A Victorious Union | Page 6

an engineer, and his
assignment to the Bellevite. The young man was exceedingly grateful
to him for this service, and entirely devoted to him.

Paul Vapoor, the chief engineer, spoke of Graines in the highest terms,
not only in his official capacity, but as a high-toned, patriotic, and
thoroughly reliable man. The moment the executive officer put his eye
on the assistant engineer, he decided that Graines should be his
right-hand man. As a matter of precaution the proposed expedition was
to be a profound secret, for there were white men and negroes about the
deck who had been picked up in various ways, and were retained till
they could be disposed of. They could not be trusted, and doubtless
some of them were Confederates at heart, if not engaged in secret
missions.
Christy invited Graines to the ward room for a conference. There were
several officers there, and they retired to the stateroom of the first
lieutenant, which is the forward one on the starboard side. The plan, as
it had been matured in the mind of the one appointed to carry it out,
was fully explained, and the engineer was delighted to be chosen to
take part in its execution. The selection of the seamen to compose the
expedition was not an easy matter, though every sailor on board would
have volunteered for such duty if the opportunity had been presented to
him.
Graines was not so familiar with the merits of the seamen as he was
with those of the men in the engineer department. It became necessary
for the executive officer to take another walk on the spar-deck, in order
to revive his recollection of the men; and he soon returned to the
stateroom with a complete list of those he had selected. The engineer
suggested an oiler by the name of Weeks as a most excellent man; and
Christy accepted him, completing the number from those of his own
choice. Seated at his desk, he wrote out the names of the ten men
chosen.
"Of course if we should be caught on shore in our ordinary uniforms it
would be all night with us," said Christy, as he completed the writing
out of the list. "I believe you have never seen the inside of a
Confederate prison, Mr. Graines."
"Never; though I came pretty near it once while I was an oiler on board
of the Hatteras," replied the engineer.

"You have been fortunate, and I hope you will come out of this
excursion as well. I spent a short time in a Confederate lock-up; but I
did not like the arrangements, and I took leave of it one night. It was in
Mobile, and I don't care to be sent up there again. Therefore we must
clothe ourselves in the worst garments we can find; and I carry a suit
for just this purpose, though I have not had occasion to use it lately."
"I have to wear old clothes when at work on the machinery, and I have
a plentiful supply on hand," added Graines. "Perhaps I could help out
some of the others."
"All the seamen have old clothes, and they will need no assistance in
arranging their wardrobes. Now, Mr. Graines, it will excite remark if I
instruct the ten men we have selected, and I must leave that part of the
work to you," continued Christy. "But all the instruction you need give
them is in regard to their dress, and require them to be at the main
chains on the starboard side at ten o'clock to-night precisely."
"As I have plenty of time I will take the men, one at a time, to my room
in the steerage, and instruct them," replied the engineer.
"You can tell each one to send in the next one wanted. Above all, make
them promise not to speak to any person whatever in regard to the
expedition," said the executive officer as his companion retired.
Mr. Graines lost no time in discharging the important duty assigned to
him. Christy reported to the commander, as soon as he found an
opportunity to speak to him privately, what progress he had made in
carrying out the duty assigned to him. Captain Breaker looked over the
list of the men selected, and gave it his hearty approbation. He was a
man of elevated moral and religious character; he had always exercised
a sort of fatherly supervision over his ship's company, and he was
better acquainted with those under his command than most
commanders.
"It looks as though it was going to be a good night for blockade-runners,
Mr. Passford," said Captain Breaker, as he looked over to windward
and saw the banks of fog, not yet very dense, rolling up from the open

gulf.
"It is not known, I