"All her officers are on board, except the commander, we were told." "Some of them may know Mr. Pillgrim," suggested the boatswain, who had more fears for his young commander than the latter had for himself. "Mr. Pillgrim has been in the North, and in England since the war began. I am of the opinion that those on board do not know him." "Suppose they do?" "I shall put them under arrest if they refuse to obey my orders." "You are smart, Mr. Somers," said Tom, who chuckled over the adroitness of his _protégé_, even while he trembled for his safety and success. "Steamer ahead, sir!" reported the bowman. "Where does she lie?" "On the starboard bow, sir!" "Port a little," said Somers. "Now, my men, you will obey orders and keep silent. Answer no questions which may be put to you." "Ay, ay, sir," responded the crew, cheerfully; for though they seemed to be knocking at the door of a rebel prison, they had full confidence in their gallant young leader. Perhaps some of them "had their doubts," for four and twenty men are hardly ever gathered together, among whom there are not more or less who are disposed to grumble, and croak, and imagine possible disasters. Within the rebel lines, surrounded by Confederate vessels, and on the point of confronting superior numbers, it would not have been surprising if these men had been rather uncertain of the future. Whatever doubts or fears they had, they believed in Somers. "My lads," continued the commander of the expedition, in a low tone, "you are rebel sailors for an hour or so. You will talk and act as such. Do you understand me?" "Ay, ay, sir." "You will call me Captain Pillgrim." The men had listened to the conversation between their officer and the pickets, and they comprehended enough of the plan to enable them to act intelligently. "Tom," said Somers, "there is nothing to prevent me from acting just as Mr. Pillgrim would do, if he were in my place." "That's so." "I could go to sea in this steamer, and plunder all the vessels I could overhaul." "So you could," replied the boatswain, who seemed to be amazed even at such a suggestion. "I'm not sure that I am not carrying out the very plan which the traitor had in his mind. Perhaps he intended to do just what I have done, when he reached the blockading station." "Very likely." "Then I shall be Mr. Pillgrim, and carry out his purpose to the letter; only, when we get out of the bay I shall do rather differently from what he intended." "Boat ahoy!" shouted a man at the gangway of the Ben Lomond. "On board the Tallapoosa!" replied Somers. "Keep off," said the man, who seemed to be the officer of the deck. "Who are you?" "Commander John Pillgrim, Confederate States navy, and captain of this ship." "Man the side, you lubbers!" added the boatswain, rather improving on the suggestion of Somers, given him at this moment. "Captain Pillgrim?" said the officer of the deck. "I said so. Is the ship ready to sail?"