Running the blockade

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Chapter I

AK INTRODUCTION. — THE HOUSE OP BLANK, HAWSER AND CO. — AN INDUCEMENT. — AN APPARITION. — A LOST HEART.

A WOUND, no trifling one, has laid me on the shelf for some months. My hull is shattered with rough weather, hard work, and constant excitement and peril. Yet I am a young man, not over twenty-eight, and at one time possessed a constitution as tough as a nor’wester, and the strength of a steam-tug. Rest may restore me, medicine may heal my wounds, kind treatment may banish the fancies that at times take possession of my mind as I think of the past ; but no earthly power can ever make me forget all that I have endured and suffered for the Union’s sake.

And now, while I am racked with pain, unable to muster at quarters, with no immediate chance of once more snuffing salt water, I can while away my time by writing an account of my adventures, more for the purpose of showing how secret-service duties were carried on, and what means our government resorted to for the purpose of entrapping the rebels, breaking up blockade-running, and gaining information of Southern movements, than for personal aggiandizemont, or pecuniary benefit.

RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.

One word as to my previous history, for I want to commence my yarn with a fair wind and a smooth sea, so that my readers may understand me and my motives. I always like to have a plain talk with my men when I sail from port, so why should I not call all hands aft on this voyage, and tell them all about my personal affairs ?

I arrived home, in the year 1862, in command of an East India ship, owned in Boston by Blank, Hawser & Co., for whom I had sailed ten years, as boy, man, mate, and master. The firm was an old one, rich and influential, with stores and warehouses located on Lewis’s Wharf, with nice, carpeted offices, old, gray-headed clerks, ponderous books, formidable safes, and colored charts of all parts of the world, which hung on the walls, and were often consulted by the house when a ship was to be despatched on a long and uncertain voyage.

I had a warm reception from the firm. Perhaps it was owing to the fact that I had brought home a valuable ship and cargo, that I had escaped the perils of the sea, had outsailed a privateer, which chased us for twelve hours, and onl}^ gave it up when night, a gale of wind, rain and fog hid us from the sharp eyes on board of the steamer. These things may have influenced the house in giving me a reception warmer than that which had been given to any master in their employ since the time when old Crosstree arrived from San Domingo with his brig loaded with plate, pictures, books, and gold and silver coin, all of which had been put on board by the residents just before a massacre of the whites by the blacks. The owners never called for their property. No wonder. They were sent to that unknown world where man is not supposed to care for wealth, or the vanities of the earth. The negroes made sure work of it, so much so that Blank, Hawser and Co. were enabled to estimate the profits of the year at something prodigious ; while old Crosstrea

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retired from the sea altogether, with money enough to enable him to spend a portion of his time wandering around State Street, with nothing to do, except to chew tobacco and read the morning papers in the insurance offices. It was always remarked that the captain never boasted of the manner in which he acquired an independence. In fact, he never once alluded to San Domingo, or acknowledged that he had traded at the island, during his long and eventful life.

But I have to deal with the house of Blank, Hawser & Co., so I will leave the ancient mariner, and resume the thread of my own yarn. In other words, I will make sail and keep on my course, although we may not come to anchor for some months.

As I said before, the house gave me what was called a warm reception when I landed, and reported myself and ship. Mr. Blank, a precise old gentleman, with a red nose and white hair, a keen black eye and sharp face, black clothes and spotless linen, a lover of good dinners, a gallant old beau, gave me two of his white fingers, and said that he was glad to welcome me home, and trusted that I was well, and that the ship I commanded, the Laughing Mermaid, sailed very well and was in good condition, and that the cargo had escaped damage.

And then Hawser, the jolly man of the firm, a gentleman with a large stomach, a fat face, a loud laugh, slapped me on the back, and swore that I had arrived just in the nick of time, and that the government wouldn’t catch them on the new tariff. Not a bit of it. Two days made a difference of some fifty thousand dollars. And would I take a drink ?

I did not refuse the drink, because Hawser would have felt offended at my refusal, and because he always kept good liquors in his private room, and was rather liberaJ with them ; while Blank, that tall, stately man, wotuu

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have felt insulted had ho been asked to touch glasses with one of his masters.

While the ship was unloading, I was a frequent visitor at the counting-room, confidently expecting that I should again have the vessel, and wondering where I would be sent, when one morning Mr. Blank sent for me to enter his private room, and talk on business.

“Now for it,” I thought. “ He is about to offer me the ship and increase my wages. Another trip to San Francisco, and then Calcutta and a market, I suppose.”

