Within The Enemys Lines | Page 5

was obliged to
go to the city, and he handed the guest over to his wife and daughter.
Corny wanted to see Christy, and Mrs. Passford had begun to be uneasy
that he did not return at dark. Corny went out to find him.
CHAPTER II
A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
The Bellevite lay in the river, off the estate of Captain Passford, though
at a little distance below the mansion, from the windows of which she
could not be seen. Corny walked down the avenue and over the hill, in
the direction of the anchorage of the steamer. The boat-house was near
the mansion, and to the float attached to it a variety of small craft were
made fast. But the water was not deep enough there for the Bellevite.
Corny had been to Bonnydale, and passed many weeks there, so that he
was familiar with the localities.
As he passed the boat-house, he noticed that the Florence, which was
Christy's favorite sailing craft, was not at her moorings, and he
concluded that his cousin was away in her on some excursion. When he
reached the boundary line of the estate, he discovered the sailboat with
her bow on the beach, though her mainsail was still set. A gentle breeze
was blowing, with which the Florence could make good headway; but
there seemed to be no one on board of her. Corny watched her for some
time, waiting for the appearance of Christy. It was not an easy matter to
climb the high fence which bounded the estate, and the planter's son

could hail the boat, and be taken on board of her as soon as she got
under way again.
But Christy did not appear, and it was getting darker and darker every
minute. Something must have attracted the attention of the skipper on
shore, and he had doubtless landed. But while Corny was waiting for
his cousin, he saw two men making their way through the grove on the
other side of the fence towards the river. One of them he recognized,
and gave a peculiar whistle, which drew the two men in the direction
from which it came.
"Is that you, major?" asked Corny, in a low tone.
"Hush! You are a simpleton, Corny!" exclaimed one of the men, as he
came up to the palisades of the fence. "Didn't I tell you not to call me
by name?"
"I didn't call you by name," replied Corny, smartly.
"You called me major, and that is about the same thing," added the
speaker on the other side of the fence.
"The woods are full of majors now, both in the North and the South,
and no one knows you especially by that name. But I will remember in
future, Mr. Mulgate," replied Corny.
"That sounds better, Neal. If we lose the game it will be by your
blundering," continued the major, or Mulgate, as he preferred to be
called on the present occasion.
"I suppose you have no talent for blundering, Mulgate; and that is the
reason why you happen to be here at the present moment," retorted
Corny, not at all pleased with the speech of the other.
"None of your impudence, Neal!" said Mulgate, sharply.
"If you lose the game, you say that it will be by my blundering,
Mulgate," continued Corny. "That makes it seem as though I was to

bear the responsibility of a failure; and I don't like the looks of things.
If I am to be responsible for a failure, I ought to have something to say
about the manner of conducting the enterprise."
"Shut up, Neal! We have no time to talk nonsense of that sort. I am to
conduct the enterprise, and you are to obey my orders. That is the
whole of it," replied Mulgate, impatient at the position taken by the
young man. "You are still under my command, and you will obey me
or take the consequences. Now to business: what have you learned?"
"Nothing at all," answered Corny, rather sullenly.
"What have you been about? Haven't you discovered anything?"
"Nothing at all; I have but just arrived here. I took supper with my
uncle, and told him the fish story you invented for me."
"Did he believe it?"
"I don't know whether he did or not; but he and the rest of the family
treated me very handsomely, which made me feel meaner than a dead
catfish."
"Never mind your feelings; you are here to assist in a great enterprise,
and you are expected to do your duty to your country without regard to
your own notions. Report what you have done."
"I haven't done anything but introduce myself into the house, and
explain how I happen to be here," replied Corny, as he proceeded to
give the