A Little Traitor to the South | Page 8

him."
The general turned his head away, his fingers tapped softly on the desk.
"Things have not gone as we wished," he murmured half to himself, "the South is hard pushed, indeed. The war has dragged on. It becomes harder and harder, but we may not despair for our beloved country when her sons strive for posts of danger and are emulous to die in her service. Do you know what this means, Mr. Sempland?"
"What it means, General?"
"There is about one chance in a thousand of your coming back. Every time that infernal submarine has been used she has done no damage to the enemy and has drowned her crew. Payne was drowned in her with eight men when she was first sent out. She was swamped by the wash of a passing steamer on her next trial, and all hands were lost. Then she sank at Fort Sumter wharf, carrying down six of her men. Hundley took her into the Stono River and made a dive with her, hit mud, stuck there, and every soul was suffocated. They raised her and fixed her up again and tried her once more in the harbor here. She worked beautifully for a while, but fouled the cable of the receiving ship trying to pass under her keel, and stayed there. She has just been raised, the dead cleared out of her, now you want to go on her again."
"I do, sir," returned Sempland.
"Is life worth so little to you that you are willing to sacrifice it?"
"There is Lacy, sir."
"Oh, he is different!" burst out the general, and then bit his lip. "It would be greatly to Lacy's credit," had flashed into his mind, "if he could manage to die in some such heroic action."
Lacy and Sempland knew what the general thought, and Sempland could think of no words to bridge over the pause.
"You see," at last said Lacy, smiling satirically at Sempland, "the general understands. You would better let me go."
"No. The thing sometimes works. Glassell got out alive when he tried to blow up the New Ironsides, and anyway, I want this chance. I have had four years of war and have spent three of it in prison. For God's sake, General--"
"Very well. You shall have it," answered Beauregard, "but I will not have the boat used as a submarine. You can sink her until her hatch is awash, but no lower."
"Thank you," answered the delighted Sempland; "where shall I get a crew?"
"One has already been selected from among hundreds who volunteered. Five seamen are to attend to the propeller and an artillery officer to look after the torpedo. You can steer the boat?"
"I lived on the water before I entered the army."
"All right. The Wabash is lying off the Main Ship Channel. I have no instructions to give you except to go at her and sink her. I am told the most vulnerable spot of a ship is just forward of the mainmast. Hit her there. Don't explode your torpedo until you are in actual contact if possible. Glassell's went off the moment he saw her without touching, else he would have sunk the New Ironsides. You will find the torpedo boat at the government wharf. Everything is ready. You will leave at seven. The three blockade-runners will follow you as close as is practicable, and when you torpedo the frigate they will dart through the Swash and try to get to sea. I reckon upon the other Yankee ships running down to aid the Wabash. I'll see you on the wharf. God bless you, and may He have mercy on your souls!" said the little general, solemnly.
He put out his hand to the young man, and Sempland shook it vigorously.
"I pray that I may succeed for the sake of the South, sir," returned the young man, firmly.
"For the sake of the South, gentlemen. That is our watchword," cried Beauregard, standing up and bringing his hand to a salute.
"Have you any preparations to make, Sempland?" asked Lacy, when they left the office.
"I have a letter to write."
"Very well. I will look after the boat and will meet you on the wharf. Shall you see Miss Glen before you go?"
"No."
"You must."
"I cannot. What difference does it make to her, anyway? I will be at the wharf"--he looked at his watch, it was already six o'clock--"in three-quarters of an hour. Good-by."
The two men shook hands and separated.
"The boat is ready," said Lacy to himself. "I saw to that this afternoon. There is nothing for me to do there. I wonder--by Jove, I'll do it!"
A few minutes after he was ushered again into the presence of Miss Fanny Glen. She had at first pleaded indisposition, but he had insisted upon seeing her.
"I have something of so much importance to tell you, Miss Glen," he began,