Such were my reflections ; but they were not quite correct, as the conversation proved.

“ Ah, good morning, sir,” and Mr. Blank looked up as I entered the room. He held out two fingers, and allowed me to hold them about as long as a man would care to hold two hot iron balls. “ Take a seat, sir.”

I dropped the fingers, and took a seat.

“ Captain Constant,” the head of the firm said, and as he spoke he trimmed his nails with a penknife^ “ we have been much pleased with the manner in which you have conducted yourself since you have been in our employ, over ten years, I believe ? ”

I bowed. He was complimenting me in a manner such as I never expected to hear from his lips. He certainly will increase my wages I thought.

“Yes, sir, through all the changes which you have passed, while in our employ, from seaman to mate, and from mate to master, you have satisfied us that you intend to do your duty under all circumstances.”

Once more I bowed. “ At least twenty-five dollars per month to be added to my wages, or else he will offer me a percentage,” I thought.

“ Therefore, we conclude it best, under the present disturbed state of the country, to offer you- — ”

“ Certainly, sir, I accept with much pleasure. I want kUNNING THE BLOCKADE, no better ship than the Laughing Mermaid. She is fast, a good sea-boat, and I know just how to sail her.”

“ How ! ” cried the head of the firm, and opened his l-lack eyes to their widest extent.

The Laughing Mermaid,” I faltered, fearing that I fiad been too precipitate.

“ O, yes ; didn’t I tell you that we intended to lay hei up for a season ? ”

“No, sir, you did not intimate such a thing.”

“ Then Fm sure that I committed a great oversight, for — ”

Just at that moment one of the clerks opened the door, as though to speak a word to Mr. Blank, but before he could utter a syllable was pushed gently aside by a young girl, a vision of loveliness, who entered the room, and danced towards Mr. Blank.

“ O, papa,” the little beauty said, “ they told me that you were engaged.”

“ That is more than you will be unless you leave off some of your mad pranks,” replied Mr. Blank, with a merry twinkle of his eye, while a look of affection mantled his face, stealing through the crusty, port-like blossom of his countenance, like a coat of paint to the bare bends of a ship.

“ Engaged,” — and here the young lady tossed her head, and made an attempt to smile in a scornful manner ; “I can be engaged at any moment, but I don’t want to be the slave of any man. I like my freedom too well. No tangled engagements for me.”

“ I believe it ; ” and the father laughed in a gratified manner.

“ Besides, I like my home too well, and those who make my home happy, to care to leave it ; ” and the beautiful girl bent her head to her father’s shoulder, and allowed her rich peach-like cheek to rest for a moment against his

face.

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I sat w here I could not help noting the scene. The parties seemed to have forgotten that I was present, so absorbed were they in each other. I could see that the father loved his child most dearly. That he was proud of her beauty, her pert, saucy ways and winning manners ; and I did not blame him for the affection he displayed, for the young lady seemed most worthy of it, and I felt a pang in the region of my heart as I sat and looked at her, and thought that some day a fine, dashing young fellow would come along, throw her his handkerchief, and carry her off in triumph a wife, but one not loved half as much as such a beautiful little piece of angelic creation should be loved.

I had often heard of the only child of Mr. Blank, but never had expressed the least curiosity regarding her. When the clerks in the counting-room had raved, and declared that she was as lovely as Venus, I had manifested the most supreme indifference on the subject, and laughed at the love-stricken lubbers, as I termed them. But now, as I sat and stared at that well-formed head, covered with masses of dark brown hair, looking soft and wavy ; a face that was Grecian in its character, the rich blood showing beneath the transparent skin ; the sweet hazel eyes, veiled with long dark lashes, like pickets thrown out in front of a powerful army ; a form that was plump and well-proportioned as a first-class clipper ship. Well, I no longer wondered that the clerks were madly in love with the lady.

“ Come, darling, sit down for a moment,” said the fond father, patting the young lady’s soft hair, “ or else tell me what you want, if you are in a hurry.”

“ You know what I want, well enough now.”

She laughed and clapped her gloved hands as though she had uttered a good joke.

“ Where is the last I gave you ? ”

“ Gone, papa.”

“How?”

“ A musliu, a bouuet, a silk dress of lovely shade, and charity ; you shall see it.”

“ What, the charity ? ”

“No, the silk dress, you provoking papa. I shall wear it to church next Sunday.”

“ And the bonnet, puss ? ”

“Will also add to my attractions. I intend you shall be proud of your daughter.”

