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Passford, with a start. "It cannot be your father or Christy, for both of them have latch-keys. Who could come here at this time in the evening?" "Mr. Paul Vapoor," said the man-servant, who answered the bell. The gentleman announced walked into the sitting-room without any ceremony, for he had long been a familiar visitor. He was dressed in the full uniform of a chief engineer of the navy.
"That would not do at all." "I was not thinking of Mr. Vapoor, sir," interposed Christy. "Who, then?" demanded the commander, lowering his spy-glass to look into the young man's face. "My associate in the expedition to Mobile Point, who did quite as much as I did, if not more, to make it a success. I mean Mr. Graines, the third assistant engineer.
It was the most difficult thing in the world to make him believe that he had done "a big thing," though all others on board of his ship believed it with all their might. Paul Vapoor knew what everybody thought of his friend, and he was surprised that he should be so innocent and ignorant of the great reputation he had won. "I do wonder," replied Christy, earnestly and honestly.
"Excuse me, sir, but the captain of that schooner is badly wounded, and needs Dr. Linscott as soon as possible." The surgeon was sent on board of the Judith. As Paul Vapoor caught a sight of the returned third lieutenant, he hugged him as though he had been separated from him for years instead of a few days.
Vapoor, chief engineer of the Bellevite," said the executive officer, presenting Christy's greatest crony on earth, for he had held back in deference to his superior officer.
Paul Vapoor was still crowding the engine to the utmost that could be done with safety, and he spent no little of his time in the fire room, personally directing the men in the work of feeding the furnaces. It was evident to the commander that his ship was gaining on the Tallahatchie, at least a knot an hour, as he estimated it, and the chase could not now be more than four miles distant.
"What's the row there, Sampson?" called Paul Vapoor, mounting the rail, and looking through the darkness at the steps, down which the vigilant sentinel had descended more than half way to the water. "This fellow says he is Christy Passford; and I don't know whether it is Christy or not," replied Sampson. "Is that you, Christy?" asked Paul. "Of course it is," replied the middy.
Regis is one Paul Vapoor," continued Captain Passford, with a very obvious twinkle of the eyes. "Paul Vapoor!" exclaimed Christy, leaping out of the chair in which he had just settled himself after the excitement of his father's first announcement had partly subsided. "Paul Vapoor," repeated the captain. "It can hardly be possible," persisted Christy. "What is the matter?
"Do, Christy, if you please." The Bellevite was shaking in all her frame; for Paul Vapoor was again exercising his skill upon the screw, and she was flying through the water. The Dauphine seemed to be struggling to get up an equal degree of speed; but, fast as she was said to be, the Bellevite was running away from her.
In another hour she could be very distinctly made out, though the chase had not been so clearly made out the night before as to enable the officers to identify her. Paul Vapoor was in his element again, and the Bellevite was doing her best. The two vessels were approaching each other, and Boxie suggested that there would be "music" in less than an hour.
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