Steamboats -- Juvenile fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Naval operations -- Juvenile fiction; War stories
Captain Passford was obliged to get his daughter out of his brother's
house by stealth, and to make his escape with the Bellevite as best he
could.
Major Lindley Pierson, in command of Fort Gaines, at the entrance to
Mobile Bay, had permitted the steamer to pass, having been deceived by
his younger brother. He had been a frequent visitor at the mansion of
Homer Passford, attracted there, it appeared, by the lovely daughter of
the planter's brother, remaining there for the winter. Perhaps on her
account, perhaps with the fear that the Bellevite was not what she had
appeared to be, he had gone to the vicinity of Glenfield to inquire into
the mission of the steamer.
Homer Passford, acting upon his convictions, gave information which
resulted in an attempt to capture the Bellevite. Christy, not informed
in regard to the plans of his father to depart at once in the steamer,
was "Taken by the Enemy," and had some very stirring adventures in the
bay. But the steamer escaped from the numerous enemies that awaited her,
and Christy got on board of her at the last minute. The Bellevite ran
the gantlet of the forts in a dense fog, and brought Miss Florry in
safety to her home at Bonnydale.
Corny Passford, whose unexpected arrival at Bonnydale had excited the
astonishment of his uncle, was a year older than Christy, and had
enlisted in the Confederate service at the insistence of Major Pierson.
Without knowing anything in particular about the matter, his uncle
believed, at his visit to Glenfield, that Corny was as earnestly devoted
to the Southern cause as his father, judging entirely from the fact that
he had enlisted as a soldier.
Corny had a good appetite, and a good supper was set before him. He ate
like a hungry boy, and the fact that he was within the enemy's lines did
not seem to have any influence upon him. His aunt helped him till he
seemed to be filled to repletion, for she thought he must have been
accustomed of late only to the most indifferent fare. After supper, he
followed his uncle back to the library; but he seemed less embarrassed
than before.
"Where is Christy, Uncle Horatio?" asked Corny, as he seated himself in
the library. "I have not seen him yet; and as I was away at the fort
when you went to Glenfield, I did not see him then."
"I don't know where he is just now, though he is in or about the house
most of the time," replied the captain. "Are you still in the army,
Corny?"
"No, sir, I am here. I did not like the service very well, and I thought
I should like the navy better. The reason why I did not like it as well
as at first was because I was no longer in Major Pierson's battalion,"
replied Corny, looking at his uncle as though he expected a question
from him.
"Then Major Pierson is no longer in the army?" added the captain.
"Oh, yes, he is; but I think he was the maddest man in the army soon
after you left."
"Indeed! Why was he so mad?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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