The father smiled and pinched her cheek. It was evident enough that he was proud of her, without her gay rigging and trappings, and I was satisfied that Miss Hatty Blank, the full name of my little beauty, loved her father with a devotion that was rather unusual in these days of selfishness.

All of a sudden Miss Hatty turned her hazel eyes on me, for I had coughed in a slight manner to show that some one was present. They rested on my face for the space of a second or two, a haughty, well-bred stare, not impolite, but inquisitive, as much as to say, —

“ Pray, who are you, sir, with your black eyes, sunburnt face, and curly hair? ”

Truth compels me to state that I so far forgot myself as to return her stare with such intense admiration that Miss Hatty was compelled to lower her eyes and turn her head, while a blush passed over her face that was like the glow on the water in a tropical climate at sunset.

Mr. Blank — happy man to be the father of so much loveliness — did not note the exchange of glances between his daughter and myself. He was too much occupied in looRing over a letter to regard us ; but his daughter, after one more effort to catch a glimpse of my face, and finding that I was still looking at her, laid her hand on her father’s arm, and said, —

“ Papa, you are not paying the least attention to me, oi this — this — ”

She stole a third look at me, and then finished hei speech —

“ Gentleman.”

I had won the victory. I had extracted the word from her in defiance of her will. She had acknowledged my gentility in spite of her wish not to do so.

“ I beg your pardon, my dear child ; bat I was not aware that you were of so much importance.”

But perhaps this gentleman has business with you that requires haste.”

This time there was no hesitancy when the word gentleman was used.

“ He has business with me, but is not in haste,” was the father’s reply.

There was no offer at an introduction. The rich merchant did not think that the master of one of his ships was a suitable person to favor with an introduction to his only child. Perhaps he feared that I might claim the honor of her acquaintance on the strength of it. I felt my heart swell within me at the thought; but I restrained all outward sign of emotion, for I had learned that severe trial at an early day. Self-discipline was one of my virtues.

I could always wait with some degree of patience for events.

Just at this moment the office door opened, and a favoi ite clerk entered with some papers in his hand. He was a man nearly forty years of age, with iron-gray hair, a smooth lace, clean shaved, thin lips, eyes that never met your own ; always meditating, never surprised ; civil to all yet exchangmg words with but few. Such were, the traits of 1 not ^ing, y ho had been in .tlie house for thirty years, rismg horn the po.sition of office boy, errand boy, entry clerk, to that of a favorite clerk, at a salary of two thousand doliars per annum.

Kiner stopped when he was near Mr. Blank’s desk, and looked as though undecided whether to move on oi retreat.

“Excuse me, sir,” he said, addressing the merchant. “ I was not aware that you had company in your room, ^hall I retire ? ”

Even as the man spoke, he had time to make a most profound and respectful bow to Miss Hatty, as though she must not judge him harshly for what he had done. But Miss Hatty appeared to be obdurate, for she tossed her pretty head, and looked as if she was not in a gracious mood with the favorite clerk.

“ O, speak on, Kiner,” answered the merchant. “ I am not particularly engaged at this moment. What is it you want?”

“ A few papers to sign, sir. Shall I leave them on your desk?”

“ Yes. I will look over them in a short time.”

The smooth-faced clerk laid the papers on the desk, and then turned to leave the room, but for one moment he stopped near Miss Blank, and while rubbing his hands, as if to promote warmth, said, —

“ I hope that Miss Blank is enjoying good health at the present time.”

“ Yes.”

The answer was pert and curt, and such the young lady intended it, for she left -chair, turned her back on Kiner, and walked to the window.

The favorite clerk did not manifest the least sign of displeasure ; but he glanced at me, as if to note the effect of her conduct, and then his dull, leaden eyes were lowered, and he left the room, stealing through the doorway like a snake that was in search of a field-mouse.

I noted all, and considered. “ There is some mystery here,” 1 thought.

As Kiner closed the door. Miss Hatty left her positioi

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at the window. She appeared to recover her spirits the instant the favorite clerk was out of sight.

“ Now, papa, give me the money I asked you for, please.”

He laughed, went to the safe, took out some bills, and handed them to her.

“ Will that be enough, pet? ”

“ I will make it go just as far as possible, papa ; but you don’t kaow how many things I have to buy.”

Her father laughed. The young lady stowed the money in her purse, gave me a glance of her eyes, and then danced from the private room to her carriage at the door ; but when she left the apartment she carried my heart with her, more securely imprisoned than the greenbacks which she had secured in her purse.

