[Illustration] SAILOR BOY OR Jack Somers in the Navy _By_ OLIVER OPTIC [Illustration] CHICAGO M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. The Victory at Port Royal 9 II. The Dashaway in a November Gale 17 III. The Sailor and the Soldier 25 IV. The Naval Rendezvous 32 V. On Board the Ohio 41 VI. Jack Takes a Lesson in Discipline 50 VII. The Harrisburg 58 VIII. “All Hands, Up Anchor!” 66 IX. “All Hands, Make Sail!” 74 X. “Man Overboard!” 82 XI. The Cockswain of the Captain’s Gig 89 XII. Ship Island 97 XIII. The Boat-Expedition 106 XIV. Jack on the Lookout 115 XV. The C. S. Steamer Wizard 123 XVI. The Shore Battery 132 XVII. Return of the Expedition 140 XVIII. Forts Jackson and St. Philip 147 XIX. Quartermaster Somers 154 XX. The Steamer Middy 162 XXI. Up the River 170 XXII. Jack Ashore 177 XXIII. The Planter’s Mansion 186 XXIV. A Night-Expedition 193 XXV. The Capture of the Kenshaw 201 XXVI. The Union Refugees 209 XXVII. The Conspiracy on Board the Middy 217 XXVIII. The Middy on the Blockade 225 XXIX. The Blockade Runner 233 XXX. On the Suwannee River 241 XXXI. Homeward Bound 251 THE SAILOR BOY; OR JACK SOMERS IN THE NAVY. CHAPTER I. THE VICTORY AT PORT ROYAL. “Hurrah for the navy!” shouted John Somers, as he rushed into the house, threw his cap upon the floor in the entry, and bolted into the room where the family were just sitting down to supper. “Hurrah for the navy!” “What is the matter now, John?” demanded Mrs. Somers, placing the teapot on the table, and suspending all further proceedings till the excited young man had told the news. “‘The army and navy forever! Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!’” added John, swinging his handkerchief, and singing lustily the words of the patriotic song. “Why don’t you tell us what the news is, John? You act just like a madman when anything has happened.” “Fort Walker and Fort Beauregard captured! The navy gave ’em fits down there,” replied John, pulling the “Boston Journal” from his pocket, and tossing it upon the table, to the imminent peril of the milk pitcher, which, however, maintained this gravity, in spite of the rude assault.