Within The Enemys Lines | Page 7

Corny. Nobody is using that sailboat, and we may as well take it for a while."
CHAPTER III
THE DIGNIFIED NAVAL OFFICER
Corny climbed over the high palisade fence, with the assistance of Mulgate, and the party walked to the sailboat at the beach below. By this time it was dark, though the gloom was not very dense under a clear sky.
"Do you know anything about this boat, Corny?" asked Mulgate, as the trio approached the handsome craft, for such she was beyond a doubt.
The crusty tones of the speaker indicated that he had not yet recovered from the set-back he had plainly received in the late conversation, though he denied that he had any evil intentions in regard to Miss Florry.
"I do; I know all about her," replied Corny.
"Well, why don't you tell what you know?" demanded Mulgate.
"What do you wish to know about her?" inquired Corny, who was disposed to maintain his equality in spite of the military rank of his companion, which he had incautiously betrayed in the beginning.
"Whose boat is it?" asked Mulgate.
"She belongs to my cousin, Christy Passford."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Was he at the house when you were there?"
"He was not; and his mother had become rather anxious because he did not return to supper," replied Corny, becoming a little more pliable.
"This is a rather large boat, Captain Carboneer," added Mulgate, as he surveyed the trim sloop. "She is rather too large for our purpose."
"She will answer very well," replied the captain, as he applied his shoulder to the stem of the craft to ascertain how heavily she rested upon the beach. "Now, do you know whether there is any person on board of that steamer?"
"Of course, I don't know anything about it," said Mulgate.
"I am sure I don't," added Corny.
"I sent you up here to ascertain all about the Bellevite," continued Mulgate, rather sharply.
"I have not had time to find out anything," Corny explained, with some indignation in his tones.
"Corny has done as well as he could in the time he has had to do it in," interposed Captain Carboneer. "I think you are inclined to stir up bad blood with this young man, Mulgate. It appears now that you have a purpose of your own to accomplish, and that Corny will not allow you to carry it out."
"My first purpose is the same as your own," replied Mulgate.
"You admit that you have a second object; and I cannot tell when you will decide to make it your principal purpose," added Captain Carboneer. "I am not satisfied with the situation. I have done everything I can to accomplish our patriotic object. You endanger it by your crusty manner to this young man, who seems to be willing to do his duty; and he is in a position to be of great service to our enterprise."
"If you think it is necessary, I will take off my cap to this young man," said Mulgate, with a sneer in his tones.
"Be reasonable, Mulgate."
"What can I do more than I have done?" demanded the military gentleman, as his title indicated that he was.
"The first thing to do on your part is to renounce this idea of taking a lady passenger with you in the steamer," replied Captain Carboneer, in a very decided tone. "Women are not permitted on board of naval vessels, especially in time of war."
"I don't think I have any idea to renounce," muttered Mulgate.
"You certainly hinted that you desired to take a lady on board, and convey her to our destination," said the captain, rather earnestly.
"Not against her will, as you and Corny will have it," protested Mulgate.
"Do you renounce that plan or that idea, whatever it may be?"
"I do not renounce it. If the lady is willing to go with me, as I believe she will be, I know of no reason why she should not go as a passenger," argued Mulgate.
"I think we had better abandon the enterprise in the beginning, for I think we can be of more service to our country at liberty than within the walls of Fort Lafayette," added the captain, with not a little disgust mingled with his indignation.
Whatever his object in visiting this locality, he was clearly a high-toned gentleman, and the idea of prosecuting a love adventure in connection with what he regarded as a highly patriotic duty was repulsive to his nature. He found by trial that the Florence was not grounded very hard on the beach, for the tide was rising, and he drew the boat farther up from the water, as he turned to walk away from the spot.
"Am I to understand that you retire from this enterprise, Captain Carboneer?" asked Mulgate.
"Am I to understand that you renounce your scheme to carry off a woman as a part of the enterprise?" demanded the