As the door closed upon the retreating form of Miss Hatty Blank, I felt that she had taken all the sunshine and light of the room with her ; but from these reflections Mr. Blank aroused me.

“ Nowj Constant, we can proceed to business, having got rid of that troublesome magpie. As I said before, we have resolved to let the ship lay up for a season, on account of the rebel privateers. We don’t feel like transferring her flag, and if we did, we should have to employ an Englishman to command her. You would not care to take a mate’s berth once more ? ”

I shook my head.

“No, I suppose not, and I don’t mean to oflPer it to you ; but I have something else to give you that I think will be acceptable,”

I looked at him, wondering what was coming.

“The day after your arrival home, I wrote to Mr. Welles, the Secretary of the Navy, mentioning some of your good qualities, and recommending that you should be appointed a volunteer lieutenant in the navy, and de-

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spatched on secret service, or else sent down to do blockade duty. Let me see, are you acquainted with the harbors on the Southern coast ? ”

/‘Yes, I have sailed from Wilmington, Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, and New Orleans, and have a thorough knowledge of the places named.”

“ Then you are just the man that government wants. But stay, I’ll read the secretary’s letter, and let you heai what he says.”

Mr. Blank read a document, and I found that Mr. Yv^elles was anxious to see me before he gave me the appointment, and that he expected I would visit Washington without delay, and confer with him on matters which were for the benefit of the countr}^

At any rate, Mr. Welles promised that I should be taken care of, and receive an appointment according to my merits.

“ I have faken this trouble,” said Mr. Blank, “ in your behalf, on account of the long time that you have been in our employ, and the sincere esteem which I have for you. Our country needs just such men as you are, — bold, active, and enterprising.”

I had not listened to one half of this address, for my thoughts were far away, in a certain carriage that was moving along through Washington Street, freighted with a load more precious than a homeward bound East Indiaman. I imagined the lady looking to the right and left, bowing to this one, smiling to that, happy and free of trouble, as all young girls should be. When I looked up and saw that Mr. Blank expected an answer, and that he had waited some seconds for one, while I was up in the clouds, or becalmed among the curls of his daughter’s hair. I blushed a little, when I was restored to my senses, for allowing such weakness to overcome me.

“Well,” asked Mr. Blank, after waiting, and finding

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that I was not disposed to answer him, “ what do you think of serving your country for a season ? I tell you candidly, that you can’t do better. If you want time to consider tlie matter over, why, take a few days, and then lei me know. Of course, after the war has ceased, we shall welcome you back to our emploj^ with much pleasure, provided you want to come. In case you decide to accept Mr. Welles’s offer, take his note with you to Washington. It is a letter of introduction, and will secure you some little favor at the hands of the officials.”

He nodded his head, and took up a letter from his desk, as though he desired to close the interview. I arose, but as I did so, I happened to look down, and saw lying on the floor a card. I picked it up, and was about to hand it to Mr. Blank, when I noticed that it was a photograph of his daughter, which she had accidentally dropped while in the room.

Instead of handing it to the merchant, I put it in my pocket, and rejoiced to see that Mr. Blank was too much occupied with his letter _to notice the act. As no more words were needed on my part, I bowed, and retired from the room.

In the next apartment I encountered the favorite clerk, Kiner King, with his fish-like eyes and smooth face, his cold hands and calm looks.

“Well,” he asked, “shall we welcome you as one of Uncle Sam’s men ? ”

“ Perhaps.”

“ Are you in earnest? ”

“ Yes.”

I think the man’s face expressed a little astonishment, but his lookfc were always so well guarded that I could not tell whether he was surprised or not. Justus I was going out of the office, the favorite clerk called out to me, —

“ By the way, captain, did you ever see Miss Blank before?”

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‘21

“ Never had that honor,” I remarked, in a gallant tone, for I thought Kiner meant to say something complimentary.

“ O, never did, eh ? That’s all.”

Down went the fellow’s head on his book, and he appeared to have forgotten me.

“ Look here, Kiner, what in the devil do you mean by such talk ? Speak out in ship-shape fashion, and don’t be beating all round the bay.”

The man looked up, closed his book in a soft, cat-like manner, and then approached me, and whispered, —

“ She’s a dangerous psrscn to b© acquainted with, captain. I noticed that you seemed to be a little struck with her beauty. Think no more of it, and if you should again get sight of her, make sail and claw off as fast as possible. That is all, captain.”

I could not help laughing a scornful, defiant laugh at such advice.

