus wasted so much of his valuable time. I wish I knew where he is now." "Perhaps it don't make much difference." "I am afraid it will make considerable difference. Suppose the traitor has been on board the Ben Lomond?" "The what?" "The Tallapoosa; they have changed her name. Keep a sharp lookout forward for the ship, bowman." "Ay, ay, sir! I can't see a thing yet." "Suppose he has been on board, Mr. Somers?" continued the boatswain. "If he has, we may have to fight for the vessel." "Well, we can do that," replied Tom, as he involuntarily grasped his cutlass. "He has forty men aboard of her now, besides the firemen and coal-heavers." "Our boys wouldn't mind forty of them." "I should not hesitate to attack her, but the noise would wake up the rebel iron clads and gunboats. We must get the vessel without fighting. I don't believe Pillgrim has been on board of her. If he had, that picket officer would have known that I am not the man. I'm not going to croak about the business, though. In my opinion it will be all right." "Of course the Tallapoosa is in charge of some one."