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"The water don't seem to vary here," added Christy. "No, for the owners had done some dredging in this channel; in fact, there was hardly anything like a channel here when they began the work," replied Captain Stopfoot. "To which of the steamers do you belong, Mr. Passford?" "To the Bellevite, the one which lies below the long key. The other has gone up the bay."
"But the circumstances have compelled me to remain in the service of my Southern employer until the present time, and this promises to be the first favorable opportunity to escape from it that has been presented to me," Captain Stopfoot explained.
The man at the wheel had been the last to be secured, and Calwood was put in his place, with directions to come about and steer for Egmont Key. Christy determined not to make the mistake Captain Stopfoot had committed in leaving his prisoners insufficiently guarded.
"But that is not enough to handle the steamer on a voyage to a foreign port, for I dare say she is going to Nassau," added Christy, who was on the lookout for some piece of strategy by which his boat and its crew might be destroyed. "I don't know not'ing about dat, sar; but Cap'n Stopfoot is a pow'ful smart man; and he's Yankee too. I done hear him say he gwine to j'in de Yankee navy."
It was evident enough now that the mate and the rest of the crew had not "taken to the woods," but had been concealed in such dens as could be easily made among the cotton bales. "I hope you are not very uncomfortable, Mr. Passford," said Captain Stopfoot, as he presented his smiling face before his late captor.
"Then Babylon is fallen!" exclaimed Christy, indignant to find a man born so near his own home doing the dirty work of the Confederate government. "Perhaps not; and perhaps you may change your view of me when you have heard my story," added Captain Stopfoot.
It was soon followed by "And a half four," upon which the lieutenant directed the wheelman to steer directly for the Bellevite. He had hardly given the order before the report of heavy firing from the upper waters of the bay came to his ear. "What can that be?" he asked, looking at Captain Stopfoot.
"No long yarns, my man!" protested the officer, as Quimp seated himself in the stern sheets as though he intended to tell a long story. "Yes, massa; told you all about it in a bref. De wind done blow fresh from de norf-west for t'ree days; dat's what Massa Cap'n Stopfoot say," Quimp began. "No matter what Captain Stopfoot says!" Christy interposed.
On a bale of cotton he saw the cutlasses and revolvers which had been taken from him and his men, which had apparently been thrown in a heap where they happened to hit, and had been forgotten. Seated on the cotton he found all his men, with their hands tied behind them. Captain Stopfoot opened the cabin door, and directed his prisoners to enter. "Excuse me for leaving you so abruptly, Mr.
They are all on the long key; and without some sort of a craft they will not be able to leave it. If you desire to spend your time in hunting them down, I have no doubt you could find them all." "How many of them are there on the island, Captain Stopfoot?" "The mate, four deck-hands, and two firemen.
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