“ Why, you lubber,” I said, in a tone that was half sarcastic and half joking, “ do you think that I would run fiom a pretty face and a petticoat ? ”

He made no reply, and I walked out of the office, Wondering what the deuce was the matter with Kiner.

“ He must have intended to play a game on me,” I thought. “ He noticed, probably, that I was a little struck with Miss Blank’s face and form, and thought he would have a joke. Sharp fellow, that Kiner.”

And then I dismissed Kiner from my mind ; but Miss Hatty was not put off so easy. I passed the day doing nothing with my hands, yet my brain was busy at work over the proposition which Mr. Blank had made, and the daughter which Mr. Blank owned. Of the two, as became a high-toned sailor, I thought most of the lady ; and while I was thus engaged, who should slap me on the shoulder but Crosstree, who had formerly sailed for the firm of Blank, Hawser & Co., and made his money

2*2

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through the San Domingo massacre. The old fellow was somewhat bent with age, his hair was white, and his teeth false, but his eyes were as sharp as ever they were, and his wits as keen as when he calculated how much his share of the plunder would amount to after arriving in Boston.

“ Well,” growled Crosstree, ‘‘what in the devil’s name are you looking so sober for ? What’s the matter ? ”

“ Matter enough. The house intends to lay up the Laughing Mermaid.”

“ Well, there’s other chances for a smart young fellow.” Old Crosstree had sunk his voice to a hoarse whisper as he uttered the sentence. I did not comprehend the man’s meaning, so only stared at him.

“ Do you take ? ” whispered Crosstree, and punched me in the ribs.

“ Don’t you know a thing or two ? ”

“ Hang me if I do I Come, pay out cable, so that I can ride free.”

“ Do you like money ? ” whispered the old salt.

“ Yes; I wish I was worth half a million dollars.”

“You can nearly reach that figure if you are bold and lucky ! ” cried Crosstree, and the old fellow rubbed his hands.

“Then I’m the man for the money,” said I, in a jesting tone. “ I want a pile of greenbacks, and I don’t mind running some risk to obtain it. Come, out with your scheme, and let’s overhaul it.”

“Don’t speak so loud,” the old sea-dog whispered, clutching my arm to impose more caution. “We must move carefully in the matter, and take soundings, ’cos we are surrounded by spies. They are all on the watch to spile a nice little speculation.”

I began to have some misgivings that the scheme which

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Crosstree desired to impose upon me was not exactly tlie one that would bear the evidence of a man’s loyalty. But I desired to hear more before I decided on the steps I would take in the premises.

“ Come this way I ” the old captain cried in an eager tone. “So, that’s well. Now no one can hear us. Listen. Do you know the firm of Brass, Iron & Co. ? ”

“ Yes.”

“ Do you know how they made all their money ? ”

“ No ; I never gave the subject a thought.”

“ Well, I have ; ” and here old Crosstree chuckled, and added, —

“ I’m bound to make my pile in the same manner. You can join me if you like.”

“ Name the business.”

Crosstree put his mouth close to my ear and whispered, —

“ Blockade running.”

“ What, help the enemies of the North ? ” I demanded.

“ No, we help ourselves — to cotton. You see, it’s worth a dollar a pound here in Boston, and we can buy it at the South for about eight cents, in the way of trade. Just see the margin for profit. Five hundred bales would set us on our pins, and put us among the nobs of State Street.”

“ And what would you give in exchange ? ” I asked.

Crosstree did not look me in the face as he answered, —

“ Well, shoes go well down there, and so does medicines, and clothes — dark gray fetches a big price — and they say that powder, revolving rifles, and swords are snapped at by aU sorts of fellows. Never fear but what we can pick up a load of stuff.”

With an effort I suppressed my indignation, so that I could learn more of the old rascal’s plans.

“You see, we can ship what we want to Bermuda,

Havana, or Nassau, and then buy a steamer and slip into one of the Southern ports on a dark night, and out in the same manner, with cotton and turpentine. If we are lucky, our fortune is made.”

“ And if we are not ? ” I asked.

“ Well, then, we must grin and bear it, and try again. But there ain’t much to fear or risk to run. The fellers on the blockading fleet are asleep half the time, and we can slip in and out without waking ’em up.”

. “ Captain Cross tree,” I asked, “ would you really turn against the North, and help the South in the manner proposed ? ”

“ I must make some money,” he grumbled, with an averted face. “ I must live.”

‘‘ Then, in the name of Heaven, if 3^011 must live, try and live in such a manner that your friends won’t have occasion to blush for you after you die. ITl be Iianged if I won’t live and die poor before I resort to blockade running and aiding the South.”